Nevada Legalizing Prostitution?

So it's no news that our country is in a financial crisis, and the state of Nevada is no exception. Last week Governor Jim Gibbons announced his budget proposal, which included significant cuts to our local education system to avoid tax increases. Nevada already ranks as one of the worst states in terms of education, so you can imagine the backlash the Governor has been receiving for wanting to cut even more funds for education.

Now people are coming back with alternative ways to help the budget, and one of the proposed ideas is to legalize prostitution in Las Vegas and other urban areas of the state where it's currently illegal.

When I first heard about this, I immediately thought no no no! What are people thinking?!? But I've been hearing people talk about it, and as crazy as it seems, are there some valid arguments about the legalization of brothels and such in Vegas.

First off, it's going to happen anyway. Walk up the strip right now and you'll be handed tacky pamphlets or see a sign for "girls direct to your room." Now, what do you really think that means? Do you think the girl is getting paid to hang out with you in your hotel room, drink Shirley Temples and play checkers? Uh, no. These girls and their pimps are making a TON of money off Vegas tourists - you know, the business man in town for a convention who wants to have a little fun while he's away from home. It is HORRIBLE to think that this happens, but it does. Yet, the working girls don't have to pay any taxes on what they make, because technically what they are doing is illegal. If prostitution were made legal, the government would be able to earn more money on taxes from services rendered.

Secondly, a lot of our local cops' time is spent tracking down and arresting prostitutes and their pimps. The crime rate in this city ain't going down anytime soon, so it could be beneficial for our local law enforcement to be fighting other crime instead of spending their time hunting hookers.

Even with these arguments, there is still a part of me that could never argue FOR the legalization of prostitution. The "they're going to do it anyway" argument doesn't hold that strong. I mean, then we could say the same thing about drugs. Why don't we just legalize those since people are going to buy/sell them anyway? Plus, even though it's the oldest profession in history, there is just something WRONG about the whole thing. As a woman, I could never imagine having to resort to doing that in order to make money. God help me if I were ever that desperate for money. And if we legalize prostitution, then that's sending the message that it's ok to do that, when in my heart I know it's wrong.