Kristin Davis is running for the office of Governor of New York. You may not recognize her name; however you will recognize the story that originates around her. Kristin Davis is better known as “The Manhattan Madam.”
Below are some excerpts from my essay about Kristin Davis and why I agree with her run for the office of Governor for New York. The full essay can be obtained by contacting me along with sources for information upon request. See also my previous blog / interview with Kristin Davis.
She was arrested and served time on Riker’s Island for providing expensive escorts to politicians and other high profile individuals involved in politics and sports in New York, as well as other places around the world. When the arrest was made, it is said that there was well over two million dollars in cash confiscated by police. Kristin Davis has proven herself as a business woman with the jobs she has held and the money she has made. Despite the fact that Kristin was involved with illegal activities she is still a better choice for public office than a career politician for any voter that may live in New York. As a voter one has the choice between a person who has committed a crime and served their time and reformed – or a career politician who is known to dabble in illegal activities but has not yet been caught. Voters in New York owe it to their state’s future and proper justice to give Kristin Davis a chance to make changes.
Someone like Kristin who has an excellent business record and wants to make true changes in the system is perfect for the position of Governor. This woman built a worldwide escort agency and employed women in more than six countries. She had a yearly income of well over 6 million. If there is anyone with a business mind to approach New York’s financial issues objectively it would be her.
The problems with our political system began long ago. As far back as in Abraham Lincoln’s time we have had politicians who were been impeached or brought in front of Congress, to answer for their unethical actions outside of their public service positions. These were all unethical actions they have been responsible for committing while in office. Over time the politicians in general have become more and more corrupt.
Many Americans have experienced and seen the corruption of our justice and political system first hand. Kristin Davis is in this number who have experienced it. New York has been plagued with dirty politicians in recent years. Senator Hiram Monseratte, Senator Joe Bruno, Comptroller Alan Hevesi, State Superintendent of Police Harry Corbitt, Former Gov Eliot Spitzer, and Eric Massa; these are all within the last 2 years.
Former Governor Eliot Spitzer was found to have been seeing prostitutes yet has never even faced formal charges for his lack of “morality” during his time as Governor. This is the person elected by the people of New York. It was apparently acceptable for him to hire escorts and mistreat them physically and mentally; but it was illegal for the madam to be providing escorts. Anyone with a logical mind can see the shortcomings in this thinking. As long as customers exist, this profession will not cease to exist. If it is illegal for the girls to provide the service, it is also illegal for the men who are buying the service. Simple laws of supply and demand show that women would not be prostitutes if the ability to make money doing so did not exist. In the figure below you will see that 7 in 10 prostitution arrests are the woman providing the service – not the customer buying the service.
Part of Kristin’s platform is the legalization of marijuana and prostitution. She has a great point on how legalizing those things can fix the financial issues in New York’s budget. Between the two, there would be an addition $2.5 Billion in new tax revenues. This is not to mention 50,000+ jobs which are desperately needed in New York. When Kristin Davis decided to run for Governor of New York on the political stance of legalizing and taxing prostitution and marijuana; at first the political backlash was slow to come. Not many politicians or others were publicly vocal for or against Kristin’s run for Governor. However, recently Attorney Warren Redlich; who is seeking the Republican nomination for Governor and also wants to be the NYLP nominee, publicly called Kristin a ‘whore.’ Kristin’s response to him: “I ran an escort service. I never worked as a prostitute. I was a business women engaged in an illegal business. I paid a penalty for my offense but I do not need to be slandered by Mr. Redlich.” (Independent Political Report, 2010)
So far, no one in the state of New York has proposed any viable business plans to bring the state back to a positive position financially. With no one seeming to care about the people of New York, and only finger pointing and name calling in this race so far – Kristin Davis appears to be the best choice. Kristin’s business sense cannot be equaled by the majority of politicians in New York or anywhere else in this country for that matter. The American public already does not trust our politicians, It is unreasonable to expect the government to continue to run in a positive manner without a serious backlash if something does not change with the political situation in this country and most especially in New York state.
The most common argument against Kristin’s platform for running is that prostitution is immoral. So is alcoholism, but we do not see the government stopping alcohol sales. In countries where prostitution is legalized and regulated the sex workers are much safer and crime is actually much lower. Take a look at the information in the table below..
Kristin’s states many times in interviews that prostitution is a victimless crime. It is a need being filled and could be accomplished legally in a much safer manner while producing a revenue for the state that it is legal in. It is as many know the world’s oldest profession and there is certainly a reason that despite being outlawed it still exists daily in this country. Many states in this country could learn much from Nevada.
There is also of course those people who are against the legalization of marijuana. It has been proven that marijuana is medically useful for relief of pain and issues associated with chemotherapy for cancer patients. Alcohol is sold every day and driving while drinking is illegal. People all over this country in many different positions of life are addicted to alcohol. How is this a logical choice for the American people when they are not legally allowed to relax with a simple herb that was God given and all natural? According to the Institute of Medicine “The high associated with marijuana is not generally claimed to be integral to its therapeutic value. But mood enhancement, anxiety reduction, and mild sedation can be desirable qualities in medications — particularly for patients suffering pain and anxiety. Thus, although the psychological effects of marijuana are merely side effects in the treatment of some symptoms, they might contribute directly to relief of other symptoms.” (National Academies Press, 1999) Many do consider marijuana to be a gateway drug. Marijuana doesn’t have to be a gateway drug, if the government as well as the general public clarified its herbal and medicinal use and didn’t legalize the hard “man made” drugs it would be clear that marijuana is ok the rest is NOT!
Some say Kristin Davis is a criminal and that she should not be in office. Kristin Davis has served her time for her crime. She has paid her debt to society. Politicians are involved with sex scandals on a regular basis. As an almost daily occurrence you can turn on your television and see a story about a politician or big name person being involved in some sort of sex scandal.
The majority of the time, politicians are not even formally charged with their crimes.
In countries where prostitution is legal, sex workers are protected from the violence that is often committed against them. The girls are not subject to prosecution for turning in a man who may assault her during the course of her “work day.” It is true that Kristin has a criminal record, however she has served her time. She is actually saving the taxpayers time and money. She has already done the criminal activities in her life and learned from them. Once being charged with a prostitution related offense, a woman is not really a hirable candidate for the corporate business world. However, we all know that politicians are eternally crooked and tend to pop up in scandalous affairs on a regular basis yet they continue on to other careers quite easily.
The lack of honesty in politicians in this country is leading us in a bad direction – one that Kristin Davis could help people at large to start fixing and reforming by winning her run for office. Kristin’s platform of legalizing marijuana and prostitution and taxing them is the most logical of solutions. Her solution would not only decriminalize both of those present criminal activities and tax them, which would generate revenue for the state of New York. Prisons would be less crowded as well. Kristin is a business woman who admitted her wrong doings and has served her debt to society. She is very much unlike many politicians who get away with their crimes and are not even forced to step down from office at times. If this woman could build an escort agency that stretched into other countries, how could she not fix the financial issues plaguing New York as well as replace these crooked politicians in office now?
As you can see, despite a criminal background Kristin Davis is a much better choice than the majority of politicians that are running for office in this day and age. When I asked her about her criminal past during an interview recently her answer was this: “I think part of what makes me great is my past. I committed a crime (in the eyes of society) and served my time. I learned a lot in the process. I saw the inequities in the criminal justice system first hand. I’ve decided to fight back against the system that is largely corrupt. I can use my voice to be the voice for those who can’t speak for themselves. New York has been plagued by dirty politicians; Senator Hiram Monseratte, Senator Joe Bruno, Comptroller Alan Hevesi, State Superintendent of Police Harry Corbitt, Former Gov Eliot Spitzer, Eric Massa – these are all within the last 2 years! Its time New Yorker’s take their state back. I’m saving the voters time (and money) I’ve already been to jail!” There will not be a need during her time as Governor of New York for Kristin Davis to be put on trial for doing anything illegal. She is in all aspects a reformed woman who is seeking to right the wrongs of our criminal justice system and the government and finances of the State of New York. How can anyone who believes that reform of “criminals” is possible not give her a chance to prove herself and continue to vote for the true career criminal politicians? I don’t know about you; but if I lived in New York, Kristin Davis would get my vote!
Way to take my comment out of context. My criticism was of Roger Stone, Davis’ campaign manager.