[Rhodes22-list] Shocking Truth - Reply to well educatedslim(political)

Wed Sep 13 17:53:35 EDT 2006

Philip,

I'm thinking there would be some kind of 'gas guzzler' tax put in place.
Instead of being a CPA specializing in prostitutes, I think I'd rather be a
workman's comp claim adjuster.  Those should be some interesting stories.

Here's an article on how the Dutch handle things.  Like you predicted, when
the government get's involved, simple things that everyone knows how to do
get complicated.

Brad

  [image: looksmart]

FindArticles <http://www.findarticles.com/> > Insight on the
News<http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571>> June
3, 1996 <http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_n21_v12> >
Article<http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_n21_v12/ai_18351571>>
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*Amsterdam's taxing issue: wages of sin - taxation of prostitution in the
Netherlands - Fair Comment*
Ralph R. Reiland

Just when you think government regulators can't get any crazier, along comes
a plan from the central planners in the Netherlands to take all the risks
out of sadomasochism. Expanding on the definition of safe sex, Dutch
politicians are promising that no one will be left securely tied to a
bedpost as the staff escapes a burning brothel.

"A lot of people don't realize what can happen if you are bound up and there
is a fire and everyone else is running out of the room and just leaving you
there," explains Klein Beekman, a supporter of the new rules and the
proprietor of the Pink Flamingo in Apeldoorn.

Under new guidelines, "Clients involved in sadomasochistic acts would have
to be bound and gagged in such a way that they could work themselves free in
an emergency in a maximum of 30 seconds," reports the Sunday Times of
London. No Dutchman ever has been burned to death, let alone been injured,
in such an episode, but "you cannot be too careful," says Beekman.

As the red-light district becomes the red-tape district, the politicians are
promising that prostitutes will be fully pensioned and fairly taxed.
Leatherwear becomes tax deductible along with other bedtime gear, and it's
recommended that night tables be stocked with wire cutters.

Also on the table are government price controls to tackle the problem of
falling prices. A surplus of sadists exists due to an influx of new workers
from Latin America and Eastern Europe. Mariska Majoor, a former call girl
and the executive director of the Prostitute Information Center in
Amsterdam, a public-policy think tank that sells "I've been to the red-light
district" T-shirts and teaches the tricks of the trade, asserts that price
controls will "normalize" affairs.

"There's always been an unwritten $25 minimum price here," says Mariam, an
employee at the Prostitute Information Center, "but the immigrants started
selling below the price." With the new rules passed by Amsterdam's City
Council, it's now against the law for a brothel to hire an illegal newcomer.

"Prostitution was always legal in this country," explains Mariam. "It's the
brothels that were illegal, but the police usually ignored them as long as
they were quiet, clean and employed no underage workers." Today, the city of
Amsterdam has about 60 legal prostitution clubs that usually include bars,
about an equal number of private prostitution houses and more than 350 licit
window brothels. "The women in the windows have the highest incomes," states
Mariam. "They sit in the windows so you can see them from the street."

Much of the income from prostitution was tax free before Amsterdam legalized
and licensed its brothels in January. "It was black money," says Mariam, or
off the books. "Now, prostitutes must pay the 17.5 percent sales tax," she
says. "There are two sales taxes. A 6 percent rate applies to basic goods
like milk and butter and the higher rate is for everything nonessential.
Condoms are taxed at 6 percent, but a prostitute's service is taxed at
17.5percent."

"Then costs are deducted, like rent, and the net income is taxed again," she
explains, "at rates up to 60 percent. Most women don't get rich. They
average as much as a lawyer."

"Europeans are enthusiastic about this district," she reports, "but
Americans are generally very surprised. They walk with their jaws dropping
to their knees. Americans ask me if it isn't dangerous without a pimp. I say
`No, it's not unsafe, the government provides the protection.'"

In the Netherlands, the government is the pimp. As Democratic Sen. Daniel
Patrick Moynihan of New York has observed, when modern society is faced with
intractable antisocial behavior, it has the tendency to redefine deviancy as
normal. According to the Amsterdam paradigm, the "abnormal" describes anyone
who drops his jaw.

And yet, in view of America's rapidly disappearing cultural consensus on
issues of sexual morality, the mainstreaming of deviancy in our
public-school system, in television and in the federal government, why
should Americans be shocked? It is likely only a matter of time before
Moynihan's sentiment will be understood to be as quaint as those gawking
American tourists are seen by the prudent burghers and tax-paying madams of
Amsterdam.

On 9/13/06, 3drecon at comcast.net <3drecon at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> Would the tax rate for a 40 year old be lower than for a 25 year old, like
> with automobiles?
>
> Philip
>
> -------------- Original message --------------
> From: "Brad Haslett" <flybrad at gmail.com>
>
> > Slim,
> >
> > I'm starting to regret not sitting for the CPA exam after getting my
> > accounting undergrad. You'd think the 'equipment' would get some kind of
> > depreciation, amortization, or depletion allowance. Wouldn't that be a
> fun
> > interview with new clients!
> >
> > "So tell me mam, what was the mileage on your equipment when you placed
> it
> > into revenue service"?
> >
> > Brad
> >
> >
> > On 9/13/06, Slim wrote:
> > >
> > > Some would be employees of the brothel and taxes would be withheld
> from
> > > their checks. Others would be self-employed and would be required to
> > > report
> > > their income along with their deductions for travel
> and...um...equipment.
> > >
> > > Slim
> > >
> > > On 9/13/06 2:27 PM, "Brad Haslett" wrote:
> > >
> > > > Philip,
> > > >
> > > > How would the government tax it, by volume?
> > > >
> > > > Brad
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 9/13/06, 3drecon at comcast.net <3drecon at comcast.net> wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> I think the price would go down, since it would invite more
> competition
> > > >> even with reasonable government regulation and taxes.
> Unfortunately,
> > > like
> > > >> fuel and tobacco, the government would go overboard and it would
> become
> > > >> expensive again.
> > > >>
> > > >> Philip
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> -------------- Original message --------------
> > > >> From: "Brad Haslett"
> > > >>
> > > >>> Wally,
> > > >>>
> > > >>> If prostitution was to be made legal (and I don't see why not)
> would
> > > the
> > > >>> market drive the price up or down?
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Brad
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>> On 9/13/06, TN Rhodey wrote:
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> LOL....I said I don't consider myself liberal. I didn't mean to
> > > >> suggest my
> > > >>>> viewpoints were in any way conservative. :-)
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> My main point was being liberal is NOT the same as being a
> socialist.
> > > >> I
> > > >>>> haven't noticed a response from Ed...perhaps I judged him
> incorrectly
> > > >> and
> > > >>>> he
> > > >>>> is hitting the ol crack pipe again.
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> Wally
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>> From: R22RumRunner at aol.com
> > > >>>>> Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
> > > >>>>> To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
> > > >>>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Shocking Truth - Reply to well
> > > >>>>> educatedslim(political)
> > > >>>>> Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2006 09:43:31 EDT
> > > >>>>>
> > > >>>>> Holy crap Wally, if conservatives are for prostitution and legal
> > > >> drugs,
> > > >>>>> where do I sign up?
> > > >>>>>
> > > >>>>> Rummy
> > > >>>>> __________________________________________________
> > > >>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> __________________________________________________
> > > >>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > > >>>>
> > > >>> __________________________________________________
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> > > >> __________________________________________________
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> > > >>
> > > > __________________________________________________
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