More in the continuing saga of the GOP’s obsession with druggies, pimps and hos:

Sen. Charles Grassley (news, bio, voting record), chairman of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, wants the Internal Revenue Service to chase after pimps and sex traffickers with the same fervor it stalked gangster Al Capone for tax evasion.

Grassley, R-Iowa, would hit pimps with fines and lengthy prison sentences for failing to file employment forms and withhold taxes for the women and girls under their command.

I can’t find the link, but I remember they tried this a few years back by issuing tax codes for marijuana sales. Of course, that backfired on them when city hall was barraged with stoners trying to purchase the required stamps.

I would say that the idea behind this policy initiative is actually rather sound. This kind of tax and regulate plan seems to be far better (in countries like Holland) at controlling the black market than prohibition plans. Not only does it ease up on prison overpopulation, but it also generates revenue which can then be used to finance treatment and outreach programs.

Unfortunately, that is not what this bill is about. Rather, this is an attempt to add further criminal charges to activities that are borne more out of illness and deprivation than they are from malice. All prohibition has ever accomplished is to make the underground market a more lucrative business to be in, so I can’t see how adding additional expenses will do anything but drive prices up thereby encouraging more illegal sex and drug trafficking.