July 11, 2005
Nickels' obsession with nipples
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels seeks to impose new regulations on the city's handful of strip clubs
The proposed code changes would require dancers to remain at least 4 feet from customers. There are no distance regulations now.
...
Clubs also would have to have more lighting; dancers offstage would be required to wear clothes and tips for dancers would have to be placed in a container rather than given directly to the dancers.
Whatever one's personal views of strip clubs and lapdances, should any of this really be an issue for city government? And with all of the other issues that city officials should be attending to (e.g. a
backlog of $500 million in city street repairs, a collapsing school system, etc. ) how high of a priority should this be?
I never would have known that Seattle had a lapdancing crisis. This sounds like a manufactured solution to a problem that doesn't really exist, presumably to divert attention from Nickels astonishing mismanagement.
Both the Times and the P-I have editorials today in support of Nickels' new nipple laws. The fact that both daily editorial boards are in favor of something is not necessarily proof that the idea is bad, but it is a fairly reliable indicator.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at July 11, 2005
08:34 AM | Email This
1. ... but this is important! It is protecting exploited women! Very high on the PC list.
The only thing you need to go along with this is to treat these poor exploited women like children. Defining it as if these women cannot make up their own mind's freely (that is a bad word in PC speak) is more insulting to this poor 'exploited' class then what ever anyone may think of the proffesion in the first place. In Seattle/KC PC rules!
2. The title of this entry cracked me up. For some reason that I don't even know,I've been calling him Mayor Nipples since I moved here three years ago.
Feel free to do the same.
3. Let's see---
Seattle citizens have gone stark-raving mad because of huge traffic problems....and Mayor Nipples makes this a priority?? God, I'm glad I no longer live in Seattle.
I think Seattle is probably gonna go "tit's up"!
4. Ha Ha ... I like that Ken: Mayor Nipples!
Mayor Nipples is throwing a bone to the gender feminist victim cult. As Fred points out above, the gender feminists think women should be treated like adults in some circumstances, and treated like adolescents in other circumstances.
Obviously, from their perspective, if a man is looking a woman's titties, he is using his "patriarchal privilege" to exploit her.
But, I suspect that what is really going on here is that lesbians like Jenny Durkan are just jealous. They want to see all those nipples up close and don't like it that men get to.
5. I personally actually like Little Nickel's proposal... but you're right, there are other higher priorities at the moment than this he needs to be paying attention to.
6. Maybe Mayor Nicholes just perfers 'reasearching' this particular problem more then others.
I mean, think about it, spending a day in the office looking at bugets and charts, or....
Nevermind.
7. Does this rule apply to male dancers also? Why is it that male mammals have nipples anyway?
8. I consider it a hopeful sign. I always figured the first reaction to something they didn't like was to tax it. Of course I suppose any tax code covering the activities of strippers would be x-rated.
Never had much use for the places the one time I recall being in a strip joint a patron had drop dead from a heart attack, (maybe Nickels could sell the safety aspect), we couldn't even get the joint to turn up lights so we could work on him. We're kneeling on the floor working on the poor guy, CPR, IVs for resuscitation the bump and grind music is going a dancer on stage doing her thing. The cops threatened the owner with arrest for obstructiong a firefighters in the performance of their duties before we got the lights turned on.
I did find the story out of Boise a couple of months ago funny. Boise passed a law, no full nudity, pasties and g-strings, and no closer than 4 feet. The strip clubs then started handing patron drawing pads and pencils and charging for "art" lessons. Seems the Boise law allowed nudity for "artistic" purposes.
Liberal Seattle has always had it's collective knickers in a twist over strip clubs, do they save women from exploitation, or is it freedom of expression. Frank Colacurcio the don of strip clubs in Seattle laughed, while the libs chased there collective values tail, he locked up a monopoly on Seattle strip clubs.
9. Wasn't there some other cartel allegation scandal going on with permits associated with the Seattle strip clubs? This seems pretty fishy.
WRT the containers for tips- ya know I have mixed feelings on a 19 year old with no education making that kind of money and paying no tax on it- and then almost undoubtably goes on to become a huge tax payer liability through drugs or out of wedlock kids who end up in foster care or any of the other choas that follows this lifestyle. Don't even try to sell me that they account for the sum of the tips.
By having the money go from patrons to dancers there is no B&O tax on it. The dancers aren't paying Social Security, Medicare or income tax on the portion they skim. Ordinarily that is something that I say "more power to 'em" but in the case of dancers- these become huge burdens to society when their trains inevitably derail.
On the flip side the city's use for the money may as well be a drug habit-
10. yes- jcm- that was the cartel I was referring to.
11. This from an administration that endorses public nudity (Remember Fremont?). It's all OK though - just another enterprise to relocate outside the "dead zone" - the Seattle city limits....
12. Tell me again who is being exploited? These ladies make a ton of money which they use for college or other enterprises.
They realize their bodies are natural (or until implants) and if some schmuck wants to pay them a lot of money to lapdance, just who is being exploited?
The customer is, but maybe not as bad as gambling, though. Get rid of gambling first.
13. Maybe they could start an 'Excellence in Lap Dancing" Award (hey, it's good enough for Hip Hop)
14. Its seems like both the far right and left don't like strippers, escorts, and the like. The right because it is "naughty", the left because it "exploits". If the activity is made legal and properly controlled (with fairly open entry for clubs) it could provide good tax revenue and eliminate the underground activity that occurs if banned. By zoning it would be pretty easy to restrict to appropriate areas of the city away from children.
If the dancers are over 21, working this at their choice, how are they being explited? I'm sure they can make in an hour what they make in a day with a minimum wage job. For the patrons it is the same kind of vice as gambling. I don't care myself to do either but it seems stupid how much they restrict it. I guess my libertarian leanings are showing
15. Take the ordinance. Substitute 'homeless' for 'dancers' and see what happens. Permit this full contact dance sport ONLY in the $600,000 (homeless) snazzy public porta-potties on the waterfront. That should change a few priorities. Or, make this activity legal only within a Tent City's boundaries.
Seattle police can't legally ask your immmigration status, but you sure as heck are protected against belly dancing terrorism.
16. maybe finally a good use for all the "blue ribbons" Sims, Nickels and co keep talking about ?
17. There is grave danger in lap dancing, thus the high priority to city lawmakers. However, the "Pride" parade can tout floats with people practically fornicating and grinding as they float along with big grins right in your face. And the media all happily carry it on the prime time news. Double standard P.C. garbage.
18. what a bunch of hypocrites the seattle lefties are. They force upon us the Gay and Lesbian Pride parades, running around naked in Fremont, etc, all of which our children can be exposed to because it is not behind closed doors, but in the name of expoitation of these poor women, women who chose the job and are well paid for it, they want to pass the "Nipple Laws". Rather than worrying about the exploitation of those in this chosen profession, maybe they should worry more about what they are allowing our kids to be exposed to by their idiotic socialist laws!!!!
19. I haven't been to a strip club since I was in college but the few times I did visit I didn't notice there was a problem... Is there a problem now???
Are clients complaining because there is too much touching???
Sounds like we have invented another problem to solve.
exploit smexploit... the "dancers" are old enough to make decisions in regards to their employment!
This is just more useless regulation!
20. The four foot rule was established to approximate the size of the mayor's hefty girth. He was unable to get much closer, so why let someone else?
21. NEWS FLASH!!!
Governess Gregoire announces her latest tax scheme. It's a new form of B&O Tax called T&A Tax. Strippers must pay based on cup size. AA's are exempt.
Gregoire goes on to say, "This new T&A Tax will keep our state government from going "tit's up".
22. Ta-ta-boom!
(tittering from the crowd)....
23. Nickels also has a thing about smoking and because he doesn't like it every bar and tavern owner will suffer if I-901 wins in November. Meanwhile the three tribal c a s i n o s surrounding us who won't be effected by the smoking ban will have smokers flocking to them in droves.
Before you say good riddens remember that smokers pay almost 400 million a year and with the new 60 cents a pack tax they're supposed to contribute over 500 million. If smokers start buying cigarettes at tribal businesses the state doesn't get a penny of the excise tax. It all stays with the tribe. If only 20 percent of smokers start buying cigarettes at tribal businesses the state is going to have a 100 million dollar gap in revenue per year.
This may be why Prentice and the Dems were so adamant about getting this new tax on the books knowing that if I-901 passes the tribes collectively will gain about a hundred million dollars and that doesn't count increased c a s i n o revenues. It's very possible this new tax was designed to increase revenue to the tribes.
I quit smoking almost 20 years ago and with almost 70%-80% of the places smoke free I have many choices on whjere to go so I don't need the government telling a businesses owner that they can't allow their customers to smoke knowing full well the smoking customers can drive an extra 10-20 minutes and be at a busiess that can still allow smoking.
Taxpayers wise up. Kicking smokers in the teeth and telling them to go somewhere else will be expensive. Personally I'll put up with a little smoke
24. Interestingly it is exactly because of the excessive tight regulation of this industry and the monopoly on it locally that leads the monopolizer to the position of complete control over the young women working there. IE: They have to pay the Club owner $250 just to work one shift there plus get a city license to perform, if they dont like that, they have no place else to go... except south to Portland. So we have legalized extortion by the club owner that is acceptable to the city while they say they are protecting the women from the "evil" men who would watch and pay them for this "entertainment."
Interesting how being PC in this instance has the exact opposite effect on the those they are intending to protect. if indeed they are trying to protect the right of the dancers in the first place.
25. How do they intend to make certain the strippers stay 4 feet away from the patrons? Will the Mayor go to strip clubs with a tape measure? Or will all strippers be issued with four-foot tassels and anybody whose tassel hits a patron will be cited? ;-)
26. How did it become 4 feet? Did lawmakers mistakenly cut & paste the homeless crab, lice & flea jump distance into this law? Why not metric for our Euro friends? Does it relate to that circus ring toss game? Is it the max distance of sneeze droplets for bio hazards? We need a commission and study pronto!
27. my point was that the dancers already have to be excessively close, touching the patrons to make enough money to pay the exhorbitant daily fee to the club or else they OWE the club money!! implementing the 4 foot no touch rule would directly result in dancers making less money while not hurting the club at all.
the answer of course is capitalism. Allow competetion in the industry and the club owners can no longer charge performers confiscatory fees thus forcing them to touch patrons to pay said fees. the tables would be turned and clubs would have to vie for talente performers as is the case in pdx.
28. Dangit! I'm getting confused here! Just when I was starting to "get it" the liberals are out there changing the rules again. I thought Democrats were the party of "fun", "free love", "stay out of our bedroom", "pro choice", etc. And I have been told for years that Republicans are all Bible thumbing "born-again-ers" trying to force their beliefs on free spirited folks. NOW I'm hearing that Democrats in Seattle (of all places) are trying to tell women what they can and can't do with their bodies. Hmmmmmm. Isn't that what Democrats used to say about Republicans? Or is this a "free speech" issue??? Democrats are on record as opposing that since they sued KVI for their "enthusiastic talk" about the anti-gas tax initiative. Maybe I'm starting to figure this thing out. Well, I'm sure they can find a judge somewhere who will agree with them as usual.
29. Sounds like Mayor Nickels has too much time on his hands!!
30. Well, yes, of course it should be a issue for city government, though given that such attitudes as expressed in this post have already resulted in the wholesale destruction of all moral and cultural standards, it's probably too little and too late.
31. I know! We'll put strip joints on the new monorail (one car per train for starters) - maybe we can make this thing solvent (perhaps even profitable) yet...
32. Hello.
Personally, I feel two ways about this. One, I have a feeling he is trying to do this to try and curb the lawsuit that was filed by the owner of Rick's over the moratorium that has been in effect for the last decade plus.
The second is that if they are planning on going though with these regulations, I hope they add a couple more to the list, like the following:
1. Dances must last the entire length of the song, and the song may NOT be edited or sped up to fit a three-minute timespan.
2. There will be no more 'conveyor belt' procession of the strippers from one stage to another. They must vary the dancers at both so you do not feel you are on a T&A assembly line.
3. NO POWER BALLADS!!!
4. Patrons who request it shall be given a big sign that identifies them as people who only come with their friends to watch the dancers. The sign means that the strippers cannot come up to them every 30 seconds seeing if they want a dance.
5. DJ chatter shall be limited to only 10 seconds between songs and emergencies ONLY.
6. All strip clubs shall be divided into three sections: 18 - 20 (6.00 sodas only), 21 up (10.00 beers and water-down mixed drinks) and bachelor party (Where rule #4 is not in effect.)
7. All Seattle strip clubs shall have brochures for Vancouver strip clubs, where their are no insanely stupid rules, cheap admission and drinks, and FAR hotter dancers.
(Man, now I feel a bit dirty and sad that I know too much about what goes on in the local strip clubs...)
Domo.
33. This reminds me a little of when there was the ballot measure in Settle to elect the City Council by districts, rather than at large. The members of the City Council were wailing about how they needed to be elected at large so they could more easily come to a consensus on important issues. The measure failed, leaving the election for the City Council at large.
What was one of the first things they did after they got their way? -- made it a law that the city would stop collecting your garbage if you did not recycle.
34. If it keeps men from patronizing strip clubs because they can't harass the strippers quite as easily now, and they go out of business, it will please my raging social conservative hormones. Seriously, I'm not being sarcastic.