Brothels in Milwaukee? Let the Market Decide!

I have a public policy proposal to make. In an attempt to reinvigorate Milwaukee’s economy, which is undoubtedly the economic hub of Wisconsin as a whole, we should legalize prostitution and subsequently allow for the operation of brothels in the city.

All of those male tourists heading to locations such as Thailand or rural Nevada each year will instead come here to vacation. It will be great for the hotel business, and it will certainly have a positive fiscal impact on certain retail shops along with other establishments like restaurants and bars in the area.

We could even allow some booths to be opened at places like Summerfest as a way to piggy-back the industry on already successful Milwaukee attractions. Now that’s what I call synergy!

Besides, in America we’re all about letting the market decide, right? The market in Bangkok and just outside of Las Vegas has shown brothels can be a hit, so why not get in on the action in Milwaukee?

If you haven’t been able to guess by now, my proposal is tongue-in-cheek. Brothels and prostitution are denigrating to women and detrimental to society as a whole. Milwaukee is right to outlaw prostitution for a number of good reasons. But none of those reasons has anything to do with the market.

The goal of this insincere proposal is to make a point about the smoking ban debate that has reached Milwaukee in recent days. Such bans already have been instituted in nearly 450 cities and 11 states across the country; the most notable ban for a Wisconsin municipality started in Madison last year.

Those who oppose the smoking ban largely rest their argument on the basis that it should be up to each individual establishment whether or not to allow for smoking. If people don’t like it, they can go elsewhere. And if enough people go elsewhere, the establishments that allow for smoking will surely put an end to it. That’s the beauty of the market, they conclude. Government has no business getting involved.

Unfortunately for this argument, as is the case with a similar argument that could be made for prostitution in brothels, governments have an obligation to make decisions that include consideration for the public good (or, in this case, public health) of the community—regardless of what the market dictates.

It is certainly worthwhile to have a public debate on the smoking ban issue. In fact, I don’t know completely where I come down on the issue.

Since smoking is a legal activity for individuals in this state, it’s a worthy argument that some establishments should be open for those people who choose to smoke—like cigar bars. But it doesn’t mean that every type of establishment that currently allows for smoking in Milwaukee—such as restaurants—must continue to be granted that ability.

In other words, a line on smoking must be drawn somewhere in spite of its legality as an activity.
And where we draw that line cannot solely rest upon claims about the freedom of the marketplace because that is not how we expect governments to formulate public policy in this country. Any resolution to the issue needs to keep in mind the public good as a whole because that is a big part of what’s at stake.