I don’t think prostitution would disappear if there were more options available to the poor.   But, as you explain above, the poor often go into it because it pays better than other jobs that they are qualified for.  I’m not entirely sure what I would choose were my only choices to be a 9-5 grunt at a physically demanding job or as a prostitute.  And how does a person get to the point where these are their only choices?  Many factors, including a poor education, limited parental involvement, and a lack of opportunities come into play.  I went to a great school and had parents that worked with me to do well.  They earned enough money that I could concentrate on schoolwork rather than working.  We lived in an area where I did not have to worry about violence, nor where success could mean a beat-down.  And so as a young adult I had many more opportunities through no great effort on my part than many other people.

As for socialism, I don’t understand why it’s considered terrible.  "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist." - Dom Helder Camara, Brazilian archbishop

It is my opinion that no pure form of government or economic system can work.  Pure democracy fails.  Pure capitalism fails.  And of course, pure socialism fails.  What type of system do we need?  We need one that is competitive enough to inspire people to work hard and thus be more productive.  But, we also need a system that allows a person to be productive through hard work if they so choose.  Currently for some people, that is not the case.

Personally, I have no problems with what the current administration is trying to do.  The fact that we don’t have universal healthcare is completely absurd and one of the reasons we have some of the worst health care when compared to other first world nations.  This is one aspect where democracy and capitalism just fail.  While I’m not 100% thrilled with the economic choices, I don’t think anyone has a better idea.  Eight years of republican mismanagement had sent our economy in a nose-dive.  The global economy has set up a system that no one understands.  Couple these together, and the decision making becomes quite difficult.  But, I’ve known quite a few people who have benefited from the stimulus money in a way that I think is beneficial.  It certainly helped people stay in school who will be tomorrow’s engineers, physicists and doctors rather than have them drop out and wait tables or whatnot in order to survive.

 Returning to prostitution so the moderators don’t ding me, it’s not a profession that I think many would choose were they given all available options.  For instance, if every single job paid a living wage and one could choose whatever one wanted to do, I don’t think we’d see many prostitutes.  But, I don’t think we’d see many maids, garbage men, miners, etc.  It would be nice if we were to live in a society where more people get to do what they want to do for employment, rather than what they need to do to survive.   Ultimately I think that would lead to a more productive society, which is good for all of us.