The Mann Act

Last night, one of the professional bloviators on MSNBC mentioned that Eliot Spitzer might be charged with violation of the Mann Act. The act was passed in the first part of the 20th Century, and outlaws the transportation of women across state lines for purposes of prostitution. (I suppose by now it's been amended to say "persons.")

Some years ago (well, a few decades by now), Steve Allen--surely one of the most talented and perhaps the funniest man ever to walk the Earth--wanted to find out what people would answer to a question they clearly did not understand. He had people go out on the street and ask passersby, "Do you think the Mann Act is unfair to organized labor?"

Among the responses:

"We're strictly against the act in our house." (Makes you wonder just what kind of house it was.)

and

"I'm against anything that's bad for organized labor." (The politicians answer.)