Go Pay For Your Own Woody

For those who may think all I do is agree lockstep with liberals, here's some smart legislation from a Republican governor:

Governor George Pataki has suspended all public funding for Viagra, following a report by New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi that close to 200 Level-3 sex offenders received Viagra paid for with taxpayer money.

The governor says the ban will remain in effect until legislation is passed preventing sex offenders from getting Medcaid-reimbursed sexual dysfunction drugs.

OK, I mostly agree with him. Whether or not you're a sex offender shouldn't be the only reason the state shouldn't be funding Viagra. How about because it's not an illness? Erectile dysfunction (also known as GETTING FREAKING OLD) is one of these sham diseases that has been marketed to Americans by Pfizer without anyone stopping to wonder if the billions spent on it should actually be going to curing people of life-threatening illnesses. I'm not saying octagenerians don't need love too: just that if they want the nookie, they can go ahead and pay for it. The demographics for ED drugs are older and affluent. The fact that there are about 20 of these drugs on the market should piss you off as a taxpayer. Your tax dollars went into R&D for no societal benefit whatsoever.

The sex offender thing is a red herring, in my opinion. Viagra on Medicaid is ridiculous no matter who you're selling it to.

...one other thing: in terms of improving sexual pleasure and sexual performance, is there any material difference between Viagra and Ecstasy? If not, why isn't E on the Medicaid plan?