Porn and the Presidency

November 3rd, 2008
By: Luke Gilkerson
Under: Porn Industry

Question: Which candidate has the porn industry concerned about their profits?

Answer: John McCain.

In a recent article from Adult Video News (AVN), major adult industry analyst Jack Morrison explains what is at stake for pornographers in tomorrow’s elections. According to Morrison, there are only two things holding back the law from curtailing the availability of online porn: (1) the Supreme Court’s current interpretation of the First Amendment, and (2) the Department of Justice’s willingness to focus on enforcing such laws at the federal level.

Morrison further says, “Both of those barriers to revenue-killing legislation are currently hanging by a thread, and the November election will determine whether the thread breaks, and whether the online erotica industry suffers as a result.”

There will be at least one vacancy on the Supreme Court (nearly inevitable) in the next four years, and the new administration will probably appoint a new Attorney General to head up the Department of Justice. Morrison concludes that if McCain is elected today, he could very well appoint judges that will begin letting anti-porn legislation stand. This, he says, “will create a blank check for either Congress or state legislatures to pass more anti-porn laws by removing the ‘political cover’ of unconstitutionality.” McCain could also appoint an Attorney General who will enforce these laws. “And that could be absolutely fatal to the adult erotica industry,” Morrison contends.

He counsels the adult industry profiteers, “unless you want to risk laws and regulations that could clobber your revenue and profit, you’ll do everything you can to see that McCain loses.” He also quotes adult industry lawyer Lawrence G. Walters:

“There’s absolutely no question in my mind that this is the most important election for the industry in decades. If things go the wrong way, the industry could be in for a period of suppression that could last for decades.”

The Business of Porn

I assume for most readers, porn is not one of those make-it-or-break-it issues when it comes to decisions made in the voting booth. It isn’t for me. I assume porn will find a way, as it always does, to wiggle its way into people’s lives, despite all the legislation in the world.

What I find so fascinating is the language used by Morrison in this article. He uses the language of business: distribution, industry, revenue, profit. This is not surprising because this is exactly what AVN, the trade journal of the porn world, is all about. Contrary to what some may think, you don’t find many articles on AVN by perverts talking about sexual deviancy. What you do find is one article after another about the technology and business models that will help make the pornographer successful at his trade.

Andrew Edmond, President and CEO of the $20 million Internet porn business, Flying Crocodile, stated, “a lot of people [outside the adult industry], get distracted from the business model by [the sex]. It is just as sophisticated and multilayered as any other marketplace. We operate just like any Fortune 500 company.”