Why is Prostitution Against the Law?

I never understood this, but the way I understand it, it's illegal to pay for or accept money for performing sexual acts. I'm not the legal expert...that's Brent's territory, but something bugs me here. If both parties are paid, and we film it...it's called pornography. What's the difference?

And really...isn't somebody buying dinner, drinks, and admission to a club THE SAME THING? And if so, does that make all of us guilty of prostitution? Why is it illegal anyway? In Australia, prostitutes are state "licensed", and actually are legal. Is it morally wrong.

Happy Mardi Gras to all of you out there. We went to a club to celebrate this weekend, and beads were a plenty. The stripper of the bar gave me some beads, but only after I "earned" them. Lucky that no cameras were around as I would have been caught with my pants down...Literally. I guess I'm a prostitute for beads.