BCT Editorial – 4/15/05

This page was last updated on April 16, 2005.

Jogging around; Editorial; Beaver County Times; April 15, 2005.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“SMOKED OUT: The settlement between 46 states and the four major tobacco companies is looking more and more like a money grab on the part of the former. Instead of using the bulk of the money from the settlement to fund health care, anti-tobacco education and other tobacco-related areas, Business Week magazine reports, the states will use 44 percent of the $5.4 billion they are to receive this year to cover budget shortfalls, while 23 percent will go toward paying off bond debt. Just 32 percent will be used to fund health-related programs. Doesn’t that make you wonder what the true motives were for the states when they brought their lawsuits against the companies?”

[RWC] Duh! I hate it when people insult our intelligence. Unless you were incredibly naïve, everyone long ago recognized the tobacco lawsuits for what they were, a money grabbing shakedown. I wonder what the Times position was during this period?

Next up? All signs point to the fast food industry.