Friedrich at 2 Blowhards (Can they possibly switch to a new name?) posts an amazing summation of what's happened to all that tobacco money that was supposed to make life better in: Policy Break: 5 Year Anniversary of the Tobacco Settlement. The short form: You didn't really expect the sick, the young, the lame and the halt to get one red cent, did you? You did? Fool.
The private tort lawyers who participated in the MSA and have been awarded well over $10 billion in fees. (For a scathing look at these fees and exactly how they were awarded, you should check out this American Lawyer story here.) And beyond the actual cold hard cash, the tort bar has been inspired by the fact that Americans tamely submitted to a significant tax increase imposed by litigation (unlike the old fashioned kind that requires, you know, elections and voting and stuff.)Posted by Van der Leun at October 3, 2003 8:30 AM | TrackBackWhat an unholy trio -- politicians, tobacco companies, and tort lawyers. Maybe next time the public will look a little more askance when these Three Amigos come calling, bearing so-called public health gifts.
As an acquaintance of mine remarks—“You know, I get more cynical every year, but I just can’t keep up.”
"It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood." -- Karl Popper N.B.: Comments are moderated to combat spam and may not appear immediately. Comments that exceed the obscenity or stupidity limits will be either edited or expunged.