Federal tobacco stance is epitome of hypocrisy

So, Janet, ''Please let me keep my job,'' Reno, consigliare to the Clinton crime family, after saying in 1997 that the government had no legal standing to join the lawsuit against the tobacco industry, has not only changed her mind, but has somehow decided to use the RICO statutes - created to combat organized crime - to attack a legitimate industry producing and selling a legal product.

Furthermore, the corrupt, hypocritical government not only sanctioned, but subsidized this product, and is the No. 1 profiteer from the product. More than 60 cents of every tobacco dollar goes to government in taxes.

That is more than goes to the growers, makers, distributors and sellers combined.

The greed and arrogance of this government is unprecedented in our history.

It is the government that should be sued for conspiring to cause the deaths of millions of citizens by permitting this dangerous product to remain on the market some 30 years after requiring warning labels detailing tobacco's dangers.

Products less damaging, such as alar or red dye No. 6, were banned with little or no proof that they were harmful.

But then, the government crime family did not reap billions in profits from those products.

We can by simple choice avoid tobacco; we cannot escape the dangers from our own out-of-control government as in Ruby Ridge or Waco.

Tony Moschetti
High Point

News & Record
September 30, 1999