Breaking News From the NY Times: Tobacco Bad!

New York Times/NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

by Mark Finkelstein

August 20, 2006 - 07:19

Breaking news from the New York Times: tobacco is bad for you! Of course you didn't know that. Rubes like you [probably the same kind of people dumb enough to have voted for Republicans over the years] likely think tobacco has roughly the same the health impact of bean sprouts washed down with OJ. That's because you've fallen victim to the tobacco industry's "half-century of deception." And the Times is plenty mad about it.

In Tobacco Racketeers Get Off Easy, the Times stamps its editorial feet this morning, frustrated by the judge's rulings in a suit accusing Big Tobacco under racketeering statutes. The judge had earlier denied the $280 billion penalty originally sought, and has now turned thumbs down on "the modest billions sought by prosecutors."

Fulminates the Times: "The prospects for reining in this rogue industry seem limited unless Congress finds the gumption to crack down — or top tobacco executives develop a conscience and decide to get out of the death-dealing business."

Ah, a government crack-down on business. Enough to warm the cockles a of big-government liberal's heart. Yesterday it was Robert Kuttner over at the Times-owned Boston Globe, militating for a crack-down on that threat to all things good - Walmart. Today it's the Times' turn vis a vis the tobacco industry.

There's also a certain element of puritanism that runs through the MSM when it comes to tobacco, perhaps because cigarette smoking has become declasse among the enlightened of the Upper West Side. Have you ever seen the Times, for example, demand a crack-down on drug dealers with the same passion with which it inveighs against the marketers of the legal product that is tobacco?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

NY Times/NewsBusters ping to Today show list.

[gridlock]

Breaking news from the New York Times: tobacco is bad for you! Of course you didn't know that. Rubes like you [probably the same kind of people dumb enough to have voted for Republicans over the years] likely think tobacco has roughly the same the health impact of bean sprouts washed down with OJ.

I dunno, GLGB... Have you ever hung out in the FReeper Smokers' Lounge?

[Past Your Eyes]

Tomorrow's headline: "TOO MUCH WATER CAN CAUSE DROWNING"

[perfect stranger]

Big tobacco has already given up many millions to trial lawyers. What's the problem now?

[mo]

There's still a few more millions to be extorted.....

[Sgt_Schultze]

I dare say that the amount of rubbish created daily by publishers such as the Times creates lingering environmental concerns. Localities should assess newspaper printers an environmental fee for the disposal of their product, being as it makes up a significant volume of daily trash.

One wonders how the Times would feel if it were suddenly made liable for its decades old environmental damage, even though it was Times readers who actually contributed to the problem.

[Dallas59]

Wake me up when there's some real news....

[cgbg]

One wonders how the Times would feel if it were suddenly made liable for its decades old environmental damage, even though it was Times readers who actually contributed to the problem

One wonders how the Times would feel if editorial screeds throughout the heartland demanded that big cities like New York be emptied to protect their children against polluted big city air.

[presently no screen name]

Have you ever seen the Times, for example, demand a crack-down on drug dealers with the same passion

Nope! Note to TNYT: The gov't should clamp down on traitors.

[randita]

Has the Times or any other liberal news outlet or liberal politician, for that matter, ever called for an outright ban on tobacco products?

Until or unless they do, they are just "blowing smoke".

[NaughtiusMaximus]

I GUARANTEE THIS MEDIA FREE OF BIAS

[Ditter]

Coffin nails are bad for you????? Who knew?????

[JLGALT]

"One wonders how the Times would feel if editorial screeds throughout the heartland demanded that big cities like New York be emptied to protect their children against polluted big city air."

Excellent statement! I live in Southern California and my lung specialist told me that just living in this state did as much damage to the lungs as one pack of cig's a day! And that includes even the youngest of babies.

Where are the warning signs that should be on the state's borders?

[gridlock]

Until or unless they do, they are just "blowing smoke".

Absent government protection, the tobacco industry would have been sued out of existance long ago. The government must take ownership of every premature death, since they are the result of government action.

[nicollo]

... and where are the calls by the Times for the publishing industry to pay back all those advertising dollars it eagerly inhaled over the years up from Big Tobacco?

[an amused spectator]

So Mark - are you going to comment on the Couric/Mitchard interview & the lead-up to Katie's SeeBS coronation in the near future?

Is this stew cooking gently on one of your many burners?

The reason I ask is because I saw the perky blonde ho's "interview" in Parade last drekk week.

I could imagine you giving the interview - there'd be a lot of chin music... ;-)

[MikefromOhio]

Tobacco Bad!!!

Tobacco BAD!!!!

[Still Thinking]

Democrats have been lying to the public for years. Is the old gray lady equally up in arms about THAT or do they only get pissed at people that have productive jobs?