WASHINGTON, July 27, 2008
Is The Bush Admin. Blowing Smoke?
Bob Schieffer Says Not Allowing The FDA To Regulate Tobacco Because They're Overworked Makes No Sense
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(AP)
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Play CBS Video Video Bush Tobacco Stance Under Fire Bob Schieffer supports the House's proposed bill which would impose stronger regulations on the tobacco industry, but fails to understand how the Bush Administration could not support such an act.
First disclosure: I'm a cancer survivor, and have lived for a long time with another disease called ulcerative colitis, both of which I probably got because of a long-ago, heavy addiction to nicotine.
So I am delighted the House will vote this week on legislation that for the fist time will give the Food and Drug Administration real power to regulate tobacco products. I hope it passes.
For the record, John McCain and Barack Obama, who don't agree on much, agree this needs to be done. So does the American Cancer Society, as well as the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, and on and on.
The administration - incredibly, in my opinion - opposes it for a reason that would make the Queen of Hearts from "Alice in Wonderland" proud.
Their reason: that the FDA already has such a huge job monitoring food safety that it just doesn't have the resources to take on the additional job of regulating tobacco.
If it did, the administration argues, regulating food and drugs might suffer.
I couldn't be more serious. That really is their main reason.
By that logic, we shouldn't have asked the military or our intelligence agencies to get involved in fighting terrorism after 9/11. For sure, they already had plenty to do before Osama bin Laden came along.
In "Alice," after the Queen of Hearts issued her weird orders, her husband the King had a way of undoing them when she wasn't looking.
Well, maybe Congress can do the same and pass this by veto-proof margins.
Because every day, 1,000 children in America are learning to smoke, and for 20 years now, 400,000 Americans have died each year from tobacco-related diseases.
That's no fairy tale. Those are just the facts.
E-mail Face the Nation.
By Bob Schieffer
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The secrets of tennis legend 
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See all 48 CommentsYou are nothing but a malcontent and an extraordinarily ignorant person. Your statements in this forum are so idiotic, so completely outrageous and without foundation that you should be ashamed of yourself.
What are you a "veteran" of anyway? The insane asylum??
Additionally, if FDA were charged with regulation of tobacco products, they''d have no choice but to outlaw it, totally.
I agree with President Bush that FDA has enough on their plate without becoming political footballs for the anti-smoking crowd.
RB,J
socialism is what your senator , McSame, and even Bush use to get their healthcare, they have socialized medical care,
have you heard any one of them complain about socialism,
the only thing wrong with socialism is that people like you do not understand it
what a joke , has he ever done anything but blow smoke?
the criminal conservative agenda, hey will protect any business, even tobacco, prostitution, illegal drugs, or religions, if they can keep a little of their power because of it,
They are greed driven, anything for money
check out Larry Craig and Ted Stevens for good examples
gunfghter51 is another typical example of the kind of
goose stepping fascism we are talking about,
It is a mindless voting machine that props up republiCons
What does the party that''s controlling America have to do with losing union jobs?
That sounds like a union problem to me!
" SHRUB "
Far and Away The W Worst resident to EVER Occupy the White House .A Criminal operate like Shrove has made a mockery of the Justice system .Dicck,Scooter,Delay,Harriet,Gonzo and All others ned to be W Waterboarded !
Do you wear a sack over your head, ala Katrina.
You best look at your lame unions as the cause of all your good jobs going overseas. When Clinton was in office, 2 million union workers, when he left, 500,000 workers, now 250,000 workers. Put the blame where it belongs.
LIBERALISM, combined with SOCIALISM.
Element 51
I smoked for 30 years, trying to quit for 29.
Tried a million times to quit.Got sick and couldnt stand the thought of smoke. That did it. When my cold was gone I just stayed with it and havent touched a smoke since. That was ten years ago.
Met a new girlfriend this year and she told me to lose the beer ( and the gut ). Havent had a beer in 6 months.Now we play tennis and go swimming together. Never felt better .Saving a lot of dough.
Nothing is impossible.
Good luck ( next time you get sick , just stop ! )
The key is to really ,really want to quit.
Just thought I''d share.
Element 51
I smoked for 30 years, trying to quit for 29.
Tried a million times to quit.Got sick and couldnt stand the thought of smoke. That did it. When my cold was gone I just stayed with it and havent touched a smoke since. That was ten years ago.
Met a new girlfriend this year and she told me to lose the beer ( and the gut ). Havent had a beer in 6 months.Now we play tennis and go swimming together. Never felt better .Saving a lot of dough.
Nothing is impossible.
Good luck ( next time you get sick , just stop ! )
The key is to really ,really want to quit.
Just thought I''d share.
Element 51
I smoked for 30 years, trying to quit for 29.
Tried a million times to quit.Got sick and couldnt stand the thought of smoke. That did it. When my cold was gone I just stayed with it and havent touched a smoke since. That was ten years ago.
Met a new girlfriend this year and she told me to lose the beer ( and the gut ). Havent had a beer in 6 months.Now we play tennis and go swimming together. Never felt better .Saving a lot of dough.
Nothing is impossible.
Good luck ( next time you get sick , just stop ! )
The key is to really ,really want to quit.
Just thought I''d share.
Element 51
I smoked for 30 years, trying to quit for 29.
Tried a million times to quit.Got sick and couldnt stand the thought of smoke. That did it. When my cold was gone I just stayed with it and havent touched a smoke since. That was ten years ago.
Met a new girlfriend this year and she told me to lose the beer ( and the gut ). Havent had a beer in 6 months.Now we play tennis and go swimming together. Never felt better .Saving a lot of dough.
Nothing is impossible.
Good luck ( next time you get sick , just stop ! )
The key is to really ,really want to quit.
Just thought I''d share.
Element 51
I smoked for 30 years, trying to quit for 29.
Tried a million times to quit.Got sick and couldnt stand the thought of smoke. That did it. When my cold was gone I just stayed with it and havent touched a smoke since. That was ten years ago.
Met a new girlfriend this year and she told me to lose the beer ( and the gut ). Havent had a beer in 6 months.Now we play tennis and go swimming together. Never felt better .Saving a lot of dough.
Nothing is impossible.
Good luck ( next time you get sick , just stop ! )
The key is to really ,really want to quit.
Just thought I''d share.
since 1984 :(
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See all 48 Comments