Up In Smoke

Politics makes strange bedfellows, particularly here in New York City. As the 2005 New York mayoral election draws near, the 2 year old indoor smoking ban pressed for by Mayor Michael Bloomberg has drawn the ire (and attention) of many whose livelihood is dependant upon the peddling of the carcinogenic crop. Democratic candidate Fernando Ferrer as well as other potential Democratic contenders have begun taking tobacco money in campaign contributions:

The publisher of Cigar Aficionado magazine, Marvin Shanken, arranged more than $27,000 in campaign donations for Democrat Fernando Ferrer, a former Bronx borough president, Ferrer's office said.

The money came from such donors as Edgar Cullman Jr., chief executive of General Cigar in New York, executives from Altadis USA, the U.S. division of Altadis, S.A., in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Holt's Cigar Co. in Philadelphia, the office said.

Now am I the only individual with a mind that stores such trivial information as the Democratic stance on tobacco control amidst the lawsuit craze of the mid-90’s? Well in case I am here is something to jolt your memory:

But the panel was already converted. The purpose of the informal hearing was to contrast the Democrats' activist approach to regulating tobacco with their Republican counterparts'. Said Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey: "They publicly pushed their contract with America. Privately, they pursued another contract, the contract of silence with tobacco companies."

And:

Senate Democrats know what they want -- Food and Drug Administration regulation of tobacco products -- but they're not yet sure how to get it.

Now that the House, acting a week and a half ago, has passed an international corporate-tax bill that included a federal buyout for tobacco growers, Senate Democrats find themselves in a tricky spot. They're trying to figure out how to marry FDA regulation of tobacco with the farmer-buyout provision either before, during or after House-Senate negotiations on the tax measure.

Now I am not generalizing all Democrats based upon the actions of very specific New York politicians (though parties seem to form drone like monolithic entities there are, in actuality, great differences based upon geographical representation) but am merely pointing out the wonton disposal of ideologies at the bequest of fiduciary remuneration.