Liggett has released documents that prove that the cigarette companies were lying to us. More tobacco companies seem to be eager to settle massive lawsuits. WOW...

Anybody out there not know--for years--that cigarettes are addictive??

But this is more than a tale of greed. It is a rather depressing story of what constitutes a moral issue, in our self-important politically correct society.

No, I'm no defender of Big Tobacco. Far from it. Countless deaths have been caused by smoking. What's more, this industry holds quite a distinction: Purveying a product that is harmful when used AS INTENDED. Think about that one, for a moment.

Still, why pick only on them? What about those high fat, high cholesterol burgers sold by Mc Donald's and all the clones. People can stop smoking, but they have to eat. Isn't food a much more pervasive medium for hurting people than cigarettes?

When will the product liability lawsuits appear for food products?

The fact is, ANY product might cause harm. This has always been the case. So, you may ask, when did the rules change?

I can't pinpoint the exact time, but three big trends had to converge. The first one is that everybody is a victim. The second one is that everybody has infinite freedom, but no ultimate responsibility. The third, and most important in a practical sense, is the notion of going after the deep pockets, regardless of the extent of their involvement.

Smarter minds than mine have agonized over these issues for many years--to no avail.

But, sadly, it has come down to this. The bartender or bar owner is responsible if you drive home drunk. Therefore, he must stop you from drinking too much. Ladders have so many warning labels on them that it boggles the mind. Fast food vendors have to warn us that hot coffee, is, uh, hot. And on and on.

We are attempting to reconcile the impossible: Maximum individual freedom with maximum state paternalism. No matter how many tax dollars we spend, it can't work. There may be some temporary net winners in this ridiculous game, but as our society goes broke, we will all be losers.