Tobacco Documents Online

King Bill's decree AUG14Qqtz Clinton's arrogant edict on tobacco is destined for failure; teens may end up smoking more Cioser to hotttG he promot ed guidelines that would let the Food and Drug Admittis- ttatian claseify ciprettes as "natrotic delivery devlce3" He de:xribed the ratttifira- aoat of that decision during an in-yout-tace visit to Tobec- co Road. The action could WASMGTON - President Clintan apparently wants to revive his presidency by acting like a king The chief emecuave has stopped pcopusiog legislation and started trying to get his way on key iawes by handing down de- cres - exectitive orders and regulatory edicls - that Congress canaot even debaoa Last week, for instaace, he isstted an executive order that outlawed further testing of nuclear weapons on the Neville Chamberlain-like grounds that if we set a good example, Saddam Husseitt and others might follow. g lead to beas on cigarette ad- } vetming at sporting evptts, d _ tobecco spomot3htp of sport ~ utg evena, billboard advert~- ~ iAg ot Cigatettes within 1,000 d feet of a buikling and color n advertising in publications tAat have 15% or more youth readetship- a category that includes et+erything but For eigrt A/birs tt>apzine and FTtltery Rodham Cllnton's newsp®per column. The pt'esi- dent alto eam tobacco companies to spend i160 tnillton to wp Amesica's youth not to buy cigarettes. 13is amIlt reveals two things about the~(]inton White Homa F1rst, the presidest and FDA C~ooer De- vid ICesiler don't want to admit that they plan to ban cip- t etDes - pertJaps betaose they undetsdnd prohibttion doeant work. Alter aQ federal law already forbids the sale ot dgaremes to minors This kads to the second and more profound tevela- tion:'I'he White House itself is addicted to a failed view of humen tseoaee When the president and his advisets see tbio® tbey don't likG they jot down an order and de- maod irmmedF.~ cl>dae= rather tltan ittvitiog a full de- bate about the inerits of their pomtiott- Yet the president can no more alter the tides of history with a sttdte of his pen than IGng Canute could stili the namg oceaas by ordering his oarsmen to lash the waves. More laws won't keep kids from staoiting.l3ey get can- cer sticla because they think smoking makes them look couL. A tashiotteble teenager can do more to promote agttette usage than $S million worth of Joe Camel ads. Ironically, the president h,as increased the prestige of smoking by making it look like a greater act of rebellion than it was before. Fltrthesnwtem it's tough to take seriously a White House run by a man who claimed that be once puffed a marijuaaa joint wnthoutinbaliag - a decepcion that en- abled him to knuckle under to peer ptrsstre while main- taining his famtr politicat viability. Here's a chief execu- tlve who smokes agatts (exempt from his edict) and suppott3 tab.em stataidiei Do you think kids will listen? 9PsM..9YnR The president's scheme embodiea the grand delusion of latter-day liberalism, the idea that people will change lottgstand'ufg habits because some Ivy League grad tells them to. Call it high-IQ Archie Bunkerism: The adtninis- trafioo has poppered the public with threats without us- ing any argwnents to justify its decision. The entire cru- sade t+ests on the assutttption kids can't be responsible for their activities and, therefore, must be led to salvation by a White Homie gang that refuses to accept the blame for any of its vaiious foibles and misdeeds. The White House's svategy of governance by decree offers a sure sigtt of the White House's intellectual and political inxcurity. A president doesn't begin issuing or- ders it he fee4s catfldeat of public support People show- er hoeannas upon any politician who proposes a popular meatrt of ae ue:ving a noble goaL Since most Americans support his aim, it's obvious that the adminisuauon lacks conIldence ea its plan to get there. As it should. The anti-smoking campaign will faiL like other forays into federal nannyism. It demands nothing of the people and seettzs utterly oblivious to the power of incentives. Nancy Reagan's oft-maligned "Just Say No" campaign worked because it encouraged youngsters to behave responsibly. Bill Clinton could adopt a similar ap- proach: 1) 13e1p young smokers appreciate how stupid they look and 2) Throw a few young scotQaws in jaiL OD That may nix be as much fun as beating up on Joe Camel N - but at least it would stand some chance of success. ~ CAUHTEitPONTS' row «okowitsts Paoaae vwws from diverse p~ penp.croves on today's issues. Tu.sdryc Micriael Garmer on vie GOP antl soaal relomW4drN0120y t I sWa Chavez Tfxns"(D Swan Eatntf . IMadry= Tony Snow. 006