Mitch McConnell: “the Bowling Green Daily News in the heart of our tobacco-growing part of the State--an area of the State represented by…”

“the Bowling Green Daily News in the heart of our tobacco-growing part of the State--an area of the State represented by Congressman Ron Lewis who is on the House Agriculture Committee, who also endorses the Lugar approach as the only logical thing to do in the context of this bill designed to destroy this industry. The Bowling Green paper, also says that this is a realistic and appropriate response to the kind of catastrophe we are confronting. I ask unanimous consent that the editorial from the Daily News in Bowling Green of May 21 be printed in the Record at this point. There being no objection, the editorial was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: [From the Daily News, May 21, 1998] Tobacco Plan Is Merely Realistic U.S. Sen. Wendell Ford and Democratic Senatorial candidates Scotty Baesler, Charlie Owen and Steve Henry can say it isn't so, but the support system for tobacco is doomed. It is best to get out quickly while tobacco farmers still have some political capital to expend. That is what U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., are advocating. McConnell has joined Lugar in promoting a buyout plan that would pay tobacco farmers $18 billion and help tobacco-impacted communities adjust to cessation of the support system. However politicians from Kentucky and other tobacco-raising states may deplore it, tobacco has become a favorite political kickball, and termination of the support system is inevitable.…”