John B. Breaux: “I think the two previous speakers really need to be congratulated for bringing to the Senate a commonsense approach to…”

“I think the two previous speakers really need to be congratulated for bringing to the Senate a commonsense approach to what has become a very tragic situation. You know, in Louisiana, where I am from, there is an old saying that if you like the end product, there are two things you should never watch being made; one is sausage, and the other is laws; because if you like the end product, you don't like the process that you go through to make either laws or sausage. The point I am trying to make today is, what has happened on the tobacco legislation, I think, is indeed very, very tragic, because what started out with very good intentions has ended up with a very serious loss for all Americans who are concerned about trying to do something about tobacco. There was a poll by one of the television networks on Friday night. It said that 47 percent of the American people were pleased that the tobacco legislation that came up in the Senate was defeated; 46 percent said that they were disappointed it was defeated.”