In 1998 there was a settlement between Big Tobacco and the States. The idea was to have BIg Tobacco set aside a payment --a really big payment--to reimburse state governments for the increased health costs of smokers many of whom were deceived by tobacco processors about the safety of smoking or chewing tobacco. The money was also allegedly to be used in smoking prevention especially to counteract their marketing to children. In 1998, after decades of struggle in court and in the marketplace, Big Tobacco agreed to settle.
This report suggests the victory was good at first, but has lately become a casualty of Wall Street gaming plus the popularized belief that government needs gutting and budgets need cutting.
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/26147-investors-haul-in-nearly-half-the-tobacco-settlement-cash#14106098803441&action=collapse_widget&id=7149518But here is an important nugget (IMHO): Who in 1998 thought inflation would run 3% per year? Wasn't this the beginning of the Bubble?
http://www.inflation.eu/inflation-rates/united-states/historic-inflation/cpi-inflation-united-states-1998.aspx