A Moral Reckoning

n "A Moral Reckoning," Rev Dr Lawrence Boudreau delivers a powerful indictment of federal tobacco policy and its devastating impact on America's veterans. With unflinching moral clarity, Boudreau exposes the deep contradictions at the heart of government actions: from the 1998 Tea Act, which stripped veterans of benefits for smoking-related illnesses, to the Master Settlement Agreement that extracted billions from tobacco companies for cessation programs—while denying care to those harmed in service. Drawing on personal experience as a Navy veteran and decades of advocacy, Boudreau reveals how institutional hypocrisy and fiscal expediency have betrayed those who served, fostering addiction and then abandoning its victims. He calls for urgent reform, demanding moral consistency, justice, and genuine care for the men and women whose sacrifices underpin American freedom. This book is a searing call to action for policymakers, veterans, and citizens alike—a reminder that the true measure of a nation lies in how it treats its most vulnerable. "A Moral Reckoning" is essential reading for anyone concerned with social justice, public health, and the soul of American democracy.