Word: lungingly
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Along with farm subsidies, shipbuilding subsidies and harbor projects, another well-intentioned federal-aid program can be added to the long list of those that have degenerated into pork-barrel giveaways. It is the black-lung program, which is financed by the U.S. taxpayer. Designed to compensate the families of coal miners, dead or alive, who were victims of the debilitating coal-dust disease, the program has become a much-abused boondoggle...
...first black-lung bill was signed in 1969, but eligibility requirements were so severe that last year the President and Congress got together on a liberalizing amendment. The election-year amendment was enthusiastically backed by many Congressmen from the coal states-notably Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky-and by President Nixon. Initial cost estimates varied greatly, from $32 million a year to $380 million a year. Now the benefits are being paid to about 475,000 miners, widows and other beneficiaries at a rate of $52 million a month...
...Government-until recently were lax about dust-control standards in the mines. But Donald Davis, an official at national Social Security headquarters, charges that he has been pressured by superiors into approving benefits for "frauds." These range from twice-married widows collecting two separate benefit checks to "black-lung-disabled" healthy young men who worked in the mines only briefly. Prodded by Davis, the General Accounting Office issued a report citing abuses, though its criticism was milder than Davis...
...strange sort of camaraderie prevails at Ta Lung. "In the mornings," says Colonel Toan, "the enemy likes to taunt us. 'Time to get up!' the Communist political officer shouts...
Colonel Vo Toan, the district commander, described what he calls the "spider-web" tactics employed at Ta Lung: "We make sure the enemy doesn't venture too far. He is the butterfly and we are the spider. If he enters our web, we close in behind...