Report from the Fascism Front

Here's yet another instance of the creeping fascism/statism underway in our economy. In order to convince skeptical lawmakers of its "devotion" to lowering medical costs, big Pharma is going to discount the price of medicare prescriptions (to the cheers of the Obama Administration) by $80B over the next decade. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) will join in the chorus of applause at a White House ceremony, all of it neat and tidy. This looks and sounds wonderful to many, but it is just the latest example of collusion between the government and industry that should be called by its proper name....fascism.

Jonah Goldberg and Amity Schlaes have both covered this ground wonderfully. All of this seemingly altruistic price cutting and corporate cooperation should more properly be viewed as craven conspiracy to protect market share and stifle competition. Who benefits? Government and business. Who suffers? Consumers.