Obama hearts Big Pharma

If you're one of those progressives who thought government "bargaining power" would reduce pharmaceutical prices via health care reform, you're probably ready for some Prozac right about now.

A memo obtained by the Huffington Post confirms that the White House and the pharmaceutical lobby secretly agreed to precisely the sort of wide-ranging deal that both parties have been denying over the past week....

It says the White House agreed to oppose any congressional efforts to use the government's leverage to bargain for lower drug prices or import drugs from Canada -- and also agreed not to pursue Medicare rebates or shift some drugs from Medicare Part B to Medicare Part D, which would cost Big Pharma billions in reduced reimbursements.

Between this and the giveaway (rather than auction) of carbon allowances in the cap-and-trade scheme, I think there's a strong case to be made that the Obama administration is in bed with Big Business. That's often the case with Big Government, contrary rhetoric notwithstanding.