Kim Strassel’s latest must-read (they’re all must-reads) concerns Pfizer, the drug company that joined with other drug companies in pushing Obamacare after receiving assurances that its interests would be protected. That turned out to be unwise:

Critics warned the legislation would lead to a government takeover and price controls. They warned Democrats would take the money and double-cross them. None of it fazed the industry, right up until ObamaCare imploded.
Mr. Kindler and Co. are left with the ashes. Having got this far (with Big Pharma’s help), Democrats are more desperate than ever to pass “something.” It won’t include any upside for drug companies. There is talk instead of “popular” stand-alone legislation, including reimportation, Medicare price controls, and slashing the industry’s 12-year exclusivity on biologics.

Whoops. As a Republican aide tells Strassel, when drug-makers ask the GOP to defend them against this onslaught, the response will be: “Call Rahm [Emanuel]. Call [Henry] Waxman.”

This reminds me: Though I extolled the company’s virtues in my homepage piece today (which is about Paul Ryan and his critics), it should be noted that, like the drug companies, Wal-Mart cut its own deal and backed Obamacare. A bill that raises regulatory-compliance costs on businesses — costs we are well positioned to absorb, but our competitors are not? Sounds great. Where do we sign up? was Bentonville’s response to the legislation. Yet another reminder that no, big corporations are not always on the side of free enterprise. They are responsible to their shareholders, and will pursue their interests by lobbying for government intervention if necessary.