Michael Cannon at CATO says he caught a hint of things to come while talking with a WalMart lobbyist in a cab a few years back. WalMart is backing an employer mandate for health care, i.e. a legal requirement that employers provide a government-defined package of health benefits. And by defined, we mean something along the lines of “you will pay no more and no less than “x” for your workers’ health care plan.” Cannon explains and theorizes why WalMart – one of America’s greatest entrepreneurial, free-market success stories – is going along with an anti-free market, government dictated approach to employee benefits. In short, it’s to gain an advantage over their biggest competitor (Target). He also slams them pretty hard for it.
Update: On the subject of Big Government and Big Business getting in bed together, Jonah @ NRO has an excellent post. Read it.
Re: the header reference, for those scratching their heads:
In 44 BC, Julius Caesar was murdered by a group of senators. They were led by Marcus Brutus, who had been a close friend of Caesar. In Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, Caesar begins to resist the attack but then resigns himself to his fate when he sees his dear friend with knife in hand:
Caesar: Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?
Casca: Speak, hands, for me! [They stab Caesar.]
Caesar: Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar! [Dies.]
Cinna: Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!
Et tu = And you
