In introducing his plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, Jeb Bush observed that Obamacare was “written by special interests, for the special interests.”  That, indeed, is precisely one of the central defects of Obamacare. It explains why the law’s myriad flaws require transplant surgery rather than merely a band-aid here and there.

Years ago, Charles Koch pointed out that “subsidies and mandates are just two of the privileges that government can bestow on politically connected friends.”  This in a nutshell describes the cozy arrangement by which President Obama colluded with special interests in exchange for their giving him a signature domestic policy achievement that he hoped would cement his place in history in the pantheon of great presidents.  In its first 10 years, Obamacare guaranteed the health care industry $621 billion in added health care spending financed through a combination of subsidies and mandates. In exchange, the administration sought what amounts to revenue kickbacks along with considerable industry assistance in greasing the wheels in Congress to make this happen:

• The pharmaceutical industry agreed to a $150 million quid pro quo in which the industry agreed to spend heavily to lobby for the pending health bill in exchange for a deal that the law would not allow price controls or allow for reimportation of drugs—both of which could have cost the industry tens of billions of dollars. In recognition of all the new business being steered their way, he industry acceded to a $27 billion tax on drug manufacturers.

Read the full article at Forbes.com: Jeb Bush Nails It: Obamacare Is A Cesspool Of Cronyism