Barack Obama likes to claim he believes in the free market, even as he lards his administration with what Hugh Hewitt has delightfully dubbed "Mickey Maoists" like Anita Dunn and Ron Bloom.

But Ed Schultz has given away the game.  On his MSNBC show this evening, Schultz said of ObamaCare: "this is the first step toward single-payer. I admit that."

Here's Schultz's full statement . . .

ED SCHULTZ: I will admit there's one Republican telling the truth, and that's Orrin Hatch, and that is, this is the first step toward single-payer. I admit that.

Schultz was alluding to the Utah Republican's statement of September 29th, recorded here by Talk Radio News Service, that ObamaCare was a “Trojan horse for a single payer system”.

Thanks for the confirmation, Ed.