Over the past year, it has become more than apparent that our government is being held hostage by a small group of incredibly powerful people: Wall Street, multinational corporations and the military-industrial complex. How else can you explain President Obama’s complete betrayal of his campaign pledges? He’s sold out real health-care reform, escalated America’s wars, maintained Bush-era surveillance and torture—and that’s just for starters.
• More Daily Beast opinion on Obama’s first year Obama has discovered that there are two realities—running for the presidency and being the president—and that they are not always compatible.
If Obama wants to win a second term, he must stand up to the bankers, CEOs, and generals.
Larry Flynt is publisher of Hustler magazine.