WHAT HAPPENED TO THE AMERICAN DREAM

[Crewleader]

by James Quinn
December 24, 2008

“The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position."
Historian and writer James Truslow Adams in his 1931 book Epic of America

Mr. Adams penned these words in the midst of the Great Depression, the worst economic crisis in our history. It is timely to reflect on these words, as it appears that the American Dream is slipping further out of reach for most Americans. If the dream of a better life for our future generations is lost, it will truly mark a turning point for our great Republic. The reason the American Dream is slipping away is due to the actions of politicians running our government and bureaucrats running the Federal Reserve. Those with ability who have earned a better life through their hard work, intelligence and integrity should be attaining a higher position in the social order. Instead, our government is rewarding those Americans who have taken unwarranted risks, made brainless decisions, and willingly chose the course of excessive debt to climb the social ladder.

As the politicians scurry to “save” capitalism through the use of communist measures, more Americans are becoming disheartened. The definition of communism according to Webster’s is:

A system in which goods are owned in common and are available to all as needed.

http://www.financialsense.com/editorials/quinn/2008/1224.html

[Citizen Number 9]

1. I think the Government's actions have been directed at

lessening the impact of this very real crisis on the average citizen. If some of those folks "took unwarranted risks, made brainless decisions and chose the course of excessive debt", and we end up rewarding them, that might be the price of making sure that things don't crash for everyone else.

[Danascot]

2. K & R

FYI, also see this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=114x52049

[marketcrazy1]

3. I think the Government's actions have been directed at

keeping the financial system from collapsing on Bush`s watch!! their hap hazard patchwork of solutions have done little more than delay the day of reckoning.... they could have done things differently.