What happened to the American Dream?

[TemplarKormac]

Progressive redistribution always leads to failure, 100% of the time, guaranteed.

You can't expect prosperity from a food stamp economy

The middle class has been buried these past 4 years -- Joe Biden Oct 2012

So what's your excuse Frank? Why aren't you rich? Poor people keeping you down?

Why aren't you rich?

Rich people keeping you down?

 

[Truthseeker420]

 

[Truthseeker420]

Progressive redistribution always leads to failure, 100% of the time, guaranteed.

You can't expect prosperity from a food stamp economy

The middle class has been buried these past 4 years -- Joe Biden Oct 2012

So what's your excuse Frank? Why aren't you rich? Poor people keeping you down?

Why aren't you rich?

Rich people keeping you down?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsL6mKxtOlQ]George Carlin The Best 3 Minutes of His Career "The American Dream" - YouTube[/ame]

 

[jwoodie]

To be serious for just a moment, the American Dream consisted of completing your education, finding a job, getting married and having children IN THAT ORDER. Unfortunately, that is no longer in fashion...

 

[FJO]

What is a dream?

For some who is hungry, three squares a day is a dream.
For someone unjustly jailed, freedom is a dream.
For someone who can't afford one, a refrigerator, a TV or a car is a dream.
For someone who can't criticize his government, being able to do so is a dream.
For someone who wants to educate his kids, education for them is a dream.
For someone who worked all his life a comfortable retirement is a dream.

Those, and more, far to numerous to mention, were my dreams as an immigrant. Now, that I am retired I can say that my dreams have come true.

Why? Because I always knew my limitations. As someone who could not speak English, I knew that I could not be a professor or language. As someone who had no education degrees of any kind, I had to do something to earn one. As someone whose audible accent was a handicap just as powerful as somebody else's visible skin color, but never made an issue of it, I knew that outwork those with undeserved government protection was the ticket to outdo them in promotions. As someone who knew that my contribution will earn corresponding rewards, I was always happy enough to take what life offered me with proper amount of gratitude and as little envy towards those who were more successful, as possible.

Those who are discontent and unhappy and cry unfairness and racism for their own stupidity never know what it is like to be an immigrant. There is no excuse, whatsoever, for a born American to not do as well, at least, as an immigrant.

And when I say immigrant, I mean a LEGAL one. The illegal ones can go straight to Hell.

 

[Avatar4321]

I think you are living in illusion. You are assuming that everyone's American dream is the same. It's not. I have differnt dreams than my neighbor. You have different dreams than me.

Some of us dream of wealth. Others dream of fame. Some of power. Some dream of a simple life free of burdens. Some dream of families and children. Some dream of being alone. Some dream of serving others. Others dream of their own self interest.

The United States wasn't designed to give us all the same thing. It wasn't organized and agreed to so that we can all have some one size fits all dream. It was designed so that we would be free to pursue our dreams. If we want to create a business and make millions of dollars, we can work to do so. If we want to buy a house or a farm we can work to do so. If we want to have a simple life to pursue leisure, we can work to do that. If we want to raise a family, we can work to do that.

The key to the American dream is the ability to freely pursue it. And the need to work for it. The government is something that can give us our dreams. We have to chase them.

If we fail to chase them, or fail to reach them then the problem isnt necessary with others, but usually lies within ourselves. Maybe we just really didnt want the dream to pursue it enough. Maybe we found another dream we prefer.

But if you want something, figure out how to get it. If you want wealth, the best way to obtain it is to create a system that provides others with goods or services that they need or want. If you do that they will freely give you money to obtain your product or service.

 

[tjvh]

The American dream used to be about getting an education and succeeding in a good job after you graduated, now it has become how many government checks the mailman will deliver on the first of the month.

 

[NoNukes]

What Happened To The American Dream?

You mean President Obama has been President for over 30 years?

That was the stupid person's reply to what has been going awry for the last 30 years. A knee jerk reaction of blame Obama.

 

[RDD_1210]

Progressive redistribution always leads to failure, 100% of the time, guaranteed.

You can't expect prosperity from a food stamp economy

The middle class has been buried these past 4 years -- Joe Biden Oct 2012

So what's your excuse Frank? Why aren't you rich? Poor people keeping you down?

Why aren't you rich?

Rich people keeping you down?

More so than poor people, yes.

 

[bripat9643]

When It Comes to the American Dream, the U.S. Ranks 27th in the World

Credit Suisse's annual Global Wealth Data Book publishes a ranking of median wealth in countries around the world. Basically, this study looks at the sum of all assets, subtracts all liabilities, and comes up with the amount of money that the household in the middle of the wealth distribution can put its hands on. As one might expect, rich enclaves like the UAE (21) and Luxembourg (2) did well. Similarly, countries with a strong social safety net -- like Canada (12), Sweden (24), and Germany (23) -- also outpace us. But there are a few surprises, too. For example, the U.S. ranks behind Ireland (18), Spain (20) and Cyprus (25), countries that are generally recognized for their abysmal economies.

Why does America rank so low? The answer shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody who watches the news: To begin with, financial deregulation has concentrated wealth at the top of the income pyramid, wage stagnation has made life harder for workers, and the shredding of America's social safety net has made it ever more difficult for people to climb out of poverty. If you're interested in seeing a more comprehensive explanation, Les Leopold has written a pretty solid rundown.

The other side of the story -- and another aspect that makes this income inequality even more appalling -- is that, while the Global Wealth Data Book's numbers are based on the average of all households, the wealth held by the richest of the rich badly skews the equation. As this video notes, the top 1 percent of households own almost 50 percent of all stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. By comparison, the bottom 50 percent of all households own 0.5 percent of those wealth instruments.

When It Comes to the American Dream, the U.S. Ranks 27th in the World - DailyFinance

How did they determine "wealth?" Americans aren't required to report their wealth to anyone, only their income.

According to the World Bank the United States is ranked 8th in GDP Per capita in terms of Purchasing Power Parity.

According to the IMF the United States is ranked 6th.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita

Your source is obviously full of shit.

 

[NoNukes]

The American dream used to be about getting an education and succeeding in a good job after you graduated, now it has become how many government checks the mailman will deliver on the first of the month.

I know nothing of getting checks like that. How many do you get every month.

 

[FJO]

What Happened To The American Dream?

You mean President Obama has been President for over 30 years?

That was the stupid person's reply to what has been going awry for the last 30 years. A knee jerk reaction of blame Obama.

The death of the American Dream can not solely blamed on Obama.

Unionized teachers can be.

Lack of discipline in the classroom - regardless of the bogus argument of class size - can be.

Lack of a unifying language - ENGLISH - can be.

 

[boedicca]

The American Dream is being regulated and taxed out of existence.

The nature of the American Dream is to be left alone to interact (or not) within Voluntary Civil Society in pursuit of one's own path. Government has encroached upon and destroyed a great deal of Civil Society and ensnared the individual in a net of picayune regulations which inhibit initiative.

 

[NoNukes]

You mean President Obama has been President for over 30 years?

That was the stupid person's reply to what has been going awry for the last 30 years. A knee jerk reaction of blame Obama.

The death of the American Dream can not solely blamed on Obama.

Unionized teachers can be.

Lack of discipline in the classroom - regardless of the bogus argument of class size - can be.

Lack of a unifying language - ENGLISH - can be.

It is not one side or the other to blame. It was a team effort v

 

[bendog]

The American dream used to be about getting an education and succeeding in a good job after you graduated, now it has become how many government checks the mailman will deliver on the first of the month.

I know nothing of getting checks like that. How many do you get every month.

Well, you see these 'takers' work for 50-55 years, pay taxes, help their kids through school, get old and then start sucking off social security and medicare. We gotta end that.

 

[eflatminor]

What happened to the American Dream?

Central planners...just SURE they knew what was best for everyone else.

 

[Agit8r]

Progressive redistribution always leads to failure, 100% of the time, guaranteed.

You can't expect prosperity from a food stamp economy

The middle class has been buried these past 4 years -- Joe Biden Oct 2012

Except in England, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Belgium, Israel, Canada, Australia...

 

[Harry Dresden]

The American dream used to be about getting an education and succeeding in a good job after you graduated, now it has become how many government checks the mailman will deliver on the first of the month.

I know nothing of getting checks like that. How many do you get every month.

Well, you see these 'takers' work for 50-55 years, pay taxes, help their kids through school, get old and then start sucking off social security and medicare. We gotta end that.

if i worked 50 fucking years and payed into the system....i want they told me i would be getting....if you cant understand that than i dont know what to tell you....

 

[RoadVirus]

What happened to the American dream?

Shit...that's easy. Obama happened.

 

[Oddball]

Progressive redistribution always leads to failure, 100% of the time, guaranteed.

You can't expect prosperity from a food stamp economy

The middle class has been buried these past 4 years -- Joe Biden Oct 2012

Except in England, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Belgium, Israel, Canada, Australia...

Looks like you have a good list of countries that you'd rather live in.

Best of luck...Can we help you pack?