What Is The American Dream??

[The Donkey]

I was watching the most recent Democratic debate on television this week, and what stuck with me the most after it had concluded was how each of the candidates addressed the issues of poverty. I think that in terms of foreign policy and fighting the War on Terror, all of the people on the podium will do a fine job. However, we have somehow as a nation allowed the federal government to neglect the domestic issues that face all of us, regardless of income level.



I grew up moderately poor. We weren’t destitute or homeless or anything like that, but life was often far from comfortable. I remember during the freezing cold winter months in Maine when I was really young, my Mom would often take my sister and I to her parent’s house so that we could have “heat and meat” as she called it, since neither were in abundance at our house. As a single mom, she did everything she could to make sure that my sister and I were safe and well cared for, even though it wasn’t ever easy.

I remember waiting for the bus as a grade schooler, often wearing jeans with holes in the knees because that was all I had. I remember sometimes getting clothes from our neighbors across the street because they had sons older than me (my very first jock strap was one of these donations). I remember sometimes getting new sneakers from surplus sales, and they were too big for me at the time, but they also allowed room for me to grow into them. To be honest, I never considered things like this to be charity (or anything to be ashamed of for that matter), and it wasn’t until much later that I realized how tough we had it when I was little. I credit my Mom for that – she possessed an outward optimism that never allowed me to feel like I was anything but the greatest little boy in the world. She still has that gift by the way - the one where almost everyone she encounters feels important - and it has made her one of the most well-liked and respected people I know.

Had it not been for her work ethic, never-ending sunny disposition, and stubborn determination to carve out a decent life for her and her kids - who knows what would have happened to our little family? I can certainly guarantee that I would not be sitting here typing out this article now, equipped with a college education and the wherewithal to give a hoot about the world around me. Despite the odds that were against us, we all made it through just fine, albeit with a little road wear.

However, at the time, there happened to be a social and economic safety net there to help people like my mom – people who worked hard and played by the rules. That net gave us free hot lunches at school, ensuring that we had the proper nutrition to learn and grow. It also offered several other services, some of which my family used to give us all a realistic chance to look forward to a future of better tomorrows.

We represent the lucky ones – those people who came from very little to create a quality life. We were also lucky that we didn’t have additional hurdles to go over that many other families had. We lived in a relatively crime-free area. There was not a real drug problem in my hometown. There was the security of knowing our neighbors and vice versa. Most importantly, I had great role models as a kid. Because of all of this, I really did live a charmed existence as a young boy, all things considered. I ended up going on to college with the help of a scholarship and several government grants, and now live a full and happy life in Arizona. I decided early on that I wanted to be a public servant as a profession, because I care about maintaining and enhancing a system that allowed me the opportunity to have a shot at the American Dream.

To me, the American Dream has nothing to do with fame, notoriety, or even riches. The American Dream as I define it is the opportunity to pursue a career path of your own choosing, having the ability through that choice to live a life where you can pay your bills, eventually buy a home, and maybe even sock away a little bit toward your future. It means that you have the opportunity to befriend who you want, love who you want, and even marry who you choose without intervention of authoritative constructs. In other words, I think that the American Dream is about being given choices (some refer to them as freedoms or liberties) to follow your own path toward fulfillment.

In recent years (and even recent weeks), we’ve seen an erosion of this American Dream. The chasm between the wealthy and poor is continually widening. The middle class - which used to be the backbone of this country – is in danger of becoming a novel rarity. Our manufacturing base is gone, and the service industry has filled this gap. Unfortunately, most service jobs offer reduced benefits when compared to their manufacturing brethren. Many service jobs offer no benefits at all.

Health care – which is taken for granted in virtually every other industrialized country in the world, is fast becoming a major luxury in the United States. The last time a major universal health care proposal was introduced in the early 1990s, the health care, pharmaceutical, and insurance industries collectively organized a $250 million campaign to discredit it. Since then, these industries have become some of the most profitable in the United States.

The federal government is also hemorrhaging debt. We spend several times more federal tax dollars on paying the interest on our debt than we do education. Our infrastructure is crumbling, and the lack of maintenance of our roadways, bridges, and levees have led to thousands of deaths of innocent people.

All of these things are growing roadblocks – barriers to all of us reaching or even keeping hold of the American Dream.

I’ve heard none of the Republican candidates for President spend much time on these issues in their debates. For them, it’s mostly about who loves fetuses and Jesus and hates terrorists and liberals the most. At least during the Democratic debates, they’ve tackled the important domestic issues that I’ve listed above. It’s hard for me to determine at this point which candidates are speaking with the most personal conviction as opposed to focus group-formed talking points, and I have yet to analyze which of the candidates’ plans are the most realistic, practical, and effective.

However, I will end up casting my vote in the primaries for the person who best convinces me that they genuinely care about the well-being of us - the electorate - in our individual and collective pursuit of happiness. Even if their policies don't help me personally, I know that there's a few million Lil' Donkeys out there who deserve the same chances that were offered to me.



Obligatory Photo of Lil' Me

[hedda_foil]

1. Thank you for sharing your inspiring story. K&R!

[The Donkey]

2. Thanks

Sometimes it's good to look back to see what motivates us all to keep going sometimes.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. Lots of money for hard work.

It's a myth.