the american dream and its corruption. 10 points for best answer?
353340
i believe the correct answer for thsi is "ein zwei polezei, drei vier grenadier, funf sechs alte hex"\n\nand im winning.. 514pts
712374
You most certainly have a clear view of the real picture....My hat off to you for speaking out in defense... and Proud of America you have hit the nail on the head in your answer.... I am a firm believer that we can not come to an educated guess without viewing all of the facts... if we have a welfare problem in the USA then look at it as a whole..... not just bits and pieces.... heavens lord the lady who was attempting to sue Michael Jackson for allegedly molesting her son was committing welfare fraud
1109266
an enormous amount.  The drug cartels that operate in America are very wealthy, that is why our government comes after the hard working Americans, instead of really busting the bad guys.  It is all for show on your local, and national news. And, as soon as one drug house shuts down, another opens up.  I've lived in the ghettos most of my life, and I promise you.  It is all for show.  The illegal aliens that bring the drugs across our borders, contribute to that corruption.  The weapons smugglers in America are wealthy as well, there for you see much less opposition from our government.  Allot from the people, but little from the government.  If any person, and I mean any person standing on America's soil believes that our police, and government is not as corrupt as their own, they are sadly mistaken. \nThats like saying the majority of Americans are well educated, and wealthy.  They are terribly wrong there as well.
108062
As it refers to personal happiness and the pursuit thereof, it certainly differs from person to person.  But traditionally, it has referred to the level of economic success wherein a person could afford to do such things as support oneself without government assistance, retire at a reasonable age with a comfortable lifestyle, and especially, own one's own home.  Many politicians even refer to home ownership as "the American dream."  BTW, I would also now add "send one's kids to college" to the mix, since more and more people are viewing a college education as a minimum requirement for economic success.
344997
In my opinion the American dream is dieing fast. The reasons. \n\nBig money owns the Gov and corruption is rampent. It always took money to make money but whether it be the old blood liberals or the new blood conservitives the rich today do not want compitition. Taxes make it really difficult to make the jump from making it to wealthy. To really make the jump almost requires breaking the law for a time until you can afford to hire the legions of accountants and tax attorneys to legally keep your money. This means not having wealthy enemies such as the Clintons who use political office to attack foes from the past. Notice how independent political organizations always see the leaders and benifactors in tax trouble? \n\nLending institutions are designed to cater to the wealthy. So it's hard to get start up money. Even once you do, the good ole boy attitude among those who control resoruces in an area mean you fit in or you get crushed by local governments, banks and other organizations. \n\nThere just isn't a lot of money left in the US not in the hands of the rich already. Jobs are exported, wage scales decreased. Who can save enough money to convert a dream into reality? The middle class has almost disapeered. Only the wealthy and the top end of the middle class can save any more. Even many "wealthy" live hand to mouth. Remove their income for a single month and they will potentially lose everything. \n\nFriends help friends. So people with money tend to know each other from schools, colleges and industries they work in. Far more difficult to get a break if you don't know the right people. \n\nThe wealthy cannot afford liquid assets any more. Most are paper wealthy. That is they might officially be rich but what they are rich in is debt. We are fast becoming a nation that has replaced wealth with debt in how we measure success. Few wealthy people could sell everything they owned and actually pay back all of their debt. Most wealthy people think they are actually middle class. \n\nEducation is a huge factor as well. The more wealthy you are the better a school you went too. The better your school the better you tend to do academically. The better you do academically the better chances you have at higher paying jobs, scholarships and such. The wealthy can actually afford to pay for collage. Working your way through college is fast becoming a myth today. \n\nA bigger issue is cultural splitting. Instead of the single culture found in America much of this century various ethnic and economic enclaves have become predominient. They have been there all along but today they find voice in the mainstream media. The message not how to suceed but how to stay in that same poverty ridden cycle. Work ethic is unheard of in some of these cultures. Schools tend to be violence ridden and full of students who have to be there to avoid getting their parents arrested. Exporting the students does not help the cultural attitude towards education. That has to start in the home. There has to be a tangible future attached to getting an education. Hard to motivate somebody to do well in high school when they know college is a pipe dream. This cultural adversity affects students of all races. It is an economic not ethnic issue. \n\nFixing it requires first getting rid of the current corruption. Until the corruption is lifted it will furthor poison the American dream. The second crucial aspect is that  people have to adopt core of the American culture. That is the strong worth ethic, sense of fairness, pride in being American. Without that we are lost no matter what we do. We can combine social compassion with this, there is nothing that precludes such. Without the core ideas though no idea will work.\n\n----\nAdded in response to another response. \nBill Gates came from a wealthy family. He is no rags to riches story.
689391
Not sure of the question here, but...\n\nPolitics is corrupt?...well, no. But some POLITICIANS are certainly corrupt...in my personal opinion the current US administration is the most corrupt since the well documented corruption of the Nixon years.\n\nGROWING-UP nation as well?...what does THAT mean?\n\nIf you are implying that the governments of 3rd world countries have a worse reputation for corruption, well...yes.\nBut we are starting to see genuine 'peoples' leaders emerging in some countries. (Venezuela's Chavez is a good example.)\n\nChavez, since being elected, has, in a sense, "decorrupted" his country by returning ownership of the natural resources to the locals, rather than the US corporations that were raping and plundering the economy, sharing with a select few only.\n\nFor putting his people's needs above those of the multi-national (mostly US owned) corporations, Chavez has been subjected to a string of lies and abuse from the White House and its cronies, including the now famous quote from "Christian" Pat Robetson that "someone should assassinate him" (Chavez)\nSo much for "Thou shalt not kill", let alone "Do unto others"...in my opinion anyone who preaches violence toward any living human is NOT a man of God.\n\nHe even managed to survive a US backed coup attempt because the people came onto the streets in the hundreds of thousands and stood up to the army, and bravely persuaded them not to attack their own people to support rich foreigners...and amazingly, the army listened, for they could see themselves that Chavez is a good man, doing good for ALL the people of Venezuela, not just the elite.\n\nAnd THAT, is where I see "dignity implied"...where the 3rd world governments are standing up to the corruption imposed on them by their powerful and VERY corrupt neighbor to the north.\nHere are some links...just a few of the dozens available that tell more than I can here.
27075
Funny that you ask that question.\nMy American Dream just changed recently.\n\nWhen I was 15 I wanted\nTo get an education, get married, live in a nice home, drive a nice car, worship freely, raise my children, and help them get their education, grow old, and watch my children and grandchildren grow up.\n\nToday, I want freedom for All people. I want for no one to have to live their lives in fear, to have the freedom to live where they chose, work freely, drive what they choose, and be educated when and where they choose, live free of Jim Crow laws and policies, and live without the fear of jealous racial attacks against them and their livelyhood!\n\nToday, I realize that I can no longer settle to just live my dream but to help others realize theirs.\nNow, my American dream is to help other decent people to live their American dreams.\n\nGod Bless
39495
For some, it is years of sacrifice and hard work, from past generations and their parents, scrimping and saving every cent.\n\nFor some, it is their own hard work, rising up from their humble beginnings, putting themself through college, and doing something with their lives.\n\nFor some, it is luck.  They won the lotto, or they landed their dream job because a friend owed them a favor.  Or they were discovered while working as a waiter.\n\nFor some, it is illegal activity.  Drugs, mob activity, theft and other crimes.
848002
There are political elememts that benefit from spreading the myth that the American Dream is dead.  There are a lot of people who now believe there is no hope of acheiving their dreams.\n\nThose people are the socialist/democrats/liberals.
3562
I'd look at the Monroe Doctrine (i think).  It has a statement by a former president that says that the American dream should be for the country to touch the atlantic and the pacific.  \nUS rail system encouraged travelers & those moving by providing efficient transportation.\nFed Govt encouraged this by buying, annexing, and winning by force property that is now the United States.\nNative Americans presented a barrier and discouraged those moving to live in a place where raids were frequent.  The US should have made terms with the Native Americans to make peace in the beginning.\nImmigrants went where ever jobs were needed, so they were always ready to move somewhere else if they could get a job.\nHope it helps.
677995
i believe we need to secure our borders,but criminalizing a group of hardworking people trying to escape poverty for their family's sake is not right.is anyone aware of the hardships and living conditions these people put up with so they can send extra money to their faMILIES.hell these are the type of people that should be americans.
1105220
The corruption is embedded so deeply in most Latin and South American nations that there isn't much we can do for many. Helping them requires a major cultural change. Remember many of these nations had the same resources the US and Canada had when starting out. The difference is a fundemental cultural difference. Hispanics often flourish when in US or Canadian cultures. So there is nothing wrong with the people. They have plenty of natural resources. These nations have sufficient populations.  \n\nThe 3 cultural flaws that have to be removed to allow success in Central and South America are \n\nRemoval of the deeply ingrained structure of corruption. To get something done in these countries you have to bribe somebody. In fact often to prevent bad things you have to bribe somebody. In jails you can live like a king if you have money or they can be total hell if you don't.  This scratch my back I scratch yours exists from top to bottom. It is the primary cause of poverty in any nation. The more corruption a Gov has the less effective it is.  This corruption would have to be fought on every level of Gov. The drug trade with the US and Europe makes an already difficult task even harder. \n\nHispanic nations have a strong tradition of large extended families. This is a problem in that like the Irish and Italians and other nations who have similer cultures, what is yours is also your cousins, your brother in laws your brother in laws brother. To be inhospitible to family is a major sin in Hispanic culture. This combined with the corruption steals incentive. Why work hard when no matter how hard you work somebody is just going to take it away from you? Adoption of the nuclear family that has been a major part of the success of the US and Canada. It allows wealth creation thorugh hard work. It also provides incentives for smaller families and reasons to fight corruption. \n\nThe third thing that has to be removed is the obsessive jealousy of the US. It causes some nations to make self destructive decisions based on emotional reasons rather than what is in the best interest of the nation. The teaching that the US stole their wealth is both factually incorrect and damaging to Hispanic nations. While the US hasn't always been a great neighbor it has done more good for these nations than harm. We didn't steal anything. Corruption has allowed some foriegn countries to take advantage of situations in South and Central American nations. Nothing different than what local companies were doing. \n\nSolve these three problems and these nations will flourish. They have abundant natural resources. They at this moment have good financing if they can demonstrate stabilitiy. The population of these nations when given a good environment are hard working industrious people.  You would quickly see contributions in science and technology appearing out of these nations, a huge rise in the standard of living and perhaps even the rise of a super power like Brazil. Poverty in Central and South America is artificial. It is purely because of these three factors and nothing can be done to make a real impact until these three issues are solved. Once solved the other issues such as crime, overpopulation, government instability, and so on will solve themselves.
360959
read it\n\n"I Have A Dream" \nby Martin Luther King, Jr,\n---------------------------------------------------\n\nDelivered on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963. Source: Martin Luther King, Jr: The Peaceful Warrior, Pocket Books, NY 1968 \n\nFive score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity. But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. \n\nOne hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. \n\nSo we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition. In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. \n\nThis note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. \n\nSo we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. \n\nIt would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. \n\nThe whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. \n\nWe must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. we must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. \n\nThe marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust
297402
Excellent observation.\n\nPretty soon there will be only very wealthy and poor individuals/families.  There is no job security anymore so how can anyone buy a house or other objects related to the "American Dream"?  The American dream has evolved into a nightmare.
866186
Your number 4 is alittle disturbing. Directly or indirectly ? We all could fit in that column. Number 9 doesn't mean anything , not with the amount of  lawsuits in this country, or did you forget about innocent until proven guilty ? I do get your point about corruption in government , which I believe is your point. Does your list just include senators and congressmen ? Point is , the American people vote these scums into office to represent their areas, but, money seems to be the only control. What we need is people to honor their commitment to serve the people of the United States and not all the special interest groups who have all the money.
553776
GLOBALIZATION\n\nThe politicians are being bribed to destroy America, we call these bribes campaign contributions. Monied interests who want to unify the Western Hemisphere into a single trade bloc from Canada to Chile have been supporting politicians who will make laws and policy decisions to bring about this goal. For years the ground work has quietly been laid, NAFTA, lax border enforcement, foreign aid to developing nations to impoversh those nations and make them subject to foreign money manipulation.\n\nWith the flood of illegals in the US the main opposition to this trade bloc, the US middle class, is being eliminated. Soon the middle class will vanish and there will be no group with the political will to resist the New World order being constructed against our interests.\n\nSo by allowing this massive influx of people into our nation it will destroy the middle class and stop the opposition for these trade blocs and ultimatly a New World Order.
103751
Corruption has been around since the beginning of time.  It is bad because it invariably has severe negative effects on individuals.  Fight it with the truth.