If you are older than say 35 you heard about the American Dream most of your life….that is a house in the suburbs with a white picket fence, a 2 car garage, 2.3 kids and a good job and a happy marriage…..but that dream is decaying as the years go by.
I recently wrote about this so-called ‘American Dream’ recently….
Here is a factoid to go with this post…..since 1978 workers income has risen 24% while CEO income has risen to 1000+%….so who is living the good life now?
That post attempted to explain what was happening to this concept….and the the country elected what could well be the final nail in the coffin….
Many immigrants embraced the concept of the ‘American Dream and in the process made this a better country….but that dream is sliding away….
There was once a time when the phrase “The American Dream” evoked images of opportunity—a place where hard work could elevate anyone, no matter their race, origin, or zip code; a melting pot of possibility. But in today’s America, that dream isn’t just fading—it’s been put on life support, and Donald Trump is hovering over it with a pillow.
With the latest rollout of Trump’s “voluntary deportation” initiative—complete with a convenient app, CBP Home, and a $1,000 travel stipend—his administration has made one thing painfully clear: the American Dream is no longer inclusive. It’s exclusive, strategic, and sanitized to favor a singular vision of what America “should” look like. Spoiler: it doesn’t include Black or Brown immigrants, innovation, or intellectual development.
Let’s call this what it is: state-sanctioned exile, wrapped in a digital bow and branded as “choice.” But when the “choices” are (a) leave with a stipend or (b) stay and risk arrest, detention, and permanent expulsion—how voluntary is that, really?
Make no mistake, Trump’s deportation program isn’t about law and order. It’s about erasure. It’s about reshaping the American identity to fit the white nationalist fantasy he and his base have been nurturing since before he descended that golden escalator. They’ve dressed it up as policy. But underneath, it’s just fear. Fear of change. Fear of equity. Fear of a future that doesn’t center whiteness.
What’s even more terrifying is that while Trump is busy targeting immigrants, his administration continues to gut the institutions that once gave America its competitive edge. Education? Slashed. STEM programs? Defunded. DEI initiatives? Dismantled. We’re not leading the world anymore—we’re lagging behind. Because you can’t innovate while waging war on knowledge. You can’t build a future while burning down access to it.
But let’s look closer at what it will take to achieve this ‘Dream,’…..
Views vary widely by age and income. Two-thirds of Americans age 65 and older (68%) say the dream is still possible. Among those aged 50 to 64, the number is slightly lower at 61%. However, among adults under 50, only 42% think the dream is still attainable. Income tells a similar story. While 64% of upper-income Americans say the American dream is still achievable, only 39% of lower-income Americans agree. Middle-income Americans fall in between, with 56% saying the dream remains alive. While public opinion reveals how Americans feel about the dream, actual financial standings offer a different layer of insight.
If asked what will you tell your children about the American Dream?
That is the question that needs an answer.
I Read, I Write, You Know
“lego ergo scribo”
I always thought it should have been called ‘The White American’s Dream’. I never saw any examples of anyone living that ideal suburban life who were not white.
Best wishes, Pete.
My experience has shown me that you are spot on…..chuq
Oh Chuq—- you’re preaching to the choir about the so-called “American Dream,” but let’s rip the Band-Aid off: that dream was never for the common folk. It’s a shiny myth peddled to keep the masses grinding while the rich laugh all the way to their offshore accounts. A house with a picket fence? Two cars? Happy marriage? That’s not a dream—it’s a carrot dangled for the 99% to chase while CEOs pocket a 1000% pay hike since ’78. The game was rigged from the start.
You’re right that Trump’s deportation app is a grim nail in the coffin, but let’s not kid ourselves—this “dream” was DOA long before his golden escalator stunt. It’s always been a gated community for the elite, not a melting pot for the rest of us. Immigrants didn’t just embrace the dream; they were sold a lie, same as the rest of the working stiffs. The system doesn’t want equity or innovation—it wants cheap labor and obedient drones.
As for what I’d tell my kids? The American Dream is a fairy tale for suckers. Work hard, sure, but don’t expect a picket fence—expect a rent hike. The only ones living the “good life” are the ones who own the game board we’re all scrambling on. Wake up and play smarter, not harder.
An the illusion continues. chuq
Agree!! … it was always the mantra!! … I don’t feel that anymore.
I’m disappointed, dejected and disgusted. And stuck here …. 🙁
I see people around me that will never be able to move up….and yes disgusting, pathetic and so very sad. hugz chuq
I agree. It is pretty much dead. Largely due to pure, unadulterated greed. Housing prices have gone totally insane. We paid $85,.000 for our place. The latest estimated cost to build an equivalent home these days is well over $500,000. When I went to college paid around $240/semester,. not including room and board and extra fees. At UW Madison, including room and board, it would have cost me about $2,000. Today going to UW Madison full time, including room, board and all the junk fees the dump on students, would cost you about $30.000.
Let’s face it, greed has won. It’s no longer about getting a fair price for a product or service,. it’s trying to squeeze every last penny out of people that you possibly can.
Even down here the home prices are soaring…..my house would take about $200,000 to rebuild and rent is outrageous….a one BR apartment goes for upwards of $1000 a month….I look for a 2008 crisis in the wings. chuq
Ii agree. Prices like this are just not sustainable.
I think the rebound is already happening with commercial buildings. Almost every day when I read the business section of the MIlwaukee Journal I’m seeing more and more office buildings being taken over by the lenders in bankruptcy proceedings.
The Wisconsin Gas building, an iconic, beautiful art deco era sky scraper. recently went under the hammer at a bankruptcy sale. It sold back in 2015 for about $20 million, which was considered a bargain basement price even then. Then it sold for $17 million a few years later. This year it sold for just $4 million at bankruptcy auction.
You can see it here. by the way. It’s worth taking a peek at it. It’s an impressive structure. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_Gas_Building
I love art deco…..thanx for the heads up chuq