[user104658]

I respect Obama as a president if only for recently admitting that the "American Dream" ideology is flawed in the current economy. He basically said that US citizens, since the very beginnings of the US, have had the idea that no matter where you start out in life, you can improve your situation by gritting your teeth and working hard, working your way up the ladder. The American Dream... the white picket fence... the idea that a family could stumble off a boat with a few pennies and the clothes on their backs and built a life. It's an idea that the entire nation has been founded on, and it was once true...

However, he recently admitted that those at the top of the pile now have so much power - and those at the bottom are so disadvantaged, and so at risk of falling into the trappings of insurmountable debt, that the dream is no longer true. That those at the bottom have very little chance of forging a better life, no matter how hard they work, and that society at large should be making sure that provisions are in place to HELP those people to climb out of that life and into a better one.

That alone is a very bold statement in America. It's practically blasphemy, in a country that so strongly believes that "picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and trucking onwards" is all that it takes to "make it"... that still for the mostpart believes the illusion that achievement in this world is generally based on merit.

So for an American president to see that and admit it, is pretty huge.

[the truth]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I respect Obama as a president if only for recently admitting that the "American Dream" ideology is flawed in the current economy. He basically said that US citizens, since the very beginnings of the US, have had the idea that no matter where you start out in life, you can improve your situation by gritting your teeth and working hard, working your way up the ladder. The American Dream... the white picket fence... the idea that a family could stumble off a boat with a few pennies and the clothes on their backs and built a life. It's an idea that the entire nation has been founded on, and it was once true...

However, he recently admitted that those at the top of the pile now have so much power - and those at the bottom are so disadvantaged, and so at risk of falling into the trappings of insurmountable debt, that the dream is no longer true. That those at the bottom have very little chance of forging a better life, no matter how hard they work, and that society at large should be making sure that provisions are in place to HELP those people to climb out of that life and into a better one.

That alone is a very bold statement in America. It's practically blasphemy, in a country that so strongly believes that "picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and trucking onwards" is all that it takes to "make it"... that still for the mostpart believes the illusion that achievement in this world is generally based on merit.

So for an American president to see that and admit it, is pretty huge.

the gap between rich and poor is bigger in western countries now than it was 200 years ago....though it has to be qualified by saying the poor do at least share in some of the benefits of our advancements

however the gap between rich and poor is even greater in the UK than the USA...in the us the top 1% own 50%...in the UK the top 1% own 60% of the uk wealth

the fact Obama is covering the poorest peoples health concerns is the SINGLE BIGGEST LEAP THE POOREST PEOPLE HAVE EVER MADE.....
put frankly poor people cant afford to live anymore....obamacare gives them this chance....who knows what they can do with it....one things for certain it will make America much stronger and fairer

[Nedusa]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I respect Obama as a president if only for recently admitting that the "American Dream" ideology is flawed in the current economy. He basically said that US citizens, since the very beginnings of the US, have had the idea that no matter where you start out in life, you can improve your situation by gritting your teeth and working hard, working your way up the ladder. The American Dream... the white picket fence... the idea that a family could stumble off a boat with a few pennies and the clothes on their backs and built a life. It's an idea that the entire nation has been founded on, and it was once true...

However, he recently admitted that those at the top of the pile now have so much power - and those at the bottom are so disadvantaged, and so at risk of falling into the trappings of insurmountable debt, that the dream is no longer true. That those at the bottom have very little chance of forging a better life, no matter how hard they work, and that society at large should be making sure that provisions are in place to HELP those people to climb out of that life and into a better one.

That alone is a very bold statement in America. It's practically blasphemy, in a country that so strongly believes that "picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and trucking onwards" is all that it takes to "make it"... that still for the mostpart believes the illusion that achievement in this world is generally based on merit.

So for an American president to see that and admit it, is pretty huge.

If you look at your post which I totally agree with there is another side to the idea that the American dream has failed. As you rightly say the poorest cannot now ever achieve the dream but this means the richest few have had the odds stacked too highly in their favour.

Why are they able to make millions or billions at the expense of millions of impoverished Americans. The Govt needs to look at how to spread the wealth better and put into place checks and controls to stop this runaway wealth for a small minority. Taxes on wealth should be introduced, caps on bonuses and limits to profits made by financial institutions.

Rampant Capitalism has a lot to answer for. Maybe it's time America embraced a more socialist philosophy...????