The American Dream

Woah. Wow. That's what went through my mind as I read the assigned reading in Chomsky. He presents such a negative view of the political system in America that is hard to take in. Especially the way he condemned the system, calling it "the vicious circle" that keeps the power in the hands of the elite. The first few pages are basically Chomsky condemning America's political system, ranting about how bad it was when U.S. was first founded. He states that: "James Madison, the main framer of the Constitution...felt that the United States system should be designed...so that power rests in the hands of the wealthy" (1). He thinks that the Madison ideal causes America to have a severe concentration of power in the wealthy and elite, and the system must be fixed. I mean, yeah, the system is not perfect. And I will agree with Chomsky that at the beginning of America, it wasn't a true democracy as women and other races were excluded from elections. However, don

The term American Dream has withstood the test of time through centuries since the Declaration of Independence. It is a promise to Americans that their hard work will be rewarded. It is a promise that everyone will have a fair chance at achieving his or her personal dream.  There is no question that the American Dream still persists in the society to this day. So, what exactly makes this ideal so powerful and long-lasting? Why do the American people continue to believe in this dream even during economic disasters such as the Great Depression? Let’s start answering these questions by defining the American Dream. Historian James Adams described it as a dream of a better quality of life, “with opportunity for each according to ability or achievements” (White and Hanson 3). Accepting his Democratic presidential nomination, Obama also defined the American Dream in his speech: “that through hard work and sacrifice each of us can pursue our individual dreams…to ensure that the nex