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Whose American Dream Flies?
Author: Bryce Covert
Date: Mar. 3, 2016
From: The New York Times
Publisher: The New York Times Company
Document Type: Article
Length: 933 words
Content Level: (Level 4)
Lexile Measure: 1160L
Full Text:
IN their campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination, both Donald J. Trump and Marco Rubio have said that the American
dream is either dead or dying. But for the American people, the dream still holds sway. It’s a basic myth of our country: No matter
where someone starts out, if he works hard enough he can climb to the top.
That’s part of why Mr. Trump, a candidate who has run on his own bountiful wealth, can attract such strong support among working-
class voters, winning across a range of income levels in South Carolina, Nevada and a number of the Super Tuesday states.
His rival Mr. Rubio has a pitch and personal history that tell a different story about the American dream — one that hews closer to
reality.
Mr. Trump, who loves to splash his name across buildings, has a fondness for gold and takes his private jet to campaign events, is
hardly shy about proclaiming the extent of his own fortune. ”I don’t need anybody’s money,” he said when he announced his
presidential run. ”I’m really rich.”
While he is often accused of taking a pessimistic tone, when it comes to how he talks about his own success, he strikes one of self-
aggrandizing optimism. He promises to make America great again, and that combined with the symbolism of his own financial
standing make for a promise of individual economic prosperity for all his supporters.
It’s a resonant message. In general, Americans, even those with few means, end up aligning themselves with the wealthy in the hope
that they, too, will eventually get rich. We consistently overestimate anyone’s chance of moving into a higher economic stratum and
we fervently believe our own hard work will make us rich someday. This is part of why a majority of Americans feel the country
benefits from having a wealthy class.
Mr. Trump’s promises about the American dream also go along with the well-documented intolerance of his supporters. The dream
they want to revive was not equally available to all races. In part because of racist government policies and exclusions from
programs, whites were able to step up the income ladder while blacks were kept on the bottom rungs.
Mr. Rubio is a different sort of candidate from Mr. Trump, and his approach to the American dream through his own experiences and
some of his proposals veer in another direction. As a child, he watched his parents struggle. He has frequently talked about what they
sacrificed and how hard they worked when he was growing up.
While he hails his own economic mobility, rising from being the child of a bartender and a maid to a United States senator, his is not
exactly a rags to riches story. He has a long history of financial difficulties: carrying large amounts of credit card, student loan and
mortgage debt; facing foreclosure on a second home; liquidating a $68,000 retirement fund; and getting in trouble for intermingling
transactions on a state Republican Party credit card with his personal spending, including repairs on his minivan.
He’s not running on that troubled history. But it may inform the way he talks about the struggles of working Americans. He’s stood out
a bit from the Republican field for stumping on tax breaks for working parents: an expanded child tax credit, and a new credit for
businesses that offer their employees paid family leave. The first credit, he has said, is meant to ”benefit millions of middle-class,
hardworking Americans.” Paid family leave would help address the ”conflict between work and family life.”
He has taken a decidedly pessimistic tone. For him, we’re living in a new time of economic insecurity. ”We will either adapt to the new
era and bring about another American century or, like so many nations before us, our inability to address new realities will usher in
our decline,” he has said. Rather than offer himself as an image of fortunes just within reach, Mr. Rubio has campaigned on the idea
that Americans are struggling.
Voters may love Mr. Trump for his bombast. But they should be wary of identifying with his fabulous wealth. Economic mobility in the
country has stagnated, failing to improve for the past two decades. Just one out of every 25 people who were born to parents in the
bottom half of the national income distribution will have a household income of $100,000 by the time they’re 30. Yet a third of those
who start out in the top 1 percent not far from Mr. Trump — who began his career with a $1 million loan from his father — will achieve
that status. Meanwhile, a child born into the poorest fifth has a 9 percent chance of reaching the top fifth.
It’s much more likely that an average voter will end up closer to Mr. Rubio’s situation. The average American has nearly $130,000 in
debt, according to the consumer financial advice site NerdWallet, and about $15,000 of it comes from credit cards. In the third quarter
of last year, about 93,000 people got a foreclosure notice.
On actual policy, Mr. Trump and Mr. Rubio genuflect equally to the wealthy at the expense of everyone else. So these differing
stories of American opportunity create a telling distinction between them. Mr. Trump’s story is clearly far more compelling to
Republican voters. He won seven states on Super Tuesday, as opposed to one for Mr. Rubio. We still desperately want to believe
that the dream is within our grasp.
Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 The New York Times Company
http://www.nytimes.com
Source Citation (MLA 9th Edition)
Covert, Bryce. “Whose American Dream Flies?” New York Times, 3 Mar. 2016, p. A23(L). Gale In Context: Global Issues,
link.gale.com/apps/doc/A444896563/GIC?u=aur58810&sid=bookmark-GIC&xid=25e9305c. Accessed 4 Feb. 2022.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A444896563
http://www.nytimes.com
M
odule
1
A
ssignment
:
R
esea
r
ch
S
ynthesis
E
ssay
O
verview
Practicing research synthesis is the first step in being able to create longer, more
complicated resea
rch arguments
. You
begin by learning to find voices in a
conversation and learning to put those voices together to create something new.
I
n this assignment you will practice: navigating databases to find sources; closely
reading and annotating those source
s; and synthesizing the key ideas from those
sources into your own writing to create something new.
You should spend approximately 6 hours on this assignment.
Instructions
1.
The CCCOnline Library provides access to
scholarly research databases
. You
can also access these databases from a link provided on your D2L home
page.
2.
Once you are on the research databases page, scroll down to find the
Global
Issues in Context
database. Select this database. Then select “Database
login.” Log in with your S#.
3.
In the search box, enter “American Dream.” Then click the Global Viewpoints
tab. Limit your search by clicking any of the limiters on the right side of the
page.
Choose two of the remaining articles to read for this essay.
4.
Pre
–
Write
: Closely read and annot
ate your two chosen articles, noting
similarities and differences in language and key ideas. Consider how these
voices are connected to one another and to the larger conversation. How do
they respond to one another? (Do they agree? Disagree?) How do they
r
espond to previous voices in this conversation?
5.
Write:
Synthesize the ideas from your two sources into an extended
definition of the American Dream. What does the American Dream
mean today? What is its significance in terms of immigration,
multiculturalism
, economics, education, etc.? Blend the key ideas
from your sources to create a new and interesting definition of this
idea.
6. Your essay should contain 2-3 quotations from your sources, and it should include paraphrasing of other main ideas. Be sure to use quotation marks and in-text citations appropriately and responsibly.
7. Your essay should be approximately 700 words.
8. Please be sure to correctly format your essay in MLA Style. Need help with MLA? Please refer to the CCCOnline MLA Citation Toolkit
9. Once your essay is written, revised, and proofread, you may submit it to the Module 1 Assignment folder: Research Synthesis Essay
See the Course Schedule, Course Rubrics, and Grading and Evaluation sections in the Syllabus module for due dates and grading information.
The two stories to used will be found in the attachments. Don’t worry about searching for it on the website. I downloaded them. Be sure to reference with each article.
M
ODULE
1
A
SSIGNMENT
:
R
ESEARCH
S
YNTHESIS
E
SSAY
O
VERVIEW
Practicing research synthesis is the first step in being able to create longer, more
complicated resea
rch arguments. You begin by learning to find voices in a
conversation and learning to put those voices together to create something new.
In this assignment you will practice: navigating databases to find sources; closely
reading and annotating those source
s; and synthesizing the key ideas from those
sources into your own writing to create something new.
You should spend approximately 6 hours on this assignment.
I
NSTRUCTIONS
1.
The CCCOnline Library provides access to
scholarly research databases
. You
can also access these databases from a link provided on your D2L home
page.
2.
Once you are on the research databases page, scroll down to find the
Global
Issues in Context
database. Select this database. Then select “Database
login.” Log in with your S#.
3.
In the search box, enter “American Dream.” Then click the Global Viewpoints
tab. Limit your search by clicking any of the limiters on the right side of the
page.
Choose two of the remaining articles to read for this essay.
4.
Pre
–
Write
: Closely read and annot
ate your two chosen articles, noting
similarities and differences in language and key ideas. Consider how these
voices are connected to one another and to the larger conversation. How do
they respond to one another? (Do they agree? Disagree?) How do they
r
espond to previous voices in this conversation?
5.
Write
:
Synthesize the ideas from your two sources into an extended
definition of the American Dream. What does the American Dream
mean today? What is its significance in terms of immigration,
multiculturalism
, economics, education, etc.? Blend the key ideas
from your sources to create a new and interesting definition of this
idea.
MODULE 1 ASSIGNMENT: RESEARCH
SYNTHESIS ESSAY
OVERVIEW
Practicing research synthesis is the first step in being able to create longer, more
complicated research arguments. You begin by learning to find voices in a
conversation and learning to put those voices together to create something new.
In this assignment you will practice: navigating databases to find sources; closely
reading and annotating those sources; and synthesizing the key ideas from those
sources into your own writing to create something new.
You should spend approximately 6 hours on this assignment.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. The CCCOnline Library provides access to scholarly research databases. You
can also access these databases from a link provided on your D2L home
page.
2. Once you are on the research databases page, scroll down to find the Global
Issues in Context database. Select this database. Then select “Database
login.” Log in with your S#.
3. In the search box, enter “American Dream.” Then click the Global Viewpoints
tab. Limit your search by clicking any of the limiters on the right side of the
page. Choose two of the remaining articles to read for this essay.
4. Pre-Write: Closely read and annotate your two chosen articles, noting
similarities and differences in language and key ideas. Consider how these
voices are connected to one another and to the larger conversation. How do
they respond to one another? (Do they agree? Disagree?) How do they
respond to previous voices in this conversation?
5. Write: Synthesize the ideas from your two sources into an extended
definition of the American Dream. What does the American Dream
mean today? What is its significance in terms of immigration,
multiculturalism, economics, education, etc.? Blend the key ideas
from your sources to create a new and interesting definition of this
idea.
Disclaimer: This is a machine generated PDF of selected content from our products. This functionality is provided solely for your
convenience and is in no way intended to replace original scanned PDF. Neither Cengage Learning nor its licensors make any
representations or warranties with respect to the machine generated PDF. The PDF is automatically generated “AS IS” and “AS
AVAILABLE” and are not retained in our systems. CENGAGE LEARNING AND ITS LICENSORS SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ANY
AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTIES FOR AVAILABILITY,
ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, COMPLETENESS, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE. Your use of the machine generated PDF is subject to all use restrictions contained in The Cengage Learning
Subscription and License Agreement and/or the Gale In Context: Global Issues Terms and Conditions and by using the machine
generated PDF functionality you agree to forgo any and all claims against Cengage Learning or its licensors for your use of the
machine generated PDF functionality and any output derived therefrom.
Is the American dream dead?
Author: Em Powers Hunter
Date: Sept. 18, 2009
From: The Christian Science Monitor
Publisher: The Christian Science Publishing Society
Document Type: Viewpoint essay
Length: 559 words
Content Level: (Level 4)
Full Text:
Byline: Em Powers Hunter
Washington — In recent years, our family has traveled cross-country, visiting 37 states and countless museums, landmarks, and
parks. Our dream was to expose our children to amazing educational experiences.
I didn’t realize, however, that a rare opportunity to stay in a ritzy hotel in Washington this summer would also be exposing them to
elitism at its core.
In our tourist attire, we stood out like sore thumbs. Women in polished high heels and impeccable coiffures swept past. I looked down
at my rumpled sweater, Wal-Mart jeans, and $11 tennis shoes. Where did a no-frills mother of four boys fit? Was the world really
divided between power suits and ponytails – insiders and outsiders?
Entangled in the daily struggle of raising kids and getting by in a devastated economy, I didn’t relate to these beautiful ice women.
Later, my 13-year-old echoed my thoughts. After taking photos of the hotel, he noted that all of the people had the same expression:
disgust.
My husband and I sighed. Our son wasn’t so innocent anymore.
Had we been wrong not to teach him about the exclusionary nature of the “real world”? I didn’t want to lose the kind, gifted boy with
an easy smile and ready sense of humor who loved Gandhi as a 6-year-old. But I also didn’t want him to be barred from the world of
influence because he was different.
My dreams seemed dashed. Anger rose in me from two fronts.
First, would my children be barred from being great men because we couldn’t afford an Ivy League education?
Second, if these Washington insiders looked down on us in our Wal-Mart clothes, how could they ever relate to the Wal-Mart lives of
most Americans? Most of us pinch pennies, worry about feeding our kids, watch healthcare payments devour our paychecks, and live
just a few checks away from being homeless.
These thoughts burned inside me as I took in Washington’s landmarks. We had come here to set our boys’ spirits afire with their own
dreams. Now I wondered if it was all for naught. Was the spirit-stirring Lincoln Memorial with the powerful words etched on the walls
and Lincoln himself looking down into our eyes a hoax? Were all these monuments just propaganda tools?
Ideals I had cherished for 40 years were shaken as I recalled those looks of “disgust.” Maybe the American dream really was dead. I
wondered how my boys would transform our country if they weren’t even invited to the party.
It wasn’t until I walked into the National Gallery of Art that my spirit was soothed. I looked around at the other tourists – tall, short,
young, old, dark-skinned, light-skinned, rich, poor – and saw them also being transformed. We heard the stories that these paintings
and sculptures told. No ice queens here. The people on the walls came alive. They felt and expressed and fought and despaired and
triumphed. Those artists influenced, regardless of their class and social status. Hundreds of years later, they still spoke.
While walking through the gallery, I hatched a new plan, a new curriculum for my boys. Art school maybe? Perhaps as members of
the creative class, they might be heard. Vive la Revolution!
Em Powers Hunter is a writer, educator, and the mother of future American leaders.
(c) Copyright 2009. The Christian Science Monitor
By Em Powers Hunter
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 The Christian Science Publishing Society
http://www.csmonitor.com/About/The-Monitor-difference
Source Citation (MLA 9th Edition)
Hunter, Em Powers. “Is the American dream dead?” Christian Science Monitor, 18 Sept. 2009, p. 9. Gale In Context: Global Issues,
link.gale.com/apps/doc/A208067477/GIC?u=aur58810&sid=bookmark-GIC&xid=127b6d1e. Accessed 4 Feb. 2022.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A208067477
http://www.csmonitor.com/About/The-Monitor-difference
