The American system is built to promote the success of the rich. The system in which we live under promotes those with money and connections. Today’s job market demands a college degree in most cases. Even the Entry level jobs aren’t entry level any more. usually the employer wants some sort of college background. Yet american politicans repeat the lie if you work hard you can succeed. Succeed at what exactly ? Being a rat in the wheel that keeps on running but can’t ever actually go any where ? Thats what it feels like. Generational poverty is real and lasting. My family didn’t have much growing up Dad was disabled and couldn’t work. I remember the time my parents applied for public assistance and they got told they had to sell the car because it was worth to much to qualify. The American safety net is almost non-existent. The disabled are limited to how much they can have in the bank or their benefits can be slashed or lose them all together. For those that didn’t have the chance to go to college are severely disadvanted. For many they have to get a job right out of high school to help their family pay the bills. The system said they’re families made to much to qualify for any sort of assitance to go to college. Then there’s the issue of standardized testing like the ACT or SAT that if you can’t afford to get prep for those test you may not do as well. Many people of privilege are able to purchase pre-sat and act prep for their children but those that are barely keeping a roof over their heads may not be able to do that. Some kids have learning disabilities and really need more help and preparation that they never get. The myth that if you work hard you can achieve the American dream is just that unless the American dream is a lifetime of struggle.
The Republican party in this country wants to cut the social safety net even more. Yet while they pass millions in tax cuts for the rich. While billionares pay 0 in taxes. While the poor people and the middle class carry the load on their backs. While the poor people and middle class get to hustle every day wondering if they’ll have enough to pay all the bills. Others if they come to a crossroads in their career can’t find work becasue now our capitalistic job market demands college. Yet college is expensive and there’s no social safety net to help a middle aged adult to go to college for the first time. Even Trade schools can run $10,000.How are people suppose to get re-training when there is no ability to get specialized training because they can’t afford it and can’t get a loan because they don’t qualify ? How can someone work there way out of poverty when every job is minimum wage that doesn’t demand a college degree. The biggest lie people tell is theose Minimum wage jobs are only suppose to be temporary. When the truth is the jobs that pay better all require degrees and the poor and lower middle class have no way of going to college and take care of their family. The American system isn’t set up for it. We need a complete overhaul of the system. College needs to be Free for all and Vo-tech needs to be free. The biggest thing I hear is there is a shortage of nursing and other medical positions. If that’s true then make nursing school free. The won’t happen of course because of our for profit system that care’s more about profits than it does people. For a country that one of its political parties want to push their evangelical christian beliefs on to people. Are also the same people that create policy’s that harm the public. It doesn’t seem very christlike now does it ? Our policy makers seem to want to explode the military budget even more than build human infrastructure and help it’s nations citizens. Right now from my perspective the American Dream sounds more like a nightmare. It should be a basic human right to be able to provide an income for your family. In a global pandemic our highest court decided to let an eviction moratorium expire and let millions of people be evicted from their home. All while the government in the first place is the one that told people to stay home and not go out caused people to get behind on their bills , rent and mortgage payments. Now all those pandemic protections are expiring and well congress is off in their districts or on vactions. They make $174000 a year while the american people are struggling to surivive and pay bills. Many in congress just want to say no to everything that can help the its nations citizens. Congress doesn’t repressent its citzenery as a whole. It only truely represents those in the rich white ruling class. We must re-imagine what the American Dream really is. We need to cling to the hope of America.
