This post touches on a little better description of the American Nightmare. The American Dream for most people breaks down to a good career, a nice home and a secure future. So we'll take a look at these three things and see where they stand.
A good career could be anything from a minimum wage job to millions a week. If your happy in your job you don't work a day in your life. In our current economic climate one cannot choose a job or career. One has to take what happens to be available at this time. Many over-qualified individuals with Associate, Bachelors and even Masters/Doctorates cannot find work in their chosen field and yet the current administration tells us that the economy is improving. 500,000 less total people working as compared to December 2007. Your chance of happiness depends on how many people are applying for the job you want. Right now that number is almost non-nonsensical. I've talked to employers that take so many applications in that they pick a couple of acceptable parameters and toss the rest. Some of the applications don't get more than a quick scan. If you don't stand out, than your not even considered. In a recovering economy...everyone will be considered.
A nice home is high on anyone's list. I for one am perfectly happy renting and I'll tell you why. Home ownership used to be a wonderful shelter for your self investing. It's not as lucrative as you think. If you were to buy, lets say, $100,000 house and take out a 30 year loan your payment would be around $536 a month X 360 months. With 5% interest on that your total payment at payoff is around $193,000! Add into that a new roof because that isn't going to last 30 years, furnace, appliances, floors, that new kitchen the wife HAD to have, paint, windows, siding, insurance and of course TAXES....that investment is looking pretty bleak. Now...on top of all that realestate volatility. The small town that this blogger came from has been thrust into economic obscurity due to the large papermill there becoming...not so large. A house in that town, that would have cost $100,000 now can be had at a fraction of that. Sure you might be able to be on the winning end and sell that home for $150,000 but still at a loss.
A secure future is not looking so good either. Poor employment outlook, dismal personal investment opportunities, and a government with crushing debt and huge unfunded liabilities. Social Security and Medicare are heading for the crapper. We have created a society that views these as future necessity instead of a fall back program if all else fails. These numbers that the majority of Americans are expecting when they reach the age to collect are part of the great shell game of politics. Social Security is, reportedly, going to be insolvent by 2024. That means more going out than coming in. Just like our government runs anything this too shall be mismanaged. Also, Medicare will be put on life-support due to changes made to it by the ACA (Obamacare). This will lead to reduced access to care. Detractors of my point of view, at this point, would yell bullshit but I work in healthcare. I got a pretty good idea what will happen. People will still have 'access' but your going to have to travel for it. I guarantee that. No one will staff a clinic where they have to pay a bunch of people to see a few patients a day. The only access you will have is government subsidized, critical access care. Just like the hospital in my little hometown.
Of course, what this all breaks down to is that the American Dream is still alive and well...but not for current Americans. We have gotten used to an 'easy' life. Everything within reach, all amenities available to everyone. That's going to change big time. Our American Dream is being rewritten to many a chagrin . I'm a proponent of a 'reapplication' of our ideals. Stick to the Constitution, it got us this far let it work! In a couple of weeks we are all charged with voting our conscience. How, in good conscience, could you vote to take our country in the direction we've been headed for the last four years?
That's my two cent's, spend 'em or put 'em in the dish for the next person.
