The American Dream - 821 Words

The ‘American Dream† has historically been one of the driving concepts in what success was supposed to look like in America. Many individuals and families from all over the world migrant to America simply because of this picture perfect â€Å"promise† of success and happiness. The â€Å"house with the white picket fence† mentality has been wildly spread throughout our society and as a result, a misconception about America has been created. The Great Recession represented a sharp decline in the economy. This occurred during the late 2000s and has been considered the largest and most tragic decline in the economy since the Great Depression. Millions of people lost their jobs, the unemployment rate doubled, and the middle class average income took a†¦show more content†¦Its’ one thing if you buy a house and can afford to completely pay it off. However, many of us are not that fortunate. Mortgages can become a big burden to families. Another con is financial stability. In this day and age, it is hard to predict whether or not you will maintain a steady job or income over a long period of time. Many people tend to rush into home ownership without being financially stable. This can cause issues that may lead to potentially losing the home. There are many pros and cons to home ownership as a millennial. As a millennial, I believe that our idea of the â€Å"American Dream† has changed drastically. Becau se so many of us have experienced the great recession, I think we stray away from house ownership while we are young. The cost of a house in the past is not the same now. People could get by on one income while still paying a mortgage. That is virtually impossible now. According to Smart Asset researcher and journalist, Amelia Josephson, the average income of a millennial is about $35,000 a year. It is 20% lower than the average salary a baby boomer had at the same age. Millennials also have more debt than their parents had at their age. Because of this, it is almost impossible to expect Millennials to own homes at the rate in which generations before them have. I also think a lot of millennials have a different outlook on life than the generations before us. Many MillennialsShow MoreRelatedImmigrants And The American Dream1362 Words   |  6 PagesImmigrants and the American Dream In the article â€Å"The American Dream†, by James Truslow Adams in The Sundance Reader book, he stated that the American dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and highRead MoreThe American Dream By Kimberly Amadeo1637 Words   |  7 PagesNowadays, a large number of people migrate to the United States to work and achieve the American Dream. According to the Article â€Å"What is the American Dream?† by Kimberly Amadeo, â€Å"The American Dream was first publicly defined in 1931 by James Truslow Adams in Epic of America. Adam’s often-repeated quote is, ‘The American Dream is that dream of land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyon e, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.’† There are many peopleRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The American Dream 754 Words   |  4 Pages Nyreel Powell Ms. Jones American Literature 1 June 2015 The American dream in A Raisin in the Sun Have you ever had a dream and it didn’t come how you wanted it to be? Have you ever had accomplishments that you wanted to achieve but people were getting in the way of them? The four main characters in this book all have good dreams but there are people in the way of getting to those dreams or their dream is too high to accomplish. A Raisin in the Sun a play written by Lorraine Hansberry, andRead MoreSister Carrie and the American Dream1618 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream is surely based on the concept of â€Å"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness† but it is above all, a matter of ambition. James Truslow Adams, an American writer and historian, in 1931 states: life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement†, which not only points towards a better standard of living for Americans but also denounces a degree of greed in the US society. Ambition not only â€Å"killed the catâ₠¬  butRead MoreGrapes Of Wrath And The American Dream1644 Words   |  7 PagesThe idea of the American Dream is ever changing depending on the person and the time of life that person is in. Although the main ideas of the American Dream remain the same to be educated, economically sound, healthy, to have a family, and equal rights. Many great films and works of literature were created to show case all the different ideas people have for their American Dream. The film â€Å"Grapes of Wrath† directed by John Ford and the poem â€Å"I Will Fight No More Forever† by Chief Joseph, both depictRead More Destruction of the American Dream Essay2145 Words   |  9 PagesDestruction of the American Dream I’ve talked about it in the past, the destruction of the American Dream. Always, there have been papers, writings, and thoughts that quantify a particular section of its ultimate demise, be it due to money, education, or sexuality. Maybe the destruction cannot be viewed as a singular event or cause. Perhaps instead it must be examined as a whole process, the decay and ultimate elimination of a dream. Self destruction, if you will†¦ Mr. Self Destruct Read MoreSuccess As One Of The American Dream1137 Words   |  5 PagesApril 2015 Success as One of The American Dream When we hear the word â€Å"success†, we often think of wealth and money. To some people, the embodiment of being success is earning a lot of money. In fact, the concept of success is primarily based on how much money a person earns. However, each person views the definition of success differently. One way to define success is something that has more to do with flash than it does with substance. John Wooden, an American basketball player and coach viewRead MoreJim Cullen And The American Dream2081 Words   |  9 Pages The American Dream, as defined by Cullen, is starting your goal off with a little and ending with more; it s like a business, you invest in it in order to gain more money. Usually, people will define the American Dream as being able to achieve your goal because everyone is offered opportunities. Cullen does acknowledge that people are born with different opportunities, so he talks about the good life. The good life describes different factors that determine your opportunities. Throughout the otherRead MoreFactors Influencing The American Dream1834 Words   |  8 Pagesindividual to succumb or to not succumb to the seductions of crime. These three factors are brilliantly portrayed in the television show, Breaking Bad and the novel, The Stick Up Kids. The American Dream is what many American citizens strive for. However, not all of those citizens are able to achieve the American Dream through a legal pathway. The reason an indivudal may not being able to do so is because of his or her background factors. It is important to note that background factors are a fractionRead MoreShark Tank And The American Dream1755 Words   |  8 PagesShark Tank and The American Dream The TV show Shark tank embodies everything the American dream represents. The show obtains successful Entrepreneurs ready to invest their own money into other Americans wanting to be just like them, reaching the American dream and become a successful entrepreneur. The show presents entrepreneurs working towards the goal of creating a business to not only gain wealth but also change the way we live today. The show is to keep the American dream alive and well while

The Mexican Revolution Essay - 1160 Words

The Mexican Revolution There was a huge revolution in the country of Mexico that started in the year 1910, led by Porfirio Diaz, the president of Mexico in 1910. In the 1860’s Diaz was important to Mexican politics and then was elected president in 1877. Diaz said that he would only be president for one year and then would resign, but after four years he was re-elected as the President of Mexico. Porfirio Diaz and the Mexican revolution had a huge impact on the country of Mexico that is still felt in some places today. The earliest start to the Mexican Revolution of 1910 happened one hundred years earlier when two priests, Miguel Hidalgo and Jose Morelos, led a stand against the Spanish colonial officials who were†¦show more content†¦Diaz used this philosophy to make reasons for his policies. Diaz kept his old slogan liberty, order, progress, but, the word liberty was removed from the slogan. Another slogan few politics, much administration† also became common and popular. Foreign firms began to invest in Mexico because it became more structurally and economically stable. These investments gave Diaz the money he needed to construct highways, railroads, telegraph lines, and new industries. The city of Veracruz used the money to create oil fields, and elsewhere the mining industry was brought back. Mexico, fifty years before was seen as a third-world nation, became the standard for developing countries because of its high tech industry and technology. Although these were all big steps for Mexicos economy, in the end it was responsible for the bringing down of Diaz. (Encarta 98, www.eh.net.htm) The people in power became rich along with the nation, however, the majority of the population in the cities and the countryside remained poor. Along with those people, rich and poor Mexicans began to resent their trust on foreign investments. More importantly, the new generation of Mexicans was full of political ambition, and the Diaz era had such control of the government that no one new was able to enter their league. This combination of factors was what sparked the revolution of 1910. In 1908 US journalist James Creelman interviewed Porfirio Diaz. In the interview DiazShow MoreRelatedThe Mexican Revolution1019 Words   |  5 PagesMexico’s Revolution Ariel Elias HIST 112 Proffesor Cummings 17 February 2013 Ariel Elias Professor Cummings Hist 112 17 February 2013 Mexico’s Revolution Many nations across time and the world have experienced a revolution. From the American revolution to the French revolution, history has proven conflict can engage a nation at any moment. Tanter explains that two possible scenarios, changesRead MoreThe Mexican Revolution1259 Words   |  6 PagesThe Mexican Revolution began November 20th, 1910. It is disputable that it extended up to two decades and seized more than 900,000 lives. This revolution, however, also ended dictatorship in Mexico and restored the rights of farm workers, or peons, and its citizens. Revolutions are often started because a large group of individuals want to see a change. These beings decided to be the change that they wanted to see and risked many things, including their lives. Francisco â€Å"Pancho† Villa and EmilianoRead MoreMexican Revolution1018 Words   |  5 PagesAssignment 1: Major Causes of the revolution in Mexico. Based on John Tutino, From Insurrection to Revolution in Mexico The Mexican Revolution (1910-1917) was caused by a variety of factors. It is impossible to place the blame on one single event or person because of the complexity of the Mexican people. One thing is for sure, if people are deprived of food and water, they will find a way to obtain enough to survive. History proves that in desperate times people will take matters into theirRead MoreMexican Women in Mexican Revolution736 Words   |  3 Pagesartists, he has an understanding of what it takes to collaborate and implement programs successfully. For which he profoundly displayed in this production. He and the actresses do an impeccable acuratcy in dipicting diversity during the Mexican Revolution. The acting was like a welcoming zepher of wind during any season. Powerful, yet comforting. Humiliating, yet humbling. I felt as though I were reliving the engagments in each act, and as if I were apart of the political front line, yet,Read MoreThe Mexican Revolution2053 Words   |  9 Pagesfrom what they call the â€Å"rich people.† That’s how the Mexican revolution began. Before he was known as â€Å"Francisco Villa†, he was Jose Doroteo Arango Arambula, born June 5, 1878 in San Juan Del Rio, Durango, Chihuahua, Mexico.​ He changed his name because in his town he had killed a man who almost raped his younger sister. He had no choice but to escape. Later in his life he was recruited as commander in chief who led 28 men to the revolution. From then on he was a military leader who had gainedRead MoreThe Mexican Revolution Essay2080 Words   |  9 Pages Scott Van Winkle (MLA Format) My Thesis is, the Mexican Revolution was important because the people were getting fed up and something needed to be done about the corruption and the possibility of a free-market. This kind of â€Å"opportunity† would help the rich but the poor would only have a larger gap into the steps of economical and political society. People were unsatisfied with the Diaz Regime and it had nowRead MoreThe Revolutionary Revolution And The Mexican Revolution2470 Words   |  10 Pagesstated in Mexicans in Revolution, 1910-1946: An Introduction, â€Å"The roots of the Revolution reached back to the successful programs of the government of Porfirio Dà ­az and his regime, called the Porfiriato, that governed the republic from 1876 to 1911.†1 Francisco Madero, a representative for the common people and a candidate in the presidential election in 1910, promoted a resistance that opposed the reelection of Diaz. Eventually, the struggle to overthrow Diaz resulted in the Mexican Revolut ion. Madero’sRead MoreThe Mexican Revolution Of 1910 Essay1747 Words   |  7 Pagesattributed to the Mexican Revolution of 1910, that may or may not deem it a legitimate revolution, we must first establish and define that which is allocated by the term, revolution. Merriam Webster defines a revolution as, a complete overthrow of an established government or political system. The Oxford Dictionary defines a revolution as, â€Å"an overthrow of old government by force and replacing it by a new one. Funk and Wagnall’s Standard Desk Dictionary establishes that a revolution is, a great upheaval:Read MoreThe Mexican Revolution Of 19101619 Words   |  7 PagesThe Mexican Revolution of 1910 set many influences in motion shaping the course of Mexican history between 1920 up into the 2000s. There are several patterns that take its cue from the Revolution include the creation and long standing existence of a one political party rule. The Mexican Revolution is an extremely lo ng and complicated subject to perceive without much background information, but in summation the Revolution was an attempt to end a dictatorship of Porfirio Dà ­az and to establish a constitutionalRead MoreThe Mexican Revolution Essay1272 Words   |  6 PagesThe Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution was the culmination of a mass of political, economic, and social tension that accompanied the regime of the dictator Porfirio Diaz. The Revolution began with the aims to overthrow Diaz, but the Revolution had a pronounced effect on the organization of Mexicos government, economy, and society. Porfirio Diaz was the president of Mexico when the Revolution broke out. He was elected in 1877, and although he swore to step down in 1880, he continued

Essay about the latest speech of ninoy aquino free essay sample

My beloved countrymen, good evening. Over the past few months, a few topics have come to be the focus of public discourse. With the cacophony of discordant voices coming from many different sides, perhaps the subject of the Pork Barrel and DAP has begun to leave you confused. I am asking you for a few minutes of your time in order to bring clarity to these issues. You are all witnesses to the conflict taking place. On one hand, there is you and your government, to whom you gave the mandate for change—a government that has implemented reform for the past three years and five months, pursuing the corrupt and working to alleviate poverty. On the other side, you have the corrupt officials allegedly involved in the Pork Barrel Scam. Might I remind those who have forgotten: The real issue here is stealing. This is the topic they have constantly tried to avoid ever since their wrongdoing was exposed. I can’t help but shake my head, since the first thing I expected was for them to at least deny the accusations. After all, is that not the natural reaction of anyone who is accused of anything? And yet, in the midst of all their extended counter-accusations hurled against me, not once have I heard them say: â€Å"I did not steal. † One would have hoped that out of respect for those who believed in, and voted, for them, these officials would have fulfilled their sworn duties. At the very least one would have expected them to explain how it happened that the beneficiaries of the NGOs they chose to fund was just a list of board passers seemingly culled from newspapers. But how can we take their excuses seriously, when after repeated instances of their giving money to the same NGOs, they had not once bothered to check if the funds they allocated actually reached the intended beneficiaries? This state of affairs is indeed difficult, even impossible, to explain away. And since it is exceedingly difficult to explain, it seems they have taken the advice of an old politician from their camp: If you can’t explain it, muddle it; if you can’t deodorize it, make everyone else stink; if you can’t look good, make everyone look bad. You have heard what they are saying: that we are all the same. My response: We are not the same. I have never stolen. I am not a thief. I am the one who goes after thieves. We appointed people of unquestionable integrity who are fulfilling their sworn duties. Did we not appoint the Commission on Audit leadership that reviewed the documents leading to the discovery of PDAF abuse? And now, can we not expect a fair and just investigation, because the Ombudsman we appointed walks alongside us along the straight path? Let me make it clear: The Disbursement Allocation Program is not pork barrel. Of the DAP releases in 2011 and 2012, only nine percent was disbursed for projects suggested by legislators. The DAP is not theft. Theft is illegal. Spending through DAP is clearly allowed by the Constitution and by other laws. DAP is only a name for a process in which government can spend both savings and new and additional revenues. Where did these funds come from? They came from our efforts to stop the connivance of some in bidding for contracts, in padding costs, overpricing, and kickbacks. They came from the proper spending of our budget. They came from good governance now seen in our GOCCs; just one example of this is the MWSS, an agency once buried in debt, and which now remits dividends to the national government annually. Savings, above-target collections, and new revenues are the results of good governance. And because of DAP, these funds were allocated to projects that were within the proposed budget and that had a clear benefit to the country. How does this mechanism work? Simple. There are some agencies that, for a variety of reasons, are unable to implement their projects right away; on the other hand, there are those that are very efficient in implementing their projects. When projects are stalled, naturally, we will not spend for them. We did not allow these funds to remain dormant. We looked for programs under implementing agencies that had proven themselves to be fast and efficient, and we channeled our savings into these programs—together with the additional revenue of the government. The benefits of these projects reached our countrymen faster and earlier, and we were able to spend the money allocated yearly in our National Budget more prudently and efficiently. You can decide for yourselves: Is this wrong? When has it ever been wrong to look for a constitutional way to serve our countrymen more effectively? DAP funded Project NOAH, which gives accurate and timely warnings during calamities. Also because of DAP, under the Training-for-Work Scholarship Program of TESDA, almost 150,000 Filipinos were able to study, and no less than 90,000 of them are currently employed. DAP also benefited our Air Force and the police. Through DAP, we were able to construct infrastructure in Mindanao and other parts of the country; restore the benefits of DepEd employees by paying their GSIS premiums, which had long been unpaid by the government; and fund many other programs and projects that have a real, tangible benefit to Filipinos. DAP also played an important role in our economic resurgence. According to the World Bank, DAP contributed 1. 3 percentage points to our GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2011. Let us compare: isn’t it true that, when they were still in power, we were called the â€Å"Sick Man of Asia†? Today, we can choose from a number of new labels: Asia’s fastest growing economy, Rising Tiger, Brightest Spark. And let’s include the investment grade status we received from the three most reputable credit ratings agencies in the world. This economic growth—and its positive effects, which have redounded to our countrymen, especially those in the margins of society—this is the product of principled spending, and not of stealing. Money once pocketed by the corrupt is now being used to help our people, particularly the poor. Let me also take this chance to explain the President’s Social Fund. There are times when we will need funds that can be disbursed quickly to meet sudden needs. For example: we needed funds to provide assistance to the families of soldiers and policemen who fell in the line of duty while responding to the threat posed by the MNLF-Misuari Faction in Zamboanga. There were also those who fell in the course of rescue and relief operations in the wake of Typhoon Sendong. The PSF funded these; without it, without calamity or contingency funds, they would have continued to suffer. Because these funds were abused in the past, people are saying that perhaps we will abuse them today—even if no one has accused us of stealing or of using them in the wrong manner. Some propose to remove them completely. Would this be just? If only it were that simple—but what would we then do in case of natural disasters? Even if we were lucky and Congress was in session, it would take at least four months of debate before Congress can approve the funding we need. If you are in Zamboanga, with a child crying from hunger, and government tells you that it cannot help you just yet, it would need to haggle with Congress first—how would you feel? We have the money, and we have the mechanisms that will ensure this money goes where it’s needed most. Would it be right to deprive our countrymen of the care they direly need? I repeat: The issue here is theft. I did not steal. Those who have been accused of stealing are those who are sowing confusion; they want to dismantle all that we have worked so hard to achieve on the straight path. We were stolen from, we were deceived—and now we are the ones being asked to explain? I have pursued truth and justice, and have been dismantling the systems that breed the abuse of power—and yet I am the one now being called the â€Å"Pork Barrel King†? This is what I say to them: If you think that this will stop me from going after you, if you think that you can divert the public’s attention, if you think you can get away with stealing from our countrymen—you have sorely underestimated me and the Filipino people. If there still remains some vestige of kindness in your hearts, I hope that you stop acting in self-interest, and instead act to help your fellowmen. When my father returned home on the twenty-first of August 1983, he had a speech prepared. Filipinos never got to hear it, because he was murdered right on the tarmac. In that speech, he quoted Archibald MacLeish: â€Å"How shall freedom be defended? By truth when it is attacked by lies. † Now that falsehood and deception are threatening the Filipino’s right to a clean and honest government, the truth stands as our most powerful weapon. Tonight, I laid out the truth of what has been happening in our nation. I hope that in the coming days, you will talk about this amongst yourselves—in your families, in the groups you belong to, between friends and colleagues, within your communities—and that you can arrive at an understanding and a resolve that aligns with the truth. My Bosses, we have fought so many battles. And I am grateful that no matter how foul the slander and the sabotage, you never let go, you never gave up. Together we proved that there are no tyrants if there are no slaves. Now, those who have abused our trust want to cast us off the course towards the fulfillment of our collective aspirations. I do not believe that you will let this pass. And so long as you are with me, I will continue to stand for our principles. I have no doubt that, whether or not I am in office, you, our Bosses whose minds and hearts are in the right place, will continue and will finish the fight. This knowledge is the source of my strength and my courage. After all, is it not true that, not too long ago, the system in place was one where the Filipino people had grown tired of dreaming, of fighting back, of doing their part? Today, there are so many of us who are collectively forging the positive and meaningful reforms that are taking place in society. I have every confidence that you will more actively choose to be on the side of what is right, what is truthful, and what is just. This is why I am thankful today, because I know that we will continue our march on the straight path. Thank you very much.