The American Dream: Hanging by a Thread

YEAR BY YEAR, DECADE BY DECADE, regardless of the prosperity of our time, the once-envied promise of America’s middle class is gradually but unmistakably slipping away. Wages have declined and factory jobs have vanished, while rising costs have put the hallmarks of middle-class success – college, homeownership, health care and a secure retirement – beyond the reach of more Americans. Meanwhile, nothing offered in the past 50 years of political leadership has stopped it. Although experts debate the fate of the middle class, a Beacon Journal study of a half-century of Census Bureau records and interviews with scores of families struggling to cope show that the essence of the American Dream – the belief that children will do better than their parents – is in jeopardy. See the American Dream series by clicking here or on the graphic on the left.

Reclaim the Dream

AT BEST, INDIVIDUALS, LEADERS AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS have the power to cause incremental change. Collectively, however, that change can be profound, and that is the challenge to the community. If we are to allay our fears of losing the American Dream, there must be a commitment by each to take the first step. The Akron Beacon Journal has taken on the task of providing information on how each of us can improve our financial health. That will be done in the newspaper, on Ohio.com and in public venues. The newspaper also is asking individuals, leaders and elected officials to make a pledge to Reclaim the Dream. Several community organizations are partnering in this effort. To find out how you can gain better control of your financial health, see the series, Reclaim the Dream, by clicking here or on the graphic on the left – and also take the pledge.