Resurrecting the American dream

Image courtesy of badlyricpolice and Wikimedia Commons

The American dream has always been an amorphous concept, something that could be squished into whatever shape the speaker needs to create a generic sensation of good cheer and patriotism — whatever those are meant to be. But the contained emotions center around the belief that we are on the side of good, that we wish to maximize the exercise of rights and the growth of economies, that each generation will live a better life than their parents enjoyed.

This is a lovely vision, and it would be all the more beautiful if we could bring it to reality. But so often, we are satisfied by the dream and unwilling to put forth the work necessary to fulfill it.

I am not claiming that we have made no progress. The principles of the Constitution were an extraordinary statement in human history. The ideas were moving about Enlightenment circles during the period, but we were an early adopter, and we have used that document to expand our understanding of human rights to the point that we now forbid slavery and accept that women have the right to participate in the running of their society and that same-sex couples deserve the same benefits as heterosexuals, among much else. But the dream of a nation that is a force for progress can only be sustained by continued progress.

And over the last several decades, our efforts to build a more perfect union have…