America’s Broken Dream.


I’m definitely not the first person to observe this but holidaying in a foreign country gives you a very different feel of the place than if you were to live there as an ordinary citizen.  For the most part, my impression of what life is like in the real world of a city has been restricted to casual people watching whilst abroad or else through a diverse range of reading material.

I had the opportunity to watch the documentary ‘America’s Broken Dream‘ on 4 Corners last night.  It was a disturbing look at the lives of three different American families and their struggle to survive in California (one of the few US states with much in the way of welfare) and Florida (where the suburbs surrounding a Disney theme park are now populated by Americans who live for years in one bedroom units normally meant for Disney tourists because its cheaper than paying rent or a mortgage).  Each family was living some version of the American Dream, holding down regular work and content with their lot before job losses and long term unemployment sent them all in a downward spiral in terms of their standard of living and quality of life.

The plight of these families had echoes of the Great Depression and the work house period of English history.  It sent a chill through me that progress seems to touch every aspect of our lives except for how the poor are treated.  It made me feel ashamed of the fact that what I loved most about my recent visits to the US was the fact that everything was so cheap, personal tax rates are low and everyone I met seemed happy in their job.  Surely that must mean that the cost of living is so low for the locals that living in comfort must be easier to achieve than in Australia?  What I didn’t factor into my glib assumption is that with minimal tax comes minimal spending on tax payers.  Those people I saw happy in their jobs were probably earning the minimum wage and depending on our tips to keep their heads above water.

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After watching the documentary, I found it hard to be just a casual observer of American life.  So many people’s lives seemed destroyed by factors beyond their control – the financial crisis, the mortgage crunch and the (lack of) comprehensive government support for Americans when they need it most.

It was hard not to feel anger on behalf of people who were forced to live in motels or in their cars when their houses were repossessed.  It’s hard not to question why children are placed into foster care because their parents are in dire financial straits when surely giving those parents some kind of financial aid would be better for the family in the longer term.

While the parents of the families were able to put on a happy face and try to be upbeat about the future, the pain of living a hand to mouth existence had already scarred their children.  Three year olds living in cars were able to tell their mothers that they were ‘not happy’ living the way they did.  Ten year old boys spoke of being ‘the man of the house’ and trying to shield their mothers and sisters from the pain and uncertainty this lifestyle entails.

Sadly, as President Obama prepares for his first State of the Union speech in his second term as President, the dreams and hopes for the country’s future are probably strongest in his powerful speeches as opposed to in the hearts and minds of quite a few Americans.  As ‘America’s Broken Dream’ so eloquently reveals, something terrifying is happening to the middle class who for decades worked hard, paid their taxes and enjoyed a high standard of living as the fruit of their labour.  I hope someone finds more than words for these people and that they do so soon.


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