America, long hailed as the “land of the free” and the “home of the brave.” A place where the “American Dream” offers hope and lays the framework for prosperity to all of its citizens. A place where the potential for personal success has been woven into the fabric of this nation since its creation.
But in this day and age, where America faces grave economic crisis, a fluctuating unemployment rate, national debt exacerbated by economic strains and fiscal shortfall, and a growing wealth gap between the rich and the poor, America still touts itself as a place of equal opportunity.
There is no doubt America offers unique opportunities for people from all over the world to come and strive to realize the proverbial "American Dream." But consider all of the economic warning signs: a fluctuating unemployment rate, major disparity in wealth among the American people, or our $16 trillion national debt. Couple that with growing social disparity, decreased global rankings in education, infrastructure security and overall health, and you will see America, while still a land of opportunity, can no longer be considered a land of equal opportunity.
In the past year, considerable amounts of negative publicity have been directed towards the wealthiest “one-percent” of Americans. According to a report released by the Economic Policy Institute, America’s wealthiest one percent collectively own over 35 percent of America’s overall wealth. Additionally, the report noted that households in this affluent one-percent category were 288 times richer than the median American household.
The inequality of the current system becomes even more apparent when you consider that the bottom 50 percent of Americans only account for roughly 1 percent of the total wealth of the nation, according to a report from Congressional Research Service. The idea that the majority of hard-working Americans control only 1 percent of the country’s wealth while “one percent” minority controls over one-third is fundamentally contradictory to the idea of equal opportunity.
How does a country that prides itself on equality simultaneously allow corporate executives to make 62 times more money than an average worker in bonuses alone, not counting the executive’s actual salary? How does a country that is supposedly the ‘greatest nation on earth’ allow the continued marginalization of its lowest classes of citizens? The answer is simple: lack of governmental accountability and the failure to implement top-down reform.
Now that Election Day has come and gone, it is up to the American people to hold their newly elected officials accountable for the promises they made. In order to inspire change on a national level, embody the change you want your country to make. There has to be accountability on the part of elected officials to follow through with their promises to revitalize the American dream.
Write letters to congressmen. Support causes that you feel are important. Equality will only come if it action is taken by those our legislation affects most: the American public.
No matter which candidate you voted for, at any level, it is up you to hold them responsible for the change you envision. Only then will America be the land of equal opportunity.