Welcome to Today's American Dream! This site is dedicated to restoring the "American Dream" in the vision of America's Founding Fathers. Hopefully, these educational resources will enable Americans to apprehend and appreciate the principles that inspired America's Founding Fathers to pledge their lives, fortunes and sacred honor in order to secure the blessings of Liberty.
The American Dream... the words have been ingrained into us since very early in our lives. But what exactly is the American Dream? What does it mean to you? Is the American Dream still alive today? Are you living it? Consider what others have to say about the American Dream.
To kick off the celebration of their 10th anniversary, Forbes.com "asked more than 60 great achievers, including actors, artists, politicians and executives, to answer the question 'What is the American Dream?'."
Most of today's Americans would say that home ownership is the American Dream. Others would say that it is being your own boss, having your own business or becoming rich and famous. While the American Dream certainly could include some or all of these things, none of them by themselves constitute the American Dream. Rather, they are a result of it. The American Dream is far greater!
"Whereas the American Dream was once equated with certain principles of freedom, it is now equated with things. The American Dream has undergone a metamorphosis from principles to materialism. ... When people are concerned more with the attainment of things than with the maintenance of principles, it is a sign of moral decay. And it is through such decay that loss of freedom occurs."
Thirty years later, in the June 2003 issue of The Freeman, Lawrence W. Reed published an excellent and timely article entitled "The True Meaning of Patriotism". In it Reed writes:
"I subscribe to a patriotism rooted in ideas that in turn gave birth to a country, but it's the ideas that I think of when I'm feeling patriotic. I'm a patriotic American because I revere the ideas that motivated the Founders and compelled them, in many instances, to put their lives, fortunes and sacred honor on the line."
More recently, Chuck Baldwin emphatically stated in his article Can You Imagine This Country?, that material gain is not the American Dream. Baldwin writes:
"We hear much today about the American dream. By "the American dream," most people mean buying a big house, driving an expensive automobile, and making a lot of money. However, this was not the dream envisioned by the Founding Fathers. Remember that, for the most part, America's founders gave up their material wealth and substance for something they considered of far greater worth. Unfortunately, this hedonistic generation knows little of the kind of sacrificial spirit personified in the lives of America's patriarchs.
In the minds of the founders, liberty--with all of its intrinsic risks--was more desirable than material prosperity, if that prosperity was accompanied with despotism or collectivism. So strong was their desire that they were willing to give up the latter in order to procure the former for themselves and their posterity.
How dare Americans today refer to material gain as "the American dream." It is not! It is the freedom to honestly pursue one's goals that should be celebrated. Material gain is only a fruit of freedom, not its root."
In the Declaration of Independence, America's Founding Fathers laid out very clearly for us the true meaning of the American Dream ...
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,
that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"...
America's Founding Fathers clearly understood that faith in the Creator and true Freedom are inseparable. We believe their worldview was a Christian one based upon the Great Commission of the Gospel and biblically enlightened self-government. As inscribed on the Liberty Bell, they would "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." (Leviticus 25:10)
Solomon once said: "When there is no vision, the people perish." The true American Dream is more accurately called the American Vision. It is the Vision that drove our Founding Fathers to establish our Constitutional Republic as a nation under God. At the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Samuel Adams, Father of the American Revolution, declared:
"We have this day restored the Sovereign to Whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in Heaven and from the rising to the setting of the sun, let His kingdom come".
In his book, God, Gold and Civil Government, Tom Rose makes a very profound description of what constitutes liberty. True freedom or liberty is more than just having a lot of money. Having wealth will economically enhance a person's lifestyle and give them more free time to do what they want, but that is only one aspect of liberty. True liberty actually has three main parts:
"Liberty is like a three-legged stool. It has three aspects, or legs: the Spiritual, the Economic and the Political. Each leg must be carefully preserved. If one leg is shortened or cut off, the stability provided by the other two will be hampered or lost, and the ideal of Liberty will come tumbling down."
In the final years of his life, Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and third president of the United States, called upon the American people to
"Preserve inviolate the Constitution, which if cherished in all its chastity and purity, will prove in the end a blessing to all the nations of the earth."
As Americans we must also educate ourselves and our children in order to better understand our nation's founding documents and how America's Founding Fathers originally intended for them to be interpreted. Thomas Jefferson also said:
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
The words of exhortation from America's sixth president, John Quincy Adams, call out to us from the past:
"Posterity -- you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it."
"To personally understand and maintain the American way of life, to honor it by his own exemplary conduct, and to pass it intact to succeeding generations is the responsibility of every true American."
The Vision of America's Founding Fathers, the true American Dream, is still alive and waiting to be renewed. Make a decision to be a part of restoring it! Become informed! Get involved! You CAN make a difference! Hold fast to your dreams! Rekindle the faith, hope and love in your heart! Be all that you were called to be! LIVE Today's American Dream!
Ron Paul: Something Big is Happening Madam Speaker, I have, for the past 35 years, expressed my grave concern for the future of America . The course we have taken over the past century has threatened our liberties, security and prosperity. In spite of these long-held concerns, I have days--growing more frequent all the time--when I'm convinced the time is now upon us that some Big Events are about to occur. These fast-approaching events will not go unnoticed. They will affect all of us. They will not be limited to just some areas of our country. The world economy and political system will share in the chaos about to be unleashed.
... Read the rest
Getting Out of Iraq What will it take to get our troops out of Iraq? The roughly 70 percent of Americans who are firmly against the war often ask this question.
... Read the rest
Real Change Change, real change, the only kind of change that will quench the thirst of the American people for a new direction and provide us with the prosperity and security necessary to preserve our Republic as a beacon of liberty, requires bold initiatives designed to move our country away from economic peril by putting faith in free citizens instead of in Washington. ... Read the rest
The Economics of a Free Society These selections lay out my views of the proper role of government, namely that it should serve only to protect the life and property of its citizens.
... Read the rest
The main question before the new Congress and the administration is: Are we to have gridlock or cooperation? Today we refer to cooperation as bipartisanship. Some argue that bipartisanship is absolutely necessary for the American democracy to survive. The media never mention a concern for the survival of the Republic. ... Read the rest
Neo-CONNED! The modern-day, limited-government movement has been co-opted. The conservatives have failed in their effort to shrink the size of government. There has not been, nor will there soon be, a conservative revolution in Washington. Political party control of the federal government has changed, but the inexorable growth in the size and scope of government has continued unabated. ... Read the rest
I Am An American
Free republics are not known to have long life expectancies. At the ripe old age of two hundred and thirty-two, America is definitely showing her age. She is long past her prime, and some are predicting her demise. No, some are PLANNING her demise. ... Read More
Who Would Jesus Vote For?
I’ve never been a fan of politics. By its very nature, politics is inclined toward corruption, deception and the accumulation of power. So I am always leery of religious individuals, Christians in particular, who turn presidential elections into a test of one’s religiosity. ... Read More
I Have The Power to Lead The Nation to Ruin
Every four years I suddenly come into possession of some incredible powers, according to acquaintances that fall into my social circles. I can single-handedly determine whether or not the United States of America will proudly move forward into the, "broad sunlit uplands," of its Providential destiny, or collapse into a terror-ridden, third world cinder on the ash heap of history. This power has come to me because I have voiced my disgust with choosing, "the lessor of two evils." ... Read More
The Jesus Paradigm
We have forgotten the servant role of Christianity. We attempt to exploit the powers rather than persuade them to conform to the way of Christ. We have forgotten that we need to make it clear that our loyalty is to Christ and not to the state ... Read More
Peace-Monger
Chuck Carlson and his disciples are taking it to the streets, demanding that pro-life churches practice what they preach and condemn war in Iraq. ... Read More
Today's Christians: No Hope In God's Way
When people--especially Christian people--start doing their duty and standing for truth and principle, whether it is considered politically incorrect, or unpopular, or "naïve," or anything else; then, and only then, will God give us the results that will bring healing and restoration of our land. ... Read More
The 'Higher Powers': Martial Law vs. Christian Responsibility
And of all the varied forms of propaganda, religious propaganda is by far the most effective; for, it provides fallible men with the sanction of heaven, which must not be resisted nor even questioned. Our government is well aware of this and, from all indications, is ready to use religious propaganda in order to help pacify the American population in the event that martial law is declared. ... Read More
Land of the Free
When considering your options for president this year, Vote for Freedom! ... Read More
Washington's Culture of Deception
The propensity of rulers to engage in war for personal, transient, or even adolescent purposes is exactly why America's Founding Fathers created a constitutional republic in this country. In America, the Constitution--not the President, Congress, or even the Supreme Court--is the Supreme Law of the land. ... Read More
Christianity and War
If there is any group of people that should be opposed to war, torture, militarism, the warfare state, state worship, suppression of civil liberties, an imperial presidency, blind nationalism, government propaganda, and an aggressive foreign policy it is Christians, and especially conservative, evangelical, and fundamentalist Christians who claim to strictly follow the dictates of Scripture and worship the Prince of Peace. It is indeed strange that Christian people should be so accepting of war. ... Read More
Two Concepts that will Change your Life Forever
All elected officials take a solemn OATH to protect and defend the Constitution. Not business, not banks, not themselves, not lobbies, not Europe, not Iraq -- ..only to the Constitution of the United States. ... Read More
Not Voting for Principle is a Wasted Vote
At some point, we Americans must decide whether we will tolerate the continued sellout of our freedoms and principles or not. Will we swallow the shallow squeals of the establishment elite who think we are a bunch of sheep to be herded into their New World Order? Or will we stand our ground? Will we vote our principles and our conscience?
... Read More
What Should Christians Do When Under Oppression?
How should Christians respond to reform efforts under political regimes where they have no rights, no freedom of religion, speech, press, or assembly? For the most part, prior to the fall of most of Eastern Europe's Communist governments and the former Soviet Union, Christians behind the iron curtain had little say in the way their nation operated. This was true of nearly all citizens. Christians often were specifically signaled out for persecution.
... Read More
Open Borders Prove 'War On Terror' Is Superficial
A glaring inconsistency regarding the "war on terror" is the fact that for some seven years since the 9/11 attacks, our nation's borders and ports are as open and porous as ever. These open borders make the argument that "we are fighting them over there, so we won't have to fight them over here" look absolutely disingenuous--even laughable. ... Read More
American Dream Town, USA is restoring Home Town Pride in communities across America by inspiring Americans to celebrate their town's heritage and take pride in their neighborhood's appearance, and to invite tourism and new residents to the area. The American Dream Town, USA mission is to restore national pride in Americans through domestic travel and related programs. The direct result of becoming an American Dream Town is that all sectors of the private economy (like real estate and local employment) could improve. Learn how your community can benefit by going to American Dream Town, USA
The resource links throughout this website are provided for research and educational purposes. The opinions and views expressed are those of the original author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Today's American Dream or it's webmaster. Fair Use Notice We welcome your thoughts and comments on what the American Dream means to you.