George Carlin once said, "They call it the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it." Unfortunately, that wasn't too far from the truth. This American Dream once suggested that hard work would pay off over time. The big house and the shiny new car, though clichéd and materialistic, were the lenses through which the people of this country sought a rigorous education and a living wage. Now, with unemployment at an all-time high and millions of Americans living at or below the poverty line, it is difficult to determine whether the dream is to achieve these things or to simply “get ahead.” Over the years, the idea of ​​the American Dream has deteriorated amid a variety of unfavorable socioeconomic factors. These include low morale, inequalities of opportunity, a widening gap between rich and poor, decreasing job opportunities, and rising costs of higher education. There is an economic tug of war underway in which approximately 40% of all American wealth belongs to 1% of the country's population, leaving no middle ground. This small portion of wealthy Americans holds the highest concentration of wealth since the Gilded Age of the late 19th century. Controlling vast corporations and millions in stock investments, the aristocracy also possesses great influence in the political realm (Davis). Numerous payments to lobbyists and political candidates provide easy access to policies that will protect their wealth, such as progressive tax repeal. Many politicians influence their decisions in favor of the wealthy investors who supported their expensive campaigns. When just under half of Congress is made up of millionaires, it's difficult for those outside of that upper class to have a say. Using your wealth as a resource... center of paper......April 3, 2014.Gordon, Marcy. “Student loans could have a negative impact on the American economy.” What is the future of the American economy? Ed. Ronald D. Lankford, Jr. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. In question. Rpt. “Student Loans Sow the Seeds of Economic Evil” module. USA Today September 30, 2007. Opposing Views in Context. Network. April 3, 2014. Kaiser, Robert G. So Damn Money: The Triumph of Lobbying and the Corrosion of American Government. New York: Knopf, 2009. Print.Lach, Alex. “5 Facts About Outsourcing Abroad.” Center for American Progress. Np, 9 July 2012. Web. 08 April 2014.Martin, Patrizio. “The US population is increasingly divided by wealth.” What is the future of the American economy? Ed. Ronald D. Lankford, Jr. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. In question. Rpt. From “The Christmas of the crisis in America”. http://wsws.org. 2011. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Network. April 3. 2014.