The American Dream certainly should still be attainable for all citizens. Unfortunately, the government has put up some pretty significant barriers to achieving the dream.  
 
First, a quality education is the key to upward mobility, and our current public K-12 education system leaves too many students unprepared to participate in the modern economy. This has to change in order to make the American Dream attainable for the next generation. It is imperative that policymakers start thinking outside the box and embracing more systemic, meaningful reforms. Everything must be on the table. Policymakers should focus on giving parents more power and more options for their children’s education. This would force schools to respond and compete for students, greater efficiency and superior results would follow.
 
Poor public schools are the first government-created stumbling block on the road to the American Dream, but there are others. Most notably, achieving the American Dream requires gainful employment. Americans need educational opportunities that will allow them to compete in a 21st-century, global economy and an economy that grows so that other opportunities for progress are available. Right now, job opportunities don’t exist for many Americans, and too many others are working in jobs that don’t make full use of their skills.
 
Too-high taxes, burdensome regulation and tremendous uncertainty about the rules under which businesses will operate in January (let alone years down the road) make it difficult for businesses to plan and expand and for entrepreneurs to start up. The Independent Women’s Forum is releasing an Agenda for Women which focuses on what the next Congress can do to rebuild the economy, create more job opportunities and encourage long-term growth and prosperity. You can read a description of the Agenda here.  In short, the government must contract so that the private sector can expand.
 
The American Dream can and will be attainable for the next generation once changes start being made in Washington.