America is in a great recession and the American Dream appears to be dying (if not already dead) for many Americans. I don't think the American dream is dead; he just needs rehabilitation due to the injuries he suffered from an unregulated government. Even though we are in a Great Recession, every American can advance their lives for the betterment of themselves and future generations. According to Brandon King (2011) in The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?: “…the most concerning problem is inequality: wealth is concentrated in the hands of a wealthy minority.” For this reason, many Americans and politicians are debating whether to “raise taxes on the rich” or “support America's wealthiest sectors” (Thomas, 2011) to stimulate the economy. In the articles I read in They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing, both Cal Thomas and Brandon King seem to believe that the government should not tax the wealthy minority more than the poor majority. I disagree with both Cal and Brandon and believe the rich should be taxed more than the poor. However, the income from taxes should be used for the betterment of America's poor majority. Do you think the American government is out of control? Cal Thomas thinks so, as he states bluntly: The creation of an out-of-control, and therefore out-of-touch, government robs every citizen, preventing the realization of the original American dream. (Thomas, 2011) I agree: our government is out of control. Our economy's problems stem primarily from “…poor policy decisions that have led to the rapid migration of American jobs overseas, the degradation of the American education system, and continued costly wars” (King, 2011). The government... at the center of the card... is a great country; we are the people who elect them into office! So, all in all, I think government funds from raising taxes on the wealthy minority can go a long way in educating and motivating disadvantaged Americans to achieve their American dreams of prosperity IF government funds are used in accordance with national progress. So my message to fellow Americans is to push your political representatives to create a society that supports each of your American dreams, as long as they are morally correct and/or legal. Works Cited Thomas, C. (2011). Is the American dream over? They say, I say: The moves that matter in academic writing (2nd ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company. King, B. (2011). The American Dream: Dead, Alive or Hidden? They say, I say: The moves that matter in academic writing (2nd ed.). New York, New York: W. W. Norton & Company.