The American Dream

The pursuit of Happiness – promised to all Americans in the Declaration of Independence –comes in many forms. No one is guaranteed to achieve their American Dream but everyone deserves a fair shot. We can and must make the American Dream a reality for all Americans.  Here’s my five-point plan:

  1. Vision
  2. Education
  3. Job Opportunities
  4. Home Ownership
  5. Entrepreneurship/Access to Capital
Declaration of Independence
Statue of Liberty

Vision

Too many Americans are told that there is no point in pursuing their dreams; instead, they should settle for lesser lives and dependency on government programs. This is truly un-American. We must:

  1. Teach young people why America is their land of opportunity
  2. Support programs that provide role models and mentors
  3. Develop a practical roadmap for individual success

Education

Education is the key to opportunity. Our primary focus should be on pre-K through 12th grade, not higher education. That is where our broken system is undermining opportunity for a large portion of our student population. To restore effectiveness, we must:

  1. Break the national teachers’ unions stranglehold on education policy
  2. Enable more school choice and innovation — including new trade and professional skills programs in high school
  3. Supplement in-person education with targeted online programs
  4. Give parents the tools they need to assure student success

Paul is endorsed by The Parent Party.

Little Indian girl doing homework
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Job Opportunities

The best way to escape poverty, accumulate wealth, and build self-esteem is to land a good-paying job. Unfortunately, many well-intended government programs undermine job creation.  Instead, the United States must:

  1. Keep corporate tax rates competitive and reduce the tax burden on small businesses
  2. Cut back excessive regulation that limits business expansion and wastes taxpayer money
  3. Remove employment disincentives and help working people escape poverty

Home Ownership

For many people, homeownership is synonymous with the American Dream. It leads to wealth creation and financial security in the golden years. There are places in America where homeownership seems an impossible dream due to multi-generational poverty and limited assets. We will:

  1. Institute a program of forgivable loans to assist people in these circumstances
  2. Enable a 20% down payment, thereby reducing mortgage payments
  3. Forgive loans over 10 years based on payment and maintenance requirements

This program will make homeownership and wealth creation a realistic goal for families who are currently on the outside looking in, regardless of how hard they work.

Home
Money

Entrepreneurship / Access to Capital

Like my grandfather, so many immigrants flock to SE Queens to create their American Dream and control their own economic destiny. We live in a capitalist society; bringing that entrepreneurial spirit to life as a successful business requires capital.

Traditional banks are cautious about lending money to small businesses and that government programs are a labyrinth. We will:

  1. Consolidate and simplify Federal programs to make them more accessible
  2. Support innovative sources of capital (e.g. public banks)

These steps will give small business entrepreneurs the funding they need to bring great ideas to life.

The Cost of Living