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OpEdNews Op Eds    H2'ed 12/13/10

What is "The American Dream?": John Boehner vs. Barack Obama vs. Walter Trout

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Message Bud Goodall

But there is another voice I'd like you to listen to.   It's from a man who is working class.   And who has a different view of the American Dream that is more realistic than either Obama's fine words or Boehner's lack of them.   His name is Walter Trout.

Walter Trout is a fine musician who has played with everybody, from Canned Heat to John Mayall, and just released his 20th album.   If you don't recognize his name that's okay because he's one of America's largely unsung guitarist heroes who has more talent than you or me (unless you happen to be Ryan McGarvey or Shannon Curfman, or, say, Eric Clapton).   But he is also a man who ideas about "The American Dream" and is deeply concerned about the political divisions that are tearing our country apart.   Here's a sample, from his song "We Ain't Workin' No More" on his 2009 CD, Unspoiled by Progress :

"I've been working in a factory, on the edge of town.

The company moved to Mexico, and they tore the factory down.

My next door neighbor, he got a Ph.D.

Now he's in the unemployment line, standing next to me.

 

Down on the corner, they're closing up the store.

They call us "the working class,' but we ain't workin' no more -" no more.

People losing their houses, they go no place to go,

But there's million dollar bonus, for the local CEO.

 

Their giving all the money to the brokers and the banks,

I asked for just a little bit, and they said "Thanks, but no thanks.'

This morning the boss-man, he showed me the door.

They call us the "working class,' but we ain't working anymore.

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H. L. (Bud) Goodall, Jr. lives in Arizona where he is a college professor and writer. He has published 20 books and many articles and chapters on a variety of communication issues. His most recent books include Counter-Narrative: How Progressive (more...)
 
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