Since the independence of the United States of America in 1776, America has marketed itself as the land of economic prosperity, granting those who pursue the “American Dream” democracy, rights, opportunity, equality, and liberty. However, in recent years due to the growing recession, divisive politics, and general lack of well-being in the United States, which begets the question is the “American Dream” still valid? Does America still hold a dream, or does it only pursue nightmares? In this paper, I will dissect the concept of the American Dream, including economic prosperity, equality, democracy, liberty, opportunity, and rights, while also examining the growing distance the “American Dream” has from reality with topics, such as the recession, the growing divisiveness in politics, and racial inequity.

Outline: The Disillusionment of the “American Dream”

Is the American Dream Viable?

A)    Economic Prosperity

a.     Growing recession

B)    Democracy

a.     Divisive Politics

C)    Opportunity & Rights

A)   Economic Prosperity

1)    Preemption Act of 1841

2)    Homestead Act of 1864

3)    Timber Culture Act of 1873

4)    Almost three-quarters of those in the lower-income category said their finances were in only fair or poor shape, with about one-third saying they worry about being able to buy enough food to feed their families

5)    The COVID-19 virus has disproportionately affected people of color, with employment losses concentrated in lower-paying, lower-skilled jobs that were non-essential and couldn't be done from home, such as in some food services jobs and hospitality (Business Finance 1).

6)    In the article “What caused the 1990-1991 recession?” Carl Walsh discusses the complexity and underlying issues of how bad the recession was due to America’s inability to keep a stable economy:

7)    "The Economic Policy of Ronald Reagan Between SupplySide and Keynesianism," the author Coismo Magazzino analyzes the effect and concept of Regan economics,

with one of the major effects being the national debt accumulation

In the article "Bank of America: "Recession Risks Rising," Putting Stocks at Risk Too," by Dan Weil

8) "Global Economic Effects of Covid-19" by James K. Jackson, Martin A. Weiss, Andres B. Schwarzenberg, Rebecca M. Nelson, Karen M. Sutter and Michael D. Sutherland

9 ) The Inflation Reduction Act

10) "The Divided City; poverty and prosperity in urban America," Allan Mallach

B)   Democracy

1)Current Bigoted Conservatives In the American Government

2) “Georgians Call Out Kemp's Voter Suppression Record On Voter Registration Day”

3)Fascism In America

4) Gerrymandering

5) Voter Suppression

C)   Opportunity & Rights

1) Academic journal published by Duke University's law school, Miriam Seifter

2)    Unequal Distribution of resources

3)    Roe. v. Wade

4)    Redlining Properties

5)    "The political economy of black housing: from the housing crisis of the great migrations to the subprime mortgage crisis," Ruby Mendenhall

6)    "Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership" Keeanga Taylor

Summation:

1) Views have changed due to Timber and Culture Act, the Homestead Act

2) Reflection on Supply-Side Economics

3) Analysis of fascist ideals like voter suppression and gerrymandering.

4) Assessed redlining and how it limited the economic prosperity of Black people in the United States

Throughout history, society, textbooks, popular culture, and other media have marketed America as a land of hope and prosperity. A land where anyone can thrive and flee all their problems. While this may have been true for some, it has not been valid for all. Although the media has portrayed America as the land of opportunity, it is slowly becoming more fascist and bigoted. The American Dream is a propaganda scheme, as there are no financial benefits in moving to America, especially in recent years.

Historically, with acts such as the Preemption Act of 1841, Homestead Act of 1864, and the Timber Culture Act of 1873, America directly facilitated the migration and immigration of both new and old citizens to the west through legalized financial efforts in hopes of reaping financial benefits.  However, America cannot do or say the same now. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people lost savings, money, and employment, but those who are rich did not. In fact, many rich people who already accumulated wealth saved money. The article "Rich Americans Got Richer as Pandemic Unfolded, Pew Study Shows" by Business Finance discusses the dichotomy and how the pandemic's data further proves that only the rich get richer and the poor get poorer from a survey that included minorities and high-income earners. For example, Business finance states:

More than eight out of 10 respondents in the wealthier group described their finances as excellent or good, the study shows. Almost three-quarters of those in the lower-income category said their finances were in only fair or poor shape, with about one-third saying they worry about being able to buy enough food to feed their families.

Majorities of Black and Hispanic adults also described their finances as only fair or poor. The COVID-19 virus has disproportionately affected people of color, with employment losses concentrated in lower-paying, lower-skilled jobs that were non-essential and couldn't be done from home, such as in some food services jobs and hospitality (Business Finance 1).

If the “American Dream” cannot yield substantial results for this country's citizens regarding economic prosperity, who is to say those entering the country will have a fair shot? The common fallacy that America is a land of hope and opportunity does not apply to the American lower class. To say that it is easy to become financially stable in America is to say it is easy to run a marathon with both of your laces tied while blindfolded, which is an everyday reality for lower-class citizens.

Since the dawn of time, many have flocked to the United States hoping for economic prosperity, but can we say the same for now? During the early 1990s, there was a growing recession; another in 2008, and now America is currently in a recession again. The oil shocks, mass debt from the 1980s, loss of consumer trust in banks, and government restriction policies on central banks caused the recession in the 1990s.  In the article “What caused the 1990-1991 recession?” Carl Walsh discusses the complexity and underlying issues of how bad the recession was due to America’s inability to keep a stable economy:

 Unlike the two recessions the U.S. suffered in the early 1980s, which were associated with policies designed to bring inflation down from double digit levels, the causes of the 1990-1991 recession have been less apparent. Pessimistic consumers, the debt accumulations of the 1980s, the jump in oil prices after Iraq invaded Kuwait, a credit crunch induced by overzealous banking regulators, and attempts by the Federal Reserve to lower the rate of inflation all have been cited as causes of the recession (Walsh 1).

Although the problems that plagued the 1990-1991 recession are not entirely like the same ones today, their similarities outline a growing problem in the United States, a common problem of cyclicism. The debt accumulation of the 1980s was a cause of the 1990-1991 recession because of the financial policies put in place. The economic policies that the United States of America's 40th president, Ronald Reagan, put in place were supply-side economics to cut down on inflation and, in turn, become prevent a recession. Supply-side economics was an economic policy that reduced taxes to elicit economic growth. Ronald Reagan implemented supply-side economics to ease taxes on the rich so the excess money could trickle down and save the military, defense, and deficit spending he encouraged. During Reagan's presidency, there were ongoing wars, and the United States needed to act quickly to prevent a national recession. Reagan believed that supply-side economics and increased deficit spending would ensure economic safety. While Regan did cut down on inflation, there was one massive oversight- increased the national debt. In the essay “The Economic Policy of Ronald Reagan Between SupplySide and Keynesianism," the author Coismo Magazzino analyzes the effect and concept of Regan economics, with one of the major effects being the national debt accumulation "Between the beginning and the end of the Reagan presidency, the annual deficit almost tripled. So did the gross national debt- from $995 billion to $2.9 trillion" (Magazzino 320 ). The debt accumulation was astronomical and became a significant demonstration of the cyclical patterns of the economic downfall of the American economy. Supply-side economics did not work as well as many thought it, justifying the realization that America is not economically prosperous. Unfortunately, through massive and multiple orchestrated attempts like supply-side economics, America, a country that is supposed to breed economic prosperity, continues to do the opposite. The 1990s economic recession should have been a warning; however, these crises happen frequently. Furthermore, as an American myself, when should enough be enough? Consequently, in the 2008 recession, the stock market crashed, and there was a bank and housing crisis. Similarly, those two recessions involved banks being unable to keep up with the American economy. Still, this recession's causes are inflation, stagnant wages, COVID, a jump in oil prices, and many other problems the United States has yet to resolve. So as the pattern continues to grow, can anyone even argue there is any economic prosperity in America? A recent article published in February of this year discusses how stocks are at risk. In the article "Bank of America: "Recession Risks Rising," Putting Stocks at Risk Too," by Dan Weil, he asserts:

If you fear that interest-rate hikes by the Federal Reserve could push the economy into recession, you're not alone. Bank of America (BAC) has the same concern. In the "next six months, rates shock morphs into recession shock," BofA strategists, led by Michael Hartnett, wrote in a commentary. BofA predicts the Fed( https://www.thestreet.com/investing/banks-split-how-much-when-fed-raise-rates) will raise rates by 25 basis points at each of its remaining seven meetings this year, pushing the federal funds target range to 1.75% to 2%. This could upend the economy, the strategists said. "Recession risks [are] rising.”(Weill 1).

At the beginning of 2022 interest rates soared, and the stock market began to plummet, which was really scary. Stocks and financial literacy are among the few ways to get rich quickly in America. However, that statement is only partially true due to the American economy's ongoing recessions and economic downfalls. If America is proving to be so financially strained, is there even a dream or glimmer of hope for financial and economic prosperity?

                   Although the recession has crippled the American economy, there have been some advancements economically in the United States. Specifically, the Inflation Reduction Act that Vice President Kamala Harris signed into legislation on August 16th, 2022. As stated by the senate, the act will tackle the ongoing recession by investing millions of dollars in programs that would reduce the national debt and help climate change programs. This act will create new jobs that will diminish the role of climate change and the economic downfalls created by the Covid-19 global pandemic. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many lost jobs, especially nonessential workers, which caused a mass income inequity gap and financial worries. In the article "Global Economic Effects of Covid-19" by James K. Jackson, Martin A. Weiss, Andres B. Schwarzenberg, Rebecca M. Nelson, Karen M. Sutter and Michael D. Sutherland discuss the economic  horror the pandemic did. For example, in one section of the article they discuss the loss in jobs and how that negatively affected racial minorities:

The Federal Reserve also indicated in an accompanying monetary policy report the pandemic-related economic recession was disproportionately affecting certain groups in the economy: lower-wage and less-educated workers, racial and ethnic minorities, and women. 36 Powell also indicated that published unemployment rates "dramatically understated" the deterioration in the U.S. labor market. Instead of the announced unemployment rate of 6.5% in January, 2021, Powell argued that the actual rate likely was closer to 10%, reflecting discouraged workers who have stopped looking for work and, therefore, are not counted as part of the labor force.37 He stated, however, that, "even those grim statistics understate the decline in labor market conditions for the most economically vulnerable Americans."38

According to the Census Bureau, between March 2020 and February 2021, 115 million Americans experienced a loss in employment income and 37 million qualified for and received unemployment insurance. In addition, an estimated 26 million households reported receiving Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) in February 2021, while nearly 12 million households with children were estimated not to have had enough to eat. 39 ( Powell et.al pg. 4-5)

Thus, by helping more citizens get jobs, it will lessen the unemployment rate and try to reduce the income inequality gap. However, these advancements are not subject to all. Thus, proving the growingly obvious point that America does not promote economic prosperity.

 In the introduction of the  book "The Divided City; poverty and prosperity in urban America," Allan Mallach discusses that although many cities are becoming increasingly more profitable, there is a drawback for those who are impoverished and are looking to gain financial independence in America. For example, Allan Mallach discusses why financial opportunities are lacking for poor people in major cities:

The problem is not that today’s American cities have poor people living in them. The problem is that the cities have largely stopped being places of opportunity where poor people come to change their lives, and that today’s poor and their children remain poor, locked out of the opportunities the cities offer. The most pressing question facing the cities is whether that can change, and whether, as they continue to revive, they can once again become the places of hope and opportunity they once were ( Mallach 1).

Historically, The United States government founded bustling cities to promote economic prosperity with acts such as the Preemption Act of 1841, the Homestead Act of 1864, and the Timber Culture act of 1873, which became a beacon of hope for the poor. However, America is no longer founding cities to promote economic prosperity for the poor but for the rich. The beacon that once was bustling cities is a dimmed light mocking those who look to America for financial independence. Since more and more cities are no longer for the poor and are disadvantaging them, who is to say America is economically prosperous?

While democracy -a government by the people, for the people, and of the people fails to exist in America, unfortunately, American politics has become increasingly fascist with an alternative right-wing plot line. Consequently, this plot line encompasses the most bigoted conservatives ruling American politics. Current examples of these bigoted conservatives ruling in American politics are Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, Texan Governor Abbott, and Georgian Governor Kemp. Each of these elected officials has a past of using tactics to suppress liberal or democratic votes. An example of a voter suppression tactic one of these politicians used, Georgian Governor Kemp, was recently called out for his new law that diminished the role of Democratic votes. For example, the article “Georgians Call Out Kemp's Voter Suppression Record On Voter Registration Day” states:

Kemp's new voting law, one of the most blatant and aggressive voter suppression laws in the country, has led to thousands of voters' registration status being challenged right here in Forsyth County, including a challenge of over 13,000 voters just two weeks before the May 2022 primary election. Eligible voters should not be made to feel confused and scared, and to jump through hoops to prove they're indeed eligible. This is just one portion of the anti-voter rules Brian Kemp spearheaded in Georgia -- he helped set the national stage for Big Lie-fueled anti-voter laws after Biden's win. It is absolutely crucial that on National Voter Registration Day we remind Georgia voters of Brian Kemp's anti-democracy, anti-voter, and anti-freedom record. And it's crucial we encourage everyone to check their voter registration before the October 11th deadline, which is now just weeks away. The best way to combat voter suppression is to vote the suppressors out of office," shared Melissa Clink, Chair of the Forsyth County Democrats. (State News Service 1)

This is just one example of the growing atrocity right-wing politicians have done to try and instill fascism in American democracy. Fascism is the ideology of an authoritarian government with one supreme ruler- the ultimately contradiction to the United States democracy. Therefore, using voter suppression tactics furthers fascism inside the United States as it does not allow everyone to have an equal say in government, thus, making those who agree with conservatives keep their ruling and control factions inside the United States.

Although America allows citizens to vote for their politicians, gerrymandering has altered the landscape, voter suppression is aggressively pursued, and other tactics to suppress the liberal or democratic votes have been augmented. Many could argue America does not have the democracy it proclaims itself to have. Gerrymandering is the process of re-districting a voting district to change the outcome of an election, which goes against many core principles of American democracy. Most notably in the academic journal published by Duke University's law school, Miriam Seifter discusses how districting everything changes the way our democracy runs and aids gerrymandering directly:

In other states, judicial districts already exist but are now being leveraged in partisan battle. In the recent past, the drawing of these districts was not obviously freighted with partisanship. (179) Today, however, a failure to draw lines, thus maintaining malapportioned districts, might threaten judicial majoritarianism. Illinois provides an example of this. Since 1964, Illinois used districts that became skewed in favor of Republicans (180)--but because Democrats won those seats anyway, the situation did not breed conflict. In 2020, one Democratic justice lost a retention election, paving the way for the court to flip to Republican control, even in a state that supported Joe Biden 57-40, unless the judicial districts were redrawn. (181) The governor recently signed new maps for the Illinois Supreme Court into law. (182) A three-judge panel rejected constitutional and statutory challenges to the maps. (183) (Seifter 1).

Redistricting changes the political distribution of elected candidates; besides Illinois, gerrymandering is effectively occurring in Georgia, Texas, and Florida. Due to redistricting for political powers, the political voice of Democrats has become less and less in states with such a high conservative ruling. Redistricting is inimical to the idea of democracy the United States of America molded for its government, because redistricting does not allow everyone an equal say in government. Gerrymandering changes who we appoint to office, which changes legislation.

Consequently, when legislation changes, the distribution of resources is impacted. Additionally, changes in political power limit the allocation of resources necessary for communities to function. A real-life example of a shift in political power changing the allocation of resources that affect communities was the funds allocated to the New York City police department, which received money from the school budget. When they took money from the school budget in New York City, it impacted the educational development of inner-city public-school children because of a change in political power from former mayor Diblasio to current mayor Eric Adams. America needs to recognize the serious detriment redistricting does because if this continues, the American democracy will not only fail us, but we will also fail it. In situations like this, voting is not enough, but taking an active stance against the government and partaking in protests inciting civil disobedience is.

America- is the land of the free and the home of the brave, but is it really? Many in America, because of their racial background, skin color, gender, and overall lack of access to privilege that being White able-body American holds, do not experience the "American Dream", but in fact, the American nightmare. In a world where everyone belongs to the same human race, many lack the resources in America to have concrete rights. Recently in the United States, the Supreme court has denied women the individual right to have an abortion and has left it to the states. Originally the supreme court launched the passage of Roe. v. Wade, in 1973, arguing that it is a matter of privacy and shall be protected by the fourteenth amendment in the United States. However, recently due to many conservatives having positions in the elusive Supreme court, the former legislation has been overturned. Although it has been forty-nine years since the passage of Roe.v. Wade, it did not take long for conservatives to gain political power and ensure this seemingly "concrete right" was nothing more than a piece of candy they could easily take away. Abortion was a right that was neither concrete nor codified into United States law, which showcases how many "concrete rights" are not necessarily concrete.

Historically America and many other countries share the practice of redlining property. Redlining is refusing financial services to residents of specific areas based on race or ethnicity. In the case of the United States of America, The United States government used this practice to establish ''ghettos'' and other low-income neighborhoods that were predominantly Black. The United States government created this exclusionary tactic to keep those who were White above those who were Black, and these practices still affect the African American community today. In the academic journal "The political economy of black housing: from the housing crisis of the great migrations to the subprime mortgage crisis," Ruby Mendenhall  asserts, discusses, and defines the sick practice of redlining. For example, Ruby states:

One of the most effective strategies used by neighborhood organizations was restrictive covenants or agreements between property owners not to rent or sell to blacks or to let them occupy property. As part of these social forces of structural discrimination, some real estate agents would purchase homes and sell or rent them to blacks in an often profitable process called blockbusting. As blacks moved into these neighborhoods, whites started to sell their homes at lower prices to realtors who then charged blacks inflated prices far in excess of the assessed value of the real estate. Not only did blacks pay more for the price of these houses, they also paid more to borrow the money, regardless of their credit history. (Mendenhall 1)

Moreover, the United States of America, a country built off the backs of African slavery and unpaid hard work, went through the immense trouble of redlining to ensure White people had a greater advantage of financial literacy. Thus, it spawns the question that if the African Americans who made sure America could succeed can't achieve success themselves, can any citizen achieve it? Furthermore, this proves that many in America, particularly Black Americans do not have access to concrete rights, especially regarding financial stability.

Additionally, in the academic journal "Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership" Keeanga Taylor further asserts the horrible housing conditions many African Americans endured as a result of being placed in “ghettos” in the late 1960s; As many African Americans did not have concrete rights because of racial inequity and redlining. For example, Keeanga Taylor states:

The rat infestation in Black neighborhoods was profound. It was estimated

that, by the end of the 1960s, there were more than 80 million rats in the United

States, mostly in urban areas. When African American children in a Chicago neighborhood were given a vocabulary test and asked to identify various familiar objects, more than 6o percent of the children misidentified a rat as a teddy bear." A report produced about the causes of riots in Philadelphia in the summer of 1964 found that more than half of the housing in the "riot area" had been determined by the city to be substandard. The report found that "many of [those] houses have rat infested pools in their basements, rotted and missing floorboards and exposed wiring.» The report also found that children living in "Negro slums “experienced 8o percent of lead poisoning deaths and 100 percent of rat bites.'? (Taylor 1).

Due to redlining, “ghetto” developments, and limited financial literacy, the African Americans who are the backbone of America live a substandard life. The research showcased the dangerous effects of withholding economic prosperity from a marginalized group can have especially its impact on Black youth, Black households, and Black health. If America has a past of racial inequity, what does that say about America? And about the “American Dream”?

         The research suggests that “American Dream” is nothing but a lie to facilitate the introduction of new citizens that will crumble economically, politically, and diversely in the United States of America. America is a country that will not protect its citizens from the domestic trials and tribulations of economic instability, divisive politics, and racial inequity  that affect them historically and today. If the American Dream were authentic, the history behind those who live here and are disestablished because of the United States government would not exist. If America is the place for all, it would have shown that through time, but unfortunately, it has not. Thus, making the American Dream an invalid scheme perpetuated by the United States government.      

         As I reflect on the research this paper discussed: economics, divisive politics, and racial inequity, I have come to my realization that although these are only a few factors as to why the "American Dream" is nothing but a common fallacy, the elements I have outlined have broadened my knowledge of the horrors America has done. Before this research, I knew of acts like the Timber and Culture Act, the Homestead Act, and others that allowed many previous Americans to become rich. However, I still need to compare how that divides the old rich to the incoming Americans who are looking for that same economic prosperity America once had, even if the ongoing recessions diminish that chance, as there is no real economic prosperity in the United States of America. Additionally, upon further dismantling the ideology of the "American Dream" when researching past economic policies America once had, like supply-side economics, I was completely astounded. It not only ruptured the American economy by advancing national debt but was thus proved to be unstable as it became one of the causes of the 1990-1991 recession. However, upon  further examination points like divisive politics, many politicians in the United States try to ruin the idea of American democracy as they try to advance fascist ideals like voter suppression and gerrymandering. Lastly, when I analyzed the racial inequity regarding limiting financial literacy among African Americans, it further instilled the notion that the idea of advancing in America has not been possible for many in the United States, so why would it become possible for incoming citizens? I learned the horrible practice of redlining and how it limited the economic prosperity of Black people in the United States, which further proves the point that America is not the advantageous place it claims itself to be. While I did examine all these points with more specifics outlined in the paper, I cannot help but realize how much this topic has polarized my own individual values about America and its horrors of discrimination, economic destabilization, and growing fascism. Before coming into this research paper, I had already hated America as I am an African American with an Afro-Latina background whose country, Haiti, has consistently been destabilized by the hands of the American government. Many of my people have been encouraged to go to the United States, thinking it will be better than back home, but they do not reap many benefits as the "American Dream" is not viable in this day and age. Overall while this research paper has educated me more about what America has done economically, politically, and diversely I personally will continue to believe that there is no "American Dream" and will only ever see the American nightmare.

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Works Cited

"Bank of America: 'Recession Risks Rising,' Putting Stocks at Risk Too." TheStreet, 18 Feb. 2022, p. NA. Gale OneFile: Economics and Theory, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A694187735/PPBE?u=nysl_li_valleysc&sid=bookmark-PPBE&xid=1343416e. Accessed 20 Nov. 2022.

The brief article outlines the growing recession risks at the beginning of 2022. The article suggests that throughout the year 2022, there will be higher inflation risks, higher interest rates, and an unsteady market. Although there is suspected to be a recovery from this recession, there is no data yet that will prove yielding results. While Dan Weil wrote this in February of 2022, it needs an update due to the many monetary policies throughout the year 2022. Still, overall reflects the increasingly financially strained climate of the time.

Seifter, Miriam. "STATE INSTITUTIONS AND DEMOCRATIC OPPORTUNITY." Duke Law Journal, vol. 72, no. 2, Nov. 2022, pp. 275+. Gale Academic OneFile Select, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A726052264/EAIM?u=nysl_li_valleysc&sid=bookmark-EAIM&xid=0a5c8c5c. Accessed 20 Nov. 2022.

Miriam discusses how democratic opportunity is being threatened in many ways. The basis of democratic opportunity is how the votes get counted for popular majority rule. While I only addressed the part of her journal where she discusses gerrymandering and how many are trying to ensure its passage in many states and how it limits American democracy, in her journal, she discusses how it changes power. Whoever is in power changes the representation a state or governing area gets, so trying to change the factional makeup of an area or state threatens the chances of politicians trying to get elected within the means of democratic opportunity, even if that is lessening.

Walsh, Carl E. "What caused the 1990-1991 recession?." Economic Review-Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco 2 (1993): 33.

Carl E. Walsh outlines the causes of the 1990-1991 recession in his article.  He outlines how the oil prices jumped after Iraq invaded Kuwait and adds this as one of the many reasons the recession happened. While the recession had many causes the few, he outlined showcased the cyclicism the United States has went it comes to damaging and repairing the economy.

Mallach, Alan. The Divided City : Poverty and Prosperity in Urban America. Island Press/Center for Resource Economics, 2018, https://doi.org/10.5822/978-1-61091-782-7.

In the book the Divided City, while I did not read much of it, the author Allan Mallach discusses how cities are no longer bustling for the poor but opening for the rich. Moreover, in the same cities like Chicago, New York, and Boston, where there used to be a bustling working class trying to escape poverty, it has become infiltrated with the rich, who are intrinsically diminishing the number of resources poor people are getting.

Taylor, Keeanga-Yamahtta. Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership. The University of North Carolina Press, 2019, https://doi.org/10.5149/9781469653686_taylor.

In the academic journal Keeanga Taylor wrote, she highlights the detrimental housing African Americans faced due to the United States government's unwillingness to allow Black people to gain financial independence in America. Furthermore, the implications African Americans faced due to America's strong discrimination against Black people were housing deemed less than substandard.

Mendenhall, Ruby. "The political economy of black housing: from the housing crisis of the great migrations to the subprime mortgage crisis." The Black Scholar, vol. 40, no. 1, spring 2010, pp. 20+. Gale OneFile: Diversity Studies, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A224711356/PPDS?u=nysl_li_valleysc&sid=bookmark-PPDS&xid=3e0e5b99. Accessed 21 Nov. 2022.

In the academic journal by Ruby Mendenhall, the author discusses redlining and how the pattern denied Black people the chance of financial independence in modern-day America. She shows how cyclical the American government is with its tactics to suppress African Americans' financial independence; whether through redlining or horrible mortgages, the United States government does not stop with its tactics. While in this paper I did not address how it affects Black People in modern-day America from her paper, I did use another source to back Ruby's claims up.

"Rich Americans Got Richer as Pandemic Unfolded, Pew Study Shows." Business Finance, 5 Mar. 2021, p. NA. Gale OneFile: Economics and Theory, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A653951525/PPBE?u=nysl_li_valleysc&sid=bookmark-PPBE&xid=5e6d583c. Accessed 21 Nov. 2022.

The brief article by business finance explains the results of a survey where lower-income people were placed in a survey against higher-income people to see how they feel about their finances. The survey highlighted the inequality gap and how COVID-19 disrupted many people in the working-class's savings.

Magazzino, Cosimo. "The Economic Policy of Ronald Reagan: Between Supply-Side and Keynesianism." Magazzino, C.,(2012), The Economic Policy of Ronald Reagan: Between Supply-Side and Keynesianism, European Journal of Social Sciences 27.3 (2012): 319-334.

In the academic Journal by Cosimo Maggazino, Cosimo discusses the aspects of supply-side economics and what it did to the United States. Supply-side economics is similar to the deficit spending that former President Franklin D. Roosevelt did during the Great Depression. As argued by Magaazzino, Reagan took the knowledge he learned from FDR and amplified it by creating tax cuts when America's middle class was at its highest stability and shrinking down on social welfare spending. Moreover, Magazino illustrates the benefits and the negatives of Supply-side economics to provide evidence of what supply-side economics is.

Jackson, James K., et al. "Global Economic Effects of COVID-19." Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs, Congressional Research Service, 2021, p. NA. Gale OneFile: Economics and Theory, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A668535058/PPBE?u=nysl_li_valleysc&sid=bookmark-PPBE&xid=ee04fc1b. Accessed 4 Dec. 2022.

In the article "Global Economic Effects of COVID-19", the authors wrote a significantly long and detailed description discussing how the COVID-19 illness interrupted jobs, economic output and its effects on GDP. Throughout this article's long discovery, readers get an in-depth analysis of the economic horror of 2020 and how some people could keep a steady income, specifically high-income earners. This paper does an excellent job of explaining the income inequality gap that Covid-19 caused for average citizens and centralized governments.

"GEORGIANS CALL OUT KEMP'S VOTER SUPPRESSION RECORD ON VOTER REGISTRATION DAY." States News Service, 20 Sept. 2022, p. NA. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A718565424/AONE?u=nysl_li_valleysc&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=e789ec68. Accessed 4 Dec. 2022.

This article by the States News Service outlines the suppression tactics recent Georgian governor Kemp has done in favor of voter suppression. Furthermore, through these tactics, he successfully gained a seat in a governing office this year and played a big role in diminishing the impact of the blue, Black, and Hispanic Vote.