ABSTRACT
Belief in opportunities to “pull oneself up by the bootstraps” is an important part of what Americans expect of their standard of living, according to a Pew Research Center poll. It showed 31 percent of Americans believing they have already achieved the American dream and another 37 percent expecting to during their lifetime. Yet it also shows declining confidence among parents that their children will move up the economic ladder, along with strong support for more governmental action to ensure future opportunities.1
