Much has been written about the housing policies of the Depression and the Postwar period. Much less has been written of the houses built as a result of these policies, or the lives of the families who lived in them. Using the houses of Levittown, Long Island, as cultural artifacts, this book examines the relationship between the government-sponsored, mass-produced housing built after World War II, the families who lived in it, and the society that fostered it. Beginning with the basic four-room, slab-based Cape Cods and Ranches, Levittown homeowners invested time and effort, barter and money in the expansion and redesign of their houses. The author shows how this gradual process has altered the socioeconomic nature of the community as well, bringing Levittown fully into the mainstream of middle-class America. This book works on several levels. For planners, it offers a reassessment of the housing policies of the 1940s and '50s, suggesting that important lessons remain to be learned from the Levittown experience. For historians, it offers new insights into the nature of the suburbanization process that followed World War II. And for those who wish to understand the subtle workings of their own domestic space within their lives, it offers food for speculation.

In examining the economic and cultural trs that expressed America's expansionist impulse during the first half of the twentieth century, Emily S. Rosenberg shows how U.S. foreign relations evolved from a largely private system to an increasingly public one and how, soon, the American dream became global.

Until the present time there have been seven stages of United States expansionism - from the Federal unification of the original states to the 'New World Order' planned by US-led commercial elites before and after 1989. Extrapolating both from the author's distinctive reading of history and the evidence of President Obama's own speeches and actions, The Secret American Dream proposes that the US now faces a new, eighth, phase of expansion. In this, the traditional 'American Dream' of peace, social order and prosperity would be extended to all humankind. This ambitious plan - little known and understood outside President Obama's inner circle - would involve the creation of a benevolent World State initiated, but not dominated, by the United States. The Secret American Dream suggests that the first step in establishing the World State - a supranational authority with legal powers to abolish war and nuclear weapons - would be a visit by the US President to the UN General Assembly requesting a World Constitutional Convention. Under the President's proposals, the existing UN General Assembly would become an elected, 850-seat lower house, alongside a new World Senate and an executive called the World Commission. A senatorial World Openness Committee would control the world's commercial elites and harness their positive skills and energies. Founded on altruistic and philanthropic principles, the World State would bring global peace, disarmament and the opportunity of prosperity to every individual on Earth. The abolition of war and nuclear stockpiles would remove the threat of nuclear war and the possibility of ex-Soviet nuclear weapons falling into terrorist hands. It would also create a 'peace dividend' of nearly US$1.5 trillion per year, which could be spent on eliminating world poverty, disease and famine; on guaranteeing financial instability and a minimum income for all; and on solving energy and environmental problems. Initiatives by President Obama in a range of areas, such as his recent nuclear disarmament deal with Russia, show that he is already taking steps to implement this 'secret' American Dream.

This provocative book reveals how Hollywood films reflect our deepest fears and anxieties as a country, often recording our political beliefs and cultural conditions while underscoring the darker side of the American way of life. Long before the war in Iraq and the economic crises of the early 21st century, Hollywood has depicted a grim view of life in the United States, one that belies the prosperity and abundance of the so-called American Dream. While the country emerged from World War II as a world power, collectively our sense of security had been threatened. The result is a cinematic body of work that has America's decline and ruin as a central theme. The author draws from popular films across all genres and six decades to illustrate how the political climate of the times influenced their creation. Projecting the End of the American Dream: Hollywood's Visions of U.S. Decline combines film history, social history, and political history to reveal important themes in the unfolding American narrative. Discussions focus on a wide variety of films, including Rambo, Planet of the Apes, and Easy Rider.

This is the 4th annual report on the international competitiveness of the U.S. It highlights the strong economic performance of the past three & a half years, the advances in America's industrial & commercial competitive edge, & the Commerce Department's trade & technology contributions to the Clinton Administration's competitiveness strategy.

A Faltering American Dream is a jolting analysis of the current United States decline in government capabilities and solvency compared to other advanced nations of the world. It documents infrastructure deterioration, high national debt and poverty, scarcity of good jobs, and decreases in affordable higher education. The origin of these problems is in Washington where the harsh, uncompromising clash of political ideologies has resulted in a functionally disabled Congress. In this book, the author collects a wide range of information to arrive at a unique perspective on the policy differences so bitterly contended in Congress: the size, functions, and business regulations of the federal government, and its tax support of traditional services. The author directly compares economic and employment results of contending party policies, since World War II when each party held the presidency. He demonstrates that government spending per person since the 1980s is increasing faster than inflation, population, and GDP growth. These increases have occurred through administrations of both parties and show little or no effect of ideological differences. He seeks answers for why is this happening. In this lucid book, the author clarifies how and why such changes are happening to Americas economy and former world prominence. At the root of most of these problems, he identifies a fatal flaw in our governance structure, unanticipated by the framers of the constitution. This book concludes with an urgent call for a practical correction of this defect and a plea for the campaign rhetoric of the 2016 political candidates to express clearly the reasons why they advocate their policy positions on important economic issues.

Describes the impact or aftermath of Depression and postwar housing policies. Using the houses of Levittown, Long Island, Kelly examines the government-sponsored, mass-produced housing of that period, the families that lived there, and the society that fostered it. For planners, the study offers lessons of the recent past to consider in modern development; for historians, insights to the suburbanization process following WWII; for others, food for thought about the implications of domestic space and design. Paper edition (unseen), $16.95. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The United States has absorbed nearly 10 million immigrants in the past decade. This book examines who the new immigrants are, where they live, and who among them are gaining entry into the American middle class. Discussed are the complex factors that promote or hinder immigrant success, as well as the varying opportunities and constraints met by those living in particular regions. Extensive data are synthesized on key dimensions of immigrant achievement: income level, professional status, and rates of homeownership and political participation. Also provided is a balanced analysis of the effects of immigration on broader socioeconomic, geographic, and political trends. Examining the extent to which contemporary immigrants are realizing the American dream, this book explores crucial policy questions and challenges that face our diversifying society.