Six ways to bring the American Dream back from the dead

From cutting student debts to index-linking the minimum wage, the dream can be rebuilt

It is time to admit that the "American Dream" is dead. Its underlying conditions - strong, consistent economic growth and a meritocracy structured to keep the rich from gaming the system - no longer hold true.

Nonetheless, an American Dream 2.0 is still possible, and it will be up to those now contending for the White House to offer a blueprint for making it a reality. For starters, America's leaders need to explain the problem clearly. The Declaration of Independence proclaimed the "pursuit of happiness" a central feature of American life. Since 1776, each generation has sought upward social mobility; and for a long time, many - though not all - met with prosperity.

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