Toops Scoops: Healthcare, Opinions and the American Dream(s)

Before you get all knee-jerky about those lefty journos at the Atlantic, know that the Aspen Institute is a non-profit group whose board includes the likes of Madeleine Albright, David Koch, Condoleezza Rice and David Gergen – hardly the demographic represented at Burning Man.

The study asked 2,000 Americans of all ages, backgrounds and political affiliations what they believe is true and important in our country today: "from death to taxes, the economy to politics, family, religion, science, education, free speech and beyond…the issues that divide us and the ties that unite us as a nation."

Some significant findings:

• 69 percent believe American values have weakened since the 1970s, with political corruption (63 percent), influence of money in politics (61 percent) and too much focus on money and material things (61 percent) cited as the main culprits
• 56 percent believe it is the government's obligation to keep alive people on life support who wish to be kept alive
• The free enterprise system is more important to older generations; when asked which factors contribute to America having stronger values than other countries, 61 percent of those 65 and older named the free enterprise system, compared with 55 percent of those aged 45 to 64, 47 percent of those aged 30 to 44, and only 36 percent of those aged 18 to 29
• 76 percent of parents are focused on their children's future success
• 52 percent said "economy and jobs" are the most important issues facing this country today; only 6 percent named "deficit and government spending" or "health care" as being most important
• Only 43 percent believed that "what's good for business is good for America" – and 28 percent totally disagree
• 70 percent of all respondents believe "with hard work I can accomplish anything."

What's interesting to me is that in spite of the economic pummeling we've been getting for almost 5 years, despite our cynicism about our elected officials and our skepticism about the businesses we deal with, 70 percent of us are still Horatio Alger at heart: We believe in the American dream.

Obviously, the definition of that dream varies wildly from person to person, generation to generation. You may not agree with the values and opinions of the composite guy-or-gal represented by this survey, but what if he or she was sitting in your office and asking your advice on insurance? Would it matter if he or she supported PPACA, believed lobbyists were too powerful, or didn't think too much about the state of American business?

Here's some common ground:

• They have things they love and want to protect. Home ownership rates may be at a 15-year low, and the 61 percent in this survey may be concerned about the excessive emphasis on "money and material things," but everyone needs something protected.
• They're planning for the future. Whether it's a concern for their children or their own retirement, Americans going through the Great Recession have "learned the value of a dollar." Personal debt is down, savings are up; it's the perfect environment for financial consultation.
• The entrepreneurs are out there. No matter (or in spite of) how bad the economy is, the creative class will find a way to make their dreams come true, even though those dreams may not involve manufacturing widgets (at least of the physical variety). Been on Kickstarter lately? Everyone from filmmakers and fine artists to tech geeks are bypassing banks to fund their businesses through crowdsourcing, and new legislation is making it easier (even Forbes thinks it's a good idea). 

Maybe we should tune down the media chatter and look beyond what divides us to focus on, as the study's conclusions put it, "the values of freedom, tolerance, free enterprise and equality under the law (that) have withstood the test of time."