
What Happened to the American Dream?
Over the past 40 years, America’s foundational promise has been fractured by the decoupling of economic security from essential pillars such as housing, education, and healthcare.
Lisa Ansell is the Associate Director of the USC Casden Institute.

Over the past 40 years, America’s foundational promise has been fractured by the decoupling of economic security from essential pillars such as housing, education, and healthcare.

The Jewish tradition of transforming scarcity into abundance, and Israel’s journey from a barren desert to a beacon of global achievement, are miracles forged by vision, perseverance, and an enduring belief in possibility.

No amount of creative financing can resolve the core issue at the heart of America’s housing crisis: an acute shortage of homes.

There are irreplaceable aspects of the human experience — empathy, creativity and genuine connection — that technology cannot replicate despite the overwhelming profit motive to do so.

The heart of the Middle-Class Homeownership Act lies in its commitment to reversing the decline in middle-class homeownership rates.

Among the many ways the Diaspora can renew its connection with Israel in the wake of the past two years, I’d like to suggest one that is neither simple nor easy: taking steps to learn Hebrew.

While the job market transforms, the cost of higher education continues to soar.

The intersection of Rosh Hashanah and Reza Pahlavi’s advocacy is more than coincidence—it is a convergence of hope, a reminder that history bends toward renewal when guided by courageous hearts.

Policy Failures and Generational Poverty

The “i” shape is synonymous with severe inequality and the risk of a permanent underclass.