American Nightmare

Today in class we talked alot about how the common notion of the American dream is to get rich through your own efforts.  If this dream applies to all Americans, then the wallstreet bankers who manipulated the market into a crash for their own cash would be the winners, right?  They made massive profits for both the companies they worked for and themselves.  Even the ones that got fired escaped the market to their vacation homes paid for by golden parachutes. They have plenty of ability to take care of their families.  Isn't that the American Dream.