The death of the American Dream

I think the American Dream had It's last heartbeat sometime in the mid 70's. No one was able to notice because of all the turmoil after the assassinations of JFK, RFK, and Dr. King. Followed by Nixon and the terrorist acts in the following decade. I have travelled from city to city now for six years. Each city has that same washed out faded appearance on the face of every local. Sure at night if there is some fancy shindig to go to is occurring smiles are painted on the women. The men have drank a few pints of whiskey or some watered down beer product to prepare themselves for the facade of happiness. This has nothing to do with Bin Laden, or that dim witted weasel W. either. I can tell that America has been sucked dry of meaning long before that. But by what? And why? Is there any hope for the next few generations to right this ship? Not in my lifetime. There are no leaders, no men of honor, and for that matter no damsels in distress with any honor worth defending. We are doomed, but how did it come to this? Did we ever really have any great promise as a country. Or was it just an experiment that went on too long? Awful thoughts to have while riding at 80mph in a 14' box truck in the middle of the desert.