60 Minutes/Vanity Fair Poll
The American Dream
February 6-10, 2015

Which of the following comes closest to how you would describe the American Dream
today? – 1. Giving your kids a better life, 2. Having a successful business or career, 3.
Becoming wealthy overnight, 4. Owning a home, 5. Doing better than your parents, or 6.
Becoming famous.
The American Dream today is about giving your kids a better life.
Forget about bettering yourself, the American Dream is about making things better for your
offspring. 44% of Americans overall pick giving their kids a better life as how they would
describe the American Dream today – twice as many as the second choice option of having a
successful business or career (22%), and far ahead of doing better than your parents (13%),
owning a home (10%), becoming wealthy overnight (5%), or becoming famous (2%).
It is the choice picked by a clear majority of parents of children under the age of 18 (59%), but it
is also the top choice of non-parents as well (38%).
How Would You Describe the American Dream Today?
Total
Parents
Non-parents
Giving your kids a better life
44%
59%
38%
Having a successful business/career
22
20
23
Doing better than your parents
13
6
15
Owning a home
10
10
10
Becoming wealthy overnight
5
2
6
Becoming famous
2
1
2

Overall, do you think you have a better life than your parents, or do you think your
parents had a better life than you?
Most Americans think they have a better life than their parents did.
It may not be how most Americans define the American Dream, but most nonetheless think they
have a better life than their parents. 66% of Americans think they have a better life than their
parents did, while just 19% think their parents had a better life than they do.
A majority of Americans of all income levels think they have a better life than their parents did,
but higher income Americans believe this in higher percentages. While 63% of Americans
earning less than $50,000 a year think their lives are better than their parents, this rises to 73%
of Americans earning $100,000 a year or more.
You
Your parents
The same (vol.)
Total
66%
19
11
Who Has Had Better Life?
<$50K
$50K-$100K
63%
70%
24
15
10
10
$100K+
73%
16
10

Which one of the following is most important in order to achieve the American Dream? –
1. Having a college education, 2. Being white, 3. Having health insurance, 4. Speaking
English, 5. Being an American citizen, 6. Being born wealthy.
Get educated if you want to attain the American Dream.
But far more Americans think the key to the American Dream isn’t wealth, but education. To
nearly half of all Americans, having a college education is the most important factor in achieving
the American Dream. 47% pick it as the key to success, far ahead of being an American citizen
(22%), being born wealthy (9%), speaking English (7%), having health insurance (6%), or being
white (3%). Americans who have college degrees are particularly likely to think their degree
matters. 57% of college graduates say their diploma is the most important factor, though a
college degree is the top choice of those who have not graduated college as well (43%).
Which is Most Important in Achieving the American Dream?
Total
No Degree
College Degree+
A college education
47%
43%
57%
Being an American citizen
22
24
16
Being born wealthy
9
10
7
Speaking English
7
6
8
Having health insurance
6
8
3
Being white
3
4
3

Which one of the following people do you think most embodies the American Dream? –
1. Entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey. 2. Walmart founder Sam Walton. 3. Supreme Court
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 4. Civil rights activist Rosa Parks, 5. Apple founder Steve
Jobs, 6. Basketball Star Michael Jordan, 7. Television personality Kim Kardashian.
Who best embodies the American Dream? Steve Jobs comes in first.
Despite the importance that Americans attribute to education, when it comes to embodying the
American Dream, a college drop-out is at the top of the list. Out of a list of seven candidates,
24% of Americans pick Apple Founder and Reed College drop-out Steve Jobs as the person
who most embodies the American Dream, just ahead of television tycoon Oprah Winfrey (20%),
who in turn just edges out Walmart founder Sam Walton (18%). Others on the list include civil
rights activist Rosa Parks (15%), Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (7%), basketball
superstar Michael Jordan (5%), and television personality Kim Kardashian (1%).
There are some differences based on political orientation. While Steve Jobs – whose motto at
Apple was “Think Different” – is the top choice of independents (26%), Republicans (33%)
choose Same Walton, while Democrats choose Oprah Winfrey (29%).
Which of These People Best Embodies the American Dream?
Total
Reps Dems Inds
Steve Jobs
24%
26% 21% 26%
Oprah Winfrey
20
11
29
19
Sam Walton
18
33
9
16
Rosa Parks
15
8
19
17
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
7
5
11
5
Michael Jordan
5
9
4
5
Kim Kardashian
1
*
1
2

In which one of the following years do you think the American Dream was closest to
reaching its peak?
Today is when America is closest to reaching its peak.
Some say America’s best days are behind them, but for many Americans, there has never been
a time at which America was closer to achieving the American Dream. When asked when the
American Dream was closest to reaching its peak, 39% pick today - the top choice from a list of
other possible years in American history, beating out 1965 (30%) by nine percentage points.
Further down on the list are 1945 (14%) – when the U.S. emerged from World War II briefly as
the world’s only nuclear superpower, 1776 (6%) – the year America proclaimed its
independence from Britain, 1865 (3%) – which ended the American Civil War, and 1491 (1%) –
just before Christopher Columbus’s discovery of Hispania began European colonization of the
Western Hemisphere.
There are political differences however. Democrats (51%) overwhelmingly pick today as closest
to the American Dream, but Republicans and independents are not so sure. Instead they are
divided between today and 1965.
Which Year Did the American Dream Come Closest to Its Peak?
Total
Reps Dems Inds
Today
39%
36% 51% 35%
1965
30
36
23
33
1945
14
17
11
14
1776
6
10
5
5
1865
3
4
2
3
1491
1
*
*
1

On balance, are the immigrants coming to the U.S. today mostly helping the country,
mostly hurting the country, or not having much of an effect either way?
Republicans think immigrants hurt the U.S., while Democrats think they help.
Do immigrants coming to the U.S. today help or hurt the U.S? the U.S may be a country of
immigrants, but Americans are divided on this question, with 35% saying immigrants mostly hurt
the U.S., and 32% say they the mostly help. Another 29% say they are not having much of an
effect either way.
Most Republicans (53%) overwhelming think immigrants are mostly hurting the U.S., and slightly
more independents agree with them (36%) than disagree (28%). Democrats, on the other hand,
are far more likely to think immigrants are mostly helping the country (45%).
Hispanics are particularly likely to think immigrants help rather than hurt the U.S. – 68% think so.
Mostly hurting
Mostly helping
No effect
Do Immigrants Help or Hurt the U.S.?
Total
Reps Dems Inds
35%
53% 20% 36%
32
20
45
28
29
21
30
31
Hispanics
68%
9
22

Do you think your ancestors who first came to the U.S. would be proud of what their
descendants have achieved, or not?
Most Americans think their ancestors would be proud of them.
Americans think their ancestors would be happy with the way things are today, at least when it
comes to how their descendants are doing. Three in four Americans think their ancestors who
first came to the U.S. would be proud of what their descendants had achieved; just 20% do not.
Older Americans are a little more confident in the achievements of their genealogical line since
it first arrived in America: 82% of Americans 50 and older think their ancestors would be proud,
compared to 71% of those under the age of 50.
Would Your First American Ancestors Be Proud of You?
Total
18-49
50+
Yes
76%
71%
82%
No
20
25
15

Looking back, if you had lived through the Great Depression of the 1930s, do you think
you would have handled economic insecurity better than most people, worse than most
people, or about the same as most people?
A majority of Americans think they would have weathered the Great Depression as well as
most.
Most Americans today think they would have fared about as well as one generation of
Americans that came before them – those who endured the privations of the Great Depression
of the 1930s. Though just 31% think they would have handled the economic insecurities of the
Depression better than most people, most – 60% - think they would have fared about the same
if they had lived through it. Just 7% think they would have handled the Great Depression worse
than most.
Americans 65 and older – some of whom may have lived part of their lives during the Great
Depression – are less confident. They are less inclined to think they would have handled things
better than most than younger Americans.
How Would You Have Handled the Great Depression?
Total
18-64
65+
Better than most
31%
33%
20%
Worse than most
7
8
4
The same
60
58
69

Do you think living in the United States gives you the best chance at a successful life, or
do you think you might have a better chance at a successful life if you lived in another
country?
The best chance for a successful life is in the U.S.
When it comes to having a successful life, most Americans wouldn’t trade the American Dream
for that of another country. 84% of Americans think living in the United States gives them the
best chance at a successful life, while just 11% think they’d have a better chance at a
successful life if they lived in another country.
Republicans are the most bullish about living in the U.S. – 92% think the United States gives
them the best chance, compared to 81% of independents and 84% of Democrats.
Where Do You Have the Best Chance at a Successful Life?
Total
Reps Dems Inds
United States
84%
92% 84% 81%
Another country
11
4
13
14

If Canada and the U.S. were to merge and become one country, which would you
prefer? For Canada to become a part of the U.S. and come under U.S. law, or For the
U.S. to become a part of Canada and come under Canadian law?
Americans think Canada should join them rather than the other way around.
Americans apparently prefer the American Dream to the Canadian one. If the two countries
were to merge, 65% of Americans would want Canada to become a part of the United States,
while just 22% would want the United States to become a province of Canada.
Majorities of Republicans (76%), Democrats (69%), and independents (57%) all would rather
Canada become part of the U.S. than the other way around.
What Should Happen if the U.S. and Canada Merged?
Total
Reps Dems Inds
Canada should become part of the U.S.
65%
76% 69% 57%
The U.S. should become part of Canada
22
15
22
26

If you had to remove one of the following from the U.S. Bill of Rights, which would you
choose? 1. Freedom of speech, 2. Freedom of religion, 3. The right to bear arms, 4.
Trial by jury.
The right to bear arms would be the first to go in an abridged Bill of Rights.
One thing the Canadian Constitution does not guarantee is the right to bear arms, and if
Americans had to remove one of four provisions from the U.S. Bill of Rights, more would pick
the right to bear arms (37%) than trial by jury (14%), freedom of speech (10%), or freedom of
religion (9%) – though 28% volunteer that they wouldn’t agree to eliminate any of these.
Democrats are particularly receptive to issuing a line-item veto on the Second Amendment:
54% of Democrats would get rid of the right to bear arms, compared to 34% of independents
and just 18% of Republicans.
Which Part of the Bill of Rights Would You Get Rid of First?
Total
Reps Dems Inds
Right to bear arms
37%
18% 54% 34%
Trial by jury
14
15
8
18
Freedom of speech
10
11
9
9
Freedom of religion
9
10
9
8
None of these (vol.)
28
45
18
26
____________________________________________________________________________
This poll was conducted by telephone from February 6-10, 2015 among 1,002 adults nationwide. Data
collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Media, PA. Phone numbers were dialed
from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on
the entire sample could be plus or minus 3 percentage points. The error for other subgroups may be
higher. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. This poll release conforms to the Standards
of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Poll.
60 Minutes/Vanity Fair Questions
The American Dream
February 6-10, 2015
VF-01. Which of the following comes closest to how you would describe 'the American Dream' today?
Giving your kids a better life
Having a successful business or career
Doing better than your parents
Owning a home
Becoming wealthy overnight
Becoming famous
Don't know/no answer
* TOTAL RESPONDENTS *
Total
Male
Female
%
%
%
44
43
44
22
24
21
13
11
14
10
10
11
5
6
4
2
2
2
4
4
5
2/2011
%
52
20
7
7
8
3
3
VF-02. Overall, do you think you have a better life than your parents, or do you think your parents had a better life than you?
You have a better life
Your parents had a better life
The same
Don’t know/no answer
Total
%
66
19
11
3
********** Income ***********
<$50K $50K-$100K
$100K+
%
%
%
63
70
73
24
15
16
10
10
10
3
4
1
VF-03. Which one of the following is most important in order to achieve the American Dream?
Having a college education
Being an American citizen
Being born wealthy
Speaking English
Having health insurance
Being white
Don’t know/no answer
Total
%
47
22
9
7
6
3
6
***** College Education ******
No Degree
College Degree+
%
%
43
57
24
16
10
7
6
8
8
3
4
3
6
6
VF-04. Which one of the following people do you think most embodies the American Dream?
Entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey
Walmart founder Sam Walton
Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Civil rights activist Rosa Parks
Apple founder Steve Jobs
Basketball Star Michael Jordan
Television personality Kim Kardashian
Don’t know/no answer
*Less than 0.5%
Total
%
20
18
7
15
24
5
1
8
***** Party ID ******
Reps
Dems Inds
%
%
%
11
29
19
33
9
16
5
11
5
8
19
17
26
21
26
9
4
5
*
1
2
7
6
11
VF-05. In which one of the following years do you think the American Dream was closest to reaching its peak?
1491
1776
1865
1945
1965
Today
Don’t know/No answer
*** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ***
***** Party ID ******
Total
Reps
Dems Inds
%
%
%
%
1
*
*
1
6
10
5
5
3
4
2
3
14
17
11
14
30
36
23
33
39
32
51
35
6
1
7
8
VF-06. On balance, are the immigrants coming to the U.S. today mostly helping the country, mostly hurting the country, or not
having much of an effect either way?
Helping
Hurting
No Effect
Don’t know/no answer
32
35
29
5
20
53
21
6
45
20
30
4
28
36
31
5
VF-07. Do you think your ancestors who first came to the U.S. would be proud of what their descendants have achieved, or not?
Yes, proud
No, not proud
Don’t know/no answer
Total
%
76
20
4
*** Age ***
18-49 50+
%
%
71
82
25
15
5
3
VF-08. Looking back, if you had lived through the Great Depression of the 1930s, do you think you would have handled economic
insecurity better than most people, worse than most people, or about the same as most people?
Better
Worse
Same
Don’t know/no answer
Total
%
31
7
60
2
18-64
%
33
8
58
1
65+
%
20
4
69
6
VF-09. Do you think living in the United States gives you the best chance at a successful life, or do you think you might have a better
chance at a successful life if you lived in another country?
U.S.
Another country
Don’t know/no answer
Total
%
84
11
4
***** Party ID ******
Reps
Dems Inds
%
%
%
92
84
81
4
13
14
4
3
5
8
VF-10. If Canada and the U.S. were to merge and become one country, which would you prefer? For Canada to become a part of the
U.S. and come under U.S. law, or For the U.S. to become a part of Canada and come under Canadian law?
Canada to become a part of the U.S.
U.S. to become a part of Canada
Don’t know/no answer
*** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ***
***** Party ID ******
Total
Reps
Dems Inds
%
%
%
%
65
76
69
57
22
15
22
26
13
9
9
17
VF-11. If you had to remove one of the following from the U.S. Bill of Rights, which would you choose?
Freedom of speech
Freedom of religion
The right to bear arms
Trial by jury
None of these (vol.)
Don’t know/no answer
Total respondents:
10
9
37
14
28
3
11
10
18
15
45
1
9
9
54
8
18
1
9
8
34
18
26
4
1,002
9