Building Prosperity for All: My Story and My Passion for Change

Charlie Breit
Jul 21, 2017 · 5 min read

In America, every parent desires their children to have the opportunity to achieve prosperity and to live better than they did. We share a common belief that through our hard work, determination and persistence — we can be whatever we desire and no matter where we start in life we have equal opportunity to achieve the American dream.

For many working families, this vision of America feels out of reach. The prospect of change feels too improbable. Hope is waning and being replaced by angst. We’re worrying about our ability to afford quality health insurance and healthcare, get and keep a good paying job, ensure our children receive the best education, stay out of debt, are able to retire, feel safe and secure in our communities, and can trust our leaders are looking out for our best interests and not just their own.

It’s this prospect of an uncertain future for us, our children and grandchildren that fuels my passion to work hard bringing change. It’s the innate desire to see my children achieve more than I could ever imagine that drives me. I believe in our nation, our founders’ vision and each other, and by working together — I believe we can build prosperity for all and renew America’s promise.

I was born into a working class family and raised on the values of hard work, generosity and compassion. My parents’ union jobs at a popular grocery store chain afforded a fairly typical middle-class lifestyle with two working parents, three younger brothers and dreams of playing baseball. I grew up in the northern Chicago suburbs and spent much of my summers and weekends at my grandparents’ house in Palmyra, Wisconsin — swimming, boating and fishing. I attended public schools, played video games, hung out with the neighborhood kids and we ordered pizza every Friday night. As I said, a typical middle-class lifestyle.

My first big life lesson came when I was in middle school and my parents divorced. Suddenly, we were thrust into a period of financial and family adversity. I was challenged to see the world differently and come to grips with a changing reality. In a span of a couple of years, I went from living in a single-family suburban home to living in a government subsidized apartment with my dad and working evenings and weekends to help contribute to household bills.


A lifelong asthmatic, I would sometimes skip doctors visits and ration my medications because we couldn’t afford the deductibles and copays associated with our limited health insurance coverage.


We worked hard and began to claw our way back up the economic ladder, but it was slow going and we needed help along the way. We were fortunate that our family, friends and government had resources available to help us and provide a safety net.

For me personally, a college degree became my key to reclaiming the American dream. Through the combination of affordable community college, in-state universities, working (mostly full-time) and student loans, I was able to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in business administration. I did have student debt, but I had reinvigorated my future prospects and opportunity.

Progress though isn’t always linear and soon after getting my graduate degree — our economy started to slide towards the Great Recession and I was struggling to find work. This meant I had no health insurance, could barely pay my student loans (sometimes could only afford the interest payments), had increasing credit card debt, wasn’t able to save for retirement and was going backwards financially. Once again — I needed help from my family, friends and government.

Fortunately, help was available. Medicaid to provide health insurance during the pregnancy of my daughter. An FHA loan and $8,000 tax credit from the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 to cover a down payment on the purchase of my first home. Student loan interest tax credits to help pay off my long-standing student loan debt. I worked hard at my job, paid off my debt, begun saving and through the help I received — I was able to start climbing the economic ladder and fulfilling on America’s promise.

My story isn’t unique, but instead one that has been repeated over and over across America. As a nation, we believe that through our hard work — we can all share in America’s abundance. It’s the prospect and hope of a prosperous future that drives us to keep working hard and tackling any challenge that comes our way. We don’t give up, but sometimes we do need help and we should never admonish anyone for getting the help they need. (We should reprimand anyone who wants to take that help away and leave millions of Americans on their own.)

Our reality is the lasting impact of the Great Recession and a rapidly changing economy is challenging the health of the working class, testing our optimism and creating a wave of skepticism raging across our nation. Only 20% of Americans today say they can trust the government in Washington to do what is right. Stagnant wages, automation, economic inequality, rising healthcare and health insurance costs, expanding student loan debt, environmental changes, government inefficiency, uneasiness around national security and polarizing rhetoric are just some of what working class families are facing — jeopardizing their hope.


Our economy has started to heal and grow, but looming in the distance is the prospect of losing almost half of all jobs to automation and artificial intelligence by 2030.


America is the land of hope and opportunity, so millions of Americans unsure about their future is a problem. We must work to renew America’s promise. A promise that not all of its people would be born into prosperity, but that all of its people have the opportunity to achieve it. Our children and grandchildren are counting on us to to innovate, work hard and tackle these problems with bold and new solutions — not just the same old approaches from the past.

I know firsthand the power of hard work and opportunity, and the importance of having help. We all own our own paths, but in a compassionate America — we look out for each other too. I believe that all Americans should strive to live up to their potential and know there’s a safety net available in the event that they fall. Government alone cannot solve all of our problems, but it has a role in ensuring we have opportunity, can rebound from adversity and are never left behind.

America has inspired millions of people to think differently, achieve new heights and dare to dream. Now, we need to work together to preserve tomorrow for future generations and ensure our children have the opportunity to achieve greatness. We can build prosperity for all and help more of us participate in the American dream through a new agenda built around compassion, innovation and fiscal responsibility. We can get there, but it will take a lot of work and an understanding that our path to change will not be linear or quick. Instead, through our persistence, determination and support of each other — we can ensure America continues to inspire and provide opportunity for all Americans.

Change starts with each and everyone of us. Join the movement and let’s work together.

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Charlie Breit

Written by

Father, Friend, Writer, Runner & Marketer. Inspired by America to dare dream. Lives in Wisconsin Congressional District 1.

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