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For singer Merrill Garbus, the idea that hard work leads to success in America is deeply suspect.

In the wake of the housing crisis, many felt that homeownership — long a key element of the American dream — had moved out of reach. Now, many Americans still aspire to own their own home, and home sales are slowly ticking up around the country.

In the conservative view, reinvigorating the American dream means lowering the floor below which government won't let people fall. It also means raising the ceiling on successful people.

From the moment he burst on the national scene, Barack Obama has served as a living example of the American dream — proof that in this country, anyone can succeed. But what sets him and other Democrats apart from Republicans is the idea of the American dream as a collective enterprise.

We celebrate the deeply embedded ideal of the American dream every day, and yet the phrase has always been fraught. For many, there is no dream, so here, we give you "A Brief Diary of the American Nightmare."

Many Americans have long believed that the United States is a land of opportunity, where anyone who works hard can climb the economic ladder. But evidence from recent decades indicates that, for many Americans, that dream of economic mobility falls short.

The idea of the American Dream is woven through this country's politics, music and culture. It suggests a belief that hard work pays off, and that children will have a better life than their parents. But as the effects of the economic downturn continue to reverberate, many feel the American Dream is in jeopardy.

Throughout the summer, NPR °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ will look at the history, culture and current state of the American Dream. NPR's Ari Shapiro and John Ydstie join host Rachel Martin to take a political and economic look at the ultimate American aspiration.