MyronMagnet’sTheDreamandtheNightmarearguesthattheradicaltransformationofAmericanculturethattookplaceinthe1960sbroughttoday’sunderclass-overwhelminglyurban,dismayinglyminority-intoexistence.Lifestyleexperimentationamongthewhitemiddleclassproducedoftencatastrophicchangesinattitudestowardmarriageandparenting,theworkethicanddependencyinthoseatthebottomofthesocialladder,andcloseddowntheirexitstothemiddleclass.TexasGovernorGeorgeW.Bush’spresidentialcampaignhashighlightedthecontinuingimportanceofTheDreamandtheNightmare.Bushreadthebookbeforehisfirstcampaignforgovernorin1994,and,whenhefinallymetMagnetin1998,heacknowledgedhisdebttothiswork.KarlRove,Bush’sprincipalpoliticaladviser,citesitasaroadmaptothegovernor’sphilosophyof“compassionateconservatism.“
