Rags-to-riches, Con-to-Congress: Darrell Issa's story is history

From high school dropout — and convicted criminal — to chairman of the powerful Oversight Panel in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

That's the con-to-Congress story that Rep. Darrell Issa stands to tell if Republicans win the House in next week's elections, as they are roundly expected to do.  

Born in Cleveland, Issa had a rather troubled youth: He was twice charged with car theft and once convicted for the illegal possession of an unregistered handgun. "But the California Republican went on to enter the Army, earn his college degree and start a car alarm company that has made him a multimillionaire," The New York Times reported this week.

"He has been able to really capture what everyone hopes is the America dream," Issa's spokesman, Kurt Bardella, said.

That's a fine observation — and probably an accurate one. And insomuch as he overcame some tremendously bad life choices and ended up as one of the most powerful men in America, Issa might rightfully be considered a role model for those who want to overcome their own bad decisions. 

But it's also only fair to point out that the dream Issa "captured" would not likely be available to someone in his same situation today. That's foremost because dropping out of school carries a far stiffer social penalty than it once did.

For instance: the U.S. military doesn't generally accept high school dropouts. In fact, the military has very few enlistment opportunities for those with only a GED. The route Issa took — trading school for service — is part of a bygone military era.

All of that is to say nothing of the debilitating ways in which "youthful indiscretions" can become lifelong disabilities in the Internet Age.

Point is, the American dream has gotten harder to achieve. And those who dropout of high school, in particular, have a much narrower shot at achieving it than Issa had in his day.