NASHVILLE - A number of groups in Tennessee are hoping to keep the American dream intact.

Tennessee Citizen Action, USAction and MoveOn.org are encouraging Tennesseans to attend a series of small meetings at homes and coffee shops this weekend to talk about what they call attacks on middle-class dreams of good wages, benefits and a dignified retirement.

Mary Mancini of Tennessee Citizen Action says the goal is to change the current dynamic regarding ordinary citizens.

"We need to get our elected officials and leaders to think of them first, instead of thinking of large corporations and special interests first."

Mancini says that on July 16 and 17, people in neighborhoods across the country will be gathering at more than a thousand "American Dream" house meetings to craft a plan for working together to fix the broken economy in a fair manner. Those supporting tax breaks for corporations and sweeping benefit cuts say they are needed to create more jobs and balance budgets.

Mancini says it seems to be open season on the American dream these days on the state and federal levels.

"There really should be no reason why we're bundling in Social Security and Medicare cuts in that discussion when there are so many corporate tax loopholes that can be closed to generate revenue, and I think we can take a look at that on the state level as well."

More information on the house meetings can be found at tnca.org.