I see national defense and public schools as very different. Defense is a non-excludable, fixed cost, so-called ‘public good’. Primary and secondary education are not public goods, though they may be long-term investments (which defense is not).

I am not saying that I ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ either, but they’re very different.

>”An ideal government functions to help the people not individual persons.”

I’ve never heard this argument before, could you please elaborate, or point to a good source for your “ideal government” ethical framework?