throwaway7656

> Im just used to government paid education

You are from Europe, right? And you have rigorious exams to sort out the folks who will get the government-paid education and who will not. And this is ok, since Europe is more or less homogenous. Hans goes to university and Peter and Mark and Bernard all go to work in mcdonalds instead. No outrage here, it was just a hard exam, and only Hans was able to pass.

Now guess what will happen in US if you don't provide free education for everyone, but require to pass a hard exam first. It's not that hard to imagine, really.

Well, you consider it to be cheap and effective -- in 2018.

But back in 2016: Obama said there was “no serious” person who would suggest it was possible to rig American elections, adding, “I’d invite Mr. Trump to stop whining and go try to make his case to get votes.” [0]

I wonder how public opinion shifted. Back in 2016, the idea of rigging elections with facebook ads was alex-jones-level of tinfoil conspiracy, and now we are discussing it as an obvious, cheap and effective tactic.

[0] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election/obama-tells-...

Well, there are some trends (such as dropping life expectancy for whites without college degree [0]), which are without precedent. It's literally unheard for developed country to have a dropping life expectancy in XX century.

So, maybe US being functional democracy, with working feeback loop from voters to elites (no sarcasm here) did something extraordinary because of extraordinary circumstances.

I hold no strong opinion here, but this is something worth evaluating, IMO.

[0] https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/03/the-co...

Exuse me sir, but this approach is well known as "Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt", or FUD in short.

It definitely works, meaning it shifts the public opinion, and quite effectively so, but I would rather examine the facts and form my own opinion after such examination. If I ever want to go to the second step without first one, I can always watch some CNN.

>combined with funds illegally collected from a hostile foreign power

If you can prove it, Mueller is all ears.

You gotta understand the ruling elites though. It was fun to watch different "Springs" happening in some distant lands. Not so much fun when "American Spring" happens in your own country, even if it's a "mild" edition.

first article was written in 2000. it talks about projections (!) of 2001 budget.

Economic role model? Are you even serious?

US debt on 6th of March 2000 was 5.7 trillions. [0] Today it is 20.8 trillions.

And what USA has to show for the mere 15 trillions of debt?

Affordable healthcare? Free education? Absence of homeless population? Shiny new infrastructure? Thousands of kilometers of speed-rails connecting major cities?

Role model. You guys are delusional. Let me tell you something like non-american. The whole world looks at you with sheer amusement.

[0] https://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/debt/current

PS: The only economic achievement I can list is that US elites have managed to alienate with their policies half of the country, so that half decided to give country a try with some real estate tycoon who enjoys to bang pornstars in his free time. Quite an achievement indeed. 15 trillions well spent.