We are in post policy politics. It no-longer matters what you do, how intelligent or well executed your plans were, just what the messaging says. It is far easier to pick things that you can control messaging on and make them the issues, even when they aren't, than to actually take on the hard things that truly impact people's daily lives. That is what killed Carter's second term and that playbook has just gotten stronger in the years since.
"Maybe more should be invested in education." Yes, and there's a reason why education continues to suffer when it comes to budget and resources. An educated populace is something nobody wants.
