The real kick is this. The right and the left who buy into their meme of "we are falling behind in competing with other countries in education" and get hysterical about it, seem totally OK with how countries beat us in health issues. Hypocrisy 101.
Yes, it's Hypocrisy 101. But it's also Oligopoly 101.
The US falling behind other countries in health care is not a problem, even though it blows a Grand Canyon-sized hole in our long-term budget, because the oligopolies control our health care, and make more money than God off of it as a result.
OTOH, the US falling behind other countries in educational tests is a problem, even if most of the problem is due to factors outside the classroom, because the oligopolies don't yet control our k-12 education systems, and don't make more money than Godd of it as a result.