1. There is a fundamental philosophical difference in the approach to education in America and Great Britain on the one hand and Germany on the other hand.
Traditionally in America the goal has been to create a renaissance man, a Thomas Jefferson or a John or John Quincy Adams who are thoroughly acquainted with virtually every discipline from the agents to the contemporary science of their time. So America creates generalists who then, presumably, specialize in a given discipline like law, medicine etc.
The German approach is quite different, even in the University system where it is possible to go right from high school directly into the study of medicine or law, as examples, without being exposed to the four years of undergraduate work which was originally designed to create our renaissance man.
The modern American university has gone so far off track, one example being this women's studies business, that we are squandering the time and the resources and converting learning institutions into indoctrination camps.
When one compares the effects, one has to acknowledge that the German system has produced a vibrant economy, a huge middle class, and also an export /mercantilist power house that makes it the number four exporter in the world.
However, America had led in innovation and still does to the degree our university system is bifurcated, that is, with hard science separated from BS BA courses. My feeling is that we should adopt much of the German system and try to reform our own so that we produce competent people for industry but still produce a citizenry capable of self-government.
2. Ivanka Trump might slide into a role reminiscent of Eleanor Roosevelt, which would not be a good thing for the country.
