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sures economic freedom through five components — size of government, regulation, functionality of the legal system, management of the nation’s currency and freedom to trade. Then over 160 countries around the world are measured by the index of economic freedom that emerges from this.

Per the most recent results, the top 25% of countries in economic freedom scores have per capita GDP of $52,877 — 7.5 times higher than that of the bottom 25%, $6,968.

The poorest 10% in the most economically free countries have per capita income, $7,610, eight times higher than the poorest 10% in the least economically free, $952.

In the most economically free countries, 1% experience extreme poverty (living on less than $2.15 per day), while in the least economically free, 30% experience extreme poverty.

I recently reported on a new Cato Institute/You-Gov survey noting that 62% of Americans 18-29 have a “favorable view” of socialism, and 34% have a “favorable view” of communism.

What’s going on? Why are so many of our youth so deeply lost and confused? The truth and the facts are openly available for anyone to read. Why isn’t this basic information about economic life making its way to young Americans?

It’s reason again to scrutinize what is going on in our government and teachers union-controlled public schools, where there is more interest in conveying left-wing ideology than developing in our children’s skills to read, do math and think.

This has migrated to our universities where, on too many campuses, the pursuit of truth has been displaced by ideology and indoctrination.

It’s not surprising that there is a large gap between Democrat and Republican support for education institutions in America.

Per Gallup, 18% of Republicans versus 44% of Democrats say they have a “great deal/quite a lot of confidence” in our public schools. Twenty-six percent of Republicans versus 61% of Democrats say they have a “great deal/quite a lot of confidence” in higher education.

The great physicist Richard Feynman observed, “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.”

Maybe George Will is right that Mamdani’s election will provide a wakeup call to the nation.

Star Parker is the founder of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education. Her recent book, “What Is the CURE for America?” is available now. She is also the author of “Necessary Noise: How Donald Trump Inflames the Culture War and Why This Is Good News for America.” To find out more about Star Parker and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators. com. COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS. COM