This right here. There is always a certain degree of dysfunction present in complex systems. We can look at our outcomes, and compare them to other first world countries, and clearly see that we have more dysfunction than they have. We can also look at our states and see variation among them. The bleak reality is hiding in plain sight right in front of us, just like healthcare.
The American political landscape isn't equipped to address dysfunction. We elect leaders on the basis of tribal identity and sound bytes, who promise "easy" answers. But "easy" answers don't even begin to address dysfunction, and at best they merely rearrange where the problems manifest. To actually correct dysfunction you need an approach that can't fit into a sound byte -- improvement has to happen holistically among the entire ranks, top to bottom. Ideology doesn't matter, except that dogmatic thinking is a limitation. And to correct dysfunction, you often have to try things that have a risk of failure, but American politics treats failure as fodder for oppositions to build a case against incumbents, rather than a data point to help correct and reorient.
Education isn't going to get fixed by simple minded "fixes" like eliminating teachers unions, paying them more, etc. Poverty doesn't go away with by installing the "correct" macroeconomic principles. It's impossible to believe anyone who thinks they've got THE answer for what's going to fix any complex problem.