RE: The badly managed decline of Germany (and Europe)

U.S. Debt 120% of GDP. Germany's about 62% (?) Is the U.S.prosperity an illusion, given the debt burden?

Yes, I think it's an illusion. On the other hand, the US is able to pay the debt back, as it has the global reserve currency, innovation and productivity growth and a Secretary of the Treasury who knows what he is doing. Germany has neither of that.

How did this "Gets thrown in jail for unpopular speech" come to pass? Don't understand why the people put up with it.

I don't understand that either. But what can the people do? They are defenseless against the state.

How about violence? Does Germany have mass shootings just about every day, as we do in the U.S.?

No, as Hitler disarmed the Germans, there are a lot less shootings (but occasionally they happen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erfurt_school_massacre). Instead of shootings Germany has
- daily stabbings (by immigrants)
- daily rapes (especially group rapes, 700 per year)
- occasional truck attacks on Christmas markets
- persistent danger of violence by the state (monopoly)

Most of the taxes go to "social affairs" (support for the unemployed, cross-subsidies for the "free" healthcare, pensions, ...). From 2020 to 2025 the budget went from 360 to over 500 billions (https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-approves-2025-budget-ushering-new-era-spending-2025-09-18/).

It is indeed a very bad situation and is only getting worse.