You have obviously a) not seen the ESTA and visa applications forms (the content and questions are very similar) for traveling to the US. b) not have one of t

You have obviously a) not seen the ESTA and visa applications forms (the content and questions are very similar) for traveling to the US. b) not have one of these denied for an arbitrary and opaque reason (the applicant is not told the reason). c) not have had your personal information stolen and abused yet. If Americans had to go through this sort of BS whenever they travel to Europe there would be an uproar. But in reverse it is OK, because, obviously, the people on the other side of the pond (which is the majority of who the ESTA system applies to) are somehow more of a threat. Mate, seriously ...