DonDiego has just come to a new understanding. Although the topic here is the primary victory of Ms. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ,a self-described "Socialist", and discussions pertaining to Socialism, . . . some posters do not understand the meaning of Socialism.
Socialism : any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods [from Merriam-Webster online]
So, . . . f'rinstance, . . . Medicare is not "socialism". The Government of the United States does not own the hospitals or physicians' offices; the doctors and nurses are not Government employees; and for the most part these assets are privately owned.
What it is is a medical insurance scheme run by the Government. All the Government does is collect taxes and distribute the money to the medical service providers. This requires Government administrative personnel, but they do not provide the actual services. Of course they don't work for nothing either.
[On the other hand, f'rinstance, the Veterans' Hospitals are Government-owned and Government-operated. This is Socialism in action. DonDiego recalls many sad tales of inadequate treatment of veterans within these facilities. Indeed this is Socialism in action.]
Social Security is an Old Age Pension Program run by the Government. This is more nearly "Socialism" because there are no "providers" providing a service, . . . the service is just to collect money from citizens' paying the Social Security taxes and disburse money to recipients receiving their Social Security checks. So all the "employees" are pretty much Government employees, . . . although it doesn't involve production of goods and services, it pr'bly falls within the definition.
As with many "socialist" programs Social Security is on a path to eventual insolvency unless benefits are reduced or payments increased. Elected Government Representatives are fearful of doing either. Indeed, this is Socialism in action.
Referring to a not-so-long-ago post, . . .
So, . . . if indeed those who built the wharves and roads after the founding of the United States were private citizens contracted to perform those services by the Government, Socialists did not build them; it was just Government buying facilities for public use from capitalists, . . . pretty much as it is done today - think Raytheon providing missile defense systems.
If the Government, indeed, owned and operated these facilities [i]that[/i] would be socialism.
On the other hand, if those who built the facilities were private citizens and as was often the case in post-Colonial days, such facilities were owned by private citizens or corporations - think private toll roads - it had nothing to do with the Government. It was capitalism.
