SOCIALISM: Look it up

This letter is in response to J. Strobel’s Op/Ed on 2/14. No, in my opinion, “American Socialism” is much worse than what you think it is. His article sounds like he’s parroting Obama — you didn’t build this — American socialism has. Then I want to know where all our tax money went for highways, bridges, schools, colleges, police, fire and EMT services.

Hoover Institution article by Paul Gregory, May 10, 2016, states:

“Economic, political and social systems are like three-legged stools. The three legs of the capitalist or free enterprise stool are democratic/pluralistic public choice, a non-interventionist state, and a rule of law that protects personal and economic liberty. The three legs of the socialist stool are a one-party state, pervasive intervention in economic affairs, and a lack of rule of law to guard personal and economic freedom.”

Socialism as defined by Webster: 1. a theory or system of social organization in which the means of production and distribution of goods are owned and controlled collectively or by the government. 2. (in Marxist theory) the stage following capitalism in the transition of a society to communism, characterized by the imperfect implementation of collectivist principles.” Definitely not my idea of a free United States of America!

My Social Security is not a hand out — I paid into it my entire working life!

Thank you, Sen. Risch for stating the obvious. There are still several statements in J. Strobel’s article I would like to address, not the least of which is his statement about “lies,” but I think I have run out of allocated words. DO YOUR HOMEWORK AMERICANS!

LAGONDA McDONALD, S.B.

Coeur d’Alene