Socialism:

The radical
Idea of
sharing

75 Ways Socialism
Has Improved America

Now relax and breathe. It's going to be okay! We

are going to get through this.

Fear There is nothing more feared and hated

in America.

Relax You see, we are still a capitalist nation.

In America, you can still make a billion dollars,
get a giant tax cut, and pay your employees barely
enough to survive while you sail in your yacht to
escape any guilt that might inconvenience you. So
don't freak out just yet!

The word alone sends shivers down the spine of

the American people.

The thing is, socialism is all over America and

people actually like it. Even you... Yes you!

So-cial-ism Those three syllables conjure

up images of Big Brother Government ruling
over us all, telling us what to eat, wear, buy, and
think. Our children in national uniform being
indoctrinated with propaganda in government
education camps that use to be schools, turning
them into little slaves. While their parents work
twelve hour shifts in the concentration camp that
slaughters rich successful billionaires, as the poor
and needy get a million dollars a month in welfare.
A murderous government waging a war against
freedom and liberty to gain complete control over
everyone and everything.

What About Freedom I know, I know.

You're a conservative that believes in freedom
and the constitution. You hate handouts and
believe in hard work and the individual. You
think government should get out of the way and
let you live your lives and allow you to prosper
on your own. You know that all rich people must
have worked hard and all poor people are lazy.
There is no other reason why they could be poor
considering life is completely fair and all people
are born into situations and environments that
allow them to have all the opportunities and
blessings that you had. There is no fathomable
way they could have 2 or 3 jobs they work very
hard at but still can't make ends meet. You got it
all figured out.

Daily Kos Classics

Socialism.

The Way Things Were You know, the way

things were under that socialist Bill Clinton. And
the way things are now under that socialist Barack
Obama.
They imagine the USSR and how Democrats are
turning America into it because our government
will give money to poor people so they don't
starve to death. (Giving money to billion dollar
corporations is NOT socialism somehow. You
would be a communist and a hippie to think
otherwise.)
This is scary stuff!
And it's about to get scarier, because I have some
terrifying news for you....
The Way Things Are Socialism is alive and
well in America and it has been here for a very
long time!
Oh, that's not all. it gets much worse! I hope youre
sitting down...
You Love Socialism As it turns out, you love
socialism and you use it everyday and you may
not even know it! It may have even saved your life.
I know, this is bad...

But even you get your kicks from a little

socialism every now and then.
Coming Out of the Closet Don't think of
this as an intervention, think of it as a coming
out of the closet party. We know you are a closet
socialist. It's okay, you are amongst friends and
we support you. Besides, we always knew...
Socialism is taxpayer funds being used
collectively to benefit society as a whole,
despite income, contribution, or ability.
Sounds horrible, huh?
Well I hate to be the one to tell you, but Socialism,
which you have been told to fear all your life, is
responsible for all this...
1. The Military/Defense
The United States military is the largest and most
funded socialist program in the world. It operates
thanks to our taxpayer dollars and protects the
country as a whole. From the richest citizens to
the homeless who sleep under the bridge. We are
all protected by our military whether we pay taxes
or not. This is complete socialism.

2. Highways/Roads
Those roads and highways you drive on every
single day are completely taxpayer funded.
Your tax dollars are used to maintain, expand,
and preserve our highways and roads for every
one's use. President Eisenhower was inspired by
Germany's autobahn and implemented the idea
right here in America. That's right, a Republican
president created our taxpayer funded, national
highway system. This was a different time, before
the Republican party came down with a vicious
case of rabies that never went away.
3. Public Libraries
Yes. That place where you go to check out books
from conservative authors telling you how horrible
socialism is is in fact socialism. Libraries are
taxpayer funded. You pay a few bucks to get a
library card and you can read books for free for
the rest of your life.
4. Police
Ever had a situation where you had to call the
police? Then you have used a taxpayer funded
socialist program. Anyone can call the police
whether they pay taxes or not. They are there to
protect and serve the community, not individuals.
This is complete socialism on a state level, but still
socialism all the same. Would you rather have to
swipe your credit card before the police will help
you?
5. Fire Department
Hopefully you have never had a fire in your home.
But if you have, you probably called your local
taxpayer-funded fire department to put the fire
out. Like police, this is state socialism. Your tax
dollars are used to rescue your entire community
in case of a fire. It used to be set up where you
would pay a fee every month to the fire department
for their service. If you didn't pay, they let your
house burn down. Sadly, a man from Tennessee
had this exact situation happen to him in 2011
because he didn't pay his $75.00 fee. I guess that
small town in Tennessee would rather let people's
houses burn down than resort to evil socialism.
So don't take for granted the fact that you have
a 24/7 fire department to put out your burning
home, Thank socialism.

6. Postal Service
Do you like having mail delivered directly to your
front door and paying next to nothing to send mail
anywhere you want? Well it's all made possible by
socialism.
7. Student Loans and Grants
Did you go to college? If you did, your family
might not have been rich enough to pay your
way through. So you got your education anyway
through student loans and grants from the federal
government at taxpayer expense. Of course
you have to pay back the loans, but if not the
government, do you know anyone else who was
going to lend you tens of thousands of dollars?
Probably not. So the taxpayers lent you the money
and you paid it back with slight interest. The
government grants you accepted were gifts from
the taxpayer and the federal government that
you did not have to pay back. Socialism got you
through school.
8. Bridges
Along with our highways, our government uses
your taxpayer dollars to build bridges. This allows
the public to travel across rivers without having to
sail or swim.
9. Garbage Collection
Do you like having your garbage collected once a
week instead of having to drive it to the landfill
yourself? Thank socialism.
10. Public Landfills
Taxpayer dollars are used to have places to dump
all of our garbage that is collected by taxpayer
funded garbage men.
11. War
That's right! War would not be possible without
socialism. Your tax dollars are used to fight wars
for your country. This is Big Government at it's
biggest. Private companies don't attack other
countries, at least not yet. Government is the only
entity in America that can defend us from foreign
enemies and our tax dollars are used for every
second of it. Socialism has brought down Adolf
Hitler, Saddam Hussein, and Bin Laden. War may
very well be the most socialist thing on this list.

12. Farm Subsidies

Our government uses taxpayer funds to pay
farmers and businesses to provide their income
and keep them growing food for the public.
13. CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency is vital to America's security. The CIA is completely taxpayer
funded to protect the public from enemies.
14. FBI
The Federal bureau of investigations is a taxpayer
funded government agency.
15. Congressional Health Care
As Republicans in congress warn us of the evils of
government-run health care, most are covered by
taxpayer-funded, government-run, health care.
You literally pay for their health care while they
tell you that paying for your neighbors health care
through a public option or single-payer system is
socialism. They are 100% correct, it is socialism.
They're just not telling you that they like their
socialist health care, they just don't think you
should have it. They are afraid you might like it
better than the private insurance you have now
that funds their campaigns and gives them money to push what is best for them and not for you.
Members of congress are free to opt out of their
evil government health care, but most of them
don't because deep down, they like socialism too.
16.Polio Vaccine
In the 1950s polio ravaged the United States. Until
Dr. Jonas Salk invented a cure, finally ridding
America of this terrible disease. Dr. Salk could
have sold his vaccine in the free market and made
millions and millions of dollars. Instead, he gave
it to the federal government to begin eradicating
polio. He said that he made plenty of money as a
scientist and felt it was too important to try and
profit from or create a business around.
17.EPA
Republicans hate this taxpayer-funded government
program because the program has the nerve to
tell corporations that they may have to follow
environmental rules and regulations for the greater
good of the earth and the people who live on it. But
if you dont like breathing mercury, drinking dirty
water, and breathing in chemicals, you should like
this example of socialism working for the people.

18.Social Security
You pay a tax to help ensure that our grandparents
and senior citizens of America have money to live off
of when they are retired or too elderly to work. I love
hearing rich people bitch about this one because the
truth is that they do not pay a social security tax,
like most payroll taxes. This little piece of socialism
helps prevent our senior citizens from sinking into
poverty and starving to death.
19.Museums
Many museums are privately owned by
organizations and groups, but many are also
taxpayerfunded state, national, and federal
museums.
20.Public Schools
Cant afford to send your children to an expensive
private school? Thanks to socialism and
government, you child can still get an education.
Public education has been under attack for decades
in this country by the radical right because public
schools dont teach Christianity to your children
and it enables people like Barack Obama to work
hard, gain scholarships, and eventually become
President of the United States.
21.Jail/Prison System
Many murderers and criminals are behind bars
right now and not out on the streets because of
our taxpayer-funded federal and state run jails
and prisons. Taxpayer money is collected and
used to help protect all of society from murderers,
molesters, rapists, etc. I know theres a lot of
disagreement and controversy about how to
handle our prison system, but I think we can all
agree that serial killers should not be freed into
society. There are also many private prisons in
the United States. However, they have a higher
escape rate than their socialist counterpart.
Besides, dont you see the bad incentives in
having a private prison system that profits from
having people in prison? Since a business top
goal is to make more money than the year before,
the only feasible agenda would be to get everyone
in prison.
22.Corporate/Business Subsidies
This is the type of socialism that is acceptable in
the Republican party. Your tax dollars are given to
big corporations to do things they should be doing
anyway out of morals and ethics. Like not sending
jobs overseas and hiring people. Wouldnt you
like a nice big check just for not breaking the

law? To be fair though, many businesses do earn

their subsidies by advancing green technology
and practice, donating to charity, helping
communities, etc. They arent all bad. People
just get mad when big billionaire oil companies
get billions of their taxpayer dollars while theyre
paying $4 at the pump. For the corporations that
dont earn their subsidies other than donating to
their very own political party, its merely welfare.
Though however you look at it, it is socialism.
23.Veterans (VA) Health Care
Our soldiers bravely go to foreign countries and
risk their lives at the request of their government
and the American people. For those who survive,
we as a country feel committed and obligated to
ensure that they have everything they need for the
rest of their lives for their service to us that we
could never fully repay. So we the taxpayers fund
their health care in a governmentrun, single
payer system for veterans. Many soldiers return
with mental and/or physical health issues that
would cost them thousands in a private health
care plan. Socialism funds the military, the overall
war, and also takes care of our troops when they
return home.
24.Public Parks
Like going to the park on a sunny day? Just being
able to walk right in, or at the worst pay a small
fee? This is once again the work of socialism. If
it were private, it wouldnt be a park, it would be
someones back yard. That small or non-existent
fee will turn into a $15 fee faster than you can say
No Trespassing.
25.All Elected Government Officials
From the Supreme Court, to the President of the
United States and all the way down to the County
Dog Catcher, taxpayers pay their salary and
provide the funding for them to do their job. We
pay for every aspect of their job. So in a sense, I
guess you could say our whole country is run on
socialism.
26.Food Stamps
Republicans fill with bitter contempt knowing that
our government at the expense of the taxpayer
is giving poor people money to buy food they
couldnt otherwise afford. This, like welfare, is
what the right thinks socialism is all about, along
with mass murder. However, just like corporate
welfare, welfare is socialism. Ill just end this one
with a quick story. I have been down and out in

periods of my life and sought assistance via food

stamps. Even though I was what anyone would
consider poor, I was not poor enough to get food
stamps. Which means people who do get food
stamps, must really, really need them. As far as
my personal experience, they werent thrown
around like candy the way the right would have
you believe.
27.Sewer System
Do you like having a sewer system to remove waste
and prevent pollution and disease from seeping
into our environment? Thank the taxpayers of
America and the socialist system it operates in.
28.Medicare
Medicare is one of the most liked socialist
programs in America. Most of us dont mind
paying taxes to provide our senior citizens with
health care and we hope the next generation
will do the same for us. If you dont believe me,
just look at almost any poll. Most seniors would
not be able to afford private health care. So this
form of socialism is a life saver for this nations
grandparents and senior citizens.
29.Court System
Whether its the murder trial of the century or
a case in a small claims court, the taxpayers of
America fully fund our courts and legal process.
You may pay for your own lawyer, but the
courtroom, judge, and jury is paid for through
socialist means.
30.Bird Flu Vaccine
You dont have bird flu right now and probably
arent worried about it because our federal
government used taxpayer funds to pump vaccines
all over America.
31. G.I. Bill
The G.I. bill allows veterans to pursue an
education by using taxpayer dollars to help them
pay for most of their schooling. It also helps them
with loans, savings, and unemployment benefits.
32. Hoover Dam
Remember when our country used to build
things? Our government built the Hoover Dam
using taxpayer funds. It is now a vital source of
power for the west coast.

33. State/City Zoos

American families have been going to the zoo
for generations. A place where kids and adults
can have fun seeing creatures and animals from
all over the world and learn at the same time.
Many zoos are run by the state and/or city, using
taxpayer funds to operate and even bring the
animals to the zoo.
34. IRS
I know, the IRS is about as popular and well liked
in America as a hemorrhoid, but think about it.
The IRS is the reason that we have anything.
The IRS collects taxpayer funds for the federal
government. The government then dispenses
these funds to our military, states, and social
programs. If there is no one collecting taxes,
no one will pay them. If no one pays taxes, our
country shuts down. Without money to operate,
nothing operates. This may sound like a good
thing to some radical Republicans, but for those
of us with sense, we know this means anarchy in
the USA. The IRS gets a bad rap because if you
dont pay your taxes or owe them money, they
can be ruthless. Like everything else, the IRS is
not perfect, but without them we literally have no
country or no means to run it.
35. Free Lunch Program
Some children are living in poverty by no fault of
their own. Im not saying it is even their parents
fault, but you surely cannot blame a child for the
situation they are born into. In most if not all
states, there are programs where children who
live in poor households can receive school lunch
for free. The taxpayers of the state pay for this.
Sounds like socialism to me, and also the moral
and Christian thing to do.
36. The Pentagon
Our defense system in America is a socialist
system from top to bottom. We, as taxpayers,
fund the pentagon completely.
37. Medicaid
Our government uses taxpayer funds to provide
health care for low-income people. Republicans,
the compassionate Christians that they are,
absolutely hate this program. What they fail to
understand is that when people cant afford to pay
their outrageous medical bills, they dont. This bill
does not disappear. The loss that the insurance
company, doctors office, or hospital takes gets

passed down to everyone else. So covering people

and giving them a low-income option reduces
costs for them and everyone else. This is the main
argument behind a health care mandate. Its not
to force you to buy health care out of cruelty. If
everyone is covered, costs drop for everyone. If
you have no compassion for the uninsured, you
can at least understand the rationale in a selfish
sense.
38. FDA
The Food and Drug Administration is far from
perfect. It is infested with corporate corruption
and they have been wrong many, many times.
Countless times they have approved things
that they later have to apologize for and have
banned things that would have helped people.
However, they have also stopped many harmful
foods and products from being sold to the public
and protect us every day from poisons being
disguised as products. While not perfect, they are
needed to prevent harmful food and drugs from
being sold to you and you family. Without them,
corporations can send whatever they want to
your supermarkets and drug stores without any
testing or evaluation. I dont mind my taxes going
towards a middle man to inspect the safety of the
products we are being sold everyday.
39. Health Care for 9/11 Rescue Workers
After beating back GOP obstruction, Democrats
finally passed a bill last year to allow government
to help 9/11 rescue workers with their health care
after many came down with horrible lung diseases
from the toxins they breathed in rescuing people
from smoldering buildings. These brave citizens
risked their lives and health to help complete
strangers. They deserve more, but covering their
health care is a good start.
40. Swine Flu Vaccine
Do you have swine flu right now? Then thank
government and the socialist structure.
41. Disability Insurance (SSDI)
For those who are disabled and cannot work, our
government provides an income for them via
taxpayer dollars as opposed to the other option of
letting them starve to death.

42. Town/State Run Beaches

Like going to the beach? Like it when the beach is
clean and safe? Like having lifeguards on staff in
case of an emergency? Then once again, thank the
taxpayers and the socialist structure that makes it
all possible.

48. State Snow Removal

Even though sometimes it may take them longer
than you like to get to your street, do you like
having snow plow service to clear our roads and
highways in the winter? This is a state socialist
taxpayer-funded service.

43. Corporate Bailouts/Welfare

The whole point of this post is to prove that we
ALL use, benefit from, and like socialism. This
example is a form of socialism that the republicans
not only like, but fight tooth and nail for. They
dont like it when socialism is used for working/
poor people, but when its for millionaires and
their corporate donors, socialism becomes as
American as apple pie. The middle/working
class who are the majority of taxpayers pay for
welfare for corporations and people who have
more money than all of us combined. When our
government bails out a bank or gives a subsidy to
a billion dollar corporation, you are paying for it.

49. PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)

PBS operates on donations and government
funding. The provide non-partisan news and
information to the public. They are the home of
Sesame Street, Masterpiece Theater, and The
Antiques Roadshow. Surveys show that they are
literally the most trusted name in news. I wonder
how Fox feels about that?

44. State Construction

Ever see those construction workers in your town
fixing potholes, erecting buildings, repaving
highways and roads, and fixing things all over
town? They themselves and the work they do is
taxpayer-funded state socialism.
45. Unemployment Insurance
All your working life, you pay payroll taxes.
Some of these taxes go toward a program that
temporarily provides for people who lost their
jobs until they can find another one. You pay
for others, others pay for you. Especially these
days, you never know when you might lose your
job. You may need temporary assistance until you
get back on your feet. The government recognizes
this. UI also keeps the economy moving in times of
recession because people still have some money in
their pockets to buy goods and promote demand.
46. City/Metro Buses
If you lack transportation, you can catch a city
bus. Taxpayer funds and the fee you pay to take
the bus make it possible for millions of people to
go to work.
47. WIC
WIC is a federally funded program to assist
women, infants, and children. WIC helps lowincome families by providing funding for
nutrition, education, and health care for children.

50. Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC)
The CDC helps promote and enact the health and
safety of the public along with helping to prevent
and control illness and disease. The CDC is a
government program that operates on taxpayer
funding.
51. Welfare
Is there anything the republicans hate more? Of
course I'm talking about the welfare that goes to
poor people. Corporate welfare is not only accepted
in the republican Kabul, but it's mandatory that
we give our tax dollars to billionaires and not
question the logic of it. Though if you look at it
realistically and not through the red scare glasses
in which the right sees the world, welfare helps
the economy. As I've said many times, when
poor people have money in their pocket, they buy
things made and sold by companies. This creates
a demand. To keep up with demand, businesses
must hire to keep up. If you yanked everyone
who is on welfare off of it tomorrow, the economy
would take a blow and lose jobs due to the down
tick in consumer demand because we just took
what little money they had away.
52. Public Street Lighting
Like being able to see at night when you walk or
drive? Thank Socialism.

53. FEMA
If Disaster strikes, FEMA is there to help pick up
the pieces. As a part of homeland security and
an agency of the federal government, they use
taxpayer dollars to help cities, states, and towns
recover and rebuild. I don't know to many private
companies that could assist in disaster relief and
ask nothing in return. Thank God for socialism.

61. The United States Department of

Agriculture (USDA)
The USDA enforces regulations on the farming,
agriculture, and food industries to ensure food
safety, natural resources, and hunger worldwide
and in the United States. Your tax dollars are used
to help keep what you are eating safe and even
feed those who are not eating.

54. Public Defenders

Ever been in trouble and couldn't afford a lawyer?
Well the taxpayers and the government make sure
you still get representation.

62. Government Scholarships

If you work hard in school and show true potential,
our government will give you a scholarship towards
college so you can advance your education. Your
tax dollars have been used to send future doctors,
lawyers, scientists, and even presidents of the
United States to college.

55. S-CHIP (State Children's Health

Insurance Program)
S-CHIP is a program that matches funds to states
for health insurance for children in families that
cannot afford insurance but make too much to
qualify for Medicaid. Your tax dollars go towards
covering uninsured children, is that so wrong?
56. Amtrak
Amtrak transports tens of millions of passengers a
year in 46 states and three Canadian Providences.
It is owned by the federal government and your
tax dollars are used to fund it. All aboard!!
57. NPR
National Public Radio operates on private and
federal funding along with public donations. NPR
has been one of the most trusted news sources in
America for over 40 years.
58. The Department of Homeland Security
Created after the terrorist attacks on 9/11, this
heavily federally funded department of the U.S.
government helps protect us from future terrorist
attacks. This is the third largest department
within the United States government.
59. OSHA
Do you have a safe and healthy workplace that
provides training, outreach, education, and
assistance? Thank OSHA! Brought to you by the
taxpayers of America and socialism.
60. State and National Monuments
The Lincoln Memorial. Mount Rushmore. The
D.C. National Mall. All brought to you and
maintained with your tax dollars. Socialism is
patriotic?

63. Department of Health and Human Service

The overall goal of HHS is to promote, implement,
and ensure the health of the American people.
Your tax dollars are used to do this. Government
looking out for the well being of it's people,
imagine that!
64. Census Bureau
Every ten years, our government collects data
about our people and economy, to better serve
and represent us. From the forms that are sent to
your home for you to fill out and send back in and
to the census worker who shows up and kindly
asks you to fill out the form if you don't send it
in, all taxpayer funded socialism. The information
collected is used to better understand the
economic situation and population in your area.
Not to enslave you in a FEMA camp.
65. Department of Energy
This taxpayer funded cabinet of the federal
government oversees nuclear weapons, nuclear
reactors, energy conservation, radioactive waste
disposal, and energy production. To those of you
who care about our environment and would rather
not witness a nuclear holocaust might consider
this money well spent.
66. Customs and Border Protection
The CBP is the largest law enforcement agency in
America. This is big government that republicans
actually do like because they don't like Mexicans
immigrating to our country like our ancestors did.
However, this taxpayer funded, socialist agency of
the federal government regulates trade, imports,
and immigration.

67. Department of Education

This cabinet of the federal government is actually
the smallest. They administer and oversee federal
assistance to education. They also collect data and
enforce federal laws and regulations involving
education. Even though the right thinks that
this department is indoctrinating your children,
they actually have no control over curriculum or
standards.
68. Secret Service
Your tax dollars are used to provide highly-trained,
skilled professional bodyguards to protect the
President of the United States.
69. Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the
government that helps people outside of the US to
understand our culture as well as helping us learn
about other cultures. However they are more well
known for their work with economic and social
development in less-fortunate countries. Sounds
very Christian for being a socialist program, huh?
70. Department of Justice
The DOJ is responsible for enforcing the law.
Socialism keeps our civilization intact.
71. National Weather Service
Like knowing when a storm, tornado, earthquake,
or snow is coming? Socialism makes this possible
and available to everyone.
72. The White House
Our taxpayer dollars through a socialist means
pays for the house that the president and his
family live in during a presidents time in office.
73. Government
Like it or not, our country would not be a
country without a government. Every single day,
government on state and local levels serve us in
ways we simply take for granted. Government as
an entity operates and functions on our tax dollars
through a socialist structured funding system.
From the military down to the county dog catcher,
socialism turns the wheels that make our society
function.

74. Law
Laws and rules make our democracy possible.
Remove these laws and you have sheer anarchy.
Laws do not appear out of thin air. To have
law, you need a government. You need elected
lawmakers to make the laws and a government
to implement and enforce them. Socialism is
responsible for every law in this country. Without
our government and lawmakers which exist
thanks to socialism, there would be no laws. So the
laws themselves, are enforced and implemented
thanks to socialism.
75. Civilization
As an American citizen, you enjoy freedoms that
many in other countries do not. Like anything
else in this world, our government is not perfect,
but you should be thankful everyday that your
country has a government that feels an obligation
to serve the people and protect their rights and
freedoms. This is completely possible because
of government, taxes, and socialism. Do you
think the private sector would do a better job of
governing our country? Do you think corporations
would enact laws to help protect and serve you