In politics certain words are used to frighten people. "Socialism" is one of them.... used frequently by conservative pundits to evoke the horrors of the Russian Revolution, gulags full of political prisoners, mass starvation, vast bureaucracies, deprivation, and economic stagnation, etc. The American public has been successfully indoctrinated. But, as Bernie tries to tell everyone, many of the popular characteristics of our modern state are socialist. They are meant for the benefit of all people. Social security is the obvious one, Medicare another, environmental protection - in fact, any government expenditure meant for the general welfare of society is socialist in character. Republicans have no qualms subsidizing rich people with tax breaks ...particularly for their mortgages. It seems a given that if you are rich either from inheritance or hard work, more will be given to you. If you are poor we will try to take whatever you've got. Perhaps Bernie has the right idea for the time. He wants a "fair" society. The inequities between rich and poor undermine that sense of fairness. We believe in equal opportunity. Perhaps socialism is the answer to redress that balance?