Editor,

It’s easy to get caught up in the propaganda percolating across America. It’s also important to correct misnomers as espoused by Ed Hickey in his letter to the editor, “Trump’s achievements deserve recognition, praise.”

First, I’d like to address his fear and misunderstanding of socialism. Perhaps because socialism is the product of Karl Marx, it generates trepidation.

However, it’s simply a system in which the production and distribution of goods and services is a shared responsibility of a group. It focuses on public versus privately owned properties and organizations.

In other words, socialism is public highways and roads, municipal buildings, most K-12 schools and many higher education institutions, courts and prisons, Navy, Army, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, and services and regulatory bodies like police, fire, 911, FDA, EPA, FAA, TSA, FDIC, Army Corp of Engineers, Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security, SNAP and much, much more.

Socialism in America is what makes everyday life tolerable. Can you imagine not knowing whether the food you eat is safe? Having to pay tolls to drive on roads?

Pay hundreds of dollars every month – like you do when you put your child in day care – in order to send them to school for 12 years?

What if banks and lending institutions weren’t federally regulated and a loan to purchase a house came with 25 percent interest?

If you think climate change is out-of-control, consider the quality of the land, air, and water if the EPA didn’t exist and companies could do whatever they wanted?

The alternative – capitalism – is what’s responsible for low wages, inadequate benefits, over-priced prescription drugs, unaffordable health care, unstable financial instruments, i.e. sub-prime loans, and the growing gig economy where working three jobs barely covers basic necessities.

It’s not that Democrats hate Trump. They cringe at his 10,000 lies, lack of scruples, incitement of racism and bigotry and, most of all, his belief that his policies are helping the average American obtain an education, secure higher paying jobs, afford healthcare and housing, and save for the future.

The lauded 3.2 percent growth of the economy is the continuation of President Obama’s policies. It’s also tied to the economic growth of the technology sector spurred by the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, artificial intelligence, automation, and rising energy prices.

Indeed 2020 will be a decisive year. Voters need to become educated on the issues and understand the role of government on a local, state and federal level.

Here’s a hint: reducing government spending by privatizing public institutions doesn’t make the supplied services better or more affordable; it just benefits the handful of people at the top.

Julie Lary

Coupeville