Democratic Socialism Isn’t as Rosy as You Think

To the editor:

Mr. Balch’s letter in the May 29 FCR concerning democratic socialism was very compelling. Unfortunately, it didn’t tell the whole story. The purpose of his letter appears to be an attempt to “blow sunshine up everyone’s backside” about not only the countries he mentioned but his comments about democratic socialism, social security, and Medicare. The definition of democratic socialism is a leftwing political philosophy that advocates for a socially owned economy where the means of production are controlled by the workers—alongside a decentralized, multi-party-political democracy. It seeks to dismantle capitalism, which it views as fundamentally exploitative, in favor of a classless, egalitarian society. Make no mistake, the Democratic Party has been moving toward socialism for years.

Before I present the “other side of the story, I’d like to share my history and why my view of America and the world is vastly different than most people’s. I am not bragging; I am thankful and have been blessed to see and experience things that most people never get to.

Before I was sixteen, I had already lived in three states, lived in Germany, and traveled to Canada. Over my lifetime, I’ve visited every state in this great country, except for the Dakotas, Alaska, and Hawaii. I have traveled multiple times to Mexico, the Virgin Islands, many European countries, and the African continent. I’ve seen how people live and what governments look like for the people who live in those countries. I have met thousands of people; experienced multiple cultures, languages, food, and seen some of the most extraordinary architecture in some of the most beautiful cities and countries on this planet. I can say without a doubt that America is, by far, the best country this planet has ever seen. I can also say that most Americans have no idea just how blessed they are to live in this country.

I have no idea what Mr. Balch’s background is or what his life experiences have been. His comment about other countries that “… are thriving democracies with private businesses, free markets, civil liberties, and some of the highest standards of living and happiest populations in the world” indicate he probably has not lived in or visited other countries very much or at all. That comment sounds like a cheesy travel brochure advertisement; it’s not reality.

Let’s start with Social Security and Medicare. Social Security was never meant to be a standalone retirement plan, but rather a foundational safety net designed to prevent destitution in old age. It was intended to serve as a base layer of protection, supplemented by personal savings, private pensions, and investments. Medicare was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 30, 1965. Originally designed to provide hospital and medical insurance forAmericans 65 and older. It has since ballooned into another expensive federal program covering people it was never supposed to cover.

Only about 46 percent of the U.S. population pays directly into Social Security or Medicare through wage taxes. This is largely because only a portion of the population is in the active workforce; those who do not work—such as children, retirees, and the stay-at-home population do not pay these payroll taxes. In addition, according to the Tax Policy Center, approximately 40 percent of households have no federal individual income tax liability. Guess who shoulders the burden of income tax. The federal income tax burden is heavily skewed toward high earners. The top 50 percent of earners contribute over 97 percent of all federal income taxes, with the top one percent alone paying over 40 percent of the total.

Now to the downside of Mr. Balch’s idyllic opinions of other countries mentioned as “successful democratic nations like Denmark, Norway, Canada, and United Kingdom, and others.” As of 2026, the populations of these countries were: Canada-approximately 41.5 million, United Kingdom-about 69.9 million, Denmark-approximately 6 million, and Norway-roughly 5.6 million people: a far cry from the current population of the United States at approximately 342.6 million. All four countries have similar government programs that include healthcare, education parental leave, childcare, and income protection.

Canada - the primary downsides of living in Canada vs. the U.S. include a significantly higher cost of living (particularly housing in major cities), substantially lower average salaries for skilled professions, higher income taxes, and longer wait times for specialized healthcare. The reliance on a publicly funded medical system has led to severe bottlenecks. Wait times for elective procedures or specialist appointments can stretch up to 30 weeks, costing patients billions in lost wages and productivity. Underfunded Infrastructure: demand frequently outpaces resource allocation, causing intermittent emergency room closures and leaving over six million Canadians without a permanent family doctor. Federal-Provincial Friction: shared jurisdiction often results in bureaucratic inefficiencies and funding disputes between federal and provincial governments.

Denmark & Norway - Living in Denmark and Norway offers unparalleled social safety nets and work-life balance. However, the primary downsides vs the U.S. are significantly higher taxes and costs of living. Some specifics. Heavy Tax Burden: funding generous universal benefits requires very high income and consumption taxes (e.g., up to 50 percent marginal tax rates and 25 percent value added tax), which can limit disposable income. Aging Demographics: the fiscal viability of these models is threatened by an increasing dependency ratio (more retirees putting pressure on pensions and public healthcare.) Labor Market Disincentives: high progressive taxes and generous out-of-work benefits can disincentivize workforce participation and reduce wage flexibility.

The primary downsides of living in the UK vs. the U.S. include significantly lower salaries, smaller and older housing, healthcare issues, and higher taxation. Example: the NHS Crisis. The National Health Service (NHS) is plagued by chronic underfunding, severe staffing shortages, and a “corridor care” crisis where patients face unacceptable delays and sometimes days waiting in emergency hallways. Industrial Action: labor disputes and frequent strikes by doctors and healthcare staff have disrupted planned surgeries and added severe strain to the healthcare budget. Welfare Reform & Benefit Caps: extensive meanstested benefit systems (such as the Universal Credit system) are highly bureaucratic, sometimes leading to payment delays and increased difficulties for vulnerable individuals navigating the system.

These countries each have less than 70 million people and have significant issues with government controlling everything. For America, it would be catastrophic and we are already well aware of how inefficient and ineffective the U.S. government can be.

We may have our challenges in America, but we are the greatest free nation in the history of this planet.As Margaret Thatcher famously said, “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.” She argued that socialist governments routinely create financial crises because their wealth redistribution programs are unsustainable without continuous taxation and capital from the productive sectors of society. Socialism has never worked… ever. There’s an old saying, “you can vote yourself into socialism, but you’ll have to shoot your way out.”

Lastly, no one has to live in America if they don’t love it. Everyone is free to renounce their citizenship and move to any country that has the “happiest populations in the world.”