Then you are totally mistaken about it, Thorne, and yes, it's a simplisitic view. I'm not necessarily surprised that you oppose socialism, but I expected you to have a better reason for doing so.

Anyone interested in gettting a free ride will get one, whatever economic or political system he's living in. Usually, he will do it by breaking the law. Here, in UK, he will claim benefits he's not entitled to. That's an illegal act: it's fraud, and there are penalties for those who commit it. I expect that it's illegal in the USA to make use of the government sponsored aid programmes if you don't qualify for them, too.

But, in reality, the number of people getting free rides is very low, despite what agitators with vested interests say.

I believe you know enough about socialism to realise that your brief synopsis is overstated. Socialism isn't about giving anyone free rides. It expects everyone to work hard to earn their living and pay taxes. Then it expects the government to provide the necessary support and services to keep the workers happy and helthy. That includes, for example, schools, health care services, pensions, family benefits and so on, including specific help for special needs (such as preteen mothers).

I'm sure you are aware that there are more people in USA who cannot afford medical insurance, for example, than there are who do not deserve to be given medical treatment. I hope you realise that, if it were left to voluntary donations and charitable organisations, that there would be even less provision for the needy in your country than there is already.

What I really think you and your compatriots object to (and forgive me for putting words in your mouth - especially if I am wrong) is being made to contribute to a government aid programme that you are not able to participate in or benefit from. I would object to paying my taxes to support the NHS if I wasn't going to benefit from it. But I have.

I do not consider myself to be one of the freeloaders you describe, but I was brought into the world under the NHS. I've been treated for various minor ailments under it, and have had life-long treatment for poor vision. More recently I have received life-saving treatment under it, and am being treated for another life-long condition. My wife has benefitted similarly, and as a child, she received cutting-edge eye surgery, and, again more recently she received surgery and treatment for a life-threatening disease. We did not have to concern ourselves how we would pay for this treatment. It was already paid for out of taxes. We had no fear of bankruptcy, nor did we have to worry about being refused insurance cover in future, or our premiums being loaded so much as to make them unaffordable.

I was educated under the state system. My wife received a private education: her parents chose to pay for it in addition to paying taxes. We have that freedom.

We can choose to pay for private medical treatment too, if we wish.

I have been unemployed. With a wife and two children to support and a hefty mortgage to serivce, unemployment is a major worry. (In case you don't know it, the cost of a small house in the UK would buy a luxury home with a swimming pool in USA: mortgages are very heavy burdens here). Unemployment benefits do not go anywhere near meeting the cost of living, let alone cover a mortgage - which is excluded from the calculation of entitlements anyway -but at least it helps.

If I had a 12 year-old daughter, and she got herself pregnant, she probably would not be able to get any benefits from the state, because she would be able to rely on me. But if (say) she had run away from home and had no-one to support her, then it is right that the state should give her everything she needs. How would you feel if it was beyond your reach to help your daughter, and no-one else bothered to help her either, even though they could?

Socialism, as it is practiced in Europe at least, is a very humane system of government, and one I would recommend as significantly (I nearly said infinitely) superior to the American system any time.

Of course, we don't have as much disposable income, because of the taxes we pay, and what we pay for is heavily taxed too, but we do have greater peace of mind and a less "beggar-my-neighbour" attitude.