Socialism is not form of government

This is in response to the letter to the editor in the Nov. 9 Daily Herald by Karen Swanson ("Obama voters have done the country in").

She believes President-Elect Obama's future administration will result in the United States becoming a socialist country.

She apparently confuses socialism (an economic system) with democracy (a political system). The two are not mutually exclusive.

Socialism is government control or intervention in the private sector in order to influence a social or economic outcome.

We already have socialist programs in the U.S.A. in the form of corporate bailouts, subsidies, and tax breaks. Is Ms. Swanson willing to relinquish her right to Medicare and Social Security, both of which are socialist programs?

The Scandinavian countries are all socialist democracies (emphasis on democracy) and in many measurements are happier and better off than we are.

Michael D. Lee

Wheeling