It is no secret to anyone watching the news that a key GOP strategy in 2020 will be to blow the socialism dog whistle loud and often, and Rep. Chris Stewart's recent commentary in The Tribune is a perfect example of that strategy.
The U.S. economy, as are most developed economies, is what is known as a hybrid economy, in that it blends both capitalism and socialism. The only difference between them is how much of a blend is at work in each. One would not want to live in pure unregulated capitalism any more than one would want to live in pure socialism.
One cannot call "Medicare for all" socialism without, by definition, also inferring that Medicare itself is socialism. I would encourage Stewart to ask for a raise of hands at his next town hall
for those currently on (or hoping to someday be on) Social Security and/or Medicare, and then ask them how they would like to see those "socialistic" programs eliminated. I'd love to see the response.
Stewart cannot see the economic forest, because he is fixated on a specific tree, the tree of socialism. Perhaps he should return to school and actually study some economics this time.
David Child, St. George
