>>http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/27/opinions/dreier-democratic-socialism/

Good citation, thanks. A couple of excerpts leapt out at me: e.g. the truth that few Americans dare to consider themselves socialist but the majority nevertheless prefers socialist ideology with an overwhelming majority disapproving of capitalist excess. I was most impressed by the stat that 80% of Democrats and half of the overall public support single-payer Medicare for all.

It's increasingly evident that opponents of change are systematically demonizing words like "liberal" and "socialist" to avoid the rigors of intelligent debate. But as the article observes:

...in the midst of the Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt persuaded Congress to enact Social Security. Even then, some critics denounced it as un-American. But today, most Americans, even conservatives, believe that Social Security is a good idea. What had once seemed radical has become common sense.

Amen. Bring on the common sense.