Letter: American socialism affirms equality, compassion and opportunity for all

American socialism affirms equality, compassion and opportunity for all

Seven American presidents were socialists, sometimes labeled “progressives.” The opposite of communists and fascists, each is among our greatest presidents:

▪  John Quincy Adams, first abolitionist president; opposed runaway-slave laws violating the Bible, Deuteronomy 23:15-16.

▪  Abraham Lincoln’s most famous executive order was The Emancipation Proclamation.

▪  Teddy Roosevelt, “the trust-buster,” invented our public national parks. He divided monopoly corporations, including Carnegie, which were guilty of enslaving and killing immigrants.

▪  Franklin Roosevelt reduced the Great Depression’s 25 percent unemployment rate, blocked Wall Street’s corruption, created infrastructure jobs including Grand Coulee Dam, and created Social Security, workers’ compensation, and other New Deal programs. He described socialism as, “Everybody benefits when everybody benefits.”

▪  Harry Truman racially integrated the military and invented veterans’ free college education, including cost-of-living stipends. Graduates’ increased earnings and abilities reimbursed the government, 7:1.

▪  Lyndon Johnson created Medicare, Medicaid and Head Start; strengthened civil rights and minority voting rights.

▪  After Jimmy Carter’s term in office, he spent several decades in Third World countries, promoting honest elections.

American socialism affirms equality, compassion and opportunity for all.

This story was originally published June 14, 2016 at 3:44 AM with the headline "Letter: American socialism affirms equality, compassion and opportunity for all."