We don’t have capitalism. We don’t have socialism. Neither can exist in a healthy long term way without regulation as both are prone to excess.

We don’t have a truly free market. If we did, things would be more as you suggest, but it would also be much more chaotic with increasing and more pronounced levels of boom and bust.

Personally, I like the Nordic model. It’s a blend of the two. I think we would do much better with something akin to that.

We have had very successful social programs in the past. Frankly, with so many people suffering, it’s time for more.

Social Security did not turn us into a socialist nation. Neither did the TVA, the Interstate system, Medicare, the National Park Service, the Wi-Fi grid, etc. I gotta admit, I don’t get the far right hysteria on this.

We are going to need a massive public program to pull us out of this mess. The previous Great Depression lasted a decade with no end in sight until the New Deal started to turn things around.