Any government run public program can be characterized as being socialized, but a limited, or localized, program is not the same as socialism, as Mr. Donahue seems to suggest in his letter to the editor (‘Socialized’ Healthcare Works, Connection, October 17-23, 2018). Under a government of socialism, an entire public program, such as single payer health care, is national in scope and a monopoly with no checks or incentives to keep it honest, efficient, and competitive. One need only look at Venezuela and all the socialist experiments that came before to appreciate socialism’s effect on the economic sector and the people living under such a system. It has always been the people, not the governments that have been hurt under socialism. It is this that Republicans reject, not the scope-limited government programs that help our citizens. Mr. Donahue himself needs to revisit the definition of socialism. While he’s at it, he might want to review his candidate, Jennifer Wexton’s “results.” None of her bills have been signed into law.

Marty P. Smith

McLean