The recent editorial page column “Young people ignorant of history” is another example of using scare tactics to confuse social programs with socialism and communism.

This has become a constant theme with Republicans who want people to believe that these programs are anti-American.

The author provides a list of the most ‘economically free’ countries as examples to follow. Yet Democrats are only proposing social programs that are already enjoyed by the other countries on that list.

For example, Hong Kong provides free public health care (along with most other major nations). Singapore has government-paid maternity leave, Ireland has free university education and New Zealand provides subsidized childcare for working families.

These “socialist” countries also rank much higher in ratings of happiness and life expectancy than the U.S. while still ranking highest in economic freedom.

Perhaps one reason for this is that they have the freedom to change jobs or start their own businesses without fear of losing health care benefits or the freedom to attend college without going into debt for the rest of their lives.

The Republican Party doesn’t want you to have these economic freedoms that other countries enjoy. While they pretend that they are standing up for the working man, they are in reality only serving their billionaire donors like the Koch brothers. Remember, if someone is telling you that social programs like Medicare are the same as communism, they don’t have your interests at heart.

Catherine Lalonde, Harmony