I am all for helping my neighbor, but it isn't like I can check a box that says I would prefer to put money into schools vs. welfare. So in a way, I am forced to pay for social programs that I might not necessarily agree with.
Lacey, if the above is your definition of socialism, and if it is shared by all the others throwing out the word socialism in association with the US, then that explains why I keep seeing people talking about the US being socialist, or Obama being socialist, or the US turining towards socialism, when nothing could be further from the truth.
To simplify a much more complex issue, socialism refers to state ownership and control of the means of production and distribution of goods, and a society characterized by equality for all individuals, with an egalitarian method of compensation. That is NOT the US. Obama does NOT stand for that. I would wager than almost none of our elected officials stand for that, with a few very limited exceptions. Those "social programs" that exist here are not socialism.
For reference on the definiton of socialism, and that of capitalism, see:
Socialism and Capitalism
Socialism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Capitalism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Personally, I would prefer that we not muddy the waters around the issue that we all share and care about here - the continued lawful availablity of ecigs here in the US and in other countries around the world - with discussions about politics that truly have nothing to do with our issue, and that are spreading misunderstanding and misinformation as well.