As we approach the midterms, it has become clear that democratic socialism is on the rise in the United States. In an article published by The Hill, Political commentator Bill O’Reilly said Monday that the rise of socialism in the US stems from a growing culture of entitlement, blaming social media for shaping younger generations’ perceptions of the country. While there might be some truth to that, the idea that a bunch of lazy, entitled, spoiled brats are just looking for free stuff is surely a juvenile and misguided assessment of a serious situation. Before Mr. O’Reilly condemns younger Americans as Marx-worshipping radicals intent on bringing communism to our shores, as a member of the Boomer generation, he should understand that today’s economic landscape bears little resemblance to the one that allowed him to attend Harvard and buy a mansion in the Hamptons.

While Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than they did in 1973, it is not enough to offset the dramatic rise in the cost of homeownership and a college education. Compared to 1975, the average home price is about 1,045% higher in 2026, and the cost of a four-year public college degree is about 177% higher. Most of my conservative friends have no sympathy whatsoever, and their views align with Mr. O’ Reilly. In this blog, I will save the housing crisis for later. Because I believe the road to democratic socialism runs through conservative inaction, I want to talk about what I feel are America’s two greatest problems: the inability of Americans to obtain a college education and, most pressing of all, the lack of access to healthcare for America’s citizens. I am a Republican, and try as I might, I can’t think of anything Republicans have done to remedy this situation other than make healthcare harder for most Americans to attain. Repealing and replacing Obamacare has been the mantra for decades, but the focus has been only on repeal, with no viable replacement plan.

The progressive democrats have suggested free healthcare and education........

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