To the Journal editor:

President Biden’s critics complain that his administration is veering toward “socialism,” the scare word used by those who opposed Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, the Affordable Care Act and other legislation enacted to help ordinary Americans.

Biden’s critics were steadfast in their opposition to his American Rescue Plan which put much-needed dollars in the pockets of millions of Americans during a pandemic. Despite record job growth, record low unemployment and rising wages, they blame President Biden for the price of gasoline although a gallon costs less in the United States than in most other nations.

Many in the world lack adequate fuel, food and water, while we fret about inflation and rent space to store the things for which we no longer have room in our basements and garages. They didn’t call it socialism when the government saved the banking and auto industries. They don’t call it socialism when the government subsidizes big oil and the pharmaceutical industry. They don’t think of it as socialism when they demand that the government pump more oil and produce more baby formula.

Biden’s critics don’t complain when the government rescues them from the imperfections of a free enterprise economy. But when it tries to protect working class families, they call it “socialism. “Humane capitalism” is a more fitting description.