And abandoning the socialism necessarily means ending government programs that are widely considered untouchable.
Social Security and Medicare for example. All forms of “income security” for example.
Anybody who thinks these things can be “saved” cannot be taken seriously. And that pretty much eliminates the entire political class.
And while we’re at it cutting, how about the defense budget which is bigger than the next 20 biggest countries combined? Or should we cut SS and Medicare instead so we can subsidize Europe?
Medicare Part B
$100 doctor bill
$20 patient co-pay
$20 covered by Part B premiums
$60 paid via taxation
doctor pays ~40% marginal 1040 rate
staffers pay ~27% marginal rate
~$33 paid via doctor office earned income taxation
~$27 paid by outside party taxation, including that of corporations