Socialism: a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

We need to end socialism in this country. F.A. Hayek in his 1944 work, "The Road to Serfdom," predicted the psychological consequences of socialism. Americans have lost the desire to succeed because the government pays for so much.

Sure there are anomalies like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and certain banking and Wall Street types, but most people don't want to succeed.

We need to have a public auction to sell these programs to private firms: the military, post office, Federal Reserve, interstate highways, bridges and Amtrak.

We need to sell social insurance programs including Social Security, Medicare and lunch programs.

The federal bailouts of banks, auto companies and stock firms need to be funded by private money. We need to sell the air traffic control system and federal prisons.

We should sell federal pensions and railroad retirement to private companies.

Students don't need federal education grants. Pay for your own college like I did.

Let's sell the national parks and forests. The government has no business protecting the environment. Good people will do that.

President Obama makes $400,000 a year. He can pay for his own Secret Service, transportation and housing.

What if the private sector won't buy these programs? Then Social Darwinism mandates that they end. Most Americans will be happier after the sale.

Jim Kelly, Hudson