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Tom and his opponents on the socialism point are both right, for different reasons. Let me see if I can spin this train of thought understandably. First, axiomatically, Tom’s right that socialism means “the state owns the means of production.” BUT .....
His opponents are also right that for at least a century, proponents of authoritarianism have attempted to define “anything that tends to empower or equalize the ordinary person with the wealthy person” as “socialism.” That rhetoric was central to 20th cen fascism’s rise.
In that way, “socialism” is like “the cosmopolitan global Jew” - it’s important to recognize the concept’s propaganda and control functions, while still (as Tom does) rejecting the false factual premise that everything powerful white men fear arises from “socialism” or “Jews.”
Tom rejects the technically-false premise that social insurance, unions, welfare programs are “socialism,” but in so doing, he discounts the existence of the propaganda, intended to instill fear that any effort to make poor and working folks better off will end free markets.
What the opponents of Tom’s position are doing is depriving the fear demon of “socialism” of its rhetorical power, by pointing out how most things GOP fascists apply that demonization to are actually good for democracy, free markets, and human beings.
IOW the two sides are not truly in conflict, just talking past each other.
