Oddly, people can't seem to answer you question. Once America had a Socialist Party. It was headed by Eugene V. Debs. Here is the problem. Our county has become so polarized that the word socialist is associated with the word Communists. Just like to many the term Ultra-Conservative is associated with Fascist. Europe has parties like the Christian Socialist party and they might be the moderates.
In America everything is a label.
Example: The late Barry Goldwater, Republican Arizonian, was labeled an Ultra Conservative. That labeled him too many as Hitler-isk. A war monger, with the irony that his opponent, L. Johnson when was reelected President in 1964, the so-called peace candidate escalated the Viet Nam war (France had a part in that one).
Goldwater was a conservative. He was opposed to the civil rights laws of the 60s. His reasoning was consistent even if incorrect. He felt the government had no place telling people who they had to serve, sell to, and buy from. At the same time, he felt (as he said later) that women should have the right to choose how they control their own bodies.
The Democrats have socialists in the tent with them. At the same time the Republicans has give far too much sway to the Christian Right that has pulled the Republicans in odd directions.
So, now, to return to socialism in America. Some of it makes just good sense and some is horrible. Take national health care. Canada has a system that works. Everyone is covered. What is surprising is that big business does not see the sense of this. Take GM. They have several hundred dollars of medical costs in each car built in the America. The same car is cheaper to make in Canada as the medical costs are already paid. The irony is that free medical care is available to anyone just by needed services.
Now, the real sadness is we are no longer able to discuss things in the country. Everyone wants to stick a label on people. That breaks the discourse. (Just watch how many thumbs down I get). By this note I have been labeled.
Among lawyers (ouch, another label) there is an old adage. If the law is in your favor, pound on the law, if the facts are in your favor, pound on the facts, and if neither is in your favor you pound on the table. There is a lot of table pounding going on.
Take for example. If I want to make a point, all I have to say is FACT: Blah blah blah. My calling something a fact does not make it a fact. If I say, FACT: the earth was created in six actual days, because the bible says it is so, does not make it a fact. It makes it a belief. (For the record, I believe in the Big Bang, which is also a belief, but with more data to support it) Does it mean I am right? Maybe. Does it mean the creationists are right? Maybe.
Socialist is a bad word in America. So the existence of a real socialist party cannot exist at this time. Just as someone starting up the Reformed Fascists Party would have a bit of trouble getting the railroad vote.