Socialism and communism are similar but not exactly the same.
I wouldn't call what is going on in the government Socialism, I would call it Communism here is my reasoning;
The best way to describe Socialism would be use a job as a example.
You given a job at a international distribution center, you only have one other co-worker who does the same job as you do. That co-worker has 14 children. During you month at work you do your best, arrive early and ahead of schedule, your work is so effective the company is making a huge profit for all of you are doing. Your rival/co-worker is always late, behind scheduled and lacks the basic skills needed to preform to par with yourself. On Pay day you see you lazy co-worker earning 8 times what you do. the reason for this in socialism one only gets what one needs.
Communism is totally different in which the government determines your needs. If you have any questions as to what that means as a Ukrainian what needs are since the Former Soviet Union and present day Russia still attempt to starve these people of basic needs and rights. Government/Communist only favor those loyal to them and seek to gain from the hard work of a nation. Living privilege lives while the rest live in slums (I don't have much time but you can research Obama and Resko as a case study on modern day communism)
Communism and socialism are often confused due to being grounded in the same principles, the only difference is that the Government in a communist Society will determine your need.
Despite popular belief that socialism has never been tired in the United States, it actually has, long before we were a country. I will use the case study of the Mayflower Pilgrims, before they ever set foot on the Americas, the Ruling body of the Pilgrims devised a socialist society, which was truer to the Socialism that most people think about. In which the group provides for the whole. In Marxist Socialism, the government controls, assigns and provides for the group. The Pilgrims as we all know where unable to provide for themselves, and if not for the Native Americans would of starved. The Mayflower Pilgrims knew how to farm and raise livestock due to them being surfs (servants of land owners) prior to there trip. The Pilgrims actually had a wealth of different trades and skills. But seeing as to the group would provide for their needs, the township did poorly. They lacked in every basic need and struggled to survive. All goods produced where collected at the general store and disturbed among the pilgrims according to there own need. So someone who worked day and night to produce food would only received what ones need was, nothing more in exchange for his hard work. So none of the Pilgrims strive to work harder then they had too. In the end if not for the Native Americans "BAIL OUT" aka Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims would of starved and died off. The Following year, the Pilgrims changed there model of governorship to that of Capitalism where one keeps what he produces or earns. Each member of the Town was given a section of land to call his own and was free to do as he pleased. This lead to the Pilgrims prosperity.
You could also study many other Socialist society, but there is no known "factual" exiting place where socialism has worked. Because why work harder when it be taken and given out according to your need.
If you say well yes I would work harder, then you are one of the few people that could exist in Socialism, but the sad fact of reality is that people are greedy and do not share unless it benefits them. So in order for socialism to work one must rid the person any sense of need, desire or indivisibility in order for it to work. The group is always thought of first and a person is second.
I am not saying Capitalism is prefect, but people are willing to work harder to provide for ones need and riches. The system takes advantage of ones special skills, hard work and unique abilities. Rewarding those who are able to work hard and good judgment, but punishes those who are lazy and lack judgment.
Socialism is also incapable with the Constitution of the United States as it grants individuals rights, not groups. These individual rights are the foundations to freedom which all other free societies are built of off. Something of great note is that the US Government is the oldest in the world despite the youthful nation of the USA. One could agrue that our founding fathers where flawed in there thinking. But one must ask, when does the need of the many out way the need on one. If you can justify taking from one to fulfill that of many, then you will progress in your thinking as that a individual is worthless and the greater good of the group is ultimate. Many liberals see Socialism as a great tool to achieve there goals, ignoring the fact it is based off ones need and the group betterment. The environment, what legal marriage means, how many children you are allowed and