That would be an interesting discussion, and I can relate to your pessimism about whether we can do it here. I've lost count of the times I've raised theoretical economic questions and the last thing I remember is the scream "Commie!" ringing in my ears as my face is ripped off.

If you don't approach it as a religion, economics is an interesting exercize in algorithm design; an economy is a resource allocation algorithm. That's an empowering perspective, when you realize that we don't have to be passive victims of the economy and that you won't burn in hell for changing a few constants to get better results.

That heresy is what the right calls "Socialism", and the first thing I'd want to do is get clear on what we really mean by a "close examination/debate of Socialism". Is it really Socialism, or did you fall into the rhetorical trap set by the Right's customary Chicken Little exaggeration?

I lost the link that somebody posted to one of those Conservative blogs, which had a charming line bemoaning the way that America had been in a "headlong rush to Socialism for eighty years!" and I thought to my self, gee, are we there yet? Eighty years is a long time to wait for the Right to deliver on its promise of Socialism. Maybe it's time to take matters into our own hands?