I'm sticking my toe in the water...

[candelista]

4. Stick around.

In your post, you said,

My version of socialism would allow a highly regulated form of capitalism, with workers unionized, and the government would ensure everyone has adequate food, water, shelter, health care, day care for those who need it, free public education (including college), a secure voluntary retirement at an appropriate age, etc., etc.

One key element that you left out is public ownership and control of the basic means of production. This would permit some small scale capitalism, but without nationalization of big business and the banks, it's not socialism; it's welfare-state capitalism. How do you feel about that?