I do find it curious how many get sucked into rabid negativity with the concept of socialism, while simultaneously being blind to many socialist pillars they peruse everyday, to great benefit to capitalism, and most find very agreeable.
You mentioned socialized defense, roads/bridges and other infrastructure. Of course, one can extend this to US justice and penal system, banking system (the Fed, FDIC), farming industry, food & drug quality control, air, land & water traffic control, and countless other endeavors have all been socialized for many, many years, as the better and most cost-efficient practice of providing reliable and credible services and protection to citizens.
I don't agree that all of those things are better because of government's hand but yes, I'm in full agreement about your larger point that people just use the term blindly without considering the things that can rightly be called socialist of which they do approve. Hence the earlier Warren quote about people believing that things that benefit them are social progress while things that benefit other people are socialism.
So right on, back atcha.