Nine Myths About Socialism in the US

Monday 12 April 2010

by: Bill Quigley, t r u t h o u t | Op-Ed

Nine Myths About Socialism in the US
(Photo: Fibonacci Blue)

Glenn Beck and other far right multi-millionaires are claiming that the US is hot on the path toward socialism. Part of their claim is that the US is much more generous and supportive of our working and poor people than other countries. People may wish it was so, but it is not.

As Sen. Patrick Moynihan used to say "Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. But everyone is not entitled to their own facts."

The fact is that the US is not really all that generous to our working and poor people compared to other countries.

Consider the US in comparison to the rest of the 30 countries that join the US in making up the OECD - the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development[1]. These 30 countries include Canada and most comparable European countries, but also include some struggling countries like Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Korea, Mexico, Poland, Slovak Republic and Turkey.

When you look at how the US compares to these 30 countries, the hot air myths about the US government going all out toward socialism sort of disappear into thin air. Here are some examples of myths that do not hold up.

Myth No. 1: The US Government Is Involved in Class Warfare, Attacking the Rich to Lift Up the Poor.

There is a class war going on all right. But it is the rich against the rest of us and the rich are winning. The gap between the rich and everyone else is wider in the US than any of the 30 other countries surveyed. In fact, the top 10 percent in the US have a higher annual income than any other country. And the poorest 10 percent in the US are below the average of the other OECD countries. The rich in the US have been rapidly leaving the middle class and poor behind since the 1980s. [2]

Myth No. 2: The US Already Has the Greatest Health Care System in the World.

Infant mortality in the US is fourth worst among OECD countries - better only than Mexico, Turkey and the Slovak Republic. [3]

Myth No. 3: There Is Less Poverty in the US Than Anywhere.

Child poverty in the US, at over 20 percent or one out of every five kids, is double the average of the 30 OECD countries. [4]

Myth No. 4: The US Is Generous in Its Treatment of Families With Children.

The US ranks in the bottom half of countries in terms of financial benefits for families with children. Over half of the 30 OECD countries pay families with children cash benefits regardless of the income of the family. Some among those countries (e.g. Austria, France and Germany) pay additional benefits if the family is low income or one of the parents is unemployed. [5]

Myth No. 5: The US Is Very Supportive of Its Workers.

The US gives no paid leave for working mothers having children. Every single one of the other 30 OECD countries has some form of paid leave. The US ranks dead last in this. Over two-thirds of the countries give some form of paid paternity leave. The US also gives no paid leave for fathers. [6]

In fact, it is only workers in the US who have no guaranteed days of paid leave at all. Korea is the next lowest to the US and it has a minimum of eight paid annual days of leave. Most of the other 30 countries require a minimum of 20 days of annual paid leave for their workers. [7]

Myth No. 6: Poor People Have More Chance of Becoming Rich in the US Than Anywhere Else.

Social mobility (how children move up or down the economic ladder in comparison with their parents) in earnings, wages and education tends to be easier in Australia, Canada and Nordic countries like Denmark, Norway and Finland, than in the US. That means more of the rich stay rich and more of the poor stay poor here in the US. [8]

Myth No. 7: The US Spends Generously on Public Education.

In terms of spending for public education, the US is just about average among the 30 countries of the OECD. [9] Educational achievement of US children, however, is seventh worst in the OECD. [10] On public spending for childcare and early education, the US is in the bottom third. [11]

Myth No. 8: The US Government Is Redistributing Income From the Rich to the Poor.

There is little redistribution of income by government in the US in part because spending on social benefits like unemployment and family benefits is so low. Of the 30 countries in the OECD, only in Korea is the impact of governmental spending lower. [12]

Myth No. 9: The US Generously Gives Foreign Aid to Countries Across the World.

The US gives the smallest percentage of aid of any of the developed countries in the OECD. In 2007, the US was tied for last with Greece. In 2008, we were tied for last with Japan. [13]

Despite the opinions of right-wing folks, the facts say the US is not on the path toward socialism.

But if socialism means the US would go down the path of being more generous with our babies, our children, our working families, our pregnant mothers and our sisters and brothers across the world, I think we could all appreciate it.

Footnotes

[1]. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is an organization of 30 countries which works together for economic growth and to raise standards of living. The 30 countries are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and the US.

[2]. OECD (2008), Growing Unequal: Income Distribution and Poverty in OECD Countries, Country Note: United States. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/47/2/41528678.pdf

[3]. US Country Highlights – OECD (2009) Doing Better for Children. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/21/9/43590390.pdf

[4]. US Country Highlights – OECD (2009) Doing Better for Children. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/21/9/43590390.pdf

[5]. OECD Family Database. PF3: Family Cash Benefits. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/62/5/41917645.pdf

[6]. OECD Family Database, PF7: Key characteristics of parental leave systems.
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/45/26/37864482.pdf

[7]. Babies and Bosses (Vol.5): A selection of tables and charts. - Table 7.1 European workers often have seven weeks of paid holidays per annum.
http://www.oecd.org/document/4/0,3343,en_2649_34819_37836996_1_1_1_1,00....

[8]. Economic Policy Reforms, Going for Growth (2010) Part II, Chapter 5.
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/17/42/44566315.pdf

[9]. OECD Family Database, PF2: Public Spending on Education. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/45/48/37864432.pdf

[10]. US Country Highlights – OECD (2009) Doing Better for Children. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/21/9/43590390.pdf

[11]. OECD Family Database, PF10: Public spending on childcare and early education. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/45/27/37864512.pdf

[12]. OECD (2008), Growing Unequal: Income Distribution and Poverty in OECD Countries, Country Note: United States. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/47/2/41528678.pdf

[13]. OECD. Table 1 of the Statistical Annex of the 2010 Development Cooperation Report.
http://www.oecd.org/document/9/0,3343,en_2649_34447_1893129_1_1_1_1,00.h...

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Comments

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hitler,mussolina ,and uh the

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 16:10 — jack's Anonamoulymous-?,OO (not verified)

hitler,mussolina ,and uh the AC aka aowl quackula,?,OO,and all the other figure heads in plain mass media sites,stupid is as stupid is uh does,war and socialism,it just doesn't get anymore communistic than this/that,Kruschev,PolPot,PolPot,Jerry Brown,tThe Busch crime family,The Romanovs',The Bolschaveks',the house of Windsor,the house of Saud,THE BUSCH CRIME FAMILY,WolfaWITZ,Cheney,Rumsfeld,name dropper see thair all Russian they all go together,music ,disease,big trouble

This is wonderful news for

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 17:05 — Anonymous (not verified)

This is wonderful news for the Glen Becks and Tea Party-ers of the world - we need to forward it to them right away; It should make them very happy about the direction the country is going! Accept of course they don't seem to like to complicate things with the facts. Oh Well..........

Another example of ugly

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 17:55 — Texas Aggie (not verified)

Another example of ugly facts destroying a beautiful hypothesis. But one of the characteristics of the right wingers is that they are entirely oblivious to facts, so they will continue to spew their talking points and there will be a large contingent of brave new world gammas to eat them up.

That's why the wealthy in

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 18:07 — Anonymous (not verified)

That's why the wealthy in the US keep saying this is the greatest country on earth, for the wealthy. And they keep trying to sell the myth of the American Dream which doesn't exist. And the wealthy have their lobbyists in Washington; who is lobbying for the poor and middle class.

Wow, Jack. It's hard to

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 18:14 — torroid (not verified)

Wow, Jack. It's hard to understand what exactly you said, but you sure did it with gusto!

Actually, America is moving

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 18:18 — Anonymous (not verified)

Actually, America is moving more into economic fascism camp -- which is a combination of market mechanisms and socialism. To get to total socialism, we have to first go through a form of National Socialism/Fascism. Most politicians on the left and right are moving us in that direction. The left represents economic fascism (Mussolini was raised a Marxist/big labor and Socialist Party leader) and the right represents the empire-building and nation-invasions of Hitler's National Socialism.

This article could be more.

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 19:02 — Anonymous (not verified)

This article could be more. Great facts, but I hope someone on Truthout writes an article with a more in depth analysis of what socialism is versus what we have in our country. The first few times I heard that criticism, I laughed it off ... now it frightens me how many people actually think that this administration is socialist.

Where was it that I read about the novel concept of pooling resources and possessions ... ? Ah yes, Acts 2:42 - 47. It's time for Republican Christians to either separate religion and politics, or at least accurately represent the Christian message in their political beliefs. When a neon bracelet poses the question "WWJD" to me, the last thing I think of is cutting off social programs and chanting "get a job" to the homeless.

In regard to Myth # 8, the

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 19:35 — BillyDoc (not verified)

In regard to Myth # 8, the US government most certainly is facilitating the redistribution of wealth; but it certainly isn't from the rich to the poor, it's from the poor to the rich. Remember a recent "bailout" of some extremely wealthy banksters? Using taxpayer money?

Which is exactly why the rich always make sure they completely control the government. In these modern times they do this directly and openly via "campaign contribution" bribes. And it works very well. See Myth # 1.

The fact that these points

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 20:39 — Jimmy1920 (not verified)

The fact that these points need to be made in an outlet like this is just one more indication how far to the right the center of political discourse has shifted.
These points should not need to be made to anyone with even the most basic understanding of socialism.
That so few people understand what that is speaks volumes.

Myths or not, if they

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 21:26 — Anonymous (not verified)

Myths or not, if they control the media and therefor the message, they get to define reality for a good percentage of the population. Now that the supreme court has signed off on unlimited corporate campaign spending, and has tossed aside net neutrality all that is left to do is for those top 10% to buy up the cable companies (if they don't already own them) and even these comments won't be allowed through the pipeline.

These are lies! Glen Beck

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 21:29 — TeXan (not verified)

These are lies! Glen Beck says so!

No one expected it. No one

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 21:44 — Robert Pool (not verified)

No one expected it. No one wanted it. And when a socialist revolution finally occurred in the United States, no one understood what had happened until several years had passed.

It was unlike anything before in history, and therefore wildly misunderstood. The socialist revolution was not fomented by workers and students marching in the streets carrying banners and shouting slogans. Instead, it was stumbled into accidently by a small cabal of powerful bankers in a room at the Federal Reserve Building in New York City on the weekend of September 13th and 14th, 2008. It all happened inadvertently.

We are living under a new form of socialism at this very moment. It will not be fascist. It will not be Stalinist. There will still be free markets -- for some goods -- and freedom of expression.

The 100 largest corporations, however, will often have a legal license to manipulate markets and vacuum up all the cash in our economy. And if they ever encounter economic troubles, they can call on the taxpayers to bail them out, as we have already seen with Citicorp, Bank of America, GM, and Chrysler.

Americans will be divided into two classes: expendable corporate workers, and our corporate masters. Our corporate masters will control the economic and political lives of 300,000,000+ Americans.

The reason we are so confused about what happened in 2008 is because we expected the state to seize control of corporations and create socialism that way. Instead, large corporations have seized control of the state and are using it to maximize corporate profits.

They literally own us. And those of us who do not draw a paycheck from one of the large megafirms will soon be an endangered species.

This is the grim reality we face.

If # 6 is a Myth then

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 22:49 — poptoy (not verified)

If # 6 is a Myth then someone please explain to me Oprah Winfrey...

23:18 is bang on correct.

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 00:14 — Anonymous (not verified)

23:18 is bang on correct. Mussolini style fascism merges the state and industry and requires they control the means of communication. Thanks to three Supreme Court rulings, each by a majority of the so-called conservatives, the people are no longer trusted to select their president, it is considered mainstream to use force of arms to overthrow your elected government, and business can use its vast resources to affect if not determine who those elected representatives may be. As to myth #1, Warren Buffett says that we've already gone through our class war in America and the rich have won. Given all the dogmatic deregulation of every business possible during the Wasted Eight and before as led by the GOP and the results we see now on Wall Street I'd be hard pressed to dispute him.

This article is bogus. Myth

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 00:32 — Anonymous (not verified)

This article is bogus. Myth 5 states that the USA provides no paid family leave for mother or father of new child. It's just patently untrue. Fact is mothers and fathers are paid even if the child is adopted! Please see the sites below. I know, the facts...they are dizzying, aren't they?

Please verify for yourself at the following sites:

http://www.dol.gov/whd/fmla/index.htmhttp://www.

paidfamilyleave.org/

The first web site is about

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 02:08 — Anonymous (not verified)

The first web site is about unpaid family leave and the second only applies to California.

Please verify that the word "bogus" in the previous post was bogus.

Re: comment 05:32 Well, I

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 02:10 — PJ (not verified)

Re: comment 05:32
Well, I verified and found that your first link led to a law entitling people in the US military tp paid parental leave, the second link led to a Californian law for parental leave. So your links only underscored the article. I hope you'll have the courtesy to correct your error, but somehow suppose you won't, your point being made.

In case the posts back and

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 02:45 — Anonymous (not verified)

In case the posts back and forth about the family leave law, it is possible to google the topic. However for those who might be interested:
There is a family leave law
It applies to a handful of family situations.
It applies to care for a newborn child, but it is
a. for maximum 12 weeks
b UNPAID

California provides for access to sick leave before and after childbirth for medical reasons, not for child care alone.I think it is limited to 6 weeks.

I did not check out the California situation on parental leave. I am pretty sure this is UNPAID leave unless there is a medical reason and the employee actually has insurance.

This compares very badly with other industrialized countries.

I am reposting because I

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 02:49 — Anonymous (not verified)

I am reposting because I missed mistakes the first time. Here is what I meant to say:

In case you find the posts back and forth about the U.S. family leave law confusing, it is possible to google the topic. However for those who might be interested:
There is a family leave law
It applies to a handful of family situations.
It applies to care for a newborn child, but it is
a. for maximum 12 weeks
b UNPAID

I did not check out the California situation on parental leave. I am pretty sure this is UNPAID leave unless there is a medical reason and the employee actually has sick leave available..

poptoy: You cannot cite the

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 03:22 — mary (not verified)

poptoy:

You cannot cite the example of one (or even a few) people and state that their movement across categories disproves the rule. That is considered "tokenism" and makes for a pretty shaky argument.

In any case, the article states that MORE of the rich stay rich and MORE of the poor stay poor, but not that ALL in each category remain as they are...

Sadly, the fact remains that the socioeconomic status of one's parents (and often one's grandparents') are pretty solid indicators of where one will end up, meaning that there does not tend to be a great deal of upward or downward mobility across generations. If you're born poor, you'll likely stay relatively poor, and if you're born wealthy, you have a pretty good chance of staying that way, too.

But what about rates of

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 06:21 — TeXan (not verified)

But what about rates of incarceration of its citizens?
America is letting hundeds out early .. How do we rate with the likes of Sweden etc??

America is redistributing

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 09:36 — radline9 (not verified)

America is redistributing wealth. We are taking it from the middle class and giving it to the rich. We are socialist for the rich and capitalist for the poor.

As a Canadian I had to

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 11:54 — Anonymous (not verified)

As a Canadian I had to laugh! Are most Americans so ignorant that their country isn't exactly paradise that an article like this is necessary?

11:21 - I am intrigued. Yes,

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 12:58 — Anonymous (not verified)

11:21 - I am intrigued. Yes, we incarcerate a higher percentage of our population than any other country in the world, but I want to see where you were going with that idea for this thread.

Are you saying we are letting too many out? Just curious.

The infant mortality thing

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 13:32 — Anonymous (not verified)

The infant mortality thing really gets me when people (liberals) try to say we have one of the highest IMR to justify that our healthcare is bad...

Read here:

http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/060924/2healy.htm... See More

and

http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20091103/preemies-raise-us-infant-mortality-rate

Moynihan's phrase is even

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 15:20 — Anonymous (not verified)

Moynihan's phrase is even more fitting with only a slight alteration: Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. But not everyone is entitled to their own facts.

Where is the source for this

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 15:40 — Anonymous (not verified)

Where is the source for this info? Where are any hard numbers to point to as he lists facts? Very fuzzy explinations that only bring to light one aspect of each subject. PLEASE SHOW ME SOME FACTS. This is just blurbs. LINKS TO SOURCES MAYBE???? Also, how can you compare a country of 350 million to countries that don't even come close to that number.

Finally, I wouldn't trust any article that demonizes Glen Beck in the first sentence.

As long as

Tue, 04/13/2010 - 17:14 — Anonymous (not verified)

As long as Rush"Mussolini"Limbaugh, Glen"Hitler"Beck and Sarah"Goring"Palin are able to get a microphone in their hand this country is in bad shape. These 3 people may talk our nation into a race war. These crazy people should be put in jail. What kind of an example does the USA set for Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan ? Next comes the writing on the homes of people of color. then comes the people with guns walking around their neighborhood and not permitting them to leave. IT DON'T LOOK GOOD. What's going to happen when the troops come home from the war? IT DON'T LOOK GOOD!

But we do have socialism,

Wed, 04/14/2010 - 12:00 — Anonymous (not verified)

But we do have socialism, but the right wing does not want to talk about it. It is more subtle. We socialize the cost of oil in many ways - from tax breaks such as oil depletion, foreign investment tax credits, to more direct public funding such as giving leases on public land at 10% of their private land cost, often leaving the public ot pay for the environmental cleanup. And it goes on - harbors dredged for supertankers. forget about the direct public cost to the environment, highways, etc. this is true socialism in every respect.

We also ignore religion, which is entirely socialism. Religion pays none of its costs - land, income are tax free. There are multiple shelters in religion. Yet I pay for their roads, police and fire, standing army that protect them. This is socialism - good old conservative socialism - from all in inverse proportion of their income to a few in proportion to their greed. .

Could you please add

Wed, 04/14/2010 - 12:26 — Anonymous (not verified)

Could you please add citations to each of these "myths"? I would love to forward this to others, but things of this nature are less than credible without sources. Thanks.

Amazing story. Is it really

Wed, 04/14/2010 - 12:45 — Anonymous (not verified)

Amazing story. Is it really true that only the Democrats always tell the truth?

Creative Commons Attribution

Wed, 04/14/2010 - 19:53 — Sensibilities (not verified)

Creative Commons Attribution is the name of the folks putting out this garbage. Isn't it amazing how many of you are falling for it. Does the writer cite any publications or websites? Well, er, no. Did any of the enthusiastic replies even think about questioning this? Well, er, no.
Get you heads out of the clouds, people. Don't just blindly believe this line you are being fed. No wonder the site is being done by Creative Commons Attribution - because it IS very creative.

I lived in Europe for 16

Wed, 04/14/2010 - 20:04 — Anonymous (not verified)

I lived in Europe for 16 years. Europeans are better off in so many ways that Americans are (education, health care, transportation to name a few) but all one hears about here is how high the taxes are. I, for one don't mind paying taxes if I see that I and my friend and family are receiving benefits. I look around here and most days all I seem to get for my taxes (not including payroll taxes) is a vast military that can conquer a country in a matter of days and slaughter a lot of innocents. Not, in my opinion, a good deal.

With all these purported

Thu, 04/15/2010 - 20:44 — Anonymous (not verified)

With all these purported "facts" where are the citations and references? Anyone Joe Blow can do what this article does. At this point it is merely myth replacement. Be a good journalist and show your references please.

But, But I thought that

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 08:21 — Tom DeLay (not verified)

But, But I thought that America was a paradise that the Canadians pine to git to...

Where else can your tax dollars be given to "Hedge Fund" (read legal thievery) managers?

but whatta about "trickle Down economics?"

Sen. Patrick Moynihan used

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 08:25 — Bill B. Delta Colorado (not verified)

Sen. Patrick Moynihan used to say "Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. But everyone is not entitled to their own facts."
Sorry Mr. Quigley, your "facts" are just your opinion. And in fact, more off center than Glenn Beck.

You are more full of yourself than Obama.

Wow, last I checked this

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 08:26 — dennis (not verified)

Wow, last I checked this was the United States of America.

The mass mental state of stupidity runs with passion here.

I will attack like the rest of you do and you all know who you are and you all do it with such contempt and hatred for your fellow man.

I am a FREE American. And I intend on staying that way.

Many believe that we should take care of those that don't have and give to the GREATER good, but see, I am moronic and do see it that way.

When entitlements and handouts benefit only those that don't contribute. When there are those whom get rich and buck the system and talk out the other side of their face and say they believe the very things you all say, yet laugh as they go to the bank, well, then I have a problem.

When a generation of BABYBOOMERS who are now getting old and have basically raped the country the entire time their where here, well I have a problem with that.

I get no statifaction, Viagra dropping, drop out not in group of misfits that NEVER EVER grew up let alone grew a set of balls, I have problem with that.

When pussies ass UNION punks get in the faces of women, children and men for their GOD given right to speak their minds, I have a problem with that.

Look in the mirror and you ask what you DID for your COUNTRY and not your self.

The socialist mindset in and nation of INDIVIDUALS won't and couldn't never work. WE ARE ALL TO BUSY THINKING ABOUT OUR SELVES. Not to mention we are ALL TOO LAZY!

Facts?

Your believes are that I should take care of a shop of FAT, LAZY, DO NOTHING UAW workers. EFF THAT, AND EFF YOU!

Last I checked this is still, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Well the article links to

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 08:36 — Anonymous (not verified)

Well the article links to the OECD and they have most of the cited statistics and facts. It might help to read the article...

Seriously? I stopped reading

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 08:39 — Laughing (not verified)

Seriously? I stopped reading at the beginning, when Mr. Quigley tried to define how generous one is as a "fact". A bit of advice: words that are subjective (like generous), can only be opinions.

"Creative Commons

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 09:01 — Anonymous (not verified)

"Creative Commons Attribution is the name of the folks putting out this garbage."

Wow... the ignorance displayed there is just saddening. As for references and citations.. it's not like any of the mainstream news organizations regularly cite their sources or references either. Go look it up yourself, you might learn something.

Regarding the infant

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 09:13 — Anonymous (not verified)

Regarding the infant mortality thing.

The USNews article referenced conflicts with the second link.
"In Austria and Germany, fetal weight must be at least 500 grams (1 pound) to count as a live birth"

The webmd article is referring to a CDC report

That CDC report says Germany and Austria are in the same reporting group "In the United States and in 14 of 19 European countries, all live births at any birthweight or gestational age are required to be reported. "

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db23.htm

Just because the government

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 09:35 — Anonymous (not verified)

Just because the government does not mandate paid leave for parenting, does not mean that Americans don't get it. Many employers offer paid leave. Better to come from the heart than from a government mandate, I say.

Also, currently less than 50% of Americans pay any income tax at all. So just exactly how are we "taking" from these poor folks? Sounds to me like they are not contributing at all, but are actually "taking" from me! (BTW I'm in the under 200K/year crowd)

Did anyone notice that all

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 09:55 — Anonymous (not verified)

Did anyone notice that all of these Facts were about what the Government of the US is doing or not doing. I am going to say I don't believe the US is a socialist country but I also don't beleive the US is sticking to our founding principles. Socialism is based on government control and power. The US has always been based on what the People can do for themselves not what the government can do for them. So the whole premise of the US Government not doing enough as a fact to it not being socialist is completely backwards. If they wanted to say how the US is not socialist you should point out how it is at the top of a list for most personal freedoms and more opportunity for the individuals and those kinds of points which reinforce the founding principles .

Yes the US is still a democratic republic but we are shifting away from that. sadly

This article is also comparing to country that employ more socialist ideas then the US. That is like saying china is not communist because it is less communist then Cuba and North Korea because it utilizes the free market. That is a crazy comparison and doesn't help your point.

Notes for a few

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 10:21 — Anonymous (not verified)

Notes for a few postings...We have the highest rate of people in prison. 1 out of every 108 men are in the penal system. Russia is second with a rate 1 of every 150.

Read the latest bio on Oprah.... she paints herself as coming from a poor family but her family said she was spoiled as a child.

30 countries and we pay (

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 10:53 — Bill (not verified)

30 countries and we pay ( USA tax payers) 25 percent of the OECD budget? It sounds like another useless organization I know, the United Nations.
Quigley, this was a nice article showing one side, yoru side. Please don't quote facts if you don't reference the facts. Writing 101, I learned that in high school. Infant mortality, one fact out of thousands, but that fact supports everything about Health Care? Why is the USA the world leader in immigration? If we're so bad why do we have more immigrants than the rest of the world put together? Please this hack job of an article is no better than the ( Beck . . . ) ones you write about.

references were cited right

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 11:40 — james (not verified)

references were cited right at the beginning of the article you idiots.

OECD

http://www.oecd.org/home/0,2987,en_2649_201185_1_1_1_1_1,00.html

Try reading before criticizing, you might be able to converse intelligently on the subject at hand

Interesting that the

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 12:01 — Anonymous (not verified)

Interesting that the American dream is dead. 16 years ago when my first child was born our family income was less than $30,000 a year. I obtained an associates degree WHILE my wife obtained a Masters degree. Our family income has Quadrupled.

Thanks to Joe Bidens tax information being released I know we gave 4 times the amount he did in charitable giving in 2009 on 1/3 of the income. That is the real problem, the Dems want to give my money when I already give freely. But they don't want to part with their money. Come on Joe If you knew your tax information was going to be released you could have done a little CYA and parted with a few bucks for a good cause.

The private sector is the only place where wealth can be created, the more government control in the private sector the less wealth in the country.

You might need to remove the

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 12:21 — Anonymous (not verified)

You might need to remove the derogatory "multi-millionaire" talk now that we all know Obama is one too!

And also, there's probably no hope of accurate comparisons with combined figures, but I wonder how countries would rank in treatment of the poor, etc when private philanthropy is factored in? I suspect the US would have a better showing...

Immigration "more immigrants

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 12:46 — Anonymous (not verified)

Immigration

"more immigrants than the rest of the world put together"

20% of the world immigration population isn't more than the rest of the world put together.

Guys, I WISH the US was

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 13:20 — CC Sanderson (not verified)

Guys, I WISH the US was heading toward Socialism. It's a great idea. I've been wandering around in Oslo just in awe of their system. Low crime rates, many happy families of all stripes, health care... nothing's perfect, and even in a perfect world human beings would find a reason to complain, but... this works!

This entire article is

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 14:05 — Anonymous (not verified)

This entire article is called into question because every listed "fact" is in the context of a comparison to other countries in the "Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development", which, in and of itself, sounds like an international form of socialism. Nevermind that most of the member countries are already highly socialized. If you compare a moderately socialized country headed toward socialism to a country that is already socialist (in the social democracy sense, not the communist sense), of course the former isn't going to be the most socialized country. The "facts" provided only support the author's argument because they're inherently skewed in that direction by the nature of the comparisons being made.

As if that wasn't enough, the author neglects to ask the all-important question "why?" to so many of his "facts". Why is infant mortality rate so high in this country? Is it because our doctors are worse than those of other countries? Possibly. Is it at least as likely that parents-to-be in the US don't take proper care of themselves and their babies? It is. Without delving deeper into the "facts", they are superficial at best, misleading at worst. It's easy to look at society without taking into consideration the laws of cause and effect, without any analysis. That's a coward's way out. Support your points with a detailed analysis or you have no point. Appeal to logic, truth, and reason, not unsupported "facts".

As long as I'm not forced to

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 14:35 — Anonymous (not verified)

As long as I'm not forced to live with black people, I'm ok. Just don't force me to live with people I don't want to live with. I think blacks are disgusting animals

If you don't like America,

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 14:49 — Anonymous (not verified)

If you don't like America, then you can GET OUT!

Sorry, I have to raise the

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 14:56 — TEA Dem (not verified)

Sorry, I have to raise the BS flag... here are the REAL numbers, in millions of US Dollars, for the latest data from 2009. The USA remains the highest giving nation on the planet...don't listen to the uninformed "socialist" side of our party. We are a great country, we do great things around the world, for the world - quit trying to drag us down!

USA 25,439
Germany 12,994
UK 12,217
France 10,168
Japan 8,310
Netherlands 6,522
Spain 6,138
Canada 4,577
Sweden 4,508
Italy 4,059
Norway 3,638
Australia 3,038
Denmark 2,570
Belgium 2,214
Switzerland 1,794
Austria 1,555
Ireland 1,269
Finland 1,047
Greece 636
Portugal 570
Luxembourg 382
New Zealand 355

The republicans let wall

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 14:57 — Stan James (not verified)

The republicans let wall street destroy many trillions in the average persons net worth, while wall street made off with billions in bonuses for bringing us the almost 2nd great republican depression.

For the republican top people, the goal is nothing but going back to the middle ages, where the king and his lords own everything, and all the other people are serfs, which I hope everyone recognizes is just another word for slaves.

Unremitting and Unrelenting greed is the goal is the personal value of the top republicans.

And for all those people driven by fear of socialism to support the republicans, they are in for a surprise when its their turn to discover their own standard of living is collapsing.

But by then it will be too late to do anything about it.

And all the complaints about communism etc - those are str8 out of hitlers playbook. And the german people voted him into power. Need I say more. For 20 million of them, and 30 million others it was really too late.

Lets not let this happen to America. Do not let the fear mongering of the republicans cause you to lose sight that you are the next victim.

In a race to the bottom. As America becomes another mexico. A nation rich in natural resouces, but where most people are poor, and a tiny sliver are very rich.

And the people by the millions are forced to migrate, illegally in most cases, often leavingtg their families behind, to take $5/hr jobs to feed them.

Don't say it couldn't happen here. it could. And it is well on its way to happening.

As the republican top leadership, also imbued with racism against our first black president, seeks endless wealth for themselves. And tough $#!+ for everyone else.

What a BS article. This is

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 14:58 — Rick Harner (not verified)

What a BS article. This is where lefties always go, "helping the poor" to justify expanding the power of government at the expense of Constitutional freedoms.

Hell we all care about healthcare and helping the poor, so that's not really the issue. Only the dishonest author wants to deflect your attention to that, and to falsely cast the problem as helping the poor.

The real issue is that our government is becoming a facistic tyrant state and the political class are taking unto themselves powers and authority not granted by the Constitution. Out of control.

The only blesing down the road is that, when the Facist state finally consolidates power, the first thing they always do is round up the left wing bomb throwers, artists, community activists, academics, rebellious youths, union organizers, and all the other whiners and put them into "reeducation" camps.

a simple search on wikipedia

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:03 — Anonymous (not verified)

a simple search on wikipedia of some of your claims shows they are false. Check out the wiki on infant mortality.

Great demonstration of

There are 3 kinds of lies.....

1. lies
2. dam lies
3. statistics.

Yes, but if Im ignorant,

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:04 — starlight (not verified)

Yes, but if Im ignorant, undereducated, and misinformed, what do I care about truth? Its easier to be stupid than smart, and my stupid vote nullifies your smart, informed vote.

We can swamp the truth by combining undereducated ignorant people with misinformation in order to rob the people...with their blessings!

The New York Times earlier (14-April-2010) published an article on how educated and rich these tea party people supposedly are, according to their own (NYT) poll.

In that very article, the Times stated their poll finds that most tea party supporters believe (incorrectly) that the majority of Americans have seen a tax increase.

That’s rather lame for an anti-tax group, to be ignorant of basic tax realities, wouldn’t you say? But it gets worse-

Later yesterday evening the NYT edited that particular revelation out of their article, without so much as a word.

Thats taking a page right out of the FOX News playbook by altering and/or hiding the facts, even their own facts, for their particular agenda. And like FOX News, that agenda has nothing to do with providing unbiased news.

Our 'democracy' is nothing more than a system wherein the ignorant tail wags the dog.

Myth #1: Class war, Rich vs

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:07 — Anonymous (not verified)

Myth #1: Class war, Rich vs the Poor.
--It said it's not a myth in the articles statement, so why is it even on the list, yet alone in the #1 spot. I am sorry you are bitter that the rich have been getting richer. They worked for it. I don't go crying to daddy to make someone else share what they worked for. I start working harder. You better do the same. Crying does nothing but make your eyes water. Suck it up. (As an American you have the right to)

Perhaps these facts are

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:08 — Andrew Perkins (not verified)

Perhaps these facts are right, but do they accurately state things on the whole. No, they do not. We donate MORE than anyone else to world charity (not by percentage) but in TOTAL than any other nation or combination of countries on earth. This is also wrong, and to our detriment - we should care for our own people first. Our definition of poverty is quite different from international definition of poverty. If you want to see real poverty, visit Mexico or India (which I have). Glenn Beck is right, if you look at the facts as a whole.

Myth #2: US = Greatest

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:08 — Anonymous (not verified)

Myth #2: US = Greatest Health Care.
Umm, so other than infant mortality, which is not based on babies born inside the healthcare system, what are you basing this on? Our healthcare is great! yes, it has kinks in it. but you don't throw out a hose with kinks to get a whole new hose!

Myth #3: Poverty in the

Myth #3: Poverty in the US.
Umm, just childhood poverty eh? Look at what other countries consider poverty. Most people under 'Poverty' in the US can still get 3 meals a day and a roof over their head.

Myth #7: US spending on

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:09 — Anonymous (not verified)

Myth #7: US spending on education.
Yes, we spend money on education. We spend it on entitlement programs that don't work and on an inflated education administration run by people who are not educators. (This is a sore subject for me). Please realize that it is not that our teachers are getting worse. It's that our parenting of the kids has gotten terrible. (as in the Mother and Father - if the child is lucky enough to have both.) Parents are responsible for America's declining education. Teachers are now responsible to parent and teach. Don't blame the teachers. Blame the parents!

Myth #8: US redistributing

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:10 — Anonymous (not verified)

Myth #8: US redistributing wealth to poor
See also Myth #1 (De-bunked) Yes, the government is trying to do it (unethically too - not illegally, they make new laws to allow them to, but that doesn't mean it's right). No, they don't have a good impact because they implement entitlement programs (handouts) that don't work. This is teaching the parents who can't parent their own kids, not to work hard, not to think, not to be responsible.

I wish that the word

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:13 — Ambrose (not verified)

I wish that the word "fallacy" would be used instead of "myth". You are stating falsehoods, not legends.

You all are suckers for

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:21 — troyn (not verified)

You all are suckers for listening to this quack. Take for example of the health care "myth". One can infer that because infant mortality rates are low that we have the inferior health care system? Think for yourselves, people!

Liberal BS

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:23 — Anonymous (not verified)

this is all bullsh1t a big

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:26 — Anonymous (not verified)

this is all bullsh1t
a big circle jerk by an alliance of parasites
living off someone else's largesse

students - never paid taxes
academics - smart but resent those who make real money
lawyers - misdirect the power of the courts to steal contingent bounties

we're going to clean house in november and you guys will be quiet for another generation

Could you please cite all of

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:27 — Kevin (not verified)

Could you please cite all of these sources? It weakens your argument that "everyone is not entitled to their own facts" by including zero references. Everything in this article is to be considered opinion until you indicate the source.

This article makes some

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:29 — randomlife (not verified)

This article makes some great points, but I think that anti-socialists would say that it is missing the point. Most of the things in this list are considered goals by both sides -- eliminating poverty, treating families with children generously, supporting the working stiffs, better public education, etc.

People against socialism would just say that they don't think socialism could actually accomplish these things, at least not without worse things happening.

So, I don't think that these "myths" are good examples of what anti-socialists point to as indicators that America is becoming more socialist.

TEA Dem Your missing a

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:32 — Anonymous (not verified)

TEA Dem

Your missing a step.

Now divide your numbers by the countries GDP to find out the % of their income that they give away.

Let's all just take a trip

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:35 — Par (not verified)

Let's all just take a trip to Cuba and see socialism at its finest. The fact is, that the rich in America are the reason this country is so great. Human nature is to always strive for something greater. Socialism strives to take that away by making everybody equal. You must have some winners and some loosers for society to work. Heck, if I woke up every morning and had no chance to become something better, I would be so depressed. This is the country of opportunity, not oppressed poor. I am 26, struggling to feed my family but I'll die before I become subject to the every whim of the government.

@TEA Dem, I think the author

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:37 — sbunny8 (not verified)

@TEA Dem, I think the author was comparing spending as a fraction of GDP, not absolute numbers.

Drivel. It is astounding

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:45 — mar10 (not verified)

Drivel. It is astounding what passes for truth these days - and this list was written by a university professor.

Everywhere you use the word public, you should substitute the word socialism. This is what it means. So, when you talk about "public" education, this means socialism. This means wealth is confiscated from the rich to pay for the education of the poor.
Every heard of progressive taxation? This is socialism. Tax the rich more because you are envious of their wealth, and believe you can create 'social justice' by letting the government decide where it should be spent. This is socialism.

Currently the top 10% of income earners pay for 73% of the tax burden. This is socialism. 47% of the population does not pay taxes. Are you stupid or do you get to use your own facts? When government takes the money from the rich and wastes it on the poor, this is socialism.

Show me any demographic that has ever been lifted out of poverty by welfare programs - anywhere - anytime in history. Not once. Never. It only creates a dependency class that always has it's hand out.

And speaking of myths, the notion that a gap between the rich and the poor is a bad thing, it crap. The poor are not "engaged" in economics. They don't produce anything. When an economy gets better, the rich create jobs, not the poor. And the resulting tide of economics lifts all boats, including the poor. They get dragged upward, even they don't produce anything. You cannot have a growing or booming economy without anyone getting rich. Wealth is the antidote of poverty, why do you hate it so much? Wealth is also not limited - anyone can create it with work. You sound like you believe that there is only so much money to go around and for one person to get rich, another must bet poor. This is just not true. This belief is socialism.

where did you get these

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 15:55 — Anonymous (not verified)

where did you get these "facts"?

The last "myth buster" about

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 16:24 — Josh (not verified)

The last "myth buster" about foreign aid is HIGHLY misleading. The U.S. has the highest amount of foreign aid given to other countries in the world, your claim is actually as a percentage of GDP. You realize skewing facts and wording about them makes you equally as bad as the people you're supposedly debunking...right?

My take on the overall point

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 16:25 — StillLiberalAfterAllTheseYears (not verified)

My take on the overall point of this article, via the specific issues it raises, is that the federal government is much less intrusive and/or helpful to its constituents than the rest of the developed world.

Any assessment requires comparison; therefore, the U.S with nations having similar economic status. The article appears fair in that regard.

Except for no. 6, which states it's easier for one to do better than their parents in "Australia, Canada and Nordic countries like Denmark, Norway and Finland..." Since there are 30 countries in the OECD that puts the U.S. in the top third, at least.

There may be many myths

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 16:27 — TruthinSF (not verified)

There may be many myths about socialism. But one essential truth is this: it turns each of us into slaves. The idea of helping "the poor" is noble. But it should never be forced on to others ... not even through the tax code, just so politicians can use tax revenue as a personal charitable foundation, thinking that they know how to spend our money better than we do. But most importantly, because humans will always naturally seek status ... it's part of our essential nature (in our DNA). So if we rid the influence of wealth as a factor in status, the like all socialist governments that have ever existed, humans will find a replacement -- connections. Just ask those who lived under socialist governments, and watched their lives be destroyed by government functionaries. Clout will be based not on how much money one has, but how well connected one is, as people will suck up to those in power, and people in power (inevitably) will abuse it to control the rest of us. Yes, socialism suffers myths. But the inescapable truth is: it's a terrible system and should be fought at every step.

top 10% of income earners

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 16:28 — Anonymous (not verified)

top 10% of income earners pay for 73% of the "income" tax burden

Corrected that for you.

The rich don't "produce" anything. For the most part, they are leeches that get fat sucking the wealth from the masses of people that actually do work.

"dragged upward"?? more like "standing on and pushing down".

How did the word "liberal"

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 16:40 — Anonymous (not verified)

How did the word "liberal" become an expletive? People need to get some perspective and check some definitions. Here, I'll get you started:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/liberal

A couple of pertinent entries:

1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.
4. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression
6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies.
7. free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant

That list sounds like what a lot of self-proclaimed Tea Baggers, "Republicans", and "conservatives" actually believe.

Maybe they are pulling for the wrong team? All signs point to "yes".

If you don't mind, be

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 16:42 — Rusty Cawley (not verified)

If you don't mind, be "generous" with your own money ... not mine.

"The modern liberal is

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 16:45 — Anonymous (not verified)

"The modern liberal is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for theft."
-- Christopher Adams

Why don't we ask all the

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 16:53 — Anonymous (not verified)

Why don't we ask all the people who lived in Eastern Europe about the "myths" of socialism. I've never heard anyone from there who sings it's praises. Having escaped it, they are now some of the most anti-socialist people in the world, and do everything they can to warn us to never go down that path.

thought I'd throw a

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 17:13 — Anonymous (not verified)

thought I'd throw a counterpoint in here regarding definitions. Here' the one for conservative:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conservative

conservative:
1. disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.
2. cautiously moderate or purposefully low
3. traditional in style or manner; avoiding novelty or showiness

Do any of the current batch of "conservatives" actually want to preserve existing conditions and institutions? Or limit change? That's not the message promulgated by party heads.

It is disturbing how much

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 18:13 — Anonymous (not verified)

It is disturbing how much damage Glen Beck and his ilk have done to this country.

http://www.prunejuicemedia.com/?p=1637

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/0426/entertainment-fox-news-simon-schuster-glenn-beck-inc.html

http://blogs.forbes.com/bizblog/2010/04/12/does-glenn-beck-believe-his-own-words/

You are taking the words of a man who doesn't care about politics as political gospel. He is in it for the money and you people are stupid enough to listen to him.

As for those of you saying that people who don't like America can get out, etc... Consider that all this article does is point out that we are not socialists as conservatives would like us to believe. Don't cry just because you believed a lie. Whether or not you feel we should be more or less socialist, or have more and fewer social programs is a separate issue.

REPLY TO: drivel It is

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 18:43 — dum bare (not verified)

REPLY TO: drivel It is astounding

The facts laid out are the facts...Truth, not biased brain farts. You have taken the facts as presented and restated the subject and description to suit your own bias by twisting a new meaning into the truth. The Rich do not create jobs, the market determines what is produced and for what portion of the market. The Rich do not produce product, the working man does with his hands or machinery. The Rich do not pay 73%of taxes collected, those that make 225,000. and above pay 2% of taxes collected, they make up 10% of the taxpayers in America. The largest amounts of Tax collected come from corporate taxes, of which most goes to the Military for defence and Security. These are only some of the facts you twisted, The average american taxpayer pays taxes for congressional salaries, medical, retirement etc, for which some congressmen seek to get rich off of PACs and Lobbyists for favors, favors they deny the american taxpayer. If you want to quote socialism, you need to know what it is first. The closest thing was the Soviet Union, the USSR Union of Socialist Soviet Republics, and it was a total dictatorship. Sorry the US has a long, long way to go to be called Socialist.
I would Suggest to you better than the Democratic form of Govt. we currently have, we would do well to have a Singahpore Style Democracy....but then you will probably find fault in that to, without having the sightest inkling of what it consists of.
Sorry friend you live in your own self styled world, with little creative or constructive thought of what is Real Truth.
Did you know that more that 97% of the Military that has bled suffered and died for your freedom earned salaries that ranged from poverty level to the low end of Middle Class, How many of your Rich and Powerful greedy money changers made such a sacrifice for your Freedom to express yourself so ignorantly

this has to be the worst

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 18:50 — Anonymous (not verified)

this has to be the worst myth battle ever - you omit the complete picture and you make up your own definitions for words like "poverty" and "generous". lame.

It should not be surprising

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 19:08 — Anonymous (not verified)

It should not be surprising that the US suffers from such bad statistics. We have been experimenting with some forms of socialism for almost 80 years now ... since the New Deal, taken up a notch since the welfare programs of the 60's. Yet despite decades and trillions of socialist re-distribution, we have more poverty than ever. So much for the "benefits" of socialism. Better to repeal it all now, get people off the dole, and put the country back to work. Otherwise, our nation (and the world) is going to be run out of China.

This guy knows sh... about

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 19:20 — Anonymous (not verified)

This guy knows sh... about socialism. Just speak like this in any Communist country (no matter how bs his facts/myths are), he'll be rotten in the hard labor camp...

The problem is that

The problem is that "poverty" is a relative term. We have a large percentage in poverty only because we also have a large number of the world's wealthy. But wealth too is relative. Not long ago, wealth was marked by having a couple pigs and goats, and 2 centuries ago, the King of France did not have a TV. But today, virtually all of those in "poverty" in the US have a TV, and a DVD player, and access to free food and soon free health care. Of course, all of those things are compliment of capitalist.

Yet one thing socialist hate is "the rich" They seethe with jealousy, and do all they can to justify using numerical masses to vote themselves the power to steal from the rich. Socialist are never happy until everyone is poor -- the inevitable result of socialist policy. They merely use their Robin Hood re-distribution to keep themselves in power(see: Soviet Union, etc.). Thus socialist are really the enemy of the poor.

If you like those other

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 19:24 — Anonymous (not verified)

If you like those other countries so much, go move there. I'm sick of scumbag politicians running our lives. Vote them all out this election and go get the President in 2012.

poptoy writes: "If # 6 is a

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 19:38 — markpkessinger (not verified)

poptoy writes:

"If # 6 is a Myth then someone please explain to me Oprah Winfrey..."

Please tell me that you are not so ignorant as to be unable to understand the difference between statistical chance and the rare exception. To say that, in the U.S., ones chances of moving upwards in terms of class/social status are slim compared to some other countries in no way precludes the rare cases of people like Oprah Winfrey. But the simple fact is, the "self-made man" (or woman) is, most of the time and for most of us, a myth. Sure, there have been a few Oprahs and Warrens and Bills and the like, but to point to that small and very rarefied group of individuals and try to claim their achievements to be within the grasp of the vast majority of citizens is pure, deluded fantasy.

we have the lowest tax rates

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 19:51 — Anonymous (not verified)

we have the lowest tax rates in history, chew on that.

America has definitely moved

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 19:55 — Anonymous (not verified)

America has definitely moved too far towards Socialism. We must require a return to the US Constitution and limit the powers of the Federal Government. This is, and should be, the land of opportunity, NOT the the land of give-me.

The Unites States is a

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 20:10 — check the facts (not verified)

The Unites States is a nation filled with socialist institutions and has been since it's founding.... Including, but not limited to, public roads and highways, public parks, public schools, public libraries, fire protection, police protection,the US military, public airwaves, public lands( Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service), public transportation, US postal service and etc.

The US does have an inferior

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 20:24 — Anonymous (not verified)

The US does have an inferior healthcare system because at least 40 million US citizens had NO HEALTHCARE INSURANCE WHATSOEVER! Hopefully, this extreme defect in the healthcare system is now being corrected.

I see some Right wing

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 22:05 — Anonymous (not verified)

I see some Right wing conservatives here attacking these facts and stating that these aren't actually facts because these aren't found on a website or such publication....

Are you serious? Did you even attempt to type anything in your google search bar to find any "facts" to discredit this article?
Here's a challenge: why don't you do some scholarly research and type up a rebuttal for this article stating actual facts with references that discredit this writer. Then I'll take Glenn Beck serious instead of a clown

According to many posts

Fri, 04/16/2010 - 22:35 — embrace the nwo-you have no choice (not verified)

According to many posts here, poor people are the ONLY ones who benefit from the government .... AND they seem to benefit soooo much .... that they've taken to the idea of not working anymore.

Everywhere I go, I see poor people eating in fancy restaurants and riding in limosines .... so I guess it is working very well for them. (of course, this is sarcasm)

NO ONE benefits more and ACTUALLY DOES LESS WORK FOR IT THAN THE WEALTHIEST.

You actually expect me to believe that Bill Gates did ALL the work for ALL that money HIMSELF .... all by his little 'ol self, he did .... PUH-LEESE .... tens of thousands under him did THE ACTUAL WORK.

You actually expect me to believe that Meg Whitman WORKED for the MORE THAN ONE BILLION DOLLARS she received in her SHORT stint at the top of ebay? .... PUH-LEESE .... HOW does one perform SO MUCH work in order to receive SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH??

Are they SUPERMAN in disguise?

Do they have a thousand arms all moving in different directions performing a thousand different tasks simultaneously?

Why .... YES .... YES you do have a thousand arms .... it's true .... VERY true!

You have a thousand arms when ....

you have five hundred much, MUCH, MUCH lesser paid, un-credited, un-known, un-realized, un-seen people under you doing MOST of the work, and even coming up with the NEW IDEAS (because that's what they're hired on for .... but realize so little monetarily for) .... the NEW IDEAS that YOU take credit for having all by yor lil 'ol self .... AND you recieve the REAL financial reward for.

My point here is .... socialism ain't a threat just because a gajillion idiots had it whispered in their ear by some patriotic superheros who've arrived on the scene just in time to slay the evil seven-headed nwo serpent and wave their flags of rightousness and sing their songs of victory o'er the vile evil opressors who run the gub'ment ....

Remember .... even if the guy you voted for isn't at the VERY top of da gub'ment .... it's still filled with likewise vile evil opressors that YOU also voted for.

I give this country another fifteen minutes at most .... and then it's all going to collapse.

I wish this piece had

Sat, 04/17/2010 - 13:17 — Anonymous (not verified)

I wish this piece had references to back up these claims. I believe all of them, but it would make for a more powerful essay.

Sat, 04/17/2010 - 00:20 —

Sat, 04/17/2010 - 13:18 — Anonymous (not verified)

Sat, 04/17/2010 - 00:20 — Anonymous said; "But today, virtually all of those in "poverty" in the US have a TV, and a DVD player, and access to free food and soon free health care."

The recently passed health care reform bill mandates that everyone purchase health care insurance from private health care companies. That hardly sounds like free health care to me. That in fact sounds to me more like a dictatorship guaranteeing the future existence and by extension profitability of a private enterprise supported not by those enacting the mandate but by those that are forced to pay them.

To those of you who say "if

Sun, 04/18/2010 - 01:18 — Anonymous (not verified)

To those of you who say "if you don't like it, leave": well, I've been trying to do exactly that. It isn't exactly easy, as you have to find a host country (I want to end up in the EU) that will take you, and getting visas require you to have family connections or an offer of employment. And our own government has set up laws that make leaving very difficult, at least if you want to bring any of your assets with you. For example, I cannot even open a foreign bank account because of laws and treaties imposed by the US. If any of you holiler-than-thous would like to help me clear out of here, I'd be welcome to realistic and practical advice. And I could offer you a good deal on the house, too. :-)

The first and only

Sun, 04/18/2010 - 10:44 — Anonymous (not verified)

The first and only significant myth about socialism in this country is the crazy idea that socialism is a bad thing.

This article is BS. Lets

Mon, 04/19/2010 - 21:51 — Anonymous (not verified)

This article is BS. Lets STOP giving aid. Why should we? I don't care, if we supposedly give less than France or Germany. So what? Why should I care? We are going to be the ones that supply defense for Europe, if they end up in a war anyways. They have puny militaries.

Lets look at all the numbers.

great post thank you for

Tue, 04/20/2010 - 09:58 — let's make "US" a better place (not verified)

great post thank you for illustrating it all in one place

Glenn Beck was talking about

Fri, 04/23/2010 - 11:39 — Mitchina (not verified)

Glenn Beck was talking about the U.S. being the most charitable in leading the efforts in foreign aid - not supporting it's own poverty stricken citizens. In fact he has said just the opposite shpwing the stark contrast in how we ignore our own yet are the top giver of billions to other countries. Then again, you are probably just hearing this second or third hand from your progressive liberal bubble buddies or you listen through the filter of a progressive liberal pushing for socialism.

GB wants to cut the budget in half over a period of decades in order to take care of our OWN people and problems. He has identified these issues within our own country so stop spinning his words out of context to spread your propaganda.

This article lies! GB did

Fri, 04/23/2010 - 11:58 — Mitchina (not verified)

This article lies! GB did not say this... he was talking about the foreign aid America gives...

Bottom line and regardless of % or comparison to other counties' % of GDP or GNP... the fact remains, America gives the highest dollar figure by far than any other country.

Pick it apart if you want to, but this is a fact. Change the parameters to fit your accusations against Glenn Beck, but he is right.... and you are right in your technical facts. But your accusations are not right.

So stop the propaganda. If you want to educate people more fully so they understand the technical facts, then do that - otherwise you just sound like a liberal brat picking an imaginary argument who's only objective is to stir the pot of political divide between Americans.

Korea is struggling? I never

Mon, 05/17/2010 - 11:26 — Anonymous (not verified)

Korea is struggling? I never knew S.Korea was an economically "struggling" nation, heck it's at least in the top 15 or top 10.

also @ Mitchina - Beck is

Mon, 05/17/2010 - 11:27 — Anonymous (not verified)

also @ Mitchina - Beck is somewhat identical to a mental patient so it really doesn't matter now does it?

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Nine Myths About Socialism in the US

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