Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Nine Myths about Socialism in the USA: Quigley for Common Dreams


Nine Myths about Socialism in the US

by Bill Quigley Published on Saturday, April 10, 2010 by CommonDreams.org


Glenn Beck and other far right multi-millionaires are claiming that the US is hot on the path towards 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 Senator 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. 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. See www.oecd.org


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


Myth #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% in the US have a higher annual income than any other country. And the poorest 10% in the US are below the average of the other OECD countries. The rich in the U.S. have been rapidly leaving the middle class and poor behind since the 1980s.


Myth #2. The US already has the greatest health care system in the world. Infant mortality in the US is 4th worst among OECD countries – better only than Mexico, Turkey and the Slovak Republic.


Myth #3. There is less poverty in the US than anywhere. Child poverty in the US, at over 20% or one out of every five kids, is double the average of the 30 OECD countries.


Myth #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.


Myth #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. 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 8 paid annual days of leave. Most of the other 30 countries require a minimum of 20 days of annual paid leave for their workers.


Myth #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.


Myth #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. Educational achievement of US children, however, is 7th worst in the OECD. On public spending for childcare and early education, the US is in the bottom third.


Myth #8. The US government is redistributing income from the rich to the poor. There is little redistribution of income by government in the U.S. 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.


Myth #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.


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


Bill Quigley is Legal Director at the Center for Constitutional Rights and law professor at Loyola University New Orleans. There is a version of this article with footnotes for those interested. Quigley77@gmail.com [1]


Article printed from www.CommonDreams.org URL to article: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/04/10

Labels: , , , ,

8 Comments:

Blogger oakleyses said...

insanity workout, mac cosmetics, vans outlet, ghd, moncler, moncler, wedding dresses, moncler outlet, abercrombie and fitch, jimmy choo shoes, north face outlet, instyler ionic styler, north face jackets, roshe run, canada goose pas cher, new balance outlet, uggs outlet, rolex watches, asics shoes, ugg outlet, soccer shoes, canada goose uk, herve leger, birkin bag, longchamp, canada goose, reebok shoes, canada goose outlet, valentino shoes, canada goose outlet, ferragamo shoes, nfl jerseys, uggs on sale, p90x workout, soccer jerseys, hollister, lululemon outlet, mcm handbags, ugg soldes, celine handbags, ugg boots, mont blanc pens, canada goose outlet, chi flat iron, bottega veneta, marc jacobs outlet, ugg, beats headphones, giuseppe zanotti, babyliss pro

Mon Oct 27, 10:54:00 PM 2014  
Blogger Unknown said...

2015-09-15 zhengjx
Coach Outlet Store Online Clearance
Louis Vuitton Handbags Outlet Sale
Official Cheap Michael Kors Handbags Outlet
hollister clothing
ugg boots
coach factory outlet
ray-ban sunglasses
ralph lauren
Louis Vuitton Outlet Discount Handbags
Michael Kors Outlet USA Store
Michael Kors Outlet Online Store Clearance
hermes birkin
michael kors outlet
Up To 70% Off Air Retro Jordan 8s
coach outlet
uggs australia
michael kors bag
Michael Kors Outlet Factory Handbags For Sale
burberry outlet
Abercrombie & Fitch Clothing With Big Discount
michael kors outlet
Michael Kors Outlet Online 70% Off Handbags
coach outlet store online
michael kors outlet
cheap nfl jerseys
Christian Louboutin Shoes Outlet Sale Cheap Price
Abercrombie And Fitch New York Clothing Warehouse
hollister uk
cheap jordans
michael kors outlet

Tue Sep 15, 02:20:00 AM 2015  
Blogger Huongkvb said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

Wed Mar 29, 05:47:00 AM 2017  
Blogger JESSICA JANE said...


If you have a history of illness that is difficult to recover, maybe our next article will help you to recover

Inilah Perawatan pada Penderita Osteoporosis
Cara Menghilangkan Penyakit Kulit Ayam
Obat Bruntusan di Wajah
Obat Maag Untuk Ibu Hamil
Pengobatan Infeksi Usus
Obat Luka Diabetes

Wed Jul 11, 03:45:00 AM 2018  
Blogger elkamaal said...


شركة تنظيف ستائر بالبخار بعجمان
شركة تنظيف بالبخار بعجمان
تنظيف بالبخار فى بعجمان
شركة نظافة فى عجمان
شركة تنظيف بعجمان
شركات تنظيف فلل بعجمان
شركات تنظيف المبانى فى بعجمان
شركة تنظيف شقق فى بعجمان
شركة تنظيف منازل فى بعجمان
شركة مكافحة حشرات بعجمان
شركة مكافحة الصراصير بعجمان
شركة مكافحة الفئران بعجمان
شركة مكافحة الرمة بعجمان
شركة مكافحة البق بعجمان
شركة تنظيف مسابح بدبى
شركة تنظيف سجاد بالبخار بدبى
شركة تنظيف موكيت بالبخار بدبى
شركة تنظيف كنب بالبخار بدبى

Thu Sep 13, 01:14:00 AM 2018  
Blogger elkamaal said...


شركة مكافحة القوارض بمكة
شركة مكافحة البق بمكة
شركة مكافحة الارضة بمكة
شركة رش حشرات بمكة
شركة رش مبيدات بمكة
شركة جلى بلاط رخام بمكة
شركة جلى رخام بمكة
شركة جلى بلاط بمكة
فك وتركيب أثاث إيكيا بمكة
شركة نقل عفش بمكة
شركة نقل اثاث بمكة


شركة شحن برى لمصر
شركة شحن من الرياض الى مصر
شركة شحن فى السعوديه لمصر

نقل اثاث بمكة
نقل عفش بمكة
تخزين عفش بمكة

Thu Sep 13, 01:14:00 AM 2018  
Blogger elkamaal said...


شركات الشحن فى مصر
شركات شحن برى فى مصر


شركات النقل البرى فى مصر
شركات شحن من مصر للسعودية
شحن بضائع من مصر للسعودية
اسعار الشحن الجوى من مصر للسعودية
افضل شركة شحن للسعودية
شركات الشحن الدولى فى مصر
شركات شحن دولى فى مصر
افضل شركات الشحن فى مصر
اسعار شركات الشحن الدولى فى مصر

سداد القروض الراجحي
تسديد القروض من الديوان الملكي

Thu Sep 13, 01:14:00 AM 2018  
Blogger Unknown said...

Clarification post! I really like and appreciate your efforts, thank you for sharing useful knowledge about blog strategy I heard I like
Football Betting


Thu Feb 03, 03:17:00 AM 2022  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home