In the world of conservative talk radio, America is a socialist nation. The U.S. government is “redistributing wealth” at a ferocious pace from rich to poor. Making that point succinctly this week is Phyllis Schlafly:

America Becomes a Two-Class Society

The outright cash handouts include the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which can amount to as much as $5,657 a year to low-income families. Other financial benefits can include child tax credits, welfare, food stamps, WIC (Women, Infants, Children), housing subsidies, unemployment benefits, Medicaid, S-CHIP and other programs.

This is both a massive transfer of wealth and a soak-the-rich racket.

Is this true? Making the counterpoint is Bill Quigley:

Nine Myths About Socialism in the United States

To make his counterpoint he uses a comparison method:

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.

His first myth addresses Schlafly’s “soak-the-rich” charge:

Myth #1. The US government is involved in class warfare attacking the rich to lift up the poor.

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.

His eighth myth address her “massive transfer of wealth” charge:

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.

If you would like a graphic representation of the current state of socialism in the United States, this article is also helpful:

15 Mind-Blowing Facts About Wealth And Inequality In America

Click on the “View As One Page” link and scroll down.

See also: How Socialism, Communism, Fascism and Nazism Work

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