Creating a Fair Standard of Living On All Indian Reservations in the US

By FRANK LINGO

There are over one million Native Americans living on 326 reservations in the United States. Most of these people are living in extreme poverty. Many have no running water or electricity in their homes.

The unemployment rate can be as high as 40-80%. Diabetes has skyrocketed. Everything from heart disease to infant mortality is far higher than in the rest of the country.

The federal government’s help amounts to a pittance. If Native Americans are to have a chance at healthy, productive lives, it is up to private philanthropies to provide the opportunities and work in cooperation with tribal leaders.

Here are five areas of focus that all need an immediate influx of investment:

1. Food. Farm equipment for crop planting and harvesting. Local greenhouse for year-round fresh fruit and vegetables. Building and maintaining a full-service grocery store for every town.

2. Housing and city services. Building adequate houses with modern utilities, including running water and electricity.

3. Health Care. Building and maintaining health facilities for every community. Paying doctors and nurses a worthy wage. This could include paying off medical school costs in exchange for a required time of service at the reservation’s clinic. Access to low-cost medicine.

4. Employment. Loans to start small businesses. Incentives for outside companies to invest in the community. Job training and placement.

5. Education. Building and maintaining proper schools from K-12. Low-cost day care and pre-school for working parents. Teacher pay in line with national average, and incentives of paying off student loans in exchange for required time of employment.

Naturally, these transformations will require a tremendous amount of money. That’s where America’s billionaires would be invited to share their fortunes with the less fortunate.

Ballpark estimates of $20 million per area of focus, times five, come to about $100 million per reservation. This adds up to $32.6 billion for the 326 reservations. Putting it in other terms, it’s about $32,600 per person to make a decent life.

Of course, the population of each reservation varies widely and would necessitate a proportionate allotment of funds.

This is an age of astronomical fortunes achieved by a few while many millions remain in miserable poverty. Those few billionaires have the opportunity to leave a legacy of a good life for their fellow members of the human family.

Money has been compared to blood in the body of the human community. How can we withhold a full blood supply to anyone? After each of us has what we need, the hoarding of excess billions does no good for the world. It doesn’t even do any good for the hoarders.

Everyone who has given of themselves has learned what a great feeling it provides. For anyone who has a conscience, no amount of acquisition for oneself can match the satisfaction of helping people in need.

Sooner or later, most of today’s billionaires will tire of acquiring, and decide to devote their fortunes to making the world a better place. Some already have. For the rest, why not make it sooner and get that great feeling now?

Frank Lingo, based in Lawrence, Kansas, is a former columnist for the Kansas City Star and author of the novel “Earth Vote.” Email: lingofrank@gmail.com.

From The Progressive Populist, April 1, 2021

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