Thursday, March 5, 2020

American Socialism On Reservations Has Never Worked


Dear Friends,

I was corresponding with a reader about the Left's desire for Socialism and the upcoming presidential election. As I stated to my friend in a letter, for me, the choice is clear. We have to get out the vote for Donald Trump and fight the lunatics on the Left. They don't care who suffers as a result of their ignorance about several issues.

One issue is energy production. They have no idea what it takes to create electricity. They certainly don't know what it takes to power electric cars or builds them. I find it ironic that most of them are built with petroleum products and powered by hazardous waste batteries. Of course, the Left wants electric cars, but they don't want to build the power plants to power them.

They see coal as a bad thing, yet they don't understand that coal is used for more than just energy -- such as for the production of iron for building buildings. As for oil production, the Left has no idea that 47% of every barrel of oil goes into making the more than 6,000 manufactured products that we all use every day -- including cell phones and just about everything behind the counter at their local Starbucks. And though they think solar and wind power are the answer, they don't realize that those two methods of creating power are the least reliable and the least productive.

As for the Global Warming Hoax, the Left is way too dumb to know when they are being had. They really think paying more in taxes, giving up 70% of their paychecks to the government under Bernie Sanders' plan will somehow stop the weather from changing. Talk about not very smart.

As for wanting to surrender their Constitutional rights, or their idea that no one needs to be responsible to pay their debts, or their child-like view of Socialism and their idea that everything should be free, I can't believe that they are truly that dumb. The Left's propaganda machine supports the idea that no one has to pay for anything. And sadly, there are fools on the Left who are so stupid that they believe they will get everything free without having to pay for it in some way, shape, or form. Talk about child-like mentalities. They really think a nanny state is a good thing.

As you know, I mainly write about American History, focusing on the Old West, everything from vigilantes to Native American tribes. I'm actually amazed that no one has yet to mention how horrible Socialism has been for American Indians on reservations. So let's talk about American Indian reservations and how Indians are considered "wards of the Federal Government."

On March 3rd, 1871, the Indian Appropriations Act was passed. It was an amendment ending tribal recognition and the treaty system. At that time, American Indians were made "wards of the state," which means that they were considered wards of the Federal Government. It also meant that the federal government no longer needed any sort of tribal consent in dealing with the tribes. What happened after that is a perfect example of how Socialism does not work in America. The reason for that is that it's a perfect example of what life is like when the government sees you as its children and them your parent. 

This Is A Cautionary Tale Told To People Ignoring The Lessons Of Our History

We don't have to look to Venezuela, Cuba, or the former Soviet Union to see how Socialism fails. We would all be "wards of the U.S. Government" if we ever give up our freedoms and choose to be in a Socialist government. Native Americans have a pathetic healthcare system, unemployment through the roof, poverty is widespread, so is drug use, alcoholism, domestic violence, incarceration, divorce, depression, and suicides. If Americans want to see the true ill effects of American Socialism, all one needs to do is see how the American Indian on reservations has suffered under such a nanny state.

Yes, my friends, American Socialism has been practiced since the end of the 1870s when Native American reservations were established by the Federal Government. At the end of the Indian Wars, Native American Tribes were rounded up and became "wards of the Federal Government," which is what the Supreme Court labeled them. 

As wards of the Federal Government, Native Americans became slaves of the state, were lied to, starved, and allowed to die rather than be allowed to be free. Sadly, over the last 150 plus years, some Native Americans have looked at death as a way to gain their freedom from the oppression of the Federal Government's Socialist care.

Do you think I'm exaggerating? My friends, 5.2 million American Indians live on tribal lands. While that's only about 22% of America's Native American population, their living conditions are comparable to that of Third World countries. And like Third World countries, the only people profiting from such a Socialist system are crooked government officials, crooked tribal leaders, and shifty contractors, all of who take the lion's share of the funds allocated for those on the reservations.

Since Socialism is supposed to give everyone everything free, why is it that Socialism on the reservations has meant American Indians have seen nothing free? And instead, they live in overcrowded, substandard housing where three or more generations of a family live in small two-bedroom homes. And while most Americans take for granted things like adequate plumbing, available kitchen facilities, telephone or cell service, electricity, cable providers, heating, and air conditioning, Indian reservation housing is mostly absent of such common luxuries. In fact, on reservations, one would be lucky to find amenities such as running water in most reservation households. 

Socialism Equals Poverty

Since poverty is widespread thanks to the American Indian being a "ward of the Federal Government," such amenities are viewed as luxuries. As for employment, the only jobs to be had are either connected to the tribe or with the Federal Governments in some way. The fact is, there are few private employers, if any, on a reservation.

And because of the abject poverty and lack of opportunity, many of the reservation households are overcrowded. Thankfully, there are those who are on Social Security, Social Security Disability, or maybe getting Veterans Disability Pensions because the lack of employment and the below the poverty line wages are all a result of American Socialism in Reservations.

What has this done to the average household on the reservations? What it has done is exactly what has happened to all of us who have struggled. The only way they survive is by getting their extended families to join together to help each other make ends meet. 

Bernie Sanders is always talking about wealthy Billionaires, but he himself is a wealthy multi-Millionaire. And frankly, he doesn't have any idea of how tough things are when trying to make ends meet -- and the government limits you instead of helping you. 

And as for Healthcare For All? Let's talk about Socialized Medicine, Socialism's idea of Healthcare. Since Native American reservations lack the amenities that most Americans take for granted, and their homes are overcrowded while lacking basic heat and cooling, there are increased health risks taking place. Now compound that with the no real accessible healthcare available to them. 

Here's a statistic for you, 55% of all American Indians on reservations completely rely on the Indian Health Service for medical care. But here's the catch, because of not enough funding, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act only meets about 60% of their health needs. Because of the lack of funds being provided to make the Indian Health Care Improvement Act work efficiently, Indian Health Service facilities are restricted to only providing crisis-driven care. 

That means that there is no such thing as adequate and preventative health care for most Native Americans on the reservations. To make matters worse, doctors and pharmacies are completely non-existent in some communities because of the under-funding. 

So now, we all know that Bernie Sanders has been the Chairman of the Senate Committee of Veterans Affairs, and he didn't do anything to improve the healthcare needs of veterans. And yes, besides what's taking place on American Indian Reservations, that's the other example of how Socialized Medicine is a complete failure. 

As "wards of the Federal Government," Native Americans on reservations were told that the Federal Government would provide for their care and needs. Conditioned to be dependent on the government, American Indians have faced starvation and limited opportunities. Because of this, deprivation is all-consuming, while drug use, alcoholism, mental illness, and depression have led to the highest instances of domestic violence, divorce, and suicide seen in our American society. The result is that Native Americans on reservations have horrible schools, have some of the worse poverty in our entire nation, and don't have adequate healthcare, which the government is supposed to provide. 

Here's what's worse, because of the lack of funding for such Socialist programs as government-provided healthcare, non-existent medical assistance has created all sorts of huge health problems for Native Americans. For example, I read where Native Americans are experiencing a horrible epidemic of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, tuberculosis, and cancer. And sadly, the infant death rate among American Indians on Reservations is 60% higher than for Americans not living on a Reservation. 

These are the realities faced by many Native Americans living on reservations. They should serve as a lesson to non-Native Americans who want to know how bad things can get right here in America under Socialism. It's true. Such is the lesson of Socialism. 

And since we already have American Socialism being practice on Native American reservations, why aren't Americans talking about the truth regarding the evils of Socialism? Doesn't the truth matter anymore? Will anyone ask self-proclaimed Socialist, actual life-long Communist, Bernie Sanders, why Socialism in practice on reservations has failed to work for American Indians? 

Why don't people ask Bernie Sanders how Socialism has failed, and the Free Stuff promised never appeared on American Indian reservations. Since American Indians on reservations live in conditions akin to that of people living in Third World Countries, Bernie and his supporters should be made to address how Socialism kills the human spirit.

If people don't think it does, look to the reservations and see how tough they are.

UPDATE:

I find it interesting that when asked by a tribe member to look into the negative ramifications of government-imposed Socialist programs on Indian Reservations since the 1870s, I get tons of hate mail, and the post is read by over 60,000 people. When I write part two, which has to do with how well some tribes are doing after they rid themselves of the Federal Government's mandated Socialist programs, it's read by 300 people. Could it be people who want to read the negative and not read the upside of what's taking place on some reservations?

If people want to read about the positives taking place on reservations that are trying to get out from beneath the draconian Socialist policies imposed on the reservations by the government, click this link:

Tom Correa

25 comments:

  1. WOW! What a great informative article! This needs to be shared and shouted from the roof tops.

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    1. Agreed! Thank you for writing this article. I knew that American Indians didn't get a fair shake with our government... but I had no idea. I think it's time we made this right for them!

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    2. As these uncertain times increase each day,so does the love in men's hearts grow colder toward each other, I did not says these words,these words were fore told in the word of God, the Bible, these things will continue to come, for the word spoken or written shall be fullfilled.

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  2. My husband's company has done several "clean out" jobs on a few of the reservations in our area. The conditions are exactly as your article describes. They live in run down houses that are dirty and not taken care of, deteriorating and show no pride of ownership. Poor living conditions seem to fuel poor attitudes and as you mention they lack good health care. Most residents only use the limited health care the tribe supplies. I saw many children from the reservation being bused to public schools (where I worked) because the reservation schools are not good. But for some reason they all seem to drive new cars...maybe there is some kind of special funding for that, I don't know. It is a sad situation and as you point out, it does not work well.

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    1. No special funding for cars... lol. Crooked car dealers and people needing good vehicles.

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  3. "Talk about not being very smart", the Bible calls them fools. "Child-like view", exactly! They insist on having no wisdom from God, or common sense from fellow man, and learning from experience. "Everything should be free", remember that Sander's voters are mostly youth; youth that are taught and brought-up (not by responsible parents) by the government school system, aka Commoncore and the department of education and teacher's union. I was studying today that socialism feels sorry (and it's all a ploy to really rip off their fellow-man for money and status/power) that all people insist being categorized in 'classes' and so they take all private property, and anything they deem separates people in classes and make it public property, instead, supposing(lying) that makes everyone equal. Since it's the government (even America's) that "makes" people 'equal', all is lost: personal responsibility, individuality, and belongings. Frankly, I didn't know the indian reservations were as you describe! Great post, Tom.

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  4. The reason for the substandard housing is that the Government owns the land. They can't buy a mobile home or a standard house because they do not have collateral (land) to put it on and the BIA could bulldoze anything they put up and they have. Housing needs access to decent water and utilities...these are not available on Government land. The reason for the nice cars is that they are portable and they can get them out of the way if the Government decides to destroy their homes and property they have scavenged to put in those "homes". Some even live out of their cars especially when too many are living in the "homes".BIA and BLM should be abolished --land should be deeded to the native americans and the states should step forward for the education and health care they need.

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    1. Many Native Americans don't work or have well paying jobs. This makes it very difficult to obtain credit for housing,
      vehicles etc. Depending upon the wealth of their tribe, each receives an annual payment (profit sharing). Guess where a good portion of this goes? Many purchase a new truck or car with cash since they can't obtain credit! While some lenders may make auto loans, it is very risky. If there is a need to recover (repossess) a vehicle, the lender can't do so on reservation property! Their best bet is to secure employment at one of the Casinos or oil companies...
      https://www.hcn.org/issues/42.12/the-ute-paradox

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  5. You need to look at Reservations in the upper Midwest. On my Res we have very good health care, elders are cared for and no one lives in tar paper shacks. It's not perfect but people serious about working can get Rez jobs with benefits. A lot depends on the location of the Fez any the corruption level of the tribal government.

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    1. Same here in Oregon. Much more support for their community and others outside of the tribe.

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  6. I never heard anyone from the rez say anything good about it. My prayers go to the people that live on the rez.

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  7. You mention poor housing conditions, which is true but I have lived near reservations where they were given nice housing. It was basic but as nice as the house that I built myself. The appliances including the wood stove never lasted very long as they would sell them to fund their drinking habits. People that work for their income and purchase their own stuff obviously are going to take better care of it.

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  8. The simple fact seems to be that the truth is not very popular. We have been conditioned to react to fear, a tool the government uses to tell us what they want us to know - lies. The truth brings responsibility, responsibility brings action. It's much easier to just go with the flow. Our media is proof that if the same lie is told enough times it becomes the truth.

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  9. Thank you Brad for posting this,. Hopefully it will open someone's eyes. Doubtful, but praying it will. The old saying is, " if you want to know if we can trust the US Government,. Just ask a Native American", If anyone has EVER been discriminated against, It the The Native Americans.

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  10. I do not want anything from our governments.
    I do not want them telling me what to do.
    I want less taxes, less government, and persuit of happiness.
    No socialism.
    Capitalism works for me.

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  11. I do not want anything from our governments.
    I do not want them telling me what to do.
    I want less taxes, less government, and persuit of happiness.
    No socialism.
    Capitalism works for me.

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  12. Mr. Correa, This was excellent and I would add that this experiment was again started in the 1960's and then called the war on poverty. Instead of reservations, it had housing projects, aid for dependent children, food stamps, medicaid etc....That Socialist experiment limited people as well and rewarded absentee father. Truth is father is the wrong term, there wasn't a father, he was just a booty call at that time. Couple that with dumbed down education and it makes it easy to tell folks vote for us and we will throw more money at the problem and create another program for you. It is just more failed Socialism.
    Rick.

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  13. And yet...most ppl on the reservations, if asked, would support Bernie Sanders. Go figure.

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  14. A truly sad, if not evil, tale of woe, to go. Nevertheless, there still may be both time and political room for a more harmonious balance in US politics. In stark contrast to both past setbacks and president Trump's narrow agenda. Instead, using a new, hybrid twin system, including together: market driven ("Capitalist"), and culturally appropriate, social democratic ("Socialist) policies. At least those parts of each, which not only make good sense but are also generally fair on the average citizen. As for the already proven, total failure of Socialism on the Reservations, please let me point out why this occurred...
    1/. Those nanny federalist social & economic policies were forcibly imposed upon Native Americans. Thus it was undemocratic. And probably unconstitutional, to boot. As well as being totally distrusted by those Indian Tribes harshly affected.
    2/. Those barren lands designated by the US Federal Government for Indian Reservations were inappropriate for both residential and economic development.
    3/. The financial resources and technical expertise for any realistic attempt at either agricultural, or industrial development of said lands, was either: insufficient, poorly administered or totally absent.
    Therefore the resettlement of displaced Indian Tribes on Reservation lands, following hard on the heals of federal warfare, disease & famine were always likely to fail. Of course, this may well have been the real aim of successive governments; barely hidden behind the seemingly benevolent, Socialist plan for surviving Indians. At the worst it was a not so secret agenda of ethnic genocide. Or at the least, a poorly concealed attempt to marginalise the Native Peoples of the majority USA controlled parts of the north American Continent. So, unlike the Israeli communal kibbutz success in the Palestinian desert lands, this earlier Federal Government experiment in Socialist engineering was always going to be a dog. From its ill conceived inception... right through to the here and now. If today's sorely tried Native Americans are ever again, going to trust modern Social Democratic policies, then they are really going to have to carefully pick those ones that fit both their current needs and future aspirations.

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  15. In the 1960's we bought a ranch in far northwest New Mexico. Living on the property. Was a Navajo family with 3 children. Although there was a quite nice owner's home there, the Navajo family were living in a mud/log dugout - no utilities. My husband couldn't bear the thought, so he transported a "ready-built" house with all utilities to the site. The next time we were there, imagine our surprise to find, the family was still living in the mud/log dugout & chopping ice in the water trough! Although the winters there are brutal, the Navajo family NEVER occupied the nice house with utilities.

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  16. Reasons why reservations are not building industries, businesses etc., is government red tape, it's the government or uncle sam keep pushing their heads back in the bag and hushing them. Truth.

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  17. UPDATE:
    I find it interesting that when asked by a tribe member to look into the negative ramifications of government imposed Socialist programs on Indian Reservations since the 1870's, I get tons of hate mail and the post is read by over 60,000 people. When I write part two which has to do with how well some tribes are doing after they rid themselves of the Federal Government's mandated Socialist programs, the good news is read by a couple of hundred people. Could it be people want to read the negative and not read the upside of what's taking place on some reservations? Seems to be the case.

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  18. This article needs a Twitter Link! Seriously! It's and amazing article!

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  19. I live between the Gila River and Tohono Odom Reservations in southern Arizona Diabetes is like an epidemic here because of alcohol and government issued food. They don't live to a very old age an you see people in wheelchairs with amputated feet, Sad

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