Erroneous Faith: The Government and Healthcare
For years, Indian Health Services has been in disarray and the statistics resemble that of a developing or underdeveloped nation. The healthcare debate brings this issue front and center. The White House dutifully released an online video to discuss health care and Indian Health Services. The government official reiterates that there are no similarities between the two programs and that the government will provide extra funding to Indian Health Services. She is right, these are two separate debates, but likely to both affect the American Indian people.
The first mistake in both debates is to blindly trust the government. Just because the government says the healthcare solution is going to improve the system, hesitation is wise. How many people actually know the details of this healthcare bill? The rumor disseminated by Sarah Palin about death panels may appear preposterous, but it is partially true. Many advocates and forefathers of the bill believe that healthcare should be prioritized and the elderly may not fall within those priorities. While many liken this to saving 1000 people by letting one individual fade out, it has many more ramifications.
The first concern is the precedent such a priority sets. Even if the US could somehow come to a consensus that the elderly are the least priority (which I do not believe we can nor should do), this is a very dangerous trend. Perhaps the next group to get ousted from health coverage could be my group or your group (an ethnic group, mentally handicapped, whoever else is believed the weakest link). History and common sense urge caution with the government and that life should never be prioritized. Historically, the government has tried to commit genocide against the native peoples, provided them such little healthcare that infant mortality is high, it would be a mistake to naïvely believe that the government may actually have empathy for the tribes and not sacrifice them.
A second problem with the proposal is more obvious, maybe some Americans do not respect the elders, but tribal people have traditionally held the elders in high esteem. Taking away their health care eliminates their opportunity to freely choose how to live out the rest of their lives. It also eradicates their opportunity to continue to guide and impart wisdom (for we know that the young are often foolish as we see with this debate). Any attack on the elderly is not only an attack on life, but on many of our cultures.
Finally, speaking of improving funding for Indian Health Services, the amount is so dismal, it is a mere parlor trick to deceive and temporarily win favor. The stimulus is expected to cost nearly 24 trillion US dollars, yet we certainly know the money is hardly reaching the tribal peoples. Appeasing and deceiving a group is certainly not the same as Change. If the Administration is serious about Indian Health Services, the program needs to be considered very carefully and serious money needs to be invested or the program needs to be changed (yes another program to reform).
Indian Health Services and healthcare reform are two different programs, but if the government is incompetent at one, why should the exploited tribal peoples have any faith in the other? The only thing we can know to be true is history-- the history of tribal exploitation and government mismanagement. Faith in the government’s word has proven deathly for the tribes.
The first mistake in both debates is to blindly trust the government. Just because the government says the healthcare solution is going to improve the system, hesitation is wise. How many people actually know the details of this healthcare bill? The rumor disseminated by Sarah Palin about death panels may appear preposterous, but it is partially true. Many advocates and forefathers of the bill believe that healthcare should be prioritized and the elderly may not fall within those priorities. While many liken this to saving 1000 people by letting one individual fade out, it has many more ramifications.
The first concern is the precedent such a priority sets. Even if the US could somehow come to a consensus that the elderly are the least priority (which I do not believe we can nor should do), this is a very dangerous trend. Perhaps the next group to get ousted from health coverage could be my group or your group (an ethnic group, mentally handicapped, whoever else is believed the weakest link). History and common sense urge caution with the government and that life should never be prioritized. Historically, the government has tried to commit genocide against the native peoples, provided them such little healthcare that infant mortality is high, it would be a mistake to naïvely believe that the government may actually have empathy for the tribes and not sacrifice them.
A second problem with the proposal is more obvious, maybe some Americans do not respect the elders, but tribal people have traditionally held the elders in high esteem. Taking away their health care eliminates their opportunity to freely choose how to live out the rest of their lives. It also eradicates their opportunity to continue to guide and impart wisdom (for we know that the young are often foolish as we see with this debate). Any attack on the elderly is not only an attack on life, but on many of our cultures.
Finally, speaking of improving funding for Indian Health Services, the amount is so dismal, it is a mere parlor trick to deceive and temporarily win favor. The stimulus is expected to cost nearly 24 trillion US dollars, yet we certainly know the money is hardly reaching the tribal peoples. Appeasing and deceiving a group is certainly not the same as Change. If the Administration is serious about Indian Health Services, the program needs to be considered very carefully and serious money needs to be invested or the program needs to be changed (yes another program to reform).
Indian Health Services and healthcare reform are two different programs, but if the government is incompetent at one, why should the exploited tribal peoples have any faith in the other? The only thing we can know to be true is history-- the history of tribal exploitation and government mismanagement. Faith in the government’s word has proven deathly for the tribes.
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