I wish that Nikolas Kristof had included a deeper dive into the statistics in his New York Times column about the issue of COVID-19 among the Navajo:
CHINLE, Ariz. — The Navajo Nation is a vast, awe-inspiring land of desert crags and canyons, the largest reservation in the country, but today it reverberates with grief and fear.
The Navajo have had more people infected with the coronavirus per capita than any state in the country. Decades of neglect, exploitation and discrimination mean that even before this pandemic, Navajo here had a shorter life expectancy (72) than people in Guatemala (74) — and now Covid-19 is hitting Native Americans with particular force.
If Native American tribes were counted as states, the five most infected states in the country would all be native tribes, with New York dropping to No. 6, according to a compilation by the American Indian Studies Center at U.C.L.A.
because according to the figures I came up with in a quick crosscheck with the Navajo nation itself, it isn’t true. The number of cases is high but the mortality due to COVID-19 is lower than many other states, particularly New York and New Jersey which, whatever else may be printed, remain the locus of most infections.
I agree with his broader point. I think our priorities are screwed up. I think a lot more attention should be devoted to the problems of the rural poor, particularly rural blacks, and people living on Indian reservations. They are the poorest of the poor in this country—poor by global standards not just relative to their richer urban fellow citizens. An outrage.
I suspect the urban poor will continue to receive a lot more attention both because that’s where the votes are and for the same reason a drunk searches for his car keys under a lamppost.
AFAICT, rural and urban poor receive about the same amount per capita support from the federal govt. Right now there is a federal effort to increase broadband access. $20 billion and $1.5 billion of that is going to urban areas. (I have never seen these stats for state level support and think they would be interesting. Ideally we should be looking at taxes paid vs govt support received I think.)
The Daily Yonder, a pro-rural publication has written on this quite a bit. Rural populations are older and poorer so a lot of that support goers directly to rural people. Less is spent on programs. That said, rural people tend to vote for the party that opposes more spending on govt programs so not sure I see how we resolve this, with Native Americans maybe being a special case.
Steve
Which shouldn’t be. You apply resources where they are needed most.
“You apply resources where they are needed most.”
Spoken like an honorable man. Let me help you.
“You apply resources where they get the most votes.”
Spoken like a politician.
Always and everywhere, don’t look to government for your solutions. A percentage of the population may care about the poor. Private charity and initiatives used to be the answer. (My daughter starts her voyage in July at 60% of market value salary to help the disadvantaged in the education arena. The public school teachers will hate her. I pray she does not quickly become disillusioned.)
Now, with the job of assisting the needy outsourced to government, don’t expect good outcomes.
Show me where I am wrong.
“You apply resources where they are needed most.”
“From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”
Steve
‘“From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs‒
Which always ends up enforced at the point of a gun. Because the guys on top are always the neediest.
“The purpose of power is power.”
Heavy drinking is a rite of passage for Natives when young.
As they get older diabetes is the destination for all who survive youth. Most actually get sober but they’re not well. Like most Americans they are overweight and inactive. My experience is that while health care is available most are not compliant with their own care. They deteriorate rapidly and die 20 years early.
As to Covid 19 the problem I see is multigenerational overcrowded households. The old can’t separate from the young they love and will likely be infected.