Poverty Supreme

Yesterday Cliff, and the Kadizzles drove back from Cliff's mountain retreat in the White Moutains.  We drove through some absolutely spectacular scenery.  Cliff  realized he forgot his camper keys about fifty miles into the trip.  Mrs. Kadizzle and Cliff had to drive the extra 100 miles back to get the keys.  Meanwhile Kadizzle was dropped off at the Indian Casino.  Kadizzle has learned that every casino will give you ten or twenty dollars of free play to get you hooked.  Kadizzle can usually just take the money.  It did not work this time Kadizzle lost $1.50.   Nothing is as insane as a casino. You are going to lose, but the only issue is how long it takes to get your money.  The saddest thing about Indian casinos is they produce nothing, but more poverty.

So as we drove down the road we finally came to the town where Fort Apache is located.  The town is the major reservation center.  The poverty and slums were mind boggling.  What the hell went wrong.  The poverty blight covered miles in every direction.  Right in the middle of some wonderful country was this mess that somehow emerged from our solution for Native Americans.  Is it a failure? Hell yes, beyond belief.

Reservations never should have existed.  The failure to assimilate has been exacerbated by the reservation system.  Everyone suffers. The dogs don't do well and roam freely looking for scraps.  The horses look half starved. The effect of drugs and alcohol are everywhere.  While this mess and suffering goes on Donald Trump will do what he can to give more tax breaks to his rich buddies.  Trickle down has never trickled down to the reservations, and never will.  What little help these people get from the federal government will be even less.  On any Indian reservation you will generally see two things, new schools, and new medical facilities.  It is a great contribution from the white father, but seems to change nothing.  Of course there is plenty of corruption, and abuse of every sort.  Kadizzle laid in bed and puzzled about a solution.  He never came up with one, but it sure takes the shine of a wonderful drive in the wilderness when you hit a pocket of unimaginable poverty in the middle of nowhere.  Somehow giving more moeny to the rich does not seem like it will solve anything.