"In response to Raleigh Tiahrt’s opinion column last week about government bailouts: His comparison of American Indians to the poor money-managers of AIG is degrading and uniformed.

To say that American Indians cannot manage all the money being “thrown” at them is a fallacy and inherently anti-Indian.

Yes, throwing money at a problem has not worked and will not work. But, the “reparations” money that Tiahrt claims is being given away to 18-year-old American Indians in the thousands of dollars is but a fantasy.

Obviously all the “reparations” money that the federal government has “thrown” at America’s historic “Indian problem” should make South Dakota one of the richest states in the nation, given our large Indian population.

Embarrassingly, it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Buffalo County, or Crow Creek Indian Reservation, is currently the poorest county in the nation. In the top 10 poorest counties, five are located in South Dakota and all are on Indian reservations."

Get the Story:
Guest Column by Nick Estes (The Volante 4/8)

Ed. Note: Raleigh Tiahrt is a former intern to Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota).