| Under Republican presidential administrations, there has been a cutting away at tribal sovereignty. In 2005, the current president appointed an anti-Native to the U. Supreme Court. In 2007, President Bush cut the national budget for Alaska Native and Native American programs by 30%. Hardly making news is Arab Dubai, which receives billions of U.S. Taxpayers dollars to rebuild that country, and oil firm Halliburton has moved out of USA to Dubai, which is dubbed the world's fastest growing city at the expense of US Taxpayers. Billions of dollars going to Arab Dubai while across Indian Country, USA only 1500 homes per year are built and yet we have a demand for 200,000 homes.
We see tribes with natural resources that are much needed by America and yet with the resources available we still see many tribes suffering in poverty and lack of a tribal economy. Since the first president to the current president of this country, tribes have made generations of formal presentations on their social and economic plights. We see little or no results and across Indian Country, USA poverty rates are high as 80% unemployment.
Have any of the political candidates for president visited any of the reservations across Indian Country, USA? Only three presidential candidates when to that first time ever-political forum. On a positive note, across Indian Country, USA in 11 States there are 29 Native American Candidates running for political office. This not only increases Native Voter participation but also gives us insurances that our rights, privileges, and tribal sovereignty are protected. Some Natives say the political process is like participating with a foreign country. The political reality is Native Voter participation is much received like in Washington State the tribes there ousted a racist US Senator and replacing that Senator with a Democratic US Senator. In Arizona, tribal voting put into place a Democratic Governor and State Attorney General. Yet Arizona is a Republican stronghold state so Native American voting does make a difference and does count. One Tribe in Arizona has a very high turn out rate when it comes to voting, Ft. McDowell, has an 85% turn out at primary and general elections.
In Arizona, the Arizona Democratic Party has a Tribal Outreach person who informs the tribes on political issues and important legislation that is in place for the tribes. The National Democratic Party their convention had 148 delegates and 6 of the delegates were placed on key committees, including the Democratic Platform Committee. We have and will continue to voice our concerns on funding tribal programs that it be fair and just budgets and demand that no budget cutting take place by the office of the president.
As the tribes embark upon a new presidential administration, will it be a president that meets the social and economic needs of all of Indian Country, USA? Will we confront the status quo with a do nothing president and administration? We see countries that the USA has been at war with prospering. Yet, right in their homeland America, there were wars with Native Americans and we have yet to be compensated. We remain unknown by the leaders of America and yet some of today's Tribes have been misplaced and displaced to lands, which are not their aboriginal lands. Do we as Tribes remain unknown by greater America and nothing happen for us as Tribes or do we change the status quo and gain some solutions?
Yes, it is Time for A Change with Alaska Natives and Native Americans.
More then any group or race in all of America the Alaska Native and Native American Population from birth to their death have more regulations and polices governing their very life and existence. Their rights and privileges like that of other Americans; for example, voting rights, it was not until 1924 that the Alaska Native and Native American population were granted citizenship. In Arizona, tribes were not granted voting rights and had to go to court to gain their right to vote in 1948. In the 2004 national election some tribes their voting was disenfranchised and again the tribes when to court to simply exercise their right to vote. The disenfranchisement was due to lack of photo identification.
Under Republican presidential administrations, there has been a cutting away at tribal sovereignty. In 2005, the current president appointed an anti-Native to the U. Supreme Court. In 2007, President Bush cut the national budget for Alaska Native and Native American programs by 30%. Looking at the Nation's budget 43% of it is for war efforts while only 12% is used to reduce poverty in America. Hardly making news is Arab Dubai, which receives billions of U.S. Taxpayers dollars to rebuild that country, and oil firm Halliburton has moved out of USA to Dubai, which is dubbed the world's fastest growing city at the expense of US Taxpayers. Billions of dollars going to Arab Dubai while across Indian Country, USA only 1500 homes per year are built and yet we have a demand for 200,000 homes.
We see tribes with natural resources that are much needed by America and yet with the resources available we still see many tribes suffering in poverty and lack of a tribal economy. Since the first president to the current president of this country, tribes have made generations of formal presentations on their social and economic plights. We see little or no results and across Indian Country, USA poverty rates are high as 80% unemployment.
Have any of the political candidates for president visited any of the reservations across Indian Country, USA? This year in August a first time presidential forum was held in California hosted by one of the tribes. Only three presidential candidates when to that first time ever-political forum. Is this a reflection of how we will be treated in the future by any of the presidential candidates and just giving a token effort on our concerns and issues, which are faced on a daily basis.
On a positive note, across Indian Country, USA in 11 States there are 29 Native American Candidates running for political office. This not only increases Native Voter participation but also gives us ensurances that our rights, privileges, and tribal sovereignty are protected. Some Natives say the political process is like participating with a foreign country. The political reality is Native Voter participation is much received like in Washington State the tribes there ousted a racist US Senator and replacing that Senator with a Democratic US Senator. In Arizona, tribal voting put into place a Democratic Governor and State Attorney General. Yet Arizona is a Republican stronghold state so Native American voting does make a difference and does count. One Tribe in Arizona has a very high turn out rate when it comes to voting, Ft. McDowell, has an 85% turn out at primary and general elections.
In Arizona, the Arizona Democratic Party has a Tribal Outreach person who informs the tribes on political issues and important legislation that is in place for the tribes. The National Democratic Party their convention had 148 delegates and 6 of the delegates were placed on key committees, including the Democratic Platform Committee. More then ever before Tribes are becoming visible and we see more voter participation with real emphasis on protecting our rights and our tribal sovereignty. We have and will continue to voice our concerns on funding tribal programs that it be fair and just budgets and demand that no budget cutting take place by the office of the president.
As the tribes embark upon a new presidential administration, will it be a president that meets the social and economic needs of all of Indian Country, USA? Alternatively, will we face business as usual with an uphill battle in Congress and with the office of the president? Will we confront the status quo with a do nothing president and administration? Since the very first president to the current president, we have yet to see our social and economic plights are fully addressed. Yet, we see other countries prospering with foreign aid given to them by the USA. We see countries that the USA has been at war with prospering. Yet, right in their homeland America, there were wars with Native Americans and we have yet to be compensated. We remain unknown by the leaders of America and yet some of today's Tribes have been misplaced and displaced to lands, which are not their aboriginal lands. Moreover, many of the lands we placed upon was forced moves and without our full participation. Do we as Tribes remain unknown by greater America and nothing happen for us as Tribes or do we change the status quo and gain some solutions? Let us go for the changes and sign up to vote for next month is deadline to vote and make our vote count for it does make a difference. |
In honor of my mother, 
