Tribes face struggles with federal shutdown

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Updated 14 minutes ago.
Tribes face struggles with federal shutdown
Originally published: Apr 8, 2011 - 2:29 am By FELICIA FONSECA
Associated Press

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) - The threat of a government shutdown Friday has America Indian leaders scrambling to determine what the stalemate on Capitol Hill would mean for their reservations, where the federal government's presence often plays a vital role in everything from law enforcement and social services to schools.

The looming shutdown would be especially troublesome for tribes that receive such essential services as police and health care directly from federal employees, said Jacqueline Johnson Pata, executive director of the National Congress of American Indians. Those tribes tend to be the most impoverished and many aren't in a position to make up for the loss of government services.

Under the shutdown scenario, dozens of schools that the Bureau of Indian Affairs oversees could be closed, said former BIA assistant Secretary Carl Artman.

Leaders on the Fort Belknap Reservation in Montana, meanwhile, say they'll even have to halt trash pickups if lawmakers can't reach a budget agreement by Friday's midnight deadline.



Read more: http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=174&sid=459841

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Recognizing how our government took away their land, Native American should be considered

"essential" insofar as "Congress" is "essential".

[cilla4progress]

2. This came to mind for me immediately,

having worked on reservations in the northwest for 4 years. I was so surprised to find what a huge omnipresence the federal government has with United States' tribes: their primary government to government relationship is with the feds, rather than the states. They will be hit hardest, no doubt...

[LiberalFighter]

4. They are probably better off having services from the feds instead of states.

I'm sure the states would make sure the tribes received their services. :sarcasm:

I'm surprised there is that much reliance. But I suppose not all tribes have casinos and other revenue making businesses. Of course, that probably doesn't mean that those tribes help out on that either. I don't know one way or another.

[cilla4progress]

5. It's "payment" for their lands!

Yes, most of these settlements or other financial transfers you read about to Tribes from the federal government - it's to finally make (somewhat) good on the payments due them dating from the 1800s for their lands! It's based on treaty rights the Tribes secured in negotiations for ceding their lands (and all other resources associated with them) to the European invaders! It ticks me off so much to hear Euro-Americans complain about "gifts" or "welfare" to the Tribes and Indian people...these are payments due Indian peoples from the cession of lands and resources to the Euro-Americans as they marched across the country forcing them off their lands...most of the time, against their wishes.

[LiberalFighter]

6. I don't have a problem with it.

I don't trust the federal govt to do right. But, I sure as hell would rather they did it instead of the individual states. As things are now, many of those states with Republican governors would probably decide not to pay it. And use the budget as the reason.

[cilla4progress]

7. Yes, and what I learned from those I spoke with

and the reading I did, the Tribes' position is 1) they are nation-states, so their relationship ought be with our national government, not the states; and 2) they pre-date the states (and of course the feds) - their relationship with the feds precedes the EXISTENCE of virtually all states, so rightfully, their equal being the national government, that is who they deal with. The federal government has been much more supportive - albeit woefully less than ethically - than the states.

I had no idea, until I read and learned. Highly recommend Dee Browns, "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" to begin learning about this huge piece of American history that is shamefully ignored and never taught by our public school system. There are amazing heroes among the indigenous populations of this country, who were here long before the Europeans, and who should have busts alongside Washington, Jefferson and others, for their bravery and sacrifice.

[Hubert Flottz]

3. This crew picks on the ones who can least afford to fight back.

Just like invading Iraq for their oil and Halliburton and those security contractor's benefit. The know it all neocons thought that Iraq would be a pushover, but the Iraqi people thought otherwise. Now the recycled neocon higher ups are attacking the poor in our own country. The Repub misleaders think that the working poor will capitulate and give the repub masters like the Koch and Bush and Cheney crews, absolute power. They don't want a president...they want unitary executive. The GOP thinks nobody else but them should even have a vote on ANYTHING.

Sounds like Fascism to me. Again the America Indian will be betrayed along with the rest of the poor and middle class. Punished by the likes of Boner and Mitch.