Photo courtesy Tami A. Heilemann/Department of Interior
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Assistant Secretary Larry EchoHawk and other members of the secretary’s staff participated in a Friendship Dance with members of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe.
Now that the casino is making the news again, I'm cross posting between Casino-Friend.com and this site because here readers can easily comment. There's no comment section on Casino-Friend although readers have always been welcome to write letters and OpEds.
The new head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs was sworn in on June 26th, an event that didn't exactly break into the headline news. Larry Echohawk plans to address issues related to a Carieri fix, which he strongly favors and allowing tribes to have class 3 gaming on reservation casinos, an issue he advocated for in the 1990's.
It seems to me that with the appointment of a highly qualified director, President Obama has signaled that it wants the BIA to become a bureau that more than the dusty chest of drawers in the administration's attic as it has been for many years.
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Hello: A Google rank of 3--I'm VERY impressed. mc
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A user friendly Commish....how does this impact the tribe? My guess is that is one reason they feel comfortable sending cash our way. And it looks like "The Fix" is possibly in.
This casino thing is just never ending.
I think that the reason the Carcieri Fix will go through Congress is part political and partly one cynics might suggest is rare, i.e., that it is the just thing to do.
Politically members of Congress have little reason to oppose it and in some states and districts it could gain them votes if they support it, or loose them votes if they don't.
As for it being the just thing to do, spokespeople in Indian Country have made that case eloquently.
In Middleboro Country on the other hand, anti-casino forces have applauded the Carcieri decision because it was yet another setback for the casino.
Except for a few who take the anti-sovereignty stance, most locals don't address the injustice of the Supreme Court's decision.
"Except for a few who take the anti-sovereignty stance, most locals don't address the injustice of the Supreme Court's decision."
How soon before this is classified as calling anti's racist?
Amazing how some has managed to try and put a shine on genocide.
I meant the comment your quoted to refer to local casino opponents. Pro-casino residents general are also in favor of sovereignty.
I don't see how my bringing this up should lead to any suggestion I'm calling the anti's racist. I don't see how you can discuss Carcieri without addressing sovereignty.
Sovereignty is mentioned 13 times in this article about the case.
The political will in Congress for a Carcieri fix is not there. Barney Frank has told the tribe emphatically that there will be no congressional action on Carcieri anytime soon.
Even if it is fixed, there are so many more hurdles.
- State refusal to sign a class 3 compact(See Kickapoo)
- Violation of state sovereignty (see Hawaii)
- No federal land in MA to turn into res land.
- lawsuits, lawsuits, lawsuits
I don't know where you get the idea that there is "little reason to oppose" a Carcier fix. A lot of states have signed on as amicus curiae for this case. States generally hate sovereignty.
A Carcieri fix might really fix the issue by allowing land into trust but exclude gaming. That is the most likely outcome of any fix.
"The political will in Congress for a Carcieri fix is not there. Barney Frank has told the tribe emphatically that there will be no congressional action on Carcieri anytime soon."
....and you believe Barney Frank? Then - in the tradition of Bill Clinton - how do you define anytime soon? Month? Year? Forever?
Until the final and absolute 100% nail is driven into the gin mill coffin this thing is still a possibility.
I'd believe Frank a lot more than a pro-casino interest(tribe, lobbyist, etc).
I'm not saying it is absolutely not coming. I'm saying that we should refrain from spending money - particularly on salaries - until there is some indication that things are moving forward.
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