[kingu]

But now that 'we' have money to throw around, we are a threat apparently.

Bah, it was foolishness that got the California tribes into these problems. They flaunted the fact that they think they aren't subject to campaign finance laws, called the press, and gloated that they were donating to a pre-campaign reform account to remain 'nominally within the laws.' And with Milanovich stoking the fires with the campaign commission, as well as the donations to the McClintock campaign, they made themselves a pretty target. The only thing that saves their rumps is that the compacts can only be re-negociated if both sides agree (or the twenty year term expires.) So luckily they won't lose everything. But they can kiss goodbye the expansions they wanted to do. Unfortunately, all this will be borne by other tribes, especially those who don't already have compacts (Gee, thanks Davis.)

Although, I have to say that I really hate how the leftist groups (like AIM etc...) have really turned indians into a solid democrat voting block....

More than a hundred years of welfare will do that to a people, more than AIM ever would. But yeah, characters like Russel Means has done more to harm the tribes than he ever accomplished through his AIM actions. Brulte, Drier, and others are working to bring them towards the Republicans, though I think that what gains were made can be kissed goodbye now that Arnold's going after the tribes. A predictable reaction, for both sides, that could have been prevented if people like Norman Pico had just listened to what was said Memorial Day weekend.

We need to change that, but it won't be easy...

Really not easy. The national parties can take some of the blame as well. The Republican party gave the American Indian Caucus a whole table at the 2000 convention, the Democrats gave them a room at their convention in Los Angeles (and let me tell you, being the only Republican in the room, abet a member of the press, was quite strange.) I'm sort of glad right now that my paper isn't publishing, I'd run out of column space just laying into people right now.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Bah, it was foolishness that got the California tribes into these problems. They flaunted the fact that they think they aren't subject to campaign finance laws, called the press, and gloated that they were donating to a pre-campaign reform account to remain 'nominally within the laws.' And with Milanovich stoking the fires with the campaign commission, as well as the donations to the McClintock campaign, they made themselves a pretty target. The only thing that saves their rumps is that the compacts can only be re-negociated if both sides agree (or the twenty year term expires.) So luckily they won't lose everything. But they can kiss goodbye the expansions they wanted to do. Unfortunately, all this will be borne by other tribes, especially those who don't already have compacts (Gee, thanks Davis.)

Yeah, the arrogance (as I mentioned earlier) that came with the windfall is certainly not helping. They are cheapening the idea of sovereignty with what they are doing, and it DOES tick me off.

Then the voter fraud in S. Dakota didn't help matters either...