[PIF]

Actually SCOTUS ruled three times that “Treaty Tribes have Rights, all others have mere privileges which can be revoked at any given time”.

Does not matter whether the Tribes are a ‘voting block’ or not. They have Special Rights not granted to others ie Non-Indians - you me black yellow white tan green.

Their Rights are specifically enshrined in the Constitution while ours are just mentioned in a general way - despite claims to the contrary. SCOTUS agrees.

Courts continually rule for the Tribes even to the point of overruling SCOTUS when the plaintiff cannot afford to re-bring the case before SCOTUS. The Special Rights and Special Masters status is not political rather it is a matter of law granted on a case by case basis which usually means always.

If those other tribes are Treaty Tribes, then they fall into the above category, else they are just a body under the BLM jurisdiction. There is a difference.

[Vigilanteman]

Basically, you are right. The Lumbee (NC), I think never got a treaty because they backed the British during the American Revolution. That had the upside of them not being considered Indians for the 1838 removal either. Once they saw the benefits which flowed from getting federal recognition, they tried in the 1930s and were basically told to stuff it because they weren't anymore impoverished than paleface man.

OTOH, President U.S. Grant was very sentimental and granted recognition to a Mission Band of the the Chumash in the 1870s who got a small acerage grant just west of Palm Springs off what is now I-10. There were no more than 30 in this tribe at the time. Today, they own a luxury hotel, gas station, shopping center and casino just off the freeway and are rolling in dough. Timing is everything!