Obama Makes Good On Promises To Indian Country In Stimulus Bill

[carpe diem]

http://www.politicalbase.com/profile/Mark%20Nickolas/blog/&blogId=6299

(excerpt)

But you might recall some of my posts during the presidential race (here and here) about how the Obama camp was making a very aggressive effort on the reservations (understandably, voter turnout there is typically minuscule). Not surprising, leading the Obama effort in Indian country was none other than Obama field general Steve Hildebrand (who was Tim Johnson's campaign manager in 2002 when I was deputy), and that caused me to watch the effort with great interest. As a result of their hard-fought and tenacious efforts, Obama won an enormous share of the vote on the reservations.

I raise this because I just went through the breakdown of spending in the final stimulus bill and it seems that Indian country was not left out and was allocated some modest and long-overdue help. No doubt, the Obama White House made sure that we didn't leave them out, once again.

I doubt the media will spend any time on this, so I wanted to point it out:


* Highway infrastructure funds for the Indian Reservation Roads program ($550,000,000);

* Native American housing block grants ($510,000,000);

* Bureau of Indian Affairs construction of roads, schools and detention centers ($450,000,000);

* Indian health facilities ($415,000,000);

* State and local law enforcement assistance to Indian tribes ($225,000,000);

* Community Development Financial Institutions Fund for financial assistance, training and outreach to Native American, Hawaiian and Alaskan native communities ($100,000,000);

* Indian Health Service information technology and telehealth services ($85,000,000);

* Bureau of Indian Affairs job training and housing improvement programs ($40,000,000);

* Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Inspector General ($15,000,000);

* Indian guaranteed loan program ($10,000,000);

* Food distribution program on Indian reservations ($5,000,000).

[AtomicKitten]

1. Their adopted son makes good.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/19/obama-adopted-by-native-americans/

[CountAllVotes]

2. Wa-do Pres. Obama

Thank you that is from the Cherokee Nation! :D

:dem: :kick:

[Pirate Smile]

19. I love his name - "Barack Black Eagle" and

"In a private ceremony, he was adopted into the Crow Nation and bestowed the name, “One Who Helps People Throughout the Land.”

“Senator Obama, welcome to Crow Country,” said Carl Venne, the tribal chairman.

The crowd thundered with applause as Mr. Obama was escorted onto stage by Hartford and Mary Black Eagle. They were his sponsors – or new parents, according to local custom – who were selected because they have five living generations on the reservation."

[AtomicKitten]

34. what a wonderful moment from the campaign!

:thumbsup:

[Pirate Smile]

46. That was truly one of my favorites. It was unique and wonderful. I had no

doubt that he meant all that he told them re how he was going to really help them, they deserved the help and he would not forget them. I know they felt a special connection to him as well.

[akbacchus_BC]

50. Beautiful pictures, thank you. I am positive that President Obama

will keep his promises to a nation of people who adopted him. What a wonderful moment that was during the primaries.

[firedupdem]

3. Very Good! n/t

[janx]

4. ...

from jk, Albuquerque, NM
:hug:

[Colobo]

5. Excellent!

[sagetea]

6. YES!!! n/t

[Clio the Leo]

7. Our President is .....

..... a decent human being.

Thank the good Lord in Heaven if you are so inclined.

[NYC_SKP]

8. Ahh, we knew he would, it's great that it wasn't cut. Proper respect to the

original Americans.

Make me tear up, really.

:patriot:
:patriot:
:patriot:
.
.

[JanusAscending]

9. Love your Totem !!!

What a man, what a very good man!!! GOBAMA

[NYC_SKP]

10. Hah! :-)

Must have been subliminal, I didn't even think of it that way, just thought that the original people deserved three patriots!

:hi:
:patriot:
:patriot:
:patriot:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[JanusAscending]

52. They deserve many, many more than that!!

Wish I'd thought of it! :fistbump:

[ProgressiveEconomist]

16. "Proper respect to the original Americans" Exactly! A fundamental legitimacy for

Obama's Recovery and Reinvestment plan would be missing had he not insisted on bringing some Native Americans a little closer to a 21st-century way of life. A large proportion of them have been living in an 18th-century environment of harsh poverty, brief lifespans, and hopelessness. And the fact that they are a tiny minority of the population makes rapid progress for hundreds or thousands of them at least possible.

IMO Obama's New Deal for Native Americans is historic, and the right White House PR could pay handsome dividends in the 2010 elections. Many Native Americans have lived and died waiting for their George Washington for centuries. IMO, Team Obama should budget time at least monthly for press tours with the President showing off the best accomplishments of Recovery and Reinvestment on reservations. Millions of hearts would break among non-Native Americans should they ever see living conditions on many reservations.

Remember how "The Other America" and "Harvest of Shame" set the stage for the War on Poverty in the 60s?

Even among Republicans, few would dare to begrudge Native Americans a few billion dollars, after their 233-year lockout from North American progress. Obama's targeting of reservations for stimulus spending is reminiscent of Bill Clinton's successful "New Markets" initiative, shut down for a decade by Republican misrule.

[Cha]

38. I totally teared up.. I'm so happy for our First Peeps, Bros & Sisters

I've been having fun experiencing my Native American roots(miniscule as they are), lately. Last Sunday night was my first Full Moon Drum Circle led by a student of Native American Culture and today at work I wanted to hear my Orenda cd by Joanne Shenendoah and Larry Laughing..


And, Hawai'i's Favorite Son has come through for them, too. My beautiful daughter-in-law just sent me an Obama, 44th President, Collector's Vault today from Kaui'i~ It's freakin' outrageous!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0794828515/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=2770209479&ref=pd_sl_23ehwgyuee_b

[midnight]

11. This is good to hear .

[ccharles000]

12. lovely

[FrenchieCat]

13. Love It!

This must the "pork" that the willfully uninformed are referring to! :eyes:

[fadedrose]

14. As a reader of fiction...

I've read all of James D. Doss' books (about Ute country) and many of Tony Hillerman's books (Navajo Reservation). They are marvelous books about America's Indians and the poor condition of roads, schools, etc., is shameful in many of the areas. These books are mysteries, not documentaries, but the hardships of the people are side issues.

I am glad to see the original owners of the country getting long-needed improvements.

[Undercurrent]

15. Wonderful news!

After all of the lies, rottenness, and broken promises heaped on the native peoples of this country this is good news.

Obama mamook kloshe (to make good)!

[agent46]

17. Good karma for da big chief!

:fistbump:

[democracy1st]

18. love it !

[Digit]

20. Excellent!

I am so proud of President Obama, I could burst.

[Forkboy]

21. That's excellent.

:thumbsup:

[Tsiyu]

22. Sweet

like Valentine hearts!

[Hekate]

23. The OP and the whole thread are making me smile. Wait for the next 3 weeks!

:D

[ClayZ]

24. Yay!

K and R

[Undercurrent]

25. Also from the other day:

White House to elevate Indian affairs, appoint special adviser

President Barack Obama will soon name a senior White House adviser for tribal issues in a move that elevates the concerns of American Indians to a higher point than previous administrations.

First Lady Michelle Obama told employees at the Interior Department on Monday that American Indians have a "wonderful partner in the White House right now," and her husband plans to improve that relationship even more. "He'll soon appoint a policy adviser to his senior White House staff to work with tribes and across the government on these issues such as sovereignty, health care, education -- all central to the well-being of Native American families and the prosperity of tribes all across this country," the first lady said.

President Obama vowed on the campaign trail that he would name a senior adviser to work as a liaison for American-Indians affairs, as well as hold an annual summit at the White House with tribal leaders.

"Few have been ignored by Washington for as long as American Indians," Obama wrote last October in an American-Indian news outlet. "Too often, Washington pays lip service to working with tribes while taking a one-size-fits-all approach with tribal communities across the nation."
http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_11665643

[Terri S]

26. While whiners piss and moan

this man goes about being who he is, doing what he said he'd do.

[rox63]

27. Just wondering, does he include native Hawaiians as native Americans?

I hope so, since he was raised there.

But it's all good, and it's about time. :)

[carpe diem]

32. from op

* Community Development Financial Institutions Fund for financial assistance, training and outreach to Native American, Hawaiian and Alaskan native communities ($100,000,000);

[tilsammans]

28. Outstanding!

WONDERFUL news!

:patriot:

[hologram]

29. Super!!

[a la izquierda]

30. Excellent.

I was recently told by someone that there's no poverty in America, including on Indian reservations. I almost choked to death.
Maybe President Obama will come to the Red Earth Festival in Oklahoma in June this year...pretty please!!!

[GoCubsGo]

41. I hope the dimwit who made that stupid remark...

...saw "20/20" last night. They did a show on the mountain people of central Appalachia. OMG!!! I am thrilled to death that the First Americans are FINALLY getting attention. I just hope these people get some help, too. Their poverty rivals that of the Lakotas and others. It sickens me that people are STILL living under such conditions in this country at this time.

[Spazito]

31. I am more and more impressed by President Obama each and...

every day. He promised and then delivered!

Recommended.

[1776Forever]

33. Thank you - It has been a very long time coming! This was owed 200 years ago!

It is time to truly repay some of what we owe to these proud people. I am glad to see this is going to finally happen! It has been so many years now that they have waited for this. If you have ever been to a Native American Pow Wow you will see the respect they give to our country and those who have served in the military. Many Native Americans have served proudly in this countries military also. It is a good day! I just hope whomever overseas this money does the right thing this time! No more under the table swindling!

A great book on this:

From Warriors to Soldiers: The History of Native American Service in the United States Military (Paperback)
by Gary Robinson (Author), Phil Lucas (Author)



http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http://www.amazon.com/Warriors-Soldiers-History-American-Military/dp/0595473024&usg=__nxJGoSsilweyEsWkcHGzti8Js00=&h=240&w=240&sz=15&hl=en&start=7&sig2=ZUJcFBzu3lE8p2lMdd2e1g&tbnid=BVYO3mw5s6rVGM:&tbnh=110&tbnw=110&ei=UfaWScCRCI3WygW6oqmjCg&prev=/images%3Fq%3DNative%2BAmerican%2BAmerican%2BService%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1B3GGIC_en___US312%26sa%3DG

[RollWithIt]

35. Holy shit, that's thats like 2.2 billion dollars? Wow, nice for those communities...

I applaud this. But I have to ask, if they are their own nation and don't pay any federal taxes, but they have full voting rights and accept federal funds then what does that mean exactly? It's just a bizarre setup we have. The system seems screwed up. It's just confusing to me. NOTE: I think the Native American communities should be treated with utmost respect and support, I'm just wondering.

[rosesaylavee]

44. I think it has something to do with our stealing their lands

and killing millions of their people. As they have few to no natural resources on the reservation lands alloted to them, and therefore few means of being self-sufficient, what system would you suggest for them?

I don't mean to be snarky. But that is the dilemma. Add to this problem, that fact that every single treaty ever signed by the US and any tribe has been broken by our Govt, and many of the reservations exist in a poverty usually seen in Third World countries, and because of the schooling imposed on them early on, many First Nation peoples are losing their language and customs - they are truly struggling in just day to day survival.

[mrs_p]

36. you made my valentine's

[grantcart]

37. My work takes me to both VA hospitals and Indian Affairs hospitals

The Indian clinic in Yuma is the worst clinic I have ever been inside the US and ranks below Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia but better than Vietnam in 1980 (today doubtful). Ironically standing at the base of the clinic you can literally throw a baseball and hit a multimillion dollar casino and a 20 minute ride will take you to two other big casinos. Unfortunately the two tribes who use the clinic are not part of the casino pacts and live in poverty.

The Indian Health Service needs major overhaul for non casino tribes.

[Cha]

42. Something is terribly

wrong with that picture. I hope this money for the Indian Country is done smartly to help tribes like these who aren't a part of the Casino Pacts.

[Phx_Dem]

39. Black Eagle keeps his promises. n /t

[CitizenPatriot]

40. “One Who Helps People Throughout the Land.”

It's been so long since we had a leader who gave a crap; I'm stunned.

Forgive me, it's only been four weeks:-)

[madmom]

43. How can any one hate this man?

[AzDar]

45. Very good to know!

GObama!:thumbsup:

[bvar22]

47. Three Cheers !

and a K&R!
:patriot:
:dem:

[Kurovski]

48. K&R. (nt)

[BlooInBloo]

49. You make possibly the best argument for name-change amnesty.

:)

[akbacchus_BC]

51. K&R