"Now don't get me wrong. I don't point out the poverty level of the average tribal member to degrade anyone. Well, I take that back. I point it out to degrade the abhorent and corrupt behavior of a tribal council that uses tribal money which belongs to the actual members of the tribe to contribute money to a political party that would never in any way represent the average Mescalero tribal member.

I point out the poverty of many tribal members because if their leaders were leaders; their streets would be paved, their houses would be up to code, their streets would be clean and free of debris and animals, and every member of that tribe would be able to live a life of dignity.

The Mescalero tribe has a new $160 million casino and resort that's something else. In the meantime, the tribe has tightened its requirements for tribal membership and cut dividends for members to almost nothing. Ten years ago, tribal members received almost $3,000 a year in dividends 9 that was when all they had was a broke down casino in such disrepair that a new one was needed to attract business. The promise of that attraction should have translated to more money in the pocket of the average tribal member.

The last dividend handed out to tribal members was in July, and it was a paltry $150."

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Jeff Stevens: Republican party successful at diversification (The Alamagordo News 12/3)