"The Obama administration has promised protection of sovereignty and a package of programs. Indian policy is ripe for change and needs a stronger, more accountable set of programs that yield measurable results and improvements to communities and individuals living in Indian country.

The United States measures and rates numerous indicators of economic development, health, education, quality of life and environmental well-being. Very few systematic statistics or measures of change or improvement are taken for Indian people and communities. The most systematic is the 10-year census counts, which include some statistics on economic well-being, language use and other social statistics. Furthermore, the few statistics that are collected for Indian country are not used to gauge progress or examine shortcomings in existing Indian policies and programs.

Federal Indian policy has not been accountable to the progress and well-being of Indian communities. Policy makers do not go to Congress and show the advances in education, economic development, language recovery, protection of sovereignty, land returned to trust, increase in community ceremonial activities or decline in suicide and crime rates."

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Editorial: Common sense and a clear direction (Indian Country Today 2/6)

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