"In December of last year, President Obama invited leaders from all 565 federally recognized American Indian nations and tribes to Washington for the second Tribal Nations Conference. More than one of us wondered what the true purpose of the meeting was. Without question, credit should be given to the President and his Indian affairs team for convening this event. Rare is it for any president to convene even one such meeting during his term, much less two and the promise for more.

The Obama Indian affairs team appears to be responding to the priority issues raised at last year’s tribal leaders summit. Of course, President Obama is not our national chief and it is not his job to decide what is best for us. We tribal leaders should be providing specific and targeted policy initiatives to the White House to be implemented on our behalf. Instead, one of our lead lobbying organizations—the National Congress of American Indians—submitted over 60 pages of policy suggestions to the President on every imaginable topic and concern of Indian Country but the kitchen sink.

Which is one reason why Indian Country’s policy voice is weak right now. With so many policy options thrown at the White House, the Obama team is free to pick and choose which issues are pursued, ignored, or given mere lip service. This blitz approach typically ends up in a dither over how to get Congress to appropriate more money for Indian programs and pay the bill for past injustices. Because most Indian nations remain economically devastated from the theft of our lands and sovereign authority, federal appropriations often are the only “economy” in Indian Country.

But have no illusion that taking such an approach does little to change our condition over time. For an increasing number of Indian nations and tribes, our goal is not simply to maintain the status quo, but to actually improve the lives of our people and make our nations stronger. Since our first contact with European settlers in our lands, we have largely failed in our efforts to resist their systemic efforts to transfer tribally-controlled wealth to non-Indians. Tribal gaming has provided a notable departure from this destructive trend, but a long-term solution to Indian economic underdevelopment requires far more bold and ambitious action."

Get the Story:
Robert Odawi Porter: Indian Country to Barack Black Eagle: “Deliver Real Tribal Empowerment” (Indian Country Today 3/22)