Getting out the Native vote. Photo by National Congress of American Indians

Charles Kader, a member of St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, doesn't think Democrat Hillary Clinton is strong enough on Indian issues while Republican Donald Trump has been completely silent. So what's a Native voter to do?

While the Democrat National Convention was taking place, I made inquiries with the top four ranked presidential campaigns of the 2016 race on what the successful election of their party’s candidate would mean to the Native American culture and tribal voters. Beginning with the Clinton campaign, I received a response within ten minutes of communicating. I was referred to their campaign webpage without a specific area to point towards. I looked over the page to no avail. There was literally nothing there mentioning Native Americans then, and the campaign issues page still has no tab on the subject.

That was the high point of my outreach response. No other campaign even bothered to acknowledge the inquiry. That includes the Trump Republican campaign, as well as the Gary Johnson / William Weld Libertarian Party campaign, and the Dr. Jill Stein / Ajamu Baraka Green Party campaign.

I was not surprised that the Trump team felt they had no “skin in the game” but the silence of the 3rd and 4th ranked candidates showed how little regard there is for the Native American voters, let alone the Native silent majority. To Stein’s credit, she made an appearance at the Standing Rock Dakota Access pipeline protest camps after the DNC concluded, where she has been criminally charged. Her 2012 presidential campaign also had Indian Country connections.

As far as the status quo, President Barack Obama has been honored with bestowed gift blankets and a tribal language name during his presidency. Yet as a Native people we continue to get political lip service without accompanying action from his White House on redressing long-standing land claim issues among a litany of inequities that deserve Executive branch attention. In my opinion, Mr. Obama’s final tribal outreach amidst the current North Dakota protests resulted in a symbolic pat on the head and some sympathetic words that neither ensure clean water nor give hope to our youngest generations for the future. Yes there was an admission of trustee role failure, however, these failures still continue.

Read More:
Charles Kader: Presidential Race Leaves Few Choices for Native Voters (Indian Country Today 10/14)

Related Stories:
Terese Marie Mailhot: Sorry but Jill Stein is no Indian Country ally (10/13)
Republicans in South Dakota change their tune on Donald Trump (10/13)
Tribal leaders and advocates slam Donald Trump as NCAI opens annual convention (10/11)
Sen. John McCain doesn't want more 'liberal' justices on Supreme Court (10/11)
Top GOP lawmaker abandons Donald Trump ahead of election (10/11)
Native Republicans in Congress silent as party abandons Trump (10/10)
Mark Trahant: Donald Trump is disqualified from the presidency (10/10)
Robin Annette LaDue: The ugly truth of Republican Donald Trump (10/10)
Ivan Star Comes Out: Donald Trump brings racism out into the open (10/06)
School district on reservation in Montana condemns racist pro-Trump tshirts (10/03)
Ryan Winn: Donald Trump owes an apology to the first Americans (09/12)
Steve Russell: Getting into the White House is still political science (09/02)
Donald Trump picks Navajo man for agriculture advisory committee (08/22)
Indian Country advocate heads up Hillary Clinton's transition team (8/17)
Republican vice presidential pick Mike Pence hosts town hall at Sandia Pueblo (08/16)
Steve Russell: Donald Trump will hurt Indian Country on purpose (08/16)
Tribes left out of Republican effort to transfer public land to states (8/16)
Mark Trahant: Are there even any Republicans in Indian Country? (08/15)
Opinion: The media ignores another 'off the reservation' comment (08/15)
Charles Trimble: Tough women like Hillary Clinton deserve a chance (08/11)
End of an era nears with final White House Tribal Nations Conference (08/09)
End of an era nears with final White House Tribal Nations Conference (08/09)
Charles Trimble: Tribal nations must join together for Hillary Clinton (08/02)
Editorial: Donald Trump would force Black Hills settlement on tribes (08/02)
John McCain denounces Donald Trump but won't withdraw support (08/01)
Bryan Newland: Donald Trump's radical view of federal Indian law (07/29)
Tim Giago: Questioning the motto of GOP candidate Donald Trump (07/26)
Doug George-Kanentiio: Donald Trump and his campaign of hatred (07/25)
Mark Charles: The entire nation's problem with Donald Trump (07/22)
Mark Trahant: Donald Trump promises a world with no treaties (07/22)
Donald Trump closes Republican convention that left out Indian Country (07/22)
Mark Trahant: Donald Trump's Republican convention is one big failure (07/21)
Tribal lobbyist not buying Donald Trump's message of change (07/21)
Donald Trump officially named Republican presidential nominee (07/20)
Republicans unveil platform and project inclusion at convention (7/19)
Mark Trahant: Trump Republicans carry the banner for more coal (7/18)
Navajo artist Vanessa Bowen takes on Donald Trump with 'Make America Native Again' (07/12)
Democrats embrace tribal sovereignty in platform for convention (07/08)
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation slams Donald Trump for 'bigoted' attacks (07/07)
Mark Trahant: Republican candidates play hide the stick with Donald Trump on the ticket (07/06)
Ramapough Lunaape Nation blames Donald Trump for lack of federal status (07/05)
Mainstream media tunes into Trump's attacks on Indian gaming (7/4)
Donald Trump approved Indian gaming attack ads in New York (6/30)
Donald Trump rehashes 'Pocahontas' slur as Elizabeth Warren hits road for Hillary Clinton (06/28)
Donald Trump fares poorly against Hillary Clinton in national poll (06/27)
Leaders of three tribes meet Donald Trump during Arizona stop (06/20)
Navajo Republicans divided on Donald Trump's 'Pocahontas' slur (06/17)
Republicans slam Trump's 'racist' comments but still support him (06/08)
Sen. Barrasso to chair platform committee for GOP convention (05/25)
Donald Trump claims 'Jack Abrahamoff scandal' proves he was right about tribes (05/23)
Donald Trump's long and strained relationship with Indian gaming (05/19)
Donald Trump releases list of potential Supreme Court nominees (05/18)
Mark Trahant: Indian Republican Tom Cole backs Donald Trump (05/18)
Sen. Warren stands up to Donald Trump despite his 'Indian' insults (05/10)
Mark Trahant: Donald Trump brings good news to Native candidates (05/09)
Cowlitz Tribe hosted Donald Trump to discuss his interest in casino (05/09)
Donald Trump advisor filed lawsuit to stop transfer of dam to tribe (04/20)
Donald Trump tried to bully his way into New York tribe's casino bid (04/18)
Backer of Republican Donald Trump described Indians as 'filthy' (04/12)
Donald Trump again derides Sen. Elizabeth Warren as 'the Indian' (03/22)
Donald Trump once claimed IGRA and tribal casinos were illegal (01/29)
Cowlitz Tribe turned down Donald Trump for gaming partnership (10/05)
Donald Trump not shy with invoking race when it comes to tribes (07/31)