The new Obama administration and Ken Salazar, the new secretary of the Interior should make putting teeth into the Indian Civil Rights Act and settling the Trust Case of Cobell v Kempthorne.
The silence of the Bush Interior Department must be replaced by a major high priority effort in the Obama administration to achieve success in dealing with the Indian trusts and fulfilling Obama’s commitment to carrying out the United States’ obligation to the Indian people including its hundreds of thousands trust beneficiaries.
This added thrust of the ICRA will help THOUSANDS of Individual Indians that have been unfairly and in many cases without proper due process, terminated from tribes by unscrupulous tribal councils. There are many tribes that are still waiting on recognition. It shouldn't take decades.
Tribes would lobby hard and throw a lot of money at getting any ICRA amendments tossed out. But once (and if) Congress passes legislation to allow non-habeas corpus remedies to address due process violations then justice might prevail. On the other hand, as clogged as courts' dockets are I wonder just how receptive Congress might be. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, can be done to amendment ICRA properly.
ReplyDeleteFor the tribe to lobby hard and throw a lot of money at denying INDIAN CIVIL RIGHTS would be a disgrace.
ReplyDeleteBut sadly, even the California Democrat party, the Native American Caucus care LITTLE about civil rights. Ron Andrade even PAID to have people come and VOTE AGAINST civil rights.