Tribes Lavish Cruz with Bustawampum

The largest political contributor of dollars to campaigns in California isn't labor, trial lawyers, the environmentalist wackos or Hollywood pseudo-intellectuals. No, Native-American tribes are California's biggest players. The Associated Press: "California's politically powerful Indian [sic] tribes are poised to play a key role in the campaign to recall Democratic Gov. Davis, and they have much to gain from the outcome.

"Whoever occupies the governor's office after the Oct. 7 vote will largely determine how much gambling expands in California in future years, as well as whether tribal casinos will be asked to fork over more money to the state." Traditionally Native Americans have lavished money on Dems because they've held all the levers of power. They've been hesitant on (R)nold Schwarzenegger because of this and because of his ties to Pete Wilson. Wilson was against casino gambling coming into the state as governor (as were many Natives and moralists) even if it was to be run by the tribes.

So now they face a dilemma, because they can't rule Schwarzenegger out. They have to do what all these groups do and hedge their bets so they have a friend in the governor's mansion (of course, there is no governor's mansion as Jerry Brown sold it) in Sacramento. I know Schwarzenegger is spending his own money, but he may have a fund-raiser done in his name at these casinos. It's sort of like the Washington, D.C. racket. Corporations pay protection money to both parties just to cover themselves regardless who wins.

If their "investigation" is as unspirited as the one leading to charges for a single Democratic pollster in SD, and not digging any deeper for the fraud that led to her signing up dead people (for heaven's sake, she was CAUGHT at it!), then don't look for any kind of reform, particularly before they get to throw this election to Bustamente. Where are the poll watchers for this one?

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I'm surprised that the tribes have a legal voice in state matters since their status is derived from federal law and they are technically a seperate government.

In a sense it is no different than the elected government of France directly contributing to Bustamante's campaign which is presently illegal under California law.

Tribes are considered a sovereign nation under federal law, but subject to federal law pursuant to the treaties entered into between the Indian nations and the US government. It is tragic because this is a system which has helped no one, which is why I applauded Ronald Reagan for even questioning the validity of the tribal and reservation system. But it is the undeclared sacred cow of politics: tribal "rights" cannot be encroached upon even when there is rampant fraud and abuse with Indians as its victims. Like all the other slaves to the Democratic plantation, Indians are in a vicious circle of dependency and fear, as well as second-class status (because tribal law is like affirmative action on steroids).

So, I too question the legitimacy of campaign contributions from a supposedly sovereign nation, but I really don't know what to do about it. It's one of the many blocks of the "disenfranchised" that the Democrats have to holler about in order to maintain their grip over large groups of the voting public. How sad. The Democrats tell the Indians in SD, ND, NY, NM, and California (primarily) how many votes they need to deliver, and voila! The votes are delivered, under extremely suspicious circumstances.

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