Editorial: Gambling tribes call tune

The Sacramento Bee ^ | September 1, 2003 | Bee Editorial Staff

[hedgetrimmer]

It didn't take long for the gubernatorial hopefuls to make their pilgrimage to Indian Country, hats in hand and money bags open. Wealthy gambling tribes have eclipsed prison guards, insurance companies and utilities as the biggest campaign contributors to political campaigns in the state. As such, they command attention, respect and fear from those seeking office.

[hedgetrimmer]

Here is one of the premeire sources of corruption in Sacramento and almost every candidate is going for it. Is it not unconstitutional to take campaign contributions from sovereign nations?

[Wolfie]

Took 'em a couple hundred years, but the Indians finally learned how to play the game.

[hedgetrimmer]

Should McClintock take money from the Indian tribes?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

You may have a pretty good point, hedge. Indian casino owners like to play both sides of the street, tho. They are American citizens, but just try to drag them into a civil court--'twon't work.

[hedgetrimmer]

The minute you step onto the reservation I've been told, your Constitutional rights do not follow you. I think a lot of gamblers don't realize that when they go to these places.

[appeal2]

If you don't believe that the Indian Tribes are a sovereign nation, just get injured in a casino. Your case will be heard in a tribal court. In Foxwoods your damages are limited to double your out of pocket injuries. No pain and suffering and no punitive damages.

Wanna start a union for the Indian casino employees? Nice try, but tribal law doesn't allow it. How bout workers comp. Sorry tribal law doesn't allow it.

I want to start my own tribe.

[Rabid Dog]

Anyone seen a dollar amount for Tom's contribution?

[hedgetrimmer]

I just found the editorial this morning. Maybe someone could contact the McClintock team?

[Princeliberty]

They are sovereign in that they have local self-rule,
like the states used to have.

But they are not true independent nations.

They can't open diplomatic relations, have an independent
military etc..

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Why can't I have a casino ?

[afz400]

"Took 'em a couple hundred years, but the Indians finally learned how to play the game."
Now that the Indians are rich, I think the tobacco companies should sue them for introducing cigarettes to Europeans. Good way to cut their losses.

[Criminal Number 18F]

Not true, "your Constitutional rights do not follow you". Your rights are not bestowed by the Constitution, but by the Creator. The Constitution limits government in its infringement of these rights -- and it applies to Indians every bit as much as it does other Americans.

Now, state and local laws may not be applicable, but rights must be respected by Indians as much as by anyone else.

To the extent that these "Indians" are indians. Funny that in the same thread, people mention Foxwoods, and desiring to start their own tribe. The tribe that operates Foxwoods was exterminated in the early 17th Century. They broke their treaty, started a war, and were put to the sword. Sorry bout that.

Then in the eighties along come Las Vegas (can you say "organized crime") interests, wanting to establish a casino in a state that has had none. By judicious distribution of cash and other favours to state and Federal pols, the extinct tribe was recreated. Various local white trash with murky ancestry were declared to be the lost descendants of the annihilated Injuns.

It's hilarious that some of these people are so far round the bend they actually believe this and make noises about following the religion and lore of their tribe (most of which wasn't written down before colonists with blunderbusses wiped tribal DNA out of the human genome for good, so it's been hastily made up in the last few years).

The problem with "Indian" casinos is not Indians per se, many of whom are super-patriotic Americans. (For instance, they have traditionally been way overrepresented in the military, especially in combat arms). The problem is that the Indians are used as a stalking horse for gaming interests, which always were, and still are, fundamentally criminal in nature.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[Jeff Gordon]

Arnie has repeatedly said he will not be catering to special interest groups.

Tommy has clearly indicated that he, like Davis and Bustemonte, is all about special interest groups.

[DoctorZIn]

PING!

Your One Stop Resource For All The California Recall News!

Want on our daily or major news ping lists? Freepmail DoctorZin.

[Kay Soze]

Great article!

I will now support Arnold over McClintock!

There is only one group I despise more than the Al Qeda and thats the Indians.

[c-b 1]

They are sovereign in that they have local self-rule, like the states used to have.

But they are not true independent nations.

That is correct. If they receive Federal Funding, that is not designated as foriegn aid, they are not a soverign nation.

They have learned how to get even with us, take our money.

[montag813]

Republican Sen. Tom McClintock and Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante drew standing ovations when they made it clear that they favor speeding new gambling compacts and increasing the number of slot machines tribes can have.

TOM McCLINTON IS A TWO-BIT PHONY...LOOK AT HIM BEND OVER TO THE NEW COSA NOSTRA. A "Real Conservative" my ass.

VIVA AZTLAN
VIVA BUSTAMANTE!
VIVA INDIAN MAFIA!
VOTE TOM McCLINTON ON OCT 7TH!!!

[Princeliberty]

No he has always supported Indian self-rule
so no reason he can't accept their support
in return.

Now if he changed his position to get it
that would be another matter
but he had this position back in the 80s
before the Casinos came around.

[afz400]

Now that the US Government has reneged on its promise to defend our borders against invaders (from Mexico), I think it's time for them to renege on the treaties they made with the Indians.