Eliminate poverty on Indian reservations by eliminating Indian reservations

Opinion Journal ^ | January 27, 2006 | BY JOHN J. MILLER

[Keltik]

The Projects on the Prairie

We can eliminate poverty on Indian reservations by eliminating Indian reservations.

BY JOHN J. MILLER Friday, January 27, 2006

The fallout from the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal has all of Washington atwitter about congressional reform--everything from proposals to restrict travel perks and lunches with lobbyists to a potential shakeup in the Republican House leadership.

A subtheme of the controversy involves not a shakeup but a shakedown--of Indian tribes by Mr. Abramoff, who used casino cash to throw money around town as well as to line his own pockets richly. The common perception is that once again the white man has cheated the red man.

Perhaps a few expressions of sympathy are in order. Yet Indians would benefit much more from their own sweeping reforms. The Abramoff rip-off should be the least of their worries. The time has come to abolish reservations for the good of the people who live on them.

[Keltik]

I've felt this way for years. If all Indian (No, NOT "Native American" -- INDIAN) reservations are good for are casinos, then close them down

[FastCoyote]

"Eliminate poverty on Indian reservations by eliminating Indian reservations "

OR you could just eliminate the Indians and keep the casinos and reservations. That's what we would have done in the good old days:)

[King Moonracer]

<=Isn't it a shame how Jack Abramoff bilked naïve tribal councils?

I agree, but if somebody has access to big money and can throw it around via Abramoff, their naïvete is not my problem. Amway pimps have more common sense.

[aruanan]

We can eliminate poverty on Indian reservations by eliminating Indian reservations.

There are more Indians alive in the US now than there were when Columbus arrived, according to an anthropology professor of mine who was himself Indian.

[Just mythoughts]

Doesn't MacCain run Indian Affairs???

[LegendHasIt]

Ah, Man. I'd love to buy a couple hundred acres on the Mescalero Apache Reservation... And I can think of several other places on other 'Indian' land I'd like to have.

Generally they got crappy land, but a few of them got some WONDERFUL spots.

[kentj]

Did you say don't ruin McCains Indian affair? -

[hildy123]

Are there any resources to find out what Indian tribes gave to Ambraoff?

[Just mythoughts]

"Did you say don't ruin McCains Indian affair? -"


lol

[cake_crumb]

"Doesn't MacCain run Indian Affairs???"

Yes, McStain is on the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs which holds hearings on, among other things, casino money accounts

I guess liberal corruption is even worse than we thought.

[G.Mason]

"Eliminate poverty on Indian reservations by eliminating Indian reservations"

Only if they apologize for Custer, and promise not to attack any more settlers.

[cake_crumb]

Well....there's the Choctaws in Mississippi....and Abramoff was allegedly funneling money to JOOOOOOOOOZ. I wait with hypothetically bated breath (no I'm REALLY gonna hold it) for Democrats's reactions to that. Hillary? Chuckie? Anyone?

[Just mythoughts]

MacCain appears to be chief among many things.

Curious that he lead the charge for campaign finance reform - results = $0r0$ and Abramoff - MacCain chairs the investigation of Abramoff/Indian Affairs

Slapped the SwiftBoatVets across the cheek, and supported JFKerry's lies about Vietnam.

So called "anti-torture" amendment for terrorists.

Opposed ANWAR drilling and even traveled to the frozen tundra with Hillry to look at government real estate. Wonder if he owns land in Alaska?

Appears to promote Kyoto every chance he gets.

Writing the legislation to cover the illegal invasion.

The only thing he has failed to accomplish has been to run Rummy out of town.

He has spent the past week belching and bellowing about the mistakes of the Iraq war in Euroville.


Gee I am really really having a hard time finding anything conservative about this guy.

[TheSpottedOwl]

I don't know if I like that reasoning. Native Americans finally find a way to support themselves, and now it's time to kick them off their land? Btw, it IS their land. Indian reservations are sovereign nations within in our country. Sure, for the most part, the government gave them the worst godforsaken pieces of property, but we still gave it to them. Mighty white of us, yeah?

As for Jack Abramoff, if he's been strong arming Indian casinos for cash, throw his ass in jail.

[TheSpottedOwl]

I cannot stand McInsane. I have to keep forcing myself to remember that he served our country in VietNam, and was a prisoner of war, just to keep some of my nastier thoughts to myself.

[cyborg]

I do not agree with this. Eliminating them would cause more poverty.

[cyborg]

I agree with you.

[Just mythoughts]

"I cannot stand McInsane. I have to keep forcing myself to remember that he served our country in VietNam, and was a prisoner of war, just to keep some of my nastier thoughts to myself."

Tale of two minds. The man of today is not the man of yesterday.

[pageonetoo]

I've felt this way for years...

So, in other words, you feel we should break treaties with sovereign nations, and lay claim to lands which do not belong to us?

Maybe I missed something in my history and civics classes...

[dakine]

Indian reservations are sovereign nations

Then self-supporting they shall be...