Free Republic

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has launched his fall offensive to turn the polls around, pass key reforms and regain momentum. The stakes are high and both sides are spending every dime to influence voter and pundit opinion. But Arnold would be wise to set aside his recent tactics and learn instead from the California tribal experience. The strange journey taken by California's Indian tribes is a profound lesson about how far and fast the popular can fall in the realm of public opinion. In 2000, the tribes were granted permission to erect casinos in California, thanks to voters driven in large...