By now many of you have had a chance to peruse First Americans for Obama and have an idea of where Barack stands regarding American Indian issues. Many will agree that his policy initiatives are among the most well developed of any of the presidential candidates. But this website does not represent all that Barack has been doing to reach out to Indian country.
In North Carolina Barack met with members of the Eastern Band Cherokee, who proclaimed his commitment to upholding tribal sovereignty. During a recent conference call with over 100 tribal leaders Barack introduced some of his key policy initiatives. In response to one question about making American Indian issues a priority, Barack stated: “I think the starting point is to understand our history …. You represent the first governments on this soil, we have to be mindful of that history; we have to be respectful of that history.” He also said, “I know that tribal peoples have heard many politicians who pledge their support to sovereignty and promise to include them …. and vow to fund federal programs…… but they don’t act…. Look at my track record and the kind of issues I’ve championed…. I think we share a set of values that are critically important.”
This is just a small sampling of why I believe Barack is the best candidate, and I look forward to discussing specific policy initiatives and themes in future posts.
Barack is continuing to reach out to American Indians throughout the country. He has said that he hopes to meet as many tribal leaders as possible in the hopes of beginning a lasting working relationship. In the meantime, spread the word about Barack’s message to Indian country.
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