Bob Mercer notices another task force producing lots of talk but little apparent action:
There was enthusiasm to some degree when Rep. Don Haggar, R-Sioux Falls, received lawmakers’ support in 2014 to create a state-level task force on tribal economic development. The panel meets for likely the final time Friday at 10 a.m. CT at the Capitol and the agenda, at this point, lacks specifics. There is a one-hour slot at 10:30 a.m. CT for “Tribal Presentations” and a one-hour slot at 11:30 a.m. for “Agency Presentations.” What might fill those times isn’t shown yet as of 7 a.m. this day-before [Bob Mercer, “Not All Ideas Turn out as Well as Legislators Hope,” Pure Pierre Politics, 2015.11.19].
Mercer shares links to the minutes of Tribal Economic Development Task Force, which give fair summaries of the conversations the task force has had. I suppose in a state still recovering from Bill Janklow and Dick Wilson, in a state that toyed with a reconciliation effort in 1990 then let that conversation drop cold for over two decades, these conversations alone are a step in the right direction. Let’s watch the hopper for bills from Rep. Haggar, Rep. Verchio, and other task force members to see if they can turn those conversations into concrete steps for jobs on the reservations.
Tribes don’t want help from the State of South Dakota unless it’s government to government. Cooperation would include a cannabis compact that looks like the gambling compact.
If SDGOP wants to interact with tribal nations it’s because there is federal money to funnel into the Governors Club.
If the feds went to FSST and hinted a raid why would similar tips from the US Attorney’s office not have led to Rich Benda’s demise and the Westeruis murders?
Pay the tribes for the Black Hills, move BHNF out of USDA into Interior then give tribal governance over a newly national monument that includes the national grasslands, Bear Butte and the Slim Buttes.
Read it and weep, people:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1k8LOQKo6W9N080oyqfAKjTIjLbErs-XSvkmWRTZRpbU/pubhtml
Steve Hickey is the only GOPer with a clue:
http://southdakotaprogressive.blogspot.com/2015/03/hickey-south-dakotas-apartheid-ripe-for.html
Pay the tribes for the Black Hills, move BHNF out of USDA into Interior then give tribal governance over a newly national monument that includes the national grasslands, Bear Butte and the Slim Buttes.
Larry, you know except for Bear Butte none of those things will ever happen.
The Blindman
Way to go, ‘Blindman’ … Kurtz was within 2 of breaking Leslie’s record for consecutive comments on a single topic.
We’re closer than we’ve ever been, Bill. Nothing is impossible.
I’ve been going back and listening to the audio from the meetings. It has been educational to listen to. But other than that I’m not sure anything every truly can come out of the task force.
And all BLM lands in West River, and this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Pierre_National_Grassland
Step one isn’t an economic development task force as is evidence by why this well-intentioned idea is experiencing difficulties getting tribes to even come to meetings. Step one is the Truth and Reconciliaion Commission. If we want to move into a good future together we need to put the past on the table, and the present animosities and ongoing injustices. Natives culturally value honor and we think they value money like we do.
early bird….
while sarah and shantel were growing up practicing their signatures (frankenstein however has long since moved into the career stratosphere) Indian people have been busy surviving, despite jackson county-like bullsheit, every minute of their lives. not being native, i frankly can’t imagine the personal strength required absent white privilege.
larry speaks a good line, imo.
i have a surviving older sister named leslie and a younger sister named lynn who perished in a car/bicycle collision. weird, huh?
Good one Jerry. The Grasslands have been under control of a few families and to this day are almost all still under the same hands of control.
They have all the little internal rules to keep it that way.
Ranchers are coming for your hide for even mentioning this, Jerry.
Les, if jerry agrees with me does that mean you agree with me?
Create wildlife corridors connecting those lands with others throughout the Greater Missouri River basin and let the 1000 bison Montana wants to kill into one of those corridors.
see what i mean? stuuupid montana.
sorry to hear about lynn.
Here’s one plan:
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2015/11/13/send-yellowstone-bison-montana/75746160/
More advancement is happening at the grassroots level towards reconciliation than will ever happen at the state government level. Currently in Rapid City there is an ongoing discussion between native and non- native people, called Rapid City Community Conversations, that is working towards addressing racism in Rapid City. To defeat the Keystone XL natives and non-natives together quite closely. This is also happening on other issues, e.g., uranium mining in the hills. The Indian people generally work with the federal govt. and are not used to working with the state and I don’t think that they trust the state very much.
Advancement in Indian Country will only come at the personal level as both sides attain a certain level of trust. I will be surprised if there is much success with state government efforts.
Take a lesson from the education task forces. If you do not accomplish your purpose ten times in a row, next time figure out why it did not work right the first time. That would be better than wasting a lot of time and wreaking the publics opinion of governments ability to get a job done.
Steve Emory, Tribal Relations Dept. and SDBGN; and Indian country legislators are “liaisons” with state government and deserve our full support at every opportunity. How they work with the Tribal Chairs’ Association should benefit everyone. There are many highly qualified public servants on the reservations that are making a difference. There are also many highly motivated non-Indians on the reservations that need our continued encouragement and support.
A full blood friend and boss used to say “we are 150 years behind in public infrastructure and will make mistakes, just as wasci’chus do in government.”
Hickey@10:35 might have it about right. I am fairly certain Mickelson would have installed the following placques at every entrance to the legislature, lobbies, and committee rooms (perhaps there are a few now):
The Seven Lakota Values (given by the White Buffalo Calf Woman, have also suffered through the loss of language and today’s fast paced, technological lifestyle)… include Praying, Respect, Caring and Compassion, Honesty and Truth, Generosity and Caring, Humility, and Wisdom.
Four vales are often stated too: Generosity, Courage, Respect, Wisdom.
There are other ways to say this to avoid church/state concerns, and Perseverance is often included.
Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/10/03/7-lakota-values-are-difficult-adhere-today-157168
Les, duly noted, I am now officially known as Les for about a week or so. I know those ranchers out there have a memory about as long as a snails fart, so after a few days, we both should be okay.
Turbiville for offices!
Remember Daugaard slammed unstable tribal government as a big problem. ..that i guess is the opposite of a one party autocratic government where the governors son in law is his chief of staff.. NOT.
Paul Seamans is right. We all drink the same water.
I know about SD housing, SD economic development programs, roads funding, etc….I also know about the federal funding that goes to reservations. ..
There needs to be a substantial trickle down effect to the program administrators on all sides for changes to happen. N they can. Look at the Lakota Federal Credit Union in Kyle! But “Task Force”? Not very effective in my experience.
Not enough true strategic planning program specific is going on. I saw the South Dakota Indian housing coalition grow from a chapter in the SD housing play book into a potentially real coalition that can impact change.
Tribes prefer(and with good reason) federal partners, not necessarily including the BIA at the top of the list.
But I have seen some successful specific examples of state, private and tribal entities come together to build homes, businesses, infrastructure, educational programs (I won’t mention Mid Central or EB-5)
The minds that built the elder living complex in White Clay Nebraska (when SD would NOT cooperate) proved it. That’s an awesome thing.
I’ve mentioned before a big challenge is land status…land held in trust for individual indians and tribes, fee land owned by non members, fee land owned by natives, fee land owned by tribes, tribal jurisdiction, federal jurisdiction, state n county jurisdiction….
I believe the colleges are the greatest asset on the reservations.
On the scale needed to make a substantial change? Not gonna happen with the state as a major player. Sorry.
Saturday Paul Seamans was at Sinte Gleska University celebrating the Keystone pipeline rejection .. the Cowboy n Indian Alliance. AWESOME.
And so much love from the heart and souls of all.
Not much of that really going on in Pierre. Truthfully.
Spike,
Excellent well grounded comments about tribal economic development, the nursing home near Pine Ridge came about because the state would not certify another nursing home in the state.
Besides the elderly reservation residents being able to stay close to their loved ones, the home will provide jobs and economic development.
I’ve stated previously that I stay well informed about government and politics on the local, state, and federal level, but when I learned of the state’s EB-5 program I immediately wondered way the state shielded that program form the tribes.
Who knows, tribes may have been able to take advantage of some of that cash floating around. That is another reason tribes should not do business with or trust the state, all they will ever give is lip service.
Tribes need to deal directly with Washington, D.C. in all areas of economic development, any funds appropriated for tribes should be set aside and reserved for tribes.
There are always a whole bunch of economic ideas out there, some can enrich tribal resources and income, but if task forces are going to be discussing tribal economic development, the first thing out of their mouths should be jobs.
yup. somebody should formally, publicaly respond to daugaard’s slam, line by line. this could be a PRIME opportunity for the Indians AND the democratic party.
glad to hear the rosebud celebration went very well!!
then somebody else (cah) could stand up and remind the whole state of every recent debacle by rounds/daugaard and the election, in response to the slam.
and finally steve jarding perhaps could crucify tres amigos for spinelessness. penn cty dems could possibly provide a forum. or bill walsh’s monthly dakota press club.
but its not like the tribes dont have other things to do!! yet we need a candidate to take down thune, soon i hope. paula is right to start early.
Good thoughts and ideas from Spike and Roger C.
One of the easiest things that the task force could do to further economic development in Indian country is convince the Governor to okay the proposed Lower Brule casino in Oacoma.
I don’t know who all has seen or is aware of the Wakpa Sica Reconciliation facility. Just north of Pierre. Wonderful building outside Ft. Pierre. Funded by Daschle to provide facility for tribes in Pierre. Closed.
The task force went there weeks ago. Said Eagle Butte tribe wants it. It should belong to all Tribes n should be used as they want. I have no clue why it diminished and shut. I know there were several offices in it that at one time did economic development outreach. The South Dakota Indian Business Alliance is a good organization, it’s office is in Eagle Butte. When Daschle was defeated it went bad. Incompetence and apathy within BIA allowed it to fail. They will blame tribes.
P.S. About Wakpa Sica. Obviously state could care less….probably many in Pierre that could do something about the facility. ..choose not to. N some there are probably quietly pleased it did not evolve to the level hoped for. Troy Heinert state legislature from Mission, said it could be a tribal “Embassy” Sorry Troy, I humbly beg to differ with you. Our tribes have ample grounds to consider the Capitol the embassy. ..in our treaty lands. It’s on the west bank of the Missouri , congressional act just returned 12 acres to the rightful owners.
Right Larry Kurtz? Kola?
Spike,
I agree that the Wakpa Sica building is a beautiful building and should be put to use. The grounds were a gathering site for the horses used at the July 26th rally/ride before the start of the PUC hearings on the KXL.
I was thinking that one reason for building it was for use as a tribal court system. Sort of a tribal supreme court. I may be wrong on that. It is just down the road from Mike Rounds’ house. Maybe Mike would like to see it finished.
is rounds house on the ft. pierre side?
agree its is a beautiful bldg that needs use, but obviously it is a ways from the bigger reservations, except CRST; budgeting op. and maint. is probably a big deal. was outta state for awhile and didn’t notice it till curt and i went to a ft. pierre dem committee mtg last winter.
spike, did u mean it sits on 12 acres just returned to the Indian by the feds?
I thought it was off-reservation Lower Brule property. Perfect place for a grow/op in my view.
DINO US Attorney Randy Seiler says it’s on federal trust land.
http://www.capjournal.com/news/fort-pierre-council-weighing-options-on-wakpa-sica-site/article_0729180c-14a1-11e5-bf49-770007268e8b.html
The Wakpa Sica Reconciliation Place Act was passed in 2000 I believe.
And yes Leslie it returned 12 acres to the tribes in Trust.
The wording of the Act is absolutely well thought out. Paul is correct. For a supreme court, a legal and economic think tank, etc…..and it sits empty.
The off rez trust property your thinking of Larry is the Ocoma land owned by Lower Brule tribe.
The Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association has discussed Wakpa Sica site recently also. To me the opportunity to get it back up n running would show some good faith on all parts.
It appeared to be dependent on federal funds that I think quit being appropriated. Not sure.
Spoke, OT your eyes only,top secret,etc. U of North Dakota dropped “Fighting Sioux” nickname and are now the “Fighting Hawks.” Any comments?
Thanks, Spike.
leslie,
Mike Round’s house is on the Ft. Pierre side in an upscale neighborhood next to the Missouri River. Remember in 2011 when water was being released through the discharge tunnels because of high water. The area that Mike’s house is in was being flooded. I don’t know where you live but you probably could have heard the outcry from these conservative, get the federal government out of our lives, people crying for federal assistance.
By the way, Lower Brule and Crow Creek are about sixty miles from the Wakpa Sica center. The Rosebud Rez in Tripp County is around 60 miles away, town of Rosebud is around 100 miles away.
yup.
the biggest irony was an insurance man, former governor of a missouri river state with 1000 or more miles of shoreline, who dealt with the USACOE every day of his office, built where he could get flooded. stupidest man in america. AND the feds and state, and local contractors with caterpillars all over the state bailed the dumb son of a beotch out (tears and patriotism of selfless local effort on behalf of the biggest victim of an act of god or, as mike’s boys at dakdunes called it in their lawsuit-federal incompetence). i was “goin’ south” to austin for the winter, when the call for help went out on the radio. would have liked to have seen the stilling basin thou….
mike was too young and later too dumb to remember the black rolling foaming cottonwood filled mess of water backing up behind oahe flooding Indian communities upstream, to know of the risk. you’d think his old man might have cautioned his trophey house-build with the river view.
my take on it anyway.
Mike from Iowa, thanks for asking. Change is good. the word sioux is slowly disappearing from our slang on the rez’s. It’s Lakota, Dakota or Nakota and then the bands. I believe the word Indian will stay around. A man that grew up on the Rosebud rez, Donald Wanless, was athletic director there probably late 80s early 90’s. He was for a change! And said so. He is now at Sacramento State last I knew. Good man.
Guess those people in ND are determined to have their athletes Fight about something.
I’m hearing Thunder mountain for Harney peak. Sounds good to me. If Harney hadn’t murdered women and children at the Blue Water massacre this would not hurt so much. Output from Pierre over the name change..negative n disappointing. This is indicative of the true nature of “economic development ” in Indian Country from Pierre.
I have a hard time understanding why name changes or changing insulting rituals (Watertown homecoming Mr. Melmer?) for the better against sterotyping is so difficult for some people. Its fear we might gain strength i believe.
I know of no oral history where our people got flooded out. The camps stayed away from flood plains until forced on the rez. N now those floods are “natural disasters “. Lol.