The Daily Yonder notes that three Super Tuesday states—Minnesota, Colorado, and Oklahoma—have sizable American Indian populations that could affect the electoral outcomes. The article notes that, if we could just get past the identity politics and focus on real policies, we’d see that Oklahoma native, now Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, appears to pay the most attention to tribal issues:
Citizens of the three Cherokee Nations wrote a letter to Senator Warren asking her to renounce her claims of Cherokee and Delaware heritage. Despite this battle over identity politics, Warren has rolled out the most comprehensive tribal platform of all the presidential candidates and has done so with the endorsement of Representative Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) of New Mexico. Haaland is one of the two Native American women serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Warren’s plan digs into Indian Country’s most technical policy problems, such as fractionated land holdings, financing hurdles for tribal governments and criminal prosecution of non-native criminals on tribal lands. Warren has drafted the most supportive tribal policy platform in presidential campaign history, but it may not translate into Native votes in Oklahoma because of the complex issues surrounding her heritage [Maria Givens, “Analysis: Three Super Tuesday States to Watch for the Native Vote,” The Daily Yonder, 2020.03.02].
It’s a lot easier to whip up a tweet about DNA tests and name-calling than it is to dissect the complicated issues of Native sovereignty, land ownership, and government finance. But voters, Indian or otherwise, who are willing to focus on policy will find Senator Warren gives them the most to talk about.
While others talk about solving problems, Warren will walk the walk in getting them done. She is, by far, the best we can all hope for to solve this trump slump both morally and economically we find ourselves in.
“fractionated land holdings, financing hurdles for tribal governments and criminal prosecution of non-native criminals on tribal lands.”
It would be huge to get those issues sorted out.
I agree with Jerry. Minnesota has early voting so Warren already has mine. If Sanders’ heart holds up, he’s pretty certain to finish ahead of Sen. Warren. I haven’t heard anything from him for the Indian nations.
Read the first sentence of the article. Liz Warren falsely claimed Native American identity. Now you want members of tribes to vote for her because she has a plan? She played identity politics and lost.
Liz Warren actually proved she does have Native heritage, so there’s that.
Elizabeth Warren is like many many folks that have a historical family tree in North America. Somewhere in that tree, there is Native blood. Even the staunchest German families have that blood somewhere…if they’ve been here long enough. Hello in English is Hau in Lakota and Hallo in German. If you say that word as a greeting, it all sounds the same as we all are as brothers and sisters… Except for Jason, the racism is to damn deep for him to pull his head out.
Jason, the first sentence of the article is, “Native voters have helped tip the scales for Democrats in important statewide races.
I have Dakota blood. My grama fooled around with a handsome gentleman in northwestern Iowa. I can’t prove it and I’m not enrolled in any tribe, never tried to be. So? As Jerry said, a big percentage of multigenerational Americans are part American Indian.
That’s all you’ve got Jason? And the issue this post addresses?
My grama fooled around too, Ms. Geelsdottir. But of course, the only way that flows down to me is through my ma or pa. Might work different in your world.
When you win 3rd place in your home State it’s probably time to drop out.
Warren in talks with Sanders. From your lips to God’s ears.
“DETROIT — Top surrogates and allies of Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are discussing ways for their two camps to unite and push a common liberal agenda, with the expectation that Warren is likely to leave the presidential campaign soon, according to two people familiar with the talks.
The conversations, which are in an early phase, largely involve members of Congress who back Sanders (I-Vt.) reaching out to those in Warren’s camp to explore the prospect that Warren (D-Mass.) might endorse him. They are also appealing to Warren’s supporters to switch their allegiance to Sanders, according two people with direct knowledge of the conversations who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss delicate discussions that are supposed to be confidential.” Washington Post, like now.
So yeah, being in third place sucks, but joining Sanders would make me soar like an eagle.