Statement by Howard Dean on National Native American Heritage Month

[mzmolly]

"Today I join all Americans in celebrating National Native American Heritage Month. For centuries, Native Americans and American Indian tribes have been committed to the same values and priorities of the Democratic Party. Together, we have fought to protect our families and communities, educate all our children, protect our environment, expand access to health care for all our families, and provide care and services for children, the elderly, and the less fortunate. Our shared commitment to those principles is the foundation of the essential partnership between the Democratic Party and American Indians.

"Two weeks ago, Democratic candidates took those values to the American people, offering an agenda of hope and optimism for all Americans. The results of this historic election provide a new opportunity to once again provide Americans of all backgrounds a government that supports equality and opportunity for all and promotes full participation in our society.

"Ensuring full participation in our society begins with encouraging full participation in our political process, which is why Democrats are committed to organizing in American Indian communities and encouraging American Indian candidates across the country to run for office. I am proud that our Party's commitment to providing American Indians with more than a place at the table, but a place on the ticket has produced results. This month, dozens of strong Native American and American Indian candidates in states like Alaska, Oklahoma, Montana, South Dakota, Arizona, Washington State, South Dakota, and Wyoming won because they showed up, organized, and fought for what they believed.

"Today, as we mark National Native American Heritage Month, I congratulate these candidates and pledge that our party will continue to be the party that promises hope and opportunity for all Americans."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20061121/pl_usnw/statement_by_howard_dean_on_national_native_american_heritage_month304_xml ">LINK HERE

[donsu]

1. thank you Dean

nt

[mzmolly]

2. I hope we as a party, continue to reach out to Native Americans in a REAL way.

:hi:

[troubleinwinter]

3. In November,

perhaps tens of thousands of Native American voters in Arizona were disenfranchised from their right to vote by the new state voter ID laws. Native Americans in our state (particularly the Navajo reservation residents) tend not to possess the documentation needed for Voter ID. (they also tend to vote Dem.)

Disenfranchisement of NA voters is an increasing problem. People who have been voting for many decades, are suddenly 'no one'.

One of the items on the agenda must be the protection of voting rights of Native Americans.

[troubleinwinter]

4. Disenfranchising the Native American vote

Native Americans disenfranchised by the tens of thousands
In Arizona, perhaps many, many tens of thousands of Native American voters were not able to cast their votes this year with the new voter ID requirements (birth certs + photo ID, drivers license, tribal photo ID, utility bills).

Preventing Native Americans from voting has become extremely important in other areas of the country with large NA populations as well.

Some various facts gleaned from many sources (No wonder our REPUBLICAN AZ SoS stated that she would simply IGNORE the Circuit Court of Appeals decision striking down the ID requirements, then pursued it to the SCOTUS forcing this shit on us):

Navajo Nation – where there are 40,000 registered Democrats, voters favored Sen. Kerry with around 79 percent of the votes. Analysis of other reservation precincts showed that George Bush received anywhere from 19 to 34 percent.

150,000 American Indian voters in Arizona, the Native Vote would make the difference. (22 tribes, nations and communities) Native Americans tend Dem.

Many Indian people, especially elders, don’t have birth certificates, driver’s licenses or two forms of Tribal identification.

However, the special regulations do not resolve the problems of identification and proof of citizenship as Tribal identification documents are different, contain different information such as some not having a photograph, others may, and some Tribes not having a Tribal identification card at all.

The other forms of acceptable identification are also impediments. Indian citizens living on reservations may not have phone services, so there would not be a phone bill, may not have utility bills and will not have a property tax notification.

...the Election Director of Maricopa County (large Native population) has testified before the Arizona Legislature that about thirty percent of the registration applications her office has received have been rejected.

Native American voters who have participated in elections for many years may be rejected at the polls because of lack of proper ID.

With their increased political participation, Native Americans have become an increasingly powerful voting bloc. In 2002, the Indian vote helped retain ...the Arizona gubernatorial seat for Janet Napolitano (Dem).

Many Indians do not have federal or state government IDs-some due to the historical concerns, some due to cultural issues, and others because they have not previously had a need for one.

Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz.... only received 8 percent of the Navajo vote in 2002

[mzmolly]

5. Indeed.

And the protection of the votes for all Americans.

[bobbolink]

12. Thank you. Homeless people were also denied the vote.

:mad:

[Morgana LaFey]

10. With all due respect,

it's DEMOCRATIC voters that they're trying to disenfranchise -- made simpler and easier by the fact that so many of our voters are minorities and the poor (overlapping groups, usually), and they tend to live grouped together in geographic clusters.

I'm not trying to dismiss what you're saying -- at all, just to point out the broader reality into which the N.A. disenfranchisement is occurring.

[troubleinwinter]

16. Yes, I agree. Please read my post #4.

Particularly how the previous vote went so very strongly for the Dems.

[JNelson6563]

6. Good statement

Thank you Governor and thank you MzMolly for posting! :toast:

Julie

[mzmolly]

7. Thank you Julie!

Happy Turkey Day - in advance. :hi:

[Twist_U_Up]

8. yea thats nice but.....................

9-11 was an inside job

why doesnt he discuss that ?
Twist

[mzmolly]

14. Oh for gawd sakes.

:eyes:

[cali]

18. Why should he?

It's not his job to drive an agenda. It's his job to organize and build the party.

Oh, and frankly I've seen that penny dreadful movie, read the CT threads here, and followed links, and there's no real evidence of MIHOP. We've got more important things to do than that.

[Cha]

9. Boozhoo! I've been studying the

Ojibwe Tribe a lot lately cause we have some of the Anishinabeg blood passed down from our mother's side and I just happened to pick up some really good books set in Michigan and Minnesota.

Really glad to see this statement from Dean.

:hi: Happy Thanks, mzmolly!

[mzmolly]

15. Happy TG to to too Z!

:hi:

[eridani]

11. Congrats to Claudia Kauffman Redmorningstar

State Senator-elect from Washington's 47th LD. Interesting backstory here--the legislative district Dem party officially backed her opponent in the primary on the grounds that a white male former police officer (perfectly decent guy, BTW) would be more electable in their swing district. When she won the primary anyway, they lined up solidly behind her and got her 52% of the final vote. Her chief policy issue, other than the interests of native tribes here, will be education.

[IndyOp]

13. Congrats to Senator-Elect Redmorningstar and to your local Dems!

The winner of the primary gets the support -- What a concept!

:applause:

[BlueIris]

17. At least someone took the time to compose that with inclusive,

accurate, and respectful characterizations of Native Americans and American Indians. I always appreciate that.