The Cherokee Nation wants a representative in Congress

[yortsed snacilbuper]

The Cherokee Nation announced Thursday that it intends to appoint a delegate to the US House of Representatives, asserting for the first time a right promised to the tribe in a nearly 200-year-old treaty with the federal government.

It was a historic step for the Oklahoma-based Cherokee Nation and its nearly 370,000 members, coming about a week after Chuck Hoskin Jr. was sworn in as principal chief of the tribe. The Cherokee Nation says it's the largest tribal nation in the US and one of three federally recognized Cherokee tribes.

The move raises questions about what that representation in Congress would look like and whether the US will honor an agreement it made almost two centuries ago.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-cherokee-nation-wants-a-representative-in-congress/ar-AAGi9I6?ocid=spartanntp

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. GOOD

[jberryhill]

2. Why would another Republican be "good"?

Only two Native Americans served in the 115th Congress: Tom Cole (serving since 2003) and Markwayne Mullin (serving since 2013), both of whom are Republican Representatives from Oklahoma.

——-

Not a single Oklahoma county voted for Obama. The Cherokee in Oklahoma are overwhelmingly Republican. Markwayne Mullen is the only Cherokee in Congress. Cole is Chickasaw. That’s how Oklahoma rolls.

How would it be “good” in any way?

[Cuthbert Allgood]

5. I think Native American representation in Congress is a good thing.

It doesn't always need to be a party thing.

[jberryhill]

8. Congressman Mullin continues to back Trump tariffs

https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/oklahoma/news/congressman-mullin-continues-to-back-trump-tariffs/article_4ffed032-bd8b-592e-a4cd-d8a2f47b025a.html

[Cuthbert Allgood]

15. Is he the guy the Cherokee are putting in?

Because that would seem odd. Do we know that the person the Cherokee put in will be a Mullin clone?

[pnwmom]

6. It would be "good" because we would be honoring our treaty. (But I wouldn't assume,

as you do, that the Cherokee Nation is comfortable with the way the DT administration has been working to destroy environmental protection and endangered species law.)

[jberryhill]

7. .

Welcome to Tulsa:

[DURHAM D]

12. I am with you - they will likely caucus with Republicans.

otoh - they don't get to vote.

If it was any other tribe (even from Oklahoma) they would probably caucus with Dems. Which reminds me...I wonder how many other tribes were promised the same representation?

[dsc]

9. because a fair process matters more than the result

we promised these people a representative in Congress, they are collecting on that promise, they deserve to get the representative even if I don't like what that person is going to say in Congress.

[sharedvalues]

3. Let's make them a state!!

[sharedvalues]

4. They lean Democratic like most minorities

Hoskin won the election with 57.93% of the vote. Lay received 27.34% while Walkingstick, whose name was on ballot but was disqualified after absentee and early voting had begun, took 14.73%.[9] Despite being disqualified, votes for Walkingstick were tallied to determine whether or not a runoff would be needed. Nearly 14,000 ballots were cast in the election. In the race for Deputy Chief, Brian Warner defeated former Tribal Council Speaker Meredith Frailey 58.88% to 41.12%.[10] (Although candidates for principal chief and deputy chief run together, they are voted upon separately.)

Walkingstick controversy
Edit

Cherokee Nation elections are officially non-partisan, but the 2019 elections had heavy partisan overtones, with Walkingstick criticizing Hoskin and incumbent Barker's ties to the Democratic Party and calling for the Cherokee Nation to distance itself from Democrats.[11]

[FBaggins]

10. Not the first time this has come up

Never seems to get anywhere

[yortsed snacilbuper]

11. Kimberly Teehee has been nominated to serve as the Cherokee delegate.

She is currently the tribe's vice president of government relations, and previously worked as a senior policy advisor on Native American affairs for three years in President Barack Obama's administration. For about 12 years before that, Teehee was a senior advisor to Dale Kildee, then a Democratic congressman from Michigan.

[FBaggins]

13. That's the problem... nominated by whom?

The Cherokee Nation does not represent all Cherokee tribes and can't select a delegate under the treaty.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

14. They need to have a POW WOW,

and select a delegate.