President Obama’s Record on Indian Affairs for Alaska Native and Native American
BY: TERRANCE H. BOOTH, SR,examiner.com – President Obama’s Record on Indian Affairs for Alaska Native and Native Americans
By Terrance H. Booth, Sr. – Tsimshian Tribe
Earlier this week all of America listened to our President Obama acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention this writers opinion he returned the Democratic Party to be the Peoples’ party letting us become the change that America wants and desires. He gave a reality check on the real goings on with America and what we as Americans are up against and what has been happening over the 4 years of the President’s Tenure. We got a personal view by Vice-President Biden and as we listened to different individuals; it was because of the President that they are moving forward.
This writer’s question would be what has the President done for Alaska Native and Native American Tribes? This is the first President to every put a Native American Advisor at the White House level presenting him from our Native perspective what we have been facing as tribes over since the first President and now slow but sure there are some resolutions to our Native social and economic plights. Let us look at a summary of his record with Alaska Native and Native American Tribes:
“This was the moment when we began to build a strong middle class in Indian Country; the moment when businesses, large and small, began opening up in reservations; the moment when we stopped repeating the mistakes of the past, and began building a better future together, one that honors old traditions and welcomes every Native American into the American Dream. ” – President Barack Obama, December 2, 2011 Since taking office, President Obama and his Administration have made tremendous progress on the major issues of concern to Indian Country.
•The Obama Administration’s record in support of Native Americans includes
• Strengthening the Government-to-Government Relationship: In 2009, President Obama signed a memorandum to signal a new era in the government-to-government relationship with Indian Tribes.
•Consistent with the Administration’s goal to strengthen the government-to-government relationship, in December 2011, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced support for amending Federal law to allow federally recognized Indian tribes to make emergency or disaster declaration requests directly to the President. Read more…
