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Suzu
10-31-2007, 02:20 PM
are American Indians. That's about 3 million people, and doesn't include those who are not enrolled. Including the unenrolled native population would make the number much, much higher.

Is Ron Paul their ideal candidate? Will he work to restructure or eliminate the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) - one of the most corrupt departments in the federal government?

I've been waiting for a statement from RP on this topic. Unfortunately I am having to attempt to get through to him via other people - who seem to think it is not important enough to follow up.

I'm quite sure that if I was speaking directly to Dr. Paul, he would be more than happy to give me a statement on this subject - which incidentally could win him a few million additional votes from people who will otherwise probably choose someone else.

What must I do to GET A RESPONSE on this??? I've talked with the office and been promised a reply, which has never come. I've talked with several others close to the campaign and also been put off.

RON PAUL WOULD NOT PUT THIS OFF. HE NEEDS ALL THE VOTES HE CAN GET.

garrettwombat
10-31-2007, 02:22 PM
your prob gonna have to trake the man down yourself

...or call him when he is on the air and they take questions or HEY,...

better yet, why dont you send in a youtube video for the next debate.

Brendan Wenzel
10-31-2007, 02:22 PM
I really like your angle here. That is a bureau I haven't heard mentioned since freshman history. It would be interesting to hear Dr. Paul's take on the issue.

conner_condor
10-31-2007, 02:31 PM
I am part of that 1% and after RP gets back whiteman country,We going to take it back for the redskins..

Suzu
10-31-2007, 02:33 PM
List of Indian Reservations in the United States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_reservations_in_the_United_States)

seapilot
10-31-2007, 02:34 PM
I imagine he would be in favor of abolishing it completly. We dont have a Bureau of other ethnics affairs etc. In alaska the natives formed corporations which do well for the natives that recieve dividends etc instead of forming reservations. I dont think Native americans need bureacrats in D.C. running thier lives as does anyone else in USA. In fact before USA came into thier lives they lived pretty independent and didnt need anyone to take care of thier needs. No one can take care of them better than themselves.

Suzu
10-31-2007, 02:36 PM
Is a youtube video joke commercial really more important than possibly winning a few million new voters for Ron Paul?

If you think it is, please keep this thread bumped until Don or Bradley or someone close to the campaign responds to it, and let the "vaginas" thread die. Please.

Thank you!

RP4ME
10-31-2007, 02:38 PM
Is a youtube video joke commercial really more important than possibly winning a few million new voters for Ron Paul?

If you think it is, please keep this thread bumped until Don or Bradley or someone close to the campaign responds to it, and let the "vaginas" thread die. Please.

Thank you!

I would just keep calling about this - I dont know much about it but id say its an important group and if Paul was made aware if he is not already it woudl be great to get a simple statemnet from him. dont give up!!!!!!!!!!! nd yes its way more imp. than that othe rvideo!!!!

yongrel
10-31-2007, 02:56 PM
I would think Dr. Paul would be very much against the BIA, but that's pure speculation at this point.

I'd be curious to see an answer from him.

Question_Authority
10-31-2007, 03:07 PM
Great issue. One thing...I just saw a documentary a couple of months ago about Native Americans living on a reservation...one of the Dakotas I think. Anyway, they were trying to grow hemp to make a living. It is a hearty crop and it was the only one that would grow on their land. They kept getting harassed and raided by the Feds. Obviously RP would put an end to that. Growing hemp would be a great way to improve the lives of people on reservations.

This is actually a very important issue for me even though I am not native american and don't even know anyone that is. But it is a moral, ethical issue that needs to be addressed. What our country has done to this population is pure, unadulterated EVIL.

I am positive RP would be a champion on this issue, but he does need to ADDRESS it! We are having a video conference with him in NH on Saturday. I will try to get in a question about it. Another way to get through to them would be to call and ask for their fax number. Fax over some info about your issues and request that he address the Native American population, better yet, meet with their leaders.

THANKS!

Snowfire
10-31-2007, 03:09 PM
This is a very good set of questions, Suzu.

Until we hear from the man himself, perhaps we can research statements on this from '87, when he was running against Libertarian candidate Russell Means?

Here's an archived NY Times article, for starters:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE2D71F38F932A05756C0A9619482 60

(http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE2D71F38F932A05756C0A9619482 60)

IowaSupport
10-31-2007, 03:22 PM
Bump

I'm like...1/324th native american, this would be an excellent angle to take. Oh how the message of freedom touches us all.

(Also, I don't think that we think that the vaginas thread is more important...it's just that no one knows, and no one has much to add until RP gets back to us.)

A Ron Paul Rebel
10-31-2007, 03:34 PM
1/128 Sioux

A Ron Paul Rebel

Suzu
10-31-2007, 03:43 PM
This is a very good set of questions, Suzu.

Until we hear from the man himself, perhaps we can research statements on this from '87, when he was running against Libertarian candidate Russell Means?

Here's an archived NY Times article, for starters:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE2D71F38F932A05756C0A9619482 60

(http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE2D71F38F932A05756C0A9619482 60)

That article barely mentions Ron Paul.

Long before I thought of starting this thread, I did the research and found nothing from RP himself on Indians.

Suzu
10-31-2007, 03:47 PM
Great issue. One thing...I just saw a documentary a couple of months ago about Native Americans living on a reservation...one of the Dakotas I think. Anyway, they were trying to grow hemp to make a living. It is a hearty crop and it was the only one that would grow on their land. They kept getting harassed and raided by the Feds. Obviously RP would put an end to that. Growing hemp would be a great way to improve the lives of people on reservations.

This is actually a very important issue for me even though I am not native american and don't even know anyone that is. But it is a moral, ethical issue that needs to be addressed. What our country has done to this population is pure, unadulterated EVIL.

I am positive RP would be a champion on this issue, but he does need to ADDRESS it! We are having a video conference with him in NH on Saturday. I will try to get in a question about it. Another way to get through to them would be to call and ask for their fax number. Fax over some info about your issues and request that he address the Native American population, better yet, meet with their leaders.

THANKS!

I don't think it's illegal to grow hemp on reservations.

Meeting with Native American leaders might be a tall order, being that they're scattered all over the country in remote locations. Plus, a lot of them have "sold out" to the BIA and are mostly interested in getting favors from the government. But that isn't what the people want, at all!

Suzu
10-31-2007, 03:50 PM
I don't think that we think that the vaginas thread is more important...it's just that no one knows, and no one has much to add until RP gets back to us.

We still need to keep the thread alive until we get RP's input.

Snowfire
10-31-2007, 03:52 PM
As I said, it was for starters. A place where we can begin to search for more info. Sorry if I got anyone's hopes up. :( (and Suzu -- I truly did not mean to imply that you had not done any research)

Personally, I'd also like to hear more on what RP might to say about this issue -- especially regarding the bureaucratic mess that is the BIA.

surf
10-31-2007, 03:57 PM
my buddy's a Lakota - he works for an indian gaming outfit - or something like that - in DC (i keep trying to get him outa there) - but he's on board (along with at least two others from Va). But i'm not sure what to offer him other than the potential for greater autonomy.

i think he's doing the "Big Foot Memorial Ride" this December and i asked him if he'd put a RP bumper sticker on his horse's rear :)

IowaSupport
10-31-2007, 04:09 PM
We still need to keep the thread alive until we get RP's input.

Agreed - bump :P

Blackfoot here.

mrd
10-31-2007, 04:14 PM
What kind of problems does the BIA cause Native Americans? For what purpose does it exist? Do you believe you would be better off without it?

leipo
10-31-2007, 04:28 PM
Hey Suzu, you mentioned in a previous thread that you emailed Russell Means. Did you ever get a response to that?

Esor
10-31-2007, 04:34 PM
You know what really pisses me off, I remember watching a video of Ron Paul addressing the Native American issue. It was at a college of some-sort. I'm searching right now but I can't seem to find it. I'll post if I do.

Snowfire
10-31-2007, 04:51 PM
Some general links on the BIA, for those who are interested:

http://www.doi.gov/bureau-indian-affairs.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureau_of_Indian_Affairs
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureau_of_Indian_Affairs)

Detailing a few problems faced by the agency:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1568/is_10_30/ai_54134227

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/06/21/cbsnews_investigates/main1739020.shtml

http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096412770



.

American
10-31-2007, 04:55 PM
Wasnt this a question from a C-SPAN interview he did not to long ago?

I forget what the answer was, but I'm sure it was asked.

BarryDonegan
10-31-2007, 05:04 PM
yeah, any federal dept is ont he way out with him.... getting him to just mention this in passing once will probably win himt hat whole vote.

deedles
10-31-2007, 05:16 PM
Maybe Lew Rockwell could get an answer for you? He has an in with the campaign... I think he helped with Dr. Paul's libertarian run for president, no?

Check out Lewrockwell.com and find his email link. I've always found him very polite about getting to me with a response the couple times I've emailed him.:p

Worth a shot! I'd like to hear the answer and I have no indian in my blood at all.

Keep us informed!

sandersondavis
10-31-2007, 05:53 PM
I imagine he would be in favor of abolishing it completly. We dont have a Bureau of other ethnics affairs etc. In alaska the natives formed corporations which do well for the natives that recieve dividends etc instead of forming reservations. I dont think Native americans need bureacrats in D.C. running thier lives as does anyone else in USA. In fact before USA came into thier lives they lived pretty independent and didnt need anyone to take care of thier needs. No one can take care of them better than themselves.

RP, has probably written something on this issue. This was a big issue during the Reagan administration. The Secretary of Interior compared reservations to Gulogs or Soviet states, or something like that. (He was a big guy, bald, looked sort of like Skinner on the X-Files.)

Does anyone know how to search the congressional record for RP's remarks?

Suzu
10-31-2007, 08:08 PM
Hey Suzu, you mentioned in a previous thread that you emailed Russell Means. Did you ever get a response to that?

Nope, not a word.

Suzu
10-31-2007, 08:12 PM
What kind of problems does the BIA cause Native Americans? For what purpose does it exist? Do you believe you would be better off without it?

Many books have been written about this whole situation. The corruption in that agency is legendary. Check this website for starters:

http://stealingfromindians.blogspot.com/

Corydoras
10-31-2007, 08:26 PM
Well, Ron Paul is for self-determination of peoples, and they are after all sovereign nations...
?

bbachtung
10-31-2007, 08:59 PM
One of the enumerated powers in the Constitution (Article I, section 8) provides, "The Congress shall have Power . . . To regulate Commerce with the Indian Tribes."

IowaSupport
11-01-2007, 09:10 AM
bump

RTsquared
11-01-2007, 09:31 AM
1/16 Cherokee here...

I agree - this would be a great talking point to a potentially untapped base of voters.

pcosmar
11-01-2007, 09:49 AM
One of the enumerated powers in the Constitution (Article I, section 8) provides, "The Congress shall have Power . . . To regulate Commerce with the Indian Tribes."

Congress also has power to make treaties.
I don't remember where, but Ron Paul has said that he would honor those treaties.
He was speaking about some not being honored in the past, and that treaties should be honored.