The Tribal Economic System is broken.

The tribal economic system is broken and limits distribution of wealth to tribal members so that poverty is our main problem to be solved after 85 years of tribal council greed and corruption. Unequal distribution of wealth and non-existent jobs are the result of nine elected tribal council dictators who hold absolute power over the people, and who possess a “negative incentive” to end tribal poverty since the federal poverty grants support their lifestyles of millions of dollars for each four year term of office. If we, the people, got rich, the bums on the tribal council would have to apply for welfare since they possess no marketable skills except lying to the voters. I support constitutional reforms that break up the council dictatorship and separate powers of tribal government among community councils, president and the judiciary and law enforcement. As it is today, the tribal council overturns tribal court decisions even when wife beaters are turned loose to go back home and beat the wife and children with no threat of prosecution. That is why we have an incestuous chief, who could prosecute him? The Blackfeet constitution was adopted under the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act with the promise of “cutting out the white man” from our tribal grazing lands and tribal businesses. Corrupt tribal council members joined with oil corporations to defraud the tribe out of a billion dollars of oil revenues and brought the white cattle ranchers onto reserved tribal grazing lands for pay offs for tribal leases. I support the formation of community cooperatives to practice “group capitalism” whereby all community members share in the bounty of the profits. Cooperatives are self-help and interdependence among community members which fits well with the constitutional reforms of community councils. It is called “people’s capitalism” but really it is nothing more than the old tribal societies forming an unbreakable bond of self-help and sharing of resources. Cooperative members elect their own board of directors who hire management and business managers who operate coop businesses for the profits and economic benefit of all. “One member, one vote” is the rule that keeps political families from taking over coop businesses and profits. For instance, a coop could grow beef cattle, own its own processing plant, operate deep freeze lockers and store the meat for the needs of coop members and sell the surplus to the government or retail businesses. Under the tribal council and BIA lease practices the white ranchers and third-party Blackfeet leasers rob the profits of landowners. Self-help is the tribal community council and cooperative where all pitch in to help each other survive and prosper. Credit unions are another coop enterprise, as well as technical assistance to coop members to start up their own businesses, with credit, loans and help in business plan development. I fear turning tribal politicians loose with $470,000,000 with no oversight or accountability to anyone except the tribal council. It will be a disaster for us if we lose our last economic opportunity to get back on our feet after 85 years of tribal poverty under management of nine council members. Let us get on our feet economically and break the 85 year dictatorship of the tribal council. The Indian Reorganization Act authorized district cooperatives but were usurped by tribal council greed. Sayeh Corporation makes the directors and management rich by manipulating low wage tribal labor; that is their business plan, to exploit tribal members labor. Sayeh director is so rich he moved to Cut Bank!

Bob Juneau Sr.