The United States has an interesting history and relationship with its native population. Since the colonial days those living in what is now the United States of America have enjoyed great peace and cooperation with Native Americans as well as periods of bloody war. The United States government has taken land and given land, tried to assimilate as well as push away. They offer the protections and rights of American citizenship as well as a certain amount of autonomy. Sometimes it can depend on what type of administration is occupies the Presidency. The President’s appointed cabinet members can take different views on issues from administration to administration. This plays heavily when it comes to Native American casinos and gambling.
The agency in charge of Native American policies is the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This agency is responsible for what lands can be considered tribal and placed under reservation status. Once land is considered to be a part of a Native American nation’s reservation land they can govern it as they see fit. For some this means building a casino. Native Americans are allowed to operate casinos. The money generated pays some state taxes, but it also goes to helping support members of the Native American community. Again, these lands sit on that fine line of being a part of the United States and sovereign at the same time.
Some of these issues have come to a head over the past four to eight years. Under the Bush administration, Native Americans had a harder time reserving land. The Obama administration seems to be more liberal. This has caused many Indian nations to revisit land issues. The Jemez Pueblo Indians in New Mexico are taking another look at building a $72 million casino off of I-10. The request was turned down in early 2008, but the Pueblos feel that the new administration will be more accommodating. Critics call the practice “reservation shopping,” but it does beg the question of whose land is it?
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