Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

It always amazes me how different people can look at the same set of facts and walk away with completely different impression. Then in four decades of reporting I have never seen a story with as wide a gulf as what’s occurring at Standing Rock.

This is Trahant Reports.

The government of North Dakota sees Standing Rock as a minor glitch in their rush toward more profits from North Dakota oil.  And so many of the characterizations are written as if none of the top government officials — you know the governor, members of Congress, the state’s power structure — have ever been to the site that they know so much about. But that’s me being generous: They have not been there and they are clear about their intentions to never go.

That’s why this is a fight about story.  And who gets to tell it?

The stories North Dakota Officialdom wants the public to believe are those of lawlessness, “sound science and engineering,” and an overzealous regulatory structure.

The first story is quickly erased by anyone who takes the time to travel to the camps. And it is the same with the second story, the debate about science and engineering, because that telling only works when you ignore climate science.

That leaves the third story, the one about an “overzealous regulatory structure.” Folks: This one is the whopper. The fact is that the Dakota Access Pipeline was designed to avoid federal regulatory oversight. The whole point was to make certain that there was no serious environmental assessment.

As U.S. District Judge James Boasberg wrote (in his decision against the tribe’s injunction): “A project of this magnitude often necessitates an extensive federal appraisal and permitting process. Not so here.”

Not so here. Three potent words that should wipe out the narrative of over-regulation.

So after one federal agency did not do its job, the Obama administration said take a second look. That is the so-called overzealous regulatory framework. After all: The company spent a nearly billion dollars before it had all of the permits required under even The Easy-peasy Regulatory Scheme.

Then the State of North Dakota and the Army Corps of Engineers have a rich history of rolling over tribes in this region, ignoring treaties, water law, and science, in order to build dams along the Missouri River. A generation ago, Commissioner of Indian Affairs Philleo Nash wrote these projects “caused more damage to Indian land than any other public works project in America.”

Except. Not this time. Easy-peasy is on hold.

I am Mark Trahant reporting.

Trahant Reports is brought to you by Kauffman & Associates, Inc., a Native American owned, woman-owned small business that has delivered innovative  .solutions for government and commercial clients since 1990. KAI’s expertise spans diverse specialty areas, including public health, education, and economic development.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

It’s easy to be optimistic about the prospects for American Indian and Alaska Native candidates in this election and beyond. Our numbers are growing, organizations are getting stronger, and, best of all, the most remarkable, talented people are giving elective office a shot.

This is Trahant Reports.

But we also hear people say this about elections: What happens when good people lose?

It’s important to remember that politics has a long arc. Change does not happen after one election — or even after someone we like wins. It’s a constant push for change.

We need to think of politics as a routine: We encourage candidates, help when we can, organize, and, repeat when necessary. T

Then there is Trahant’s Rule: You gotta run to win.

There is no substitute for someone taking that risk to put their name on a ballot. It’s a tough thing to do and we should honor all of those who are willing to try.

This August we will lose several Native American candidates. In Alaska, for example, Edgar Blatchford lost his primary for the U.S. Senate. He ended up second in a field of three.

Blatchford is a professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He was a late entry into the race. He ran with little money, promoting his candidacy largely via social media.

He told me: “The idea in this campaign was that no one wanted to file as a Democrat.” So Blatchford jumped in (and then two others did as well).

Blatchford is Yupik and was the only Native American running for the U.S. Senate. It’s too bad his campaign didn’t have more time (and money). He has a resume worth considering: Once Mayor of Seward, a professor, owner of a newspaper chain, chief executive officer of a what is now Chugach Native Corporation, and he served in a governor’s cabinet.

Too often, Blatchford said, the first question people asked him was: “How much money have you raised? Not whether I am a Democrat, Republican, or what I believe.”

Then he laughed and added, “I have nothing.”

There are two areas of the country where it’s a question of “when” not “if” there will be Native representation in Congress. Alaska is one such place. And Arizona is another.

And, speaking of Arizona, voters go to the polls Tuesday to pick party nominees. Four Native candidates have primary challengers — and the field will likely narrow.

But in order to get real representation for Indian Country in Congress and legislatures this fact remains: People gotta run in order to win. I am Mark Trahant reporting.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

This August there are eight Native American candidates for the U.S. House and Senate. But that number is likely to shrink when the month comes to a close. This is Trahant Reports.

Four Native candidates are on ballots this month: Democrats Edgar Blatchford, Yupik, in Alaska, Joe Pakootas, Colville, in Washington’s 5th Congressional District, Victoria Steele, Seneca, in Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District; and, Republican Shawn Redd, Navajo, in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District.

The first of these primary elections was August 2 in Washington state. And, even though it’s hard to read too much into a primary, Joe Pakootas did really well. The race shows that his opponent, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, is more vulnerable than ever.

McMorris Rodgers and Pakootas finished first and second and will go on to the general election in November. Washington has what’s called “a blanket primary.” That means voters pick from all candidates on the ballot. It doesn’t matter which party they represent.

Trahant Reports graphic of Native American candidates for U.S. House and Senate.

So in that primary, McMorris Rodgers was first with 56,676 votes while Pakootas earned 42,600. What’s interesting about that is that McMorris Rodgers did not earn a majority of the vote, the first time that’s happened since she has been an incumbent.

Right now: The incumbent has a huge advantage, she’s raised some $2.4 million to Pakootas’ $166,729. But even with that margin Pakootas showed in the primary that he can be competitive.

Like a lot of Republicans, McMorris Rodgers has to deal with the Trump problem. How far do candidates go defending their nominee? McMorris Rodgers may be all in. According to The Spokesman-Review newspaper she called for party unity saying it was necessary to defeat a “motivated” Democratic Party.

Pakootas is a former chairman of the Colville Tribes. He told his supporters via Facebook: “Thank you 5th Congressional District for your support! I am pleased to announce I am moving onto the General Election!”

One note of caution: It’s hard to read too much into a primary because the number of voters are so few. Less than 92,000 people cast ballots in that primary compared to 232,242 in the last general election. Turnout was even smaller than the primary two years ago.

The next primary is in Alaska on Aug. 16 where Edgar Blatchford is running for the U.S. Senate against two other Democrats. Unlike Washington, Alaska has a party-based primary. So voters will pick candidates to represent Democrats, Republicans, and in this case, a Libertarian, and an independent. So Alaska will have four candidates on the November ballot. That is quite a crowd. I am Mark Trahant reporting.

***

Trahant Reports is brought to you by Kauffman & Associates, Inc., a Native American owned, woman-owned small business that has delivered innovative solutions for government and commercial clients since 1990. KAI’s expertise spans diverse specialty areas, including public health, education, and economic development.