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Native American Radio Network

Indigenous in Music with Larry K – Tonemah in our Spotlight Interview

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Welcome to indigenous in Music, here is this week’s show. Join Larry and his guest from Niagara Falls, New York, Singer, Songwriter Actor and Author. Mr. Tonemah will be stopping by to tell us about his new album “Red Dirt Remarks.” Find out about Tonemah and hear his music on the web at tonemah.com.

Enjoy music from Tonemah, Trent Agecoutay, Tara Williamson, Sandra Sutter, Jamie Coon, Tracy Lee Nelson, Grupo Fantasma, Novalima, Sarazino, Banda Black Trio, Leanne Goose, Tracy Bone, Cindy Paul, Aasiva, Julian Taylor Band, Janel Munoa, Midnight Shine, Nathan Cunningham, Rellik, Ed Koban Wolfsheartj, Robert Horak, Jace Martin, Carsen Gray, Vilda, The Deeds, Leonard Summer, Redbone, Soda Stereo, Shawn Michael Perry and much much more.

Trump’s war on healthcare

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President Donald J. Trump told the world he has been exonerated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and the whole probe was a waste of time. (And, of course, the news media is to blame as the official enemy of the people.)

Since that story is old, “no collusion,” the White House has started a new one, an all out attack on the Affordable Care Act, including the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. And the chaos is back.

This is Trahant Reports.

Let’s start at the beginning. The Mueller Report was delivered to the Department of Justice under an official protocol. The president after reading a summary tweeted: “Total EXONERATION.”

The issue is now defined so when parts, or even all, of the Mueller report surfaces, it will be the attorney general’s interpretation, not the actual report itself, that reflects the story. Even that letter goes beyond the presidential tweet. Attorney General William Barr wrote … “while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.”

But that was enough for the president and he moved on to new issues.

The Justice Department wrote a letter to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that said it would file a brief supporting a district court decision to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act. U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor, a George W. Bush appointee, ruled that since Congress eliminated the individual insurance mandate penalty, the entire law is invalid.

No matter how the appeals court rules, this matter is likely to be before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Striking down the Affordable Care Act would have immediate impact for more than 20 million Americans who are covered by insurance through Medicaid Expansion or insurance exchanges. The law includes the Indian Health Care Improvement Act — and that would be included in a rollback of the legislation.

It’s hard to understate the significance of a judicial repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Medicaid, for example, is now a significant source of funding for the Indian Health system especially for facilities managed by tribes and non-profit organizations. More than one out of every four Native patients in the Indian health system are covered by Medicaid.

A study in 2017 by the Kaiser Family Foundation said Medicaid provisions in the Affordable Care Act Medicaid led to an increase in coverage coverage gains among American Indians and Alaska Natives and and increased revenue to IHS- and tribally-operated facilities.

In addition to the revenue, health systems have modeled the procedures and funding on the 2010 law. If it were struck down there would be nothing to replace the revenue or the health care procedures until Congress enacted a new one.

That would mean a law that is as acceptable to the Republicans in the Senate, the Democrats in the House, and President Trump.

An impossible hurdle.

I am Mark Trahant.

The electoral college

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Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren called for getting rid of the Electoral College.

What would that mean for American Indian and Alaska Native representation?

This is Trahant Reports.

American Indians and Alaska Natives are about two percent of the population. Yet in Congress, even after historic wins, there are only four Native Americans in Congress, a total of two-thirds of one percent.

And it’s not just the Electoral College. It’s the Senate. It’s the districting system in the U.S. House of Representatives (and for that matter, in most state legislatures). The fact, yes, the fact is that real structure of this democracy does not ensure a reflection of the country.

A vote from Indian Country, at least measured by representation, equals only one-third of one percent. And that is even less so in the Electoral College  because the ballots are cast state by state and are not awarded by congressional district (except in Maine and Nebraska).

Then, as bad as the Electoral College is, the Senate is worse. A voter in Wyoming has 70 more say about the country’s future than a citizen of California. When you think of the diversity in a country of 325 million, what kind of democracy allows states that are nearly all white to have far more power than those states that are more reflective of the entire country?

The Warren debate about the Electoral College so far has been an either, or discussion.

Either presidents are elected by Electoral College or by popular vote.

But the rest of the world already uses other systems of governance, Recently many have been struck by the leadership of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as she and her government responded to an act of terror. But it’s also worth considering the structure of her government.

Maori have guaranteed representation in Parliament. That started in 1867.  In addition, that country switched from a district based system like the U.S. House to one that has mixed member proportional representation. This increases the number of broad representation in Parliament.

Since the mixed member proportional system began “Maori representation in Parliament has remained at least proportional to the Maori share of the national population,” writes Dominic O’Sullivan, an associate professor at Charles Sturt University in Australia. “The Maori Party advocated for greater tribal authority while in government. Maori voters will expect that advocacy to continue … in short, Maori people and policy influence New Zealand politics in ways that First Nations in Canada do not.” And it’s the same could be said in the United States.

What would proportional representation look like? Amber Ebarb of the National Congress of American Indians has run the numbers. It would mean two Native Americans in the Senate and seven members in the U.S. House of Representatives.

 

That is a representative democracy.

 

I am Mark Trahant.

Indigenous in Music with Larry K – Ryland Kabotie of Innastate in our Spotlight Interview

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Welcome to indigenous in Music.  Join Larry and his guest from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Roots, Rock and Reggae in the house. Bassmon Rylan Kabotie of “Innastate.”

Enjoy music from Innastate, Ozomatli, Seu Jorge, Juan Luis Guerra, The Jerry Cans, Indian City, Ed Koban, Nuna, Gary Small and the Coyote Bros., Trippynova, Michael Franti, Kinky, De Madregada, Irv Lyons Jr., Freightrain, Tracy Lee Nelson, Crystal Shawanda, Janel Munoa, CHANCES, iskwe, Quantum Tangle, Aasiva, Paula Lima, Locos Por Juana, Levi Platero, Digging Roots, B-Side Players and much much more.

Visit us on our website, and leave us a comment, underwriting opportunities available also.IndigenousinMusic.com.

Indigenous in Music with Larry K – Aasiva in our Spotlight Interview

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Welcome to indigenous in Music, here is this weeks show. Join Larry and his guest from the Nunavut First Nations, Singer, Songwriter and Performer, she has just release her new self titled album “Aasiva.”. Find out all about her and hear her music on the web at Aasiva.com
Enjoy music from Aasiva, Natalia Clavier, Ana Tijoux, Annie Humphrey, B-Side Players, Indian City, Bajofondo, Stolen Identity, Gina Loring, Cary Morin, Murray Porter, Levi Platero, Julian Taylor Band, Bluedog, Bruthers of Different Muthers, Ace Frehley, Stevie Salas, Janel Munoa, The Deeds, Patti Lamoureux, Wolfsheart, Don Amero, Tonemah, Orishas, Shon Denay, Brianna Lea Pruett and much much more.
Visit us on our website, and leave us a comment, underwriting opportunities available also. IndigenousinMusic.com

Good, Bad & The Ugly

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The big picture: The White House budget has no chance of becoming law, but the federal government is on track for more chaos.

This is Trahant Reports.

President Donald J. Trump has outlined his budget for fiscal year 2020. It would slash funding for virtually every domestic program, add money to the military budget, and of course, build a border wall. The document is titled: “A Budget for a Better America: Promises Kept. Taxpayers First.” The president’s budget would “save” nearly $2.7 trillion, more budget cuts proposed than any administration in history.

Only Congress, not the president, decides how money will be spent in the federal system. At best the administration writes a budget that initiates a conversation. The real work of the budget occurs in the Senate and House appropriations committees.

Not that presidential budgets are totally worthless. As the White House said a year ago the budget is a “messaging document.” Last year’s budget, for example, assumed Congress would repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with a block grant. As I wrote a year ago: “The votes are not there for that. It’s fantasy.”

And that was when Republicans controlled Congress. The House is now under Democratic Party control turning the dial even more toward government.

So it’s not useful to get excited about the numbers in this White House budget (probably any presidential budget for that matter) and instead focus on the larger issues.

One big picture issue is that Congress and the president must reach a deal on spending under the Budget Control Act or there will be budget cuts of more than 11 percent on the existing budget figures (Defense and Domestic programs are cut about the same under the sequester … an idea to make it easier to reach a deal).

This is the economic version of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. A three-way gunfight, or a truel. The players: Those who hate government, especially domestic programs, that also want money for the military. Those who would like to significantly spend less on the military, but spend more on domestic federal programs. And then the President of the United States is a wild card. (At least in the movie the wild card character fought without actually having a loaded gun.)

Congress knows this chaos is expensive and bad management. There might be enough votes around to fix the process, particularly for programs involving American Indians and Alaska Natives. Congress could appropriate funds for key programs, such as those that provide services in Indian Country, at least a year in advance.

This is already happening for many education programs and there is growing support for Indian Health Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs advance funding from members of both Democrats and Republicans..

Given the increasing budget uncertainty … this might be the year to make it so.

 

I am Mark Trahant.

Indigenous in Music with Larry K – Don Amero in our Spotlight Interview

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Welcome to indigenous in Music, here is this weeks show. Join Larry and his guest from from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Singer, Songwriter and performer. He has just released his 7th album “Evolution.” Find out all about Don and hear his music on the web at donamero.ca
Enjoy music from Don Amero, Tracy Bone, Tracy Lee Nelson, Stolen Identity, iskwe, Indian City, Soda Stereo, Midnight Shine, Michael Bucher, De Madrugada, Julian Taylor Band, Grupo Fantasma, Leonard Summer, Nadjiwan, Twin Flames, DJ Krayzkree, Jamie Prado, Locos Por Juana, XAXO, Pablo Nouvelle, Campo, Innastate, Jamie Coon, Gary Small & the Coyote Bros, Aasiva, Artson, Quese IMC, Supaman, Lil Mike & Funny Bone, Night Shield, Jackie Bird, Richie Ledreagle, Cary Morin and much much more.
Visit us on our website, and leave us a comment, underwriting opportunities available also. IndigenousinMusic.com

Oh Canada

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Indigenous values, the rule of law, and a crisis for the Trudeau government.

This is Trahant Reports.

The chapter about Canada’s Justin Trudeau and the governing Liberal Party new era of reconciliation is over. It’s been replaced by a debate about the rule of law — and Indigenous values.

The story began more than three years ago when Trudeau— as the new prime minister—boasted of a new kind of democratic participation that included First Nations. The new cabinet was representative of gender, region, and included Aboriginal people.

When asked “why?” Trudeau replied, “because it’s 2015.” The chief of the Assembly of Nations even called it a “new era of reconciliation.”

One proof of that relationship was the appointment of Jody Wilson-Raybould, Kwakiutl, as Canada’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

The relationship between the Liberals and First Nations was better than it had been under the Conservative government of Stephen Harper, but it’s been far from perfect. First Nations leaders have complained about Indigenous rights being ignored. Several First Nations issued objections to pipelines saying that tribal lands were duly noted and ignored. While the First Nations that supported the development were highlighted by the government. A familiar story, right?

It took another corruption scandal though — one that did not involve First Nations —  to change the story.

Canada’s national newspaper, the Globe and Mail, reported a month ago that the prime minister had pressured Wilson-Raybould to intervene in a case involving SNC-Lavalin so that prosecutors would not pursue the case. The Globe reported that she declined.

This answered the question about why Wilson-Raybould had been demoted from her post as attorney general. A few days after the story broke, Wilson-Raybould resigned from the government. And then nother cabinet member, Jane Philpott, joined her and resigned because of the “serious concerns” raised in the case.

Raybould added Indigenous values into a national conversation.

She told Parliament: “The history of Crown-Indigenous relations in this country includes a history of the rule of law not being respected.”

Wilson-Raybould said she came “from a long line of matriarchs, and I’m a truth teller in accordance with the laws and traditions of our Big House. This is who I am, and this is who I always will be.”

The story is not over. Wilson-Raybould has already said she will run for another term in parliament as a Liberal member from Vancouver-Granville in the coming elections. But if she wins, she may not be welcome in the caucus.

One thing is certain: This will be an interesting election year in Canada. I am Mark Trahant.

Indigenous in Music with Larry K – Artson in our Spotlight Interview

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Welcome to indigenous in Music, here is this weeks show. Join Larry and his guest from El Paso, Texas. Artson, he currently holds the title “ Best Rap Hip Hop Recording,” for his new album “Brave Star” at this years Native American Music Awards. You can also catch his music video premier of his current release “Reachin’ Seekin’ and Dreamin” on our homepage at indigenous in Music.com
Music from Artson, Frank Waln, Ana Tijoux, Paula Lima, Rulo, Dj Bitman, Toia, Spirit Cry, Ozomatli, Latin Vibe, Iskwe, Blue Flamez, Toko Tasi, Sue Jorge, Soda Stereo, Sun Shadows, Julian Taylor Band, Elastic Bond, The Tao Of Groove, Bomba Estereo, Novalima, Gotan Project, Don Armando, Robert Mirabal, Bert Malcom, Carsen Gray, Yogui, Raymond Sewell, Mexican Institute of Sound and much much more.
Visit us on our website, and leave us a comment, underwriting opportunities available also. IndigenousinMusic.com

The End of Coal

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Donald J. Trump had a consistent theme during his 2016 election campaign: He dug coal. Coal would create jobs. Coal would launch a new economic bonanza, especially in rural states. And coal would power the United States.

There was a catch: Coal markets have all but collapsed. There are fewer buyers for coal and for even less for coal-powered energy. To be sure coal is not going away, anytime soon. But last year was the lowest consumption of coal in nearly 40 years.

This is Trahant Reports.

Tribes control nearly a third of coal reserves west of the Mississippi. Coal has provided a huge boost to tribal budgets and created high paying jobs for the Hopi Tribe, the Navajo Nation, and the Crow Nation. Some 25 tribes have significant coal reserves either with production or with the potential for additional development.

But coal is a dirty fossil fuel. The production of electricity accounts for more 28.4 percent of the greenhouse gases that trap heat and make the planet warmer. More than two-thirds of that electricity comes from burning fossil fuels, and that’s mostly coal.

A report by the Brookings Institute says the decline of the U.S. coal industry is the result of market forces, not a policy or a ‘war on coal.’ And that’s not likely to change. So the better alternative is to come up with strategies to replace those jobs lost by coal.

Last week the operator of the Navajo Generating Station announced that it had reached an impasse in its negotiations with the Navajo Nation to transfer ownership of a coal-fired electricity plant.

There is one fundamental reason for that impasse: liability. Both the Salt River Project partners and the Navajo Nation are keen to limit cleanup costs which could reach hundreds of millions of dollars.

“There’s no path forward on prolonging coal, period,” said Percy Deal, a Navajo, who is now retired and a former Navajo County and tribal official. “There’s no believable business plan you can write when the market signals that something like coal is simply no longer economically viable. Today, our nation should be talking with SRP, but about renewable energy, not coal.”

Most people understand that renewable energy is the future. And there is growing data to back that up.

The economics of coal and other fossil fuels are not getting any stronger and renewable energy continues to get cheaper.

Still, this is a tough moment for the tribe — and there are no easy choices. How does a government help make a huge economic transition to renewable fuels? And, at the same time, how do you preserve really good paying jobs in a brand new industry?

I am Mark Trahant.

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