Misguided Energy

Today we had multiple meetings about address labels, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The age-old concept of “I got a few calls from Tribal members about such-and-such, so we’d better do something about it” prevailed today. When I look back on some of the more important issues affecting us today, from losses in the portfolio, to the sustainability of the health plan, to the numerous Tribal families waiting on edge for some sort of enrollment news, it saddens me to see that this is the kind of stuff that we are choosing to focus on.
I haven’t actually gotten a copy of the most recent mailout, but from what I’ve been told it was a letter from the “Goods”, which might have more to do with the pseudo-fuss being kicked up about it than anything. But in the present context, on the heels of the now infamous “Leno letter”, I suppose non-Tribally sanctioned mailings are going to start becoming taboo. What I take from all this is a reminder that as a body Tribal Council has almost the final and ultimate say in just about whatever goes on. We can grossly mal-adjust our priorities and duties to the membership on a whim. Let’s not worry about the portfolio right now, even if that means potentially losing tens of thousands of dollars each and every day. No, let us seek the author behind this political letter, devote Tribal time and resources to it, and bring this derelict to justice. That matters most.
It probably sounds as if I am in a bad mood with this posting, and in all probability I am. But for whatever reason today the biggest and perhaps least likely to be solved anytime soon problem became painfully clear…again. When your Tribe is developing political parties, and some might say we have two major ones, then one of the worst situations to be in is to have an electoral system set up to where elections, and with it the authority of one-third of the governing body, are up for grabs each and every year. When non-incumbents are supporting incumbents and trying to retain their majority, then discussions like what happened today are the norm. Political tactics, strategies, and campaigns go year-round, and the preservation of power takes priority over the more vital decisions. There are no off-years in which to make the tough but necessary decisions.
All of this gets worsened by the fact that with a low voter turnout, a majority, and with it the authority of a governing majority, can be secured with no member of that group getting more than 20% of the vote. There is no wonder then that extremely large families, and the alliances thereof, have become so influential politically. Family reunions are chances to campaign.
I suppose what happens here in Grand Ronde is probably not vastly different than what occurs in other Tribes. That point has been made numerous times before. But the real challenge is can all of that change. I believe it can. It starts with term limits, and election reform, among other things.