"Earlier this month, I wrote a piece here at The Atlantic about the ways in which the three branches of federal government this year have handled matters of great importance to American Indians. I criticized the Senate-- and Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn in particular-- for failing to act on the judicial nomination of worthy native American candidate Arvo Mikkanen. I blasted the Supreme Court for its failure to protect Native American interests in a trust case. And I chided the Obama Administration for focusing upon eagle feathers when there are so many other pressing issues of interest to the tribes.

I must have struck a nerve because within a day or so of posting the piece I had heard directly from three different tribunes within the Administration, each of whom wrote to suggest to me that I had been too harsh in my criticism of executive branch policy toward Native Americans. I heard from a "Director of Specialty Media" at the White House, who forwarded to me this link titled: "Achieving a Brighter Future for Tribal Nations." I heard from the Justice Department, which forwarded to me this link titled: "Tribal Justice And Safety." And I heard from the Interior Department, which forwarded to me this link to a glowing Associated Press story about new administration rules designed to make it easier for American Indians and Native Alaskans to "expedite home building and energy development."

Having done little in my life to merit credit as a tribune for native peoples, I thought the most prudent response to the Administration's earnest reaction would be to ask American Indians themselves whether they believe the current crop of politicians in Washington are doing right by the tribes. So I reached back out to Tim Pleasant, co-director of the Indian Law program at the University of Tulsa College of Law, and to G. William Rice, co-director of the Native American Law Center, to informally canvas the native community. I asked them both to ask of their friends and colleagues the same question: Is the Obama Administration as popular with American Indians as the Associated Press story suggested?"

Get the Story:
The Obama Administration and the American Indian (The Atlantic 12/11)

Related Stories:
Opinion: Obama administration turning inward on Indian issues (12/05)
Opinion: Questions for Supreme Court Justice Alito on Indian law (08/22)
Opinion: Indian candidates need not apply to the federal judiciary (07/20)
Opinion: Supreme Court tells tribes they can't verify the trust (06/14)
Opinion: Arvo Mikkanen federal court nomination and the white man (02/07)