The commissioners did not respond to yesterday's question about what they would tell a businessperson competing against the Jamestown Corporation. Here is today's email:
Dear Commissioners,
Tribal governments appear to have representation and advocacy at every level—city, county, state, and federal—while many Clallam County residents feel they no longer have meaningful representation at the county level. How do you respond to constituents who believe their interests are not being equally represented, and what specific steps are you taking to ensure that the voices of county residents carry the same weight in decisions affecting land use, taxation, and public policy?
Thanks for shedding more light on what we are up against. I hope someone will take heed to all our concerns. Port Angeles wants to get grants for a tent city for the 300 druggies. They refuse to do the right thing and that's horrible.
They want no accountability for the "friends and neighbors ".
I noted a statement coming from the multi-tribe gathering "we are entering a new era". While that statement is true and applicable to all humans on the planet, the problem with the tribal use of it is the "we". There no longer exist any "we"; only the progeny of presumed indigenous peoples. The people for whom the reservations, the BIA and the innumerable grants, gifts, tax advantages, etc. were intended NO LONGER LIVE. No amount of long braided hair, leather clothing or feathers can hide the cell phones in their back pockets. The old ways are exactly that. The only life practice remaining from ancestral indigenous living is the highly revered and time honored practice of operating casinos. Define "native", define indigenous; neither definition is definitive. Who predated the "natives ". Who predated the indigenous ? Exactly how many generations are necessary before a person is legally and correctly classified as "native" or indigenous ? This entire "Land Back" thought process is an absurd tail chase. Anyone believing in "Land Back" needs a glass stomach, so they can see where they are going.
Land grabs, start small, go bigger. That’s what we’re witnessing with little perceived resistance. It’s not costing tribes much. Just roll over Anglo we’re taking “our land” back because politicians say so.
I believe I saw this growing up, all the way from teen years to my senior years. But I never realized it. The way it’s progressed in my eyes in Kalifornia. It started with gas stations (no federal taxes), small bands (<25 people) claiming one-sixteenth blood, bands claiming small plots of land for casinos, mega deals with Swartzenegggar and infrastructure, bands are living the good life$$, highly successful casinos (86 at last count) and their expansion and finally, with more casino money, political clout with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and politicians. No one’s going to challenge this model until it’s too late.
National preserves and parks are the next moves. Inch by inch, anything’s a cinch.
Yosemite, Mt Rushmore, Badlands, Dungeness Wildlife Refuge. Land back is here folks.
I thought “nation building” was now bad. How much worse can it be if it is building a foreign nation within the borders of your own nation at the expense of your own country and citizens?
It must end in disaster.” It’s a malignancy based on lies. What did OUR ancestors allow for, intend, and permit regarding “sovereignty?” Doesn’t a “nation” require absolute sovereignty? It didn’t exist. Where was it promised? So, how can there be these so-called nations?
The president’s budget is not just a ledger full of numbers. It is a statement of values that reflects national priorities. Donald Trump’s 2027 budget proposal sends a clear message to Indian Country: THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT PRIORITIZE TRIBAL NATIONS.
Released on Good Friday, the budget is not good for Indian Country.
It slashes hundreds of millions from tribal programs, including housing, Native lending, and education. The administration dismisses these programs as “woke” or unnecessary.
Let’s be clear: these are not political experiments. They are legal obligations. They are trust and treaty commitments.
These cuts are not theoretical. They hit home—literally. Tribal families already face some of the most severe housing shortages in the United States. Many homes lack running water, electricity, or basic sanitation. Some are unsafe or overcrowded. When the administration cuts tribal housing funds, it is not trimming bureaucracy—it is withdrawing support from families living in conditions that would be unacceptable anywhere else in the country.
Education programs fare no better. Bureau of Indian Education schools and tribal colleges are not luxury projects—they are core institutions of tribal life. They preserve languages, culture, and traditions. Cutting these programs is not policy—it is neglect.
The commissioners did not respond to yesterday's question about what they would tell a businessperson competing against the Jamestown Corporation. Here is today's email:
Dear Commissioners,
Tribal governments appear to have representation and advocacy at every level—city, county, state, and federal—while many Clallam County residents feel they no longer have meaningful representation at the county level. How do you respond to constituents who believe their interests are not being equally represented, and what specific steps are you taking to ensure that the voices of county residents carry the same weight in decisions affecting land use, taxation, and public policy?
Good morning Jeff and Doggers,
Thanks for shedding more light on what we are up against. I hope someone will take heed to all our concerns. Port Angeles wants to get grants for a tent city for the 300 druggies. They refuse to do the right thing and that's horrible.
They want no accountability for the "friends and neighbors ".
Just plain crazy.
I wish you and all Doggers a great day!
I noted a statement coming from the multi-tribe gathering "we are entering a new era". While that statement is true and applicable to all humans on the planet, the problem with the tribal use of it is the "we". There no longer exist any "we"; only the progeny of presumed indigenous peoples. The people for whom the reservations, the BIA and the innumerable grants, gifts, tax advantages, etc. were intended NO LONGER LIVE. No amount of long braided hair, leather clothing or feathers can hide the cell phones in their back pockets. The old ways are exactly that. The only life practice remaining from ancestral indigenous living is the highly revered and time honored practice of operating casinos. Define "native", define indigenous; neither definition is definitive. Who predated the "natives ". Who predated the indigenous ? Exactly how many generations are necessary before a person is legally and correctly classified as "native" or indigenous ? This entire "Land Back" thought process is an absurd tail chase. Anyone believing in "Land Back" needs a glass stomach, so they can see where they are going.
Land grabs, start small, go bigger. That’s what we’re witnessing with little perceived resistance. It’s not costing tribes much. Just roll over Anglo we’re taking “our land” back because politicians say so.
I believe I saw this growing up, all the way from teen years to my senior years. But I never realized it. The way it’s progressed in my eyes in Kalifornia. It started with gas stations (no federal taxes), small bands (<25 people) claiming one-sixteenth blood, bands claiming small plots of land for casinos, mega deals with Swartzenegggar and infrastructure, bands are living the good life$$, highly successful casinos (86 at last count) and their expansion and finally, with more casino money, political clout with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and politicians. No one’s going to challenge this model until it’s too late.
National preserves and parks are the next moves. Inch by inch, anything’s a cinch.
Yosemite, Mt Rushmore, Badlands, Dungeness Wildlife Refuge. Land back is here folks.
I thought “nation building” was now bad. How much worse can it be if it is building a foreign nation within the borders of your own nation at the expense of your own country and citizens?
It must end in disaster.” It’s a malignancy based on lies. What did OUR ancestors allow for, intend, and permit regarding “sovereignty?” Doesn’t a “nation” require absolute sovereignty? It didn’t exist. Where was it promised? So, how can there be these so-called nations?
There are no measurable standards via metrics when it comes to the BIA, and that's how land back will be accomplished.
Opinion by Native News Online April 8, 2026
The president’s budget is not just a ledger full of numbers. It is a statement of values that reflects national priorities. Donald Trump’s 2027 budget proposal sends a clear message to Indian Country: THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT PRIORITIZE TRIBAL NATIONS.
Released on Good Friday, the budget is not good for Indian Country.
It slashes hundreds of millions from tribal programs, including housing, Native lending, and education. The administration dismisses these programs as “woke” or unnecessary.
Let’s be clear: these are not political experiments. They are legal obligations. They are trust and treaty commitments.
These cuts are not theoretical. They hit home—literally. Tribal families already face some of the most severe housing shortages in the United States. Many homes lack running water, electricity, or basic sanitation. Some are unsafe or overcrowded. When the administration cuts tribal housing funds, it is not trimming bureaucracy—it is withdrawing support from families living in conditions that would be unacceptable anywhere else in the country.
Education programs fare no better. Bureau of Indian Education schools and tribal colleges are not luxury projects—they are core institutions of tribal life. They preserve languages, culture, and traditions. Cutting these programs is not policy—it is neglect.