Believe What You Like But Know What You Must

People are free to be consumed with contemplating their existence, their origins, the origins of the universe, supreme beings, controllers of destiny or anything else. But solving "the Great Mystery" is neither a requirement of being Ohnkwe Ohnwe nor does it provide a path to righteousness. I maintain that spirituality does not require faith or the leaps that faith requires but rather awareness. If it helps to believe that "God has a plan" and we just must have faith that "He" knows what "He" is doing, then walk that path. My interest is in taking the mystery out of life by pointing to the obvious that is ignored everyday in the midst of fanatical ideology and the sometimes not too subtle influences of promoting beliefs over knowledge. I have said it before: “beliefs are what you are told, knowledge is what you experience”. I support a culture that prepares us to receive knowledge and to live a life with purpose. I am certainly not suggesting there is only one way to do that.

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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The National Congress of American Indians Issues An Action Alert Broadcast

NCAI Broadcast #09-082

1. Calls Needed to Your Senators This Week: Oppose the PACT Act
(S.1147) - Bill Requires Tribes to Report Tobacco Sales to States

2. SBA to Host Tribal Consultations on Proposed 8(a) Rulemaking

________________________________

1) Calls Needed to Your Senators This Week: Oppose the PACT Act
(S.1147) - Bill Requires Tribes to Report Tobacco Sales to States

Needed:

* Call your two Senators today
Call the Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121
Ask for their "Indian Affairs" or "Judiciary" staffer

* Call Senator Reid's Indian Affairs Staffer
(202) 224-2251 - Ask for Wendy Helgemo

* Call Department of Interior
(202) 208-6682 - Ask for Bryan Newland

* Ask them to oppose the PACT Act (and "hold" any attempt to
"hotline" the bill) until its sponsors address Tribal concerns.

The Bill's Status:

* The PACT Act (S.1147) has passed the House and is ready for a vote in the Senate. (House version is H.R. 1676.)

* It may be moving through the "hotline" process soon, which is a fast track vote that needs every Senator to consent to the bill. We need your Senator to oppose it.

* The sponsor of the bill, Senator Kohl (D-WI), is negotiating with Senators opposing the bill, but is not addressing tribal concerns.


Summary of Tribal Concerns With PACT Act

* The PACT Act purports to stop cigarette trafficking and cigarette sales to minors.

* Tribes also support these goals, and support provisions to address these goals.

* Unfortunately, as currently written, the PACT Act is too broad. It essentially stops all legal internet tobacco sales by banning use of U.S. mail and forces tribes to report to the ttates on their tribal tobacco sales that are "delivery sales."

* Forcing tribes to report their tribal tobacco sales to the states is a direct infringement on sovereignty and treaty rights, and will also dramatically disempower tribal governments in compact negotiations with states.

* In addition, a ban on internet sales will destroy some tribally-regulated private economies, as well as tribal revenues that support tribal health and education programs. It also sets a very bad precedent for other tribal governments whose private economies could also be targeted by Congress.


Attached:

* NCAI resolution #NGF-09-003
<http://www.mmsend1.com/ls.cfm?r=232921355&sid=8183546&m=888458&u=NCAI&s
=http://www.ncai.org/fileadmin/broadcasts/2009/09_082_NCAI%20PACT%20Act%
20Resolution.pdf> opposing PACT Act until it addresses Tribal concerns.


Please contact John Dossett, jdossett@ncai.org, with any additional
questions.

3 comments:

John Kane said...

The irony of this act of Congress being pushed through as a US Dollar coin enters circulation bearing our Hiawentha Belt is almost too much. Perhaps we should encourage all those that contribute to campaigns, to do it in these coins.

John Kane said...

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid initiated the hotline process for the PACT Act this evening just before 6:00 PM. The Senate has now adjourned for the evening and will resume the PACT Act hotline process first thing tomorrow morning.



We need ALL of Indian Country to burn up the phone lines to the US Senate tomorrow morning and object to the passage of this bill. Anything you can do to make this happen will be greatly appreciated. There may be no more tobacco mail order if this bill is passed tomorrow. PLEASE FORWARD THIS REQUEST TO ANYONE YOU THINK CAN HELP US.

Anonymous said...

Having to report you cigarette tax is like a complete disgrace to your customers! Could you imagine having to pay a huge tax bill. You should check out these e cigarettes.