SAULT TRIBE…REACHING THE FINAL COUNTDOWN?

By Lynne Weaver

Have you ever had the feeling that eminent doom is just around the corner? Just out of the blue, a thought crosses your mind that you should be on guard for something bad to happen but there isn’t a shred of evidence to verify those feelings. Occasionally those feelings are likely the result of certain circumstances such as your child leaving for college or a parent suddenly not feeling well. Certainly the state of the economy has a lot of people clinging to their sanity, jobs and bank accounts. But there seems to be something more going on with the Sault Tribe then what the members are aware of.

Curiously, some long time employees at the top of the heap seem to heading out of Dodge. They aren’t exactly being public about it but gossip in northern Michigan’s small towns travels fast. Not wanting to jeopardize anyone’s job by supplying the public with detailed information takes precedence over being the first to relay the rumors so subtle hints are the best I can do. Some of the top guns are seeking employment far from the sinking Sault Tribe including at least one higher up on the tribal gaming commission. Those who have never had to worry about their position with the tribe are talking about early retirement while others are planning to put their homes on the market.

As the Sault Tribe leaders were faced with the truth that they were headed for financial disaster, threats of disenrollment, loss of benefits and voting privileges for descendents of the Mackinac Bands made by at least one Sault Tribe board director and several members of the Sault Tribe, began to circulate.

The biggest indicator of all is the sudden interest in the Mackinac Bands of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. Not only are Sault Tribe members inquiring about the status of the MB’s affirmation of federal acknowledgement but past and present leaders and business associates of the Sault Tribe seem to be leaning toward the MB. One group of Mackinac Band members (myself included) who are working towards the development of a plan for economic stability for our expanding community, understand that wind energy and other renewable resources are quickly becoming the fastest growing global industry with the promise of good paying, long-term job opportunities. Our active interest in this field is attracting investors, grant writers and attorneys who are treading lightly in the direction of the Mackinac Bands.

Now, with what appears to be a flight for safety from the jaws of the Sault Tribe’s financial problems, it may be the Mackinac Bands that eventually provides safe haven for those who have long awaited independence from the Sault Tribe. In any case, we can get this done a lot faster with a little more help and the doors are open wide for those who are ready to roll up their sleeves and pitch in.
Call or email me: lynne.mackbands@yahoo.com 906-440-7099

DANGER TO THE GREAT LAKES

Friends, Associates, Tribal Members and Elected Officials:

If you don't think this is a real threat...read on and learn about this invasive fish that will ultimately destroy the Great Lakes and its eco-system. As residents and citizens of Michigan...we all better get involved with the EPA, Great Lakes United, and other organizations to learn about this invasive Asian Carp and find out how we as citizens can prevent this threat from entering into the GREAT LAKES! Ask..."What can I DO?"

Anne Thompson on NBC National News last night...had a segment on this issue and the real threat of the Asian Carp. There is only one barrier preventing this invasive species from entering the Great Lakes and it is closer than you think!
Please read the link for more information: Here

As a member of the Mackinac Band, this is a serious issue that will undoubtedly destroy the health and habitat of our precious waters. How can we as the Mackinac Band be part of solving this serious threat that is only one barrier away from the Great Lakes? Putting aside all politics...this is vital to all people.
Anne
"Know that you are a helper,
a traveler along life's road,
whose noble purpose lightens the burdens of another's load"
---Jamie Sams

The Mackinac Bands is proceeding ahead to get information on how we can personally get involved and help to prevent this species from entering our Great Lakes! We need to get direction and become informed on how we as citizens can address this serious issue. It is essential to form a citizen's coaltion! What can we do at this immediate juncture?

MACKINAC BANDS POWWOW REMINDER

Mark your calendars for August 8th, 2009 to attend the MB powwow in Rogers City at 1 p.m. Greet A.I.M members(American Indian Movement) from the Michigan chapter who will have a booth where T-shirts and other A.I.M. items can be purchased.

Bouschor: A Name Synonymous with Business Failures

Through the decades, Sault Tribe members have stood by helplessly and watched one tribal business fail after another. Every failed venture bore the fingerprints of one man whose name seems to breed disaster: Bernard Bouschor.

I have forgotten the names of all Bouschor’s business failures and even the number eludes me. It’s not easy to find the details and I have looked under rugs, blankets and even under the wool over the eyes of some people, but the answers seem to be covered up pretty well. If I were to send a request under the Freedom of Information Act, would I receive a reply or would the answer be something like, “Sorry, but details of the tribe’s financial affairs are not the business of tribal members.” Venturing a guess, I believe Bouschor is responsible for between 30 and 35 failures with Greektown being the Titanic of all failures.

Although Bouschor passes off his biggest failure onto the last administration, public information can verify that Greektown’s financial struggles began when Bouschor wrapped his fool’s gold finger around a pen and signed away the Sault Tribe’s future to the Greeks for a mere $25,000. How much will the tribe have invested in Greektown only to lose it all…a billion or more?

Many casinos are going under but is the debt to owners comparable to what the Sault Tribe members will feel with the loss of Greektown? It’s probably not fair to blame it all on Bouschor so we should just blame him for those failed business’s whose beginnings were based solely on his decisions. Surely, some of the failed business ventures were properly researched by competent advisors whose decisions were not controlled by Bouschor. As soon as I hear of one tribal business failure not synonymous with the name Bouschor, I’ll post it here.

Who Are the Mackinac Bands?

Who are the Mackinac Bands and the Mackinac Tribe, LLC., are they seeking federal acknowledgment, why did the Sault Tribe adopt the Mackinac Bands and how did they do it, what is the mystery surrounding the removal of John Causley, was there a break-in of the Mackinac Bands office, what is the status of the Mackinac Bands….? These are questions that linger and continue to be asked.

The Mackinac Bands of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians were signatories on the 1836 and 1855 treaties with the United States whose members were identified and federally recognized on the Horace Durant Rolls as being a separate and unique tribe. Horace Durant was an Indian agent appointed by the Secretary of Interior to prepare a census roll between 1907 and 1910 in order to make payment to the Indians in the Mackinac area.

During the late 1970’s, the Sault Tribe Board of Directors, with Bernard Bouschor as Chairman, passed a resolution to adopt the Mackinac Bands as members of the Sault Tribe. With the approval of that resolution by the Secretary of Interior, the Sault Tribe claimed ownership to all property that belonged to the MB. Recently, a question presented to the Assistant Secretary of Interior asked why there was no required secretarial election for MB members to vote on the adoption. The MB is still waiting for an answer but maybe the answer is not one the Secretary of Interior is willing to provide. Whether or not they respond will not change the outcome that has made members of the MB second class citizens in the eyes of the Sault Tribe. Several directors and members of the Sault Tribe have argued that the 14,000 MB members, who are also Sault Tribe members, are not eligible to vote. Some Sault Tribers also dislike sharing any sort of benefits with MB members. Apparently, the Sault Tribe wanted to have their cake and eat it too but without the calories.

The Mackinac Tribe, LLC. is a group of people who splintered from the MB in April, 2008, to represent a smaller group of MB descendents. They recently dropped the LLC from their name and attempted to convince the MB, in what would have been an unwise decision, to join them as one tribe. Continuity of the MB would have been lost and the MB would have ceased to exist.

John Causley, former chairman of the MB, was removed by a vote of the board. Records belonging to the MB were obtained, not through a break-in, but with the assistance of law enforcement who accompanied MB board members while they reclaimed their property.

Causley did file a letter of intent (to file a petition for federal acknowledgment) with the Secretary of Interior. The regulations for filing are complicated but the status of the MB is not. Logically speaking, it should be easy.The difficulty is convincing the Secretary of Interior that we have been here much longer than they have, we are not going away and that we are already approved as members of a federally recognized tribe according to the treaties and the Durant Census rolls. The MB wants affirmation of recognition as well as to separate from the Sault Tribe so that we can be the unique tribe we are. We want rights to the provisions defined in the treaties of which we are signatories and we don't want the constant threat of disenrollment (by the Sault Tribe).

If you are a Mackinac Band descendant and a member of the Sault Tribe, then you only need to provide proof of your identity to become an enrolled member of the MB. For others, it will be necessary to trace ancestral history to find a family connection to the MB. Only after affirmation of federal recognition is received, will it be necessary for those who are members of both the MB and ST to choose one over the other.

Ironically, the MB has many supporters who are not members of the Sault Tribe or the Mackinac Bands and are also not American Indians but who want to assist with our efforts. For purposes of identification, they receive membership cards as part of our support group but will not be entitled to any membership benefits.

If you have any questions about the Mackinac Bands, I will find the answer if one exists. Email me at lynne.mackbands@yahoo.com or weave977@yahoo.com Please provide me with a phone number if you wish to speak with me.

The Sinking of Greektown

By Lynne Weaver
After reading the special edition of “ The Greektown Challenge” in the Sault Tribe paper, the picture is much clearer. Chairman McCoy feels it is unfair that critics blame only the tribe. I don’t blame the tribe. The tribe is made up of a group of members numbering close to 40,000. The vast majority of Sault Tribe members were not involved in any decisions regarding Greektown. Shouldn’t we blame the decision –makers of the tribe for the collapse of Greektown just as GM, Chrysler and several financial institutions blamed their top executives for their failure to stay ahead of change?

The first error in judgment by tribal leaders was a lack of foresight in determining potential issues with location, location, location. If you are considering the purchase of a house and the lack of garage or parking is a major issue, do you buy that house or pursue a better location where there is sufficient land to build the garage without the need to jump through hoops. Room for expansion should have been a prerequisite prior to finalizing the real estate purchase.

McCoy goes on to blame the state of Michigan and the city of Detroit for many of the financial difficulties because of increased “sin” taxes. Gambling facilities have long been the target of anti-gambling legislation, so did tribal leaders expect that opposition to gambling would suddenly go away in the future? At some point, anti-anything always wins at least part of the argument. McCoy blames Detroit for failing to provide timely zoning approvals that put a wrench in construction timelines. If it is compulsory to change a law, policy or ordinance in order to make something happen, then shouldn’t it be crucial to secure that step prior to arranging construction of such a large project?

Now tribal leaders are faced with explaining why new management has been able to increase revenue above the two competing casinos in such a short period of time. Even though the former Greektown management board and several tribal leaders blamed the previous underperformance of Greektown on the failing economy, they must now explain away the sudden increase in revenues during the worst period of a recession this country has experienced in decades. Are we missing something here…literally?

Greektown, the brainchild of former chairman Bernard Bouschor, may have been a great idea in concept but inept planning, the lack of expert counsel, and an eye focused on a fast buck may have put a hole in the boat from day one. Perhaps we should ask the Greeks, who profited greatly from their $25,000 investment, on how not to get screwed. At any rate, maybe if the tribal leaders would have considered a backup plan to diversify funds towards other viable business ventures, rather than placing all their eggs in one basket, the future of the tribe would be a little less bleak.

With job losses within the Sault Tribe reportedly in the thousands, isn’t it time to stop with the excuses and start with accountability? Only time will tell what the sinking of Greektown means for the members of the Sault Tribe.

Mackinac Bands Meets Mackinac Tribe

Apparently the lines of email communication were down when it came to the announcement of a public meeting between the Mackinac Bands and the Mackinac Tribe. One grape on the vine told me that a meeting would be held on a specific day but further inquiries went unanswered. I did manage to speak to two representatives for the Mackinac Bands though and received an email from a person who regularly sends negative posts about the MB’s and the MT’s quest to be affirmed of federal recognition.

For those that care, the Mackinac Bands of Ottawa and Chippewa Bands have been around since the Horace Durant rolls said so. Anyone who is a member will be hot about that remark since the Bands existed long before the federal government reared their ugly heads. In April of 2008, half the MB board splintered away, upon the advice of an attorney, to become the Mackinac Tribe LLC. The shift was originally intended as a name change and not as a fracturing of the group but the lack of an organized effort, along with a little power shifting, resulted in a rift between the two boards. The recent meeting was arranged with two purposes in mind but those purposes were the exact opposite of what each group wanted.

The leaders of the MT expected the leaders of the MB to forget their existence and join their group. The leaders of the MB agreed to work with the MT towards federal recognition but made it clear that it would be a terrible mistake to attempt to rewrite history. A recent letter from the Secretary of Interior sent to the Mackinac Tribe LLC’s attorney indicated that the Mackinac Bands currently has representation and that splintered groups are not being considered for recognition. Previously recognized in decades past, the Mackinac Bands is seeking affirmation of recognition. One critical aspect for federal recognition or affirmation is the continuity of history, a sort of audit trail of existence. If the Mackinac Bands agreed to join with the Mackinac Tribe wouldn’t this be counterproductive to that idea.

Proving the existence of the Mackinac Bands should be as easy as proving the existence of dirt since they are mentioned in numerous documents prior to even having a written language. The adoption of the Mackinac Bands into the Sault Tribe by resolution of the ST’s board vote only and permission of the Secretary of Interior would indicate that the MB was a federally recognized tribe if the motion to adopt was achieved so easily. The question of why the MB members were not given the right to vote on the adoption rather than be given the recognition to operate as a separate tribe is waiting for an answer from the Secretary of Interior. Considering the unfavorable publicity surrounding the Sault Tribe is it any wonder that a group that could separate from the “bad kids” would do so.

At any rate, the Mackinac Bands deserves your community support.

How to Be a Good Sault Tribe Member for Dummies

By Lynne Weaver
Ten rules to being a good Sault Tribe member.
1. Never question authority.
This is by far the most important rule to becoming a faithful and obedient Sault Tribe member. Tribal Officials are the ultimate and final authority, not law enforcement as some may assume. Do not conclude that as a voting member, you have the right to opinions that may question authority.
2. Learn to nod yes effectively.
Move your head from its upright position directly downward until the chin touches the area located at the top of the breastbone. This movement signals your approval with whatever you are told by tribal officials.
3. Ignore the tribal constitution.
This document was originally intended for approval by the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the purpose of obtaining federal acknowledgement and can be amended by the Sault Tribe Board of Directors only, as needed.
4. Believe everything you are told.
If tribal officials tell you that everything is hunky-dorey fine, you should believe it because they would never deceive tribal members unless it was absolutely necessary. The definition of “necessary” is at the discretion of the board and other tribal officials.
5. Do not ask for tribal financial updates.
The financial position of the tribe is none of your business. The “don’t ask-don’t tell” rule is always in effect.
6. Do not ask that the meetings be televised as before.
One of the benefits of having tribal members not living within meeting zones is that it is less complicated for tribal officials. If members can’t attend meetings, it is easier not to be held accountable. This is also easier for members come election time since a simple guess is all that is required to know who has worked in the best interest of the tribe.
7. Give back your Elder check if you received one.
The Board of Directors needs it to pay for unnecessary trips across the country to attend conferences that bring nothing of value back to the tribe.
8. Be happy that the board is not making any financial sacrifices for the tribe.
Someone has to benefit from all the money received from the land claims. Be happy that you don’t have the headaches associated with how to spend 67K a year for working a part-time job. Since members are not privy to such highly confidential information, apologies to all if the figure is higher now.
9. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
If you have heard about the FBI investigations and the discovery of the endless can of worms, put your hands over your ears. If you were a witness to questionable activities by any tribal official, cover your eyes. Place your hand over your mouth if you feel tempted to tell anyone what you have heard or seen.
10. Drink the red koolaid as soon as the effects of the first nine rules begins to wear off.

"He who does not bellow the truth when he knows the truth makes himself the accomplice of liars and forgers."
Charles Peguy
If you want to get to the liars, go after the accomplices first and they will point the way to save themselves.
Me

Thomas Jefferson

"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive."
--Thomas Jefferson

From the Presque Isle County Advance

Full schedule of events planned for Nautical City Festival 2009
6/24/2009 8:23:59 PM
By Richard Lamb, Advance Editor

The Mackinac Bands of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians are teaming up with the Presque Isle County Historical Museum to put on the first full-blown Powwow to ever be held in northeastern Michigan. The Powwow will feature several drum teams, singers, costumed dancers, storytellers and American Indian crafters. The Powwow is set for festival Saturday, August 8 from 1-4 p.m., but the museum's famous “buffalo burgers” will go on sale beginning at 11 a.m. The public is invited to bring a lawn chair for an interesting and educational afternoon of family-friendly entertainment celebrating the thousands of years of American Indian culture in this area. Admission is free. Thompson also said the spacious lawn of the Bradley House will be the site of an the Voyageur Rendezvous encampment by historical reenactors from around the state. The reenactors make history come alive by donning period attire and demonstrating skills that would have been practiced by the voyageurs who frequented the northern lakes during the 1700s.

Read more here...

No one says it better than Maxine...

ACT OF PLAGARISM

The article below this entitled "Cans of Worms" was copied and pasted by tribal member Mike Doud, forwarded to Tony Grondin who also forwarded it to hundreds of email addresses representing the author as Mike Doud. If you received an email from Tony Grondin with subject line "Another BS story" that contained an email from Mike Doud to Mike Doud, the article at the bottom was written by Lynne Weaver and not Mike Doud.

The original was posted to this blog earlier today and then copied and pasted by Doud and forwarded to himself. It may appear that he wrote it unless you read all the way to the bottom to find my name. Grondin then passed it to his list also making it appear that Mike Doud wrote it. For proper credit, the authors name should be at the top.

How coincidental that an employee was fired after an email was edited from her home computer(or from the recipients home PC)to make it appear that she had written it to another? Doud and Grondin have demonstrated how easy it is to forge an email providing evidence that can be used to defend the terminated employee in court. I suppose a thank you is in order to those two plagarists since they just proved a major point for the terminated employee but I will hold the TY's since their intent was far from honorable.
Lynne Weaver

Not speechless, just on vacation...

but have no fear for I shall return.
Me

Green. . . .Not Just A Color Anymore

When we hear the word “green” our brains tend to visualize things that are green in color, like the landscape. Hearing the word “green” near the end of one of those seemingly endless Northern Michigan winters brings memories of green grass, green leaves and even those little lime green bugs that we played with as kids, or some of us did. A golfer’s thoughts of “green” may be fields of neatly trimmed grass and a game that requires hitting a little ball with a skinny metal stick into a small hole nine to eighteen times with the least amount of tries. Bankers, investors or entrepreneurs may see dollar signs upon the mention of the word “green”.

Green has always been ‘my’ color. Wearing green brings out the green in my eyes, or so I am told. But recently, the word “green” has taken on a whole new meaning for me. Al Gore’s warnings of global warming and extreme climate change pushed me to think about things like renewable energy, recycling, reusing, and repurposing. There is a lot of skepticism about Gore’s claims of global warming and the resulting climate changes but he did win the Nobel Peace prize for his efforts to spread the word. That’s a pretty big deal no matter what your views are about global warming. For me, questions that have lurked in the back of my mind were now okay to ask. Having an inquiring mind, I often wondered what happened to the hole created in the earth after the oil is removed. When the well runs dry, why don’t we stuff all those plastic bags and packaging back down the pipe to fill the hole we left.

Determined to do my part, I have become addicted to “Going Green”. My new car is the color and size of a lima bean. Rather than buy a ‘vanity’ plate for the front, my plan is to repaint an old one with a “Gone Green” message. Changing vehicles from a mid-size SUV to my little, lima bean car has been a challenge for someone who likes to travel prepared for the season. In that tiny trunk area is a green backpack beach chair, my favorite green flip-flops, a soft-side green cooler, several recyclable bags, and my kayak paddle that, fortunately, breaks down into two pieces. The bad news is that my kayak is not only too long to carry on the top of my itty bitty car, it is the wrong color, it's red like my SUV. If anyone wants to trade a medium-sized one-person red kayak for a short green one, I would sure like to hear from you. Even with all the challenges of owning a very small car, nothing beats the thrill of saving a bunch of money on gas and saving the planet at the same time.

“Going Green” is an addiction worth embracing so won’t you join me? The planet and all living things will thank you for your efforts.

DON'T DRINK THE RED KOOL-AID!

Some Sault Tribe members are having difficulty understanding what "culture" means to the Ojibwa and the Odawa Indians (known today as the Chippewa and Ottawa). Over the last four or five years there have been numerous discussions (email and otherwise) about "the culture". If you listen to what some Sault Tribe members refer to as culture, you will be thoroughly confused. Here is a rude awakening for some....culture has nothing to do with sucking up to certain Sault Tribe board members,administrators, supervisors or belonging to self-described elite groups who pick and chose who will be part of "the culture". If anyone wanted to learn about "the culture", it would be far better to get that education by taking a class or conducting research at the library or on internet sites dedicated to teaching Native American culture.

The word "culture" as it pertains to a group of people describes behavior patterns, arts, beliefs,and traditions. We see a real diverse cultural group when it comes to the Sault Tribe. There are those who claim to be cultural yet couldn't begin to demonstrate the words truth, humility, honesty or respect, even if their lives depended on it. The way some "cultural" members of the tribe would describe a particular action would have a completely different meaning to the rest of the real world. To steal means truth, to be dishonest is to be fair, to lie means to be honorable and black is white with several shades of gray.

The Sault Tribe has become a cult with a bunch of weirdos leading the pack and those that follow might as well have another glass of that funny red kool-aid. Followers walk around cheering for the wrongs of the leaders and believing all is well. And why....because it serves them, has served them or they hope that drinking the red kool-aid will bring them eternal wealth, as soon as they figure out where the wealth went.

In the meantime, the lies and coverups continue to flow. Good people are being fired for false and loosely made up lies (otherwise known as political retaliation) while on the board sits an accused embezzler without a gaming license who is suing our tribe and we also have several directors (click on the word director to listen to Lana Causley's demands to return the crooked police chief back to work)who fought to save a crooked police chief's job. Rumor has it that charges against the bad cop are piling up quickly. While members have been waiting for more than a year to find out the results of the FBI investigations,the board and their kool-aid drinking followers pretend to know nothing about such a thing. Anyone inside that admin building that says they don't know of the investigations by the FBI should get their head out of wherever it is stuffed, quit their job and search out one of those intervention clinics that bring people caught up in cult groups, back to reality.

There are some really good people who do follow traditional native ways, who live the good words, honor their Elders and give what they can to help others. But they don't fit in with the finely tuned kool-aid drinking "Core families". On the bright side, the kool-aid drinkers are on the fast track to the edge of nowhere and when they disappear into their nice orange jumpsuits, we will be waving goodbye with a smile on our faces.

May the Sunshine In Your Face

EINSTEIN SAID,

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds."
This is so fitting of the Sault Tribe today...the mediocre minds being the leaders and administrators who react to political opposition through unethical means.

FINE-TUNING THE "CORE FAMILY TREE

The warning came several years ago with Cathy Abramson declaring that the tribe belonged to the “core families”. With a new round of axe grinding, Abramson’s dream is coming true.

There seems to be zero logic to the scalping of tribal employees by the Chief and his court but there does seem to be a clear relationship between politics, terminations, write-ups based on false accusations, and job eliminations.

The “Core Family Tree,” which is currently under construction, will reveal family ties to: those whose needless jobs are safe, who holds the highest paid positions, and to the composition of the election committee. Some believe this plan has been secretly developed over the past several years and that benefits for members who live outside of Unit One will disappear permanently. Keeping non-Unit One members hanging on will keep the government money flowing for the nearly 40,000 members with only a few thousand realizing the benefits.

Anyone with information to contribute to the “Core Family Tree” is invited to send me an email. Include your contact information if you would like to chat or want to know what steps to take to protect yourself from unfair and illegal employment termination.

Lynne Weaver
Weave977@yahoo.com

REPOWER AMERICA CAMPAIGN

REPOWER AMERICA kicked off its Michigan campaign at a community forum hosted by North Central Michigan College in Petoskey. Several key speakers made it abundantly clear how important clean energy legislation will be to Michigan’s economy. Not only is it time to aggressively tackle the cause of global warming but to also face the challenge of reversing the effects.

Skepticism often comes from mixing terms such as “weather” and “climate”. There may little that can be done about the weather but we do have the power to adjust our own behaviors that often have an adverse effect on climate changes and ecosystems. According to the National Wildlife Federation, thousands of scientists predict that human activities are altering the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of greenhouse gases. The resulting rising temperatures and changes to precipitation will adversely impact fish and wildlife habitats. Climate changes have reduced soil moisture and increased the number of wildfires that destroy forests and speed up the release of greenhouse gases.

Education is the key to understanding global warming. Fossil fuels such as gasoline, methane, and propane contain mostly carbon, which when burned, react with oxygen to form carbon dioxide; the biggest contributor of global warming.

Renewable energy sources such as wind turbines, solar power and geothermal make sense, no matter what logic we attribute it to. The wind, sun and heat from the earth are there to produce most of the power we need. In time, those sources may solve all the world’s energy needs. If the scientific facts don’t convince you that the time is now to build green communities and move to renewable energy, consider what happens to the space created by the enormous amounts of oil and coal being removed from the earth.

The time is now to REPOWER AMERICA. Call Congressman Bart Stupak at (202) 225-4735 to tell him “Thanks” for supporting the Clean Energy Jobs Plan. Let him know that you will continue to support his efforts to bring thousands of jobs to Michigan through renewable energy sources. Join us at Repower America.org and ask what you can do to help.

REPOWER AMERICA will be coming to Sault Ste. Marie in the future. Stay tuned for details.

Lynne Weaver

Up North utilities are giving more of their attention to renewable energy

In downtown L'Anse in the Upper Peninsula, a dormant 50-year-old coal plant smokestack is operating again. Instead of coal, the L'Anse Warden Electric Co. plant creates electricity and steam by burning biomass, such as old railroad ties, recycled tires and sawmill waste.

The biomass plant is the first such plant to open in Michigan since the state passed a requirement for renewable energy last fall. Next month, its owners will start paying farmers to plant hybrid trees that eventually will become fuel.

The Warden plant, which opened in November but will become fully operational this week, produces enough energy to power 20,000 homes and provides steam to a nearby factory that makes ceiling tiles.

Its owners hope to convert three more coal plants in the region to biomass -- in White Pine, Marquette and Escanaba.
It's part of a move by small companies and utilities to burn wood instead of coal, and it's becoming a booming business in northern Michigan.
• Traverse City Light & Power wants to build as many as five biomass plants.
• Wolverine Power Cooperative in Cadillac is considering using farmed hybrid trees, along with coal, as fuel for its planned Rogers City electric plant.
• Boston-based Mascoma Corp. plans a commercial plant in Kinross to turn agricultural and wood waste into ethanol.

• Renewafuel LLC, a subsidiary of the Cleveland Cliffs mining company, announced plans last year to build a plant in Marquette to turn wood waste into biomass cubes that can be burned.
State legislators adopted a requirement last year that utilities get 10% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2015. Traverse City Light & Power plans to switch from 99% of its electricity from coal to 30% from renewables by 2020, said manager Ed Rice.
Traxys North America, a New York City mining and energy company, bought the old J.H. Warden Generating Station in L'Anse three years ago to convert it to biomass.
"We wanted to diversify and we wanted to do renewable energy," said General Manager Mike Reid.

Everything that's burned in the biomass boiler comes from a 100-mile radius and otherwise would have ended up in landfills. The plant emits about half the pollutants it did during its coal-burning days. It's also providing jobs for loggers and others who find and deliver wood, Reid said.
Traxys is leasing acreage from local farmers to plant fast-growing trees. In June, they'll be planting hybrid shrub willows developed by scientists at New York University.
Scientists from Michigan State and Michigan Tech Universities have been working on other hybrids that could be raised as biomass, including poplars.
Traxys will plant 500 acres this year and increase that to 10,000 acres, Reid said.

News Link
Contact TINA LAM: 313-222-6421 or tlam@freepress.com

THE UPSIDE DOWN SIDE TO HIGH GAS PRICES

The downside to higher gas prices is that it just plain hurts,
especially when we drive up to the gas pumps. Living in a
small town and within the city limits, there may not be a
noticeable difference in your budget if you are a homebody.
However, if you have a couple of kids involved in a number of
after school activities and your own schedule takes you away
from home frequently, higher gas prices can hurt an already
stretched budget. The alternatives are to carpool, consolidate
work and shopping trips and walk or ride a bike when possible.

The upside is more fresh air and exercise by walking or biking
and getting to know your neighbors and other parents better
through carpooling. You'll save wear and tear on your vehicle
and pay for fewer oil changes due to fewer miles driven.
Reduced traffic keeps roads in better shape which should reduce
taxes, right? So okay, I'm dreaming.

Every upside seems to have a downside so taxes to keep our roads
in shape should go further, but at the same time, there would be
fewer jobs in road maintenance. Use less gas and gas stations
will begin to close along with some of those drive-thru oil change
places. Don't despair because there is an upside to the downside
of the upside of high gas prices.

According to the REPOWER AMERICA campaign, investing in clean
energy and green infrastructure can create nearly 61,000 jobs
in Michigan,(Center for American Progress). Reducing gas
consumption due to high prices can make the U.S. less dependent
on foreign oil. Those extra tax dollars saved from reduced road
traffic and fewer road repairs could subsidize education and create
more jobs in the field of renewable energy. Empty automotive
factories can be revived with unemployed autoworkers who find new
career openings in the fast growing industry of green technology.

The most important upside to paying more at the gas pump and
driving less is the decrease in carbon emissions which contribute
to globalwarming. The benefits from a decrease in global warming
are endless and too numerous to name. A reduction in the use of
fossil fuels results in fewer air pollution related health problems
like asthma and other diseases of the lungs. In a nutshell,
reducing air pollution and global warming saves people and wildlife.

Here's a little food for thought.....what happens to the empty space
in our Earth created by coal mining and oil drilling which is then
burned to escape into the atmosphere?

The Mackinac Bands of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians asks that you
protect Mother Earth, people and wildlife by reducing your carbon
footprint. Start by using less fuel, complaining to manufacturers
about the amount of packaging they use, and by recycling and reusing.

Remember this...
People and wildlife are more vulnerable to extinction then Mother
Earth is so don't just think about who or what you are hurting but
who you can save.

Lynne Weaver

REPOWER AMERICA CAMPAIGN

Meeting reminder
We're building our campaign here in Michigan because it's a crucial
time to show Representative Bart Stupak our support for clean energy.

You are invited to join fellow Repower Michigan members and staff
for a kickoff Repower Michigan Community Forum in Petoskey. We will
discuss how clean energy legislation will help Michigan, and how you
can get involved to support clean energy in the weeks ahead.

Here are the details:

Repower Michigan Community Forum
North Central Michigan College Library Conference Room
1515 Howard St.
Petoskey, MI 49770

Thursday, May 28th
7:00 PM

Albert Einstein

"It is the duty of every citizen according to his best capacities
to give validity to his convictions in political affairs."
Albert Einstein

Indian Country Today

FORMER PASSAMAQUODDY GOVERNOR INDICTED FOR FEDERAL FUNDS FRAUD

INDIAN TOWNSHIP, Maine - After a three-year federal investigation initiated by complaints from tribal members, a grand jury has indicted a former Passamaquoddy governor and former finance director on fraud charges involving $1.7 million in federal funds.

To read more here

More on ELECTION INSANITY

Comment Submitted by Aaron Payment:
With no criminalization of election violations, the Election Committee is free to corrupt the process for their own personal gain. When I became Chair, I checked to see if there were any pecuniary benefit for suspected election fraud. Sure enough, Cathy's (McCoy-Abramson) relatives and former employees all received raises at twice the rate of others. Half the committee received regular raises, while some got twice the increase. The worst case scenerio? Vicki Pudokious got a 30% raise the day the ballots were mailed out.
How do they corrupt the process?
1. The candidate hires an outside polling firm to conduct polls to see how far off the mark they are? In otherwords, how many votes are needed for their candidate to get the most votes?
2. The Election Committee Chair simply goes to the Post Office to get a quantity of bad address ballots that are returned to fill out for the candidate they wish to win.

Some will say, then how did Aaron Payment win in 2004 if Bouschor stacked the ballots? The answer is that they wanted it to look close so the number of ballots stuffed was estimated at the number to win and their number's guys just got it wrong. This is how McCoy made up the difference in the 2008 election. I received 49.6% of the vote in a primary. Theoretically, I only needed the other .04% to win. Anonymous election polls were conducted again during this cycle. Thus, McCoy knew how many ballots to stuff.

Guess what the Election Committee Chair's mother's maiden name was? McCoy! How to you think Cathy continously gets elected when she represents to substance? Her nephews (two of them) are on the Election Committee and the Chair of the Election Committe has unlimited access to the ballots. Remember, there is no sanction or criminal violation for stuffing ballots.
Aaron Payment
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now from me...
During the election I received numerous phone calls, emails and third hand reports from several members who did not receive a ballot in either the primary or general election. After bringing it up again in an email and posting it on this site, I have again received several confirmations from members who did not get to vote in the election because they did not receive ballots. Some received theirs only 2-3 days before the election.
Some of the responses received when their calls were directed to the Election Chair or other members of the committee were:
1. "You must have moved and didn't update your address."
2. "It must have gotten lost in the mail"
3. "I don't know why but its too late now anyway."
4. "Did you send a copy of a bill and your proof of identification when you changed your address?" (This person did receive the campaign flyers.)
Many others had to leave a message and never got a call back.

If these people are contacting me, who do you suppose they didn't intend to vote for?
By no means will I assume that everyone who didn't receive a ballot made me aware of it. Remember that there were more than 3000 'bad addresses' named in the Sault Tribe Non-newspaper. A statistical wild guess would indicate that approximately 20% of all voting age members have bad addresses. I would be very interested to know how many of those listed, received campaign materials. What is even more interesting is that the names of several of the people that contacted me could not be found on the bad address list. Perhaps some 'corrected' their information but some did not because they received all other tribal mail.

One gentleman(who will remain unidentified)had this to say, "To hell with them. I been living in the same place all my adult life and I get all the rest of the crap they send except the ballots, and most of the benefits I started gettin' a long time ago are gone now too. We all talk about it all the time but I don't have one of them computers so I rely on my mouth and ears. I may not get to vote on a piece of paper cause they don't want me to but I can sure as hell talk. I tell everyone I see to get those SOB's off that board and get that Sugar Island bunch away from the ballot box." When asked who the Sugar Island bunch is he replied, "All them McCoys. Half that damn board and election committee are McCoys or related to them or married to them. Just ask 'em who each of 'em are related to but they will probably just lie about it anyway."

A family tree showing the connection between the Board of Directors of the Sault Tribe and the election board would be interesting. Conflict of Interest questions to add to the application to be on the board (if there is ever an opening) would be:
1. Are you related to the Chairperson, any sitting directors, or to any member of the election committee?
2. Have you ever had any close personal relationsips with any of the above mentioned?

If you answer yes to any part of the questions above, you are not eligible to participate on the election committee or in any other election volunteer capacity that requires handling of the ballots. Failure to answer truthfully to any part of the above questions will result in termination of all rights as a member of the Sault Tribe for a period of four years.

(This should apply to the Election Chairman, the committee and all volunteers.)

You are also ineligible to participate as a member of the election committee if any of the above questions (or parts of) apply to candidates running for a seat in all future elections. You are required to inform the election chairman immediately if, at any time, you discover that any of the above situations exist.

I, so and so, hereby state that the above statements are true and I agree to any and all consequences if it is proven by a randomly chosen committee of Elders (who were chosen randomly by Elders)that I was intentionally lying through my teeth.

Sign and date here:

I think this would solve a whole lot of problems, don't you?

Disclaimer: Any opinions stated on this blog do not necessarily represent the views of anyone other than the author who submitted the article.

ELECTION INSANITY

One of my favorite Einstein quotes is “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. So what does this say about the way we, as members of the Sault Tribe, vote for our representatives?

Many of us have attended the elections over the years and watched the shenanigans take place. There was the appearance of cardboard boxes of ballots that seemed to fall from the sky and contained votes for those that we just can’t seem to get rid of. Witnesses verified that there were no postmarks on the envelopes so where did they come from? How about the presence and obvious concealment of the ‘orange backpack and the huge white bag that got away’ that involved several members of the election committee who violated election committee rules?

Some members have complained that they received their ballot for a different unit than the one they were registered in. Sounds like a little Gerry-mandering going on by manipulating the votes and dividing districts in order to achieve a goal of eliminating voters who may vote against the ‘chosen one’ and placing positive votes where needed.

How about all the confusion over those bad addresses? You live in the same place that you have for years, have received all other mail from the tribe, your address is verified as correct at the health center but yet, the election committee can’t seem to get your ballot to you. Some receive the ballot to vote in the primary and some receive the ballot to vote in the general election but not everyone receives both. If you call after waiting a reasonable length of time, you are told you must not have updated your address but you tell them you have lived at the same address since the tribe was formed and have had no trouble getting the campaign fliers. Since the addresses that are provided to candidates for campaigning purposes are supplied by the election committee, how can an address be good one minute and bad the next? The only answer at that point is that it must have gotten lost in the mail which is really too bad because there is no action that can be taken and you have lost your right to vote.

But yet, we are only a year away from doing it again, in the same way we have always done it. There were more than 3000 names listed (including mine) on that bad address list that was published in the Sault Tribe unnewspaper. I didn’t bother updating mine because what’s the point? But with that being said, there is an amazing number of bad addresses which amounts to approximately 10% of the entire Sault tribe membership. How many of those members aren’t of voting age? I think ½ would be a reasonable guess which means that almost 20% of the Sault Tribe voters have “bad addresses”.

Who is kidding whom here? I may not be Einstein but I’m no fool.

GREEN JOBS FOR MICHIGAN

REPOWER AMERICA CONFERENCE
On May 28, 2009, there will be a clean energy conference
held in Petoskey, MI. at North Central college in the
Library Conference Room from 7 - 8 p.m.

If you care about our environment and want to bring
jobs to Michigan as well as learn more about green
energy, please attend.

FOR JOBS JOBS JOBS

Please call 202-225-4735

Repower America and the Mackinac Bands of Ottawa and Chippewa
Indians ask that you contact Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak
to vote in support of The American Clean Energy Security Act
of 2009…ACES.
Just call his Washington D.C. office at 202-225-4735
"The American Clean Energy and Security Act will create millions
of new clean energy jobs that can’t be shipped overseas, save
consumers hundreds of billions of dollars in energy costs,
enhance America's energy independence, and cut global warming
pollution.
To meet these goals, the legislation has four titles:
A clean energy title that promotes renewable sources of energy,
carbon capture and sequestration technologies, low-carbon fuels,
clean electric vehicles, and the smart grid and electricity
transmission;

An energy efficiency title that increases energy efficiency
across all sectors of the economy, including buildings,
appliances, transportation, and industry;

A global warming title that places limits on emissions of heat-
trapping pollutants; and
A transitioning title that protects U.S. consumers and industry
and promotes green jobs during the transition to a clean energy
economy."
From the Committee on Energy and Commerce
Call today. We only have a week to get the word out in order
to get his bill passed. That number again is: 202-225-4735

Here's a little something for the stupid person who eluded to
the fact that I have a big mouth that got the best of me.
In the words of Einstein
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius
has its limits"
...in other words, stupidity is endless and so are stupid comments
from some anonymous poster's that wish I would shut up and go away.
But, just like the mini-series....
"WE SHALL REMAIN"

The Mackinac Bands of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.....
would like to announce the addition and talents of Cindy Leutz and Terry Weller who are available to assist potential members of the MB search their roots. Leutz has a long history of familiarity with the MB while Weller is also a grant writer. If you are seeking answers to your lineal descent they will be happy to assist you.

Cindy & Terry s web