Commentary: Tom Cole Cancels Oklahoma: Bad for Small Tribes, Bad for our state’s Diverse Citizenry, and Bad for America

Patrick B. McGuigan 

Oklahoma Metropolis – There are numerous concepts floating round lately that might be designated “the worst of the worst.” 

Nonetheless, one specific components for dysfunctional authorities, irrational financial coverage, abuse of Small Tribes, and injury to small enterprise and mid-size states deserves point out.

This legislative atrocity comes from the thoughts of no much less a Republican than U.S. Consultant Tom Cole.

A draft model of the laws informs my perception that Cole’s effort at a “land repair” for the 2 strongest Oklahoma tribes (the Chickasaw and the Cherokee) is dangerous for small tribes, dangerous for Oklahoma’s various citizenry, and dangerous for America. 

The proposed laws would worsen the consequences of ‘McGirt v. Oklahoma,’ an important authorized choice in state historical past.

In keeping with an evaluation from on-line information service NonDoc.com (a sketch with which I agree), the sensible impact of Cole’s measure could be to:

* Hold all property issues like environmental taxation and oil and fuel within the arms of the 2 Huge Tribes.

* Crush the chance of smaller tribes just like the UKB (United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians) and Comanche – who have been granted rights to acquisitions inside Cherokee territory (within the case of the UKB) and On line casino-development rights in Love County in separate compact with the state. Cole’s proposed regulation would give veto energy to the large tribes over all land-into-trust acquisitions.

* Enable Huge Tribes to purchase the whole lot of their reservations again and declare they’re restricted below 25 U.S.C. 177 which beforehand didn’t convert them to “Indian Nation” however which now would by way of the “Indian” Lands definition within the Cole invoice.

* Enable dozens of doubtful on line casino acquisitions for the large tribes to be additional legitimized by ratifying them as Indian Lands.

Extra may be mentioned within the weeks and months to come back.

When the U.S. Supreme Court docket ‘forgot’ Oklahoma is a state, and Trump’s Treasury Division ‘forgot’ that the Shawnee Tribe had 3,100 residents (not zero), and the Biden Administration forgot that floor mining and reclamation was a state operate, maybe the ultimate chapters have been inevitable. However Cole as Cancel-Crafter? 

In previous years, I by no means thought I’d come to imagine that Tom Cole could be a central creator, director, or writer of one thing that, if all of it involves go, might be entitled (as a e book or movement image), “The Finish of Oklahoma.”

And but, right here we’re. 

Be aware: That is revised from a web based commentary posted in Could, replaced June 1 for The Metropolis Sentinel newspaper print version June 1, and right here on each CapitolBeatOK.com and The Metropolis Sentinel.