Michael A. Langley

For those familiar with the Broadway play Hamilton, there are two competing philosophies presented. These are represented by the two main characters themselves as well as the two main songs they sing. Here is a link to the songs if you are unfamiliar with the play. The first is Aaron Burr, Sir and here is a link.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOUf8Z0RQic   The key words in the song are the advice that Aaron Burr gives Alexander Hamilton and the other young revolutionaries. “Talk less. Smile more. Don’t let them know what you’re against or what you’re for.”

The contrast is given by Alexander Hamilton. He rebuts Aaron Burr within the song by saying, “If you stand for nothing what will you fall for?” However, the gist of his philosophy is within this song My Shot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic7NqP_YGlg  Hamilton could not even conceive of sitting quiet and letting things play out as Burr suggested.

Tribal Council is only successful if our collective actions and decisions are successful. That said, each of our individual positions, thoughts, and actions on issues matter. So please allow me to venture away from the collective “we” to discuss my own actions.

While putting yourself out there usually does not get you shot in Native politics, it does run the risk of alienating voters. For the last three years, I have put my opinions out there. There was no avoidance of the tough issues. I showed up to weigh in one way or the other. I never refused to answer a question. I shared my thoughts in both voice and writing and met with people when they agreed with my decisions and when they disagreed. Sometimes with people that supported me, sometimes with people that did not. Some of my supporters vehemently disagreed over single issues and that is where the risk lies.

Aaron Burr was right. The easiest way to get ahead is to be vague and allow staff to take the blame or heat. If you let folks know what you are for and against you create enemies on single issues. Sometimes that is how people vote – based on a single issue, willing to decide who to support based on that single issue. It might not even matter that 90% of all other issues are agreed upon. Somewhere in the discussion, the passion over this single issue and the memory of this disagreement will outweigh any other consideration. It is easy to do when voting because there is no immediate impact on the voter. Make no mistake, the impact will eventually arrive.

Then there are those who have no intention of civil conversation. This can be outwardly demonstrated or cloaked behind the ruse of innocent questioning or picking apart insignificant portions of the conversation to drive wedges and division. These are easy to see if one looks. They are usually appealing to people’s fears. The form differs, but the elements are always present. The most common example in our own tribe relates to per cap and a sense that others are getting more benefits (or less) than they should. Another example is someone is not getting what is due because of a specific budget expenditure, even if unrelated. The fear statements may be cloaked in concern, but often is only meant to stoke those flickering flames of fear. Sometimes, it is our leaders or would be leaders exploiting these fears.

That is the difficulty in running for elected office. People often vote by their passions. People want communication, but mostly only if the communication agrees with those passions. They like less hearing the nuances or how everything relates to a big picture if it feels like it goes against their wishes. If their passionate subjects are not fulfilled, the idea of a change may be more attractive – even if there is general agreement on everything else. It should be noted that Alexander Hamilton never won any elected position outside of his position as a delegate for New York at the Constitutional Convention. Talk or write less; smile more. Do not let them know what you are against or what you are for. It is hard to argue that it is not a successful strategy to get and stay in elected positions.

When I watched the play Hamilton early in my first year of Tribal Council, I vowed that I would not throw away my shot. I stuck my neck out on all the tough issues by showing up to vote on them, and by explaining my decision. I had learned in my position as casino internal auditor that we were deferring maintenance, investments in new slot machines, and increases in wages in order to maximize the dividend payment to the Tribe (which also means maximizing the per cap paid out to members). I vowed to change this. We have replaced the roof at the casino, the air conditioning units, and extended cost of living adjustment (COLA) in wages for the casino employees. COLA is a benefit casino employees had never received even though it is an annual occurrence for tribal government employees (and good that it is).

All these things were way past due, and yes, in theory could all have an impact on dividend. Of course, not taking care of these things was always going to impact dividend at some point. However, they were not going to be kicked down the road on my watch. Avoiding some of them had impacted dividend even if it was not easily seen. For example, if we do not remain competitive in wages, we will not get the better employees and will not have the level of service we desire and suffer in revenues as a result. Other actions could have led to catastrophic costs, such as one of the many buckets collecting rainwater from our leaky roof falling through the ceiling and hurting a customer. This very nearly happened.

Enrollment is a hot button issue and I never flinched from addressing it. I made a stand to not sign off on enrolling anymore people until we took the status of our enrollment to all the members and released the audit report. The report was released, and a status update was given. The condition of our enrollment records is a collective problem and one that has come about over many years. It does no good to attach any blame and is instead reflective of our growing pains and our new beginnings after restoration. Keeping this audit report from the members was preventing information that could help members make more informed decisions. If COVID-19 had not shut us down, the enrollment community meetings would have taken place already. We will be taking them back up again and it is a conversation long overdue. We are all impacted in some way, so we all need to share in the discussion to find our way out.

Elections have consequences. While it may feel good to get back at someone because of a single disagreement, the change you seek because of a single disagreement is like throwing the baby out with the bath water. If you value communication, if you value making decisions based on long term planning, a careful study of each issue, and action being taken for the better good, and not only to win another election, I will continue to be that person. If you value someone at the table able to find new ways through accounting and taxation to help make your benefits non-taxable, I am that person. If you value someone that puts relationship building with other Tribal Council, Tribal members, and the other Tribes as important, I will continue to be that person. If you want someone dedicated to building more housing and housing improvements, including how we talk and interact with tenants, and increased home ownership on tribal lands, I am that person. If you value investment in culture, not just lip service, I am that person. If you value taking care of our casino and all the employees, see them as people and not resources, I am that person. If you want someone who takes time to make themselves aware and will not conveniently kick the can down the road and hope someone else takes care of it, I am that person.

I feel good that I did not throw away my shot. I hope I get another three years to take another. There’s still so much work to do.