Sunday, February 17, 2008

California Needs LOSERS and FAST: Start Losing at the Casinos, Just NOT at Pechanga!

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That's exactly what needs to happen, RIGHT NOW, for Californians to win from the expanded gaming propositions. We need you losers to LOSE and quickly.

Our friends from TRIBAL WATCH, has more on what we need to balance our budget.

The voters want expanded gaming and for it to pay off, in the miniscule amounts that we will get, we need more Californians to lose their rent money, the money they were going to spend on vacation and the money for Junior's college fund. We tried to remind voters that the money the tribes lied about, you 'member, the $9 billion that California would get (over 23 years, but they wanted us to believe it would solve our $14 BILLION defecit for THIS YEAR) would only materialize if the tribes put all 17,000 machines in from day one. Well, it's day 12 and only about 900 machines are installed meaning we have a shortfall ALREADY of nearly $7 million?

Come ON you LOSERS! Where ARE you? Come to a casino and LOSE. But please, don't lose at Pechanga. Lose at Soboba, San Manuel, Pala, Barona. At least keep the crooks and liars from Pechanga from coming out ahead here.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Gaming Compacts Left Strains Says Agua Caliente's Milanovich

Richard Milanovich, Chairman of Agua Caliente discusses the recent gaming compact votes:

“This campaign brought a lot of heartache and sadness to the four tribes and to tribes across the country,’’ Agua Caliente chairman Richard Milanovich said.“Why did so much poison dominate the news media?” he asked, referring to the contentious opposition campaign led by Las Vegas interests, Unite HERE and two Indian gaming tribes in California.“How do you fight that?” he said rhetorically before over 150 people in the audience. “You fight it with truth.”

Unfortunately, Pechanga didn't go that way. They decided to use lies and guess what? It works! As Flip Wilson's character, Reverand Leroy used to say: " A lie is as good as the truth, IF you can get someone to believe it."

Anthony Miranda, chairman of California Nations Indian Gaming Association, said the campaign by competing gaming interests mirrored strategy by the U.S. Calvary to decimate Indian people. “Their plan was to confuse, mislead and worst of all to pit Indian against Indian,’’ he said.

Pechanga and it's leader Mark Macarro are one of the worst offenders of Indian vs. Indian. Aside from Chukchansi, they have eliminated more Indians in California than any other tribe. And rumblings are that they are looking to do it again. They have tried to keep other tribes down and keep them from improving their tribe's economy. Pechanga's way to improve the economy is to eliminate members.

Pechanga Takes Lead in Skirting Election Laws

The Pechanga Tribelet of Temecula, which has reduced their membership rolls dramatically over the last three years, has used the money they no longer give to some of their members, to support California's politicians.

This is the kind of activity that the people of California haven't heard much about. But then, mostly they don't care either.

I encourage Californians to support other tribes other than Pechanga.

Robert Miller also has the story

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Pechanga Water Line to Pollute Groundwater?

Is the pollution of Temecula drinking water worth it for another golf course? Plan on attending this meeting! Protect your children

Salt concerns raised over recycled water for Pechanga golf course
Press Enterprise Story

A project to install a pipe to irrigate Pechanga Resort & Casino's new golf course has hit a snag amid worries that water from the line will elevate drinking-water salt levels.
The Rancho California Water District Board of Directors on Thursday will consider an agreement to use district infrastructure to provide recycled water from the Perris-based Eastern Municipal Water District to the line planned for Pechanga Parkway.
At least two of the seven board members are concerned about how recycled water seeping into the ground at the golf course would affect groundwater in a nearby basin, a source of drinking water.
The recycled water has a higher salt level, more than 700 parts per million, than the groundwater, which is around 500 parts per million. One part per million equals 1 milligram per liter.
"We don't want to cause a problem for our own water supply," said board President Bill Plummer.
Adding to the situation is a consultant's report recently delivered to the board's Engineering and Operations Committee.
The report found that well salt levels have been gradually rising in parts of the lower Temecula aquifer and upper Pauba aquifer of the Wolf Valley subbasin, within the Rancho district boundaries adjacent to the golf course.

Morongo Install slots, Media Disinformation continues.

Morongo is adding more slots, Pechanga too. Question: Is the 500 new slots that Morongo is adding to the bingo hall, counted as being "on the casino floor" since, they won't be "in the casino?" Hmm, that wasn't spelled out now was it?

The bolded portion below, that says that highlights the tribes claim of $9 billion is presented as fact. The LAO already said it won't happen. But how can $9 billion over 23 years offset the $14 BILLION the state is behind, THIS YEAR?

Write your congressmen and aske them "WHERE IS OUR MONEY

Morongo is first to add slots

CABAZON - The lights on about 150 new slot machines turned on Thursday, and general manager Sean Sullivan says casino patrons will see as many as 400 more slots, video poker and progressive machines blink to life by the end of the week for Chinese New Year.
"We're squeezing them into every nook and cranny that we can," Sullivan said.Four tribes, including the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, won voter support Tuesday to add more than 17,000 slots to their casinos. The Morongos' slots are the first to operate.The tribe expects to add 3,000 more machines by March 1, followed by another 500 in the bingo hall next to the tribe's Las Vegas-style hotel.As slot technician Elvis Rodriguez dropped the circuitry into a new Triple Charm game under the watchful eye of gaming regulators, tribal spokesman Patrick Dorinson said installation began right away for one reason: "It's good for the tribe and the state.""We appreciate that the voters stood with us, as they have in the past," he said. "The sooner these slots are installed, the sooner the state will receive its gaming revenues."Morongo was one of four tribes to get voter endorsement Tuesday for revised Indian gaming deals for 17,000 slots. In exchange, tribes say $9 billion will flow to the state General Fund through 2030 to offset a $14.5 billion state budget deficit.The tribe, which gains 7,500 slots, will pay 15 percent of net revenue on the next 3,000 machines it adds: Base revenues will rise to $38.7 million annually.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

California Gaming Propositions: AFTERMATH

The California Expanded Gaming propositions are now law. The people have voted. Now, it is up to our elected officials to "SHOW US THE MONEY".

When do we get our money from the big 4 tribes, before the additional machines can be installed? What is the payment schedule? When is the first audit scheduled? How quickly will we get our $9 billion?

I hope my readers will continue to visit this page as we move from the gambling issue and re-focus on gaining our civil rights here in California for the individual Indian. Because we are involved with the issue, the Pechanga tribe's unconstitutional actions will always be the primary focus. However, with many of us in AIRRO and sharing our issues with thousands of other Indians in California, there will always be a place for their information.

Make no mistake about it, hundreds of us have been cheated by Pechanga. The people of California have turned a blind eye to their actions, because of money. Well, they have $50 million less to spend on themselves and we have made quite a few connections where, hopefully, it will have an impact on the thinking of our politicians. Money talks, however and we've just given the big four tribes truckloads of it to use to bend our elected officials to their will.

Moral outrage will be the only way. But, do we have any?

No on 94 - No to Pechanga: Thank YOU

Thank you to all my readers for your support through this campaign season. Pechanga spent $50 MILLION dollars to get their sweetheart deal confirmed. I spend about $83 dollars, PLUS had some great sushi in Temecula.

Today, we almost hit 1,000 visitors. UP to the last minute, many people were still looking for information to make a choice. Thank you to Pechanga for keeping my numbers up. They look in on my blog 5 times a day.

Stay tuned for more information here. More lawsuits coming up, which Pechanga will have to defend itself.

I hope our ancestor, Paulina Hunter, would be proud of the effort that many of us put forth in this effort to keep Pechanga from being rewarded for destroying out heritage.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

CA Polls Closed, Returns Coming in: No on 94

UPDATES:

With 94% of precincts reporting: Pechanga has 55.7% with the largest amount of NO votes.

11:50 and Pechanga just got a spike to 56.4%. Los Angeles and San Bernardino are still not in.
11:41 34.9% of precincts and still at 56.2% Pechanga has the most NO votes.
11:29 31.6% of precincts reporting and Pechanga is 56.2% yes.
11:27: Term limits still going down, Perata and Nunez failing to keep their seats, so far.
11:20 and Pechanga is down to 56.2% with 28.3% precincts reporting. They now have the most NO votes. Is there still time to bring that number under 50%?

Still 18,000 precincts to go. Also, I understand that they quit counting the absentee ballots once the precincts start reporting. Pechanga is on the verge of taking the lead in NO votes.

11:00 24.2% and down to 56.9% yes, it's a long way to go to 50%.
10:35: 20.1% of precincts in and its 57.1% yes. Almost a million no votes. Should be 6 million more votes to go.

I'll try to live blog some results. Let's hope that CA will not approve the gambling deals, at least for Pechanga.

UPDATES:

10:21 17.6% of precincts and 57.1% yes. The big cities are still to come.
10:01 16% and 57.6% for Yes, coming back to the fold?
9:48: 15.1% and 58.4% is holding. Riverside County is voting
9:30: 14.3% of precincts and Yes is at 58.4%

While the results are still far from over, it looks like the yes votes are holding steady. It also looks like Pechanga has spent $50 MILLION bucks or about $66,000 per remaining member to convince CA what it was going to do anyway. Hey Ed Burbee, how do you like that? Richard Milanovich only had to spend $14 million of Agua Caliente money, because he KNEW they would win their prop. Pechanga was never sure.

9:00: Still running at 57% Yes, but with only 5% of the ballot count. Early returns still have a way to go. Sycuan is leading with the NO votes.

8:35: Sec State time. Yes on gaming is at 57% YES.

8:36: Yes widens the gap here with 53%. 91, 92, 93 looks like they will fail.

8:27: YES is up 51% with early returns. Pechanga has the lowest total of yes votes.

8:24: Still no reports in yet. This is supposed to be a huge turnout for Calif.

Polls Close in TWO hours. Still time to vote NO on 94, NO to Pechanga

Your vote can make a difference. Vote NO on Pechanga (Prop. 94) If you want more gambling, then vote YES on the other three. Do not reward Pechanga and allow them to gain more political clout at your expense.

KFI HOST BILL HANDEL says "only one drunk Indian" is against the expanded gaming props.: NO on 94 No to Pechanga

Wow, Bill, apparently, you haven't been doing your research. "One Drunk Indian" is a ridiculous statement. Probably something you heard from Pechanga, sounds like them. I'm surprised you didn't say, "One stinking Indian" or "One filthy Indian".

UPDATE II: I received a letter from KFI Progam Director Robin Bertolucci. Here is the text:
Thank you for your letter to KFI regarding Bill Handel's discussion of Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97. Mr. Handel's remark was insensitive but he was not referring specifically to Mr.Gomez. He was expressing his frustration with the person portrayed in the No on 94-97 Propositions. I have spoken to Mr. Handel and made him aware of your concerns. I have asked him to avoid using stereotypes to make his points and he has assured me he will do so.

Thank you again for bringing this matter to my attention.

Sincerely,

Robin Bertolucci
Program Director
KFI

Thank you Robin.


Thousands of Indians in California are against the expanded gaming propositions. Read up a bit. http://www.nounfairdeals.com/ has a list. Probably could have done it yourself, but were too busy doing comedy.

UPDATE: I received a letter from KFI. Here is what it says:

Thank you for your note to KFI. I am forwarding your concerns to our Program Director, Robin Bertolucci, and she will be happy to get back to you.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Kristin Osborn
KFI AM 640

Please continue to write at the emails below. Is this Handel's "Don Imus" moment? Or, because it's Indians, it's no big deal?


HERE IS A LETTER that you can copy and paste or send a version of your own:
Mr. Handel,

This morning shortly before 8:00 a.m. you made and repeated some insulting, racial comments that were totally uncalled for. If you want to refer to yourself as a "Latino-Jew", that is certainly your prerogative.

However, in commenting this morning on your opinion of Prop's. 94 -97 and why you intended to vote yes on them, you repeatedly referred to the "one drunken Indian" who appears in the commercial for the No on Prop 94-97. You made that comment three or four times. You crossed a line with your remarks and your actions need to be addressed. Your comments weren't just a personal attack on that Indian man, they were racist remarks.

That Indian is well respected and happens to be John Gomez, Sr., Vice President of the American Indian Rights and Resources Organization, AIRRO. Mr. Gomez's opinion to vote No on Prop 94-97 was not that of one Indian, his comments were supported by the AIRRO organization as noted on the screen during the commercial. Mr. Gomez is one of over 300 Indians disenrolled from the Pechanga tribe (Prop 94) under the leadership of Chairman Mark Macarro, because he stated they didn't belong.

He hired a respected anthropologist to discount the heritage of those 300 members. That backfired when the anthropologist returned with a report that refuted Mr. Macarro's claims and yes indeed all 300 disenrolled members did belong to the Pechanga Tribe. Mr. Macarro discounted that report as being only 99% accurate and he proceeded to violate every civil right know to man in disenrolling those innocent people. Mr. Handel, disenrollment is a kin to separating you from your country. We take that very serious.

In truth, Chairman Macarro did the math, less members divided by casino profits means more money per tribal member. Pechanga members got a big raise after the disenrollment. They are at about $35,000 per month, per member, at this point in time. Only 8% of California's Indians receive any benefit from gaming. That is not what the voter's intended when gaming came to California.

In the past five years, disenrollment, reclassification and moratoriums in Indian Country are commonplace. Tribal leaders like Macarro use tribal sovereignty as a weapon against their own people. He's not alone. He and others like him perceive themselves as the untouchables. There are over 3000 disenrolled Indians in California and the numbers are now growing by hundreds every few months. Nationwide, it is a travesty. It has to stop.

Rewarding Macarro with more slot machines by voting yes on Prop 94 is not the answer. Those deals with the state need to address all of the issues. It is the only way Macarro will be held accountable for his crimes against his own people. It is the only way change is possible. There is a better deal out there.

John Gomez, Sr. has fought for the civil rights of victimized Indians for years. You disrespected that man with your comments. You disrespected Indians with your comments. You owe Mr. Gomez an apology and I hope one will be forthcoming. I am appalled that you really felt it was OK to spew those remarks out for the world to hear.

I'm certain there are others like myself who have a great concern when a microphone is provided to an individual who uses that power irresponsibly.

Robert Edwards,
Chairman Indians of Enterprise No.1
former Vice-Chair, Enterprise Rancheria
disenrolled November 2003

Cc. Robin Bertolucci, Programming Director, KFI 640

Their emails are:
bill@kfi640.com
programming@kfi640.com

Monday, February 4, 2008

Why YOU should vote NO on Proposition 94. Send a MESSAGE to Pechanga that Corruption is not what we meant by self-reliance

When Pechanga Spokesman Mark Macarro stood before you asking for help passing Prop. 1A and Prop. 5 he told you that there would be limited gambling and that money would be used to help lift the tribe out of poverty.

FACT: Under Macarro's leadership, the Temecula Band of Mission Indians have disenrolled 25% of their people. Did he tell you that he was going to eliminate so many Indians from the Tribe.

FACT: Pechanga has violated the civil rights of it's members by terminating membership before elections, eliminating large voting blocs.

FACT: Pechanga is keeping at least 400 RIGHTFUL Pechanga people from membership.

FACT: Mark Macarro did NOT grow up on the rez, but went to Colton High School. His father went to San Berdoo High.

FACT: Pechanga hired an expert to determine the heritage of the Hunter family. That expert, the foremost authority on California Indians, Dr. John Johnson, determined that Paulina Hunter was indeed Pechanga, more so than any other family. The tribe still took away the family's heritage. Lawrence Madariaga, Hunter family elder, has lived on the reservation for 60 years. Macarro was born in San Bernardino, as was his father.

FACT: The Propositions, if denied, will still allow tribes to earn HUNDREDS of MILLIONS per year.

FACT: Pechanga tried to keep Californians from VOTING on these propositions, interfering in the state's business.

FACT: PECHANGA lobbied successfully to keep the Quechan tribe from getting a casino, yet whine that other tribes try to keep Pechanga from getting richer at their expense.

FACT: One of Pechanga's members, Raymond Basquez, Jr. threatened and menaced a group of demonstrators on public property, Saturday Feb. 2.

FACT: You can vote NO on Propositions 94 and YES on any of the others. Imagine the news organizations that would want to know why only Pechanga's initiative was defeated? We could tell them honestly that the people of California DID NOT like what Pechanga has done to it's people.

FACT: Pechanga disenrolling it's members is NOT like losing a country club membership or getting booted from the PTA. It causes real pain and anguish as related HERE.

FACT: YOU can sign a petition showing your displeasure with Pechanga's corrupt activities HERE.

FACT: You can join THOUSANDS of California Indians in voting NO on Proposition 94 and NO to expanded gaming.

FACT: Pechanga doesn't need to make more money since they have LESS people than when we passed Prop. 5. Currently they are making over $35,000 per month. Nice, but should Temecula have to suffer from 48,000 more car trips a day to benefit 750 people?

FACT: $50,000 to the high schools should NOT wash away the $150,000,000 the tribe has taken away from the disenrolled people.

FACT: A donation to the YMCA or Boys Club should not hide the fact that Pechanga has acted unconstitutionally in denying enrollment with their moratorium (Against the Pechanga Band's Constitution and Bylaws)

FACT: Pechanga used the word of a child molestor in PRISON, versus the certified documents of the Hunter family. Megans Law has a few Pechanga people on it

FACT: A white man with no Pechanga blood sits on Pechanga's council and he conspired to get rid of family's to control votes.

FACT: YOU CAN VOTE NO to Pechanga and yes on the other props. Or NO to Pechanga and abstain from the others.

FACT: The Tribes already admit they will not reach the $9 Billion to California, so they are, essentially continuing their lies with their television spots.

FACT: PECHANGA is the largest contributor because the other three tribes think they are unseemly. They have had to pay for a lot of the spots themselves.

SPECULATION: Richard Milanovich washes his hands after shaking Macarro's hand at meetings.

FACT: Pechanga did not allow those they disenrolled to have attorney's present. Nor to have writing implements to take notes. They had armed guards to watch over the disenrollees. The Enrollment committee would not answer questions as to what evidence was needed.

KNBC's Perspective on Props. 94-97:

From KNBC:

Completing the list of February ballot propositions are Propositions 94 through 97, four referenda on compacts with four Indian gaming tribes, allowing an expansion of their casino gambling. These compacts have already been approved by the State Legislature and signed by the Governor, but opponents collected enough signatures to force a vote on the deals. A "NO" vote would repeal the compacts.
It is a classic, economic battle between well-heeled interest groups; campaign expenditures by both sides total over $130 million so far.

MONEY QUOTE:

The PRO side, headed by the four tribes who would benefit from the compacts, declares that the state would gain $9 billion in revenues, in the face of its $14.5 billion budget deficit. But the Legislative Analyst's Office puts the estimate closer to $3.5 billion. And whatever the tribes' contribution, it would be spread over two decades -- not nearly enough to erase the current deficit.

OP: THIS MEANS THE TRIBES ARE LYING. Thus, we should vote NO

Opponents include Las Vegas gaming interests, the hotel workers' union, a race track owner and other Indian gaming tribes. Please mention the THOUSANDS of Indians who have suffered from Pechanga and other tribes disenrolling their people

They call the compacts "sweetheart deals" between Sacramento politicians and tribes who've contributed millions of dollars to them; they want the deals renegotiated.
Voters will have to decide whether they want to don their green eyeshades and take on the task of contract negotiation.
As voters head to the polls on Tuesday, it's clear that not only does California matter this year, this election matters for California.
Politics Page

Where have all the Indians Gone from Pechanga's Shrinking Tribe?

More from John Gomez, civil rights activist, member of AIRRO

The Pechanga Band has produced and is airing a new series of commercials that hark back to the Prop 5 and 1A campaigns. The commercials feature Pechanga Chairman Macarro standing in a field, surrounded by a group of people, asking you to vote for Indian self-reliance once again.

There are several interesting things about the new commercial. First of all, the commercial fails to identify Mr. Macarro as Chair of the Pechanga Band, one of the Big 4 tribes seeking a yes vote on their sweetheart deals.

The other interesting thing- which was pointed out to me by someone who saw the commercial before I did- is that there are a fewer number of people in this commercial than in the Prop 5 and 1A ads. Was this meant to show that fewer California Indians would actually benefit from Props 94-97 than the Big 4 would lead you to believe? Or was this merely an illustration that the number of tribes who support 94-97 is smaller than the number who supported Props 5 and 1A?
While I would answer “Yes” to both of those questions, there maybe something more involved.

For instance, since California voters passed Props 5 and 1A, thousands of California Indians have been kicked out of their tribes and/or denied membership. Included in this number is almost 300 Pechanga members who have been booted from the tribe since 2004. Some of those 300, myself included, appeared in the original Prop 5 and 1A commercials. Alas, we were not invited to appear in the new adds.

There were other California Indians from throughout the State who also appeared in the previous adds- including tribal officials from the
Redding Rancheria- who have also been kicked out of their tribe and did not appear in the new ads.
So you see, the reason for the smaller number of people in the new adds has many possible meanings. But any way you look at it, fewer California Indians will actually benefit from the Big 4 deals- information Mr. Macarro and the Big 4 would like to keep from you.


OP: IT IS CRITICAL that Californians understand that these 4 compacts will help ONLY 1800 tribal members in CA. That's HALF of the number of member who the gaming tribes have eliminated since we voted on Prop. 5. 1800 would make most HS football stadiums look EMPTY. Heck, Colton High School, where Pechanga Chairman and Civil Rights violator Macarro graduated, holds 6,000 or so. The entire population of these tribes could fit into 32 school buses.

Recommendations for CA's Feb 5 Propositions

California’s Propositions: Just say NO

California’s propositions for this election on Feb. 5 present a some easy choices for California. Here are my recommendations.

Prop. 92 – Community College Funding - NO

We are facing a budget crisis because we have so many mandatory obligations. We simply cannot afford to take on another. We have other priorities and we can’t handcuff ourselves for this.

Prop. 93 - Term Limits - NO THE FACTS

When the politicians who are backing this proposition can’t be honest, we vote NO. Forty-five politicians, including under-FBI investigation Don Perata, and campaign-fund-spending-on-other-stuff Fabian Nunez will get grandfathered in with this propostion. Funny, Don and Fabian don’t mention that in the commercials. Now, a sudden change in direction for the Governor and all of a sudden he want to work with “experienced” legislators? Smells fishy. Looks fishy, must be fishy. Vote No.

Props. 94-97 Expanded Gaming - No

If there is uncertainty about HOW the state gets paid, we should vote NO.
If we don’t believe the tribes suddenly care about our state budget, vote NO.
If all of 108 tribes in California haven’t received their compact yet, vote NO.
If you believe that 83% is a good tax rate for the lottery, but 15% isn’t for a gaming monopoly, vote NO.
If you believe in civil rights and understand that Pechanga has violated their members civil rights, vote NO
If you know that Indian Gaming will not go away with these flawed compacts, vote NO.
If you think that the tribes don’t deserve $36 billion while we get $9 billion, vote NO.
If you think Pechanga should NOT be rewarded for cheating their people, vote NO.
The LAO says we WILL NOT get $9 Billion, therefore, the compact doesn’t live up to expectations and thus, will not deliver on the Big four tribes promise, so vote NO.
The aforementioned Perata and Nunez are for these compacts, leaving unions out, so that is reason enough to vote NO.
If you think something was "unusual" about how the BIA handled the compacts, VOTE NO.
If you think suing to keep us from voting as the tribes did is wrong, VOTE NO.
If you think we really need the money, but a tribe shouldn't benefit from hurting their people, then vote NO on 94.
If you don't think that 48,000 more car trips PER DAY, Per Casino is a good idea, vote NO
If
you think that Pechanga destroying 25% of their tribe is a bad thing: Vote no on 94
If you are NOT clear as to how we will get the money the tribes say we'll get: VOTE NO on all



Please Vote on Feb. 5 and Just say NO to all the propositions.

Original Pechanga
http://originalpechanga.blogspot.com

Not ALL Tribes Support Expanded Gaming

When the tribes say 71 tribes support them, they don't say that there are 37 OTHER tribes that don't.



Vote NO on 94, 95, 96, 97

UPDATE: HERE IS A LIST OF CALIFORNIA INDIANS that OPPOSE Props 94-97

American Indian Rights and Resources Organization
California Valley Miwok Tribe
Inaja – Cosmit Band of Mission Indians
Indians of Enterprise #1
Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeno Indians
Lytton Rancheria of California
Manchester-Point Arena Band of Pomo Indians
Pala Band of Mission Indians
Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians
Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians
United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria
Wintu Tribe of Northern California
Ya-Ka-Ama Indian Education and Development, Inc.
Jamul Indian Village Tribal Member Raymond Hunter
La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians Vice Chairperson Viola Peck
La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians Tribal Council Member Walter R. Powvall
Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians Vice Spokesperson Shane Chapparosa
Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians Tribal Member Candace Kupsch
Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians Tribal Council Member Stephanie Spencer

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Super Bowl: GIANTS WIN Let's Celebrate by VOTING NO on PROP. 94

This turned out to be a great game. We had a wonderful time with family and checking today's stats, let me say that I appreciate all the new visitors looking in while I was have a margarita, okay, two margaritas.......OKAY dang it, a LOT of margaritas.

Congrats to the NY football Giants for their great defensive effort and for little bro Eli, for turning in his fourth great performance in a row. You know, I think it's wonderful for the Dolphins to keep the record for perfections and I don't feel sorry for the Pats at all. They had a great year, and Tom Brady STILL has a lot of rings.

As for the Prop 94-97 front, we are still getting a lot of positive vibes. Your NO vote will really send a message. We've had a lot of conversations around here. You can vote NO on 94 and if you feel the other tribes deserve more slots, vote yes. Pechanga will have to answer some questions from the news organizations as to WHY they lost, while the other tribes won. How do they answer? That the blogosphere got out more information than their fake commercials with $50 million spent? That would be just perfect.

Please vote NO on Proposition 94. Pechanga does NOT deserve to be rewarded for destroying Indians of their own tribe, their own family. Take a look down my front page. I have added some additional posts so you do not have to try to track them down in the archives.

PLEASE turn your friends and family on to this blog.

Pechanga Member Threatens Demonstrators at No on 94-97 Protest.

As discussed below we had a successful gathering in front of Pechanga Casino in Temecula. An interesting start to our demonstration.

Raymond Basquez Jr. son of Raymond Basquez Sr., one of those involved in eliminating 25% of the tribe, who can be seen in Pechanga's commercials, long hair, saying he just "wanted to give back" threatened us yesterday. He drove his shiny Escalade west on Pechanga Parkway, yelling at us, "Get a JOB!" and flipping us off. He sped west and made a quick left to make a u-turn. Aggressive driving in his huge vehicle, we knew he was coming back. A little disconcerting, because we knew he had been on parole. Ray Jr. stopped his Escalade about 7 car lenghts from the limit line, with a green light and GETS OUT of his vehicle. He circles to the back and my brother and I head back to meet him. When he sees my brother coming, he opens his back door (not a good sign in CA) but we advance anyway. He pulls out....... a Yes on 94-97 STICKER to put on his car! ROFL! He's taunting us: "you're out on the street, man!" Guess he was in women's prison. Raymond Jr. YOU ARE A PUSSY. Pechanga, great job as having Raymond Basquez Jr. as your defender.

Luckily for Pechanga, they had the Riverside County Sheriffs on Indian Land to protect them. OH yeah, thank RCS. We had a bottle thrown at us and you know what? We picked it up so you couldn't complain that we left trash in the area.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

48,000 Car Trips PER DAY to Pechanga if Prop 94 passes.

Reject Props. 94-97

More cars, less prosperity: New compacts would hurt Riverside County

01:07 PM PST on Thursday, January 17, 2008
By ROGER BERG

48,000 Car Trips
These deals would mean an additional 48,000 car trips a day to the Pechanga Casino and no requirement to even review the potential consequences
.

OP: This was a MAJOR concern to Temecula residents that we spoke to. They have so many problems getting of the freeway exits NOW that they are just starting to realize that the traffice will be 5-8 times worse if Pechanga is to be believed.

Gambling chips at Pechanga Resort promise big winnings, but how much can the state expect from casinos?

The money the Big 4 tribes are promising in their multimillion-dollar advertising campaign is way overblown, according to a report by two of California's most respected financial analysts. The report from a former California finance director and a former policy analyst in the legislative analyst's office said a loophole written into Props. 94-97 would actually allow tribes to legally reduce the promised payments by two-thirds.

Plus, the report points out that money spent on the new slot machines would be discretionary income that currently is spent on going to dinner or buying clothes or movie tickets. Those activities all provide sales and other taxes to local communities and the state, and their loss needs to be counted against any potential tribal payments. Businesses and their employees would also suffer, and that needs to count against any job growth the slot machines would bring.

OP: Vote NO and tell your friends!

NO RIGHTS = NO COMPACT! UPDATE from Pechanga





UPDATE II: The Riverside County Sheriff's Department, staged their units, about five of them, on the sovereign nation of Pechanga's property. We are a bit concerned. Who were they there for? Riverside citizens, or the Casino?
Were the sheriff's concerned that the protestors, median aged 55, would storm the casino in our walkers and wheelchairs? Where were they when we had bottles of water thrown at us? Good thing they had K-9 units to protect themselves from some Silver Feathers. OUR elders have respect for law, unlike many of those at Pechanga, but, they got the money.

UPDATE: Family and friends were well represented today at the rally outside the Pechanga Casino. At times over 60 people made there presence know with signs and chants. We received many "thumbs up" and indications are that many who voted early voted NO. We were handing out flyers and talking to people and it looks like we were able to swing some undecided votes our way. For three hours we were in front and really, it went well.

Wish us luck today at our demonstration at Pechanga. At one of our last demonstrations in front of the casino, we were threatened by some thug types that either Pechanga sent out, or, possibly, they took it on their own to back up Pechanga (yeah, right). No matter, we will stand up for civil rights and the history of our people.


No Rights, No Compacts!



Saturday, February 2nd at Pechanga


The event will start at 10 am in front of the Pechanga Resort and Casino at the corner of Pechanga Parkway and Wolf Valley Rd. You can park on any of the side streets along Pechanga Parkway near this intersection.


If you can't be there physically, be there in spirit!

The Place that Pechanga has Become

From the start page at www.pechanga.info :

"There are two basic methods by which man can feed his ego and make himself seem important. One is by genuine accomplishment. The other is by making a second party appear inferior... This is the root cause of bigotry and can occur in the most learned of men, when circumstances are sych that ethics can be conveniently shunted aside. Politics... can create these circumstances. "

"... the Indians were ruthlessly destroyed in California. This was accomplished, not only directly by the most brutal class..., but through the acquiescence of all the 'decent' people who did not care enough to be outraged about what was taking place..."

These passages are taken from the book, "When the Great Spirit Died: the destruction of the California Indians 1850-1860" by William B. Secrest.

These passages were meant to describe the conditions that existed in California during the 1850's. Conditions which led to the campaign to exterminate California Indians by settlers and others who had "adopted" California as their home.
These same passages could be applied today to the conditions that exist in many places in Indian Country. The lone exception being that the exterminators are no longer white settlers (or are they)...the exterminators are other Indians.

Mari Sandoz, a late historian, is quoted as saying: "Properly conditioned, any people will produce a good percent of men (including women) who look upon the extermination of those who differ from them (and have something they want) as the proper destruction of a predatory animal. It is not only the Nazis that do these things, or the wool hat boys of the South. We can all be led down this path if the approach is insidous enough."
Does this sound like a place you know of or heard of? Does it make you think of any number of gaming tribes who use methods such as disenrollment or moritoriums to exterminate their own and take what is not theirs?

I URGE all my readers, to look at http://www.pechanga.info/ PLEASE tell your friends.

Friday, February 1, 2008



John Gomez,SR. is an elder of the Manuela Miranda tribe, the first family to be disenrolled en masse in the history of the Temecula Band of Luiseno Indians.

There are over 3,000 California Tribal Members that have been disenrolled since we gave the tribes Las Vegas style gambling.

Let's see, the tribes will say, the Mr. Gomez is backed by horsetracks and Las Vegas, but they won't mention that he's backed by civil rights organizations (well, not the NAACP of CA, who got PAID to endorse Pechanga and the other three) has worked tirelessly in front of our state assembly and the Democratic party.

Pechanga has destroyed so many Indians in California, but it's okay, they donate to the politicians so they get what they want.

Does Arnold Schwarzenegger have a PERSONAL stake in Expanded Gaming?

Arnold Schwarzenegger has backed expanded gaming. Is there a personal advantage for him after he's out of office? Will we be seeing TERMINATOR slots in Pechanga's casino?

From LA CITY BEAT:

The other is that Schwarzenegger has still failed to disclose details of his reported holdings in IGT, the Reno, Nevada-headquartered slot manufacturer that supplies most of the state’s machines.

In 2004, CityBeat reported that Schwarzenegger received a settlement on his $20 million lawsuit against IGT, which manufactured Terminator slots without first obtaining Schwarzenegger’s permission. This was confirmed by Schwarzenegger spokesperson Vince Sollitto. “My understanding is that those holdings are in a blind trust,” Sollitto told CityBeat.

This time, Schwarzenegger’s office repeatedly refused to answer questions about IGT, stating that the governor’s finances are his “private affair.” In 2004, IGT spokesperson Rick Sorensen confirmed for CityBeat that there was a settlement, and that IGT was bound by “a confidentiality agreement,” with the court documents sealed. Therefore, it’s impossible to determine whether Schwarzenegger’s holdings in IGT are in company stock or Terminator machine royalties, or if he, as University of Las Vegas Professor William N. Thompson advised, “gave it all to charity.” OP: He didn't, otherwise he would say, I gave it all to charity, don't you think?

Also, according to an unnamed source, Schwarzenegger applied “nonstop pressure” on IGT attempting to get the company to contribute to the proposition campaign.
OP: Let's see, the GOVERNOR of the state of CALIFORNIA putting pressure on a NEVADA business to throw money into a venture that could possibly benefit Arnold Schwarzenegger? Smells slightly fishy don't you think?

What We Agreed to for Indian Gaming

We wanted to give tribes a boost, we wanted to keep tribal gambling limited. WE HAVE that right, to allow gambling. This is NOT a sovereinty issue. The tribes ceded their sovereignty in order to get gambling

In 1999, then-Gov. Gray Davis signed compacts with around 60 Indian tribes allowing each tribe to operate up to 2,000 slot machines. In 2000, Californians approved Proposition 1A also known as the Indian Self-Reliance Act, which ratified the compacts and amended the state Constitution so that the tribes could legally operate slot machines, lottery games and banked and percentage card games such as blackjack and baccarat on Indian land.

The act also created the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund, which required that all tribes with over 350 slot machines pay a percentage of their revenue to non-gaming tribes or tribes with fewer than 350 machines. The trust fund would still be in effect whether or not Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97 pass.

And that is the crux of this. WHY are the big four trying to insinuate that the RSTF will go away? Or worse, get bigger? It won't if we pass the expanded gaming. THAT makes the big four: LIARS. And we KNOW that Pechanga has cheated its own people. Pechanga will cheat us just as easily.

Gov. Pete Wilson against Props. 94, 95 , 96, 97

Sosumi from Tribal Watch writes that former two term Governor of California Pete Wilson is against the expanded gaming.

Wilson, who was governor from 1991 to 1999, described the advertising campaign in favor of the initiatives as "misleading" and the promise of more money for the state as "hypothetical."
Vote NO!
TRIBAL SPENDING: $101 MILLION
Sounds good. Why are FOUR TRIBES spending SO much on a proposition they think should be a slam dunk? Could it be that this is NOT what Californians want? Mega Casinos and four tribes getting all the money? WE CAN DO BETTER, why shouldn't we have NO state income taxes like Nevada? If those of us that want to keep gamling money here, let's open it up to everyone. Let's not reward a tribe like Pechanga who have ruined a good many of their tribal members.

Who's REALLY behind the Ads Opposing the Casino Agreements

It's funny when you break down the text of the commercial featuring a picture of John Gomez, SR.

Who's really behind the Ads Opposing the Indian Gaming Agreements? Their paid for by a Vegas Casino owner and two racetracks.

OP: Let's see, this ad tries to get us to believe that Las Vegas casino owners are bad, but a tribe like Pechanga, that destroys some of its members heritage, income and tramples on their civil rights are good, but a Las Vegas casino, that pays over 29% of it's income to the state, which allows their citizens to pay NO STATE INCOME TAX is bad. WE need to get more money from these Indian Casino operators so that CALIFORNIANS can have their tax burdens reduced.

In fact only two tribes oppose the agreements and while tribes statewide support the measure

OP:
FACT: The new compacts DO NOT GIVE ANY MORE MONEY TO TRIBES WITHOUT CASINOS
FACT: There are also Indians STATEWIDE that do NO support the agreements. There are THOUSANDS of Indians that have been screwed by their tribes, in order to take their per capita benefits away and keep that money for themselves.
FACT: A NO VOTE will mean that the big four tribes will continue to PAY THE SAME AMOUNT to those tribes AND will in fact STILL allow the big four to make the HUNDREDS of MILLIONS a year.

NO RIGHTS, NO COMPACTS Demonstrations at Pechanga

No Rights, No Compacts!

More information on Saturday, February 2nd Event at Pechanga The event will start at 10 am in front of the Pechanga Resort and Casino at the corner of Pechanga Parkway and Wolf Valley Rd. You can park on any of the side streets along Pechanga Parkway near this intersection.
We will have some signs and a banner available, but please feel free to bring your own. If you would like to get together before the event and make signs or car pool to the event with someone, please email pechangajg@msn.com
Some of the signs suggested so far include: No on 94! Stop Pechanga! No Rights, No Compacts! Greed is BAD!
Please feel free to bring refreshments- water, juice, etc. Immediately following the event, those who would like to get together and break bread are invited to meet at a local home.
See you on Saturday.

PLEASE bring your cameras. Pechanga has a history of trying to intimidate those of us who have demonstrated there before. A few thug types doing some close drive-bys. Let's make sure we capture them on camera. We will not back down.