Candidates for elected office are beginning to pay more and more attention to Native issues. This forum includes candidate platforms and interviews of candidates on Native issues. We hope this will better inform you as you look to support candidates who support Indian Country.

Party Platforms and Conventions
Every four years, the political parties adopt a platform at the party convention. A  party platform is the official statement of the political party’s position on a wide range of issues. The Democratic National Convention will take place August 25-28, 2008 in Denver, Colorado. The Republican Party convention is scheduled for September 1-4, 2008 in Minneapolis, MN.

2008 Republican Party Platform
For more information about the 2008 Republican Party Platform and Convention, you may want to visit www.gop.org.

2008 Democratic Party Platform
For more information about the 2008 Democratic Party Platform and Convention, you may want to visit www.democrats.org.

2008 Presidential Candidates
(listed in alphabetical order)
Many of the Presidential candidates develop policy statements or positions on a wide-range of issues, including issues of importance to tribal governments and Native people. Available policy statements from the candidates are included below. If you are aware of additional policy statements from any of the candidates, please contact April_Hale@ncai.org.  For more information about any of the candidates, you may want to visit their campaign websites by clicking on their names below.

John McCain (www.johnmccain.com)

• Native American Policy Statement

Barack Obama (www.barackobama.com)

• Policy statement on Native American issues.

• Detailed Statement on Native Americans

Ask the Candidates

It is important that members of the Native community let the candidates know what issues are important to us! There are many ways that voters can engage the candidates on the issues including:

• Attending candidate forums and other public events where candidates appear and asking questions.

• Calling in when candidates appear on television or radio shows in your area.

• Contacting candidates by email, letters, and phone calls. You can find contact information for the Presidential candidates on their websites linked above.

• Write a letter to the editor of your local paper raising the issues you are concerned about and encouraging the media to ask candidates about issues important to tribal communities.

Questions you might consider asking a candidate include:

• What is your understanding of tribal sovereignty and the federal government’s obligations to Indian people?

• How should Indian tribes be involved when important federal policy decisions are being made that will impact them?

• What will you do to address the profound health and economic needs confronting many of our tribal communities?

• What will you do to ensure that federal judges are committed to the fundamental principles of Indian law and understand tribal communities?

• What will you do to address the public safety crisis occurring on many Indian reservations?