Accountability Watch, Part 2: When in Rome Edition

Thanks to the fine folks at the Native American Times, we can all read the text of Bill John Baker’s inauguration speech.  From reading it, we can see why some of the folks that went spoke highly of the event.  The speech was well written.  We’re sorry he didn’t take the opportunity to tell us what policy he was referring to that kept employees from talking to their council members, but instead told us that it existed and we should believe him.

He said he made five promises during the campaign that he planned on keeping, so we’ll take this as a challenge for all of us to keep him accountable.

#1: He’s selling Cherforce One and is currently taking bids.

#2: He’s going to have Cherokees build houses for other Cherokees by reactivating the Housing Authority to build hundreds of homes.

#3: He will ‘more fully audit the nation’s books to find more money to help our people,’ having Lacey Horn replace Callie Catcher.

#4: More money for contract health

#5:  A $200 elder stipend every six months for Cherokees ‘in need.’

We’re glad Baker is willing to be held accountable to these, and possibly other promises.  He, of course,  has to find money to pay for these new projects, and if Lacey Horn finds it all in her audits, she will definitely be earning her keep.

33 Days Until the Election- When 3000 + 5000 = -1000

It took us some time, but we managed to research some of the numbers from the debate where Bill John Baker claimed that the Cherokee Nation has actually lost 1,000 jobs since Smith took over. 

We haven’t been able to verify Baker’s claim that there were 3,000 employees at the Cherokee Nation in 1999.  However, we have been able to find that there were not 1,000 jobs at Hastings ---but approximately 600.

And there were not 1,000 at the Housing Authority--- there were approximately 250.

Baker has not presented evidence that the Cherokee Nation is not hiring Cherokees.  Moreover, his numbers on Cherokee Nation Businesses were proven wrong by both the Cherokee Phoenix and Cherokee Truth.

Baker, and the Cherokee people, would be better off if he stuck to the truth.