Richard C. Witmer

Disentangling Diffusion: The Effects of Social Learning and Economic Competition on State Policy Innovation and Expansion

When modeling regional policy diffusion effects, scholars have traditionally made appeals to both social learning and economic competition as causes of diffusion. In their empirical studies of policy adoption, however, they do not attempt to determine which of these two processes are at work. In this article, we argue that these two types of diffusion may have different implications for when a state first adopts a policy and subsequent changes in the extent of that policy and that these effects vary by policy area. In the specific policy area that we study, Indian gaming, we expect social learning diffusion to influence adoption but not expansion; economic competition should influence both policy adoption and policy expansion. Our empirical results confirm these predictions. To study both policy adoption and innovation, we apply models for event counts to state policy data, which allows us to model the extent of policy adoption over time, rather than just the timing of first adoption as is common with event history models.

American Indian tribal government support of office-seekers: Findings from the 1994 election

Abstract How and why do American Indian tribal governments support political office-seekers? Using results from an extensive survey of tribal governments in Arizona and Oklahoma, our findings suggest that issues, rather than cultural ties or political party affiliation, are the primary impetus for American Indian tribal government support of candidates. Additionally, we examine several ways in which American Indians support candidates for office other than voting. This includes official endorsement, financial contributions, get out the vote efforts (GOTV), and volunteering for a candidate. Ultimately, our findings begin to uncover how and why American Indian tribal governments seek to influence the political process in the current era of evolving “government-to-government” relationships.

American Indian political incorporation in the post-Indian Gaming Regulatory Act era

Abstract Despite the active and growing role American Indians play in the U.S. political system, the study of contemporary political relations between Indian nations and federal and state governments remains underdeveloped in the political science literature. The dearth of inquiry is most notable in examining the efforts American Indians and Indian nations undertake in an attempt to influence public policy. In this paper, we suggest that recent developments, including the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) in 1988, have altered how American Indians participate in the political process. In order to study these recent changes, we suggest that it is appropriate to examine Indian nations’ use of interest group strategies in the political process. We demonstrate how such an approach adds to our understanding of Indian and non-Indian relations by discussing how Indian nations pursued interest group strategies and documenting how resources obtained through gaming have allowed them to expand this strategy.

Indian Nations as Interest Groups: Tribal Motivations for Contributions to U.S. Senators

The expansion of Indian gaming has produced significant financial gains for Indian nations across the United States. In response to this influx of revenue, tribes have expanded their political activity, particularly in those areas that are heavily resource dependent. In this article the authors argue that adopting an organized interests perspective enhances scholars’ understanding of tribal political activity. To demonstrate this, they study Indian gaming contributions received by senators from 1990 to 2004. The authors apply broadly utilized theories of contribution patterns based on the value of access for a group and the cost of access to a member, focusing on ideology, access, electoral security, and constituency characteristics. The results indicate that tribes respond to all of these factors in ways similar to more traditional organized interests.

Close Enough for Comfort? The Spatial Structure of Interest and Information in Ballot Measure Elections

This study considers the importance of spatial context in state ballot-initiative elections. We argue that spatial context provides important information voters use to decide how to vote on initiatives with geographically based policy implications. Herein, we analyze tract-level voting on three California Indian Gaming initiatives. The findings indicate that voters located near Indian nations without gaming were less likely to support expansion of gaming, whereas those with exposure to tribes with gaming were more likely to vote in favor of its expansion. Further, exposure to gaming conditions the relationship between exposure to tribes without gaming and voting on gaming initiatives. Theoretically, the results suggest that spatial location serves as a proxy for the information that voters rely on when voting on geographically linked ballot initiatives.

Book reviewThe Power of the Talking Stick: Indigenous Politics and the World Ecological Crisis, S.J. Ridgeway, P. Jacques, Paradigm Publishers, Boulder, CO (2014), 200 pp.

Exploring the crisis that exists in the relationship etween people and the environment is not a novel conept. Yet existing research fails to link the current ecological risis with a path forward that includes “Indigenous” nsight, the way Sharon Ridgeway and Peter Jacques have one in their book The Power of the Talking Stick: Indigenous olitics and the World Ecological Crisis. Central to the text s an examination and critique of the current world system f state-corporate alliances and the economic and environental degradation that it has facilitated. The authors make he compelling case that Indigenous voices must be part of he discussion moving forward, and what Indigenous peole say must be heard in order to solve the ecological crisis hat the world now faces. At just over 150 pages of text and an additional 50 pages f notes and references, the book includes seven chapters in hree acts. Act one, the first chapter, introduces the reader o the broader context of the book including the challenges hat capitalist economies and their state partners pose or less developed countries and Indigenous communities, specially those of the global south. The second act, in chapers 2 through 4, walks the reader through the process of ow the industrial North organized the world economy to enefit the interests of the few at the expense of the many, ncluding Indigenous communities, in the rest of the world. he final three chapters provide an alternative, focusing on ow an environmental/green movement that includes the oices of Indigenous people can address the contemporary cological crisis and must be considered before time runs ut. The first chapter begins by placing the global climate criis in context, noting global warming and its impact on the ceans as the world’s waters soak up massive amounts of nergy dumped into the atmosphere. In addition, melting laciers and mountain snowpack threaten fresh water suplies and increase the effects of droughts around the world. espite these clear threats, the global North – comprised of dvanced industrialized countries – has been unwilling to ddress green house gas emissions to address the growing

State Lobbying Registration By Native American Tribes.

The forms of political participation utilized by Indian nations have changed dramatically since the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988. The emergence and expansion of Indian gaming since then have provided tribes with an increased motivation to interact on a government-to-government basis with state governments; it has also provided them with the financial resources to do so in myriad new ways. During this period, tribes have increased their presence in state capitals through direct lobbying. In this paper, we study tribes’ decision to lobby state governments. In particular, we are interested in the role of tribal resources and gaming operations in determining which tribes decide to register to lobby state governments. Using Gray and Lowerys data set that list all lobbying registrations in the 50 states from 1997 to 1999 and the year 2007, we find significant variation in lobbying registrations among Indian nations. We model the lobbying registration decision at the tribal and state levels, using data on gaming compacts and amendments, tribal resources and state characteristics.