Taking Charge

"Taking Charge is a sequel to the author's work To Show Heart, which examined Indian policy through 1975. George Castile now explores federal Indian policy in the Carter, Reagan, and first Bush administrations, tracing developments triggered by executive and congressional action - or inaction - and focusing on the dynamics of self-determination as both policy objective and byword in the wake of the landmark 1975 legislation.". "Drawing on both unpublished presidential papers and other archival sources, Castile chronicles the efforts of three presidents to uphold Richard Nixon's commitment to policy change, weighing such issues as the impact of Reaganomics and the advent of Indian gaming. He examines the marginalizing of Indian policy in both the executive and legislative branches in the face of larger issues, as well as the recurring tendency of policy to be driven by a single determined individual, such as South Dakota senator James Abourezk.". "Castile shows that , despite near-universal support, self-determination has suffered from problems arising from implementation, as turning policy into reality on the reservations has proved surprisingly difficult. He examines the challenge of sustaining "progress" in Indian self-determination because of funding problems, contract regulations, and the immovable nature of the federal bureaucracy. He also points to the instability of some tribal governments, along with apprehension among some Indians that self-determination would bring with it the abandonment of federal support for tribal existence."--BOOK JACKET.