Congressman Collin Peterson TOWN HALL Meeting,8/17/09

I attended this town hall meeting held here in Bemidji, Minnesota at the Hampton Inn 1PM.
After hearing a cacophony of medical service panelists afforded the opportunity to explain their perspective on public health issues that comprise the current of public facts and figures regarding spiraling health care costs and figures that one panelist mentioned a 28% uninsured recipient base that the area hospitals and clinics cannot be reimbursed or bear the burden of for such a large example of the need for a comprehensive understanding and public choice decision.

I was thankful for this opportunity to voice a Native perspective to what i feel is not only a medical issue from the dollars and cents viewpoint but from a community health perspective for Native Peoples represented by the IHS and also a part of that 28% that reflect Native Peoples need to go Off Reservation for Medical care.

I also informed Mr. Peterson of the Unemployment and Poverty that still exists On and Off The Reservations For Native Peoples while a 19 BILLION DOLLAR Gambling Industry exists and funds many of the political campaign coffers of The Minnesota Legislative Members and had even a representative of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association as a campaign manager for a sitting senate Member.

All of these topics reflect a truth telling of what we as Native Anishinabe of Minnesota need to inform the Leaders of all our communities what constitutes health issues which is AFFirmative Action from the Top Down.