Approximately every two decades, federal policy shifts between a conservative laissez faire delegation of power to the states and a liberal, often paternal, centralization of power within the federal government. The latest development in the cycle, according to the authors of Forced Federalism, is the new federalism that began more than twenty years ago.

Corntassel and Witmer argue that forced federalism has arrived unnoticed, with most people thinking, if they think about it at all, that Indian policy remains as it was in the 1960s. Under Lyndon Johnson federal policy was liberal, and indigenous people were allowed a significant amount of self determination as well as a large amount of federal support. In the late 1980s under the new federalism, specifically in 1988 with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, the federal government abdicated its role in Indian affairs and gave the states the responsibility for Native American populations. Indian nations are sovereign entities, comparable to the federal government, whose relations with the United States are set by treaty. Dealing with the states rather than the federal government as such produces a loss of status for Native American nations.

The entire review can be found here:

Writers of the Future Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Dark Fantasy Contest

1. No entry fee is required, and all rights in the story remain the property of the author. All types of science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy are welcome.

More here: http://newgreatbooks.blogspot.com/2009/06/science-fiction-fantasy-and-dark.html

Travel Writers Can Change the World: Planet Earth 2010

Sustainable travel — eco-travel — green travel — cultural travel . . . what does all this mean? The current trend of travel experiences that enrich and fulfill the traveler while contributing to the welfare of a place and its inhabitants presents a grand opportunity for us as writers.

By choosing to focus at least some of our work on such topics as philanthropic travel opportunities; resorts, hotels and tour companies that operate sustainably; travel with a purpose; responsible tourism; and/or “cultural sojourns” (as described in the New York Times 2009 summer travel magazine), we become part of a new millennium crusade to appreciate and to save the planet and its inhabitants.

http://newgreatbooks.blogspot.com/2009/06/calling-all-travel-writers-to-enter.html