One Nation United

One Nation United is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501c4 public educational umbrella group representing concerned citizens, community organizations, state and national trade groups, local governments, businesses large and small, agriculture and law enforcement leaders, and elected officials in thirty-nine states across America. Founded in 1989 in Washington State as United Property Owners, we merged two years ago with One Nation of Oklahoma to become One Nation United. ONU represents more than 300,000 American citizens who have joined together to defend our private property rights, protect the free enterprise system, and reform seriously flawed federal Indian policy for the benefit of Indians and non-Indians alike. See ONU "Statement of Principles" and "Our Key Issues" for further details about our national organization. We invite you to join as a member of ONU today!

Is it right for the Federal Government to be subsidizing a business that competes with your business? Or competes with your employer? Or the company that pays your retirement benefits? It's happening all across the country - gas stations in New York, grocery stores in Oklahoma, and restaurants in Nebraska.

Is it right for the Federal Government to be acquiring thousands of acres of prime commercial property and removing it from taxation by local government? It's going on right now in small towns like Santa Ynez, California, and entire counties like Douglas County, Oregon.

Is it right for the Federal Government to be entering into large commercial ventures that are exempt from all local taxation, zoning rules, health, and environmental regulations? It's happening nationwide now, including Snohomish County in Washington State where a tribe owns a large shopping mall.

Is it right for the Federal Government to ignore local minimum wage and sexual harassment laws? It has already happened in Placer County, California

Some of you are saying to yourself, "That's nuts - the Feds don't do that!!" But the Feds are doing it!!- The Feds are acting through the out-of-control Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs.

States, counties, cities, and individual citizens are being deprived of a voice in decisions that shape the future of their communities. Acting under the sanction and encouragement of the Federal Government, Indian tribes buy land, move it off the tax rolls, and build large casinos and other development projects that are completely contrary to local land use and environmental rules. The Environmental Protection Agency has even given Indian tribes environmental rule-making authority over off-reservation private lands and businesses.

Seventy-year-old legislation that was intended to help individual Indians become self sustaining farmers has been twisted by a corrupt government agency to dole out extreme wealth to a few individuals while truly needy reservation Indians are still living on dirt floors without electricity or indoor plumbing.

The Abramoff lobbying scandal was just a small indication of the widespread corruption and power brokering going on within the Department of the Interior. Billions of tax-free gambling dollars are being used to buy influence, not just with paid lobbyists, but with "contributions" to elected officials that are far in excess of those allowed for any other group of people or non-Indian business.

Major national news reports have been published, starting with TIME Magazine and more recently in the Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times, describing how tribal government actions are causing soil erosion, water shortages, snarled traffic, increased crime, bankrupt neighboring businesses, and dramatically reduced property values in communities that host Indian gambling.