Via Roger Clegg, it appears that the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act is back on the Congress’s docket; the bill would create a separate government for native Hawaiians along the lines of tribal governance that American-Indian nations now enjoy. THE WEEKLY STANDARD examined why the passage of this bill would be a nightmare back in 2006:
Then there are the various constitutional problems with the bill as it stands, such as the very real question as to whether or not the United States can deem a group of people to be a native tribe. From Rep. Doc Hastings’ (R-WA) argument against the bill:
Legal and constitutional wrangling aside, the most pernicious effect of this legislation is clearly the attempt to once again set up a two-tiered system of justice when it comes to race. In our brave new postracial world, one would think that such efforts would have become a thing of the past.
