What perfect irony that the House Democratic leadership should judge correctly that suspending the federal gas tax for the summer, as proposed by Republicans, would do little or nothing to lower gasoline prices (article, “Gas tax holiday is DOA,” May 2).

The Democrats want oil companies to pay the tax rather than consumers. But corporations, in the end, don’t pay tax. It is passed on to consumers as higher prices. So making oil companies pay the tax rather than consumers is sleight of hand and also will do nothing to lower gas prices.

Seabrook, Texas

Obama vs. whom?

From Phil Gonzalez

I’ve forgotten whom Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is running against for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Is it Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.)? Or is it talk radio and Fox News?

Hillary didn’t say a word about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright until talk radio and Fox News did. Hillary won’t say anything until talk radio and Fox News take the lead and air it first.

Much to Obama’s credit, he stays on message regardless of the daily attacks on him. It’s amazing how those who attack Obama have tried to make hope and change look evil because they are spoken by Obama, whom they portray as a false prophet.

Houston

Cherokee Nation, CBC

Brutal attacks

From Gayle Ross

As a Cherokee citizen, I want to thank former Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Colo.) for his clear, well-reasoned op-ed, “A move to destroy the Cherokee Nation” (April 29). He is correct in pointing out that only in a court of law can all the facts of history and law be truly heard. They certainly have played no part in the carefully crafted campaign of disinformation to justify brutal attacks on our right to self-determination.

Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) has accused our Cherokee leadership of having no commitment to the “rule of law,” but she is the one ignoring the rulings of both Cherokee and federal courts, which have repeatedly held that citizenship is the province of the Indian nations. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) says there are consequences for breaking a treaty. I would suggest that we know that better than he does. …

If Rep. Frank truly wants to enforce American treaties, I would suggest he start with the international human rights treaties ratified by the United States that protect the rights of indigenous peoples. The fact that 296 Cherokees once owned slaves did not exempt the Cherokee Nation from the same physical and cultural genocide suffered by other tribes. We simply ask that Americans of all colors respect our rights as an Indian nation, including our right to be Indian.

Fredericksburg, Texas

Play for sympathy

From John Cornsilk

Former Sen. Campbell should understand no one is attempting to thwart the ability of the courts to rule on these important subjects. The efforts of Congress to enforce the rights of the United States in an agreement made between two sovereigns has nothing to do with the issues being decided by either the Cherokee or federal courts.

To say this, as Chief Chad Smith has said and Mr. Campbell regurgitates, is only a play for public sympathy over the situation — the big ol’ U.S government picking on the little ol’ Cherokee Nation.

Tahlequah, Okla.

Proves the point

From H.S. Rosser

Ironically, a recent letter to the editor (“Cherokee chief goes astray in CBC battle over membership,” May 1) about former Sen. Campbell’s op-ed actually proves the point that Mr. Campbell was trying to make.

The letter writer, Sean Nordwall, ran for Cherokee Nation Tribal Council in 2007 and was resoundingly rejected by the Cherokee people. His complaints about the makeup of the Cherokee Nation’s Tribal Council, the appointment of the attorney general and budget figures are internal matters for Cherokees to decide. Shouldn’t Congress listen to their esteemed former colleague, Sen. Campbell, rather than a rejected tribal council candidate who is trying to get Congress to impose his will on the Cherokee people? …

Muskogee, Okla.