Politics & Power Quote by Jim Costa

“Shifting political winds” is the kind of phrase politicians love because it sounds natural and inevitable, like weather, not policy. Jim Costa uses it to frame tribal vulnerability as a structural condition: the problem isn’t one cruel governor or one bad bill, it’s the basic instability of letting state politics mediate Indigenous rights. The word “mercy” does extra work here. It’s not just about disadvantage; it implies dependence, a moral imbalance where tribes are forced to plead for what should be protected.

Costa’s specific intent is to argue for sturdier, more predictable safeguards - typically federal standards, enforceable compacts, or legal clarity that prevents states from changing the rules when budgets tighten or elections flip. The line is also a subtle indictment of states’ incentives: tribal issues become bargaining chips in larger fights over land use, water, taxation, gaming revenue, or environmental regulation. “Too often” signals that he’s pointing to a pattern without naming names, a strategic vagueness that keeps doors open in Sacramento while still acknowledging harm.

The subtext is sovereignty. Tribes are not supposed to be treated like interest groups whose fortunes rise and fall with the next administration. When Costa highlights the volatility of state government, he’s implicitly elevating the federal trust relationship and treaty obligations as the steadier ground. It’s a careful critique: empathetic toward tribes, wary of directly accusing state leaders of bad faith, and designed to make “stability” sound like the reasonable, centrist position - even though the stakes are anything but.