Whether or not gambling is a good thing, it should be neither banned nor monopolized by government. And there is no reason for Uncle Sam to tax native American gaming proceeds but not state lottery revenue. For a century American Indians have been victimized by the welfare strategy of development. Dependent on federal largesse, they have languished in poverty. But an increasing number of tribes are taking the entrepreneurial path of development to prosperity.
Taxation is, after all, the power to destroy.
It's taken decades for native Americans to stumble upon the path that most other Americans followed to prosperity. Now that they are beginning to succeed, Washington should take care not to ruin what has proven to be a good thing.