Jobs, nevertheless, are still what is needed if the Natives Americans are to rise from their current state of poverty. Gaming is a good method to inject money into the tribes and their people. Gambling on the reservations has grown into a $1 billion dollar industry. Casinos and bingo parlors bring in large revenues for the tribes and should continue to be legal on the reservations. Instead of direct aid which often times is what is proposed, the government should create an ability for the people to prosper. Like the homeless person who begs for money on the streets, he would be better off if he was trained in a skill or provided with a job rather than given a direct handout. The Native Americans should be given a zero tax rate for starting a business. The government should provide low interest loans for starting up small business and capital formation that provide jobs for Native Americans. The government should continue its policy of zero income tax for all Native Americans who live on the reservation. The $1.6 billion given to the 500 government recognized tribes by the Bureau of Indian Affairs should be used exclusively for capital improvement and formation as well as the improvement in education so that individuals will be able to work in a skilled labor. With jobs the Native population can improve upon housing, the education of their children, and the health of the entire tribe. But only by the afore mentioned methods and not welfare handouts can improvement on the reservation occur.

The common opposition to such proposals always lies in the taxpayers back pocket. Yet these types of programs would not require new taxes or the re-direction of money from other programs. Instead with an ambitious plan of economic development the Native American population can become a economically stable society and the $1.6 billion spent today could slowly be eliminated because it would no longer be needed by the Native American community.

It would be quite unfortunate to witness a culture rich is tradition and heritage vanish into history, a victim of poverty. It is very probable that the United States can bring the Native American people out of poverty and re-establish the once proud and magnificent tribes of North America.