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To: RebelYell1990
American Indians receive free housing, pay no federal or state taxes, receive a federal stipend, a state stipend, free education in state colleges, free health care, and receive royalties from the Indian casinos.

No they don't.

There are some welfare programs which will provide subsidized housing on the reservations just as there are in every American city. The housing is in short supply and only a very few qualify or have access to it. Many tribes are building their own housing units with profits from tribal enterprises or receipts from extraction agreements or other funds but they are are comparatively rare and rarely free. No one is entitled to free housing by virtue of being an Indian.

States do not have authority to impose an income tax on income derived wholly within the boundaries of a reservation but can and do tax income derived from working outside those boundaries. They also tax income within the boundaries of the reservation if the supporting entity is based outside the reservation. Because of the restrictions, few Indians are exempt from state income tax.

Individual Indians pay Federal income tax at the same rate everyone else does regardless of where the income was earned. The tribe as an entity and some of the businesses that a tribal government may own may be exempt.

There is no Federal or State "stipend" for being an Indian. Occasionally there are trust payments for use of Indian land or legal settlements but these are usually distributed through the tribal government and they come from funds owed the Indians. Indians can qualify for food stamps or other Federal programs in exactly the same way anyone else can.

Indians are not entitled to free education at state colleges. They may find programs or scholarships dedicated to that purpose but they are rare. Because of circumstances Indians often end up subsidizing colleges for white students.

Most of the profits from tribal enterprises (casinos) are retained at the tribal level. They fund the government and general welfare projects. Some portion of the profits may be passed on to individual enrolled members of a tribe but that is limited to the members of that tribe and is not a general entitlement.

Indians receive free health care within the boundaries of a reservation and only for enrolled members. Generally it is poor quality and plagued with problems. Off the reservation they are in the same boat with everyone else.

167 posted on 08/11/2009 12:02:23 AM PDT by MARTIAL MONK
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To: MARTIAL MONK

There are federally qualified IHS clinics in many cities and communities not on tribal land. And there are providers not working in those clinics who will treat Native Americans. Healthcare is not limited to clinics and providers on tribal land.


201 posted on 08/11/2009 12:14:03 PM PDT by Badabing Badablonde (New to the internet? CLICK HERE)
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