Posted on 04/22/2010 11:44:47 AM PDT by Windflier
I just answered the 2010 census, and thought I'd pass along what my answers were.
After looking it over, I decided that the government is asking for far more information than the US Constitution allows. From my reading of Article I, Section 2, all they're authorized to do is take a head count.
I answered question one and two, to satisfy what I feel is my obligation under the Constitution, and left the rest of the form blank.
To assist the census bureau to understand why I left the rest of the form blank, I printed off the following and inserted it into the envelope:
The Constitution of The United States of America
Article I, Section 2. :
Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.
Bill of Rights
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
I only answered one question, the one that asks how many people live here. What was the second question that you answered?
Obama needs to show me his BC before I do my census.
You did better than me. I shred mine. I’m sure I’ll be getting a visit from my friendly census worker soon.
I did fill out the race/ethnicity section. Chose ‘Other’ and filled in ‘American’.
Was feeling very John Wayne-ish that day.
I stopped I think at question 3: “what phone number can we reach you at if we have questions about your responses?”
I left that and the remainder of that terribly intrusive form blank.
I like the census advertisements that tell us they won’t know how many teachers are needed if we don’t fill out the census. How about they just take a head count of how many children are enrolled in the schools?
You did exactly what I did - filled in the number of people at this address and then marked “other” and wrote in American. Mailed it back and don’t plan on answering door anytime during the week of May 1.....
did great but expect a personal visit...lol..
You didn’t put your nationality or religion? Mine is Nunya, is in ‘nunya bidness’.
I, too, put “other” and then wrote in “American.” The gov’t has no need to know my racial makeup.
I answered how many people, and our names. Nothing else.
Expect a knock on the door by someone who barely speaks English and aks you lotsa questions... ;-)
In so many words, question 2 asks if there were any more people living at your address. I answered "no".
IIRC, question 1 amounted to “counting everyone, how many live at this address” ... and question 2 amounted to “if you lied in your answer to question 1, tell us the difference between your answer and the correct answer.”
Well, the way I look at it, I simply answered "Present", just like he did.
I answered how many live here and then crossed out every other question so they didn’t get the impression that I “missed” them.
Hopefully they won’t bother my wife during the day.
I wonder how hard it is to set up a nasty (but non-lethal) electrical charge on the doorbell button...
‘I did fill out the race/ethnicity section. Chose ‘Other’ and filled in ‘American’.’
I check “other” and write-in “human”
I can't ask my government to abide by the Constitution, if I'm not willing to abide by it myself.
The Constitution grants the government the authority to take a head count of the citizens, which compels me to allow myself to be counted.
But, that's all the authority they have in this matter.
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