Posted on 09/16/2013 3:28:02 PM PDT by Haiku Guy
Another FReeper indicated that he had received the American Community Survey, which is the 28-page extended survey from the Census Bureau that asks all kinds of invasive questions about income, health, living arrangements, etc.
I had also received the American Community Survey some time ago. I did not return it, and I have not heard from the Census Bureau since.
In the thread, it seemed like a number of FReepers have received this survey, which got me to thinking... Is it possible that the Census Bureau is targeting folks like FReepers, collecting data for political purposes?
A few years ago, I would not have believed it. Now, after the NSA and IRS scandals, I am beginning to wonder.
So, how about it. Have you gotten this survey? If so, what did you do with it? Did you fill it out, or did you roundfile it? Let's see if we can generate some data.
If FReepers have been targeted disproportionately with this survey, it would be a big deal. Hugh and Series. I'm talking Shower Time, big time.
Yes, it’s a 2 year cycle where they come to the house 8 months out of the two years. We’re on month 13 now, with 3 more visits expected. They come to a vacation home my family owns, so no one is usually there. However, if someone is there, they harass them and threaten them with fines. Real nice “bonus” for our vacationing guests. They will come to the door at 10pm at night - they will sit outside the house for 2 hours at a time, going around looking in the windows, calling the landline, looking in the trash cans, taking down tag numbers, etc. One tenant allowed them inside, and they took photographs of the toilet and under the sink. VERY INVASIVE! Apparently they target about 36,000 homes for this survey, and we’re doing our best to avoid it.
Eleven
Received it, have not returned it.
Back in 2010 I got the regular census form and filled it out, but inadvertently I misspelled my name. After 6 months or so I received another census to fill out because the first one had been “lost”. A few months later I started receiving advertizements (with the misspelled name) and telephone solicitations.
In 2011 I received the Community Census book to fill out. It got lost before I could fill it out. A few months later I got a phone call threatening me with loss of life and liberty if I did not complete the book over the telephone. Since I wanted to be exact, I had to have her hold while I looked up information because my life and liberty was at stake. The neighbor asked me to watch her squalling kids for a while. Then the dog had to go. The UPS guy needed a signature, etc. After two hours the lady had the audacity to hang up on me. She didn’t even correct the spelling of my name.
Twelve
Thirteen
Good God.
If they’re looking in your windows, banging on your door at 10 PM at night, those activities must be illegal. If not, they should be.
Did you ever call the local police or sheriff’s department?
This is pure harassment. I would be tempted to buy a German shepherd or a pit bull and let them roam outside!
Here’s a song for you all to listen to while you’re waiting for that knock on the door...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf-SkxApP5c
The local sheriff supports our private property rights (no trespassing, must have a warrant to enter home), but since it’s a vacation property, it’s hard to call when the agent is actually trespassing on the grounds. We have security footage that shows exactly what the agent does, which is completely out of bounds. We actually installed an 8’ high fence last month solely to block their access to the back yard. Wish we could send them the bill! We got lots of pointers from comments left on several sites including http://www.squidoo.com/american-community-survey-penalties-jail-time-no-scam-oh-my
Also, I actually sent Rand Paul a donation because he tried to eliminate the penalties for non-compliance. First time I ever felt a politician was trying to do something that would directly improve my life!
If this was our full time residence, you better believe that we’d be pit bull breeders by now!
If anyone is having a big issue with this, one of the conservative groups is offering free legal assistance. I can’t find the bookmark at the moment, but that link above probably has it.
I’d really have no way of knowing, in perspective, what that number meant. I don’t know if it’s 7 out of a hundred, 7 of a thousand, or how many average households they sent the surveys too. I don’t know how the demographics here at FR compared to the rest of the country, but there might be some things you’d have to take into account there also. So, I don’t know, I’d just not have enough information to judge it against anything.
I got one last year. Then a reminder. Think my dogs ate them.
I got one of those, too. Unbelievably intrusive questions! I don’t remember what I did with it. Probably on the burn pile.
We never sent ours back (the one that we might have gotten - or might not have, depending on whether it was delivered. or not). The last correspondence they sent to us was laughable. “Be a participant! You, too, can influence the amount of money your county gets. Be one of the group - don’t get left out.” That really made me want to send it in. NOT.
Well, first they have to prove that somebody actually got the form in order to prosecute them. Unless it is sent registered mail and someone signs for it, there is no way of knowing that it was actually delivered and the person it was addressed to actually saw it.
No one is “required” to respond to intrusive questions. After all, Hillary said she “couldn’t recall.” And Roe v. Wade was passed based on “privacy.”
I got my survey this time last year, right before election. I didn't return it and thus began the march of the Newman's (govt employees) to my door. The first guy showed up approx 6 times, leaving notes, talked to my neighbors, and calling my HOA to “reach” me. One morning he started whistling on my porch while ringing doorbell for 30 mins. I called police. Police came out and at first wanted to take action against the survey collector, until Policeman called the ACA Bureau office and was told it was a legitimate government survey. Police told me I could not claim trespassing as this Govt worker had every right to be on my property to conduct Govt business. On which I replied Bo!!@x!
Policeman had me tell Newman #1 that I did not wish to partake in survey and to stop coming to my property. Newman #1 then said while pointing to his govt badge, “ ok, I won't be back but others will”.
Sure enough Newman #2 came two days later and she got the same verbal treatment from me and scattered. All the time I was getting letters from the local Los Angeles Bureau threatening me with fines, citations and the usual yada yada yada for not participating. The same police officer showed up again and said you could “fill survey out with bogus info, but between you and me they have all this info already”. Exactly,
The ACA Newman's finally gave up and I haven't heard from them since, but will be prepared if I do.
Eighteen
If I get one it will be filled out the same as always!
2 HOMOSAPIANS
Below that will be NOYB in red marksalot!!!
I got that survey too. They’re really trying to annoy me.
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