Posted on 01/09/2014 11:13:43 AM PST by Cyber Liberty
I have a question for the Legal Eagles out there...
The Census people are pi$$ing me off. First, I got a post card telling me a questionnaire is coming, then another post card. After that, a VERY thick envelope with a very long and intrusive list of questions about things from who lives here, how long, incomes, professions.
Then there are questions like renting/owning, do I have a toilet, a refrigerator and the like.
I wrote on the form there are two people of the human race living here and dropped it in the mail.
Then I got a post card reminding me to fill it out.
A couple weeks ago some nice guy in his 50's or 60's shows up with a laptop wanting to ask me questions, so I told him I already sent the form in. He was here again just now, saying the form hadn't been processed yet, so could I answer the questions now? I told him no, I'm busy, so he said he's coming back in a week.
My question is, do I have to answer anything? All the mail I've received so far says I have to, it's the law, but I don't believe it. They lie a lot these days.
What do I have to tell these a-holes to just leave us the Hell alone? He left a card and a paper with contact information so I can call him if I need to.
everyone we know says they just throw out junque mail?
You are not legally required to fill out this survey, but the Census worker will hound you to the point to where you wished you were locked up in a solitary confinement cell in a federal prison.
Apparently intruding on peoples’ privacy is a full-time gig.
Maybe I can find a way to make a fun gig out of it. I’m sure the government drone is well paid, so maybe it’ll be fun for him too.
We called the sheriff and filed a complaint, including the guy's license plate #.
The f’er didn't return.
It occurs to me hounding someone for an non-required form is grounds for a Restraining Order?
Don’t know if that will work for me. Locals are corrupt to the core and are just as likely to arrest me.
You are not legally obligated to answer personally identifiable information in a census form. The only purpose of the census per the USC is to enumerate the physical residents of a domicile. You tell them there are 2 adults in the residence, and you’re done.
I took a black Sharpie to my form a few years ago and blacked out everything in the form except the number of people in the home. This was to prevent them from trying to fill out any information that I left blank, which they’ve done in some highly publicized incidents. When the drone came to my door, I told them there are 2 adults in the residence, and they never came back again.
I never received any of the mailings. :-)
If they ever contact me I’ll just play dumb. (Which won’t be too difficult)
If they can’t prove I received them how can I fill them out?
.
I wouldn’t have, but they took to calling me too. I forgot that when I did the original post.
I have a quarter mile long “dense pack” driveway with a gate at the bottom of the hill by the road. It will inconvenience them more than me. I like it that way. ;-)
HAHAHA! I was thinking of that very video when I was reading the OP!
Sounds like you have the community survey thing they do mid-decade. About 300 questions. Things like “how far do you drive to work” and “when do you leave”.
They claim there is a fine for not responding, and they will send someone over a few times, and call you a few times. But I understand that nobody has ever been fined for refusing to fill it out. Just bothered by the follow-up.
When I researched this in the past, I understood that they made three visits, then stopped.
If you ignore it long enough, they will go away.
I went through the same thing in 2010. I threw the form in the trash and eventually a worker came to the door. After much discussion, she finally told me I was only required to “respond” - which would have meant signing a blank form and sending it in (although I’m willing to answer the one question the Constitution requires - how many people live there).
Once the worker appears however, you must “respond” by verbally refusing to answer every question (except the one above).
When I worked in the phone area of the Census Bureau we did follow-ups on the forms that were sent back in. Even if one only filled out their name or number of people living in that particular dwelling. I would advise not mail your form back. (You did not receive one)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2436331/posts?page=106
My experience. (Imagine being threatened with having a note put in my file saying I was “uncooperative.”)
Lots of good advice offered in the thread.
I found just not answering works.
I moved from the address when I first posted the thread, and upon arrival I found the Long Form (American Community Survey) waiting in the mailbox - addressed to the previous homeowner ( or current resident).
I trashed it.
Trashed the next one.
I am prepared to tell them to come back with a lawyer to explain in person to me the relevant case law saying I am required to answer.
Never got bothered in person and I suspect those that throw it away will never be prosecuted. . .imagine the bad press if the Census jailed people in federal prison for refusing to talk to them.
Yes, there are ‘threats’ of legal action but there has NEVER been a case where they prosecuted in federal court someone that refused to answer.
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