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.
It is the law (though it is nother example of govt overreach, IMO). I had the problem in the Bush years. Wanted to sk me health questions, I finally told the woman on the phone I was terminal and would not do it. They finally stopped, after calls, letters, and visits to my home.
Yeah, I did receive one. I probably should have tossed it but I answered the first question and returned it when they started calling. Probably shouldn’t have done that.
I’ll check back later. I’m being glared at by Mrs. Liberty and we have an appointment....
Don’t you want your share of the federal loot? How is Congress going to know which districts need specific targeted help if you won’t answer? If you say you have a very long commute, maybe your city gets more highway funds.
Yes, I’m being facetious, but that is what they want the answers for.
I went through that crap five years ago. The Census Department was making a “household survey” of spending. They wanted to know how I spent all of my money. They wanted utility bills, amounts spent on EVERYTHING, and they wanted to see my ATM records. If you are spending money on anything compromising they demand to know all about. I ignored the letters. The Census Department sent people from their office (150 miles away) to bang on my door several times.
If you don’t have a dog maybe you should borrow a Rottweiler or a Doberman.
Call all your government representatives and complain.
It is a law, but they don’t usually process.
However those who like to tout the statistics received by them will tell you to ignore it.
P.S. You can give a fake name and refuse certain questions.
For instance, if you don’t want to give income info, just “line refuse” that answer.
How do you know what survey it is. There is one (American Community Survey) that does have a law on it.
HA! These are the least paid and most required for production than any other. Don’t lump them all in together.
It’s the “American Community Survey.”
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.
With the Obastard crew in charge, I think they would consider the press they got from shaking down a middle-class white guy to be great, to serve as an example to the others.
Yeah, that’s the one that Congress deemed required. It used to be called the “long form” 10 year census but now they just do it throughout the decade.
Answer truthfully, NOYFB (None Of Your F’n Business).
Send it back saying, “Ask the NSA. They can probably give you more accurate answers.”
I’ve only filed once- the last census because we’ve got so many vindictive democrats. The were told the number of people. In 2000, a census worker came to my door in Hawaii. “Oh, I’m just here on vacation.” Kind of technically true, being married to a pilot and moving so often.
If it’s not “Return Receipt Requested” then I didn’t get it. If someone comes to my door, I’ll put up a “No Trespassing” sign. Second time I go to the door with my gun holstered. Then I’d threaten to let my German Shepherd out if they continued to ignore the sign. He scares most people nearly to death hearing his barking and trying to bust down the door near the front door. Normally I have a 2 door rule between him and strangers (plumbers, electricians, etc.) except when I answer the door. The dog would probably be enough the first time. I would never threaten to call the police, but I would threaten a restraining order for harassment. The other good answer is- “I’m terminal.” Sister-in-law used that on a telemarketer about 30 years ago.
I learned in a college sociology class that with some obnoxious people you have to act just crazy enough that they decide they’ll leave you alone- like catching and eating imaginary flies and maybe saying, “the voices...the voices are starting again....”
One option is to tell him the truth: you are a member of the human race, and if he guesses about Hispanic/Asian/black based on physical appearance he will guess wrong, and you will file a formal complaint about his fraudulent Census data (write his name down, even if you won’t keep that note). You should tell him the number and ages of residents. You should also tell him that none of the rest is any of his business.
I took a different approach and filled out that long form completely, following the Clinton stance of being “truthful but not helpful”. This can be a lot of fun (at least from my perspective as a statistician and a pollster - I like messing with people who ask questions that are none of their business).
Name, sex, and age I answer.
Race: OTHER - HUMAN;
When house first built? Houses were built in 1939 or earlier, so I check that box.
When did person 1 move in? This month, since I just moved from outside the home to inside the home that day.
The home is on the North American continent, so 10 or more acres.
I count closets as rooms, since they don’t specifically exclude them.
I don’t have any bedrooms, since if the house was for rent, I wouldn’t want it rented out, so I would list no bedrooms.
The house does not have hot or cold running water if all faucets are turned off (thus not running).
The house does not have a bathtub or a shower because it has more than 1, so I answer “no” on do we have “a” bathtub or shower (and similarly for a refrigerator, etc.).
I don’t have any portable electronic devices in the house, because I take all phones and other listed items to the car before answering that question.
No, we do not access the Internet from this home. We did, but that was in the past, and we may again 5 minutes in the future, but not at that exact moment. “Do you” depends on what the meaning of “do” is.
We already subscribed to Internet in the past, but we are not in the process of subscribing now, so we say no on “do you subscribe”.
No automobiles are kept at home - zero. All automobiles are taken for drives away from home.
Which heating fuel is used the most? SOLAR. That’s our heat source except in the winter.
Highest level of school? Kindergarten (that was in Colorado, and the rest were at lower levels of elevation).
Language other than English spoken at home? FORTRAN.
I just retired, but when working, I didn’t consider my job “work for pay”. I considered it work for joy and to contribute, so I had zero work for pay.
For whom did you work? Probably for yourself, your wife, and your kids.
I could go on, but the point is that you can have a lot of fun. The rule is that, since they will harass you if you leave anything blank, you answer anything where you can create a story that makes your answer “true” or at least arguably true, and skip the rest. Then go through again and see if your creativity has been boosted. You can make a game out of misreading as much as possible from the form.
“What do I have to tell these a-holes to just leave us the Hell alone?”
Well the third time somebody showed up at our door. Mr. GG2 put up 2 fingers meaning 2 people live in the residence. End of informational session. When that didn’t suffice he told the census taker to get off our effing property before we called the cops. That seemed to get through.
OK. I feel like Diogenes fulfilled! That’s getting saved.
Yes, I’m being facetious, but that is what they want the answers for.
*********************
There have been several threads on the Am. Community Survey here at FR over the past few years. The vast majority of comments recommended to just toss the survey in the trash.
The data collected is sold or furnished to the business world as a market research tool, so they can target the communities on the basis of incomes, # of people, autos, house amenities/sizes, etc.
The ACS is a separate thing from the official census.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.