I was one of those selected people in 2000. My Mom thought the questions were so personal that I should not answer them. I told her it was the government asking them, and they already knew all the answers -- all they needed to do was query the appropriate database at the appropriate agency.
its = possessive form of it
Okay. Big Brother is just getting too big for his pants. So what should we do about it? Let's pants him! But seriously, this is really scary. Are any attorneys willing to sue the government, if this should turn out to be true?
Somebody needs to start a suit and get this nonsense to the Supreme Court post haste.
Let those judges "clarify" what is meant by "enumeration".
Meanwhile, the scumbag government certainly will not get honest answers from me on any such survey. Did you notice that NOWHERE does this article state whether there is a penalty for failure to respond or for responding "inaccurately"?
2005 Survey Form (pdf)
http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/SQuest05.pdf
The government has been asking similar questions on the census for decades, it's not a new thing.In 1850 they started to enumerate members of the household individually instead of just head of household and age groups. Employment status, type of employment, medical questions, age at marriage, number of kids, year of immigration,parents birthplace, primary language, race, education, ownership of home, etc. I use the census for genealogy purposes, and am grateful for the insight it has given me into the lives of my ancestors. I have been able to use the census to find family graves, and reconnect with living family members. What I really get a little peeved at is when the questions were pretty obviously not answered by the family, likely a neighbor, who "guesstimated" the answers. 1900 is my favorite census, I get a birth month with that one. Of course, I have some ancestors who shared the sentiments of many on this thread, didn't trust the census enumerators or government, so would tend to disappear on census. Or lie. Which has caused me a lot of genealogy hair-pulling. Just thought to put a different perspective on all those snoopy questions.
I got the ACS, and didn't fill it out. They sent someone out to bug me for about 2 months. They kept calling and threatened me with the fines. I told them to go piss off. They did nothing, that was over a year and half ago.
I got one of those once and threw it away. They sent me several letters saying I needed to fill it out. I threw them away.
Finally they started calling. I ignored their calls until I picked up the phone without letting the answering machine screen the call because I was expecting a call from a friend and they were on the line.
The woman said I needed to send in my survey. I told her I had no intention of sending it. She asked me to talk to the supervisor. I told the supervisor that I don't answer surveys. She said; "But this is for the government." I told her I didn't care who it was for, I didn't answer surveys. After about 5 min she said OK but because it was computerized I’d keep getting forms for a few months.
They sent out a few more letters and I never heard from them again.
In 2000 I got a long form and only answered how many people were in the family. For a few months people came knocking on the door at different hours now and then and I never answered it if I looked out and didn't know the person. That harassment stopped after a time and I have yet to fill out a more than the number of people in my family.
Yes, this is the "tip of the iceberg". There is a large array of surveys that has been growing in number and complexity for many decades (i.e., it didn't start with Bush, or Clinton, or any of the latest bugaboos of one or the other of the "big tent" parties).
http://www.census.gov/econ/overview/FORMSNDX.HTM
http://ask.census.gov/cgi-bin/askcensus.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_lva=&p_li=&p_page=1&p_new_search=1&p_search_text=Household%20surveys
In some ways, the surveys are LESS intrusive now than they have been in the past. For example, until the 1930's, there was a decennial census of religion.
http://www.thearda.com/Archive/ChMember.asp
http://www.thearda.com/Archive/Files/Descriptions/1936CENSCT.asp
Whereas now, such collection, at least on a "mandatory" basis, is deemed illegal:
Information on religion
Question
Information on religion
Answer
The U.S. Census Bureau does not collect data on religious affiliation in its demographic surveys or decennial census. Public Law 94-521 prohibits us from asking a question on religious affiliation on a mandatory basis; in some person or household surveys, however, the U.S. Census Bureau may collect information about religious practices, on a voluntary basis. Therefore, the U.S. Census Bureau is not the source for information on religion, nor is the Census Bureau the source for information on religious affiliation. Some statistics on religion can be found in the Statistical Abstract of the United States, Section 1, Population. In addition, we do provide a list of contacts for further assistance regarding religious information.
We do publish economic data on Religious Organizations down to the county and ZIP Code level in the County Business Patterns series. Religious organizations are comprised of (1) establishments primarily engaged in operating religious organizations, such as churches, religious temples, and monasteries and/or (2) establishments primarily engaged in administering an organized religion or promoting religious activities. Additionally, the County Business Patterns series provides data on used merchandise stores that are operated by religious organizations.
http://ask.census.gov/cgi-bin/askcensus.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=29&p_created=1074732806&p_sid=HFhBzM2i&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MTE2JnBfcHJvZHM9JnBfY2F0cz0mcF9wdj0mcF9jdj0mcF9wYWdlPTEmcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1Ib3VzZWhvbGQgc3VydmV5cw**&p_li=&p_topview=1
They are threatened with a fine of $5,000 for failure to respond.
It's $500 and never, ever enforced.
starting with a few thousand mailings each month to a handful of residents in widely scattered small towns that don't generate national media.
It's being done in the entire country including cities and suburbs. It's not targeted at "widely scattered small towns."
it's difficult to avoid the impression that the project was planned to avoid publicity and citizen opposition.
ROFL...the reason there hasn't been any publicity is there's no budget for the usual sorts of TV advertisements you see prior to a decennial census, not some evil plot to avoid publicity.
The Census Bureau warns: "We may combine your answers with information that you gave to other agencies." (Does that mean IRS? Social Security? New hires directory? Child support enforcement? Criminal databases? Commercial databases?)
I'm a bit dubious of this and I have no idea where this info is supposedly from. And INDVIDUAL data on people from the Census is COMPLETELY unavaliable to ANY other government agency. Including the FBI (they've tried a couple times and been shot down in the courts) and the IRS. You could send in the form with your name being Osama Bin Laden and occupation as Professional Terrorist and nothing would happen to you.
What IS avaliable is stuff like the AVERAGE income in a town or the AVERAGE time to drive to work, etc.
Since this silly crap started I have been pinged twice. I did not answer the nosey buggers and have never heard anything more from them. Perhaps the hungry cougar, rattle snakes and 18 pit bulls in the drive have something to do with that.
I wish Republicans were in charge. This would stop!
From the 1860:
The Census of 1860:
Schedule 1. Free Inhabitants in _________, in the County of ________, State of _________, enumerated by me, on the _____ day of ___________, 1860. ___________________, Ass’t. Marshal.
1. Dwelling houses and number in order of visitation.
2. Families numbered in the order of visitation.
3. The name of every person whose usual place of abode on the 1st day of June, 1860, was in this family.
Description:
4. Age.
5. Sex.
6. Color – White, black, or mulatto.
7. Profession, occupation, or trade of each person, male or female, over 15 years of age.
Value of real estate owned:
8. Value of real estate.
9. Value of personal estate.
10. Place of birth, naming the state, territory, or country.
11. Married within the year.
12. Attended school within the year.
13. Persons over 20 years of age who can not read and write.
14. Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper or convict.
Schedule 2. Slave Inhabitants in _________, in the County of ________, State of _________, enumerated by me, on the _____ day of ___________, 1860. ___________________, Ass’t. Marshal.
1. Names of slave owners.
2. Number of slaves.
Description:
3. Age.
4. Sex.
5. Color.
6. Fugitives from the state.
7. Number manumitted.
8. Deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic.
9. Number of slave houses.
If you look at the last census form I filled out I'm a single, hispanic, High school dropout, buddist, union worker making $275,000 a year. They can ask all the questions they want....
When I got the 2000 census form, I answered only the first question, putting a large legible 2 in the box which asked how many people live here. This is the only thing the constitution requires. I then mailed the form back to them.
This was followed by visits from their minions whom I refused to open the door for. Finally they went away.