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Poor census response feared
Buffalo News ^ | 03/15/2010 | Jay Rey

Posted on 03/15/2010 9:00:53 AM PDT by onona

A decennial tradition that dates back 220 years to the days of George Washington continues today when federal census forms start arriving at more than 120 million households across the United States.

But hanging over this 23rd U.S. census are concerns about a decline in participation.

While the U.S. census has always evoked some resentment toward the feds for poking their nose into people's business, there's a sense that America's distrust of the government has reached greater heights and could contribute to poor census returns.

(Excerpt) Read more at buffalonews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2010; 2010census; acorn; census; donttreadonme; electionfraud; elections; votingdistricts
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To: bfree

1) How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2010? [Fair question]

We ask this question to help get an accurate count of the number of people in the household on Census Day, April 1, 2010. The answer should be based on the guidelines in the ‘Start here’ section. We use the information to ensure response accuracy and completeness and to contact respondents whose forms have incomplete or missing information.

2) Were there any additional people staying here April 1, 2010 that you did not include in Question 1? [This is dumb. I’ll not respond]

Asked since 1880. We ask this question to help identify people who may have been excluded in the count provided in Question 1. We use the information to ensure response accuracy and completeness and to contact respondents whose forms have incomplete or missing information.

3) Is this house, apartment, or mobile home: owned with mortgage, owned without mortgage, rented, occupied without rent? [MYOB]

Asked since 1890. Homeownership rates serve as an indicator of the nation’s economy. The data are also used to administer housing programs and to inform planning decisions.

4) What is your telephone number? [MYOB]

We ask for a phone number in case we need to contact a respondent when a form is returned with incomplete or missing information.
Please provide information for each person living here. Start with a person here who owns or rents this house, apartment, or mobile home. If the owner or renter lives somewhere else, start with any adult living here. This will be Person 1.

5) What is Person 1’s name? [MYOB]

Listing the name of each person in the household helps the respondent to include all members, particularly in large households where a respondent may forget who was counted and who was not. Also, names are needed if additional information about an individual must be obtained to complete the census form. Federal law protects the confidentiality of personal information, including names.

6)What is Person 1’s sex? [Occasional]

Asked since 1790. Census data about sex are important because many federal programs must differentiate between males and females for funding, implementing and evaluating their programs. For instance, laws promoting equal employment opportunity for women require census data on sex. Also, sociologists, economists, and other researchers who analyze social and economic trends use the data.

7) What is Person 1’s age and Date of Birth? [MYOB]

Asked since 1800. Federal, state, and local governments need data about age to interpret most social and economic characteristics, such as forecasting the number of people eligible for Social Security or Medicare benefits. The data are widely used in planning and evaluating government programs and policies that provide funds or services for children, working-age adults, women of childbearing age, or the older population.

8) Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin? [MYOB]

Asked since 1970. The data collected in this question are needed by federal agencies to monitor compliance with anti-discrimination provisions, such as under the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act. State and local governments may use the data to help plan and administer bilingual programs for people of Hispanic origin.

9) What is Person 1’s race? [MYOB]

Asked since 1790. Race is key to implementing many federal laws and is needed to monitor compliance with the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act. State governments use the data to determine congressional, state and local voting districts. Race data are also used to assess fairness of employment practices, to monitor racial disparities in characteristics such as health and education and to plan and obtain funds for public services.

10) Does Person 1 sometimes live or stay somewhere else? [MYOB]

This is another question we ask in order to ensure response accuracy and completeness and to contact respondents whose forms have incomplete or missing information.


161 posted on 03/15/2010 11:29:11 AM PDT by bcsco (Obama: Hokus Pokus POTUS)
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To: New Yawk Minute
Ten years ago, I found one of them at my door. Or rather, sitting in his sedan on the road, waiting for me to come home. When I pulled in my driveway, he called out to me, "Are you (name)?" I was so surprised I said yes (don't think I would do that now). When he said he was from the census, I said, I returned the form and I'm not answering any more questions. He got all huffy and drove off.

Be warned, they are bold. They'll be out there waiting for you.

162 posted on 03/15/2010 11:29:54 AM PDT by Ciexyz
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To: Ciexyz
They'll be out there waiting for you.

They're the ones who should be warned. I'll be waiting for them.

163 posted on 03/15/2010 11:32:52 AM PDT by bcsco (Obama: Hokus Pokus POTUS)
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To: bcsco

That seems to be the way I look at the answers also. I do love the phone number question and their reasoning. LOL!


164 posted on 03/15/2010 11:33:23 AM PDT by bfree (The revolution is coming and it will be violent--FUBO)
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To: bfree
I do love the phone number question and their reasoning.

If I had a land line, I still wouldn't give that out. And they ain't gonna get our cell numbers for sure.

They can go scratch. The census is intended as an enumeration by the Constitution. Only question #1 is thereby reasonable. And only question #1 is needed for districting purposes.

165 posted on 03/15/2010 11:36:46 AM PDT by bcsco (Obama: Hokus Pokus POTUS)
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To: bcsco

Good listing!


166 posted on 03/15/2010 11:38:19 AM PDT by rcrngroup
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To: gleeaikin

I so agree with you.

We should segment DC into 57 sections and assign
each proportional populations to the state they
are assigned to for representation. New York gets
some to represent, California get some, Wyoming,
Florida, Georgia, and all the rest of the 57 states
get their fair share of the DC population to represent.

How’z that?


167 posted on 03/15/2010 11:40:42 AM PDT by Cyber Ninja (His legacy is a stain OnTheDress)
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To: bfree
How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2010?

This is no a very well thought out question, IMO. There are many multiple dwelling units in major cities that don't qualify as either houses or apartments. To the uninformed, apartment will mean 'rental unit' whereas they may be living in a condo unit, which certainly isn't a house, or rental unit per se. I would think it would be rather confusing for some.

168 posted on 03/15/2010 11:40:59 AM PDT by bcsco (Obama: Hokus Pokus POTUS)
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To: rcrngroup; bfree

Those are the questions from bfree’s link in post #159. I just copied them so I could respond in kind.


169 posted on 03/15/2010 11:43:01 AM PDT by bcsco (Obama: Hokus Pokus POTUS)
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To: green iguana

According to the US Census website you are required “by law” to fill out the long form if you are selected.


170 posted on 03/15/2010 11:44:11 AM PDT by TaxRelief (Walmart: Keeping my family healthy and on-budget since 1993.)
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To: onona

I’ve seen road signs in Spanish asking people to make sure they complete and return their census forms.


171 posted on 03/15/2010 11:46:02 AM PDT by <1/1,000,000th%
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To: TaxRelief
According to the US Census website you are required “by law” to fill out the long form if you are selected.

That'll be the day. "Gee, didn't get it." "Uh, gee, we're really having delivery problems with our USPS lately. Didn't get the resent form, either." "Sure, leave it here and I'll send it in when I get around to it". "Oops, dang dog, why'd you rip that paper up? Now I can't send it in".

172 posted on 03/15/2010 11:47:14 AM PDT by bcsco (Obama: Hokus Pokus POTUS)
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To: onona

Will ACORN count the homeless?


173 posted on 03/15/2010 11:48:01 AM PDT by Cyber Ninja (His legacy is a stain OnTheDress)
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To: OnTheDress; All

A number of people in DC have been pushing for years for statehood. Others have recommended becoming part of Maryland except for a small Federal enclave where most of the government buildings are and almost nobody actually lives. I think the later makes more sense if the people of DC ever hope to actually get a vote, since Congress doesn’t seem to want to approve the balanced entry of a new Utah (conservative) district with DC’s entry. They have tried to introduce riders regarding guns that anger the liberals and ones concerning marijuana that irk the conservatives. Meanwhile “taxation without representation”
continues.


174 posted on 03/15/2010 11:48:41 AM PDT by gleeaikin
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To: TaxRelief

But that’s not the long form - there isn’t one this year. That’s the ‘American Community Survey’ which is sent out to random households in non-census years.

I never heard back from the folk at the census department after I threw mine away.


175 posted on 03/15/2010 11:53:25 AM PDT by green iguana
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To: gleeaikin

The past is past.

Today it is all about The Honorable Senator Jesse
Jackson and The Honorable Senator Al Sharpton.


176 posted on 03/15/2010 11:53:28 AM PDT by Cyber Ninja (His legacy is a stain OnTheDress)
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To: New Yawk Minute; All

“You sound like a child. Dont fool yourself. They WILL get your information.”

Everyone should listen to Speaker Pelosi...I mean New Yawk and just DO WHAT YOU’RE TOLD!!


177 posted on 03/15/2010 11:57:50 AM PDT by Pavegunner72
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To: New Yawk Minute; humblegunner; Markos33; shibumi; Jet Jaguar; Salamander

Sign up date is sign up date.

You are obviously a liberal shill anyway.

Liberal Obama buttboy n00bie alert!


178 posted on 03/15/2010 11:59:30 AM PDT by Eaker (Where I'm from, "Gang Colors" is Realtree and Mossy Oak. You know what I'm saying hoss. Rule.308.)
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To: New Yawk Minute; Eaker
did it ever occur to you that this isnt my first account here?

Really.

So who were you and why were you banned? Retreads are
frowned upon, and often re-banned for being a retread.

Let's have some info!

179 posted on 03/15/2010 12:05:34 PM PDT by humblegunner (*)
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To: Eaker; New Yawk Minute; Darksheare; darkwing104; 50mm; Old Sarge
Sign up date is sign up date.

Yeah, and the fact this squawk claims it's not their first account here makes me wonder about an earlier suspension, anti-FReeper returnee, or retread troll. Hmmmmm. They've been awful quiet since I called them a newbie troll and told them DU/Kos was calling on the white phone...

180 posted on 03/15/2010 12:06:25 PM PDT by bcsco (Obama: Hokus Pokus POTUS)
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