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 ...
Dont waste your time with these people..lol Their tinfoil is wound too tight.
There are plenty of things wrong with this country. The census isnt one of them.
Smartass remarks to a legitimate statement. Robert Gibbs, is that you?
Have you gotten one of those long form of AC Surveys? I have. Twice.
You just keep saying “don’t worry about it.” We’re not worried. We’re P.O.’d. As you noted, we have a communist in the WH. And there are some fairly obvious dots that can be connected about what that means for the legitimate use of info. Genealogists aren’t the only ones using info for reasons it was never intended.
News Flash: Your ancestors never envisioned electronic data bases that can be misused and breeched.
People take the time to give you facts and you go into parrot mode. Ok, we get it. You’re a genealogist and happy for the info so we should ALL be equally unconcerned because New Yawk Minute says so.
AGAIN: As people have repeatedly pointed out, the short form census isn’t the problem. Yes, there are some who object to anything other than enumeration, period. But most ppl are concerned about the long form and the American Community Survey.
note to the Buffalo News...
That is not a poor job of census taking you’ve noticed.
All those people realy HAVE fled Upstate New York...
Then why are you still here, newbie? You don't like FReepers who disagree with you, there's always your pals at DU or Kos. Are you bouncing from tab to tab on your browser, filling them in on your trashing FReepers? I wouldn't be surprised.
You're really, really, coming across as a troll now.
In 1810, there was no easily accessible database.
Any data collected in this census will be of no use to my “personal genealogical needs,” or whatever it is you’re referring to. I’m interested in my ANCESTORS when I do genealogical research. Their information isn’t going to appear in the 2010 census, Bub.
What I am interested in is seeing to it that the rural part of Pennsylvania where I live which is full of God-fearing, gun-toting individualists, the people Obama deliberately and specifically ridiculed as “clinging to their guns and religion,” get represented in Congress. I DON’T want them to disappear, lose their representation, and be supplanted by illegal aliens and who knows what else in California and Nevada and New Mexico and the Republique du Nord who make sure they return their forms.
Now there is a great excuse I can use when the census thugs come to my door.
A letter I sent to my neighbors:
Hello Neighbor:
You probably know that the decennial US Census is coming up soon. What you may not know is the degree to which the next census is being politicized by the government in Washington.
The census has one (and only one) purpose: to count the number of people in the country as described in the Constitution.
But, the plan now is to ask a number of invasive (and illegal) questions of citizens. Furthermore, people may be threatened with fines if they do not comply with the questioning.
Worse, census takers are being instructed to ask neighbors questions about each other to double check information.
If a census taker comes to my house, I will tell him how many people live here — and that’s all. Any other questions will be met with “I decline to answer” — no matter how much he protests or “threatens.”
Should he ask me any questions about you, I will decline answer.
I want you, my neighbors, to know: under NO circumstances will I answer any questions about you. Your privacy and your rights are as important to me as are my own.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you would like to discuss this.
And just what makes you believe the data collected will be used in a proper, lawful, manner once received. One look at the government entity that exists today, and that is behind it, should give you pause.
What you purport as your ‘interest’ in this, may not have a chance in hell of happening anyway. And, yes, I’m being very serious about this.
Me also.
Write in a local escort service number.
As is ever one of the "tinfoilers" you and NYM disparage throughout this thread. Where we disagree is the on extent of the intrusion.
The only answer they need for the purpose you stated is a number...one number...how many citizens live at your address. Period.
All else is immaterial to apportioning representation and can/has/will be used for purposes that are (best case)not the USG's business or (worst case) detrimental to Liberty.
Thought of that many times and no doubt it happened many times. That’s why genealogists have to do a lot of cross-referencing and document hunting along with researching the census. All in all, though, most census information has turned out to be pretty accurate and informative for basic stuff.
They will when they see me in a hockey mask.
FYI, I’d bet the majority of professional and amateur genealogists are among the most conservative of Americans. Speaking personally, I’m probably to the right of Reagan and Goldwater.
In Washington, DC, the local government has been playing with the issue of vacant property. Last year they tried to tax all vacant property including land at 10% of assessed valuation. This is more than 10 times the rate for occupied homes. Finally, after much political struggle, the language was changed to “blighted” vacant property. Then, not satisfied with that some councilpeople are trying to make a rate of double the regular tax rate for ANY vacant property. They are also trying to force people to register their property as vacant if it is empty for ONE month, with high fees, and/or fines and jail time for failure to register. I wonder how many people will put people in their “vacant” homes for census purposes. This latest ploy was based on the fact that other jurisdictions do the same. I think they said Cincinnati was one of the 3 cited cities.
Not sure why you respond to that post as it wasn’t addressed to you. And you’re not a newbie calling those of us who disagree with them tinfoil wearers.
In any event, I’ve done genealogical research on my family as well, and have use census information. So I see the value. But that is overridden IMO, in an era of federal intrusion into our lives in almost every area. This is an opportunity to fight back, and I will fight back. Period.
What they want to know can be found in other ways. After all, they likely already have the information. I’m simply not going to hand it to them.
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/text/text-form.php
Here are the 10 questions and the government’s reasons. None of which seem that valid for the questions asked.
“There are over 600,000 people here without a voice in the House (NYS’s 29th Congressional District).”
Oh, the inhumanity, remember that the same number of people in Washington, DC have been without a voting voice for the entire existence of the city. I think that anyone without a voice should put their tax money in an escrow account until they do have a voice.
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.