Census 2010
 

Maybe it is me and what I do for a living that makes me uneasy when someone asks for my name and date of birth.
Why is the census asking for that?
Since when is this a process to attach a name to a statistic?
I can see asking my age.
I can see asking information about individuals in my household as they have a valid address to whom they mailed it to. However, it was mailed to "RESIDENT" and I feel it should stay that way.
They are not going to get that from me.

Here is the kicker, can we have your phone number in case we don't understand the answers. These freaking questions are as basic as 1+1.

Am I being too paranoid? I never participated in any prior census so wouldn't know what others have been like before. Curious to hear from those that have.

Re: Census 2010
 

I almost applied to be a census taker this year. They were full up.

The census has always seemed to me like a harmless survey. Believe it or not, there are people who are too dumb to understand people's answers, or residents give answers that have nothing to do with the question being asked.

I think you'll be okay.

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My wife went ahead and filled it out. She didn't want these guys coming and knocking on our door. I had suggested she put "other" for "race" and write in "American" but again, she just wanted to get it over with and not have to deal with people calling her or knocking on her door.

So, if you don't fill it out, you'll be pestered until they get their answers.

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Why would they need my phone number? I am giving them 555-555-1212.
Why would they need my date of birth? Wouldn't my age suffice for the statistics collected by the census?
My name could have been secured from tax records. They had to have found my address somehow.
I just find it all wicked.

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IIRC, I don't think you have to answer ALL of the questions on the survey, or at least there has been some debate about what information is legally required or not. I'm going to research and will only be answering the info required by law.

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No. All they need to know is how many live in your home and maybe what age they are. Any other questions should be ignored, imo.

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I would assume to clarify answers to questions.
Because the Govt. would rather you do all their work, rather than having to use their powers of subtraction. Things like this could be used for studies and such, or for people looking for ancestry documentation.

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While I agree that some of the ? are none of their beeswax, if you don't answer them, they'll pester you until you do, either by calling or visiting. Why do you think they hired all those workers- to go after those that don't fill out their forms or don't answer all the questions- by knocking on doors. Frankly, the questions really didn't bother me all that much- not like ten years ago when you got sent a book and they asked you about the number of bathrooms in your house and other stuff that REALLY had nothing to do with a census.

So, to avoid further contact, I'd suggest to swallow hard and just fill it out and send it in.

PS: I know that there are plenty of folks that are talking about what you "legally" have to answer etc, etc, but, bottom line, to avoid further contact with these people you might just as well answer the questions and be done with it.

Re: Census 2010
 

LOL. They sound like Thompsons Cigars.

FWIW, I'm glad I am not employed by them. I really wouldn't like pestering them.

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:tf

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Well next they'll want to know how many firearms you have in your household.

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I think Thompson was one of the classroom teachers.:D

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My answers for 2-10 represent the truth, but are not my own personal information.

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Hugh,
Dave posted this on my profile.
This is funny stuff!!!
I think this is what I will do if they show up at my doorstep because I didn't answer all the questions.
It is Christopher Walken on an SNL skit about the Census.
http://www.flixxy.com/christopher-wa...night-live.htm

Re: Census 2010
 

:rnice

Re: Census 2010
 

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/questions.php

For those of you worried about your information, you better stop using the internet immediately. You leave more information about you on the internet than the government gets by filling out a survey.

Re: Census 2010
 

I was going to ask, what about leaving it blank and here is the answer. $100 fine.

Sec. 221. Refusal or neglect to answer questions; false answers

(a) Whoever, being over eighteen years of age refuses or willfully neglects, when requested by the Secretary, or by any other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of the Secretary or authorized officer, to answer, to the best of his knowledge, any of the questions on any schedule submitted to him in connection with any census or survey provided for by subchapters I, II, IV, and V of chapter 5 of this title, applying to himself or to the family to which he belongs or is related, or to the farm or farms of which he or his family is the occupant, shall be fined not more than $100.

(b) Whoever, when answering questions described in subsection (a) of this section, and under the conditions or circumstances described in such subsection, willfully gives any answer that is false, shall be fined not more than $500. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, no person shall be compelled to disclose information relative to his religious beliefs or to membership in a religious body.

I am close to being back in Cuba.

Re: Census 2010
 

Scary aint it?

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Seriously? You're willing to leave the country over having to answer how many people are in your house?

Re: Census 2010
 

I just bit the bullet and filled it out. That information is readily available to whomever wants it anyway.

Have you seen the information available via google maps and whitepages.com?

:tf

No biggie if you ask me. I would be concerned if I thought anyone in our government was smart enough to correctly assemble and use the information.

Now, come on cvstoms. Release my packages. :tu

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I can hang up or not answer the door...OR...Ohh I don't live here I'm the house sitter. They are vacationing in Monte Carlo for the summer...:ss

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I just bought a new house-what's the penalty for filling it out twice? :D

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Don't get over-excited about the census...just fill it out...the information in it is kept by the government and is used to apportion government funds to your local districts...furthermore the census is not made public for 72 years...I've been doing some research on my ancesters and have access to the 1910, 1920, and 1930 census's...I won't be albe to access the 1940 census for another two years...and all you see when you access the older ones is the name and address of the resident's, their age's and very little else...the early ones asked if the children were in school and if they could read and write...they used that for federal funding for the schools...the 1930 census shows my grandmother and grandfather, and my mother at age 8, and my aunt at age 4...it's really no biggie...

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Not to point out the obvious here, but if you have a passport the government already knows the answers to most or all of the things you don't want to fill out on the census form, so you might as well just fill them in and not attention to yourself.

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:r

No.
I suppose after reading what I wrote, it could in fact be taken that way too.

What I meant is we use to have to walk around with documents and offer them up to the government at any request, at any time.

Re: Census 2010
 

I told my wife the same thing.
She wants me to just fill it out and not have them hound us.
Me on the other hand, I like a challenge.

Re: Census 2010
 

MJ...spit my drink out on that. Ironic that it is so true. :r :r Those yahoos at Thompson continue to call me cell every week...and this is after repeated calls to them in which "in not to kind words" told them to LOSE my number.

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I will never give that information to them. None of their business.

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Hey,
If they add that question and you don't answer, $100 fine.
If enough folks don't answer it, increase the fine to $500 next time and more revenue.

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:tpd:

It's our government! What's not to trust???:r

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I don't get what the problem is. Why wouldn't you just fill it out? Is this information really that sensitive?

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The data that is being collected by the Cenus Bureau is to help determine your representation in Congress and they can't do that unless you have been counted. The data is protected under Title 13 and can only be used for statistical purposes. Title 13 is very specific about confidentiality of all your information that is collected and there are penalities for disclosure.

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/privacy/index.php

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/wh...titutional.php

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I filled mine out!!!

Now I'm just waiting for my Thompsons Cigar Catalog!!! :ss

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I checked "other" for race, and wrote "human."

I could get into the theology of it, but I won't. Instead, I'll get simple.

As long as this country continues to make the divisive distinctions, "racisim" (sic) will continue in this country. If we want to talk about ethnic origins, great - that'd make me a Bohemian-German, it'd make my wife German, and my kids are even less Bohemian than I am. You know what, there is no option for that on the census. Why not? I'm supposed to choose white? I'm not white! Compare my skin color to white, and it doesn't match - in the summer, it matches even less.

Personally, I am an American - a native born American - for the last 3 generations. Can I write native American? Let's face it, anybody here today had ancestors that migrated to this content at some point in the past, some longer ago that others. So, there are no true "native Americans."

I have a couple African American friends whose ancestors came over to this country long before mine did, when do they become fully Americans.

I get together with my friends Jim, Steve, and Dave. We sit down to watch the Packer game with our cigars and drinks of choice. We're all Americans, but we have a multitude of different traits. We have different eye colors, shape of noses, different hair color (curly or not), ear lobes may dangle or be attached, long or short nose, dark skinned, light skinned, etc...

As long as the differences are continually pointed out, there will be "racism" (sic).

You appreciate me for who I am, and I'll appreciate you for who you are. But the race baiting in the census form is for the birds. This is the second census I filled out that way. I encourage you to follow suit.

Mark "other" and write in "human."

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Re: Census 2010
 

The only information they should need is "how many people live at this residence" which is all I filled out. I'm sure if they get ahold of my wife, they'll get all the information they want (and then some), but all I can do is try.

Re: Census 2010
 

Totally different topic, but I often wonder if "they" know you carry a concealed weapon permit by running your license plate number at a traffic stop.

I offer the info myself as a precaution and rarely get in a traffic stop anyway.

I heard on the radio a discussion about how EVERY email or phone conversation you are involved with CAN be checked by the government.

Obviously the don't listen to every conversation or read every email, but apparantly there are certain words that trip an alarm. Probably stuff like "jihad" and stuff like that.

As for the census, I don't mind filling it out because it might help the school funding in my area.

Re: Census 2010
 

Pete,
My question is how does you name and date of birth and phone number for contact help school funding?

My point is while that information may be harmless at the end of the day, what can possibly be added to it 10 years from now and be subject to a fine if you don't answer it?

I guess my hang up is why not send me a census, to my address, that asks for limited information about each person living in my home?

Questions asked:
1) Last name, First name of every resident. Don't think they need that other than for the owner of the home, residing there, as it would appear in the tax records.
2) How is the person related to you? Doesn't bother me to answer this one.
3) What is the person's sex? Doesn't bother me either.
4) What is the person's age and date of birth? Second part bothers me. Why do they need that at all?
5) Is this person Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish? Then if Hispanic, are you Mexican, Puerto Rican or Cuban? As a Cuban, this PISSES me off. Why don't they ask for other nationalities? Why Hispanics only? Why doesn't it ask about other Hispanics in this country like the masses of Venezuelans, Colombians, Nicaraguans and on and on and on?
6) What is the person's race? Can live with that one.
7) Does this person live or stay somewhere else? Well aholes, if you just asked about this person living in your household, why the hell ask if they live somewhere else? I guess we need to spend our money on identifying ALL college kids studying away from home. Important to spend money on figuring that one out.

This thing is stupid!

Re: Census 2010
 

In Ohio the officer knows. My buddy is a cop and I asked him to run my info. On the screen when they run the plate it says "Concealed Weapons Permit" or something like that.

In Ohio, you have to notify the officer no matter what. Some guy hit me on the highway a couple years ago and when the officer approached me, the first thing I said is "Officer, I have to inform you that I have a concealed carry permit and I am armed. Do you have any instructions for me" He said I was fine b/c he doesn't have to worry about CCW holders. It is the criminals he has to worry about that don't tell him.

Re: Census 2010
 

I am sure that the Americans of Japanese descent in US concentration camps during WWII also thought their answers to the 1930 and 40 census would also not be an issue after all they were Americans right. How the Census Bureau was involved in the illegal detention of these innocent Americans is widely documented and a matter of fact not theory. I for one am going to practice an American tradition of civil disobedience and choose to not to participate. I care nothing if they knock on my door, the first time they will be politely asked to leave, and after that if they come back I will not be as polite.

Re: Census 2010
 

They don't in Florida, but some states they do know. Florida doesn't have it tied to your DL yet. And you don't have to offer the info if you are stopped, but you can't lie if they ask.

Re: Census 2010
 

I always find it interesting when people pick and choose which part of the Constitution they want to follow...

I'm sure most of us here support the 2nd, 4th, 5th, etc amendments. The census is in the Constitution. Give them the basic info they need and be done with it... there isnt anything nefarious in this census compared with previous ones.

Re: Census 2010
 

I hear you and follow you.
That doesn't mean you can't question the law.
Census may be law.
Law may require you to comply or face penalties.
Doesn't mean all of it is appropriate.
Doesn't mean it can't be questioned.

What benefit is there to focus solely on Hispanics in the US? Other groups don't matter?
What benefit is there to question only on Mexicans, Puerto Ricans (which are Americans I might add) and Cubans?
Those are not valid questions for me to pose as an American?

Re: Census 2010
 

Was it television that made stupidity so popular in America?

Re: Census 2010
 

Those are valid questions and BY LAW you dont have to answer them. Like I said, just the most basic info is required.

Re: Census 2010
 

If we can't trust Credit card companies to keep our Info safe, and they have a $$$ reason to keep it safe, why should you trust the gov't to keep it completely safe?
I contract to the gov't and let me tell you, be afraid.

Are you surprised? Probably the same ACORN employees are now going to be employed by the Census. More taxpayer dollars at work.

Re: Census 2010
 

Re: Census 2010
 

:tf

Re: Census 2010
 

Or a drivers license, or a hunting license, or a Social Security Number, or any number of other pieces of ID issued by your local, state or federal branches for varying purposes.

As someone else mentioned, they just want to to do the work of collating the specific information they want for this survey. Honestly you should probably want to do it for them too. They can easily get this information with or without your knowledge, at least in the form of a census you know what they're asking. Besides your tax dollars are paying for this exercise and you can bet that it's cheaper to pay the census takers to mail out the forms and do the resulting data entry than is it to pay bureaucrats to pull this information from multiple sources across several departments and/or levels of government.

If collated by geographical district they can make predictions about future school use based on population trends. For example if district A has 50% of households where the age is under 40 and district B has 65% of households over 50 you know that district A is likely to need more school services simply because it has a higher percentage of it's population in their child bearing and rearing years. If you take that further and trend that data over several census periods then you can get an idea of migration trends in and out of districts making those kind of predictions more accurate than just looking at single snapshot in time.

Re: Census 2010
 

I filled mine out and mailed it yesterday, and lo and behold, the sun still rose this morning. :rolleyes:


And between tax returns, passport applications and driver's license info, they already know everything about me.

Re: Census 2010
 

True.


While mostly true, neighborhoods and zip codes can change drastically in the 10 years between censuseseses. sp? :)
Example: The Northern Virginia landscape has changed so dramatically over the past decade, the census data taken in 2000 has been worthless for school planning since 2002.

We still need the census, but the data is truly only useful in a suburban environment like the DC Metro area for 2 years. Demographics, income levels, age groups can change in as little as a year based on an article in the Post.