2010 census

[KevinMadden]

Maybe I'm just too young or naive, but why does answering some questions on a sheet about yourself for the government constitute some heinous invasion of privacy?

Someday, when you are older and an employer, give job seekers an employment application that asks what their race is and then see what the government does to you.

Most of them already do, It's usually in an optional "section to self-identify" or something like that, this same section is found on college applications. I always fill it out truthfully. When I am ashamed or nervous to say that I am a white male on an official document, this country has gone completely back to where it started form.. just on the other side of 'equality'

[TUBAD83]

I plan to complete the form--the government knows more than enough about me already. So those who really want to rebel and take back your privacy and thumb your nose at Uncle Sam please do the following:

Sell the house/land/vehicles/computers/cell phones, stop paying taxes of ANY kind, get a job that pays you in cash "off the books", stop voting, do NOT maintain a permanent address. Now THATS living off the grid and a lot of people do just that. So get to it, "Rebs"

Right?

[Biggs]

Big Brother's butt-boy

Talk about a mixed metaphor, though I already call dibs on the Big Brother Butt Boys as a tuba quartet name.

[tubatooter1940]

My son brought it in from the mail box and filled it out and mailed it off. I guess he filled it out correctly. If the feds haul me off to the crossbar hotel, I will know he did something terribly wrong.
toots

[tubbba]

I let mine sit for too long and my wife filled it out and sent it off.

If the feds haul me off to to the greybar inn, I'll know she did it intentionally.

[BVD Press]

For anyone in the know, two quick questions:

1. I have and many of my neighbors have their Census forms, but it doesn't have the right town on it. Since part of the reason to fill out a Census is for proper representation, having the wrong town kind of defeats this purpose. What is one to do now?

2. I see nothing about having to be truthful? If it would help ones' town with govt' funding, wouldn't it make sense for residents to manipulate the system and fill these forms out in a way where they would get the most funding?

To me, this is a 100% waste of money. Just check with the Republicans, Democrats or Wal-Mart as they will probably have more accurate info than our govt' ever will...

For what it is worth, get the town right and I will fill one out. Not until then...

[BVD Press]

You seem as though you're quite incensused.

Just flooded tonight!

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/x16 ... tch-videos

[Mark]

1. I have and many of my neighbors have their Census forms, but it doesn't have the right town on it.

They did this to us too. Apparently a city of nearly 40,000 isn't big enough for the Census Bureau to care about.

You might live in Sammamish, but the census questionnaire sent to your address may indicate that you live in Redmond or Issaquah. To remedy that, the census bureau says you should simply correct the city name on the form you mail back. But even if you don't do that, Census Bureau Director Robert Groves says on his website that a code on the questionnaire will correctly place you in Sammamish.
"If your form has a different city name or zip code than the one you are used to seeing on your mail, but it otherwise correct, please note the following:
The actual location of your address has been verified for accuracy. The 20-digit identification number on your form links back to our master address and geographic files where we store the information about the correct geographic location to which your housing unit belongs."
"This geographic information was verified last year by census workers who physically located each housing unit on the ground and assigned the housing units a “geocode” using special census maps and GPS coordinates. The address on your census form or advance letter may not list the city name or ZIP code you identify with or are used to seeing on your mail."
"This is a result of a cost-saving measure that streamlines how the forms are sorted and delivered to you by the U.S. Postal Service. It will not affect which city, town or block your household’s responses will be assigned to when we tabulate census results."
To make sure that these mistaken city names won't affect the results of the census count, Sammamish city officials have been in close contact with the census bureau. This website will be updated as more information becomes available.

[BVD Press]

Considering the town on mine and other neighbors is a good 10-15 minutes away it doesn't give one too much confidence in the verification process...Maybe if the house washed down the river I would have a new address!

Oh well my census is soaked now and I could care less about the census today and into the foreseeable future. Time to start the cleanup process...

[Blake Dowling]

That sounds a bit more like TN or KY then WV.

[Rick F]

Anyone get selected for the long form followup census after spending the "10 minutes for 10 questions" on the short form? We did. The long form is 27 pages long and is REQUIRED BY LAW TO BE FILLED OUT.

I called the U.S. Census Bureau and they verified it IS required. She said we had been randomly selected for the long form. I asked what if we refused to fill all of this out? She said then the phone calls start - followed by the door to door visits. On the 27 page form there are questions like, how many rooms in your house, how much did we spend to heat your house last year, total water/sewer bill last year, cost of homeowner's or fire insurance (flood) on our home, property taxes last year, whether or not we have health insurance... and is it through an employer or private. etc. Sheesh, a lot of personal stuff. Didn't ask for SSN, but does require a names of those living in the household.

[TUBAD83]

Lets not get too carried away about the big overbearing evil government---your bank and your credit card company has more info about you than Uncle Sam EVER will.

JJ

[steve_decker]

Lets not get too carried away about the big overbearing evil government---your bank and your credit card company has more info about you than Uncle Sam EVER will.

JJ

Assuming for a moment that your statement is true....

At least I chose to provide info to my bank and credit card company. In the case of the census, the government is mandating that whatever information requested on the form be provided.

[Donn]

Lets not get too carried away about the big overbearing evil government---your bank and your credit card company has more info about you than Uncle Sam EVER will.

Assuming for a moment that your statement is true....

At least I chose to provide info to my bank and credit card company. In the case of the census, the government is mandating that whatever information requested on the form be provided.

Note (you probably know this very well, but for the young persons here who might not have thought very much about it), you "chose" to provide this information every time you used your credit card in a transaction. They know your lifestyle, your movements (gas purchases), pretty complete and up to date picture. By choice, of course - I got along without a card until my mid 30's (when I discovered my lack of interest in buying things on credit, had made me appear to be a poor credit risk.) Go ahead, it's your choice. But the information they get on the rest of us is far more insidious than detailed information on a random small percentage of the US population. I manage to keep my credit card in my pocket at gas stations about 99% of the time (and gets me a break on the price at the neighborhood Shell station), and most in person purchases, but if I were going to be paranoid about personal information, would have to do something about my occasional mail orders.

[Rick F]

A census bureau worker came to my door today. Before he could ask me a question I told him I had already filled out the short form AND their 27 page follow-up questionnaire over a week ago. He said he was here about my neighbor -- who had asked him to come back on Wednesday. He was whining that he came back Wednesday and my neighbor wasn't there like it was my fault. I told him my neighbor works out of his home so comes and goes often. Not sure what type schedule he's on (not that I'd tell him anyway). Then he asked if I had my neighbor's phone number. I said no and closed the door. Sheesh they are really pushy!!

According to law, they can fine folks for not responding
Do I have to respond to the American Community Survey

[steve_decker]

The other day I was in the middle of laying patio stones in the backyard when a census worker pulled in. She sat in her car and waited for me to approach her. She greeted me with a big smile and proudly proclaimed "We're going to fill out your census form!". I told her I was busy and didn't have time. She said she'd go quickly and it would take about 5mins. My response... "I'll make it even quicker. Five people live here and that's all you're going to get." It took her a couple of minutes to back out of my driveway. Don't know if she'll be back and don't really care. I'd rather pay the fine than supply the Census Bureau with more information than they need to know.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I'd rather pay the fine than supply the Census Bureau with more information than they need to know.

Wow...even if the fine is $5000? I admire your tenacity.

[steve_decker]

I'd rather pay the fine than supply the Census Bureau with more information than they need to know.

Wow...even if the fine is $5000? I admire your tenacity.

My wife would likely circumvent my stuborness on were that the case. According to the official 2010 Census website, the fine for not participating "shall be no more than $100" and the fine for knowingly providing false information "shall be no more than $500". Either of those, I'm fine with.

[TUBAD83]

There is no penalty for not filling out the form or not talking to the census worker. Its totally up to you--really don't understand why people are making such a big deal about it.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

There is no penalty for not filling out the form or not talking to the census worker. Its totally up to you--really don't understand why people are making such a big deal about it.

You really need to stop smoking whatever it is you are smoking, or at least stop posting when you have no clue what you are talking about.

Read Title 13 of the U.S. Code...specifically, Section 221 which states (paraphrased for brevity):

a) Refusal to answer or willfully neglecting to answer a census workers questions is punishable by a fine of not more than $100.
b) Willfully giving false answers is punishable by a fine of not more that $500.
c) No person shall be compelled to disclose information related to religious beliefs.

There is some debate as to whether the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 (Title 18, Section 3571) changed those maximums to $5,000 and $10,000. Many people believe that is the case, but I'm no legal expert and frankly can't tell.

But I can tell FOR SURE that there is a potential for a fine. "There is no penalty" or "it's totally up to you" is just ridiculous and really irresponsible to say.