The Census

US Census forms were sent out this week; I got mine yesterday. What do you folks think? Will you mail your form in, or wait for Ness to come knocking on your door?

I'm not one of those paranoid folks who thinks the government will use the Census information against me. Honestly, I don't think they ask enough questions if they're trying to get an accurate picture of society. They only do this once every 10 years, so why not go nuts with questions? Questions like "What's your annual income?" (sure, they could get this from the IRS, but government agencies don't talk to each other), "Do you have health care?" or "What sort of internet connection do you have?" Instead it boils down to age, race, and where you live.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I've gotten three letters from the census daily for the last week I'm just trashing them. Does this make me UnAmerican.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

So far I've only gotten a letter informing me that they'll send my census form soon. After enduring so many of those horrible commercials about taking a photograph of everyone in America I have half a mind not to send it back.

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Maybe if they'd just send out the damn forms rather than airing annoying commercials about it for months in advance they wouldn't be so far over budget.

How ya doing, buddy?

Three? Wow. I got one last week telling me that I would be getting the actual form next week, and I cringed at the waste of money involved in sending it.

Originally Posted by Da Trich TERMINATOR

So far I've only gotten a letter informing me that they'll send my census form soon. After enduring so many of those horrible commercials about taking a photograph of everyone in America I have half a mind not to send it back.

You do realize if you don't send it back, they'll come to your house. You'll have to put pants on, or risk assault charges against a federal employee.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Funny, we got our census forms about a month ago. For the past two weeks, we've been getting more of them, saying "Hey, better fill out the census."

I was speaking idiomatically.

Got mine a few days ago, filled it out, and put it in the mail for the following morning.

Actually, curious what the internet would say to mark down for this. Girlfriend is Chilean, her ancestry is about half European and half Native. However, under the Native American box it requests a tribe you're affiliated with.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by nuttyturnip

You do realize if you don't send it back, they'll come to your house. You'll have to put pants on, or risk assault charges against a federal employee.

The federal government cannot comprehend the true form of my pantslessness.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by RacinReaver

Actually, curious what the internet would say to mark down for this. Girlfriend is Chilean, her ancestry is about half European and half Native. However, under the Native American box it requests a tribe you're affiliated with.

Just check "other" and write in "American".

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

We got a letter last week notifying us that the census would be coming in the mail this week, and hey, you're legally obligated to do this shit and it'll help accurately fund shit in Massachusetts, so you better do it!

We got it Monday. Put it in the mail Tuesday morning.

Painless. There's no really serious, sensitive information on there either. I can't imagine why people wouldn't JUST DO IT. It takes longer to fill out a check, jesus christ

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Do they ask religion in the census? Curious as to whether anyone's naughty enough to put "Jedi" in there...

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I don't recall it asking, so apparently we're not as invasive as the Aussies (or maybe we just don't want to know the actual numbers).

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

If it's anything like Canada's census, then there's a set of basic questions that go out to everyone, and then a more in-depth set that also goes out to a smaller random sample.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Zergrinch

Do they ask religion in the census? Curious as to whether anyone's naughty enough to put "Jedi" in there...

No. We were wondering why they didn't ask. I figured they would.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Can you imagine the reaction from the Fox News types if the government asked about your religion?

OBAMA WILL USE THE CENSUS TO PUNISH ALL THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Last I heard, the more detailed questions are being saved for "non-decennial" years, and this is solely being used for the really important counting.

"really important counting" is a funny phrase

FELIPE NO

lol you guys still have to deal with censuses? Glad the German Supreme Court stopped this shit 30 years ago.

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Yes, well, we all know how well it went last time the Germans tried to categorize their citizens.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I just received my census a few days ago and was sort of disappointed with it. All it asked was if I was Hispanic or African American, how many people were living in my home, and if someone in my family was in prison ...or living elsewhere as well as living here (college dorm, etc.)

They also felt the need to print every page twice, once in English and again in Spanish.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I liked how it said not to count yourself as living at your residence if you planned on being in prison April 1 (or whatever the date was).

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

As someone who is working for the Census Bureau right now, I can tell you that the most personal information you could possibly give them is your name and your phone number. Plus all the census data is locked away for 72 years and is inaccessible by ANY other government agency (except in the case of a legitimate threat). Having that said the forms have already started coming in and while I can't talk about exactly what I've seen so far in regards to people's personal data, there ARE people out there who find the questions invasive, despite being more or less completely benign.

If nothing else, there are three good reasons to answer the census
- Its your Duty as an American.
- Its required by the Constitution (So, by Law).
- It helps to determine federal funding for states, districts and communities. I've heard different figures but, taking my home state of Arizona as an example, each person's response is worth somewhere in the area of $1,200 (but don't quote me on that, I'm not entirely certain of the precise figure).

Some of the questions do seem a bit moronic but I didn't come up with them so I have zero control over that. Some people DID receive dual english-spanish forms and those are intentionally distributed for neighborhoods which are expected to have a high spanish-speaking population. They had an in-depth census delivered to one out of every six households in 2000, but they discontinued that practice this time around for whatever reason.

Anyway it doesn't particularly matter to me personally if you don't answer the census but I'd encourage doing it for the reasons outlined above. If you have questions about something I'll try and answer them. There are no questions about religion on the actual forms btw.

Off to bed, night folks!

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Dark Nation, do you ever have to call people because you "don't understand a response" ?

I thought that was a little strange that they asked for your phone number so they could call you if they didn't understand any of your responses considering just about all the questions were multiple choice.

I guess people could fill in their name wrong, or in Chinese or something, or bubble in the entire form...

I was speaking idiomatically.

It's amazing how many people can screw up the simplest of tasks.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Dark Nation

If nothing else, there are three good reasons to answer the census
- Its your Duty as an American.
- Its required by the Constitution (So, by Law).
- It helps to determine federal funding for states, districts and communities. I've heard different figures but, taking my home state of Arizona as an example, each person's response is worth somewhere in the area of $1,200 (but don't quote me on that, I'm not entirely certain of the precise figure).

That's actually one very good reason and two almost meaningless platitudes.

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I am filling out my Census forms because Dana White was on TV telling me that Nevada needs me to. If I don't I'm pretty sure he'll send UFC guys after me.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Da Syphillis ELIMINATOR

That's actually one very good reason and two almost meaningless platitudes.

I will have to disagree with you there. The census being required by law is pretty much a fact (There's also a fine if you absolutely refuse to fill it out), AND the federal funding does help out in getting more money for things like public schools, parks, after-school programs & facilities, road construction/repairs, utilities, etc., Of course since you're Canadian I guess the idea of it being your duty as an American would be considered as such ('Meaningless platitude'). I mean I can see where you're coming from but I think its something Americans should do, even if they don't fill out all the info on the forms.

Originally Posted by oturansama

Dark Nation, do you ever have to call people because you "don't understand a response" ?

I thought that was a little strange that they asked for your phone number so they could call you if they didn't understand any of your responses considering just about all the questions were multiple choice.

I guess people could fill in their name wrong, or in Chinese or something, or bubble in the entire form...

To clarify a bit: I'm working specifically for a company contracted by the government to handle all the paper forms for processing, so I don't handle any phone calls that might come in from people who get confused. For the record, I have seen some very strange things in the Exceptions department.

Originally Posted by nuttyturnip

It's amazing how many people can screw up the simplest of tasks.

I like to think of it like this: A person is smart, but people are bloody stupid.

Jam it back in, in the dark.