Concerned w/ 2010 Census & have question

[Guest Policek9Trainer]

Not from illegals (including those that overstayed their visas) they don't, and that's who the cities really want to count to get more monies.

[mcurrier]

Several friends and I all went and took (and passed) the test to work for the Census. Not one of us was ever called back. We are all Republicans. Coincidence?

And I thought it was called the 'census', as in the "U.S. Census Bureau"?

On their website they are calling it "American Community Survey".

My parents didn't like people coming around poking their nose where it didn't belong back in the 60's. Now I absolutely agree.

Obama and ACORN are running this thing now. Let's see how radically district statistics seem to "change" after they are through.

Sign me up for some tinfoil, because I'm going to need a lot on this subject.

[mcurrier]

They came to my door. What is strange to me, I watched them go around the neighborhood and I did not see them stop at every house???

Only non-liberal houses need to be questioned. They might have guns, bibles and use independent thought. An Obama bumper sticker will get a pass by. We need to stock up on Obama stickers!

Principal Skinner: "That's two independent thought alarms in one day. Willie, the children are over-stimulated. Remove all the colored chalk from the classrooms."

[Dropkick Murphy]

This is deeply troubling. I had almost the same experience as the OP about 2 weeks ago. Dude was driving a red sporty looking car. He did not ask me about me or the number of people in my family, but he also was poking around in my backyard with his PDA.

I thought I was over reacting when it looked like he was checking to see if I had a back door, but now I'm wondering.

[Guest gunslinger707]

A young lady came by here a couple of week's ago. All they are doing is verifying address's for the form's to be sent out next year.

[mcurrier]

A young lady came by here a couple of week's ago. All they are doing is verifying address's for the form's to be sent out next year.

Most houses have the address on the front side. Or the mailbox or curb.

[Guest XclntONE]

my thoughts exactly. the street sign 100 feet from my driveway says the street name clear as day and i have numbers on my mailbox and front porch.

[Steelharp]

Several friends and I all went and took (and passed) the test to work for the Census. Not one of us was ever called back. We are all Republicans. Coincidence?

Yes. I'm a Republican, and I got called. I couldn't do it because I was out of town during the time frame they needed. Loosen the foil, pal.

Some houses are in different sectors, and if the house next to you isn't in the designated area for the worker, they'll pass it by.

[mcurrier]

Loosen the foil, pal..

Will get right on that!

Here's something a friend just emailed me -

Obama and ACORN GPS Marking EVERY Front Door in America?

or

Surprise! Census Comes Early, With A GPS To Map Your FRONT DOOR | Right Soup

Draw your own conclusions.

[oldogy]

I came home today around 11:00 hours and found a truck backing out of my driveway. A government identification sticker was clearly displayed on the windshield. The driver, had found my gate locked, could not see the house way back in the woods so he was leaving. As I pulled up I quickly went from CC to open carry and asked if I could help him. He displayed his credentials and asked if he could get the coordinates at my front door. I opened the driveway gate and he followed me the 1/4 mile to the house, got out of his truck and seeing that I was open carrying asked if it was alright to get the coordinates. After doing so he made a quick glance at my other buildings, a detached two car garage and a pole barn, guess he was looking for additional living quarters but said nothing. After this he handed me a privacy form, thanked me and said good day.

I don't really like the idea of the government poking around on my property but I guess he was only doing what he was getting paid to do.

oldogy

Edited May 5, 2009 by oldogy

[TGO David]

Will get right on that!

Here's something a friend just emailed me -

Obama and ACORN GPS Marking EVERY Front Door in America?

or

Surprise! Census Comes Early, With A GPS To Map Your FRONT DOOR | Right Soup

Draw your own conclusions.

Yeah... that's pretty ****ing out there. Seriously. The Census Bureau was putting together the equipment and logistics for the 2010 Census long before Obama assumed power.

Edited May 5, 2009 by TGO David

[Mark@Sea]

Census worker came by while I was out. Told Sue she had to fill out a form, Sue said she'd rather not until I got home. C.W. got snippy, told Sue she had to fill it out.

That didn't work out well.

AFAIK, CW filled out an 'incident report', noting Sue was 'uncooperative'.

Can someone tell me, without discussing tinfoil, how a lat and long (gps coords) corresponds at all to a mailing address?

[Fallguy]

Can someone tell me, without discussing tinfoil, how a lat and long (gps coords) corresponds at all to a mailing address?

Every person that is supposed to be counted may not be living at a place that has a mailing address.

If household doesn't respond to the packet, they will be visited by a CW for an interview to answer the questions....I would guess the GPS location would help the worker get to the correct location.

[TGO David]

FWIW... uncooperative people can/may receive visits from Census workers accompanied by LEO depending on the severity of the lack of cooperation and any hostilities shown toward them.

Just keep that in mind, people.

[macville]

FWIW... uncooperative people can/may receive visits from Census workers accompanied by LEO depending on the severity of the lack of cooperation and any hostilities shown toward them.

While that may be true, somehow I doubt that they are going to bother with an LEO since the worst thing they can do is fine you $100. The Constitution says that the feds can do a census every 10 years. I'm sorry, but it's not 2010 and therefore they don't have the right to come on to my property yet. They can also confirm my address by looking at the mailbox at the start of my driveway. All you need to answer is how many people live at the address. If you look up the word definition of "census" (census - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary ) you'll find all it is a count. The other questions, I believe, are unconstitutional, and I will refuse to answer them (I think I saw a number tonight that only 68% of the people in the US actually responds--so that means they ain't going to bother with a $100 fine because it would cost more to collect that from 128 million people than the fine!)

The GPS thing is also very annoying. I really don't see how that data can be used for anything good.

[Guest jos2f]

The GPS thing is also very annoying. I really don't see how that data can be used for anything good.

Psh, obviously our government hasn't heard of a little thing called "Google Maps Street View".

They could do this all from the comfort of their home

[macville]

-CITE-

13 USC Sec. 223 01/03/2007

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 13 - CENSUS

CHAPTER 7 - OFFENSES AND PENALTIES

SUBCHAPTER II - OTHER PERSONS

-HEAD-

Sec. 223. Refusal, by owners, proprietors, etc., to assist census

employees

BTW, I think this law applies to people who are landlords and not to private citizens who are living on their private property. Of course, it could say that pink pigs can fly and the government would say that means that they can come on to your land and probably have a BBQ!

Matthew

[TGO David]

I'm almost at a loss for words. Almost. But as I teeter closer to the edge...

Macville, thanks for sharing your expansive knowledge of how the US Census Bureau works and what they are legally permitted to do. I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule of [apparently] running the Census Bureau and telling us how it's done.

And to think... in charge of all that by the age of 26. You've been through, what... two of them so far? One of which you might have actually been aware of. The other of which you probably only noticed as an interruption to your afternoon of watching The Power Rangers when the doorbell rang.

Welcome to TGO.

[macville]

Psh, obviously our government hasn't heard of a little thing called "Google Maps Street View".

They could do this all from the comfort of their home

Yeah, I was wondering about that! I looked at my other house the other day on M$'s live street and I could tell who was even visiting me at the time the photo was taken!

Simply put, I don't want people coming onto my property who I don't invite. The LEO's have a legal right to come on if they are investigating or serving something, but pretty much no one else has any legal rights to come on. Heck, the property appraiser seems to be able to figure out how much they want to up my property value with out ever stepping onto my land!

Hey feds, mail me the form, you've got my address. Stop wasting OUR money paying people to do a job that I could do in 10 seconds online!

Matthew

[macville]

I'm almost at a loss for words. Almost. But as I teeter closer to the edge...

Macville, thanks for sharing your expansive knowledge of how the US Census Bureau works and what they are legally permitted to do. I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule of [apparently] running the Census Bureau and telling us how it's done.

And to think... in charge of all that by the age of 26. You've been through, what... two of them so far? One of which you might have actually been aware of. The other of which you probably only noticed as an interruption to your afternoon of watching The Power Rangers when the doorbell rang.

I'm just reading what the guy quoted from the law. In the legalese, it doesn't seem to say anything that would apply to them coming onto your own land you live on. While that may be legal, that part of the code doesn't seem to support it.

BTW, just because I am younger, doesn't mean that I am not smart and have not been around the block. By the time the first census had rolled around in my life I had already helped my parents build one house (and actually build it, not just hire people to do it) and been to Europe once. I now own my own business that even in a sagging economy has had the best first quarter in it's 3 year history. To keep the business going smoothly I have to deal with all this "legalese" and understand how to read it clearly. It's not easy, but once you get immersed in it, it tends to make far more sense on how these laws are written.

Oh, and I do actually remember both the previous census's and helping fill out the forms. I hated the MMPR as I much preferred Andy Griffith or a show on how things were made.

Matthew

[macville]

BTW, I'm not trying to pick a fight or anything. I am just saying that just because the government says they can do something legally, doesn't mean they actually can. I had an issue when I first started my business dealing with sales tax since what I do can kinda be considered a service and kinda considered a product. I called up the state office and asked the guy who supposedly "reads" the law and he told me one thing. A few months later I found out the TN AG had issued an opinion that was the exact opposite. When I read the law myself, I agreed that the AG and not the guy from the TN Sales Tax office was reading the law correctly.

Of course, it would take a case going to the Supreme Court to get the Census, or any other part of the Federal Government, to actually stick to what it says (which is one reason many laws are made so vague!)

Matthew

[Guest 70below]

I can understand your viewpoint David, and I think its irresponsible for people to threaten census employees simply because they come to your front door, or who believe (right or wrong) that they are performing their duties as required. However, I think that its not unreasonable for someone to feel that some actions, or questions, a census worker may ask would strike some as inappropriate. Particularly in an age or time where someone cannot discriminate against you based on color, creed, race, or religion. We are told in most every facet of our lives that this is "optional" information, and it doesn't have to be provided. Most people find their privacy to be of utmost importance, and any violation of that will draw discomfort and displeasure. I'm sure 99% of census workers are trying to do their jobs in best possible manner and in a respectful fashion. But just like every other profession and walk of life, there are going to be some yahoo's that make the rest look bad and overstep their bounds.

[Guest Policek9Trainer]

and I still wouldn't give them the time of day

[Guest SUNTZU]

Census Worker Accused Of Inappropriate Questions - Kansas City News Story - KCTV Kansas City

A Johnson County woman said a man who said he was a census worker asked her some questionable questions.Overland Park resident Kim Mertin said that when she opened her front door on Monday to find a man claiming to be a U.S. Census worker, she answered his questions.She said he started with the expected questions -- "How many people live here?" -- but it didn't take long before the talk took a surprising turn.Mertin said the man commented about her clothing, asked if she'd like a back rub. She said he even asked if she "was wearing pink undies."

Mertin said she felt immediately uncomfortable and started to back away, but it wasn't just the conversation that bothered her."On several occasions, he touched himself," she said.

As far as GPS, go enter an address here, don't know if it is up to date.

GPS Visualizer

If you're a constitutionalist, answer how many are in the dwelling, as that is all you are required to do by the constitution, unless your in favor of interpreting the Constitution. Most of the people doing the census seem to be the people who work passing out phone books, they aren't going to be dressed in Wermacht uniforms, or anything.

[mcurrier]

Yeah... that's pretty ****ing out there. Seriously. The Census Bureau was putting together the equipment and logistics for the 2010 Census long before Obama assumed power.

Yes. They were. However it was run by a non-partisan entity. Now you have ACORN involved, and just in case anyone missed all of the big news a month or so ago, Obama wanted the White House to take control of the 2010 Census. Now, just because we haven't heard anything in the news in a few weeks on that, I don't just automatically assume that he's quietly backed down and gone away on the matter. I think that he's just quiet on the matter, and that he's going to do what he's going to do, everyone else be damned. He's pretty much proven that already.

But hey, if you guys think everything thing is cool, people walking around in yards where they don't need to be, geo-tagging coordinates that they could easily get from city planners, satellite or even Google Maps, then I guess I shouldn't worry my pretty little head about it 'cause there must be nothing to it.

With my tin foil hat on I can think of two nefarious reasons for geo-tagging people's front doors, and neither includes anything like missiles or anything stupid like that. More of a vertical watching type thing and a quick response type thing. A martial law type thing is a possibility in all of this mess (not just census related) as well.