“Git yours, South Carolina!”
That’s the rallying cry from thousands of new taxpayer-funded employees tasked with administering the U.S. Census in South Carolina, a state that has historically ranked among the worst in the nation when it comes to filling out its census forms.
News flash: filling out a census form requires the ability to read.
In 1990, South Carolina’s census response rate was 58% – or third-lowest in the nation. In 2000, the state’s response rate remained stuck at 58%, despite the national response rate improving from 65% to 67%. That year, South Carolina’s census participation ranked second-worst in the nation, trailing only Alaska.
Obviously, such a poor level of participation doesn’t sit well with state and local government officials. After all, these bureaucrats are desperate to claim as much federal cash as possible, and they argue strenuously that “undercounting” has cost South Carolina tens of millions of dollars a year.
Our response to those bureaucratic complaints?
Do a better job teaching people to read.
After all, taxpayers are pouring record amounts of money into our worst-in-the-nation public education system.
Anyway, in case you’re keeping score at home this is the 23rd decennial U.S. census – and the first to be held under a democratic president in thirty years.
It’s also going to be the most expensive, which makes it not unlike everything else in government.
As recently as 1960, the census cost less than $1.00 per person to administer.
In 2000? That price tab had soared to $16.00 per person.
By Toyota Kawaski December 15, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Big Brother is watching YOU
By The Catch December 15, 2009 at 4:50 pm
For schools to get federal money, they have to pass children who aren’t ready to move to the next grade. Children who aren’t ready to move to the next grade get, what, “left behind.” What is the definition of stupidity? How many times are we going to continue this cycle before we realize the result is not going to change?
By Ynot December 16, 2009 at 5:11 am
lets ask all kinds of intrusive questions at a big price
yep that how we do the census
By Cooter Brown December 16, 2009 at 11:13 am
Neba liked th’ emipre nosin’ into my bitness. Dey will gets my name an’ the names ov th’ peoples dat lib wit me– dat’s it!
Dey cain all go to hell, Hell, HELL!
Readin’ got nuthin t’ do wit fillin’ out da damn sin-susses! Dey come ’round yer howse wit a lap top an’ a bad attitude ebery ten yeers!
By Neil December 18, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Actually, public schools are funded based on the number of pupils and the demographics of the area (which are determined by the census).
So, it follows that taking part in an accurate census (required by the Constitution since its inception) would, indeed, help more South Carolinians learn to read.
Feigned ignorance is worst than stupidity and you qualify as either one or the other. Pick one.