By FITSNews || A week after sending out a first-class letter to 120 million mailboxes telling people that the “census (was) coming,” the census has come. In fact, our founding editor’s copy of the document (above) arrived in his mailbox today.
So did he fill it out? Or did he (as promised) go black? Hmmm …
And should you fill it out? “Go black” yourself? Or altogether ignore the document?
As you can see from the menacing envelope (above), “YOUR RESPONSE IS REQUIRED BY LAW” to the census. In fact, if you don’t fill the damn thing out, then you should expect to have a government worker arrive at your home within the next few weeks. Also, the government threatens fines of up to $5,000 for those who fail to fill out the document completely.
Amazing, isn’t it?
Constitutionally, the government is only allowed to ask you one question (how many people live in your home), but if you don’t give them your phone number and a bunch of other personal information, they’ll fine you $5,000.
While you’re thinking about all that, think about this …
Census Year (Population) – Census Cost (Cost Per Person)
1790 (3,929,214) - $44,377 (1.13 cents)
1800 (5,308,483) - $66,109 (1.24 cents)
1810 (7,239,881) – $178,445 (2.46 cents)
1820 (9,633,822) – $208,526 (2.16 cents)
1830 (12,866,020) – $378,545 (2.94 cents)
1840 (17,069,458) – $833,371 (4.88 cents)
1850 (23,191,876) -$1,423,351 (6.14 cents)
1860 (31,443,321) – $1,969,377 (6.26 cents)
1870 (38,558,371) - $3,421,198 (8.87 cents)
1880 (50,155,783) - $5,790,678 (11.54 cents)
1890 (62,979,766) - $11,547,127 (18.33 cents)
1900 (76,303,387) – $11,854,000 (15.54 cents)
1910 (91,972,266) - $15,968,000 (17.07 cents)
1920 (105,710,620) - $25,117,000 (23.76 cents)
1930 (122,775,046) – $40,156,000 (32.71 cents)
1940 (131,669,275) - $67,527,000 (51.29 cents)
1950 (151,325,798) - $91,462,000 (60.44 cents)
1960 (179,323,175) - $127,934,000 (71.34 cents)
1970 (203,302,031) - $247,653,000 ($1.22)
1980 (226,542,199) - $1,078,488,000 ($4.76)
1990 (248,718,301) - $2,492,830,000 ($10.02)
2000 (281,421,906) -$4.5 Billion ($15.99)
2010* (308,983,000) -$14.5 Billion ($46.93)
That’s right …
The cost of the census has more than tripled from 2000 to 2010 … and nearly quintupled from 1990. Also, here’s the kicker … we already know how many people are in the country!
We’re paying $14.5 billion to answer a question we already know the answer to …
Anyway, if you’re looking to tell the government off (politely) over this census stuff, here’s a sample letter sent in by one of our readers …
WEB EXTRA
Draft U.S. Census Response Letter
By Rufus Pinochle March 15, 2010 at 3:37 pm
We should make this as painful as possible for the gubmint: instead of using Roman letters and Arabic numerals, use Arabic letters and Roman numerals. Use scientific notation (after all, we have to restore science to its “rightful place”). Use logarithms. Phrase your answers as differential equations. Phrase your answers as questions. Allude to Thomas Aquinas and Archimedes. Last, but not least, fill the envelope with enough sand so that the postage paid is no longer sufficient.
By Big Brother March 15, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Keep in mind:
In Article I, Section 2, the Constitution says that an “Enumeration” must be conducted every ten years “in such Manner as [Congress] shall by Law direct.” Congress has directed through a federal law that anyone who “refuses or willfully neglects…to answer, to the best of his knowledge, any of the questions” on the Census form can be fined $100 (13 U.S.C. § 221). If you deliberately give a false answer, you can be fined up to $500.
By WorkingTommyC March 15, 2010 at 4:28 pm
I am now in touch with my inner African.
By Truth Seeker March 15, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Why not just answer the 10 question form like a normal US citizen instead of being a buttocks?
By Nathan Rice March 15, 2010 at 5:27 pm
@Truth Seeker
Because we’re not constitutionally required to do so. I can’t think of a better reason. Oh, maybe this is a better reason. What do you think?
By madcock March 15, 2010 at 7:38 pm
This is the type of pure insanity on the GOP’s part that enabled Bill Clinton to come out of being found to be having an affair with an intern and lying about it under oath with higher approval ratings than he had when the scandal first broke.
Think about. It’s the census. Been around for 230 years. Prescibed by the Constitution and asking basically the same questions that it has for those two-plus centuries.
And simply because a Democrat, particularly a black one us in office, the Republicans have decided draw a line in the sand at participating.
Never mind the fact that failure to do so, in addition to still being illegal, as it has been since the 18th century, will shortcut their own state’s representation in Congress.
Why should I be surprised? These are the very same who look at the only President in American history to place his birth certificate online for the whole world to see, and scream “why won’t you show us your birth certificate, you Kenyan!”
What the rank and file GOP voters, or as I like to refer to them, “effing retards” don’t understand is when the elected Republicans and talk-radio hucksters bring things like this up, they don’t really mean it. They have even less regard for your intellectual capacity than I do. They know you demand red meat be thrown at your foaming mouths so they do it to stay in power and get rich from the that graft huge oil, insurance, and pharmaceutical companies send their way.
It’s like the endorsements for buying gold from Glenn Beck and Sean Hannitty. Gold is at all-time highs and inflation is at all-time lows. Do you think Beck and Hannity, who have impressive portfolios and pay experts to manage them are putting money into drastically over-priced precious metals? Of course not.
But they are more than happy to tell you to do it, because sponsors will pay them lots of money. When you lose your nest egg they don’t care. Its capitalism, baby! Just like Jesus preached it!
Likewise, they are happy to drum up ratings, and make themselves even richer by encouraging you to avoid the census and DECREASE the value of your vote.
And you really are stupid enough to fall for it.
By FITSNews March 15, 2010 at 7:41 pm
Madcock:
Our problem is with the cost and a lack of trust regarding what the government is doing with our data.
-FITS
P.S. – Plus we don’t get out a lot and could really use the conversation w/ the census worker they’re going to send to our house.
By madcock March 15, 2010 at 8:20 pm
FITS- you are trying to drum up hits for your site and make more money selling ads.
Obviously, you would have never filled out the census before, and opposed the Patriot Act, if you were REALLY concerned about the government and your data.
And, of course, if you were really concerned about the cost, you would mail in the form to save the cost of an employee coming to your door.
See, how easy it is to bust you?
You’d probably be better off NOT challenging me, but I like it when you do. I’m the kind of a lazy sadist who likes shooting fish in a barrel.
BTW, since I’ve got your attention, for every uncomfortable truth I write about you Repbulicans on here, I could match it about Dems. But I’m to mean to give you the enjoyment.
By Recovering Lobbyist March 15, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Madcock, like FITS, I am looking forward to the visit. I hope he is a she, and that she is hot. By the way, I am not a Republican, never have been, never will be.
By sid March 15, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Looks like crazydick downed a great big bottle of instant courage tonight, and dumped his meds down the crapper. That’s one nutjob who needs the RBB award.
BTW, every time I’ve challenged you, I’ve knocked your crazydick in the dirt. Same with most others who take you on. You are one of the easiest marks who visits this site only because of your hatred for it. How sad a life you must lead, but how entertaining you are to anyone with an IQ above room temperature. Cheers!
By Truth Seeker March 15, 2010 at 10:43 pm
idiots
By Ed March 16, 2010 at 8:10 am
What does the Constitution really say about what questions should be asked in the Census?
Article 1 Section 2 [The Census] shall be made … in such Manner as [Congress] shall by Law direct.
The number of questions in the decennial census has varied widely since the first in 1790, where census takers logged the name, gender, and race or each member of a household, to 2000, where a multi-page form with dozens of questions was sent to one out of every six households. In 2010, the Census Bureau trimmed the questionnaire to just the basics: name, gender, race, and ethnicity or each person, and whether the dwelling was owned, rented, or “occupied without payment of rent.” (from u.s. constitution.net)( a more extensive survey is sent to
Slaves used to be counted as 3/5 of a person and Indians were not taxed nor counted.
The act of March 1790 directed that the names of the heads of families be recorded, the number of white males sixteen and older, the number of white males under sixteen, the number of white females, the number of all other free persons, and the number of slaves. Failure of an assistant marshal to make a return, or to make a false return, was punishable by a $200 fine.
220 years later, is it really that much different?
By sid March 16, 2010 at 9:05 am
If you don’t find the issue of Japanese-Americans being turned in during WWII to be a compelling argument against the census, TS, then it seems you are the idiot. You can’t ignore the fact that our govt. has done some pretty bad things in the past, and you can’t ignore the possibility that it will do some pretty bad things in the future. I’ll probably fill out my census, and probably truthfully, but I recognize why some may not. And it’s not necessarily because they are idiots, although that may apply in some cases.
By marlo March 16, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Madcock: You like shooting fish in a barrel? So … you own a gun? Interesting.
By SC Southpaw March 16, 2010 at 2:30 pm
South Carolina may get another Congressional seat if we have enough people. Since that will most likely be a Republican gerrymandered seat, it would be logical not to be a douche bag and just fill out the form. The form will not be released to the public for 72 years. Trust me, as a professional consumer of demographics, Bi-Lo and Kroger know much more about you than the Census so whatever privacy concerns you have are misplaced.
With respect to all your smart ass ideas about how to fill out the form, you give up your right to complain about the cost when you do that. It is idiots like you making a statement about principal the require the Census to hire a zillion people to correct your purposeful errors and omissions. Congress requires the census bureau to collect that data in order to redistrict and comply with the voting rights act. Once again, in South Carolina, that largely benefits the GOP who has created majority white seats and majority minority statewide to their advantage.
By madcock March 16, 2010 at 6:56 pm
Sid, don’t get your panties in a wad. What a silly little girl you are. All you EVER do is call me names. You never even try to refute my points.
Now, I can hurl insults with the best of them. But that’s not getting the best of someone. As I always show, I deal with facts, whether they fit my idealogy or not, and I use logic. You may not be capable but we’ll never know because you don’t even try.
And I’m curious, if you’re so concerned about your belief that the census led to the internment of Japaneese-Americans during WW II, what did you do during previous censuses. They come every 10 years you.
I’m sure you just quietly filled it in. Because as you’ve just proven, your problem isn’t with the census, it’s with a Black man being President and having the power that goes with that office.
And to Marlo, yes I own a gun. What of it? BTW, I loved you in “That Girl.” Ted Bessell was a hoot.
By sid March 17, 2010 at 11:20 am
Just because you don’t understand facts and logic doesn’t mean I haven’t regularly crushed you with them, crazydick. Yes, I insult you, because that’s what you know. Virtually every post you make contains an insult.
But to be accurate, the only name I call you is crazydick. You see, it’s funny because you are nuts, you are an ass, and it’s a play on your FITS name. I know you don’t really get humor, but I’m sure you now understand why it’s funny after this explanation.
I, in contrast to you, don’t insult until someone else throws down that gauntlet. But you don’t recognize that because…well…you are nuts. Why else would you regularly visit a site you can’t stand to post inane and insane comments about things you don’t understand?
Now, as to your latest gibberish, I stated “I recognize why some may not,” fill out the survey. Since you don’t have a firm grasp on language, it probably doesn’t make any sense to explain to you the difference between recognizing (which also may be read as “understanding”) someone’s viewpoint and supporting someone’s viewpoint. I know, as dumb as you are, you don’t really get such subtleties.
As for previous censuses, whether or not I filled them out is irrelevant. We’re talking about this one, which I’ve already stated “I’ll probably fill out.” Of course, in your padded-walls world, anyone who even remotely questions Barry must be a racist, so it’s no surprise to see you play that card. You are one of the most predictable posters on this website, especially since RBB left.
So, once again, I slap you around, and you’ll just slink away. But don’t think I feel that makes me special. As I said, most people who confront you here get the better of you.
BTW, you may be able to “hurl insults with the best of them,” but you are not very effective at it, which makes your statement rather pointless (much like most of your posts). You’re just not any good at insults because you lack originality, imagination, and the intelligence to cut someone to the quick. Case in point, your comment to marlo.
By Nathan Rice March 30, 2010 at 5:24 pm
@madcock
Yep and Yep. I’ve never filled out the census before (I’m in my 20′s), and I vehemently opposed the Patriot Act. Does that qualify me to criticize the Census here in 2010?
And every 20 or so years, a new generation of Americans arrive at the age where they must fill out the census. Historical precedent aside, do these new generations not have the right to challenge even what has been historically accepted? I believe we do, and must.
Utter nonsense. But this is one of the finer example I’ve seen of finding racism where there is none. Kudos.
More nonsense. Providing the number of individuals in the household is all the Census Bureau needs to apportion representatives.
@SC Southpaw
As mentioned to @madcock, no one is advocating not sending the Census in. I’m advocating filling out only the relevant (and Constitutionally required) portions. My name, race, age, and employment status do not aid in apportioning representatives.
But they do, of course, aid in profiling for all those neato Government goodies I see in all the Census commercials, like hospitals, schools, and community centers. But since I don’t believe it’s the federal Government’s job to provide those things (or the funding for those things), I won’t lose any sleep over it.