Should we refuse the consensus?

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chadk

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef7yURyDau8

If you do feel the urge to send in your personal info, just give the basics. Questions about income and so forth cross the line. And if some dude comes to my door asking these types of personal questions, will I just assume he is not a theif casing my place and maybe putting my wife and daughters at risk? Paranoid? What do you think??
 

Tom

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The constitution gives them the right to COUNT the number of people. That's it. I sent back the form marked with the number of people living in my household. That's it.
 

terryo

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I thought it was a survey, and threw it out. Then someone told me what it was, and I called them up and told them that I didn't get it, so they said if I don't get it by the 12th, call and they will send another one. Now I'm worried about someone coming to my door...
 

Candy

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U.S. Constitution: Article I: Section 2: "The actually Enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they (Congress) shall by law direct." This is the power given to Congress by the Constitution. The interpretation of the word "manner" is what you are arguing about. How Congress counts the people it is up to Congress to decide. What information they can collect outside of counting the people and where they live is left to Congress. The purpose of this count is to distribute representation in the House of Representatives and indirectly the Electoral College by population of the states, proportionally to the states. Additional implied powers can be taken on by Congress to interpret the term "manner" via the Constitution Article I Section 8 Clause 18 "To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for caring into execution the forgoing powers and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer there of.
 

moswen

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chadk said:
Paranoid? What do you think??

lol i don't think you're paranoid, but i agree, it's not necessary for them to know all that stuff. we only filled out the number of ppl in our house. your state gets more money, and your state has a better idea of your needs if they know how many people are living there. and your schools get more money too. it's good to have a count, but it's already so hard to protect your identity, why put one more piece of paper out there with your personal info on it? that's just unsafe. not paranoid.
 

Stephanie Logan

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Unless you file tax returns and job applications, or see a doctor or dentist, or enroll your kids in school, or have a credit card or mortgage.

Sorry, but the "government" already knows pretty much all they want to about who you are.

I do NOT like that every person and their secretary must have my Social Security number, and lots of times I don't fill it in unless they insist.

It does seem somewhat redundant to do a census when the government already has access to so much info on those of us who are citizens, so I suppose it's possible that they really want to count the number of undocumented people living here, and I completely believe that Congresspeople want federal dollars spent in their districts, and greater representation for their states. It's also possible that the census could detect whether people are living in one state and paying taxes in another, but for those of us who are not "cheating" on any of this, I fail to see the sinister aspects.

There was a census done in 2000, and I don't remember seeing so much vitriole aimed at the process back then, nor have I seen any evidence or proof that people were harmed by answering that census.
 

GBtortoises

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"Sorry, but the "government" already knows pretty much all they want to about who you are."

That pretty much says it.

I don't think there is any underlying plot to by our governement involved in filling out (or not filling out) a census form. If you don't do it that's just fewer people counted in your district for representation, federal and state financial aid and much other funding. I think that by not filling it out you're just selling yourself short when it comes to reaping some of the benefits of the taxes that you are already paying.
 

chadk

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So how about just giving them the basic info - how many people, etc? Does it really matter what race, gender, financial info, etc etc?
 

Terry Allan Hall

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chadk said:
So how about just giving them the basic info - how many people, etc? Does it really matter what race, gender, financial info, etc etc?

Race and gender - yes...there's X-amount of $$$ set aside for issues benefitting specific races and genders.

Financial info - none of the government's business, IMABO. :cool:
 

Redfoot NERD

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Well we've heard everything from 'I didn't know what it was' to 'I'm not telling "THEM" anything!

I agree.. does anyone really think they can hide anything? Do you fear being held accountable ( for dishonesty? ) ? [ that should stir this up real good! ]

NERD
 

dmmj

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they will get how many people live in my house, and if I feel like it the gender, but that is all I'm giving them, no I do not live in a shack in the woods, but I do resent so much goverment intrusion in my life, especially here in california.
 

TylerStewart

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I never got the form in the mail, but had a govt worker come by a few days ago and ask me the questions. To me, it didn't seem like I was giving him any information that wasn't pretty common knowledge (just how many people in the house, ages, and that we owned the home.... I think that was about it). They never asked about my income, cars, or anything like that. The guy acted like I was the first person all day that cooperated with him (he said "thanks" after every word I said). Maybe I should have been more of a pain in the *** to him....

What baffles me is that the govt relies on people to give them the correct information in this way. Do they not have this already in a database somewhere? You would think that any (legal) people in the US, they'd already have a pretty good record of based on birth certificates, SSN's, tax info, etc.
 

chadk

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You would think.

I sent mine in with just the basic info filled in. And they sent me a second form days later. May still get a guy knocking at the door. No big deal really. After all, this is one of the biggest job stimulus packages Obamma has done - pumping so much money into this program. The door to door guys need SOMETHING to do to justify that paycheck.

So back to "you would think" they could easily get the info elsewhere. But then how would they pad the jobs data?
 

dmward1978

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Believe me. I work for the federal government. The census is just to cover poeple that dont file taxes. They know everything they want about you. Don't kid yourself. Between the credit bureaus and the IRS you've got nothing left to hide.

Taxes dont necessary correlate to where you are. The census is a close look at who is where so they can redistrict for voting and congressional districts. They also want to know how many people are getting ready to be elligible for benefits (SS, medicare, etc).
 

chadk

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OK, so my wife and oldest daughter have been gone for the weekend. Sunday after church I grab lunch at a fastfood drive through (a treat for the kids, as we don't usally do that) and take the kids home to eat. We all pile out of the van and we are greated by some dude on my porch....

He says he is here for the census. As the kids all filter around him rushing into the house ready for lunch, he asks me if I have time to answer some questions.

I said we are about to eat lunch and this isn't a good time. "but it will only take about 10 mins"

I said I have 6 kids to feed lunch right now and don't have 10 mins.

He asks for my phone number and when would be a 'good time' to call...

I asked him why he was there since I sent in my form.

He said he didn't know. He said there were probably a few more questions they wanted to clarify.

He then asked again for my number and a good time to call.

I just said there would be no good time to call. He asked if he could at least have my number. Not gonna happen.

He left. For now.


So the way I see it... if they are going to come to my house, AFTER I sent in the form (many answers left blank), they should at least come ready to ask SPECIFIC questions to make their time and my time used more efficiently. But I'm not going to waste time going over info they already have and then expanding on questions I clearly didn't want to answer in the first place our I would have already given it in the form....

But did they really need to send some guy to my door on a nice Sunday afternoon that I was relaxing and enjoying with my kids??? I was very polite and nice to him, but not thrilled with the process they are using and big waste of money this whole thing is. (anyone see how much money they spent on just the super bowl ad? )
 

dmmj

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I have heard of quite a few people posing as census people and then asking for money or "fees" or even robbing people.
 
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