The American Community Survey
I’ve been blessed with The American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau — a meandering 24 page monstrosity with hundreds of invasive personal questions about me and my family.
The American Community Survey is a nationwide survey designed to provide communities a fresh look at how they are changing. It will replace the decennial long form in future censuses and is a critical element in the Census Bureau’s reengineered 2010 census.
The decennial census has two parts: 1) the short form, which counts the population; and 2) the long form, which obtains demographic, housing, social, and economic information from a 1-in-6 sample of households. Information from the long form is used for the administration of federal programs and the distribution of billions of federal dollars.
Since this is done only once every 10 years, long-form information becomes out of date. Planners and other data users are reluctant to rely on it for decisions that are expensive and affect the quality of life of thousands of people. The American Community Survey is a way to provide the data communities need every year instead of once in ten years.
Oh, one more thing. It is mandatory, and the penalty for refusing to answer all of the questions can be up to $5,000. So really it’s not a survey so much as an interrogation.
Here are some of the highlights. Keep in mind that all these questions are mandatory:
- How much do you make?
- Are you using food stamps?
- Do you bathe yourself, or does someone have to help you?
- Are you having sex with any of the people in your house?
- If so, are you two married, or are you living in sin?
- Did you get her pregnant this year?
- Is she also a grandmother?
- Did she graduate from high school, or is she still in elementary school?
- Is she “ethnic”?
- Is she an illegal alien?
- How’s her English?
- Dude, are you screwing a blind chick?
- Is she a shut-in?
- How many wars has your sex partner fought in?
- Where does she work?
- Does your sex buddy take a ferryboat to work?
- How hard does she work?
- Is the government giving her money?
So how is this legal?
The American Community Survey is conducted under the authority of Title 13, United States Code, Sections 141 and 193, and response is mandatory. According to Section 221, persons who do not respond shall be fined not more than $100. Title 18 U.S.C. Section 3571 and Section 3559, in effect amends Title 13 U.S.C. Section 221 by changing the fine for anyone over 18 years old who refuses or willfully neglects to complete the questionnaire or answer questions posed by census takers from a fine of not more than $100 to not more than $5,000.
Yikes, sounds pretty serious. What does the Constitution have to say about this?
The actual 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 shall by Law direct.
“Enumeration” means “counting.” An enumeration is required every 10 years, but can be performed more frequently. So back to the survey about my private life: is this covered by “in such Manner as they shall by Law direct” ? No. Because it is only an enumeration that shall be made in a manner directed by law. Anything more would be more than an enumeration. So really, there’s only one question that needs to be answered: “number of people in this household.” The answer is two. And other than filling out today’s date, that is all I’m putting on the survey.
And hey, that took me a lot less time than the 38 minutes they had allotted!
Update: Since my voicemail at home states a business, the FR who had written a note at my door and stated that she was turning us in as a refusal has done a little internet research. Received an email from her. An email!!! She stated that she had looked at our website and has a need for our services. Could we discuss giving her a bid for a job to do at her home? LOL Oh, my gosh…that was a good one! I’m not responding to that either.
Wow, Beth, that is a new one. They are taught to be persistent. Happy 31st.
I received the American Community Survey today. Unbelievable how much information they ask. A completely unwarranted intrusion of this socialist Obama government into the lives of private citizens.
MadatSurvey: This has been going on since the Bush administration (not Obama). Think..Patriot Act.
Actually the ACS was created in response to the backlash from the census longform of 2000. These intrusive questions have been part of the 10 year census dating back through to many administrations. In fact, when Bush was asked about the ACS, he said that he would not fill it out. This survey has nothing to do with the patriot act. Social, behavioral and economic “scientists” are driving the collection of this data for their research. They get to submit questions for the survey. A group studying marriage wanted the marriage history questions added; La raza wants to know where the hispanics are; the NIH added the college major question to troll for science and engineering majors; and don’t forget the medical insurance question. My survey did not contain the college major, insurance or marriage questions, they are recent additions. COSSA is a huge group which supports the CB surveys. Go read the past newsletters and lectures by these people.
Do not get the American Community Survey confused with the policies of any President. There is the temporary administration that gets elected every few years, and then there is the permanent government, that remains no matter which political party is currently in power. Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, Obama. This is not their tool.
It is a tool for insuring the need for perpetual government programs. A fishing expedition searching for problems to be solved with more of your tax dollars.
It serves the members of Congress by developing information that can be used to direct tax dollars toward an indivual congress person’s district. Or the people that are greasing his/her palm.
That is why complaining to your congress person falls on deaf ears. The ACS is their life blood, your representatives helped to come up with all this.
Where do you think the ever expanding list of questions come from? They are mandated my Congress. Each time a special interst group gets the ear, or hand in the pocket, of a congress person, a new question gets added.
Call your representatives. Listen to the silence. They will get back to you. And talk to you about your duty as a citizen. It’s like calling the Mafia to complain about crime.
Okay, it’s 2 weeks into the 4th month and I’ve not heard or seen a peep!! Yippee! I’m done! They didn’t get squat from me, I never spoke to them, never responded in writing to notes on the door or emails that they sent. Never answered their calls on the phone. Whew! I tell yoou that’s a tough 3 months of stalking!
Ooh dang i just typed a big comment and as soon as i hit post it come up blank! Please please tell me it worked properly? I dont want to write it again if i do not have to! Either the blog glitced out or i am an idiot, the latter doesnt surprise me lol.
Navor
Some internet sites can be frustrating to post on if you try to keep them open too long.
Just type out your whole message in some other word processing program and then save it, and then copy the post here.
Saves your words if you don’t get the post right.
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I’ve been interested in taxes for lengthier then I care to acknowledge, both on the individual side (all my working life story!!) and from a legal point of view since passing the bar and following up on tax law. I’ve rendered a lot of advice and redressed a lot of wrongs, and I must say that what you’ve put up makes impeccable sense. Please continue the good work – the more individuals know the better they’ll be outfitted to comprehend with the tax man, and that’s what it’s all about.
Oh well, guess we just have to shrug off these rude people and deal with it. I try to not let it get to me.
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This is unbelievably invasive, HOW IS THIS LEGAL!?
The CB gets away with this because they have blocked court challenges. If no one is fined then no one has standing to challenge it in court, so the data mining extortion ring continues.
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I see that this site has been taken over by spammers. Is there a moderator here?
Nice level of information here. There is so much data around about this subject that sometimes you cannot see the wood for the trees but you have pitched this at just the right level so that the lay person can understand – thank you!
I don’t comment on blogs too often, but I like this post and theme – just wanted you to know that!
Thanks!
Thank You Note Wording
I don’t comment on blogs too often, but I like this post and theme – just wanted you to know that!
Thanks!
Thank You Note Wording
I don’t comment on blogs too often, but I like this post and theme – just wanted you to know that!
Thanks!
Thank You Note Wording
Well, maybe someone other than spamers are still reding this site. If so here you go.
Recipients of the American Community Survey are told several times that the information given is necessary for the operation of our government, is very secure and is kept private. What they don’t tell you is that the information is available to a long list of private corporation, research agencies and think tanks, who use the information to justify and pursue their own agendas.
You may have noticed over the past week on the news, many articles about the new situation in American families where the wife is now the major bread winner/wage earner. Other articles have slanted this to be a case of “men marrying into money”.
Where did this information come from and why is it on the news? It came from data mining by the Pew Research Center. Where did they get the data? From the American Community Survey and your tax dollars at work. Look at the listed source on the graphs in this article.
http://pewsocialtrends.org/pubs/750/new-economics-of-marriage
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