Why all the fuss about the 2010 Census

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Well geez - it took me maybe 5 minutes or less to read the instructions, fill it out and ilck the envelope! Easy peasey....has everyone gotten their's in the mail too?

[ashenflowers 5]

Yes, I got mine earlier this week (and last week I got the letter saying I was GOING to get the Census. LOL What a waste). I agree, it was far too easy!

[redmen99 1]

Some people just don't like to give out their personal info I guess. I filled mine out, it took no time at all and its in the mail already. All done. Next project!

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

Yeah, we got our census the other day...and I was wondering what the big deal was too! Very basic info there. I was wondering if censuses were different per household. I hope so. Otherwise I can't understand why such minor items are considered so important. Ours had no financial element to it...was basically just a head count about how many people live here.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Yes, got ours earlier this week and returned it the next day. We got one of the short forms as well.

I kind of thought getting the 'letter' before getting the form was a waste of money as well, however, NPR had a statement from the Census office that explained the rationale. Apparently, sending a letter before hand ends up increasing the rate of returns by a fairly significant extent. They compared the cost of the extra mailing to what it would cost to have a census taker go to the additional number of houses who wouldn't have returned the census without the letter, and the savings was significant. So, they expect that by sending the letter first they won't have to have as many individual follow up visits from a census-taker, thus being a cheaper option in the long run. If their figures are valid, they are right.

Every tenth household will receive what is called a long census form. It does ask for quite a bit more information and consists of quite a number of pages. I worked as a census-taker for Census Canada and I know I generally had to do a lot of follow up with the long forms. There were quite a number of individuals who objected to the personal nature of the questions, although in some cases I think they were just overwhelmed with all of the questions and if someone was able to walk through it with them they were happier to comply. I only had one case I eventually had to refer to authorities higher up and I believe he was prosecuted in the courts for failure to comply. I expect that in the US where people are a lot more protective of their 'rights' there will be a number who view it as an invasion of their privacy and will do their best not to comply, even though a regular census is actually part of the constitution.

Edited March 19, 2010 by Kathryn41

[SupportGeek 21]

Yeah, we got our census the other day...and I was wondering what the big deal was too! Very basic info there. I was wondering if censuses were different per household. I hope so. Otherwise I can't understand why such minor items are considered so important. Ours had no financial element to it...was basically just a head count about how many people live here.

Maybe its like the Canadian one, where most people just get asked basic info, but a certain number get asked much more in-depth questions

[Inky 1,110]

we have ours here on the counter, we havent filled it out yet but my husband is arguing that he doesnt want to do it bcus its stupid. I say why not just do it? its not going to kill you and he said no! So I left it on the counter for now..

[Sprailenes 47]

I don't know, it didn't take me long.

My husbands boss got a book though, I guess some people randomly get chosen to fill out more information, there is A LOT of really personal questions in that thing.

[Flames9_RN 358]

You know how paranoid people can be!! Figure the gov't is always out to get them and constantly spying on them!! lol

[thongd4me 69]

Yes, got ours earlier this week and returned it the next day. We got one of the short forms as well.

I kind of thought getting the 'letter' before getting the form was a waste of money as well, however, NPR had a statement from the Census office that explained the rationale. Apparently, sending a letter before hand ends up increasing the rate of returns by a fairly significant extent. They compared the cost of the extra mailing to what it would cost to have a census taker go to the additional number of houses who wouldn't have returned the census without the letter, and the savings was significant. So, they expect that by sending the letter first they won't have to have as many individual follow up visits from a census-taker, thus being a cheaper option in the long run. If their figures are valid, they are right.

Every tenth household will receive what is called a long census form. It does ask for quite a bit more information and consists of quite a number of pages. I worked as a census-taker for Census Canada and I know I generally had to do a lot of follow up with the long forms. There were quite a number of individuals who objected to the personal nature of the questions, although in some cases I think they were just overwhelmed with all of the questions and if someone was able to walk through it with them they were happier to comply. I only had one case I eventually had to refer to authorities higher up and I believe he was prosecuted in the courts for failure to comply. I expect that in the US where people are a lot more protective of their 'rights' there will be a number who view it as an invasion of their privacy and will do their best not to comply, even though a regular census is actually part of the constitution.

I just found the racial profiling questions very offensive.

It seems that both Tiger Woods and Barack Obama are labeled as "Black" by popular acclaim.

However, neither Woods nor Obama would deny their Asian and White heritage.

It would make no more sense if Woods checked the Black box or the Asian box than if

Obama checked the Black box or White box. They shouldn't be forced to choose.

They are both fine human beings and counted as "1" each on the census.

I think the use of the census in some kind of misguided social engineering project is way off base.

Nobody should get entitlements on the basis of race, just on the basis of whether they need them or not.

My daughter is half Asian and White and she loudly proclaims herself as Asian,

yet she is no more Asian in behavior, Asian language ability or upbringing than Al Sharpton.

[minnew 4]

Humm...still have not received ours yet...Hope our complex gets them soon!

[Miranda&John 0]

We got ours and already sent it back. There seems to be a big fuss around here about it too. My husband's parents were complaining about having to provide the information and couldn't understand why government agencies couldn't just talk to eachother to figure out how much she made, her race, etc.

Someone else I know checked the box named "other" for race and filled in A-M-E-R-I-C-A-N.

Maybe it's the Canadian in me, but I don't mind taking a couple minutes of my time to provide the government with some information to help them make better policy decisions.

Edited March 19, 2010 by Miranda&John

[OBX 51]

We received ours this week as well but it's still sitting in the mail pile.

I did get a chuckle out of the letter we received last week telling us about the letter we would receive this week!!

[SapphireDreams 71]

Also my husband said they only do Census here every 10 years, so that's why it's so important and they put so much emphasis on it.

I filled ours out last night, but haven't put it in the mail yet.

When we have kids I have no idea what I'll label our children as! They will be mixed.

[The_Dude 1,142]

We got ours and already sent it back. There seems to be a big fuss around here about it too. My husband's parents were complaining about having to provide the information and couldn't understand why government agencies couldn't just talk to eachother to figure out how much she made, her race, etc.

Someone else I know checked the box named "other" for race and filled in A-M-E-R-I-C-A-N.

Maybe it's the Canadian in me, but I don't mind taking a couple minutes of my time to provide the government with some information to help them make better policy decisions.

That bit is easy enough for the government to interpret. If you put "A-M-E-R-I-C-A-N" for your race, you are either retarded, or a borderline nutjob conservative.

Make no mistake here,it is conservatives by and large who object to this information being collected about them. Saying that its racist or racial profiling is a red herring. They are just scared that the big bad government is keeping files on them and are going to come take them away for their beliefs (or some other conservative rambling).