I filled out the Census! Did you?

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

Yep, I sat down with it, I filled it out as best as I could, gave the best answers I was able to, to the best of my knowledge and mailed it in. It seemed like a pain in the neck but it only took 15 minutes or even less and was actually very simple.

So I have a public service announcement. If you live in the USA, please, really, just do it. It's very important, it's very important that the government get data as comprehensive and complete as possible, that the largest amount of people living in the USA be counted and it will take you shorter than your morning crossword puzzle.

And especially fill it out if you are a racial/ethnic minority. Who cares about a middle class white person like me, we get practically everything we want anyway, but African-Americans, Latinos, Asians, Arab-Americans and others would benefit by making their numbers in the States known and their needs as a community taken into account. The government does need this valuable information to better serve your neighborhoods.

The guy will come to your door anyway so just spare yourself the visit and the 5 follow up visits that you will get as sure as the sun rises in the sky every day. Send it in the mail and have it over with.

And please ask everyone you know if they filled it out or not. Let's get as many people counted as possible.

 

[alfaniner]

The question that every person having to fill one of these out (with a pen!) should be asking -- "It's 2010. Why isn't there an online version?"

 

[slingblade]

I don't know "the" reason, but I can think of some reasons. I'd just be guessing, though.

 

[kuroyume0161]

The question that every person having to fill one of these out (with a pen!) should be asking -- "It's 2010. Why isn't there an online version?"

Electronic voting.

Our government is typically ten years behind the times when it comes to technological advancements (ignoring NASA and DOD of course). There is still great controversy over use of electronic voting machines - which aren't even on the internet!!! The internet is a steaming pile of deceit, piracy, outlaws, hackers, crackers, and other deviant behavior. I can see exactly why there isn't an online version - there needs to be stringent accountability and it cannot be guaranteed under these circumstances. Heck, we couldn't stop a spammer from taking down the internet with a trillion email DOA attack if one were to be inclined. The internet is too untamed to be trusted - imho.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Yep, I sat down with it, I filled it out as best as I could, gave the best answers I was able to, to the best of my knowledge and mailed it in. It seemed like a pain in the neck but it only took 15 minutes or even less and was actually very simple.

So I have a public service announcement. If you live in the USA, please, really, just do it. It's very important, it's very important that the government get data as comprehensive and complete as possible, that the largest amount of people living in the USA be counted and it will take you shorter than your morning crossword puzzle.

And especially fill it out if you are a racial/ethnic minority. Who cares about a middle class white person like me, we get practically everything we want anyway, but African-Americans, Latinos, Asians, Arab-Americans and others would benefit by making their numbers in the States known and their needs as a community taken into account. The government does need this valuable information to better serve your neighborhoods.

The guy will come to your door anyway so just spare yourself the visit and the 5 follow up visits that you will get as sure as the sun rises in the sky every day. Send it in the mail and have it over with.

And please ask everyone you know if they filled it out or not. Let's get as many people counted as possible.

/Teabagger nut, living in Cicero, IL

I'm not telling Obama where he can find my guns.

/End nut

 

[arthwollipot]

Wait - your census is optional???

 

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

It is mandatory and the fine for not completing it is 100 dollars and 500 dollars to lie on it- but it is very rarely enforced and usually failing to complete it on time works to get them off your back. So does rebuffing the government employee who comes to take it if you don't do it by mail. After six tries, they will usually stop and not bother you again.

If you don't want to do it, sending in incomplete answers, lying or not doing it at all will usually work.

Shifting populations without a stable address, such as legal and illegal immigrants, usually ignore it completely.


http://blogofbile.com/2008/07/21/it-appears-not-so-mandatory-after-all/

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080408054529AAV45FG

 

[Alt+F4]

I filled out my census form when it arrived in the mail about two weeks ago. A few days ago I get another census form (same address). The same thing happened to my mother. What's up with this?

 

[jnelso99]

The government could have saved a few bucks by not sending out a "you should be getting your census form soon" notice in the mail.

 

[Ysidro]

Wait - your census is optional???

I can't see how it's optional when they threaten to fine you for not sending it in.

 

[godless dave]

Filled it out the day I got it. Took less than five minutes. There's only two of us living here and I already knew both our birthdays.

 

[NewtonTrino]

Why would someone avoid trying to fill this out? IMHO it's your civic duty to fill it out. This information will help our descendants as well as being useful now.

It's took literally 3 minutes to fill it out for the 4 of us.

 

[The Painter]

I filled mine out and sent it in weeks ago. I found it interesting they ask your race. You can't ask that on a job application or a number of other things, so I don't think they (the government ) should be able to ask that question either.

The only question I didn't answer was my phone number. I just want to see if they call me to tell me I didn't put my phone number on it.

 

[Lucian]

Electronic voting.

Our government is typically ten years behind the times when it comes to technological advancements (ignoring NASA and DOD of course). There is still great controversy over use of electronic voting machines - which aren't even on the internet!!! The internet is a steaming pile of deceit, piracy, outlaws, hackers, crackers, and other deviant behavior. I can see exactly why there isn't an online version - there needs to be stringent accountability and it cannot be guaranteed under these circumstances. Heck, we couldn't stop a spammer from taking down the internet with a trillion email DOA attack if one were to be inclined. The internet is too untamed to be trusted - imho.

This is pretty much the reason exactly. The Census Bureau is very concerned about confidential information, and if it's submitted electronically, it could be hacked.

 

[Wowbagger]

I always wondered if a parasitic twin should count as a seperate person or not.

 

[Blue Mountain]

This is pretty much the reason exactly. The Census Bureau is very concerned about confidential information, and if it's submitted electronically, it could be hacked.

Somehow, Canada seems to have solved that problem [Wikipedia] four years ago. I filled mine out on-line.

 

[HawaiiBigSis]

Wait - your census is optional???

Not in the least. But people keep trying to behave as if it is.

I filled out my census form when it arrived in the mail about two weeks ago. A few days ago I get another census form (same address). The same thing happened to my mother. What's up with this?

They sent out a "business census" a few months back, and it did have an online option. Which I used. And then I got a new form a few weeks later saying, "You didn't fill out the form." So I went online, and I wasn't allowed to fill it out again because I'd already filled it out. The second request went in the trash. That was the last I heard on that score.

The part that confused me was that when I received the form in early March, they wanted to know how many people would be living in my house on April 1. Lacking a crystal ball, I just presumed that both my husband and I would (a) still be alive two weeks hence, and (b) still be living together.

Turned out to be true after all, but I wonder if I qualify for the MDC, since it was a wild-ass guess.

 

[Loss Leader]

The government could have saved a few bucks by not sending out a "you should be getting your census form soon" notice in the mail.

Apparently, they did a lot of research into the best and most cost-effective way of encouraging compliance. Sending out the advance notices was considered cheaper than not doing it - According to the the interview with the head of the Census in Time.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Why would someone avoid trying to fill this out? IMHO it's your civic duty to fill it out. This information will help our descendants as well as being useful now.

It's took literally 3 minutes to fill it out for the 4 of us.

The right wing whack jobs somehow think that if they fill it out, the gubmit' will come and take their guns.

Seriously.

 

[Lucian]

Not in the least. But people keep trying to behave as if it is.


They sent out a "business census" a few months back, and it did have an online option. Which I used. And then I got a new form a few weeks later saying, "You didn't fill out the form." So I went online, and I wasn't allowed to fill it out again because I'd already filled it out. The second request went in the trash. That was the last I heard on that score.

The part that confused me was that when I received the form in early March, they wanted to know how many people would be living in my house on April 1. Lacking a crystal ball, I just presumed that both my husband and I would (a) still be alive two weeks hence, and (b) still be living together.

Turned out to be true after all, but I wonder if I qualify for the MDC, since it was a wild-ass guess.

April first was "census day," not a great choice, I know. Some people (who are moving, for instance) do know that they will be living in different place on the official day.