2010 Census....Penalties for not participating?

[HankB]

The idea of "race," pisses me off... I have no problem with "ethnicity,"

I know a guy that has fun with this sort of thing. If you go back long enough, all of his known ancestors are European. BUT . . . his grandparents were all born in South Africa or Rhodesia, as were his parents. He was born here . . . so as far as any racial profiling goes, he's African-American.

BTW, he doesn't actually go in for that "hyphenated American" cr@p, but he's convinced it got him some additional financial aid in college. (This I believe, since the same happened to me once I realized I was a Native American.  )

No drama here either - I wrote "3" in the box, stuck it in the envelope, sealed it, and left it in the mailbox with the flag up 

"civic duty" done 

Did just that when I got the (very intrusive!) long form in 2000. Never heard back - end of story.

[PTK]

Did just that when I got the (very intrusive!) long form in 2000. Never heard back - end of story.

Yeah, from the number of people I know on both sides of the freedom coin that still find this form intrusive, I doubt any widespread fines or jailtime will be doled out. Wouldn't be practical.

[charby]

Filled it out and put "American" as race for all four of us.

I did the same I did think about Euroinjunbrew-American for me and German-American for my wife.

[Jamisjockey]

Got mine.  Going to fill it out with "other un-hyphenated-American" as the race (note the hyphens)

Really, why not answer the census short form?  The most important part of the census is the assignment of congresscritters. 

[Tallpine]

why not answer the census short form?

Why not register your guns? 

Somehow, being on a massive electronic database with GPS coordinates doesn't feel so good... 

[Mrs. Inor]

Inor and I received our form yesterday.  Answered question number one.  Mailed it today.  That is all they need to know and to us it will be worth the $100.00 penalty if it should come to that.  I intend to pay it all in pennies.

[BReilley]

I remember in 2000 there was a "long form" with a BUNCH of much more detailed questions: what job, income, what kind of car you drive, education, military service, etc.. 

Is there one of those this time?

No, the decennial long-form census questionnaire has been replaced by the ongoing American Community Survey.  Seems to be basically the same thing, except it's running ALL THE TIME, not just once every decade.

[Paddy2010]

I have no problem with participating because I have no fear. You can be sure that if .gov is interested in you, they already know way more than your census answers will tell them.

[darius]

Inor and I received our form yesterday.  Answered question number one.  Mailed it today.  That is all they need to know and to us it will be worth the $100.00 penalty if it should come to that.  I intend to pay it all in pennies.

And get on a watch list by doing so? 

[Hawkmoon]

Just got my form. Gotta wonder who makes these things up. Technically, I can't even fill it out for another three weeks. It's March, and the question asks how many people "are" living at this address as of some date in April of 2010. How do I know? I could have a heart attack and die before that date.

I gave them number of people and names. That's all that is needed to establish a census. My wife's and my ethnicity and race have nothing to do with how many representatives this state sends to Washington.

[Tallpine]

And get on a watch list by doing so? 

If not answering the census gets one on a watch list, then paranoia is more than justified 

[Balog]

If not answering the census is all it takes to get on a list, I must already be on so many lists one more won't hurt.

[Harold Tuttle]

On St. Patty's Day
Everyone is Irish!

[Tallpine]

On St. Patty's Day
Everyone is Irish!

Well, I'm Irish and Scots all year long. 

Eirean gu brath!
Alba gu brath!

[red headed stranger]

I have no problem with participating because I have no fear. You can be sure that if .gov is interested in you, they already know way more than your census answers will tell them.

That's pretty much how I feel. 

[Desertdog]

I have no problem with participating because I have no fear. You can be sure that if .gov is interested in you, they already know way more than your census answers will tell them.


That's pretty much how I feel. 

The Constitution still says they are to count the population every 10 years, not ask all kinds of personal questions.

[Perd Hapley]

And get on a watch list by doing so? 

A little prank like that results in a watch-listing?  Who told you this? 

If true, it's scary.  Scary, because our watch lists would then be pointless. 

[Regolith]

A little prank like that results in a watch-listing?  Who told you this? 

If true, it's scary.  Scary, because our watch lists would then be pointless. 

Oh, I don't know; having pointless watch lists might be a good thing. The feds have only so many people to do the watching, so eventually, if enough people get on the list, there won't be near enough watchers to watch everyone and the watch lists will not only be pointless, but useless.

Of course, it can backfire.  A group of dissidents in Soviet Russia attempted to do just that.  Stalin created the Gulags and "purged" everyone on the lists instead. 

[darius]

Oh, I don't know; having pointless watch lists might be a good thing. The feds have only so many people to do the watching, so eventually, if enough people get on the list, there won't be near enough watchers to watch everyone and the watch lists will not only be pointless, but useless.

Of course, it can backfire.  A group of dissidents in Soviet Russia attempted to do just that.  Stalin created the Gulags and "purged" everyone on the lists instead. 

The feds will stop at nothing to prove their point. There is a story going around about 2 suited IRS agents going into a car wash after 4 cents.

[Perd Hapley]

Oh, I don't know; having pointless watch lists might be a good thing. The feds have only so many people to do the watching, so eventually, if enough people get on the list, there won't be near enough watchers to watch everyone and the watch lists will not only be pointless, but useless.

That was my point, yes. 

[Tallpine]

Of course, it can backfire.  A group of dissidents in Soviet Russia attempted to do just that.  Stalin created the Gulags and "purged" everyone on the lists instead. 

Except we're armed and shoot back

[PTK]

Except we're armed and shoot back

You just succinctly summed up why I reside in MT.

[Regolith]

Except we're armed and shoot back

That is true. 

[Desertdog]

Filled it out and put "American" as race for all four of us.

Same here.  Maybe, if enough citizens answer "America" we can get it on the "Acceptable Race" list.

[doczinn]

I think it is to ones advantage to be counted because federal money is apportioned based on head count in a region.

Not if one lives in a place lke L.A. and would prefer that that place get less pull nationally...

the negative spin put on the process by the media.

You're kidding, right? All I've seen from the media is cheerleading about how we should all respond to the census so we can get as much of other people's money as possible.

I didn't see this posted in this thread yet, my apologies if it was: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XtuPvwBa2U