my roommate's reaction to receiving the Census letter
"They can go to hell! The less the government knows about me the better. Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-government. I'll defend 'em to my death...just anonymously."
According to United States Code, Title 13 (Census), Chapter 7 (Offenses and Penalties), SubChapter II, if you're over 18 and refuse to answer all or part of the Census, you can be fined up to $100. If you give false answers, you're subject to a fine of up to $500. If you offer suggestions or information with the "intent to cause inaccurate enumeration of population," you are subject to a fine of up to $1,000, up to a year in prison, or both.
I've never had a problem with the census until this year. It seems like the gub'mint just keeps wanting more and more and more info and they already know more than I want 'em to... see: IRS. Just sayin'.
It's the census. It asks probing questions such as how many kids you have, how many people live in your house and what everyone's ethnicity is.
I'm sorry, but that's not invasive or telling and I think it's more than a little paranoid to think of these questions as such. The IRS knows far more about me and my family.
If they wanted to know my bra size, I'd be concerned.
I don't particularly have a problem with the Census in general, other than the fact that you can be 8 (or more) different kinds of Asian, but only one kind of "white" (or Black/African American/Negro for that matter), especially considering that the timeline of your ancestry is irrelevant. So whether or not you're from Georgia or Norway or Ireland is irrelevant, but the difference between people from Thailand, Laos, or Vietnam is a topic of intense scrutiny (again considering timeline of ancestry is irrelevant). And considering this data is critical in "distribution of funding", it irritates me.
The way money has been spent in an attempt to fearmonger the public into complicity (lest they lose "funding') is a much bigger issue to me. I think I'm actually going to be writing a blog post on that topic in the near future, so I'll elaborate there. ;)
I know it's supposed to be a federal crime or something to not send it in, but if they don't get your info, how do they know who to arrest? And, if they know who to arrest, then they didn't need the info :-)
John, I thought you just have to put how many people, with names and ages. You don't HAVE to put your phone number, for example. Then again, I haven't even looked at the thing, myself!
According to that, you are required by law to fill out all fields to the best of your ability. I would imagine the only time you wouldn't put a phone number in would be if you didn't have one. Here's what the quote for the law:
Title 13
Sec. 221. Refusal or neglect to answer questions; false answers
(a) Whoever, being over eighteen years of age refuses or willfully neglects, when requested by the Secretary, or by any other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of the Secretary or authorized officer, to answer, to the best of his knowledge, any of the questions on any schedule submitted to him in connection with any census or survey provided for by subchapters I, II, IV, and V of chapter 5 of this title, applying to himself or to the family to which he belongs or is related, or to the farm or farms of which he or his family is the occupant, shall be fined not more than $100.
(b) Whoever, when answering questions described in subsection (a) of this section, and under the conditions or circumstances described in such subsection, willfully gives any answer that is false, shall be fined not more than $500. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, no person shall be compelled to disclose information relative to his religious beliefs or to membership in a religious body.
Thanks, John. Well, it looks like maybe only my roommate will have to fill this out, since he owns the home. I'll be person 2, and they don't ask for my phone number, do they?
19 comments:
I did my duty - monkey that I am.
According to United States Code, Title 13 (Census), Chapter 7 (Offenses and Penalties), SubChapter II, if you're over 18 and refuse to answer all or part of the Census, you can be fined up to $100. If you give false answers, you're subject to a fine of up to $500. If you offer suggestions or information with the "intent to cause inaccurate enumeration of population," you are subject to a fine of up to $1,000, up to a year in prison, or both.
Bag Blog, it's all good. I mean, *I*'m going to fill out my part. :D
Edward, thus speaks the lawyer! LOL
I've never had a problem with the census until this year. It seems like the gub'mint just keeps wanting more and more and more info and they already know more than I want 'em to... see: IRS. Just sayin'.
It's the census. It asks probing questions such as how many kids you have, how many people live in your house and what everyone's ethnicity is.
I'm sorry, but that's not invasive or telling and I think it's more than a little paranoid to think of these questions as such. The IRS knows far more about me and my family.
If they wanted to know my bra size, I'd be concerned.
Buck, I have yet to open the envelope of doom, so I'll just take your word for it. I don't remember the last census, to be honest.
DN, LOL, I know. My roomie *IS* the paranoid type, but he's a good guy.
Otherwise I wouldn't live here...:)
So...what IS your bra size? ;)
I'm with Buck. For some reason it bothers me this year. I think it may be that as I get older, I get a lot more cautious.
You don't work for the guv'mint, d'ya?
I mean, the "massage therapist" thing isn't code for deep cover CIA, is it?
42C and I like them low cut and lacy if you want to send any as a going away gift (j/k-about the gift, not moving part)
*rawr*, DN!
Nah, seriously "just" an LMT. :)
And where are you moving to, m'dear?
I don't particularly have a problem with the Census in general, other than the fact that you can be 8 (or more) different kinds of Asian, but only one kind of "white" (or Black/African American/Negro for that matter), especially considering that the timeline of your ancestry is irrelevant. So whether or not you're from Georgia or Norway or Ireland is irrelevant, but the difference between people from Thailand, Laos, or Vietnam is a topic of intense scrutiny (again considering timeline of ancestry is irrelevant). And considering this data is critical in "distribution of funding", it irritates me.
The way money has been spent in an attempt to fearmonger the public into complicity (lest they lose "funding') is a much bigger issue to me. I think I'm actually going to be writing a blog post on that topic in the near future, so I'll elaborate there. ;)
About time you got busy on your blog, John!
My roommate has reconsidered now that he found out he can be fined. But he says he'll put only the minimum required info on there.
I know it's supposed to be a federal crime or something to not send it in, but if they don't get your info, how do they know who to arrest? And, if they know who to arrest, then they didn't need the info :-)
Christina: The minimum required is all of it. There's no optional fields on the thing.
an entertaining wv today: efrocycl
Jim, you're making my head hurt!
John, I thought you just have to put how many people, with names and ages. You don't HAVE to put your phone number, for example. Then again, I haven't even looked at the thing, myself!
Oh yeah, forgot about the phone number. There is actually an FAQ on this:
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/questions.php
According to that, you are required by law to fill out all fields to the best of your ability. I would imagine the only time you wouldn't put a phone number in would be if you didn't have one. Here's what the quote for the law:
Title 13
Sec. 221. Refusal or neglect to answer questions; false answers
(a) Whoever, being over eighteen years of age refuses or willfully neglects, when requested by the Secretary, or by any other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of the Secretary or authorized officer, to answer, to the best of his knowledge, any of the questions on any schedule submitted to him in connection with any census or survey provided for by subchapters I, II, IV, and V of chapter 5 of this title, applying to himself or to the family to which he belongs or is related, or to the farm or farms of which he or his family is the occupant, shall be fined not more than $100.
(b) Whoever, when answering questions described in subsection (a) of this section, and under the conditions or circumstances described in such subsection, willfully gives any answer that is false, shall be fined not more than $500. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, no person shall be compelled to disclose information relative to his religious beliefs or to membership in a religious body.
FWIW.
Another interesting wv: calga
Take me away!
Almost forgot. There's a sample you can look at, if you don't want to bother with the hardcopy:
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php
Thanks, John. Well, it looks like maybe only my roommate will have to fill this out, since he owns the home. I'll be person 2, and they don't ask for my phone number, do they?
John-
Has the law changed because the Census is no longer under the Department of Commerce?
Now it is under the White House.
Christina: I don't know. I already sent mine off, so don't have it in front of me to reference. The sample doesn't give the "Person 2" part.
Jack: Beats me. I don't know the history of the Census, just what the site says.
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