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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Big Brother asks: 'Do you have a flush toilet?' |
| 2009-05-28 |
| Mandatory Census survey inquires about citizens' difficulty undressing, bathing The federal government is forcing 3 million Americans to disclose sensitive, personal information about finances, health and lifestyle in a 14-page survey – including questions about availability of household flush toilets and difficulty with undressing and bathing. The 2009 American Community Survey, an annual supplement to the decennial Census, asks about residents' personal relationships and whether a home has hot and cold running water, a flush toilet, bathing facilities, appliances and phone services. It also asks how many rooms are in a home and what vehicles are used at each household. The new questionnaire asks respondents what they pay for electricity, gas, water and sewer every month and whether residents receive food stamps. Question 16 asks, "About how much do you think this house and lot, apartment, or mobile home would sell for if it were for sale?" Respondents are required to disclose costs associated with rent or mortgage, annual real estate taxes on and fire, hazard and flood insurance expenses. For each person in the household, the questionnaire asks for citizenship status, education level, whether that person attends private or public schools. It also features questions about health coverage, hearing and vision impairment and physical, mental or emotional conditions. It asks if residents "have difficulty dressing or bathing" or "doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor's office or shopping" or whether they have difficulty making decisions. Respondents must indicate if they have served in the military, their current marital status and whether they have been married or given birth to children in the last 12 months. The Census Bureau claims its question is used as a "measure of fertility" and is used to "carry out various programs required by statute, including … conducting research for voluntary family planning programs." The letter asks where residents worked last week and whether they drove a car, rode a bus, subway railroad, ferryboat, taxicab or bicycle to get there. It then asks what time they left for work and how long their commute lasted. Respondents are also required to disclose their place of employment, duties and income. While many recipients may consider the questionnaire to be tedious and meddling, the Census Bureau warns that citizens are required by law to complete it and may be fined as much as $5,000 for willfully refusing. While an individual may feel uneasy about answering each question truthfully, the fine for filing false information can be as much as $500. The Census Bureau estimates that the form takes an average of 38 minutes for each household to complete. While the U.S. Constitution allows Americans to be counted for purposes of taxation and political representation, Jim Harper, a privacy expert at the Cato Institute, told the New York Post the survey is "a classic example of mission creep over the decades – this constitutional need to literally count how many noses are in the United States has turned into a vast data-collection operation." Rep. Ron Paul blasted the government for spending "hundreds of millions of dollars" on the survey and called the questionnaire "insulting" in his Texas Straight Talk column. "The questions are both ludicrous and insulting," he wrote. "The survey asks, for instance, how many bathrooms you have in your house, how many miles you drive to work, how many days you were sick last year, and whether you have trouble getting up stairs. It goes on and on, mixing inane questions with highly detailed inquiries about your financial affairs. One can only imagine the countless malevolent ways our federal bureaucrats could use this information. At the very least the survey will be used to dole out pork, which is reason enough to oppose it." Paul continued, "The founders never authorized the federal government to continuously survey the American people. More importantly, they never envisioned a nation where the people would roll over and submit to every government demand. The American Community Survey is patently offensive to all Americans who still embody that fundamental American virtue, namely a healthy mistrust of government. " |
| Posted by:Ulomosh Slairong6586 |
| #18 I guess I have three flush and the back corner, except I have never figured out how to use more than one at a time. They promise never to share the information. Once upon a time they sent me the farm supplement. I reported under crops grown, 30 acre burdock, 10 acre marijuana. Never heard from them again. |
| Posted by: Skunky Glins 5*** 2009-05-28 21:10 |
| #17 The U.S. Constitution allows Americans to be counted for purposes of taxation and political representation. That means all you are legally required to respond with is how many people live in your residence. The fine for non compliance is a check for $100.00, not $5,000. |
| Posted by: newc 2009-05-28 19:57 |
| #16 "count the garden as a "spare" toilet" That really only works for men, BP. :-( Y'all ladies can also hang your rear over the Tub(Emergency only) seriously, the drains all come together when it leaves the house. Tub, toilet, sink, washing machine, kitchen sink and tub, all into the 4 inch drain from the house to the sewer, septic, or whatever you use. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2009-05-28 17:43 |
| #15 I'm more concerned about _who_ will be selected to fill out these longer forms. I'm betting that Obama and ACORN will damn make sure that certain groups are 'fully represented' while others are not in order to impact the results which will be used for budget allocations, etc... quick story.... Back in '80 (or '81) I worked for the Census Bureau having to validate and check all the returned (short) forms. Extremely BORING job. Anyway there were 4 of us to a table going thru boxes of basic Census forms. On my table there was a gentleman and a pretty nice looking woman. The gentleman was doing a lot of sweet talking with the woman.... that is until she just happen to get his census card. Then things got kind of entertaining as she read his real stats.... Anyway (again) near the end we had a little party with a cake someone had decorated to look like a Census form - with a big red ' N O Y B' splashed across it. (NOYB - None Of Your Business). |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-05-28 17:27 |
| #14 last go round, nunaya was a common answer on my form. as in it aint nunaya bidness, so scram! |
| Posted by: abu do you love 2009-05-28 16:07 |
| #13 Barbara, you obviously don't have a dog. :P |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2009-05-28 16:06 |
| #12 I agree with Steve. The in-depth questionnaire is given to some percentage of the population every census cycle.And every census cycle there's a bunch of folks unhappy with it. Don't forget we've got a bunch of Boomers whose hips are starting to give out now. ;-) It might not be a bad idea to map out where the rehab clinics should be located... |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2009-05-28 15:54 |
| #11 Fine and jail time is what one couple were threatened with for not answering questions posed by the government census bureau. To which my response is, to hell with the damn thing in that case. Just another "public servants? No, YOU are now under OUR thumb you little peasant." |
| Posted by: Daffy Glaving2126 2009-05-28 15:51 |
| #10 The problem here is not asking questions. Let them ask what they like. The problem is making it mandatory on pain of fine and imprisonment. That is reason enough for a little civil disobedience. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2009-05-28 15:42 |
| #9 These are standard census bureau questions that have been asked for years. Some , like the flush toilet question, have been asked for decades. It's actually useful information for demographic and planning purposes. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2009-05-28 15:31 |
| #8 Howzabout answering "I don't know" or "I'm not sure" to their nosy questions? :-D |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2009-05-28 15:28 |
| #7 "count the garden as a "spare" toilet" That really only works for men, BP. :-( |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2009-05-28 15:26 |
| #6 I think you should ... count cupboards as rooms count the garden as a "spare" toilet obviously tick difficulty climbing stairs (antigrav boots not invented yet). Remember you treat the dog as member of the family.. A census means but one thing, lets stiff you for YET MORE tax. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2009-05-28 15:06 |
| #5 I'm not going to answer any questions unless its asked in a specific Jedi dialect of Klingon...... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-05-28 14:58 |
| #4 bman, ask to have it translated into another language. I'd demand to have it translated into Russian (Spanish would be way too easy). If they don't, start screaming about how their cultural insensitivity has offended you, blah blah blah. Then say that answering some of the questions is an affront to your religion. |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2009-05-28 14:55 |
| #3 The survey asks, for instance, how many bathrooms you have in your house, Enough how many miles you drive to work, As many as it takes to get there how many days you were sick last year, Depends on what you mean by "sick". and whether you have trouble getting up stairs. It depends on how drunk I am |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-05-28 14:52 |
| #2 So what happens to you if you just don't fill the damn thing out? |
| Posted by: bman 2009-05-28 14:35 |
| #1 Nope. Just a water fountain for a couple of household pets. Heeeere's your sign. |
| Posted by: Grenter, Protector of the Geats 2009-05-28 14:27 |