My sister just got a letter in the mail from the US Census Bureau, claiming that she had to take the “American Community Survey.” The letter gives her 48 hours to take the survey by mail, online, or by calling some woman for a phone interview. The claimed penalty for refusing to answer is $5,000. There is an even larger penalty for lying.
The questionnaire is 28 pages long, and asks questions like how much you make, what your rent payment is, and what time you leave the house to go to work.
The Census bureau claims that they will keep your answers confidential. Uh, the CIA couldn’t even keep the identity of their spies confidential.
Fuck that. No one has been prosecuted for refusing to answer since 1970. Look, I will answer to tell you how many people live in my house, as the Constitution requires, but that is it. If there is a penalty for lying, that must mean that you are comparing my answers to some database somewhere. That tells me two things:
- You already have the answers.
- You plan on using the answers to incriminate me, which is a violation of one of those Amendments you keep ignoring.
So, no. I will take my chances with you ignoring me. Or maybe I can get an attorney. I don’t know if you can rely on the courts any longer, and I am sure that the ACLU isn’t interested.
7 Comments
VietVet · February 23, 2021 at 6:09 pm
I got one of those in the mail in 2010. I completed the legally required first page and mailed it in, leaving the rest blank.
About three weeks later a census worker knocked on my door. He demanded that I complete the form while he waited. He explained that he would call the sheriff if I refused to provide the government with the demanded information.
I handed him my phone and said “call them”. I spent the next thirty minutes having a conversation regarding the Constitution and the legal purposes for the census.
He left with a blank form, he never had the courage to actually call the cops.
Screw them. Throw the damn thing away. There’s nothing they can do.
Cindy Emmerich · February 23, 2021 at 9:16 pm
I worked for a Congressman until 2018. As a case worker I handled constituent problems with government agencies. One of those agencies was the Dept. of Commerce/ Census Bureau where this diabolical document originates from. It was during the Obama regime that this document became so intrusive. I believe they added like 15 pages to it, the ones that wanted to know all the personal and strange info like how any miles do you drive to work or how many bathrooms does your home have. Every week I would get several calls from constituents requesting they not be required to fill it out as they felt it was an invasion of their privacy. The Commerce Dept. staff were awful – rude and bullying and would never cooperate. I then began to advise these people to just return the darn thing as “wrong address” Even though the Census people supposedly sent these things out randomly, 99% of the people complaining were 55 and older and conservative Republicans. What a racket. Things changed after Trump took over but now we are back to the third Soviet term of Obama and Jarrett! Send it back and get caller ID so you can see if they are calling you. It is strange they would have your phone # since they supposedly don’t know you are. If they show up at your door, don’t answer or answer with your two huge dogs like my friend did. They never came back.
AC47spooky · February 23, 2021 at 7:13 pm
I have complied with the latest US Census via their website per the instructions we received by mail. And I’m absolutely sure they already have the answers – they know our adult children have long moved away and my wife and I reside here. That “community survey” would go directly to the recycle bin.
I’m reminded of a situation last year at a local gas pump. As I was fueling my vehicle, a young woman with a clipboard approached (not a good idea) and asked if I was registered to vote. I said “I don’t discuss that.” She looked sort of taken aback and repeated “you don’t discuss it?” which I affirmed. She walked away without another word.
joe · February 23, 2021 at 8:37 pm
i think i wrote fuck you on the last one i got and mailed it back…no one called me, no one knocked on my door…i answer my door with a gun behind my back anyway…as for how much i make, i would answer not enough since you killed the pipeline and gas will be $5 by summer…
Jonathan · February 23, 2021 at 9:08 pm
Around here, the mail is … irregular… at best, and often late.
It makes a handy excuse.
Don’t do anything, and if they push the issue, you can always claim you mailed it in and the Post Office lost it…
Anonymous · February 24, 2021 at 1:41 pm
“I didn’t receive it. Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Robert · February 25, 2021 at 9:10 am
Did the census questionnaire arrive with a tracking number and signature verification required? No? Then, “I never received it.”
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