Census: My lucky day :(

[Illini]

I just received notice to expect an "American Community Survey" from the Census Bureau. The letter states that the Bureau, "...chose your address, not you personally, as part of a randomly selected sample."

Wow, my lucky day I never win anything, but it seems that I've won this lottery. Perhaps I should have been more hospitable to the Census' GPS-er.

A questionnaire and instruction form for 2009 can be viewed (PDFs) at

http://www.census.gov/acs/www/SBasic...st/SQuest1.htm

The instruction form says that the questionnaire must be filled out to the best of my ability. Yippee.

[Tracy Rimmer]

I've always wondered... it's "required" to fill out the census forms, but what if the address that is selected houses someone who is illiterate?

[RandB]

We got one of those, too - a couple months ago. The form arrived about a week after the letter. Just another typical blah-blah census form. I did fill it out to the "best of my ability", but I didn't kill myself looking up exact info, either, I just guess-timated about stuff I couldn't remember exactly. It comes with all kinds of lovely threats of what can happen if you don't return it. I'm getting too old to fight these things or get worked up over it. I just do it, send it back, forget it.

[CarolynRenee]

What I'd like to know is why is it that just about EVERY government document asking about your race, is "Hispanic, Latino or Spanish" a totally separate group, as opposed to "German, Polish, Italian". And then I've seem some forms that just ask if you're "Hispanic, Latino or Spanish" and don't even bother with the "rest" of us.

Seems kind'a racist if you asked me.....but then again, you didn't ask me

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

The appropriate answer to the question of are you White, Black, Hispanic, etc is YES, just a simple YES. I always answer those kind of questions with either YES or NO.

If they ask about my religion I sometimes enter DRUID.

[Danaus29]

Tracy, what about the blind? Those census forms aren't in braille.

Census, what census? The rabbit must have eaten it.

[Jerngen]

Wow, some of those questions were pretty personal IMO.

[Tracy Rimmer]

That sample survey is kind of heavy on the work-oriented questions, isn't it?

[Illini]

"Wow, some of those questions were pretty personal IMO."

I was thinking more that they were pretty invasive.

I don't understand why they want names and dates of birth if it is just a community survey.

When the GPS-er was here, I told him not to come any further onto the property as my Dane was about to come through the window. I told him the government knew where I lived. Do you suppose this is payback?

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

The appropriate answer to the question of are you White, Black, Hispanic, etc is YES, just a simple YES. I always answer those kind of questions with either YES or NO.

[simplyflow]

Oh, this is a census year?!? Is that why I have strangers asking me none-of-your-business questions. Well, I am in the middle of a move and don't really seem to live anywhere right now...lucky me.

[Delrio]

We got one a few years back and ignored it. They called and showed up at our door. We said we weren't filling it out. They eventually gave up.

[Blossom'sGirl]

Dh called them because we have multiple families dwelling on our property who share the same address. They said they couldn't input that type of situation and told us to ignore the form. Well, we got a more threatening form about a month later so I called them. Come to find out the particular house that they sent this form to is now not able to be occupied and that immediately disqualified the census request. The second time I got a case # to validate what they said and so far we have not been bugged.

I found the form to be very invasive of my privacy.

[wy_white_wolf]

Originally Posted by YuccaFlatsRanch

The appropriate answer to the question of are you White, Black, Hispanic, etc is YES, just a simple YES. I always answer those kind of questions with either YES or NO.

If they ask about my religion I sometimes enter DRUID.

I always answer those 2 questions as "Don't Know" and "Don't Remember"

[Jim-mi]

And what pray tell are the nasty penaltys you will have laid upon you if the form is completely filled out with:
"Don't Remember"
"Yes"
"Don't Know"
"No"

Or . . "To Personal"

Or better yet . ."None of your da** business"

[Maura]

On the census forms the "must answer" questions are highlighted in some way. For instance, names and birthdates. If the question isn't highlighted (like an asterisk) it's optional.

[beowoulf90]

As the lawyer I questioned about this packet said "It's a $100 dollar fine if you don't fill it out, but it's a $500 fine if you lie on a question." He aslo said that he has never heard of anyone getting fined over these packets..

I personally think some of the questions are to personal and even though they say the info never goes outside of their office I suspect that some of the info will transfer to other sources who will use it against me..

But we will see.. I did't lie on the packet, but I gave answers that will tell me exactly where the info came from if a government agency ever brings it to my attention.

They have no need to know if I have a garden or not, they don't need to know if I made a few dollars off of the garden, they have no need to know if I have any animals on my property.. None of this relates to the Census, so what buziness is it of theirs?

[HermitJohn]

My answer anymore if somebody makes it to my door is that $100 sounds like fair price for retaining my privacy, see you in court. And highly unlikely they are going to risk taking anybody to court. Last census, the guy they sent couldnt make it up the driveway in his car and wasnt going to walk. He called several times but somehow the phone just got hung up accidentally so nothing was said. I'm sure he just filled it out to the best of his ability all by himself.

Funny thing is, if census was like allowed in constitution to give names and ages of any occupants, I wouldnt have any problem. I am not however going to give the govt personal details of my life for free. They want that info they pay a very expensive consulting fee or hire their own detectives. I say consulting fee cause I know a good private dick could find out just about anything given enough time and money. Maybe easier for cop since they have access to more govt data bases. So in other words I just as well have the money as some detective.

[edcopp]

These maroons have been asking the same questions of/about me for over 65 years. It seems like they would figure out, pretty soon; that I already answered the questions.

[Shepherd]

They sent a kid out here to tell me we'd been chosen to fill out the long form... lucky us.

I had just gotten home from work and was taking care of the chickens (still in my work attire). This guy couldn't spell - he kept asking me to spell things for him, things like states too. Seriously.

Wonder if we'll be the lucky ones again this year to be chosen to fill out the long form. LOL