Community Chat

[Abrowneyegirl]

I have been hearing more and more on the news about the 2020 census.

It gives me horrible flashbacks to the last census.  We were randomly selected for the long-form census.

It was a small book! Most questions having multiple sections to fill out.  Questions ranged from commute to work mileage, home value, retirement savings, etc.

I found it very invasive so I only filled out what I was comfortable with disclosing.  After I submitted it I was plagued with near harassing phone calls and letters demanding more detailed financial information. 

It was such an awful experience the thought of another census fills me with dread.

[KingstonsMom]

@Abrowneyegirl 

I worked for the census and what my team did was 'complete' incomplete forms.

Yep, we sat with No. 2 pencils and filled in unanswered questions ourselves, using the age old method of guesswork.

The census is ridiculously inaccurate and a complete farce.

[vsm]

@KingstonsMomDid you ever report this to the authorities? 

[Moonlady]

Oh yes. DH and I were among the [un]lucky ones who were blessed about 5 years ago with the ACS--American Community Survey, the ridiculous pages-long, off-year survey.

And we didn't complete it. We'd already submitted the 2010 census form, and had NO intention of answering such intrusive questions. The idea is to send thousands of these out on a "rolling" basis every month. Of course, that insulates the CB from millions of people complaining at the same time, about receiving the snoopy, long census form.

Phone calls weren't a problem. (Isn't technology great?👍). But we did have to order census-takers off our property. They eventually learned just who the relentless ones were. (Hint: It wasnt them.) Oh, and we were never fined nor put in jail. Just as those who purport to have "filled in the blanks" weren't, either. 😉

[bathina]

The census is a constitutional requirement. I have no issue being accounted for, nor do I have an issue answering the questions. But then again, I'm not a person who lives in fear of the government.

[Moonlady]

@bathina...as I posted, we DID complete the census. You do have my sympathy about those in your orbit who, apparently, "live in fear of the government." (Obviously, that's not us 😃).

As for the ACS, if and when you receive it, have fun. We, OTOH, won't be playing their reindeer games.

[Lucky Charm]

I can't remember ever filling out a census form.  DH is asleep, I'll have to ask him if he did.  

The problem could be that we live in two, sometimes 3 different states any given year.  Next year, we may be adding a 4th state.

Don't even ask where our cars are registered!

[sunshine 919]

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@bathina wrote:

The census is a constitutional requirement. I have no issue being accounted for, nor do I have an issue answering the questions. But then again, I'm not a person who lives in fear of the government.

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I dont think its fear, if we just need to be accounted for then they should just need names and how many people in our household, why would they need financial stuff.  I am sure many people do not fill them out at all.  

[esmerelda]

Not even names. Just how many.  Knowing how many bedrooms are in my house gives them no information about how many live here.  Nationality, gender, buy or rent...that’s not counting. 

More information is asked for so more freebies can be justified and bestowed. That’s not the purpose of the census. 

[Anonymous032819]

I consider it my proud American duty to fill out the census.

Afterall, where would we be if Mary and Joseph had decided to rebel, and not make their journey to be counted in the census?