2010 Census

sucrets4 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:a587f223-7381-4900-b56f-96734e559a53">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]I think all the objections to the census are complete and utter BS. It's mandated by the freaking Constitution, FFS. The info is used to determine all kinds of critical things, like how federal funds are distributed between states & counties, etc. Census numbers are also used to determine Congressional representation for states, so yeah, it's kind of important. It's also all of ten questions. Not a big deal. Then again, maybe I should be glad there are people out there protesting the Census, because if they aren't counted they will lose representation in Congress and therefore have little say in how they are governed.
Posted by tracy_k[/QUOTE]

This!

RachNRich · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:770061e7-3f13-42af-8c81-b3596eb10957">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]Meg, I thought the same thing as Mike when I got it. I wanted to fill it out, but then asked H if we were filling it out "for real." We agreed to do it, but it did feel weird putting that stuff down for the government to have. Rach, it's kind of funny how the envelope is all threatening like, "YOU ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO FILL THIS OUT." <strong>Yet, I wonder how they would know if we didn't? They don't even have our names, it just got sent to this address.</strong>
Posted by beatlesgirl25[/QUOTE]

<div>I don't know that they would know specifically that <strong>you </strong> haven't filled it out--so much as they would know they haven't received a response from a specific address. I'm sure each envelope that goes to each address is coded---and, when it is mailed back, they know that address is good. When they don't receive one from a specific address...well, I think that's when they go door to door to get the information. </div>

Schroeder246 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:c8fbc3ca-7170-433b-aecd-50c930aea064">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : Oh come on. Nobody "harasses" anyone.
Posted by tracy_k[/QUOTE]

<div>Thank you. And I point the OP to this instructional video.</div><div>
</div><div><a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/4165/saturday-night-live-census-taker" rel="nofollow">http://www.hulu.com/watch/4165/saturday-night-live-census-taker</a></div>

tracy_k · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:42ff1599-2ad3-4001-b7e6-0caf95aee1e9">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]Wow really? Thanks for the education ladies, I was am thankful for letting me know! I disagree though, that worries me that this is mandatory. My libertartian side rears it's head here!
Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]

If you're a libertarian you should DEFINITELY be in favor of the census. Like voting, it's an important tool in giving the governed (ie, us) power over those doing the governing. It literally determines how much representation you have in congress and makes sure your tax dollars are fairly and evenly distributed.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:28e0822c-2af4-45a5-89b4-f6156c5e254b">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]I did it as soon as it arrived.<strong> I also got a reminder postcard about it after sending it in. Wonder how much postage they blew on sending out reminders before the forms could have possibly been filled out and returned?</strong> I don't get the "it's not the government's business" thing. They're literally just counting heads to make sure federal funding goes where it needs to--basically, it makes sure your tax dollars come back to you. Why wouldn't you want to be counted?
Posted by opalsky007[/QUOTE]

I got a letter a week before saying, "Your census is on its way!", followed by the census, followed by the postcard. I also said, "Nice that the government is spending all this money!" But then I found out that it really, really increases the rate of return to do it that way, so the extra cost is worth it to them.

MyNameIsNot · March 2010

Counting races by location gives data so that you can prevent local politicians from re-drawing political boundaries along racial lines. You need census data to prove that the redraw is unconstitutional. Gerrymandering or whatever.

katiewhompus · March 2010

But...but...why would the government want to know how many people live in certain areas? It's not like they need that information for school funding or road improvements or stuff...

I get more worried by the phone calls stating they are from a gov't census organization that start off innocently enough with "age of people in household, how many, what race etc" then start to branch off into how many kids do you have, what amount of money do you spend on school, what type of school to they go to, do you take summer vacation...

MeaghanandMichael · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:3eb909f7-88ad-490c-b85e-d58942883add">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : If you're a libertarian you should DEFINITELY be in favor of the census. Like voting, it's and important tool in giving the governed (ie, us) power over those doing the governing. It literally determines how much representation you have in congress and makes sure your tax dollars are fairly and evenly distributed.
Posted by tracy_k[/QUOTE]

Hey now, I said "side of" not full out ;) I definitely get your point, but I hate invasions of privacy. Personally, I think the individual communities should know what is best for them and not HAVE to rely on the government for hand outs and mandates but that is in a seriously ficticious and unrealisitc version of a utopian dream.

RachNRich · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:f5c64f31-261a-45a8-a727-51035a4d2b5e">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]Counting races by location gives data so that you can prevent local politicians from re-drawing political boundaries along racial lines. You need census data to prove that the redraw is unconstitutional. <strong>Gerrymandering</strong> or whatever.
Posted by MyNameIsNot[/QUOTE]

<div>Exactly.</div>

tracy_k · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:0525b082-c8ae-4bff-8c6e-eebd9045c26e">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]wondering how the government handles if illegals fill this out and then the INS backtracks the record? This is messy.
Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]

The census counts every person living in the United States, regardless of their immigration status. There is no INS backtracking of census data.

Schroeder246 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:c8cf99fa-e4e9-42d9-8b45-c451223848d8">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : Hey now, I said "side of" not full out ;) I definitely get your point, but I hate invasions of privacy. Personally, I think the <strong>individual communities</strong> should know what is best for them and not HAVE to rely on the government for hand outs and mandates but that is in a seriously ficticious and unrealisitc version of a utopian dream.
Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]

<div>Do you mean local . . . government? That gets their information on the demographics and needs of their constituents from the . . . census?</div>

MeaghanandMichael · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:b730548d-c890-4810-9148-5acecdc31865">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : The census counts every person living in the United States, regardless of their immigration status. There is no INS backtracking of census data.
Posted by tracy_k[/QUOTE]
Tracy you are a goldmine on this! You go girl, do you work in the field?

tracy_k · March 2010

Taking a census is not an invasion of privacy. I don't consider this a matter of opinion.

ThePinkSuperhero · March 2010

Already did mine!

tracy_k · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:6dd63a9c-0c21-432e-9c9f-451da22a2f66">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : Tracy you are a goldmine on this! You go girl, do you work in the field?
Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]

Haha, no, but I do work for local government.

MeaghanandMichael · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:fca94bf8-7707-4152-a7ef-1435651919fb">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : Do you mean local . . . government? That gets their information on the demographics and needs of their constituents from the . . . census?
Posted by Schroeder246[/QUOTE]
Maybe they do, and as I said I personally am MORE than happy to fill out a national census. But I truly believe local politics are the best judge of their town. If they need a census to do it than great, keep it internal to the town for accuracy and based on town issues. I just know the government is not equip (nor should it necessarily be) to make sweeping determinations on communities based solely on a census survey.I get that there are statewide and national issues (ie voting districts) that make it very important for racial/socioeconomic lines not to be drawn, but in the long run I am a community based person.

JessAndTrav · March 2010

We filled it out when we got it. It took me a whopping 5 minutes.

Throwing it out or not filling it out altogether will bring people knocking at your door, and they said that it cost about $57 per visit for the Census people to come and get your basic info. That's tax dollars, people

I don't see why it's so difficult to fill it out. It's your name, your race and what...your martial status? Maybe a couple more questions. You don't even have to put a stamp on it.

kd.joseph · March 2010

Yes we had a discussion because we were of the understanding it was going to ask for things like household incomes, and other things we didn't feel right answering. We had received a e-mail youtube video about the questions it asked.

But when we opened the census we and saw that it was simple questions we filled it out and sent it back the next day. We were always going to fill it out, just were going to sensor what we answered.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · March 2010

Constitutional literalists should definitely be creaming themselves over the census, since it's one thing that's very explicit in the constitution. One of the only things, aside from division of federal powers.

MyNameIsNot · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:87b142f3-8557-4f32-93fc-b09c5ecd67c7">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]Taking a census is not an invasion of privacy. I don't consider this a matter of opinion.
Posted by tracy_k[/QUOTE]

<div>This.</div>

JessAndTrav · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:28e0822c-2af4-45a5-89b4-f6156c5e254b">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]I did it as soon as it arrived. I also got a reminder postcard about it after sending it in. <strong>Wonder how much postage they blew on sending out reminders before the forms could have possibly been filled out and returned?</strong> I don't get the "it's not the government's business" thing. They're literally just counting heads to make sure federal funding goes where it needs to--basically, it makes sure your tax dollars come back to you. Why wouldn't you want to be counted?
Posted by opalsky007[/QUOTE]

I saw something about this on the news...it cost a few million dollars to print and mail all of the stuff they send out.

But as someone stated, it does increase the chances of it getting mailed back. And like I said, it's about $57 per visit for the people to come to a person's house, and they said that it usually takes more than one try. Sometimes three or four times.

Schroeder246 · March 2010

BTW, anyone else think that the census commercials have been particularly well done this time around? i think they're getting the point across quite nicely, and paring down the questions to only 10 essential ones is really helpful.

tracy_k · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:3602af75-737e-4a0e-a005-ce111cb55b51">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : Maybe they do, and as I said I personally am MORE than happy to fill out a national census. But I truly believe local politics are the best judge of their town. If they need a census to do it than great, keep it internal to the town for accuracy and based on town issues. I just know the government is not equip (nor should it necessarily be) to make sweeping determinations on communities based solely on a census survey.I get that there are statewide and national issues (ie voting districts) that make it very important for racial/socioeconomic lines not to be drawn, but in the long run I am a community based person.
Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]

This whole chunk of words doesn't make any sense at all.

The census data is just data, gathered by the federal government every ten years AS MANDATED BY THE CONSTITUTION and then provided to the states and local jurisdictions so THEY can use it to determine how THEIR money is spent.

Federal funds for infrastructure are determined by population numbers, which are determined by ... THE CENSUS. It would not make much sense, just as one example among many, for the federal government to give billions of dollars for schools to a state with a significantly declining population of school-aged children.

MeaghanandMichael · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:9730d6f4-42ad-4b22-ad94-680bd0204671">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : This whole chunk of words doesn't make any sense at all. The census data is just data, gathered by the federal government every ten years AS MANDATED BY THE CONSTITUTION and then provided to the states and local jurisdictions so THEY can use it to determine how THEIR money is spent. Federal funds for infrastructure are determined by population numbers, which are determined by ... THE CENSUS. It would not make much sense, just as one example among many, for the federal government to give billions of dollars for schools to a state with a significantly declining population of school-aged children.
Posted by tracy_k[/QUOTE]

No no, I totally get it. The sad part is that the results do not follow through with the numbers in many cases (in my experience, which I can go into detail if you would like.) Thus, I am for local governing. I am all for the philosophy of big government knowing what is best, but I am not for the actuality. Does that make sense?

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · March 2010

Like Tracy said, in a federal republic you need SOME kind of top-down approach. That's the whole point of our type of government. Federal government has x dollars. Massachusetts has x people, including x people under the age of 18 and x people over the age of 65. Therefore, they get x dollars. Massachusetts then decides, based on who lives where, how the money gets distributed. What the state keeps, what counties get, etc.

Community based is great, but the spending power of a community vs. that of the federal government is a drop in the ocean.

tracy_k · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:28e0822c-2af4-45a5-89b4-f6156c5e254b">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]I did it as soon as it arrived. I also got a reminder postcard about it after sending it in. Wonder how much postage they blew on sending out reminders before the forms could have possibly been filled out and returned?
Posted by opalsky007[/QUOTE]

Actually, probably much much less than they would have to spend on figuring out who has and has not responded and targeting follow-up mailings specifically to those people. :)

Bulk postage goes to every single household in a particular postal code for a vastly reduced price, and there's no way to remove individual households. It's cheaper to just send it to all of them.

Also, I bet they are only using postcard reminders in areas that have been undercounted in the past... I haven't received a postcard reminder (and I haven't done mine yet, bad me!).

Schroeder246 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_2010-census?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c80fb97e-0846-49dd-bd95-ef0d7adab427Post:41f2465b-3359-4560-baa8-d801f923a549">Re: 2010 Census</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 2010 Census : No no, I totally get it. The sad part is that the results do not follow through with the numbers in many cases (in my experience, <strong>which I can go into detail if you would like</strong>.) Thus, I am for local governing. I am all for the philosophy of big government knowing what is best, but I am not for the actuality. Does that make sense?
Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]

<div>I would like!</div>

Mrs.B6302007 · March 2010

It happens once every 10 years.
It's 10 questions.
It takes less than 10 minutes.

Send it in.

tlv204 · March 2010

The democracy that is currently set up in the United States would not function at all without a census. Like someone else said, preferring small community government is fine, but that's not how it works here. Would a county government be able to afford to repave interstate highways? probably not, but the federal government can, and this is the best way to make sure everyone gets what they need. I don't even view that as liberal, areas with more money still have better roads and schools for the most part, so it's not like the government is stealing from the rich to build poor roads, but they still have to know how many people live where. Otherwise this is not a democracy.

smokeybailey · March 2010

I can't wait to fill out my census. We live in a downtown area which probably looks empty to restaurant chains, retail outlets, etc. They look at census data to figure out where to build the next Trader Joes, Baja Fresh, Gap, etc.

Also, they have census takers out here dealing with the homeless too. It's is such valuable information that I don't understand anyone's fear of filling it out.

The "harasser" comes to your house to get the count if you don't fill it out. Imagine that you are a poor working class family and you can't read. Isn't it nice that someone, somewhere, is making sure you get counted?

2010 Census

Re: 2010 Census

Choose Another Board

Search Boards