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Today is Census Day. This year’s 10-question form is the shortest in history. The government will use the information it learns about the population to define congressional districts, plan transportation systems and roadways, draw areas for school districts and utilities, and determine the need for police and fire precincts just to name a few. Businesses will also use the information to forecast the demand for products and services. It’s a basic technocratic function that the government must provide in order to both administer itself and facilitate the growth of industry and commerce.
Weirdly, Rep. Michele Bachmann has said she won’t fill the form out, and encouraged others to do likewise. Immediately, her fellow Republicans in Congress like Patrick McHenry called her out for it, realizing its implications: an under-sampling in the census could have serious negative consequences for the GOP. Even Glenn Beck, he of the “FEMA camps,” raised his eyebrows.
Now, I’m not unsympathetic to the fear that the government will misuse personal information for nefarious purposes, which seems to be Bachmann’s central gripe. But I’m a lot less worried about a transparent, 10-question census survey than I am about illegal warrantless wiretapping programs like FISA, the details of which the government goes to great lengths to hide from public scrutiny.
But Bachmann loves that program:
One of the critical tools that has allowed us to keep the homeland safe after 9/11 has been the Protect America Act. It updated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to deal with new, deadly challenges in this age of terror — enabling intelligence services to immediately listen to phone calls made between foreign terrorists….While this inaction may score cheap political points with the fringe elements of the Democratic caucus, American families are needlessly imperiled. This is not an exaggeration. This is not hyperbole. This is fact — confirmed by our intelligence community and agreed upon by Republicans and Democrats alike.
As Marcy Wheeler just reported, Judge Vaughn Walker just ruled against the government in the al-Harimain case, and found that they were liable under FISA.
The fear mongering by right-wing extremists over the census is suppressing the return rate in heavily Republican Texas counties to as low as 5% in some areas. The backlash from their own rhetoric is hammering them.
You have to wonder how Bachmann could fear the census and find an illegal, intrusive spying program unproblematic — or why anyone would listen to her.
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How would under-reporting harm a district in the terms you mentioned? More to the point,how would that benefit the district?
Hi Jane! Stand up and be counted.
Also. If Michelle doesn’t fill out her form, does that mean she doesn’t exist?
That is pretty humorous.
Foot meet bullet.
Contessa Brewer has had lots of plastic surgery…..
The number of congressional districts is limited to 435, so the size of each district is determined by dividing the the total population by 435. Say for the sake of argument you’ve only counted 20% of the population in 5 districts that were 100% republican. That would mean that the GOP would get 1 congressional seat when they should get 5.
While we’re waiting for Jane to talk to Contessa, I guess you can say anything you want, but really, as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone, why should I care?
Politics in America has gone beyond the absurd and the immature…..
The Democrats make no sense and the Republicans have no sense. Both political parties act more insane by the day with the Dems taking the lead since they are the ones holding power.
I have no sympathy for any crap the Democrats receive, from, even idiots such as Rep. Michelle Bachmann. At least Michelle Bachmann stands up for what she believes in, no matter how crazy, or, misguided she might be.
The last I looked the Democrats were on the same page of Dick Cheney and Sarah Palin, you know, with “Drill, Baby, Drill.”
The Democrats crocodile tears about the Republicans rings hollow at this point.
In a word Money, lots and lots of money. Crudely, the feds distribute money for various programs based on the census, the number of people in a district. If the RWNFs in some GOP reps district do not cooperate with the census the gooper will have to explain to her/his constituents just why he can’t get any federal funds for infrastructure, schools, etc.
As for DingBachman she is not only pro gummint and anti gummint she is also pro life and pro death penalty. I believe she also thinks that black is white and up is down. Confused that women, very confused
Nice job slipping in the Michelle Bachmann wasn’t against warrantless wiretapping. Too bad Contessa Brewer didn’t bite.
My favorite PSA related to the Census is this one by George Takai, pointing out that if you are gay, and consider yourself married (regardless of marriage license) you should make sure you are counted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGuc0q9_QWg&feature
It’s funny, has clear instructions, and brings up an important point that I hadn’t recognized.
Also, it would make Michelle Bachmann’s head explode.
A vague point that was not clarified is Do we have to fill out all the questions on the long form or are the optional questions truly optional? The point that Michelle Bachman encouraged people to refrain from filling out and mailing in the form is unethical and illegal. And, she’s dumb, too. Will there be any measure taken against her? Or would that just give her more Air Time?
Oh, Demi, OT but I am about 3/4 through that book I told you about by Jodi Picoult. It is definitely worth your time.
I believe President Barack Obama also supported and voted in favor of the FISA Bill and immunity for the Telecoms–same president who supports the concept of “Drill, Baby, Drill.” Other Democrats also supprted warrantless wiretapping under George W. Bush. The Democrats have done little to change the unlawful policies from the Bush administration. David Swanson wrote a book on this very point–the Democrats continuing the Bush Doctrine and its associated policies.
And, Jane had to really fight to get her whole point out. Almost word for word what she wrote up top. Good for Jane. The other guy didn’t get interrupted though.
Thanks to Contessa……
Artfully written. Thanks.
Thanks for the post Jane.
And don’t forget pro-life and pro-war of agression.
Actually, the “pro-life” faction is perfectly consistent in their stance on abortion, death penalty, and war IF you understand that they are not in favor of life, but in favor of the STATE’s control over the individual — but they can’t claim to be “pro-State” because they are agin big guvmnt.
I’m going to pick it up today. Thanks, Molly.
supposed to fill them ALL in
Thanks. Can I go back to bed now? (kidding – it’s a beautiful day here)
Okay, thanks. Funny, I haven’t received mine yet. I wonder if I can pick one up at the post office.
Thank you for clearing that up!
I was just about to say the same thing. I do not have mine yet either and was wondering if it was just me since I have the loopiest mail person in the world.
Okay. You made me look online.
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php
Chickens coming home to roost, I love it.
She’s hawt! My demographic loves her. But we also love wearing our pants around our knees and not voting…
There is no Census long form anymore, there’s just the Census form and a separate American Community Survey to replace the long form. The intent is to use the ACS more often than once every ten years.
I live in Michele Bachmann’s district, I’ve already returned my Census form and I’ve been selected to fill out the ACS. I will enjoy answering every question, thinking of how Bachmann will hate me for it.
Does anybody who is a citizen, naturalized or by birth, really think the government doesn’t already have the miniscule information the census is asking on each individual? Social Security, age, where you work and address. IRS, where you work, address and money earned. USPS, address. Hospital where you were born, race. The census collates this miniscule information and it is not given out singularly identifying any one person or family. It is broken down by numbers totally for Representative requirements, demographics. and government and private endeavors. People screaming an invasion of privacy whether politician, opinionators or just citizens are doing it either for publicity or to hear themselves bloviate.
buk buk baaaaaaaaaaakmann!
Sweet!
You’re in excellent form this morning.
they are beating themselves census-less.
No offense to you personally, but how does someone like Michelle get elected?
No census, no feeling.
As the rethugs sow, so shall they reap
This is what happens when totally ignorant..er…stupid.. people gain power. I watched a video on TPM about a Democrat telling an Admiral that he was worried that Guam-great beaches, fab scuba diving,ahem-would tip over due to an influx of 8K Marines and familes. Da stupid is not limited to da rethugs
The US. Dumb and dumber?
Are we getting more stupid? Or is it simply a case of idiots in positions of power. That were elected by us. So, yup. We is getting dumber. No question. Or else the sheeple really are that credulous(or stupid)
Bonus question. Do young people know how to write and spell or has texting brought the english language into an irreversible decline?
Good King Win-census looked out
On the feets of Tea-men…
Stupid is a condition.
Ignorance is a choice.
I’m 25 and can proudly say I understand english syntax and grammer. I completely type and properly punctuate all text messages. I came by my respect for the language through my love of reading, though, and can say that unfortunately there are few people left in my generation that read for pleasure on a regular basis.
As for us getting dumber I have to agree. My generation especially assumes that MSM is our only outlet for information. They’d rather go to CNN.com from their iPhone than read the voters’ info packet they get in the mail. They vote bases on commercials (if they vote at all) instead of seeking a real understanding of issues and candidates. It’s sad. I also think it’s the reason Arnold’s our Governator.
Good for you, Kris. Keep it up.
There are plenty of grey-heads with horribly misspelled signs at the teabag get-togethers; lack of facility in English seems not to discriminate by age.
Makes an old (nslow) man proud.
Michele Bachmann’s district was gerrymandered in the 1990s specifically to create a GOP stronghold in the Twin Cities metro area. It includes the highest concentration of racist redneck confederacy lovers in the state. Her predecessor, Mark Kennedy, was just about as crazy although he didn’t have her knack for TV attention. I’d say you might have heard of him, but Amy Klobuchar crushed him so badly in her senate race against him that he’s been completely forgotten.
People may think Michele Bachmann is an embarrassment, but really she’s just a harmless clown. She has done absolutely zero when it comes to legislation and she will never hold higher office. Her GOP-rigged district is so out of the mainstream that the winners there are just too nutso for the rest of the state.
Minnesota is (was, thanks to Texas teabaggers?) on the cusp of losing a congressional seat, and it would be Bachmann’s that would likely be eliminated. So her speaking out against the Census is just bizarre.
mills sistah,
would you pls add on teh tv today that the census is very important for future generations b/c of GENEALOGY. those of us who are ancestry.com -aholics know the immeasurable value of the census. and with the new friday night show, “who do you think you are?” with lisa kudrow, the importance of the census should be readily apparent, even to the nuts. unless, they think they sprung from the forehead of zeus…
ma
I will be very interested in your impression of it. Quite an interesting premise forms the basis of the story line, but she does a wonderful job fleshing out the characters through their own words and eyes.
OH that is 707 funny!
Michele Bachmann represents a district designed to elect Republicans. Ironically enough, unless lots more teabaggers in Texas stay home than do teabaggers in Minnesota (which is not out of the question), she’ll lose her seat over this — Minnesota’s on the bubble to lose a seat right now, and guess what? Tim Pawlenty won’t be in office to make sure the redistricting goes the way he wants to go.
Hey, P — remember when Mark Kennedy was the guy who was so potent he scared Mark Dayton clean out of defending his own Senate seat (hence Amy’s running for it instead)?
He was being talked about in hushed tones as presidential timber. Then Klobuchar just crushed him. It wasn’t even close.
Stop it you two, we have been punished enough.
When your generation gives us a President who tops Bush in the worse President and Stupidest President Department then your statement will be proven true.
I guess quitting is all the rage for wing-nut women.
You are in rare form today, punaise.*g*
But Bush has set the bar so low I doubt it can be beat.
my spring has sprung? :~)
Bush is our own Kim Jong-il. They strut about in the same fashion.
Jane,
Ever since the Lake came into the public sphere, I have been an avid reader. And with this in mind, I have found many writers on the Internet to be quite excellent, have risen to the top in terms of audience attention, and thusly, I have inscribed them into the Great Scribblers Society of America. As such, I am the Jefe-Honcho.
Today, you have been inducted. Congrats.
Now, political blogs are not my forte, since I am not an afficionado for “blog brevity” and thus, I remain old-fashioned in that I much prefer the long form. And yet, as Chicanos, we must be ever-vigilent to the ‘voices’ that speak to us with considerable nuance and subtlety since the “loud voices” tend to overwhelm us with their proverbial snake oil and for crappola that informs and perpetuates intellectual laziness.
Consequently, “unassailable” fact is much in demand and of high value.
Therefore, congrats from here in the Sonoran Desert.
Jaango
THat’s two of us (MN 6 CD and ACS), but I won’t be filling out the acs
I have way too much paranoia (I’ll admit it, I’m a whack job) regarding those in D.C.
Jane … Are you kidding me? Because FISA is awful, the Census is better? No comment on the rounding up of the Japanese? Did happen? Didn’t happen? What is your opinion on that?
And…”"Businesses will also use the information to forecast the demand for products and services”". Really Jane? The government is collecting info for big business? Under threat of law. Using the census? Good by you?
I would say that you might want to re-examine the “technocratic function that the government must provide in order to both administer itself and facilitate the growth of industry and commerce….” and what that has done to us all. Did you create that sentence up all by yourself? By the way, what they hell does it mean?
And GROWING government? Isn’t that the problem being articulated?
This blog has totally lost me. Like a ragtag ship tipping over without a rudder. It’s amazing what is being done today to avoid a coherent conversation. So dishonest.
Well, rock on for the Hoax-Man…
I leave you with Clinton’s apology for (apparently using the census info to guide him in his excellent trade decisions) to destroy Haiti… (which, he also did to Mexico, Central America, South America, and many, many more countries).
“”President Clinton apologized on March 10 for the role that his government played in destroying a big part of Haitian agriculture: “It may have been good for some of my farmers in Arkansas, but it has not worked . . . I have to live every day with the loss of capacity to produce a rice crop in Haiti, to feed those people, because of what I did.”
Beginning in the 1980s, subsidized U.S. rice wiped out thousands of Haitian rice farmers and made the country dependent on imported food…”"
Have you ever met both of them?
It’s just not fair really, Amy should have given him some sort of handicap like possibly not campaigning in his home district, something anyway
THere’s an ex-governor from Alaska who can probably beat that.
Perhaps as early as 2012.
It’s been happening for generations actually. Part of our Agriculture and Foreign policy is based upon the destruction of foreign agriculture with the provision of subsidized US produced product.
“Hunger For Justice” by Jack A Nelson (St Olaf) Orbis Books
KrisAinCa @38 is 25 Sarah is more around my age;(
Bush or Kim who is worse thats one for the history books after everything gets declassified.
As I said about Contessa Brewer, Sarah Palin’s hawt! I especially liked the Dirty Biker Leather Nursing jacket she wore at her appearance for Gone Insane last week in AZ.
Why does Matt Lewis always look like he just gave someone a Blowjob ?!!
*Bows to the Master*
I’m not sure that’s a question we can’t answer now. Bush’s policies have affected people on a much larger scale. Jong-il seems to be holding a nation hostage with an obstructed flow of freedom and information. He’s also developing nuclear weapons and and rattling his saber at the rest of the world. Bush, however, is largely responsible for the deaths of as many as 1.5 million Iraqis and Afghanis. Not to mention the death of many civil liberties for 306 million Americans. The guy was a freaking despot.
In America’s House, we have both the Neo-Con and the Neo-Lib and which is symptomatic of the “Kissing Cousins”. To wit, the evolution of the Democratic Party from the Party of the Status Quo and onto the Party for Equality, would go a long ways toward reverseing our foreign policy relative to the Latin America Region.
Consequently, here in ChicanoLandia, our “security” is not one for “national security” but for having an intact family that includes our “extended family”. And from this standpoint, we can move Progress forward and in manner where our “patriotism” does not start and end in Iraq or Afghanistan, but here at home and for standing tall and at the behest of the Underdog.
Jaango
That’s your community’s loss, then.
Who is this Matt Lewis jerk and why is he taking up all of the air time?
[And why can't Madame Moderator do a better job of shutting him up?]
But, the policies and Statutes that were enacted that provided him the authority to do so are still on the books
What may be more frightening, we might very well be seeing
equal opportunitybipartisan despotismare you kidding me?
find someone else to insult
Agreed. His policies weren’t fought with enough zeal by our then Congresscritters. Now the current brood is wallowing in the corporate money shower like a rapper making it rain in a strip club. Too many dollars at stake to put our clothes back on, dontchaknow.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Bachmann’s argument becomes that with all the information we gather spying on everyone the census isn’t really needed anymore.
well, why should we call her out for this. let’s encourage her!
makes my head spin Kris that the Patriot Act hasn’t been repealed.
I’ve always thought of myself as realistic and grounded but don’t understand the rational (until I factor in MIC etc)
Then it sort of makes sense if I turn up the cynicism
If you put enought cynicism in the mix, add equal parts paranoia, ego, self-centeredness and greed, bake in a preheated tepid congress for 8 years, you should get the current state of our country.
To be sure it’s done, stick a Dick Cheney or Karl Rove in the center and make sure they come out clean.
I am pretty sure he was speaking metaphorically. At least I hope so.
A little off topic but I wanted some feedback here. On my Census form there was this strange qualifier regarding Hispanics and how “for the purposes of this census” this race category was not included.
Weird enough, but it gets weirder! When I mentioned this to a friend of mine, last name RODRIGUEZ (as in Hispanic) she said HER form came with the race already pre-filled in. AS CAUCASIAN! I would not have believed her had I not seen her form with my own eyes. Needless to say, she was really, really bothered by this.
Anyone know what this is about or heard similar weirdness. I tried to find some insight by internet search and have no clue why this was qualified on the Census form this way.
For the record my friend and her husband have not sent the form back and probably won’t.
What’s up with that?
Anyone?
When redistricting takes place, how about making it mandatory that each district represent the shape of a square as much as possible to end, once and for all, contrived Party districts.
I’m fairly certain the government has more information about each and every one of us from our cell phones usage and algorithms than 10 questions written on a piece of dead tree delivered by a soon-to-be former postal worker.
interesting mis-understanding of what the census does
Jane has it correctly stated – with a bit of detail that might lessen your anger missing.
The “forced by law” census is “private” – for the next 70 plus years, after which the count info is available – check out the 1920′s census for your ancestors – it is informative.
The force of law comes from:
United States Code, Title 13 (Census), Chapter 7 (Offenses and Penalties), SubChapter II:
221. Refusal or neglect to answer questions; false answers
* (a) Whoever, being over eighteen years of age, refuses or willfully neglects, when requested by the Secretary, or by any other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of the Secretary or authorized officer, to answer, to the best of his knowledge, any of the questions on any schedule submitted to him in connection with any census or survey provided for by subchapters I, II, IV, and V of chapter 5 of this title, applying to himself or to the family to which he belongs or is related, or to the farm or farms of which he or his family is the occupant, shall be fined not more than $100.
* (b) Whoever, when answering questions described in subsection (a) of this section, and under the conditions or circumstances described in such subsection, willfully gives any answer that is false, shall be fined not more than $500.
* (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, no person shall be compelled to disclose information relative to his religious beliefs or to membership in a religious body.
Sec. 222. Giving suggestions or information with intent to cause inaccurate enumeration of population
Whoever, either directly or indirectly, offers or renders to any officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof engaged in making an enumeration of population under subchapter II, IV, or V of chapter 5 of this title, any suggestion, advice, information or assistance of any kind, with the intent or purpose of causing an inaccurate enumeration of population to be made, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
There is a “voluntary” (meaning not in constitution – a fact ignored by the above law – but a fact which makes for zero court cases won against anyone refusing to fill it out) long form for a 1 in 6 Americans that tries to develop a portrait of the living standard of the country for the purpose of legislation – its data is studied by academics and businesses. It does not supply individual responses to anyone. If you chose to not fill out, leave the extra questions blank rather than record a rant that they will follow up on – no one needs the extra trouble.
The privacy rules in the census “are” said to be violated in times of war – in the 1940′s being used to get those Japanese Americans, and under GW Bush being used to find the locations of Arab Americans – the “are” above is in quotes as it was told to me and not something I have proof of.
I find the right wing hysteria over the census well..hysterical.
I promptly filled mine out. It has the same damn information you have to fill out if you file taxes. I guess no one has a job or ever pays taxes in Texas. I guess they are expecting no refunds, social security or medicaid ever. YEAH, they get to find out your race-but I thought the good old boys and girls of the south were proud as punch of their race.
And I thought they were pro as pro military as can be. Like doesn’t the army, navy, air force, marines own your ass in perpetuity? They know your shoe size. Blood type. And willingness to die for whatever they tell you to die for. They never mention THAT government takeover at tea party rallies now do they?
And are they kidding? The privacy concerns on something like facebook/my space/dating sites on and on.. are far more insidious which is why I personally paranoid person are not into giving all that information. Someone figured out you can find some of these dumb young kids in a day and drive to their exact location and know all their friends names, where they go to school etc. from it. No thanks.
Again are they stoopid? Because like doesn’t the DMV know all this stuff? Don’t you have to surrender information to do fun stuff like drive and fly? I guess they don’t do that in Texas neither.
But hell Amazon.com already knows EVERYTHING about me. So I am doomed anyway. (doomed to being a consumer forever…damn the corporate toadies have won!)
Good post and totally agree with Sister Jane reasoning in the post which is as usual logical and her position is intended for the good of the country.
Census is something important for our government to plan our civic infrasturcture and must be filled out right away.
Warrantless tapping runs counter to spirit of constitution and its intention of checks and balances between three branches to prevent possibility of dictatorship. I do not think of any judge who will not provide permission of warrant right-away if it is in the interest of national security. Just this step indicates at-least some-one from other important & totally un-related branch at-least cursorily agreeing to the tapping which keeps checks and balances in place.
Your appearance on MSNBC, Jane, was succint and to the point — and right! Small glitch in your post above where you wrote of “illegal warrantless wiretapping programs like FISA.” Maybe you meant NSA or something but don’t have to tell you FISA is the court that issues warrants, not a wiretapping program. Tickled pink the judge ruled Bush’s “state secrets priviledge” (since adopted by Obama) did not apply to his warrantless wiretap defense. Might not last if it kicks up to the Supremes where Executive Power is a safe refuge led by Roberts and Alito. But for the moment reading this 45-page decision is pure poetry.