U.S. Census Bureau
Has anyone received this? I have been asking everyone I know and everyone I come in contact with. No one I have talked to got one. Our names are not on it, just address. I don't care, but the questions they are asking are very weird. Now they are calling on the phone. Isn't a census about everyone? I don't understand this. Thanks for your input.
auntiel
This link my help you to verify if its real
http://www.census.gov/dmd/www/content.htm
shoebie 
auntiel - if the questions are similar to: Do you drink your morning coffe naked, in your underwear or in your pj's, then I think your perverted neighbor sent you a fake census. Check the return address!!
maja Funny, the following info was emailed to us at work as a warning today.... most importantly,... NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.
Sorry, it is long, but is informative. -Reggie
2010 Census to Begin
WARNING: 2010 Census Cautions from the Better Business Bureau be
Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers by Susan Johnson
With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business
Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not
to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of
the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the
addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000
U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and
will gather information about every person living at each address
including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.
The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a
U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:
** If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a
badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a
confidentiality notice.
Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering
their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know
into your home.
** Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify
address information.
Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking
information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S.
Census.
REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL
THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.
While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial
information, such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING
AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION.
The Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank
account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations.
Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census
Bureau.
AND REMEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH
ACORN ON GATHERING THIS INFORMATION..
No Acorn worker should approach you saying he/she is with the
Census Bureau.
Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail,
or in person at home.
However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be
on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census.
Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that
are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Reggie All i can say if some one comes to your door and says that they are with the 2010 census and you dont feel that they are call the police and they will check it out and the census taker will be happy that you did , go to 2010 census it will explane it all
CagedAnimal Also, please remember, once the census does begin, that the census enumerators are local people who are just trying to make a temporary living. Whatever you feelings may be regarding the personal information that is asked (especially if you get the long form), please don't take it out on the census enumerator.
Rich Thanks guys, all your information is very helpful. Long form, that's the one I got!! The whole thing is 28 pages. Each person has 4 pages Where and whys about employment, ex. how did this person usually get to work LAST week, how many people rode to work in this car, how many hours did this person work each week. It goes on and on. This one got me, what time did this person usually leave home to go to work LAST WEEK. The housing is funnier yet. Does this house have hot cold running water, a flushing toilet, a bathtub or shower, a sink with a faucet, a stove or range also on and on. Yes we are asked how much we pay for mort, gas or fuel, water, sewer, wood, taxes, insurance, food, second mort, equity loans, and fees. So many choices about race, I couldn't find mine. So I filled in other. Human. My husband made me change it. Thanks again for all your help. I did get 2 so I am only going to answer, need to know questions.
i got a letter today saying i will be getting the census in one week why would they waste double the paper to tell me that
auntiel...That is strange that they asked what time you leave your house. Why does big brother need that vital bit of info?
BLW Shoebie - I said the same thing when I got the letter. Why are they sending me something in the mail to tell me that they will be sending me something in the mail? Ridiculous and wasteful.
Calico696 Maybe they'll mail out Thank You cards afterwards as well...Let's not leave any trees standing. And who's paying for all those extra stamps? Hmm...
Lori...since '73 
Mommyof2 An even better question is: If the census bureau knows where you are, why do they have to "count" you? And if the count isn't what they are after, then what is it?
justintime I got the letter saying they were sending another letter yesterday. This will also be prime time for scam artists to work their "magic". Be aware......
blackcat This is still going on. It started Dec. 09. To update. The phone calls became 2 to 3 X a week. They always left a call back #. We filled out our names, date of birth, race and gender. The calls stopped for 1 week. The next call they wanted us to answer the questions over the phone. It was late so my husband agreed he would call them back the next day. In the meantime someone had given my husband a short video on what to say to them. Now we were ready for them. Hubby called back gave them the same answers as on the paper. They said, so you refuse to answer the rest of the guestions. My hubby said yes, they wanted to know why. There is nothing in the constitution that says as an American we have to supply any more info than what we have answered. Silence, my hubby asked them, can you show me where in the constitution it states we have to tell you any more than that. The phone call ended with them saying we have refused to answer any more questions. No calls in a week. What bothers us most is they are telling everyone it's about community planning. I live in a town that has a town council WHO does our community planning. Something is not right about this. Now this is funny, I too got a letter saying the census is comming in the mail. I thought it was done door to door. I don't remember this being such a big deal in 2000, 1990,1980,1970 There were no commercials with celeberties selling this. What has changed, why is it so different. I still have my first form I want to see what I get next. Sorry for any type and spelling errors have to get back to work.
The reason for them asking (according to the census) is for what parts of the country get more federal aid. Who gets more job training money, family planning, food banks, and all sorts of other avenues for funneling federal money to those in need. They ask some veterans status questions to see where to put cemetaries, VA hospitals, etc. They ask education questions to see where more money needs to be spent to fight illiteracy, low test scores, increase graduation rates, etc.
I think it should be just a count, and not a way to redistribute wealth. I find the problem is that people in certain areas are coached to lower their incomes (admitted by the census) and thus receive more federal funds. Our area will have more people like auntiel who are (understandably) skeptical about answering these questions. We will have less federal money coming to our area, and lose funds to area's where folks were taught to under report income and assets.
One of the main reasons for the census is for voting counts. Congressional districts are determined from the census. One issue I have is with Gerrymandering (where districts swerve and weave through areas to pick up a certain demographic). Both parties use it and it should stop. The socioeconomic info they are asking for helps rewrite the maps for which congressman is going to get his 30 year seat out of a deprived (or wealthy) area.
I wouldn't answer anything more then how many people live there. And don't open your door for anyone you don't know.
Constitution of the United States, Article 1, Section 2: "The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct."
Read this part
" in such Manner as they shall by Law direct."
The U.S. Census Bureau construcks a Census as in a mammer they see fit which is by law direct .
The president commissions all the offices of the federal government.
The Congress shall have power... To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.
Census
. An official registration of the number of the people, the value of their estates, and other general statistics of a country. [1913 Webster]
So you see they can ask you to fill out the form or answer the questions
whats the big deal
Read below
in the Constitution of the United States it says about haveing a "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed"
This part " A well regulated Militia,"
Well there are 1000s of rules for this the how, when, and why .
and there not in the Constitution eather
We the people elect those to run the country and they in turn create Departments and Bureaus and Agencies.
So we have gave the power to the Census Bureau to ask these Questions
2.
That's how many people live in this house.
And thanks by the way, for spending MILLIONS of our dollars sending out letters letting us know that you will be spending millions MORE sending out the actual census. Brilliant. Washington bloated bureaucracy at it finest. Maybe if they wasted less money on such nonsense as the "census alert" (not to mention the millions spent of Super Bowl commercials) we would have more money for more important things.
2.
I received a letter in the mail that said the census will be sending out an envelope with questions that you fill out and mail back. The letter said that this information will be mailed in the next couple to few weeks. I hope this helped.
This guy seems to know "whats the big deal." http://rightsideva.blogspot.com/2010/03/census-bureau-just-what-do-we-have-to.html
Agreed Great Link.
Rich, I hear what you are saying about the census workers. I sure would hate to be them as I am guessing they had no idea what they were getting into with all these personal questions.
Firefly 
cc It'll be interesting to see how Mormons and JayDubs react to having annoying people show up on their doorstep with a lot of stupid questions...
ianimal It would be interesting, too, if the census takers simply put the questionnaires on every car's windshield...
According to this, there is no "long form" and the census will consist of only these 10 questions:
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php
I'm still answering only question number 1. I'm going to take a black Sharpie and "redact" all my other answers, lol.
It looks like the form is only 10 questions, and they are no longer using the long form. The long form has been replaced with a new form that runs continuously - not at census time:
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php
Ugh - Here is the new "American Community Survey" that replaced the long form. They will send this form out to "select" people:
http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/ACS-1(info)(2010)%20Stateside%20English_web.pdf
I love the one particular answer opition for Question 10:
Does Person 1 sometimes live or stay somewhere else?
In jail or prison
LOL
Haha, ianimal - that's funny. :)
One more link - Here is the main ACS page, if anyone wnats to know the "official" info about the form:
http://www.census.gov/acs/www/
Res2 If someone called you on the phone from the Census it was fradulent, we never call anyone.
I am the Census Recruiter from the local area and if any one has any question about the validity of the Census I will be more than happy to talk to anyone about it. Please send your census forms back when you receive them this week and no one will call or come to your door. I do testing in the local area and we are still in need of more applicants.
htown newbie According to a CNN: The 10-question census forms should be mailed or delivered within the next week.
"The forms are to go out in mid-March and should be returned by April 1
Clyde Potts So what you're all telling me is our spend alcoholic government sent me 2 long forms in the mail to see what public reaction would be. Now the baafoons are going to send me the short form. I can't wait. I wonder if I change my answers they will catch it. I have so many good ones. I am sorry I didn't do that the first time. Too honest. My husband always said I would never make a good criminal. One more thing. We did refuse to answer all those questions, so does that mean we will be fined and maybe go to jail? What are the penalties, it didn't say.
copygirl OK. I got my third form in the mail today. I compared all addresses including return address, phone numbers, everything. It is exactly like the other two. There are a few differences. This third form has 18 less pages, there are NO questions about housing, transportation, education or finances. Also on this form there is room for twelve in household, the other two only asked about five, and they go into more detail with question number 8 & 9. So I ask you again, what's up. I will fill this out and send it in. This form does not infringe on my right to privacy. I still don't understand why I have never gotten a census form in my life time. I have always lived here and have been in the same house for 20 yrs. And no, it isn't the BIG HOUSE.
Copy girl - My husband who works for the Dept of commerce - is the Recruiting rep for Warren County - he replied to the forum using my Htown newbie ID. I'll have him respond to you privately.
He needs to come up with his own display name!
Mine came today!
Can't wait to answer... QUESTION NUMBER 1.
The Constitution... gotta' love it!
was a little un happy with the spending to get people to answer the form I open my NJ MV Registration renew letter and there was a flyer telling me to not to forget get counted this is a waste of my money
i really do not see why so many people do not return these, this is the first one i have ever done and it took less then 5 mins. To spend as much money they did to have people fill these out is way to much IMO does any one know the actual $ amount spent on advertising for the census?
$133 million on its advertising campaign
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Millions-wasted-on-census-as-apf-1237252725.html?x=0
think i got my answer, wow!
It's a waste of money because people get video tapes in their mail boxes instructing them what they can or can't say. And people actually do it. So someone else has to come along and convince them the other way. The issue is just plain common sense. If the questions are too invasive, just say no. Otherwise the short form questionnaires are really quite small and it's nothing more than names and ages which has been collected for the past 220 years.
GC that what i got age name race questions nothing invasive i guess different households get different forms?
yes a computer randomly sends out the long and short form per county
and i seen that it was 14million spent on advertizeing
Question did the U.S. Census Bureau have to pay postage to the U.S Postal Service I hope not
I'm sure they do pay the Postal Service the postage, which, if it helps to continue 6 day service, is fine with me.
Gordy Commenting is no longer available.
