[Smart E. Nuff]

This is an interesting look at the "legality" of the questions as well as the openness of the agency collecting the info.
JUST SAY NO! (and go to jail?)

[Nidrah]

Just follow the lead of congress?

[Oroboros]

First off, that video player looks like shit. Doesn't mean anything is wrong with the content, just that it looks amateurish.

On the other hand, the guy in the video is professionally trained, or is just very good. He'd have a place on any radio or television newscast; and my bet is that he has already. I always enjoy seeing people who put a sense of pride and professionalism into their work, but who aren't paid millions to do so.

On the content itself, does anyone know how to respond to these census jokers? Is there a chance of jail time, or is that smoke and mirrors? What are the best resources to answer those questions?

What, if anything, do y'all plan to do when your door gets that knock?

[Nidrah]

Oroboros, on 07 February 2010 - 02:29 PM, said:

What, if anything, do y'all plan to do when your door gets that knock?

Census questionnaires are mailed. If you get a census worker at your door, how 'bout don't answer it.

ETA: I don't answer my door for anyone I don't know is coming over, period. If I'm expecting someone, they call before they come over, then they call when they arrive and I meet them outside. Any random person who comes to my door doesn't get it opened. If there's reason to open the door it'll be with a gun to their face telling them they have exactly 30 seconds to remove themselves from my property.

[GuyTallman]

My suggestion would be to try and organize something like this for the purpose of skewing data to show disdain for the intrusiveness of the survey. It is one thing to know how many citizens you have, and entirely another to ask for their race/religion/income etc, etc.

So if you want, do like myself and claim to be a Jedi, or a Sith Lord, depending on how you feel at the time.

[purple]

Fireplace kindling like all the last ones. Never had a fine. If someone comes knocking we do not answer. If they see us out side we just go in the house. Our dog usually scares them away. (Oh and fuck with my dog and bad things happen)

[Oroboros]

GuyTallman, on 07 February 2010 - 05:24 PM, said:

My suggestion would be to try and organize something like this for the purpose of skewing data to show disdain for the intrusiveness of the survey. It is one thing to know how many citizens you have, and entirely another to ask for their race/religion/income etc, etc.

So if you want, do like myself and claim to be a Jedi, or a Sith Lord, depending on how you feel at the time.

I do think that's a hilarious and awesome thing to do; but at the same time, I couldn't help but see the part where someone had to explicitly clarify the law to state:

"no person shall be liable to a penalty under subsection (1) for refusing or neglecting to state any particulars in respect of religion"

So, that leads be to believe that there was a penalty before. The very idea that the state feels itself entitled to take information like this under threat of penalty balances out any funniness involved with claiming to be a Jedi.

[Nidrah]

Yeah, I'm thinking about filling mine out in crayon.

[hampy_251]

As I understand, just as the good Representative said, you only really have to tell them how many people occupy a residence. Screw all that other crap. However, you cant intentionally lie to them. So, probably best to tell them the number and then shut the door.

[Oroboros]

Nidrah, on 07 February 2010 - 02:38 PM, said:

Census questionnaires are mailed. If you get a census worker at your door, how 'bout don't answer it.

ETA: I don't answer my door for anyone I don't know is coming over, period. If I'm expecting someone, they call before they come over, then they call when they arrive and I meet them outside. Any random person who comes to my door doesn't get it opened. If there's reason to open the door it'll be with a gun to their face telling them they have exactly 30 seconds to remove themselves from my property.

They come to the door if you don't return the form. Sometimes, they just come to the door. Not saying that a non-answer is the wrong idea, I just wanted to know what different peoples' approaches were.

ETA: Oh, I wouldn't want to be a lost delivery driver at your door!

This post has been edited by Oroboros: 08 February 2010 - 12:03 AM

[Tobus]

I wonder how the Census people handle rural folks who live behind locked gates. Do they call the Sheriff or get some type of warrant to enter the property so they can knock on the door?

[Nidrah]

The video has been removed from the source. At least it doesn't load on my end. Anyone have this saved or know a youtube link?

Oroboros, on 08 February 2010 - 12:02 AM, said:

ETA: Oh, I wouldn't want to be a lost delivery driver at your door!

I live in West Texas. Even when it's the UPS guy, I have a sidearm in my hand when I open the door. I've had a few wide eyes, but no one has ever reacted negatively. I've gotten into a few conversations over it actually with postmen and the normal UPS guy here.

[Oroboros]

Nidrah, on 08 February 2010 - 07:50 PM, said:

The video has been removed from the source. At least it doesn't load on my end. Anyone have this saved or know a youtube link?




I live in West Texas. Even when it's the UPS guy, I have a sidearm in my hand when I open the door. I've had a few wide eyes, but no one has ever reacted negatively. I've gotten into a few conversations over it actually with postmen and the normal UPS guy here.

I've answered the door with a visible sidearm, I just thought you meant literally "in their face"

[zen]

I will be avoiding this census just as I avoided the last census. It's going to be especially easy since if I am questioned in Chicago I can simply decline to participate since my drivers license was issued in Texas. And since my farm in Texas is 100% fenced and the front gate is locked by default NO ONE is getting near the house without climbing over barbwire and walking the 800 feet to my front door.

[VXbinaca]

Why are we saying No all of a sudden? I don't remember the opposition last time around.

[Tobus]

VXbinaca, on 09 February 2010 - 03:58 AM, said:

Why are we saying No all of a sudden? I don't remember the opposition last time around.

I daresay that last time there was a census you were probably too young to be paying attention (you were in your teens, right?). But there has always been opposition to the census. In fact, I remember seeing a short film a couple of months ago that was produced by the government in the 1950s, essentially doing the same thing: trying to calm people down and get them to cooperate with the census. And even in the early years of the republic, there was trouble over census workers trying to pry into peoples' business.

[Smart E. Nuff]

Our broke govt spent 2.5M on a Super Bowl ad. All told, the price tag for census awareness will hit 1.9B.

[VXbinaca]

Why are we resisting doing a census when we all pay taxes?

[zen]

VXbinaca, on 09 February 2010 - 03:58 AM, said:

Why are we saying No all of a sudden? I don't remember the opposition last time around.

If they simply asked "how many people live here" I would have absolutely no problem with the census. But they won't. They'll ask a series of personal and intrusive questions and refusal to answer may result in a fine. Avoiding the census means there is no chance of a fine as long as you maintain plausible deniability. (I never got it..... I don't live here..... Sorry the gate is locked and there is no way to knock on my door.... etc.)

Since 99% of "taxes" we pay are by definition illegal the argument about "knowing where to allocate tax money" is a canard. The census was originally used to determine representation and draw new districts. (1 representative per 30,000 people, etc.) Since our government illegally capped the number of representatives at 435 the raison d'etre for the census no longer applies.

Sooooo....... fuck'em.

[purple]

zen, on 09 February 2010 - 08:47 AM, said:

If they simply asked "how many people live here" I would have absolutely no problem with the census. But they won't. They'll ask a series of personal and intrusive questions and refusal to answer may result in a fine. Avoiding the census means there is no chance of a fine as long as you maintain plausible deniability. (I never got it..... I don't live here..... Sorry the gate is locked and there is no way to knock on my door.... etc.)

Since 99% of "taxes" we pay are by definition illegal the argument about "knowing where to allocate tax money" is a canard. The census was originally used to determine representation and draw new districts. (1 representative per 30,000 people, etc.) Since our government illegally capped the number of representatives at 435 the raison d'etre for the census no longer applies.

Sooooo....... fuck'em.

Noun 1. raison d'etre - reason for being
rationalization, rationalisation - the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason
2. raison d'etre - the purpose that justifies a thing's existence
function, purpose, use, role - what something is used for; "the function of an auger is to bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?"
Can we fuck up my coffee this morning one more time in looking up another word. You goddamn people speak in a regular wording that I do not have to keep skipping around. Its fine to be all educated and shit but life is simple people make it complicated. I just want to go through a thread without someone trying to show off that the can sound well more snooty than their pay grade.