I’ve documented the whole thing at my personal blog here, here, here and today’s event here.
To summarize: My address was chosen for the 2010 census. I received the first questionnaire booklet a few months ago and tossed it into the trash. I received a second booklet a few weeks later which also found its way into the trash. About 2 weeks ago I received a postcard (page 1) saying that since I hadn’t returned the required information that I’d have to contact a bureaucrat by the name of Edward Marcus to setup a time to provide the information in person. I ignored it and last weekend after being in North Carolina for the weekend I came home to a hand delivered envelope which had a letter (page 3) about how I was obligated to participate. On Monday I received a letter in the mail (page 4,5) again explain why I needed to give them the info they wanted, what law mandated that I did so and what would happen if I didn’t.
Today at five after six in the evening Edward Marcus rang my doorbell and I had a nice 10 minute chat with him. He went over and over about how I needed to give him my name and info and I told him again and again that I wouldn’t. After attempting to trick me into giving him my info and making sure I knew the consequences of my continued failure to participate he got back into his SUV and drove off.
He said nothing about whether or not I’ll be hearing back from him or if I’ll be summoned to explain why I won’t play nice. For the entertainment of it all I hope they continue after me.
Tags: census, Department of Commerce
May 19, 2008 at 11:27 pm |
That’s hi-larious, Antonio! Maybe you can videotape your next encounter with Edward Marcus for our viewing pleasure.
May 21, 2008 at 2:35 pm |
i think some people have gotten in some serious trouble for ignoring the census.
not saying the gov’t is legal or moral, just that they have all the guns.
May 21, 2008 at 2:39 pm |
not sure how credible it is… but watch yourself:
http://people.howstuffworks.com/question345.htm
May 21, 2008 at 3:05 pm |
I’m aware of the consequences but they really aren’t that bad. At least not at face value. $100 fine for what I’m doing. My only question is what they would do if I didn’t pay the fine. From some info I’ve found online few if any have been actually fined for not participating. In one article from the last census a congressman said the fine was just an incentive to get people to participate.
If they fine me I won’t pay it. If they jail me I’ll have the MLP and more there backing me up. It’ll be fun.
May 21, 2008 at 5:19 pm |
ok… just making sure.
If you pay the fine, your whole exercise will be for naught. Not one of ignoring the states authority, anyways. Just saying that you prefer your oppression in the form of $100 fines rather than via forced 10-minute censuses.
If you go the other route, you count on me to support you.
May 21, 2008 at 5:33 pm |
Actually, there is a 3rd route you can go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVlkZVAw8Gc&feature=related
but I think that technically may be in violation of the non-aggression principle.
May 21, 2008 at 5:59 pm |
Ever since the last census in 2000, I’ve been thinking of holding a census form burning demonstration, like the hippies used to do with their draft cards.
May 21, 2008 at 6:21 pm |
EEE555: Yeah… I think so. It’s unlikely he’d voluntarily go for that.
Jim: Good idea. Unfortunately it’s too late for that now and our next chance is a decade away. We could burn the crap they sent to get me to comply. I don’t know of anyone else who was picked let alone refused though.
May 30, 2008 at 12:06 am |
How is it too late for that now? I meant to ask you how you got a census form so early? Doesn’t the 2010 census happen in 2010?
May 30, 2008 at 6:09 am |
Too late because I threw away the booklets they sent me.
I had misspoken about it being the 2010 census. But I’m blaming the Census Bureau for that. It’s really the American Community Survey but the pamphlet they sent me about it has Census 2010 printed on it. I had figured it was just some fancy name to get people to do the census. I hadn’t realized they send out questionnaires all the time for crap.
May 30, 2008 at 6:26 am |
There is a description of it on Wikipedia. Unsuprisingly Ron Paul has a writeup about it which is linked from the article. Seems I should have done more research. Not that it would have changed things.
May 30, 2008 at 8:08 am |
There are good writeup at World Net Daily, here and here.
August 12, 2008 at 5:24 pm |
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!
August 22, 2009 at 6:20 pm |
I also am on thwo away version 2. I will not “rat” on myself for anyone or pay the fine. I’ve researched it some and to sate only two (2) people since 1960 have been actually fined. Odds are pretty good that it’s safe to ignore the census.
Last time in 2000, I did the same and finally a woman showed up at our door and I DID supply basic how many and what ages were in my house, but nothing else. THey don’t need to know how many toilets, etc.. She wasn’t too happy. I was polite but explained I believed that the feds had overstepped their constitutional grounds and that the number of people is ALL that the constitution allowed by law. She went away and I never heard from them until this round of harassment.
October 17, 2009 at 6:00 am |
I too have had the same thing with the whole census thing. I felt like I was reading a blog I didn’t write. I refuse to answer their stupid questions. I am never home when the chick comes to my apt. but leaves a lovely message for me. They don’t need to know anything about me. I live under the poverty level and we are not much cared about anyway. So what, state gets money per person. Like I’m never going to see any of it. So they can take their stupid questions and shove ‘em! Until government gives a crap about the little people, I will give a crap about them.
October 22, 2009 at 5:13 am |
Every one of you sounds like a big f’ing tit! ‘Oh weah, they’re picking on me.’ Give me a break- you’re bringing it on yourselves. They are basic questions that they are asking; not like they want a bank account number, or the name of the last bimbo you had a one night stand with. Why be dinks about it?…what difference does it make?…just to be an a**hole. We’ve only been going through this for a couple hundred years now. It’s not like something that popped up last week. If you think you’ve got it so bad here, move to France or something. Idiots…
October 30, 2009 at 11:28 am |
screw you dweeb ! some people cherish their privacy. Something you obviously wouldn’t understand. A census of head count is not a bother. But more than that is non of anybody’s business.
A promise that the government won’t use any information for anything else because it is against the law, is hollow. The government is the biggest violator of its own laws on a daily basis. Where the hell do you live that you don’t see that?
October 22, 2009 at 6:07 am |
So you’d be more then happy to provide me with all your ACS info if I just appeared at your door and threatened to fine you $5k if you refused?
Isn’t the responsibility on the person acting to justify their actions not the individual being acted on? I’m not going to treat the US government any different from anyone else with regard to such questions. I have no interest in telling you or anyone else how much I make, how far I drive or how much heating oil I use.