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Counting Stupidity

MFS62 Mar 16 2010 07:40 AM

Did you get your census form yet? Did you read it? Its been a long time since I studied the Constitution in school, but I remember the census was implemented to ensure fair representation in Congress. These days its used for other things such as apprtionment of programs. Well, it seems to be letting down those who are defending that Constitution every day. The instructions say we may not count members of the military. (It lumps them with people serving in prison. They at least deserve to be mentioned in a separate category.) Yet, many of them may need the very services that will be allocated as a result of counting census returns. I'm irate, but I didn't know where else to vent about this. Later

Edgy DC Mar 16 2010 09:23 AM Re: Counting Stupidity

The idea is not to double count. They're counted elsewhere.

MFS62 Mar 16 2010 09:44 AM Re: Counting Stupidity

[quote="Edgy DC"]The idea is not to double count. They're counted elsewhere.

But not in the home districts to which they return. And there is where I feel those services would be needed. The purpose of the Census is to establish population needs for the next ten years. Counting a sailor as living in the overseas home port where his ship is based doesn't address that.

www.census.gov/population/www/...les.html#TWELVE U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL U.S. military personnel living in military barracks in the U.S. - Counted at the military barracks. U.S. military personnel living in the U.S. (living either on base or off base) but not in barracks - Counted at the residence where they live and sleep most of the time. U.S. military personnel on U.S. military vessels with a U.S. homeport - Counted at the onshore U.S. residence where they live and sleep most of the time. If they have no onshore U.S. residence, they are counted at their vessel’s homeport. People in military disciplinary barracks and jails in the U.S. - Counted at the facility. People in military treatment facilities with assigned active duty patients in the U.S. - Counted at the facility if they are assigned there. U.S. military personnel living on or off a military installation outside the U.S., including dependents living with them - Counted as part of the U.S. overseas population. They should not be included on any U.S. census questionnaire. U.S. military personnel on U.S. military vessels with a homeport outside the U.S. - Counted as part of the U.S. overseas population. They should not be included on any U.S. census questionnaire.

Later

Edgy DC Mar 16 2010 10:49 AM Re: Counting Stupidity

So, your complaint is that last group?

Kong76 Mar 16 2010 05:29 PM Re: Counting Stupidity

Why is this buried in the Red Light? We got our census yesterday, I don't know where to begin on how to say fuck them. It's the biggest waste of time, money, paper ... they freakin' know how many people are where, they have satellites that can take pictures of postage stamps on a side walk. I hate to say it, but I don't think I ever filled one out ... I'm sure my better half did and will (in case Joe Biden or Valadius is reading this) but they have enough info on us without spending money on this nonsense.

Nymr83 Mar 16 2010 06:17 PM Re: Counting Stupidity

the census should look like this: -Welcome to the 2010 Census- 1. What is the Address (including apartment number if any) of this residential dwelling? 2. how many U.S. Citizens reside here? 3. I _______ swear under penalty of perjury that the above answers are accurate to the best of my knowledge. -End Census- alternatively, they should just count federal tax returns (non-filing children will be picked up as dependants), the constitution gives them the leeway to do the count as they see fit, and adding a "census" field to the IRS forms every ten years would be much cheaper and easier

Kong76 Mar 16 2010 07:07 PM Re: Counting Stupidity

I hope they come to their census and find a better way in 2020. (Admin note: I moved from RLF to NBF)

Kong76 Mar 16 2010 07:26 PM Re: Counting Stupidity

Just one more quick thought ... wouldn't they get more accurate results if they sent it out in English/Spanish on the one form? There's a short blurb on the back in Spanish about getting help but really it's going in the garbage before anyone reads that.

metirish Mar 16 2010 07:28 PM Re: Counting Stupidity

It seems straight forward to me, the only question we had was in putting origin and race down for our son. Question 8 asks is the person of Hispanic, Latino , or Spanish Origin? Tick Box - Yes, Puerto Rican Question 9 - What is the persons race? Tick Box - White

Valadius Mar 16 2010 08:11 PM Re: Counting Stupidity

It's about more than just counting how many people there are. How many school-age children are there, and where do they live? How many people are carpenters, engineers, computer technicians? How many immigrants are here, where are they from, and where are they living? These are all questions that help not only government provide adequate services, but help the private sector accurately tailor their operations and outreach. And, if nothing else, your descendants will be able to look up all this information 72 years from now and know more about you.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 16 2010 08:18 PM Re: Counting Stupidity

[quote="Valadius"]It's about more than just counting how many people there are. How many school-age children are there, and where do they live? How many people are carpenters, engineers, computer technicians? How many immigrants are here, where are they from, and where are they living? These are all questions that help not only government provide adequate services, but help the private sector accurately tailor their operations and outreach. And, if nothing else, your descendants will be able to look up all this information 72 years from now and know more about you.

It's also a pretty handy tool for gerrymandering.

Not sayin'/Just sayin'.

MFS62 Mar 16 2010 09:43 PM Re: Counting Stupidity

[quote="Edgy DC":7qzimxek]So, your complaint is that last group?[/quote:7qzimxek] Of course not. I think the entire idea of counting service men and women away from their homes is stupid. And it seems some other folks here agree with me that the form was badly written. I highlighted that one because I had to move my cursor the least distance to get to it. I could have highlighted any one or all of them. Maybe I should have said "for example, counting.... " How do you feel about the census form? Later

Nymr83 Mar 16 2010 10:56 PM Re: Counting Stupidity

[quote="MFS62":3d61m182][quote="Edgy DC":3d61m182]So, your complaint is that last group?[/quote:3d61m182] Of course not. I think the entire idea of counting service men and women away from their homes is stupid. [/quote:3d61m182] as with all things that make sense, this one would face provincial resistance, likely from congressman with military bases in their districts. i'd give the servicemen the choice of being counted where they came from, where their spouse resides, or where they are serving.

Kong76 Mar 17 2010 02:32 AM Re: Counting Stupidity

Valad: These are all questions that help not only government provide adequate services, but help the private sector accurately tailor their operations and outreach <<< You drank the kool-aid in the sauna with those men, didn't you. Bullet of poop!

Ashie62 Mar 17 2010 04:37 AM Re: Counting Stupidity

CNBC Polling says 10 percent of the population will not participate in the census..

Edgy DC Mar 17 2010 05:50 AM Re: Counting Stupidity

"We hate polls!" says people we polled. I have no strong feelings one way or another about the census. "I highlighted that one because I had to move my cursor the least distance to get to it." What?

Frayed Knot Mar 17 2010 07:13 AM Re: Counting Stupidity

The census is constitutionally mandated so as to find out where the population is so that Congress can be properly apportioned. Obviously that's important and something that needs doing. That the federal gov't has - or is trying to get - their fingers into every aspect of local and private lives to the point where the census data is also used as a means to figure out how to distribute the largess is either important or an affront depending on your point of view. I'm hearing these radio ads for the census asking; 'how will we know whether to build new schools or hire new teachers if you don't fill it out?' ... and I'm thinking that if Podunkville needs the federal gov't to tell them how many people are in Podunkville or whether they have enough teachers then they've got bigger problems then getting folks to fill out a form. The military thing is small potatoes. If they're overseas it's not like they're not being counted they're just not being counted is a specific location, which for military is kind of tough to pin down anyway. Where are they a resident? their last base; their original hometown (military folks usually have plenty of those); or their parents home who might be dead or separated and living in several states.

metsmarathon Mar 17 2010 08:34 AM Re: Counting Stupidity

on the face of it, those podunkville ads are stupid, but really, i don't think its so that podunkville an figure out whether or not they need more teachers, but the census surely can put added weight behind any applications for federal funding that podunkville might be trying to get to build additional classrooms in advance of a coming wave of students. at least, that's how i think it should be working. in reality, podunkville will probably whistle past the graveyard as their local hospital pumps out more and more young'ns, and only after the wave of schoolkids hits, and hits hard, will they finally start thinking about building new buildings, but by then, they'll be behind the curve, and those buildings will be hastily and graftily constructed, and will be ill-suited to the needs of the students and teachers alike, because podunkville's mayor's wife's cousin has a construction company and builds these steel stripmalls all the time, and really, a school is just a stripmall with room for lockers, right?

Frayed Knot Mar 17 2010 10:53 AM Re: Counting Stupidity

Got it. We need to take the planning of Podunkville away from those in Podunkville and give it to the federal gov't so it'll be much more efficient, honest, timely and cost-effective.

metsmarathon Mar 17 2010 03:20 PM Re: Counting Stupidity

[quote="Frayed Knot":1yhg843i]Got it. We need to take the planning of Podunkville away from those in Podunkville and give it to the federal gov't so it'll be much more efficient, honest, timely and cost-effective.[/quote:1yhg843i] well, the federal government will probably just use the money to build a six lane highway connecting podunkville to its outer suburb, west bumbleton, which will just lead to more sprawl, and more infrastruture that'll be desperately in need of maintenance dollars that politicians don't feel are ever necessary to give out. they should just take the tax monies and give it to the military. that's what i say.

Kong76 Mar 17 2010 05:18 PM Re: Counting Stupidity

All this talk of Podunkville and West Bumbleton is making me thirsty for some Pyed Dynorep pumpkin ale ... Ash: CNBC Polling says 10 percent of the population will not participate in the census <<< More like ... 15% won't be able to read it, or won't seek help 5% will throw it away 5% won't get it because the USPS loses the envelopes or they get dumped somewhere because a carrier thinks they're too heavy to lug around 5% won't get one because the addressing system is flawed 5% will make up shit on them because it's fun 5% will make up shit on them because they're hiding something 5% ...

Kong76 May 05 2010 05:55 PM Re: Counting Stupidity

We've had two visits from the same guy, he just left again. He's lucky I didn't grab him by the back of his belt and his collar and carry him to the end of the driveway and throw him in the street. What a dick.