The USA Census

[Hillbilly61]

It went out earlier this week.

From profession and personal interests, this is one of the most important documents that you will fill out in your role of being a resident of the USA. If you are one of those that receive the long form, asking all sorts of personal questions, feel comfortable answering the questions in full honesty with the expectation that the disclosure will be kept secret as it pertains to your personal self or personal situation.

The same for anyone else receiving the regular short form. (Sophisticated statistics are used to magnify the responses from the long form to represent the population response received in the short form).

It is advised that you are totally safe by being entirely honest. Your honesty greatly helps the USA. In that vein honesty is the most important thing to provide and the strongest protections are there for being totally candid with the government. It does not matter that you represent yourself as a garbage man by profession but make millions in moving dope along. Or more simply put, being an illegal resident of the USA. None of any such disclosures can be used against you or to give law enforcement agencies a heads up to investigate you by candidly responding to the Census.

I know the detail of how the Census works and would advise Club Polk differently if what was stated above were not the case. The official folk within the Department of Commerce (where the Census Bureau resides within the US government) have TV ads on the air to this effect. These are genuine ads.

The detail of what you respond will only become publicly available 70 years from now. In fact, if you need to use the Census as proof for disclosure of some sort of personal detail in the future, like proving your age, it is fairly a difficult thing to do. Personal detail is kept that private. This happened a lot in the 1970s and 1980s as birth certificates were not uniformly kept for people born 62 or so years before ... and they were looking to collect social security, but needed to prove their age as being eligible.

Hillbilly

[Face]

So I should pull it out of the garbage?

[Hillbilly61]

So I should pull it out of the garbage?

Yes!

Your response is worth $3000 in direct benefit for services (and only includes you - household members are direct multipliers of the $3000 you community received) that are received from the government at all levels. That includes having your street snow plowed,pot holes patched, how you kids receive their education... pretty much anywhere the government can supply money.

And that is for this year only. This every 10 year response (required by the government to inquire about since 1790, when the Constitution was formed) very greatly influences how year to year funding distributions are parlayed to the individual localities until the next Census. During the in between years, the government uses estimates.

From 2020 on,your individual response from this Census becomes very detailed historical record. I do genealogy and have learned a lot about the lives our ancestors lived and were challenged by studying the census from 1930 and before. The History Channel has a show on the air about that now.

[daboyz]

We got the short form and sent it in already. It's worth a couple minutes of your time.

[Demiurge]

From profession and personal interests, this is one of the most important documents that you will fill out in your role of being a resident of the USA.

Hillbilly

Ha, yeah right. The only thing they need to know are the number of people living in my home. As far as I'm concerned that's the extent of my obligation or that of any other American.

[bobman1235]

Yes, I'm so glad we can help the government after they spent 130 million dollars on "Census Awareness', including a God damn Super Bowl commercial. Freakin' joke.

[markmarc]

Yes!

Your response is worth $3000 in direct benefit for services (and only includes you - household members are direct multipliers of the $3000 you community received) that are received from the government at all levels. That includes having your street snow plowed,pot holes patched, how you kids receive their education... pretty much anywhere the government can supply money.

And that is for this year only. This every 10 year response (required by the government to inquire about since 1790, when the Constitution was formed) very greatly influences how year to year funding distributions are parlayed to the individual localities until the next Census. During the in between years, the government uses estimates.

From 2020 on,your individual response from this Census becomes very detailed historical record. I do genealogy and have learned a lot about the lives our ancestors lived and were challenged by studying the census from 1930 and before. The History Channel has a show on the air about that now.

Well put and Amen!

[bobman1235]

ALSO, if anyone can explain to me what they get out of the census that they can't get from tax information, I'd love to hear it.

Every legal American is required to file taxes, which includes dependents like children. The only thing the Census adds is illegals to the equation, and I could give a **** if they get counted.

[shack]

Every legal American is required to file taxes, which includes dependents like children.

NO...they are not.

[Hillbilly61]

Ha, yeah right. The only thing they need to know are the number of people living in my home. As far as I'm concerned that's the extent of my obligation or that of any other American.

You are TOTALLY safe. That is about the only thing I will trust re. the government keeping confidential. The confidentiality is per requirements laid out by the Constitution.

This includes the Census long form or short form. If you do not honestly respond to any other detail asked for, then you cannot gripe if government funding cut off for some detail of your lives ... like local property taxes going up because there are fewer U.S. government funds.

Uncle Sam disburses funds that way. That includes adjustments for where there are school age children, age of population, etc, etc. So if you want to give just a basic head count of your household, then expect to that your community will feel cheated out of funds intended to help out some aspect of your community that has a situation. (It could include something as simple as having school age children).

That is the reality of the basis behind of these funds are disbursed by Uncle Sam to the states and communities. (How well the states and communities use these received funds is an entirely different story).

[fatchowmein]

I will fill it out but I'm curious why such a big push this year with the superbowl and everything? I even received a letter informing me to look for the next letter. I don't recall such a push in 2000 or 1990. Is the government afraid that the people are more apathetic this decade or is anti-govt sentiment at an all time high?

Just curious.

[bobman1235]

NO...they are not.

So.... which adults are not required to file taxes?

And which of those adults is NOT going to claim their children as dependents, but will still bother to fill out their Census correctly?

[Hillbilly61]

Lot's of lessons learned from the last two Census. I was an "insider" for both.

As stated earlier,every response counts. There is a lot of Uncle Sam money at stake for every response for every community.

I was surprised to receive the advance letter stating that you are going to get the Census to fill out too. If you don't fill the Census out and send it in, expect someone from the Census to literally come knocking on your door in a couple of months.

They have hired quite a large number of folk to do this. Frankly, I do not care for a government person of any capacity to be banging at my door, regardless of capacity of why the person is there.

[shack]

So.... which adults are not required to file taxes?

Adults whose sole income is from social security, unemployed adults, adults that have tax free income, adults that make an income below the amount to pay taxes (see chart), etc, etc, etc...



There are millions of adults in th US that are not required to file a tax return.

[mhmacw]

theres a grip of stuff going on here. no not all adults are required to "file" tax returns. if you have a job you pay taxes if you dint who friggin cares if your stupid kid has crayons! who was the dip sh#t that decided, at 43 cents per envelope, we need to have a double mailing of a pre "census awareness"....just dumb! who in the government, that just gave 900 billion to the dumb asses that let the auto industry go under, would understand the info even if they had it. no offense hillbilly but it seems to me you are so blinded by the bull sh%t you cant seem to spell or make understandable statements (and thats a lot coming from someone that doesn't give a poop about legibility haha)....i have 5! thats all they need to know!

[mhmacw]

Adults whose sole income is from social security, unemployed adults, adults that have tax free income, adults that make an income below the amount to pay taxes (see chart), etc, etc, etc...



There are millions of adults in th US that are not required to file a tax return.

B.S. see the top of the scale" filing status" that means you have to file wether you owe or not

[Demiurge]

You are TOTALLY safe. That is about the only thing I will trust re. the government keeping confidential. The confidentiality is per requirements laid out by the Constitution.

This includes the Census long form or short form. If you do not honestly respond to any other detail asked for, then you cannot gripe if government funding cut off for some detail of your lives ... like local property taxes going up because there are fewer U.S. government funds.

Uncle Sam disburses funds that way. That includes adjustments for where there are school age children, age of population, etc, etc. So if you want to give just a basic head count of your household, then expect to that your community will feel cheated out of funds intended to help out some aspect of your community that has a situation. (It could include something as simple as having school age children).

That is the reality of the basis behind of these funds are disbursed by Uncle Sam to the states and communities. (How well the states and communities use these received funds is an entirely different story).

I don't really care about my name and phone number being compromised. That information is already out there for anyone who wants it. The point is that it doesn't need to be on the census form.

None of the questions about race have any bearing on anything either (or shouldn't, more importantly) It's how that data will be used that has people very skeptical. I'm glad for you that you're so trusting. Keep in mind the information is only as safe as the people protecting it.

Why do you choose to call tax dollars government funds? The less the federal government is taking in and doling out the better.

[shack]

B.S. see the top of the scale" filing status" that means you have to file wether you owe or not

It would be nice if you actually knew what you were talking about.

[mhmacw]

It would be nice if you actually knew what you were talking about.

i do

[shack]

i do

Now that's BS.

[tonyb]

I get the whole fill it out thing,and why,but my problem is a government that is asking me to be..um...HONEST,when they are not HONEST with me. Am I alone on this ?

[NotaSuv]

I had a nice piece of blueberry pie and then did my census
I paid taxes..my unemployed friend did not

[m1aman]

I am 50 years old and I have NEVER filled out a census form. One year, 1990, a woman came to my door and announced why she was there and she got a door shut in her face. Other than that I have never heard a peep out of anyone.

[mhmacw]

think what you want man. i file taxes. if i owe i pay if they owe me ...oh hell they can keep it? uhhh stupid! either way you file taxes! duh!

[Hillbilly61]

Why do you choose to call tax dollars government funds? The less the federal government is taking in and doling out the better.

It is because that once the taxes are collected, the dollars are then disbursed. From being formerly from that sector, it is government owned funds.

Conceptually not much different than you getting your pay check. Until you got your check, it was your employer's funds. When you got your paycheck, the funds disbursed to you becomes yours and yours alone. Now you can argue that the use of taxes are not correct, too high, etc, etc but that is not the point of this thread.

The Census is used by Uncle Sam to spend the moneys that he collects via our taxes. Once collected, the money becomes his to spend. Except we get a say and the Census is the starting point!

[warren]

Thanks Hilbilly 61, you are a good man...

[mhmacw]

It is because that once the taxes are collected, the dollars are then disbursed. From being formerly from that sector, it is government owned funds.

Conceptually not much different than you getting your pay check. Until you got your check, it was your employer's funds. When you got your paycheck, the funds disbursed to you becomes yours and yours alone. Now you can argue that the use of taxes are not correct, too high, etc, etc but that is not the point of this thread.

The Census is used by Uncle Sam to spend the moneys that he collects via our taxes. Once collected, the money becomes his to spend. Except we get a say and the Census is the starting point!

sorry hillbilly i dont rise the argument of the taxes being used inappropriatly. thats an entirely different thread. but i dont see the correlation between taxes and your paycheck? a man EARNS his paycheck. can you honestly say the government earns the tax money? i think not

[tonyb]

The day we actually get a say in how the gov spends our money,I'll probably croak.
To me the census is more about representation, like we need more of those boneheads.

[Demiurge]

It is because that once the taxes are collected, the dollars are then disbursed. From being formerly from that sector, it is government owned funds.

Conceptually not much different than you getting your pay check. Until you got your check, it was your employer's funds. When you got your paycheck, the funds disbursed to you becomes yours and yours alone. Now you can argue that the use of taxes are not correct, too high, etc, etc but that is not the point of this thread.

The Census is used by Uncle Sam to spend the moneys that he collects via our taxes. Once collected, the money becomes his to spend. Except we get a say and the Census is the starting point!

They're tax dollars. I earn my money and that money is taken from me in the form of taxes and goes both to necessary and unnecessary things. When I want something I need to earn the money to pay for it. When the government wants something they just take more of our money or print more (devaluing our currency).

You can call it whatever you want, but they're tax dollars. Getting cute with the terminology is why we have so many ignorant people out there who think government is plucking money from the money tree and benevolently doling it out to us like children getting candy at a parade when the truth is it's coming from their own wallets (at least the wallets of those who actually pay in).

I didn't say the census was a bad thing, so I don't know why you keep repeating yourself. All I said is they only thing they need to know is how many people are living in my home and nothing more.

[Shizelbs]

Ha, yeah right. The only thing they need to know are the number of people living in my home. As far as I'm concerned that's the extent of my obligation or that of any other American.

Agreed.