Census not that bad...

[DaveS903]

You guys are all talk and no action! I, on the other hand, am a rebel. It says to put a little X in the box...but I put a check mark in one. I went back and made it into a check mark X but I bet they get the point!

[SPUD]

I just followed the directions and completed the form. No big deal to me.

[Ryno]

Randy

Education does not stop at a Phd or IQ The education system develops Democrats more now than ever before. Most "Academics" are liberals.

My take on the race thing in the census is that if we are truly not racist, why ask the question? What is it used for and why is race used in any government analysis.

My opinon is that all people are not equal. There are winners and losers - leaders and followers - which has nothing to do with race.

[AJ the TP Guru]

Those willing to accept whatever this government, or any government, feeds them without questioning motive and/or reasoning beg me to wonder about their stance in/for a FREE society. I’d be willing to bet those folks are all for the Dems passing the healthcare bill without even a vote!

Well then, that's one bet you'd lose bigtime! (Never voted D in 50 years of being qualified to vote.) Though I will qualify that statement by saying that it looks like you're lumping people like myself who view the census as lawful, required, and a plus factor, with those who don't question "anything."

[Landrover]

My take on the race thing in the census is that if we are truly not racist, why ask the question? What is it used for and why is race used in any government analysis.
My opinon is that all people are not equal. There are winners and losers - leaders and followers - which has nothing to do with race.

Humm.........uhhh.........well.........have you actually read the posts on this thread where the RACE part of the census was discussed (beat to death actually) in historical detail? RACE was taken even when SLAVES were counted as 3/5 of a man.....or in other words property!
I for one DO NOT agree with drawing congressional lines based on RACE......again........i do not agree with congressional lines being drawn based on RACE.
But knowing who is in OUR country seems pretty important these days as it did SEEM important 200 years ago.
Oh, your definition or OPINION of "all people are not equal"........well anyway.

[Nate Riley]

I just followed the directions and completed the form. No big deal to me.

People who see some kind of giant government conspiracy in the census have me scratching my head. I tend to wonder about their education level and/or IQ level. (I think the same sorts of things when I see a UFO special on TV, or another JFK conspiracy theory, or see the Astrology column in the paper.)

I tend to agree. And I am a right winger, who generally doesn't like big government intrusion. I think we have some bigger issues to attack that are also legal. And there are those out there collecting personal data on you that have much more Machiavellian motives.

On a personal note, I am a commercial real estate consultant and we use census data extensively. For instance, in retail real estate, we can use almost every piece of data presented, for everything from optimizing the tenant mix in a shopping center to selecting sites for retailers (restaurants) and estimating land values. I am certain that others (some on here) from various walks of life, from Church leaders to Hospital executive and even the single mother who wants to start her own house cleaning business, would have a similar outlook if they have ever made use of the data. So, there are some good (at least non intrusive) uses of census data.

[mhundt]

Racial gerrymandering is illegal in Texas and everywhere else, as determined in a SCOTUS ruling in 1996.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_v._Vera

However, redistricting is done for political purposes. Redistricting in Texas is traditionally done once every ten years, soon after the census. One was done in 1991 and another in 2001 going on back many decades. Tom DeLay didn’t like the 2001 redistricting, so he pushed for a new one in 2003 to ensure Republican dominance. He was successful as the following map shows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tx_gerrymander.PNG

Map before 2003

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=File:107_small.png

Map after redistricting

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=File:108_small.png

[mhundt]

I tend to agree. And I am a right winger, who generally doesn't like big government intrusion. I think we have some bigger issues to attack that are also legal. And there are those out there collecting personal data on you that have much more Machiavellian motives.

On a personal note, I am a commercial real estate consultant and we use census data extensively. For instance, in retail real estate, we can use almost every piece of data presented, for everything from optimizing the tenant mix in a shopping center to selecting sites for retailers (restaurants) and estimating land values. I am certain that others (some on here) from various walks of life, from Church leaders to Hospital executive and even the single mother who wants to start her own house cleaning business, would have a similar outlook if they have ever made use of the data. So, there are some good (at least non intrusive) uses of census data.

Exactly, Nate. Information from the census is good for business:

http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20100215/BUSINESS/2150331/The-2010-U.S.-Census-could-be-good-for-your-business

(from page 2)
The census is important for your business. The data can be used to:
# Study your industry and locate business markets;

# Forecast demand for services or products;

# Decide where to locate or expand a business.

The census is important for your community. The data helps determine the need for:

# Health and social services;

# Schools and hospitals;

# Roads and public transportation;

# Federal funding.

The census is important for the government. The data helps the federal and local governments:

# Assess economic well being;

# Assist families and low-income populations, and the elderly, disabled, and veterans;

# Draw legislative borders;

# Develop disaster recovery plans.

The census is also important for human resources professionals, who can use census information for:

# Developing an affirmative action plan;

# Targeting recruiting efforts

# Assisting one's company with succession planning.


The importance of Census data to Business. Business needs accurate 2010 short form Census and annual American Community Survey data for a multitude of planning, operational, and financial purposes. Census data are an important part of our country’s economic infrastructure and are used extensively by companies in many sectors, including retail, housing and mortgage banking, health care, communications, services, hospitality, transportation, marketing, and manufacturing. The business community needs high quality data for small geographic areas that are comparable over time and across geography, for small areas below the county and city level. Collectively, business investment and planning decisions drive trillions of dollars in economic activity through capital investment, moving goods, hiring team members, and providing goods and services in every neighborhood across the country. This in turn drives job and housing growth, community development, and economic stability.

Business needs real-time information such as accurate post-census population estimates. Accurate estimates and projections throughout the decade are dependent on accurate baseline census counts as well as characteristics such as race and ethnicity, household size and composition, age, and tenure. Accurate census data on race and ethnicity also identifies opportunities for localized business decisions, such as multi-cultural merchandising and bilingual signing in areas with large and growing Latino and Asian populations.

[WyoHunter]

Don't know what everyone was freaking out for. No income questions, gun possession questions or anything like that.
Basically, how many people in the house, age, b-day and race. Took about 5 minutes to fill out completely.

That's what I was thinking. We got the short form.