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Thread: 2010 Census aka MAH PRIVACY

  1. #1
    Wanna cuddle? RabbitMage's avatar
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    Default 2010 Census aka MAH PRIVACY

    It's census time again folks. My 'friends' over at the Tinfoil Hat Forum are very much up in arms over not filling it out for an assortment of reasons that strike me as, well, the kind of reasons people wearing tinfoil hats would come up with.

    So. Did you get yours? Did you fill it out? Will you fill it out? Why or why not?

    We got ours, but I'm not the head of household. However I know my family's always filled them out and returned them. I plan to continue that when I have my own place because I see no reason not to. I'm not giving anyone any information they couldn't already access, and there's a chance that my ten questions might impact something somewhere at some point.

  2. #2
    Stegodon Papaw's avatar
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    Got it. Filled it out. Sent it in.
    I see no problems other than that they won't get a full count of the population due to those who won't send it in for various reasons.
    Some illegals won't for fear of being caught, even though the thing says the info won't be used that way.
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  3. #3
    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    Got it and will eventually get around to it, but I find it a low priority. Maybe this weekend or early next week. I am still pissed at the waste of sending out the letter last week letting me know the census was coming this week.

  4. #4
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Haven't received it yet, but I'll fill it out. I can't see any reason not to and there are plenty of ways it can be used for benefit. Plus, if nothing else, I feel karmically required to. So much valuable information from past censuses has been used in family genealogy.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally posted by What Exit? View post
    Got it and will eventually get around to it, but I find it a low priority. Maybe this weekend or early next week. I am still pissed at the waste of sending out the letter last week letting me know the census was coming this week.
    It's not waste. People are more likely to fill out a survey if they get a heads-up first. That technique is used in other surveys as well. And since the Constitution requires a full enumeration of the populace, a better response rate means we're wasting less money having census takers individually visit houses.

  6. #6
    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Exy View post
    It's not waste. People are more likely to fill out a survey if they get a heads-up first. That technique is used in other surveys as well. And since the Constitution requires a full enumeration of the populace, a better response rate means we're wasting less money having census takers individually visit houses.
    Why not just send the census form twice then? But I guess I see your point. I'm cranky this week.

  7. #7
    Stegodon Jaglavak's avatar
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    Information that is none of the government's motherfucking business:

    My home address
    My dependents
    My marital status
    My roommates
    My phone number
    My home ownership status
    My gender
    My age
    My race
    Who I sleep with

    They say it's all confidential. Heh.
    They say the data will only be used in aggragate. Hmmm.

    So I filled out the form honestly except I made up a name. I maintain my privacy and they get their precious fucking statistics.

    God forbid we should get all the government we pay for.

  8. #8
    Jesus F'ing Christ Glazer's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Jaglavak View post
    Information that is none of the government's motherfucking business:

    My home address
    My dependents
    My marital status
    My roommates
    My phone number
    My home ownership status
    My gender
    My age
    My race
    Who I sleep with

    They say it's all confidential. Heh.
    They say the data will only be used in aggragate. Hmmm.

    So I filled out the form honestly except I made up a name. I maintain my privacy and they get their precious fucking statistics.

    God forbid we should get all the government we pay for.
    These are all the governments business ,except for who you sleep with and race, as long as we have the income tax. If we in-act the fair tax, then you would be right.
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally posted by Glazer View post
    These are all the governments business ,except for who you sleep with and race, as long as we have the income tax. If we in-act the fair tax, then you would be right.
    No. The government makes it very clear that the census is totally unrelated to taxes or any other function precisely because they know many people would not report truthfully if the census was used for any other purpose.

    Tax related information is reported on tax forms, not in census forms.

    People can be as paranoid as they want when it comes to the government. Many people do not mind disclosing their personal information to the government but that does not mean everybody is like that. Many people fear flying in airplanes too and the odds of being involved in a plane accident are much lower than the odds of being harassed by the Government.

    Years ago I would have said there was no reason to fear the US Government but having seen what has transpired in the last nine years I will not blame anybody who is fearful that the census information could be misused.

    I do not not susbcribe to the notion that you should not be afraid to give out all your personal info if "you have nothing to hide". The government are apt to misuse the information they have and any individual who has a run-in with the government is likely to come out bruised.

    The only thing you should take into account is that the US government has all their bases covered and lying to them in any way, shape or form, no matter how insignificant or how indirect, can subject the individual to grave penalties. See http://www.hg.org/article.asp?id=5213

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