Hello, my name is Alyson and I am a political junkie.
Since I have been 18, I have voted in every single election. Local and national. I research candidates before going to vote to ensure the right person is getting my vote. I pay attention to what is going on in the political world on a near daily basis. Though I am SICK of listening to the health care debates and progress (or lack thereof), I still tune in for my updates. Not only do I want to know about how the economy is recovering, or how world relations are developing, or the directions our 2 wars are heading, I NEED to know. I just can't help it.
Unlike going to the voting box, right now I do not want to stand up and be counted.
The 2010 Census is taking place and I am privately protesting it. I understand that the government uses the census to decide where to allocate government funding, but I still do not want to be counted.
My reasons? The constitution says the government can count us every ten years. Fair enough. Except for the fact that they actually count us every single day of every single year. The check our credit reports, the keep track of what books we check out from the library, they know how much money we make.
I am not an expert, but it seems to me that the government is counting us every year when we file our taxes. For instance, they already know that I am married. They already know my address. They already know that there are only two adults living in my house. Why must they go door to door, asking these questions, along with other personal questions?
And where is all of this information going? Most likely into some government database that will probably be hacked or compromised at some point in time. And then what happens? All of my information is just leaked? That is so not okay with me. Unless I say it is okay, no one needs to know how many cars we have, or if Leland and I are planning on having babies in the next ten years. They don't need to know about any medical issues or the first date of my last period. It is no one's business what we spend our money on or how much we make in donations every year.
So unless the government threatens to put me in jail, I will not be participating in the census this year. I already filed my taxes, count me with that information.
I don't answer my door when strangers come knocking, I will not be answering my door for census workers either.
36 comments:
ATTA GIRL! There is more than one of you on this boycott/revolt!!!
But DAMN... I really wanted to know when your last period was. Nevermind. I'll get it from your tax return. LOL!
I'm not real comfortable with it either. If they mail me something, I'll send it back, but don't come to my house and expect me to be accommodating.
I am with you sister. Like they don't know enough already? What will they want next? A sex counter? (-:
I heard that they ask a lot of questions but you only really have to legally answer how many people live there and that's it!
Hate to burst your bubble, but you are required by federal law to answer the census questionnaire: http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/news_details/article/175/2010/march/07/census-participation-required-by-federal-law-1.html
To me, the questions don't look very personal, and I know their used for the government to determine important funding for cities and states. In my state, the census is particularly important this year, because we could lose a seat in the house. I'd hate for my state to lose representation because people didn't fill out a stupid 10 question form.
While I agree that they probably should (and do) already have this information on file to some degree or another, I'd rather fill out the form and send in the redundant information than have someone come knocking on my door to write down the answers for me.
SAME HERE. They have too much information on us as it is. WTF really??
I honestly dont follow politics for these reasons.... I dont like how everything is always twisted around... i'd rather stay neutral and opionless... xxxoo
You could do what I MAY have thought of doing when a certain government agency (errr cough cough Health Canada) phoned me last week to do a survey. I told them I smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a day, and drank at least a bottle of wine each night (ok not really a huge stretch). I also thought about telling them I ate out at least 6 times a week and spent $300 a week at the grocery store.
I may have thought about telling them these things. Of course it would be completely illegal to lie to a government agency, right? And it would totally mess up their results, right? That would be a terrible thing to do....
That is some boycott! You do know it's a crime to avoid the census though? Just saying, I don't want you to get put away. Then what would happen to the (you must have had a busy weekend) sex ticker?
~Elizabeth
Confessions From A Working Mom
Very interesting! I hadn't exactly considered it that way before.
I don't answer the door either and have a No Solicing sign that I made.
Although thee is a boy scout that always walks away thinking that I mean him - so I need to make a new sign saying KIDS are OK!
I was one of the lucky people who was "chosen" to be interviewed at my house about the census shit. Now I never answer the phone because they are always calling.
I just got the form in the mail the other day and am planning on attacking it later this week.. It REALLY asks for the date of your last mentrual cycle??? Dang! I must be missing a page.
I did get something in the mail from the census today. I haven't even opened it yet.i would rather eat on my lunch hour than read mail! You ahe an interesting take on the census and I like it. What I am curious about is all of the homeless people. Do they go and count them on the streets or int eh shelters? Just curious.
*sighs* mixed feelings here about this but we really dont own this country and the money we use belongs to the goverment and they really own everything else too.... so I guess if we don't want to go along with there plans or ideas we can leave right?... well or are we stuck? who knows any more.....
You bring up some very valid points. I, for one, have never understood the need for a census either!
Congrats on #15!
I have never thought of this. It is true, the government already knows through our taxes. Why the census then? Good thoughts!
it is kinda creepy when you think about it that way... very 'big brother' of the government. everyone must be accounted for!
and i have no idea how you vote in every single election. that's too much work for me!
name rank and serial number
I don't have an opinion on this since it is not my country.
I just wish they could sharpen up the cencus system in my country cause right now, they are guessing a) the number of orphans, b) the number of children who are not going to school, c) teenaged
pregnancies.
And as a children's right advocate, I want those numbers!
It's so funnt that you posted this. Yesterday I got a letter in the mail "warning" me that I would be getting the 2010 census. I had the thought that I will not be wasting my time doing this. Then I saw that schools will get some money. . . But then again schools never get the money the are promised. I think I am going to join your revolt and not fill out the census. :-)
What exasperates me is getting a letter in yesterday's mailing telling me to expect the census form in the mail within the week - this is a complete and total waste of my hard earn tax money.
I say eff 'em too.
I completely agree with you! I don't plan on taking part in the census either.
You've got an award over at my blog today!
I guess I'm just a little concerned that so many people appear to have something to hide? I mean really, if you are not a fugitive, criminal or engaged in criminal activities, what difference does it make if the federal government knows, your age, race, home address and how many people live in your home, your marital status, your socioeconomic status, your level of education etc? Really people, what are you hiding?
The law of the land not only ALLOWS the census, but REQUIRES it. They can't use info from tax filings to allocate funds or political seats. It MUST be the census. Do you really want your community losing out on funding or political votes?
Rebel with a cause. Love it. We actually got a letter yesterday announcing their arrival. Excellent use of money, govt.
Thank you so much for your comment love today! I was interested to see what you'd say about this post-- I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away! Thanks for telling me 8 is enough (haha, funny pun!). Sometimes, it doesn't feel like it!
~Elizabeth
Confessions From A Working Mom
They come door to door? Seriously?
I hate, HATE!!! politics. I find it uber boring and I've been completely jaded by so many sex scandles and pay offs.
Hard to get interested in our government when I am so distrustful of the ones running the show.
I had never thought about it this way!
I plan on just answering the question: "How many people live in your home"...5. Done! ;) They don't need to know anything else! :)
I was one of those randomly picked several months ago to complete some mandatory census that goes beyond the regular one - and yet they still sent me a form for the regular census that arrived yesterday. They already know more about me than I wanted to reveal because that particular document literally came with the threat of jail time (or some other punishment - can't remember but it was harsh) - if the form wasn't returned. I was totally p.o.'d about it but had no choice.
Now I'm all fired up. Where's Keith when I need him???? :D
I just got the Census pre-letter today (don't get me started on that!).
I agree with you, however I will be filling it out (reluctantly). One of my friends is one of those Census door-to-door people and I'm constantly making fun of him. He absolutely hates it, but it's $$!
I've never really had an opinion about the Census. This is my first go-round as a grown up, so that may be the reason.
I never had an opinion, then I read this post and I'm all 'DOWN with the Census' but thennnn I read the comments and now I see I must participate. I don't want to. But I guess it's good that I know I must...the jail around here publishes their captures in the weekly newspaper. : /
I'm pretty pissed about this Census that you speak of, though. LAME.
The census doesn't bother me, it is the government's account of me through my income tax that makes me nuts.
I think they only come door-to-door if you don't fill it out and mail it in. Answer only the questions that are mandatory, send it in and avoid strangers knocking on your door. That's my motto. Anything to keep strangers from knocking at my door.
wait? they go door to door?
good thing i never actually answer my door. Anyone who matters actually has a key or knows that I don't actually lock my door and just comes right in
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