The U.S. Census Bureau just began mailing the American Community Survey (ACS) to 250,000 households a month across the country. The ACS replaces the "long form" from the decennial census, which will allow the Bureau to report data much more frequently. Each year, the Bureau will mail the ACS to a rolling, random sample of about 3 million households throughout the country; roughly 2.5 percent of the nation’s 124 million households or about 1-in-40 households will participate in the survey each year. (By comparison, 1-in-6 households received the Census 2000 long form.)
U.S. Census Bureau 'American Community Survey' Replaces Long Form
By Matt Rosenberg, About.com GuideJanuary 23, 2005
Explore Geography
Comments
I received 2 of these surveys and do not want to answer such questions as what time do I leave for work and how many minutes it takes to get home and does my home have flushable toilets. Too many personal questions, but says I will be fined for not sending it in or giving false answers. Fines up to $50,000! How can this be happening in America? Hey people! Big Brother is
watching Did you send in your survey?
Why did the ask you that. They didn’t ask us that.
If 2.5% of the households are being surveyed each year then it will take the dept. 40 years to complete the data for the entire country. May be people are being too paranoid about this. Its just info. collection for services.
Get a life, Victoria.
Hardly sensitive information!
The questions in the American Community Survey are virtually the same questions asked at the 1990 and 2000 censuses. I think these questions are considered to be ok, vs questions on religious belief which cannot be asked by the feds (although 70+ years ago there were censuses of Religious denominations).
The question of the 2.5% sample is quite valid, the sample at the decennial censuses had been more like 15-20%. In 10 years, we aren’t going to get the same quantity as before, particularly for small areas. But we will have valid data for large areas sooner than the every 10 years. There will be places big enough to have a yearly release of data, and others where three years worth of data collection will be averaged out – the full ACS started in 2005, so in 2008 we will have effective data published covering 2005-06-07 for smaller communities (20,000 + I think).
Reading Victoria’s comment makes me wonder why the government would want to know the information she mentions.
I too fear big brother, but those questions are quite valid. OBVIOUSLY they want to know how long it takes you to drive to work so they can estimate average commute times for your area. This indicates the need to increase road capacity, add public transportation, and/or target sprawl that is putting people further from the central business district. They want to know the flushable toilets question in order to gauge water usage. Some cities use that number to determine your water bill if they do not have “metered water.” This information is not going to be used against you, it is used to quantify American lifestyles in order to plan for the future.
Further on flushable toilets. I think this question has been around since 1940. Back then dealing outdoor privies in an urban area were a public health issue. Also, as goernments wre thinking of redeveloping deteriorated areas of cities, a thing like the lack of flushable toilets in a certain areas housing stock was used as an indicator of a lack of quality. Then as housing improved through the 1950′s and 60′s, toilets became a tracker of the housing stock.
The other thing that happened is that many areas without the basic amenities actaully began to depopulate with the old housing torn down and no new housing put back up. There are at least 5 major cities in the U.S. which have less than half of their 1950 population: Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, and St. Louis. So, the detailed questions on housing relate to this problem.
Victoria, this can be happening in America because like Australia where I am from it is a civilised nation which has governments who try to improve the standards that we live in. I wont reiterate what the others have said about what they may do with the information in terms of travel times and toilets but I will reiterate what has already been said that you need to get a life and stop being one of those people who always asumes someone is out to get you and the world is corrupt. Do you really think anyone cares at all how long it takes you, Victoria to get to work? They don’t, they care about you as a statistic so they can improve your roads. They have to make the fines so that people like you who think they are too busy and important and special to fill in an important form do so. Gee I wonder what the world would be like if people like you ran it. I am interested in the fact that you wrote that comment assuming everyone would jump in and agree with you and I am pleased to see that 6 other people can clearly see the census for what it is and take the time to tell you so. Go and live in China or Cuba if you don’t want to have a say in anything.
What if you use an outhouse and are unemployed?
The main objection is that the federal government has no authority to request any personal information. The government is required to perform a head count (enumeration) every 10 years. They cannot deviate from that without a consitutional amendment. The 4th amendment prohibits the government from collecting personal information without a warrant that provides probable cause and specifies what info is wanted and required. The 4th functions whether it be a criminal case or civil.
The federal government has no legitimate authority to spend 1 cent on local projects. The tax and spend clause limits federal expenditures to debts, common defence, and general welfare of the body-politic, the United States not for the debts, public defence or general welfare of states, localities, or individuals. Thus all the points the ACS makes about aiding in funding are bogus since the Feds don’t have the legitimate authority to spend on the items listed. When it comes to roads, the Feds are required to establish post roads (roads to carry mail) and implicitly to maintain those roads. The feds have no other “road” powers.
Whether or not one deems the questions high level or low level security breaches, it is not the federal government business to violate the privacy of the individual in order to continue to violate the limited authority delegated by the constitution.
JUST SAY NO TO ACS!
Victoria, You are totally correct–Big brother wants to watch us–and ultimately control us. The questions are very invasive. As far as roads, schools, etc.–decisions can be made by local and state officials based on observations and their own statistics.
How can a survey of 2.5% of America’s population be any kind of reliable representation? Are transients surveyed? Are illegal immigrants surveyed? I’m a renter and I move often, what good are my answers going to be?
Amen to BIll!!! Article I, Section II – The Constitution only allows for a “Enumeration” once every 10 years for the purpose of apportioning U.S. Representatives and taxes.
Also, the 10th amendment says the Federal government can only do what is in the Constitution and nothing more(without an amendment), everything else will be left up to the states and the people.
I think the ACS is a violation of the 4th amendment too (the right to be secure in your person, property, papers and effects against searches and seizures).
I called the census department and I very politely, but firmly told them I absolutely wouldn’t fill out any part of the American Community Survey, despite the law that threatens of a $5000 penalty (I understand no one has ever been fined). I will be happy to tell them how many people live in my house during the constitutional census in 2010. They said they would put me down as “refused to participate”. Just say no.
Everyone read the Constitution, it’s awesome and it’s only about 8 pages. If everyone knows by heart, they can’t slip anything past us.
For #8 Sophie, Ever heard of the DOT? When you say to Victoria “Who wants to know how long it takes you?” The Federal government wants to know.As for your comments on how it’s about road money ect. We already pay Government agencies to do this work.(See above).Oh yea, the whole world may not be corrupt …but all government in this country…my country…is corrupt.City,County,State,Federal,only the degree of corruption varies.If not for the out numbered good people who work in our governments across the nation,we would be looking at a dire situation.I took an oath to defend the constitution against all enemies,foreign and domestic.You people who say what’s the big deal about a little info.miss the entire point.The 4th ammendment along with the rest of THE LAW is worth while down to the smallest matter…or it’s worth nothing period.Sophie…have you ever said;or heard someone you respect say “It’s the principle of the thing”?
I’m with you Victoria. I’ll tell everyone else why. Because Americans are free, they are not slaves to government. Government has no need to know my personal habits.
Just because something was passed into law doesn’t make it constitutional. Americans have every right, unknown to many citizens, to rule in favor of the accused if they deem the law they broke is unconstitutional. It is not only their right, but duty as an American Citizen.
It says that we are required by US law to respond to this survey… sending back a blank form is technically a “response”… isn’t it?
At #6
Brian, (real name?)
What branch of the Federal Government do you work for?
Also has anyone tried to do a “Reverse Lookup” of the number at the end of the “Dear Resident” letter?
From http://www.AnyWho.com –>”We searched for 8003547271 , however, we could not find any listings to display.” Hmm weird … why is the number a secret?
In this day and age when there are so many Scams, Identity Theft is on the rise, this was seen by me as INVASIVE, INAPPROPRIATE and smelled of a SCAM. So if it’s unconstitutional for our government to be asking these questions, it’s a SCAM.
Also on a “real” Census it’s addressed to a PERSON not “Resident”
They can knock on my door and wait…FOREVER.
This a waste of taxpayer Dollars by keeping people on a steady payroll. The Ten year Census is sent out all at the same time. They hire for temp positions till the rush is over.
I’m on disability for medical issues and not because of drinking or drug abuse (where people get all kinds of free help and are spoon fed) and because I’m supposed to be able to live on just over $600.00 a month I’ve ended up homeless and have moved 29 times because of abusive landlords since April 2003 … good luck finding me a**h*****.
Heck, why don’t they just send over their surveillance aircraft and get what they want? They can count how many squares I use to wipe that way. I’ll smile and wave the bird as they go by. *wink* …. those pilots in uniform are So CUTE!
I took this advice after reading through all of the above comments and it worked..
Received letter. Called my senator in outrage. Found this website, then Tossed it directly into the trash.
Waited,Waited,Waited…
Received letter #2. Tossed it directly into the trash..
Waited, Waited, it is going on 3 months and haven’t had a call or visit.
Hope this helps, anyone out there looking for a solution on what to do with this invasion of privacy trash.
Thanks for this website.
Cheers,
I’m with Victoria–as long as you are counting Sophie.
RE: the roads issue and traffic patterns etc for building roads, dealing with sprawl etc. Anyone ever seen those traffic counter machines?
That is how they get a count of the traffic in any given area–not from a census form every 10 yrs. Knowing the time I leave for work, the time I return, and how long it takes does not account for all the rest of the traffic on the road. You know students going to and from school, people out shopping, all those retired folks, or the unemployed ones going about their business, looking for jobs, etc. Also, it does not count delivery trucks, couriers, etc.
Likewise, there is no accounting of the route I take for traffic patterns. And I have several routes. I go a different way to work than the way I go home.
So much for using the information for traffic and building roads! So why exactly do they want to know when I’m not at home? This information makes me uneasy. Making it public, announces when homes are empty–now I know my name and address will not be easily accessible, but those with a malicious purpose usually find a way to get what they want.
And again, why does the government need to know this?
If they want to know average commute times, a simple question of how long is your commute will suffice.
RE: flush toilets and water useage. I cannot see how flush toilets will gauge water usage. Are they asking how many toilets? Their age? How many gallons per flush? How many times you flush in a day? (or rather how many times you use the toilet?)
And why would they only be interested in toilet water? My toilet uses much less water than my washing machine, which some homes don’t have. What about water usage for the yard. Wouldn’t they need to know how big your lawn is & how green you keep it? And my vegetable garden takes much more water than my lawn or toilet.
I really think this was a modernization question.
And why do they want to know if my garage is suitable to adapted to housing or if it has been? That is a different type of question entirely. (short form.)
And why do they want to know how much money you have in investments? (my sister-in-law got that one.)
I would like to know why they really want this information and what they plan to do with it.
Looking over the sample census form–it looks more like a tax return rather than a census.
They have no right to ask you anything other than how many people and who are of voting age, PERIOD.
Why do they want to know if you grow vegetables?
Just take a look at the Food Safety and Modernization Act and Codex Alimentarius and you’ll know why.
I’m not filling it out and neither should you!
Read United States Codes Title 13, Sections 141, 193 & 221. Also the Federal Register that mentions the American Community Survey by name http://www.federalregister.gov/Privacy/commerce.aspx#cen10
The American Community Survey is considered a special survey authorized by the Secretary mentioned in Sec 141, you should also check out the census bureau’s website on the survey there is a link at the bottom to the actual Title 13 at the house of representatives website
http://www.census.gov/acs/www/SBasics/What/What1.htm
The posters in this thread that actually defend the survey are the real problem with this country – they don’t even recognize when their rights are being trashed. What’s worse is they believe that the purpose of the federal government is to redistribute wealth.
Sad and disappointing.
If you feel your rights are being infringed, then don’t answer. But then, do not complain when your state, local, and school taxes go up to make up the difference between what federal funds you received as compared to what you could have received. And if you are rich enough not to care personally, I hope your whole community does not need the funds. You will have put the screws to them.
I’m with the others who believe the Constitution defines our rights – not the rights of government – others have said very articulately the reasons we should give them the number of people in our home and nothing else.
BTW – every database the gove’t has had control of has been hacked, stolen or damaged. I don’t for one moment believe the info is safe. I also suspect the govt sells the stats to companies for marketing.
Also – the reasons given for collecting commute times as for road planning? Puleeze! Give me a break. If that’s how they do it perhaps that explains why they are so bad at it!
This long form is a waste of tax payor money. Another example of government intrusion.
What is this costing?
I recieved the ACS, and went through their process. 3 surveys mailed, they didn’t have a number to call, so they finally started coming to my house.
I refuse to be a prisoner in my own house so I had a nice little chat with the lady. The only information she had to give was the same information off their flyer which wasn’t much. Kinda funny it was the same platform for everyone that agrees with their cause on here. Anyways after her little speech, I informed her of my rights, why I would not fill it out and sent her on her way. According to her words, I am “Ignorant” and if I’d only “go check out their website”, that I’d have an epiphany.
A few funny things happened in my little chat with this woman. Why do they need my SSN# along with my name? I imagine it would only be for punishment purposes of wrong or decietful answers… in which case the census lady told me “put John Hancock for all I care”. Well, if I do this, I am subject to getting fined for false information. She didn’t like it when I asked her if she had been pregnant in the last year either, or the fact that I knew her full name and address and then inquired when what hours she left/arrived home for work.
Additionally, I told her I do not need to fill out a headcount for her survey. How could she get an accurate census reading from a random survey? I guess the math behind it isn’t really that hard. If this only goes to 1 in 40 households, then just multiply their headcount by 40 of course. This visit was in 2009, so I told her I’d let them know in 2010 when I recieve the proper form.
Personally, I am not going to hand over this kind of information to a salesperson. It’s been awhile since I researched this topic but I’m pretty sure they get minimum wagish pay with commission on their respondance rate. This explains why they are so adament about gettings responses, even if it doesn’t have all, or accurate information. Now I want someone to tell me how that’s gonna benefit anybody… furthermore, why would I want to hand this person my personal information? They likely do not like, or care about their job. They’re just people trying to get a paycheck, and I can respect that. I treated the lady showing up with respect until she told me I was ignorant and didn’t know what I was talking about.
Anyways, I told her to bump it up to the next level, send the court marshal out as she had no authority to do anything. Furhter more I informed her it was against federal law to put her “appointment request” cards inside, or even taped to my mailbox. “We all have the same bossman”… and I’m the ignorant one.
If anyone wonders what happened to me, I haven’t heard anything since then (4-5 months ago)… and if I do hear anything from them, bring it on. I doubt this would stand up in court very well. Why do you think there has been 0, nada, nilch, ZERO people fined to date!? Seems like their only angle harassment and trying to scare people into filling it out, which unfortunately works. The government is still bound by the constitution last I checked.
Furthermore much of this information has already been collected by the IRS and/or other agencies. If the government is truely concerned, then be more efficient and stop wasting our money.
Here’s a good read if you have a spare moment. It’s the hearing that discusses the ACS as the solution to replacing the long form census.
Correct me if I’m wrong. The long form was very controversial due to the intrusive questions asked. The proposed solution in the hearing linked below is the ACS. So if I understand this correctly, the ACS asks the same questions as the long form with the main difference being that it is an ongoing survey and not every 10 years.
So the solution is asking the same questions that were the root of the problem, just more often now. And they wonder why people question their motives. It is true what the say. The opposite of progress is congress!
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=106_house_hearings&docid=f:73836.wais
The ACS leaves me suspicious, why do they need your name?
If you guys that so blindly believe and trust in the U.S. Government think Victoria is just being paranoid. Then why do they GPS right to your front door? From a satellite? What the heck do they need your coordinates for? You know lagitude and longitude. The only time they need lagitude and longitude is for military purposes. Victoria I feel the same…you really need t look up the laws they are using to give you fear of not filling it out. The thing people should be worried about i the fact that they will fine you so much money if you do not comply. They just want to find out how many people live here so they can work on depopulizing. If you dont believe me look up Bill Gates TED Meeting when he actually talks about depopulization through Reproductive something or another which is Abortion and through vaccines. You little people who make fun of people who question the authority of someone who has no business knowing anything accept how many people are in your household, need to PAY ATTENTION to what is going on outside of your own home. The world is much bigger than reality tv and whats going on in your own town.
I didn’t read carefully every post here, and correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t there something wrong with the math Mr. Rosenberg has presented? To compare 1 in 40 every year to 1 in 6 every ten years isn’t valid. 1/40 multiplied by 10 is 10/40 or 1/4 or 1 in 4 for ten years. So 1 in 4 for every ten years is obviously not less invasion of the population than 1 in 6.
Interesting that these posts are dated 2007.
Meaning, I find it interesting posts go as far back as 2007…
Those who do not believe collected census information (specifically the ‘American Community Survey’) has evolved to the point where it is intrusive and exposes the respondent to multiple vulnerabilites and data-sharing by federal agencies obviously do not understand history.
All the information will be used at the appropriate time AGAINST all respondents.
Martin Luther King said it best about individuals who constitute the intentional, walking dead:
“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
Another excuse for gov to intrude into our lives: if it is anything more than a head count (census) then they need to stop calling it a census and call it “we want more personal data on you so we can control you even more”. The current government can rationalize and justify anything they want to do to us and call it law, especially the commerce law. This is turning out to be a catchall for any control they want over us. The playbook says to soften the language or it will create a stir, don’t call it what it is, call it what it is without saying what it is. They want our economic data so that they can see who can afford to pay for the health care that they say will reduce costs but will cover more people (not without denial of benefits). Then they will compare it to the IRS (which is adding 16,000 people to govern the government health care that they call health care but it really isn’t health care; they have just softened the terminology. Smart appliances? So that people will be nudged at peak times so they can choose to reduce electricity…what a joke. It is so that once people have the smart meters and appliances and are plugged into the grid, THEY will tell us when we can use and when we can’t – just like other 3rd world countries. So in summary, this is just more infringement on our rights as a free person in a free country, that is becoming unfree. What difference does it make if one has a mortgage or not? How many bedrooms? Is this so that those they are being a nanny for will tell us our homes are too big and we will be forced to “share” our homes out of “compassion” and “equal” or “social” justice? I say, government get out of my life! I manage my life so much better than you do and I don’t have thousands and thousands of rules and regulations in order to buy the coke that you want to regulate because our nation is too fat (what a hoot), or the rules and regulations you will impose on me if I want to see someone other than a nurse practitioner and want to see a specialist or get a second opinion. When government controls everything, there will be even more denials. Second opinion? When government controls the medical system, just where do you think you will get a 2nd opinion if you don’t like what the non-MD provider is telling you? Anyway, sorry for getting off on the tangent. Our government thinks we are all idiots and “don’t know what is good for us”. They will pass whatever they want telling us they “have to pass it so we will know what is in it”…(i.e., Pelosi and the health care bill). Or because we “don’t know what is good for” us (per Barbara Boxer)….you get the picture? Next it will be cars, what do we drive, how many mpg do we get, how old is it, how much does it weigh, what color is it and if not white will be taxed, what color is our roof (if not white will be taxed), where do we shop (if not in a government store we will be taxed), how many cokes do we drink in a week, how many hamburgers, etc. Penalize doctors because people don’t want to comply with government rules controlling what is eaten or don’t want to follow the MD orders. So penalize the MDs, and who knows, maybe your “basic” care will be cut off. That will reduce the long waits you will have to even get to see a non-MD provider. GET OUT OF MY LIFE GOVERNMENT! I WANT TO STAY FREE WITHOUT YOUR INTRUSION AND RULES THAT PREVENT FREEDOM!
wow, America is FINALLY waking up….it might not be too late! It only took 5 years from the start of this post to now. Can you imagine what the next five years will hold for us? Turn off the tv folks and wake up! The real news is out here on the net. Look it up… agenda 21, bluebeam, haarp, chemtrails..start your searches
WHY DOES THE CENSUS NEED TO KNOW MY BIRTH DATE? Not just year, but month and day. Time to push back.
May 21, 2010. Received first ACS about 4 weeks ago. Threw it in garbage. Received 2nd ACS about 2 weeks ago, threw it in garbage. A lady came to our house last Saturday and told me I needed to complete the ACS and I told her I would NOT. A guy from CENSUS called me yesterday, and I said I was too busy to talked. Same guy called today and I said—-enough is enough, I want nothing to do with the ACS –PERIOD.
Hey Jeff, go to hell!
Listen People AND PAY ATTENTION! These Obamite/ACORN/ex-prisoners/sex offenders have been coming around since 1 1/2 years ago taking GPS reads on the longitude & latitude of your property. Now they are coming around asking personal questions that any burglar would ask, looking in windows, harassing & pestering multiple times when they are only allowed by the Bureau to go back 3 times & leave notices only 3 times. They WALKED INTO (& UNANNOUNED) my neighbor’s house & when confronted by the resident, screamed at them saying, “I am a census worker, and you have to answer my questions!” They were thrown out, & THE POLICE CATERED TO THE CENSUS WORKER & NOT THE RESIDENT! All they are trained to do is to tell the cops “I felt threatened by the resident” or that “The resident threatened me.” The cops charge in like gangbusters & defend them, not you! A relative of mine was harassed 9 times by the same worker. The census worker was greeted at the door for the 9th time with a holstered gun & told if they came back again, they would be arrested for trespassing. The worker called the cops, came to the resident’s house, illegally barged in, illegally beat up the resident LITERALLY, illegally confiscated the holstered gun & illegally charged the resident with bogus violations. The police and census worker & bureau are now being countered sued on criminal and civil actions for millions! The cops and census worker are crapping in their pants! NO ONE SHOULD TAKE THIS TREATMENT & EVERYONE HAD BETTER LEARN TO FIGHT BACK HARD BECAUSE THEY ARE EXPECTING ALL OF US TO CAVE INTO THEM! The only reason the Obama White House swiped the Census from the Dept of Commerce is because it is illegally being used and monitored under the auspices of the IRS for the sole purpose of redistribution of wealth. They compare your census answers to your tax returns & then say, “You don’t need this house, OR You can’t afford this or that, so now we have to reapportion your assets!” WAKE UP IDIOTS & STOP DRINKING THE KOOL-AID! Fidel Castro did the same thing years ago straight from a census. Which is why loads of Cubans legally emigrated to the U.S.!
There is no need for the Gov’t to know if I have flushing toilets, when I leave for work, how long it takes, or if I wipe my butt with Charmin or gereric. These questions are of no importance to the Census. I do not see why they care… If they needed the info, they can do research and finger it out themselves.
I have just discovered that the “Integrated census data collection system”, our census system, is designed and managed by Lockheed Martin, the US arms manufacturer. What strange bed fellows. Why does this make me think of Dwight Eisenhower’s warning – “We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.”
Link 1
http://www.metier.com/about-us/news/press-releases/77-lockheed-martin-awarded-500-million-contract-to-implement-system-for-2010-us-census.html
Link 2
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/products/census-systems/index.html
Im grateful for the blog.Much thanks again.