2010 Census form...should you or should you not fill it out? There has been some talk about whether it is a good thing to fill out the census form or whether it is simply an invasion of privacy and a means for the government to use the information against you.
There have even been posts on Active Rain regarding the pros and cons so I thought I would share with you what the Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS® (FAAR) has recommended to their members. The following appeared on both the FAAR FORUM (blog) and FARR's member web site.
Take a moment to fill out the census...it's crucial to local funding for schools as well as road construction and maintenance.
By Rene Daniels On March 5, 2010
Be sure to participate in the upcoming U.S. Census. When your form arrives by mail in mid-March, please fill it out and mail back promptly. There are only ten questions, so it will take just a few minutes to complete.
Census participation is important for many reasons, not the least of which is to assure that our area gets its share of an estimated $400 billion in federal funds for uses such as schools and road construction and maintenance.
FAAR mentions two of the benefits that are based on the information received in the answers on the census form. There are others. The number of representatives to the U.S. House of Representatives is determined by the population of each state. The greater the population, the more representatives a state has.
There are concerns on the part of some that it is an invasion of privacy used by the government to obtain personal additional personal information on its citizens. Are these valid concerns or are they a bit irrational? Check to see for yourself.
The deadline was April 1, 2010 (and that was no April Fool's Day joke), however, forms can still be mailed in. In fact, by mailing them in you will help save the government money (hope that strikes a cord with all of those that are concerned about government spending).
If the form is not returned a census worker will probably show up at your residence. That costs taxpayers much more than the cost of a $.44 cent. Something to think about.
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Kate, We wrote a post about the census also. We have to confess... we didn't fill out every line on the form. Not every item is constitutionally mandated and we felt it was inappropriate. We stood up and were counted though!
Somehow I have missed the posts against filling out the census. Now I'm very curious to find out people's concerns about it. I learn something new on AR everyday.
Kate, at my age I'm pretty sure the "Big Brother" has got my info.
Hi Jim and Linda...The important thing is to get the form in. Glad you did. I'll be over to read your post. Thanks for letting me know you wrote one on this topic.
Kate
Kate -- I think the pros outweigh the cons... and if a question is too invasive, then skip it. With all the things people put on the internet and how transparent they are... I have to wonder.
Hi Irene...Some people believe that it is not the federal government's business to know the information they ask for on the form.
Considering that so many people put themselves out there on Facebook, My Space, and other social networking sites it is interesting how concerned some are about their privacy.
Personally I did not find any of the questions on the form to be invasions of my privacy but then we don't all think alike.
Kate
I wrote a post on this as well last week. It is very important....and like you said...saves the government money from having to track people down! I sent mine in!!!
Hi Larry...I heard you are a baby boomer so I'm a lot older than that. In fact, I can't even remember what age bracket that is and what my generation is called.
Guess "Big Brother" and "Big Sister" have all the low down on me.
Kate
Hi Joan...That's exactly what I wish people would do instead of refusing to do it at all. I mentioned in my comment just below yours pretty much what you said. I guess we were thinking and writing it at the same time.
Kate
Hi Deborah...Thanks for letting us know about your post on the census. I'll be reading it.
Kate
I think we are going way too far with this invasion of privacy thing. Telling someone your age, race, and how many people live in the house does not sound like invasion of privacy to me. Did they make all this fuss 10 years ago when there were far more questions?
We received the census and filled it out. No big deal. Let's move on.
Hi Jane...I couldn't agree with you more. I've tried to figure out what the fuss is about and I just can't.
Kate
Hi Rick...Yes, it's no big deal. Unfortunately, it is going to cost the government a lot to go to the houses where people did not return the form.
Kate
Giving my name, address, phone number, and race (no, it's not White or Caucasian, it's European American) to a government that already knows those things does not seem like much of an invasion of privacy. I don't understand why somebody can't just push a button and get the same data more quickly and easily.
The census is so important to help schools and determine how our government is ran. Great post.
We can all complain but the census is mandated by law. Approximately $40 billion dollars is at stake. Fill it out and send it in...."nuff said!