RE: United States Census 2010 Burea sending out all sorts of reminders

[brad kaste]

Hi All,
By now everyone should have received his or her 2010 Census form to fill out and mail back. Received mine last week and took all of two minutes to fill out and send off. But here's the part that gets me. Yes,...it is important to have a census done every 10 years. The Constitution says so. And federal monies are predicated and doled out according to what the population is in a specific area location. No problem. To me,...here's the rub:
Why did they (United States Dept. of Commerce) send out a notification card a month ago that said I'd be receiving my fill-out census form within a week or so. That's money. Now,...I receive a 2nd statement REMINDING me that I should have mailed off the form by now. If I haven't,...kindly disregard this message blah blah blah.
It's the cost. To send out all this pre and post reminder cards....it's gotta' cost in the millions. Another way for the Federal Gov. to blow it you know where. They're good at spending our money.......

http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh418/1944bradkaste/scan0001.gif

[PRB]

Yep, same here. Got the warning letter, got the actual census questions, and got the reminder card today. To them its "free money" so they don't have to worry about how it's spent, and (surprise) they don't...

[TeaSea]

I just couldn't quite figure it out....

I got a letter, to tell me that I'd get a letter....

:isadizzy:

[paiken]

Yep, same here. Got the warning letter, got the actual census questions, and got the reminder card today. To them its "free money" so they don't have to worry about how it's spent, and (surprise) they don't...


They actually print the money, too. I don't really mind, since the Post Office needs all the spare $ they can get their hands on.

[gecko65]

Yeah . . . we're talking about the government here, right? :banghead:

They must have designed these new eye drop thingys I just got. Single use, instill one or two drops in each eye and throw away the unused portion???

Waste much?

[MaddogK]

heh, the shredder ate mine.

[Navy Chief]

I was so tempted to write on the notice, "Not at this address", and mail it back.....

@*&^($@%(*!@&(*

[Ken Stallings]

Brad,

Funny you create this thread. Same exact thing happened with me today and I did precisely what you did. Weeks ago I mailed it back. I understand sending out the reminders for those not returned. But, your's and mine absolutely arrived and was processed before this reminder was sent out.

So, clearly our illustrious government paid for these reminders and shotgunned them out to everyone. That's a whole lot of money!

Ken

[Allen]

I will point you all to "The Daly Show with Jon Stewart " Wbe site. On this vid jump to 18:40 on the vid and
Gary Locke, United States Secretary of Commerce will tell you all why you have gotten this in you mail.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/thu-march-18-2010-gary-locke

[Dain Arns]

Well gee.
I guess you can all thank the millions and millions of wonderful citizens, who despite the numerous mailing reminders, STILL DO NOT send the form back.
Then that requires the government to PAY for wages and gas and all of the other associated costs for sending census workers to go out there and physically follow up with these fine citizens, when they could have been responsible enough to just send the form back in the first place.

So economically,a bunch of BULK MAIL cards and letters is still cheaper than sending people out to do the same job? Yes? :salute:
Add on top of that it's only done ONCE every ten years...

[MudMarine]

Like morons say: Don't worry, the government will pay for it. DUH, we are the government and it's our tax money they spend like drunk sailors....no offense to drunk sailors, I like them a lot more than government office twinkies!! My cencus report goes like this; Count my middle finger, it equals one,get it cencus bureau!! :icon_lol:

[Ken Stallings]

Well gee.
I guess you can all thank the millions and millions of wonderful citizens, who despite the numerous mailing reminders, STILL DO NOT send the form back.
Then that requires the government to PAY for wages and gas and all of the other associated costs for sending census workers to go out there and physically follow up with these fine citizens, when they could have been responsible enough to just send the form back in the first place.

So economically,a bunch of BULK MAIL cards and letters is still cheaper than sending people out to do the same job? Yes? :salute:
Add on top of that it's only done ONCE every ten years...

Yes, I give you all that. But, if we could save $5 million in mailing costs (even in bulk rate mail) by using a computer system to only send the reminders to those whom have not yet returned the census, then doesn't that sound like a smart idea? Further, don't you think one could purchase the required software for a whole lot less than the $5 million or so it would save?

Cheers,

Ken

[AckAck]

I'm a little cheesed that I haven't gotten one. Counting everyone, are they? :173go1:

Brian

[oakfloor]

I got one of those, but it was addressd to someone named resident, with no first name. There is no one living here with that name, so I tossed it out.

[n4gix]

I got one of those, but it was addressd to someone named resident, with no first name. There is no one living here with that name, so I tossed it out.

I sincerely hope you are just joking, otherwise you are one of "those" who will ultimately cost "us taxpayers" several hundred dollars more in needless expense...

[jmig]

I sincerely hope you are just joking, otherwise you are one of "those" who will ultimately cost "us taxpayers" several hundred dollars more in needless expense...

Oh I wouldn't get to worked up, Bill. I am sure he is providing someone with job security, somewhere. :)

:ernae:

[Bjoern]

Look at the upside: Somewhere in the USA some paper mills and printing shops were happily employing and maybe even hiring people because they got a financially awesome governmental contract.

Money doesn't just vanish.

[oakfloor]

I sincerely hope you are just joking, otherwise you are one of "those" who will ultimately cost "us taxpayers" several hundred dollars more in needless expense...
Naw, probley cost less than $5. And whats the cost for a sense of humor?..thats priceless.

[Kestrel 2]

I got my "Before and After" notices, but I got special treatment for the census itself. It was hand delivered to my house and left in a US Census bag on my doorknob.

It was the short form, not the monstrosity that takes two weeks to fill out.

Good to know that they saved postage by not mailing it to me. :isadizzy:

[OBIO]

Are there different forms being sent out....the one Deb and I got had maybe 10 questions on it...if that. How many people in the house, ages, male or female....very basic stuff.

OBIO

[simkid22]

I dont think the money spent on the census would be more than a pixel or two, keeping in mind a good part of the 150 Billion for the bankers was from the taxpayer's pocket. And I too received a reminder after I sent in my census response.

http://i.imgur.com/C5hAo.gif

[n4gix]

Are there different forms being sent out....the one Deb and I got had maybe 10 questions on it...if that. How many people in the house, ages, male or female....very basic stuff.

OBIO

According to an interview I sort of listened to today, there is only one form this time with ten questions, and room for up to 9 individual's to reply, and shorter areas for another ten names to be listed.

Also state was the cost for a "house call" is about $60 extra.

[GT182]

Are there different forms being sent out....the one Deb and I got had maybe 10 questions on it...if that. How many people in the house, ages, male or female....very basic stuff.

OBIO

The one I got in the mail was "American Home Survey" with questions they have no buisness asking. I will not tell them my finances, how or what I use to heat my house with, or the number of vehicles I own and their makes.

They've called twice because I only gave our names, address, ages and phone number(which was a big mistake). An attorney I know said that's all they need to know, nothing else as that information is private to you and only you. IIRC, the last Census wasn't this nosey.

[Snuffy]

Mine is an "official" tri-fold document, apparently they want the names and ages and phone numbers of every illegal living in my house.

There spaces on that form for about 12 people.

[fsafranek]

Mine just arrived yesterday and tomorrow is trash day. I'll open it now
and I'll let "return postage paid" or not determine what I do with it.

...

Ok. It's in the mail. Wonder if I should have made up some people. I'm
sure the two bedroom down the street with the converted garage and six
cars won't be reporting everyone. Dilemma.
:ernae:

[boxcar]

.


Oh I wouldn't get to worked up, Bill. I am sure he is providing someone with job security, somewhere. :)


Like the USPS, for another example.

Hey Brad, got mine today, carbon copy of yours. Takes longer to get to me here in the high plains. http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/mini/small-smiley-011.gif
.

[Ken Stallings]

I got one of those, but it was addressd to someone named resident, with no first name. There is no one living here with that name, so I tossed it out.

Are you serious?

You realize of course that as an American citizen, you are obligated by federal law to participate honestly in the census. It's like jury duty, one of the few things specified in law that obligates citizens to perform civic duties.

Cheers,

Ken

[Ken Stallings]

Oh I wouldn't get to worked up, Bill. I am sure he is providing someone with job security, somewhere. :)

:ernae:

Ultimately, judges, juries, attorneys, clerks to collect fines, and even jailers! :kilroy:

Cheers,

Ken

[boxcar]

Are you serious?

You realize of course that as an American citizen, you are obligated by federal law to participate honestly in the census. It's like jury duty, one of the few things specified in law that obligates citizens to perform civic duties.


Am pretty sure that oakfloor was referring to the Census 2010 Bureau reminder post card, Ken, not the census form itself.
.

[oakfloor]

Are you serious?

You realize of course that as an American citizen, you are obligated by federal law to participate honestly in the census. It's like jury duty, one of the few things specified in law that obligates citizens to perform civic duties.

Cheers,

Ken But my name is not "resident" and theres no one around here with that name. And Im not supposed to read mail thats not adressed to me. I hope Mr. or Mrs. Resident get there mail, so they wont have to go to prison.

[Toastmaker]

I got my census form a few days ago. I read the ten questions and none were objectionalble nor intrusive. I filled it out and sent it back. It's just that simple.

No, I don't feel viloated or abused. . .

[Moparmike]

Well, so far I've got everyone that posted in here beat...:d
I've received 9 pieces of mail from the census....possibly more. 3 "you're gonna get mail" cards, 3 forms, and 3 "you shoulda got mail" cards.
All of em addressed to "resident"...so have I committed 9 federal mail fraud offenses by reading "resident's" mail? :p:

-One set at my house on the farm...primary residence.

-One set at my shop on the farm...DUH! It's not an occupiable tenancy, it's a place of business! Whoever mapspotted my area should have had their head examined...

-One set at my apartment...secondary residence. I couldn't honestly answer all the questions on the form for this one since they didn't have a proper response to the "do you live elsewhere" question.

-There is probably another set sitting down at the lake cabin too. I haven't been down there for two months and I won't be back there until the first week of May. So if they get no response from that mailbox and no answer at the door...not my fault. :rolleyes: I hope they don't get stuck in the driveway though...it's a long walk to the nearest neighbor!


All of this expense for one person......