Bachmann's Census Bashing May Come Back to Haunt Her

Modbert

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Sep 2, 2008
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Hmm, Why Has Bachmann Stopped Bashing The Census? | TPMDC

The state of Minnesota could be on the verge of losing a House seat after 2010 -- and interestingly enough, it's been a while since we heard Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) talk about refusing to participate in the Census.

Last year, Bachmann repeatedly said she would defy the Census by not completely filling out the information on the forms, but would instead only give the number of people in her household. She said that Census data was used to conduct the 1940's Japanese-American internment, and warned that the government was seeking to gather information about people's mental health. But as far as we can tell, her last anti-Census public statement was in August.

The largest newspaper in Minnesota, the Star-Tribune, is calling on the state's citizens to vigorously participate in the Census. The key issue here is that according to current population estimates, Minnesota is right on the cusp of losing one of its eight seats in Congress, and will be in a close competition with Missouri, Texas and California for that district. The Strib points out that "Minnesota traditionally has had one big advantage -- the cooperation of its civic-minded citizens."

And this situation proves that despite her rhetoric, Bachmann is just another politician, although a bit more loony than the usual cast of characters.
 
The problem is...at least for me...the last time she screwed up, I thought for sure they would not re elect this dolt...

Dammit, she won.
 
Question about the census:

Should I only count the people legally part of my household?

Or should I include my illegal Mexican servants?
 
Question about the census:

Should I only count the people legally part of my household?

Or should I include my illegal Mexican servants?

The illegal Mexican servants only count as 3/4s if you follow certain laws correctly.
 
Only filling out the constitutionally requisite section of the uber-snoop version of the census is not tantamount to refusal to answer it at all.

But I've long ago given up hope on any story in the Strib making any sense at all.

Facts are stubborn things and they usually make the Left look like aholes
 
Hmm, Why Has Bachmann Stopped Bashing The Census? | TPMDC

The state of Minnesota could be on the verge of losing a House seat after 2010 -- and interestingly enough, it's been a while since we heard Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) talk about refusing to participate in the Census.

Last year, Bachmann repeatedly said she would defy the Census by not completely filling out the information on the forms, but would instead only give the number of people in her household. She said that Census data was used to conduct the 1940's Japanese-American internment, and warned that the government was seeking to gather information about people's mental health. But as far as we can tell, her last anti-Census public statement was in August.

The largest newspaper in Minnesota, the Star-Tribune, is calling on the state's citizens to vigorously participate in the Census. The key issue here is that according to current population estimates, Minnesota is right on the cusp of losing one of its eight seats in Congress, and will be in a close competition with Missouri, Texas and California for that district. The Strib points out that "Minnesota traditionally has had one big advantage -- the cooperation of its civic-minded citizens."

And this situation proves that despite her rhetoric, Bachmann is just another politician, although a bit more loony than the usual cast of characters.

Why does the Government need to know any more then how many people live in a household? The Representative Seats are apportioned based on population alone, nothing else matters.
 
Question about the census:

Should I only count the people legally part of my household?

Or should I include my illegal Mexican servants?

Are you claiming them as dependents on this years taxes? :lol:

You can not even claim your own kids as dependents with out jumping through a million hoops. My son is 25, does not work and solely dependent on me and my wife and we are told since he is over 18 he can not be our dependent.
 
Why does the Government need to know any more then how many people live in a household? The Representative Seats are apportioned based on population alone, nothing else matters.

Over here the census is used for a whole lot of other stuff. National planning of roads, rail, electricity, parks, hospitals even schools.
For example if a school requests funding for special education teachers due to a high concentration of non national children, the census data is used to prove that etc. It keeps an eye on the migration of the population and points out areas where investment in jobs etc need to be made.
 
Why does the Government need to know any more then how many people live in a household? The Representative Seats are apportioned based on population alone, nothing else matters.

Over here the census is used for a whole lot of other stuff. National planning of roads, rail, electricity, parks, hospitals even schools.
For example if a school requests funding for special education teachers due to a high concentration of non national children, the census data is used to prove that etc. It keeps an eye on the migration of the population and points out areas where investment in jobs etc need to be made.

Bachman has been so wrongheaded on so many issues and she's still here. Her equally wrongheaded supporters will hang with her as long as it takes. The opposition just needs to rally against her with some good campaign strategy that will get her out of congress.

Unfortunately, like Cheney, that is no guarantee that she will slink away quietly. She doesn't mind looking stupid for the good of the party.
 
Why does the Government need to know any more then how many people live in a household? The Representative Seats are apportioned based on population alone, nothing else matters.

Over here the census is used for a whole lot of other stuff. National planning of roads, rail, electricity, parks, hospitals even schools.
For example if a school requests funding for special education teachers due to a high concentration of non national children, the census data is used to prove that etc. It keeps an eye on the migration of the population and points out areas where investment in jobs etc need to be made.

Here too (Australia). It's amazing what the statisticians can do with the information in terms of social planning.
 
You can not even claim your own kids as dependents with out jumping through a million hoops. My son is 25, does not work and solely dependent on me and my wife and we are told since he is over 18 he can not be our dependent.

Do you think that an unemployed 25 year old SHOULD be allowed to be considered a dependent?

It sounds like the government is telling you that your 25 year old son should get a job.
 
The key issue here is that according to current population estimates, Minnesota is right on the cusp of losing one of its eight seats in Congress

Isn't that Bachmann's wish?

Smaller government?
 
Only filling out the constitutionally requisite section of the uber-snoop version of the census is not tantamount to refusal to answer it at all.

But it's still illegal. 13 U.S.C. § 221
a) Whoever, being over eighteen years of age, refuses or
willfully neglects, when requested by the Secretary, or by any
other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce
or bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of the
Secretary or authorized officer, to answer, to the best of his
knowledge, any of the questions on any schedule submitted to him in
connection with any census or survey provided for by subchapters I,
II, IV, and V of chapter 5 of this title, applying to himself or to
the family to which he belongs or is related, or to the farm or
farms of which he or his family is the occupant, shall be fined not
more than $100.
(b) Whoever, when answering questions described in subsection (a)
of this section, and under the conditions or circumstances
described in such subsection, willfully gives any answer that is
false, shall be fined not more than $500.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, no person
shall be compelled to disclose information relative to his
religious beliefs or to membership in a religious body.

The Constitution doesn't require more than an enumeration, but Title 13 US Code authorizes the actual census "in such form and content as he may determine, including the use of sampling procedures and special surveys. In connection with any such census, the Secretary is authorized to obtain such other census information as necessary"

Answering the census, to include the American Community Survey,(the replacement for the old long form and is taken every year) is required under Title 13. You can't ignore Federal Law on the grounds that only part of it is explicitly mandated by the Constitution. Most laws aren't.
 
I'd like to know why the fucking federal government has to shell out our money for fancy buses to advertise the census to the tune of 300 plus million dollars.

Come on a fucking bus tour called "Portrait of America"?

Can we waste a little more fucking money?
 
You can't ignore Federal Law on the grounds that only part of it is explicitly mandated by the Constitution. Most laws aren't.

However, there are gobs of people who think that every law that is not explicitly written in the Constitution is unconstitutional.
 
Why does the Government need to know any more then how many people live in a household? The Representative Seats are apportioned based on population alone, nothing else matters.

Over here the census is used for a whole lot of other stuff. National planning of roads, rail, electricity, parks, hospitals even schools.
For example if a school requests funding for special education teachers due to a high concentration of non national children, the census data is used to prove that etc. It keeps an eye on the migration of the population and points out areas where investment in jobs etc need to be made.
Same here in the US. But RGS isn't very bright so he probably doesn't know that.
 

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