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If you look at any of the census records from 100 and plus years back, they asked questions like the country you immigrated from or where your parents immigrated from. I was able to find out if my grandparents and all my aunts and uncles could read, write or speak English off their 1900 census forms and what their occupations were. I don't get the paranoid going around about the census this year. It's just stupid and shortsighted. Without them, communities can't project the coming needs for schools and nursing homes just to name one benefit. We have very few questions to answer this time around compared to those taken in the past.
I've seen census listings from 1900 and 1920 and they don't indicate race or ethnicity at all. There is absolutely no good reason for the government to ask that -- they aren't building nursing homes and schools around race I should hope. Age and gender are Constitutional questions for the census to ask - and so the age should tell them all they need to know about how many schools or nursing homes might be needed.
When I looked at ancestors listed on census, it never indicated who could read or speak English.
Well -- scratch the nursing homes. Age doesn't not mean you will be needing a nursing home. People over a certain age don't automatically get put in nursing homes - it depends on health more than age.
There is no purpose at all for the racist questions. At least no good purpose. As far as income, the government certainly gets all that information at tax time - it doesn't need it on a census.
As a political scientist I can say that we really like this type of data as it allows us to determine a variety of social trends. It's useful to be able to see how households are made-up and how household structures have changed over time as well as how they differ between regions as well as between classes and different ethnic groups. It's also useful for social science research to be able to determine where different ethnic/racial/religious/etc. groups live, how they vary in average income, etc. The census is a great tool for social science research...
Aside from that, knowing the relationship between individuals can be helpful for policy as well. For example, if a particular area has a higher than average rate of elderly people living with their children this can indicate that the government is doing an inadequate job of providing help for elder-care. Such a finding could suggest a need for more governmental assistance to homes for the elderly, tax credits for individuals taking care of sick parents, etc.
I understand that it can be useful for many things, that it offers a pool of knowledge for various types of studies, but that is not the basis of its authority defined by the Constitution. Everything you listed, while useful, with good intentions or the like is not what it was specifically designed for.
Now you might say that times change, and so the government adapted to deal with the various changes and needs. I also would not have a problem with that either, but... again the method to which they are obtaining this is not supported by what the Constitution states their authority and purpose is.
I got interested in this and I began to track down the laws, I looked over all of the census questions from 1790 on. I looked at the changes to various issues, the history of various issues concerning the census as well as the adjustments to Title 13 and various sub sections and yet I don't see where they receive the authority to extend such.
So, regardless of it being "useful" or the fact that it is taken with good intentions for our benefit, it is not authorized in its current form from what I can see.
I think of it like this. If a person enters my home, does my laundry, cleans it, fixes the washing machine, sets the table and fixes dinner for me, it doesn't change the fact that they did this without my permission and without the authority to do so. They may mean well and the results might be beneficial to me, but it doesn't change the fact that they broke the law to do it.
So while I do understand your position, it makes sense and is logically supported, it misses the main issue to which I focused my question and that is "How does any of this concern the simple issue to which the Constitution states, which is to enumerate the people for the sake of determine the representation?"
If you look at the 1790 and later year census questions (up to a point where they all of a sudden start asking irrelevant questions). When they do ask certain questions concerning for instance, race or sex, it appears to have a purpose in that assessment due to the nature of voting rights at that time (to which representation would be required) and therefore relevant to the purpose of the assessment.
Though over time, many do not and concerning the 2010 one, only questions 1, 2, and "possibly argued" 10 appear to be relevant.
A phone number is irrelevant to the needs of the assessment (as it is established and defined by the Constitution). Name really has no bearing and some past census takes did not ask it (though the first 1790 one did ask the name of the head of the household, but not the rest of the residents).
Race is irrelevant in determining representation. Age is only relevant in that which is established by the Constitution (if they are 18, they answer to it anyway). I find 10 to be redundant simply because the instructions specifically state that which should not be counted, though 10 asks again.
Anyway, none other than the ones I initially mentioned are really relevant to the purpose of the census.
Again, I understand that additional information may be useful for other purposes, but as I said, this is not something they appear to be authorized to demand, much less penalize for failure to supply the additional information.
Maybe you see something in the laws that explain otherwise? Is this one of those things where the constitution got ignored simply because nobody thought is was that big of a deal?
on race it actually said "black, african-american, or negro". Umm, aren't they all the same thing? For Asian, why did they list so many versions of Asian but only one catagory for white? Perhaps I should have checked "other" and listed French/Indian (native American). What about white: English, Scottish, Irish, French, Italian, German, etc.? No, whites aren't important in the census. Only other races and cultures are important. All it should have said is "Are you a legal American citizen, yes or no". If yes, continue to next question. If no, stop and mail form back.
Maybe because the majority of White Americans today are ethnically mixed up with several European nationalities. The European descent population in America today are not like they were over a 100 years ago. How many white people do you know that are mostly German on both sides of the family? The ones that are of one European nationality tend to be the older generation. Plus many white people in the south prefer to identify as simply "American." Most Asians in America are still predominately of one ethnicity, so it is easier to separate the Asian population.
Here is some food for thought. There are questions on there I can't seem to understand how they are relevant to the main reason of the census as it doesn't have any effect on the ability to fulfill its purpose.
Now people say it doesn't matter, the information is still helpful in many ways for the government to be able to better do its job.
Ok, then why do we not ask if the person is a legal U.S. Citizen or here under legal contract? This was asked in a past census (though worded a bit differently).
Here is my reasoning. First, by obtaining this information you get a more accurate count for representation purposes (illegals do not need representation, so this would unfairly balance it). Second, it would give some very important information to the government about an issue that I think most would agree has a significant effect on us.
So not only would that question be relevant to the pursuit of information concerning enumeration as is required by the Constitution, it would also help to establish some much needed information on a very important topic.
Though I guess my phone number appears to be of much more importance. /shrug
on race it actually said "black, african-american, or negro". Umm, aren't they all the same thing? For Asian, why did they list so many versions of Asian but only one catagory for white? Perhaps I should have checked "other" and listed French/Indian (native American). What about white: English, Scottish, Irish, French, Italian, German, etc.? No, whites aren't important in the census. Only other races and cultures are important. All it should have said is "Are you a legal American citizen, yes or no". If yes, continue to next question. If no, stop and mail form back.
The census has counted 'race' since the very first census in 1790. Don't you have anything better to scream about and get your panties in a bunch?
What happens if you do not fill out the 2010 Census form?
You spontaneously combust?
Come the 2020 census, buried 6 feet under, you won't be counted.
Normally, when you're given the death penalty, you can make any number of appeals to delay your well-deserved execution. Not so, by not filling out that 2010 census form. Come 1/1/11, blindfolded in front of a firing squad, all your senses will be gone!
The purpose of THIS census is to count minorities so they know how to redistribute the wealth. If you are a white American you are now irrelevant.
Of course. But this constitutionally mandated count was not doing that when they counted 'race' in 2000, 1990, 1980, 1970, 1960, 1950, 1940, 1930, 1920, 1910, 1900, 1890, 1880, 1870, 1860, 1850, 1840, 1830, 1820, 1810, 1800, and 1790.
How shocking that Americans are suddenly interested in race!
no evidence needed. if it wasnt, then the question on the form would have never been asked.
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