Browse our collection of stories and more. The latest thing they are doing is having the postal carrier come to my door and have me sign a delivery confirmation. I said that I still respectfully declined the survey. The IRS has all my income info, and frankly, it'd take me hours to look up all the financial info they want (monthly mortgage, gas, electric, utility bills.) However, I am sure I will get another one. At least they are working instead of collecting welfare checks. do i have right to due process? Don't touch them and if they do touch you, even slightly, fall down and don't get up until an ambulance arrives. If we don't stand up and protect our rights we will lose them b/c the gvmt is all too happy to take as many away as possible for their own benefit at our expense. [14] https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/about/qbyqfact/2016/StructureRooms.pdf. [13] https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/about/qbyqfact/2016/HomeHeatingFuel.pdf. 0607-810 expired on 05/31/2008. 2d 570, 572 (N.D. They do go to your neighbors and landlord if you are a renter, and they do try to threaten and intimidate you by saying that if you don't answer then someone will return and will have the police with them, so yeah, keep on believing that it's all just a few harmless questions. (These facilities will be contacted directly for data on sexual victimization.) ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Are you willing to roll the dice that this information will remain protected? To support any of this is not like killing, it is killing your neighbor, your dog, your wife, your kids and your kids' kids - maybe slowly and with pretty lights and shiny trinkets, but it is. and see what they make of that. What I find interesting is that when I visit a home of an immigrant they are almost excited to give me whatever information I ask for. Tells the stories behind the numbers in a new inviting way. I had already been a victim of identity theft. Estimates: 1-Year . The census taker left a note me a note today. I also feel for the ones who fought and died for us, who spit in their graves. how the hell does she know me and what i look like, she's never been to our door yet. Statistical analysis It is widely known that in a five-year span the Bureau lost at least 672 laptops. Hello, Legally, yes, you are required to answer the census survey. Well the federal government is functioning way beyond its legal powers and I will not feed that machine. I'm sorry but this survey almost asks me how many times I pee in a day. And, further, we cannot wire tap calls coming into this country from suspected terrorists, but we can create bogus laws to try to make us fill out the ACS which provides more personal information than any wire tap could on american citizens. Firm, clear refusal and don't even hint that you have any fear of their authority. So I stand up to them and say NO, you don't need my private information in order to serve me better! He asked if I would consent to a phone survey and I could decline from answering any questions I thought were too personal or intrusive. Well it started for me. For years I've been very concerned about the direction that our country has been taking. Finally, she said I am not answering anymore questions and they left her alone. Since then, I have received four phone calls from the US Census Bureau. Person 48. On 22 September 2006, the American Broadcast Company (ABC) reported that, since 2003, the Census Bureau lost or reported stolen over 200 laptops and numerous handheld and portable data devices used by survey collectors. The Census Bureau states on their website that failure to complete the survey is unlikely to result in such a fine, however. I don't feel they need to know all the crap they are asking. And if said "enumerator" doesn't like it, tough! Anything more is intrusive. I said it sounded like a great idea. Get on with your life and answer the census. Let freedom ring! It can't be done if the government is a complex, dishonest mess. Bring it on ACB enumeratorsgo ahead, make my day!! When I got the second form I mailed it back stating I filled it out already and do not need to fill it out again. me. I was told that they get thousands of calls per day of people complaining about the ACS. You would have done well in the SS. We are getting a camera for the outside of our home this week, so we will be ready. Millions of dollars wasted! What Percent of the US Population do Doctors Comprise? That didn't stop the harassment, visits leaving notes while I was at work, or conversations asking my neighbors questions about me like I was some criminal or something. I really like what anon18185 did, about looking up the census person and finding out information about them and not have thrown away the census questionnaire. the simple census form I got had another insert in which they claim that "answers are confidential" and "answers you give cannot be obtained by law enforcement or tax collection agencies" and "your answers cannot be used in court" or obtained through a FOIA request. There is only a theoretical possibility that they could fine you. I would like to recommend an alternative method of dealing with "census workers" who show up at your door to harass you for information. Some of you who refuse to return your forms could possibly look at it from a different angle. I too am grateful for this site. And when I'm asked what my address is, I'll respond with, "I pay taxes, look it up.". Facebook; Twitter; Instagram; Pinterest; Flickr; YouTube; LinkedIn; City Services. Continued refusal may lead to additional visits by a supervisor. We're starved after working all day on our house renovation. Thomas Jefferson. I received the ACS invasion of privacy letter on my door yesterday. A third "live" call, and I told the caller again that I'd sent it (the Census) in and that I would report this call as harassment. I can just feature a call stating: If you can't walk up and down stairs, maybe we should think about asking if you are a useful citizen and do you need to be wandering around loose. Know your stuff and don't compromise! "Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who who have the courage to defend it." If he shows up, he'll get the same response (or none at all). Way too much info requested (stuff I wouldn't tell my friends, let alone the government!!) [7] https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/about/qbyqfact/2016/Acreage_AgSales.pdf. According to the Census Bureau, it randomly selects 3.5 million households each year as targets of the ACS. Wow! Not to mention when the people came to my door I informed them that they were trespassing without proper identification and subject to arrest. I ignored all of this due to what I had been through. As one post on this site said "bring it on.". What? These vermin can pound sand. and even spells it. Is that something you would want to get into the wrong hands? And nowhere in the Library of Congress has any bill ever given them the right to fine you. I am a retired airline captain and a former captain in the U.S.A.F. Do some research for "0810" without the quotes and you'll find that OMM no. I am appalled at this whole thing and believe me when that survey taker arrives at my door again, she is going to get an ear full. It's a land of the free OK but I ask everyday "for who??" It doesn't do any good to argue with the census taker. The agent asked about receiving the survey and I informed him that mailed addressed to "resident" was not the responsibility of any named occupant to open but I was also familiar with the unconstitutional intrusion of the personal questions in such a survey and the corporate partners with which the data is shared. On the first occasion, the guy produced a badge and said he would like to come in and talk to me. We said in Boyd v. U.S., 116 U. S. 616, 630, 6 Sup. That's four times today and it's just past noon on Saturday. What they dont tell you is that the information is available to a long list of private corporation, research agencies and think tanks, who use the information to justify and pursue their own agendas. Happy evading! I will sleep well tonight. Condos hire people inside the condo as census people. He said he'd pass that along. True Nazism at its finest. He told me that my info was not received and that he would be sending it back out in the mail. With Halloween right around the corner, how about scare the crap out of them. No need to respond to the intrusive survey. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (8-27-2019) SURVEY OF SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION, 2018. I told her not to come back or I would spray her with my garden hose. I know that some of you were harassed by the census folks. Just had our 10th home visit from census people! I assume that's why they have come again. ACS estimates are all period estimates representing an interval of time, not a single date like April 1, 2010. Wrong. I am appalled by the questions asked on the ACS! You are not the property of business or governments you are continually the result of your feelings. The American Community Survey releases new data every year, in the form of estimates, in a variety of tables, tools, and analytical reports. It's all very true, and very real. I will not yield. That means *not* having our door pounded on constantly and yelled at that we are violating the law by not allowing these rude, despicable low class jerks into our homes! I'm not sure I'd complete it though. Relentless! In an age when the government has significant technological resources at its disposal to not only carry out warrantless surveillance on American citizens but also to harvest and mine that data for its own dubious purposes, whether it be crime-mapping or profiling based on race or religion, the potential for abuse is grave. Thus, they cannot use the census as the pretext for the ACS. [24] https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/about/qbyqfact/2016/Race.pdf. Decennial Census. Moreover, since there are no reported instances of the Census Bureau taking legal or financial action, some speculate that the Census Bureau's threats carry no weight. I gave only the necessary information for an actual enumeration of my household. I can understand the desire to keep the information private. Ridiculous. As she walked away, I told her that her husband Ray just called and wanted her to stop at the store at a location next to her house. PLEASE let's get them back once and for all! These concern matters that the government simply has no business knowing, including questions relating to respondents bathing habits, home utility costs, fertility, marital history, work commute, mortgage, and health insurance, among others. I plead the 5th amendment because the government can ask legally, according to the attorneys office, but I can also remain silent legally. So, basically, he screwed the taxpayers because he keeps a log of minutes and gets paid for the time. Again, the the next morning, he left papers in my door that were printed off the internet about why the census is important. So far no challenges to our door visitors. Finally, she asked me if I was refusing to answer the questions and if I wanted her to put that down. And you all sound sober and mature, not the lunatic fringe at all. Copyright 2023 The Rutherford Institute. So before you go crying about your rights being violated, try actually reading the document that has given you these rights. this is a new one. I am 66 years old and I have never participated in any census. I asked my accountant about them and he recommended not to fill them out. how much to start our businesses etc. ), vacated sub nom. Section a authorizes every 10 years starting April 1. But the Supreme Court is not supreme over the other branches of government; it is supreme only over lower federal courts. By their asking their questions (limited to how many people live here) you have "met" your legal obligation to the Census. Protect yourselves and your privacy, don't complete the form! I never did get ahold of the idiot at Commerce- she sure had lots of vacation time. Just got my second second ACS survey in the last three years. The gov has lost what is called common sense and buried it under a ton of manure. Many people I know who voted for this man are now regretting it. The Bureau lists 35 different categories of questions on its website and offers an explanation on how the information is to be used. At 28 pages (with an additional 16-page instruction packet), the ACS contains some of the most detailed and intrusive questions ever put forth in a census questionnaire. After spending almost an hour answering questions the first time the census take came to my house, they start calling me on Sunday afternoon -- enough is enough! If you give them a little info they will keep at you until you give in. If you do/have, chances are your information is already out in the open for various public/private agencies. You don't want your personal information in some library, online or in an archives someday do you? (The car had to pass my house to get to the neighbors.) I never have, EVER owned an apartment or resort. I made the mistake of putting my phone number on the form. I don't even tell my grown kids this much information. I am standing firm this time. "Only a few questions"? (434) 978-3888 They DO go away. Horrible, and a total violation of my rights across the board. For every question not answered, there is a $100 fine. Also, someone please answer this question: How can the census determine how many illegals are in the US, when they don't pay taxes, use our social security numbers, etc.? Here's what it says online: The American Community Survey is a legitimate survey conducted by the CensusBureau. I started researching and am grateful for the advice by others here and on other sites. Federal law mandates as much, but the bureau also doesn't seek to penalize individuals who fail to participate. Soundbar sold separately. its nothing short of communism folks!! Want to save up to 30% on your monthly bills? Learn more about 2021 ACS data releases, including the latest release of new 2017-2021 ACS 5-year PUMS files and Variance Replicate Estimate Tables. I'll pay the fine if I have to, but I'm not going to let them bully me into submitting to their scare tactics. He didn't know what to think about that (needed to check the law), and took no action. The Rutherford Institute stands ready to defend your rights if they are violated by the government. My first question is: which section authorizes ACS? The visits stopped, and I never heard from them again. It's called the American Community Survey, participation is mandatory . this implies you have obligations to help the government count but not to answer every intrusive question they might ask. The questionnaire also demands that you give other information on the people in your home, such as their educational levels, how many years of school were completed, what languages they speak and when they last worked at a job, among other things. I am going to avoid all traps and when it is time to have them finally come over I am going to do an international webcast and sing answers and slowly say, ohhhhh I don't know.let me think and sit there for 15 minutes for each question.everyone will know where I don't work, how much money I don't make and that I don't have plumbing and that I fart a lot That's the game the Nazi's started with in the 30's as did Stalin, with the knocks on the door and the spying on each other. Some doubt these assurances based on the survey collection process itself. We were hired to call people who did not respond and we left messages on answering machines. According to Title 13, Section 221 (Census, Refusal or neglect to answer questions; false answers) of the United States Code, persons who fail or refuse to respond to the mail-back census form, or refuse to respond to a follow-up census taker, could be fined up to $100. Pericles, 460BC. If this money is government funding for schools, street or seating representatives then why are so many teachers being laid off, why are the streets so damaged and incomplete. He wanted my son's name and address. In what may be a coincidence, they often seem to call shortly after we arrive home and there is a vehicle marked "census" in the neighborhood. We are so far from what our forefathers prayerfully constructed as a government that it will take a real miracle from heaven for a national revival now. Thank Gosh, I documented every call and person I spoke with. To complete the survey on the internet, visit https://respond.census.gov/acs. ACS is relatively new, it has merely replaced the "long form," as it was known, of the decennial census, which has been around for a very long time, and asked similar questions. This government is OUT OF CONTROL! I am in the middle of this ACS thing now and refusing to answer. I remember the paperwork that I signed, highlighted the fact that it was a temporary position with no benefits of any sort. Whether I'm white, black, hispanic, etc., or whether I own or rent my home, makes as much difference to the count of legal U.S. citizens as not having to show your legal or illegal status as a U.S. citizen. and gently close the door. I just received the ACS survey and will not be sending it in. "is your name blah blah blah?" I just got a pretty harassing phone call from a census lady, who said I would be fined if I didn't fill this crap out. The highly sensitive personal information provided on the ACS form gets keyed into a master data bank. I say, good luck with that. Read the Constitution. The yahoos on the Hill will continue to usurp our rights. Thank you, fellow Americans! Have you ever filed taxes? Also, it can't hurt to tell your representatives. He came to my door anyway. Under Title 13 of the U.S. Code, you can be fined up to $100 for refusing to complete a census form and $500 for answering questions falsely. Who knows what other "enemy" nations also have it. I say "sorry sir no one here is available and you need to leave." [28] http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/about/is-my-privacy-protected.html. I watched and saw that she was only there five minutes. In fact, the ACS launched in 2005 to replace the census "long form." Now I wish I hadn't answered her on the phone. The American Community Survey (ACS) is a nationwide survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau to provide communities with demographic, social, economic, and housing data every year. If you waiver or hide, they will keep trying. At what location did this person work last week? The American Community Survey is mailed to 2.5% of the American population to collect statistical information for city planning. But I guess they probably figured that out, so decided to send it to only 2.6 percent of the population at a time. I stupidly started filling out my ACS before I learned of this. Please download the PDF to view it: Download PDF. Those . And my financial business is my business, provided I pay my bills and taxes which I do. I responded to the ACS. Granted, I'm sure they can find it, but the census would have had to use some powers beyond their department to find it, since I intentionally left that form blank on the 2010 census. "Isn't that enough?" That alone, in the wrong hands; is reason NOT to respond to such a blatant abuse of power. After reading the notes on this site, I decided - ACSdestination, shredder. Let me get this straight: we cannot ask an illegal alien for papers because of racial profiling but we can try to force american citizens to fill out the ACS which has profiling information in every question? And everyone should have to fill out the same thing-how come I get the long form every time? There are even amendments to the amendments. They gave up on me. Other countries pay equally and get that ever elusive socialist universal health care. Those of you who are posting "what's the big deal" need to start doing some research on your government and the shady things that go on at the taxpayers' cost. Where did they get the data? As such, any attempt by the government to encroach upon the citizenrys privacy rights or establish a system by which the populace can be targeted, tracked and singled out must be met with extreme caution. About 40 phone calls to date, some leave messages while others hang up. Measuring America's People, Places, and Economy. When I did return it, I left off my personal business. My high school son came home and read the questions and his first response was "this is communist." Do as you see fit. Got this survey in the mail and opened it and started reading the questions and couldn't believe it I was so pissed off, it's really none of their business. I love my country and I'm proud to be an American. Although Mark xxxxxxx, the field representative, was professional, thorough and pleasant enough, Ive requested the Bureau cease these harassing efforts a second time during the phone call after he visited my home. So get a clue, and if you are so upright and truthful, use your real name. The law does not say you have to answer their questions (so don't). [It does not appear that Census is proposing any changes to the ACS instrument.] About a month ago (August 2010) I received my first ACS phone inquiry. The US Census Bureau makes it clear that the American Community Survey (ACS) is authorized under Sections 141 and 193 of Title 13 of the United States Code, and that compliance with the survey is legally mandatory. She stated that they lost it. anon10731 is obviously a census worker!!!!!! Don't know if it's the "bureau" calling or not, but I'm ready for them. [18] Furthermore, the questionnaire also demands that recipients provide information about their family and other people in their home, such as their educational levels, how many years of school were completed,[19] what languages they speak[20] and when they last worked at a job.[21]. If they aren't paying my bills they don't have a need to know how much they are. Unreal! Departments. In the current study . Originally, I sent in the census form for the property stating zero occupants, then was called by a Census worker. Do i have a Fifth amendment right not to incriminate myself? Further, congressional rules on enforcement were controlled by the Republican Congressional Committee overseeing Census Bureau Operations, when the Republicans controlled congress. Can anyone please tell me if I am obligated to answer these questions. I hope you folks do not live in my county or state. I've been harassed by phone at night and Sundays. In 2000 I placed a large sprinkler by my front door. BTW my survey went into the guinea pig cage, it will come out the same it went in: crap. How much do I make per year? Other articles have slanted this to be a case of "men marrying into money. I am a prisoner in my own home. Uncle Sam gets my money but what happens in my home stays in my home. The census guy showed up here. That's all it is. Objections to the ACS include the personal nature of some of its questions and, despite government assurances to the contrary, associated confidentiality issues. So, I tore off the page with my address on it and shredded it, and then I tossed the rest of the survey into the garbage. What I want to know for sure is: Can they make, force, and punish you for not filling out this thing? But not allthat other information. Then I asked the census taker her birth date, and I again got no answer. Last census I was harassed for a while because I refused to answer the long winded privacy invading Community Survey. A tactic that is used too frequently in our society as a means of control. She then stated that she has not talked to the supervisor. thanks for answering back with any helpful info. Opponents of the American Community Survey disagree with the court's findings about its constitutionality. www.rutherford.org. Moreover, the survey of about 100 questions asks about private health information and how much in taxes and utility bills a household pays, and even about how many beds, cars, and washing machines the household has, the complaint relays. I think someone should have a web cam ready when they come to the door. Do you have a debit card, credit card, a loan, a job, own a house, a car, driver's license? The Legal Accountability Project. 241, 250, of all the rights of the citizen, few are of greater importance or more essential to his peace and happiness than the right of personal security, and that involves, not merely protection of his person from assault, but exemption of his private affairs, books, and papers from inspection and scrutiny of others. When we do the ACS on the phone, we do not ask for your SS #, we do not ask how many times you go to the bathroom. I sent in the Census form (and that's all I'm required to provide). When hell freezes over. What Percent of the US Population do Lawyers Comprise. Quite honestly, you are not that important. To anon89810: I am all for taking action against them. I repeatedly told her that I gave the legal information I am required by law and that is how many people live here. This is crazy -- why is this still going on and why aren't people doing something about it? I filled it out. I will give the information to those who really need it to improve my neighborhood, city, county, etc. The biggest, the American Community Survey (ACS), is sent annually to more than 3.5 million randomly selected homes to gather population, economic, housing and other data that helps determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in state and federal money is distributed. I will pay the fine if that is what it takes. I set it aside. I can go on the internet and find more about you then anything the census is looking for. (We filled out and mailed our census form as soon as we received it.) I had never heard of such a thing. According to the letter, responses to the "American Community Survey" help communities to decide where important services are needed, including improving roads and reducing traffic, building. State citizens can help in this process by refusing to cooperate with federal demands (all of them). Why would anyone want to "help the government function" (interfere in our private lives)? Similarly, the plaintiffs contest that nothing in the federal code allows for a fine for refusal to answer the American Community Survey to be considered a criminal offense. It's now the end of Jan. 2010 and I just received my second ACS form. hudson river fireworks 2022, stewart manor apartments batesville, ms,