Mr. Census, you owe me. Big.
I try very hard to bite my tongue restrain my fingers here. Of course it’s my blog and I’ll say what I want to, but generally speaking, I’m a peaceful person. I don’t want to argue with you in real life, and I especially don’t want to argue with you in cyberspace. Occasionally I can’t help myself, but for the most part I think I show a great deal of restraint.
Besides, I’ve found that my political beliefs are not well understood or widely held, and I grow weary of endless explanations and defenses.
{I would like to reiterate, in case you haven’t heard this from me two dozen times already, that liberal and Democrat are not necessarily synonymous, nor are conservative and Republican. Four entirely different words. Different meanings. Despite whatever Fox News, CNN, Jon Stewart, and Glenn Beck would lead you to believe. Not. The. Same.}
Anyway.
This is one of those moments where I don’t stop myself. Because I am seriously ticked.
Have you heard about the Census?
[If you say no, this might be where I go all crazy on you and tell you to get out of the country]
Have you heard about it because it is in our constitution?
Or have you heard about it because you, too, have gotten approximately 37 mailings, notes from school, and a seemingly endless barrage of television and radio advertisements?
Actually, come to think of it, I bet most Americans have read the stupid reminder postcards (this month alone) more often than they have read the actual constitution in their entire lifetime.
<sigh>
But national ignorance aside, come on. Seriously. The census is pretty darn basic. And self-explanatory. What do you think it says about our average intelligence that the government felt the need to spend $423 million dollars telling us to fill out the form?
NOT A TYPO.
$423 million dollars spent on census communications, which includes $85 million for printing and mailing the reminders alone.
If I were a swearing kind of gal, this is the spot where you’d find the profanity.
I’m not a mathematical type of gal, either, but I decided to stretch myself a bit here, just in case you are on my wavelength.
Leaving the rest of the mind-boggling communications budget out of the equation, let’s tackle that $85 million. Our home received 4 letters from school in my children’s backpacks, 2 letters telling us that ‘the census is coming!’, and 1 follow-up reminder to fill out the census (after I’d already mailed it in, thankyouverymuch.) I pretty much found the ‘answer these questions’ blurb at the top of the census form itself to be sufficient instruction. I could have done without all the other crap superfluous paperwork. So for my part, I’d like you to keep your stupid mailings, Mr. Big Government, and give me $3.63 additional back on my taxes.
Thanks.
Of course that $3.63 is an exceptionally watered down number, since it takes into consideration our entire population, whereas the census mailings are per household rather than per person. And it also overlooks the bulk of the communications budget which frankly, I also did not need.
This chart estimates the 2010 census as a whole is costing us nearly $47 per person. Worth noting is that our last census, in 2000, cost less than $16 per person. Holy Inflation Batman.
How many trees died so that the government could ask me an overly intrusive, offensive, and frankly irrelevant question like ”Are your children biological or adopted?”
My children are my children. DNA’s got nothing to do with it.
Grrrr.
I’m not a crazy fringe person. I’m not angry about the census per se. I know it is useful, and I know it is constitutional. I have no quarrel there. But I take serious issue with the enormous amount of money being spent on it. Or more accurately, being wasted on it.
I demand a government that is more respectful of my tax dollar. I know there is a more efficient way to do this. But ‘efficient’ and ‘government’ don’t exactly go hand-in-hand now, do they?
Can’t wait to see how ‘health care’ pans out.
Tongue. Biting.
Tags: census, government waste, health care reform
Current Affairs, Rants & Raves | Heather March 24, 2010
Facebook comments:
By mary b, March 24, 2010 @ 9:49 am
Is there a more efficient way? I think in this day and age so many people are not comfortable with gov’t that they don’t want to fill it out, so how do we reach everyone? Or how do we select who needs reaching out to? (not those of us who filled it out promptly! LOL!)
No easy answers I fear.
I cannot believe your school sent home messages about it!
.-= mary b´s last blog ..Spring Fever on Two Wheels =-.
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By Cindy, March 24, 2010 @ 1:08 pm
Great commentary, Heather!
Why couldnt they have taken THIS instance, and make an example of how to complete a project without spending so much money?
I’d happily put my business on hold to take on such a job. I guess I can’t complain that no one called me, since I have not sent in my resume. (adding that to 2,491 item list of things I think are important enough to do, but that I never will actually do)
As to what to do instead…. maybe…
Send out press releases and AP articles. Hire and train perhaps 50 people nationwide, and make them available to be interviewed by phone to print media, and on-air by local radio and TV outlets.
Make a few bureaucrats available to be interviewed on national TV programs.
Mail census in an envelope that catches the eye, with note on outside regarding fines for not completing it.
WAIT for them to be returned. SKIP the pre-letter and all reminders before the due date.
Send another copy to those who have not returned it by 2 weeks after due date (at that point, I doubt a reminder would help… the person probably doesn’t have it handy anymore) Be more “aggressive” about the consequences of not returning it.
Start the home visits a month after that…. and actually fine the people who could have filled it out but didn’t.
—— Thats off the top of my head.
And then… look into another way to “ensure everyone is counted”, using the data the government has already collected. So that by 2020, we can skip this silly form in the mail stuff.
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By heather, March 24, 2010 @ 2:09 pm
I haven’t been paying too much attention to this whole census deal. We received ours and I’ll fill it out someday I’m sure.
We likely don’t see some things on the same page, which is fine…differing points of view are a good thing. Usually right?
But, wow, I agree with you…that does seem to be a bit of a waste of money. I don’t usually think too much about taxes since they are a given and not going to go away. However, I’d like to see those tax dollars go to a good cause. The census, while it may serve a purpose, doesn’t seem to be a good enough cause for that amount of money.
And you received notices home from school about it? That would definitely annoy me!
.-= heather´s last blog ..interruption in blog land for a *woe is me* moment, and a public service announcement =-.
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By Amanda, March 24, 2010 @ 10:43 pm
I got a card in the mail today reminding me to fill out my census form. I mailed my filled-out-census form back the day after I got it. Like 2 weeks ago.
I have diagnosed myself with Multiple Political Personality Disorder. Perhaps you share said affliction with me, Heather!? So glad you’re back to posting! Missed you.
I am alllllllllll over the fact that conservative does not mean GOP only nor does liberal mean you are a Dem. I personally am pro-life and anti-death penalty. I am a fiscal conservative that believes we CAN be fiscally conservative while still providing for our fellow citizens in need (i.e. food stamps, etc.). As you already know, I fit into absolutely NO group myself.
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..A Wonderful Day & A Wonderful Blogger =-.
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By tracyM, March 27, 2010 @ 8:07 pm
Love you no matter your political leanings…but do have to say that our very liberal state and school district did not send any census reminders home. Probably because they are out of paper…but still….;)
xoxo,t
.-= tracyM´s last blog ..Hope… =-.
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By Soliloquy, March 29, 2010 @ 10:52 pm
See? This is why I don’t watch the news. It’s just not worth the aggravation most days.
Call me Bubble Girl.
Or nationally ignorant.
.-= Soliloquy´s last blog ..Am I So Shallow? =-.
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By Jenny, April 16, 2010 @ 8:43 pm
This is my first time at your blog. I found you by way of Darcie@Such The Spot. And after this post I have only one thing to say: I think I love you.
That is all. Carry on.
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..For All The SAHMs =-.
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