17 replies to this topic

[griz]

Had a run in with a Commerce Department census taker a few weeks back. She GPS'd my front door and then began asking me all sorts of questions that were utterly irrelevant. I grabbed my shotgun and told her to leave immediately. She's called no less than 5 times since then and had the Commerce Department notify me that they would knock on my door every quarter for two years. After working my way up the chain of command to a guy in Chicago, we reached an agreement that they can look at my property from the public driveway but that no Commerce Department employee was ever to step on to my property again. I've since posted a signs at both entrances to my property that say, "NO TRESPASSING. Government employees must have an appointment or a warrant to proceed."


So my buddy (a census taker), sent me this link today...

Give 'em an inch and they take a mile!

[Prizetek]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjGpcEA-FyE&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.c...feature=related[/url]

[Edman]

I hope this dosen't turn into another Ruby Ridge.

Why not just give them a bunch of BS answers/info?

Edited by Edman, 24 February 2010 - 02:10 PM.

[pk!]

Actually, why not refuse to give any answers and tell everyone you know, not to give any either. More resources for the rest of us!

[AnacostiaKat]

Fight the power!

[Edman]

griz, on 24 February 2010 - 02:00 PM, said:

Had a run in with a Commerce Department census taker a few weeks back. She GPS'd my front door and then began asking me all sorts of questions that were utterly irrelevant. I grabbed my shotgun and told her to leave immediately. She's called no less than 5 times since then and had the Commerce Department notify me that they would knock on my door every quarter for two years. After working my way up the chain of command to a guy in Chicago, we reached an agreement that they can look at my property from the public driveway but that no Commerce Department employee was ever to step on to my property again. I've since posted a signs at both entrances to my property that say, "NO TRESPASSING. Government employees must have an appointment or a warrant to proceed."


So my buddy (a census taker), sent me this link today...

Give 'em an inch and they take a mile!

So if it was your buddy who came instead, would you have treated him the same?

[griz]

Edman, on 24 February 2010 - 05:56 PM, said:

So if it was your buddy who came instead, would you have treated him the same?

Yes. ...but he could fill out the forms without visiting.


It absolutely amazes me how willingly you folks allow government to extend its power without long term consideration of freedom for your family and your family yet to come.

Edited by griz, 24 February 2010 - 06:52 PM.

[ChuckW]

Prizetek, on 24 February 2010 - 02:08 PM, said:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjGpcEA-FyE&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.c...feature=related[/url]

Oh, Griz is MUCH scarier!

[Edman]

griz, on 24 February 2010 - 06:51 PM, said:

It absolutely amazes me how willingly you folks allow government to extend its power without long term consideration of freedom for your family and your family yet to come.

?????


I try and work within the system. I correspond with my elected Representatives and vote. It seems to me that those in Govt making these changes were voted in by people who support what they are doing. I would hope that the checks and balances built into our Constitution would prevent an abuse of power by them.

As they say, elections have consequences (good and bad).

So out of curiosity, what were they asking that you found intrusive? I looked online and the mail in form has 10 questions on it.

Edited by Edman, 24 February 2010 - 07:31 PM.

[griz]

Edman, on 24 February 2010 - 07:17 PM, said:

So out of curiosity, what were they asking that you found intrusive? I looked online and the mail in form has 10 questions on it.

This was a commerce department survey conducted by a person wearing a tag identifying her as a census taker; it was not the census, but something else.

Aside from GPSing my front door, she asked how many entry doors were in my house. Then she asked me information about my employment, wages and such that are none of her business. The government already has that information on my annual tax forms.

Had she asked me how many people lived in the house I would have been cooperative. I considered all of the questions she asked out of line and her attitude absolutely unacceptable. Until I instructed her to leave my property immediately, I was polite and even cordial as she refused to stop asking me the same questions demanding answers. Her rigid insistence that I had to answer her questions because she was a representative of the government was intolerable...and then I reminded her that I pay her paycheck and don't suck life blood out of honest, law abiding, taxpaying citizens like her...at that point I wasn't so nice.

Edited by griz, 24 February 2010 - 07:54 PM.

[GTU]

griz, on 24 February 2010 - 02:00 PM, said:

Had a run in with a Commerce Department census taker a few weeks back. She GPS'd my front door and then began asking me all sorts of questions that were utterly irrelevant. I grabbed my shotgun and told her to leave immediately. She's called no less than 5 times since then and had the Commerce Department notify me that they would knock on my door every quarter for two years. After working my way up the chain of command to a guy in Chicago, we reached an agreement that they can look at my property from the public driveway but that no Commerce Department employee was ever to step on to my property again. I've since posted a signs at both entrances to my property that say, "NO TRESPASSING. Government employees must have an appointment or a warrant to proceed."


So my buddy (a census taker), sent me this link today...

Give 'em an inch and they take a mile!

I can't help but snicker everytime the "libertarians" get outraged by the "sudden" changes in the census. That silly video is a perfect example. Every one of those questions have been asked to SELECTED households for at least four decades. Yes, they periodically sample individuals to see if there are substantial changes to the characteristics in the neighborhood over the course of the decade. Remember, the same people who are "threatened" by the census are the same ones who refuse to allow the Census Department to conduct statistical sampling to yield the same results. Yep, they want it both ways.

As for GPSing you, griz, if you live in the boonies then you should be glad they are "marking" your house. That means you won't pull a shotgun on TWO federal employees who are just trying to do their job. It is the nutbars like you that give people in Montana a bad reputation. Heck, when I lived in Wyoming they said all the nuts had moved to Montana and Idaho. Now I see what they mean.

If you don't want to provide the government with information that helps them allocate money from to citizens in your area, then perhaps you should stop complaining how the government allocates its money. That will allow your state to continue to be joke when it comes to its school systems. Heck, people in Mississippi know that Montana schools suck.

I'm sure she was impressed with the "do you know that I pay your salary" line. It is right up there with "don't you know who I am". Gets their respect every time.

Edited by GTU, 12 March 2010 - 10:23 PM.

[Prizetek]

GTU, on 12 March 2010 - 10:20 PM, said:

perhaps you should stop complaining how the government allocates its money.

You mean the money it took from us in the first place?

The purpose of the census was (and still should be) to apportion representatives - not to apportion pork.

In fact, the federal goivernment should get COMPLETELY out of the business of doling out money to states and localities altogether except for rare cases of major natural disasters like Katrina. It is freedom-inhibiting, it is extremely inefficient, and it has clearly totally corrupted our federal government and its elected officials.

[HF Monty]

I am amazed at the responses to this thread. There is no way in hell I would answer a list of questions about my race, background, income or any other personal data to a government worker showing up at my door, unless they had a warrant, in which case they can talk to my attorney. And I have nothing to hide, it's just none of their damn business.

That video is spot on. There is absolutely no constitutional authority for it, and in fact may violate the constitution. People are just absolutely blind to how totalitarian our government has become in the last 40 years.

[Keyser Soze]

I would not take kindly to this intrusive government waste. Any answer they need can be gleened from data they already have.

I always have only 2 words for government, FUCK YOU

[Edman]

Got my census form yesterday and filled it out. Thought about putting "American" down for my race in the other block but thought they might think I meant American Indian or would end up calling me which I can do without. The real waste in this was the letter they sent last week telling me it was coming this week. Like the TV and radio spots didn't work.

And for those who might not know: The US Constitution: Article 1 Section 2:

Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.

As far as wanting to know your race, I guess it has to do with making sure there are enough affirmative action programs to make sure minorities living in your area are not discriminated against.

[Edman]

Here is group that wants to add another question to the census. My link

[Prizetek]

Edman, on 17 March 2010 - 04:02 PM, said:

Here is group that wants to add another question to the census. My link

I think that is great.

It will make it easier to round them all up and throw them in jail someday when folks in this country finally come to their senses.

[Max Power]

LOL...Fuck the government. Those nosy bastards! How dare they ask my name, age and race!?!

I am posting an official protest on my blog, my MySpace page, my FaceBook page, my Twitter account, and on Match.com.

Nosy bastards!