White House Census Power Grab May Violate the Constitution

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If one or two people resist telling all on the census & stick strictly to the Constitution, they could be rounded up & be in big legal/financial trouble. But if a lot of people agree together to abide by the Constitution, they couldn't all be rounded up. There is clout in numbers. So would all the Tea Party people be willing to answer only the number question & nothing more? I would like to know.

Wanette Gwin of NE 1:10PM February 02, 2010

Nowhere in the census enabling legislation is mentioned statistical sampling for the base constitutionally mandated enumeration of the population. Sampling may be used to gain an accurate count of more detailed demographic data with greater efficiency (less cost).

Philip Turet of VA 4:31PM October 20, 2009

I will not give any census taker any information other

than my name and how many people live in MY HOME - period.

If I have to I will fight them tooth and nail - 10-4.

They WILL NOT have access to my bank account. If they

do try or attain access, then I will close all my accounts

and pay my bills with money orders.

G W Fredette of SC 4:03AM August 29, 2009

I will answer one question as I did in the 2000,

the number of people in my household. Yes, they did come back and bother me about the race of the people in my household, and my answer was "We are Americans". I'am sick of this goverment and their push to make my country socialist. If you are an american you need to read and educate yourself in the constitution. These are the rights given to us by our forefathers, to protect us from the the greedy. In the 40's under president rosevelt, the census was taken and people were required to answer private questions, and the end result was...the rounding up of all the japanese americans and put them into camps! Do not think for one minute that this administration will not use this info for their personal gain. Go ahead and try to fine me $5000, and I will fight back with a vengence with the constitution under my arm. I think that Thomas Jefferson said it best"WHEN THE PEOPLE FEAR THE GOVERMENT, IT'S CALLED TYRANNY,AND WHEN THE GOVERMENT FEARS THE PEOPLE IT'S CALLED FREEDOM".

S. Cano of MT 10:16AM June 25, 2009

This act by Obama should be questioned by all voters, not just Republicans for those who are attacking the article as a Republican diversionary. The attacks seem to be a Democrat diversionary tactic instead, so people do not question Obama on this.

The census is used to decide Representatives and the districts, it is based on the population, not on the number of US citizens. Democrats have long wanted for the census to not be based on enumeration in minority areas.

Crazily enough, the same census numbers are used for affirmative action, and to show employers discriminate, although the census includes everyone - even the illegals the employers aren't supposed to hire. That puts employers in the impossible position of having to either hire illegal workers or not hiring enough of certain minorities in some areas.

The Democrats are well on their way to just doing a remake of the Bush years, and not a very good remake at that.

wm brown of IL 4:10PM February 11, 2009

Please contact your Representative and your Senators regarding this matter. I have e-mailed and called all of them. This is extremely concerning and would be if it was a Republican or Democratic occupying the Presidency. Having Rahm Emanuel oversee this process is no different than having Carl Rove overseeing it. PLEASE, PLEASE call your government representatives and express your concern.

Hemi of OH 1:25PM February 11, 2009

I believe YOU "misspoke." You do not determine what other people will and will not choose to do. Stalinist scum.

little otik 12:16PM February 11, 2009

I sense that Rahm should ponder upon his name and the significance of "census" in a large portion of the collective consciousness and consider whether any good can come of the association of his image with this counting of people for the historically omen-ous purpose of collective categorization under this duplicitous caesar

little otik 12:06PM February 11, 2009

I believe you misspoke. The US Census Bureau doesn't take your money. It gives the government the STATISTICAL, not personally identifiable, information the legislators need to determine how best to best represent their constituents. If the law makers don't know anything about the American people, how are they supposed to represent us? All personally identifiable census information is kept completely confidential as per Title 13 of the US Code, a code which, by the way, also states that, like jury duty, every American is legally MANDATED to participate in the decennial census. If you don't like it, there are other countries that don't have this requirement of their citizens. So, sorry, if you live here you WILL participate.

Kate of IN 11:21PM February 10, 2009

MY dear fellow Texan (Amrmanet06ofTX) I find it hard to understand what you mean by

my not understanding the constitution because I am living in Texas.

I am delighted that you have read history about our great founding

families.

I would think it might help you to read the constitution especially the part

which states that no man can be president unless his parents were

native born or naturalized Americans.

I remember this well from my parochial education. The founding

fathers were very afraid that a Englishman would come back and

take our country away and give it back to the King.

They did not want a foreign man who had not yet come to know the importance of

freedom - the only free country on our earth - to take our freedom away from us.

Now if you think I may be out of line you may want to research the over

40 lawsuits which have been filed against Obama requesting proof that he

is indeed legal and eligible to be president.

If you don't believe me or the constitution or if perhaps the consitution

is no longer of importance then perhaps you should

help Arnold Schwarzenegger become president.

Halleck of TX 6:48PM February 10, 2009

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Michael Barone

Michael Barone

Michael Barone is a senior writer for U.S.News & World Report and principal coauthor of The Almanac of American Politics. He has written for many publications—including the Economist and the New York Times.

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