Have you filled out the Census? Are you now a felon?

[The_Commonist]

We got our census form yesterday.

It is against the law to NOT fill out the census form.
It is also against the law to lie on the census form.

"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 can be fined up to $100. Persons who knowingly provide false information to the census can be fined up to $500."

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/censusandstatistics/a/answersrequired.htm

So, if you have already filled out your census form, you have knowingly provided false information, and can be fined up to $500!

"All right, what the hell are you talking about, you crazy Commonist?"

The very first question is:

"1. How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2010?"

Today is March 17, 2010.
How can I honestly answer that question?
Or any of the other questions, all of which refer to April 1, 2010?

I am going to wait until April 1 to fill out the form, and make sure that it won't get postmarked until April 2, 2010.






(OK, I know. I know why they did that. Not to create a nation of criminals, but simply for expediency. Still, this kind of shit is just wrong...)

[Nikki Stone1]

1. Creating more criminals with a question impossible to answer without a time machine!

Gotta love this country.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. You're in the anti-census crowd too?

Wow.

[The_Commonist]

5. Please don't do that!

This has NOTHING to do with being "anti-census"!!!
I am all for the census, and proper apportionment.

This has to do with the fact that if you fill it out today, you will be lying...

[Nikki Stone1]

10. Some people can't take a joke.

:rofl:

[louis-t]

3. B-b-b-b-b-ut Michelle Bachmann tole me not teh.

It's called conspiracy.

[Retrograde]

4. I think they mean the number of people who normally live there

We're all planning to be elsewhere on April 1, but I put down the number of people who normally live here: it's still our legal residence even if we're not physically present. If you read the form you'll see it has provisions for people who are in a hospital, prison, etc so they don't get counted twice. (I'd quote it but I've already sent it off).

[The_Commonist]

7. "The Census Bureau...

...also conducts counts in institutions and other places, so:

• Do not count anyone living in a nursing home, jail, prison, detention facility, etc. on April 1, 2010... Otherwise, they may be counted twice..."

How do I know that I won't do something stupid this weekend, after mailing in the form, and then end up in prison on April 1?
How do know that I won't be hit by a bus and killed after being counted?

It's a small thing, nit-picky, even.
However, if I fill this out and send it today, I would be lying...

[LynneSin]

6. Yeah I noticed that but I figured this much

More than likely you're going to know if someone is moving into your house before April 1st whether it's a new roommate, the impending birth of a child or other possible scenarios. I'm sure for anyone that concerned about the date because hell, an obscure relative could show up on my doorsteps on 3/31/10 - now what? I think you can contact the USCensus if a last minute change happens.

[The_Commonist]

8. Or, you can just wait until April 1, 2010...

...to fill the thing out.

[Ikonoklast]

9. I put down the names of all my cats.

After all, they are registered voters.

Registered by ACORN, no less.


But they aren't Democrats, sadly.


Communists, the lot of them.

[PA Democrat]

11. Christopher Walken on SNL demonstrates how to do it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XtuPvwBa2U

[The_Commonist]

13. I remember that skit...

...from back in the day.

[Robb]

22. "Don't push your politics on me, pal!!"

:rofl:

[Hippo_Tron]

12. The law says "knowingly" provide false information

If for some reason the number of people you expected to be living in your house on April 1st changes between the time you filled out the census and April 1st, you didn't knowingly provide false information.

[The_Commonist]

16. Then they should say that...

"If you fill out this form before April 1, 2010..."

Etc.

[Hippo_Tron]

24. Admittedly they should make it more clear

But I seriously doubt anybody has ever been prosecuted for making a mistake on the census and common sense dictates that you should just fill out the questions to the best of your ability. Of course with Michelle Bachmann types out there, it's not hard to believe that many people think they will.

[SoCalNative]

14. You really don't know how many people will be living

or staying (that doesn't mean popping in for a weekend visit or vacation)in your residence come April 1st?

[The_Commonist]

19. Of course I know!

"How many people were living..."

Today is March 17.
Ain't no were about it...

[hfojvt]

40. one never knows

between now and then one of my siblings could be in a serious car accident and I would be suddenly housing their children. What if my best friend is evicted or has his/her house burn down and moves in with me indefinitely?

Given the uncertainties of life it would just make more sense to either answer the questions on April 2nd or answer the questions in mid March based on March 1st.

[tallahasseedem]

15. Yep, filled mine out...

and am thrilled that it will help ensure my district will maintain proper representation and tax benefits.

[Brickbat]

17. You of course know the difference between knowingly providing false information and an instance

where circumstances change, right?

[Cirque du So-What]

18. Sweet fancy Moses!

Are you *honestly* concerned that a jury of your peers would find you guilty of a felony if you acquired an unexpected visitor on April 1, 2010? First of all, the lines you quoted plainly state that there is only a fine involved, so your thread title is alarmist bullshit. Second, you neglected these lines from the webpage to which you linked:

So far the Census Bureau has offered no indication that it actually intends to charge violators or impose these fines, but if you fail to complete and return your 2010 Census questionnaire, a census-taker will be paying you a visit.

Didn't you see that, or did you deliberately ignore it because it didn't fit in with the aforementioned alarmist bullshit?

I have no problem levying fines against obstructionist assholes who attempt to muddy the waters and end up costing more in tax dollars by intentionally filing false information with the Census Bureau. The census is mandated in the Constitution as a means of obtaining demographic data for districting purposes and for allocation of resources. Got a problem with that? Yours is the sort of anti-government codswollop I'd expect to see at freakrepublic or worldnutdaily - not on an ostensibly Democratic board. Michelle Bachmann appreciates your concern.

[orion007]

23. I also wondered about the April 1st. date and mailing my census

back before then.
The piece of paper enclosed with the form says to fill out the census and mail it back today.
It's in the mail.

[Cirque du So-What]

25. Yes, I flirted with disaster by mailing mine back today as well

I'm taking a humongous risk, considering that I may decide to provide to start a commune in my home and take in 8-10 additional people over the next couple weeks. If the Census Bureau decides to hunt me down and assess the maximum fine of $500, however, it'll more than be offset by the additional rents I'll be collecting.

;)

[orion007]

33. Count me in, waiting for location and cost, but only if you

live on the ocean, any ocean...

[The_Commonist]

26. It's not alarmist in any way.

Nowhere here or anywhere else have I or would I encourage people NOT to fill out the form, and I know that nobody is going to fine me for filling it out early. So quit with the hyperbole!

There are so many things in our society that create internal contradictions in us, that it is no wonder that our society is on the brink of collective insanity.

Yesterday, I saw a poster in the subway with a picture of an attractive minority person that read... "My degree from (whatever college) made the impossible possible."

No, it didn't. The impossible is, by definition, impossible!
Maybe it made the improbable possible, but your degree did not change the laws of physics and semantics.

And please stop with the Michelle Bachmann shit. This has nothing to do with her insanity.
Which, by the way, is the product of a mind filled with internal contradictions.

I too, look forward to my district being properly represented, and getting its share of federal money.
Actually, my district will probably end up paying for Bachmann's farm subsidy...

[Cirque du So-What]

29. 'Hyperbole?' That's rich!

considering that you're showing 'concern' about being charged with a felony because of a discrepancy on your census form :crazy:
Oh...you *really* didn't mean that you fear a felony? That's quintessential hyperbole - the textbook definition!
Good luck with all those non-alarmist fears you're indulging, and thanks a pantload for attempting to pass them along to others.

[The_Commonist]

31. Oh stop it!

Cut it out, will ya?

[gratuitous]

20. And if you are, have you paid your $5 to register with the state of South Carolina?

Because if you haven't you're only making it worse for yourself, Mathias Son of Deuteronomy.

[The_Commonist]

30. Actually, I kinda wish I DID live in S.C.

Somebody there is bound to register and pay the 5 bucks, just to see what happens...

[kjackson227]

21. Filled mine out in about 30 mins., and mailed it back today.

[orion007]

36. Jeez, I must have missed something, mine took about 3 min.

You must have a very big family!

[B Calm]

27. Did Michelle Bachmann help you write this OP?

[The_Commonist]

28. Reading comprehension, my friend!

Try to keep up...

[southernyankeebelle]

32. I was surprised that they really didn't ask allot of questions. I mean they didn't ask

how much money we made. Only how many people in the house. I mean the questions were nothing to get excited about. It took me apprx. 10 mins. and I put it back in the mail. Nothing. I don't know what Bachmann .was all crazy about.

[The_Commonist]

35. Until this year...

...one in 6 households got the "long form," which did have many extra questions.
They didn't do that this year.
I don't know why, and I wonder if it has to do with Bachmann's craziness.

[ashling]

34. First of all, the statute that you cited makes it a misdemeanor

second ... well, I haven't thought of anything yet :shrug:

[The_Commonist]

37. A misdemeanor? My bad!

I find it incredible how seriously some people took this OP.
And how willing people are to spread slime on others.
Oh well, it's the internet.
That's to be expected...

[geckosfeet]

38. ... or under this highway overpass.

[4lbs]

39. Yes, I've filled out my census form in 3 minutes mailed it. I'm now waiting for those big bad

Census people to come take me away to those internment camps for my required brainwashing.

;)

[BR_Parkway]

41. Well, I apparently have to "lie" - they have no place for me to mark as

"married same sex spouse" and if I simply mark "married" they don't recognize that under DOMA - and I can't mark "single" because that would be a lie and he is no longer my "same sex partner"

Guess I'll be charged no matter which way I go - I could write in "I plead the 5th" perhaps?

[The_Commonist]

42. And there's another...

...and frankly much more serious concern.

Whaddya gonna do?

[BR_Parkway]

43. Tell the truth - I am married - not my problem they don't recognize it

[Jamastiene]

44. What they'll do is they'll hold that to use against you when they come

to ask you for a "favor" later.

I, one Rusty P. Shackleford, resent this transparent attempt to catch us all in a lie. They know where we are at all times and can laser a gnat off our noses at any time, day or night, if they want to. They just don't want to. Why would they when they can force us to buy OFF!

:P