PolitiFact claims Bachmann is wrong about the census

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Politifact is obfuscating the reasons for the additional questions.

On it's face, it's clear that Congress needed to ask who was enslaved and who was not as it affected how they counted those persons (as a whole person or as three-fifths). Also, asking who was male and over age 16 is clearly related to a constitutionally enumerated congressional power: to raise and support armies, to provide and maintain a navy, etc.

Claiming such questions are precedent and demonstrate a power of Congress to ask any questions it wants for the purpose of demographics, and that people are legally required to answer, is a gross extrapolation.

One must remember that the Necessary and Proper Clause is applicable to and exerts its influence upon the exercise of this legislative power.

Thus, Bachmann's conclusion is really only partially right, but too far off the mark. It's necessary that Congress get the correct enumeration. Beyond that counting of people, it's proper for Congress to obtain only that information directly relevant to it's other constitutionally enumerated powers.