Nagging Census Workers...Can they do this?

[cpike]

So I still live at home with my Mom and Brother, all of us are over 18. I know my mom would have never filled out the census (out of ignorance not principle), so I took it upon myself to fill it out for us. I entered # of residents, and each race as "Human". Well a census worker has been trying to get a hold of us. I've never actually seen them, but they have dropped off a "Sorry we missed you" type paper on our door, and called asking us to call with the remaining information.

Well neighbor came over to my mom today and said a census worker went to their house to inquire about us. Asked at least our names as far as I know. Is this something that is apart of their policy in collecting information? I know it's nothing to lose sleep over, but Neighbors need to have each others backs, not feeding the government information.

[angelatc]

They did that to me 10 years ago when I didn't fill it out. They just asked my neighbor how many of us lived there.

[noxagol]

The problem lies with your neighbor. There is nothing wrong with someone asking a question and the person being asked voluntarily giving up the information, even to the government unfortunately. Now, if they threaten and forced that is a different matter.

[TC95]

"Can they do this?"

Sure they can. What are you gonna do about it? Sue 'em? Good luck with that.

[jmdrake]

Yeah. Just like the police can ask you if they can have permission to search your car. But you don't have to say "yes" and neither does your neighbor.

[bkreigh]

I have a question that i dont know the answer to which is along the same lines. What if your neighbors do not know your name but somehow you find out the census workers got your name off the mail in your mailbox. Is that legal for them to do?

[WaltM]

So I still live at home with my Mom and Brother, all of us are over 18. I know my mom would have never filled out the census (out of ignorance not principle), so I took it upon myself to fill it out for us. I entered # of residents, and each race as "Human". Well a census worker has been trying to get a hold of us. I've never actually seen them, but they have dropped off a "Sorry we missed you" type paper on our door, and called asking us to call with the remaining information.

Well neighbor came over to my mom today and said a census worker went to their house to inquire about us. Asked at least our names as far as I know. Is this something that is apart of their policy in collecting information? I know it's nothing to lose sleep over, but Neighbors need to have each others backs, not feeding the government information.

everybody has the right to ask your neighbors any question they like.

if your neighbors don't respect you, you can't make them.

Your neighbors have no obligation to protect your information, or talk to the government, they're free to do whatever they like, and feeding the government information isn't a crime.

if you feel so strongly about something, then yes, make good friends with your neighbors, you have 10 years to plan ahead for next round.

if Census workers wanted to label people for being uncooperative, you're only feeding them MORE information, not less. Why not just give them the little they ask, and let them walk away, thinking you're "just like all others"? If you don't help them, they can still find the information later, with other methods, which you may or may not know about.

Census is the least harmful, easiest to placate, yet people here are giving themselves the opportunity to be jotted down as "those damn teabaggers with Ron Paul bumper stickers who we want to watch out for". Be my guest and have fun, keep telling policemen you know your rights, cry later when you get a nice beat down. Some things simply are NOT worth your attention and paranoia. Complicating things don't help you, that's my experience.

I don't need to give the government more excuses to harass me. I have nothing to hide, and if they wanted to hurt me, they'd not need to warn me about it.

[WaltM]

I have a question that i dont know the answer to which is along the same lines. What if your neighbors do not know your name but somehow you find out the census workers got your name off the mail in your mailbox. Is that legal for them to do?

Probably not, and that would still be overkill.

If they wanted to get your name off your mail, they can make a call to the post office (and you'd never have to know). If they're asked not to touch your mail (which they most likely are), then it'd be illegal and unprofessional.

[WaltM]

"Can they do this?"

Sure they can. What are you gonna do about it? Sue 'em? Good luck with that.

+1

[specialkornflake]

Census worker was scoping out my apartment complex this morning. Came in while I was in the office paying rent. She wanted to know when a good time was to come by and ask the office what apartments were vacant. The office agreed. She also asked if she had to use the intercom thing at the front to see if people were home or just walk around the complex and knock. The answer wasn't clear but I think he said that she had to use the intercom door entry system.

[pcosmar]

Can they do this?

Yes

apparently.

[ninepointfive]

a census worker knocked on my friends door for a solid 10 minutes, not leaving, and waking him up from a nap.

KNOCK KNOCK!

[speciallyblend]

a census worker knocked on my firnds door for a solid 10 minutes, not leaving, and waking him up from a nap.

KNOCK KNOCK!

dam, if that crap would of happened to me there would be a you tube and alot of bleeps!

[TC95]

I have a question that i dont know the answer to which is along the same lines. What if your neighbors do not know your name but somehow you find out the census workers got your name off the mail in your mailbox. Is that legal for them to do?

Considering your mailbox is government property, at least they consider it so, they probably don't care if census workers snoop in your mail to get whatever info they want on you. So, basically, there's not a thing you can do about it.

[catdd]

Well it proves one thing, if it were illegal to ignore the census, they wouldn't be bugging you so much.

[aGameOfThrones]

10 minutes ago I got my second Census Visit! This time it was a supervisor and the Supervisor of the supervisor asking me if I could answer the remaining questions. I said no, and no, and no, and no, then they ask if I could give them a number so they could verify that someone came to my house and that it would not be used to bother me(yeah right), I said NO. Then they asked me why I didn't want to answer I said: 'cause I don't! Then they said they would probably be sending someone else until I answer the remaining questions(politely of course), to which I said: that's OK. Then they began to tell me that my house was the only house left in the neighborhood to complete the form, to which I said nothing. Then they left and I said: have a good day ladies :D

The List:

1, Census card saying I'll be receiving the Form.
2, One personally hand delivered Form(with wrong address).
3, First warning saying why haven't I sent the Form.
4, Second warning to my P.O. Box this time saying why haven't I sent the Form.
5, First visit by a Census worker.
6, Second visit by two census supervisors(who politely told me I could be receiving more visits).


At least I got a few people jobs, right?

[orenbus]

YouTube - How to deal with a census worker 101 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAEv-2Adduw)

YouTube - Census Worker Rapes Disabled Woman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7i0lEcQnjk)

YouTube - Lawyer Shoots at Census Worker in Williamson County (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4dbyyZN5UQ)

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

I don't see the big deal. All the census worker asked was the age of everybody in the house and their race. If the government wants to know your race that bad they can just look up your drivers license or something anyway and get a good guess.

[TC95]

YouTube - Lawyer Shoots at Census Worker in Williamson County (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4dbyyZN5UQ)

Well, that was stupid. If you don't wanna answer the questions then don't answer the questions, but don't shoot people.

[KCIndy]

Really don't want to be bothered by the Census?

Get a Post Office Box.

My wife and I have all our mail delivered to a PO box; we receive nothing at our residential address, although we have a standing order with the Post Office to forward any mail addressed to our residence to our PO box.

I kept wondering why we hadn't received a Census form. All our neighbors had. Finally, I started digging, and discovered it is the policy of the Census Bureau to NOT send ANY forms to a PO box. Why, one would ask? Well, the reasoning of the Census Bureau is - get this - we don't live in our PO Box.

Apparently our Census documents were never forwarded to our PO Box. Dunno what ever happened to them. And to date, to the best of my knowledge, no Census worker has ever come calling yet.

Weird. :rolleyes:

Here's a short news story from Connecticut about the problem. The really amusing angle: Those with PO boxes are encouraged to go to their local Census Bureau Questionnaire Assistance Center and pick up a form! LOL

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local-beat/Got-PO-Box-Get-No-Census-Form-90580279.html

[Suzu]

YouTube - how to complete a census (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XtuPvwBa2U)

[Aratus]

Census workers can nag you. Excellent header!