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US Census Bureau Questionaire   

Posted by helenofjoy - Oct 1, 2014 - 8:25am
A family member has received the "American Community Survey" in the male from the United States Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, US Census Bureau.  The individual who received the survey felt it was intrusive and personal and asked a lot of questions that he believes ARE very personal and none of the business of the US Government.  I tend to agree.  I've not seen one of these surveys personally yet, but I will try to get my hands on one.

They did not complete and return the survey as requested and they have now received a post card telling them that their response to this survey is "required by U.S. law" and that if they do not respond, the Census Bureau interviewer may contact them to complete the survey.

Can someone tell me what is going on with this?
8 comments on this journal entry.
Fiji5555

Fiji5555 Avatar

Location: Over The River And Through The Woods
Posted: Dec 11, 2014 - 5:30pm
I too received a census survey. I ignored it for 2 weeks then started getting phone messages on my answering machine from the bureau so decided to just go ahead and fill it out online. Pushy bunch aren't they?  What other government office is so quick to get things done? Didn't want people knocking on my door in another month asking about it.
helenofjoy
What Day Is This?
helenofjoy Avatar

Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Posted: Oct 19, 2014 - 8:24am
I can't imagine them doing so, but then I don't really know!  I made an assumption there! 
Prodigal_SOB
Work is the curse of the drinking class
Prodigal_SOB Avatar

Location: Back home again in Indiana
Posted: Oct 19, 2014 - 7:24am

  I as rule make an effort to respond to government surveys and do so accurately as opposed to marketing and political pollsters who I generally won't give the time of day.  I haven't completely given the process yet in spite of the people we seem to want to put in charge.  I want to believe that their having accurate data is in general a good thing and that I have some responsibility to help them gather it.  In the decade following my getting chosen for a long census form I was selected for four or five of them a couple of which involved a fair amount of effort om my part.  Other that I think I've only had one phone survey about my drinking habits from them.  This family member didn't by chance fill out the long census form in 2010 did they?
Steely_D
Angular banjoes sound good to me.
Steely_D Avatar

Location: Biscayne Bay
Posted: Oct 7, 2014 - 5:37pm
I can see folks not participating - and then griping about how the government doesn't understand them or address their issues.
Coaxial
Shine On.
Coaxial Avatar

Location: 543 miles west of Paradis,1491 miles east of Paradise
Posted: Oct 2, 2014 - 1:22pm
Attica...Attica. It's just another in a long line of the man trying to keep a brother down, man.{#Snooty}
ScottFromWyoming
I eat pints
ScottFromWyoming Avatar

Location: Powell
Posted: Oct 2, 2014 - 8:49am
Zero criteria.

Of course if you want to be paranoid, you certainly can. But I do know they try to be as statistically clean as they possibly can, which means your address came up at random and they must try as hard as they can to get the information from you. If they take the easy way out and only collect data from more willing participants, then they might as well not even try.

Whether or not this is the best way to accomplish their goals is not for me to say. 
helenofjoy
What Day Is This?
helenofjoy Avatar

Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Posted: Oct 2, 2014 - 6:20am
I am also wondering what criteria is used to select recipients of this survey.  These folks had a now resolved tax issue at one time and I wondered of there was a possibility of flagging going on.  Or am I just being paranoid in a situation where I should trust the US government?  I get the need for accurate information in order to provide needed services.  After reading all the questions though, it seemed really invasive to me.
ScottFromWyoming
I eat pints
ScottFromWyoming Avatar

Location: Powell
Posted: Oct 1, 2014 - 9:46am
Mandatory

Sample Questions and Why We Ask
 
Lots more info there, but this is where the phrase "Stand up and be counted" comes from. I don't know how people expect any services to be delivered if everyone wants to hide. Incorrect data creates huge boondoggles, Bridges to Nowhere, etc. or a scandalous failure to deliver the services we pay for.