Our tax dollars at work

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I got something in the mail from the Federal Gov yesterday. I keep shaking my head. I think it's one of the dumbest things the government has done in a while. Well, this week anyway.

I got a letter telling me that in exactly one week, I would be getting a census form to fill out and send in.

Hello!!!! Did they really need to spend the money and time to tell me it's coming? Couldn't they just send the thing and enclose a letter if needed?

Is this their way of helping bail the post office out by giving them more work?

Do they think I'm going to be waiting by my mail box in eager anticipation waiting for their form? :rolleyes:

[Cataholic]

This is SO perplexing to me. About 3 weeks ago, I swear I filled out a US Census form. It came in an official envelope, I thought I had been prewarned to expect it, and I returned it.

NOW I am told that the US Census has not even been mailed out yet? WhatEVER did I fill out and return? :eek::eek:

[RedHedd]

Oh yeah, I got one too as did many of my friends. There were rants all over Facebook last night- WTF?

[Lady's Human]

They sent out the mailings to remind people and hopefully get a better return rate on the census forms than they usually get.

Over the last few months they have sent out sample census forms to people at various times, I got one about a year ago in the run up.

I really don't mind the mailings, what I object to is wasting taxpayer money sponsoring a car in a NASCAR race and spending $5 million running an advertisement during the Super Bowl.

[Cataholic]

^^ in the sample ones, do they include a return envelope and all that jazz, too? I swear it was the US Census that I filled out.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Maybe they are sending them to different areas at different times to avoid being swamped with work? :love:

[lvpets2002]

:rolleyes: Yup I got one of those letters too.. I thought the same thing of what a waste of money & more dead trees for making the paper.. Now what gets me is each town & state will pay at the least $10.40 a Hour & up to $17.00 a Hour for a person to go to the houses that do not send a Census Form in to get them to do it.. Now I guess the goverment pays for that too.. :confused:

[Lady's Human]

^^ in the sample ones, do they include a return envelope and all that jazz, too? I swear it was the US Census that I filled out.

Yeppers, that they do. Big envelope, barely fits the forms?



Yup I got one of those letters too.. I thought the same thing of what a waste of money & more dead trees for making the paper.. Now what gets me is each town & state will pay at the least $10.40 a Hour & up to $17.00 a Hour for a person to go to the houses that do not send a Census Form in to get them to do it.. Now I guess the goverment pays for that too..


In a rare case of Congress sorta kinda following the Constitution, the census is a requirement. The census sorts out how the Congressional representation is set up. It's a basic function of government.

[Puckstop31]

In a rare case of Congress sorta kinda following the Constitution, the census is a requirement. The census sorts out how the Congressional representation is set up. It's a basic function of government.

Article 1, Section 2 requires Congress (so why is Rahm Emanual's office directing it this time?) to make an enumeration for purposes of representation. Knowing this, why did that letter talk about "getting your fair share"? A bit misleading, eh? How many people might 'fudge' the numbers to get more of "their fair share"?

[lizbud]

^^ in the sample ones, do they include a return envelope and all that jazz, too? I swear it was the US Census that I filled out.


Now that's a scarey thought, not to remember what you filled out.:eek:

I didn't get my census form yet, but they are set to show up in the
mail this month.

[Cataholic]

[QUOTE=lizbud;2245155]Now that's a scarey thought, not to remember what you filled out.:eek:

QUOTE]

LOL, remembering what I do and don't fill out is way, way, way down the memory pole, sadly. I remember to pick up my child...feed him, eh...sometimes. Good thing he is mouthy! Wonder where he got that from?

[lizbud]

[QUOTE=lizbud;2245155]Now that's a scarey thought, not to remember what you filled out.:eek:

QUOTE]

LOL, remembering what I do and don't fill out is way, way, way down the memory pole, sadly. I remember to pick up my child...feed him, eh...sometimes. Good thing he is mouthy! Wonder where he got that from?


Sounds like you have the important things under control.:D

[RICHARD]

I refuse to comment or critcize the wonderful job MY government is doing with my money.:eek::rolleyes:


"Don't eat the brown acid!":eek::rolleyes::confused:

[Karen]

Cataholic, last month we got the census form from our city, maybe you did, to?

[Cinder & Smoke]

{?? Was a return envelope provided with the "sample forms"??}

Yeppers, that they do.
Big envelope, barely fits the forms?

WHAT on EARTH will they do with the returned "SAMPLE Forms"???? :confused:

>>shakes head<< ... >confirms rattling sounds<

I swear I'm gonna count the FurKids! :p

[lvpets2002]

:p Your too funny Richard.. :o Now yesterday I get a card in the mail with wanting me & all to apply for the part time Census Job.. Hey might be a good part time job & good exercise too.. You do have to walk from door to door right??
I refuse to comment or critcize the wonderful job MY government is doing with my money.:eek::rolleyes:


"Don't eat the brown acid!":eek::rolleyes::confused:

[Cataholic]

Cataholic, last month we got the census form from our city, maybe you did, to?

I guess!?!? It looked 'legit', and I filled it out. For all I know, my personal information is now in the hands of some ill person???

[Karen]

Miss Hoppy was always resentful of our city census, as it asked us to list the number of dogs and cats in the home .... but not bunnies!

[lvpets2002]

:) Well Miss Hoppy had a right to be upset.. That is called Discrimination..:D
Miss Hoppy was always resentful of our city census, as it asked us to list the number of dogs and cats in the home .... but not bunnies!

[gini]

I too, received the letter telling me to be on the lookout for the real
census form in the next week or so.

I had the same reaction - did we really need to spend money on this?

I wouldn't know what I was getting if this letter didn't arrive first?

I think our Pet Talk reaction indicates that we are aware and concerned about how much of our money is spent on wasteful things.

[cassiesmom]

I can just see this happening in Illinois, too.

http://redtape.msnbc.com/2009/02/youve-probably.html

[Cataholic]

I got my official US Census. I called the number listed on the form and talked to a very helpful young man. He told me the form that I got before this was the form from the National Neighborhood Census, or something like that. He told me some households are randomly selected, that it is more detailed than the US Census, and that the privacy restrictions are similar. I was relieved to know that some wayward person wasn't utilizing my personal information.

whew!

[lizbud]

I got my official US Census. I called the number listed on the form and talked to a very helpful young man. He told me the form that I got before this was the form from the National Neighborhood Census, or something like that. He told me some households are randomly selected, that it is more detailed than the US Census, and that the privacy restrictions are similar. I was relieved to know that some wayward person wasn't utilizing my personal information.

whew!


I'm glad you found out what it was you filled out.:D I only got
the regular census form. It was only 10 questions, just 10.Maybe
this year it is the new & improved version.:)

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Today I got a post card from the government telling me to send my census form back in because IT'S DA LAW!!!

Goobers!!! I sent it back the day after I got it. :rolleyes: I expect next they will be calling us all up on the phone to bug us about it.

[Grace]

I'm not sending mine back until April 1st - don't care what they say :p

States on the form the info is supposed to be accurate for April 1st, and how do I know both of us will still be breathing on that date?

So there . . . . . http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/March16th/popcorn.gif

[orangemm]

We received our census form, filled it out, mailed it and this week we got our card indicating we would get the forms soon.:confused::confused::confused: Whatever.:rolleyes:

[RedHedd]

I understand some scammers have been sending out bogus Census forms too. I got my real one last week - after getting the "the Census is coming! The Census is Coming!" letter AND a separate postcard.

[Freedom]

After you et the census form, you then get a notice reminding you that you got it nad need to complete it and return it.

Yep, I got the card telling me it was coming; the form itself; and the reminder to mail it in!

I had already done it and sent it back, BTW.

[lizbud]

Today I got a post card from the government telling me to send my census form back in because IT'S DA LAW!!!

Goobers!!! I sent it back the day after I got it. :rolleyes: I expect next they will be calling us all up on the phone to bug us about it.


I got my "it's the law" card today too.:D I mailed the form back last week.:)

[RedHedd]

Oh yeah, I got my "did you get it and send it back?" postcard today. I guess they're just going to keep them coming! You would think there was some sort of check-back when you sent it back it, they would stop with the extra reminders, but oh, wait .... that would make sense and save money! We can't have that!

[Lady's Human]

It's actually cheaper and more cost effective with a mailing of that size to just do a mass mailing.

By the time they update the DB with who has responded, the deadline is gone and they have to send a canvasser to the address anyway.

[RICHARD]

I got another census mailer yesterday.

It warns me to make sure I sent mine in. I did, about two weeks ago?

I feel like sending in the second one, just to be sure!:rolleyes:

[Catlady711]

I want to know why my Census wanted to know who all was living in the house as of APRIL 1, but the deadline to send it in was APRIL 1???:confused:

So I mailed mine in on April 1 even though hubby filled it out a few days before that.

[RICHARD]

I want to know why my Census wanted to know who all was living in the house as of APRIL 1, but the deadline to send it in was APRIL 1???:confused:

So I mailed mine in on April 1 even though hubby filled it out a few days before that.

I need to get married.

I hate paperwork.;)

[wombat2u2004]

I need to get married.

I hate paperwork.;)

Good idea Richard.
And remember.....keep em barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen.....and yeah, get them to do your paperwork to. :p :p

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I want to know why my Census wanted to know who all was living in the house as of APRIL 1, but the deadline to send it in was APRIL 1???:confused:

So I mailed mine in on April 1 even though hubby filled it out a few days before that.

I mailed mine in the day after I got it in March. I wasn't planning on dying before April 1st but if I did, it would serve them right to have me counted for bugging us to death. :D

[smokey the elder]

In 2000 they tried to have an online census. I filled it out online, and a census taker still came to my house. Massive fail.

[wombat2u2004]

In 2000 they tried to have an online census. I filled it out online, and a census taker still came to my house. Massive fail.

It's because they probably thought..."Who's Smoky the Elder ???" :p