U.S. Census Questionnaires Being Mailed Today
This week, the decennial count of every American begins in earnest as questionnaires arrive at more than 130 million households. The massive undertaking, which affects federal representation in Washington and the disbursement of $400 billion in federal funds each year, will also determine the makeup of state House and Senate districts during the next legislative session.
The count will have significant implications for Texas politics, as lawmakers return to Austin next year to redraw districts based on the updated snapshot of growth. The state is likely to receive an extra three to four U.S. House seats based on current ...
Comments (1)
AdvanceMan
I'm a big supporter of accurate census data being harvested every decade-accurate population data for Congressional/Legislative redistricting is crucial for fairness in representation, allocation of federal funding, ...I'm mailing in my US Census questionnaire immediately and I encourage al to follow suit - it is in one's best interest for accurate allocation to one's local & state government).
That said - I am wagering that at LEAST one US Census enumerator (a census taker, a person performing door-to-door household data gathering) will be SLAIN nationwide in the line of duty in 2010 - probably in a southern state and more than likely in east or south Texas...and I'm not talking about Hannibal Lechter ("A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.")...it will more than likely be some misguided anti-government extremist who has been, perhaps, catalyzed to irrational behavior by Tea Party or extreme right wing talk show propaganda - which Texas is a hotbed for. Ponder this - if a head of household did not voluntarily mail back the 2010 US Census questionnaire received in the mail - and those are the exact households targeted by US Census Field Enumerators for door-to-door visits - there has to be an overriding overt reason why they didn't. Perhaps there are illegal aliens or a felon with outstanding warrants residing at that address. Or, the resident does not want to be counted for fear of government intrusion into their personal lives and is willing to defend that belief with lethal force - irrational as that belief is. Civility and civic duty in America are not held in high regard as in decades past for many reasons – they have been denigrated by a self-centered, egocentric sense of entitlement perpetuated my pop culture and irresponsible propaganda masquerading as legitimate political discourse. US Census Enumerators perhaps will be ranked as the #1most hazardous occupation for 2010 - ahead of taxi drivers and overnight convenience store clerks nationally. Thanks all the same, but you can keep that job Pal.