Did You Say No to The American Community Survey?
You can always read what I say about the American Community Survey.This page is for your rants about the ACS— it too will stay on top with another fake date. I've been zipping around blogland and what I notice most is how this nefarious packet creates a whiplash in people's lives. The American Community Survey jars our reality.
posted by JJ @ 12:00 AM
98 comments
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98 Comments:
I am a Cancer survivor that could of very easily lost the fight had I not fought back mentally and physically against the disease.
I received the census 2x and 3 phone calls were placed to my residence. I called them back and stated - I had called my Senators and will be a non responder to this survey - I ended the call with don't send anyone to my residence.
My father a WWII veteran in the Battle of the Bulge died in the early 70's at age 49. He loved his country and would die for it. He hated bureauacracy. He told me one day a revolution would come against the government in this country and he would be the first in line to fight. I never realized what the hell he was talking about. Now I do.
Stand firm, and make a stand - brothers and sisters.
FREEDOM.......................................
I am saying NO! I highly encourage all freedom-minded Americans to refuse as well.
I burned the Survey and returned only the following letter in the return envelope. Lazarus
Director
US Census Bureau
PO Box 5240
Jeffersonville, IN 47199-5240
I have received your American Community Survey and I must say that it appears at first to be a classic example of Phishing for information to be used in Identity Theft. The only thing missing is a Nigerian postmark. But I understand that this is an actual request from our government!
I am a responsible citizen and willing to help the Census Bureau with the information it needs to make informed decisions. However, your survey is quite intrusive into specific information that should not be needed. And I cannot risk providing. My obligations are to protect my family first, and to be a good citizen second.
You need to know how many persons are living in a household. I understand that. But you require the first name, last name, and middle initial of each person living there. This cannot be needed for census information.
You need to know the age of each person, I understand that. But you require the actual birth dates of each person. This cannot be needed for census information.
You need to know if each person is employed, I understand that. But you require that we provide the name and address of our employers. This cannot be needed for census information.
You need to know certain information about commuting habits, I understand. But you ask what time each person leaves the house. This cannot be needed for census information. This would be great information for thieves to have.
You also ask for a great deal of financial information. We provide this info each year to the IRS.
By cross-referencing this data you can create an almost complete identity profile. The only thing missing is the Social Security Number. But you probably ask for that in the follow up phone calls because you also require a phone number to contact.
Other unscrupulous persons, not associated with the Survey could just call asking for this information to complete the survey. It is a given that they will. Because people, especially the old, trust the good will of the government. This survey is putting many people at risk.
Please don’t try to assure me how safe this information is in your hands. I am not impressed with the security skills of the public sector. Every act that creates something like the American Community Survey also contains provisions by which you are absolved of all responsibility for failure to protect this information. I have to provide the info, you don’t have to protect it.
Only a very naive person would fill out this survey with all the risk associated with the need to protect personal security.
Please don’t tell me that I will be fined for failure to participate. I doubt that you can really prosecute a person for an attempt to protect themselves. My reasons for withholding the information are valid. I am not convinced that your need for specific data is.
After I print this I will be forwarding it to both my congress man/woman and my state representative.
Yours skeptically,
Well, you already know.
Thanks. I'll model your letter.
My turn now. Threw the first survey in the trash. Second arrived. Now, 5 phone calls (all unanswered!) later, I'm waiting for them to show up at my door. Any suggestions on how to get rid of them?
I just received my THREAT from this far left Marxist Government.
This is an outrageous example of the expensive and useless activities of the 535+ Whores and parasites who make up the United States Congress.
I can't afford the #1,000 fine per unanswered question threatened by this VAT OF UNTREATED SEWAGE so I guess I'll fill it out "to the best of my ability".
I have received the survey twice now. Both copies went into the trash. 3 visits to my house by one of their govertment goons and now a follow up letter asking for cooperation. They will never get me to answer this thing. Big brother is out of control!
gov't nazi goon came to the house tonight. i did not answer the door. he rang the door bell and sttood on the front porch for 15-16 minutes, ringing and waiting. i was in the adjoining bedroom watching him as he stood in the porch lite, wondering when the gestapo agents will be kicking down my door. but! if they do, i have a suprise for them
i know for a fact that you do NOT have to give your name, or your birthday, you can remain anonymous. it is a mandatory survey and your response is required by law, but what a lot of people dont know is that your response can be a refusal to answer a question. and i think that if everybody would just actually check out what it is used for and how it can help your community, you would not be so quick to slam the phone down. remember those people calling you, and those people knocking on your door, are NOT the ones who picked those questions, so why be so hard on them? and ia lso happen to know for a fact that those people calling you, dont always agree with the questions they have to ask you, but everybody has a job to do right? you may not always like it, but you dont get paid to ask questions about the questions you have to ask..
screw the gov't goons. they choose to work for the feds. gov't is out of control and their agents have a choice.
Iknow for a fact that I have the right to be left alone. The Gov't can try to be the BULLY but it won't work here!
Anonymous Anonymous said...
I burned the Survey and returned only the following letter in the return envelope. Lazarus
Director
US Census Bureau
PO Box 5240
Jeffersonville, IN 47199-5240
GREAT RESPONSE! Oh, that I was as literate and not so hot tempered,I have done the blogging responses, The Senators and Congressmen, letters to, etc: what a bunch of ego centric jerks that we have allowed to take our tax dollars and come up with this expensive printed garbage.
I am now into my 3rd phone call, unanswered and awaiting the knocks on the door, hopefully my dog will intercede for me with a quick nip on their arse!
When the Jackboots arrive eventually I shall be locked and loaded. I am amazed that the survey didn't ask about what type of ammo or firearms are in the house and who owns them, the blind person, the infirm or the illegals.
Remember this is how it starts and check recent history to see how it ends.
There will be no USA left to right the wrong this time. The USA is becoming part of it.
When will there be a new "french" revolution?
The government takes away our rights daily. And some of us have no rights. Like spouses of SSI recipients - I can't even save MY OWN MONEY or he loses his SSI which OF COURSE they attach to MEDICAID. I can't have life insurance over $1500. I can't have over $3,000 in bank and I'm NOT EVEN ON SSI - he is.
There are so many more issues - no smoking so the pharmaceutical companies can make a mint off their anti-smoking crap.
Student loan laws that ruin people for life with exhorbitant penalties and interest and fees and the garnishing of social security if you can't pay the whole amount each month because you don't make enough.
illegals taking jobs and jobs we WOULD do - waitress, landscaper, roofer, construction, delivery, etc.
Cops that harass everyone, including white people in NYC.
SICK TO DEATH OF this government. FASCIST.
They told the Jews in Germany they were just coming to "work." Just like they are telling us now: We are doing this to "help" you.
How about we just answer the questions wrong. Say we are illegals. Say we were born in a different place than we were. One question asks if we have difficulty concentrating. How about we say "yeah, so much, that I can't fill out this crap."
I gave the first survey to my congressman. The secon one I let collect dust. The calls started. One caller 'unofficially' said I could write refuse across any question I didn't want to answer. I did that, probably big mistake. Only gave number of people in my house, age, and sex. They continue to call. The caller tonight was definitely originated from a non English speaking company. I told him I refused to answer. I'm thinking they will soon show up at my door. I don't want them to come when my adult children are babysitting my younger children. If I post a no trespassing sign and they come to my door are they trespassing?
This 'survey' is just crazy!!
There is no law which requires you to read your mail, answer your phone or open your door.
I pay for my phone and will decide who gets to talk to me. I am not required to waste my time talking to individuals who come to my door and ring the bell. The CB reps take advantage of the public wanting to be perceived as being nice. Well, I don't fined it nice to invade the public's privacy with an intrusive survey and then threaten fines for failure to respond. Ignoring them work well, since they don't get to argue with me. It is not the government's job to run these programs or to serve as the data collector for communities.
I've recv'd 3 phone calls this weekend alone. ff Since when does the gov't work on the weekend??? Already recv'd the second packet. Husband is skeptical, now I am too!!
They've been pestering me for about 2 months now with calls as late as 9pm. My strategy is to not respond until a physical visit.
I'd like to make these parasites as frustrated in trying to contact me as I am in having to deal with them.
I wonder how many of these workers have the hanged, naked census worker in the back of their minds as they try to intimidate the populace?
There are much better ways to make a living.
- Heh. A call just came as I am composing this comment. Imagine that.
I just love all you CAVE people (Citizens Against Virtually Everything)... Bravo for supporting the US...
We had a month of letters, a month of daily phone calls. We are not "eligible" for a personal visit from a rep. They want us to call with our case number and make an appt.
We are ready for them.
In the meantime, the letter I received from the American Community Survey has on the back page of one of the pile of coerision which says the American Community Survey will be replacing the 2010 short survey.
I don't think too many people will want to fill it out. Why isn't anyone listening????
Our government is no longer a democracy. They have threatened us with a $500 fine if we do not tell the truth on the forms, and from $100 to $5,000 if we do not fill out the form. They have assigned us a case number, which seems pretty threatening to me.
They're using the tactics of a debt collector. I do NOT owe this kind of personal information to my government.
We cannot in good conscience as Americans answer these questions.
Don't worry about the case number. It is all part of the scare tactic. They can also threaten to have the refusal specialist contact you. It's all rubbish. You'll be fine when it is all said and done.
We are ready for them. They will be here in the next few weeks. Heh.
On April 1, 2010 I mailed my short form with only the number of residents in my home. Where a name was asked, I placed "RESIDENT;" nothing else. Then on April 2nd I received the 28 page form. So will my residents get counted twice? Hmmm.
Methinks this one will be sent back totally blank, perhaps with a post-it that we were already counted.
Resident #1 and Resident #2
Any updates from the ones here currently being targeted? I sent my regular census in, with headcount only, but have not responded to the ACS I received. I may just fill in the headcount and send it in, that way they can't say I didn't "respond."
From either form, I haven't received any sort of follow-up, additional forms or calls.
(me from above) Actually, on second thought, the ACS is blatantly unconstitutional, so I don't think I will even respond.
I read in a news article recently that they get a 95% response rate. I don't believe that so many people are willing to volunteer this personal information for a second ,when the regular decennial census is reported to be in the 70% range.
The follow up for the ACS doesn't start until the mailing month is up. Each phase is a month. The CB needs the data junkies to believe that the response rate for the ACS is 95% because the CB doesn't want to release the actual rate, which is as you suspected, more like the decennial rate of 52-67%. In addition, the CB considers a completed form to have 5 data points listed. 5 data points can be obtained by looking at a residence.
The schedule for the 2010 follow up:
Through April - replacement forms mailed.
Through May - group quarters counted (military barracks, college dorms and skilled nursing homes) Note that many colleges may be done for the year by the time the reps get there.
Through July - contacting households who haven't returned forms.
Through August - follow up interviews for those who DID return forms.
December - the counts get delivered to POTUS.
Filled out the regular census and got the ACS on 4/28. First reminder postcard arrived 5/2. I am amazed at the waste of taxpayer dollars for this survey which I have no intention of filling out. Waiting for the phone calls and visits to begin. Glad to have found this site so I know what to expect. What a joke!
I received my 2nd packet of the ACS a week ago. I do not intend to send it in. I sent in my decennial enumeration (no name, birthdate, etc, headcount only) and that's enough. I wonder if they'll be calling my unlisted phone number. I have no problem blowing people off or ignoring them on the phone or on my porch. I do it all the time with the time-wasting solicitors that call and visit periodically. A no soliciting sign curtailed about 90% of the door to door solicitors, but reading about the Census Bureau's tactics, I'm sure they feel they're above obeying that. As if they're not soliciting constitutionally unauthorized information from me.
I, too, sent in my regular census form with two questions answered....number of people and that I was a Human under race. Then I got lucky and received the ACS form. I threw it away. I received another one along with a threat that I was required by law to respond and that failure to do so would result in severe penalties. I wrote N/A wher it wanted name and phone number and then put 1 where it asks for the number of people and then on every other page, I wrote N/A in answer to each question and sent it back in. I called my attorney and said that you responded, so he didn't see a problem with any penalties. He said that he would have done the same thing. He said they will probably try to contact me in person now and he tol;d me just to make myself unavailable. If one comes on my property, I will ask them nicely to leave and if thjey don't, I will call the sheriff's office and ask them to come remove them from my property or I'll have to take strong measures on my own.
I just received my SECOND American Community Survey. Didn't fill out the first one. This is a blatant invasion of my privacy. Since the envelope states "YOUR RESPONSE IS REQUIRED BY LAW" what is the penalty for not sending it in? I am about ready to get a lawyer. I know the Constitution doesn't specifically mention the right to privacy, but the Supreme Court considers the right to privacy as a basic human right.
People in this Country need to wake up now. We are living in scary times -Big Brother is at our doorstep.
I have received 5 long forms, one short form, and over 6 phone calls. Today, I received a letter from Susan Schechter (Chief, ACS) in my response to the multiple calls in which I stayed I had completed the short form and had no intent on completely the long form as the questions violated my constitution rights. The letter goes on and on about how I must comply and the information is 'confidential.' So, went on line, found her contact information and provided the number they have been calling stating I would be more than happy to discuss my concerns with her. We will see if I receive such a follow-up call.
Meanwhile, I did find information that says clearly that the CB is demanding health facilities to complete information for its residents and that this information does not violate health information privacy (HIPAA) (see link http://www.healthlawyers.org/Lists/Health%20%20Information%20Technology/DispForm.aspx?ID=1415&RootFolder=%2FLists%2FHealth%20%20Information%20Technology%2FCensus%20Bureau%20and%20HIPAA). Also, the GAO cites a Texas decision which ruled that the long form was not in violation of the Constitution and therefore is constitutional ( see http://www.gao.gov/decisions/other/289852.htm#_ftn5). Since when does Texas court decisions make Federal rulings??????? Was there an appeal?
Though Orwell got the years wrong...he got it right. Next they will be planting chips and GPS tracking devices in us. OOOPS, forgot, that's called our PASSPORTS!
S. Schecter's contact information (should anyone wish to protest)
202-395-5103
fax 202-395-7245
susan_schechter@omb.eop.gov
We received the ACS twice since we didn't answer it the 1st time. We fully expect the phone calls to start. Thank God for caller ID. This "survey" has the feel of an interrogation. Definitely got the feeling of Big Brother watching you. The use of the word "survey" is misleading since "survey" implies voluntary cooperation.
I received my ACS today. I have no intention of sending it in. I will take them to the Supreme Court...if that's what it takes.
AMERICA formerly land of the Free, still home of the Brave.
I received an ACS a couple of years ago. I flipped through it, then dumped it in the trash. And I've never heard a word from Big Brother about it. Don't fill it out.
I received my original census questionnaire, of which I I responded to the number of individuals currently living at my residence. The remaining nine questions went unanswered. My response were then put in the hands of our ever so dependable US postal system.
In the early part of May the census taker was at my door, apparently the response card was lost in the mail, and I was now required to repeat my answers to this elderly lady. This individual made four trips to my house trying to gain additional information. Due to my lack of cooperation I was told there would be more visits.
In addition to this I too received my ACS, after reading the intrusive questions it went in the trash.
Two weeks later I received a threatening letter, which instructed me under Title 13 that I am required to fill this form out. Well, that was trashed too. I received a second form, a fifth visit from the Census Bureau, and another "demand" letter.
I only wish this government would use the same tenacity tracing down illegal immigrants as they do with their own tax paying, law abiding citizens.
Got the stuff in the mail, survey, card another survey, letter explaining how important it is to comply, then the phone calls started..very nicely told them to stick it, she said she would mark it as refused to respond, I said I did respond, and they just did not like my response. Got a visit 2 days ago, drove right past the "NO TRESPASSING", "POSTED", "WARNING BAD DOG", and the "BEWARE OF THE DOG" sign, got out of the vehicle and started toward the house, until she encountered the BAD dog. All three dogs were raising sand, they have electronic collars so they stopped at the edge of the driveway, and so did she. She was still 20 yards from the house and I yelled to here, "DO I KNOW YOU?" she said "NO WE HAVE NEVER MET", I said "DID YOU SEE THE SIGNS?" to which she replied "YES BUT I AM FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU AND..." I cut her off in mid stream and said "YOU ARE TRESPASSING AND YOU NEED TO LEAVE". She started again and I once again said "YOU NEED TO LEAVE!", and I walked back into the house. She stood there while the dogs just raised cain, then she left. Today I got a threatening letter, which by the way actually had my name on it for the first time, Title 13 blah blah blah... and "explaining" why I should submit and not resist, and that I should expect another agent to be dispatched to my residence, and I will be expected to comply.
So we'll see what the next visit brings. I think I'll ask if they have a warrant and declare "YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE"! Maybe she will call the sheriff for me! At least then I'll have the right to remain silent! or will they torture it out of me?
I received a phone call about the ACS since I have not filled either of the 2 packets I received. I called the number with the number they left on the answering machine and provided the agent with the 'case' number they provided when they called. The lady was very polite. I told her that the ACS was a complete invasion of my privacy and asked her where in the constitution does it say that the gov't can pry like this into someones lives (as if they already don't). I was curious to find out where she got my phone number since it is listed under another name. Any...she said that they will keep bothering me if I don't send it in with all the questions answered BUT she said that I can place an "R" (refuse to answer) near any questions I do not want to answer. So I am placing an "R" next to ALL questions. This, by there account, should stop the harrasement.
What is really pissing me off about this ridiculous thing is that WE DON'T EVEN KNOW ANY OF THIS ABOUT THE USURPER_IN_CHIEF!!! So how dare the liar (NOT BORN IN USA), cheat ask this of us!!!!
NOT SENDING IT IN
Sorry anon, The ACS predates the present administration. It was a backlash from the 2000 long form during the Clinton years which caused the ACS stealth program. The census has been expanding the question it asks for generations. Various groups get to submit questions for consideration every year. 3 questions have been added since I received the ACS.
Both parties support using the CB to invade privacy. It is the only way to get the info they want to shove the progressive, nanny state programs down our throats.
I received the ACS form twice, and put it in the trash!This started in June,and now I have gotten phone calls as early at 6:30am till 10:00pm. They call all day long! They also use different caller ID'S to call from..some will say - Restricted - private - or calls from a number in Delaware. If you have caller ID that is what you look for. How dare they think that we would answer those intrusive questiions! For all i know it could be Acorn at my door taking this so called census! So i am waiting for them to come to the door, i wonder if they will climb over the courtyard gate to get to the front door?
I got the post card telling me to expect the American Community Survey, and didn't think to much about filling it out. Then I received my survey today, and after reading the questions they want answered, decided they are to invasive. I wouldn't even give the majority of that info out to family or friends, why would I send it in to be viewed by how many people...I really want people to know when I leave for work, where I work, what amount I pay for my mortgage etc. They need to find people who don't mind giving up that information...let's see maybe if they gave me a life-time subscription to life-lok Identity protection I might consider it, and a home security system since they want to know when I'm leaving to go to work! Wish me luck! Haven't decided to trash it, send it back blank, or just n/a or put refuse to answer on it!!
We received the ACS twice in the mail and threw them away. Today a man comes to our door, my husband lets him in and by the time I got to the kitchen my husband was already giving him our personal information even tho I had shown him the info online about the ACS and explained they had no right to our personal information. I began answering the questions with"that is to personal". When a stranger is asking how many vehicles we own how many rooms in our home and what hours my husband is at work I began to fear for my saftey.
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HELP MAKE THE ACS SURVEY BECOME VOLUNTARY, NOT MANDATORY!
Democrats, Republicans & Libertarians alike should all be concerned about the ACS survey asking intrusive questions that violates our right to keep our personal information private. I am a democrat and cannot believe how progressives are treating this survey as a non issue--it is unconscionable to say the least.
Support Bill H.R. 3131 to make the ACS survey VOLUNTARY - It has already been introduced in congress but hasn't passed yet.
Write a Letter to Congress to support bill H.R. 3131. This will make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary. For information about the bill and to find out who your congressional leaders are, visit:
http://censusthis.wordpress.com/2010/06/06/congressional-bill-h-r-3131-to-make-participation-in-the-american-community-survey-voluntary/
If you are going to write an email or a letter to a member of Congress there are some things you need to know:
See sample letter to congress on bill H.R. 3131 at:
http://censusthis.wordpress.com/2010/06/06/a-letter-to-congress-to-support-bill-h-r-3131-regarding-the-acs/
The RNC is in full support of having this bill passed into law.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 2010
RNC PASSES RESOLUTION ADDRESSING U.S. CENSUS CONCERNS
The Republican National Committee passed the following resolution at their Summer 2010 meeting:
RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2010/08/rnc-passes-resolution-addressing-us-census-concerns.html?cid=6a00d834515c5469e201348632c077970c
RESOLVED, that upon the approval of this resolution the Republican National Committee shall deliver a copy of this resolution to each of the Republican members of Congress, all Republican candidates for Congress, and to each Republican state and territorial party office.
As approved by the Republican National Committee, August 6, 2010
If the Democrat's DNC would get on board as the RNC had recently done then bill, H.R. 3131 may have a good chance of getting passed into law.
HELP MAKE THE ACS SURVEY BECOME VOLUNTARY, NOT MANDATORY!
Democrats, Republicans & Libertarians alike should all be concerned about the ACS survey asking intrusive questions that violates our right to keep our personal information private. I am a democrat and cannot believe how progressives are treating this survey as a non issue--it is unconscionable to say the least.
Support Bill H.R. 3131 to make the ACS survey VOLUNTARY - It has already been introduced in congress but hasn't passed yet.
Write a Letter to Congress to support bill H.R. 3131. This will make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary. For information about the bill and to find out who your congressional leaders are, visit:
http://censusthis.wordpress.com/2010/06/06/congressional-bill-h-r-3131-to-make-participation-in-the-american-community-survey-voluntary/
If you are going to write an email or a letter to a member of Congress there are some things you need to know:
See sample letter to congress on bill H.R. 3131 at:
http://censusthis.wordpress.com/2010/06/06/a-letter-to-congress-to-support-bill-h-r-3131-regarding-the-acs/
The RNC is in full support of having this bill passed into law.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 2010
RNC PASSES RESOLUTION ADDRESSING U.S. CENSUS CONCERNS
The Republican National Committee passed the following resolution at their Summer 2010 meeting:
RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2010/08/rnc-passes-resolution-addressing-us-census-concerns.html?cid=6a00d834515c5469e201348632c077970c
RESOLVED, that upon the approval of this resolution the Republican National Committee shall deliver a copy of this resolution to each of the Republican members of Congress, all Republican candidates for Congress, and to each Republican state and territorial party office.
As approved by the Republican National Committee, August 6, 2010
If the Democrat's DNC would get on board now as the RNC had recently done then bill, H.R. 3131 may have a good chance of getting passed into law.
If you feel your civil liberties are being violated or you are being harassed, fined or even being threatened imprisonment by this senseless bureau for your failing to comply with the mandated ACS survey then this video may be just what you are looking for.
Visit:
http://censusthis.wordpress.com/2010/05/29/being-harrassed-by-the-senseless-bureau/
I found the below websites to be very informative in educating me of my constitutional rights when dealing with the American Community Survey and those "pesky" census takers.
See video "The Census is Getting Personal" at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsDhkPym01k
(This video has had 1,924,542 views since Feb. 11, 2010 - You can add comments also on this site.)
See "Census Video Part 2, Clarifications" found at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFvS5m4_OtA&feature=related
I refused to fill out the survey too. I just didn't like it. Everyday I had been getting either calls or mail or home visits by people trying to pressure me into filling out this survey. And when I tell them no, I'm not going to do it they tell me they will just keep sending people back.
I finally called the police today because I thought, this doesn't sound like a government project. Intimidation and pressuring me to fill out a form they made it seem was a mandate. I was so concerned I wanted to make sure I wasn't doing anything illegal. And then I thought, doesn't our Constitution guarantee our right to refuse entry, no trespass? I mean just because someone has my address, that doesn't mean I have to let them into my finances or personal information.
The policeman was great and he called them and the man said the same things on the speaker phone and I said I don't want to do it. I am refusing. I want you to stop sending people here and stop having people call and stop sending me mail.
If they come to my house again my neighbors will be watching for them and they'll take pictures and get license plate numbers if I'm not home. But why should I have to feel this way in my own home?
Why don't they take no for an answer?
Jenn, they are trained not to take no for an answer. They are to whine, complain, bully and intimidate their way into our lives. Glad that the police were helpful.
The link below is a Washing DC summary of their method of operation getting recipients of the ACS to comply with filling it out and returning.
https://www.checkpointusa.org/Census/ACS/docs/difficultInterview2000.pdf
They also state the mail return rate is 50% and increases 10% with further harassment by mail, phone calls and personal interview visits over a period total of three months by their KGB agents.
The link below is a Washington DC summary of their method of operation getting recipients of the ACS to comply with filling it out and returning.
https://www.checkpointusa.org/Census/ACS/docs/difficultInterview2000.pdf
They also state the mail return rate is 50% and increases 10% with further harassment by mail, phone calls and personal interview visits over a period total of three months by their KGB agents.
When you think of it, all that effort for a lousy 10% increase in data collected. If a private company had that kind of a result, it would change methods. In addition, we only have the CB's word for it that the 50% and 10% are actual figures. The CB use to report a 98% return on the ACS, which was totally bogus. I'm more inclined to believe that the 50% and 10% have more to do with the response to the 2010 census. One can always count on the CB to lie about the actual response rates.
they've started coming to my house and I've refused them onto my property. From what I've read, they'll harass for about 30 days...there was a very recent chicago tribune article on the ACS. No way are they legally able to collect this information.
I have received my 2nd form today. I will not be sending it in this time either.
Seems to me if they want this info they can look on your tax forms and your census.
The Senate need to get busy and make this voluntary only.
I found some of questions really none of their business like what time you go to work everyday and how much money you make for different sources.
Just waiting for the harrassment to come.
Does anyone know how long they can harass you? I've seen 1 month up to 3 months.
Well the harassment has started with a phone call from some guy from the Census.
I told him I have returned it and he told me that if they didn't get it in the next 5-7 days he would be calling again. Can't wait for that one.
I'm not answering the phone or answering my door. It's against the 4th amendment of my right to privacy.
We can thank ex president Bush for all this mess starting back in 2005.
People need to contact your Senators,Congressman and local representatives about this intrusive form.
It also need to get into the media about this problem.I don't think the Census wants that kind of publicity.
I forgot to mention when contacting your representative you should tell them you want their support on a bill H.R.931 that is now in a subcommittee that is about this very subject. It would make it voluntary to answer these question. You would only have to answer basic questions.
Check out this bill online.
I have received 2 ACS forms and my first phone call. My husband and I refuse to provide the answers they need. I am afraid of being harassed, but I am "relieved" to know that we are not alone. I'll do some more research before I get my next phone call, or a home visit. I want solid proof saying I don't have to comply so I can rub their noses in it.
This started way before Bush. It started because of the backlash from the census long form from the 2000 census. Just after Bush was elected he was asked about the ACS and said he would not fill it out. Budget cuts to the CB will do more to kill the ACS that writing to your elected officials, who need this info to pander to voters.
Solid proof.... well, it violates the 4th and 10th amendments to the Constitution. Punishing anyone for not complying will result in granting that individual standing in the court to sue the gov, which is why no one has been fined. The gov wants to scare people into answering questions that it has no right to to ask.
John W. Whitehead, founder of the Rutherford Institute has a commentary on the ACS. The gov needs a warrant to make you answer.
I read the commentary by Mr. Whitehead and it sounded to me like you have to answer their questions and you can be fined up to $50,000 or am I missing something?? Now I'm scared again when I had just began to feel like I had some control over this.
Nope. I didn't answer their questions and I haven't been fined. The CB wants you SCARED. That's how the procedure works. Mr. Whitehead is one of the lawyers waiting to have someone get fined so this goes to court. When your 90 days are up, the CB goes away. The gov needs a warrant to collect this info on citizens. No warrant - no info. Dealing with the CB can be an emotional rollercoaster. Most of us are not use to civil disobedience. We follow the law. The ACS is an abuse of power and a gov funded extortion ring. You are not alone and you are not required to talk to the CB either.
Thank you for the info, I feel a little better.
I'm so glad that I found this website and see that I'm not alone in this mess. Can't wait for the 90 days to be up.
File under: a little history of the ACS
The 2000 census long form produced such a backlash that elected officials told constituents not to answer the questions and the CB director, Prewitt, was afraid that the citizens would boycott the next census because of the invasive questions. The long form morphed into the ACS. A lawyer for the Clinton administration wrote a flimsy reason for the justification for the ACS; Since it use to be part of the census then it was covered by the census rules. In spite of the fact that the Constitution does not allow for sampling, which the ACS is. While testing the ACS, the CB then asked the congressional subcommittee which oversees the CB, to add the "mandatory" on the form to increase the response rate. The subcommittee agreed with the stipulation that no one would be fined.
Title 13 and title 18 were laws regarding the decennial census and were not passed to enforce the ACS. Title 18 was expanded to increase the fine for leverage, to give the perception that the non-responder would be fined. The CB feels that since the census has always asked questions, that it has the authority to ask questions because congress won't debate that these types of questions should never be asked. The CB will get the public to believe that it has the authority when it does not.
File under: get angry, not scared.....
1. The ACS is tied to your residence not you. If you move during the 90 days, the CB will bug the next occupants and not follow you to a new residence.
2. The CB claims a 95% response rate for the ACS. So how do they get that when the last census had a response rate between 54-72% depending upon the state? Well, the CB considers a completed form to contain 5 data points. Anyone looking at the residence can come up with 5 data points.
3. Lets give the CB the 95%, even though the real rate is lower and do a simple math problem. 250,000 residences per month get the ACS, so the 5% non-responders are 250,000 X .05 = 12,500/month. 12,500 X 12 months = 150,000/year. The ACS was fully implemented in '06 or about 5 years, which gives us 150,000 X 5 yrs = 750,000 residences which would be fined before they ever get to you.
4. The CB can't even get the population counts done correctly, so why think that they can confirm the accuracy of any of the info placed on the returned surveys? Do you really think they have the staff to mount a case against the non-responders?
5. The questions on the ACS are submitted by the data users and the CB supporters so that congress can be lobbied to continue this invasion of privacy.
Cathy, From all the postings I see from you I get the impression you have had a lot of experience with these people.
Do you have anything to do with an attorney that is waiting for someone to get fined?
So far we haven't had any home visits from them. We have posted No Trespassing signs on the front door, gates.
Thank you for all the info you have posted.
I have been researching this for almost 4 years. I have known about the long form back since the 80's, when a friend got one and refused to fill it out. Then I got the ACS the same time that 2 of my out of state friends got it.
I continue to follow the data and to watch who is submitting new questions. I know how the reps are trained. This comes under the "know your enemy". Even the field reps don't know the law. They know what they are told to say. This has become my civil disobedience pet project.
I am not connected to any specific lawyers. I have read blog posts from lawyers who are watching the CB.
Those who developed the ACS know that it is a violation of the Constitution. They figure that no one would do research or actually read the title 13 and 18. The CB counts on the public being afraid and not knowing their rights or the law. The CB is very good at tamping down any bad press so that the program can continue.
Only 1/3 of the non-responders get field rep visits, so hopefully, you are done.
Cathy,
Thank you for the answer to my questions.
I feel much better now. It's to bad that some national news media won't tackle this and do some serious stories on their tactics so the people would be informed about their rights.
Thanks again
You're welcome. Glad to help.
The media get perks from the CB, which is why there is not a lot of coverage, especially negative coverage. The CB tries to cover it's bases. The media is no longer a watch dog for the people, instead it is a lap dog for big gov political elites.
Can someone tell me how to find when the OMB control # online?
I would like to check to see when my harassment will be over. Some posts I've seen they were sent ones that have already expired.
Thanks
An expired OMB # won't save you from the harassment. People who returned forms have been harassed too.
We are currently being harassed by the ACS people. Started with a few mailings, then there was a knock at the door. I wasn't sure what this was so I didn't answer the survey, and gave my Husband's phone # instead (looking back this was a mistake, but I didn't know what to do). She called him every day, but he did not answer (on purpose). Then she'd call from a "Private" number when he wouldn't answer from the 3 regular numbers she was calling from, and then she had her supervisor call and left a voicemail that said "I don't want to see you get fined..." So we set my husband's phone to give a "number no longer in service" message to anyone calling from the numbers she was calling from. I bet she loved that! She still continues to come to our door every day and knock/ring doorbell relentlessly at both our doors, so we dismantled our doorbell. Then today I got home from work to see someone sitting on my steps with their laptop and coffee waiting for me. Guess who!? She didn't hear me pull up, so I parked down the street and waited until she left. I waited about 1/2 hour, she never did. Then my neighbor went up to her and said something (not sure what it was) and she started walking down the sidewalk like she was going to leave. So I drove back around the block and didn't see her, then up the alley and suddenly she appeared in my yard as I pulled into the driveway. So I looked at her, backed out, and drove away. I ended up leaving for a couple hours before coming back. Then she was gone. Seriously, is it legal for someone to come and hang out at your property until you come home? To sit on your steps and surf the internet while they wait? That's freaky and feels like I'm being stalked.
-AnnoyedPrivateCitizen
Annoyed Private Citizen,
No they don't have the right to be on your property. Put up NO TRESPASSING, NO SOLICITATION or Private Property. Then you have the right to call your local Sheriff or police department and have them removed from you property.
Why should you have to try to stay away from them when they are on your property?
You have to ignore them an not tell them anything. Don't even talk to them. Go in your house and shut the door on them.
You can look forward to the harassment for several months. Then they go away.
This is total BS. We're currently being harassed by a census rep too. He's somehow gotten my name, unpublished landline number, and also my cell phone and is trying to make contact pretty much daily, in one way or another. I hate being made to feel anxious in my own home. I'm hoping that the reason he's so insanely stalker-ish right now is that my 3-month deadline is coming up and I'll be free of these whackos in a few days come July. This is so wrong on so many levels.
We received the first ACS on 5/25/11 and the second on 6/15/11. I never sent either in but kept both to show people because very few know about this. The phone calls began on 7/3/11 and we are getting them every 2 hours on some days, including weekends. Fortunately we have caller ID, and I only answered the first call. At that time I told the man we would not respond to the survey and hung up. None of the other calls have been answered, BUT...I am keeping a phone log, and will also keep a "visit" log when they begin coming to the door. This is harassment and extortion of the first order, and it is frightening coming from the long, powerful arm of the Federal Government. I am very thankful for the encouragement of these posts from former "victims" of the ACS.
We have gotten two copies of the survey forms...trashed them both. I cannot believe the private information they want us to hand over to them. So far we have had 4 calls from them. This afternoon my husband answered the phone when they called and they made the mistake of telling him it is against the law to refuse to answer the survey. He promptly and very nicely told them to "kiss his a**!" When they show up at the door the police are going to get called.
On my door:
No Trespassing
No Solicitation
I have the right to bear arms.
Are you sure you want to knock?
I got my survey in the mail this week and I feel sick over the whole thing. Why in the heck does the government of the United States NEED to know if i have problems taking a bath (question #18c)? How exactly will this help other americans by the gov knowing this kind of thing. This is by far the most insane thing I've ever seen. It would seem I am entitled to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" only if I tell the government how many bedrooms I have in my home and what time I leave for work every day.
I have received the two forms, a reminder card, and an envelope/card in my door. Today I received another visit at my door (she came through my garage when I did not answer the front door) and I was expecting my neighbor so I answered (mistake). Told her the survey was not only an invasion of privacy but unconstitutional and I would not be filling it out. She said "it is required by law" and when I repeated the same answer - she said they will be sending more information and I will be getting a visit from "someone else". Am taping a "No solicitation/No trespassing sign" on the front door as I speak. Can anyone tell me what the timeframe is for how long this will go on? Is it 3 months and fronm when - receipt of the first survey?
No phonecalls here yet, but we have received the survey now three times accompanied by a letter that says we are required by law to return it and they may send a census worker to our home. Go ahead. This survey is INSANE! My husband and I have our priorities right and protecting our family is number 1. I will not, under any circumstances, respond to this survey. Just kinda wondering what will happen next....? Thanks to everyone for posting though! It has helped me to reinforce the way I feel about this unconstitutional invasion of my privacy. I'm gonna keep checking back to see what happens with everyone...and I will update what is happening in my situation as well. One thing is for sure...I WILL NOT complete the survey! We have to take a stand and draw the line at some point, and it should have been done looong before now!
"Unknown" here following up on my 6/29 post. Well, the census worker who was harassing us and his higher-up continued to try to reach me via my landline and cell on 6/29. On 6/30 (which was our deadline) the worker managed to track down my husband's work number and called him. My husband was not in agreement with me on this situation so he agreed to speak to the rep. The rep asked my husband if he'd answer the questions, husbo said yes, and the ONLY questions the rep asked are the same ones about how many people live in the household that had been asked, and answered by me, on the decennial census survey last year. That's IT! Not the crazy ones about if I needed help bathing, had mental problems, or when we left for work and that nonsense. So....if the only "important" questions are about population (and were already answered) then why the hell do they come after us to answer all these other insane questions about our family? I don't get it. This is beyond stupid, not to mention invasive. These guys suck. Good luck to the rest of you guys. I'm off to enjoy my downtime until the next round of this crap in 5 years (is it?).
The CB only needs 5 data points to declare the survey "complete". I'm sure that just by looking at your residence, many of the questions were answered by the rep. Also, the CB was able to record you as "contacted". Now you will be filed as a responder. This is another way the CB can say that the response rate is 95%. They fudge the data.
About 4 years ago, we were unlucky enough to be selected for the ACS. We considered it a total invasion of privacy and did not respond. We received 2 copies of the form plus postcard reminders. There was one message left on the answering machine and we blocked the number and never heard from them again.
We could hardly believe it last week when we were again selected for the survey. Of course, we will not fill it out this time either. With the country so broke, how do they have money to waste on junk like this? If the debt commission is looking for ways to cut spending, they can start with the ACS,
The posts on this blog have helped reinforce my view that the ACS is unconstitutional. Firstly, I believe the ACS inappropriately expands the scope of the decennial census. Furthermore, I firmly believe the ACS employs methods of interrogation that egregiously violate the boundaries between citizen and state established in the Bill of Rights-, particularly as described in the 4th and 5th Amendments.
Thank you all for sharing your opinions and feelings.
...and add in the 10th amendment. Most of the "benefits" claimed by the CB are a clear violation of state and individual rights. The federal gov has no business deciding who needs schools, road expansion, or social engineering programs. The state and local govs have the right to decide and the federal gov needs to respect those decisions. Instead, the feds have decided that they need to micro manage all levels of American life, even when their intrusion has made things worse.
Yes, Cathy, I completely agree. The Founders designed a system of power sharing, not power grabbing. In CB-speak, the levels of government most directly accountable to the people--that is, state and local--, are most likely to efficiently allocate resources. In plain language, the members of the town council will probably make better decisions about where to put stop signs than the members of Congress. In any event, I think the CB's "benefits" argument is a smokescreen concealing a coercive interrogation system. Their Utopian ends do not justify their despotic means.
Can anyone CONFIRM THE LENGTH OF TIME that they harass you at home before they give up? I received the first survey in July so I'm hoping they give up soon. It seems to be intensifying - they've been here 3x this week already and last night they pounded on my door for 10 minutes straight at 7:30 pm (after dark). This is absolutely UNREAL, not to mention disturbing -I have written letters but only received one response from my reps, and that was an 'I understand your concern BUT the Census bureau does important work' response... very unsettling.
I hope this ends soon - I've been hounded at my house for 1 month now as I ignored the ACS since July.
Many earlier posts point to a 90 day data collection period. This period probably begins shortly before or at the time you received the first form. Personal experience supports this view, as well.
You should be done today. They always ramp up at the end, hoping that the increased visits will cause a panic. For some reason, the field agents try very had to establish a "contact" with the resident, so they pull out all the stops during the last week. I had 2 field agents working on me the last week.
Tell your rep that the survey violates your constitutional rights and the CB has no business collecting this info.
Hello all, thank you for your input. This line of questioning is just WRONG. I'am just takeing a moment to say "NOOOOOOOOO"!!! Not gonna do it. I'am tired of the control
Hi everyone, I am so glad I found this website. We just got the ACS in the mail on 10/26 and I was shocked at how invasive the questions are, My stomach was all up in knots over being forced to answer these questions. On 10/31 I found a note on our gate from a field agent, I haven't even had time to decide what to do about it yet, which is why he was here already. So I wouldn't have time to think about it. Well I have now and I NOT giving them any information at all. I put a lock on our gate and no trespassing signs up and just to make them think twice ,beware of dog also. If I do have a run in with any agents, I will take pictures of them and their car, and record our encounters. I am documenting everything. Everyone here has inspired me to fight back. I will not be a good little robot. I think what they are doing is harassment and extortion. I hope I can last the 3 months. Thank You everybody, I felt hopeless before I found you.
Hi, what would be better, totally avoiding the agents, or telling them we will not answer any questions? We have a gate and a long driveway, so they can't get to our door to harass us. This is our 1st week of 3 long months and any advice would be helpful.
First, it is totally ok to avoid all contact with the agent. Contact is what they want so that they can record that they made contact even when all answers are refused. They can then record things like race, gender and guess at age and physical health.
2nd, you might be at the end of the harassment. The last 30 days are the field agent visits. They may not have been able to find a phone number and have skipped to the visit phase. I have known of a resident who received no survey or phone calls and then had an agent pestering them.
There is no law which requires you to read your mail, answer your phone or open your door!
The bottom line is that you are not obligated to have any interaction with the CB except for the regular census and the time for that has passed.
We hit the 90 day mark today so I guess we are home free. They called multiple times but we used caller ID and never answered. We did not receive a home visit. Same exact thing happened six years ago. If these surveys are truly random, it seems very odd we were selected twice.
My advice is ignore the phone calls. They called us from 3 numbers, one each in Indiana, Arizona and DC. Good luck to everyone who refuses.
Likewise my wife and I found the survey to be over the top. After reading this and other blogs, I decided to simply state two persons at this address, no other answers, and mail it in. The agent has stopped by once while we were out, left a note and called three times. Then my wife started getting all wobbly about it, so she called our congressman, whose office confirmed that what I did was best if we found it objectionable.
The agent seems to use a cell phone with her name and number on caller ID (BTW, Dorothy Littrell, Philadelphia area, sounds like a nice middle aged or older person). I keep forgetting who it is, and thinking it is one of my wife's bridge buddies, I keep answering it. She begins to explain the survey, and I just cut her off and tell her I am very familiar with it, that I have already filled it out and that is all the information she is getting. The last call she was nearly pleading that they could not find my survey, to which I replied, "I'm really sorry about that, but I mailed it in and you lost it, I can't waste any more time with you." She did not make any threats and I have not heard from her in a month, nor had any written communication.
I am sure these are decent people with a terrible job to do. This survey is an abomination, second only to our hideous tax code in intrusiveness. Civil disobedience is the right choice for us, at least until they put teeth in their threat to fine.
Yardley, PA
Most of the field reps are elderly and they only know what the CB tells them about the survey. If they fail to get compliance, they could lose their jobs. The CB doesn't tell these reps that the ACS is a total violation of privacy laws and individual rights. The funding is getting cut for the survey, which prevented the CB from increasing the sample size of the survey. This program and the other gov programs the data feeds are unsustainable and will implode. My advise to the data junkies and the gov info mafia.....prepare your resumes.
My second amendment right will protect ALL my other rights!
These questions are NOT what our Founders had in mind for a government census! What time do you leave for work? Did you give birth last year? How much do you pay for your utilities? How many rooms inside your home?
"I mailed it in...you must've lost it." Repeat as needed. "I mailed it in...you must've lost it..."
We also received our ACS in December 2010. I ignored it until the second copy came in the mail the week after Christmas. Upon opening and review, I was extremely concerned about the type of information requested and overall the general intrusiveness of the whole document. My husband and I decided not to participate. The phone calls began in early January, and we have begun to keep a log, including name, time, phone number and state of origin of the calls. All the calls come from either Indiana or Arizona and do not have a company name or identify the U.S. Census on the caller i.d. The calls have become increasingly more rude and I have noted a tone of hostility in the voices of the personnel. We have been completely polite with the callers and at the beginning of each call we have informed the caller that we have decided we will not participate in this survey. I have written e-mails to our state senators (Massachusetts) and to our local congressman but have not heard a response from any of their offices. My husband and I are not radicals. We pay taxes, we vote and we have participated in the 2010 Census as required. We will not be participating in the survey, and I encourage everyone who has received it to hold firm in their convictions.
When I first received the American Community Survey, I thought it was a joke. You want to know what time I leave my house for work?? Then I received the Agricultural survey that I was also required by law to complete. I thought - how random could these surveys be if I am receiving two. I refused to complete either. I am just a single mother, who votes, pays taxes and supports the schools. The very nerve that the government is trying to say they are using this information for schools irritates me. They don't even support the ones we currently have, and the schools complete surveys based on population of attendees without divulging personal information. I received a second American Community Survey. Then the phone calls started. At first they were twice a week, but then they came EVERY DAY!
I did some research and stand behind the fact that the government's intrusive tactics are unconstitutional, and individuals can request the results through public disclosure, and businesses can purchase the results. The United States’ citizens personal information is being sold. The government is in financial distress. Why not use the information and make a $ or two at the expense of unsuspecting citizens.
I finally answered the annoying phone calls and said, "I want you to quit stalking me." She laughed and said she wasn't. I thought your response is laughter – you really don’t want my survey then. I promptly told her I was practicing my constitutional right to not complete the survey and hung up. My children asked me if I was afraid of the government. My answer is this - I am God fearing but not government fearing. Shame on our government!
The only way for this insanity to stop is for everyone to join together and refuse to answer it. I am being harassed by incessant phone calls, letters, and knocks on my door. I have told the census worker to stay the hell off of my property but she keeps coming back. Who the hell do these people think they are? I just cannot believe that this is the U.S., it feels like I live in a communist country with these people. We cannot submit to these bullying and unconstitutional tactics! We can empower eachother and fight for our right to privacy!
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