Census Questions
 

OK I got mine today...

The last time I got a long form BOOK (1 in 250 got those) and I refused to answer some questions. They kept threatening me "It's the LAW! It's the LAW!" and coming back until I did answer many of the questions.

So... this one is not as big... BUT why do they need to know all this stuff?

sex

race

mortgage?

amount

2nd mortgage

amount

# bathrooms

etc etc etc...

heating fuel

insurance

Who are these people and will you answer ALL the questions???????????

And WHY did I get a census now for the 2010 census?

Some of those seem intrusive. I think it's the gov't. but they are sure gettin nosey.

There's a saying in business: You can't manage what you don't measure.

By measuring as much as they can get, they hope to be able to better manage the nation's resources. That's my charitable view.

Also, the census is required by our Constitution. It's how Congressional seats are allocated, though all you need is a head count for that.

Plus, every now and then some interesting trivia comes up. For example, one of the earliest reports of a cancer cluster involved scrotal cancer among London chimney sweeps in the 18th century.

I think it's interesting. I do our family genealogy. Back in the early 1800's the questions on the census were VERY basic. They didn't even include the wife's name or children's names in the earliest ones.

By the late 1800's, early 1900's, they were getting MUCH more info. Names of all family members, as well as anyone living in the household. Ages, birthyears, whether employed, ability to read and write, etc.

Fast forward to the current census........... They just keep asking more and more!!!

For those of us doing genealogy that is a huge blessing. I get sooooooo much more from the 1900 census than I can from the 1800 census. But to be the one giving the info....... Well, that's a different side of the coin.

We just had to go there didn't we?? LOL!

So there is no privacy issue here?

Am i the only one who does not answer all the ?????????

I just don't get the # of bathroom's ?. I understand most of the others. The mortgage ? obviously puts you in a class of society, lower, middle and upper. The heating fuel ? is it how much do you use or what kind of fuel? What kind of insurance, home, life, auto? or all of the above. And the reason they are doing the 2010 census now is it takes a longgggggggg time to count all that data. lol

We got one of longer questionnaires a few years ago and I set it aside.... and only answered later because I had too!! As I recall I did not answer every one. :christmoose

Considering government efficiency, maybe you just now received the 2000 census form a little late.