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What's the Census For?
Census Form Could Fit on a Postcard
Frequently Asked Questions about the Census
What is the Libertarian Party advising people to do?
We believe that Americans can strike a blow for
privacy, equality, and liberty by refusing to answer every question except
the one required by the Constitution: How many people live in your home?
Why is the Libertarian Party doing this?
To help protect your privacy and reduce the size
and cost of government. The Census was originally designed for one purpose:
To conduct an "actual enumeration" of the population so everyone would have
equal representation in Congress. But today, in the words of Census
Director Kenneth Prewitt, "The Census is about who gets how much of what."
More specifically, this data is being used to dole out $180 billion in
wasteful government spending, and collect all sorts of your personal data
in the process.
What does the Constitution actually say?
Article I, Section 2, discusses how House
representatives shall be distributed among the states, and calls for an
"actual enumeration" every 10 years.
Can I be fined for refusing to answer questions?
Federal law allows for a $100 fine for refusing to
answer -- but that fine is almost never imposed. In fact, 35% of the
population refused to return their forms in 1990 and, according to Census
officials, no one was fined. So your chance of being fined is almost nil --
but you can make a big statement in support of liberty, equality, and
Constitutional government by boycotting the questions. (Note: The $100 fine
is contained in Title 13, Chapter 7, Subchapter II of the U.S. Code.)
Doesn't the Census Bureau promise not to share your answers with other agencies?
Yes, but there's no reason to believe that claim.
Keep in mind that this is the same government that once promised to use
your Social Security number for "tax purposes only." If you're worried
about your privacy, you're not alone: A USA Today poll published on March
13 revealed that 50% of the public doesn't trust the bureau to keep the
data confidential. The best way to protect your private information is to
make sure the government doesn't have it.
If I don't return the form, or return it incomplete, what happens then?
You may get a follow-up phone call, or even a
visit, from a Census worker. If that happens, politely explain that you
agree that the Census has an important purpose: Counting the population, as
required by the Constitution. Add that you have fulfilled that requirement,
and you believe that the other questions invade your privacy and will be
used as an excuse to squander more of your tax money.
What about the racial questions?
Both the short and long forms ask you to put
yourself into one of 18 government-approved racial categories. Such racial
data provides the statistical blueprint for race-based government programs,
like the mandatory 10% set-aside for federal highway projects and quotas
for college admissions. Refusing to answer this question is the first step
toward ending such government racism. We urge you to leave this section
blank, or simply write in "Human."
Are there other advantages to a one-question Census?
Yes! Response rates would be higher because filling
out the form would take about 30 seconds. The cost to the taxpayer would be
lower because there would be no need to send out swarms of enumerators and
print and process millions of forms. And politicians would have less
ammunition for expanded government programs.
Census on a Postcard
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FRONT
Attn: Resident(s)
The Constitution authorizes the U.S. government
to conduct a Census every 10 years so that
Congressional districts can be apportioned fairly.
Please fill out this Census form and return it.
Name: __________________________
Address: __________________________
__________________________
Number of people at this address: ______
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BACK
Attn: Director Kenneth Prewitt
Bureau of the Census
Washington, DC, 20233
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Related News Releases
Additional Pages Relating to Privacy
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