Our Tax Dollars at work . .

[Tenaj]

I'm laughing at the absurdity of this one. I just received my mail and the first thing I open is from the Census Bureau. I opened it, anxious to see which form I received this time and what do I find.. . no form. . .just a notice that I will be receiving the form next week.

 

How much has been spent to mail us notifications that they will be mailing the forms out next week? :confused:

[CatMomof3]

:001_huh:

[Jen500]

Maybe they have found they spend less $$ following up with people if they send a notification first. I would hope this is a reason anyways, and not just extra spending. I like to think the best of people.

[Pippen]

I'm laughing at the absurdity of this one. I just received my mail and the first thing I open is from the Census Bureau. I opened it, anxious to see which form I received this time and what do I find.. . no form. . .just a notice that I will be receiving the form next week. :confused:

 

Not a postcard which would have been cheaper to print and mail?

[Annie G]

I can top that tax dollar waste story. Two weeks ago the government paid me more than $500 for a training class on how to hand deliver census forms. They hand deliver to folks who have no home mail delivery( meaning those who use a po box). Then the actual job took me only 12 hours. 4 days of training to do a 12 hour job...and they told me they thought it would take 5 weeks.

[Krista in LA]

I'm laughing at the absurdity of this one. I just received my mail and the first thing I open is from the Census Bureau. I opened it, anxious to see which form I received this time and what do I find.. . no form. . .just a notice that I will be receiving the form next week.

 

How much has been spent to mail us notifications that they will be mailing the forms out next week? :confused:

 

Stimulus spending to keep the postal workers in jobs? :D

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Maybe they have found they spend less $$ following up with people if they send a notification first. I would hope this is a reason anyways, and not just extra spending. I like to think the best of people.

 

:iagree::iagree:

[hornblower]

I can top that tax dollar waste story. Two weeks ago the government paid me more than $500 for a training class on how to hand deliver census forms. .

 

So - you're sending it ($) back?

Edited March 8, 2010 by hornblower

[hsmom]

I had someone come to my door with mine. We live where mail is only delivered to p.o boxes unless it is UPS. So, they have people going door to door to deliver them.

[TXMary2]

Maybe they have found they spend less $$ following up with people if they send a notification first. I would hope this is a reason anyways, and not just extra spending. I like to think the best of people.

 

Too bad the government doesn't think the best of people.

[mammaruss]

They sent our family 2 of those notices--I will be asking our mail carrier later today if everyone in our neighborhood received 2 or if we were the only "lucky" ones!!:001_huh:

[kmacnchs]

I'm laughing at the absurdity of this one. I just received my mail and the first thing I open is from the Census Bureau. I opened it, anxious to see which form I received this time and what do I find.. . no form. . .just a notice that I will be receiving the form next week.

 

How much has been spent to mail us notifications that they will be mailing the forms out next week? :confused:

 

got mine today and I agree and am saddened/sickened :glare:

[Jen500]

Too bad the government doesn't think the best of people.

 

I tend to think the government is made up of people. People can be good and bad.

[Janice in NJ]

I just opened ours and thought the exact same thing.

 

Before I mail in our form maybe I'll send them a note letting them know that I'll be mailing in my form soon....

 

Peace,

Janice

[kmacnchs]

I just opened ours and thought the exact same thing.

 

Before I mail in our form maybe I'll send them a note letting them know that I'll be mailing in my form soon....

 

Peace,

Janice

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[3littlekeets]

I'm laughing at the absurdity of this one. I just received my mail and the first thing I open is from the Census Bureau. I opened it, anxious to see which form I received this time and what do I find.. . no form. . .just a notice that I will be receiving the form next week.

 

How much has been spent to mail us notifications that they will be mailing the forms out next week? :confused:

 

 

I had the same reaction when Bush instituted a tax credit and the IRS sent out NOTICES that we'd be getting checks, then checks, just a few months before our tax refunds anyway. Thanks...just put 85 cents more in my return :001_huh:

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Too bad the government doesn't think the best of people.

 

Actually, IMHO, I think the census has had decades of experience with whether people need reminders or what not. I know from my work experience with professionals that it was very difficult to get a significant portion of people to comply with mandatory education despite reminders, flexibility of offerings, streamlining, etc.I think it is only human nature to expect that there will be some difficultly getting some people to follow through and not thinking badly about people. I think this is just being realistic IMO.

Edited March 8, 2010 by priscilla
clarify

[JFSinIL]

I got the same stupid piece of mail - and had the same thought!

[Mrs Mungo]

Not a postcard which would have been cheaper to print and mail?

 

I would guess that due to privacy concerns the census bureau is not allowed to send anything not in a sealed envelope?

[TXMary2]

I tend to think the government is made up of people. People can be good and bad.

 

Yes, but TPTB generally tend to think "We the People" are idiots. I understand that most government workers are average Joe's.

[Carrie12345]

My actual census was hand delivered today (no home delivery here). What gets me is that our community clubhouse has a census employee sitting from 9-12, M-F for two weeks to assist anyone with problems.

 

1. I filled mine out in less than 3 minutes (6 people) and can't imagine what problems could possibly be had.

 

2. I don't know why anyone would haul their rear to the clubhouse (between the weekday hours of 9 and 12, no less) when there's a phone number to call from the comfort of their home.

 

I almost feel bad for the women, sitting all by her lonesome self, and then I figure she's making pretty good money to do so! :001_huh:

[Mrs Mungo]

Yes, but TPTB generally tend to think "We the People" are idiots. I understand that most government workers are average Joe's.

 

In any large bureaucracy such as the public school system, the military, federal and state level governments, etc they have to make things easy to understand because they are dealing with a LOT of people with all sorts of educational, linguistic and literacy levels. When it comes to the US? You're talking 300 million people. It's estimated that 1% of those people are functionally illiterate, that may be a small percentage but it translates to a lot of people. Approximately 11-12 million live in homes where nobody 14 or older speaks English. It has to cater to that lowest level of education and literacy.

[Jen500]

Yes, but TPTB generally tend to think "We the People" are idiots. I understand that most government workers are average Joe's.

 

ok.

I guess I'm just in a happy mood today in general.:D

[Pippen]

4 days of training to do a 12 hour job.

 

Sounds like you just joined the ranks of the underemployed! :lol:

[Cinder]

I had the same reaction when Bush instituted a tax credit and the IRS sent out NOTICES that we'd be getting checks, then checks, just a few months before our tax refunds anyway. Thanks...just put 85 cents more in my return :001_huh:

 

Even better here--we got our check and THEN our notice.

 

 

Cinder

[LaissezFaire]

I got one too. What a waste of postage and paper!

[Aggie]

I had someone come to my door with mine. We live where mail is only delivered to p.o boxes unless it is UPS. So, they have people going door to door to deliver them.

 

 

We're rural, but we still have a mailbox at the end of our driveway and the USPS delivers to our home every day.

 

Yesterday, though, a census worker drove out here to hand deliver our census envelope.

[Quiver0f10]

I'm laughing at the absurdity of this one. I just received my mail and the first thing I open is from the Census Bureau. I opened it, anxious to see which form I received this time and what do I find.. . no form. . .just a notice that I will be receiving the form next week.

 

How much has been spent to mail us notifications that they will be mailing the forms out next week? :confused:

 

 

I got the same letter and wondered the same thing!

[TXMary2]

In any large bureaucracy such as the public school system, the military, federal and state level governments, etc they have to make things easy to understand because they are dealing with a LOT of people with all sorts of educational, linguistic and literacy levels. When it comes to the US? You're talking 300 million people. It's estimated that 1% of those people are functionally illiterate, that may be a small percentage but it translates to a lot of people. Approximately 11-12 million live in homes where nobody 14 or older speaks English. It has to cater to that lowest level of education and literacy.

 

I understand why they do it, I just disagree with them doing it.

[Nakia]

We got one too. :glare:

[kewb]

We received one today, too.

[Tree House Academy]

We got that in the mail today too. I sure hope they send us the easy form because Dh absolutely refuses to do the other one...claiming it is totally against his beliefs in what a census is about.

[ElizabethB]

Mine in CA had the last note in English + 5 other languages: Spanish, ?Chinese, ?Korean, ?Vietnamese, and Russian.

 

Everyone else, or different languages elsewhere or just English elsewhere?

[Tree House Academy]

Ours was just in English.

[Pippen]

I would guess that due to privacy concerns the census bureau is not allowed to send anything not in a sealed envelope?

 

I got mine today and it was only address To Resident At so I don't think it's a privacy issue.

 

They already have a mistake on what I got today--address is mine, zip is mine, town is totally wrong. It is in my state however so I'm wondering if that's good enough for them. :001_huh:

[Tenaj]

Mine in CA had the last note in English + 5 other languages: Spanish, ?Chinese, ?Korean, ?Vietnamese, and Russian.

 

Everyone else, or different languages elsewhere or just English elsewhere?

 

Ours had all the different languages (OH).

[Renee in NC]

I got mine today and it was only address To Resident At so I don't think it's a privacy issue.

 

They already have a mistake on what I got today--address is mine, zip is mine, town is totally wrong. It is in my state however so I'm wondering if that's good enough for them. :001_huh:

 

Actually one of the reasons for sending them out is to see which ones come back due to incorrect address or no delivery available.

[SquirrellyMama]

Mine in CA had the last note in English + 5 other languages: Spanish, ?Chinese, ?Korean, ?Vietnamese, and Russian.

 

Everyone else, or different languages elsewhere or just English elsewhere?

 

Ours was just English.

[Starr]

How funny that some states only speak English? Ny comes with multiple languages. I think every state I've lived in has people that don't use English as their first language.

[ElizabethB]

How funny that some states only speak English? Ny comes with multiple languages. I think every state I've lived in has people that don't use English as their first language.

:iagree:

 

But, having lived in several different states, I always like to compare. Interestingly, the languages on things they send don't always match the actual languages spoken percentage wise!

 

Also, voting is different. Washington state has about a dozen presidential candidates every time, it's very interesting reading to read about some of the more obscure ones (on both sides of the spectrum!) I didn't realize until recently that these parties are only on the ballot in a few states.

[lauriep]

I'm laughing at the absurdity of this one. I just received my mail and the first thing I open is from the Census Bureau. I opened it, anxious to see which form I received this time and what do I find.. . no form. . .just a notice that I will be receiving the form next week.

 

How much has been spent to mail us notifications that they will be mailing the forms out next week? :confused:

 

My husband asked the same question when he opened it.

[RanchGirl]

It does seem incredibly wasteful, as does the television commercial with celebrities talking up the census! What happened to the new and improved and now more fiscally responsible government?:001_rolleyes:

[Pippen]

It does seem incredibly wasteful, as does the television commercial with celebrities talking up the census! What happened to the new and improved and now more fiscally responsible government?:001_rolleyes:

 

They're the official sponsor of a NASCAR with a 2010 Census paint job in order to "To increase awareness and encourage participation among hard-to-count populations living in rural parts of the country in the upcoming 2010 Census, the three-race sponsorship schedule lines up with key census mail-out and mail-back dates.To increase awareness and encourage participation among hard-to-count populations living in rural parts of the country in the upcoming 2010 Census, the three-race sponsorship schedule lines up with key census mail-out and mail-back dates."

 

I am not making this up. I found it on their website when I went hunting for what to do about the mistake on my mailing:

http://2010.census.gov/news/releases/race-track-roush-fenway.html

 

Oh, and you can follow them on twitter, facebook, youtube, etc. Haben't you been dying to have the 2010 census as your facebook friend?

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/involved/index.php

[Lizzie in Ma]

Absurd. IMHO

[Annie G]

So - you're sending it ($) back?

 

No, I am not sending the money back. The training class I took last spring was the same length and the resulting operation took 8 weeks. There wasn't any way I could know this operation wouldn't last long enough to warrant the training. I didn't want to do any further operations because after this operation, I am uncomfortable with their tactics and goals. I have agreed to do a quality control operation (which is verifying the accuracy of the operation we just completed), and then I'm done.

 

I wanted to be involved in this so I'd have firsthand knowledge of how it was operating in my area AND so I could do at least my little portion of it with integrity. We live in a rural area but I was surprised to find so many pockets of poverty and homeless settlements in the most rural areas of our county. I never dreamed people lived where they do, and I really became educated on the needs our little area has.

I'm ok with the 10 question census form but not with the lengthy American Community Survey, and I won't participate in any operations with that.

 

As for the money- no, I don't plan to send it back. I earned it, though the training classes are much easier than the field work. I saw and heard some heartbreaking things- mostly involving kids and animals- and even though the government has wasted a ton of money on this, I am still glad I got involved. I needed to get out of my comfort zone and see what's out there. I volunteer four days a week for a nonprofit but it's paperwork I do there- seeing some real needs opened my eyes.

[SquirrellyMama]

How funny that some states only speak English? Ny comes with multiple languages. I think every state I've lived in has people that don't use English as their first language.

 

Maybe they could *gasp* learn English. I have no problem with people using their native language within their family and in their home. I would prefer that people learn English to use when out and about in this country and on legal forms.

 

Maybe they are giving all the folks who are planning on lying while answering the form an extra week to think up their lies...

 

Will people actually lie? I suppose there is someone out there who will. My dh jokingly suggested we put on there that we speak Klingon (not sure of the spelling) and we demand forms in our language :001_smile:

Edited March 9, 2010 by kwiech

[mommaduck]

Maybe they could *gasp* learn English. I have no problem with people using their native language within their family and in their home. I would prefer that people learn English to use when out and about in this country and on legal forms.

:glare: They probably ARE learning English, but *gasp* that takes time! And learning a new language is easier and quicker for some than it is for others.

[Mrs Mungo]

Maybe they could *gasp* learn English. I have no problem with people using their native language within their family and in their home. I would prefer that people learn English to use when out and about in this country and on legal forms.

 

I lived in Germany for 5 years and learned enough to get by but I was far from fluent. The US doesn't have an official language, it's a country of immigrants. Unless you plan on learning Cherokee and Sioux?

[kmacnchs]

:glare: They probably ARE learning English, but *gasp* that takes time! And learning a new language is easier and quicker for some than it is for others.

 

NO KIDDING! Learning languages are difficult for some of us!

 

And the US is the only country that seems to expect others to learn English. In some other countries, signs, etc. are in multiple languages. Even when that is not the case, there are people everywhere trying to learn English so they can help the American!

[TravelingChris]

There will be only form from now on. They got rid of the Long form. What they do is have a much smaller survey called the American Community Survery which is conducted each year and which is mandatory too. It affects a very small percentage of people and is similar to the old long form.