Kowabunga

I am doomed. Compliance with the unconstitutional invasion of my privacy by the Census Bureau's American Community Survey is mandated by law. Worse, this is going to replace the census form beginning in 2010. By then, it may even be more intrusive.

Why does this bother me?

Well, for one, what business is it of the Census Bureau to know what I drive to work? And far I commute? Or how much my mortgage is? Or how much my utilities cost? What about my income? From all sources? Who do these people think they are? The IRS?

But wait, on the cover, in big friendly letters, it claims "Don't Panic! We're the government and we're here to help!" (wrong book) They claim that this data is necessary to local officials to plan budgets, decide where new schools are needed, and so on.

Let's see, now. My township, where I serve as a Supervisor, does not use any such information to plan budgets, schools, etc. Maybe this is due to our size. However, even school districts and other local taxing authorities do not use this kind of data to levy taxes. Sure, they use property valuations with household numbers to determine tax levies, but they don't get it form the Census Bureau. They already have that.

Yet, the Census bureau is bound and determined to have this information, at the cost of my privacy.

If you have not seen this survey, then you can download from census.gov as ACS.pdf. Download, read it, and remember, if this thing isn't stopped, you too will have to fill it in 2010.

This will be an ongoing series of articles, so please stay tuned.