Census workers get ready for door-to-door count

[TomCADem]

Source: Washington Post

NEW YORK -- It sounds simple enough. Knock on some doors, ask some questions, get some answers.

But for the more than 600,000 people going door-to-door to reach those who haven't mailed in their census forms, it's not.

When census enumerators set out this Saturday, they could encounter a range of responses at the 48 million addresses they need to check. People who never seem to be home. People who don't speak English. People who say they're too busy. People who swear they mailed in their responses. People who want to know what business is it of the government how many people live in their house, anyway. People who question what will happen to the information that gets collected.

Census workers around the country have spent most the last week getting trained in all the things they need to know to get the job done, from how to deal with people who are reluctant to answer to what to do at homes with guard dogs.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/01/AR2010050100460.html

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I do hope that Glenn Beck and all the right wingers dial back their violent threats against census workers while this is being done.

[Abq_Sarah]

1. Just checked my county participation rate

41% for a very blue county. You'd think they would know better than to blow it off.

Just checked the state participation rate: 63%. We're the second lowest after Alaska.

[dencol]

2. I'm an enumerator.

THANK GOODNESS for the work! Unemployed for 14 months - this is a godsend!

[Ex Lurker]

4. if you come to my house

I'll keep dodging you. that should keep you on the payroll a little while.

[WildClarySage]

8. I'm also an enumerator.

I'm not a bastard. I'm finally employed. I hope you're not on my list, but someone like you probably is. If you don't want to answer the questions, at least tell the person who comes to your door how many people live there. It would be a shame for your locality to lose representation in the government because of an inaccurate head count, or for your state and county to lose federal funding for improvement projects. And be nice to us, we're hard-working, honest people who are doing a job that we're grateful to get.

[proteus_lives]

31. Enumerator fist-bump.

:fistbump:

[Ex Lurker]

3. My form is sitting right here

I just haven't felt like filling it out this year. If one of those annoying bastards knocks on my door I'll pretend I'm not home. It's supposed to rain tomorrow, so maybe they won't be too persistent.

[CreekDog]

6. i guess i don't get you

:shrug:

[Ter]

18. I'll just give them wrong information if they knock on my door

Wrong name, wrong age, and wrong ethnicity.

[CreekDog]

19. Still don't get you...even moreso now

don't know what's your problem.

[Ter]

21. I don't like Big Brother

The government doesn't need to know my personal life.

[awoke_in_2003]

22. Some people complain...

when our politicians do not follow the Constitution, yet will turn around and do the same. As citizens we do not just have rights, we also have responsibilities. But one side of the political spectrum doesn't get that.

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/why/constitutional.php

[Berry Cool]

16. You're calling some of your fellow DU'ers "annoying bastards."

And you're doing it just because "you didn't feel like filling it out this year," even though it's the law. Nice.

I hope whoever's job it is to enumerate you is very persistent.

[awoke_in_2003]

17. "Annoying bastards:...

As spelled out in the Constitution, it is our duty to fill out the census. If you don't do it, YOU are the annoying bastard.

[CreekDog]

20. Once every ten years is annoying to this person

whatever... :eyes:

[awoke_in_2003]

23. I am 42

and have been part of 5 census. My father took care of the first two (I was 2 and 12), I did the other three. Between those 3 I have a total invested time of under 30 minutes. Wow, not very much time at all. Some (like the one you are referencing) do not realize we have responsibilities as citizens. I wonder how that one votes? :)

[Posteritatis]

25. Oh no! How dare they suck up a minute or two of your time every ten years!

Myopic, inane bullshit.

[proteus_lives]

30. I did Census work for four hours in the rain yesterday.

We'll be there. Ready or not.

[Hestia]

5. I wonder how many of the no responses are from foreclosed houses

[tanyev]

7. Good luck, census workers. Stay safe!

[WildClarySage]

9. Thanks!

[spicegal]

10. Good luck to the census workers. Stay safe. There are lots nutsy cuckoos

out there who have been whipped into a frenzey by the right wing fringe. Of course, if people would mail these forms in, it would save tons of money.

[marshall]

11. Joining the ranks with the Mormons and the Jehovah's Witnesses

They always have interesting stories to tell.

[gulfbreeze]

12. I just received the 2nd one, the long one

and I really, really don't like having to answer these very intrusive questions. They made me so uncomfortable that I decided to see if the American Community Survey was a valid gov form. I found I wasn't necessarily alone in feeling this way. I just really don't understand how some of these questions will assist the gov in any way. To boot, some of the questions don't allow the "real picture" answer. For example, my husband has his own business and goes to work everyday (40 hrs/wk) but since the economic crises, we are living off of our savings. He is marketing, writing proposals, and looking for clients everyday but the census does not address that. You can't even answer the section about looking for work if you go to the office everyday.

[kentauros]

15. I didn't have any problem with the ACS,

whether in filling it out or doing so at all. It doesn't come out once a decade; it comes out every year. It's likely only getting any attention because of the Census.

I'm also unemployed, but I don't have "other work" or a spouse, so that's probably why I had no qualms about filling it out and returning it.

[S_B_Jackson]

27. I got the ACS back in 1996...

didn't like the question, gave them the number of people living in the home and sent it back.

A month or so later, a census worker showed up to try bullying me into providing the rest of the information....I asked to know the specific section of the US Code which granted the government any authority to do so and to mail it to me. A week later, a xeroxed section of the law was sent. The law requires me/you/anyone to participate, but only empowers the US Census Bureau to assess penalties during the decennial census.

A week later the same worker showed up, and I refused again, and pointed out to her that the there was little she could do about it if I refused to participate being that it was not a decennial census. :) I did invite her however to figure out how many toilets I had by counting the sewer vents in the roof and if she wished she could surmise that it meant that I did have indoor toilet facilities. Let's just say that she was not pleased.........and I'm OK with that.

[onehandle]

13. Palin loving teabaggers run to Walmart to 'reload.' nt

[Robb]

14. Took me less than two minutes to fill mine out

Piece o' cake. :D


...I kid, but it was quick and easy.

[awoke_in_2003]

24. Dingbat is a race?

I guess it is when it comes to you :hi:

[Brickbat]

26. I'm an enumerator too; the non-response project is my second this year.

Looking forward to it.

[proteus_lives]

29. Enumerator fist-bump.

:fistbump:

[Brickbat]

32. Holla back!

:toast:

[proteus_lives]

28. I've been doing it for a week now.

It's been fun and it pays well!

[Dappleganger]

33. We sent in our form but if you dare to show up at my front door...

I'll be serving you the best southern iced tea you've ever had. ;)

[nc4bo]

34. Hi fellow enumerators!! Starting pounding the pavement yesterday :D

I'm not in my home district so the miles are adding up very quickly but you won't hear me complaining. So grateful to have a job!

Happy trails and stay safe everyone!!!

:hi: