Census Bureau paying for SUV ads

[donsu]

http://www.democrats.com/

Why are Taxpayer Dollars Being Used to Put SUV 'Ads' in National News Service?

Going through US Newswire this evening, we were shocked to find not one, but four news releases placed by the US Census Bureau touting the fact that SUV registrations were up: Sample headline: "SUV REGISTRATIONS UP 79 PERCENT IN ALABAMA SAYS CENSUS BUREAU. Press release text sample: "Sport utility vehicle (SUV) registrations in Hawaii increased 69 percent between 1997 and 2002, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. SUV registrations jumped from 64,400 in 1997 to 108,500 in 2002...etc." These press releases are several hundred dollars a pop! And the only reason for placing them is as a sales pitch: Hey, your neighbors are buying SUVs, so better run out and get one and keep those oil barons and auto moguls happy! This is OUTRAGEOUS! Using taxpayer dollars to promote gas-guzzling vehicles with poor safety records that run counter to any type of energy conservation or greenhouse gas mitigation plan.
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this is one of their news releases:

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=39095

To: State Desk

Contact: Mike Bergman of the Census Bureau, 301-763-3030

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Sport utility vehicle (SUV) registrations in Alabama increased 79 percent between 1997 and 2002, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. SUV registrations jumped from 251,100 in 1997 to 450,200 in 2002.

The 2002 Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS) report for Alabama includes information on fuel efficiency, annual mileage, primary range of operation, permanent equipment and other physical and operational characteristics. Data are for pickup trucks, SUVs, minivans, and all other single-unit trucks and truck-tractors.

State reports are being released on a flow basis. A U.S. summary report will be issued later this year.

Estimates in this report are based on data from the 2002 VIUS. They contain sampling and nonsampling errors. To keep the identity of an individual respondent confidential, some estimates may be suppressed. Users who make their own estimates based on survey estimates should cite the U.S. Census Bureau as the source of the original estimates only. See http://www.census.gov/svsd/www/02vehinv.html for measures of sampling variability and other survey information.

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Editor's Note: News releases, reports and data tables are available on the Census Bureau's home page. Go to http://www.census.gov and click on "Releases."
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it's the 'message' that gets us to pull our money out of our pockets

[AIJ Alom]

1. You mean the census bureau is now the government version of consumer

reports ? what the heck do SUV's have to do with population dynamics, I'm gonna give this bozo a call !

[patrice]

2. Just shows my Mom is right . . .

Some people WILL literally cut their nose off to spite YOUR face.

I just wish I didn't have to support them doing that with my tax dollars!