Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Census Follies

In the brilliant 80’s TV series Max Headroom, “Blanks” are those who evade being documented by the government. Being a Blank was very much against the law, of course.

I’m beginning to feel like a Blank, at least as far as the Census is concerned.

No, I am not one of those who are refusing to answer the Census. Just the opposite. I do not yet know if I will answer each and every question, but I do want to be counted.

Yet I have not received a census form. I have not received a phone call, even though I am in the phone book. And the Census 2010 site is a joke. It seems to have everything on it except what do you do if the Census hasn’t found you. I could not even find a place where I could say, “Hey I’m here! Send me a form, you bureaucratic dullards.” Believe me, I tried yesterday evening and gave up.

And these are the sort of people who are going to run our healthcare? The Census Bureau has ten frickin’ years to prepare, and they can’t do better than this?

If I were paranoid, I’d think this is not mere incompetence. I’d think the Obama regime doesn’t want conservative Texans to be counted for political reapportionment. But surely not!

4 comments:

Mari said...

Guess you can call to complain:
Dallas:
(Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas)
Regional Census Center: (214)-267-6900
Regional Partnership Group: (214)-637-9680

Mark said...

Thank you, Mari. I called and after some humorous gyrations, I got counted.

wannabe

BillB said...

I have a co-worker who has been double counted. He filled out and sent in his form. He did this after he and his family moved into an apartment while looking for a new house because their old house sold much faster than they tought. The other day a census person came through the apartment complex. They wanted to count him and his family. He told the census worker that they had sent in their form and he didn't need to be counted. The census worker became very insistent that they take his information. Finally he gave them the minimum. The system is manned by maroons!

Mark said...

I've been told that a census worker will likely contact me to verify my info. I can only imagine the expense if this is common.

wannabe