Did anyone else receive one of these? According to their web site, US Code Title 13, sections Section 141 and Section 193 your response is required by law.
In reality, those sections outline that The Secretary (who is presumably defined elsewhere) can take surveys as a part of their census process. It is Section 221 that requires you to respond:
Whoever, being over eighteen years of age, refuses or willfully neglects, when requested by the Secretary, or by any other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of the Secretary or authorized officer, to answer, to the best of his knowledge, any of the questions on any schedule submitted to him in connection with any census or survey provided…
That’s just a crock.
Oh, sure, census information is useful and all that. It’s just the principal of it. I guess I’ll have to ask the nice lady who came to my door for some evidence that she is an authorized officer or employee of the Deparment of Commerce, or a bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of The Secretary.
Heck, I’d pay the $100 if it weren’t for Title 18, Section 3571 (allegedly Section 3559 as well, but that seems to deal with imprisonment and not monetary fines). With it on the books, the “not greater than $100” fine becomes “not greater than $5000” fine. That really blows.
Comments
718 responses to “American Community Survey”
“As the conversation grows, it becomes less socially acceptable to break it off.”
I am so entertained by this quote from the Refusal Aversion Training material. Say WHAT??? Less socially acceptable to end the conversation? Got to love these people. Do they try hard to be this stupid, or does it come naturally?
There is no way of predicting which method of dealing with the CB will result in shortening or dragging out the experience. There are too many variables. The CB has the 90 days to get the job done. Just like it was a game with me not to talk to them, in may well be a game to them to get compliance no matter what. Every individual has to decide for themselves how best to handle the CB rep at the door. My primary goal was to not have the CB rep get any info on me. While info could be gained by looking at my residence, nothing could be learned about me directly. I decided not to waste my time telling them no. I wanted them to waste their time and resources with me instead. I don’t owe them an answer. I don’t have to answer my door. I don’t have to deal with them at all. Right now I’m waiting for round 2 with the CB over the 2010 census. While the CB can act as a thug, we are expected to be polite to the field reps. Well, guess again.
Now I understand that people do not like conflict. And so does the Census Bureau, that is why they have refusal aversion training.
They also are required to make a certain number of contact attempts. They will give up sooner with a clear refusal but avoiding them doesn’t count according to the procedures they have to follow. If you answer the door and clearly refuse to participate, they may send another person. But after multiple refusals they leave you alone.
Not answering the door or avoiding them does not count as a contact, so they have to keep attempting contact longer. By hiding you are dragging out the experience longer than it needs to be.
Firm, polite, No. That is all you need to do.
AS the great Greta Garbo said, “I want to be alone” Why don’t they just leave me the “F” ALONE!!!!?????? I’m about to blow a gasket :***(
Great job, confused! Let’s hope you’re done.
CB was just back just now!….a woman this time! Dogs went nuts!! Good boys 😉 I told her I already answered all I am going to..she looked surprised and asked “You have?” I said “yes Ma’am” and closed the door……I hate this crap! I’m an easy mark as I am home all the time!
it’s bad enough they have to invade our privacy with the Census and now ACS now we have to endure them at our door? and don’t think for a second I won’t be ruse if someone is rude to me! This all so stupid!
You are so right, Cathy. Don’t be afraid. Be indignant, outraged, obstinant in holding your rights. They are powerless, unless we give it to them by complying with their unconstitutional demands. So an act of Congress allows them to do this because of high pressuring lobbyists. But they well know that Constitution trumps Congress, and so there will be no action behind their threats.
We have not been contacted now, in several weeks…
We never returned or responded to the ACS. When they called; the couple that I accidentally picked up, I was firm in my not participating; even when they mentioned fines. Two final calls, and no one came to “visit” in person.
Thanks to these posts/information; we did not stress out about this although we’re in our seventies and not used to such intrusions. Hopefully, if we all stand firm; we can discourage things like this in the future. Don’t let go of your freedom!
Don’t think about it as “hiding in your homes”. Think of it as avoiding arguing with CB reps who don’t care what you think about the survey. Think of it as standing your ground against any unwanted intrusion. Think of your time as being too valuable to waste talking to the CB.
They are taught to get around resistance. They are are taught to take advantage of an an individual’s need to be polite. There is this “golden rule” thing to treat others the way we want to be treated. The rule fails to to give guidance when those “others” fail to treat us the way we would treat them. Most people don’t want to be rude to a stranger even when that stranger is being rude to them.
I set up a camera to watch the front door to watch them. Remember, they do go away and things go back to normal.
@Shannon…..your post makes me sad! I think it’s awful we have to hide or fear answering our doors