American Community Survey

Flaunting myself in front of the Federal Government, or at least the US Census Bureau, I am going to write this post.  They already have me flagged since the infamous Colorado Springs Airport Incident in 2006 and sometimes I get escorted by a Federal Air Marshall when I fly.  Although since 9-11 they have had bigger fish to fry and they have left me pretty much alone.

When I started attending the Louisiana Tea Party meetings, sometimes speaking as a part of the meeting, the IRS got involved.  Thank you Lois Lerner.

We were contacted as part of a group of donors just prior to the last Presidential Election.  They did not find a reason to audit us at that time, but I know of 9 people with similar backgrounds who did get audited.  None were found to owe additional money and 2 actually were owed a small amount of money.

This is not the first time the American Community Survey has darkened my door.  We went through this two years ago.  

The American Community Survey through the US Census Bureau is charged with collecting information beyond what is normally collected in a decade Census or on your IRS Tax Return.  The survey first comes to your house with the words, You Are Required By Law To Answer this Survey in bold letters.  You are only legally required to respond to the US Census with the number of people in the house.  And that is all we do.  The Supreme Court has ruled more than several times that an American Citizen has a right to privacy as given us in the US Constitution.  And as far as I know, the US Constitution takes precedence over all other laws. 

The questions on this survey include:

financial information about my income, employers and financial info about the property.

health of the people living in the house, can we walk up or down stairs, mental condition, problems concentrating or remembering. 

info on any immigrants, date of arrival.

coverage by health insurance, carrier information

what type of internet we have

what type and number of cell phones, desktop or handheld computers.

address of our employers, how long does it take us to get to work, how many days last week did we work.

Are they building a database on us or what?  They say the reason the information is needed is to predict the placement of police stations, fire houses and schools.  However, Civics class taught us that this is the purview of the state and local governments, NOT the Federal Government.  And the mental state of my house inhabitants and the number of computers we have has nothing to do with police, fire houses or school placement. 

Let me say that we file proper and accurate tax returns every year.  But I have refused to return these  paper surveys.  I have refused to give them information when I answer the daily phone calls.  And now, they sent a US Census worker to my door.  And an interesting thing happened.

Remember we recently had our front door replaced?  The outer storm door is a high level security door that has superstrong tempered glass and 3 door strikes.  No one is coming through that door without something like a car to crash it down.

I knew who she was as she walked to the door.  I can see out my studio window.  She rang the bell and the dogs barked, I saw her visibly flinch.

When I opened my inner door, her hand reached out to open the knob on my storm door, but it was locked.  Thank the gods that be!

She was willing to enter my house, with our without my permission, despite the fact that I had large sounding dogs barking behind me.  Amazing.  She drove specifically to my door and did not come from my neighbor's house like she was canvassing the neighborhood.  Nor did she go to any other house on my block as she drove away.  She came specifically for us.

When I looked on the internet (yes, we do have internet)  for the American Community Survey one o the things I read on several sites was the number of suits filed against the US Census Bureau for an American Community Survey worker illegally entering their private homes by inserting a foot into an open door.

And I did refuse to give out any personal information.   I guess their next step will be a warrant.  Although last time they backed off when I told them they were harrassing me.

My next post may be from Federal Prison!  But at least you will know where I am and that I am!

And why!