Do I Have to Respond to the ACS?

From original poster # 188:

Poster 235 is on to something: maybe my neighborhood can get a new school, a new hospital, and a new fire station. All i have to do is tell some temporary worker my family's medical history, financial history, and of course, what time we can be burglarized (oops, I mean the time of day that we leave and come home from work).

But seriously, It's not about conspiracy theories. Its about an obnoxiously intrusive survey, based on a lie about fire stations and such, done in a not so anonymous manner, by people who are often temporary workers and thus lack accountability for the privacy of the information they take.

So go ahead and fill it out 235. Maybe you'll get a new hospital!

Apparently there are quite a few people who expect miracles out of thin air. Fix this problem, fix that, insure this, promise that, but do it without any info, just throw a dart and hope for the best, then when it fails we'll have someone to blame it on, but it won't be our fault! Bunch of whiners who think the world revolves around their little lives and have paranoid conspiracy theories from watching too much TV. D

oes anyone understand what is involved in managing 300 million people spread out over an entire continent, each thinking all that matters is their individual needs? First of all, get a clue! This survey is not some spur of the moment mandate by the current administration. It has taken almost two decades to get it to this point where something intelligent can actually be done to manage our mess.

Tell me, if you were in charge of managing a company and you asked your staff for information so you could make an important decision and they could not answer any questions, how long do you think it would be before a major problem arose? That's why every selfish person here complains that the government doesn't use resources in the right place; the government waits too long to address problems; the government wastes money.

People, look around you and see. We change so quickly now compared to 40-50 years ago. You can't actually expect all of the decisions to be made accurately and take into account the needs at the consumer level based on a head county every 10 years. Get your head out of the clouds and step into reality. It's just like a bunch of whiners. we demand a trial by jury of our pears, but how many wiggle, squirm and lie every which way to get out of serving when it's their turn?

I received two surveys. I have not opened or returned them. On Monday, a worker left a letter at my door advising he would return again. On saturday he returned but I did not answer the door.

Last night (Monday) he showed up at 7:30. I was in my PJs and answered the door, thinking it was a neighbor. I asked who he was and he attempted to open the screen door. I grabbed the handle and slammed the door shut. I demanded who he was for the third time and he said us census. I then slammed the door shut.

I am wondering is a night time visit legal?

I will fill in my name, address, and very few pieces of information. The rest I will leave blank or make up. This is a bunch of crap.

Seriously, do I really have to answer and return the american community survey? It ridiculously says that the form is to help know where to put roads, schools, etc. That's a load of crap. They just closed one of the best schools in the area, and nobody surveyed me to ask if I cared about that!

I vote, and if the politicians do not honor their promises when they get into office, I'm sure Uncle Sam couldn't care less about what my area needs either. It's just another way to peg the American people to find out who's doing what. Why don't they survey me to find out my opinion on illegal immigrants, unemployment benefits to people who have barely held a job down in their life, giving child care benefits to unwed mothers who just keep popping out babies to numerous baby-daddies, who will never pay into the system so that I can collect Social Security when I want to finally retire after 50 years of non-stop work,or putting this country into mega-debt while giving money to impoverished countries that will never help us or appreciate us.

There, I think I got my point across. So, do I really need to fill this out, or can I use it to line my bird cage?

I received by first survey in early December and a second one just three weeks later. The first phone call was late December and was not answered. They again called a few days ago and I answered. The agent asked about receiving the survey and I informed him that mailed addressed to "resident" was not the responsibility of any named occupant to open but I was also familiar with the unconstitutional intrusion of the personal questions in such a survey and the corporate partners with which the data is shared.

He ignored the legality but admitted there were corporate sponsors involved. He asked if I would consent to a phone survey and I could decline from answering any questions I thought were too personal or intrusive. I replied I would answer no questions. He asked if I was refusing to answer the survey. I told him that was correct. He stated I would receive no further calls from the census but the next contact would be from the Justice department. I told him that was fine.

I guess we'll just wait and see. I will post again if there is further activity. Lock and Load.

Got this survey in the mail and opened it and started reading the questions and couldn't believe it I was so pissed off, it's really none of their business. I ripped it up and threw it away. It felt so good.

I would feel dirty if I accepted a job with the census. No, they aren't good people just trying to make a living as some might say. The employees of the Nazi Gestapo and Brownshirts said the same thing.

There's no excuse for making a living out of trying to intimidate American citizens and using lies about the law to create a threatening and harassing atmosphere on one's own private property. If the stories in this thread are true, those census workers are scum. I would never be pleasant with someone who intentionally makes a living trying to make my life unpleasant.

Nonsense!

From original poster #188: I heard the head of the Census on NPR this morning. He first announced the effect on Congressional districts based on the Population shifts from the Northeast to the South and Southwest. As a result, Congressional districts will need to be redrawn. Yet, he also said that the American Community Survey is continuing.

I suppose if they have the info to redistrict, they have all the info they need. No need to respond to the intrusive survey. Happy Holidays.

Have received two of the ACS forms, both went into the garbage. Waiting for the calls, then the visits. I am just not going to answer any questions. I like the idea of video taping them and guess I will charge up the old video camera.

We received the form last spring. I set it aside. The more I looked at it, the more I realized how unconstitutional and invasive it is.

Then we started getting the calls. My husband and daughter fielded a few of them and honestly told the workers they didn't have the information or the form so they'd have to try to catch me.

I started researching and am grateful for the advice by others here and on other sites.

As soon as they identified themselves as being with the Census Bureau, I quickly informed them that I sent it in. That's the truth. I sent in the Census form (and that's all I'm required to provide). I didn't argue or discuss it, just stated the truth and hung up immediately.

The second time I got a call, I followed the recommendation of a fellow patriot. I not only told them that I sent it in, but added that if I received another call, I would report it as harassment, and hung up immediately. That resulted in a letter from the director assuring me of privacy, etc. and inviting me to contact them if I had any concerns.

Yeah, I've got concerns, and no, I'm not going to answer their questions.

Somewhere in the process we got some messages on the answering machine asking us to call their 800 number and refer to our "case number." (I was astonished to note that apparently only about 12,000 households have resisted so far.) A couple were friendly; one sounded very "authoritative" and intimidating. I ignored all of them.

A third "live" call, and I told the caller again that I'd sent it (the Census) in and that I would report this call as harassment. I hung up immediately and called the sheriff. He didn't know what to think about that (needed to check the law), and took no action. We haven't been bothered since.

As a note, we live in a small, rural town so that may make a difference in whether it's worth the effort for them to continue demanding the information.

May the Lord grant my fellow citizens victory in their battles with this unconstitutional invasion of privacy, too.

Wow! Really glad I found this site. I started to take the survey and the more I saw the more upset I got. So I did not send it back.

Not more that 10 minutes ago, a person came to the door unannounced, said she was from the ACS, and did I have a few minutes to fill out the survey. I firmly told her I had no intention of filling out the survey as I felt it was no one's business. She informed me that I only had to answer a few questions, and could she come in?

I again said no. She said OK, left and then returned again within five minutes, saying it was her job to help me fill it out. I said I did not need any help.

The government has no right to know this personal information and that she could leave. She left, but will I be hearing from her again? I am a nurse, taxpaying honest citizen and I will not be forced into answering these obscene questions!

What the hell was someone on Obama's team thinking about? The survey is clearly an invasion of privacy, and any attempts of the ACS to pursue a fine for failure to submit the survey should be challenged in a court of law on unconstitutional and invasion of privacy grounds.

I can not believe this is United States, land of freedom and liberty. Even in police states, they don't ask these questions asked by the Census Bureau for the ACS.

This is not for every citizen, so we will not participate. They can go to hell. Nobody should answer the ACS survey.

I received my acs form,filled it out and threw it in the garbage where it belongs. they have called me several times and asked what I did with it. I told them they were barking up the wrong tree and they need to follow the U.S.

Now they called again and wanted to ask these questions over the phone. I gave them my name and not much more. Waiting for their next move. Those of you who filled it out have no backbone or common sense. Shame on you!

I too am grateful for this site. I actually worked for the Census in 1970. Then, there were just basic questions for everyone.

Now there was the random insanely long, for one out of four, which I think is totally unfair. When I saw the personal and invasive nature of recent Census, I was irate. The times they are a-changing.

I don't know why someone said the country is going too far to left. That is just crazy.

I am appalled by the questions asked on the ACS! At first, I completed the survey, sealed it in the envelope, and then did not send it. After giving it some thought, I felt compromised by the invasive questions asked, and decided that my right to privacy was surely being violated.

After reading many of the earlier posts, I feel I am doing the right thing by not returning the survey. I've since received a second one, and had one call this week(which I did not answer). I'm waiting for the harassment to begin!

Thank you to this site and to all those who have posted comments about the survey. There's comfort in knowing I'm not alone!

I answered only the necessary information on the first census, then was mailed the ever intrusive ACS. I gave only the necessary information for an actual enumeration of my household. How many, each age, and each sex.

I got a call last night from the Census folks, wanting to know our birthdays. I asked them what does my birthday have to do with enumeration count of my household? Was the government going to send us all birthday presents when they came around? I got no answer. Then I asked the census taker her birth date, and I again got no answer. It seems what is good for the goose is not good for the gander.

The census worker also tried to "bait" me into giving false answers by saying "just answer the question anyway you like even if it's not true." Wow!

Finally, she asked me if I was refusing to answer the questions and if I wanted her to put that down. I told her it would be easier for all of us if she did so.

I got another call tonight, but was not here to take the call. They left me a message to call them back and referred me to a case number.

As us Cajuns say: Hell froze over when the Saints won the Super Bowl last season. Well its going to get colder before I give them the info.

From (original) Poster 188: Knock on wood, the phone calls seem to have stopped. We monitored our caller ID and just refused to answer the phone when they called (along with any other numbers listed as "unavailable").

To be sure, the calls were incessant for a time -- anywhere from one to eight calls a day for about six to eight weeks perhaps. But, (knock on wood again) no visits ever occurred (yet that is). I emailed my Congressman (John Larson, CT) twice, over a month ago, but he (and/or his staff) has failed to reply by e-mail or phone.

My advice based on our experience thus far -- and I am not a lawyer -- just ignore the calls to the best of your ability, and if you answer by accident, simply hang up without conversation.

Although an intrusive visit would make my blood boil, I would suggest a similar strategy for visits if possible.

It's hard to believe that a patriotic, high school social studies teacher, and law-abiding citizen, such as myself, could be compelled to suggest such civil disobedience--but here I am, and hear me loud.

Best wishes, and see you all after the election. Poster 188

Please post legal options for readers when census takers are sharing personal information with neighbors!

I am absolutely livid right now. We've had non-stop, unannounced visits by the same census taker, who continues to drive-by the home multiple times during the day. Now the latest. This person has stopped to "chat" with the neighbors, asking who lives in our home, how many people, what their names are, what our schedules are. When neighbors gave them basic information, apparently the census taker then discussed the fact that they'd looked into tax records for "the residents of our home".

They are discussing tax records with our neighbors? Where does the boundary lie with these obsessive idiots? Where do we call to report this abuse?

We just got the letter today, to expect the questionnaire. I intend to scan the thing and email it to everyone I know, plus my congressman and senators. Then I'll find a place to post it and tweet it to my 350+ followers. I will also show it to any of my neighbors who might know my name and ask that they not answer any questions about us from anyone. I just hope one of them won't be on my 'case.'

We didn't send in the regular 2010 one and they came by the house. I left the notice stuck to the door. Turns out, the worker knew where my husband works and called him there shortly after.

He gave his name and the number of people living here and refused to answer anything else. He told the guy to just make something up. Unfortunately, the guy probably already knew the answers to some of the questions. He used to work for the gas company and has been in my house to light my pilot lights. I feel like that in itself is an invasion of my privacy.

Thank God I'm not the only one questioning the Constitutionality of this blatant invasion of personal privacy.

I've received two of these obscene forms and I do not to answer any of the questions printed thereon.

We do not live in 1930's Germany but you sure can't tell by reading the questions on this form.

I've read the Constitution now and I fail to find any foundation for anyone asking questions of this nature.

I also, as many of you, returned my census form (as I should and as the Constitution requires) but this has gone so far over the line that it's ridiculous.

I see on the accompanying letter that the destination of the form was intended to be the address only and not a particular person. If that's so, why is there a space for your name, date of birth and so much other identifying information that a blind man could identify the author of the answers.

I've been in some pretty terrifying situations and I don't scare that easily. I will not answer and/or return this form in spite of threats of fine, imprisonment or court appearance regardless of where the threat comes from.

Hurrah for Senator Michelle Bachmann (MN) who has said, I understand, that she will not fill out this piece of trash. I won't either.

I've worn a uniform to serve my country and, apparently, most of you feel as I do. Thank God that we still live in a country where we can still tell a thug where to go.

Poster 209: I believe that it is better to clearly refuse up front. Polite, firm, refusal. By the time the phone calls started I had researched the ACS and knew what the game was and that the threat of fines was bogus.

I clearly refused the first polite guy who called and then more firmly refused the stern woman who called next. I assume she was a supervisor. I let her know that I understood their game and wasn't going to play, and she said she would record me as a refusal.

The calls stopped and no one ever visited. Your results may vary but that was my experience.

Firm, clear refusal and don't even hint that you have any fear of their authority. Remember, they work for you, not the other way around.

If there are any lawyers out there, we would like you thoughts -- non-attribution of course. I have received two forms, and have no intention of responding.

Beyond principle, I work in the defense of our nation as a senior leader and have good reason to be concerned. The ability of our federal government to properly train temporary, and permanent, employees in PII and cyber security are not well represented in recent historical accounts.

The daily number of cyber attacks on our federal government and access by illicit state and non-state actors is eye watering.

Thesis: It is best to be professional and courteous when speaking in person and on the phone to the ACS representatives. State that you have not made up your mind yet and will get back with them (think "slow roll").

If at some point they insist you are declining, plead the Fifth Amendment. Any thoughts?

I am so thankful for this website! I feel empowered. I am being harassed and threatened. This survey is intrusive and i will not answer it! I am an american citizen and i will not be forced to give my personal information!

Are we having a problem differentiating between the Census and the ACS? I filled out my census. I have no problem with telling folks how many people, even our ages and nationalities. It does make an interesting snapshot of america.

However, the ACS wants to know what time my husband and I leave for work each day, our employer's address, our work location address (if different from our employer's) and if we commute via car, carpool or public transportation.

The IRS has all my income info, and frankly, it'd take me hours to look up all the financial info they want (monthly mortgage, gas, electric, utility bills.) But my favorite is if anyone in my house has difficulty concentrating, remembering things or making decisions, or difficulty dressing or bathing. Does this person have difficulty doing errands alone such as doctor's visits or shopping?

I have a five year old. He has trouble with all these things.

What we have here is a violation of HIPAA. We have received phone calls. We mailed in a partially filled out surveys with no birthdays or claims of citizenship (the Arizona authorities can't ask if someone is illegal, according to the feds, so neither can the feds ask me.) The surveyor didn't respond to that one when we had a "terse" discussion with them today.

We filled in very basic info and did put in the drive times. I refused to tell them financial info or how much I pay on a power bill. I simply put, 'None of your business". Referring to financials, I told them to ask the IRS.

We will be contacting our U.S. senators, including one who is is in a very tight re-election campaign. I'm also going to contact her opponent and see if we can get some action on it for the upcoming debates. This is just crap.

Let me get this straight: we cannot ask an illegal alien for papers because of racial profiling but we can try to force american citizens to fill out the ACS which has profiling information in every question?

And, further, we cannot wire tap calls coming into this country from suspected terrorists, but we can create bogus laws to try to make us fill out the ACS which provides more personal information than any wire tap could on american citizens.

A previous post said this is the American Communist survey. It sure the hell is. My high school son came home and read the questions and his first response was "this is communist." He is a senior in high school and just finished studying the history of communism.

I never thought at age 47 that I would ever see our country go this far the the left. We aren't answering these questions for anyone unless they show up and arrest me and a judge makes me do it in court.

I am looking into who passed legislation to approve this questionnaire. Does anyone know? Then we have to vote them out. Good for Michele Bachmann for saying she wasn't filling this out.

Poster 188 adds more.

About 40 phone calls to date, some leave messages while others hang up. In what may be a coincidence, they often seem to call shortly after we arrive home and there is a vehicle marked "census" in the neighborhood.

And to poster 201: the survey is much more intrusive than asking how many people live in your household. I already returned that info in the original census last year. And I did so right away.

But I will not tell you when I leave for work and about the medical condition of my relatives. And my financial business is my business, provided I pay my bills and taxes which I do.

If you would like to broadcast your personal information, go for it. But please do not chastise me for maintaining my personal and family privacy and refusing to respond to an unconstitutional intrusion into my personal affairs.

Would you believe they just called again? That's four times today and it's just past noon on Saturday.

I received this census (which to clarify is not the 10 year one, we filled that one out). I did not send it back, I received another and still did not fill it out. We didn't receive phone calls first, we had two visits at 7 p.m. from this lady with her little laptop. Again, we refused and she threatened their fine.

Then the phone calls started. I don't recall giving my cell phone out on the first census nor my customer number at my work, but she has called both. We refused to give information on the cell phone several times. When she called tonight at my employer, I told her I was moving. That seems to be the end of it, but only time will tell.

I suggest that people find a petition out there against this census survey. Also, it can't hurt to tell your representatives. With enough people, we can make a change.

I received the ACS a few months ago, did some research and never filled it out. Since then I have been visited a few times by a nice Dept. of Commerce rep, and called on my cell phone.

They aren't the enemy, so I don't act hostile towards them, but it still unnerves me how they got my cell phone number. Granted, I'm sure they can find it, but the census would have had to use some powers beyond their department to find it, since I intentionally left that form blank on the 2010 census.

They haven't gone so far as to threaten, but I can sense that their tone is getting more firm. And so is mine.

Good luck everyone! Fight the power. Read the Constitution.

People, what is so terrible about giving out the number of people who live in your household? I hope you folks do not live in my county or state. More money from the government for that extra lane of highway to make my commute faster. What do you really think they use the information for?

I am filling out the ACS as required by law, but feel this is a true invasion of privacy. Even the IRS does not ask such personal questions as to how our private lives are lived each day. I will fill it out and send it back to Census Bureau but I won't feel good about it. I might have to go outside and see if Big Brother is installing hidden cameras.

Filled out the short form minus birth dates. Mailed it in. Got a phone call wanting the birth dates. I replied you already have our ages and that we are members of the human race. I was truthful in all 10 short form answers. I then hung up.

A month later I received the ACS questionnaire, and coincidentally(?), so did my 80 year old mother in another state. Neither one of us filled it out, nor mailed it in.

About a month ago (August 2010) I received my first ACS phone inquiry. I told the lady that I regarded the ACS as some kind of personal info fishing scam by criminals masquerading as the federal government and again stated that I had more than Constitutionally complied with the short form questions. She said she would mark me as "refusing" and I said fine and hung up.

Two weeks later, I received a second call from a different zip code with another lady asking if I still had the ACS form. I said I may have the second one, but discarded the first as a scam attempt. We then engaged in a bit of "palaver" in which she said that they can require us to answer any question they want because "it's in the Constitution". I told that I had already fulfilled my Constitutional duties as a citizen with my mailed-in short form, and then told her the ACS and her harassment of me in my home is unconstitutional. She then said "so you are refusing". I said yes for about the third time and hung up.

I guess I now have a 20 percent chance of getting a Census visitor next. I'm contacting my congressman on this ACS issue today.

The calls started today. They want me to call an 800 number to give them my personal info. No thanks, poster 188.

P.S. any lawyers looking for some pro bono work ready to take up this issue?

Outraged in Maryland. I just received the ACS survey and will not be sending it in. I would rather pay the $100 fine to keep my freedom in check.

I got the ACS forms and I am scared to be fined. I am with all of you that it is all wrong and will not return the form.

I know that some of you were harassed by the census folks. Just remember that most of these people are decent people who need money to eat just like the rest of us, especially in these hard times. At least they are working instead of collecting welfare checks.

So keep your information private and don't give in. But remember some of these folks have children to feed, too.

Correction, now it's been a total of seven times. What? If they aren't getting anything from my house and they've canvassed my six neighbors twice (actually talking to four of them). When are they going to get the hint and stop?

I have now been visited six times already. Once on Saturday, once on Wednesday, three times yesterday, and so far once today. They've also visited six of my neighbors, twice each so far. Isn't this harassment? Can I file a harassment claim somewhere?

To posters 190 and 191: Thank you for your input and advice.

Anyone else with other info/advice is politely requested to add their two cents. Thank you, Poster 188.

I decided I did not want to answer the census because of the invasiveness of the questions.

In July, I started to receive visits. I just did not answer the door (a habit with any unscheduled visitor so not hard for me). After four or five visits with three notices taped to the door over two weeks, they seem to have given up.

I noticed that if I left the note on the door, they would sometimes pull up, then just drive off. One of the three enumerators did canvass my neighbors and got hold of one of them, who tried to call me and advised the census people were looking for me (I did not return the voicemail).

Finally, the last enumerator knocked one more time, then took away the last notice, which I decided to leave there.

Should be interesting to see if they ever follow up again. Best policy is to avoid answering the door to strangers but it's difficult to do if you are outside a lot. Ultimately, you might just need to either answer the census to get them to stop coming or, as an alternative, make up answers to protect your privacy.

Never give any phone numbers (tell them you don't have a phone and your employer forbids giving out the company cellular phone number). From reading here, it looks like disclosing phone numbers is just an additional way of eventually breaking you down.

I do believe that the census information is mostly kept private though after a period of years or decades, it may become public. I personally do not want to answer because it's just a habit but if they did catch me off-guard, I would probably give them an answer of some sort (like I am a boyfriend who is watching my girlfriend's house while she's away with the peace corps for six months and that I already answered the census for my home a few blocks away). Happy evading!

Nobody has ever been fined for refusing to cooperate with any Census request, even the 10 year short form.

The threat is there because it works. Most people allow themselves to be bullied and are afraid of breaking some law.

You can search the internet and find many references to threats of a fine, but you won't find anyone who has ever been fined. The Census sites say as much if you read them, something like 'well wee don't really want to fine anyone'.

If you are clear and firm in your refusal they will leave you alone. If you waiver or hide, they will keep trying. Firm, clear refusal.

Has anyone ever been fined or penalized for not complying?

I just got my request from ACS today, late july 2010. Has anyone else who refused to comply have any information about penalties/fines actually being enforced to date?

thanks for answering back with any helpful info.

We got our second ACS in the mail along with a follow up postcard. I have contacted The American Center For Law and Justice. I was told that they get thousands of calls per day of people complaining about the ACS.

I feel that a class action lawsuit should be started. I did respond to the regular census and regret answering all of those questions.

I am standing firm this time. This is way too intrusive. I don't bother to answer my phone unless I know who it is. We are getting a camera for the outside of our home this week, so we will be ready. I have contacted the media (Fox News), but no one seems to be covering this. The only one who seemed to do anything on it was Freedom Watch Judge Napolitano. Everyone tells me to throw it in the trash!

We need to ban together and not cave in on this. Do not give them your info! Remember Germany. To all the census takers who have the nerve to put their 2 cents here to tell us how safe it is, why don't you also post your personal information for us? You aren't getting mine!

Filled out the short form months ago. Don't remember getting the long form but if I did, I would have tossed it unopened since I already did my duty filling out the census and mailing it in.

During dinner a census worker shows up. We're starved after working all day on our house renovation. He claims we need to answer the long form the ACS, etc. My husband sent him away as we were eating.

He called and left a message to call him to make an appointment to fill out the form. I looked the form up online and balked at the intrusiveness of the question. Outrageous! We will not be participating. Glad I found this thread!

Go Tea Party! Let's get them to spread the word.

ACS is unconstitutional. Period.

Perhaps the people who did not answer the questions do not want to end up like the Japanese Americans did during World War II when the census was used to track them down, and it took 50 years to find out about it!

I will not be giving some 18 year old pimple face unemployed moron my personal information.

And if said "enumerator" doesn't like it, tough!

I have contacted all of my federal and state Representatives and it is time they passed a census privacy act.

This ACS thing is quite detailed. This is about a rental property that is currently empty and was on April 1, if that really means anything.

Originally, I sent in the census form for the property stating zero occupants, then was called by a Census worker. She said she must have my name, home address which I gave.

Well it's now the middle of July and another census worker left her callback info on the door and has since started calling the number on the "for sale" sign at the property.

I since looked through the forms for the ACS on their site and it does ask far to much personal info. You can find the ACS forms on the Census web site under ACS. I assume that's why they have come again.

Do they ever stop with this? Anyone out there actually worked for this part of the Census with accurate info?

I filled out the form only giving the required information by law and that is how many people live here. When I got the second form I mailed it back stating I filled it out already and do not need to fill it out again.

Yesterday, a lady came by and tried to ask questions about the form. I ignored her as I was outside with my kids. She was asking the questions again and I told her that I already filled out the form so there is no reason for me to fill it out again. She stated that they lost it. Wow. Interesting. You want me to trust the census with information that is very private? I repeatedly told her that I gave the legal information I am required by law and that is how many people live here.

She was really trying to get the information and finally gave up and told me she will write down that I refused. I told her again that I already gave the required info by law and there is no reason to give all that other information. She finally walked away but now I am sleepless as a result of this because I am not certain as to what will happen next.

Amazing. "Only a few questions"? You have no idea. It is pages and pages of personal questions. My wife and I are not answering this. We already did our duty and answered the regular census.

If, as you say, all of this info can be found online already, then get it online, without my help. Instead of hiring mindless sheep to bother busy, honest, hard working people, the government can hire people to scour the internet for this "readily available information".

Well I received my census, and it had questions that i refused to answer, which under the requirements should not have been on it. It also asked for the full names, DOB, SS# of all person including children. I refused to answer these as these are not required.

If I have 1, 2 or even 3 people in my house, that is all I need to give. Not to mention that this information in the wrong hands can cause identity theft. Oh wait -- the U.S. postal would never misdirect mail.

Not to mention the ethnic origin of any person on a questionnaire is profiling a house. True Nazism at its finest. I thought Hitler was stopped. Oh wait, we have a socialist leader now.

Not to mention when the people came to my door I informed them that they were trespassing without proper identification and subject to arrest. I did call the police on them. They left before they arrived. I guess the fear that they may be prosecuted for trespassing on private property wasn't worth the questionnaire.

I just left a "Tea Party" I found out I'm not the only 1 that was asked to fill out two census forms, one asking me if I could go up and down stairs, how long it takes for my husband to go to work, how does he get there,how many rooms is in my house, do I have flush toilets, what kind of health insurance, how much is my house payment, insurance on my house, do I have insurance, etc. This is to help the community -- like heck. If that thing were to get lost or some person where I mailed it, there's a lot of things that I don't want them to have.

I agree with telling I live here, how many live here, as it's just counting folks to help with how many people have how many reps in congress and Senate. But not allthat other information.

I can just feature a call stating: If you can't walk up and down stairs, maybe we should think about asking if you are a useful citizen and do you need to be wandering around loose.

I will not answer the questions on the ACS. With the census bureau losing over 600 laptops, and the current abuses of power, I see no reason to give out the information that they are asking. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, nor a paranoid, but goodness knows the intrusiveness of these questions can certainly drive a person to it.

I have a meeting with my congressional representative this morning to let him know that I am not returning this form, and to hand him personally the form that I was sent. I don't think they are even aware of how intrusive this is. For the information of the people here, Congressman Poe (Texas) and Bachmann (Minnesota)have introduced legislation to eliminate the ACS intrusive questions.

Please meet, call write your congressperson to recommend that they sign on to this legislation, and get rid of this ridiculous intrusion of government into your private and personal affairs.

I love hearing this we live in the greatest country. The census is not going to do this or that. That this money is funding from the government, which makes it socialism. They only want to know how many people live in the residents. This is all bull.

If this money is government funding for schools, street or seating representatives then why are so many teachers being laid off, why are the streets so damaged and incomplete. and these so called representatives. Please, that's where this money is going in there pockets. I am an American and this country is no greater than any other. We have starving, homelessness, government corruption. We pay as much tax as a so called socialist country about 40 percent, but get nothing in return. Other countries pay equally and get that ever elusive socialist universal health care. Because the rich have been given free passes by laws created by and for the rich, we must beware these so called laws they create.

Sure, businessmen could use the info -- but because someone wants it, doesn't mean that I have to give it.

We sent in the form with the number of people, then called the girl who left a note on our door. If it was a problem, she then had my phone number; it wasn't blocked.

Next, they sent a real ***** who first harassed my child after being told that I was out of town (I was), then tried to enter our residence (my son was sitting there watching as the doorknob turned).

Today, the apparent supervisor came -- in his safety vest and green jeep like a public works person. Got angry and physical with me (not a lot, just a shove as I tried to take back the Public Servant Questionnaire he wouldn't fill out.)

I'm sick of this. With two teen daughters, I don't want anyone having any extra information. It's not their business.

We had a census worker come to our door who started asking personal questions, until my hubby finally said that's enough. Then we find out she is our next-door neighbor! She didn't have the common courtesy to disclose that little fact.

I do not want to tell anyone personal info, much less someone who lives next door to me! Confidentiality? Now whenever we come home, Ms. Nosy Neighbor calls a different census worker who hurries over and tries to get us to answer the door. Unbelievable that she is now spying on us. This is plain wrong!

A census employee went to my neighbor's house, asking for my age, birth date, etc. This all happened while I was watching from my porch.

I returned the question booklet as instructed. This was mailed to me approximately three months ago.

About one month later I received a phone call from a supervisor. He asked me about a census employee who visited my home the prior week. I told this supervisor that no one came by my home. He was very surprised. He told me that my info was not received and that he would be sending it back out in the mail. Unreal! Who has my info now?

I did not receive the additional questionnaire. Instead, two weeks later, the supervisor came by, apologized and dropped off the new booklet.

About one week later, I was ready to mail in my form. I was not in a hurry since I already had done this once. I received a phone call from the bureau asking me to read them the info because there were only two days left to respond. I did this and then disposed of the form.

One month ago, I received a letter stating that the census was coming. Then two weeks later a reminder to fill it out. I ignored all of this due to what I had been through.

The next day, a woman came to my gate and was asking me to fill out the form with her. I told her the story and said I didn't have time for this right now. She left me with a notice of visit with her name and I suppose her personal phone number.

She returned the following day. I was out in my yard and she was yelling at me from a distance. She stated that her supervisor sent her back out. I asked her if she had related my story to the supervisor. She then stated that she has not talked to the supervisor. I was hot and told her I have her number and I will call when I'm ready.

Three days later, the supervisor came out. She stated that the woman was no longer employed and asked if I could please give her the info. She noticed that I was very irritated and told me that she just needs the number of people who live here and ages. She left.

Two days later, I was standing on my porch. I noticed a car pull up to my neighbor's house. (The car had to pass my house to get to the neighbors.) The woman was carrying a clip board. (Same woman who was no longer employed with the census).

I thought to myself, now they are going to harass them. I watched and saw that she was only there five minutes. Still standing on my porch, I watched her drive back by my house when she left.

I walked over to my neighbors later that evening and they told me that she did not come by to see them, but she was very persistent about getting the birth dates, ages, place of employment, phone numbers. Unbelievable! Is there anything I can do about this?

I have had them endlessly harass me on the phone after I filled the form out two times and talked to someone they sent to my door. Anyway, i thought i would turn it into something funny and started a blog.

To anon89810: I am all for taking action against them. I filled out my form, sent it in and a few weeks later another one came. I assumed I did it wrong, so I filled out the second one and sent that in.

A week later, a woman came to my door and said they hadn't received my form. "Um, I filled it out twice". So, my husband filled it out with the lady standing at my front door. He harassed her a little and had fun with it and she was on her way. Then, the phone calls started and they won't stop. We keep refusing them and they keep threatening us.

How do we know who these people actually are? The last person who called our home sounded like he was contracted through India?

Someone brought up a good point, either here or on another forum. Most U.S. representatives have local offices. Call your local U.S. congress member. These people can often stop this kind of activity. This is especially true if you have already returned your regular census form. They don't want the constituents who elected them to be harassed. It's not good politics. So give them a call or send an e-mail and see if someone there can help stop the phone calls.

Alternatively, you can always "nut up" when they call. "Popcorn? You want me to put the popcorn in the freezer?" "I'm afraid my trees are eating the elephants, now." That sort of thing. I suspect the caller will hang up and take you off the list.

Me and my family were properly counted on census day 2010. I made the mistake of putting my phone number on the form. It seems when the phone number is given, that is when the harassment starts.

I was mailed two ACS forms which I promptly threw in the trash because of the personal nature of the questions. Since then, I have received four phone calls from the US Census Bureau. I informed the caller, "Eric", that I did not wish to participate in the survey and to please remove my name from their phone list and mailing list. He said, "I'll see what I can do." One week later, we got two more phone calls in one night because I hung up on the caller and he called back 20 minutes later.

I read him the 4th Amendment which states, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." When someone asks my wages, my mortgage information, and what time and where I work, I see this as "seizing personal information." I will not comply.

They do snoop around. They do go to your neighbors and landlord if you are a renter, and they do try to threaten and intimidate you by saying that if you don't answer then someone will return and will have the police with them, so yeah, keep on believing that it's all just a few harmless questions. Keep being sheep.

Well, for all who are posting to this blog saying it is our civic duty, that it’s “just a few questions on the census”, that we should just go ahead and answer the questions, let me say this: this is not a census.

I filled out the decennial census. Then I received the ACS. After reading through the 28 pages of questions the second time (not 28 questions but 28 *pages* of them), I decided to do my research. Here are the facts I discovered:

Some of the questions asked in this questionnaire are so intrusive that I would not even give this information to my best friends or relatives. It is simply nobody’s business. If you had a wife who had been sexually assaulted, would you want the time you left for and came home from work circulated? How about the number of cars that are normally in your driveway if everyone is home? Is that something you would want to get into the wrong hands?

Do you think Cass Sunstein knowing how many people, of what age, have physical and emotional disabilities is for the “benefit” of your family?

Are you willing to roll the dice that this information will remain protected? I’m not and if their track record is any benchmark, nobody should. It is widely known that in a five-year span the Bureau “lost” at least 672 laptops. It is also known that the Bureau “inadvertently” posted sensitive information of over 300 innocent citizens. There is absolutely no possibility they can guarantee this information will not be disseminated to others or exposed to malevolent wrongdoers.

As a descendant of both victims and survivors of the Auschwitz death camps, I have a keen sense of the length and breadth of what government intrusion in the lives of private citizens can result in.

I am not saying that the US government would or could ever go to this extreme but, for the purposes of garnering ever more political power and authority over the citizenry, I have no illusions about how far this government will go. And I am not speaking in terms of Democrat or Republican affiliation – the drug of power knows no party boundaries. Anyone who took the time to actually read the ACS and understand how sensitive this information is and how unsecured it actually is would join in the outrage and demand that it be given its proper burial in the grave of horrible bureaucratic policy.

I am one who is living this nightmare: the letters, the phone calls, the personal visits, day in and day out, month after month. It's all very true, and very real.

I am a prisoner in my own home. We have been approached numerous times on our property, been left threatening letters and messages on our answering machine, and there seems to be no end to it. This has been going on for almost three months and has caused tremendous stress in our household.

I have one final question for anyone who thinks this is just an overreaction to a few census questions: If George Bush and Dick Cheney were sitting in the White House, and Halliburton was storing the data, would you still feel the same way? I didn’t think so.

Actually: for thoe who think you can merely fill out the form and not be called, that's a lie! I filled out my form sent it back and now i am getting harassed by the census bureau calls of at least eight a week!

I live in upstate New York and was just threatened that the census taker would be back with the police and his supervisor because I refused to fill out the form. If anyone would love to start a case action in this matter feel free to get a hold of me. We need to stick up for our rights.

Sample questions:

Housing 16. About how much do you think this house and lot, apartment, or mobile home would sell for if it were for sale?

Housing 19b. How much is the regular monthly mortgage payment on this property?

Person 18a. Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does this person have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions?

Person 22. How many times has this person been married?

Person 30. At what location did this person work last week? (address, city, county, state, zip)

Person 33. What time did this person usually leave home to go to work last week?

Person 48. What was this person's total income during the past 12 months?

we filled out the form the day it came and mailed it. Since then, they have called three or four times and stopped by multiple times. I finally left a voice mail for the person who kept calling me that if I got one more call or personal visit, I was contacting my state senator and tell him I was being harassed. The calls/personal visits stopped.

anon88369: Census enumerators have every right to walk onto your property if they are assigned to do a questionnaire for your address.

To those of you who claim to be "harassed" by these enumerators, why didn't you just complete the Census form you received in the mail back in March and send it back? You wouldn't be getting personal visits and/or phone calls from these Census workers right now.

Like many, I received the original short census form, completed it and mailed it back immediately. Then I received the long form, ignored it and received another long form which I also ignored. Last night I found an envelope on my door from a census taker. He had to come through a closed gate. Isn't this trespassing?

For everyone saying what's the big deal- go play in traffic. Someone said they can find all our info on the internet anyway. OK then, so why waste my time asking questions?

If it's not a big deal, then get rid of the census and don't tell me about funding- that's a load of crap!

This city hasn't had its streets fixed in years and we always fill out the census. Don't get mad because many of us don't want to fill out the form. You fill it out and keep it moving- we don't want to. What the hell are you mad about?

Just had our 10th home visit from census people! Not about us - about adjoining property! (We filled out and mailed our census form as soon as we received it.) We do live in a relatively remote area, and none of them can make sense of maps they are provided with. It is not the same people each time - many different ones wondering around. Ridiculous

I want to know how long these temp workers are going to be employed?

As long as there are enough people who didn't fill out the census?

When does their employment end, and shouldn't they be thanking these non-compliant people for extending their pay a bit longer?

The information from the Census should suffice for the allotment of federal funds for schools and roads. The info tells them how many live in a certain area.

This info is also for the number of State Senators and Congressmen. The other info that the ACS wants can be obtained from other Departments. IE: IRS, DOT, Labor and Industry.

So why do they need how many rooms are in the house, what I use to heat the house, what amount was my electric bill and so on and so on?

As one responder put it, if you only want to know the number of people, then what does race have to do with it? We are all Americans of the human race.

I contacted an attorney's office on my questions and objections to see if they were valid and what the legal interpretation was of the constitution and the US code.

I plead the 5th amendment because the government can ask legally, according to the attorney’s office, but I can also remain silent legally. So far no challenges to our door visitors. They just look at you and say "Oh" and then walk away.

I plan on turning over any fines or issues to these attorneys I know and I have used them before.

“Keep liberty free” and stand up for your countries constitutional rights. One fact I see missing is that they say you are cheating you state and city out of government funds (our tax dollars). And I say that is the point -- I do not want my state or city dependent on big government this is socialism and pork barrel out of control government spending.

We are so far from what our forefathers prayerfully constructed as a government that it will take a real miracle from heaven for a national revival now.

Too many are dependent on the government already. We have been like a frog cooked in our own water slowly. – an American Patriot

As a current enumerator I'd like to say thanks to the great majority of people who have courteously answered census questions. To the small minority who have sneered at me and closed the door, get some help. Life lived in paranoia and bitterness is not worth living.

don't let this happen! don't let them take our rights away even more than they already have. we need to stop fighting and come together, reminiscent of the black panthers and Raymond Washington.

Just one question, what could the $1 billion could have been spent on other than conducting a poll? Don't believe that the government does not already know exactly where that money is needed. They have all the information they need from the IRS. If the IRS has no info on you, you're illegal anyway. why are they taking polls for illegals?

I have been harassed day and night. Different people call at all hours and they block the name and number. They have been to my house, my place of business, also calling my place of business and if told I am busy they inform me they will call again in one hour.

I made the mistake of answering some questions, thinking it was a one time thing. Now they harass us all of the time. My 89 year old mother was scared out of her wits after answering some questions, thinking she gave too much information and didn't even know who they were.

Finally, she said I am not answering anymore questions and they left her alone. But not so with us. My husband said he is going to start asking them the personal questions and leave it at that.

Thank you, wonderful conspiracy theorists for repeatedly posting erroneous information on here and showing everyone that you truly have no life.

The U.S. Census has nothing to do with Obama nor most of the accusations you are flippantly throwing up online. It has been done since 1790, and is mandated by the Constitution.

So before you go crying about your rights being violated, try actually reading the document that has given you these rights.

No one will email you or be peeping at you from the census. Quite honestly, you are not that important. Just open the door, answer their questions, and they will forget about you and your insignificant existence for another 10 years. After they fill out the form, I seriously doubt they think about you ever again. Their job is to get the form completed, that is all.

Sorry, but you are really just not important enough for them to worry about, certainly not as much as you are obviously worrying about them. Get over yourselves!

The US government already has all the information they need on people who file their annual income tax.

Thus, if they want a specific task force to track illegals and tax invading americans, then so be it. this census is complete crap and an invasion of my rights a a citizen.

This country will see a revolution of the people one day, hopefully sooner than later. Give me one reason I should trust my government.

I live in the ghetto already. i feel like a jew in germany when these goons come knocking. on the back it says dec 31 2011 is when approval from OMB expires. When they ask for race, that's what gets me. a race is a competition with winners and losers being monitored by individuals who are not in the running. i am not in their rat race, and i do not answer to their color coded political designations.

How many is all they need to know. the government was never constitutionally mandated to provide funds. the census is just a way of allocating seats for elected officials and that's all. so the census workers who say, "if you haven't done anything wrong, just answer," well, people who are doing wrong things don't care about america -- they work for the government.

If you don't care about america and freedom then you stand by and say nothing when you see tyranny, then congrats. You would have done well in the SS.

Condos hire people inside the condo as census people. That is how they get "past the guard". A 72 year old lady showed up at my door yesterday (I being a 65 year old great grandmother), and told me I did not fill my form out properly and it got "kicked out".

She informed me if I did not answer her questions, eventually the county sheriff would come. I told her to "bring it on". I will report her actions to our manager and possibly to her supervisor.

So today I found this census worker peeping tom at my windows, which face the back woods. Of course, I had no clothes on, not expecting a peeping tom to be looking out of the woods in the first place. There should be a law against this.

- Laura

The Census Bureau does not hire temporary workers to collect data for the American Community Survey. Census employees never ask for social security numbers or full financial disclosure. The ACS purpose is to collect demographic data only. In order to do that people response is required.

lets hope this isn't all to simply mark people who do and do not comply.

I work for a defense contractor, and when I applied for a security clearance, there were way fewer questions, and much less invasive than were on the ACS long form. Ridiculous. I tossed out both copies of the ACS long form. Thanks, people, for your informative and oftentimes humorous posts here.

Sad, but I simply do not trust the government anymore. They have nothing but their own agenda in mind and any semblance of control we think we have is just that -- a semblance. Those of you who are posting "what's the big deal" need to start doing some research on your government and the shady things that go on at the taxpayers' cost.

Our world leaders are puppets, and the puppet master is greed.

The census taker left a note me a note today. I will not be returning her call. I'll pay the fine if I have to, but I'm not going to let them bully me into submitting to their scare tactics. This is out of control. When we allow them to manipulate us, we turn into "sheeple."

anon82113: umm, I worked for the census too. We were hired to call people who did not respond and we left messages on answering machines. If there was no response by the time we finished our list, we were to call again.

And if I were paranoid, I'd be accusing the census takers of taking my new baby's ss card that has still not arrived in my hands in four months!

So get a clue, and if you are so upright and truthful, use your real name. Why don't you post the number in your family, their names, ethnic profile, give us your address and then, we will consider giving merit to your post.

So I received two ACS forms in the mail and they are not going to be filled out.

I answered the questions on the Census that are Constitutional, and that is it. Somehow big brother got out phone number (it's unlisted) and started calling, and we blocked him. Now I find out he has been to my place of employment looking for me. I informed my employer that I will not answer the ACS, that I filled out the Census, and that is all they get.

I will pay the fine if that is what it takes. They can't take my free will.

The census man came to my house eight times, two of which he sat in my driveway for a total of 50 minutes. So, basically, he screwed the taxpayers because he keeps a log of minutes and gets paid for the time.

Oh, the reason he came back? The second visit, I handed him a sealed census envelope, and he came back and left a note that the computer kicked it out. Came back the very next day, and told my husband that he has full authority to open it and if we don't comply then we will be fined anywhere from $100-5000, and the marshal would be accompanying him tomorrow to arrest my husband if we don't comply.

Again, the the next morning, he left papers in my door that were printed off the internet about why the census is important.

I called his supervisor. This is ridiculous. And, if the above comments stated that he can find all the info on the internet, then by all means find it, and leave me alone.

I work for one of the phone centers for the Census Bureau. When we do the ACS on the phone, we do not ask for your SS #, we do not ask how many times you go to the bathroom. ACS has only been going since 2005. It's paranoid people like you all who cause your communities not to get the funding they need.

I am currently working for the Census as an enumerator. I have no idea about the ACS (or any of their personal questions). I took the job because it pays really well.

I don't see what the big deal is. I can go on the internet and find more about you then anything the census is looking for. What I find interesting is that when I visit a home of an immigrant they are almost excited to give me whatever information I ask for. They are so proud to be counted among the blessed. It's those times that make the job really enjoyable because I share their pride.

If the government really wants to know your personal stuff, well they don't need the few benign questions answered to find you. Personally, I want to know how many rental houses are in my town, I want all the representatives we deserve and I also really like looking at the 1920 and 1930 census to learn about my ancestors. I'm glad they didn't refuse to answer such personal questions as name and age.

I hope my great-grandkids appreciate it, too.

We told a census worker to come back on Friday at 6 p.m. He came by every hour starting at 6 Thursday. Once at 6:11, 7:15, and then 8:05.

This is bordering on harassment.

I was willing to answer the survey at first - thinking it would just be a headcount but then I saw the rest of the questions. Now I have people pestering my doorman for my information, pretending to be food deliverymen claiming that I ordered food - just so they can come up to my apartment --wow.

The funny part is the local grocery store has this job post up. Have to love how the government pays people to harass you.

Some of you who refuse to return your forms could possibly look at it from a different angle. If you are a business person you could benefit from having accurate demographic information for the United States. Being able to have the best information available in targeting a potential market based off this information is invaluable.

My wife and I were not home at the time the census work stopped by. We had mailed the form back the day after we received it. Hard to believe they did not receive it or they lost it.

My 15 year old son was home at the time of the census worker stopping by. The worker harassed him and told him he had to answer the question or he would be in trouble with the police. This scared him and on top of that, he did not know most of the answers to the questions. This was way out of line and uncalled for!

When I returned home he was scared and thought he did something wrong. We have always taught him not to talk to people he does not know and never give out information.

What kind of people do you have working for you? I have half a mind to call the local news media and tell them this story. You wonder why people are reluctant to give out information. First, it may get lost or stolen and second, you don't know who these people are that you are giving it to.

I have called the local census office for our area and filed a complaint. I am sure that will go far.

A few days ago had a census worker knock on my door. I have the kind of front door that has a small window near the top and if people stand on their toes they can peek into my living room.

Anyway, this guy knocked twice or three time so I ignored him. Anyway he proceed to stretch as much as he could so he could look into my living room. I then yelled at him to "beat it" - (since he could see me and it was obvious that I knew he was there.)

He says, "What's that sir?"

I say "sorry sir no one here is available and you need to leave." (This is about 10:02 a.m. which is very early in my world since I work from noon till 9 p.m. I still am in my boxers since I just woke up and surely was not prepared for a slew of questions from this guy who was getting paid my tax money to invade my privacy).

Census worker says "I am with the census."

I say, "I don't care who you are. You need to stop peering in my window and you need to leave right away." So he then left.

Will these jackasses really come after me or is all this talk about fines and such just a scare tactic?

Has anyone really admittedly shown that proof that they got fined? or is any mention of if just more scare tactics to make us submit to this invasion of our lives?

anon77096: Why would anybody want federal funding for anything?

Why would anyone want to "help the government function" (interfere in our private lives)? This makes no sense at all. Our government is abusive, tyrannical and murderous.

Helping this corrupt government "function" is the same thing as helping this corrupt government go kill more people, invade our privacy, tax our income, levy fines, issue permissions slips and tattoo our butts.

The states need to reassert their rights back from the federal government. Asking for federal money or federal representation is a huge mistake. State citizens can help in this process by refusing to cooperate with federal demands (all of them).

The census guy showed up here. I took his form and tossed it into the wood stove. I told him "We're done here". He claimed he'd be back. If he shows up, he'll get the same response (or none at all).

These people are trying to "do their jobs", but there are better ways to make a living, one that doesn't help enslave Americans even further with more "government help" and ultimately, taxation.

They will report any threats or harassment (allegedly), so be careful how you respond to them.

There is no legal obligation for you to answer their questions. By their asking their questions (limited to how many people live here) you have "met" your legal obligation to the Census. The law does not say you have to answer their questions (so don't).

And if they threaten you, video record all of this exchange. Keep your cool and you'll be fine.

The census asks for the number of people who "stayed at your house on April 1, 2010." That includes visitors then which would not be falsifying info.

It is against the law to solicit minors so therefore they do not have to be counted in the total. Lastly, if you are a proper pet owner, then you consider you dog, cat, etc. to be human so be sure to count them in as well! Hence, you have answered the only question required by the constitution and you might have even increased the possibility for more representatives! Nothing illegal about that!

It is so obvious that the same person keeps responding over and over here. I'm sorry you feel the need to spread such fear and lies.

No one from the Census has ever asked for your social security number - perhaps someone *posing* as a Census Field Rep. did, but not an employee of the Census.

No one from the Census has ever e-mailed you - they don't have e-mail and even if they did, they don't have yours.

No one from the Census has ever called you every hour of the day or at 9 p.m. They're not authorized to do that.

No one from the Census has ever said they would come back with the sheriff - the sheriff would simply laugh at them if they ever asked.

No one from the Census has been escorted off your property by the police - Title 13 gives them the right to be on your property.

And finally, to the person who looked up the Census rep's name then mentioned her husband had called and wanted her to stop at the store so she looked at him in shock? The reason she looked at you in shock is because her husband didn't know she was there - she'd be fired on the spot and fined if she told her husband that.

What a bunch of paranoid people you are. Although I suspect it's really only one or two of you.

I don't mind giving my name, the name of my spouse, children, ages and occupations but that is it. I don't believe the ACS should, or has the right, to require more. Anything more is intrusive.

My family has found past census information to be very valuable in genealogical research. The old surveys don't ask for much more than that (other than birthplace).

I filled out the Census form this year and still, someone came to our door. This also happened the last time. They insisted that the ACS did not receive it and wanted the information again. I told them there is a problem if they are not getting their mail. I even gave them the date I mailed it on.

Bottom line: we are supposed to give private information to individuals who are part time, temporary employees of Uncle Sam, the ACS seems to be confused about what they have and have not received and the US Postal Service seems not to be working either.

I have worked as an enumerator. I can understand the desire to keep the information private. And it is supposed to be maintained private otherwise the census worker can go to prison or be fined or both.

I'll give you potential issues with being counted.

When you are counted, it helps to decide the number of representatives a state can get, as well as determining federal funding for schools and hospitals.

The bad thing is, this is information that is collected by the government. Government entities legally are not supposed to be able to get access to this information. It's supposed to be confidential. And this has gone to the supreme court and has been upheld on account that it is important to get accurate numbers.

But at the same time, phones are not supposed to be tapped. Government entities do illegal things. Who is there to police the police? That and the census has been used in the past to identify people of Japanese, German, and Italian descent. And those people were gathered up and sent to internment camps. That wasn't supposed to be able to happen. But it did. There were laws in place to protect those people and they were not protected.

So that could scare you away from doing the census. But in this day and age, do you really believe by not taking the census that your personal information is more thoroughly protected? Do you have a debit card, credit card, a loan, a job, own a house, a car, driver's license? Have you ever filed taxes? If you do/have, chances are your information is already out in the open for various public/private agencies.

At the very least, if you are going to refuse to do the census, try to be respectful, as some of the census workers are former military. (Don't worry there are no cops or former cops that are census workers.)

What in the world is wrong with you people? So many people are in a snit just because the word "enumerator" makes them mad. Are they too dense to realize that word just means "to count?"

Why all the bad-mouthing of these people who are taking these jobs to support their families in these hard economic times?

If I received the ACS survey in the mail, I would probably just put down the number of people in my household, but there is nothing on the 10 question survey that any Tom, Dick, or Harry can't find out on the internet quite easily. Just answer those ten questions, and get on with your life!

We are so fortunate to live in this country. I bet some of the people who are so desperate for food and necessities in other countries would love to change places with you and they would probably be thrilled to answer a few questions.

Don't be rude to the people who are sent out to your house because you think you're too "special" to answer your census. They're people just like you are, Americans just like you are. Just sit there and think a minute on what we have in this country and you should feel very ashamed for getting so upset about such petty things.

Life is too short to be so mad about insignificant things.

I was just contacted by a representative for the Census Bureau at my home and asked to answer his questions. When I said I would not be probed by his questions from the government and continued by saying that I meant no disrespect to him; however, I hate what the government is trying to do to us he responded.

I was told if I didn't answer then his supervisor would come out and if I didn't respond to his supervisor, they would return with a Larimer County Sheriff and then I would have to answer or else!

Well, I will just have to wait for the "or else" because I will not be a robot for this government, asking when I go to work or who are all the females in my house with ages and names. If Big Brother wants to bring the law so be it.

I am only a man, a man who believes in his liberties and will stand against this government crap!

I worked as an enumerator for the 2000 Census. For this census at least and I assume for the 2010 Census the initial person that will come to your house, if you did not fill out the form, is just a normal citizen with a temporary job as an "enumerator".

I remember the paperwork that I signed, highlighted the fact that it was a temporary position with no benefits of any sort. I just thought I would throw that out there! --Paul

The Nazis were just doing their jobs, also, "anon75478" but that doesn't make it right. The government is over stepping it's boundaries with such personal questions.

Many Supreme Court cases revolve around the privacy that a legal US citizen has and honestly, how the Census Bureau thinks that these would even be accurate answers is a joke! Wake up America! This is Big Brother keeping an eye on the revolution. Spending good taxpayer dollars on another social joke. Go Obama Care.

anon 77369: It is incorrect to say that you are required to respond. There is an actual law on the books, but that law has never been applied. And a law without consequences is no law at all.

You can find no instance of someone being 'required' to respond, or being fined for not doing so. The law in Title 13 exists solely for the purpose of being able to print the treat on the forms and to use to intimidate scared grandmothers.

No one has been fined for failure to comply, and no one ever will be.

According to law you must answer all Census questions or face criminal charges and/or fines up to $100.

What you guys who love to quote the constitution fail to take into account are all of the amendments the government has quietly put in since it was first written.

And as to the types of questions that can be asked, the only limit is that they can't be of a religious nature. Other than that, the sky is the limit.

There are even amendments to the amendments.

So this is where all of your Constitution quotes mess up. You keep referring to the Constitution's original language and writings but that's been beat back again and again over the course of the years.

It's the amendments that congress is busy adding to the original Constitution while you guys are busy working, fishing, etc., instead of watching congressional actions on C Span or some such that are killing us and our rights.

The small, everyday, humdrum, quietly approved bills they do each day are where the danger lies and more attention should be paid to those.

Wow this there are so many ignorant people here! I'll be laughing when funding for social programs and highway repair funding is cut in your area because you refused to answer simple questions that can not be connected to you. The census cannot ask or get your social security number in any way and you can supply any name you want.

The misinformation spewed from people here is laughable. If people answer the survey maybe they will get the funding to have proper educational programs.

We gave the government the right to count us. That is what I've allowed them to do. I answered nothing else and therefore did not lie on a government form. I've heard rumors that they will send their people to relentlessly pound on my door for answers, and then start canvassing the neighborhood to find the answers to the questions that were on my form, about me. I say, good luck with that. Mind your own business.

I received the ACS and the regular Census. I completed the regular census and destroyed the ACS. This is such an invasion of privacy. I have already received two calls.

I am a tax paying, hard working citizen, who would die fighting for my country and my rights, but didn't our forefathers already settle this fight?

Maybe they should change the name of the survey to "American Communist Survey".

Should all of us contact our local media so that everyone knows about ACS? No one I have talked to since I received this survey has known anything about it. Maybe that is why only one out of every 480 people receive it.

If it is kept under the radar, then there are not enough people screaming to make a difference.

Um, no they don't have the right to fine you. Please show me where the US Census Bureau was given the right to fine you or even where they are mentioned in these laws? They are not! And nowhere in the Library of Congress has any bill ever given them the right to fine you.

OK anon75478: Then you won't mind answering these question will you?

1. Your name, address and phone number (front cover of the ACS)

2. What’s the names and ages of all the female members of your household? (ACS questions 1, 3 and 4)

3. What time do the male members of your household go to work? (ACS question number 33)

If you can't see why many people have a problem with the ACS then I'll never be able to explain it to you.

What are you all so worried about? Good grief! Get over yourselves. Bunch of grumpy anti social loners. Census workers are trying to do a decent job like everyone should try to do. No reason to be rude to someone doing their job.

I guess all the info requested I am OK with. But I hit the brakes big time when they ask for your birthdate, among other garbage of race, sex, etc. If my birth date is going to help somebody get elected or the state (district) gain an extra seat in the house, then get the expecting mothers' due dates for the year while at it. Or maybe they're going to start sending happy birthday cards to everybody soon. Enough is enough and get real.

I found out on a different blog that the OMB# on the front of my ACS is expired.

On the back of the ACS form it states: "Respondents are not required to respond to any information collection unless it displays a valid approval number from the Office of Management and Budget."

Do some research for "0810" without the quotes and you'll find that OMM no. 0607-810 expired on 05/31/2008. That's exactly the number printed on the lower right had corner of my ACS form.

I stupidly started filling out my ACS before I learned of this. In three weeks they should mail me a duplicate form.

I'm planning on returning it blank, with a letter stating the reason for not complying is the OMB# expiration.

From what I've read online about the operation methods of the Census Bureau staff that won't have any chance of avoiding a phone call "Computer Aided Telephone Interview" But I'm hoping that by telling them every time that their OMB# is expired it will shorten my interview process somewhat. Of course I would expect them to correct this oversight in the near future.

"the point that seems most lost here is that households chosen for ACS are just part of a statistical sample that is representative of the country as a whole".

The Census Act of 1976 specifically prohibits the use of statistical sampling in the creation of congressional districts. Actual enumeration is required. The Supreme Court upheld that against Bill Clinton's attempt to implement statistical sampling for the 2000 census.

I received the ACS form yesterday and read it through just to see the questions. I could not believe my eyes! No way was I going to submit that kind of info. So, I tore off the page with my address on it and shredded it, and then I tossed the rest of the survey into the garbage. I live in a high-rise condo building (where I rent), so let them come get me. They have to get past the doorman first.

With a president and congress that constantly lie about everything, how do they expect me to believe that the information on the Census form is truly confidential?

In 2000 I placed a large sprinkler by my front door. Three times they sent people to our door, and three times I walked out the back door, and turned on the water. Three times they were soaked standing at my door. The visits stopped, and I never heard from them again.

By the way, the is a new grassroots site that is just starting called Town Roots.

Its purpose is to keep people informed of what is going on in their local, state, or federal governments. It is community based, and an effort to get away from the biased media to get the truth from people in the area it applies.

By the way, from what I read in Title 13, the max they can fine you is $100 for not filling out the form, or max $500 for false information. In the article above, it mentions the fine is per offense; but I did not read that anywhere in Title 13. Please confirm. Thanks!

While I also oppose the Census form being sent out, -anon70698, the number of representatives and taxes will be determined by the number of people in the area is what Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution is about.

Unfortunately it does not state that the number of people is the only thing allowed to be collected by the census. If someone knows where in the constitution it states this, please share. The information the government is requesting is violating our rights, whether or not it is written in the law. And if there isn't a law protecting these rights, then we need someone to make it happen!

I think when they show up at my door, I will tell them I am house sitting for the owners who are out of town for the next six months.

We are ready for them.

Great. I'm so glad I'm not alone. And you all sound sober and mature, not the lunatic fringe at all. I didn't sleep well last night worrying how my civil disobedience might cost me dollars and jail. I will sleep well tonight. I am glad I am not myself the lunatic fringe.

Relentless! What a waste of taxpayer dollars our government is spending having these census takers harass us. They even sent me a Federal Express package telling me how important the information they still wanted to collect was.

After spending almost an hour answering questions the first time the census take came to my house, they start calling me on Sunday afternoon -- enough is enough!

I just sent the supervisor who knocked on my door packing!

I'm so glad I read this. My sister and I are fuming over these forms. Whose damn business is it if I own my house and whether I have a mortgage?

I was going to fill it out and check "race: other, American" but now I just don't even want to fill the dang thing out.

I'm a stay-at-home Momma with a toddler daughter. I don't answer the door to anyone who comes. How am I supposed to know who these people are?

If they come and announce who they are, I'll simply start yelling, "Non parlo Inglese! Non parlo inglese!" and see what they make of that. LOL.

Thanks Mom, for teaching me a little Italian.

I like the idea of the videocam. I have a nice little digital camera that makes high-definition video. Just perfect for making and uploading videos to YouTube and the news agencies.

Bring it, ACORN!

It's 1984 - no wait, I mean 2010. Attempting to use scare tactics to get personal information - nice.

In a climate of identity theft, unscrupulous banking practices, private interest( I mean industry) running the Federal Reserve, Private "credit" companies like experian controlling human potential by keeping track of every citizen and their spending (and why would they care if they get your credit report wrong because just who is their client - not you, it's "businesses"). How do I know these census folks are trustworthy? They say they are from the U.S. Dept of Commerce. They have done a great job keeping businesses from behaving unethically, unsafely, and preventing them from attaining wealth at the cost of human life - whether from unfair wages and industrial practices or from the mass-physiological effects (brainwashing) of citizens from the huge-budget video/audio buy-buy-buy television addiction machine, or from the shortening of each human life and the human race entirely that is the natural result of reallocating, changing, destroying natural resources to produce worthless tidbits of crap (no matter how "convenient or interesting or entertaining it may seem in the end it is crap and it won't make you happy or more lovable or life more simple or whatever their marketing department's angle is -- it is just crap that is killing all of us and wasting all those workers' lives).

I am sickened by all of it. We are given dominion (care) over so much and neglect it, destroy it, and enslave it. To support any of this is not like killing, it is killing your neighbor, your dog, your wife, your kids and your kids' kids - maybe slowly and with pretty lights and shiny trinkets, but it is.

But, on a positive note, we were all meant for happiness - it is our purpose. This "business" and "government" is not happiness. Make your own mind up as to what your world should be -- it's that simple. Follow your happiness and I promise the universe will be there for you: subtle, slow, obvious or quick it will respond to your emotions.

Like its children it seems it wants us to be happy and being so it has empowered us to live our dreams freely, Know you are worth it, see it and feel it and it will be.

This is how those rich people are rich, those "powerful" people are "powerful", and those happy people are happy. They are not better people, more deserving, more intelligent, more experienced they didn't know "how" things were going to work out they just knew they would. Point and go toward your kind of happy.

You are not the property of business or governments you are continually the result of your feelings. Smile. Mykel.

The letter accompanying the census form indicates it's used to decide how many representatives each state has in congress, and how much money my 'neighborhood' receives from the government. Then why am I being asked what my race is? Why am I being asked for my name? Why am I being asked what my age and birthdate are?

I may not bother with this anyway. Due to a likely technicality, I received this, with the wrong address. So when/if I get a visit, I can inform them of this. And when I'm asked what my address is, I'll respond with, "I pay taxes, look it up."

the simple census form I got had another insert in which they claim that "answers are confidential" and "answers you give cannot be obtained by law enforcement or tax collection agencies" and "your answers cannot be used in court" or obtained through a FOIA request.

If they are "anonymous" why do they need my name, telephone number and race? And how do they fine/prosecute a person if "answers" cannot be used in court or obtained by law enforcement?

I wonder how many of those opposing census questions will annually volunteer much more private information and their personal wealth to a real evil unconstitutional organization - the IRS.

Back in 2003 or so we also received a very long census questionnaire, with information I did not want to publish. I had already been a victim of identity theft.

We did not return the census, and received continuous letters and threats. Twice, a person showed up at our door.

Unfortunately, the second time my husband gave in, as he felt we would get fined and was tired of the threats.

Anytime you give out information, you can bet it gets compromised. We are law abiding, tax paying citizens and always do the right thing.

Well, our credit cards, social security numbers, and who knows what else, are now being used by illegal aliens and fraudulent companies. This is due to lack of security for any personal information you provide.

Funny, we are required to get social security numbers at birth, but the social security administration will not protect that number. Any illegal can purchase your number for any amount of money. The SS Admin does not care.

Also, someone please answer this question: How can the census determine how many illegals are in the US, when they don't pay taxes, use our social security numbers, etc.?

Our town boasts 90,000 citizens, but we know there are at least an additional 10,000 illegals here (yes, here in Mexifornia). How can a census do any good for schools when these people are never turned away from schools and hospitals and welfare lines?

We live in a sanctuary city and those who work and pay taxes are supporting almost half of our population. Something is wrong in this country when the hard working middle class is getting stomped out from top to bottom.

I responded to the ACS. The only thing is, I lied my butt off!

It seems to me that *all* the information they need and want should be available to them from our 1040's.

The name of my employer, my wages for the previous year, the number of exemptions for my house, my social security numbers as well as those of my dependents, my marital status. A mortgage deduction should indicate I own a house; a 1099 with either unemployment compensation or reported income would indicate whether I am unemployed or self-employed.

So why would the government hire a company such as ACS to dig into our lives? I see no reason to comply. And if I choose to comply, the only information they will get from me would be the number of people living in my house. Enumeration. Look it up.

I had the misfortune of getting an ACS survey a few years ago. I filled in only the number of adults and children and wrote a note on the form that this was the only information I would provide. After a couple of weeks of harassing phone calls and knocks on my door, I sent the following letter, after which the harassment finally stopped.

Here is a copy of the letter I sent:

Attention xxxx xxxx - ACS

US Census Bureau

Boston Regional Office

I received your “American Community Survey” some time ago, and shortly thereafter returned the survey, including only the information you are authorized to collect, and I am required to provide, per the requirements of Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution, that is, the number of persons in our household, for the purposes of proper apportionment of our US Congressional representation. I left all of the other personal and private questions in the survey unanswered.

I included a note with the returned survey stating that I would continue to refuse to answer these additional questions as a matter of principle, and I requested that no phone calls or visits to my home be made by your agency. Despite this request, my wife has subsequently been visited by an unannounced and uninvited representative of your Bureau, and I was later telephoned by him.

Thank you for your interest in the age, racial composition, daily habits, and private information regarding the private lives and private property of the members of my household. While we understand your assertion that this information is needed for some reason deemed important by somebody, and that the information requested will be kept strictly confidential, I respectfully decline to participate in this “American Community Survey”, and request that you do not misdirect further efforts to gather this private information about the members of my household from either myself or any other source.

I’ve requested that you respect my privacy once, in writing, in the note I returned with your survey. Although Mark xxxxxxx, the field representative, was professional, thorough and pleasant enough, I’ve requested the Bureau cease these harassing efforts a second time during the phone call after he visited my home.

Let this letter be the third request that you respect my privacy and my requests.

Be advised that no matter how intensive your efforts become, nor what kind of fine, penalty, prosecution or imprisonment you may wish to threaten, I, as a free American citizen, will not allow any agency of this government to demand, under penalty of law, that I disclose private and personal information about the members of my household. If such a law exists, it should not exist, for it would be truly unconstitutional.

There are two adults and two children living at this residence. Beyond that, please cease and desist all further efforts to gather personal and private information about the members of my household, it will not be provided.

Respectfully,

XXXXXXXXX

I received the ACS invasion of privacy letter on my door yesterday. Apparently the obnoxious butt head pounding repeatedly on my door at 10:00 AM (I work at night) was a census worker.

At the moment, I am pretty furious with the current political band of thieves and third world dictators "wannabes" in power.

Since my alleged representatives repeatedly respond to my complaints about their actions, with form letters explaining why they hear my views but plan to ignore them and do what they want to do instead, I hear the government wants my information and plan to do what I want to do instead.

I will comply when they 1) remove the millions of illegals from U.S. soil, 2)oust criminals who do not even pay their taxes from political power positions, 3) listen to the will of their constituency and remember we are a "representative republic" not a "Banana Republic" 4) stop plotting the demise of American citizens with their plans for a Eugenicists health care plan.

5) Arrest criminals from Acorn and stop our tax dollars from funding Acorn and other criminal organizations like them.

6)repeal criminal legislation like H.R. 1388.

7) Get the left wing indoctrination crew out of our education systems.

8) Stop embezzling trillions of tax payers dollars for fraudulent purposes.

They can have my age, race, sex and opinion about corruption in government. If they want more personal financial information, then I suggest they get it from the IRS. I am not giving my personal information out to anyone authorized by this government.

I am so glad to see I am not alone in not wanting to fill out this survey. During the last survey I chose not to fill it out. They came to my door at all hours.

I am a 64 year old woman, living alone. I don't feel they need to know all the crap they are asking. I filed my taxes, all the information they feel they need to know is there.

I mentioned to a reporter for the newspaper the similarity between our government today and Hitler and he said some not so nice things to me. Well, I wonder what he's thinking now.

We need to take our country back. I am proud to be an American, but not very proud of our government. Many people I know who voted for this man are now regretting it. I hope it's not too late for us.

Thank you for being here. It's a breath of fresh air.

I have written both my senators, Warner and Webb of Virginia, and stated my refusal to comply with the ACS.

When approached by census officials I will state that my religious beliefs prohibit giving any information beyond my name and the number of people in my house.

Whether I'm white, black, hispanic, etc., or whether I own or rent my home, makes as much difference to the count of legal U.S. citizens as not having to show your legal or illegal status as a U.S. citizen.

I am becoming more and more ashamed I fought for this newly founded socialist government. I also feel for the ones who fought and died for us, who spit in their graves.

Well, after many different phone calls, starting with the one on the census form, I still do not have an address to where to send the $100. Fine. Thank Gosh, I documented every call and person I spoke with.

One dear government lady actually said she did not have time for prank phone calls. I tried to assure her that this indeed was not a prank but she was too busy being rude and just kept talking, finally telling me to call my senator, which I did.

But, I still don't have a clue where to send the $100 fine. United we stand divided we fall

1. The census is unconstitutional - read the enumerations - and the amendments already cited.

A sympathizer to the Census said it was to help the government to function. Well the federal government is functioning way beyond its legal powers and I will not feed that machine.

It feels good to see so many of you willing to take a stand against this invasion of privacy. It gives a little glimmer of hope for this country.

I've been through one round of the no-response ordeal back in '08 and everything turned out just fine. A few visits to my door that went unanswered, a few letters filled with empty threats, and after a month or so, and it all subsided. You will not be fined.

I may answer the door this time, but my attitude is going to be that I won't allow this to cause me any more stress than deciding what toppings I want on my pizza.

It doesn't do any good to argue with the census taker. Just say, "I respectfully decline." and gently close the door.

Last census I was harassed for a while because I refused to answer the long winded privacy invading Community Survey.

Finally a man identifying himself as a supervisor came to the door and demanded I answer. I told him if he was good at counting, he could try counting my angry rottweilers as he ran for his life.

Then I whistled up the dogs who escorted him tenderly to his car.

That was that.

mandatory. Are you kidding? Ask yourself this question. Do i have a Fifth amendment right not to incriminate myself? do i have right to due process? how Fourth amendment. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses,

papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.

“The public also plays a role in the erosion of our judiciary. Since many citizens lack basic knowledge of our Constitution and federalist system, they are easily manipulated by media and academic elites who tell them that judges are the absolute and final arbiters of US law. But the Supreme Court is not supreme over the other branches of government; it is supreme only over lower federal courts. If Americans wish to be free of judicial tyranny, they must at least develop basic knowledge of the judicial role in our republican government. The present state of affairs is a direct result of our collective ignorance.” The government is doing nothing wrong! You are!

I sure am glad I ran across this site. My paper shredder has been complaining of hunger, so I'm going to feed the "survey" to it when I receive it in the mail next week. This is crazy -- why is this still going on and why aren't people doing something about it? Or are they?

Today I received a notice in the mail from the Census Bureau Director, Robert M. Groves, advising me that next week I'll receive a 2010 Census form in the mail and would I fill it out and mail it in promptly. Uh, no. But I can promise I'll promptly feed it to my hungry paper shredder.

I want to thank you for this site and for all of the posters sharing their experiences and offering insight and information.

my wife and I pay our taxes and feel if that's not enough for our government, then "Too bad Charlie". Uncle Sam gets my money but what happens in my home stays in my home.

Proud to be American but wondering where we will be as a nation in ten years?

Well they stopped today. My son answered the door, the guy announced who he was with. He wanted my son's name and address. At that point I stepped in and said goodbye. He handed me the form which I took and threw in the fireplace, in his view, while he said they'll send more people out.

I have not had the privilege yet of receiving the census form but I'm sure I will soon. My question is: "Doesn't our government have enough information on us from our mandatory tax returns?" "Isn't that enough?" Standing up for my rights in L.A.

Why not just give em complete BS answers. What time do I leave for work, -26:00 in the afternoon. How much do I make per year? I'm paid 400 goats and a chest of elderberries in barter for my services.

I would like to recommend an alternative method of dealing with "census workers" who show up at your door to harass you for information. I propose:

1) Grabbing your video recorder and recording the entire exchange.

2) Explaining that you will answer one personal question for every personal question they answer on camera. Explain that their responses will constitute consent to display the video online.

3) If by some chance they go for it, ask them the most embarrassing, asinine, or silly questions you can think of. Suggestions include "With whom did you last have a sexual encounter and when and where did this take place?"; "What is your favorite color on Thursday afternoons between 4:30 and 5:00 p.m.?"; "How many times a day do you fantasize about blowing up a federal building?"; or "How many fingers does Mickey Mouse have?"

4) If they do not agree to answer any personal questions, assume the Hannibal Lecter voice and say "Tut, tut, tut. Quid pro quo," then slam the door in their face.

- anon61556 You apparently don't share a sense of patriotism, Americanism, freedomism, or whatever kind of 'ism' that true Americans believe in...

You do however display a bit of socialism, communism, marxism or whatever kind of 'ism' that you make excuses for...

Title 13 section 141, subsections (a) and (d) authorize surveys. My first question is: which section authorizes ACS? Section a authorizes every 10 years starting April 1. Section (d) authorizes every 10 years starting 1985. The way I see it, subsections a and d of section 141 do not authorize a January 2010 collection of information.

It's now the end of Jan. 2010 and I just received my second ACS form. I'm a 59 year old retired female and as a rule, I never 'buck' the system -- until now.

During the last month since I received the first one, I've had many many phone calls from someone asking for my husband and saying he is from a veteran's charity. My caller id usually reads 'unavailable' or 'out of area'. Don't know if it's the "bureau" calling or not, but I'm ready for them.

What an imposing questionnaire! I don't even tell my grown kids this much information. During the past year and especially with the current administration in D.C., I am so angry and distrustful of our government.

I have written to the senators of my state and didn't even receive a 'canned' response. Nobody is listening -- another reason not to send in the ACS. Keep your posts coming!

Clearly our government is out of control by trying to intimidate citizens to comply with this survey. I have received two of them so far in January 2010 and I am ignoring both.

We are still Americans and do not need to share personal information against our will. They can send me the 2010 census with their 10 questions that I am required to answer and I will. I will not answer the questions on the American Community Survey and we all have the right and the duty to stand up against this intrusion. "When the people fear their government there is tyranny. When the government fears the people there is liberty." Thomas Jefferson. --JAS

I am so glad I found this website. I did some research over the summer after I found out about the ACS from reading a WSJ article. I made the decision right then and there that I would not respond to an ACS survey under any circumstances. Especially after reading the comments on this page.

As a university student in my early 20s, I returned to school after the summer and mid-semester was called down to my dorm supervisor's office one night. He presented me with an ACS envelope and said a "government guy" had come to school and was having random students fill them out.

I immediately informed him that on the advice of counsel I was refusing the survey. He was shocked and said it was required by law. I said that I still respectfully declined the survey. He said he'd have the "government guy" contact me the next day. I said if this "government guy" wanted to talk to me, I would immediately reserve my right to remain silent until I was represented by counsel. I also mentioned that unless a US Marshal from the Justice Department accompanied him, I would simply ignore him and would call the police if further harassed. He said he'd pass that along.

The next day I got an e-mail saying that the "government guy" was OK with it and that I should return the form. I told him that on the advice of my attorney I had shredded the form.

Haven't heard from the ACS people, "government man", or my dorm supervisor since then.

If you are thinking about filling this out, don't! It's an invasion of privacy. Know your stuff and don't compromise!

As an employee of The U.S. Census Bureau,I too share privacy concerns,but I must say there's a tremendous amount of misinformation and paranoia here. The efforts to secure a response to ACS seem fairly on the mark, but the point that seems most lost here is that households chosen for ACS are just part of a statistical sample that is representative of the country as a whole. While

ACS is relatively new, it has merely replaced the "long form," as it was known, of the decennial census, which has been around for a very long time, and asked similar questions.

This is a very big, complicated country we live in. For our government to function basic knowledge about the country as a whole, and individual states is required.

Those of you who are interested just might try at least the internet to find out what this is all about. Remember, it is Congress that is the creator of federal law, and the enumerator of penalties for violations of the law, not the U.S. Census Bureau.

A final note to those of you who are, or consider yourself Republicans: ACS after initial testing, "went national" in 2004. ACS was conducted vigorously and continuously during the presidency of George W. Bush. Further, congressional rules on enforcement were controlled by the Republican Congressional Committee overseeing Census Bureau Operations, when the Republicans controlled congress.

ACS is really not worth losing any sleep over. I hope this helps.

Recipients of the American Community Survey are told several times that the information given is necessary for the operation of our government, is very secure and is kept private. What they don’t tell you is that the information is available to a long list of private corporation, research agencies and think tanks, who use the information to justify and pursue their own agendas.

You may have noticed over the past week on the news, many articles about the new situation in American families where the wife is now the major bread winner/wage earner. Other articles have slanted this to be a case of "men marrying into money."

Where did this information come from and why is it on the news? It came from data mining by the Pew Research Center. Where did they get the data? From the American Community Survey and your tax dollars at work. Look up the original data at Pew Research. --Lazarus

Constitutional provisions for the census

The provision for the Census is found in Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 of the Constitution. It is confined to determining the number of Representatives [in the House] and imposing direct Taxes among the several States.

“Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Number... The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.”

The power to make laws concerning the Census is restricted to the “actual enumeration.”

In the case of direct taxes (a direct tax is a tax on property based on ownership), this provision requires Congress to apportion the tax among the individual States based on population. For example, let’s say in 1790, two years after the ratification of the Constitution, Congress prepared a budget and decided to impose a direct tax to raise the needed revenue. And, based on the Census, Virginia had 30 percent of the population of the United States. Under the rule of apportionment, Virginia would have been responsible for 30 percent of the tax. The states collect the tax and turn the money over to the federal government.

Direct taxes are inherently unfair because one state, with ten percent of the population, might be one of the richest states while another state, with the same percentage of the population, might be one of the poorest. Yet, under the direct tax formula imposed by the Constitution, both states would be required to pay the same amount. The founders feared the use of direct taxes so they created a system to discourage their use.

Since direct taxes must be apportioned based on population, an enumeration is needed to determine the percentage of tax for each state.

The ACS replaced the old census long form and the questions have absolutely nothing to with apportioning direct taxes or determining the number of representatives in the House of Representatives. Thus, they cannot use the census as the pretext for the ACS.

Make the Census people eat this Supreme Court ruling:

“Neither branch of the legislative department [House of Representatives or Senate], still less any merely administrative body [insert Census Bureau], established by congress, possesses, or can be invested with, a general power of making inquiry into the private affairs of the citizen." Kilbourn v. Thompson, 103 U.S. 168, 190. We said in Boyd v. U.S., 116 U. S. 616, 630, 6 Sup. Ct. 524,―and it cannot be too often repeated―that the principles that embody the essence of constitutional liberty and security forbid all invasions on the part of government and its employees of the sanctity of a man’s home and the privacies of his life. As said by Mr. Justice Field in Re Pacific Ry. Commission, 32 Fed. 241, 250, ‘of all the rights of the citizen, few are of greater importance or more essential to his peace and happiness than the right of personal security, and that involves, not merely protection of his person from assault, but exemption of his private affairs, books, and papers from inspection and scrutiny of others. Without the enjoyment of this right, all others would lose half their value.’” [The bracketed words added for clarification]

Interstate Commerce Commission v. Brimson, 154 U.S. 447, 479 (May 26, 1894)

This United States Supreme Court case has never been overturned.

If the federal government had been granted the general power to make inquires into the private affairs of the American people through the Census or a congressional mandated survey, then the Supreme Court could not have made this ruling.

The assertion by census workers that there is a simple fine of $5,000.00 for not providing the info is total crap!

The $5,000.00 fines referenced in section 3571 are post conviction fines that only apply to an individual who has been charged and convicted of a crime defined in section 3559.

Unless an individual has been charged and convicted of some criminal offense connected to the Census and the crime falls within section 3559, this $5,000.00 fine does not apply.

I am so glad to once again stand up for my individual rights. Shame it's only once every ten years.

In 2000 I threw the forms in the trash only to receive three visits at my door. On the first occasion, the guy produced a badge and said he would like to come in and talk to me. I refused entry into my home.

Before the second visit, I posted a 'no trespassing' sign at the bottom of the stairway leading up to my garage apartment. He came to my door anyway. I ordered him to leave and he said he would have to go get the sheriff and return. I said it sounded like a great idea. I also refused the deputy entrance for the purpose of a census and said that I wished them both to leave as I would not comply.

A week later, the same worker showed up and said it was my last chance or I could be fined and possibly jailed.

That's when I lost my patience and said "Look pal, you're here to count people right. There are two of us living here. Good-bye".

The next day I saw this guy talking to my neighbor and figured he was submitting him to the same harassment I had received. Wrong. He was asking questions about me and my wife!

If I receive the same treatment again, I may consider filing a class action lawsuit.

If all they want is a head count, all they have to do is count social security numbers! But obviously they want to know everything about you. We need to take a stand and not put up with all the socialist crap the government wants us to do. Let freedom ring!

Although they have a mandate and articles and codes under the US code, this is all for the census not the ACS. according to the constitution it limits the government's ability to do anything but enumerate. this implies you have obligations to help the government count but not to answer every intrusive question they might ask. this is the letter I sent the census bureau

Robert M. Groves

Director, US Census Bureau

United States Department of Commerce

Washington, DC 20233-0001

Office of the Director

Dear Mr. Groves;

Since the Constitution established a federal government of limited enumerated powers and that document does not grant them the general power to request the information, I am under no constitutional obligation to provide it, and therefore refuse to answer the ACS.

As stated in the US Constitution Article 1 Section 2: I only have to fulfill my duty as a citizen by helping you enumerate, and I'm not required to answer any questions until the next Census in 2010.

These questions clearly violate any privacy guaranteed to me by the US Constitution and over step the Census Bureau’s authority. I have therefore included both Article 1 section 2 of the US Constitution, and the US Supreme court’s decisions in upholding the right to privacy

Thank you for your time and attention to this, and I expect this matter to be closed.

I will file a class action suit against the Government if they continue to harass me and hope to gain momentum in order to force the government to be liable for any information lost on their part.

give me liberty, or give you death as the old saying goes!

At first I thought this was the census under another name, then as I read it I could not believe how invasive it was. Research brought me here. The census has gone outside the Constitutional limits for years with what they ask on the actual survey and now this? Then you want to threaten with fines?

Please give that a shot, I'll find me a constitutional lawyer and challenge the constitutionality of this law, any survey or law attached and the constitutionality of this survey as well as the census survey.

Passive resistance is no longer an option. The yahoos on the Hill will continue to usurp our rights. Active resistance is the order of the day. BTW my survey went into the guinea pig cage, it will come out the same it went in: crap.

James ABove'

"Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who who have the courage to defend it." Pericles, 460BC

While there is no specific wording in the Bill of Rights regarding the rights of privacy. the Supreme Court's decisions over the years has established that the rights to privacy is a basic human right, and as such is protected by virtue of the 9th amendment.

The right to privacy is also inherent in many amendments to the Bill of Rights, such as the 3rd, the 4th, search and seizure and the 5th, self incrimination limit.

Just because some bureaucrat says that U.S. Code, Title 13 makes the American Community Survey legal and enforceable, the test of time will surely prove that it is not.

Thanks to all of you for your comments. We've tossed two surveys in the recycle bin.

My husband and I now know what we will do when a rep shows up at our door. We will ask the rep to make it clear what will happen if we don't answer the survey, then verbally accept the consequences.

Since the threats appear to completely empty then at this point the consequences are null and void. However, we will make it quite clear we will accept the risk and continue to take this stand. Avoiding them will not really be possible since we have a houseful of teenagers who will most likely keep answering the door. We don't have a home phone but I imagine the reps will get hold of our cell numbers? So be it. As one post on this site said... "bring it on."

I am glad I found this site. I just got a pretty harassing phone call from a census lady, who said I would be fined if I didn't fill this crap out.

I'm sorry but this survey almost asks me how many times I pee in a day. This BS is incredible. Why the hell should I tell the government all this business about me? They have no right to know.

I have no problem filling out the main census form but not this BS. The whole purpose of the census getting shortened was to entice people to fill it out, not this 20-page crap. I felt like cursing this lady out!

Help people, can I really get fined if I don't fill this crap out?

This crap has been going on for almost a month now! Daily calls (five or six) two invasive questionnaires mailed, and now intimidating and threatening phone calls. Call your senators and congressman now and lets get these commie creeps out of our lives and off our backs. God bless America and individual freedom!

Mine went in the shredder, and I ignored the phone calls. No visits yet.

The government is collecting information such as how many rooms we have in our houses, how many acres of land, what time do we leave for work, etc. in preparation for the day this country is taken over by the European Union or China.

The information that they collect will be used against us in our most crucial moments. Protect yourselves and your privacy, don't complete the form!

Our freedom and liberty are at stake!

Thank goodness for this web site. I am a retired airline captain and a former captain in the U.S.A.F. I served my country in Vietnam. I am a patriot.

I pay my taxes honestly, obey the laws of the land, don't speed, don't spit on the sidewalk and I will always open the door for a lady.

I love my country and I'm proud to be an American. And then I get this BS from a government agency? For years I've been very concerned about the direction that our country has been taking. Well, it's just arrived in the form of a mail packet that asks volumes of personal, none of your business information. It then adds insult and temerity by threatening me for noncompliance?

It's been an easy decision for me. The slippery slope stops here. I will not submit. I will not yield. I will not comply. If threatened with a fine or even prison, I will say, "Bring it on!" I am an American!

So glad I found this site. I am in the middle of this ACS thing now and refusing to answer. Received two survey forms, three letters and two visits at my door and awaiting a third based on a lovely letter I received yesterday announcing yet another visit. All this and I live on an Army installation!

I am appalled at this whole thing and believe me when that survey taker arrives at my door again, she is going to get an ear full. My hubby has served this country for over 30 years, we are about to retire and what a lovely retirement gift we are receiving (NOT)!....Harassment, compliments of the government, just lovely (NOT). We did not support and defend the Constitution for this crap. The oath means something to us and I for one am going to continue to tell them to stick it where the Sun Does Not Shine!

I really like what anon18185 did, about looking up the census person and finding out information about them and not have thrown away the census questionnaire. Ha! I wish I would have kept the census person's name. However, I am sure I will get another one. I too am going to do the same. Get every bit of info on that person I can (don't forget to do a criminal search) and call them and start asking them questions they will find offensive and question them about their personal life from what I find out about them. Let's see how much they like it.

I am glad I am not the only one who tossed the thing in the garbage. I think someone should have a web cam ready when they come to the door. I have a few ideas to annoy them: Answer the door buck naked while eating a piece of chicken. Let them in and then fart really loud. Perhaps act so insanely crazy they will be glad to leave. Act drunk and make like you're going to be sick on them or pretend to pass out. If a person of the same sex comes to your door, act like you're interested in them and start touching their hair. With Halloween right around the corner, how about scare the crap out of them. I would personally love to sit and watch hours of this kind of stuff. Yes we find the government annoying, but we could turn things around to our advantage and make things fun. then maybe somebody will get the hint that we don't want our lives invaded.

Well it started for me. First survey last month. That went into the fire. Then came the second one,it followed the first. The calls started Wednesday. First from a phone bot then yesterday a phone call from a real person. I hung up. Today another call demanding to know my name and telling me I would be fined. I hung up. Video camera is by the door for the on-site contact which will be next. We will then see them online. As a retired LEO, state law keeps all my info private, unless court ordered. These vermin can pound sand. Don't give in.

I filled it out. We have 273 people living in this house with no plumbing, I go to work at 2 a.m. and get home at 2:30. I started my business for 75 cents. no one here is related etc., etc. You get the picture. I am not telling them anything.

When they arrive on your property, order them off your property. If they refuse, call 911 and report a hostile trespasser. The state police will show up and *escort* them off your property. Don't touch them and if they do touch you, even slightly, fall down and don't get up until an ambulance arrives. Then you've got them by the balls.

Too late I read the comments about this article and I got a phone call from the ACS. They had been to my house (outside) and told me this was coming. While talking to the ACS lady on the phone I found out they didn't have a complete address and had sent me a form. Apparently my post office would not send it to me. I heard I had to answer the questions or face a possible fine of $5000.00 so I answered the questions. Now I wish I hadn't answered her on the phone. I see a lot of people have more courage than me.

We have received 3 demands from the Census Bureau. It is SBO-1 (Survey for Business Owner and Self Employed) and states that it is mandatory per Title 13 USC. This appears to be the same scenario as the ACS. Can anyone tell me about this?

Just throw the census form in the trash. In 2000 I refused to fill mine out. I put up with some minor harassment and then after a few weeks it stopped. They gave up on me. You don't want your personal information in some library, online or in an archives someday do you? Don't fill it out. Protect your privacy. If they harass you with phone calls change your number before they do the census and keep it unlisted. The census is satanic.

So glad I came across this website while researching whether or not I had to respond to this stupid ACS I just got in the mail. Way too much info requested (stuff I wouldn't tell my friends, let alone the government!!) I am glad to know there are plenty out there who are refusing to let our rights be trampled on!! Our Constitution is being dismantled before our eyes, but this will be one stand we'll make and keep encouranging others to do the same. If every household in the nation received this survey at once, there might be more of any outcry and uproar for our government to cut out the nonsense or face a revolution! But I guess they probably figured that out, so decided to send it to only 2.6 percent of the population at a time. Cowards! :0 We shall not be intimidated! Keep up the good fight!

I say the heck with Big Brother, ours is going in the garbage, and I'm no longer answering their calls (love caller ID)!

they will tell you its the law, but since when do we have to answer to the government who lives in our house and who they are related to and what time we go to work, what time to we return? do we have a hot water heater? how much to start our businesses etc. its nothing short of communism folks!! i love my country and its freedom and its up to us to keep the communism out!!

My husband and I run a small trucking company, and we received a census form for the business. I had never heard of such a thing. I thought the purpose of census was for representation purposes. This questionnaire asked how we got the funds to open the business, and how much money we spent to start up operation! Can anyone please tell me if I am obligated to answer these questions. I do not think I should have to give out that kind of information

I first starting receiving these things by mail like 4 years ago. I asked my accountant about them and he recommended not to fill them out. After the first couple of letters I received I started getting harassing phone calls from them. I have yet to fill one out. The latest thing they are doing is having the postal carrier come to my door and have me sign a delivery confirmation. I just don't answer the door. Thank you for creating this site and letting me know that I am not alone with receiving these and answering them.

what is this country coming to? all the government tries to say if they want you to do something is say "its the law" thinking people will run and do what they say. i respect my government and i am proud to be an american, but since when is it any of their business if i have a hot water heater or how far i travel to work? good thing inflation is under control and gas prices are not skyrocketing for no reason, and unemployment figures are under control, that they have nothing better to do than harass an honest hardworking taxpayer.

I, too, have been harassed by the Census Bureau. Over a college survey they want me to take. I am literally getting up to six phone calls a day, mass mailings, and mass e-mails. It's unbelievable that they have the right to do this, on principle alone, I will not. I have a right to not be harassed in my home. And you just know that if I answer a survey about college, they will just send me another next year and keep tracking me. Horrible, and a total violation of my rights across the board. I don't owe the government anything for going to college. If anything, they could have made it easier for us all so we wouldn't have to be in debt for years just to get an education.

I am going to avoid all traps and when it is time to have them finally come over I am going to do an international webcast and sing answers and slowly say, ohhhhh I don't know....let me think and sit there for 15 minutes for each question....everyone will know where I don't work, how much money I don't make and that I don't have plumbing and that I fart a lot...

I will post it.

The ACS (for City planning my A@##).

That's the game the Nazi's started with in the 30's as did Stalin, with the knocks on the door and the spying on each other. Next step will be implanting us with chips, or tattooing our arms.

This questionnaire id just too personal and invasive of ones rights as a citizen in any country, let alone (supposedly) "The Land of the Free and The Brave" did Cheney, Bush, McCain, Obama fill one out? I very much doubt.

I shall be contacting my Senator and Congressman to voice my alarm and concern on another gross infringement of my Civil Liberties. A concerned citizen.

We have received 2 ACS long forms and multiple phone calls and now a front door visit. I called the number left on the card and told the enumerator the Constitutional, Article 1, Section 2 as follows:

"The actual Enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct."

The enumeration is *solely for the purposes of elected representative apportionment* I told her the ACS is a violation of the Constitution and I did not believe it would be used to "provide" me schools or hospitals or fire stations, but rather to spy on me. The most aggressive "ally" nation caught spying on the United States is Israel. I have little doubt that the ACS data is already in Israel's possession. Who knows what other "enemy" nations also have it.

This is a violation of our privacy and a malevolent use of government power. If the enumerators cannot get this info from the Social Security Administration or the local state tax boards then there must be a reason why not!

Years ago someone told me that the information can be used in a book (that may or may not be in your library) that is published showing where you work, how long you lived at your residence, etc. Anything that you answer can be used for this book, which is usually for your town, county, etc. I didn't believe him until he showed me the book. Don't fill out anything if you don't want the public to know some of your private information. You send it in it could become public information. To those who say they can't publish anything like that, I have seen it. its no joke.

Just got my second second ACS survey in the last three years. First time around it ended with phone calls and then they I was given a $25 gift card at the Home Depot. I threw it away. I don't get mad about much but privacy is basic American. This second survey is going right in the burner.

Thank you, fellow Americans! I needed to read this! Others have reminded me that this information about me is posted out in the paper world, cyber world, etc., somewhere.

But it hasn't ever needed to be collected by a government agency that is supposed to serve WE, the people and then threatens us with fines, treating good citizens like criminals... (I thought counting people was like one, two, three, four,...?)

Its as if this part of the government wants to create dirt on someone if they can find it!

This is proof that the government of the USA is anything but the servant that it was created to be. The Founding Fathers wanted the power to stay with the people - but it took a revolution to secure it. Our government today is so far from the Founding Father's ideals - demonstrated by the nasty face we are seeing in these examples.

How many of our signers of the Declaration of Independence would fill out and sign THIS ACS form?

There are friends who ask me if I want to put up with the harassment from the government -wouldn't it be easier to just give in and give the information to them? All I can think of is that every time one of us gives in and allows this servant to go unchallenged, then they get bolder, prouder, and we get used to it and then we are eventually abused by them.

I don't want abuse from anyone, least of all from those who were once subject to the people and who now act as if they are the elite. So I stand up to them and say NO, you don't need my private information in order to serve me better!

I will give the information to those who really need it to improve my neighborhood, city, county, etc. Since when has the Federal government come to my door or anyone else’s and said "We want to help you get your road paved..." or any other helpful act, and then asked me for my help by filling out a form to prove the necessity? I guess it's too simple, or full of common sense. It can't be done if the government is a complex, dishonest mess.

A truly honest, upright government does not hire goons and bullies to do any work for them. And it would not fabricate stories in order to confiscate private information from the people it should be serving.

I also ignored the mailed survey. I ignored the phone when it rang. I even downloaded a sound bite that said this number has been disconnected and is no longer in service. I didn't hear from them for about two weeks. Then they came to my door while I was out of town and left me a note with their name and number. I googled the name and phone number, found out their spouses name where they lived, etc. The census person came back by a week later. When I answered the door she said who she was and had a survey for me. I told her I wasn't interested. She said actually it's mandatory. I told her actually it's not. I told her to get a US Marshal with a warrant. She said they don't do that. I said, what makes you think I'm going to turn over my personal information to a total stranger knocking on my door. She offered me her badge and supervisors number. I told her I wasn't calling anybody. I told her not to come back or I would spray her with my garden hose. As she walked away, I told her that her husband Ray just called and wanted her to stop at the store at a location next to her house. She was a little surprised how I knew things about her. I was really hoping she would stick around and argue with me some more, I was kind of of enjoying it because I knew there wasn't anything she could do. Let's see if she comes back for her shower.

I now have multiple visits to my home every day, followed up by threatening calls with an hour of each. I told them I was not responding, and as I shut the door and walked away she stood on the porch and rang the bell, and since then it's all gone down hill. I get hourly calls during the week. I sent an e-mail to headquarters. Fine, sue me, I dare you, but stop holding me hostage in my home.

I am 66 years old and I have never participated in any census. I never will. Ignore any paperwork they send you, hang up if they call you, demand they leave your property if they come to your home. They are a toothless tiger.

I am grateful for this site...I just got the survey in the mail and felt very intimidated into having to complete it....or else. Would I really be fined or imprisoned? OMG!! So hesitantly, I began to fill it out. When I got to the financial questions I thought - what?? this is absurd. Who are these people and why are they telling me I am obligated by law to provide my personal information to some one or some entity I don't know. I did not ask for this; this is not an application for credit.

After reading the notes on this site, I decided - ACS...destination, shredder. Now let me get my cell phone fully charged and ready for the doorbell to ring. 10 minutes ago I felt apprehensive. Now....I look forward to answering that door, cell in hand, and pressing the "video record" button. Bring it on ACB enumerators......go ahead, make my day!! I'll see "YOU" on the tube...."You Tube". Perfect.

OK, we all agree that our rights have been violated. Now, do we all agree that harassing people is against the law??! Now, I want to know how we go about suing these senseless census idiots! We are entitled to "Quiet Enjoyment" of our homes. That means *not* having our door pounded on constantly and yelled at that we are violating the law by not allowing these rude, despicable low class jerks into our homes! We do not have to be subjected to this mistreatment, Ladies and Gentlemen!! We do not have to fear picking up the phone or answering our door. We should not have to fear such "power hungry, and commission-crazy animals! PLEASE let's get them back once and for all! We are all empowered, so we need to get together to sue!

12286: Don't worry, and don't respond. They have no authority to uphold the ACS laws and they WON'T take action b/c they KNOW if this survey got out in the media it would be eliminated by public outcry. I went through this myself and I read a Web forum that spanned several years with posters who had received the form, and what they had experienced. NO ONE EVER GETS IN TROUBLE for refusing to answer. They only get idle threats. Just hang tough and they will eventually leave you alone. Don't engage them in conversation or reason with them. Just slam the phone or door on them. The less you say to them the faster they stop bothering you.

I'm fed up with the ACS and all their nosing in my business. While the survey states that my address was selected at random for the survey, they have my address and unlisted telephone number, which they call regularly. First I didn't send the form back "as soon as possible". Mind you, no return by date was given. When I did return it, I left off my personal business. If they aren't paying my bills they don't have a need to know how much they are. I am a law abiding American citizen, tax payer (working 2 jobs) and a registered voter, not a criminal or bum or illegal immigrant living off the tax payers.

Don't be afraid. They can't really do anything and they certainly aren't going to. The Census Bureau would have to refer a case to the Dept of Justice, they have no power of their own. And send a Federal Marshal out to write you a ticket. And the Justice Dept is not going to spend time on this. It has been more than 40 years since that was done and they do not want any court case to be brought up that can challenge the constitutionality of their threats. And the big 2010 census is coming and they can't have ANY negative publicity. They are just being bullies. You are a perfect example of why people should be outraged by the ACS. They think that if they exert a little authority, show you a badge, write a stern letter, that you will be too afraid to tell them that they have no right to subject you to this.

This is Government out of control. That's all it is. Say no to everything. If you give them a little info they will keep at you until you give in. If you got grilled before then they are trying to find out the change in your situation over time. You have a file and they are trying to use changes in your life situation to justify government programs.

I wish you luck. Do as you see fit. I am young and strong and will not put up with this sort of thing.

I just had hip surgery, when the buzzer rang this evening (Saturday 6:30p.m.) this person got in the building somehow! I hollered at the door that "I'm a crippled senior and DO NOT open my door unless its my kids".... she yelled through the door announcing her name & bla bla "...census, have some questions for you"..I'll just leave my card & you can call me next week!"

Yeah right! When hell freezes over. What I want to know for sure is: Can they make, force, and punish you for not filling out this thing? I just moved to a suburb outside of Detroit after years of living there, and its strange but I also got 'grilled' the last time it came around. so no more. I'm too old and sick.

Thank you for answering, I am grateful for this site, but hesitant to put email addy, or other info about me.

signed, WORRYING in Ferndale, MI

I upgraded my cell phone to one that I can take video with and that has a large memory. I told the second person who called me that I had already refused to cooperate with the first person who called. I had missed several calls but the pattern seemed to be that I got them every other day. She said she would mark me down as 'refused' If someone actually shows up I am going to take control of the interview and video my demand that they leave and not come back, and their response. They are not going to like the possibility that they might end up on YouTube and be linked to all the sites discussing the ACS. Their bosses are going like it even less.

There is only a theoretical possibility that they could fine you. The Census Bureau can't issue a fine, they have to refer the case to the Dept. of Justice. The last time that happened was more than 40 YEARS ago. The BIG 2010 census count is coming soon. The plan to use lap tops to do the door to door counts for non-respondents has already been junked. Millions of dollars wasted! Don't you think someone high up already has their * in a wringer over that? Think anyone is going to get approval to send out US Marshals to issue tickets? After 40 years and right before everybody in the country is supposed to reply to the 2010 census? Ain't going to happen, just call their bluff.

If you read and listen to them carefully they actually say that it's mandatory and you could be fined. They never say that they are going to fine you. When I mentioned the threat of a fine to the last caller she seemed horrified that I would accuse her of that and went out of the way to state that she didn't bring it up.

anon10731 is obviously a census worker!!!!!!

we have every right to keep our privacy!!!! this stupid stupid government and all its crap... we have been harassed over and over and over and today again. i get home don't even get out of the parking lot, she pulls up. "is your name blah blah blah?" and even spells it. this is a new one. how the hell does she know me and what i look like, she's never been to our door yet. makes you wonder!!!???? i told her no, she kept asking, i kept telling her no and eventually snuck in my apartment when she drove to park. what the hell??? im a normal 27 year old female, trying to live my life. they started harassing my boyfriend and some how i got thrown into it because i live here.... so earlier before i got home he called me and told me his story of her showing up. so i would be prepared. she wouldnt tell him who she was and kept insisting to come in. finally he told her he would call the cops if she didn't leave. she said go ahead i'll wait.... all this while he was getting ready for work. i wish i still had my camcorder so i could do like the person said. i hate these people. i have nothing to hide but i shouldn't be forced to tell anyone anything and that's what makes me mad!!! so i will protect myself and my privacy and never give in just for the fact its my right!!!!!!!!!

Get on with your life and answer the census. Don't be paranoid, it's only a few questions a lot of people already know about you anyway.

I am getting bothered by the census people now and what really annoys me to death is that I look all over the place and see all these people with basement apartments making tons of money off the books. They bring in all additional people running up monies needed for schools, social programs. welfare etc. and they are the ones who should be paying extra taxes for that. They are the ones making the money tax free - not me. I just get to pay more taxes for their tax free gain and it just is not fair. but who gets the census??? me. It is just such a sick country now. It's a land of the free OK but I ask everyday "for who??" Public servants are just public burdens and every time their benefits cost more I have to pay for them and I don't even have any myself!!!!Now I have to pay for temp workers who have my private info to sell overseas maybe???? Why doesn't the gov just sell us some cyanide instead of slowly picking away at our bones? The gov has lost what is called common sense and buried it under a ton of manure.

My blood pressure is through the roof right now after reading this survey. I want to put it in the woodstove and make my house a fortress. This government is OUT OF CONTROL! I feel kind of sick too.... in the '90s the Commerce Dept decided that I was a resort or apartment complex owner and harassed me to fill out a survey detailing my expenditures on repairs, income reports etc. I never have, EVER owned an apartment or resort. That didn't stop the harassment, visits leaving notes while I was at work, or conversations asking my neighbors questions about me like I was some criminal or something. I never did get ahold of the idiot at Commerce- she sure had lots of vacation time. Wound up yelling at anyone who would speak to me and finally the harassment stopped.

In 1990 I returned the long form and after a couple weeks one of their incompetents showed at my doorstep saying I hadn't returned it. Of course I had, but she got snotty like I was lying and said we would have to fill it out over again right-here-right-now. I insisted that the little brownshirt leave and go look in the mailroom because I was not going to do it over again-like I have nothing better to do.........she said I was in BIG trouble because she could FORCE me to do it over. They must have found it because I heard no more but neither did I get an apology.

This summer I sold my house and tried to cancel my FEMA flood insurance. The guy at FEMA said he needed my closing statement-I had sent that in but removed all the dollar amounts as that was none of their business. That didn't go over to well and he told me that I was refusing to comply with a government agency and wouldn't get my money back.

The next day I called back and talked to a different agent or whatever they are. I asked her if she had gotten a statement from my mortgage company-a release- and she found it and sent the refund. Did not need the closing statement. Seemed like they try to collect more info than they need but will give in if you call them on their crime.

Back to this census nonsense: I filled out the 2000 and don't owe them a thing until 2010 census. And everyone should have to fill out the same thing-how come I get the long form every time? How come I get the ACS? Why am I in the unlucky 2.5%?

I think that I will put this in the woodstove-just don't tell the EPA or they will be here to take away my woodstove....

Where is the America I grew up in? Will we ever return to our freedoms? Is the enemy offshore or some creep in a bloated Federal Dept we don't even need?

What you say is true. I've been harassed by phone at night and Sundays. They also made an unannounced visit. I threw them off my property.

If it gets to the point where they actually come to your house, the "enumerator" is going to tell you it's too late to give your answers to the Survey in writing, and he'll insist (threaten) that you must tell him the personal details of your life while he types it into his laptop computer.

These "enumerators" aren't policemen and they can't make you answer their questions or let them into your house.

The last thing the execs at the Census Bureau want to see is a video of one of their "enumerators" on YouTube, the Six O'clock News, or in Congress or a courtroom harassing and threatening a citizen/voter with a big fine or jail time if that person refuses to give out the personal details of his life to a perfect stranger.

If one of these goons shows up at your door you should immediately get out your camera phone or camcorder and put it right in their face and turn it on. I guarantee it will be a short and polite conversation and the last time they ever bother you!

The ACS and Census Bureau have no legal standing to enforce the bogus laws that were passed to allow this survey. They would have to take you to court, and they haven't done that EVER. They do NOT enforce noncompliance, because they know this survey is UNAmerican and UNConstitutional and would NOT stand up in a court of law against The People. So they bully and threaten and use fear to scare people into compliance. Have no fear. Throw the thing in the garbage, leave on your answering machine for a few weeks, and slam the door in the face of anyone who comes by. Stonewall them out. They DO go away. I've been through it. If we don't stand up and protect our rights we will lose them b/c the gvmt is all too happy to take as many away as possible for their own benefit at our expense.

They have came to my door unannounced on many occations. They have also threatened to fine or jail me. This is harassment, I am no threat. They are instilling fear. A tactic that is used too frequently in our society as a means of control. It is my constitutional right to privacy. Yet, it seems lately that these rights are being taken from the American people. Are we going to let this happen?

God bless you for creating this site! Last year I was hounded by these people and they are back I am so glad I did not answer or call or contact them I cannot believe this information is relevant for city planning...the person above said it best.

The ACS is better than a surveillance on the American family. Now who you work for, when you go to work, how much you make; is all stored in a government database.

The last time I looked, American's had the right to privacy. Whats next from our GOVERNMENT; the police saying your papers please? It's is reminiscent of Hitler's rise to power. That alone, in the wrong hands; is reason NOT to respond to such a blatant abuse of power.