Census

[Wentzl]

I have been working as a Census enumerator for the past six weeks. My area has been Silverton, Ouray, Montrose, Telluride, where many folks who climb 14ers reside. I am posting this to get a sense of what you folks think of the work I am doing. I have had responses from being threatened with a shotgun to being thanked for doing a worthwhile task. I wonder, who are these people who feel so threatened? Why so suspicious about giving up a name? I try to assure people, as I am instructed to say, that information is used only for census purposes. But I have to admit, when one guy asked me if the device in my hand was recording audio or video of our conversation, I had to admit that I did not honestly know.

The census deadline has been extended to October 5, 2020. Please be kind to your local census taker.

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[cottonmountaineering]

i filled out the census online after receiving mail about it, i have been visited in person by census workers 4 times following that over the past months. not exactly sure why.

[cottonmountaineering]

to answer your question though in mountain communities people tend to be anti-government/paranoid

[JChitwood]

You do a thankless job. Try not to get shot in the next week. I would guess some mountain communities, say those in Summit County, Aspen, and Telluride, are very pro-government.

I thought the census was mail only had no idea people visited homes. I’m 60 so I’ve been through 5 of them since I’ve been out of my parent’s home and I have never been visited by a census taker. Is it because I fill the form out as soon as I receive it?

[Conor]

Ask any person with Japanese heritage living in the US during the early 40's why you shouldn't fill out the census. Before everyone says mountains towns are full of trumpians and this is all non sense that wouldn't happen today, the Japanese 1940 census example was used by those suing the ["trump"] government for the citizenship question (ironically).

https://www.npr.org/2018/12/26/63610789 ... s-question

[nunns]

Keep doing your job; it is appreciated.
If people would have just completed their part online...
I understand there is a small percentage of people who can't do that, but let's be honest, it's a small percentage.
Lots of people out there who are distrustful of government.

Sean Nunn

[highpilgrim]

Lots of people out there who are distrustful of government.

Just the leadership.

[12ersRule]

Lots of people out there who are distrustful of government.

Just the leadership.

What leadership?

[TomPierce]

Ask any person with Japanese heritage living in the US during the early 40's why you shouldn't fill out the census. Before everyone says mountains towns are full of trumpians and this is all non sense that wouldn't happen today, the Japanese 1940 census example was used by those suing the ["trump"] government for the citizenship question (ironically).

https://www.npr.org/2018/12/26/63610789 ... s-question

Interesting history, thanks for citing that, Conor.

Note that there are sort of two census forms, often confused. The American Community Survey is a multipage survey mailed to homes months ago. It's really long, and IMO very invasive, asking about income, commute times, etc. That form is NOT the constitutionally-authorized census. Fwiw, I tore mine in half and tossed it in the trash. The actual census is (hopefully) completed online and super short, I completed the census for my family in just a few minutes, super easy. Note that there is no citizenship question on the census, that was blocked in the courts.

Finally, thanks for your work, Wentzl.

-Tom

[nunns]

Lots of people out there who are distrustful of government.

Just the leadership.

What leadership?

I think he means Pelosi and company.

Sean Nunn

[montanahiker]

What information on the census form does the federal government not already have access to in order to count how many people live at a residence?

[nunns]

What information on the census form does the federal government not already have access to in order to count how many people live at a residence?

Although I am a little concerned about the "big brother" aspect of the federal government, I don't think Washington currently knows, for example, that my oldest daughter is living away at college, whereas my youngest daughter is living at home but going to college online. Google probably knows, but not Washington.

Sean Nunn