I checked my mail box and behold, I find a US Census Bureau "American Community Survey" and, even though I filled out a Census this year, I am still required by law to answer a series of personal questions the government has no right to know, yet if I refuse they could fine me up to $100 for each question left blank and up to $500 for each question answered incorrectly.
Here is what they want to know about each member of my household:
- full name
age and date of birth
race
Ethnic Origin (Technically, yes, they are asking you if you are a Jew or not).
where I lived a year ago
several questions pertaining to my mental health
marital status
year of marriage
past military service, if any
income distribution
address of employer
how I drive myself to work
what time I go to work and if I've had any recent absences at work
have I been looking for work
what kind of work I do for a living
education level
when I last when to school
how well I speak English
do I receive health insurance and, if so, how I get it
when my house was built along with how many bedrooms and baths
what kind of house it is
what kind of heating fuel I use
what my utility bills are like
how large are my mortgage payments
How high the property taxes are
What gives the US Government the right to ask me these questions? I filled out my census and did nothing wrong. As far as I'm concerned, this entire survey is completely unconstitutional and I would like to fight this outrage, but I don't have the money to take on the Federal Government in court. What can I do? Will the ACLU help me? I don't want to fill this interrogation form out, but they say the'll fine me lots of money if I don't. What am I to do? What can I do other then bend over and take it?
PM me and I'll forward your information to a guy who's been looking into this.
Who's the guy my information would be forwarded to? Does he just want my name and email address? What does he want to do about this?
As a former Census employee, the ACS is just one of about a dozen surveys that are done every month of every year in addition to the decennial.
To say almost all of these surveys are half baked is kind.