Time To Get Ready Ready For That Census

Well, tomorrow is the big day - Census Day, 2010 - April 1, 2010. No fooling!

I know the Census Bureau has spent an obscene amount of money promoting this, including a multi-million dollar Super Bowl ad, several prime-time ads (often several in the same time slot), sponsorshop of a NASCAR Sprint Cup car, mailing, banners, posters, and who knows what else?

I know one thing though. Anyone who has sent in their form already - as they have been requested to do - has violated the spirit of the Census, if not the law.

The first question clearly - and boldly states: "How many peiople were living or staying in this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2010?" You see, that can't be answered in advance. You may have a good idea, but nothing in life is guaranteed or predictable.

So all of you who answered in advance need to call or write or visit your local Census office and ask for your copy back so you can then truthfully submit it. This should go over well with the bureaucrats or seasonal hourly workers. If they ask for an explanation, tell them that you think you read the instructions wrong and may not have provided accurrate information.

We all know that too much is riding on this headcount. The Constitution only demands a Census for apportioning the seats in the House of Representatives and for taxation. However, over the years, Congress has overstepped its authority - as has the Commerce Department and the Administration - in tying the headcount to all types of entitlement and revenue sharing programs as well as making the Census the epitome of statistical demographic surveys.

Nevertheless, the first question is the only one that Constitutionally needs to be answered. All of the others are qualifiers of the first one. I'm not suggesting you omit them, just stating what I observe.

Rest up, my fellow Americans. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. You can also listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

17 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • March 31 2010 12:43PM

Country Comes To Standstill

I never knew how important the Census was. I just saw a commercial that talked about how the local schools, and health care, and roads were dependent on completion of the Census. Yes, dependent.

Their slogan is is "mail it back so we can move forward." We are are at a total standstill until those Census results get counted. Imagine, not being able to move the country forward without our answers to this survey.

No wonder they are spending incredible amounts of money to tell people to fill it out.

Well, I'm convinced - not to fill it out - that we have way too many entitlement programs and a lack of leadership.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. You can also listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

12 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • March 21 2010 02:55PM

Going Postal

While this was a beautiful spring day in South Florida, I expect it was not a pleasant day for letter carriers across the country. We got our long awaited (10 year since the last one), much anticipated (with all of the hype how could we not be waiting to get it) 2010 Census form.

No, I didn't open it. Threw in the pile of sale flyers and magazines. I'll open it later.

It's amazing the amount of money that is being poured into the marketing of the Census - not unlike the amount of money that is spent to win an election. Maybe there's a connection there.

Well. I'm sure that letter carriers across the country are glad this day is over. Since the survey isn't supposed to filled out until April 1st, I wonder how many will be lost between now and then.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. You can also listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

18 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • March 16 2010 05:44PM

The Census Is Not Santa Claus

Just one more thing that's been allowed to get way out of hand in Washington - the decennial Census. I have no problem with the headcount. It's provided for in the Constitution - Article I, Section 2 - strictly as a way of deciding representation in the House of Representatives. It doesn't establish who is to do it or that it be the largest statistical survey in the country.

The Constitution does say that it is to be conducted "in such Manner as they shall by Law direct." Congress has placed the responsibility for the Census in the Department of Commerce (part of the Executive Branch) except that this yeat the President tried to give it to ACORN. No agenda there, right?

All we need is a headcount. Instead, we learn what people eat for breakfast, how many doctor vists they have per year, how many miles they drive to work, how many computers they have, and so much more that most of don't care about or can live without.

Even if this information was important, it generally takes over 2 years for the final reports to be issued - although some rough aggregates of data are available sooner.

The Census has been spending money like they won't get another chance for 10 yeras. They have hired thousands of seasonal workers and sponsored the Super Bowl, a NASCAR vehicle, primetime commercials, newspaper ads, and so much more. Gee, I guess the Census really is good for the economy - except that they are spending our money in the first place.

The ads all have a consistent them. Participate in the Census so your community can get it's fair share of the money. Wrong. Participate so we as a nation can determine how to allocate the 435 House of Representatives districts.

The Washington Post even goes so far as to give the Census superhuman powers. It says that the Census will determine how more than $500 billion - that's a half a trillion, folks - in federal funds get allocated and spent around the countryside. The Census does no such thing. People using the headcounts or allocation formulas in entitlement programs may do so, but the Census does not.

Nevertheless, it's just a headcount. That all, and that's all that is needed. There are plenty of private research firms in this country that can provide demographic studies for more sophistictaed data, so let's them do it.

While it's the law that we have to comply withe the Census - or face a $100 fine that they admit they do not intend to enforce - the headcount is all that is really needed by the Constitution.

If we had fewer entitlement programs, the Census would not need to spend all this money - and neither would Congress.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. You can also listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

22 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • March 16 2010 11:01AM