Sunday, September 27, 2009

A New Reason to Vote "Present" on the Census


A few months back, I suggested that we all should follow Barack Obama's lead:

We should all emulate the great Senator from Illinois, Barack H. Obama, who bravely and repeatedly voted "Present" on legislation he did not want to be held accountable for his vote, or was too busy running for office to read, or didn't have the cojones to take a stand on!

We, however, should do so on principle and boldly write "Present" on any question the Census Bureau asks, that we believe to be too intrusive into our personal lives, or unnecessary on the part of the government. (Besides, it's shorter than "None of your business"!)


Now, Legal Insurrection has this on one of the questions to be asked on the census:

The Census document listing the questions which will be asked reflects a new multi-part question (beginning at page 68), which collects information regarding health care insurance coverage. Question 15 on the new Census asks whether each of the following forms of insurance apply to each person in the household:

a. Insurance through a current or former employer or union (of this person or another family member)
b. Insurance purchased directly from an insurance company (by this person or another family member)
c. Medicare, for people 65 and older, or people with certain disabilities
d. Medicaid, Medical Assistance, or any kind of government-assistance
plan for those with low incomes or a disability
f. VA (including those who have ever used or enrolled for VA health care)
e. TRICARE or other military health care
g. Indian Health Service
h. Any other type of health insurance or health coverage plan – Specify


Why is the question asked?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as other federal agencies, use the data from this question to more accurately distribute resources and better understand state and local health insurance needs.


Or gather ammunition to ram through a government controlled health plan? My plan to vote "Present" on all the questions (other than how many live here) still stands.

Cross posted at Say Anything

Update: Here’s what the Constitution says about the census:

”[An] 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.


Definition of enumeration:
1577, from L. enumeratus, pp. of enumerare “to reckon up, count over, enumerate,” from ex- “from” + numerare “to count, number,” from numerus “number.”
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper


The Constitution says count you, not quiz you.

2 comments:

  1. I'm sure the Government reviews subversive blogs like yours, so my only comment is: "Present"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ah, good! I was going to take roll later!

    ReplyDelete