US Census - What Ya Gonna Do?

We got our Census in the mail last week. you might want to get the bail money ready. It had a number of interesting questions...I answered one. How many people live in your house - 2. That's it. Let me explain why.

According to the US Census website: "The U.S. Constitution empowers the Congress to carry out the census in "such manner as they shall by Law direct" (Article I, Section 2)."

That's interpreting a little too much. They are taking liberties...not lying to you but not telling you the whole truth.
Let's look at what the Constitution really says: (check clause 3)

Article. I.
Section 1.
All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Section. 2.
Clause 1: The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.

Clause 2: No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

Clause 3: Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. 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 Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.

It talks about enumeration...what is that?

e·nu·mer·ate (ĭ-nōō'mə-rāt', -nyōō'-)
tr.v. e·nu·mer·at·ed, e·nu·mer·at·ing, e·nu·mer·ates

1. To count off or name one by one; list.
2. To determine the number of; count.

You see the Constitution in Article 1, Section 2, is talking about how Representatives are to be determined for each state. That is determined by population. Not race, Not where you work or how much money you make or how much your house is worth. Just how many people. So that's all they get from me.

Humor - It's how I survive

"There is no defense against adverse fortune which is so effectual as an habitual sense of humor."

Thomas W. Higginson
1823-1911, Minister, Abolitionist and Author

Hello

I was at my writers group meeting (www.fsfw.net) the other day and was told "You have to have a blog!" My typical response to something like this is to raise my head high and state, "You're not the boss of me." But when enough smart people that I respect, all agree something should be done....Ok - I caved. I now have a blog. My note to my dear friends is...be careful what you wish for. Now - go back through this post and correct my punctuation. You'll feel better.