A friend sent this reminder:

 

I know I am sending out a lot of emails on the census – but we need to be aware and we need to NOT give more information than is necessary as outlined in the Constitution.  It does not matter how good they make it sound – they don’t need it – and for them to have it … is for them to TREAD ON US. 

 

So… here is yet another story…

 

Last week my radio co-host was visited by a census taker.  Joann, my co-host, answered the 3 questions I had grilled her about previously, and when she refused to answer the rest of the questions, the woman asked for her birthdate, which isn't what they're asking for because they want your age and you don't have to give your birthday.  Then, when she didn't give it to the census taker, the woman asked for her social security number!  That's a no-no.  We're NEVER to give that out. 

 

My co-host, Joann, told her she was through answering questions and had done her Constitutional duty to answer 1) number of people in the home, 2) ages, 3) sex.  Period.  The woman left saying she'd have the office contact Joann.  Well, sure enough the census bureau called her and quizzed her about answering all kinds of health questions.  Joann said she wasn't going to answer them.  A few days later, along comes a FED EX package containing ONE sheet of paper costing us taxpayers $12.01! 

 

It basically tried to lay a guilt trip on her for not answering the questions that "could" help her town with government funding.  When they called her again to ask about finishing the questionnaire, Joann said, "What part of no don't you understand?"

 

When she asked about where they got the funding for the $12 packet containing one sheet of paper, the woman was hemming and hawing and finally said they had grant money for that.  Yeah, sure and pigs fly on a regular basis with this administration.  Joann stuck to her guns and don't think for a second we didn't exploit that on our show last Friday! 

 

Moral of the story is: stick to your guns.  All they need is the answer to those 3 above questions: how many in the home, ages, sex of each.  They don't need your birthdate or your social security number and they sure don't need to know how many pills you take, or even if you take any!
 
Forewarned is forearmed.