The Official 2020 Census Thread

[Progressive Pessimist]

Yes, good luck on delaying the constitutionally mandated census. What a moron.

Yes, good luck on delaying the constitutionally mandated census. What a moron.

He doesn't care. To him the Constitution might as well be a place setting for one of his double bacon cheeseburgers.

By the way, I don't know if it's more reassuring or worrying that Roberts seems to be a coin flip of the worst kind when it comes to recent rulings.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Wow! A very rare outright win for decency.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Wow! A very rare outright win for decency.

Well, so much for that. Easy come, easy go.

The Justice Department seems to consistently act like an overbearing mother to the Toddler-in-Chief. He throws a tantrum and then in comes the Justice Department to pop a pacifier in his mouth and sing him a lullaby.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Trump exchanging the horses:

DOJ says new legal team will take over census case

The Justice Department announced Sunday night a new legal team will take over the Trump administration's fight to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census.

The department's spokesperson said in a statement that the DOJ is "shifting these matters to a new team of Civil Division lawyers" and it will be revealed in filings Monday.

The spokesperson did not give a reason for the change. Officials within the Civil Division's Federal Programs Branch had been lead on the census case up until now, but they are being replaced by a combination of career and political officials from the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch, a Justice official said.

"Since these cases began, the lawyers representing the United States in these cases have given countless hours to defending the Commerce Department and have consistently demonstrated the highest professionalism, integrity, and skill inside and outside the courtroom," DOJ spokesperson Kerri Kupec said in a statement.

"The Attorney General appreciates that service, thanks them for their work on these important matters, and is confident that the new team will carry on in the same exemplary fashion as the cases progress," the statement continues.

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/07/politics/doj-new-legal-team-census/index.html

Once again, we all spoke too soon. This issue will never die until Trump gets his way, which he will, because he always does.

[Progressive Pessimist]

I thought Jeff Sessions would be the worst AG of my life time. I was clearly wrong. Trump always manages to out-disgrance himself. If congressional GOPers would be sane, they'd demand his resignation or impeach. They would have impeached Holder for 10% of what Barr has done.

If you would have told me that Sessions would end up having any redeeming qualities about him with hindsight back in January 2017 or whatever, I would have been astounded. And that's saying a lot since generally I find it harder than ever to be shocked by anything in our politics.

[Progressive Pessimist]

I hope this is finally over...for real this time.

I will say though, it's nice that Barr finally did something useful in his position. He clarified what the f*** Trump was talking about. When the President spoke before him with his usual venom-filled nonsense, I was honestly confused by whether he was throwing in the towel or not. He said he wasn't backing down, but then apparently did. I was more perplexed than usual by one of tirades, which is what it was. It wasn't coherent or direct enough to be a statement.

So thank you Attorney General Barr for making it clear that, for once, there is a constraint on Trump's ambition that is being accepted. Now, please resign in disgrace for everything else you have done!

[Progressive Pessimist]

Study: Most states are prepping for 2020 census, not Florida.

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has made it clear that he doesn’t have any desire to devote state resources to capture an accurate count in Florida for the 2020 U.S. Census. Now, a new report reveals that the Sunshine State is in the minority of states taking such a hands-off approach.

Florida is one of only 13 states that hasn’t taken any action towards creating a “complete count committee,” according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington D.C.-based think tank.

The census takes place every decade. It’s designed to provide an accurate and official count of all Americans to include fair representation in Congress and federal funding. Congressional seats are apportioned based on population, and the report says that the federal government distributed more than $900 billion to the states through 325 census-guide programs and projects, including Medicaid, highway planning and construction, child care assistance and foster care in 2016.

The Florida Phoenix reported last month that getting a less than complete and accurate count could be costly for Florida when it comes to the state’s congressional representation. The state currently has 27 representatives in the House of Representatives. Early projections indicate that Florida would gain two more seats after the 2020 census. But other studies say that a less than robust count could mean a net gain of only one additional seat.

https://www.floridaphoenix.com/blog/study-most-states-are-prepping-for-2020-census-not-florida

OF COURSE! I really hope they lose representation...they won't though.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Ig

With just slightly more than 1 month until the 2020 census operation starts in Alaska, 5 states have still not created a complete count committee:

5 States Resisting Creation of Public Awareness Campaigns to Promote the Upcoming 2020 Census

With billions in federal aid and seats in Congress at stake, some states are dragging their feet in carrying out one of the Census Bureau’s chief recommendations for making sure everyone is counted during the 2020 census.

Five states — Florida, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Texas — have not set up “complete count committees” that would create public awareness campaigns to encourage people to fill out the questionnaires.

(...)

State governments are appropriating nearly $350 million to reach people and get them to respond to the census. The amounts range from California’s record $187 million to Montana’s $100,000, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. New York City is committing $40 million.

States led by Democrats have spent more per capita. Of the 11 states spending at least $1 per resident, all but North Dakota have Democratic governors, according to an Associated Press analysis.

California, which stands to lose a seat in Congress, is spending $4.73 per person, using the money to target certain ethnic communities, provide educational materials to schools and identify community leaders who can personally encourage participation in the most populous state.

Spending on outreach offers a great return on investment, said Ditas Katague, director of the California Complete Count-Census 2020 Office.

“You have to look at how many programs will suffer and how much money we will lose,” Katague said.

In 2000, when California spent $24 million, 76 percent of residents returned the questionnaires by mail, outstripping the national average. In 2010, in the aftermath of the recession and budget cuts, California spent only $2 million, and the mail response rate dropped to 73 percent, below the national average.

https://time.com/5738022/census-awareness-panels/

I don't understand, do said states want less representation and federal money?

There are varying motives:

TX and FL (Republicans) worry that the massive influx of migrants in the past decade will lead to more additional congressional seats being created in urban areas, to their disadvantage.

That’s why those complete count committee bills died there in the GOP-held legislatures.

In NE and SD, the Governors argue that local initiatives are already doing what such a state committee would do, so there’s no need.

Not sure about LA.

Of course Florida would be one of them...I can't wait for my dad to move there...yes, that's apparently happening.

[Progressive Pessimist]

I just got mine today, finished filling it out and everything.

[Progressive Pessimist]

I did it a couple days ago.

What does everyone think of the questions?

I'm glad there were multiple racial/ethnic options. Was anything excluded that should not have been?

I hope in 2030 there is non-binary option for gender.

Call me an "SJW" all you want, but it really was a bit ponderous that they didn't even at least put an "other" option for the gender question.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Oh man ... some people are so stupid to believe they are getting Trump$$$ because they filled out the census form:

https://twitter.com/brittabble/status/1251016187107893248

I really hope that it's parody. But then again, maybe it will get more people to fill it out.

[Progressive Pessimist]

82-year-old SC woman accused of pulling gun on census worker

An 82-year-old Orangeburg woman has been accused of shooting a handgun over a census taker’s vehicle on Tuesday afternoon.

Willadean Bishop Harrell, of 1551 Ashley Street, has been charged with first-degree assault and battery, The Times and Democrat reported.

Harrell allegedly told a 25-year-old female census worker to get off her porch as she pointed a .38-caliber Taurus handgun at her, according to an Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office incident report.

The census taker left the porch and returned to her vehicle.

The report claims that Harrell “leveled the pistol at her and fired two rounds” over the top of the census taker’s vehicle.

Neither the census taker nor her vehicle were shot.

The report states that Harrell admitted to firing two shots as the census taker was in her vehicle and backing out of the driveway.

Harrell claimed she couldn’t clearly see the census taker’s identification badge.

Deputies collected Harrell’s handgun.

Orangeburg County Magistrate Stephanie McKune-Grant set her bond of $2,500 on Wednesday and released Harrell on her personal recognizance.

If Harrell is convicted of first-degree assault and battery, she faces up to 10 years in prison.

Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said local census takers have been given a list of households that have not yet completed their 2020 Census.

“Census takers work between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. and they will have identification and documentation on their vehicles” noting that they are official, Young said.

He said census takers will have a valid ID badge with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark and an expiration date. They also have “Official Business” notices on their vehicles.

https://www.wistv.com/2020/08/27/year-old-sc-woman-accused-pulling-gun-census-worker

I'm surprised it wasn't Florida.