The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Hazcat on May 28, 2010, 05:58:58 AM
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6:00 am May 26, 2010, by Bob Barr
Thousands of census workers, including many temporary employees, are fanning out across America to gather information on the citizenry. This is a process that takes place not only every decade in order to complete the constitutionally-mandated census; but also as part of the continuing “American Community Survey” conducted by the Census Bureau on a regular basis year in and year out.
What many Americans don’t realize, is that census workers — from the head of the Bureau and the Secretary of Commerce (its parent agency) down to the lowliest and newest Census employee — are empowered under federal law to actually demand access to any apartment or any other type of home or room that is rented out, in order to count persons in the abode and for “the collection of statistics.” If the landlord of such apartment or other leased premises refuses to grant the government worker access to your living quarters, whether you are present or not, the landlord can be fined $500.00.
That’s right — not only can citizens be fined if they fail to answer the increasingly intrusive questions asked of them by the federal government under the guise of simply counting the number of people in the country; but a landlord must give them access to your apartment whether you’re there or not, in order to gather whatever “statistics” the law permits.
In fact, some census workers apparently are going even further and demanding — and receiving — private cell phone numbers from landlords in order to call tenants and obtain information from them. Isn’t it great to live in a “free” country?
http://blogs.ajc.com/bob-barr-blog/2010/05/26/census-workers-can-enter-your-apartment-in-your-absence/
comments at link
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WTF!
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Haz
I'm a bit skeptical of this. I know little of census law (who does, I mean no one gets rich specializing in something that happens once in ten years ;)). Still, I do know this. A landlord may not grant the police the right to search your home or business. As long as the rent is paid its "your' property in the eyes of the law. All 4A protections apply. Now the census is a tricky thing as it is an unambiguous enummerated power serving a vital purpose and that gives the government some lattitude. Still it does not trump the BOR which was written precisly to limit and define how far the enummerated powers could go. I smell a bit of a stretch here. Can they enter a rental, or just demand proof that it is occupied/unoccupied?
FQ13
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I don't know all the details of this law or rule, but I did over hear a temporary census worker talking at a restaurant the other day. He was a laid off postal worker, and he was dining with two current postal workers he used to work with ... former postal employee to census taker ... scary! He is also in the process of getting his license to be a PI :o I'm listening to this at the same time I'm texting tt about helping him with his carry permit class.
This clown is boasting about what he has to do, and how he can do it. It scared me!
What would you do if you came home to find a census worker in your home snooping and no one else home?
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I don't know all the details of this law or rule, but I did over hear a temporary census worker talking at a restaurant the other day. He was a laid off postal worker, and he was dining with two current postal workers he used to work with ... former postal employee to census taker ... scary! He is also in the process of getting his license to be a PI :o I'm listening to this at the same time I'm texting tt about helping him with his carry permit class.
This clown is boasting about what he has to do, and how he can do it. It scared me!
What would you do if you came home to find a census worker in your home snooping and no one else home?
At my house if I'm not home? Well first, he'd better have been pretty good with dogs...... ;D Assuming he didn't get eaten, me, him and Mr. Glock would be waiting from the cops since "I don't know what a Census ID looks like and I caught him burglarizing my place and could you handle this please officer"?
FQ13
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Its no wonder statistics show over 100,000 census workers have been assaulted this year.
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Its no wonder statistics show over 100,000 census workers have been assaulted this year.
Can you imagine the poor bastard that get stuck doing South Central LA, or Miami's Overtown? Sitting in a Dennys with a phone book and being creative would begin to seem like a good idea after the second day on the job.
FQ13
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Loike HELL they can...I have two attack cats that will rip them to shreads!!!!! LOL
Richard
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Haz
I'm a bit skeptical of this. I know little of census law (who does, I mean no one gets rich specializing in something that happens once in ten years ;)). Still, I do know this. A landlord may not grant the police the right to search your home or business. As long as the rent is paid its "your' property in the eyes of the law. All 4A protections apply. Now the census is a tricky thing as it is an unambiguous enummerated power serving a vital purpose and that gives the government some lattitude. Still it does not trump the BOR which was written precisly to limit and define how far the enummerated powers could go. I smell a bit of a stretch here. Can they enter a rental, or just demand proof that it is occupied/unoccupied?
FQ13
I do not believe this. FQ is wrong on one point, (I had to find this out ) It does not matter if the rent is paid up, If you have not been evicted not even the Landlord can enter with out the residents permission. (I used to have a nosy landlord :( )
If this were to happen to ME the Census worker would have a very bad day, the best thing that would happen would be having the Police remove him/her, If they give the idea they will give me crap they get shot.
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Although the OP has a great track record of "real" info. I would have to see a legal reference on this.
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I do not believe this. FQ is wrong on one point, (I had to find this out ) It does not matter if the rent is paid up, If you have not been evicted not even the Landlord can enter with out the residents permission. (I used to have a nosy landlord :( )
If this were to happen to ME the Census worker would have a very bad day, the best thing that would happen would be having the Police remove him/her, If they give the idea they will give me crap they get shot.
We had that thread about Granny with the shotgun who had a run in with a census worker and was killed by police.
Waving a gun at the police is never a good idea, but maybe she thought they were on her side.
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Folks, remember, this is the bho administration. Since when have they ever been concerned with what the law actually says?
My guess, and that's all it is, is that the census workers are told they matter over everything else, and do not take No for an answer. The law may have to be sorted out later.
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We had that thread about Granny with the shotgun who had a run in with a census worker and was killed by police.
Waving a gun at the police is never a good idea, but maybe she thought they were on her side.
Different issue. A census worker at the door, you either:
A) answer their questions or
B) invite them to leave and shut the door.You do not start waving guns around.
However:
Someone INSIDE your rented home without your permission, you call the cops. Holding them at gunpoint until the police arrive is at your discretion. A census worker ID? Have you ever seen one? I haven't. It could be something an enterprising crook made at Kinkos. If they are in my house without my permission, I'll let the cops figure it out.
FQ13
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I met a census worker the other day. He held up a card hanging on his neck and had a nifty backpack that read "United States Census" or something or other. Nice kid, just out of college, he was looking for the other tenants who'd moved last March.
You're right FQ. I could have faked a census I.D. on my PC.
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Sorry guys. The wife has been a census worker this year and in 2000. She calls BS on this as it has never been taught in any of the classes she has taken.
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I shoot IDPA with a retired engineer who is a census taker. I doubt he would be surprised or startled by someone with a gun here in the South. He might just ask them why they picked that model of shotgun over other brands. I do not see him violating the rights of another free man/women to get a few numbers for Uncle Sam.
I did ask him if he was going to carry on his travels for Uncle Sam. His mouth said no but his smile said yes.
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Where's the ACLU??? ;)
I would love to see the specific "statute, Federal Ordinance, or law".
I don't rent, I own, but it would be something out of Pulp Fiction if I came home and confronted anyone I didn't know, already in my place.
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The American Communist Lawyers Union will not touch this .
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Different issue. A census worker at the door, you either:
A) answer their questions or
B) invite them to leave and but as you try to shut the door they force their way inside .You do not might start waving guns around.
However:
Someone INSIDE your rented home without your permission, you call the cops. Holding them at gunpoint until the police arrive is at your discretion. A census worker ID? Have you ever seen one? I haven't. It could be something an enterprising crook made at Kinkos. If they are in my house without my permission, I'll let the cops figure it out.
FQ13
Perhaps this happened to Granny? The Census Worker left but was persistent in wanting to have the door opened arrived, saw Granny still holding the shot gun and approaching them to explain her side of the story. Not a wise move by Granny, but reasonable possibility.