If red states like Texas see their national political influence shrinking over the next decade, they can send their complaint letters to Michele Bachmann and Glenn Beck:
Prominent right-wing voices decided last year that the U.S. census was not to be trusted. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) said the process could lead to “internment camps.” Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) called the census “invasive.” Fox News’ Glenn Beck’s suggested Americans may not be comfortable with “ACORN members” collecting information. Radio host Neal Boortz said some census information is “designed to help the government steal from you in order to pass off your property to the moochers.”No one should be surprised, then, that the spread of right-wing paranoia over the census is having an effect. (via Daily Kos)
Contrary to historical trends, some of the toughest challenges facing the agency responsible for measuring the nation’s population are not from counting the traditionally undercounted groups such as African-Americans and Latinos. Instead, a new and growing threat to an accurate national head count is coming from anti-government conservatives who may not fill out their forms to protest against “Big Brother” in Washington.
The Houston Chronicle‘s report looks specifically at Texas, which is counting on the census to gain additional House seats, electoral votes, and federal funding relating to transportation, agriculture, health, education, and housing
But some anti-government types are shooting themselves in the foot.
Sister Toldjah thinks it’s the confusing instructions on the census forms that are driving down the return rate:
Why does one side of the Census postcard say it’s “required by law” to fill out but on the other side it says “you’ve been sent a *request* to fill it out”? No wonder the Census return rate is down at this point from the 2000 Census return rate.
Wow. I guess it’s true that life is slower down South.
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