(Hopeful) Conclusion of the American Community Survey

After receiving a number of phone calls and letting them go to voicemail, I finally started picking them up. Yes, I replied, I have received the survey. No, I don't have time to fill it out or complete it over the phone with you. We just had a baby so we're pretty busy and I don't have time to complete your survey. Thanks. I had to repeat this twice and now we don't get any more calls. That was a couple of weeks ago. So far no one has visited our house. My fingers are crossed!

Census Harrassment

Calls received so far: 5/13 3:47 PM 5/14 11:23 AM 5/15 3:18 PM 5/15 3:34 PM 5/16 6:36 PM 5/18 11:15 AM 5/18 7:05 PM 5/18 8:31 PM 5/19 9:56 AM 5/19 11:54 AM Our phone log only goes back to 5/10 so I'm sure I'm missing some from 5/6 to 5/9. Oh joy! Oh rapture!

Call #2

Just got another call - Sunday 5/6 at 6:03 PM. Turned off the answering machine. We'll be having that baby some time in the next 24 hours and durnit, we'll be having the phone turned off quite a bit so the baby can sleep.

Going To Jail - American Community Survey Part 2 & 3

I thought I wrote up a part 2 but it's not here. Stupid new Blogger interface!!! We received a second American Community Survey in the mail late last week and yesterday received our first phone call, asking us to call D.C. with some case number. Let the harassment begin!

And So It Goes - American Community Survey Part 2

I just received my second American Community Survey in the mail on Saturday. Based on what I had read I was expecting it to arrive a week ago and since it had not I had the silly hope that one of the representatives that I had contacted actually did something and took me off the list.

Alas, that was not to pass. One replied with a form letter on a different subject, meaning that I probably selected the incorrect item in the Subject drop-down on their site. My least favorite actually responded with a letter on the subject, referring to a bill that would make the the survey optional. Nice but it won't help me at the present moment. The third did not respond at all.

Next up is the Fed Ex delivery!

Going To Jail - American Community Survey Part 1

Early last week I received a threat from our Federal Gov., a little postcard to let me know that I would soon be receiving the American Community Survey. That survey arrived late last week.

For those of you unfamiliar with the American Community Survey, it's a very intrusive and mandatory survey asking things such as "how many times have you been married" and "what time do you leave for work in the morning." Yes, it's all supposed to help the fed. gov do, well, I guess they want to know what time I leave so they can break in and plant microphones. But seeing as how I'm one of those people who cherish their privacy and just want the gubbermint to be left alone, well, it just seems to Big Brother.

I'm also one of those people who followed the requirements of our U.S. Constitution in 2010 and just completed the census with how many people live at this address. Yes, we were stalked by census takers (who earlier that spring walked right up to our door and took GPS coordinates) but eventually they went away.

So now I'm going to be one of those people who don't respond. My research has found that about 3% of people do not respond to these unConstitutional and no one, to date, has been fined (between $100 and $100 per uncompleted question - the jury is out) or jailed. Yet. You see, the government wants to be friendly because they take this information you provide and sell it to Target and other corporations.

My research has also indicated that I should expect to be hounded by phone calls at all hours as well has multiple personal visits and possible threats of the fines and jail time for failing to complete the form. However if I complete the form I should still expect someone to stop by to verify the information in case I'm lying about having running water, the year my house was built, and what I pay each month for my mortgage. All questions on the census.

It's been less than one week since the census was received and just yesterday I received a post card reminding me to complete the survey. I should expect one further regular mailing of this meaty survey (I have no idea what it costs the gubbermint to print this, probably $50 thought it would cost a regular business about $2) and then one more survey, this time sent by FedEx. Why not USPS where you sign for it? Anyway, then come the phone calls and personal visits for 30 days and then they move on to the next goobers.

I've written my Congressman and both Senators stating my position and then asking if there is anything they can do to spare me the 30 days of harassment but so far none of them have responded.

I shall keep you updated, possibly with video of the personal visits!