Well, it's been a while since I posted the American Community Survey info and now it's time for an update. Since then, we've received up to four calls in one day from the Census Bureau. We have also received mail from them "asking" us to respond.
I wonder if it's okay for the U.S. Census Bureau to harass the public. I wonder how long they'll continue with their program of harassment and intimidation? I also wonder if they'll do anything more than harassment?
Either way, it's ridiculous that they're having people WE PAY harass the people who PAY THEM! I think it's high time someone took on the U.S. Census Bureau and make them leave us alone after the initial contact in which they ask us to respond. If we choose not to -- there is NO LAW that states we have to, it's a regulation: something a bureaucracy made up for us to obey. There is no reason for us to obey the people we PAY who should be OBEYING US. After all, we are their BOSSES, are we not? They are the "public servants"; not vice versa.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
A Veterans' Day Poem: SHE SERVES
Sometimes during the night hours
She sits watch and thinks about
The loved ones back at home
Those she’s doing without
And when in sadness, weary,
She feels so all alone,
She looks back at her squadron
And lonely no longer bemoans.
Sometimes on patrol
Within the danger zone
She worries about her safety
But not for hers alone
She wonders how her family
Without her there would fare
And her fellow soldiers
Would do without her there.
She knows it’s not her presence
That ensures their safety, success
It’s just that when she’s with them
She’s their Momma Bear Princess.
She listens to their problems,
And comforts their fears and doubts
And sometimes, lends a shoulder
For them to cry them out.
For when she made the Army
Her home, her family,
She knew the sacrifices
Enormous, hard would be.
Yet, worth it all she counts them
With all the worries, cares,
When in harm’s way she enters
She knows her brothers there
Have got her back and always
Will watch out for her here.
Here where harm surrounds her
She keeps her “brothers” near
Sometimes safety rides in numbers,
But here danger lurks in secrets
The enemy whisper soft
And moments are divided by
Escaping danger oft.
‘Tis eighty days till home
Will greet her weary eyes
A daughter, a son, a husband
Await her to arrive.
A memory will haunt her
At home with family’s love
A brother soldier died
While cradled in her arms.
He was her “little brother”
Her laughter when depressed,
He kept them all together
When anger was trumped by jest.
His smile was contagious
And never did it fail
To bring about the unit
That needed laughter’s hail.
His mother she did contact
And tell the sad, sad news
And wept as long as she did
For her heart was broken, too.
When home she sees at last,
She’ll call her once again,
Go visit grave of “brother” passed.
So now she sits and watches
And keeps her squadron safe
And thinks about her loved ones
Back home she’s keeping free.
She knows it’s all been worth it,
Her country more secure,
Because she chose to serve us
America’s Freedom will endure.
So now we thank our soldiers
On this, their Veterans’ Day,
We thank them for their service
And for the price they pay.
We thank their friends and family
For their own sacrifice
Of time without their soldier
And too oft, for their lives.
© 2011 Linda McKinney
She sits watch and thinks about
The loved ones back at home
Those she’s doing without
And when in sadness, weary,
She feels so all alone,
She looks back at her squadron
And lonely no longer bemoans.
Sometimes on patrol
Within the danger zone
She worries about her safety
But not for hers alone
She wonders how her family
Without her there would fare
And her fellow soldiers
Would do without her there.
She knows it’s not her presence
That ensures their safety, success
It’s just that when she’s with them
She’s their Momma Bear Princess.
She listens to their problems,
And comforts their fears and doubts
And sometimes, lends a shoulder
For them to cry them out.
For when she made the Army
Her home, her family,
She knew the sacrifices
Enormous, hard would be.
Yet, worth it all she counts them
With all the worries, cares,
When in harm’s way she enters
She knows her brothers there
Have got her back and always
Will watch out for her here.
Here where harm surrounds her
She keeps her “brothers” near
Sometimes safety rides in numbers,
But here danger lurks in secrets
The enemy whisper soft
And moments are divided by
Escaping danger oft.
‘Tis eighty days till home
Will greet her weary eyes
A daughter, a son, a husband
Await her to arrive.
A memory will haunt her
At home with family’s love
A brother soldier died
While cradled in her arms.
He was her “little brother”
Her laughter when depressed,
He kept them all together
When anger was trumped by jest.
His smile was contagious
And never did it fail
To bring about the unit
That needed laughter’s hail.
His mother she did contact
And tell the sad, sad news
And wept as long as she did
For her heart was broken, too.
When home she sees at last,
She’ll call her once again,
Go visit grave of “brother” passed.
So now she sits and watches
And keeps her squadron safe
And thinks about her loved ones
Back home she’s keeping free.
She knows it’s all been worth it,
Her country more secure,
Because she chose to serve us
America’s Freedom will endure.
So now we thank our soldiers
On this, their Veterans’ Day,
We thank them for their service
And for the price they pay.
We thank their friends and family
For their own sacrifice
Of time without their soldier
And too oft, for their lives.
© 2011 Linda McKinney
Monday, November 7, 2011
American Community Survey: I WILL NOT RESPOND
Prior to the U.S. Census an employee of the U.S. Census process came around and asked us from what group of people we were descended: European, Oriental, African-American, American Indian, etc.? I said that I refused to participate in a racist question except to answer that I was an “American Mutt: a bit of everything”. That’s all I would tell them. And I was right to do so.
When we received the U.S. Census papers, our family obeyed the U.S. Constitution and told the government how many people lived at this address. Not a problem. We did not tell them anything else, but we did tell them the number of people who live here.
A few weeks ago, we were “chosen” to be participants in “The American Community Survey” (ACS). Not happy with the intrusiveness of the questions (all listed below so you can judge for yourselves), we chose to respond by not responding. We have not – and will not – send them our information.
Friday, Nov. 4, 2011, in the afternoon we received a phone call from an ACS surveyor asking if we had received the ACS, and if we had, did we fill it out and send it back yet? I said we had received it, had not sent it back, and that our response was to not respond. She said that not responding was not a choice. She asked if I wanted to answer the questions while I was on the line with her. I said no. She also said that we were required by law to respond (pay attention to that: we will revisit it in a moment). I said, “So sue us.” She said she would call back and ask us again to respond. I said I looked forward to it.
When I hung up, I checked my caller identification feature on my phone and wrote the number on the fridge’s white board. We agreed that we won’t be answering any calls from anyone who calls with a number that starts with the first six of those numbers (area code and first three of the number), which means no numbers from that building will be answered. That problem was solved.
My husband got curious as to what will happen when we don’t comply. He looked up the ACS noncompliance punishment on the internet and said that the most we could face is a $100 fine. Other places said up to $5,000, but the comments on that one said that it is highly unlikely and that the regulation said up to $100. So, that’s probably the max, but it will be difficult for the government to get it out of us.
When we checked the accompanying literature, we found that it states that the ACS will help, “decide where to locate new highways, schools, hospitals, and community centers; to show a large corporation that a town has the workforce the company needs; and in many other ways.” Wonderful. Our information will be used against us because it will be used to “measure the performance of programs” (and then I’m sure those programs would be given more of our money if they’re not performing up to the already low standards currently in use). I will not benefit from any of those programs, but I will be taxed more for things that I do not use (like senior citizens paying for the public schools via property taxes). Isn’t that grand?
The literature goes on to state, “Your response to this survey is required by law (Title 13, U.S. Code, Sections 141 and 193). Title 13, as changed by Title 18, imposes a penalty for not responding. We estimate this survey will take about 38 minutes to complete.” Excuse me? I got curious and did an internet search for the legal authority for the American Community Survey, and found that according to this Government Accounting Office response to U.S. Congressman, Bob Barr,
“While Census clearly has authority to conduct the ACS, we found no public laws, committee reports, or other congressional actions in which Congress has required the Bureau to develop and implement the ACS.”
According to the GAO, the government has “no public laws, committee reports or other congressional actions in which Congress has required the Bureau to develop and implement the ACS. [my bolding and italics]” So according to the GAO, there is nothing that legally requires us to participate because it is Congress and the Senate that writes the laws that we are supposed to be subject to. Other things are regulations, not law. There is a difference. Also note,
“It is clear that Census was not reacting to congressional direction in developing the ACS but acting on its own initiative to address the costs associated with the collection of data in the decennial census and the timeliness of that data.”
So the U.S. Census Bureau, an entity not established as a separate government office within the U.S. Constitution, but instead, only as a process, an activity, is now acting on its own to invade our privacy. It is taking it upon itself to ask you personal questions. Not only that, but it is costing us more to do the ACS than the regular census the U.S. Constitution delineates – counting us but not asking personal questions (read the questions below) -- and the Census Bureau is saying it is addressing costs? I don’t think so. I think they are perpetuating their own jobs and trying to preserve them, making their existence more secure via the time needed to develop, promote, gather, correlate and write reports on all the information requested on the ACS. This is not about doing what is delineated in the U.S. Constitution. It is about job preservation for the Census Bureau!
If you don’t believe me, look the questions – and the sheer number of questions -- that will command many, many people to analyze and organize the answers into some sort of government report – and tell me that the questionnaire (all twenty-eight pages of it!) is not a way to ensure Census Bureau jobs for a very long time.
Considering how intrusive the questions are, I’m surprised they didn’t ask when the last time was that Person 1 used a public library, watched NPR, or flushed the toilet. This is a ridiculously intrusive survey. It is also not what our Founding Fathers had in mind when it came to a census (they wanted a count of the people for districting only). It is what the liberals/Wrongies/progressives are using to try to manipulate us and trying to tax us more and trying to enforce more regulation on us. If, for example, there aren’t enough people using public transport the government will now know and use more of our taxpayer dollars to make more taxpayers take public transport. It’s not a good thing, folks.
I would advise you to not cooperate with the invasion of your own privacy. I would advise you to not return the ACS, or to return it with the U.S. Constitution’s delineation of the census,
“Article I, Section 2:
“Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. [my bolding and italics]”
“Article I, Section 9:
“No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.”
There are two keys there:
1) "By Law" -- Remember the GAO states, "we found no public laws". Therefore the ACS is totally unconstitutional -- BY LAW.
2) Notice that word, “Enumeration” which means: “1. To count off or name one by one; list:”. The U.S. Census says that the U.S. government has the right to COUNT us in a manner “as they shall by Law direct. [my bolding]” Considering that the Government Accounting Office states in their own look into the authority of the Census Bureau to do the ACS, they found “no public law” that gave them or anyone else the authority to do so. Therefore, in their own words, and in the words of the U.S. Constitution, I am not obligated to comply. Nor can they compel me to comply because the government has no subpoena to compel me to do so, nor am I – even under oath – forced to answer questions due to the Free Speech Clause and the Fifth Amendment.
I’d love to see the obamination administration try to make me comply with their intrusive questionnaire. I’d love to see them try.
The following questions are in the ACS:
(NOTE: For each question, there is a box to mark your answers in, but I did not write “box” for each box that is present in the questionnaire. For those that appeared in out of the norm places, I did delineate.)
QUOTE:
Person #
1. What is Person 1’s name? (First and Last)
2. How is this person related to Person 1? (It has “Person 1” marked for you.)
3. What is Person 1’s sex? (Male, Female)
4. What is Person 1’s age and what is Person 1’s date of birth?
(Please report babies as age 0 when the child is less than 1 year old.)
Note: Please answer BOTH Question 5 about Hispanic origin and Quesiton 6 about race. For this survey, Hispanic origins are not races.
5. Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?
No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin
Yes, Mexican, Mexican Am., Chicano
Yes, Puerto Rican
Yes, Cuban
Yes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin – Print origin, for example, Argentinean, Colombian, Dominican, Nicaraguan, Salvadoran, Spaniard, and so on.
6. What is Person 1’s race?
White
Black, African Am., or Negro
American Indian or Alaska Native – Print name of enrolled or principal tribe.
Asian Indian
Chinese
Filipino
Japanese
Korean
Vietnamese
Native Hawaiian
Guamanian or Chamorro
Samoan
Other Asian – Print race, for example, Hmong, Laotian, Thai, Pakistani, Cambodian, and so on.
Other Pacific Islander – Print race, for example, Figian, Tongan, and so on.
Some other race – Print race.
Person 2
1. What is Person 2’s name? (First and Last)
2. How is this person related to Person 1?
Husband or wife
Biological son or daughter
Adopted son or daughter
Stepson or stepdaughter
Brother or sister
Father or mother
Grandchild
Parent-in-law
Son-in-law or daughter-in-law
Other relative
Roomer or boarder
Housemate or roommate
Unmarried partner
Foster child
Other nonrelative
3. What is Person 2’s sex?
(NOTE: It goes on from there with the same questions as Person 1’s questions and repeats for Person 3 through Person 5.)
Housing:
Please answer the following questions about the house, apartment, or mobile home at the address on the mailing label.
1. Which best describes this building?
A mobile home
A one-family house attached to one or more houses
A one-family house attached to one or more houses
A building with 2 apartments
A building with 3 or 4 apartments
A building with 5 to 9 apartments
A building with 10 to 19 apartments
A building with 20 to 49 apartments
A building with 50 or more apartments
Boat, RV, van, etc.
2. About when was this building first built?
2000 or later – Specify year
1990 to 1999
1980 to 1989
1970 to 1979
1960 to 1969
1950 to 1959
1940 to 1949
1939 or earlier
3. When did Person 1 (listed on page 2) move into this house, apartment, or mobile home? (Month, Year)
Answer questions 4-6 if this is a HOUSE OR A MOBILE HOME; otherwise, skip to question 7a.
A
4. How many acres is this house or mobile home on?
Less than 1 acre – SKIP to question 6
1 to 9.9 acres
10 or more acres
5. IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, what were the actual sales of all agricultural products from this property?
None
$1 to $999
$1,000 to $2,499
6. Is there a business (such as a store or barber shop) or a medical office on this property? (Yes, No)
7.a. How many separate rooms are in this house, apartment, or mobile home? Rooms must be separated by built-in archways or walls that extend out at least 6 inches and go from floor to ceiling. (INCLUDE bedrooms, kitchens, etc. EXCLUDE bathrooms, porches, balconies, foyers, halls, or unfinished basements.)
Number of rooms
b. How many of these rooms are bedrooms? Count as bedrooms those rooms you would list if this house, apartment, or mobile home were for sale or rent. If this is an efficiency/studio apartment, print “0”.
Number of bedrooms
8. Does this house, apartment, or mobile home have – (Yes, No answers)
a. hot and cold running water?
b. a flush toilet?
c. a bathtub or shower
d. a sink with a faucet
e. a stove or range
f. a refrigerator
g. telephone service from which you can both make and receive calls? Include cell phones.
9. How many automobiles, vans, and trucks of one-ton capacity or less are kept at home for use by members of this household?
None
1
2
3
4
5
6 or more
10. Which FUEL is use MOST for heating this house, apartment, or mobile home?
Gas: from underground pipes serving the neighborhood
Gas: bottled, tank, or LP
Electricity
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.
Coal or coke
Wood
Solar energy
Other fuel
No fuel used
11. a. LAST MONTH, what was the cost of electricity for this house, apartment, or mobile home?
Last month’s cost – Dollars
OR
Included in rent or condominium fee
No charge or electricity not used
b. LAST MONTH, what was the cost of gas for this house, apartment, or mobile home?
Last month’s cost - Dollars
OR
Included in rent or condominium fee
Included in electricity payment entered above
No charge or gas not used
c. IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, what was the cost of water and sewer for this house, apartment, or mobile home? If you have lived here less than 12 month, estimate the cost.
Past 12 months’ cost – Dollars
OR
Included in rent or condominium fee
No charge
d. IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, what was the cost of oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc., for this house, apartment, or mobile home? If you have lived here less than 12 months, estimate the cost.
Past 12 months’ cost – Dollars
OR
Included in rent or condominium fee
No charge or these fuels not used
12. IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, did anyone in this household receive Food Stamps or a Food Stamp benefit card? Include government benefits from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Do NOT include WIC or the National School Lunch Program. (Yes, No)
13. Is this house, apartment, or mobile home part of a condominium?
Yes – What is the monthly condominium fee? For renteres, answer only if you pay the condominium fee in addition to your rent; otherwise, mark the “None” box.
Monthly amount – Dollars
OR
None
No
14. Is this house, apartment, or mobile home – (Mark ONE box)
Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan? Include home equity loans.
Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?
Rented?
Occupied without payment of rent? – SKIP to C.
B
Answer questions 15a and b if this house, apartment, or mobile home is RENTED. Otherwise SKIP to question 16.
15.a. What is the monthly rent for this house, apartment, or mobile home?
Monthly amount – Dollars
b. Does this monthly rent include any meals? (Yes, No)
C
Answer questions 16-20 if you or someone else in this household OWNS or IS BUYING this house, apartment, or mobile home. Otherwise, SKIP to E on the next page.
16. About how much do you think this house and lot, apartment, or mobile home (and lot, if owned) would sell for if it were for sale?
Amount – Dollars
17. What are the annual real estate taxes on THIS property?
Annual amount - Dollars
18. What is the annual payment for fire, hazard, and flood insurance on THIS property?
Annual amount – Dollars
OR
None
19. a. Do you or any member of this household have a mortgage, deed of trust, contract to purchase, or similar debt on THIS property?
Yes, mortgage, deed of trust, or similar debt
Yes, contract to purchase
No – SKIP to question 20a
b. How much is the regular monthly mortgage payment on THIS property? Include payment only on FIRST mortgage or contract ot purchase
Monthly amount – Dollars
OR
No regular payment required – SKIP to question 20a
c. Does the regular monthly mortgage payment include payments for real estate taxes on THIS property?
Yes, taxes included in mortgage payment
No, taxes paid separately or taxes not required
d. Does the regular monthly mortgage payment include payments for fire, hazard, or flood insurance on THIS property?
Yes, insurance included in mortgage payment
No, insurance paid separately or no insurance
20.a. Do you or any member of this household have a second mortgage or a home equity loan on THIS property?
Yes, home equity loan
Yes, second mortgage
Yes, second mortgage and home equity loan
No – SKIP to D
b. How much is the regular monthly payment on all second or junior mortgages and all home equity loans on THIS property?
Monthly amount – Dollars
OR
No regular payment required
D
Answer question 21 if this is a MOBILE HOME. Otherwise, SKIP to E.
21. What are the total annual costs for personal property taxes, site rent, registration fees, and license fees on THIS mobile home and its site? Exclude real estate taxes.
Annual Costs – Dollars
E
Answer questions about PERSON 1 on the next page if you listed at least one person on page 2. Otherwise, SKIP to page 28 for the mailing instructions.
Person 1
Please copy the name of Person 1 from page 2, then continue answering questions below.
(Last name, first name, MI)
7. Where was this person born?
In the United States – Print name of state
Outside the United States – Print name of foreign country, or Puerto Rico, Guam, etc.
8. Is this person a citizen of the United States?
Yes, born in the United States – SKIP to 10a
Yes, born in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Northern Marianas
Yes, born abroad of U.S. citizen parent or parents
Yes, U.S. citizen by naturalization - Print year of naturalization (box)
No, not a U.S. citizen
9. When did this person come to live in the United States? Print numbers in boxes. (Year)
10.a. At any time IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS, has this person attended school or college? Include only nursery or preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, home school, and schooling which leads to a high school diploma or a college degree.
No, has not attended in the last 3 months – SKIP to question 11
Yes, public school, public college
Yes, private school, private college, home school
b. What grade level was this person attending? Mark ONE box.
Nursery school, preschool
Kindergarten
Grade1 through 12 – Specify grade 1-12
College undergraduate years (freshman to senior)
Graduate or professional school beyond a bachelor’s degree (for example: MA or Ph.D. program, or medical or law school)
11. What is the highest degree or level of school this person has COMPLETED? Mark ONE box. If currently enrolled, mark the previous grade or highest degree received.
No Schooling Completed
No Schooling Completed
Nursery or Preschool Through Grade 12
Nursery school
Kindergarten
Grade 1 through 11 – Specify grade 1 – 11
High School Graduate
Regular high school diploma
GED or alternative credential
College or Some College
Some college credit, but less than 1 year of college credit
1 or more years of college credit, no degree
Associate’s degree (for example: AA, AS)
Bachelor’s degree (for example: BA, BS)
After Bachelor’s Degree
Master’s degree (for example: MA, MS, MEng, Med, MSW, MBA)
Professional degree beyond a bachelor’s degree (for example: MD, DDS, DVM, LLB, JD)
Doctorate degree (for example: PhD, EdD)
F
Answer question 12 if this person has a bachelor’s degree or higher. Otherwise, SKIP to question 13.
12. This question focuses on this person’s BACHELOR’S DEGREE. Please print below the specific major(s) of any BACHELOR’S DEGREES this person has received. (For example: chemical engineering, elementary teacher education, organizational psychology)
13. What is this person’s ancestry or ethnic origin?
(For example: Italian, Jamaican, African Am., Cambodian, Cape Verdean, Norwegian, Dominican, French Canadian, Haitian, Korean, Lebanese, Polish, Nigerian, Mexican, Taiwanese, Ukrainian, and so on)
14.a. Does this person speak a language other than English at home?
Yes
No – SKIP to question 15a.
b. What is this language? For example: Korean, Italian, Spanish, Vietnamese
c. How well does this person speak English?
Very well
Well
Not well
Not at all
15. a. Did this person live in this house or apartment 1 year ago?
Person is under 1 year old – SKIP to question 16
Yes, this house – SKIP to question 16
No, outside the United States and Puerto Rico – Print name of foreign country, or U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, etc., below; then SKIP to question 16.
No, different house in the United States or Puerto Rico
b. Where did this person live 1 year ago?
Address, Number and street name
Name of city, town or post office
Name of U.S. county or municipio in Puerto Rico
Name of U.S. state or Puerto Rico
ZIP Code
16. Is this person CURRENTLY covered by any of the following types of health insurance or health coverage plans? Mark “Yes” or “No” for EACH type of coverage in items a-h.
a. Insurance through a current or former employer or union (of this person or another family member)
b. Insurance purchased directly from an insurance company (by this person or another family member)
c. Medicare, for people 65 and older, or people with certain disabilities
d. Medicaid, Medical Assistance, or any kind of government assistance plan for those with low incomes or a disability
e. TRICARE or other military health care
f. VA (including those who have never used or enrolled for VA health care)
g. Indian Health Service
h. Any other type of health insurance – Specify
17. a. Is this person deaf or does he/she have serious difficulty hearing? (Yes, No)
b. Is this person blind or does he/she have serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses? (Yes, No)
G
Answer question 18.a – c if this person is 5 years old or over. Otherwise, SKIP to the questions for Person 2 on page 12.
18.a. Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does this person have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions? (Yes, No)
b. Does this person have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs? (Yes, No)
c. Does this person have difficulty dressing or bathing? (Yes, No)
H
Answer question 19 if this person is 15 years old or over. Otherwise, SKIP to the questions for Person 2 on page 12.
19. Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition does this person have difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping? (Yes, No)
20. What is this person’s marital status?
Now married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
Never married – SKIP to I
21. In the PAST 12 MONTHS did this person get –
a. Married? (Yes, No)
b. Widowed? (Yes, No)
c. Divorced? (Yes, No)
22. How many times has this person been married?
23. In what year did this person last get married? (Year)
I
Answer question 24 if this person is female and 15 – 50 years old. Otherwise, SKIP to question 25a.
24. Has this person given birth to any children in the past 12 months? (Yes, No)
25. a. Does this person have any of his/her own grandchildren under the age of 18 living in this house or apartment?
Yes
No – SKIP to question 26
b. Is this grandparent currently responsible for most of the basic needs of any grandchildren under the age of 18 who lives in this house or apartment?
Yes
No – SKIP to question 26
c. How long has this grandparent been responsible for these grandchildren? If the grandparent is financially responsible for more than one grandchild, answer the question for the grandchild for whom the grandparent has been responsible the longest period of time.
Less than 6 months
6 to 11 months
1 or 2 years
3 or 4 years
5 or more years
26. Has this person ever served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, military Reserves, or National Guard? Active duty does not include training for the Reserves or National Guard, but DOES include activation, for example, for the Persian Gulf War.
Yes, now on active duty
Yes, on active duty during the last 12 months, but not now
Yes, on active duty in the past, but not during the last 12 months
No, training for Reserves or National Guard only – SKIP to question 28a
No, never served in the military – SKIP to question 29a
27. When did this person serve on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces? Mark a box for EACH period in which this person served, even if just for part of the period.
September 2001 or later
August 1990 to August 2001 (including Persian Gulf War)
September 1980 to July 1990
May 1975 to August 1980
Vietnam Era (August 1964 to April 1975)
March 1961 to July 1964
February 1955 to February 1961
Korean War (July 1950 to January 1955)
January 1947 to June 1950
World War II (December 1941 to December 1946)
November 1941 or earlier
28.a. Does this person have a VA service-connected disability rating?
Yes (such as 0%, 20%, …, 100%)
No – SKIP to question 29a
b. What is this person’s service-connected disability rating?
0 percent
10 to 20 percent
30 to 40 percent
50 to 60 percent
70 percent or higher
29.a. LAST WEEK, did this person work for pay at a job (or business)?
Yes – SKIP to question 30
No – Did not work (or retired)
b. LAST WEEK, did this person do ANY work for pay, even for as little as one hour?
Yes
No – SKIP to question 35a
30. At what location did this person work LAST WEEK? If this person worked at more than one location, print where he or she worked most last week.
a. Address (Number and street name) If the exact address is not known, give a description of the location such as the building name or the nearest street or intersection.
b. Name of city, town, or post office
c. Is the work location inside the limits of that city or town?
Yes
No, outside the city/town limits
d. Name of county
e. Name of U.S. state or foreign country
f. ZIP code
31. How did this person usually get to work LAST WEEK? If this person usually used more than one method of transportation during the trip, mark the box of the one used for most of the distance.
Car, truck, or van
Bus or trolley bus
Streetcar or trolley car
Subway or elevated
Railroad
Ferryboat
Taxicab
Motorcycle
Bicycle
Walked
Worked at home – SKIP to question 39a
Other method
J
Answer question 32 if you marked “Car, truck, or van” in question 31. Otherwise, SKIP to question 33.
32. How many people, including this person, usually rode to work in the car, truck, or van LAST WEEK?
Person(s)
33. What time did this person usually leave home to go to work LAST WEEK?
Hour
Minute a.m. p.m.
34. How many minutes did it usually take this person to get from home to work LAST WEEK?
Minutes
K
Answer questions 35 – 38 if this person did NOT work last week. Otherwise, SKIP to question 39a.
35.a. LAST WEEK, was this person on layoff from a job?
Yes – SKIP to question 35c.
No
b. LAST WEEK, was this person temporarily absent from a job or business?
Yes, on vacation, temporary illness, maternity leave, other family/personal reasons, bad weather, etc. – SKIP to question 38
No – SKIP to question 36
c. Has this person been informed that he or she will be recalled to work within the next 6 months OR been given a date to return to work?
Yes – SKIP to question 37
No
36. During the LAST 4 WEEKS, has this person been ACTIVELY looking for work?
Yes
No – SKIP to question 38
37. LAST WEEK, could this person have started a job if offered on, or returned to work if recalled?
Yes, could have gone to work
No, because of own temporary illness
No, because of all other reasons (in school, etc.)
38. When did this person last work, even for a few days?
Within the past 12 months
1 to 5 years ago – SKIP to L
Over 5 years ago or never worked – SKIP to question 47
39. a. During the PAST 12 MONTHS (52 weeks), did this person work 50 or more weeks? Count paid time off as work.
Yes – SKIP to question 40
No
b. How many weeks DID this person work, even for a few hours, including paid vacation, paid sick leave, and military service?
50 to 52 weeks
48 to 49 weeks
40 to 47 weeks
27 to 39 weeks
14 to 26 weeks
13 weeks or less
40. During the PAST 12 MONTHS, in the WEEKS WORKED, how many hours did this person usually work each WEEK?
Usual hours worked each week
L
Answer questions 41 – 46 if this person worked in the past 5 years. Otherwise, SKIP to question 47.
41-46 Current or most recent job activity. Describe clearly this person’s chief job activity or business last week. If this person had more than one job, describe the one at which this person worked the most hours. If this person had no job or business last week, give information for his/her last job or business.
41. Was this person – (Mark ONE box.)
An employee of a PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT company or business, or of an individual, for wages, salary, or commissions?
An employee of a PRIVATE NOT-FOR-PROFIT, tax-exempt, or charitable organization?
A local GOVERNMENT employee?
A Federal GOVERNMENT employee?
SELF-EMPLOYED in own NOT INCORPORATED business, professional practice, or farm?
SELF-EMPLOYED in own INCORPORATED business, professional practice, or farm?
Working WITHOUT PAY in family business or farm?
42. For whom did this person work?
If now on active duty in the Armed Forces, mark this box -- (box) and print the branch of the Armed Forces.
Name of company, business, or other employer
43. What kind of business or industry was this? Describe the activity at the location where employed. (For example: hospital, newspaper publishing, mail order house, auto engine manufacturing, bank)
44. Is this mainly (Mark ONE box)
Manufacturing?
Wholesale trade?
Retail trade?
Other (agriculture, construction, service, government, etc.)?
45. What kind of work was this person doing? (For example: registered nurse, personal manager, supervisor of order department, secretary, accountant)
46. What were this person’s most important activities or duties? (For example: patient care, directing hiring policies, supervising order clerks, typing and filing, reconciling financial records)
47. INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS Mark the “Yes” box for each type of income this person received, and give your best estimate of the TOTAL AMOUNT during the PAST 12 MONTHS. (NOTE: The “past 12 months” is the period from today’s date one year ago up through today.)
Mark the “No” box to show types of income NOT received.
If net income was a loss, mark the “Loss” box to the right of the dollar amount.
For income received jointly, report the appropriate share for each person – or, if that’s not possible, report the whole amount for only one person and mark the “No” box for the other person.
a. Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, or tips from all jobs. Report amount before deductions for taxes, bonds, dues, or other items.
Yes -- $ ____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
b. Self-employed income from own nonfarm businesses or farm businesses, including proprietorships and partnerships. Report NET income after business expenses.
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
c. Interest, dividends, net rental income, royalty income, or income from estates and trusts. Report even small amounts credited to an account.
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
d. Social Security or Railroad Retirement
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
e. Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
f. Any public assistance or welfare payments from the state or local welfare office.
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
g. Retirement, survivor, or disability pensions.
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
h. Any other source of income received regularly such as Veterans’ (VA) payments, unemployment compensation, child support or alimony. Do NOT include lump sum payments such as money from an inheritance or the sale of a home.
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
48. What was this person’s total income during the PAST 12 MONTHS? Add entries in questions 47a to 47h; subtract any losses. If net income was a loss, enter the amount and mark the “Loss” box next to the dollar amount.
None OR $ _______________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
(box) Loss
Continue with the questions for Person 2 on the next page. If no one is listed as person 2 on page 2 SKIP to page 28 for mailing instructions.
END QUOTE
(NOTE: I found out that they send out the American Community Survey annually to different households. Check out this ACS page and see if I'm telling the truth. Also, Check out the actual form in .pdf format. Now tell me why they need to get this info from everyone in America?)
When we received the U.S. Census papers, our family obeyed the U.S. Constitution and told the government how many people lived at this address. Not a problem. We did not tell them anything else, but we did tell them the number of people who live here.
A few weeks ago, we were “chosen” to be participants in “The American Community Survey” (ACS). Not happy with the intrusiveness of the questions (all listed below so you can judge for yourselves), we chose to respond by not responding. We have not – and will not – send them our information.
Friday, Nov. 4, 2011, in the afternoon we received a phone call from an ACS surveyor asking if we had received the ACS, and if we had, did we fill it out and send it back yet? I said we had received it, had not sent it back, and that our response was to not respond. She said that not responding was not a choice. She asked if I wanted to answer the questions while I was on the line with her. I said no. She also said that we were required by law to respond (pay attention to that: we will revisit it in a moment). I said, “So sue us.” She said she would call back and ask us again to respond. I said I looked forward to it.
When I hung up, I checked my caller identification feature on my phone and wrote the number on the fridge’s white board. We agreed that we won’t be answering any calls from anyone who calls with a number that starts with the first six of those numbers (area code and first three of the number), which means no numbers from that building will be answered. That problem was solved.
My husband got curious as to what will happen when we don’t comply. He looked up the ACS noncompliance punishment on the internet and said that the most we could face is a $100 fine. Other places said up to $5,000, but the comments on that one said that it is highly unlikely and that the regulation said up to $100. So, that’s probably the max, but it will be difficult for the government to get it out of us.
When we checked the accompanying literature, we found that it states that the ACS will help, “decide where to locate new highways, schools, hospitals, and community centers; to show a large corporation that a town has the workforce the company needs; and in many other ways.” Wonderful. Our information will be used against us because it will be used to “measure the performance of programs” (and then I’m sure those programs would be given more of our money if they’re not performing up to the already low standards currently in use). I will not benefit from any of those programs, but I will be taxed more for things that I do not use (like senior citizens paying for the public schools via property taxes). Isn’t that grand?
The literature goes on to state, “Your response to this survey is required by law (Title 13, U.S. Code, Sections 141 and 193). Title 13, as changed by Title 18, imposes a penalty for not responding. We estimate this survey will take about 38 minutes to complete.” Excuse me? I got curious and did an internet search for the legal authority for the American Community Survey, and found that according to this Government Accounting Office response to U.S. Congressman, Bob Barr,
“While Census clearly has authority to conduct the ACS, we found no public laws, committee reports, or other congressional actions in which Congress has required the Bureau to develop and implement the ACS.”
According to the GAO, the government has “no public laws, committee reports or other congressional actions in which Congress has required the Bureau to develop and implement the ACS. [my bolding and italics]” So according to the GAO, there is nothing that legally requires us to participate because it is Congress and the Senate that writes the laws that we are supposed to be subject to. Other things are regulations, not law. There is a difference. Also note,
“It is clear that Census was not reacting to congressional direction in developing the ACS but acting on its own initiative to address the costs associated with the collection of data in the decennial census and the timeliness of that data.”
So the U.S. Census Bureau, an entity not established as a separate government office within the U.S. Constitution, but instead, only as a process, an activity, is now acting on its own to invade our privacy. It is taking it upon itself to ask you personal questions. Not only that, but it is costing us more to do the ACS than the regular census the U.S. Constitution delineates – counting us but not asking personal questions (read the questions below) -- and the Census Bureau is saying it is addressing costs? I don’t think so. I think they are perpetuating their own jobs and trying to preserve them, making their existence more secure via the time needed to develop, promote, gather, correlate and write reports on all the information requested on the ACS. This is not about doing what is delineated in the U.S. Constitution. It is about job preservation for the Census Bureau!
If you don’t believe me, look the questions – and the sheer number of questions -- that will command many, many people to analyze and organize the answers into some sort of government report – and tell me that the questionnaire (all twenty-eight pages of it!) is not a way to ensure Census Bureau jobs for a very long time.
Considering how intrusive the questions are, I’m surprised they didn’t ask when the last time was that Person 1 used a public library, watched NPR, or flushed the toilet. This is a ridiculously intrusive survey. It is also not what our Founding Fathers had in mind when it came to a census (they wanted a count of the people for districting only). It is what the liberals/Wrongies/progressives are using to try to manipulate us and trying to tax us more and trying to enforce more regulation on us. If, for example, there aren’t enough people using public transport the government will now know and use more of our taxpayer dollars to make more taxpayers take public transport. It’s not a good thing, folks.
I would advise you to not cooperate with the invasion of your own privacy. I would advise you to not return the ACS, or to return it with the U.S. Constitution’s delineation of the census,
“Article I, Section 2:
“Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. [my bolding and italics]”
“Article I, Section 9:
“No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.”
There are two keys there:
1) "By Law" -- Remember the GAO states, "we found no public laws". Therefore the ACS is totally unconstitutional -- BY LAW.
2) Notice that word, “Enumeration” which means: “1. To count off or name one by one; list:”. The U.S. Census says that the U.S. government has the right to COUNT us in a manner “as they shall by Law direct. [my bolding]” Considering that the Government Accounting Office states in their own look into the authority of the Census Bureau to do the ACS, they found “no public law” that gave them or anyone else the authority to do so. Therefore, in their own words, and in the words of the U.S. Constitution, I am not obligated to comply. Nor can they compel me to comply because the government has no subpoena to compel me to do so, nor am I – even under oath – forced to answer questions due to the Free Speech Clause and the Fifth Amendment.
I’d love to see the obamination administration try to make me comply with their intrusive questionnaire. I’d love to see them try.
The following questions are in the ACS:
(NOTE: For each question, there is a box to mark your answers in, but I did not write “box” for each box that is present in the questionnaire. For those that appeared in out of the norm places, I did delineate.)
QUOTE:
Person #
1. What is Person 1’s name? (First and Last)
2. How is this person related to Person 1? (It has “Person 1” marked for you.)
3. What is Person 1’s sex? (Male, Female)
4. What is Person 1’s age and what is Person 1’s date of birth?
(Please report babies as age 0 when the child is less than 1 year old.)
Note: Please answer BOTH Question 5 about Hispanic origin and Quesiton 6 about race. For this survey, Hispanic origins are not races.
5. Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?
No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin
Yes, Mexican, Mexican Am., Chicano
Yes, Puerto Rican
Yes, Cuban
Yes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin – Print origin, for example, Argentinean, Colombian, Dominican, Nicaraguan, Salvadoran, Spaniard, and so on.
6. What is Person 1’s race?
White
Black, African Am., or Negro
American Indian or Alaska Native – Print name of enrolled or principal tribe.
Asian Indian
Chinese
Filipino
Japanese
Korean
Vietnamese
Native Hawaiian
Guamanian or Chamorro
Samoan
Other Asian – Print race, for example, Hmong, Laotian, Thai, Pakistani, Cambodian, and so on.
Other Pacific Islander – Print race, for example, Figian, Tongan, and so on.
Some other race – Print race.
Person 2
1. What is Person 2’s name? (First and Last)
2. How is this person related to Person 1?
Husband or wife
Biological son or daughter
Adopted son or daughter
Stepson or stepdaughter
Brother or sister
Father or mother
Grandchild
Parent-in-law
Son-in-law or daughter-in-law
Other relative
Roomer or boarder
Housemate or roommate
Unmarried partner
Foster child
Other nonrelative
3. What is Person 2’s sex?
(NOTE: It goes on from there with the same questions as Person 1’s questions and repeats for Person 3 through Person 5.)
Housing:
Please answer the following questions about the house, apartment, or mobile home at the address on the mailing label.
1. Which best describes this building?
A mobile home
A one-family house attached to one or more houses
A one-family house attached to one or more houses
A building with 2 apartments
A building with 3 or 4 apartments
A building with 5 to 9 apartments
A building with 10 to 19 apartments
A building with 20 to 49 apartments
A building with 50 or more apartments
Boat, RV, van, etc.
2. About when was this building first built?
2000 or later – Specify year
1990 to 1999
1980 to 1989
1970 to 1979
1960 to 1969
1950 to 1959
1940 to 1949
1939 or earlier
3. When did Person 1 (listed on page 2) move into this house, apartment, or mobile home? (Month, Year)
Answer questions 4-6 if this is a HOUSE OR A MOBILE HOME; otherwise, skip to question 7a.
A
4. How many acres is this house or mobile home on?
Less than 1 acre – SKIP to question 6
1 to 9.9 acres
10 or more acres
5. IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, what were the actual sales of all agricultural products from this property?
None
$1 to $999
$1,000 to $2,499
6. Is there a business (such as a store or barber shop) or a medical office on this property? (Yes, No)
7.a. How many separate rooms are in this house, apartment, or mobile home? Rooms must be separated by built-in archways or walls that extend out at least 6 inches and go from floor to ceiling. (INCLUDE bedrooms, kitchens, etc. EXCLUDE bathrooms, porches, balconies, foyers, halls, or unfinished basements.)
Number of rooms
b. How many of these rooms are bedrooms? Count as bedrooms those rooms you would list if this house, apartment, or mobile home were for sale or rent. If this is an efficiency/studio apartment, print “0”.
Number of bedrooms
8. Does this house, apartment, or mobile home have – (Yes, No answers)
a. hot and cold running water?
b. a flush toilet?
c. a bathtub or shower
d. a sink with a faucet
e. a stove or range
f. a refrigerator
g. telephone service from which you can both make and receive calls? Include cell phones.
9. How many automobiles, vans, and trucks of one-ton capacity or less are kept at home for use by members of this household?
None
1
2
3
4
5
6 or more
10. Which FUEL is use MOST for heating this house, apartment, or mobile home?
Gas: from underground pipes serving the neighborhood
Gas: bottled, tank, or LP
Electricity
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.
Coal or coke
Wood
Solar energy
Other fuel
No fuel used
11. a. LAST MONTH, what was the cost of electricity for this house, apartment, or mobile home?
Last month’s cost – Dollars
OR
Included in rent or condominium fee
No charge or electricity not used
b. LAST MONTH, what was the cost of gas for this house, apartment, or mobile home?
Last month’s cost - Dollars
OR
Included in rent or condominium fee
Included in electricity payment entered above
No charge or gas not used
c. IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, what was the cost of water and sewer for this house, apartment, or mobile home? If you have lived here less than 12 month, estimate the cost.
Past 12 months’ cost – Dollars
OR
Included in rent or condominium fee
No charge
d. IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, what was the cost of oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc., for this house, apartment, or mobile home? If you have lived here less than 12 months, estimate the cost.
Past 12 months’ cost – Dollars
OR
Included in rent or condominium fee
No charge or these fuels not used
12. IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, did anyone in this household receive Food Stamps or a Food Stamp benefit card? Include government benefits from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Do NOT include WIC or the National School Lunch Program. (Yes, No)
13. Is this house, apartment, or mobile home part of a condominium?
Yes – What is the monthly condominium fee? For renteres, answer only if you pay the condominium fee in addition to your rent; otherwise, mark the “None” box.
Monthly amount – Dollars
OR
None
No
14. Is this house, apartment, or mobile home – (Mark ONE box)
Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan? Include home equity loans.
Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?
Rented?
Occupied without payment of rent? – SKIP to C.
B
Answer questions 15a and b if this house, apartment, or mobile home is RENTED. Otherwise SKIP to question 16.
15.a. What is the monthly rent for this house, apartment, or mobile home?
Monthly amount – Dollars
b. Does this monthly rent include any meals? (Yes, No)
C
Answer questions 16-20 if you or someone else in this household OWNS or IS BUYING this house, apartment, or mobile home. Otherwise, SKIP to E on the next page.
16. About how much do you think this house and lot, apartment, or mobile home (and lot, if owned) would sell for if it were for sale?
Amount – Dollars
17. What are the annual real estate taxes on THIS property?
Annual amount - Dollars
18. What is the annual payment for fire, hazard, and flood insurance on THIS property?
Annual amount – Dollars
OR
None
19. a. Do you or any member of this household have a mortgage, deed of trust, contract to purchase, or similar debt on THIS property?
Yes, mortgage, deed of trust, or similar debt
Yes, contract to purchase
No – SKIP to question 20a
b. How much is the regular monthly mortgage payment on THIS property? Include payment only on FIRST mortgage or contract ot purchase
Monthly amount – Dollars
OR
No regular payment required – SKIP to question 20a
c. Does the regular monthly mortgage payment include payments for real estate taxes on THIS property?
Yes, taxes included in mortgage payment
No, taxes paid separately or taxes not required
d. Does the regular monthly mortgage payment include payments for fire, hazard, or flood insurance on THIS property?
Yes, insurance included in mortgage payment
No, insurance paid separately or no insurance
20.a. Do you or any member of this household have a second mortgage or a home equity loan on THIS property?
Yes, home equity loan
Yes, second mortgage
Yes, second mortgage and home equity loan
No – SKIP to D
b. How much is the regular monthly payment on all second or junior mortgages and all home equity loans on THIS property?
Monthly amount – Dollars
OR
No regular payment required
D
Answer question 21 if this is a MOBILE HOME. Otherwise, SKIP to E.
21. What are the total annual costs for personal property taxes, site rent, registration fees, and license fees on THIS mobile home and its site? Exclude real estate taxes.
Annual Costs – Dollars
E
Answer questions about PERSON 1 on the next page if you listed at least one person on page 2. Otherwise, SKIP to page 28 for the mailing instructions.
Person 1
Please copy the name of Person 1 from page 2, then continue answering questions below.
(Last name, first name, MI)
7. Where was this person born?
In the United States – Print name of state
Outside the United States – Print name of foreign country, or Puerto Rico, Guam, etc.
8. Is this person a citizen of the United States?
Yes, born in the United States – SKIP to 10a
Yes, born in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Northern Marianas
Yes, born abroad of U.S. citizen parent or parents
Yes, U.S. citizen by naturalization - Print year of naturalization (box)
No, not a U.S. citizen
9. When did this person come to live in the United States? Print numbers in boxes. (Year)
10.a. At any time IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS, has this person attended school or college? Include only nursery or preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, home school, and schooling which leads to a high school diploma or a college degree.
No, has not attended in the last 3 months – SKIP to question 11
Yes, public school, public college
Yes, private school, private college, home school
b. What grade level was this person attending? Mark ONE box.
Nursery school, preschool
Kindergarten
Grade1 through 12 – Specify grade 1-12
College undergraduate years (freshman to senior)
Graduate or professional school beyond a bachelor’s degree (for example: MA or Ph.D. program, or medical or law school)
11. What is the highest degree or level of school this person has COMPLETED? Mark ONE box. If currently enrolled, mark the previous grade or highest degree received.
No Schooling Completed
No Schooling Completed
Nursery or Preschool Through Grade 12
Nursery school
Kindergarten
Grade 1 through 11 – Specify grade 1 – 11
High School Graduate
Regular high school diploma
GED or alternative credential
College or Some College
Some college credit, but less than 1 year of college credit
1 or more years of college credit, no degree
Associate’s degree (for example: AA, AS)
Bachelor’s degree (for example: BA, BS)
After Bachelor’s Degree
Master’s degree (for example: MA, MS, MEng, Med, MSW, MBA)
Professional degree beyond a bachelor’s degree (for example: MD, DDS, DVM, LLB, JD)
Doctorate degree (for example: PhD, EdD)
F
Answer question 12 if this person has a bachelor’s degree or higher. Otherwise, SKIP to question 13.
12. This question focuses on this person’s BACHELOR’S DEGREE. Please print below the specific major(s) of any BACHELOR’S DEGREES this person has received. (For example: chemical engineering, elementary teacher education, organizational psychology)
13. What is this person’s ancestry or ethnic origin?
(For example: Italian, Jamaican, African Am., Cambodian, Cape Verdean, Norwegian, Dominican, French Canadian, Haitian, Korean, Lebanese, Polish, Nigerian, Mexican, Taiwanese, Ukrainian, and so on)
14.a. Does this person speak a language other than English at home?
Yes
No – SKIP to question 15a.
b. What is this language? For example: Korean, Italian, Spanish, Vietnamese
c. How well does this person speak English?
Very well
Well
Not well
Not at all
15. a. Did this person live in this house or apartment 1 year ago?
Person is under 1 year old – SKIP to question 16
Yes, this house – SKIP to question 16
No, outside the United States and Puerto Rico – Print name of foreign country, or U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, etc., below; then SKIP to question 16.
No, different house in the United States or Puerto Rico
b. Where did this person live 1 year ago?
Address, Number and street name
Name of city, town or post office
Name of U.S. county or municipio in Puerto Rico
Name of U.S. state or Puerto Rico
ZIP Code
16. Is this person CURRENTLY covered by any of the following types of health insurance or health coverage plans? Mark “Yes” or “No” for EACH type of coverage in items a-h.
a. Insurance through a current or former employer or union (of this person or another family member)
b. Insurance purchased directly from an insurance company (by this person or another family member)
c. Medicare, for people 65 and older, or people with certain disabilities
d. Medicaid, Medical Assistance, or any kind of government assistance plan for those with low incomes or a disability
e. TRICARE or other military health care
f. VA (including those who have never used or enrolled for VA health care)
g. Indian Health Service
h. Any other type of health insurance – Specify
17. a. Is this person deaf or does he/she have serious difficulty hearing? (Yes, No)
b. Is this person blind or does he/she have serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses? (Yes, No)
G
Answer question 18.a – c if this person is 5 years old or over. Otherwise, SKIP to the questions for Person 2 on page 12.
18.a. Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does this person have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions? (Yes, No)
b. Does this person have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs? (Yes, No)
c. Does this person have difficulty dressing or bathing? (Yes, No)
H
Answer question 19 if this person is 15 years old or over. Otherwise, SKIP to the questions for Person 2 on page 12.
19. Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition does this person have difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping? (Yes, No)
20. What is this person’s marital status?
Now married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
Never married – SKIP to I
21. In the PAST 12 MONTHS did this person get –
a. Married? (Yes, No)
b. Widowed? (Yes, No)
c. Divorced? (Yes, No)
22. How many times has this person been married?
23. In what year did this person last get married? (Year)
I
Answer question 24 if this person is female and 15 – 50 years old. Otherwise, SKIP to question 25a.
24. Has this person given birth to any children in the past 12 months? (Yes, No)
25. a. Does this person have any of his/her own grandchildren under the age of 18 living in this house or apartment?
Yes
No – SKIP to question 26
b. Is this grandparent currently responsible for most of the basic needs of any grandchildren under the age of 18 who lives in this house or apartment?
Yes
No – SKIP to question 26
c. How long has this grandparent been responsible for these grandchildren? If the grandparent is financially responsible for more than one grandchild, answer the question for the grandchild for whom the grandparent has been responsible the longest period of time.
Less than 6 months
6 to 11 months
1 or 2 years
3 or 4 years
5 or more years
26. Has this person ever served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, military Reserves, or National Guard? Active duty does not include training for the Reserves or National Guard, but DOES include activation, for example, for the Persian Gulf War.
Yes, now on active duty
Yes, on active duty during the last 12 months, but not now
Yes, on active duty in the past, but not during the last 12 months
No, training for Reserves or National Guard only – SKIP to question 28a
No, never served in the military – SKIP to question 29a
27. When did this person serve on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces? Mark a box for EACH period in which this person served, even if just for part of the period.
September 2001 or later
August 1990 to August 2001 (including Persian Gulf War)
September 1980 to July 1990
May 1975 to August 1980
Vietnam Era (August 1964 to April 1975)
March 1961 to July 1964
February 1955 to February 1961
Korean War (July 1950 to January 1955)
January 1947 to June 1950
World War II (December 1941 to December 1946)
November 1941 or earlier
28.a. Does this person have a VA service-connected disability rating?
Yes (such as 0%, 20%, …, 100%)
No – SKIP to question 29a
b. What is this person’s service-connected disability rating?
0 percent
10 to 20 percent
30 to 40 percent
50 to 60 percent
70 percent or higher
29.a. LAST WEEK, did this person work for pay at a job (or business)?
Yes – SKIP to question 30
No – Did not work (or retired)
b. LAST WEEK, did this person do ANY work for pay, even for as little as one hour?
Yes
No – SKIP to question 35a
30. At what location did this person work LAST WEEK? If this person worked at more than one location, print where he or she worked most last week.
a. Address (Number and street name) If the exact address is not known, give a description of the location such as the building name or the nearest street or intersection.
b. Name of city, town, or post office
c. Is the work location inside the limits of that city or town?
Yes
No, outside the city/town limits
d. Name of county
e. Name of U.S. state or foreign country
f. ZIP code
31. How did this person usually get to work LAST WEEK? If this person usually used more than one method of transportation during the trip, mark the box of the one used for most of the distance.
Car, truck, or van
Bus or trolley bus
Streetcar or trolley car
Subway or elevated
Railroad
Ferryboat
Taxicab
Motorcycle
Bicycle
Walked
Worked at home – SKIP to question 39a
Other method
J
Answer question 32 if you marked “Car, truck, or van” in question 31. Otherwise, SKIP to question 33.
32. How many people, including this person, usually rode to work in the car, truck, or van LAST WEEK?
Person(s)
33. What time did this person usually leave home to go to work LAST WEEK?
Hour
Minute a.m. p.m.
34. How many minutes did it usually take this person to get from home to work LAST WEEK?
Minutes
K
Answer questions 35 – 38 if this person did NOT work last week. Otherwise, SKIP to question 39a.
35.a. LAST WEEK, was this person on layoff from a job?
Yes – SKIP to question 35c.
No
b. LAST WEEK, was this person temporarily absent from a job or business?
Yes, on vacation, temporary illness, maternity leave, other family/personal reasons, bad weather, etc. – SKIP to question 38
No – SKIP to question 36
c. Has this person been informed that he or she will be recalled to work within the next 6 months OR been given a date to return to work?
Yes – SKIP to question 37
No
36. During the LAST 4 WEEKS, has this person been ACTIVELY looking for work?
Yes
No – SKIP to question 38
37. LAST WEEK, could this person have started a job if offered on, or returned to work if recalled?
Yes, could have gone to work
No, because of own temporary illness
No, because of all other reasons (in school, etc.)
38. When did this person last work, even for a few days?
Within the past 12 months
1 to 5 years ago – SKIP to L
Over 5 years ago or never worked – SKIP to question 47
39. a. During the PAST 12 MONTHS (52 weeks), did this person work 50 or more weeks? Count paid time off as work.
Yes – SKIP to question 40
No
b. How many weeks DID this person work, even for a few hours, including paid vacation, paid sick leave, and military service?
50 to 52 weeks
48 to 49 weeks
40 to 47 weeks
27 to 39 weeks
14 to 26 weeks
13 weeks or less
40. During the PAST 12 MONTHS, in the WEEKS WORKED, how many hours did this person usually work each WEEK?
Usual hours worked each week
L
Answer questions 41 – 46 if this person worked in the past 5 years. Otherwise, SKIP to question 47.
41-46 Current or most recent job activity. Describe clearly this person’s chief job activity or business last week. If this person had more than one job, describe the one at which this person worked the most hours. If this person had no job or business last week, give information for his/her last job or business.
41. Was this person – (Mark ONE box.)
An employee of a PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT company or business, or of an individual, for wages, salary, or commissions?
An employee of a PRIVATE NOT-FOR-PROFIT, tax-exempt, or charitable organization?
A local GOVERNMENT employee?
A Federal GOVERNMENT employee?
SELF-EMPLOYED in own NOT INCORPORATED business, professional practice, or farm?
SELF-EMPLOYED in own INCORPORATED business, professional practice, or farm?
Working WITHOUT PAY in family business or farm?
42. For whom did this person work?
If now on active duty in the Armed Forces, mark this box -- (box) and print the branch of the Armed Forces.
Name of company, business, or other employer
43. What kind of business or industry was this? Describe the activity at the location where employed. (For example: hospital, newspaper publishing, mail order house, auto engine manufacturing, bank)
44. Is this mainly (Mark ONE box)
Manufacturing?
Wholesale trade?
Retail trade?
Other (agriculture, construction, service, government, etc.)?
45. What kind of work was this person doing? (For example: registered nurse, personal manager, supervisor of order department, secretary, accountant)
46. What were this person’s most important activities or duties? (For example: patient care, directing hiring policies, supervising order clerks, typing and filing, reconciling financial records)
47. INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS Mark the “Yes” box for each type of income this person received, and give your best estimate of the TOTAL AMOUNT during the PAST 12 MONTHS. (NOTE: The “past 12 months” is the period from today’s date one year ago up through today.)
Mark the “No” box to show types of income NOT received.
If net income was a loss, mark the “Loss” box to the right of the dollar amount.
For income received jointly, report the appropriate share for each person – or, if that’s not possible, report the whole amount for only one person and mark the “No” box for the other person.
a. Wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, or tips from all jobs. Report amount before deductions for taxes, bonds, dues, or other items.
Yes -- $ ____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
b. Self-employed income from own nonfarm businesses or farm businesses, including proprietorships and partnerships. Report NET income after business expenses.
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
c. Interest, dividends, net rental income, royalty income, or income from estates and trusts. Report even small amounts credited to an account.
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
d. Social Security or Railroad Retirement
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
e. Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
f. Any public assistance or welfare payments from the state or local welfare office.
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
g. Retirement, survivor, or disability pensions.
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
h. Any other source of income received regularly such as Veterans’ (VA) payments, unemployment compensation, child support or alimony. Do NOT include lump sum payments such as money from an inheritance or the sale of a home.
Yes -- $ _____________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
No
48. What was this person’s total income during the PAST 12 MONTHS? Add entries in questions 47a to 47h; subtract any losses. If net income was a loss, enter the amount and mark the “Loss” box next to the dollar amount.
None OR $ _______________ (TOTAL AMOUNT for past 12 months)
(box) Loss
Continue with the questions for Person 2 on the next page. If no one is listed as person 2 on page 2 SKIP to page 28 for mailing instructions.
END QUOTE
(NOTE: I found out that they send out the American Community Survey annually to different households. Check out this ACS page and see if I'm telling the truth. Also, Check out the actual form in .pdf format. Now tell me why they need to get this info from everyone in America?)
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