WHY did the Feds have to waste $$ to send me a notice that I

[napi21]

would be getting the Census form in about a week? It's only 2 sentences long and I don't see where it serves any purpose at all! It was sent First Class Mail. I have no idea if they paid the Post Office .42 for each of these silly notes, but it looks like a damn big waste of money to me!

[HowHasItComeToThis]

1. CHECK OUT THE "FRANKING" PRIVILEGE

[napi21]

2. I don't think "fanking" applies to this mail. The envelope says

Presorted First Class Mail. Postage & fees paid U.S. Census Bureau Permit No. G-58.

[virginia mountainman]

3. I was thinking the same thing....NT

[Oregone]

4. Someone made that paper, the ink, and envelopes

Probably created more jobs than handing out $5K to profitable expanding businesses that do what they should and hire people.

[frazzled]

5. So you know to look out for it and not throw it out

Or to be concerned if it doesn't show up: maybe someone has hijacked it and filled out improper information in your name. Just like the credit card company will send you a notice in advance of sending you a new credit card.

It's important to respond to the census forms. I think this is fine.

[peace13]

6. +100

[damntexdem]

8. Hear, hear!

Not to say that the notice will be successful; but it is important to try.

[Motown_Johnny]

7. maybe it is because the post office needs the money.

[1776Forever]

9. I just told my husband the very same thing! Got it today! WTH is with that?

:crazy:

[Individualist]

10. That's the first thing I thought when I opened the letter.

[unblock]

11. once every DECADE they count you, they damn well should spend good money to get the count right!

a lot of federal dollars, nevermind seats in the house of representatives, get allocated according to the census.

it's very important that they get the count right, and people who throw out the forms because they think it's junk mail or don't answer the phone or the door because they think the census worker is making some sort of sales call, are really doing a disservice, not just to themselves, but to everyone in their state.

personally, i think the census does a fairly decent job, but should get a rather larger budget so they can really count people properly. homeless people or people who otherwise move at just the wrong time are particularly challenging to count, and these are often the people who would benefit most from a better allocation of federal dollars.


so, if you were always going to fill out and return the form regardless, great! the advance notice was just a friendly alert, don't worry about it personally. just know that it's doing its job by helping to make sure that some of your fellow state residents know to expect the form and hopefully will also fill it out and return it, but also will CALL if it DOESN'T arrive so that they can be sure to be counted.



STAND UP AND BE COUNTED!

[unblock]

12. (dup)

[Hepburn]

13. My thoughs exactly.

I looked at that letter and all I could think of was, "What a fucking waste of money."

Sheesh....

[progressoid]

14. The envelope has a built-in micro chip that immediately senses you have opened the envelope.

This data is then trasnmitted to the Department of Sochalist Nazi affairs for processing. If you don't fill out the Census when it arrives, Acorn will come to your house and force you to fill it out (& make you listen to Snoop Dogg songs too).

Duh.

[Love Bug]

15. I thought the same thing too, but realized the message isn't for people like us

We post at DU because we're politically aware, so as a group DUers are most likely to complete their census forms because we understand the importance of it. Unfortunately, most Americans are only as aware as whatever little they can glean from their local news and the latest episode of American Idol. Those are the people this letter is targeting. You know... morons. (not so obscure Blazing Saddles reference)

[Raine]

16. That's what I'm wondering too

I got one today, what a waste of money!!! :argh:

[4lbs]

17. They don't pay 42 cents for each letter like we do. The US Government gets a special first class

bulk rate when it sends out millions of these. It only costs about 10 cents each. A 75% reduction in cost.

Total cost is likely no more than $10 million to send to 100 million households.

The Census Bureau has a budget of about 10 billion dollars to conduct this census. They are spending only 0.1% of that to send these out. A tenth of a percent.

[izzybeans]

18. Good lord it burns!

The census comes around once a decade and determines by what proportion you will be represented and its quality impacts all the population studies that help guide decision-making. Why did they waste their money... :rofl: Holy shit.