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Advertising the Census: What a waste of tax dollars

Discussion in 'News & Current Events' started by matt wade, Apr 10, 2010.

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  1. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    So today I was at a local park with my kids. Along come a bunch of census workers and they are handing out free t-shirts, pennants, and hats emblazoned with "Census 2010" and associated slogans.

    What a waste of tax dollars! Why in the world is our government spending the money they steal from us on advertising for the Census? Even if advertising was a proper thing, why are they handing out these t-shirts and pennants to children?

    As a side note, since I know someone will likely bring it up, the park I was at was a privately funded community park. No tax dollars spent on it :).
     
    #1 matt wade, Apr 10, 2010
  2. StefanM

    StefanM Well-Known Member
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    I think most of the 2010 census marketing is a complete waste.
     
    #2 StefanM, Apr 10, 2010
  3. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    It's an important function of the government. I'm glad they promoted it the way they did. We need everyone to know about it.

    Of course there is always something for someone to complain about.
     
    #3 preachinjesus, Apr 10, 2010
  4. FR7 Baptist

    FR7 Baptist Active Member

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    As your humble public servant in the Census Bureau, even though my job doesn't start for 17 more days, I know the answer. By advertising the census, it gets more people to mail back their returns. It costs a lot of money if an Enumerator has to track you down.
     
    #4 FR7 Baptist, Apr 10, 2010
  5. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    What happens if you don't get a census, are you exempt? I know someone who didn't get one yet.
     
    #5 abcgrad94, Apr 10, 2010
  6. FR7 Baptist

    FR7 Baptist Active Member

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    No, you have to get a form yourself and fill it out.
     
    #6 FR7 Baptist, Apr 10, 2010
  7. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    My problem with the advertising is that they are NOT giving the constitutional reason for the census - be counted, for Congressional representational
     
    #7 Salty, Apr 10, 2010
  8. StefanM

    StefanM Well-Known Member
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    I understand. My beef with the marketing is the methods they are using, not the marketing itself.

    For example, I find the letter mailed to each household a week before the census to be incredibly wasteful. If you are going to read that letter, you would read the census.

    TV spots, I think, are good. Mass media is a good method of getting the word out. T-shirts, however?
     
    #8 StefanM, Apr 10, 2010
  9. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    Leave it to liberals to defend this stupid advertising scheme. Did you miss the part here where they are giving the t-shirts and pennants to children? You know, children, under the age of 18, that aren't head of household and won't be filling out the census.
     
    #9 matt wade, Apr 10, 2010
  10. just-want-peace

    just-want-peace Well-Known Member
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    Bolded mine

    AMEN!!!

    1 - I got the card/letter (don't really remember which now) about 10 days telling me the form was coming.
    2 - Then the form arrived.
    3 - Then (believe it or not!!) I got a card some 5-6 days AFTER the form telling me that they sent the form. (I personally think they are just kissing up to the PO to keep 'em busy!!:tongue3::tongue3: )

    Bureaucracy is worse than a boil on your glutus maximus!!!
     
    #10 just-want-peace, Apr 10, 2010
  11. FR7 Baptist

    FR7 Baptist Active Member

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    Studies have been done and mailing letters before and after causes a significant increase in response rates. When you compare the cost of extra mailings to the cost of sending an Enumerator to hunt you down and interview you in person, it saves the government money.
     
    #11 FR7 Baptist, Apr 10, 2010
  12. Robert Snow

    Robert Snow New Member

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    Don't confuse these malcontents with the facts! It goes against there biased opinions.
     
    #12 Robert Snow, Apr 10, 2010
  13. StefanM

    StefanM Well-Known Member
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    Don't be so quick with the namecalling. By the way, it's "their" opinions.

    Paul,

    You do make a good point with response rate. I had not considered that. I stand corrected.
     
    #13 StefanM, Apr 10, 2010
  14. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Well, DUH!! If you're wearing a t-shirt yourself, you can't read it but give it to a child under 18? A parent will see that all....day....long.

    :smilewinkgrin:
     
    #14 annsni, Apr 10, 2010
  15. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    Well, you got me there! Luckily that means that conservatives will be more likely to see the advertising campaign, since they stay home with their kids to raise them rather than pawning them off on the day cares ;).
     
    #15 matt wade, Apr 10, 2010
  16. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    Dagwood (works in machine shop)
    dragonfly (works in machine shop. lives in houston)
    Terry_Herrington (works in machine shop, has also been a teacher. lives in houston)
    Robert Snow (works in machine shop, has also been a teacher. lives in houston)

    Your comments will be disregarded until you admit you've been banned from this site before.
     
    #16 matt wade, Apr 10, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 10, 2010
  17. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    If mass mailings were good in 1810, then they should be good enough for today!
     
    #17 Salty, Apr 11, 2010
  18. rbell

    rbell Active Member

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    Exactly.



    Wow...I think you might be even meaner now than you were before your "epiphany." We can discuss stuff like grown-ups, you know...
     
    #18 rbell, Apr 11, 2010
  19. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    Oh, well, the USPS needed the business. <G>
     
    #19 billwald, Apr 11, 2010
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