Congratulations to The Common Sense Contest Winners!
Posted by: The BoBo // Category: ACORN, America, Congress, Constitution, Contest, Politics, US Constitution, government
Well, that was a very short-lived contest! I received many responses, but, only 10 could win – well, actually, 11 won. I bought 11 copies of Glenn Beck’s Common Sense: A Case Against an Out-of-Control Government inspired by Thomas Paine with the intention that I would keep a personal copy. Well, I decided that in the spirit of the contest I am passing my personal copy along. First up – the winners of the contest. For those winners that have a blog – if they are not already on my blogroll – I will be adding them. After the winners – I will post up the response to the questions. The winners are in no particular order here:
- Rob – aka – Lot2Learn (blogger) – Did I Miss Something
- RE Ausetkmt (blogger) – Bad Gals Radio
- Linoge (blogger) – Walls of The City
- James (blogger) – Stand Up For America
- Donald (e-mail subscriber)
- Jan (blogger) – Better Life, Better Health through Chiropractic
- Inge (blogger) – Dementia for 2
- Jan G. (e-mail subscriber and long-time friend)
- Casey (blogger) – The Conservative Cloak Room
- Thaddeus (blogger) – Army of Epiphenomenon
- James (blogger) – OCD-Man – UPDATE – Sorry – forgot to add this one the last time around!
Congratulations to all the winners. I will get the books out to you right away on Monday. Now – the answer:
An individual comes to your door and announces they are a representative of the government. The individual then proceeds to tell you that they’ve been trying to get in contact with your neighbor, but, for whatever reason they keep missing them. They ask you if you could answer a few questions about your neighbor, these being:
- Do you know if your neighbor is married and/or has any children?
- What kind of car, or cars, does your neighbor drive?
- Since they keep missing your neighbors, do you know what time they leave for work and what time they get back?
- Do you know what line of business your neighbor is in and/or do you know where he works?
- How long has she been living at that location and do you know whether she owns or rents?
This is just a short list. So – what is your response to the questions and why?
This actually has a short answer – apparently, it wasn’t as common sense as I thought. The winners above all had variations, but came up with the right answers. Others, I hope you come back and read this.
1 – the answer to all 5 questions should be – I don’t know and I won’t give out any information about my neighbors or myself.
2 – The government has no constitutional authority to ask such questions unless there is a lawful reason that is accompanied by a duly authorized subpoena or warrant.
So – the reason for this contest – as some of my winners figured out – has to do with the upcoming 2010 Census. I actually have some insider experience with this. In 2000, before I educated myself, I was a Census Taker. I was going through a divorce and needed some extra cash. On the weekends I would meet with a supervisor who would hand me a stack of census forms and a list of addresses of those individuals who did not complete their censuses beyond just the count of individuals in the home. I would drive around for 8 hours on Saturdays and Sundays attempting to get these completed – with all the personal questions. As part of this process, if the individuals in question were not home, we were to knock on the doors of the neighbors and ask them if they could provide the answers.
Some times some of the neighbors provided the answers. Other times they did not. I couldn’t understand at that time why no one was being cooperative. In fact, there was one guy who enlightened me and from that point forward I was questioning it. I walked around in to this guy’s garage (I heard some noise in the back so I went around) – There was a group of men sitting around a table – the entire room was adorned with various flags including the American Flag and The Gadsden Flag – and lots of rifles and rifle racks. After I identified myself and my purpose – after the entire room was done laughing – the man stood up and approached me. Rather than being beligerant – he calmly explained Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution stating I had no authority to ask him any of those questions and that he had completed all that he was required by law to provide to the government. He also informed me he was a Marine (intimidation factor here). I said thanks and moved on to the next house. But – from that point forward I decided I needed to know more.
Given that ACORN has been hired to conduct the next census and the fact there is a 28 page supplement added to this census that asks a lot more detailed questions than what I had in the contest – we all need to be aware of what the constitution says with regards to the census:
(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 previous sentence in parentheses was modified by the 14th Amendment, section 2.) 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.
It is clear, with regards to enumeration, that the only thing that the government is allowed to ask is how many people live in the household. Additionally, Linoge also has a post on this topic. I urge you all to stand by your constitutional rights and only answer what is legally required. I will also be asking all of my neighbors to decline answering any questions about me or my family when ACORN comes around. Some of my neighbors are not nearly as educated about this process – so – it will be my duty to inform them. I suggest you all do the same.
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Tags: ACORN, Article 1, census, Constitution, government, intrusion, Politics, Section 2
July 4th, 2009 at 1:37 am
I posed this question to some of my friends on fb and we had a very lively conversation for about 2 days over it. I couldn’t believe how many of my friends did not know the answer.
I can wait to get the book! Thanks again!
Inges last blog post..Better Than I Expected
Reply to Inge
July 4th, 2009 at 9:01 am
I am so excited! I feel as if I had won a trip to Hawaii or something! I’ve been anxious to read Glenn Beck’s book but had not made it to the bookstore yet, so this is perfect timing! I promise to pass it forward and instruct that person to do the same! It’s very satisfying knowing that I can help keep the idea of “Common Sense” going. NO MORE ACORN….NO MORE SPENDING! NO MORE TAXES! Happy Independence Day! God Bless America! Thanks BobO!!
Reply to Jan G.
July 5th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Actually the government can ask whatever it wants. Asking is simply the act of of inquiring if you would be willing to volunteer information. Asking means that the answer can be no or a refusal to reply. If they were demanding to know (or applying significant pressure to answer without any option of silence) information then there would be constitutional issues but just asking is fine.
Reply to Groucho Engels
July 5th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
You’re kind of silly.
Of course, you’re under no obligation to answer any questions–sunpoena or otherwise.
But failing to respond to a census is kind of like cutting off your nose to spite your face; it does you (and the community you live in) no good. So, if you really prefer your tax dollars (and those of your neighbors) shipped off elsewhere–by all means, pretend you’re striking a blow for something you’re unable to comprehend.
Reply to JadeGold
July 5th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Thanks for the linkage, and doubly thanks for the books. I am definitely looking forward to reading it, and I already have someone in mind for my mandatory “pass-on”. Of course, at the rate I am muddling through Atlas Shrugged, I might have to take a break from it and work on this for the time
.
Linoges last blog post..past and present
Reply to Linoge
July 5th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
@Inge – it surprises me as well.
@Jan – the pleasure is all mine! This is a great book – obviously the boneheads like JadeGold below haven’t read it otherwise they would not have posted that response..sheesh!
@Groucho – of course you are correct there – semantics. However, the Bureau of Census has already issued statements saying that ACORN will be given authorization to inquire and they are trying to state they have the law on their side because they made it a in the 80′s that said we have to answer the questions.
@JadeGolden – tsk tsk tsk – you actually believe that lie don’t you? Perhaps you need to get a copy of this book as well. They don’t use these questions to benefit your community – they use these questions and answers to gerrymander. But, I understand – not everyone stays informed. I only urge you to really take a better look at what the Constitution says and then ask yourself – why does our government really need to know how many toilets you have in your house and whether or not they are low flow – then ask how that will help your community.
Reply to The BoBo
July 5th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
@Linoge – my pleasure. The book will be out to ya Monday – hopefully, you’ll get it by Wednesday or Thursday – that will give you a little more time to get through Atlas Shrugged! That’s a helluva big book isn’t it? Just imagine – some of our bills introduced this year in Congress are just as big, if not bigger, than that book. Our lawmakers don’t have time to read all of it.
Reply to The BoBo
July 6th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
If you get your civics from Glenn Beck–well, we know who those late night infomercials are aimed at.
Gerrymandering is a state function–not a product of the census. In fact, you can go to the census site and read the questions that are asked; not one of them involves party affiliation. In reality, gerrymandering data is provided by voter registration rolls. Thus, if you really, really want to prevent gerrymandering–don’t register to vote.
That aside, I’m happy to have your tax dollars in my community while you and the teabaggers enjoy something…
Reply to JadeGold
July 6th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Wow – really JadeGold – you decide to come over to my blog to show how ignorant you are? Thanks! Apparently, you did not pay attention to your high school government classes. This is a file directly from the census bureau – note the link address please.
http://www.census.gov/dmd/www/pdf/912ch4.pdf
And this is directly from that document:
1. The Census Bureau collects population totals; reapportionment decisions are made by Congress; redistricting decisions are made by state legislators.
oh..and just what is redistricting called? Bueller? Bueller?
Gerrymandering..that’s right!
and this from the same document:
3. Courts today have interpreted the “one person, one vote” principle to mean congressional, state, and local districts must be composed of approximately equal population totals. Redistricting occurs to reflect changes in relative numbers of people living in each state.
4. Population redistribution within states affects redistricting. Redistricting by population can often lead to oddly shaped districts that don’t conform to municipal boundaries.
Seriously, Jade – when you come here – please be armed with a little bit more knowledge other than what you picked up from the back of your box of fruit loops. Stay misinformed and ignorant – don’t bother to educate yourself – it just continues to prove how out of touch you libtards really are.
Reply to The BoBo
July 10th, 2009 at 12:57 am
Thanks Mr. Bobowe think most folks will answer if they don’t know any better.I find it totally stupid that anybody would expect someone to answer questions about a third party who is not present at the time;without a warrant and or a gun on cock.I an’t got a damn thang to say, thank you very much !that’s my standard answer and I’m stickin to it.Thanks for the Book Mr Bobo, we’ll be copying parts for ourneighbors and sticking it into their mailboxes so they can comeout of the darkness of official intimidation;
Reply to BadGalSays
July 10th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
@Any time RE! Thank you too for your support as well. I would hope there would be some smart people out there to know not to answer these kind of questions. Keep that info floating around!
Reply to The BoBo
August 27th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
[...] – that’s correct also – it should ONLY be a population count. But, given what we learned earlier about the plans for the 2010 Census – which is to also count the number of toilets, [...]
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