Friday, March 12, 2010
Census this, *******!
Have you heard the radio ads in which folks are urged to complete the U.S. Census so's they and them can get their "fair share" of all kinds o' things?! I certainly have, and I wince every time I hear one of 'em.
Earlier today, I heard a PSA -- that's a Public Service Announcement for certain ignorant anonymous Creeder Readers -- urging folks to fill out the Census so's public schools will know how many students are a-comin'.
Now, let's get one thing straight: the Census has one purpose and one purpose only ... counting folks to apportion congressional districts. It ain't a welfare-state tool to determine how gov'ment largesse should be spent. Indeed, I defy anyone to study what took place back in 1787-88 and tell me otherwise.
That said, are there really any school districts in this land that rely on Census data to allocate resources? If there are, every elected official in that district, from the mayor down to the lowliest school board member, should be run out on a rail. I mean, so much can change in a school district from one year to the next (like a large factory closing/opening); thus, relying on demographic data that's compiled once every ten years to determine what should be spent, and where it should be spent, is foolhardy at best, and downright criminal at worst.
I guess what I'm trying to say is this: All of the U.S. Census ads I've heard thus far could just as easily be audio-ads on Barry Obama's Organizing for America Web site. That's bad in and of itself; but I'm pretty pissed that my tax dollars are being used to disseminate such statist horse-puckey, indeed.
Earlier today, I heard a PSA -- that's a Public Service Announcement for certain ignorant anonymous Creeder Readers -- urging folks to fill out the Census so's public schools will know how many students are a-comin'.
Now, let's get one thing straight: the Census has one purpose and one purpose only ... counting folks to apportion congressional districts. It ain't a welfare-state tool to determine how gov'ment largesse should be spent. Indeed, I defy anyone to study what took place back in 1787-88 and tell me otherwise.
That said, are there really any school districts in this land that rely on Census data to allocate resources? If there are, every elected official in that district, from the mayor down to the lowliest school board member, should be run out on a rail. I mean, so much can change in a school district from one year to the next (like a large factory closing/opening); thus, relying on demographic data that's compiled once every ten years to determine what should be spent, and where it should be spent, is foolhardy at best, and downright criminal at worst.
I guess what I'm trying to say is this: All of the U.S. Census ads I've heard thus far could just as easily be audio-ads on Barry Obama's Organizing for America Web site. That's bad in and of itself; but I'm pretty pissed that my tax dollars are being used to disseminate such statist horse-puckey, indeed.
# posted by Joltin' Django @ Friday, March 12, 2010 
