The Constitutional Way, or Political Obama Way?
So how should the US government, based on the US Constitution, handle the 2010 US Census? The right way to is follow the Constitution, the document that President Obama swore to uphold on January 20th during his swearing in as POTUS 44. The left way, under the Obama White House is to run the US Census under the political direction of the President. But even some Democrats in Congress (and most Republicans) are opposed to this partisan approach.
In early February, Republican House Minority Leaders John Boehner clearly stated the GOP opposition to the Obama plans.
WASHINGTON, DC Feb 6, 2009 – House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following statement regarding reports that control of the U.S. Census Bureau will be stripped from the Department of Commerce and placed with the White House staff:
“I am disturbed by reports that control of the traditionally nonpartisan Census Bureau is being stripped from the Commerce Department and placed with the White House staff. This action appears to be motivated by politics, rather than the interests of our country, and the burden will be on the new administration to prove otherwise during Senator Gregg’s confirmation hearings. The United States Census should remain independent of politics; it should not be directed by political operatives working out of the White House.”
In Town Hall http://townhall.com Michael Barone writes an excellent column on the Constitutional foundation of the US Census.
"Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers," reads Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution. "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.
Like other federal statistical agencies, the Census Bureau has a proud culture, developed and nurtured over many years and in many administrations, of independence from political manipulation and dedication to statistical rigor. So it's dismaying that the Obama White House, in response to political pressure, would consider overseeing the 2010 census. A better approach, endorsed by seven former Census directors and embodied in a bill sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, a New York Democrat, would be to set the Census Bureau apart as an independent agency. That would preserve, protect and defend the census that the framers of the Constitution took pains to establish.
For the direct link to the Town Hall.com article:
http://townhall.com/columnists/MichaelBarone/2009/02/21/count_on_the_constitution
For more info, check out the US Census web site:
Or go to Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_United_States_Census
Let your US Congressman and US Senator know that you are opposed to the White House politicizing the US Census, and that you support legislation to keep the US Census neutral, accurate and without political bias.
© 2009, Jasper Welch, Four Corners Media www.jasperwelch.com
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