{"id":433,"date":"2020-04-02T16:48:16","date_gmt":"2020-04-02T20:48:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/?p=433"},"modified":"2020-04-24T12:42:00","modified_gmt":"2020-04-24T16:42:00","slug":"why-we-all-count-and-are-counted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/2020\/04\/02\/why-we-all-count-and-are-counted\/","title":{"rendered":"Why we all count (and are counted)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Jack Landis<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

   With the new decade upon us, we can expect many new and great things. Better technology, new music, more movies, there\u2019s even a Presidential Election later this year. And then there\u2019s the more mundane, but equally important: the U.S. Census. Stipulated by the Constitution, every ten years the Federal Government conducts a count of every person currently living in the fifty U.S. states, Washington D.C., and five territories. Again, it may sound boring, but it\u2019s actually absolutely crucial. This is because the numbers of people counted change how state districts are drawn, how many Representatives the State sends to the House, how much funding an area receives, and virtually how we view our country as a whole for the next decade. So, with all this on the line, the Census should be as accurate as possible, but with all that new technology, it may be doomed from the start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

   The Census, conducted by the Census Bureau (part of the Dept. of Commerce), is mandated outright by Article I, Section II of the Constitution every ten years. From the Census Bureau\u2019s website, the Census \u201cprovides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for you and your community. Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding go to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data.\u201d In fact, Ponte Vedra High School itself is affected by the Census, as the area has seen exponential growth over the past five years alone, the school would be most benefitted if the Census was the most accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ponte Vedra High School itself is affected by the Census, as the area has seen exponential growth over the past five years alone<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

   The Census is conducted with a fairly simple algorithmic process: try and get as many people as possible to fill out the Census forms by themselves, and then mobilize to collect data from those who don\u2019t. The goal is to get as accurate a count, with the least amount of time and tax dollars spent (the Census is very expensive, upwards of $15 billion), so clearly the more people the Census Bureau is able to ensure self-respond, the easier the follow-up workload. To help ease this logistical mega-problem, the Census Bureau has researched four areas to try and improve efficiency: using the Internet to increase self-response, using existing government data sources to answer census questions and reduce follow-up workload, automating operations to increase productivity and reduce staff and offices, and using existing maps and address to reflect changes rather than walking every block in every neighborhood in the country. A lot has changed since 2010, and the Census hopes to use this change to make their jobs a lot easier. Not to mention the fact that if you don\u2019t fill out the Census, you can actually be fined up to $1,000, so the Census can know for sure, they\u2019re going to get as many people as they can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

   For a long time, there were two types of Censuses available: long form or short form. Short form consisted of basic questions of how many people lived in a domicile and their race and phone number, things like that. The long form Census contained all the questions from the short form, and then extra ones about the person\u2019s socioeconomic status and topics like a little more thorough. The short form was sent to around five out of six households in the U.S., and the long form was sent to the remaining one out of six. But as of 2010, there has only been a short form Census, in an effort to simplify the process, and it looks as if 2020 will continue that trend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

   But no matter how effective their self-report efforts are, there is always going to be people who choose not to fill out the form, or just forget. In that case, the Census Bureau calls the residence on the phone or visits in person; either way, they\u2019re going to get your information. The Census actually hires people specifically for this purpose, a lot of people actually, and Ponte Vedra students can even apply if they want. You can be a census taker, the person who walks around knocking on doors, or you could also apply for recruiting assistants, office staff, and supervisory staff. To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old, have a valid Social Security number, and be a U.S. citizen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some sample questions from the Census are: how many people were living or staying in the apartment, house, or mobile home as of some date, what is your telephone number, what is your race, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

   With this huge project, the information collected from the largest peace-time mobilization the Federal government will endure for ten years, the amount of money and potential growth on the line, getting it right has to be a top priority, but some major problems could still arise. A divisive political climate and, for the first time, the onset of technology to assist in Census taking could very well damage the integrity of the process, particularly with the allocation of seats in the House of Representatives. The Census Bureau has been planning this since 2013, but still, relying on technology, especially when that technology is to be used by thousands of part-time Census takers, the possibility of error is outstanding. Either way, the Census is necessary for so many vital operations the Government participates in, so despite the headaches it causes, participation is necessary, unless you want to get fined. Census day is Apr. 1, 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n