by
Carl Hampton
01/27/2010
I often get called upon
to write articles for different reasons,
some topics I have developed a stand on,
some require a little
research, so when I was given the topic of
the census I was pretty ambivalent. I know
what the census is; it is a tool that the
government uses to get a feel for the county
by area, they learn how many people are in a
geographical location and how much they make
and how they live, and this information
decides how much funding and government aid
that area receives. But one thing that
surprised me a little, after a bit of
google-ing, is that many Americans are
asking about the census’ importance and no
one is answering them.
The idea of a census is
not a new one. If you are familiar with the
nativity story, Mary and Joseph were present
in that manger because a census called them
to Bethlehem. New idea? Not so much, that
was over 2,000 years ago. The main idea of
the program is to put a number to the land,
to let the government know just how many of
us there are.
So what does the census
mean? Well, that is the big question that no
one seems to be answering fully. The census
is used as a basis for deciding the number
of each state’s Congressional
representatives. Well, that’s nice but what
does that mean? It means it gives you
the voice you are promised as an American
citizen in the eyes of the government. The
number of people in a state determines how
many representatives are present in Congress
to speak for that state. Meaning that the
more people in a state, the more
representatives are necessary so all of the
voices can be heard.
Another way that the
census benefits Americans is funding. The
all-important dollar, not much happens
without it. This is one of the reasons that
the census is so important, if you don’t
send back the paper to be counted the
government doesn’t know to provide funding
for your local governments, this funding may
trickle down into your local schools, roads,
libraries, and other governmentally run
programs. The government is set to
distribute $300 billion in funds; your
community needs to get in on that.
Well, this information brings up other
questions—if I am giving my information out,
who is seeing it, and who is to be counted?
First, Census workers see your information,
but in the same breath, they have taken an
oath to protect your confidentiality and
this oath, if violated is subject to jail
time and fines, so not too much to worry
about there. And, for the second question,
everyone is to be counted. Everyone includes
children and immigrants too. The more people
a state has, the more power it gets. For
example, New Jersey saved a congressional
seat in 2000 because of the influx of
immigrants, while nearby New York and
Pennsylvania lost seats. Many federal
dollars are paid out based on population.
Remember, the census is not only about
numbers. It’s all about power and money.
