$13 to 14 Billion dollars is what it is going to cost to do our diennial 2010 Cense counting for the United States: http://www.gao.gov/htext/d08554.html The Constitution of the United States requires that a counting of the population be required every ten years!
Right now, the system is going to be short about $3 to 4 Billion dollars which of course in a Federal Bail Out Sense is “Chump Change”. As one of the many looking to find work….we have wandered through the process of applying for a job as an Enumerator (someone who counts those that don’t respond to the standard questionairre….or as Management (those that are watching what the Enumerators might be doing!) The process is crazier than a flying ant in a hurricaine. Just applying to take the employment test is a struggle. But we will get back to that later!
The US Census is taken every 10 years to determine the population of each and every state and to figure out how many additional members of the House of Representatives will be added to secure our Representative Government. These numbers however have also become something more of a political football to make sure that minority groups are fully counted – which could then apply for government programs and for the Federal Government to allocate more funds in community assistance for several groups of the less affluent. The devestation of a city like Detroit comes to mind as an example. Michael Moore’s Flint , Michigan as another catagory of where lost jobs change demographics and thusly the allocation of Federal Funds. Where did the people of Flint go?
Director of the US Census, Robert Grove appeared last night in front of a Senate Oversight Community regarding the current status of the 2010 US Census. Appearing with Director Grove was a pliant member of the Inspector General’s Office. Grove is from Michigan and his smiley, arrogance made one wonder what a “Big Blue” supporter would have to be smiling about after being defeated by the Iowa Hawkeyes 30-28! His opine and regret for the Detroit Tigers was also not impressive.
Senator John McCain, to his credit quickly tried to address the US Census cash shortfall, cost overruns and questioned why Director Grove was not using the Internet, Electronic Data Transfer and other modern day methods and cost savings. Grove explained that it was all set in stone “before he got there” and that “it was just too late”! Was it too late to simply add a coded number at the bottom of each mailed out Census inquiry – Directro Grove? We guess Grove never heard of voters sending in Absentee ballots rather than having to show up at the polls. Grove could not answer why kids in college may be counted twice….once in school they attend and once at their home wiith their families. He couldn’t explain how poeple with two or more houses contine to be counted for each of their locations.
Grove was not open to having every US Census response form simply be coded, for example: utilizing the respondents State Congressional District and address: CA.48.NewportBeach.101ViaPorto One form for each address in America. Those that wanted to respond on the Internet could simply go to the Census website….log in, sign in – put in there identifying info and do their Census form the same day they get it. The Senator from Arizona continued to not find an answer from Director Grove…about “why” we could not save millions and perhaps Billions by using modern technology. Grove continued to “stonewall” – “too late!”
McCain was flumoxed! Senator Carper from Delaware was seemingly making nice nice with Grove, as well as the Inspector General Representative. Since we have been into this process from just trying to be hired…..we have to say …that even that process could be much better. There is not a place on the Internet or anywhere else to know “your US Census status in the hiring process”. You have to make phone call after phone call, go down to the office, time after time and still have no clue whether you have passed the test, have qualified or not qualified. They do a name check…..then make you send in finger print cards at your own expense and then make you wait eight to ten weeks to find out whether you passed or failed. Once those results are in..you enter “hiring pergatory world” where if you make it through the process…..you have to take the word of someone and you are never notified in writing. You never know whether you are on a list, have a number to be employed or not. Once hired by the way….they make you take additionally “two different” fingerprint cards and then are double and tripled checked to be sure….of what…we not sure!
These inefficiencies are just the tip of the iceberg, in a system that has not changed since 1970! They are still using the Wells Fargo Stage to move their boxes of mail, sometimes the Pony Express…..but certainly not the Internet or Broadband! Director Grove is planning for a big Emergency in April of 2010 when all the results are supposed to be sent out and sent it. If people do not respond, Grove is prepared to Not Hire more people, until he uses the ones he has for lots of “Overtime”….which he suggests is the perfect solution. His current cadry of “highly educated workers are the best he has ever seen!” Grove seemingly, can’t wait to go “over budget”, if his “Just in time!” program for Census software is any indication!
The current US Census process is a sweet deal for those that are already in the system and involved. Those that need jobs however……may be kissing the wind for sometime to come. Senator Roland Burris from Illinois asked Director Grove why he disallowed ACORN as a Census Partner. Grove said: “He had decided to withdraw the Partnership to ACORN due to the furor that ACORN had caused for other prospective Partners not wanting to participate as Census Partners – if ACORN was involved.” Burris was visably upset and demanded a private meeting with Grove to discuss the ACORN dismissal by the US Census! For those that don’t know..ACORN has among its many callings has be able to find those in the minority communities that were too afraid to become part of any system…including the Census counting.
In the meantime, with the downturn in the United States economy and national Unemployment numbers around 10%….many people have lost their homes and are now living in their cars. How are those people going to be counted? Are those overworked US Census workers going to find the homeless mom with her six kids sleeping in a truck stop in Needles and then driving across to Arizona during the daytime. Who is going to be counted or get the Federal credit?
The US Census for 2010 is going to be a mess, unless Grove has his feet put to the fire and the whole process becomes automated, and the Internet option is immediately put online. Even if 10% can be implemented on the Internet, the savings could soon reach a couple of Billion dollars. Limiting “overtime” to no more than 12% of salary is a must to halt the rip-off of the system by those already “fooling with the system”.
The dirtiest secret of all, is the fact that that “Senior Citizens” are being targeted “Not for employment” due to the circumstances that ovccurred during the 2000 US Census. Some “Seniors” in 2000 had accidents on the job and ound up on “Social Security Disability” in addition to collecting on their Regular Social Security. This is purely an excuse…which could be averted by merely having Senior either sign a limited consultant agreement…..which limits liability for the Government or offers an Insurance for the time they are employed by the Census Bureau.
With jobs being the major problem currently in the United States….the least that can happen…is that the US Census Bureau….try to catch up with modern days, utilize modern technology and hire people that need jobs! When someone applies for a job with the Federal Government there should be a “job status page”…so they know where they stand. Not “job pergatory”!
One last thought US Census Partners. These are merely organizations that are meant to assist in getting the US Census message out to the public. They are not intended to be recipients of jobs as Enumerators or Managers in the US Census process. Additionally, by automating the actual Census process for those citizens that voluntarily want to participate would go a long way toward reducing the fraud , waste and abuse!
The Census is required to be separate from all other parts of the governments. So there is many things that would save some dollars that can’t be used because of the requirements of Title 13.
The Santa Ana office has 13,000 employments apps on file for about 6,000 jobs total, for all of Orange County.
If you do not want a Census employee to come knocking at your door, fill out the census and mail it back as required.
If you are waiting for a call for employment, new offices are being opened and the telephoning for new positions should start soon.
The people I have dealt with for Census 2010 are highly educated, computer savvy, and mostly veterans. Not like ten years ago.
1. Does anyone on orangejuice blog edit these posts before they go up? 2. Though this is a criticism of Grove, it sadly comes across as an extremely critical post about the Census in general and at the local level and we really don’t need any help with the propagation of misinformation and negative comments. 3. Thank you cook for your comment. It is true that Santa Ana office received a huge number of applications and it isn’t our fault that we can’t hire everyone qualified applicant who applied. Additionally, in defense of the Census, there was an attempt to use a hand-held computer system to aid in Census work but the technology and software proved to be more of a hassle and more costly than expected. At least give them credit for trying.
Where can I buy the white stuffed elephant you posted a picture of back in May?