Fake GOP Census

[pinecone70]

This is ridiculous.....

That 'census' form in your mailbox? It's from the GOP
It looks official, but it's a poll and fundraiser, and Democrats are steamed
By Dave Orrick
dorrick@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 01/22/2010 12:11:50 AM CST
Have you filled out your "2010 Congressional District Census" yet?

It's arriving this week in mailboxes in Minnesota, New York and Washington state. At first glance, it might appear to be related to the upcoming once-a-decade count of every man, woman and child in the United States.

It's not. It's a Republican fundraiser and opinion poll.

And it has some local Democrats crying foul. They're calling for a federal investigation.

"This is as egregious as it gets," said Luz Maria Frias, director of St. Paul's Department of Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity and the city's point person for raising awareness of the federal 2010 U.S. census.

"Between now and April 1, there will be an inundation of census information, and the timing of this is really suspect. It smells."

Frias, an appointee in a process controlled by Democrats, said she worries the mailing will confuse or even frighten people, especially immigrants and less-educated residents. She fears it will lead to fewer people filling out the real census forms.

The decennial enumeration can carry massive political consequences, and partisan overtones have surrounded the effort for months.

The Republican National Committee defended the mailing. "The document clearly indicates that it is an RNC mailer," spokesman LeRoy Coleman said in a statement. "The purpose of this document is to gather Republican opinion from across the country and raise a little money."

Inside the envelope, which is labeled "DO NOT DESTROY — OFFICIAL DOCUMENT," beneath "2010 Congressional District Census" and above the relevant congressional district and alphanumeric "Census Tracking Code" (which appears to be meaningless), appears the smaller-type phrase: "Commissioned by the Republican Party."

The four-page form asks 36 political questions, followed by "Section V," which asks for a donation to the Republican National Committee.

For its part, the U.S. Census Bureau is staying neutral on the matter, and it's unclear if it will take any formal action.

"We kind of wish it hadn't come out," said Dennis Johnson, director of the regional census office that covers Minnesota. "But we don't think there will be a lot of confusion because we have a big informational campaign to make people aware of the official census."

Most Minnesotans will receive their U.S. census questionnaires in mid-March, perhaps earlier in isolated rural areas, with a request to mail them in by April.

Local awareness campaigns have included fortune cookies with paper slips that urge people to fill out their confidential forms. The Census Bureau also will have a presence this weekend at the St. Paul Winter Carnival.

When asked whether the agency might issue some sort of formal objection to the GOP mailer, Johnson replied, "I can't speak to that. I do know that at the top level, our most senior officials, including director (Robert) Groves, are looking at (the mailer)."

During the summer, the Better Business Bureau issued an alert about a similar "2009 Congressional District Survey," also issued by the RNC. The organization called the mailing "misleading."

Billions of federal dollars are at stake in the census, and in Minnesota, participation could determine whether the state loses one of its eight congressional seats. Federal officials use the census to determine where federal funding goes, and lawmakers use it to redraw state and federal legislative districts.

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, a Republican, this year essentially called for a boycott of the constitutionally mandated census because it doesn't require respondents to take an oath that they're here legally.

But it could be the 6th District Republican's seat that's in play if the state loses a seat and Democrats control the redistricting process.

Nationwide, leaders of urban areas, who are often Democrats, have contended that lower census response rates among minorities, immigrants and the poor have led to less money and representation. Some Republicans have accused Democrats of trying to game the system by pushing for population estimates, instead of actual headcounts.

"It shouldn't be partisan," said St. Paul City Council President Kathy Lantry, a Democrat. "The census should be 'Just the facts, ma'am.' "

Lantry sent a letter Thursday to the U.S. Postal Service, Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson, Minnesota U.S. Attorney B. Todd Jones and census director Groves calling for an investigation for "possible mail fraud" and "impersonating a federal agency."

Lantry's husband, also a Democrat, received the mailer this week. She said she initially thought it was "the census" and got giddy.

"Call me weird, but I got excited," she said. "I got out a pen and got ready to fill it out, and then I saw the first question and was like, What?!"

[jacksonco]

I received one of these earlier in the week. It was clearly identified as having been sent by the RNC. Even had a picture of Steele on the stationary. I promptly threw it into the trash the minute I saw it was a fund raiser. I will give to individual candidates or causes I support, but not the party as we do not see eye to eye on some matters.

[pinecone70]

I just get so disgusted when they waste all kinds of money mailing ridiculous crap like this. My dad, rest his soul, was always sending money to these people and they rewarded his efforts with junk mail.

[topper]

I don't respond to ANY census forms anyway, so they all go into the trash.

[45nut]

So...... y'all just rode past the irony that the DNC (??!!) is crying foul over political shenanigans? After all the BS with ACORN and massive voter fraud getting this a-hole elected and they have the gall to complain about RNC junk mail that is clearly marked as such.

Move on folks, nothing to see here...........

[bcj1755]

Originally Posted by 45nut

So...... y'all just rode past the irony that the DNC (??!!) is crying foul over political shenanigans? After all the BS with ACORN and massive voter fraud getting this a-hole elected and they have the gall to complain about RNC junk mail that is clearly marked as such.

Move on folks, nothing to see here...........

Oh no, there's no double standard from the liberals. None at all. Nope. No double standard.

Move along! Nothing to see!

[petesusn]

The libs are just pi$$ed because they didn't think of it.

[POedAmerican]

Originally Posted by 45nut

So...... y'all just rode past the irony that the DNC (??!!) is crying foul over political shenanigans? After all the BS with ACORN and massive voter fraud getting this a-hole elected and they have the gall to complain about RNC junk mail that is clearly marked as such.

Move on folks, nothing to see here...........

Investigations showed that ACORN committed no voter fraud. They were legally obligated as a voter registration service to return every registration form they received to the government, even if the information seemed suspect. Once those forms were received by the government, they were sorted by validity and the invalid forms were thrown out. No fraudulent registrations through ACORN resulted in actual cast ballots. If they did, they would have if the individuals registered through any other channels.

Yes, we, as Republicans are better than the Democrats. But that means 1- we should be properly informed and not make false accusations (when there are plenty of legitimate ones to be made) and 2- should ACT better than them. "They did it too" should not be an excuse for us to act sleazy. Have some dignity. PROVE we are better than them.

[Terry_P]

Originally Posted by POedAmerican

Investigations showed that ACORN committed no voter fraud. They were legally obligated as a voter registration service to return every registration form they received to the government, even if the information seemed suspect. Once those forms were received by the government, they were sorted by validity and the invalid forms were thrown out. No fraudulent registrations through ACORN resulted in actual cast ballots. If they did, they would have if the individuals registered through any other channels.

Yes, we, as Republicans are better than the Democrats. But that means 1- we should be properly informed and not make false accusations (when there are plenty of legitimate ones to be made) and 2- should ACT better than them. "They did it too" should not be an excuse for us to act sleazy. Have some dignity. PROVE we are better than them.

What investigations? Do you actually believe the nonsense that you are spouting. You chastize someone else for spreading false facts and then you spout them. Nevada authorities indicted ACORN on 26 counts of voter registration fraud and 13 counts of illegally compensating canvassers. ACORN provided a bonus compensation program called “Blackjack” or “21+” for any canvasser who registered more than 20 voters per shift, which is illegal under Nevada law. In addition the act of submitting a fraudulent voter registration card is illegal. The list of recent fraud is too long to post here but have a gander:

http://www.rottenacorn.com/activityMap.html

[ampaterry]

I have received these fake polls from the RNC, the DNC, and several individual candidates.

I always flip to the back page first, now, and if it is a solicitation for funds I do not waste the time filling it out, I just round-file it.

I am always HAPPY to give my opinions to anyone.
But if you are just after $$ from me, don't hide it behind a fake poll.

[POedAmerican]

Originally Posted by Terry_P

What investigations? Do you actually believe the nonsense that you are spouting. You chastize someone else for spreading false facts and then you spout them. Nevada authorities indicted ACORN on 26 counts of voter registration fraud and 13 counts of illegally compensating canvassers. ACORN provided a bonus compensation program called “Blackjack” or “21+” for any canvasser who registered more than 20 voters per shift, which is illegal under Nevada law. In addition the act of submitting a fraudulent voter registration card is illegal. The list of recent fraud is too long to post here but have a gander:

http://www.rottenacorn.com/activityMap.html

You have a point. I'll concede defeat no the claim that they committed no fraud. But I'll make a few facts that can't be disputed in responseto the claim that ACORN won the election for Obama. ACORN registered about 1.3 million voters. Obama won the popular vote by about 10 million. (I guess a lot of voters are just idiots to vote for him). I don't think ACORN was the reason Obama won the election.

I read all the instances of the rottenacorn site you shared with me. Thank you for that link. But it seems that those problems would exist in any voter registration effort. If you pay people to go get people to register, some of those people will fake the forms. Unfortunately for ACORN, they legally HAD to return those forms when their workers turned them in to them. So when you get voter registration forms that say "Mickey Mouse" or have the Dallas Cowboys roster, ACORN is required to turn them in. I don't think this represents corruption on behalf of ACORN the organization, this is the lowest level workers trying to make an easy buck, and ACORN did what it was required to do once those workers turned in the forms. It fired the workers when they caught them on this, and they did review every ballot, though they were required to submit them all to the govt.

The instances of illegal compensation do concern me.

But these cards that say "Mickey Mouse" and whatnot do not equate votes for Obama. They were thrown out once turned in.

But back to my original point, which was, if we ARE better than them, we should ACT that way, and we should do it by setting an example rather than playing tennis with accusations and doing skeezy things like trying to confuse stupid people (even if they deserve it) who don't know what a real census looks like.

Edit: I wanted to add this. A group contracted by Republicans to register voters in Nevada illegally destroyed voter registration forms of Democrats, disenfranchising them when they thought they had been registered. The corruption goes both ways. Yes, I hate the Democrats, but I won't blind myself to wrongdoing with our side does it too. http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=40891
Quite frankly, a turned in ballot that says Mickey Mouse is harmless. No one with a drivers license and proof of residence will show up and vote Mickey Mouse. Heck, without a valid SSN, the card would be discarded and never registered. Is a card that says Mickey Mouse worse than illegally shredding valid registration cards?

Like I said, I don't like the DEMS. I think ACORNS fake cards filled out by their employees were a massive waste of GOVT resources, since they had to sort through all of them. But these didn't equal fradulent votes. This whole conflict, and a LOT of govt resources would be saved if we adopted same-day voter registration, in which you have to provide valid proof of citizenship, identification, and residence. Nine states have some form of Election Day voter registration: Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

[Bobitis]

POed, as your link is 6 years old, could you please provide any facts of wrong doing? Was anyone convicted of a crime?

When did any party get to determine whether an individual was elligible to vote? Isn't that up to the state?

[POedAmerican]

Originally Posted by Bobitis

POed, as your link is 6 years old, could you please provide any facts of wrong doing? Was anyone convicted of a crime?

When did any party get to determine whether an individual was elligible to vote? Isn't that up to the state?

I couldn't find the followup article on the outcome of the investigation. There's more examples floating around of GOP sponsored registration efforts that tossed out people here or said they'd only help repubs there. The point is, ACORN isn't the only party committing registration fraud.

ACORN has a zero-tolerance policy and terminated any field workers caught engaging in questionable activity. At the end of the day, as ACORN is paying these people to register voters, and when the employees register fake voters, it is ACORN that is defrauded. No one shows up at the polls to match those names which never make it onto voter registration lists because they are fake. The employees (who generally are fired) who commit registration fraud are not committing election fraud. There is no ballot cast.

If a deviant US soldier rapes an innocent civilian, would you say "The military raped a girl"? No, a soldier broke the law and acted independently to commit such a horrible act, and the wonderful military for which he works holds no blame. And similarly, when an employee acts against the wishes of a company and commits registration fraud and was reprimanded if caught, it wouldn't make any more sense to say the company committed the fraud than it would to say the military raped a girl.

[Trouble 45-70]

Sometimes I take a notion to repackage the info and send it back in their own envelope. I think I need to save some of these up and stuff their envelope and over weight it so they have to pay postage due.

[pinecone70]

Originally Posted by Trouble 45-70

Sometimes I take a notion to repackage the info and send it back in their own envelope. I think I need to save some of these up and stuff their envelope and over weight it so they have to pay postage due.

I do that sometimes, and in the summer I include dead bugs, just for fun.

[artabr]

Originally Posted by Trouble 45-70

Sometimes I take a notion to repackage the info and send it back in their own envelope. I think I need to save some of these up and stuff their envelope and over weight it so they have to pay postage due.

I do this quite often. I shred it first then I stuff it in the supplied envelope and send it back to them.
I shred it for two reasons.
1- it makes a mess when they open it.
2- my info doesn't go into a trashcan where someone can find it.


Art

[armedandsafe]

If a poll shows up which I particularly to express an opinion upon, I will fill it out and return it. My donation in that case is 2 pennies. Otherwise, it is firestarter.

Pops

[cycloneman]

Originally Posted by pinecone70

This is ridiculous.....

That 'census' form in your mailbox? It's from the GOP
It looks official, but it's a poll and fundraiser, and Democrats are steamed
By Dave Orrick
dorrick@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 01/22/2010 12:11:50 AM CST
It's not. It's a Republican fundraiser and opinion poll.

Yes but did it mention anything about Negros?

yep told you guys i was on a roll today

[Trouble 45-70]

Originally Posted by armedandsafe

If a poll shows up which I particularly to express an opinion upon, I will fill it out and return it. My donation in that case is 2 pennies. Otherwise, it is firestarter.

Pops

Thats neat. It costs over a dollar to process. Goodun Pops.

[Bobitis]

I would suggets no one ever send one of these back.
A few years ago I got a knock on my door. No one I knew, so I didn't answer. I looked out the kitchen window and this guy is standing behind my car writing down the license number.

I thought this a bit over the top so I confronted him. He introduced himself as a retired marine and just wanted to ask me some questions about the upcoming election. Fine.

He asked if I was a republican and I said yes. After several more questions, I asked him, what's the point. He said thanks for my time and went back to his car. 5 minutes later, he's still sitting in his car. He didn't go to any other units. I was his target. After 10 minutes, I grabbed my camera and walked outside and started taking pics of him.

When he saw me coming he waved out the window with a big s**t eating grin and sped off.

I vote absentee, and I never got my ballot that year. 2 days before the election, I called the city and they told me my ballot was returned as undeliverable as addressed. SCUSE ME! I've lived here for 3 years and it's never been an issue before!

The Governors race that year was the tightest in all of US history.
After 2 recounts, the democrat was declared the winner. Many shady things were uncovered after the fact to no avail.

Coincidence? I don't think so. I was robbed of my vote.

So beware of what let others know.