The Census Project Blog

by Terri Ann Lowenthal

Members of Congress love to point out that the U.S. Constitution gives them authority over the nation’s decennial census. Makes some sense, since the sole constitutional purpose for the population count is to reapportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the states.

Why, oh why, then, do so few of our venerable lawmakers display information about the upcoming 2010 census on their jazzy (mostly) web site home pages?

There are 11 members of the House Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives. Only a third have posted the 2010 census logo and message on their web sites. Most of the Democratic members haven’t, nor have half of the Republicans. To be fair, Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), also chair of the Republican Census Task Force, lists the census under his “Issues Spotlight.” The issue summary assures us that the task force is working to ensure that the Census Bureau doesn’t use “sampling” in the enumeration and that all 2010 census partners are “ethical, legal and trustworthy.” Hmmm, definitely wouldn’t want to be at a census pep rally with civically-minded scumbags.

Speaking of census partners, the chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee (of which the census panel is a part) has put a 2010 census message on his home page. The Ranking Republican member? No census promotion, but we know we are in good hands because listed first under Hot Topics is ACORN.

Meanwhile, some helpful representatives are promoting really important census causes, such as a bill to ensure no one convicted of DUI can hold a 2010 census job. Whew, at least we know former Rep. Vito Fossella won’t be knocking on the doors of his former Staten Island constituents. (Okay, that wasn’t very nice. But I am starting to get steamed.)

And what about those Senators, who don’t have to worry about that tedious post-census redistricting process but who surely care about the $460 billion a year in census-driven federal program allocations? With about three times the number of staffers as their lowly House colleagues, you’d think they could at least manage to post the cheerful “It’s In Your Hands” graphic and possibly offer a few FAQs. But on the subcommittee of jurisdiction, only Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) handed in his homework. (Memo to full committee Chairman Joseph Lieberman: Yes, we do care about an accurate count in Connecticut.)

People, this is embarrassing. Lawmakers are quick to complain about census planning, operations, and results. They’re understandably worried about reaching historically hard-to-count neighborhoods, and they’ve let the Census Bureau know it. But doing everything they can to help ensure a fair and accurate count, even in their own districts? Not so much.

The Census Bureau has made it easy for legislators to promote the importance of the census to their constituents; there’s even a special page – Fast Facts for Congress – just for them on the bureau’s web site. Post the colorful Ten Questions, 10 Minutes! fact sheet on your own site and give yourself a gold star. Otherwise … as my grandfather would have said … quit yer bellyachin’!