House Republicans vote to kill Census program crucial for RI
May 22nd, 2012 at 5:00 am by Ted Nesi under Nesi's Notes, On the Main Site
What do House Republicans have against Rhode Island?
Perhaps that’s a little harsh. But a little-noticed vote taken last week by the U.S. House of Representatives would eliminate a crucial source of information about our state and its 1 million inhabitants.
House Republicans voted to cut off funding for what’s known as the American Community Survey, a yearly U.S. Census Bureau survey of 3 million Americans which “generates data that help determine how more than $400 billion in federal and state funds are distributed each year.”
Why does this matter to Rhode Island? “Without the ACS,” Washington City Paper’s Shani Hilton explains, ”states like North Dakota and Rhode Island – and non-states like our dear District [of Columbia] – would have to rely on the (less detailed) data that comes out every 10 years from the decennial U.S. Census.”
“It’s hard to comprehend why Republicans in Congress would want to defund a program that could promote long-term economic growth and help create jobs,” Congressman David Cicilline told WPRI.com. “But we’ve seen these tactics before. The latest House Republican attempt to defund the ACS demonstrates that they have no real plan to put our economy back on the right track and are instead relying on cheap political stunts.”
Rob Coupe, a spokesman for Cicilline’s Republican challenger Brendan Doherty, downplayed the issue’s importance.
“Brendan is hearing consistently from residents of the 1st Congressional District that they are concerned about Rhode Island’s economy and the need for job opportunities,” Couple told WPRI.com. “The Doherty for Congress campaign is focused on discussing Brendan’s leadership and initiatives to restore our economy and bring secure jobs to our state and Brendan is not focusing on issues such as the Community Survey at this time.”
While the vote to end the ACS was partisan, the outcry against the vote hasn’t been.
Anchor Rising’s Andrew Morse and the Ocean State Current’s Justin Katz both tweeted their dismay about the move. Michael Mandel explained why it’s bad for the economy. Josh Barro, no wild-eyed liberal, explained why it’s also bad for federalism. Even The Wall Street Journal editorial page thinks it’s a bad idea.
Tags: american community survey, census, congress, demographics, republicans, u.s. house
Nesi's Notes covers politics and the economy in and around Rhode Island for WPRI.com. (Twitter: 
Does that mean that Mr. Doherty would have supported the elimination of this program? I suspect that candidate Doherty’s basic lack of understanding of the job will lead to his defeat. John Loughlin must be having another day wondering what if.
[...] question, this one posed by Ted Nesi: “What do House Republicans have against Rhode [...]
When we lived in RI our home was targeted by ACS to answer their HUGE packet of very intrusive questions – when do you leave for work, what do you do ,how much do you make, sexuality of members of household. We were aghast and refused to participate and they were very heavy handed, scarily so, in telling us we must respond. They had the legal right to force us etc. It was freakish and big-brotherish. Good riddance. Believe me Ted, you would not answer these questions – a total and complete invasion of privacy and the way they then threatened us…
Google the survey and see how they have harassed people to “answer”. Good riddance!
The same happened to me. I answered two questions on the forms. My name and address, that’s it. This is still America! unless of course Obama gets in again.
Ted, After reading the last post and knowing the abuse of any government money by Rhode Islanders, I am glad to see this program cut. Too many people of Rhode Island are addicted to spending other peoples money. As you know look at 38 Studios. The General ASSembly did not even have the due diligence done on the 38 Studios deal. The did not ask if Curt Shilling went to venture capitialist for funds to start his project. I hope we find out who stole the $100 MILLION when this deal is said and done.
Too many Rhode Islanders get some type of government assistance, such as, SNAP, Section 8, RIte Care, AFDC, or are living in senior housing (the projects). In simple terms WELFARE.
Can someone explain why this program was so “crucial” to Rhode Island? No offense because Nesi’s blog is usually very good but this article drops the ball. Reading this tells me nothing except that Republicans cut something, Cici issued some non-sensical blather about it and I have no idea what the fuss is all about.
RI uses this data for many purposes. For starters, state aid to cities and towns frequently uses median income as one of the factors to determine how much each place should get. That data used to be ten years old resulting in substantial inequity when population patterns shift (for example, when South County became home to wealthy suburbanites as much as farmers). The ACS gives the state annual data on median income.
True Jason but why ask when I leave for work, how long have I worked for ect…. They have no business asking me those type questions and I did NOT cooperate.
Yes oreo is correct – very bizarre and personal questions and then they HARASSED US when we refused. It was very very creepy. They literally told my spouse they had the legal right to make us “comply”, hints of expensive enforcement action and fines. Big Brother lives. A major example of out-of-control government. We were freaked out…..
Told me almost the same. I told the person I’d see them in court and I never heard from them again.
They ask those questions because the survey provides a plethora of great information like household size, transportation time and costs, heating costs, education attainment, the age of our housing stock, overall household expense costs, how long families live in their homes. It may seem intrusive, but cross reference these data points and you are able to determine how RI compares with neighboring states which in turn helps determine where investments are best spent. Having data to base decisions on is the fairest way to make decisions (unless you prefer seniority and back scratching.)
The decennial census used to provide more detail, but they shortened that in exchange for a longer, more frequent ACS. Without the ACS, expect a lot of favor exchanges to start happening.
Very logical, I agree the info could be well used but it’s still NONE of their business. Here’s a quote from a ACS spokperson. “What’s more, business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Business Economists strongly support the American Community Survey, as do individual businesses like Target”. “Such questions and the survey in general constitute “an important federal tool in overcoming ‘information market failure,’ the market’s inability to provide public and private decision-makers with objective, detailed data,” Reamer wrote in a 2010 Brookings Institution report”.
Private decision makers? TARGET!! Sorry they will NOT get my info.
I love how conservatives think everything is some big conspiracy. The government asks those questions so that it knows more about the population that it’s trying to serve. The info is completely anonymous in their database so it’s not even as if some bureaucrat is sitting around looking up his neighbor’s secret info about how many children they have! Good God people calm the heck down. This info is very important when developing sound policies.
Im actually quite a liberal – one of the things I disliked about RI, for ex, was the anti gay marriage thing so please dont type cast me because I refuse to answer VERY intrusive and personal questions for government goons who THREATEN me. I did not like the American Community Survey because it violated my privacy plain and simple. If you want to be a shill for it feel free but NEVER accuse me of being a conservative. Good God !
Completely anonymous?? It has the persons NAME on it? What if all the info gets stolen, then what?? It’s not like the gov ever gets hacked. please post your ss# and name I promise it will be completelt anonymous. WOW!
Do these idiots know that the Census is required by THE CONSTITUTION? …dummies..
The ACS is like a 30 page document. I answered, happily, all my census questions but the ACS went too far. And they threatened my spouse – it was insane!!!!
AGAIN WRONG!! I love the lefts it’s in the Constitution. No it isn’t the constitution states name and number of people living in the household, that’s it! You must have been schooled in Harvard by Mr. Obama, another left nut job that doesn’t know the Constitution. Obamacare going down! His love of illegal’s going down! And he tought constitutional law! Now that’s FUNNY!