- About the controversy (controversial as per the usual suspects) of Trump’s announced directive to include a citizenship question in the next census
The census in modern times has included questions in order to garner data for a variety of purposes, including establishing representation according to constitutional precepts. Democrats want the census in that regard limited to how many are residing in the household with no clue as to whether they are citizens. The number in the household, without regard to citizenship, by Democrat lights is then used to determine the number of political representatives for a given locale and state.
Democrat strongholds (big cities) which have hegemony over the rest of the their respective states can continue to guarantee their inordinate representative influence in the state houses and the US House of Representatives as they control state politics.
Some how Dems feel that is appropriate because non-citizens (including illegals) for the most part want to be represented here, well, because they live here, and somehow deserve to be represented. But want, as in desire, is not what counts for citizenship. Otherwise why not just count people who want to be US citizens, even if they live in Timbuktu, thus allowing them to pick their state, and drum up “representative” numbers for that state and resultant policy influence?
Via The Daily Conspiracy (excerpt) (bold our emphasis)
“After a thorough review of the legal, program, and policy considerations, as well as numerous discussions with the Census Bureau leadership and interested stakeholders, I have determined that reinstatement of a citizenship question on the 2020 decennial census is necessary to provide complete and accurate data in response to the DOJ request,” wrote Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. “To minimize any impact on decennial census response rates, I am directing the Census Bureau to place the citizenship question last on the decennial census form.”
As would be predicted, immigrant-rights groups immediately condemned the new question claiming it discourages immigrants from participating and therefore, skewing the data collected and sabotaging the results to be in a certain favor.
But Ross claims that the citizenship data will actually be more accurate with the inclusion on of the question.
“The citizenship data provided to DOJ will be more accurate with the question than without it, which is of greater importance than any adverse effect that may result from people violating their legal duty to respond,” writes Ross.
Ross also argues that other nationally circulated questionnaires, like the American Community Survey, still include this question.
“The Department’s review demonstrated that collection of citizenship data by the Census has been a long-standing historical practice. Prior decennial census surveys of the entire United States population consistently asked citizenship questions up until 1950, and Census Bureau surveys of sample populations continue to ask citizenship questions to this day. In 2000, the decennial ‘ census “long form” survey, which was distributed to one in six people in the U.S., included a question on citizenship. Following the 2000 decennial census, the “long form” sample was replaced by the American Community Survey (“ACS”), which has included a citizenship question since 2005. Therefore, the citizenship question has been well tested,” writes Ross.
The census data is used to redraw House districts, to determine the number of House seats that are given to each state and the number of electoral votes a state gets in a presidential election.
“#CitizenshipMatters Apportionment for Congressional seats and electoral votes should be based on citizens, not on residents. Otherwise, citizens are underrepresented… For example, California gets roughly three extra members of Congress based on estimates of illegal residents, tweeted Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH.)
“Only citizens should be given political power. Our current system leads to noncitizens being allocated political power in legislatures at the expense of citizens,” said J. Christian Adams, the president of the conservative Public Interest Legal Foundation. “I applaud the Trump Administration’s decision to include the citizenship question in the 2020 Census. It’s critical that the next redistricting cycle account for the citizen residents of districts so urban centers do not unfairly profit from the political subsidy that higher noncitizen populations provide.”
There is a citizenship question on the federal form to purchase a firearm. Are they suing to have that stricken also?