Trump Admin Moves To Speed Up 2020 Census Count, Raising Alarms About Accuracy | Talking Points Memo

TPM Article Topics
#21

No, it wouldn’t.

It is very well established that the Constitution calls for one Census, conducted every 10 years. The next one will start April 2030. If another Census is done next year it is either the 2030 Census done 9 years early, or it is a Census that has no Constitutional significance.

You can’t just look a sentence of the Constitution and craft your own idiosyncratic interpretation. Well, you can but it means nothing.

See if you can find support from legal site or source on-line supporting a second Census one year later.

#22

Custom is that we do one every ten years. Words have meanings. If Madison and company had meant every tenth year thereafter, don’t you think they would have written that?

Here is the full text of the sentence that mandates the Census:

Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.

Where does it say, “You will do one Census every ten years”?

As the saying goes, “shit happens” and they left flexibility for Congress to decide when shit that happens requires a new Census.

I ask again: what do you think the word within means?

2 Likes
#23

That has more plausibility I think that believing a second Census could be done next year - a claim that no legally valid Census was done this year which the Administration does not defend and that Trump Administration failed to meet its Constitutional obligation by conducting no Census at all.

#24

That would be the Biblical way to do the census (except that it probably did not happen).

2 Likes
#25

Bumper sticker:
TRUMP/PENCE: ALL EVIL ALL THE TIME
:confetti_ball::tada::confetti_ball::tada::fireworks::man_cartwheeling::man_dancing: Nice one, @mattinpa

3 Likes
#26

Exactly. You are saying the 2030 Census will be move 9 years.

If Madison had meant at least one Census within the next 10 years wouldn’t he have written that?

The Constitution states “The actual Enumeration” - singular. Taking one word out of context gets you laughed out of court.

#27

What do you think within means?

#28

You sure about this? I hope it is accurate.

#29

Answered already. You are moving the 2030 Census to 2021 or 2022.

Find support for you position somewhere and get back to me with a link.

#30

We keep counting down to Nov 3 and I get it, but he doesn’t stop being president 'til 3 weeks into January. That’s a lot more than 94 days…

1 Like
#31

Title 13 U.S.Code Section 141. Population and Other Census Information.
(a) The Secretary shall, in the year 1980 and every 10 years thereafter, take a decennial census of population as of the first day of April of such year, which date shall be known as the “decennial census date”, in such form and content as he may determine, including the use of sampling procedures and special surveys. In connection with any such census, the Secretary is authorized to obtain such other census information as necessary.

(d) Without regard to subsections (a), (b), and © of this section, the Secretary, in the year 1985 and every 10 years thereafter, shall conduct a mid-decade census of population in such form and content as he may determine, including the use of sampling procedures and special surveys, taking into account the extent to which information to be obtained from such census will serve in lieu of information collected annually or less frequently in surveys or other statistical studies. The census shall be taken as of the first day of April of each such year, which date shall be known as the “mid-decade census date”.

The decadal language is enshrined in Section 13 of the U.S. Code. Paragraph (d) makes it clear that the Congress embraces the idea of mid-decadal assessment and mandates it there. If memory serves, there were discussions and debate about going to a five-year period on the full Census when Section 13 was last revised. If I were being paid to do it, I would dig into the Congressional Record and track down those debates.

Congress enacted Section 13 of the U.S. Code, and Congress can amend it. If they want to amend it to mandate a 2022 Census and a 2030 Census, they can do that.

4 Likes
#32

…if you can keep it…

If not now, then when?

NMNQ

1 Like
#33

The absurdity of pretending the population shrank or grew unnaturally slowly over the past decade…the GOP really is just going to push us into another civil war…it’s not a question of if but when. They do not care anymore and nobody seems to get what that means. They don’t care whatsoever. Anything is justified. ANYTHING.

2 Likes
#34

No, that language does require Enumeration every ten years and read in context that requires the Census be conducted. That much is clear and is shown to be the understanding by past practice for a couple centuries. That practice has included counting everyone, regardless of citizenship, the entire fucking time and ot is only now, that the GOP faces Demographic Armageddon, that they insist it must change. They must be subjugated. We have one chance left and cannot fail. Flame me for saying it if you want, but I guarantee you it is all over until blood runs in the gutters if they maintain control another 4 years.

3 Likes
#35

If the Democrats capture the government, then they can easily say that “the Census was flawed because of COVID”, point to reams of data (which will exist) that show massive undercounts in especially liberal cities and blue states, and use that as a legal basis to fix the flaws by updating the counts everywhere (they can’t just fix the counts in the areas Trump ignored). I have no doubt that the data will show the Census was biased towards the Republican base, not only in counting but also in the statistics used to create the apportionment numbers. Redoing the count, without redoing the entire Census, will be in line with fixing that…and, will probably settle the lawsuits from the flawed Census that the blue states and cities will bring.

It was reported yesterday that Pasadena has 62.5% counted so far in the Census…that’s a severe undercount if those numbers stay. It’s also a large number of people to get into the system; if that’s true all over LA county then it’s nearly 4 million people not counted. Just imagine changing the CA population by that much, or trying to model the real change based on such a huge miss…which is the entire plan, of course. Republicans should be horrified at this…since they aren’t it just goes to show the party has quit being conservative and is solely about their power base now.

4 Likes
#36

But, but, but…Dems are holding hearings! Writing letters! Giving, 2, 4 or six week deadlines to comply!

#37

Shhh! I’m sure that he’s never heard of that idea and you don’t need to give him ideas.

1 Like
#38

Well since I live where I was born so I’m cool with that. But if they interpret it literally the hospital where I was born is no longer standing.

1 Like
#39

I would have to go to Pittsburgh which would make me sad because my children would all be here at the same time. I think if we interpreted in the ancient Roman way they would all have to go to Pittsburgh as well… Except the married ones. Oh geez, this gets complicated.

3 Likes
#40

Debatable…

Comments are now Members-Only
Join the discussion Free options available