Political Quotes

“Entering its 23rd decade, the U.S. Census is the longest-running national census in the world. Our founders wrote it into the Constitution, because taking a fair count is an essential part of fair government. A comprehensive, accurate Census helps ensure that our common resources are distributed where they are most needed, so that our communities can get the roads, schools, and police protection that they need. There's nothing partisan about that goal. Unfortunately, some groups have set out to deceive Americans by disguising their own private mailings as Census documents. This month, Americans have received envelopes marked ``Census'' and ``official document,'' when the papers inside are nothing of the kind--and sometimes even political fundraising appeals. Groups that send out such mailings are taking advantage of the Census to unfairly promote their own interests. And even worse, they are interfering with a fair and accurate Census by possibly depressing the response. According to Barbara Everitt Bryant, a former Republican appointee to head the U.S. Census Bureau, ``those who respond may feel they have been good citizens and already answered the census when their real questionnaires arrive next month.'' To stop that kind of cynical manipulation, I urge my colleagues to support the Prevent Deceptive Census Look Alike Mailings Act.”