David Thomas: “up until the last speaker, I thought we were doing pretty well focusing on the issues in front of us. A lot of people…”

“up until the last speaker, I thought we were doing pretty well focusing on the issues in front of us. A lot of people think the census, and I quote from a letter that I got, the census is the only source of reliable, comparable, small-area data on income, occupation, and labor force participation, educational attainment, household structure, and other key demographic and economic data. And many Members have said, I think quite correctly, there is only one reason why we have the census constitutionally. It was that grand experiment the Founding Fathers decided to try: government by the people. Mr. Chairman, I know the gentleman, Mr. Watts, indicated and others propounded on, the fact that the actual enumeration in article I, is the manner by which Congress shall pose. I say, ``It's how you do it, not what you do,'' and I noticed every one of those individuals did not then turn to the 14th Amendment, as has been done on this side. After that great conflict it was determined that all people, I tell my friend and colleague from Georgia, that all people were to be counted, not three-fifths of a person, when all people were to be counted. The second clause of the 14th amendment says ``whole number of persons,'' ``whole number of persons.'' I noticed also that as the minority side propounded its constitutional arguments; that is, that it is constitutionally permissible to sample, I never heard the Supreme Court mentioned once.…”