The Logic of A Head Count

In the United States, every ten years the Census Bureau collects data on the number of U.S. Citizens, including, but not limited to, age, income, and race. That last census count was in the summer of 2000. The next count will be the summer of 2010, next year.

The good thing about this upcoming count will be the thousands of jobs that are created temporarily. In a much needed time - record unemployment (hot summer + $0 = "Aggressive Tea Parties") - the unemployed will have somewhere to turn to in order to sustain their lively hood. Census taking requires no experience, just a willingness to travel, a proficiency in basic math, and moderate organization skills.

Check it out at:
http://www.census.gov/hrd/www/index.html

The bad thing about the Census is the controversy that it tends to stir up. Most notably, for historical faults of under counting minority communities.

EX:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091217/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_census_blacks_7

Numbers are power. So every head counts. Unfortunately, during a time when we should be celebrating the diversity of America, much tension can arise because of inaccuracies in the census count which make people feel under represented.

After all, how logical is it to send a few hundred thousand newly hired, newly trained, temporary workers to count 300 million Americans? Not to mention, they're still using a pen and paper to do it...

A PROPOSAL:

Americans need jobs. The census needs to be accurate. Why not expand the Bureau? Update the process. Train workers in computer skills. Revise the data the census collects. Work with businesses, banks, hospitals, computer companies, and local governments to come up with a better system for monitoring our country's population. One that does not just happen every ten years, but one that proficiently runs year end to year end.

This will be a great opportunity for the current White House Administration to show that it is serious about creating jobs, supporting technology, and advancing America into a more forward thinking age.

Get involved:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
http://www.ehow.com/how_5578604_write-congressperson.html