Reader comments
Jay Evensen: Maneuvers over the census raise troubling issues

census TAKERS | 7:29 a.m. Feb. 15, 2009

Messing with the census really bothers me.

When a part time federal employee calls me and asks:

"What race are you?"- American!
With some Indian, Irish and Scottish blood!

"Are you married?"-

Yes,
I have 4 wives and 67 children.

Let Bambi put a pencil to 20 million of those!

Lionheart | 7:48 a.m. Feb. 15, 2009

These issues need to go to the Supreme Court before Obama packs it and Hatch needs to go to pasture.

peter t | 7:53 a.m. Feb. 15, 2009

and having a history as a "community organizer" i am sure "acorn"and the like will get the assignment

Comments continue below

Dave | 8:20 a.m. Feb. 15, 2009

The next census could show that no-one actually lives in Utah.

Himself | 8:33 a.m. Feb. 15, 2009

I guess Utah will not be getting a 4th Congressional seat. Better luck next time. Around 2020.

Anonymous | 9:17 a.m. Feb. 15, 2009

Thank you Representative Chaffetz,
Any help we can get to get this country back on track as sane and safe and the law applies to all, is much appreciated!

Right now, it is none of those and going down the drain fast! And it takes brave people to step up to the plate and speak for our Constitution and the United States when we have the entire media and the new administration tearing down the United States and wanting to Socialize and weaken our great country.
Bravo to you and all of the Senators and Representatives who stood firm and did not vote for the insanity that Pelosi and friends put together. True Americans, those of us who worry about and have watched and helped this country to grow into the Greatest and most compassionate Country the world has ever known, are proud of you.

Audrey B.
Florida

Anonymous | 1:08 p.m. Feb. 15, 2009

Mr. Evenson, I think your column is unfair. If President Obama wanted to manipulate the Census, couldn't he simply appoint a Secretary of Commerce who would do so? After all, the only evidence you provide is that Rahm Emmanuel is "political". There are probably other "political" people who could be appointed to Commerce if manipulating the Census were President Obama's objective.

By the way, if you want an example of manipulation of representation in Congress, you needn't look as far as Washington. Have you, in the past, been critical of the Utah legislature and it's obvious gerrymandering of Congressional districts?

More importantly, you write as if there is a consensus that voting rights for D.C. would be unconstitutional. There is no such consensus. As I'm sure you know, there are valid reasons to believe this change can be made by Congress rather than through Constitutional amendment. Perhaps a nod at those reasons would make your editorial seem less biased.

rsp | 1:27 p.m. Feb. 15, 2009

You're way too mild mannered Jay. We have a borderline Marxist Revolution going on in the Country right now. The Ministry of Information (the AP) had a brilliant strategy of "crying wolf" for 8 years about Bush allegedly undermining the Constitution and assuming "Dictatorial" powers. Now that it's actually happening no one listens to the warnings. I guess we may as well enjoy the quick ride to the total Welfare State. Way to go Dems- don't say we didn't try to warn you.

Remeber Texas? | 2:25 p.m. Feb. 15, 2009

When our previous Speaker of the House decided to have his home state redistricted in a non-census year to give the GOP more seats? Clearly a violation of the constitution and yet where was the outrage in this state and from Jay? It wasn't there. Why because it helped the GOP.

I dont mind calling policiticians out for their misdeeds, but if your only going to do it for one side you need to realize the hypocrisy of what you are doing. And that those that do not share your ideology can and will dismiss your complaints with ease.

Anonymous | 2:50 p.m. Feb. 15, 2009

There's a vast difference having someone report to you can controlling what they report to you. There's a audit trail of census forms. Then, there is the size the census takes on. Trying to keep someone from outing any changing the census numbers would be impossible.

We have been able to lean the Bush White House pressured the CIA to produce reports favoring the position of the White House on invading Iraq. We know that Bush was considering invading Iraq before 9/11.

Obama is better at deception than Cheney was?

Demo Self-Destruction | 4:13 p.m. Feb. 15, 2009

Events like this are excellent examples of the dems' over-reaching and ultimately shooting themselves in the foot.

They're so filled with enthusiasm in their current, self-anointed dominance that they just shout to the top of the world their future plans. What they really are doing is exposing the subtrifuge of their agenda to the light of scrutiny for all to see.

Any group that really knew how to successfully manipulate the census would do it without tipping their hand, and certainly would not make a public announcement.

Meanwhile the republicans, by their silence, are giving the dems just enough rope to hang themselves. The noose is tightening folks.

This probably will end up in the Supreme Court.

Karen | 5:04 p.m. Feb. 15, 2009

Oh, for heaven's sake! It's time that the people who actually live in the District of Columbia get to have voting representation in Congress!

Jason Chaffetz behaves like a fool. Why should any of us pay attention to his opinions.

JMT | 6:50 a.m. Feb. 16, 2009

Karen, the only problem with your words is not what should be done, but HOW it is done.

I know the Constitution is viewed as completely outdated by so many but remove the word Constitution and replace with 'contract.' It is the only hope we have of performance by our Federal government. If we have no working contract with the Feds; if the Feds can simply do what ever they want, when they want, what do we have?

That is the issue. If you and so many others want the residence of DC to get a member of Congress then do it the right way. Either reaportion them into a state, make DC a State or change that provision of the Constitution/contract. Don't just ignore it.

On the census, since they count illegal aliens. With 20 million illegal aliens that means that roughly 30 members of Congress are essentially reapportioned to represent illegal aliens. One third of those just in California.

They need to do a better job of counting and need to take into consideration the legal residency of the person being counted.

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