-Caveat Lector-
======================================================================
ACTIVIST NETWORK -- People For the American Way
Alert Date: March 15, 1999 | Circulate Until: March 19, 1999
CENSUS 2000 ALERT:
Take action to stop the Right Wing's use of political power to
manipulate the instruments of government and undermine the
democratic process.
______________________________________________________________________
In this Alert:
Census 2000 Background
What You Can Do
Census 2000 Talking Points
______________________________________________________________________
CENSUS 2000 BACKGROUND
On Wednesday, March 17, the House Government Reform and Oversight
Committee will be marking up census related legislation that
represents an unprecedented politicization of the modern census
process. The issue at hand is how best to correct the census'
chronic undercount. In the past, disproportionate numbers of
low-income and minority people have been missed in the traditional
head count that is conducted first by mail and then by door-knocking.
The undercount has a direct negative impact on citizen representation
by distorting the redistricting process.
The Census Bureau has proposed the use of sampling in Census 2000, a
system that has the wide support of the statistics profession.
Republican Congressional leaders, however, want to block the sampling
method because they fear that the system may benefit progressives by
ensuring the inclusion of more low-income and minority individuals in
the democratic process.
On Wednesday, six bills will be offered. Several of these bills
seriously threaten the accuracy of the 2000 census by requiring
the Census Bureau to implement various programs and procedures
that have proven to be ineffective in the past. The Census
Bureau would be forced to renegotiate major contracts that would
disrupt Census 2000 and, according to the Director of the Census
Bureau, would put it at risk by reducing its accuracy.
Two of these bills are particularly troubling:
H.R. 472, the Local Census Quality Check Act, would reinstate a failed
and burdensome local review process that could prevent states from
receiving correct information in time for redistricting.
H.R. 928, the 2000 Census Mail Outreach Improvement Act, would also
unreasonably delay the census by mandating that replacement
questionnaires be mailed to all households or those who failed to
respond to the initial one. Only after the replacement questionnaire
has been ignored could the Census Bureau follow-up with a visit, as
they have done in the past.
For more information about Census 2000, go to:
http://census2000.org/
______________________________________________________________________
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP ENSURE AN ACCURATE CENSUS
Please call the following Members of the Government Reform and
Oversight Committee and tell them that micro-management of the
Census Bureau, at this late date, is the wrong thing to do.
Congress must provide the Census Bureau with the resources it
needs and allow it to do its job.
Judy Biggert (R-IL) 202-225-3515
Feedback: http://www.pfaw.org/action/feedback.cgi?membid=il13
Steve Horn (R-CA) 202-225-6676
Feedback: http://www.pfaw.org/action/feedback.cgi?membid=ca38
Connie Morella (R-MD) 202-225-5341
Feedback: http://www.pfaw.org/action/feedback.cgi?membid=md08
Doug Ose (R-CA) 202-225-5716
Feedback: http://www.pfaw.org/action/feedback.cgi?membid=ca03
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) 202-225-3931
Feedback: http://www.pfaw.org/action/feedback.cgi?membid=fl18
Chris Shays (R-CT) 202-225-5541
Feedback: http://www.pfaw.org/action/feedback.cgi?membid=ct04
When you are done, let us know what happened by following the links
under each name and filling out a feedback form.
______________________________________________________________________
CENSUS 2000 TALKING POINTS
1. The Census must provide as true a picture as possible of the
composition and distribution of our diverse population.
Sampling is the best system to achieve an accurate count and
has wide support within the statistics profession.
2. If the Census Bureau is expected to produce a timely and
accurate census, the professionals at the Bureau must be
given the opportunity to implement their plan. Congress
must work with the Census Bureau to ensure that the Bureau
has sufficient resources to prepare for and conduct the best
census possible.
3. Congress should not be enacting legislation that would
require the Census Bureau to renegotiate major contracts
that would disrupt Census 2000 and even put it at risk by
reducing its accuracy. Micro-management of the 2000 Census,
at this late date, is the wrong thing to do. Congress must
let the Census Bureau do its job.
Thank you for taking action!
______________________________________________________________________
ABOUT PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY
People For the American Way organizes and mobilizes Americans to
fight for fairness, justice, civil rights and the freedoms
guaranteed by the Constitution. PFAW monitors the Religious Right
at the local, state and national levels, lobbies for progressive
legislation, and helps build communities of activists.
To join our email Activist Network, please go to:
http://www.pfaw.org/activist/
To remove yourself from the Activist Network, please go to:
http://www.pfaw.org/activist/unsubscribe.shtml
or send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject "UNADOPT"
______________________________________________________________________
SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS -- JOIN PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY
People For the American Way depends on the support of individuals
like you. Join us today and know that you are helping to keep alive
the true American spirit: tolerance, free speech, protection for
minorities, equal opportunity, and freedom for all religious faiths
without government intrusion.
To become a member of People For the American Way, please call
1-800-326-7329 or go to:
https://www.pfaw.org/join/
Donations to People For the American Way are not tax-deductible.
______________________________________________________________________
People For the American Way
2000 M Street, NW | Suite 400 | Washington, DC 20036
http://www.pfaw.org | [EMAIL PROTECTED]
1-800-326-PFAW | 202/467-4999
______________________________________________________________________
endalert census2000.990315.
======================================================================
=================================
Robert F. Tatman
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Remove "nospam" from the address to reply.
NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is
distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For
more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
POSTING THIS MESSAGE TO THE INTERNET DOES NOT IMPLY PERMISSION TO SEND
UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL E-MAIL (SPAM) TO THIS OR ANY OTHER INTERNET ADDRESS.
RECEIPT OF SPAM WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION OF THE SENDER'S ISP.
____________________________________________________________________
More than just email--Get your FREE Netscape WebMail account today at
http://home.netscape.com/netcenter/mail
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic
screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters
and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright
frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects
spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL
gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers;
be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and
nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html
http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
