-Caveat Lector-

http://www.census.gov/index.html


Commerce OKs Census Head Count

by GENARO C. ARMAS
Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration declared the actual
''head count'' from the 2000 census the official population
numbers for congressional redistricting, despite estimates
showing 3.3 million people, mostly minorities, were missed.

Commerce Secretary Don Evans agreed Tuesday with a Census Bureau
recommendation that the initial, raw count provided the most
nearly accurate snapshot of America. Democrats and civil rights
groups had called for the use of a second, separate population
tally statistically adjusted to protect against the undercount.

But supporters of adjustment had expected Evans' decision
following the bureau's recommendation last week. It may quiet --
but not end -- a long political dispute between Democrats and
Republicans over whether, and how, to count missed Americans.

Evans called the initial figures the most accurate census in the
history of the nation.

The first numbers -- for New Jersey and Virginia -- are expected
to be released Wednesday, and all states must have their
redistricting data by April 1.

The numbers will be used by state lawmakers to redraw
congressional district boundaries to reflect population shifts,
as is required every 10 years.

States will be able to use the figures to remap state and local
legislative district boundaries as well. Also, the numbers could
be used to redistribute over $185 billion in federal dollars
given each year to states.

Democrats and civil rights groups wanted an adjustment using
statistical sampling to protect against traditional undercounts
of minorities, the poor and children.

Republicans generally argued adjustment could inject more errors
into a 2000 census already proven to be more nearly accurate than
the 1990 count. They also contend the Constitution calls only for
an ''actual enumeration.''

Members of both parties have said district lines redrawn with
adjusted data could add more Democratic-leaning minorities to
voter rolls, and could threaten the GOP's narrow House majority.

''We have achieved a quality count,'' he said at a news
conference.

Evans praised the people the Census Bureau hired to do the
headcount, saying ''their toil and their sweat set a very high
standard on the issue of whether to statistically adjust. To make
that decision we required a standard that was open and
transparent and reasonable and fair. We consulted with experts
from across the scientific spectrum.''

Evans said he weighed all factors and said he concluded that the
recommendation of the Census Bureau professionals ''was correct
and prudent. Thus, we will send unadjusted data for the purpose
and only the purpose of redistricting.''

The first numbers are expected to be released on a state-by-state
basis later this week, and all states must have their
redistricting data by April 1.

The numbers will be used by state lawmakers to redraw
congressional district boundaries to reflect population shifts,
as is required every 10 years.

States will be able to use the figures to remap state and local
legislative district boundaries as well. Also, the numbers could
be used to redistribute over $185 billion in federal dollars
given each year to states.

Democrats and civil rights groups wanted an adjustment using
statistical sampling to protect against traditional undercounts
of minorities, the poor and children.

Republicans generally argued adjustment could inject more errors
into a 2000 census already proven to be more accurate than the
1990 count. They also contend the Constitution only calls for an
''actual enumeration.''

Members of both parties have said district lines redrawn with
adjusted data could add more Democratic-leaning minorities to
voter rolls, and could threaten the GOP's narrow House majority.

The numbers will not only be used to remap House lines, but state
and local legislative district boundaries as well. It could also
be used to redistribute over $185 billion in federal funds each
year among the states.

The recommendation of the Census Bureau last week temporarily
stifled the partisan debate over whether statistical adjustment
was necessary to make up for traditional undercounts of
minorities, the poor and children.

But all sides agree the dispute would arise anew in the courts.

Not adjusting would disenfranchise the millions overlooked,
Democrats said. Republicans, meanwhile, argued adjustment would
inject more errors into a 2000 census proven to be more accurate
than the 1990 census.

GOP leaders also insist the Constitution calls for only raw
numbers to be used for redistricting every 10 years.

Members of both parties have said district lines redrawn with
adjusted data could add more Democratic-leaning minorities to
voter rolls. That, in turn, could threaten the GOP's narrow House
majority.

A bureau survey following the 2000 tally estimated a net
undercount of 1.2 percent of Americans, or about 3.3 million of
the estimated 281 million people. That was down from a net
undercount of 1.6 percent of the 1990 population, or about 4
million people.


AP-NY-03-06-01 1545EST<


=================================================================
             Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT

  FROM THE DESK OF:
                     *Michael Spitzer*  <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
=================================================================

<A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A>
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic
screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please!  These are
sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis-
directions 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, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and
always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no
credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply.

Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html
 <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]</A>

http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
 <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A>
========================================================================
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

Reply via email to