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Tom Vogt wrote ...
> second, the compensation for property taken away by the government
> can surely be argued to be a compensation for your loss. the only
> thing you lose in the census is privacy, dignity or other
> immaterial goods.
> governments don't usually compensate that.
Hmmm, obviously, the information is worth something to them, or they
wouldn't be asking for it! Outside of a count of citizens,
everything else is not mandated by the constitution, and therefore
extra information that I feel is worth something. Marketing firms
and others pay good money for the information the census department
collects on the long form (e.g. income) and even for information on
the short form (e.g. how many kids, how old). This is valuable
information that is being bought and sold every day (just ask the
S.C. Dept. of Motor Vehicles!)
> I'd be interested in whether the $100 fine is there to make the
> lazy people not forget to fill out, or bring the reluctant ones
> back into line. in the first case, I can understand it. in the
> second -
> well, I'd propose that whoever fills out the form with bogus
> information (=proves that it's not lazyness) but marks it clearly
> so (add a checkbox for that) should be fined considerably less,
> maybe $10 additional "handling costs".
Actually, the fine for filling in the form with bogus data is $500.
Pete Capelli [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://home.adelphia.net/~capelli PGP Key ID:0x829263B6
"Those who would give up essential liberty for temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety" - Benjamin Franklin, 1759
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