Being Counted

(YouTube video)

The United States has been taking a decennial census since 1790. It's mandated by the U.S. Constitution, and the statistics are needed for anticipating our country's needs. The planning of schools, hospitals, roads, housing and employment all depend on census data. It's supposed to improve our quality of life.

But of course, now that Barack Obama is president, Republicans think the census is some kind of vast conspiracy. Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann is fear-mongering again, and she is exhausting in her stupidity. Think Progress highlighted most of the glaring idiocy in Bachmann's hysteria.

But here is what I want to scream at the know-nothing Bachmann: "Census data are used to distribute Congressional seats to states!" If you're a member of Congress, you want your state counted if only to save your own job!

And the last thing any representative wants is to be even remotely associated with the death of a census worker. As the details of Bill Sparkman's death are revealed, the case seems more and more like a homicide spurred by anti-government vitriol.

I had no idea a boring bureaucratic survey could lead to this kind of hate.