Obama moves census to White House

A 'political land grab'?? The census is taken every ten years. Redrawing of congressional districts AND determining the Electoral College map ... both are tied to this. So is the allocation of federal funding.

Story Here

Obama's has decided to move the U.S. census into the White House.

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, said -

"It takes something that is supposedly apolitical like the census, and gives it to a guy who is infamously political," Bishop said of Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who would be tasked with overseeing the census at the White House.

Emanuel and Obama ... betchya Illinois suddenly has a whole lotta' more people in it.

"I've always remembered what Joseph Stalin said: 'Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything.' The same principle applies to the census. Since one or the other party will always be in power at the time of the census, it is vital that the out-of-power party at least be able to observe the process to make sure it isn't being stacked in favor of the party in power.

I think I've got a new quote for my signature. 'Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything.'

I'm highly suspicious of this CHANGE.

A very interesting move considering that the census plays a very important role in redistricting areas based on increase/decrease population.

Gerrymandering may be an issue after the census

From what I've read/heard/seen, the Census which is currently housed under the Commerce department and was under attack by the...Person tapped to lead it now, Judd Gregg (sp?). I believe some people speculated that it was to ensure that it would not be influenced by him but then again...why even bother keeping the guy in place for a post he wanted to dissolve in the first place.

No clue what's going on, but could be seen as protecting it. I highly doubt they'll sit there and play with the numbers, if the President and the Chief of Staff have that much time on their hands, they need a swift kick in the nuts.

Goes along with the bill in the house right now to repeal the 16th amendment.. looks like they are going to get it one way or the other.

Looks like the former VP's 'Office of Special Plans' is getting a
facelift...and new responsibilities,

but now the 'Emmanuel' will head that office/special plans
which may well be the 21st century equivelent of the Brown-Shirts
of a harrowing era...
Census realignment
ACORN oversight
the re-districting apparatus

a bunch of presently Woo-Woo stuff-- that may well come full circle to bite us in the butts


keep your eyes on the horizon

[edit on 9-2-2009 by St Udio]

On the face of it, this doesn't sound like a big deal. But it really is. Redrawing of congressional districts are done with the census. Determining the Electoral College numbers of votes happens with this. Also - the biggie - the allocation of federal funding.

That's why I made the comment - watch the census tally for Illinois.

Why isn't this getting more attention??

This is BS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How can this even be legal?

It's a freakin power grab...it's all it is.

I don't care what side of the aisle you are on..you should be outraged by this.

Oh, and this goes along great with his new economic advisor, the CEO of GE, Who owns NBC and of it's substations.

What the hell is going on here?

Originally posted by David9176
Why isn't this getting more attention??

SHHHHHHHHHH ... you don't want to wake up the masses of people who voted in this 'change' do you? They'll all go into sticker shock when they see how expensive this 'change' is going to be and what it is costing this country. It's costing is our republic.

WAKE THE HECK UP AMERICA!!

Gerrymandering has happened before and we get outraged, elect people to represent us and fix it, and then forget about it. So it pops up again. and again.

reply to post by stikkinikki


Happened last time to our Democrat Congress and they redrew the line to make room for a Republican in Dallas. Sucks no matter which way it goes. Of course ever since Goodtime Charlie retired, no Congressman has been able to fill his shoes.

Originally posted by stikkinikki
Gerrymandering has happened before and we get outraged, elect people to represent us and fix it, and then forget about it. So it pops up again. and again.

Albert Einstein said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.

Why do we continue to elect corrupt politicians over and over ... and why do we buy into their rhetoric of 'i'm different' or 'i'll change it' ... when it never happens?

It's so pathetic. :shk:

reply to post by FlyersFan


Most of the voting public in this country is lazy and complacent and content to listen to what the media tells them and consider it the gospel.

That's why and it is pathetic.

:shk:

Pathetic, indeed.

This really is going to be a painful experience, isn't it?

What really gets me is that by the time this administration has exhausted its term, it will make Bush's administration look so much better than most think of it now.

Who would have ever thought Obama would be the principle rehabilitator of Bush's reputation?

Life really is stranger than fiction....





[edit on 9-2-2009 by loam]

Maybe it's why they are so worried about the unemployment numbers. They aren't really worried about them not working other than paying taxes...and...

If the numbers get too high there will be civil unrest. We're on that path right now as more garbage like this happens. You have to keep people busy or they will have time to protest as most cannot afford to take time off to do so.

Keep us as taxpaying, obedient workers. Tax us to death and then make it look like they are helping us for the greater good.

Funny isn't, how a politician can have one hand in your pocket and the other giving you the finger but mask it all with smile?

So this is it? This is how the Democrats are going to try and sustain themselves in the near future - by gerrymandering? What this should tell everyone is the current administration fears its own dank approval rating will rival Bush's come 2012 and they know they will need all the help they can get. After all, Obama is off to such a great start so far. Redrawing district lines to their advantage is the only way they can assure themselves to stay afloat.

Wall Street Journal

The excuse Obama used in order to get the census moved to the White House - The Congretional Black Caucus and the National Association of Latino Officials complained that republican (and non-black, non-hispanic) Judd Gregg was head of Commerce and he can't be trusted.

No examples of exactly why the white republican 'couldn't be trusted' were given.

The decision was made last week after California Rep. Barbara Lee, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and Hispanic groups complained to the White House that Judd Gregg, the Republican senator from New Hampshire slated to head Commerce, couldn't be trusted to conduct a complete Census. The National Association of Latino Officials said it had "serious questions about his willingness to ensure that the 2010 Census produces the most accurate possible count."

and then there is this -

Mr. Chapman worries about a revival of the effort led by minority groups after the 2000 Census to adjust the totals for states and cities using statistical sampling and computer models. In 1999, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Department of Commerce v. U.S. House that sampling could not be used to reapportion congressional seats. But it left open the possibility that sampling could be used to redraw political boundaries within the states.

The Congretional Black Caucus wants the 'statistical sampling and computer models' used because it' boosts minority numbers and reapportions congressional seats in accordance with those boosted numbers.

IMHO they wanted Judd Gregg out because he was holding to the law, and to the ethical standards of not using statistical sampling. So the Congretional Black Caucus and National Association of Latino Officials, came up with the accusation that Judd Gregg 'couldn't be trusted' with the task of 2010 Census.

Oy. Politics as usual.

New Mexico Business Weekly states that Obama put Judd Gregg in this position when his original pick, Gov Bill Richardson, fell apart. Everyone, including Obama, say that Judd Gregg can do the job just fine. Judd Gregg isn't fighting the move of the census to the White House. Guess he doesn't want to tick off his new boss.


[edit on 2/10/2009 by FlyersFan]

if bush did this all you liberals would be screaming bloody murder.

Originally posted by neo67
if bush did this all you liberals would be screaming bloody murder.

EVERYONE should be very upset with this. But this is going to slip on through on the wings of 'change'. There is absolutely no good reason for this to be moved. Only nafarious things can come from this 'change'. It's devious.

Dem's Downplay Obama's Census Plan

With Republicans increasingly critical of President Obama's decision to increase White House oversight of next year's census, some Democrats are downplaying the move, saying it is not even official yet.

Obama's plan to have the Census director report to the White House in addition to the Commerce Department has sparked protest from some Republicans, who accuse the president of a political power grab. One GOP lawmaker is pushing for an investigation into the planned move.

Well it looks like a major outlet decided to cover this. However, I'm sure people are going to be up in arms about it, especially since it's from Fox News.