From: Todd Larson 

On Wed, 22 Mar 2000 22:04:37 -0500, "Richard Hong"
 wrote:

>>> My own response is that the government is acquiring and selling this
>information, and I don't think they should. <<
>
>Todd,
>
>But they are selling data without personal info (compiled by census tract).
>I don't mind.  It's useful.
>
>Rich
>

Agreed, and this morning I read the following.  I still have some doubts on
the legitimacy for expanding the requirements, but here's how it went:

Census officials watching these trends Three major trends to watch
The few minutes it takes most of us to fill out a census form may not seem
like a big deal, but the answers eventually are merged with those of
hundreds of millions of other citizens to form a vast, intricate national
snapshot. Here are some important trends that census officials are
watching:


An aging population
It has been called the only major demographic trend now taking place that
the nation has never seen before: a massive aging of the population. The
2000 census is expected to document the growth of the elderly as a share of
our population.

On this map, using data from the 1990 census, counties with elderly
concentrations tend to be retirement centers (Florida, Arizona) or in farm
states whose young people are leaving for big cities.


Movement from rural areas to the suburbs In Minnesota, farm country is
being drained of residents, with the rapidly sprawling Twin Cities area and
nearby counties gaining population.

This map shows where people were concentrated 10 years ago. In the 2000
census, amenity counties -- those with lakeshore, pretty river valleys or
other major attractions -- are likely to gain population, while farm
counties farthest from major metro areas see the biggest losses.


Disparities in wealth
A third major trend is persistent poverty in some areas as others enjoy
unprecedented affluence. The census is expected to turn up growing gaps
between neighborhoods adjacent to one another in Minneapolis and St. Paul,
and between the cities and their wealthy suburbs.

This map shows how detailed census data can be. It shows differences in
median income in 1990 between individual census tracts in Minneapolis and
first-ring suburbs. Such data allow government agencies to target aid to
the poorest areas.

1790: First national census: a simple head count. No one dreams the census
will one day ask how many color TVs you own. Heck, at this point the census
doesn't even care where you live.

1820: Census asks about age of blacks for first time, a first step toward
treating them as individuals. But they are still counted as numbers, not
names.

1860: The end of a major census classification: the black slave.

1870: First question about literacy is asked. (Horseback-riding enumerators
counted people in those days, so illiterates weren't asked to read their
own questionnaires.)

1910: Census date changes from summer to April because some Americans now
own cars and are traveling in summer.

1930: First question about radio ownership appears. But the stock market
crash and the beginning of the Depression force many to surrender expensive
radios to creditors because they can't make payments.

1960: Amid growing affluence, census asks Americans to report the number of
bedrooms in their homes.

1990: "Are you cohabiting?" the government dares ask. Use of term
"unmarried partner" also allows a look into gay and lesbian
homes. Another first: a question about stepchildren. .

2000: In what some have called "the Tiger Woods question," for
the first time, people of mixed race are allowed to check all categories
that apply, rather than picking just one. And grandparents are asked if
they are primary caregivers for children.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Minnesota state demographer; Hyman Alternman's
book, "Counting People: The Census in History."


C Copyright 2000 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.

 -Todd

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