I just lost my trust in the U.S. Census. How about you?

CitizenJoe and two pole workers

So: a very nice, masked, U.S. Census worker came by today.  

“I filled out our form in March,” I said.  

“It’s not in the system.”

“Oh. Well, I filled it out on line, got a receipt. I do have to say, I’ve had a half-dozen, dozen reminders in the mail, but they all say, if you already filled it out, no worries.”

“Yeah,” he said.  “Same for me.  I started working for the census five weeks ago, and they didn’t know I had already filled mine out. And they had my address down as a couple miles away.”

“Wow.”

“It looks like most people are in the same boat, too. That’s what I’m seeing. Everybody in the same boat.”

Titanic, I thought, that boat.

Jeebus, Mary, and Joseph, I thought, the Emperor Augustus had his census better conducted.

The census worker asked his questions, filled out answers on some hand-held device, and we wished each other well.  At least I didn’t have to lead a donkey to Bethlehem.

I just now checked my email receipt from last March:

Thank you for completing the 2020 Census questionnaire for:

xxxx Uxxx Cxxxx Cxxxx Rd XXXXXX, OR xxxxx-xxx

Saturday, March 14, 2020 1:45 PM

If you receive other mail from the Census Bureau about the 2020 Census in the next few days, please disregard it. That mail may have been sent out before today.

If you have any questions, please call the phone number printed in your materials or listed below.

1-844-330-2020

Confirmation #: (redacted)

Visit 2020Census.gov

2020 Census | United States Census Bureau US Census Bureau Learn about the 2020 Census - how to respond, and why it matters. Shape your future. START HERE.

How about you?  Did you fill out your form a while back? Got a visit?