Basic Structure of Government & Census Records

Information from the census affects decisions all the way to Capitol Hill

The basic structure of government and census records interacts together to determine economic data and demographical statistics. This information is gathered by the Bureau of the Census in cooperation with the US government so that, ultimately, the number of seats each state gets in the House of Representatives can be ascertained.

Identification

The census focuses heavily on the demographical content of a particular area

The Bureau of the Census is considered a faction of the US Department of Commerce. The director of the bureau is appointed by the president and must be approved by the Senate. Robert M. Groves is the current director as of 2010. In identifying the Bureau of the Census, it is important to differentiate it from other organizations of a similar nature, such as The Gallup Organization and other poll-taking institutions like it that operate independently of the government.

History

The census aids in determining the number of seats each state will get in the House of Representatives

The Bureau of the Census was officially formed on July 1, 1903. Prior to that time, judicial district marshals were responsible for gathering census information. This occurred from 1790 to 1840 until the Census Act of 1940, which created a central location called the Census Office. The Census Office was shifted to the Department of the Interior in 1902 before being revamped as the Bureau of the Census, and lumped under the umbrella of the Department of Commerce in 1903. It was not until 1929 that the results of the census were taken into consideration when reapportioning the number of seats per state in the House of Representatives.

Misconceptions

Turning in your census form will help your government decide how best to allocate funds in your community

Many people assume that the personal information they include, such as their name, address, and the number of members in their household is confidential. For the most part, this is true, however, in the past the Bureau of the Census used information to the disadvantage of certain ethnic groups. Some examples are the revealing of census records of Arab Americans during 2002 and 2003 to Homeland Security, of Italians, Germans, and Japanese living in America after the US entered World War II, and of Japanese people living in the D.C. area when a potential threat to FDR was made in 1943.

Benefits

The census, though it may seem like a nuisance, is instrumental in the discernment of how funds will be appropriated at state and county levels. It is also crucial to a state's representation in the federal government as every 10 years, the census conducts a decennial (population count) that will illuminate which state's population warrants additional representation in the House of Representatives.

Effects

The effects of the census on government operations and structure are far-reaching. Chiefly, it plays a large role in actuating the number of members in the Electoral College as a result of its ability to dictate the number of House members per state every 10 years. Thus, in a not so roundabout way, census records are strong indications of how the national government will veer politically before an election.

References

• The Independent Institute: Census Data Not So Confidential After All
• US Census Bureau