The Constitution puts the census under the control of the Commerce Secretary not the president. if Pres Obama continues to press this I expect it to be brought before the Supreme Court.
This meme is spreading quickly so here is a primer for those of you who care to read it.
The quote below is the totality of what the constitution says about the census.
[An] Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.
That is it nothing more. It does not specify which cabinet level post within the executive department will conduct it nor does it say how it will be overseen.
In the recent past the census director reported to the commerce secretary, appointed by the president, and to various others including other senior WH staff all of whom reported to the president. All Obama has done to this point regarding the census is to possibly say that he would like the census director report to him as well as the commerce secretary. WH senior management, not just the commerce secretary, are regularly reported to on the census. This is a non-issue that some on the right are trying to turn into and issue. That is possibly one more person that the census director would report directly to in addition to the others all of whom were appointed by the same man the additional report is being made to. It certainly is not a constitutional issue as the constitution only specifies that the people of the US should be counted every ten years. It does not specify who should do the counting and has absolutely nothing to say about all of the other data collected for the census. Do a little research before you swallow whole anything you hear from a politician, newscaster, or talk radio personality.
Here is the link to the relevant statute.
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/13/usc_sup_01_13.html
Read it if you like
Why, just speculate why, did Obama take charge of the census?
More on the same meme. He has not. He has discussed having the census director ALSO report to him or his office.
Obama promised the public would have access and see what is in legislation before it is passed. Why did he dishonor his own freely given promise?
That, unlike the other nonsense, is an actual disappointment. He should put it up for public review for the promised period or even a bit more given its length. He promised to hold himself to a higher standard here and he is instead doing exactly what his predecessors did.
If the people want the bill, and almost every Dem in Congress voted for it, why is Obama going around the country trying to sell it?
For the same reason every modern president has traveled and talked in support of legislation they find important. Why have Republican politicians been doing the tv and talk radio circuit to denounce the bill?
The United States employs any means available in its self-defense, including especially water-boarding and the latest physotropic drugs. Anyone who doesn’t think that’s right is either suicidally stupid, or has a covert agenda that’s clearly anti-American and un-patriotic. It is our sworn duty to brooke no other positions as reasonable. Shall I repeat that for you journalists, so you can quote me accurately?
Shorter, screw all relevant laws and treaty obligations.
Jeb@81: a thinking person would be OUTRAGED that the adminstration even suggested the shift of oversight from Commerce to the WH. Do you think they don’t intend to exploit it, if they can get away with it, because imbeciles like you carry their water?
The census issue is addressed above. The rest of your rant makes clear just how serious you are about engaging in any productive debate.
