Times Editorial: Another Heck Of A Job

NY Times:

Any remaining hope for a modern, efficient and precise census in 2010 has cratered, brought low by managerial incompetence and the administration's relentless antipathy for effective government.

The latest problem is the Census Bureau's failure-- after nearly four years and almost $600 million -- to develop a reliable hand-held computer system for counting millions of Americans who are not counted by mail. Census takers will now have to use far less accurate paper and pencil. At a hearing last week Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez told lawmakers that the agency would need up to an additional $232 million this year to ramp up systems to accommodate the paper count, including new forms, instructions and training materials and redesigned management and logistical support.

Congress had already been briefed on the hand-held mess. What came as a shock was Mr. Gutierrez's message that the White House insists on cutting other Commerce Department programs to come up with new money for the census. Most of the targeted cuts are from programs the White House tried to kill or reduce in 2008, but were rescued by Congress: such as spending for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, marine sanctuaries, pollution control, Chesapeake Bay restoration and economic development grants for Appalachia.

Read the whole story: NY Times

Comments

[pattio66]

Sheesh give me $600 mil over 4 years and I could figure out how to get an accurate count.

[Podewumun]

Again, how much money are we pi$$ing away in Iraq and Afghanistan every month?

[Zentomato]

Republicans once again proving their extreme dislike of government. When they get in office is it any wonder why they can't run a government?

[Gma11]

"...and economic development grants for Appalachia."


Okay, DNC, you'd better start making an ad about this for Appalachia. Let the good people there know how much the Republicans are willing to do for them!!

[JessWonderin]

It is amazing to me . . . Wal-Mart knows where every tee-shirt is worldwide, and Wells Fargo can tell me to the penny what I just spent - at the same time handle several billion other transactions . . . yet our Governemnt can't do a Census OR count VOTES in a single day?????

Oh well, we really only NEED to count Rich White Republican Men, it seems the rest don't count anyway . . .

[research]

what, no PDA was up to it?

Give me a break.

[schicklett3]

Stop both these wars and there will be plenty of money!!

[kellygrrrl]

and the hits just keep on coming

[pbfishtaco]

Grover, you can't have my bathtub.

[Tom95134]

Remember, the 2010 census will be used for Congressional redistricting. You think there is any possibility that having to revert to a paper based system with a rushed software fix might just play into the hands of the Republicans and allow them top redraw districts in their favor? NAH, never happen... right?

[kellygrrrl]

they would never do something like that

[Podewumun]

Oh yes they would.

[mglred]

This is absolutely correct!

[demfriend]

Big business or someone who controls the white house has everything all tied up into a package they can live with. It is strange to think that Bush who had so many failed businesses before he got to be govennor somehow in Texas then was given the oval the first time then bought it with fear the second time, could manage any kind of policies or even have the brain to make decsions. Is Cheney running the countrywith his big business men friends and connections? Big business made a bunch of policies and has actually written the energy bills so is this the way Mac is going to win with fixed votes and election? I believe honestly that Obama will not let the big busines have the plays and decisions that McCain will continue if he wins.

[Shaddup]

Idiocracy.

[research]

great movie!

[bentenrai]

These people are useless. The technology is there! The only reason why we're wasting all that money is because of some jerk who says he/she's been on the job for such and such years, has extended experience in implementing blah blah, expert on stinkware, and people assume that person knows what he/she's doing. That person tries to implement some 10 year old clunky technology he/she's used to in order to get it done, instead of using what's available.
I swear to god at this rate I'd be a millionaire by contracting for the government.

[Swedishgal]

Why don't you because then we might get some competence and we need it for the census.

[olivia]

They don't hire competent contractors. They hire their friends, and people who are owed something by them or who will give them a kickback.

The person who can do the job doesn't stand a chance.

[SanityClaus]

They have also decided already that same-sex couples, even those of us who are legally married in the states in which we reside, and even though the definition of legal marriage is a state, not federal issue, will be counted as unmarried adults residing in the same household.

In other words, we don't exist. We're just a couple guys who are "roomies."

[darthdarcy]

We have anti government government with this incompetent administration...

They are had picked for loyalty to Bush and then sent to destroy whatever dept. they are heading...