I feel sometimes like I am living in a police state. I recently received a copy of the "American Community Survey". It's a twenty-eight page booklet that random people have the "privilege" to fill out following the recent census forms.

I sort of set it on the back burner when I got it. I find these things annoying. So....the U.S. Dept. of Commerce sent me out a second one. I found that annoying too. I was informed on the outside of the envelope that I was required by law to fill it out and return it under penalty of law. They ask questions really, which they have no constitutional right to ask, and no business knowing. They demand to know the hour and the minute at which I leave my home to head for work each morning. They demand to know how many minutes I spend driving home.

They demanded to know my exact income for the last twelve months, and my wife's income as well. Since they couldn't settle for the financial total on my last IRS return, but instead from September to September, I had to ask my boss for this information to make sure it was accurate. So not only was I affected, but my boss's time was used for this. It isn't like the government doesn't have access to this information already. They just want something from me and they have the power to threaten me. I find that really annoying, because it's a misuse of the government's power.

They want to know how many cars I have, or whether I own a truck. They asked detailed questions about my heritage, but in a way that categorizes me in a general way. It goes on. If I don't answer the questions properly, I am informed in that I will likely receive a follow-up phone call and possibly a visit to my home by a person I can only assume to be a government representative with unstated powers, since failure to return the "survey" will result in a misdemeanor charge.

Satan rose up against Israel and influenced David to take a census, and perhaps I feel that the same thing is happening here and now. I guess what annoys me beyond the unconstitutionality of forcing me to give them information they have no right to, is the fact that I know...I know that the government will somehow bend this information and use it improperly. This kind of thing is not the government's job. Their job is to insure the greater good for the country. This survey will not be used to further that end. It has already cost the taxpayers a fortune.

The final insult came on the back of the stupid thing. I am thanked---for "participating" in the survey. We're all just one big happy rainbow of a family. It wasn't exactly like my options were very flexible. I love my country. People I have known and loved have died defending it. I don't believe they sacrificed their lives in order to allow others to subvert the constitution they fought and died to protect.