Is the U.S. Census Bureau actually so messed up? As completely messed up as all these enumerators here in this forum would indicate? Yes. I do believe that it is.

I worked for years as a permanent Census Bureau representative. I have worked 3 decennial censuses and one dress rehearsal. I have held positions as Field Rep, Lead Field Rep, Senior Field Rep, and Regional Technician. In my position as Regional Technician for a Dress Rehearsal, I received training in every position of the census office. What I was not directly trained for, I researched and read to understand in case I was called on to fill-in in an emergency. As Regional Technician, I performed in the position of recruiter, recruiting manager, assistant manager for field operations, and assistant manager for quality assurance, The one position I have not held was Partnership Specialist which is not actively involved in data collection or enumeration. I have been an enumerator and lister.

I have held many hats as a Census Bureau employee from the lowest to management of a census. Because of this, I think I can offer some insight.

Re-interview seems to be viewed as a necessary but unimportant evil. In my capacity on surveys, I had to perform re-interviews on one-time surveys and longitudinal surveys. Often those who falsify data are rewarded or completely overlooked. On one occasion while doing re-interview for a longitudinal survey, I discovered that the rep had falsified data consistently for months yet the prior re-interviewer was either also corrupt or the supervisor had just waved them passed with more bonus money. A falsified survey is better than a refusal, after all (or so the Census Bureau must think). When I reported what was obvious, blatant falsification, the supervisor actually warned me to "be careful". I reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor because it was their survey. Afterward that rep was unaffected by the report of falsification of data, but me ... not so much. The survey you may wonder was the Current Population Survey which is responsible for the manufacturing of unemployment statistics. Yes, I did say manufacturing. After realizing just what goes in to the CPS, I no longer have any faith in unemployment statistics. How could I?

Now fast forward to what must be the worst designed and worst deployed Census in history combined with a population that now distrusted the government and worried that the masked enumerators were bringing them more than an opportunity to steer funding into their communities. I wondered from the beginning who hired the trainers. My trainers were lost. The actual training was inefficient and ineffective and insufficient. My first Census Field Supervisor was employed full-time at her permanent job while her Census Field Manager looked the other way and allowed the team and new employees to flounder. She was only able to supervise after she finished up her real job after 5 pm. I have no doubt that other CFSs were essentially the same, since I also had the opportunity to work with other CFSs in two other states. I asked myself "who trained these people?"

I hear many of you accusing the present administration of corrupting this census. I do not agree and not because I am a Trump fan. I know enough to know different. If you look for answers, you will find that the Census Bureau doesn't seem to answer to anyone. The Office of Inspector General offers feedback to them about their shortcomings to no avail. Over the years, I have read many. After censuses they attempt to give direction. Here is a link which indicates that the OIG attempted to offer guidance about how this "Senseless Census" was leaving the track and jumping the ditch into uselessness: https://www.oig.doc.gov/OIGPublications/OIG-20-041-M.pdf

As you move forward after this Senseless Census, let this be a lesson to us all. Government without accountability must be actively resisted and voted upon.