We have received inquiries from many of you asking this very question. If you search the Internet you can find lots of information. If we look at the Constitution, in Article I, Section 2 states,

[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.

You will notice that the Constitution mentions nothing about providing information on your income, race, house blueprints, favorite dessert, how often you brush your teeth, if you are overweight, whether you prefer debit or credit…and all the other personal information that it seems that the Federal government wants to extract from you. So what gives?

We came across the following on www.usconstitution.net:

There are fines for non-response and for false response as well, though the amount has risen from the 1790’s $20. Today failure to respond can result in a $100 fine; providing false answers is a more severe offense, and carries a $500 fine. Recent news reports, however, indicate that punishment for failure to respond is not usually enforced. The controlling section of the Code is 13 USC 221.

The law requires, in the case of both the decennial census and the ACS, that all households that get a form must fill it out in its entirety, under penalty. Generally speaking, the Census Bureau is not interested in levying the fine, and prefers to gather the data. If a survey is not returned, the Census can follow up by phone or with a personal visit. There is, however, the threat of a penalty for non-response. The current penalty is $100 for failure to fill out the census forms.

The authority of the Congress to conduct the census in whatever way it wishes, and thus to require that the forms be filled out is found in the Constitution itself, which notes:

[The Census] shall be made … in such Manner as [Congress] shall by Law direct.

The Congress is also authorized to ask various questions in the census aside from the basic headcount by virtue of this clause and by virtue of the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Advice to leave the form blank or to fail to fill it in may actually bring more of the government into your life than you want — as noted above, unfiled and incomplete forms will be followed-up upon by actual census workers, either in person or by telephone.

Because of the confusion on what is required, we have asked Attorney General Cuccinelli and Senator Martin to provide Virginia citizens with some guidance. We are hoping to provide further guidance soon on the best steps to take when completing your Census form. Stay tuned…

With the push to pass Health Care reform through reconciliation being unsuccessful so far, House Democrats are devising a backup strategy to pass the bill without even taking a vote! I can’t imagine how this would fly, but here’s what the Washington Examiner is reporting:

Each bill that comes before the House for a vote on final passage must be given a rule that determines things like whether the minority would be able to offer amendments to it from the floor.

In the Slaughter Solution, the rule would declare that the House “deems” the Senate version of Obamacare to have been passed by the House. House members would still have to vote on whether to accept the rule, but they would then be able to say they only voted for a rule, not for the bill itself.

Will Democrats go through with this, if they can’t get their way by the already hated reconciliation option? They long ago decided to abandon any appearance of governing with integrity (or the will of the people), but this would take it to yet another level of unprecedented corruption and disregard for proper procedure. Is this what Americans voted for when Nancy Pelosi promised to run the most ethical House ever? Will President “Transparency” Obama sign a bill into law that was never given a vote in the House, especially considering his entire rationale for using reconciliation was that it deserved a simple up-or-down vote?

This should eliminate any shred of doubt that nationalized health care is THE priority for progressives to achieve their socialist agenda. It MUST be defeated.

The planning for the Tax Day Rally on April 15 is well underway. We are so excited about the program. With Doc Thompson as our master of ceremonies, Charles Payne of FOX News as our headliner, and many other fantastic rally speeches scheduled, it is going to be a fantastic day.

Unfortunately, it all costs money. We have been very blessed to have so many patriots reduce their prices and donate services, but we still have some bottom line costs. Remember, we are 100% volunteer, so all this money goes to actual costs.

Charles Payne has offered to do a fundraiser for RTP the night before the Tax Day Rally, to help us pay for the big day. We hope to have 400 people! We need you to come and bring a friend. Try and fill an entire table and be a Patrick Henry Sponsor! Here are the details (click image below):

PATRICK HENRY SPONSOR – $1000

• VIP reception with Charles Payne (2 tickets)
• Photograph with Charles Payne
• One table (sits 10) for your guests
• Two complimentary RTP t-shirts

PATRIOT TICKETS

• Single Ticket $100 (includes Hors d’oeurves, dinner and program)
• Couples Tickets $175 (includes Hors d’oeurves, dinner and program)

Checks made payable to:
Richmond Tea Party, Inc.
P.O. Box 6561, Richmond, VA 23230

Donations are not tax deductible. Richmond Tea Party, Inc. is a non-partisan, non-profit organization. We have applied for 501c4 status with the IRS.

Want to get your tickets online? Purchase them with a credit card here

(from Donna Holt of Campaign for Liberty)

Dear Friends of Liberty,
Senate Democrats, Saslaw and Marsh, continue to violate their own rules to prevent an up-or-down vote by the full Courts of Justice Committee on HB69, the Virginia Firearms Freedom Act. Such a vote would force Democrats to choose between their anti-gun position and the cold hard reality of the fact that a recorded vote in strong pro-gun districts would make them vulnerable in Senate elections coming up in 2011.
Yesterday, Senator Mark Obenshain tried to get a committee vote on HB 69. Chairman Marsh was so flustered that his political superior Senator Saslaw took over the committee and ruled all Senator Obenshain’s motions out of order.
Senator Obenshain then challenged the rule of the chair and lost 12-3. All Senators except, Hurt, McDougle, and Obenshain voted wrong. Senator Saslaw then tried to get the clerk not to record the vote.
Some 30,000 tea party activists had requested assistance from the House to resurrect HB69. But Speaker Howell and House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith refused to substitute the language of SB501 with the language of HB69 stating “the bills are not germane”.
Meanwhile, a Conference Committee of both House and Senate legislators have no problem violating the “one subject” rule, Article 4, Section 12 of the Virginia Constitution by embedding fee increases, a euphemism for raising taxes, in HB30, an appropriations bill.
The state legislature makes it clear they are willing to violate Senate rules and even the Virginia Constitution to strip citizens of their lawful rights and to raise taxes in spite of campaign promises not to, but back down from perfectly legal maneuvers to protect states rights and individual liberties with an up-or-down vote on bills they don’t like.
Senator Jill Vogel states that it is critical that you contact your Senator and urge him/her to support her efforts to get a vote on HB 69 on the Senator Floor. Such transparent hypocrisy by legislators cannot be tolerated. It is outrageous that Senator Saslaw and Marsh have conspired to deprive us of a vote by breaking Senate rules.
That’s right!
The Senate rules say that the subcommittee that Senator Marsh created to kill HB 69 can only make recommendations on bills, NOT kill a bill.
Please email Senator Vogel with the following message:

Dear Senator Vogel,
I understand that you will make an attempt to get a recorded Senate vote on the Virginia Firearms Freedom Act. I want to thank you for agreeing to do all you can to get HB 69 to the Senate floor. I am urging my senator to support you.
Sincerely,
(Your name)

Then send a message to your Senator. You can find your Senator’s contact information here.
Suggested script:

Dear Senator ________________,
It is unconscionable that Senator Saslaw and Marsh have conspired to break the Senate rules by not even allowing a vote on HB 69 which overwhelmingly passed the House.
Senator Vogel is trying to get HB 69 to the Senate floor.
Whatever motions she makes are appropriate for such a time as this.
I urge you not to disregard my sacred liberties. Please stand up to the federal government and the violation of Senate rules by Senator’s Saslaw and Marsh by supporting Senator Vogel’s effort to get an up-or-down vote on HB69.
Sincerely,
(Your name)

Thank you for hanging tough and for your continued effort to get a vote on the Virginia Firearms Freedom Act.
Yours in liberty,
Donna Holt

Protest tomorrow at State Capitol, Bell Tower at 11am. We will be protesting the State Senate trying to bury our 10th Amendment bill, the Firearm Freedom Act (HB69). This is the LAST chance to let the State Senate know you are not happy! We want our 10th Amendment bill released from Committee! We will also be joining AFP in a protest against a 24% tax increase on all phone lines.

Speakers include Tito the Builder, Delegate Bill Carrico (patron of HB69), Joe Guarino of Richmond Tea Party and more! Free lunch is being provided by AFP at the Omni after the protest. Come and let the State Senate know what the 10th Amendment means to you! We cannot grow weary.