Hypocritical Republican Email: Dems Playing Politics With Census

[Jane Eyre]

Just got the following email from the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Can you believe this? The census was in danger of being moved from the Commerce Department if Judd Gregg took that position BECAUSE HE WANTED TO POLITICIZE THE CENSUS!!! So now that Gregg has pulled his name out of consideration for Secretary of Commerce, the Republicans are blaming the Democrats for politicizing the census.

Not to mention that there are a couple of other really blatant discrepancies with their logic. I mean, how can you say that the census is being taken over by the White House when the Commerce Department reports to the executive branch AKA the White House. Either way, the Census Bureau ultimately reports to the White House. And notice that Judd Gregg's name isn't mentioned anywhere in this email. Duh.....


*****************************************************


Friend --

President Obama's White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is hijacking the Census Bureau to redistrict the 2010 Census to the Democrat's advantage.

Last week, the White House announced an unprecedented plan to move authority over the upcoming Census from the Commerce Department to the White House. The Census is supposed to be a nonpartisan process, but the administration is using Chicago-style politics to unjustly give Democrats an advantage in future elections.

It's in everyone's interest to have the Census process - which is the basis for drawing up Congressional districts - remain non-political.

We need your help to call foul on this incredibly inappropriate move.

Please stand with Senate Republicans and voice your concern over Rahm Emanuel's plan to use the Census as a political tool. You can make yourself heard by forwarding this email to your friends and encouraging them to join the NRSC and make a donation of $25 or more. We need a show of strength right now to show the Democrat's that we won't let them take over the Census for their personal gain.

Help the NRSC fight these actions - and prove to them that you do care -- make a donation of $25, $50, $100, or more right now.

Please stand with us and tell the Democrat's you won't watch passively as they sell your Democracy away to the highest bidder.

Sincerely,



Rob Jesmer
Executive Director, NRSC

There's only one word to describe the Democrat's actions to move authority over the Census to the White House - arrogance. The fact is they won't listen to us until we can apply grassroots pressure. Please stand up for common sense and help us fund opposition to this massive plan to grow government by making a secure online gift of $25 or more. Thanks again

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[Richardo]

1. It's extremely hypocritical - as a Texan I can tell you how political DeLay made it...

...that said, I don't want the White house in charge of the census either. Leave it in Commerce.

[Jane Eyre]

2. Commerce will keep it now that Judd Gregg won't be there

The only reason that the White House was considering moving the census from the Commerce Department to a direct report to the White House was because it appeared that Judd Gregg was planning to use the Commerce Department to control the Census for Republican political gain:

Judd Gregg's Attempt to Grab Control Over Census Foiled... by HuffPo

He (Gregg) withdrew because control of the Census Bureau was withdrawn. His ploy, on behalf of the Republicans, was foiled. And, these pages began its unraveling.

Commerce had the Census Bureau. The Census will occur again in 2010. Republicans want control over the Census, and Gregg's becoming Commerce Secretary would have provided that control. Historically, Republicans have improved their own legislative percentages after redistricting based upon census information.

So, for Republicans, the Census is a very big deal. It is for Democrats, too, but they have not been as Census-savvy as the Republicans in past decades.


As an aside - this article also indicates that Judd Gregg avoided the draft because of acne. Words fail me....

[Richardo]

3. Still, there are other places to put it besides the WH: DHS, Interior, Treasury

HHS, even HUD.

Having WH Chief-of-Staff in charge of the census would have had us foaming at the mouth if it were a Rove idea.

[Jane Eyre]

4. I don't think it was well-thought out

Honestly, I don't think that the Obama administration really considered the potential politicization of the Census Bureau before asking Judd Gregg to take over the department. I agree that it made no sense to have the Census Bureau report directly to the White House. That move was only made AFTER there were outcries from minority groups who would have been adversely affected by Judd Gregg's politicization of the census. As the Huffington Post article points out, and as you also mentioned in your previous post about the Republicans' maneuvers in Texas, the Republicans have been much more aggressive than we have been about politicizing the census.

The announced removal of the Census from the Commerce Department was enough to tip Judd Gregg's hand and cause him to remove himself from consideration for the Commerce spot, albeit under cover of his supposed opposition to the stimulus package. I doubt that the Census would have reported directly to the White House in any case, but at any rate it is a moot point now that Gregg has withdrawn.

[NJmaverick]

5. It's funny how the fair and American process of ensuring everyone is counted

is just another "political issue" to the ethically and morally challenged GOP

:puke:

[AtomicKitten]

6. Tom Delay is the reigning king of census manipulation for the sheer purpose of redistricting. n/t