Census Forms

Re “It’s the Law: Count on It,” editorial, April 5:

The Times accuses Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of failing to obey the Constitution regarding the census and the objection some people have to answering a lengthy census questionnaire. The census is solely a head count of people in the U.S. for apportioning representatives to the House of Representatives. It is not a head count to dole out money to people.

There is no constitutional authority for forcible wealth transfer programs such as Social Security, Medicaid, farm payments, NEA, the departments of Commerce and Education, HUD, various grants and other forms of welfare. It is the great tragedy of our time that we fail to read the plain English in the Constitution. Without these federal programs, our country would be more moral and better educated and the economy would be truly robust because of lower taxes and more liberty.

CHRIS KNOX

Torrance

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Since there has been so much uproar about the intrusiveness of the long form, I have a solution. In Census 2010 everyone receives the short form and on it is a box to check yes or no: “Are you willing to receive, complete and return the long form?” The people who know how important the census info is to researchers would say yes and those who say no or do not even bother to return the short form do not waste the census’ time and money. Sign me up for the long form in 2010.

ALEXANDER J. GALLOWAY

Los Angeles