# Deceased G.O.P. Strategist’s Hard Drives Reveal New Details on the Census Citizenship Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 30, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787 "2019-05-30T17:58:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/21 "2019-06-01T14:59:42Z")
The Republican Party has already clearly stated that their only goal in this is to ensure the power of the Voting Rights Act. The fact that this would empower their political enemies is not lost on them, but nonetheless! they persist! A noble act of non-partisan sacrifice in the pursuit of justice and equality. Let us take a moment to bask in the warm glow of this selfless courage. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/22 "2019-06-01T16:54:25Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > The Republican Party has already clearly stated that their only goal in this is to ensure the power of the Voting Rights Act. The fact that this would empower their political enemies is not lost on them, but nonetheless! they persist! A noble act of non-partisan sacrifice in the pursuit of justice and equality. > > Let us take a moment to bask in the warm glow of this selfless courage. Yes! They are indeed pillars of integrity and sincerity… > [@Republicans](#): > > We must oppose wind turbines to protect birds! > > We must shut down clinics that have a few bottles of expired hand sanitizer! > > We must have voter ID to protect the sanctity of the vote! > > We must protect the rights of the poor beleaguered Christians! > > We must stop the evil welfare state from suppressing minorities by making them dependent on huge welfare checks and overly generous food stamps! > > We must increase the number of guns to cut down on their use! > > We must fight to protect workers’ rights to receive union level wages without paying union dues! > > We must fight for low wage jobs to protect high school students! Can I get an amen!? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/23 "2019-06-01T20:32:10Z")
> [@DummyGladHands](#): > > So in a small act of civil disobedience, what would happen if a citizen said no to that question? There is a legal penalty for lying on the census forms, but as a practical matter, I doubt it’s enforced very often, if ever. ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2019, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/24 "2019-06-02T09:28:23Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > There is a legal penalty for lying on the census forms, but as a practical matter, I doubt it’s enforced very often, if ever. So what if you just don’t answer that question? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2019, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/25 "2019-06-02T10:34:12Z")
> [@Fugazi](#): > > So what if you just don’t answer that question? There’s a penalty for that too, but again, I suspect seldom enforced. ---
**Author:** ![betonbill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@betonbill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betonbill)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2019, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/26 "2019-06-02T15:46:51Z")
Along with the “no,” not answering the question, why not N/A? One is actually filling in the blank with a third answer. ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2019, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/27 "2019-06-02T20:16:40Z")
How about answering BOTH yes and no to the question? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2019, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/28 "2019-06-02T20:29:14Z")
> [@Anny\_Middon](#): > > How about answering BOTH yes and no to the question? Aren’t we all immigrants? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/29 "2019-06-02T20:49:56Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Aren’t we all immigrants? Not that I’m aware of, no. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/30 "2019-06-06T12:30:23Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Aren’t we all immigrants? I’m not. One can be an immigrant _ **and** _ a citizen, however. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/31 "2019-06-06T14:22:15Z")
> [@Anny\_Middon](#): > > How about answering BOTH yes and no to the question? Answering that you are both a citizen and not a citizen? That would still probably count as lying on the census, if one is concerned about such things. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/32 "2019-06-06T14:57:00Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > LOL! > > 1. fucking with the mail is a serious federal offense. > > 2. equating asking about citizenship on the census with “Our democracy is being taken over by criminals trying to make this a banana republic” sounds [loony-tunes unhinged to normal people](https://thehill.com/hilltv/what-americas-thinking/441372-most-americans-support-citizenship-question-on-census-form-poll). Any opinions about what was revealed in the OP? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/33 "2019-07-02T20:38:32Z")
Hearing that the administration is folding on the census question issue and that the forms are being printed without it. Early yet, not a lot of second-sourcing on this one, so we’ll see: > “Administration has apparently folded on Census/Citizenship question. Still trying to confirm details and interpretation of decision. Story to come.” ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/34 "2019-07-02T21:48:39Z")
[NPR confirming that](https://www.npr.org/2019/07/02/738187530/trump-administration-to-print-2020-census-without-citizenship-question): > [@](#): > > The Trump administration has decided to print the 2020 census forms without a citizenship question and the printer has been told to start the printing process, Justice Department spokesperson Kelly Laco confirms to NPR. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/35 "2019-07-02T23:32:41Z")
Cue Trump claiming that the Democrats are cheating by opposing the question so that all the millions of illegal immigrant votes can be counted. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/36 "2019-07-02T23:36:17Z")
He can say whatever bullshit lie he wants to, it’s all he does. The good guys won a round, and a very important round it was. So go ahead Donnie, lie, fabricate (nevermind, that one’s too complicated for you.), and bullshit away. I’ll still be smiling. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/37 "2019-07-03T00:00:43Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Hearing that the administration is folding on the census question issue and that the forms are being printed without it. Early yet, not a lot of second-sourcing on this one, so we’ll see: > > [https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/1146155706363600896](https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/1146155706363600896) > > “Administration has apparently folded on Census/Citizenship question. Still trying to confirm details and interpretation of decision. Story to come.” That’s good. But we’re not hearing anything about the _envelopes_: What if the solution they’ve found is printing a warning in large block letters on the envelopes? Something like **NOTICE: IF YOU MAIL THIS FORM YOU ARE GRANTING YOUR CONSENT TO A SEARCH OF YOUR HOME BY I.C.E.** …in Spanish, of course. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/38 "2019-07-03T01:04:35Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > That’s good. But we’re not hearing anything about the _envelopes_: What if the solution they’ve found is printing a warning in large block letters on the envelopes? Something like > > **NOTICE: IF YOU MAIL THIS FORM YOU ARE GRANTING YOUR CONSENT TO A SEARCH OF YOUR HOME BY I.C.E.** > > …in Spanish, of course. I’m trying to figure out why this is triggering some iota of a shadow of a memory that the GOP in some southern state tried in a relatively recent election, putting out flyers that said different things in English and Spanish? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/39 "2019-07-03T21:11:26Z")
> Racists gotta Race: > [@](#): > > SOURCE: The DOJ reversed course to Judge Hazel, told them that they’ve been “ordered” to try to get the citizenship question back on the census, and that no final decision has been made yet, but their “current plan” is to go directly to SCOTUS to bless whatever they decide. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787/40 "2019-07-03T22:01:40Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I’m trying to figure out why this is triggering some iota of a shadow of a memory that the GOP in some southern state tried in a relatively recent election, putting out flyers that said different things in English and Spanish? That _does_ sound familiar. I’m not sure what search terms to use, but if it comes to me, I’ll post. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceased-g-o-p-strategist-s-hard-drives-reveal-new-details-on-the-census-citizenship-question/834787.md?page=3)