Republican senator Mike Lee wants U.S. Census to ask about criminal records

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

POLITICS MAY 22, 2019 / 2:08 PM / UPDATED 15 HOURS AGO

Republican senator wants U.S. Census to ask about criminal records

Lauren Tara LaCapra
5 MIN READ

(Reuters) - The U.S. census should include questions about criminal records to help policymakers get former convicts back into the workforce, a Republican lawmaker said on Wednesday.

Senator Mike Lee of Utah suggested the idea at a hearing about the economic impact of the Census. It may add a new layer to a political battle over what questions the U.S. Census Bureau should include on its decennial survey of U.S. residents.

“How many people are out of the labor force because of their criminal records?” Lee asked at a hearing in Washington by the Joint Economic Committee, which he chairs.

Finding the answer might help policymakers “identify what impact our laws might be having on them that ... we didn’t intend,” he added.

Lee’s suggestion was supported by testimony from American Enterprise Institute (AEI) economist Nicholas Eberstadt, who argued that U.S. economic statistics have a gaping hole when it comes to people with criminal records.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-census-crime/republican-senator-wants-u-s-census-to-ask-about-criminal-records-idUSKCN1SS2E9

[Thomas Hurt]

1. GOP "smaller gov't" really means totalitarian centralized gov't...

[ProudMNDemocrat]

2. Isn't that why we have Parole Offices in this country?

When those criminals who have served their time and are out on Parole, they are kept in check with Job Counseling and Training in order to re-enter society?


Another question on the Census like this is not needed.

[Firestorm49]

3. I'm sorry. I have been trying to behave in a more civilized manner, ..........

but boy, what a line of crap from Mike Lee.

You can NEVER trust what a Republican says. There’s always a hidden agenda. They’ve always been this way. His proposal has nothing to do with his two-bit sound bite. I wouldn’t trust them to tell me the time of day.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

4. Yeah

I don't buy his reasoning for wanting the Census to record that information. I think that we can all figure out what he's *really* going for here- and it ain't concern for the well-being of people with criminal records.

[ScratchCat]

5. No, you are not clever, GOP

All of these changes with the census are to intentionally get "under-reported" numbers of certain members of our society so they can then go and make all sorts of claims about voting totals or whatnot.

Its like they have no idea what "normalizing" data means.

[procon]

6. It's more likely that he's concocted some

nepharious plot to further suppress the vote and disenfranchise anyone with a criminal record. Like Florida just added a 21st version of a new poll tax by requiring exfelons to pay off any fines, penalties or compensation before they are allowed to vote again.

Don't trust any Republican speaking about their sudden interest in glittery altruism and "concern" for the plight if those less fortunate.