Census 2020

Census

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Article I Section 2 of the Constitution of the United States sets out the beginning use of the census:

Representatives (and direct Taxes – modified by the Sixteenth Amendment shall be

apportioned among the several states (which may be included within this Union,

according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the

whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years,

excluding Indians not taxed, threefifths of all other Persons (negated by the Fourteenth Amendment). The actual 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.

This racist language is included in the Constitution of the United States which was the basis of the ‘Great Compromise’ creating how representation would work in the House of Representatives. In creating the new Congress at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, the framers decided on a bi-cameral legislature

- two houses– The House of Representatives and the Senate. In determining how representation would be based in the two houses – Roger Sherman offered this compromise to resolve the issue of equal representation versus proportional representation in the Congress. Each state would have equal representation in the Senate – two senators from each state. The House of Representatives would have representation based on population. However, slavery was at the heart of how representation would be decided. The slaveholding states did not consider their slaves to be human. But for the sake of gaining political power, they offered that their slaves would count as free persons to determine representation in the House of Representatives, albeit only 3/5 of a person. Therefore, the 3/5 compromise on how states would count their populations for the purpose of allocating seats in the House of Representatives, would count each slave as 3/5 of a person.

The power amassed by the South in terms of political power and wealth was established on the backs of their slaves physically, politically and economically. According to Gary Willis of Stanford University, the South gained seats in the House of Representatives from 1793-1833 they would not have had but for the 3/5 compromise. Even though the North by 1850 had twice the population than the South, Southerners held the presidency for 50 of 62 years and were able to amass 18 of Supreme Court seats.

Every ten years, the political party in power in each state government draws the geographical political boundaries of state political districts representing congressional districts. In 1964, the U.S. Supreme Court in Reynolds v. Sims ruled that in each state, legislative congressional districts must be drawn equally in population. In other words, legislatures must draw lines which result in fair representation. However, the practice of gerrymandering, the political parties in control have been using this process of redistricting to maximize their chances to stay in power.

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Volume 5.9 March 27, 2019

Census 2020... cont.

The 2020 Census is being used as a political weapon to influence how the reapportionment process of assigning states their number of representatives to the House of Representatives. The census data either increases the number of representatives from a state or decreases the number of representatives based on population. It is clear this process has been used to maximize the odds that Republicans in state legislatures have enhanced their representation in the House of Representatives. The courts have interpreted that to be fair in the process, a district must be continguous in drawing the lines – ie the geographical shape must be a complete entity. Also, a district cannot be drawn into two different parts of the state. All House districts must be drawn to be equal in population. Apportionment is the process of dividing the 435 members or seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the 50 states. The apportionment population consists of the resident population of the 50 states plus the overseas federal employees both military and civilian including their dependents living with them. Did you know that the ‘apportionment population’ does not include the people living in the District of Columbia – (Washington, D.C.)? Since D.C. is the seat of federal government, it is not a state and therefore, has no representation in the House of Representatives or the Senate. It does have a delegate in the House of Representatives – Eleanor Norton Holmes – but she does not have a vote!

We must be vigilent in paying attention to the Census issue in 2020. Republicans are purging the voting rolls, instituting Voter ID laws in states in which they have legislative and executive power, and using the apportionment process to stay in power. Voting is fundamental to maintaining our democracy. The fundamental principle of voting is “one person, one vote’ representation. In order to achieve that goal, the size and make-up of congressional districts must be as democratic as possible. Each state has its own rules dictating who is responsible for redrawing the congressional district lines after the census is completed every 10 years. The Court has to be an unbiased arbiter in resolving these issues. The Court has to decide whether legislatures draw lines strictly for political purposes. The census in 2020 is also being used to intimidate immigrants living in the U.S. We cannot allow the process of counting all

residents in the U.S. to be used for political purposes to gain and maintain power in America. What can we do?

· Shine a light on the abuse of the apportionment process

· Deny the citizenship question to be put on the 2020 Census

· Show how Republicans with less than a majority in states still end up with majorities in state legislatures

· Educate the public on the need to answer and send in the Census questions for 2020.

Pierre A. Blaine is the author of: Movement: Race, Power and Culture in America available on Amazon.com

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