2004 Law requires answering of all questions.

[hideousmonster]

Alright my legal experts... what do I say when the feds shove this in my face?

(a) Whoever, being over eighteen years of age, refuses or willfully neglects, when requested by the Secretary, or by any other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of the Secretary or authorized officer, to answer, to the best of his knowledge, any of the questions on any schedule submitted to him in connection with any census or survey provided for by subchapters I, II, IV, and V of chapter 5 of this title, applying to himself or to the family to which he belongs or is related, or to the farm or farms of which he or his family is the occupant, shall be fined not more than $100. (b) Whoever, when answering questions described in subsection (a) of this section, and under the conditions or circumstances described in such subsection, willfully gives any answer that is false, shall be fined not more than $500. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, no person shall be compelled to disclose information relative to his religious beliefs or to membership in a religious body.

http://vlex.com/vid/refusal-neglect-answer-questions-answers-19227753

[scoffer]

Just lie, the census bureau has no way of verifying information without breaching confidentiality, if they breach confidentiality they are totally discredited. So, theoretically, no circumstance should ever exist to put them in a position to prove that you are falsifying information.

[g1rlg0ne]

Isn't it true that control of the Census has been handed to the White House? Seems like they knew in '04 it would happen if they said "Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of the Secretary..."
Scoffer, that is an interesting loophole. Any legal experts on here care to elaborate?

[hideousmonster]

Maybe if I claim it's against my religion to disclose any information other than a head count of residents.

[Optimus]

This law is null and void as it falls outside the boundary set in the Constitution.

http://forum.prisonplanet.com/index.php?topic=163896.0

[Devotional Soul]

When it says 'any questions', it's referring to any questions about how many people are in the house.  That is all covered in question #1.  There's two other questions, is there someone away and does someone go away, but question #1 is worded to cover that already.

So, I think the fines are for refusing and lying about question #1.

[sailor72]

Try compare a census every 10 years with this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_identification_number_(Denmark)

Every citizen is numbered at birth and every adult is expected to be able to site their number when dealing with a public authority.
Your employer will require it as well, you can't even rent a video without it.

The national database holds your address and can be cross indexed to every member of your family.

[Kilika]

acting under the instructions of the Secretary or authorized officer, to answer, to the best of his knowledge, any of the questions on any schedule submitted to him in connection with any census

To the best of my knowledge, it is unconstitutional for me to answer any questions beyond question #1.