If you have ever tried to contact the legislature to get them to respond to an issue, you would know that it is fruitless. I was involved in something a short time back (2008-2010) and even with over 5000 people writing to everybody and their brother, we got no response most the time, let alone any action. Congress doesn't give a hoot what the American people have to say anymore, unless you are a big organization, with lobbyists greasing palms. Sad, but true. IF you try that, I recommend writing (snail mail) letters, not using emails, as they have their computers read and respond to emails. Best to get a major genealogical group behind the effort and some lobbyists to fight for the cause. Start passing around the collection hat LOL cuz it will cost plenty. I agree that with all the privacy invasion these days, the 70 year time limit no longer makes sense, but getting Congress to do anything about that is unlikely and JMHO a waste of their time...we need them concentrating on the important issues facing this country right now... Hopefully ancestry.com will get a copy...this whole offer sounds a little crazy...and it is talking about your own personal copy. I'd wait a while and see what gets released via ancestry.com and family.org before you waste a lot of effort on some kind of drive that probably will not get you anywhere. I am not trying to be critical but I spent 2 years on something that was a very important issue and involved some really serious issues in the financial sector, and got absolutely nowhere via Congress...and really, these kind of things are not the things they should be focusing their time on JMHO...They waste enough time on dumb stuff as it is (and I am not saying this is dumb stuff, but if you want to see some of the dumb stuff they waste their time on go to the Senate and House schedule available on the internet--it will amaze you some of the stupid things they waste time on) ... Personally, I hate to give them any more excuses to take them away from their job, which is to get this country out of the mess they created. Anyway, if you do decide to undertake something like this as a group, be prepared for a long uphill battle that likely will go nowhere...genealogy is certainly not a priority of theirs...in fact listening to the American people is not on their agenda at all, regardless of how important the issue is. JMHO there is no way they are going to release all that census info you cited to the public, although many of them probably don't realize how much info has been compromised anyway. The folks in the US who are not computer literate (and there are many still) have no clue what is currently out there on the internet and would raise the roof about this info being released--not to mention it would help identity thieves even more than they are being helped now. Nice thought for genealogy buffs, but strategically impossible in my opinion. J In a message dated 11/27/2011 12:54:13 P.M. US Mountain Standard Tim, [email protected] writes: I think we need to find a group of US Senators who will sponsor a bill releasing ALL census data with the exception of the last one taken. For us, that would mean getting 1950, 60, 70 80, 90,and 2000. Now THAT is what I would call TERRIFIC....but probably impossible. They put the 70 yr. limit to protect the living. But now, with the help of technology, we can find those folk ON LINE! So that old argument is no longer valid! If all of the Gene sites worked together and got a drive going to sign a petition, it COULD happen! High hopes, Judie Cook On Nov 27, 2011, at 1:18 PM, [email protected] wrote: > > _Want to Buy the 1940 U.S. Census? > _ > (http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2011/11/want-to-buy-the-1940-us-census.html) >

All that you say may be true....however, we did just get some petitions (hard copy) with over 200,000 signatures and they were hand delivered by some very strong willed folks who had "an in" down on 16th..... The thing about "unimportant" issues is that they are relatively EASY to get bi-partisian support because there is no inbred negativism built into them....no legends of GOPers or DEMOs....Their thinking is that "if we please some with this move, then maybe when it really counts we can get their support!" No telling what will happen....nothing if we don't try. Judie Cook On Nov 27, 2011, at 3:42 PM, [email protected] wrote: > If you have ever tried to contact the legislature to get them to respond to an issue, you would know that it is fruitless. I was involved in something a short time back (2008-2010) and even with over 5000 people writing to everybody and their brother, we got no response most the time, let alone any action. Congress doesn't give a hoot what the American people have to say anymore, unless you are a big organization, with lobbyists greasing palms. Sad, but true. > > IF you try that, I recommend writing (snail mail) letters, not using emails, as they have their computers read and respond to emails. Best to get a major genealogical group behind the effort and some lobbyists to fight for the cause. Start passing around the collection hat LOL cuz it will cost plenty. > > I agree that with all the privacy invasion these days, the 70 year time limit no longer makes sense, but getting Congress to do anything about that is unlikely and JMHO a waste of their time...we need them concentrating on the important issues facing this country right now... > > Hopefully ancestry.com will get a copy...this whole offer sounds a little crazy...and it is talking about your own personal copy. I'd wait a while and see what gets released via ancestry.com and family.org before you waste a lot of effort on some kind of drive that probably will not get you anywhere. > > I am not trying to be critical but I spent 2 years on something that was a very important issue and involved some really serious issues in the financial sector, and got absolutely nowhere via Congress...and really, these kind of things are not the things they should be focusing their time on JMHO...They waste enough time on dumb stuff as it is (and I am not saying this is dumb stuff, but if you want to see some of the dumb stuff they waste their time on go to the Senate and House schedule available on the internet--it will amaze you some of the stupid things they waste time on) ... Personally, I hate to give them any more excuses to take them away from their job, which is to get this country out of the mess they created. > > Anyway, if you do decide to undertake something like this as a group, be prepared for a long uphill battle that likely will go nowhere...genealogy is certainly not a priority of theirs...in fact listening to the American people is not on their agenda at all, regardless of how important the issue is. > > JMHO there is no way they are going to release all that census info you cited to the public, although many of them probably don't realize how much info has been compromised anyway. The folks in the US who are not computer literate (and there are many still) have no clue what is currently out there on the internet and would raise the roof about this info being released--not to mention it would help identity thieves even more than they are being helped now. > > Nice thought for genealogy buffs, but strategically impossible in my opinion. > > J > > In a message dated 11/27/2011 12:54:13 P.M. US Mountain Standard Tim, [email protected] writes: > I think we need to find a group of US Senators who will sponsor a bill releasing ALL census data with the exception of the last one taken. For us, that would mean getting 1950, 60, 70 80, 90,and 2000. Now THAT is what I would call TERRIFIC....but probably impossible. They put the 70 yr. limit to protect the living. But now, with the help of technology, we can find those folk ON LINE! So that old argument is no longer valid! > If all of the Gene sites worked together and got a drive going to sign a petition, it COULD happen! > > High hopes, > Judie Cook > On Nov 27, 2011, at 1:18 PM, [email protected] wrote: > > > > > _Want to Buy the 1940 U.S. Census? > > _ > > (http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2011/11/want-to-buy-the-1940-us-census.html) > >