House Republicans ask Bachmann not to boycott the Census

When Republicans try to make Rep. Michele Bachmann reverse her cries of conspiracy, you know something isn't right. Literally. It's just crazy.

Three Republicans on the House subcommittee overseeing the 2010 Census asked Bachmann to change her mind and announce she will fill out the Census. The Republicans worry others in the party could join her cause and lead to many Americans fearing the Census and refusing to fill it out.

The three members said they approached Bachmann privately in the past couple weeks, but she "appeared unfazed" by the request, Roll Call reports.

"Boycotting the constitutionally mandated Census is illogical, illegal and not in the best interest of our country," Reps. Patrick McHenry (N.C.), Lynn Westmoreland (Ga.) and John Mica (Fla.), members of the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census and National Achieves, said in a statement Wednesday.
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"[A] boycott opens the door for partisans to statistically adjust Census results," the trio's statement said. "The partisan manipulation of census data would irreparably transform the Census from being the baseline of our entire statistical system into a tool used to wield political power in Washington."

Bachmann has spoken to multiple national media outlets in the past weeks, announcing that she refuses to complete the U.S. Census because she thinks it is too personal and could be misused by groups like ACORN who have signed on as partners for the Census. ACORN and all other partners do not receive funding for their effort and will not actually conduct the Census.

"We share Ms. Bachmann's concerns about ACORN's involvement in the 2010 Census and will continue pressuring the Bureau to follow their own guidelines for partnering organizations and dump ACORN," the statement said. "However, we can not emphasize enough how important it is for every individual to fill out their census forms."