Republican Extremists And Obstructionists Defeated Over Census Bureau Confirmation

Even most Republican members of the House of Lords didn't have it in them to keep filibustering President Obama's nomination of Robert Groves as Director of the Census Bureau. Cloture passed yesterday 76-15 and the Senate's most bitter obstructionists and most vicious racists, led by Jeff Sessions (KKK-AL), David Diapers Vitter (R-LA), Jim Bunning (R-KY), John Cornyn (R-TX), Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Dick Shelby (R-AL), were forced to back off from demands that basically seek to disenfranchise as many non-whites and Hispanics as possible by systematic under-counting. Even some of the Senate's most extreme fringe elements couldn't back the disgraceful filibuster and serial sociopaths like Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Richard Burr (R-NC), Miss McConnell (R-KY), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) found themselves on the other side of the aisle voting with the Democrats.

In the end Groves, a veteran survey researcher at the University of Michigan, was confirmed by voice vote. The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), a leading nonprofit organization that facilitates full Latino participation in the American political process, issued the following statement regarding Groves' confirmation:

With a new Director confirmed, it is time for the Census Bureau to move forward to ensure that the 2010 enumeration produces the most accurate count possible of the nation's population. It is critical that the Bureau implement a communications and outreach plan that takes into account the current economic and social realities confronting residents of the nation. The Bureau's advertising must connect with Americans who have been displaced or lost homes because of natural disasters or our economic crisis. It must assure residents of the confidentiality of the information provided during the enumeration.

The Census Bureau must also ensure that its Census 2010 workforce reflects the diversity of the nation's population, from its highest managerial positions to its field enumerators.

In addition, we urge Congress to do its part by providing sufficient funding in the FY 2010 budget to effectively implement the 2010 enumeration. The 2010 Census involves the largest peacetime mobilization of America's federal personnel and resources, and the Bureau must have the funding needed to meet this challenge.

Finally, we strongly condemn the efforts of a small group of organizations with extremist views, and even a member of Congress [primarily Vitter and Shelby in the Senate and Boehner and the crazed, delusional Bachmannin the House], calling for a boycott of the enumeration. A boycott would only exacerbate the undercount, which would hurt neighborhoods and communities. Encouraging anyone not to participate in the census is simply wrong.

Unfortunately, the Latino population has never been fully counted in the decennial enumeration, and Census Bureau estimates suggest that the 2000 Census may have missed as many as 1 million Latinos. Let us be clear: the only way to achieve a successful census is to count all Latinos.

We are committed to helping the Bureau eliminate the undercount through our participation in the ya es hora, HAGASE CONTAR! (It's Time, Make Yourself Count!) Campaign. The Campaign-- an unprecedented coalition of national Spanish-language media and Latino organizations-- will promote the importance of the census, educate members of the community about filling out their census forms and encourage households to mail back their responses once they complete their forms.

We congratulate Dr. Groves on his confirmation and look forward to working with him and the Bureau to ensure a successful 2010 enumeration.

I'll bet Lou Dobbs must have had a shit-fit on CNN yesterday!