July 2, 2019

"The Trump administration said Tuesday that it had ordered the Census Bureau to start printing forms for the 2020 census without a question asking about citizenship..."

"... abandoning its quest to add the query after being blocked last week by the Supreme Court... It was also a remarkable retreat for an administration that typically digs into such fights.... It was unclear what prompted the administration to walk away from its effort. Word of the action came in a one-sentence email from the Justice Department to lawyers for plaintiffs in a New York lawsuit that sought to block the question’s inclusion in the head count. The email offered no explanation...."

The NYT reports.

It's not that hard to figure out. It wasn't worth the political ugliness, and they could easily have lost the second-time around through the courts.

61 comments:

Tommy Duncan said...

We no longer have a serious government or serious courts. The idea that it is inappropriate to conduct a census that determines how many citizens we have is just crazy.

Failing to differentiate between citizens and aliens (legal or not) suggests being a citizen is meaningless. This is declaring open borders from the inside out.

Bay Area Guy said...

Bummer, but life goes on. Hopefully, sane folks in this country will recognize that Trump acts in the best interests of the country, despite huge forces arrayed to thwart him (Left, Media, universities, Dems, #neverTrumpers, Chamber of Commerce, Roberts, Mueller, etc, etc).

Fen said...

I've seen him do this twice now - accept the realization that he can't get something done a certain way. He's looking for alternatives right now.

tim in vermont said...

“The idea that it is inappropriate to conduct a census that determines how many citizens we have is just crazy. “

How about the idea that you can’t ask for ID from a voter?

We all flew over the cuckoo’s nest.

Leland said...

Roberts retirement watch starts now.

rcocean said...

Trump gave up the fight because there was zero chance that Bush nominee Roberts was going to approve it. Basically, Roberts did the same the thing he did with Obamacare. He sided with the liberals and gave some convoluted reason that wasn't liberal.

Another reason. Trump was getting zero support from the Republicans in Congress - as usual. The Senators don't care. Apportionment doesn't effect them. The Old RINO's don't care. the The guys from the deep red districts don't care. In summary, the R's in Congress DON'T CARE about being a majority and passing legislation. That's why so many of the were AWOL in 2016, or wanted Trump to lose.

rcocean said...

Its not clear how many seats in congress or EV this would impacted in 2022. But even if Trump is re-elected it wouldn't have much impact. This really would've impacted 2024. I mean how many seats would it have swung? And of course the D's would've sued and said the Census was tainted because blah, blah. Some Obama judge would've agreed, and we'd be back with Roberts siding with the liberals.

Darrell said...

They've only been asking the question since 1800. Why should it be allowed now in Bizarro World?

rcocean said...

Oh well la-de-dah. That's why this country is headed left big-time. People on the Center Right never organize and fight till its too late. Meanwhile the Left, is fighting 24/7 with passion and using every means they can. No Liberal ever said "We need to win for the Right reasons" or acted like Maverick McCain or Paul - let Trump lose - Ryan.

I didn't like Roberts, the moment RINO's like Arlen Spector started praising him. According to Bush Biography, he nominated Roberts and made him Chief Justice because he didn't want to fight the Democrats for a real conservative.

Darrell said...

They should ask the people if they agree with the statement "No borders. No walls. No USA at all." And sic a whole canine unit on them if they agree.

n.n said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Fritz said...

Now when Trump claims that there are 33 million aliens and 30% of them vote, who will disprove the claim?

n.n said...

We the People of the United States, ... and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our [unPlanned] Posterity, [and others,] do ordain and establish this Constitution [and Twilight Amendments] for the United States of America.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“I've seen him do this twice now - accept the realization that he can't get something done a certain way. He's looking for alternatives right now.”

Keep hope alive!

WK said...

Someone should start a campaign for people to voluntarily “write in” citizenship status. Something catchy like #USCitizen.
At least it would be recorded for future generations to study when the census is released.

David Begley said...

Thanks for nothing John Roberts!

chickelit said...

Since there is no way to accurately count illegals, I don't want to hear anymore bellyaching about their neediness.

Ignatius Acton Chesterton OCD said...

So now, please tell me, what is the real value of United States citizenship? All dwellers in our lands are entitled to the same treatment, Constitutional protections, and so on. Citizens are starting to look like suckers.

The slow march toward our Second Civil War — which will be infinitely more deadly and chaotic — continues unabated. And people will ask how it began. Death by a thousand post-WWII SCOTUS opinions, says I. Brown v Board was worthy of being (unanimously) overturned, as it reversed Plessy v Ferguson, but it emboldened the Nine to become a plurality of legal high priests, accountable to no one...

I remain a proud American, but in moments like these I wonder if I am blinded by my patriotism, and for all practical purposes the joke’s on me for thinking America as Founded has a vibrant future. I don’t think most of We the People realize what they’re giving up.

“Because of a census question?” you might say. Aye, because it is the all-important question for who decides what America will be.

Beasts of England said...

When the decision was released, Althouse said it was a win for Trump. I don't remember if she elaborated on that statement or not...

Ralph L said...

He ought to fight for the presidential prerogative.

It's ridiculous that every sensible action requires years of court cases.

David Begley said...

The Dems are better at lawfare. Trump Administration didn’t lawyer this very well. Should have been smarter from the beginning.

narciso said...

The progs have the ACLU the brennan center, maldef a whole archipelago of outfits directed toward their goals the Ford foundation seeded the law schools since the early 70s

Gahrie said...

It wasn't worth the political ugliness,

Yes it was. The biggest evidence that it was, was how hard the Left fought against the question.

Tank said...

A good reminder that Trump is a temporary pause In the destruction of the United States of America.

I'm Full of Soup said...

What Tank said at 7:09PM.

Drago said...

David Begley: "The Dems are better at lawfare. Trump Administration didn’t lawyer this very well. Should have been smarter from the beginning."

There is no amount of "lawyering" the Trump admin could possibly do that can prevent Roberts from "Obamacare-ing" the decision.

There are no limits to what Roberts can conjure up when siding with the left.

If you disagree, lay out what sort of lawyering you have in mind that could have stopped this unprecedented ruling from a motivated Roberts.

Ice Nine said...

Blogger Beasts of England said...
>>When the decision was released, Althouse said it was a win for Trump. I don't remember if she elaborated on that statement or not...<<

She didn't. She was asked why but, as she all but said outright, the question was too pedestrian for her to deign answer.

I wish someone would explain it.

n.n said...

Without the question, Trump cannot be accused of harboring diversitist (i.e. racist) intentions.

traditionalguy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
traditionalguy said...

President sun tsu first has to position RBGs replacement and then deal with the Chief Justice’s betrayal of the USA. Then American citizenship can be protected.

doctrev said...

A lot of smug people are quite sure that the Trump Administration is bad at playing at lawfare. If what you're actually doing is maximizing anger against the Supreme Court, you couldn't do much better. Or...

"You may wish as you will. We yet have all the Senate behind us and all the men of quality."

"And I have an angry mob, that will ROAST AND EAT your men of quality in the ashes of the Senate House!"

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Trump’s Apparent Decision to Drop the Citizenship Question Is the Biggest Legal Defeat of His Presidency”

“Trump's biggest legal defeat.”

Sweet.

Hagar said...

The citizenship question is not just about representation - where the Democrats have a point based on their sudden respect for exact terminology regardless of context - but about apportionment of Federal funds to the states, where there is an explicit prohibition in the law against expending such funds on illegal aliens.

narciso said...

What does the law matter, when the question of permanent power position matter.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Chief Justice John Roberts is still a young man. He’ll be there for many more years. Chew on that and please don’t choke on it.

rcocean said...

The US Government can't ask whether you're a US citizen on the Census. Even though we did in the past. Because.....John Roberts says so.

That's basically it. When are people going to wake up to this farce of having the federal courts act as a standing constitutional convention?

rcocean said...

So, we need to get rid Ginsberg AND Roberts to have a sane SCOUTS.

cacimbo said...

@ice nine I would guess AA is referring to the fact that in 2016 Trump ran on appointing conservative justices to the SC. Roberts voting left when it counts proves the court still leans left. This gives Trump 2020 a proven campaign issue - you need to vote Trump to get the fifth conservative vote if you don't want Republican laws to keep being overturned by lefty judges.

Achilles said...

David Begley said...
The Dems are better at lawfare. Trump Administration didn’t lawyer this very well. Should have been smarter from the beginning.


At some point you will smarten up and realize Roberts is a globalist tool just like all the other LLR leftist allies pretending to be republicans.

Bush picked him for a reason.

Achilles said...

The democrats win, the country and the rule of law lose.

Time for the deportations to begin before the democrats get them to vote in 2020.

readering said...

Wow, a bunch of Chicken Littles comment here.

I listened to a ScotusBlog livestream last week in which founder Tom Goldstein predicted that the government would be able to re-present justifications to the District Court(s), get around the fight over evidence from the deceased GOP operative, and take expedited review by the Supreme Court to approve the citizenship question (which Roberts would give, based on his opinion) in time for the October 30 deadline apparently available if the Census Bureau threw more resources into production of the questionnaires. Which Trump seemed to want to happen.

But perhaps DOJ viewed it now worth shredding its credibility after it got expedited review in the first place by proclaiming June 30 a hard deadline for finalizing the questionnaires.

Tim Wright said...

It was worth it, and it was in no way political ugliness. It’s a good indication that Teump doesn’t really believe in the immigration issue he ran on. Any push back, he won’t waste political capital on it.

Michael K said...

But perhaps DOJ viewed it now worth shredding its credibility after it got expedited review in the first place by proclaiming June 30 a hard deadline for finalizing the questionnaires.<

Maybe the long form census will be printed later with the citizenship question.

Narayanan said...

Blogger WK said...
Someone should start a campaign for people to voluntarily “write in” citizenship status ...

Citizens' March on Fourth of July 2020!?

Michael K said...

It’s a good indication that Teump doesn’t really believe in the immigration issue he ran on.

Pretty early to assume that.

Drago said...

Inga...Allie Oop: "Chief Justice John Roberts is still a young man. He’ll be there for many more years. Chew on that and please don’t choke on it."

Remember when the lefties attacked Roberts and his children whom they deemed "weird"?

Yes, the left always goes after the children.

22 dems voted against Roberts because back then, like GWBush, he was called a nazi by the Ingas of the day.

Proudly.

But this morning history began anew for Inga so we are not supposed to remember any of that.

narciso said...

There are indications the first wave of firms are for rural alaska, they will proceed with the rest later

Drago said...

And now we see democrat cities beginning to remove Thomas Jefferson and George Washington out of the public square.

The lunatic lefties wont be satisfied until the entirety of America's formation and founding is replaced by woke intersectionalist marxist drivel.

Drago said...

narciso: "There are indications the first wave of firms are for rural alaska, they will proceed with the rest later"

What are you talking about?

Link?

Churchy LaFemme: said...

I presumed he meant "forms" as in Census forms.

walter said...

Did they happen to mention the required lead time for this?
It's a nation-wide endeavor...

readering said...

Citizenship question was enjoined and DOJ informed litigation opponents it was giving up for 2020.

walter said...

Inga...Allie Oop said...
Chief Justice John Roberts is still a young man. He’ll be there for many more years. Chew on that and please don’t choke on it.
--
Remember that boast when voting. And remember RBG isn't immortal.
Talking to you Chuck! and Gadfly.

readering said...

Roberts not that young and he has a health condition.

Bay Area Guy said...

Start deporting these illegals. That will shut up AOC and the globalists. Big C-130s. Fly 'em back to El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.

Then, we don't have to count them.

Crazy World said...

Agree Bay Area Guy1:10 gtfo and stfu you included Inga if you cannot respect the law of this country.

narciso said...

Both jeb who was a developer!! And kasich were directors at Lehman bros.

Birkel said...

Only 59% of Americans (according to Leftist pollsters with their crap-weighted polls) support asking the citizenship question.

Big win, Leftist Collectivists.
There are still a solid 15% of Americans you haven't pissed off.

DarkHelmet said...

It is insane that the census is not PRIMARILY used to determine how many citizens there are in the country and where they live. In fact, that is arguably the ONLY legitimate purpose of the census.

We are so far through the looking glass that the Red Queen thinks we're freakin' crazy.

Jim at said...

Inga bitches because the citizenship question would be on the census.
Inga bitches because the citizenship question won't be on the census.

I'm detecting a pattern.

mikee said...

Would not a compelling and constitutional reason to include the citizenship question be to eliminate from House representation census counts those here who self-report as not being legal citizens or legal immigrants? How hard is this? A one-sentence legal argument, based exactly on the language of the Constitution! The Court could not fail to decide it 9-0, without the 4 liberals being exposed as the hacks they often are.

Was Trump playing to lose, or what?

Re Supreme liberal hackiness, remember that Heller v DC was decided 9-0 in favor of the question before the court on the right to keep and bear arms in the 2nd Amendment being an individual right. The 4 libs who lost to the 5 judges who struck down DC's gun ownership ban just dissented about that right meaning what it says, and handwaved it away.