One of the dumbest recent remarks by a so-called public servant came from U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn. She called for a boycott of the 2010 United States census. She declared that it would ask too many “nosy” questions but not ask about U.S. citizenship or resident status.

Somebody corrected her in a hurry and she recanted the boycott talk.

Taking note of the original comment, the Dallas Morning News remarked that Bachmann’s “misinformation is representative of the many myths about the census. Immigrant and other so-called hard-to-count communities too often view the process with conspiratorial skepticism, while others, like Bachmann, have an ideological aversion to the government asking questions.”

Locally, residents are getting notices that census material will be coming to their homes soon and it is asked the forms be filled out and returned as soon as possible. It is vital for so many reasons and the Morning News deals with a number of myths in pleading for total participation in the census.

While some contend the census is not very accurate, the 2000 census wound up with a 98 percent accuracy. There is no hope of 100 percent, but 98 is quite acceptable.

Despite critics, there is no mass invasion of privacy. The details being sought in the forms are not excessive or nefarious.

“Actually, the form asks 10 questions, among the shortest since the first national head count in 1790, which posed six questions,” notes the Morning News.

As for whether the headcount really matters, the Morning News concludes:

“… the Constitution requires the census to determine the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives. … Moreover, the national count is used to distribute more than $400 billion annually to communities for such things as employment training, low-income home-energy assistance, Medicaid grants, housing substance abuse treatment and unemployment insurance.”

Fill out those forms fully and send them back as soon as possible!

Those who decline to be counted due to fear or stubbornness are cheating themselves, their families and their communities.