The fundamental problem is that almost no one (outside of us data
junkies) recognizes that data are infrastructure. Everyone
expects the information to be there when needed, but gives no thought to
how the data come into being--just like taking those sewers and roads for
granted.
Patty Becker
At 01:56 PM 07/13/2006, you wrote:
There sure are some statements in the announcement that should give
us
pause for consideration:
"Noting that the Census Bureau is vulnerable to cuts to fund
other
popular programs, Rep. Wolf said, There is not a lobby downtown for
the
Census Bureau."
"We are talking about funding cops, the war on drugs, homeland
security,
or $72 million more for the Bureau of the Census, Rep. Jim Ramstad
(R-MN) offered. To me that is a no-brainer: We fund Byrne grants,
which
every law enforcement official in America is pleading for. Rep.
Mark
Souder (R-IN) called the choice a matter of priorities. Right now,
we
need more help on the streets with crime than we do in the Census
Bureau."
"The bureau said it would put off aligning the TIGER digital
mapping
system with GPS coordinates in all counties, a project currently
scheduled for completion in 2008. New initiatives to reduce
undercounts
and overcounts in the 2010 census also would be
compromised."
Now that's a tough choice: should moneys be used to focus on
fighting
crime by fighting crime wherever you currently see it, or should
moneys
be used to improve the underlying databases that will help
Organizations
more efficiently deal with crime and dozens of other important topics
of
national and local immediate AND longer-range interest? Somebody
sure
needs to do a "truly comprehensive" long-term Cost/Benefit
analysis of
federal programs. Fundamentally, the problem seems to be that
"data
collection for multiple purposes" is just not a particularly
exciting
(or popular) topic, and there are very few vocal champions whom
people
are listening to--but that doesn't make it any less important to
society.
===============================
Patricia C. (Patty) Becker
248/354-6520
APB
Associates/SEMCC
FAX
248/354-6645
28300 Franklin
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Home 248/355-2428
Southfield, MI 48034
pbecker@umich.edu