Demographics, the study of human populations, gives us a powerful tool to identify our community's needs and plan for future developments. This is not an earth-shattering proposition. Everyone from William the Conqueror to the founders of the American Republic understood the importance of a regular census. Article I, Section 2 of the U. S. Constitution mandates an enumeration of all residents of the fledgling republic as a basis for the proportion representation in the U. S. House of Representatives - the origin of our current decennial census program.
With rapid changes in the make-up of who we are, and the need to know such information as quickly as possible, the U. S. Census Bureau has begun a program to fill gaps in the information that occur in the ten year period between each regular census. The American Community Survey polls select groups of the population on a regular basis to track key trends. While not as accurate as the decennial census, it is far more timely. The Census Bureau recently released 2007 Statistical Abstract of the United States. Take some time today and feast on the available information about who we are.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Elections Have Consequences
In a recent interview, Barbara Boxer outlined her priorities as the incoming Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
In her interview, Senator Boxer criticizes the anti-environmental tactics pursued by the Bush Administration, and allowed by the outgoing Republican-controlled Congress. "Any kind of weakening of environmental laws or secrecy or changes in the dead of night — it's over. We are going to bring these things into the light." Perhaps Senator Boxer simply understands one of the basic tenets of a successful republican government, that "sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants."
Or perhaps our long, national environmental nightmare is over, and we have a chance to make a new start. We all benefit from fresh air, clean water, and the other basic life-supporting functions of a healthy environment. All of us should critically evaluate the actions of our businesses, our government, and us in our everyday lives through the lens of environmental awareness. As Senator Boxer put it, "I very much want the environment to go back to being a nonpartisan issue." I could not agree more.
In her interview, Senator Boxer criticizes the anti-environmental tactics pursued by the Bush Administration, and allowed by the outgoing Republican-controlled Congress. "Any kind of weakening of environmental laws or secrecy or changes in the dead of night — it's over. We are going to bring these things into the light." Perhaps Senator Boxer simply understands one of the basic tenets of a successful republican government, that "sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants."
Or perhaps our long, national environmental nightmare is over, and we have a chance to make a new start. We all benefit from fresh air, clean water, and the other basic life-supporting functions of a healthy environment. All of us should critically evaluate the actions of our businesses, our government, and us in our everyday lives through the lens of environmental awareness. As Senator Boxer put it, "I very much want the environment to go back to being a nonpartisan issue." I could not agree more.
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