Obama Seeks More Census Power

President Barack Obama is seeking greater control over the 2010 Census. This opinion piece from The Wall Street Journal looks at what it could mean for the upcoming count.

1 minute read

February 15, 2009, 7:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


"The decision was made last week after California Rep. Barbara Lee, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and Hispanic groups complained to the White House that Judd Gregg, the Republican senator from New Hampshire slated to head Commerce, couldn't be trusted to conduct a complete Census. The National Association of Latino Officials said it had 'serious questions about his willingness to ensure that the 2010 Census produces the most accurate possible count.'"

"Anything that threatens the integrity of the Census has profound implications. Not only is it the basis for congressional redistricting, it provides the raw data by which government spending is allocated on everything from roads to schools. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also uses the Census to prepare the economic data that so much of business relies upon. 'If the original numbers aren't as hard as possible, the uses they're put to get fuzzier and fuzzier,' says Bruce Chapman, who was director of the Census in the 1980s."

Friday, February 13, 2009 in The Wall Street Journal

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

September 23, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

Passengers board an Amtrak train under a cloudy sky.

Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement

The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.

September 18, 2026 - Mass Transit

An Airo train driving towards the camera on a track. There is a forest behind it.

Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet

Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.

September 22, 2026 - Washington State Standard

Two people in hi-vis vests install solar panels on a blue roof.

Trump administration unlawfully slashed $7 billion in clean energy grants, judge rules

The Environmental Protection Agency ended the Solar For All program, which provided the grants, after President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

2 hours ago - Inside Climate News

The largest wildlife overpass in North America stretching over the I-25. Both sides of the overpass, and the overpass itself, are covered in brown grass.

Record-breaking wildlife overpass in Colorado brings 91% reduction in animal collisions

Prior to the overpass, vehicles were hitting one deer per day on Colorado’s Interstate 25.

3 hours ago - CBS Colorado

Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks with both hands half-raised. Two American flags, and the flag of California, are behind him.

California lawmakers approve just 5% of much-needed LA28 transportation funding

State legislators appear just as unwilling as Trump to pay for Olympics-related transportation projects.

4 hours ago - LA Times

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design