I received a 2007 Survey of Business Owners and Self Employed Person form packet in the mail today from Uncle Sam. Its something like 7 pages front and back of a computer style scan form. Anyone else get one?
Its all kinds of questions related to our business and from the Dept of Commerce and it says its the law I have to return it. I am thinking about just writing “Out of Business” on it (which its true!) and sending it all back.
I don’t mind stuff like this as I do think it serves some good but right now the way all the rest of the world has seemed to treat me and my business, the last thing I want to do is help out Uncle Sam in generating information for him. After all, what has he done for me lately?
I know, I know…its unpatriotic and President Kennedy is stirring in his grave right now hearing someone ask the very question his quote is famous for.
Am I being a bad American?
Mike
Replies
Probably. But I use my "business" to avoid jury duty.
I got something like that a few years ago. They promised me some money to fill out the forms, maybe 50 bucks. I figured whatever. Sent it back and was shocked when the check arrived a couple months after I'd forgotten all about it.
You do realize it's a great opportunity to fantasize?
PAHS works. Bury it.
You do realize it's a great opportunity to fantasize?
Tom,
I hadn't thought of it THAT way...Could be fun.
There you go.
Always look for good opportunities to play. Especially if somebody's gonna pay you.PAHS works. Bury it.
Especially if somebody's gonna pay you.
Yeah, except Uncle Sam is not offering to pay me a penny here, just telling me its the law to complete it.
Maybe it wasn't a gov't check I got, been a few years.
If you've gotta comply, do it in your own preference. I don't do automated phone surveys, but if somebody calls me ... Opportunity strikes.PAHS works. Bury it.
I think I did a survey and got compensated also, can't remember if it was the gov. either.
couple years ago we got a census report. they wanted to know how much repairs on our house were for each quarter. They would send a leventeen hundred page survey (snail mail) out every quarter.
That house was about 1 year old so repairs were zero. Did the survey for about 1.5 years. Got tired of writing zero. They would call if you didn't send it in. And they would call till someone picked up and talked to them. Finally told them ........ No mas.
still waiting for my check
its the law to complete it? sorry thats boolshid! i wouldn't do it, not on the threat of bereaking the law. nope not gonna happen.
i can not believe that legisltors enacted a law that private business owners MUST complete a survey. BOOLSHID!
what is the penalty? would the offense go down on your permanent record? if i was you i would call them up and tell i'm not gonna do it on purpose just cause its against the law and what are they gonna do about it, offer to turn myself in at the local federal prison. what a joke.
Oak,
If it did not come certified mail, or where you have to sign for it, there is now proof that you received it.
Throw it away and don't worry about it.
Russell
"Welcome to my world"
there is no proof that you received it... but there is proof that you didn't respond
i read all the cautionary print... and they convinced me that the fastest and least complicated thing for me was to respond
like i said .. i threw the first two away
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Mike
Without any proof of delivery the burden is still on them.
They don't mail out warrants, summons or other legal papers they send them certified mail return receipt as proof or hand deliver them.
Russell
"Welcome to my world"
That reminds me I want if the summons where Ohio University tried to sue me still setting on the back shelf in the court house?The university gave it to the sherif saying that I would probably refuse a certified letter.By my attorney friend, who fished with the sherif, that it was not his duty and so it was sent back to set on a shelf at the court house..
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
so..... i should keep filing them until they escalate to certified RRR ?
i don't think so....
that is scoflaw... they love to make horrible examples..... i don't need thatMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
oow oow oow (segundo waving, yelling and jumping up and down) pick me pick me!
oak... i threw it in the circular file the first two times i got it...finally got a notice that said "fill it out before we get really mad"
took a couple hours out of my life for a bunch of BS... just more paperwork for business...
there is nothing in there i could see that the govt isn't already collecting from me thru my corporate tax returns and my 941's
Earlier this spring I got a similar survey from the government, but it was from the census department and was just for the household. It had a whole bunch of pages to fill out for how long I've lived here, where I lived before, etc. and had the same warning about how I had to send it back in by a certain date. It was a tedious thing to fill out, but I did it one night in front of the television so it wasn't too bad.
I've had to do them too. I haven't seen one in a while. Probably...Uncle Sam doesn't want to see numbers that low. Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
read the fine print probably not from gov't, even if it is what can they do the mail service never delivered it !!! Amazing how some people are scared of the mail . Come to my house, speak to me man to man and it will get settled. Thats how all my past due accounts get settled.
thats what i'm talking about, you da man even if your name is 2week!
its like i tell my wife all the time, "rules are for people that will follow them"!
I've put three in the garbage so far.
ya see there! what balls he has folks, what balls he has, he threw three of them in the garbage. they can't make me do it i tell ya!
we must've met before you seem to know me pretty well LOL!
whats really funny are the people that complete these things because they are scared to break the rules.
i have always been the person to decide for myself whether an act is right or wrong.
then after i make the moral decision i think about the legal ramifications, the odds of getting caught, and the penalty.
after a lifetime of thinking this way at this stage of life i get petty quick to the penalty, what are they gonna do? shave my head and send me to okinawa?
consequences smoncequences, you don't know what your limits are until you exceed them.
haven't got one yet but for what it's worth when I'm forced to check a box I'm always "black" ... and usually "female".
for some reason ... that makes me giggle.
especially when they start out saying it doesn't matter ...
it it doesn't matter ... don't bother asking.
all my student loan paperwork was filled out that way.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Well, if anyone is interested, I kind of did both....part rebel and part rule abiding citizen.
I took the complete form and wrote right across page 1, "No longer in business, closed due to declining ecomony" and sent it back. Which is the 100% truth. So I was honest, and returned it but didn't take any more of my time to answer questions on my ethic background or sales history or amount of equipment owned.
I did however answer the Sexual Preference question with YES PLEASE! :)
I am also a BMW car club member and there was a great letter in this months magazine (The Roundel) from a guy whos says we should never give information away free. Even seemingly small and innocent political surveys are worth money to someone else so why spend any of your time to give away info that someone else will make money off of. I paraphrased his letter but you get the idea.
I thought that was interesting.
Thanks for all your input on this thread.
Mike
I'm in the BMW CCA as well, and just happened to read that letter to the editor in the Roundel last night. The writer had an interesting viewpoint on the whole thing.
that answer you gave for the sexual preference question was the wrong answer mike,
now someone else will get another letter that says he has to go over and fork you.
i just hope for your sakes that bubba is a rebel, and throws the letter in the trash.
Just a follow up on this...
Apparently they didn't like my answer of saying we had gone out of business this year and sent me a letter saying that if ANY business was conducted during 07 we were required BY LAW to complete the survey.
So I will comply and complete it as NOW they indicate I can do it on line as well. Didn't tell me that before.
As I said before, I don't mind helping the US Gov't out and being a good American but instead of threatening me with what will happen if I DON'T complete it, how about kicking me $20-$50 for my time to do so? I mean, they have already wasted at least that much sending me two copies and the letter and all.
Mike