Innumeracy: in 1988 Paulos gave us the popular best-selling book version of this delicious word.
From Wikipedia:
John Allen Paulos is an extensively kudized author, popular public speaker, and former monthly columnist for ABCNews.com, the Scientific American, and the Guardian. Professor of math at Temple University in Philadelphia, he earned his Ph.D. in the subject from the University of Wisconsin.
From Oxford Learning:
Math literacy (also known as numeracy) means having the ability to problem-solve, reason and analyze information.
Here is the Dictionary formal meaning. From the Cambridge English Dictionary:
/ɪˈnjuː.mər.ə.si/ a lack of ability to understand and use numbers in calculations: The country has high levels of illiteracy and innumeracy. Sometimes I despair at the innumeracy of young people!
Trump not only doesn’t read; he struggles with serious math innumeracy. This is a double: a word beyond his limited vocabulary describing a gaping hole in his numerical competence. As much fun as it is to pick at soft targets like his groaningly obvious lack of skills, it doesn’t require Ph.D. level analysis.
For simple purposes, just recall Trump.45’s memorable performance with buddy Howard Stern on the radio in 2006 (with Ivanka and Dumb Donnie Jr in tow).
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/06/trump-files-watch-trumps-not-be-able-multiply-17-6/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/watch-donald-trump-attempt-perform-144251053.html
Or watch it on YouTube:
After all three bragged about Wharton, Stern posed a simple do it in your head math problem: “What’s 17 times 6?”
All three got it wrong on multiple tries. Only Trump insisted he was still right when corrected by Stern AND the blue-collar show staff. Watch this revealingly hilarious exposure of Trump’s math stumbles on really simple shit. From 15 years ago, when his brain worked better than today.
Stuff any good seventh grader can toss off with relative ease. Three Trump degrees from Wharton School of Finance and two generations can’t get there, with do-overs.
Let’s turn to some practical real-world consequences of Trump.45’s arrogance and ignorance, and his ever-faithful gut on issues.
Message from Nature’s Higher Power
Trump.45 has been knocking himself out with a self-inflated A+ grade on the Virus. Intermittently he blames any and all bad stuff resulting from the nasty virus on the Democrat Blue States, the source of evil and discord. As if Trump’s Red States have a special viral mojo, and the scourge of the Pandemic will smartly pass over their houses, as God protected his own true people in ancient Egypt in the Time of Plagues. Trump doesn’t believe in Biblical history his own self, but lots of Evangelicals do, so that’s a winner for 40 days from now.
Like the Ancient World’s Great Flood, in 40 days and nights the Day will dawn fresh and clear for Trump and the Believers.
In the meantime, since it is the heart and soul of Political Time in America, how is Trump’s version of Good versus Evil, or simply Red versus Blue, on the Viral Scourge Front panning out.
Let’s look at Total US COVID-19 cases by State since the Creation as of September 20, 2020. Here are the 10 Worst and 10 Best States, according to the definitive database maintained by the New York Times.
And Lordy, Lordy, what do we see? Every last one of the 10 worst afflicted states (adjusted for population size) is solid Trump Red. Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Iowa, and Arkansas. The guts of Trump’s support, religious and political, and the veritable Heart of Dixie, the entire Plague afflicted region and its people.
But there are 50 states, and maybe these 10 are the unfortunate brothers and sisters, while Trump.45’s other Red States are also the Best (that is the least) Covid-19 affected parts of our land blessed by God.
Yea, and here there is some small ray of hope. Among the 10 Best performing US states there are West Virginia (5), Wyoming (7), Montana (8), and Alaska (9), though admittedly they are trailing the better half of the pack. Still they account for 4 of the 10 Best slots. On the other hand, they are also uniformly sparsely settled with people: West Virginia (39th- 1.79 million), Wyoming (52nd- 0.58 million), Montana (44th- 1.07 million), and Alaska (49th- 0.73 million) among US states and territories. All in the emptiest quintile of states by population, save for West Virginia.
The best performing Red States of Trump in total comprise 4.17 million mortal souls, about 1 in 100 of our fellow citizens. There are two Blue states on the list (Colorado 5.76 million, Oregon 4.22 million) which each have more population at risk than all four of the Red States’ high performers combined.
From a cold political calculation, you know, like Trump’s winners and losers perspective, the four states together have 14 electoral votes, a mere drop in the bucket. It is also just two more electoral votes than the absolute minimum number given to 4 states no matter how small their populations. Under a population-based formula for electoral votes, these four states would receive not 14, but only 7.
Any precious life lost to Trump’s Plague incompetence is a grievous loss for our Nation, bar none, but politically these states are hardly worth the jet fuel for Trump to visit in 2020. His fate will be decided elsewhere. Look at his Travel Event and Rally Schedule. He takes your fealty for granted. And that’s a Fact, Jack.
One other factual item of note here is that the intensity of the Plague attacking our fellow Americans is more than 10 times as severe in the Worst states (Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi) as compared to the best state (Vermont): more than 3,000 per 100,000 versus less than 300 per 100,000. That means that 90% of the Red State victims might have been saved from their sickness and the consequent damage to their families and loved ones, as of today.
And nowhere on the Total 10 Worst list do you see Trump.45’s frequent Twitter rage targets for COVID-19 incompetence or malfeasance of New York, New Jersey, California, Connecticut, Illinois, etc. Another Trump.45 boogeyman fantasy without factual basis.
This overall parlous situation of the relative position of Red versus Blue during the whole Pandemic requires prayerful consideration, but what about the most recent days while Trump.45 assures the faithful repeatedly the End of the Plague is Just Around the Corner, and the life-saving vaccine deliverance will be here in October, in a couple weeks, before the election, very soon you won’t believe, 100 million doses before the end of the year, for all Americans by April, or whatever pops into his head to declare that day?
Here are the US COVID-19 Last 7 Day Average charts for the 10 Best and 10 Worst States.
Second Verse, Same as the First. The 10 Worst Pandemic Afflicted US states in the last week are still bleeding Ruby Red. North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Utah, Missouri, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Thousands of new cases in each of these states per week right now.
There is one notable difference from the Total Cases comparison. There is a partially new group of Red States suffering acutely now compared to the historical totals. Trump’s Plague is moving to drastically affect even more unprepared Red States, lulled by his soothing promises. There are six recent new victims of Administration failure and incompetence: North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Utah, and Missouri.
So, there are four repeater Red States on both lists: Arkansas, Iowa, Tennessee, and South Carolina. And nothing looking Blue at all.
And Trump.45 has managed to place 16 of his US States in the Pandemic Danger Zone, more than half of all those supporting him in 2016. Let’s Make A Deal.
But how about Red States outperforming their comparable other US states regionally, or by size? Oops. The 10 Best List for current performance is 100% Solid Blue. Not a Red Herring in the Bunch.
On the eve of election decision, All the Pandemic Best States are 100% Blue, and all the Pandemic Worst States are 100% Red. That is not what Trump.45 has solemnly promised before God and the Rallies.
This is troubling indeed. And merits more than a hastily whispered Appeal to the Heavens. Trump’s prayerful guidance and soulful leadership is not helping one damn bit after 7 months of constant exhortation, mal-actions, preaching, Twittering, and vocal thundering.
Not the First Time Claiming Special Blessing From On High
His COVID-19 performance is pitiful, ineffective, and harmful in the sight of the Lord. And he has led his people to the brink of despair.
How can this be for those who believe? Is there a False Prophet amongst the Flock?
That is for you to decide. But one thing is clear and indisputable on the facts. Trump.45’s Way through the Pandemic is a shocking and deadly failure visited harshly on those whom he has pledged to care for. Those who continue to follow his advice are heading for trouble and heartbreak.
Trump.45’s Pandemic flummery is Sickening and Killing Red State Folks Preferentially.
Virus Don’t Care. Virus Don’t Scare. Virus Likes Red. Virus Can Add, Likes Subtraction Better.
Facts are Stubborn Things. It is What it Is, America.
Do Your Job. VOTE on November 3rd.
Earlier if you Can. Every Vote Counts This Time.
Since we are making a partial Christian centric argument here, it is relevant whether Trump is playing the Faithful in a false and misleading manner. Perhaps the most famous Bible Photo of the last 10 years, was Trump.45’s June First walk and pose before St. John’s Episcopal Church directly across from the White House on the evening of June 1, 2020 after armed federal officers cleared protestors from Lafayette Square.
Holy Symbols are freighted for Christian believers. If you are an Evangelical, holding an RSV Bible, as Trump clearly was, is a visible slight, demonstrating both doctrinal ignorance.
Not to mention that it was not Trump’s own personal Bible, nor did he deign to carry it from the White House (Ivanka carried it in her purse), and the Bible version used in the Presbyterian faith Trump was confirmed a member of, was the King James Version. And of course, he never entered the Church or notified the Pastor of his intent to visit. It was a Drive By Christian Fake Shooting.
FILE – In this June 1, 2020, file photo, President Donald Trump holds a Bible as he visits outside St. John’s Church across Lafayette Park from the White House in Washington. Part of the church was set on fire during protests on Sunday night. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
And so on…
Amen.
