You made it to Thursday – Congrats! Thursday Numbers is my weekly column where I take a look at the numbers mentioned in the news (in descending order) and provide commentary (sometimes I add some sarcasm).
NOTICE: If you read this column you will probably gain some knowledge not found on other websites! You may be able to use this information to impress your family, friends, and co-workers. The information might even be life changing – so consider yourself warned…
This week I write about more people having healthcare, more people filing claims for unemployment, campaign funds, household income, 30,000 pints, RGIII, Tester/Rehberg poll, Gillan/Daines poll, Angie Harmon, Romney and Rehberg statements, Dan Cox, taking off clothes for cash, satisfaction, and much more!
260,200,000
According to a report released yesterday from my friends at the U.S. Census Bureau, “The number of people with health insurance increased to 260.2 million in 2011 from 256.6 million in 2010, as did the percentage of people with health insurance (84.3 percent in 2011, 83.7 percent in 2010).
Everyone deserves to have healthcare…
382,000
That’s the new claims for unemployment from last week. The U.S. Department of Labor reports, “In the week ending September 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 382,000, an increase of 15,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 367,000.”
Not a good report…
229,349
Montana Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Hill reported raising $229,349 last month. He has $436,617 cash on hand. You can read the story HERE.
With all the money the candidates have (especially the federal candidates) you would think they would have hosted some free barbecues or picnics in August. If I was advising them, I would tell them to host picnics on Election Day somewhere near the polls in the bigger cities (for hungry voters).
190,195
Montana Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Bullock reported raising $190,195 last month. He has $782,786 in the bank. You can read the story HERE.
Bullock has to be the favorite in the Governor’s race…
50,054
According to my friends at the U.S. Census Bureau, “Real median household income in the United States in 2011 was $50,054, a 1.5 percent decline from the 2010 median and the second consecutive annual drop.”
30,000
According to this story, “90-year-old has drunk 30,000 pints in the same pub for 72 years.”
I’ll bet everyone knows his name there…
25,000
That’s the bond for a Pennsylvania woman who was arrested “on charges she was flagging down motorists and offering to take off her clothes for cash.”
We could use some excitement like that out here in Montana – our road trips can be long…
1990
On this date in 1990, “Law & Order” premiered on NBC.
Angie Harmon was my favorite prosecutor…
630
According to this story about Republicans challenging Montana’s campaign-contribution limit, “Under Montana law, individuals and political-action committees can give no more than $630 to a gubernatorial candidate, $310 to candidates for other statewide offices, and $160 to candidates running for district offices, such as the Legislature.”
The perception is not that this is a free-speech issue, but it’s coming across to voters that the Republicans want their candidates and supporters to be able to buy elections…
320
That’s how many yards Washington Redskins QB Robert Griffin III (RGIII) threw for in his first NFL game making him the NFC offensive player of the week. He had two touchdowns and no interceptions in the win.
RGIII was the number two pick in the draft. The number one pick, Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts, threw for 309 yards and had one TD and three interceptions in a losing effort.
84
Congressman Denny Rehberg issued an 84-word statement about the Libya murders yesterday and ended his statement with “America must never, ever apologize…”
Mitt Romney also talked about America not apologizing during his press conference yesterday. It caused a problem for Romney…
62
According to this story, “Cpl. Luther Jesse James is coming home (to Montana) 62 years after the U.S. Army listed him as missing in action during the Korean War.”
Veterans: All gave some; some gave all…
52
That’s the percentage of people who disapprove of the job Congressman Denny Rehberg is doing according to a poll released yesterday by Public Policy Polling (PPP) which surveyed 656 likely voters. Jon Tester comes in at 48%.
Rehberg’s job performance (disapproval) moved from 49% in the May PPP poll to 52% now. Tester’s moved from 43% in May to 48% now. The negative ads are hurting both candidates.
51
According to Gallup, The Democratic Party leads “the Republican Party, 51% to 42%, in Americans’ perceptions of which of the two parties would do the better job of keeping the country prosperous.” This is a switch from recent years, as the Republican Party was narrowly favored in 2010 and 2011 on this measure.” In the same poll, the Democrats also pulled even with Republicans as better on terrorism.
Republicans seem to be losing voters because they are coming across as rich and out of touch. The top three federal races in Montana (President, U.S. Senator, and U.S. House) have fielded Republican candidates who are extremely rich and who have problems relating to the middle class…
50
Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney issued a 50-word statement about the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt.
Many people are saying that Team Romney’s eagerness to put out the statement when our country needed to show we were united was a terrible misstep that irreparably harmed his candidacy. President Obama said, “Governor Romney seems to have a tendency to shoot first and aim later” which may be the line of the campaign so far…
45
The latest Public Policy Polling (PPP) of 656 likely Montana voters has Senator Jon Tester leading challenger Congressman Denny Rehberg 45-43.
I am betting that the winner of this race does not get 50% of the vote, which means a majority of voters voted for someone else.
40
Republican Steve Daines leads Democrat Kim Gillan 40% to 37% in the latest Public Policy Polling (PPP) of 656 likely Montana voters for the U.S. House (At-Large) race, which makes it a toss-up. 15% were undecided and +/- is 3.8%.
Daines seems to be suffering from the same thing Mitt Romney is nationally – Daines comes across as too rich and out of touch with the average voter.
30
A new Gallup poll tells us “Thirty percent of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the United States. Although low in an absolute sense, the current satisfaction level is the highest Gallup has measured since August 2009 (36%). A year ago, satisfaction stood at 11%.”
Things seem to be looking up – which is good news for incumbents in this next election…
8
In the Montana U.S. Senate race, Libertarian Dan Cox comes in with 8% of the vote according to the latest Public Policy Polling (PPP) of 656 likely Montana voters.
Most of the Cox’s 8% comes from Rehberg, which means a third-party candidate may once again help Tester to victory.
5
One more thing about the latest Public Policy Polling (PPP) of 656 likely Montana voters showed Republican Mitt Romney leading President Barack Obama by only five points.
Apparently Montanans, as well as the rest of the Nation, are just not sold on Mitt Romney…
1
There’s only one “The Western Word” – thanks for visiting and please follow me on Twitter @TheWesternWord…
The Western Word 
