Men don’t have babies because God saw the way they handle colds and knew the species would never survive. -Unknown

Welcome to “Thursday Numbers!” In case you’re a first-time visitor, this is the weekly column where I take a look at the numbers that are in the news (in descending order) and provide commentary sometimes sprinkled with sarcasm, humor, and bluntness.

This week’s topics include 2020 get-out-the-vote spending, Montana liquor licenses, unemployment, border bills, angry Americans, debate talk times, Chiefs’ receiver Tyreek Hill, Supreme Court rulings, Steamboat Geyser, College World Series, and much more!

50,000,000

That’s how much Ralph Reed of the Faith & Freedom Coalition says they will spend on get-out-the-vote efforts in 2020. (AP)

There will be tons of money spent in 2020 by both sides.

370,000

Montana officials won’t pull the liquor licenses of the Yellowstone Club, an ultra-exclusive ski resort, as part of a $370,000 settlement agreement with owners and executives. (AP)

Montana’s liquor license laws are archaic.

227,000

That’s how many people filed new claims for unemployment last week. (USDOL)

84-8

The GOP-held Senate on Wednesday passed a bipartisan $4.6 billion measure 84-8 to deliver aid to the southern border before the government runs out of money to care for thousands of migrant families and unaccompanied children. The Democrat-controlled U.S. House passed their own version of the bill 237-187. (AP)

Now it’s time for both chambers to come together, act like adults, and quickly pass a bill to help the families and children.

84

Some 84% of people surveyed said Americans are angrier today compared with a generation ago, according to the latest NPR-IBM Watson Health poll.
When asked about their own feelings, 42% of those polled said they were angrier in the past year than they had been further back in time. (NPR)

Calm down. Remember – we get to vote again in November 2020. Merica! 

9:41

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) had the most talk time through the first three breaks in Wednesday night’s first Democratic debate. Booker led the other nine candidates at nine minutes and 41 seconds, followed by former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas). Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the highest-polling candidate on the stage, was third with eight minutes and 21 seconds, followed by former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, with seven minutes and 30 seconds. (The Hill)

My biggest take away from the debate is that Lester Holt, news anchor for NBC Nightly News, has a forehead that goes on and on.

8

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill met for eight hours with NFL officials Wednesday as the league continues to review whether Hill violated the league’s personal conduct policy. At issue is an allegation that Hill physically abused his son and broke his arm. (Pro Football Talk)

Hill was not convicted of a crime, but I expect the NFL to punish him.

5

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to issue rulings on Thursday in major cases on the Trump administration’s bid to add a contentious citizenship question to the 2020 census and efforts by voters to curb the partisan manipulation of electoral district boundaries, a practice known as gerrymandering. The court has five cases left to decide during its current term, which began in October and ends on Thursday, with the final decisions on tap. (Reuters)

This should be interesting…

3:3:48

Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park set a record earlier this month for the shortest recorded interval between eruptions, at just over three days. The Billings Gazette reports the June 15 eruption at 4:40 p.m. came three days, three hours and 48 minutes after a major eruption on June 12. (AP)

I guess this means the big one is coming. Head to your bunkers! 

2

Congratulations to the Commodores of Vanderbilt University for winning the College World Series (CWS) over Michigan, 8-2. This is their second CWS title. (AP)

The Commodores could probably beat the bottom eight teams in Major League Baseball…

 

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