The truth is still the truth even if no one believes it. A lie is still a lie, even if everyone believes it. – 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 and humor.

This week’s topics include unemployment claims, COVID-19 cases/deaths, projected COVID-19 deaths, Trump’s disapproval ratings, 2020 Census, Quinnipiac University poll, NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, uneducated for Trump, Bullock & Masks, Oklahoma Governor & Coronavirus & Tulsa, plus much more!

1,300,000

In the week ending July 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 1,300,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised down by 4,000 from 1,314,000 to
1,310,000. The 4-week moving average was 1,375,000, a decrease of 60,000 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised down by 2,250 from 1,437,250 to 1,435,000. (DOL)

135,991

As of Wednesday evening, the U.S. had recorded 3,416,428 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 135,991 deaths. That is according to the CDC. (CDC)

Last Thursday the deaths numbered 131.065.

40,000

The latest modeling projects the number of COVID-19 deaths in the US to increase further, even as one research team suggests the near-universal use of masks could save 40,000 lives between now and November. The death toll stood at 136,000 Wednesday, but the country should hit 151,000 by August 1 and 157,000 by August 8, according to an average of models of 23 research groups in the United States and elsewhere.

• The University of Washington’s IHME model, goes further and predicted Wednesday 224,000 deaths on November 1.
• Another, by independent modeler Youyang Gu, in New York, predicts 227,000 deaths by November 1. (AFP)

55.6

That is President Donald Trump’s disapproval rating. His approval rating is just 40.3%. (FiveThirtyEight)

Last week his disapproval rating was 55.8%.

46

That’s Montana’s rank for the 2020 Census self-response. Last week Montana ranked 46. Montana has a 55.8% response rate to rank #46. Last week Montana had a 55.7% response rate. Minnesota leads the nation with a 71.6% rating. The national response rate is 62.1%. (Census)

Fill out your forms, people!

36

According to a Quinnipiac University national poll released Wednesday, voters give President Trump a 36 percent job approval rating, a 6 point drop in his job approval compared to last month. In that June 18th poll, Trump had a 42 percent job approval rating. (Quinnipiac)

Click on the link for more interesting polling from Quinnipiac.

12

A new national NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows in the combined 11 battleground states — Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin — Joe Biden leads Donald Trump by 12 points, 52 percent to 40 percent. (NBC News)

These states will decide the winner…

11

A new national NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows Joe Biden ahead of Donald Trump by 11 points among registered voters, 51 percent to 40 percent, which is well outside the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points. Biden’s lead in last month’s poll was 7 points, 49 percent to 42 percent. (NBC News)

One interesting item from the poll shows that Trump has a commanding lead among the uneducated, I mean people without college degrees (57%-35%). This is probably true and in line with what I see on Facebook…

4

Montana Governor Steve Bullock issued a directive on Wednesday requiring face coverings in certain indoor spaces and for certain organized outdoor activities in counties currently experiencing four or more active cases of COVID-19 to slow the spread of the virus in Montana. (Press Release)

And the anti-maskers went berserk…

#MaskUpMT

1

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) announced on Wednesday he has tested positive for the coronavirus and will self-isolate, Tulsa World reports. The 47-year-old Stitt is believed to be the first governor in the U.S. to test positive. He attended President Trump’s rally in Tulsa last month, which the county’s health department director said likely contributed to a surge in cases in the region. (Axios)

He attended President Trump’s rally in Tulsa last month…

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