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Welcome to “Thursday Numbers!” In case you are 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 the economic relief package, unemployment claims, USA deaths from coronavirus, Great Falls City Commissioners, leadership and communication, Pete Buttigieg, Trump’s reelection, Montana Legislature, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, and much more!

900,000,000,000

Congressional negotiators closed in Wednesday on a $900 billion COVID-19 economic relief package that would deliver additional help to businesses, $300 per week jobless checks, and $600 stimulus payments to most Americans. But there was no deal quite yet. (AP)

Nothing speeds up negotiations more than a major holiday…

885,000

In the week ending December 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 885,000, an increase of 23,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised up by 9,000 from 853,000 to 862,000. The 4-week moving average was 812,500, an increase of 34,250 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised up by 2,250 from 776,000 to 778,250. (DOL)

*Note: On Thursdays, my column is not published until right after 6:30 a.m. (Montana time), so I can post the latest unemployment numbers.

307,512

That is how many people have died in the United States from coronavirus, according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. There are at least 307,512 deaths and 16,981,302 cases across the country so far. The first death in the USA was reported on February 29. (Johns Hopkins)

Last week, there were 289,450 deaths.

10,648

The Great Falls City Commissioners voted to deny forgiveness to the Great Falls Baseball Club, also known as the Voyagers, for their 2020 stadium rent of $10,648. The Voyagers season was canceled due to COVID-19 but the club hosted community events, fundraisers and legion baseball games at Centene Stadium. The COVID-19 restrictions caused the club’s revenues to decline by about 90 percent, according to Scott Reasoner, club president. (The Electric)

In my opinion, the commissioners should have approved the request. Apparently, Billings and Missoula approved rent forgiveness for their baseball clubs.

51

Americans continue to rate their governors more positively for communicating a clear plan of action in response to the coronavirus than they do other political leaders or the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). While 51% of U.S. adults agree that their state’s governor has conveyed such information, 46% say the same of President-elect Joe Biden, 33% of President Donald Trump, and 31% of the CDC. (Gallup)

Trump lied so much before the pandemic hit, nobody believed anything he said after it hit.

38

President-elect Joe Biden introduced his one-time Democratic primary rival Pete Buttigieg as his nominee for transportation secretary Wednesday, saying the 38-year-old can be “a new voice” in the fight against economic inequality, institutional racism, and climate change. (AP)

I like this pick.

36

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and an online survey (released Monday, December 14) finds that 36% of Likely U.S. Voters believe court challenges of election results in several states will result in President Trump’s reelection, but that includes only 21% who say it’s Very Likely. Fifty-nine percent (59%) think it’s unlikely Trump will emerge as the winner, with 43% who feel it’s Not At All Likely. (Rasmussen)

From this point on, it is OK to call the 36% dumbasses…

21-13

Speaking of dumbasses, Republican members of the Montana Legislature voted Wednesday to hold the upcoming session in person and with no precautions like mask use, distancing or testing protocols, though there is the option to participate remotely. The vote came from the Joint House and Senate Rules Committee and fell on party lines, with 21 Republicans for the proposal and 13 Democrats against it. (Lee Newspapers)

My advice: Stay out of Helena from early January through April. There’s a superspreader event happening with clowns running around unmasked.

12-1

The best record in the NFL belongs to my Kansas City Chiefs who are 12-1. The Pittsburgh Steelers are 11-2. The Packers, Saints, and Bills are 10-3. (ESPN)

The Chiefs have a tough game this Sunday against the Saints.

 

 

0-13

The New York Jets are the NFL’s only winless team. They are 0-13. The Jaguars are 1-12. (ESPN)

## WEAR A MASK ##