If You Ain't Outraged

Sure everyone and their mother have blogged these pointed stats from the Independent's article "George W Bush and the Real State of the Union," but the paper's gone and archived 'em, so I thought I'd share a select few, too. For posterity's sake.

• 501: Number of American servicemen to die in Iraq from the beginning of the war - so far [534 as of 02/09/04 - RS]
• 0: Number of American combat deaths in Germany after the Nazi surrender to the Allies in May 1945
• 0: Number of coffins of dead soldiers returning home from Iraq that the Bush administration has allowed to be photographed
• 0: Number of funerals or memorials that President Bush has attended for soldiers killed in Iraq
• 100: Number of fund-raisers attended by Bush or Vice-President Dick Cheney in 2003
• 13: Number of meetings between Bush and Tony Blair since he became President
• 10 million: Estimated number of people worldwide who took to the streets in opposition to the invasion of Iraq, setting an all-time record for simultaneous protest
• 16,000: Approximate number of Iraqis killed since the start of war
• 10,000: Approximate number of Iraqi civilians killed since the beginning of the conflict
• $100 billion: Estimated cost of the war in Iraq to American citizens by the end of 2003
• $13 billion: Amount other countries have committed towards rebuilding Iraq (much of it in loans) as of 24 October
• 36%: Increase in the number of desertions from the US army since 1999
• 92%: Percentage of Iraq's urban areas that had access to drinkable water a year ago
• 60%: Percentage of Iraq's urban areas that have access to drinkable water today
• 32%: Percentage of the bombs dropped on Iraq this year that were not precision-guided
• 45%: Percentage of Americans who believed in early March 2003 that Saddam Hussein was involved in the 11 September attacks on the US [By 09/04 that number had grown to almost 70% - RS]
• $127 billion: Amount of US budget surplus in the year that Bush became President in 2001
• $374 billion: Amount of US budget deficit in the fiscal year for 2003
• $23,920: Amount of each US citizen's share of the national debt as of 19 January 2004
• 10: Number of solo press conferences that Bush has held since beginning his term. His father had managed 61 at this point in his administration, and Bill Clinton 33
• 28: Number of days holiday that Bush took last August, the second longest holiday of any president in US history (Record holder: Richard Nixon)
• 13: Number of vacation days the average American worker receives each year
• 3: Number of children convicted of capital offences executed in the US in 2002. America is only country openly to acknowledge executing children
• 1st: As Governor of Texas, George Bush executed more prisoners (152) than any governor in modern US history
• 80%: Percentage of the Iraqi workforce now unemployed
• 55%: Percentage of the Iraqi workforce unemployed before the war
• 130: Number of countries (out of total of 191 recognized by the United Nations) with an American military presence
• 40%: Percentage of the world's military spending for which the US is responsible
• $10.9 million: Average wealth of the members of Bush's original 16-person cabinet
• 88%: Percentage of American citizens who will save less than $100 on their 2006 federal taxes as a result of 2003 cut in capital gains and dividends taxes
• $42,000: Average savings members of Bush's cabinet are expected to enjoy this year as a result in the cuts in capital gains and dividends taxes
• $42,228: Median household income in the US in 2001
• $116,000: Amount Vice-President Cheney is expected to save each year in taxes
• 44%: Percentage of Americans who believe the President's economic growth plan will mostly benefit the wealthy
• 700: Number of people from around the world the US has incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
• 1st: George W Bush became the first American president to ignore the Geneva Conventions by refusing to allow inspectors access to US-held prisoners of war
• 1st: First president to execute a federal prisoner in the past 40 years. Executions are typically ordered by separate states and not at federal level
• 9: Number of members of Bush's defense policy board who also sit on the corporate board of, or advise, at least one defense contractor
• 35: Number of countries to which US has suspended military assistance after they failed to sign agreements giving Americans immunity from prosecution before the International Criminal Court
• $300 million: Amount cut from the federal program that provides subsidies to poor families so they can heat their homes
• 29,000: Number of American troops - which is close to the total of a whole army division - to have either been killed, wounded, injured or become so ill as to require evacuation from Iraq, according to the Pentagon
• 90%: Percentage of American citizens who said they approved of the way George Bush was handling his job as president when asked on 26 September, 2001
• 53%: Percentage of American citizens who approved of the way Bush was handling his job as president when asked on 16 January, 2004

Know that bumper sticker that says something like, "If you aren't outraged, you aren't paying attention"? Apply.