Mapping Stimulus Funds vs. Unemployment

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ProPublica used a neat data visualization tool called Many Eyes to create the two maps below, which I’ve chopped up a bit so I could fit them on our blog. The top map displays unemployment numbers by state. The bottom map shows stimulus funds by state. As Oregon, Wyoming, and a number of other states illustrate, there is essentially no connection. The amount of stimulus funds a state will get depends on a number of things, not least among them the seniority and committee assignments of that state’s representatives. Apparently “need” isn’t at the top of the list.

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“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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