Democrat Colorado Gov. Jared Polis performed atrociously during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the state's percentage increases in deaths from all causes, annually between 2020 and 2022, were significantly higher than the national averages.
But this colossal failure and others were ignored in an interview with the governor, conducted by veteran journalist John Stossel, which was published on the opinion page of the New York Post on Aug. 4, and in FrontPage Magazine on Aug. 10.
In 2019, the first year of Polis' tenure, Colorado suffered 39,400 deaths from all causes. But in 2020, there were 47,600 deaths, or a disastrous 21% increase.
In 2021, there were 49,100 deaths in Colorado, or a calamitous 25% increase from 2019.
And in 2022, there were 47,700 total deaths, or another 21% increase from three years earlier.
By contrast, America had 2,855,000 deaths from all causes in 2019, and 3,390,000 deaths in 2020, or a 19% increase.
There were 3,472,000 deaths in 2021, or a 22% increase from 2019.
In 2022, there were 3,288,000 deaths, or a 15% increase from three years earlier.
Thus, America's average annual increase in fatalities is 19%, while Colorado's is an even more abominable 22%.
In neighboring Kansas, the average annual increase in deaths from all causes is 11%, or one-half of Colorado's deplorable rate.
Secondly, in the recent interview, Stossel didn't confront Gov. Polis about the massive learning losses in Colorado public schools on the 2022 Nation's Report Card.
On the 4th and 8th grade math and reading tests, Colorado students totaled 997 points, or 23 points fewer than the 1,020 points in 2019. Since 12 points equal one-grade level, they regressed by 1.9 years.
Nationally, the total score in 2022 for all 4th and 8th graders was 987 points, or 19 fewer than the 1,006 points three years earlier.
But much more catastrophic learning losses in Colorado were suffered by Hispanic students, who are 35% of enrollment. Their total score plunged by a humongous 27 points, or 2.3 years, from 954 to 927 points.
White students, 52% of enrollment, lost 15 points, from 1,059 to 1,044.
And Hispanic students stuck in Denver's dysfunctional schools, who are 52% of enrollment, plunged 29 points, from 932 to 903 points.
Thirdly, in the same article in the New York Post and FrontPage Magazine, Stossel claimed that Gov. Polis "ordered statewide closures" at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, "but he lifted faster than other Democratic-run states."
Polis hypocritically chimed-in that "our businesses reopened really early."
In fact, Colorado's unemployment rate was 12.1% in April 2020 and 6.4% in April 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The national average dropped from 14.7% to 6.1% over this one year.
In Washington, competently led during the COVID-19 pandemic by Democrat Gov. Jay Inslee, unemployment rate dropped from 16.3% to 5.5%.
In Virginia, the rate fell from 11.3% to 4.7%, under then-Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam.
In Florida under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, the rate fell from 14.0% to 4.8%.
In Nebraska, whose governor during the pandemic was Republican Pete Ricketts, the unemployment rate declined from 7.4% to 2.8%.
Undoubtedly, Colorado Gov. Polis has joined the infamous list of influential Americans, including Dr. Anthony Fauci and Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who have unsuccessfully attempted to erase their egregious failures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mark Schulte is a retired New York City schoolteacher and mathematician who has written extensively about science and the history of science. Read Mark Schulte's Reports — More Here.
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