USAFacts

Welcome to #JustTheFacts, a new series featuring our founder Steve Ballmer and data directly from the US government. Americans deserve clear, trustworthy facts to make up their minds on today’s most pressing issues. Join Steve as he walks through the data on immigration, the economy, healthcare, and much more to help you inform your perspective. Get the numbers — not rhetoric — ahead of the US elections. Watch our first episodes tomorrow 8/1 on Fox at 9 PM ET/PT and 8PM CT/MT. https://lnkd.in/gDAes94B

How do US emissions compare to the rest of the world? China made up over one-third of global carbon dioxide emissions in 2022. The US was next highest at 12.8% — a total emission of 4.9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide. Just one other country — India — accounted for more than 5% of global emissions. US emissions have declined since peaking at over 6 billion metric tons in 2007 but increased from 2020 to 2022.

Hurricane Helene hit the southeastern US last week, leaving people without food, water, and shelter. According to the Energy Department, over 2 million people are without power. Although it's too soon for the government to release the official fatality count from the disaster, combined estimates from multiple states have put Hurricane Helene’s death toll above 100. Since 1940, hurricanes have been responsible for nearly 11 deaths per year in the US. Some hurricanes have resulted in more fatalities, such as Hurricane Katrina, which claimed over 1,000 lives in 2005, and Hurricane Ian, which claimed at least 116 lives in 2022.

🔋American drivers are charged up about electric vehicles! Sales of electric and hybrid vehicles more than doubled from 2018 to 2021, with hybrids making up the bulk of those sales. Californians are leading the way with over 3,000 registrations per 100,000 people. That’s 66% more than the runner-up Washington at 1,805. Let us know: Are you fueling up or plugging in?

More and more Americans are living without kids in the home. Fifty-eight percent of households are made up of either a married couple without kids at home (29.4%) — which would include those with adult children — or a single person living alone (29.0%). Meanwhile, the share of households with married parents and kids at home has dropped from 44.2% in 1960 to 17.9% in 2023. Single-parent households also declined, falling from 8.1% in 2022 to 7.4%. What does your household look like now compared to when you grew up?

How much do you trust your data sources? Turns out, Americans are least likely to trust the information they get from artificial intelligence. Businesses and social media scored second and third lowest. On the flip side, public TV, radio, national TV, and local news came out on top as the most trusted sources. Our 2024 State of the Facts poll with AP-NORC explores how Americans feel about facts and where they get their data. Learn more in the full report.🔗 https://lnkd.in/gVANeXkx

Congress passed a stop-gap spending bill on Wednesday to temporarily avoid a government shutdown. During a shutdown, non-essential government services may be suspended, including national parks, museums, federal research projects, and processing of some government benefits. It can also mean temporary layoffs for government employees. The last shutdown, in 2019, lasted 34 days, making it the longest in US history. In March, Congress passed funding through the end of the fiscal year, which ends Tuesday. This week’s bill will keep most programs funded through mid-December — when we’ll probably repost this chart.

Major natural weather disasters have become increasingly common in the last four decades. 2023 set a new record with 28 disasters that caused over $1 billion of damage each. Through July 2024, there had been 19. Texas has experienced the most billion-dollar natural weather disasters with 186 events since 1980. Put another way, that’s an average of over four per year. The National Centers for Environmental Information cites increased exposure, vulnerability, and climate change as reasons for the increase.

Steve nailed it: we’re all about education, not persuasion.    Catch his recent interview with Ari Melber, MSNBC where they dig into the numbers driving our economy and how we’re empowering voters with #JustTheFacts. https://lnkd.in/gPrUnSis

🥚 The cost of a dozen eggs in August 2023 would get you seven eggs in August 2024. Grocery prices went up 0.9% over the last year. Prior to that, they increased 11% from 2021 to 2022 — the biggest in 40 years. While the government can take steps to influence prices, it can't control them directly. Several factors have contributed to higher prices: 🔹 Supply chain challenges related to global conflicts and COVID-19 🔹 Inflation 🔹 Higher labor and transportation costs 🔹 Animal disease 🔹 Extreme weather What groceries have you noticed getting more expensive?