To the Editor:
A few years back there were lots of stories of parents being unable to help their kids with math homework because the schools were teaching “the new math.” So here’s a little math quiz using the “new math.” Try not to peek at the answers.
Question: When is 90 more than 100?
Answer: when you are microwaving. 100 will translate to 60 seconds (i.e. 1 minute), and 90 will be 90 seconds, or 1 1/2 minutes.
Question: When is two larger than 10?
Answer: when you are a Republican senator trying to pack the Supreme Court.
The Republican senate held up even considering Merrick Garland, a notably moderate judge with a strong record, for 10 months in 2016. They claimed that 10 months “was too close to the election and the people should decide.” Now less than two weeks before a presidential election (30 million people have already voted) they are rushing through the nomination of a radically conservative judge with a short record and who won’t answer any questions!
So 10 months is too close to the election, but two weeks isn’t.
Maybe it’s not really “the new math,” maybe it’s just astounding hypocrisy!
Let’s fight to bring back democracy.
Michael Frandzel
Portsmouth, N.H.
Michael:
Ah, yes—the new math. How well we remember being baffled by that little experiment. If we were of a paranoid bent, we might wonder if it was a requisite prelude to Reaganomics.
The Editor