How Much Is a Million?
A very important book review

by Linda Schrock Taylor
by Linda Schrock Taylor

Do not let the size of this book suggest that its 36 pages should be discounted and marginalized. This is a very impressive and very important book for children at all stages of maturity, 2–102 years of age.

• Not only is this book well written, with David M. Schwartz using clear and uncluttered prose to explain mathematical concepts so expansive that they might better be thought of as labels for abstract, rather than concrete concepts;

• Not only is this book well illustrated by Steven Kellogg, in the style typical of his wonderful work in books such as: The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash; Paul Bunyan; Pecos Bill; and Johnny Appleseed;

• Not only is this book the product of the courageous publisher, Scholastic, Inc. willing as it is to risk its reputation in order to educate the People;

• Not only is this book made more relevant by the clever use of meaningful examples and unambiguous drawings;

But this book, when read carefully and duly pondered, serves as a vaccination of sorts against the insidious number-numbing brainwashing methods currently being practiced by the State.

In these days of inflated prices, most notably in the Costs of war; the Costs of welfare; the Costs of bringing contracts home for bosom-buddies; it is the State's hope that by wildly flinging large numbers about, the citizenry will be confused to the point that people will stop trying to visualize exactly how much money has been and continues to be stolen from their pockets and spent on projects totally objectionable to most taxpayers.

Thanks to this marvelous little book, the game is over! The secrets are out! Thanks to this marvelous little book, the means now exist to comprehend the extent to which the State is financially shackling the present and future of every present and future American.

How much is a million? Schwartz clears up the confusion:

"If one million kids climbed onto one another's shoulders, they would be…farther up than airplanes can fly.

If you wanted to count from one to one million…it would take you about 23 days."

How big is a billion?

"If a billion kids made a human tower…it would stand up past the moon.

If you sat down to count from one to one billion…you would be counting for 95 years."

How tremendous is a trillion?

"If a trillion kids stood on top of each other, they would reach way, way, way beyond the moon – beyond mars and Jupiter, too, and almost as far as Saturn's rings.

If you wanted to count from one to one trillion it would take you almost 200,000 years."

200,000 years to count to one trillion!

Yet the State throws such terms around as if they were meaningless; as if Americans should just nod vaguely and say by rote, "Whatever you say, Uncle Sam, just spend away. It's only money. We'll pretend that it is meaningless to us so that you and your bosom-buddies can gain real benefits from our families' real losses."

Picture this: "If you put a trillion goldfish in a goldfish bowl…the bowl would have to be as big as a city harbor."

I would like to picture this: Every politician being required by law to sit down and actually count out the amount that they propose to spend. Yes! The larger the debt they want to approve, the longer it will take them out of commission while they count for 95 to 200,000 years. Even having to sit and count for 23 days would cause them to reconsider spending money that they do not have, thus putting all Americans deeply into debt.

Yes, this book, How Much Is a Million?, clears up confusion; puts government spending into perspective; and suggests an innovative method for limiting congressional spending… "One tax dollar, two tax dollars, three tax dollars, four tax…."

If Congress is forced to count our tax money before they spend it, they will never have enough to support bad habits like wars.

Bring the troops home while we wait…and wait…and wait. Oh, what a money-saver. Meanwhile, check out the Federal Debt Clock and note the rate at which the State is spending our money."

October 25, 2005

Linda Schrock Taylor [send her mail] is an educational consultant, homeschooling mom, and public school special ed teacher. She is available for presentations, inservices, and workshops.

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