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Political Numeracy: Mathematical Perspectives on Our Chaotic Constitution
Michael Meyerson
W.W. Norton & Company; ISBN: 0393041727

Politics is ultimately about numbers. Democracies in particular are pervaded by an obsession with numbers since power stems from numerical support by the electorate, in whatever complex form it may manifest itself. Indeed, the US Constitution is full of numbers, from the structure of the Electoral College to the apportionment of legislators to the "ugliest number in the Constitution", which counts each slave as "three-fifths" of a person for tax and representation purposes. This wonderfully instructive book goes beyond the Constitution to look at mathematical foundations of such topics as the abortion debate, the topology of government, interstate commerce, and the appointment of independent prosecutors. High-school math will easily get you through this engrossing book and possibly make you a more enlightened voter. Highly recommended.