Comments on: House Republicans Need to Get a Clue

By: rtjfinancial

rtjfinancial — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 04:00:14 +0000

Agreed. The problem is for the general public that regardless of the percentage drop, which wasn’t all that bad in historic context, an almost 800 point one-day drop is psychologically damaging.

By: jonolan

jonolan — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:56:09 +0000

Yeah, but let’s calm down and remember that the closed 777 pts down at 10,365.45! Think about that figure compared to say 2001 or 2004.

By: rtjfinancial

rtjfinancial — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:37:27 +0000

Wow, bad day for math all around. Dow was off 777 points. That’s why the rejection of this thing was so important. It was as much psychological as anything.

By: jonolan

jonolan — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:14:17 +0000

Umm – just reran those numbers – 65 / 199 = 32.6%, not 40.4%

By: rtjfinancial

rtjfinancial — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:39:44 +0000

Happens to the best of us sometimes!!

By: jonolan

jonolan — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:32:07 +0000

Sorry about that. I admit freely that my math was slightly off.

By: rtjfinancial

rtjfinancial — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:23:12 +0000

Thanks for the reply jonolan. Only one problem, your math is way off. By your own tally:

Democrats: 140 (yes), 95 (no) – 140/235 is 66.8% of Democrats voting yes.

Republicans: 65 (yes), 133 (no), 1 (abstain) – 65/199 is 40.4% voting yes.

I’m all for disagreement but at least get your math straight before commenting.

By: jonolan

jonolan — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:11:53 +0000

Now for some truth:

Democrats – 140 (yes), 95 (no)
Republicans – 65 (yes), 133 (no), 1 (abstain)

Bill fails 205 to 228 with 1 abstaining

Perhaps you shouldn’t “blame” the Republicans when 68% of the Democrats voted against the Bill and only 48% of Republicans did so.