Monday, November 09, 2009

Duffy Does Sums

"On an annual basis he spends 128.000 and I spend $132,000," said Duffy. "We're within $4,000 of each other and he's attacking me for lavish spending. It's a stunt."

Sharon, from my comments:

Duffy was reported to spend $44,000 in three months... that breaks down to $176,000 per year not $132,000. He appears to be making the mistake of assuming 3 months is a 1/3 of a year instead of 1/4th.... I can't believe this guy made his living in journalism.

6 comments:

Holly Stick said...

Why not? Even many real journalists are not too good with math.

Brad Dillman said...

I think around 50% of journalists are below average in mathematical competency.

Ti-Guy said...

I'm willing to cut the journos some slack in assuming this bit of basic math was accurate.

What I won't cut them any slack for is their unwillingness to assume that anything coming out of Conservative politicians these days is quite likely a lie. Or at best, completely inaccurate.

I figured that would be a welcome change from the Liberals (and liberals, generally) who hide their dishonest moments in a flurry of unnecessary complexity, but I never thought I'd see the day when supposed grassroots political activists would go so out their way to defend these squalid little lies. Nor did I ever think I'd see the day that pundits and academics would be invited onto the media to explain that we should be happy that politicians lie to us all the time, since it keeps the powerful in check when they know the rest of us don't trust them.

How fucking naive and ahistorical.

Terry 1 said...

Duffy will eventually blow a gasket with his arrogance. His CBC "faker" comments could start to haunt him as soon as tonight if the dippers win that NS riding handily.

I also think his expenses should be seriously scrutinized as I do beleive there is mostly partisan party duties in those expenses.

robert_viera said...

Are the expenses of Senators available online? Anyone have a URL?

sharonapple88 said...

Double checked the numbers and the facts, but they appear correct ($44,000 of travel expenses in 3 months breaks down to $176,000 in a year).

Why not? Even many real journalists are not too good with math.

Sad, but true.

I wonder though, how much of this is just bad math skills and how much of this is Duffy playing on the fact that people aren't going to crank out the numbers which gives him the chance to lie to us?

The more I think about it, the more it's astounding that Duffy's in the Senate (the supposed place of sober second thought), reading bills... heck, having anything to do with government.