Consider that the market dropped about 2.5% at the open, before the vote was on the floor, and that Europe had been trading down 4% before Wall Street even had breakfast. Stocks around the world were having an awful day this morning, even though almost everyone assumed the bill was a done deal.

It is unfortunate that the market hasn’t held up long enough for the bill to pass in one form or another, since today’s drop just gives the congress critters an even greater sense of their own importance.

This market is headed way down no matter what, due in large part to 100 years of stupidity and malfeasance from Congress (the Federal Reserve Act, FDIC insurance, Fannie and Freddie, etc.). Government enabled bankers to run bigger and bigger scams, until the whole debt-laden economy became a house of cards. So yes, Congress caused the market to crash.