I Love Joe the Plumber
If any one watched the third and final Presidential Debate last night, they learned absolutely nothing new about the future of the American healthcare system. Except of course that there's a guy named Joe the Plumber whom both of the candidates were making love to or pandering to....it's hard to tell these days.
In any case, McCain told us that under Obama's healthcare plan Joe's small plumbing business would force him to buy into scary almost-socialized-medicine or be fined. (Plus he's rich in Obama-land, says McCain!) Obama said that McCain's $5000 voucher for healthcare would hardly be a drop in the bucket toward Joe's hefty premiums leaving him to fork over the rest for himself and leaving his employees out in the cold.
Neither Obama nor McCain told us anything that we hadn't heard, positive or negative, actually true or disinformation, in countless stump speeches before.
Disappointing for sure--and not a word about social justice, public health, or any other important bioethics topics. Not to mention stem cells or any other topics one would have thought might have surfaced in the 2008 election.
Just about Joe--first it was Sixpack, then it was the Plumber. What American icons are left? Joe Burger? Joe Comic Book? Joe Pickup Truck? There's only so many demographics left to pander to, candidates.....
Alas, at least we know what McCain and Obama's priorities' are for the next 18 days--talking to Joe the Plumber.
Summer Johnson, PhD
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Watch for a send-up of Joe the Plumber and McCain on the next SNL, which is where they both belong. Let's not shed any tears over Joe and his higher taxes. He'll be sitting pretty throughout the recession. Hiring a plumber isn't a discretionary expenditure. If you need one, you'll hire one regardless of what the economy's doing. And for all his whining about being penalized for trying to reach the American Dream, Joe's no poster boy for those who are trying to do the same. Appearing on a talk show this morning, Joe said that when he asked Obama about his taxes, Obama "tap danced" around the issue "like Sammy Davis Jr." Apparently he thinks an African-American who aspires to the office of the presidency is as laughable as a dancing ape. He may not even be aware that his remark was racist, which is the most frightening part of this sorry episode.
- by jill on Oct 16, 2008 at 1:29 PM | link
I am sure that SNL will have a field day with this one...
www.cafepress.com/joetheplumber77
- by ck burrell on Oct 17, 2008 at 12:57 AM | link
A serious, yet amusing, website about Joe the plumber:
http://myjoetheplumber.com/
- by Andy on Oct 17, 2008 at 12:59 AM | link
Forget the character attacks, however deserved or not. Let’s deal with the actual issue that was raised. Here’s a relevant excerpt from the (very) conservative Wall Street Journal article of OCTOBER 17, 2008, 'As Joe the Plumber Grows Famous, the Politics Get Murkier':
"To reach a level that would be affected by Sen. Obama’s proposed tax increase, Mr. Smither said, a mom-and-pop plumbing company like Newell would have to clear $5 million in annual sales. [Joe’s company actually reports only $100,000 in sales.]
Even if Mr. Wurzelbacher reaped taxable income from his business of $280,000 a
year, he'd pay only about $900 more a year in taxes under Sen. Obama's plan, which
would raise the tax rate on the income between $250,000 and $280,000 to 36%
from 33%.
[...]
If Mr. Wurzelbacher earns the wages of a typical Ohio plumber, $40,600, and holds a $90,000 mortgage, he would see a TAX CUT (emphasis added) under Sen. Obama's plan of more than $1,000, compared with no tax reduction under Sen. McCain's.
If he succeeds in buying the plumbing business where he works, he could see even more tax benefits, including Sen. Obama's proposed elimination of capital-gains taxes for small-business investment, a 50% tax credit to purchase health insurance for employees and a $3,000 tax credit for every new hire over the next two years."
Yep … facts are pesky things.
- by UnaffiliatedIndie on Oct 18, 2008 at 1:18 AM | link
As I read on another blog there seems to be an endless well spring of guys like Joe the Plumber. They make a loud of assertions that dont hold up. They seem to be generic high school grads who look down on anyone with a higher level of education and use threats of violence against perceived weaklings to wreak their ignorance. Lot of people like this; I tried my best to get along with them but really cant because the level of ignorance seems to be almost genetic in nature. I tried though. Tried my best and wasted time doing so on jobs they work at.
- by Stevo on Oct 26, 2008 at 2:52 PM | link
yeah it kind got old after hearing him say 'joe the plumber' like 50x :/
-jack
- by Insinkerator on Oct 27, 2008 at 4:44 PM | link