Joe the Plumber

[Anonymous]

I read that Joe the Plumber is not actually registered to vote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He is so voting for McCain...

I don't know about that. McCain drew attention to him. It turns out, he is not a licensed plumber. But he works in a jurisdiction that requires a license to be a plumber. So McCain might have screwed him out of a job. I would not be happy about that. I would also not be happy about having my face splashed across the news.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read that he wants to buy a business that he thinks will make about $250,000 to $270,000. Does that mean -- that would be his profit every year? That's nice, though for Pete's sake, that's not "millions".

I heard what Obama said to him. He said up to $250,000 of income would not be taxed at a higher rate. But the portion of his income ABOVE $250,000 would be taked at a higher rate -- from $250,000 to $300,000 (if I recall correctly) would be takes at something like 3% higher than it is right now.

Does that sound right?

In that case, we're talking about an extra 3% on $20,000 for him, if his business will make $270,000. That's about an extra what -- $600?

If all that is true (and I'm sure it might not be -- I'm just going by memory) well, he's not going to be making millions but he also won't exactly be paying through the nose either.

No way they are clearing 250K profit. It's a two person plumbing business. That's probably their gross, including materials. Deduct materials and salary for the non-owner, and you end up with quite a bit less.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:I read that Joe the Plumber is not actually registered to vote.

His name was apparently misspelled and he is registered -- as a Republican.

He is technically not a plumber, he is not an independent, he doesn't earn enough to have his taxes raised by Obama, and -- here's the best part -- his name is not even Joe (though he goes by that). This guy is the perfect symbol of the McCain/Palin charade, err, campaign.

Oh, and he owes back taxes.

[Anonymous]

18:39 here. Sorry, he is registered to vote, as Jeff said. He voted in the Republican primary. But I think he is perhaps not licensed to drive. Though he does.

[Anonymous]

It seems that the whole Joe story is riddled with problems, and he and his employer may be in for legal difficulties thanks to the attention:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27221645/

[Anonymous]

With the technology of the world today, and the internet being the 'information highway', Im sure that people might be able to find out what I ate on Tuesday, April 11th, 1994.

My point is, If you really believe that the Republicans 'planted' this guy and set it all up....then I'd like to sell you some property on the moon.
I mean, really...It can't just be a coincidence that this guy made up this question on his own and twisted things around and wasn't completely honest? Maybe he didn't realize how big this would be or get. It's kind of like when you embelish something on your resume...maybe he didnt think that things would get checked out? Does this always mean that the politicians are behind it? and if so, dont you think that McCain would at least research this 'mole' first? Im not saying he's the smartest guy on the block, but Im sure there might be a smartie or half smartie in his research group.

[Anonymous]

I also think they are reporting today that "Joe" did not pay the taxes that he already owes and is now being pursued by authorities. Wow.

[Anonymous]

I just don't get this. So Joe is not really a plumber, doesn't have the money or even any real plans to buy a business, and his business plan even if he could afford it would not make $250,000 in profit yet he thinks he will pay more taxes under Obama. How hard is it to look on a chart and realize $40 K is below $250K?

Do people out there really believe that all of a sudden they will go from making $40K a year to several million? Why do they vote for tax policies that hurt them rather them help them? I could understand it if they believed in the trickle down theory but it doesn't seem as if they have ever heard about this. Is this like advertising when they show a sexy, beautiful person selling toothpaste and people buy it because the connect the fantasy of the beautiful person with the toothpaste even though there is no relation? Do Republicans just sell a fantasy to the masses? Are we that dumb?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just don't get this. So Joe is not really a plumber, doesn't have the money or even any real plans to buy a business, and his business plan even if he could afford it would not make $250,000 in profit yet he thinks he will pay more taxes under Obama. How hard is it to look on a chart and realize $40 K is below $250K?

Do people out there really believe that all of a sudden they will go from making $40K a year to several million? Why do they vote for tax policies that hurt them rather them help them? I could understand it if they believed in the trickle down theory but it doesn't seem as if they have ever heard about this. Is this like advertising when they show a sexy, beautiful person selling toothpaste and people buy it because the connect the fantasy of the beautiful person with the toothpaste even though there is no relation? Do Republicans just sell a fantasy to the masses? Are we that dumb?

Yes, to both questions.

Isn't that why McPalin had to gaul to say that Palin had the essential foreign policy experience because she can see Russia from Alaska and Putin uses Alaska's airspace?

[Anonymous]

Regardless of the information Joe gave to Obama...or if Joe was a lying sack of s***...or if he was planted by the Reps...The point is, the answer still remains the same. The answer Obama gave to Joe is still how Obama feels things should be done. That's what you have to look at or focus on, not this Joe guy.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:The answer Obama gave to Joe is still how Obama feels things should be done. That's what you have to look at or focus on, not this Joe guy.

Fair point. This is what Obama actually said:

"For folks like me who have worked hard, but frankly also been lucky, I don't mind paying just a little bit more than the waitress that I just met over there who's -- things are slow and she can barely make the rent.

My attitude is that if the economy's good for folks from the bottom up, it's gonna be good for everybody. If you've got a plumbing business, you're going to be better off if you've got a whole bunch of customers who can afford to hire you, and right now everybody's so pinched that business is bad for everybody, and I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."

[Anonymous]

Okay, just have to say this, even though it may be sexist of me.

Joe annoys me most not because he's voting for McCain but because he is one more guy who just has to show off. He is nowhere near buying that business but he just had to act like a big shot in front of the presidential candidate.

I know, I know, I've read my Deborah Tannen. Men feel like they have to establish themselves in the hierarchy so they do stuff like this. (Deborah, if you're reading this and I'm wrong, please correct me.) But I can just imagine Joe's ex-wife sitting next to him at a party while he goes on and on about something he hasn't really done or knows nothing about. I'm not sorry that Joe got his comeuppance.

[Really, I love, love, love my dh....but there is a little similarity there. Can you tell? ]

[Anonymous]

I think Joe is emblematic of a sector of the population that the GOP depends on: the lower middle class people who would be much better off under the Democratic Party, but who vote Republican because they fool themselves into thinking that they are more likely to become the kind of people who are better off under Republicans if they vote Republican.

In other words, they confuse the fact that rich folks tend to be Republican with the assumption that becoming Republican makes you more likely to become rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of the information Joe gave to Obama...or if Joe was a lying sack of s***...or if he was planted by the Reps...The point is, the answer still remains the same. The answer Obama gave to Joe is still how Obama feels things should be done. That's what you have to look at or focus on, not this Joe guy.

Thank you - it is not the question that resonates but Obama's answer.