We've all heard about "Joe the Plumber" by now. The guy out in Ohio who asked Obama about the ramifications of purchasing the plumbing business from his boss.
Obama's answer about "sharing the wealth" allows his opponents to further paint him as a Marxist. Coupled with the Obama campaign's "95% of Americans get a tax cut" (only about two thirds pay income tax) line and we find Obama in a situation where he comes off sounding like a guy who is trying to paint wealth distribution (Marxism) as a tax cut.
Now the rabid dogs on the left are going all out to discredit Joe Wurzelbacher. They point to him having tax liens on his property, not being a licensed plumber and possibly even being related to the Charles H. Keating, Jr. behind the Keating Five Scandel. The one thing they are not doing is discussing what Obama said to the man. (I'd link to these accounts but you can find them all by doing a Google search on your own.)
It does not matter if Joe Wurzelbacher was a plant or not. What matters is the answer Obama gave him. An answer that many are trying to ignore by attacking the questioner. It's as if some people think that discrediting the man who asked the question will somehow remove the question (and its answer) from the political debate.
Further reading:
Did Barack "Spread the Wealth" Obama Just Blow the Election?by James Pethokoukis
Searching for Obama's 95 Percent by Philip Klein
I’m actually pretty happy that I have no clue what you’re talking about here. Politics is a crazy business, and it’s even crazier how a 1-minute incident can take over the country’s consciousness.
I think it also matters what the left have been doing to Joe ever since he asked that question. He’s a private citizen who is now being crucified and raked over the coals all because he asked a QUESTION. He never sought Obama out; Obama had come to HIS house. I guess that’s what happens when the devil shows up at your doorstep. =X
That is what I find so disturbing. What good is free speech if upon exercising it you are dragged through the mud?
I understand attacking people when they are being a hypocrite but Joe was not being a hypocrite. He was merely asking a question. There is no call for the treatment he has received from the left.
there is no upside to going after this joe. those democrats who do so are only hurting themselves and their candidate. which is why i’m glad that obama, during the debate, addressed joe directly.
clearly, the democrats have a lot of issues themselves. i would recommend to those who are particularly rabid, to look to their candidate as an example of someone who keeps his eye on the ball, focusing on issues, and less on personalities and more trivial matters.
Why does Joe even care whether his taxes go up? He doesn’t pay them, anyway.
If you don’t intend on paying your taxes anyway, the rate could could go up to 100% and it wouldn’t affect you.
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1853025,00.html