The Lessons of Joe The Plumber

Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, the guy whose last name McCain botched in the debate last night and then referred to as "Joe The Plumber" about a jakillion more times, has been the subject of much discussion, speculation and amateur sleuthing on the blogs today. The MSM has joined in as well cos what the heck, how many loop tapes of McCain rolling his eyes and grimacing can we really get a belly laugh from?

ABC:

The Ohio plumber of 15 years came into the spotlight Sunday when he met Obama as the Democratic senator campaigned in Toledo, Ohio. Wurzelbacher questioned Obama about his plan to increase taxes for incomes of more than $250,000.

Wurzelbacher told Obama he was trying to buy a plumbing business that would put him in that tax bracket and wondered how much he would be taxed if he acquired it.

Joe Biden weighs in:

Joe Biden sounded skeptical of “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher’s working-class credentials Thursday.
[...]
“The Joe the plumbers in my neighborhood, the Joe the cops in my neighborhood, the Joe the grocery store owners in my neighborhood — they make, like 98 percent of the small businesses, less than $250,000 a year,” said the Democratic VP nominee. “And they’re going to do very well under us, and they’re going to be in real tough shape under John McCain.”

To ABC News, JTP:

...acknowledged that he wants to purchase the plumbing business for $250-280,000, not that he would net that much in profits.

He would make much less, he said.

Which would seem to indicate that he would be eligible for an Obama tax cut, not that he would be subject to the tax increase from 36% to 39% Obama would impose on those making more than $200,000 per person, or $250,000 per family.

Yeah that seems fishy to me too. The CNN post (from above) notes:

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters in the United States in 2007 was $47,350.

The AP reports that JTP does not have a plumbing license because he's an apprentice for someone who does have a plumbing license. There is some dispute over that issue but regarding his business ownership plan, JTP told the AP that:

...he doesn't have a good plan put together on how he would buy Newell Plumbing and Heating.

[...]

"There's a lot I've got to learn," he said.

No kidding. For starters, if you're so worried about future taxes you might have to pay if you buy a plumbing business, you'll prolly wanna clear up the back taxes you owe first. Also, you might not want to piss off your state's AFL-CIO before you even buy your first business. (The OH AFL-CIO says JTP is "not a plumber he's a businessman.")

But at the end of the day, we go back to the beginning. (I saved the best for last.) When JTP met Barack Obama, he was a registered Republican and had voted in his state's primary in March of this year. Obama wasn't likely to get this man's vote. So Obama blew him off and moved on to someone who was swayable? Not at all. He spoke to JTP in a friendly and honest way, not because Obama thought he could get JTP's vote but because that's what a decent guy does. And that's why Barack Obama is my candidate. Spread the Wealth!

Update, 10-17-08:  I don't think I want to start another post about JTP :::yawn::: but I will toss out links as I come across them, in case anyone hasn't had their fill yet:

Racist remark?

Say it ain't so!  McCain is no longer palling around with JTP.