Joe the Plumber appreciation thread

[Sage 703]

Even better - Joe the Plumber is a relative of Charles Keating!
 
  http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/10/the-vetting-of.html
 
 From the HuffPost article Sullivan cites:
 
 "Anyway, back to Robert Wurzelbacher, Joe the Plumber's father. You see, Robert Wurzelbacher was an executive of American Continental Corporation, the parent company of Charles Keating's Lincoln Savings. That's the bank which caused citizens to lose their life savings and cost U.S. taxpayers $3.4 billion. As part of that scandal, Robert Wurzelbacher pleaded guilty to three counts of misapplying $14 million and served 40 months in prison."

[azaghal1981]

License article
 
 
 The Keating thing is too funny!

[walkonby]

according to another forum, joe has a profile on manhunt.com (notorious gay website)  not sure if that is true.

[godsshoeshine]

Originally posted by azaghal1981:
  License article
 
 
 The Keating thing is too funny!

He said the business consists of owner Al Newell and him. Wurzelbacher said he's worked there for six years and that the two have talked about his taking it over at some point.

two guys and they are netting $250k? i call bullshit

[nkotb]

Don't we all?
 
 

Originally posted by walkonby:
  according to another forum, joe has a profile on manhunt.com (notorious gay website)  not sure if that is true.

[Sage 703]

Originally posted by callat703:
  Even better - Joe the Plumber is a relative of Charles Keating!
 
   http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/10/the-vetting-of.html
 
 From the HuffPost article Sullivan cites:
 
 "Anyway, back to Robert Wurzelbacher, Joe the Plumber's father. You see, Robert Wurzelbacher was an executive of American Continental Corporation, the parent company of Charles Keating's Lincoln Savings. That's the bank which caused citizens to lose their life savings and cost U.S. taxpayers $3.4 billion. As part of that scandal, Robert Wurzelbacher pleaded guilty to three counts of misapplying $14 million and served 40 months in prison."

Awh, sad.  This would have been amazing if true:
 
 http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/16/133831/42/1001/632600
 
 Robert M. Wurzelbacher, son-in-law of Keating, was 37 years old in 1991 when federal charges were filed against Keating. It appears that he has addresses in Phoenix and Coronado, CA.
 
 The Robert M. Wurzelbacher of Milford, OH, a heavy donor to GOP candidates, is 83 years old and retired. They're not the same person.
 
 Digging to see if this guy is a plant or a hypocrite is a good idea. But I think it's equally important to know the link before idle speculation.

[Mobius]

The premise that Obama's tax plan would affect this guy's ability to buy out his partner is a joke.
 
 Its also weird that this is a real guy.  McCain was talking like he was a made up character like when he said "Congratulations Joe, you're rich."  But he's not rich.

[Venerable Bede]

Ahh yes, let's all completely ignore the basis of why Joe the Plumber got brought up. . .obama told him that taxes should go up so that government can facilitate wealth redistribution.  now, i realize that nearly all of y'all here are more than supportive of that concept. . but, there's a lot of people outside of the east and west coasts that would rather not the government do that. . .

[Sage 703]

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:
  Ahh yes, let's all completely ignore the basis of why Joe the Plumber got brought up. . .obama told him that taxes should go up so that government can facilitate wealth redistribution.  now, i realize that nearly all of y'all here are more than supportive of that concept. . but, there's a lot of people outside of the east and west coasts that would rather not the government do that. . .

Maybe true, though I don't know that this one statement is going to stick to Obama as indicative of his entire plan.  It certainly is a poor phrasing of what increasing taxes on the rich will accomplish - but you certainly could reduce it this way, as many conservative commentators already have.  But you're completely ignoring the basis of what we're bringing up: that it seems like there isn't any reason to believe anything John McCain says anymore.

[manimtired]

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:
  Ahh yes, let's all completely ignore the basis of why Joe the Plumber got brought up. . .obama told him that taxes should go up so that government can facilitate wealth redistribution.  now, i realize that nearly all of y'all here are more than supportive of that concept. . but, there's a lot of people outside of the east and west coasts that would rather not the government do that. . .

wow, someone actually got the point.

[sonickteam2]

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:
  Ahh yes, let's all completely ignore the basis of why Joe the Plumber got brought up. . .obama told him that taxes should go up so that government can facilitate wealth redistribution.  now, i realize that nearly all of y'all here are more than supportive of that concept. . but, there's a lot of people outside of the east and west coasts that would rather not the government do that. . .

you mean the people from the square states?
 
 well there are a lot fewer of them and last time i checked majority rules in this country!

[Venerable Bede]

Originally posted by callat703:
  Maybe true, though I don't know that this one statement is going to stick to Obama as indicative of his entire plan.  It certainly is a poor phrasing of what increasing taxes on the rich will accomplish - but you certainly could reduce it this way, as many conservative commentators already have.  But you're completely ignoring the basis of what we're bringing up: that it seems like there isn't any reason to believe anything John McCain says anymore.

is not obama's entire income tax plan (as opposed to capital gains, payroll and dividend tax plan, which is the issue economists have with obama's tax plan) premised on increasing taxes on those making above $250,000?  isn't that nothing more than government sponsored redistribution, not to mention an extremely progressive and potentially crippling tax hike (sorry, had to throw that in there; i'm not ashamed of my libertarian-ness)?
 
 let's not forget, government intervention isn't always the best thing in an economic panic.  
 
 btw, this is an interesting   fact check

[Venerable Bede]

Originally posted by very sonick:
 
 well there are a lot fewer of them and last time i checked majority rules in this country!

<cue mankie to rail against the electoral college>

[sweetcell]

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:
  Ahh yes, let's all completely ignore the basis of why Joe the Plumber got brought up.

ok, let's not.  joe the plumber claimed that obama's tax plan will hurt him.  but:
   

And his question to Mr. Obama about paying taxes? According to some tax analysts, if Mr. Wurzelbacherâ??s gross receipts from his business is $250,000 â?? and not his taxable income â?? then he would not have to pay higher taxes under Mr. Obamaâ??s plan, and probably would be eligible for a tax cut. (source)

personally, i don't see anything wrong with redistribution.  if this country enables you to make $250k or more, you can pay an extra 4% in taxes - and only on the amount above $250k.  the current government has been redistributing for 7 years now - to oil companies, big business and the rich. i don't get why folks are so quick to run to the defense of the $250k set.

[manimtired]

b/c small companies that register as sole proprietorships deserve this...