Political Punch

What is more telling is that this article doesn't mention what other reports note - that one of these guys is from Australia and is not voting for anyone, and one of the main guys with plungers is the president of the college republicans.

Could the GOP get any more staged?

I'm a small biz owner and sorry, the reason joe the plumber isn't getting traction is what he said doesn't match with what McCain wanted to make him out as.

And labeling people socialists isn't an insult anymore, it isn't 1950, and people aren't looking to angry mobs as a solution to everyday problems.

The joke of this "joe the plumber" is that these people are actually kidding themselves that they will be taxed more by Obama when very few, if any, make more than 250K per year. Republicans think their base is stupid and that they can convince them to vote against their own interests and vote for a candidate that will tax the middle class and give tax breaks to the richest corporations. "We are joe the plumber?" - stop embarrassing yourselves.

Can we get beyond one democrat talking point lie? Corporations do not pay taxes
anymore than a house pays property taxes.
Can't you guys get that through your so
called superior "intellect".
People pay taxes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reality Check, I ask you: When Sen. Obama doesn't cut your taxes but instead raised your taxes what will you do?

The current financial crisis was NOT caused by deregulation. It was caused by government interference in the free market. The forcing of banks to lend money to individuals who could not afford to make the payments; the pushing of the flexible subprime mortgage rates; the lack of Congressional oversight; and the Democrats protecting Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac in spite of numerous warnings by the Bush Administration and several GOP Senators (including Sen. McCain) is what caused the financial crisis.

Is there a definition for a typical Republican? Mine is: Any body who believes that Joe the plumber is real. He's a plant that got caught. No wonder the republicans are screaming so long and loud. If they scream enough, the fact that he's a phony and exists nowhere in real life will be ignored. There has got to be a republican somewhere with upper double digit IQ points. Can't they find him/her?

"typical republicans"? I don't think that there is any such thing as a 'typical' republican, any more than there is a 'typical' democrat. But I do find it amusing that the stereotype of republican has changed-- so now republicans are poor people who want to be rich, instead of just spoiled white rich people? If you mean we are 'typical' because we think that individuals should get to keep more of their own money and pay less in taxes (after all, a tax break is just a way of allowing us to keep more of our own money), you are right. It's not "trickle down"-- it's the reality that poor people, whatever else they contribute to our society, do not create jobs. Economic policies that punish wealth creation punish job creation. People with higher incomes spend those incomes, and that spending has a multiplier effect. That also helps keep Americans employed.

I'm a Republican-- and I'm neither wealthy (although my tax bracket seems to suggest otherwise *G*) or poor. So I guess in your book, I'm not 'typical.' I'm not waiting for scraps from anyone's table-- I can pull my own weight and mostly just want the government to stay out of my way.

RealityCheck,

Hon, we diabetics don't drink kool-aid(t). And I do not expect John McCain to cut my taxes. If he does, that's great. If he doesn't, as long as he does not raise them overmuch, I'll be fine. But you know, I do not base my votes on sheer personal economic benefit. As our pal Spock taught us, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one. (or esp. The One)

My vote will go to John McCain because I think he will be the best leader for our country. I know he will be a strong commander in chief who will keep our country safe. I know he will promote nuclear energy and offshore drilling as well as alternative energy development (such as his prize for an improved electric car battery) in order to make our country energy independent. I know he will handle our financial crisis in a pragmatic way and will investigate the mismanagement of Fannie and Freddie and the way key congresspeople (particularly Democrats like Barney Frank and CHris Dodd) protected these institutions and ignored calls for reform from John McCain and others. I know he will keep taxes low for all Americans (rather than institute a greater transfer of wealth program by 'reducing taxes' for the 40% of Americans who don't pay taxes) and lower them for american corporations, as part of his plan to encourage economic growth. I know he will not raise taxes on small business owners, which would crush the engine of job creation in this country, or insult their intelligence with promises of a one-year 3000 credit for each job created (hardly offsets the cost of creating that job or balances out the tax increases Obama will impose on many of those small businesses). And finally, I know that he will do his best to reform Washington, taking on entrenched interests, hyperpartisanship, government waste, and the corrupting influence of earmarks.

Btw, anybody who can say with a straight face that McCain and Palin share the same mindset as Bush/Cheney is drinking something harder than Kool-Aid (t), it seems to me. McCain will usher in the changes we need, because he has the experience and the judgment to lead.

What do we expect from these backers of the "MAVERICKS." Typical Republicans...they live dirt poor, and hope to vote republicans for some scraps off the tables of the corporates and Karl Rove.

People who do not pay taxes? Oh, kinda like the McCain sweetheart, Joe the Plumber, who owes $1500 in back taxes.

If you aren't a cool-aid drinker, but can actually think for yourself, let me ask you a question: When McCain doesn't actually cut your taxes what will you do? Later when McCain endorses tax breaks to big corporations with Palin, what will you do? You see McCain and Palin are part of the same political mindset as the current president who made all sorts of promises during the Republican Revolution that dominated the last eight years. The same failed Republican party that enabled corporations like Enron to destroy retirement funds while living fat off the hog in an atmosphere of deregulation. McCain will feign that he tried, but his trickle down approach will drive the economy further into catastrophe. He'll do a hatchet job on needed federal programs and place even more of a burden on the average American tax payer to pay for bailouts that came about as a result of GOP confidence in corporations regulating themselves. You Mcsheeple are scary.

Hi, Sarah! Before you start throwing accusations around that people are lying, maybe we could review the facts. The McCain campaign is not lying about the encounter between Joe W. and Sen. Obama. Let's see what you said:

" The lies spread here and by the McCain campaign just make you shake your head. Obama didn't "show up on this guy's doorstep"--Joe approached him on the street and was then closely followed by the McCain team or consrvative folks (how do you think we saw the footage of him watching the debate?)" What the heck? I'm so tired of reading posts by people who, like their big buddy Obama, want to parse words to twist the situation. Obama did not knock on Joe's door, not, so maybe technically you could say he did not 'show up on Joe's doorstep.' However, the facts are not in dispute (except among the folks rushing to trash Joe's reputation and repair that of their candidate)-- Obama came to Joe's neighborhood, on a photo op of pressing the flesh with ordinary voters on a weekend afternoon during some time off from his debate prep. He was trailed by reporters and camera people-- this was a political event, and it was Obama who drew the cameras into the neighborhood. Obama was entertaining questions from people on Joe's street and Joe joined the group and asked a question of his own. Try to remember-- this is why Obama was there, to show himself reaching out and trying to appeal to potential voters by listening to their concerns and answering their questions.

You say that after the encounter, Joe was 'followed closely' by the McCain campaign or by conservatives, which is why we saw him watching the debate. Sorry, I don't get this at all. After Joe's encounter became news and started being talked about on cable news, the McCain campaign wisely reached out to Joe and apparently told him his name would come up in the debate. I did not personally see footage of him watching the debate, but if there were such footage, I would assume it came from an enterprising news organization that wanted the human interest story.

Finally, everyone keeps obsessing on the fact that Joe would get a bigger tax cut, it appears, from an Obama administration than from a McCain administration. Should Joe's vote, or anyone's, be for sale to the person who pledges to put the most money in his pocket? Is that the only consideration we have in deciding on a leader for our country-- who will give us the biggest amount of tax relief? How bizarre. If Joe decides to vote for John McCain, he will probably decide based on a whole host of reasons, as we all should.

You then went on to say: "I haven't heard jow the "undecided voter" say one positive thing about Obama--from his comments and his past voting record, he's a straight-up Republican."

Again, what's your point? Only undecided voters can ask a question? Obama should not have to talk to Republicans? An undecided voter can't have negative things to say about the candidates? Yes, Joe is a registered Republican, and probably was strongly leaning toward McCain. But he had not voted yet and here was one of the two candidates on his own street, entertaining questions. Why not go over and ask about something on his mind? Why is his question so offensive to some of you? Why are you so up in arms because someone had the nerve to ask Obama a question that was not premised on blind devotion to the man?

You conclude: "It doesn't sound as if he is anywhere near ready to buy a business and apparently his boss's business makes about $150K a year." So WHAT? We can only think Obama's tax plan is wrongheaded if we fall into a particular tax bracket? Joe can't talk about his ambition to buy his boss's business unless he provides accurate detailed information about the time frame of his purchase and the yearly gross of the business? the fact that Joe does not fall into a bracket that will, atleast according to The One's current promises, have their taxes raised, does not change the fact that he is philosophically opposed, as am I, to having the tax code used to take an excessive amount of revenue from one group of people in order to send $500 checks to another group of people who do not pay taxes in the first place.

If you aren't a cool-aid drinker, but can actually think for yourself, let me ask you a question: When Obama doesn't actually cut your taxes what will you do? Later when Congress raises your taxes under Pelosi, what will you do? You see the President doesn't control taxes and the economy, it is Congress. The same failed Democrat controlled Congress that oversaw the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac catastrophe. Obama will feign that he tried, but Congress and the circumstances have his hands tied. He'll be able to cut taxes in his second term. You sheeple are scary.

Someone should remind McCain and the McCainiacs that good ol' Joe the Plumber still owes back taxes. Beyond this, why in the world can these morons be complaining when they would actually be getting a tax cut? Unbelievable.

CRY,CRY,CRY your about to see history made Obamma WINS what a shame sold again to the highest bidder.

The protestors in the
picture don't even look
like aspirants to a
250K annual income.

They don't even know
that they are getting
a tax cut.

Did reporters tell them
that?

None of those protestors will be helped by Obama's tax cuts because all of them obviously make over $250,000/yr.

So, this is where all the republicans having hallucinations gather! Why are all so-called "conservatives" so scared? Does it not occur to you that perhaps you should be thinking of what is best for your country instead of what is best for your wallet? You greedy bastards. We are the richest country in the world! Even the poorest among us have a hundred times more "wealth" than three-quarters of the rest of the world, have you ever noticed that Americans who are poor are so fat! All I hear is republican joe plumbers whining about paying taxes! How about doing what is right by your country and stop your bitching.

Plumbers will flush the democrats on Nov. 4

IF THE CORNERSTONE OF SOCIALISM IS SPREADING THE WEALTH AROUNT--THE BUSH AND CHENEY ARE SOCIALISTS FOR THE RICH-- SPEADING TAX CUTS FOR BIG OIL AND BAILING OUT WALL STREET CORPUTION WITH OUR 700 BILLION IN TAX DOLLARS-CORPORATE WELFARE. THE PROBLEM IS -THAT IS IS JUST FOR THE ELITE RICH SOCIETY. WORKING PEOPLE ARE ON OUR OWN. MUST BE A SWEET DEAL FOR THE RICH AND A SOCIALIST CASH COW!!- AND AS FOR JOE THE PLUMMER-HE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A BUSINESS!! HE SAID IT HIMSELF. HE WAS JUST A MCCAIN "PLANT I BELIEVE)- IF HE IS A REPUBLICAN WHY WAS HE AT THE OBAMA RALLY-BECAUSE MCCAIN'S CAMP SENT HIM THERE. MORE OF MCSAME'S LIES. MCCAIN WILL CERTAINLY PAY MORE PLUMMERS TO LIE. ALL THE REPULICANS HAVE EVER HAD WAS DECEIT AND LIES-NO ANSWERS FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS. --OBAMA-BIDEN ALL THE WAY.

Kellie, you wrote: "I think 95% of the voters probably are the people who make under 250,000.00 dollars! If you make that you should give more! Give me a break! How golly you must be to expect not to pay your share!"

Speaking on behalf of all those paying over 250,000, I must say that we already pay far more than our "share." I do not begrudge the government the huge amount of taxes I pay annually, actually. In fact, people in our family often urge my spouse and I to get ourselves a more creative accountant who could help us figure out how to avoid paying so much. We always smile and pass, content to pay honestly on the money we earn. That does not mean I feel that we should be asked, in tough economic times, to shoulder even more of the burden. The top 5% already pay 60% of the taxes-- so I'm comfortable in claiming we are pulling our weight.