McCain defends Joe the plumber

None of the working class wants our monies "redistributed" ...please!

Go work for what you want. Stop punishing the responsible parties.

I thought it was Mccain who kept bringing up Joe the Plumber. he mentioned him 19 times in the debate and as a centerpiece for why not to vote Obama. If anyone thrust Joe the Plumber (or Sammy the unlicensed Plumber who owes taxes) into the spotlight it was Mccain.

Another example of rushed erratic "lookee here" politics.

Looks like the McCain campaign has sprung another leak even Joe the Plumber can't fix.
What is it with McCain and vetting his stooges?

Joe the Plumber gave more interviews yesterday, than Palin has given since she was nominated.

Love how McCain once again blames Obama for his own poor vetting of the so-called Everyman Plumber. He can't expect to use Joe as a symbol for the nation and then carp because the Press has the--gulp--nerve to follow up. Turns out Joe isn't a licensed plumber at all, has no record of completing apprentice requirements, is nowhere near to buying the business he said he was, voted for McCain in the Ohio primary, owes back taxes and generally feels a little sketchy. But it's all Obama's fault. Now he's in Florida looking to connect with his own version of Juan the Plumber. Good luck, pal.

Wait a minute, McCain's complaining about the media going after Joe (turns out it's Sam)? McCain is the one that started the media frenzy by citing him several times in the debate! Just last night, he apologized to Joe for bringing him up in his debate!

"Joe the plumber, whose credentials as an working-class symbol, and even a licensed plumber, have come under scrutiny "..It takes less time to get a law degree in Massachusetts than it does a plumbers license. There's nothing wrong with a guy busting his butt as an apprentice in the hopes of some day owning his own business..Joe is merely planning his American Dream. Why does everyone have such a problem with that? So what if he doesn't have a business plan, he has an idea. That's how the road to prosperity starts. The fact that journalists and lefty blogger clowns are questiong a private citizen's qualifications, tax returns and credibility is sick. Joe asked a question, perhaps hypotheical, that revealed Obama's purely Marxist philosophy on income redistribution. He did the media's job, intentionally or not. That's what has Keith Obey and Foon off their rockers..he didn't follow the plan..so now the journalists of shame air a private citizen's personal information for all to see...how professional..Perhaps they're jealous he gets more air time? or horrified that he has the gaul to build his dream outside the plantation of union thuggery. ..This is why the liberal mafia don't get Joe..

sick.

How can McCain blame the media attention surrounding "Joe the Plumber" on the Obama campaign? Unless the TV crews outside his house are paid for by Sen. Obama's campaign, it seems to me that all the attention being paid to this guy is the result of McCain repeatedly mentioning him during the debate.

Look at the desperation from the media. He doesn't have "firm" plans, and Joe isn't his real name. I guess all those people that use their middle names are frauds. At least he doesn't scream racism when someone uses his real name (Barack HUSSEIN Obama). Hang in there, Joe. This negative attention you're getting is only going to be good for the Republicans in the next few weeks.

I for one, am a big fan of both John McCain and Jo the plumber. Matter a fact being a Nashville singer/songwriter I couldn't help but, write and record my latest song "Joe the Plumber" It received some good laughs and great reviews on some Tn. radio stations this mornin' . Thanks Sen. McCain and Joe the Plumber
Listen to a clip at www.myspace.com/jamescainmusic

You people are pathetic. Who cares if this particular "plumber" has a license, I think McCain was merely tying to prove a point by pointing out the answer Obama gave Joe, which by the way is a path to Socialism. What people need to understand is the importance of any type of business, not just plumbing businesses on our economy right now. If small business is required to take a hit to "spread the wealth" there will be less wealth to spread when the majority of these businesses have to close thier doors. I am so tired of the Obama followers trying to get everyone to drink the Kool Aid they are passing out.

Hillarious.....Why are you all so afraid of a common guy like Joe and his simple question? Obama should walk some more streets so we can get to the bottom of his other policies.

More importantly, has anyone bothered to do the math to determine if there is a shred of credibility in Joe Wurzelbacher's claim that Barack Obama's tax policies are going to prevent him from buying the business that is his American dream?

If Joe buys the plumbing business and nets $300,000, Obama has made no bones about the fact that Joe will be paying a higher rate of tax on the amount he makes above $250,000. His marginal tax rate on the $50,000 of income above $250,000 will go up from 36% (the current rate) to 39%.

So for fear that his taxes on $300,000 will go up a whooping $1,500 ($50,000 * .03), we're supposed to believe that Barack Obama’s tax plan is dissuading Joe from buying a business that will otherwise move him up to the upper echelons of the American economic elite?

Come on America, don't buy into this trust-baby perpetrated hog-wash!

If Joe Wurzelbacher's not going to buy this business, it’s not because of a paltry $1,500 tax increase on $300,000 of income. More likely it's the fear of buying a business that could easily fail in the teeth of a recession brought on by eight years of failed trickle-down economic policies that John McCain still shamelessly promotes as the solution to this country's economic problems.

I think that, like Sarah Palin, McCain selected Joe without checking his background first. He should have at the very least, asked Joe if he wanted the spot light before naming him as a national cause. Obama may be a little inexperienced, but McCain is just stupid. He is not only inept, but uncoordinated and just dumb.

you people are the dumbest ive read so far. sorry but Obama's 3% increase isnt anything to worry about. thats 7500 on 250000. if you're making that much, then you wont even notice the difference, and if you're not making that much, then you dont have to worry about it. McCain brought "Joe the Plumber" into this. McCain campaign asked Joe to attend the rally. Watch the interview, he admits it. And then his real name was exploited by the replubicans on their website. He was planted and now its backfiring and McCain is panicking. Typical. McCain,Palin, the Plumber, all complete morons

i am surprised some people on this forums dont get the idea of what a business is....obama's plan will tax 36 to 39 for folks making more than NET INCOME of $250,000...now as plumber you have expenses incl salaries, parts, office etc..which will reduce the total amount below $250,000. if someone is making NET INCOME of $250,000 man they are rich because they would have to make gross of $650,000 [without expenses]...what kinda plumber would make that much

I think that McCain needs to think for himself, hopefully he had some wisdom inside after all he has 70 plus years of life. Right now he is being given a lot of bad advice when it comes to campaigning. Every tactic that the Republic campaign has come up with has truly BACKFIRED on them. Does John McCain have ears to hear and eyes to see what has been happening throughout this whole campaign. A child can see this. Now he has Desparate Sarah Palin out doing more damage to the Republican Party. She has spit out more venom that a poisonous snake. He used Joe the Plumber as if he truly was sincere. He really looks bad on this one. I can't wait to see "Meet the Press" and the other news shows this week-end!

Tootle Loo!!!!

Of course, McCain is defending the fake "Joe the plumber." Joe the plumber has turned out to be a republican plant. Let's take inventory: Joe is not a plumber, and does not have a license to be a plumber; Joe is a registered republican who has lived in both McCain's home state of Arizona, and Palin's home state of Alaska (coincidence? no.). Joe competed with Palin's husband in Alaska on the dog-sled races, and they know each other (coincidence? no). Joe owes back taxes since 2006. Joe's estimation of the value of the company he claimed he wants to buy was overstated by 150%. Joe actually only earned $40,000 last year, and would benefit by Obama's tax plan. But Joe claimed to be someone who could earn over $250,000 and be subject to higher taxes. Joe is related to Charles Keating of the Keating 5 fame (where McCain chose to defend the criminal Keating, while hundreds of thousands of people lost their life savings in the S&L crisis of the '80s). Joe, as it turns out, is not only a republican plant, Joe is a liar. McCain screws up again.

OBAMA/BIDEN 2008!

Who in the hell wants aMUSLIM or a radical black man for our president or anything else for that matter.Maybe Obama ought to take his phoney wife who is not proud of AMERICA and go back to his church with rev.white.Good by and hello to McCain and Palin.

From a blogger friend of mine....

Under Barack Obama's tax plan, the difference between making $249,999 and $250,000 is amazing.

First, any "Joe the Plumber" (or "Josephine the Plumber", for that matter) that makes $249,999 will pay $12,750 in FICA taxes (also known as the payroll tax or the Social Security tax). If Joe happens to be unfortunate enough to make just a dollar more and fit into Obama's "rich" category by making $250,000, that FICA tax, the tax that is taken out of your pay before you even see your paycheck, will jump from a deduction of $12,750 to the new burden of $31,250. If Joe is a self-employed plumber making $250,000, you can add an additional 2.9 percent to that tax bill in the form of a self-employment tax for FICA and Medicare. Therefore, for that mere extra dollar in pay, Joe will immediately see a jump in their FICA taxes by $18,500; or, $22,792 if self-employed or a small business owner. And, for every additional dollar income, thereafter, you will be hit with an additional 12-1/2 percent in FICA taxation and another 2.9 percent in self-employed Medicare taxation (if applicable). That big "jump" in taxes is because Mr. Obama has intentionally, and very politically, left a "donut hole" in his proposed FICA tax tables so he can continue to make the claim that 95 percent of the people making under $250,000 will get a tax cut under his plan.

Currently, there is a tax ceiling of $102,000 on FICA. All incomes after that level pay no additional taxes for that purpose. Logic says that if you need to shore up the Social Security system, you should raise that ceiling; a practice that has been in effect for many years. However, if you are running for President and you want to have a slogan that says you will reduce taxes for anyone making under $250,000 (or 95 percent of tax payers), you can't raise that ceiling. To do that would only raise taxes on people who are currently making over $102,000 but, below $250,000. So, what do you do? Well, you play a game. You leave the tax in place for incomes up to $102,000. Then, you start the tax up again for any income levels above $250,000. This leaves a taxation hole or "donut hole" on the FICA tax from $102,000 to $250,000; and, it keeps your campaign slogan in tact. This is just one of the many "shady" games that Obama has been playing in order to get elected. He never does anything without thoroughly thinking through the political consequence of doing it. Being fair or truly logical never really enters into his equation.

So much for FICA. Now, lets focus on the effect of the new tax tables under Obama and how that would effect Joe if he makes $249,999 or just a dollar more at $250,000. If Joe is single, there would hardly be any difference in the tax at $249,999 or at $250,000. However, if married, Joe would see a jump in taxes. At $249,999, the married filing-jointly taxpayer would be hit with a 33 percent tax rate. For a dollar more, the tax rate jumps to 36 percent. Now married...Joe would have a tax bill of $82,500 for his salary of $249,999. If he makes a dollar more, his bill will jump to $90,000 for an increase of $7,500.

In addition, if Joe happens to invest his income in the stock market for his retirement years, Mr. Obama's plan will go after him with even more taxes. That's because Obama will raise the capital gains tax from 15 percent to 20 percent for all taxpayers making above $200,000 or, $250,000 for those married and filing jointly. Certainly, the application of this tax would be outside of any tax-free investment fund like an I.R.A. account that our "plumber" could be involved with. But, have no fear, when Joe starts pulling his money out of his previously tax-free IRA Account, the Tax Man, Obama, will be there waiting for him.

To recap, assuming our "plumber" is married and self-employed, the increased tax penalty of making $250,000 versus $249,999 under Obama is about $30,292. Quite the penalty for simply making a buck more than $249,999. Quite the penalty for being successful. A penalty that could easily put off expanding his business by hiring additional people at some later date. And that's the crux of raising taxes on a business like Joe's (or Josephine's).

Not included in this number (because I don't know what percs his business currently offers) is Obama's plans for healthcare. If our plumber's business doesn't currently provide any health insurance, it will certainly have to provide it under an Obama Administration. Depending on how many employees he has, it could easily cost our plumber more than $2500 a year per employee; assuming a 50 percent tax credit for any "employer provided healthcare" costs under Obama's plan.

Barack and his team would argue that "Joe" would get all kinds of small business tax breaks under his plan. Sure, if he hired another plumber at, say, $42,000 a year (the average minimum journeyman plumber's salary in America), the Obama plan would give him a small incentive deduction on his income tax. But, that credit would hardly offset his original increased taxes of $30,292 and the cost of his new employee with health insurance. If he still did it, he would be down over $70,000 from the current Bush system of taxation.

Obama's tax plan gives billions to those who don't pay tax. I really believe Joe the Plumber (who's full name is Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher) is madder about that. Under an Obama administration, he will remove 15 million more low-income people from the tax rolls. This is above the 20 million more low-income people that the Bush's tax-cuts-for-the-rich system saved from paying taxes. And, that was over the Clinton Administration's 30 million who were dropped from paying taxes. When it's all said and done, it is expected that more than 55 million working Americans won't pay taxes. but, Obama's plan doesn't just stop at that. He will take the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) to new heights.

Currently, under the guise of the EITC, low-income tax filers who wind up paying no tax will actually receive a check from the IRS/U.S. Treasury if they have children. For having one child, a low income worker can expect to receive a rebate check of $2853 in tax year 2007. Two children will earn a check in the amount of $4716. Also, if you are a low-income tax payer and do owe some tax, your tax burden can also be reduced to zero by the amount of these rebates. If your tax burden is below the amount, you will get a check for the difference. For example, if you have one child and you owe $1000 in taxes, the applied EITC will set your tax to zero and you will receive a check in the amount of $1853.

The Obama plan adds a bunch of new EITC's to the tax laws. First, he adds a basic $500 EITC deduction for singles ($1000 for married) in something that he calls "Make Work Pay". (It should probably be called "Make Joe Pay" or as Obama originally told Joe: "We need to spread the wealth around.") This deduction will be available to anyone making less than $75,000 ($150,000 married), so Joe will never have a shot at getting his money back since he's upward of $250,000.

If you've got a kid going to college, expect a $4,000 annual EITC check from Barack. 10 percent of your mortgage can be rebateable. If you're low income and manage to save a buck or two, Barack will give you a check for 50% of you savings up to $1000 (I really don't know how the IRS is supposed to keep track of this; but, it's in Barack's plan anyway). If you have kids and only get to see them on weekends, Barack will give you an $1,110 check if you pay child support. No kids? Don't worry, he'll give you another $555....Now back to having kids... Barack will give you 50% on your child care expenses; not to exceed a rebate of $3,000. Finally, if you are single and make less than $75,000 ($150,000 married) and want to buy an Obama-certified "clean" car, you can get a check for up to $7,000 (My guess is that not too many low income families will turn in their old heaps to buy a new car so Barack can save the planet) .

(Please note: Obama is able to claim these rebate checks as tax deductions because he's calculating them as an offset to the FICA taxes that every worker pays. This way, he can claim a tax reduction for 95 percent of working Americans. This is a sham because FICA and income taxes are two separate things. But, the average low-income worker won't care. They will see that Obama either reduced or eliminated the overall amount of their income that they gave to the government. Slick (or slimy) isn't it!)

The thing I like about Obama's plan is that even a non-taxed drug dealer can get paid by our government. All he or she has to do is come up with a few hours of legitimate pay and have some taxes withheld. Then, they can file a 1040 "Obama" and take advantage of all that social gravy. If he or she (the drug dealer) has two kids and buys a new "clean car" and takes out a mortgage on a 5,000 square foot crib, they could expect Uncle Sam to give them $4716 for having the kids; plus $1000 for just being married and not paying taxes due to their illegal activities; plus $3000 in child care credit while they were out "selling"; plus $7,000 for their new car; $1,000 for putting a lot of their drug money in the bank; and, another $6000 dollars for their 5,000 square foot crib (assuming 10% of their $5000/month mortgage payments). For not really working, the government could cough up a total of $22,716 to our fictitious drug dealing family. Of course, many on the left would say that this couldn't really happen. Like people don't already defraud our government! To some degree, many enterprising people will figure out how to work this system of Obama-give-aways. Just as they have figured out how to cheat every other form of welfare and social programs that our government comes up with. Medicare and Social Security are just riddled with fraud and this tax system won't be any different. Just mark my words.

Besides the cheating, you can expect that Mr. Obama's tax plan will just keep a lot of tax attorneys and tax accountants busy finding ways to dodge his new taxes. With over 27,000 pages of tax code, there is an endless supply of loop-holes. In Joe's case, above, the whole amount of increased taxes ($30,292) could be eliminated by simply buying a dollar's worth of stuff for his plumbing business to reduce his income. That could be a box of pencils. It could even be a dollar more of charitable giving. And, believe me, the tax accountants will find the ways to keep businesses, like Joe's, from paying any more in taxes than they should.

Mr. Obama's tax plan will just make taxes more complicated than it already is. He's using it for the votes and he will implement it for his re-election and for the future election of any Democrat. However, once you start giving money away, as in this tax plan, you can never take that benefit away. If, as an affluent society, we can afford to do this kind of thing then, so be it. But if the economy turns sour (as it may next year), the number of tax paying Americans will be reduced by slower business activity and unemployment. This kind of program then becomes an ever increasing burden because the tax receipts will just keep going down, and the number of low-incomed families, eligible for an Obama tax rebate, will keep increasing.

In my view, this is a ridiculous plan that will only expand our deficit. Something that Obama claims he is committed to reduce. I'll believe that when I see it. The reality of Obama's tax plan is that it is a new form of welfare. It is a "Robin Hood Like" rejiggering of society. It is socialism; plain and simple. It is a redistribution of wealth on a grand scale. It penalizes those who work hard, and, in many cases, it rewards those who didn't commit themselves to either getting an education or working hard. In some cases, it may actually pay people for not working; as was the case of the welfare system that had to be eliminated over 12 years ago. That's why Joe "The Plumber" is really mad about Barack Obama's tax plan.

cuttingthroughthefog.com

If anyone of us asked Obama a question and the left wing media didn't like the answer...we too would be smeared for any wrong turns we made during our lifetime.
Leave the man alone. He is a hard working person just like the rest of us and doesn't neeed to be attacked. This is America and we are able to ask questions and recieve honest answers, whether or not we agree . Let's not lose sight of the wonderful freedom we have!

This is how we got into the Iraq war,not checking facts, to quick on the trigger .McCain should check his facts ,this shows poor judgement to use some one for your main economic points when they don't pay taxes or they do not have a license.The worst thing is that McCain should have sent an advance team out to interview the man ,if you are to mention him at least 15 times.This again cast doubt on how McCain makes decisions.

I am 40 years old and I can't believe I'm watching this. It is irrelevant whether or not Joe is ligit. The question is. Answer the question! To spread the wealth around is the answer? I am so tired of Americans being treated like victims!! We have been working our a***** off and being responsible Working Americans!! Spare me the rhetoric. We do not appreciate being used as a topic of discussion. We run this country. Pretty soon, we'll remember that.

Joe the Plumber is not even a licensed Plumber and is delinquent on his taxes. He's a fraud, just like the republican party.

i concider myself a average"joe"if asking a president canidate a question who comes to"my house" is a legit reason for the media to cruify me i'll pass my vote to mccain even though i really dont want too.

DID ANYONE ELSE NOTICE THAT McCAIN NEVER DENIED HIS PLAN TO TAX HEALTH CARE? AND THAT HE NEVER ONCE SAID HE WOULD TAX THE HUGE CORPORATIONS., BUT TRIES TO BLAME OBAMA FOR TAXING ANYONE MAKING OVER $250,OOO. , AND JUST DIDN'T GET IT AS FAR AS OBAMA'S PLAN OF SPREADING THE WEALTH. IF THIS IS THE CASE, HOW WILL HE HOLD UP DISCUSSIONS IN FOREIGN RELATIONS.

This latest attack on Joe Wurzelbacher, "Joe the Plumber", is not about Mr. Wurzelbacher. This is a direct attack on ALL of us, "Joe Public". My version of the American dream is, and hopefully will continue, to be philanthropic. I am all for helping, at my own discretion. Whether it be a kind word of encouragement, monetary contributions or supplying work by my efforts, we are all in this together. We have a moral responsibility to give what we can. The idea of mandatory "spreading the wealth" is very frightening. Joe Public has the right to freedom of speech, yet when asking the first question allowed to "that one", we are interrogated and "vetted" simply because his inadvertent "spread the wealth" answer was not properly screened by the DNC. We are not running for the most powerful office in the world, Barack "Kallell(superman)" Obama is. Some of the most serious things are said in jest. So we see Clark "Barry Soetoro" Kent, the mild mannered presidential candidate, fighting for his version of truth, his version of justice and his version of the American way which has a socialist/marxist tone. For now, we are the kriptonite that weakens his audacity of hope. Respectfully, We The People, Joe Public