Joe the plumber

nixium

Senior member
Aug 25, 2008
919
3
81
This guy is all over the news.

He's not called Joe.

He doesn't have a plumbing certificate or whatever.

He currently doesn't make 250,000.

I understand the political significance of using this guy as an analogy.

However, I find the whole thing ridiculous. It's like a gimmick, used by both sides. It's almost as if the whole thing was planned. Even his name is curiously glib. Joe the plumber - it's too easy!

Why can't politicians be more intelligent in making their points?

Some other phrases I found nonsensical and an insult to one's literary instincts:

executive experience
main street and wall street
joe six pack
empty suit

and don't even get me started on the names used for the candidates...

Should we require everyone to listen to classical music before election cycles so that we can, temporarily at least, upgrade our IQs?
 

Rainsford

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
17,515
0
0
nixium, you're thinking too logically. In American politics, it's not important that you have a good set of ideas so much as it's about telling a good story. He has NO practical relevance to the debate, but he's like the poster boy for the "average American", at least according to the legend of what that's supposed to look like. It would be equally relevant to talk about Diego the Software Developer, but nobody cares what he thinks because he's not directly out of central casting.
 

Corbett

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2005
3,074
0
76
Seriously, some of you guys need to pay attention to what the man actually said.

he said he would LIKE to BUY A PLUMBING BUSINESS that would make over $250,000 a year. A plumbing business, meaning, he would have several plumbers working for HIM.
 

umbrella39

Lifer
Jun 11, 2004
13,816
1,126
126
Fuck him and his fake scenarios. He isn't buying jack or shit. So why lie about something he has no plans for or ability to carry out.
 

Rainsford

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
17,515
0
0
Originally posted by: Corbett
Seriously, some of you guys need to pay attention to what the man actually said.

he said he would LIKE to BUY A PLUMBING BUSINESS that would make over $250,000 a year. A plumbing business, meaning, he would have several plumbers working for HIM.

So why the hell should I care? He wants to own a plumbing business, I would like to own a company myself someday...where's MY centerpiece appearance in the campaign?
 

RKDaley

Senior member
Oct 27, 2007
392
0
0
Here is what Joe said:

"I'm getting ready to buy a company that makes 250 to 280 thousand dollars a year," Wurzelbacher said. "Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn't it?"
[...]"the reason I ask you about the American dream, I mean I've worked hard. I'm a plumber. I work 10-12 hours a day and I'm buying this company and I'm going to continue working that way

 

Corbett

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2005
3,074
0
76
Originally posted by: Rainsford
Originally posted by: Corbett
Seriously, some of you guys need to pay attention to what the man actually said.

he said he would LIKE to BUY A PLUMBING BUSINESS that would make over $250,000 a year. A plumbing business, meaning, he would have several plumbers working for HIM.

So why the hell should I care? He wants to own a plumbing business, I would like to own a company myself someday...where's MY centerpiece appearance in the campaign?

Maybe if Obama comes to YOUR neighborhood you can ask him too? But I have a feeling, Obama has learned his lesson with Joe the Plumber and wont be answering random questions on the fly like that for the rest of the campaign. The guy does great with a teleprompter, but when he wings it like he did in this incident, he shows then real policies he supports.
 

Corbett

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2005
3,074
0
76
Originally posted by: umbrella39
Fuck him and his fake scenarios. He isn't buying jack or shit. So why lie about something he has no plans for or ability to carry out.

Proof? Doubt it.

In any case, hypothetical or not, the reason "Joe the Plumber" is such a big topic now is because it shows the fundamental differences between Obama and McCain.
 

umbrella39

Lifer
Jun 11, 2004
13,816
1,126
126
Give it up and go back to church where you belong. People like you make Dave look smart. Congrats.
 

Dari

Lifer
Oct 25, 2002
17,133
38
91
iirc, in France there were fears of Polish Plumbers taking French jobs in the run-up to the European Constitution vote. The vote failed.
 

Red Dawn

Elite Member
Jun 4, 2001
57,529
3
0
Originally posted by: Corbett
Originally posted by: Rainsford
Originally posted by: Corbett
Seriously, some of you guys need to pay attention to what the man actually said.

he said he would LIKE to BUY A PLUMBING BUSINESS that would make over $250,000 a year. A plumbing business, meaning, he would have several plumbers working for HIM.

So why the hell should I care? He wants to own a plumbing business, I would like to own a company myself someday...where's MY centerpiece appearance in the campaign?

Maybe if Obama comes to YOUR neighborhood you can ask him too? But I have a feeling, Obama has learned his lesson with Joe the Plumber and wont be answering random questions on the fly like that for the rest of the campaign. The guy does great with a teleprompter, but when he wings it like he did in this incident, he shows then real policies he supports.
If he can make $250,000 a year profit he can afford to pay a little extra as he's obviously smart enough to make bank in a tough business. I think he'd take it considering the circumstance he's in now.

 

umbrella39

Lifer
Jun 11, 2004
13,816
1,126
126
Originally posted by: Corbett
Originally posted by: umbrella39
Fuck him and his fake scenarios. He isn't buying jack or shit. So why lie about something he has no plans for or ability to carry out.

Proof? Doubt it.

In any case, hypothetical or not, the reason "Joe the Plumber" is such a big topic now is because it shows the fundamental differences between Obama and McCain.

Can't pay his taxes but he is going to buy a $250K business. No bank in this country would give this man $250 let alone that kind of money so both Joe and your posts about him are moot.
 

Corbett

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2005
3,074
0
76
Originally posted by: umbrella39
Give it up and go back to church where you belong. People like you make Dave look smart. Congrats.

:thumbsup: With such keen insight, its no wonder you consider Dave smart.
 

Corbett

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2005
3,074
0
76
Originally posted by: umbrella39
Originally posted by: Corbett
Originally posted by: umbrella39
Fuck him and his fake scenarios. He isn't buying jack or shit. So why lie about something he has no plans for or ability to carry out.

Proof? Doubt it.

In any case, hypothetical or not, the reason "Joe the Plumber" is such a big topic now is because it shows the fundamental differences between Obama and McCain.

Can't pay his taxes but he is going to buy a $250K business. No bank in this country would give this man $250 let alone that kind of money so both Joe and your posts about him are moot.

Again, totally over your head. No surprise here.
 

Corbett

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2005
3,074
0
76
Originally posted by: umbrella39
Face it Corbett, you are a laughing stock here.

Even if that were true, I could care less what people on an internet forum think of me.

In any case, your deflection from the topic shows how pathetic your argument is in the first place.
 

Corbett

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2005
3,074
0
76
Originally posted by: umbrella39
Face it Corbett, you are a laughing stock here.

Originally posted by: Corbett
Originally posted by: umbrella39
Face it Corbett, you are a laughing stock here.

Even if that were true, I could care less what people on an internet forum think of me.

In any case, your deflection from the topic shows how pathetic your argument is in the first place.

 

umbrella39

Lifer
Jun 11, 2004
13,816
1,126
126
Originally posted by: Corbett
Originally posted by: umbrella39
Face it Corbett, you are a laughing stock here.

Originally posted by: Corbett
Originally posted by: umbrella39
Face it Corbett, you are a laughing stock here.

Even if that were true, I could care less what people on an internet forum think of me.

In any case, your deflection from the topic shows how pathetic your argument is in the first place.

Face it Corbett, you are a laughing stock here.