Joe the Plumber Meets Sam the Gas Station Guy

A few days ago (which is to say, prior to the Wednesday night presidential debate), I met Sam. Joe the Plumber should really meet Sam, too.

I was jogging away on the treadmill at my local gym when the guy next to me--who turned out to be Sam--introduced himself. He seemed to want to talk, which was fine by me. He asked what I did. I told him. He immediately replied, "Oh, I've never met a professor before. I never went to college. Seriously, in my entire life I've never read a book all the way through. Please, Professor, don't make fun of me."

Of course I wouldn't. Besides, I found Sam's humility, curiosity, and affability endearing. As Sam talked, I became only more enthralled in what he had to say. He told me his life story. He grew up in Yonkers, New York and came out to California in his early twenties. At 22 he found himself working as an entry-level cashier at a gas station. Eventually he cobbled together loans and a payment schedule and bought the station.

Cut to the future: Now 38 years old, Sam owns more than 100 gas stations in southern California and 25 restaurant franchises. He has over 800 employees working for him. He has four kids in a happy marriage. He's a devout churchgoer. He's a proud American and lets you know that.

We started talking politics. "You know what," he said, "I'd really like some reporter to come and ask me my views on the election. Why don't they ever seek out guys like me? I got something to tell them. Professor, why isn't the LA Times or somebody asking me for my opinion?"

I probed a bit. "So what is it you want to say to them?"

Sam opened the verbal floodgates. "Hey, I've always voted Republican. For the first time in my life I'm going to vote for a Democrat. I'm voting for Obama."

"Why's that?"

"My gas station businesses are hurting. I make the same profit margin--5 to 8 cents per gallon--no matter whether the price of gas is $1.99 per gallon or $4.99. The big oil companies are the ones raking in the profits when prices go up, not me. I can make money on gas only through volume sales--and if people are hurting, I make less on gas. Or I start to lose money, like now. Where I make money, though, is when they come inside and buy discretionary items--food, drinks, lottery tickets. Right now, people aren't buying. I know 20 of my gas station colleagues are about to declare bankruptcy. It's bad."

"So I'm fed up with the Republicans. Tax cuts for the rich, the war--all that stuff. The middle class needs help. I'm finally convinced. I'm going for Obama. First time in my life, I tell you."

I asked him about paying higher taxes.

"I don't care about that. If I'm making money, I don't care. I'll pay my taxes. But I'm not going to make any money if the middle-class guy doesn't have money in his pocket to buy my gas or my food. I don't need the big tax cut right now. That's not going to bring the customers into my gas stations."

Joe versus Sam. You could line up economists spouting elegant theories for each side, but the basic arguments can probably be reduced to Joe's and Sam's respective positions on very gut levels. Joe's never made $250,000, but he feels that if he ever reaches that threshold, he shouldn't be "penalized" for his success. He seems to believe that cutting taxes for wealthy individuals somehow serves his current financial interests and his aspirations for the future. Sam's already lived those trickle-down and dream-up Republican talking points but now rejects them with hard-won conviction.

Were the two of them to meet and strike up a conversation, side by side on adjacent treadmills, I dare say that Sam would be giving Joe an earful, not the other way around.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Public Service Plug: It may be getting a little close to the wire in some places, but if you want information about requesting an absentee ballot in your area, check out the resources at Long Distance Voter.

Entertainment Plug: Yours truly appears as a talking head commentator in the documentary This American Gothic by filmmaker Sasha Waters Freyer. It will be screened at Echo Park Film Center tomorrow night (Oct. 17) in Los Angeles, at the We, The People Film Festival, starting at 7pm. If you're in the area, I hope to see you there!

Comments

[carsntrucks]

People don't seem to be mentioning the fact that Barack would only raise taxes, like, 3%. That's not going to put old "Joe" in the poor house.

Anyway, McCain needs all the votes he can get at this point. So whatever, Joe. Do whatever you want.

[Alexandro]

Joe will never get there: making more than 250k. It is a dream - and if he votes for McCain it will continue to be one.

[jusfield]

And if Obama gets in he forget about even dreaming.

[GabrielXL]

I hear you! This is exactly the point I raised in another forum. Anyone making over 250,000 dollars isn't hurting by anyone's standards and like you said, at the end of the day, it's only 3%. 3% to serve the overall good.

*It's not rocket science folks.*

[nobozos]

Sam gets it.

I doubt if Joe ever will.

[winnie1987]

same with pharmacists , we get it!

after 8 years of profits for chains pharmacies & insurances (that have merged)- the cost of our product has skyrocketed and our profit has plummeted via medicare advantage.­...we have all turned from republicans to democrats.

perhaps 'joe' needs to actually run a business to get how republican policies have crushed the little guy and only helped big corps crush us like a bug.

ENOUGH!!!

Joe meet you local indie pharmacist, we owe thousands in student loans and make nowhere near 200k

[mrbeautifulday]

i don't know what this 250k figure means -is it gross sales, or personal income? are we talking 's' corporations, or 'c'? i'm not throwing a smoke screen, i really am asking. in fact, i don't know much, but i'll share my story. i run a retail store. started in 1990. if people have money, they buy my stuff. it's not must-have, it's sporting goods. we grossed almost 4 million last year and i feel EXTREMELY fortunate to make 80,000 gross personal income. heck i'm rich! i employ over 40 people, and have almost half of them on a great health-care package. and i've never skirted my taxes because i feel lucky to have been born where i was / when i was/ (and politically i would call myself a punk-hippie democrat). so back to this 250K a year. i can't imagine what it would take to make that kind of money! i'm A THIRD of the way there, and i work my ass off! i could never work 3x as hard! so what is Joe Plumber or Barack referring to? WHAT is this 250 thousand number? does anyone know?

[guillotine]

It doesn't refer to gross sales amount-- that was specified in one of the debates. Sounds like you'd have no worries, there, except for all the hard work!

By the way, way to go, giving jobs to 40 people-- well done!

[research]

Personal income is what the 250K$ refers to. Goto Obama's web site for more.

[BillCarson]

And the answer is... http://taxcut.barackobama.com/sb_faq.html
As a small business owner who claims small business income on your individual tax return (whether through a sole proprietorship, partnership, or S-corp) you pay individual income taxes only on your net income — or profit — and not on your firm’s gross revenue

Also... Offering a Small Business Healthcare Tax Credit: To help small businesses compete in the global economy while still providing quality health insurance, Barack Obama will offer a new refundable 50 percent health tax credit on employee premiums paid by employers. His comprehensive healthcare plan will relieve health costs for all firms by bringing down national healthcare costs by $2,500 per family, annually.

And... http://taxcut.barackobama.com/
At 80k income, the tax calculator says you would get a 1k tax savings.

Hope that helps.

[mrbeautifulday]

Thank you bill carson. i appreciate this.i pay over 3 grand a month in health insurance. saving anything (especially 15,000) would be rad.

[nobozos]

Excellent post.

Since the dawn of our nation, people in power have easily convinced us to vote against our own best interests.
In the last 30-odd years, the Republicans have become masters of the game. They've successfully used hot button issues like flag burning, 'family values', school prayer, abortion, gay marriage, class warfare, stem cell research, support of military, hatred of non-Christians, fear of fiery death, ad nauseam to keep voter attention away from what is really going on in our country...­...

What is really going on in our country is the robbing of the poor and middle class to assuage the greed of the rich. It is that simple.

[JestMe]

The Repubs have culled a base of non-thinkers and when I hear a radio turned on to Limbaugh, Hannity, Boortz, Savageor any of the other BS artists, I know i'm in stupid territory.
I don't do business there, I don't do conversation there.
I don't do well in a dumb zone.
Go Obama!

[Leslib]

This is an interesting, first hand impression. Thanks for relating it. It makes for great fuel for the fire. I firmly believe that Obama is the best choice for this country at this point in time.

[johnnygoodwud]

i would venture to say, alot of those making over $250K have expensive accountants who know every little loophole and i doubt very much they are paying the same rate we average joes are. i remember as a kid, when nixon was complaining about the personal income tax he had to pay. my dad said, 'i'd love to pay that much tax', cause it meant my dad was eaening alot more than he was.

[motherforpeace]

BRAVO!!!

Finally, the point that everyone is missing!

My favorite part:

"He seems to believe that cutting taxes for wealthy individuals somehow serves his current financial interests and his aspirations for the future."

[dwillisno1]

Joe the Plumber well well Whatever happened to Jack the Lobbyist? Larry the Cable Guy? Or Charlie the Savings and Loan Guy?

[99hockeyman]

Or how about Pete the Phone Man or Vicki the Lobbyist

[RRG64]

"Joe the Plumber" is a real person to link to "Joe Six Pack" in the minds of voters.

Its called a "third-party" story.

"Third Party Stories are entertaining and more apt to get our customer's­(undecided voters) attention.

People(undecided voters) tend to see themselves through other people(decided voters) like themselves.

A good Third Pary Story is much less confrontational than reciting our opinions."

Bottom line, it`s a ruse.

Why tell a story? Provide solutions.
Its a kindergarten level sales technique.

[iv64]

But a smart campaign would not have used a real person or at least checked him out.

The idea is really good considering how people reacted to Palin as a real person but 2x in the same campaign falling flat on your face because you don't know how to use google, that is just stupid.

I think kindergarten is a little harsh but elementary school I give you.

[meltingpot101]

The unemployed long for the day that they Can pay their Fair Tax.

[Snowball]

A real fair tax is a gradated income tax, not a flat tax or sales tax as Libertarians and their Republican cousins want. $50 dollars is worth a lot more to me relatively than it is to someone making over $250 thousand a year. Why should they get off paying relatively less than I do for safe roads, sanitary communities and police? It makes no sense.

[FlamingLibrul]

Yes, Joe the plumber who isn't even licensed as a plumber, in a state where you have to have proper certification in order to do business. Guess which state governement inspectors just had their ears perk up? Woops. This is Karma at its best.

[moderationisbest]

quick idea for limousine liberals. let's make the re-distribution retroactive. lot of folks made a lot of money over the past 8 years. those 8 years were wrong in many respects - financial policies, tax/spend policies/etc. as such, i assume folks are ok with saying that any gains over $250k per year from 2001 to 2008 should be subject to the new higher tax rates that are coming. agreed? only fair and very equal.

[RumiSouth]

Only a Country Club Conservative could think that way.

[moderationisbest]

you are against making these increased tax rates retroactive for anything over $250k earned annually from 2001 to 2008? why?

[moderationisbest]

don't you think the windfall profits made under these 8 years of fiscal irresponsibility should be treated equally with future earnings over $250k?

[freemarketguy]

Fine. If Sam wishes to pay more in taxes, let him. But what right does government have to force him to? He could just as easily give his tax money to a charity that is far efficient with it that government. Cut spending and you can give tax breaks to whomever you wish. You don't need to confiscate money from someone who works hard and takes risk by starting a business.

[SuburbanMalcontent]

Government is only inefficient because it's been dominated for 25 years by Republicans who HATE GOVERNMENT! Can't you see that's the problem? Maybe if you fools could actually see that Government isn't the problem, you are, then you'll see that it is possible for Government to run efficiently. Besides, that "free market" has done one bang up job, as we see with the current economy.

[NoOneSpecial]

I think you missed Sam's point.

It wasn't: "Hey! I want to pay more in taxes!"

It was: "Hey... if Middle America is hurting, I lose money which endangers my ability to stay in business."

It's pretty stupid to whine about taxes if your patrons stop coming to your business and force you to close.

[23000Days]

Charity? Have you looked at any charities books? Barely 10% of th take ever goes to the cause!

If you look back at republican actions instead of words, you find that they cut taxes at the top and deficit-spend to make up for the income shortfall. 2000 deficit: 5.2 trillion wit a budget surplus., 2008 deficit: 11.3 trillion with a 750 billion budget shortfall.

[TakeSake]

Sounds interesting.

Which charity builds roads?
Which charity hires police?
Which charity runs a fire department?
Which charity trains the military?

[sclucie]

what a great piece - wish it would run in every newspaper in the country.

[JICC]

Bravisimo. When you see Sam again, please tell him I'm sending a hug and a big thanks to a true patriot.