**Update** Joe the Plumber looks to be one of the thousands of American voters whose voter registration data fails to match his real life data. There is a Samuel Joe WORZELBACHER on the Secretary of State's rolls for Holland, Ohio. As fate has it, the most recently famous of Ohio's Republican voters is now a poster boy for why GOP efforts to purge voter rolls are as unreliable as voter protection advocates have argued they are, less a legitimate measure to prevent voter fraud than a transparent attempt to keep likely Democrats from voting.
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The whole world is wondering today: "Who IS Joe the Plumber?" the everyman voter made famous in the final presidential debate last night for being referenced repeatedly by John McCain and addressed directly at one point by Barack Obama.
Cable news gave the impression that the man is just Samuel "average Joe" Wurzelbacher, from Holland, Ohio, who is looking to expand his business and believes that Barack Obama's proposed tax plan will actually cause him to lose money if he does so. He put his question on taxes to Obama in person while the Illinois Senator was canvassing in the Toledo suburb on Sunday. Plumber Joe later said Obama "tap dance[d] ... almost as good as Sammy Davis Jr." in the conversation and implied in an interview after the debate that he would vote for John McCain.
It might be heartening to McCain to know that he has at least one vote in Democratic stronghold Lucas County, Ohio, but for one small fact. A download of the Lucas County voter rolls from the Ohio Secretary of State's website lists four Wurzelbachers, two in Holland, but none of them named Sam or Joe or Samuel Joseph. There's a Robert Lee and a Frank Edward Wurzelbacher, but no Joe.
Apparently, Joe the Plumber don't vote.
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How has his life changed?
What is it like to be mentioned 26 times in a Presidential Debate?
What did John McCain say to him during their telephone call?
Will he be out on the campaign trail in the final weeks?
What's next for Joe?
Submit your questions now by logging onto: www.washingtontimes.com Once there, scroll toward the middle of the home page and click on the Joe "the Plumber" chat link.
"To reach a level that would be affected by Sen. Obama’s proposed tax increase, Mr. Smither said, a mom-and-pop plumbing company like Newell would have to clear $5 million in annual sales. [Joe’s company actually reports only $100,000 in sales.]
Even if Mr. Wurzelbacher reaped taxable income from his business of $280,000 a
year, he'd pay only about $900 more a year in taxes under Sen. Obama's plan, which
would raise the tax rate on the income between $250,000 and $280,000 to 36%
from 33%. [...]
If Mr. Wurzelbacher earns the wages of a typical Ohio plumber, $40,600, and holds a $90,000 mortgage, he would see a TAX CUT (emphasis added) under Sen. Obama's plan of more than $1,000, compared with no tax reduction under Sen. McCain's.
If he succeeds in buying the plumbing business where he works, he could see even more tax benefits, including Sen. Obama's proposed elimination of capital-gains taxes for small-business investment, a 50% tax credit to purchase health insurance for employees and a $3,000 tax credit for every new hire over the next two years."
Let’s not be distracted by Joe ‘padding his resume’ to ask a question in which he was interested; what matters is the TOPIC.
http://joetheplumber2008.blogspot.com/
I'm loving it.
The shills are the real story.
HappinessHacker.com - Atlanta
Wurzelbacher is registered to vote under the name Samuel Joseph Worzelbacher. The first and middle names are correct. The last name should have a "u," not an "o."
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner noted the irony today: The Ohio Republican Party wants careful scrutiny of every new voter registration, but the tools it wants her to use -- Social Security numbers and drivers' licenses -- could knock out legitimate voters due to typos, human error or software issues. Those voters then would have to get provisional ballots, which don't account for much unless the election is tight, and which require additional ID procedures.
Move on, everyone. This is not what Mc Cain should hang the remaining 2 weeks on.
And I can't believe I used the word 'Hoopla'
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/06/09/ST2008060900950.html
And if you were fortunate enough to buy and operate a plumbing business and be able to exceed $250,000 in profit (not revenue, profit after you pay your employees, truck expenses, materials, etc), you will see a small increase versus the McCain plan. If I were in your shoes I would dance from joy all the way to the bank.
By the way Joe… I am curious, how did you come up with the $250-$280,000 profit figure? How did you know that you will have this kind of profit? Do you know for a fact that your boss makes this much profit right now? I have a hunch were you got that number... from the same people who exploited you and set you up for your talk with Barack. Shame of them for so deviously and callously using you.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/06/09/ST2008060900950.html
And if you were fortunate enough to buy and operate a plumbing business and be able to exceed $250,000 in profit (not revenue, profit, after you pay your employees, truck expenses, materials, etc), you will see a small increase versus the McCain plan. If I were in your shoes I would dance from joy all the way to the bank.
By the way Joe… I am curious, how did you come up with the $250-$280,000 profit figure? How did you know that you will have this kind of profit? Do you know for a fact that your boss makes this much profit right now? I have a hunch were you got that number – from the same people who exploited you and set you up for your talk with Barack. Shame of them for so deviously and callously using you.
1) "Joe the Plumber" is not a plumber.
2) "Joe the Plumber" does not have his own business but works for a contractor.
3) "Joe the Plumber" is not buying his bosses business.
4) "Joe the Plumber's" boss does not make $250,000/year but approximatelt $100,000.
5)"Joe the Plumber" does not make $250,00/year but approximately $ 40,000/year.
6)"Joe the Plumber" has appeared on Coservative talk radio and may be a "schill".
The moral of the story is don't buy the Repug BS especially when there ass is getting kicked.
What the H are you talking about?
Joe is worker for a plumber, and has no business.
And as for your point... i can easily say, i dont care at all if the 2% of small business that will be taxed more are taxed more. It doesnt bother me.
98% will see a tax cut under Obama and they are going to vote for him because most people know its the consumers that drive 75% of GDP. And if they dont have money, they cant spend it and no small business is for that.
ALSO IF ONE DID MAKE OVER 250K, THE 3-4% HIGHER TAX IS ON THE AMOUNT ABOVE 250K.
ALSO OUR TAX SYSTEM IS SKEWED TOWARD BUSINESSES ANYWAY. YOU PAY TAXES ON TAXASBLE INCOME, NOT GROSS INCOEM DUMMY
AND ANY GOOD BUSINESS PERSON, KEEPS TRACK OF THEIR DEDCUTIONS.
AND THESE DEDUCTIONS ARE THE KIND THAT W2 EMPLOYEES CANNOT EVEN ACHIEVE.
SO STOP LYING. MOST EXPENSES FOR BUSIENSS ARE DEDUCTIBLE, SO IF YOU STILL NET OVER 250K AFTER DEDUCTIONS, YOU MAKING A WHOLE LOTTA MONEY
OVER 250K, OR YOU CANNOT DO YOUR BOOKS, SO PLEASE STOP WHINGING ABOUT TAXES
Great ad, Campaign McCain! Next time, be sure you name your average Joe correctly. This one should actually be called Joe, the Limbaugh Loving, Lying, Boneheaded Racist.