About That "Joe the Plumber" Character

Here's the thing. The whole "Joe the Plumber" controversy was originally NOT about Joe. It didn't matter if he was a licensed plumber or not. It didn't matter if he owned a business or dreamed of owning one. His back taxes have nothing to do with anything.

What mattered was the answer given him in response to his question about taxes.

But now the left, the media, and even the Obama campaign show their true colors. In response to an uproar about redistributing wealth, they chose to ridicule, attack, and potentially destroy the man who happened to have his door knocked on by Barack Obama. They call him "stupid" and given to fantasy of making lots of money.

This shows their mean spirit and exactly what they think of "everyday Joe's". The people who are suppose to be holding the biggest umbrella showed us what a sham it all is. They talk about about equality and treating people well, and then open up with both barrels on this guy. It is this attitude that keeps me from ever venturing too far left.

Again, it does not matter who Joe the plumber is. As a hypothetical, let's say it was Joe the Jewish guy who asked Obama if he was going to continue to support Israel as we always have and was told that Israel was going to have to make more concessions than the Palestinians out of fairness. Later we find out Joe actually isn't Jewish. Does it matter? No, it doesn't. What matters is the way the Obama answered the question. (I am NOT saying this Obama's position. Just making a point here.)

So leave Joe alone and respond to what was important, the exchange. Debate it if you like. Tell us why you side with Obama on wealth redistribution. Tell us why everyone else is wrong and it's a great thing. Tell us how you know for sure that that "line" will be left at $250k and support all the programs Obama seeks to enact. But don't attack the guy who simply asked a question when a candidate literally came knocking on the door.

To all of you who have done your part to lambaste the man, and not respond to the issue, shame on you. Some of what I have seen on TV and even heard from Joe Biden has been nothing less than despicable.

Comments

[ZCT]

I completely missed this post, or I would have responded to it sooner, as someone who has criticized "Joe" the "Plumber."

My response ended up so long, I decided just to blog it:

http://zct168.blogspot.com/2008/10/joe-plumber-saga-continues.html