Dear Friend and Reader,
Joe the Plumber, who would probably be happier if we called him by his real name: Sam Joe Wurzelbacher, has been identified by the media. [Eric adds: It was sent by our Psychsound blogger Steve Bergestein, who sent it with the subject header, “Joe the Plumber is an asshole.” Steve always gets right to the point. When he sees it’s me calling, he answers his phone, “What?” Anyway, here is this fabulous video. View it and weep.]
Poor Sam has gotten tossed to the media after being injected into the debate 23 times, mostly by John McCain, over Obama’s tax plan — which provides a break for small business owners making less than $250,000 per year, but will end up raising taxes by $0 – $900 if you gross more than that annually.
One strange thing that Sam Joe said is that he is a registered member of the Natural Law Party, which neither I nor Eric have heard of, and when the press (excuse the pun) pressed him on it, he claimed amnesia.
Looking it up on Wiki, I don’t know why — it’s the Maharishi’s political party: yes, the same trippy Transcendental Meditation guy, the one that influenced George Harrison and brought the Beatles to India one crazy summer, that they wrote “Sexy Sadie” about after learning he’d made sexual advances on Mia Farrow and others. (He is a fake guru — a real one waits for the seeker to make a pass at him.)
But why are we chasing after Joe the Plumber for analysis and meaning? This is a presidential election: I want to hear from the most knowledgeable people in the world about last night’s debate, enough with the fanfare and chasing the Everyman. It’s the United States we’re talking about here, not the results of American Idol.
We’ve been so duped by Sarah Palin’s “hockey mom,” girl next door campaign tactics that we’ve forgotten how hard it is to actually run the country. It’s not the same as the PTA. George W’s been in there for eight years, so we can’t claim ignorance: you have to be smart and well-tempered to run it well, and to avoid a complete economic meltdown apparently.
I’m sorry Sam was used as a pawn last night to discuss Obama’s tax plan, but let’s leave it at that: a quick joke. I’d rather hear what Martti Ahtisaari has to say: the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Eric’s vote is for Oliver Sacks: author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. Or better yet, some of his neurology patients.
Yours & truly,
Well said again, Rachel. Thanks.
I agree that the McPain campaign’s Joe Six Pack line is entirely a bad joke on the American public. Nov. 4th is all about how many people see that AND are counted at the polls.
Was Ms. Breast the first to use it? Surely her writers weren’t stupid enough to put it into her notes for the VP debate? (The “Joe Six Pack” stereotype is NOT watching the debate, but rather is abusing his family because the debate is on and NOT the game. I mean, how ‘elitist’ is it to not even understand the cliche’ of what we Formerly Middle Class people refer to as J.S.P.?)
— and then finding themselves a real “Joe”. “Joe Stupid” in fact.
Wow. How low we have fallen.
The OBwan (I hope soon to be “OBwon”) campaign again proves their tenacity (at least) by sticking to the task at hand — debate winner or not, there is yet an election to win – and then the real work – and conflict – begins.