“Joe the Plumber” Tied to Natural Law Party
October 16th, 2008The Obama-McCain presidential debate of October 15 will go down in history as the debate that made “Joe the Plumber” famous. According to this story, which is puzzling, “Samuel Joseph Worzelbacher” registered in Lucas County, Ohio, on September 10, 1992 “as a member of the Natural Law Party.”
This story is puzzling for many reasons. As an aside, the correct spelling of his surname is Wurzelbacher; it appears his voter registration misspells his surname. However, Ohio does not have registration by party. The voter registration form does not ask about the voter’s party membership. Instead, Ohio voters are tagged as being members of a party, if they choose that party’s primary ballot. But the Natural Law Party was not a qualified party in Ohio, and didn’t have its own primary, until 1996. And the story says Wurzelbacher didn’t vote in any party’s primary until 2008, when he voted in the Republican primary. If anyone in Ohio or anywhere else can shed some light on how Wurzelbacher was linked to the Natural Law Party in 1992, please comment.
October 16th, 2008 at 10:47 am
I’d like to know how he can be worried about Obama tax increases as a plumber!
He’d have to pull in $125/hr NET to get there, when the avg. 2007 plumber made $24/hr GROSS.
Sorry, this guy doesn’t fly as credible at all.
October 16th, 2008 at 10:49 am
I was just thinking how awesome it would be if he came out and endorsed Barr or Nader or some other third party. Stranger than fiction……..!
October 16th, 2008 at 10:49 am
I think he was worried that IF he bought the business that employs him, then the business income would put him above $250,000 annual income.
October 16th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Joe the Plumber for President!!!!
October 16th, 2008 at 11:17 am
This election is about a lot more than just economics. We are at war and everyone should question whether Obama has the integrity and ability to lead this nation at this time. And, would he keep this country safe, or will his affiliations with radicals/terrorist lead to more devastation? In my opinion, I don’t believe he has what it takes. Let me explain another connection to a radical/terrorist. In 2006, Obama campaigned for a relative in Kenya, who was running for the Presidency. Obama’s cousins name is Raila Odinga. Subsequently, Odinga lost by 230,000 or so votes. He did not accept the loss. So he called for demonstrations by his political supporters who in turn committed ethnic cleansing and genocide. Point blank, this guy tried to subvert the election process and use blackmail until he got what he wanted. Here is a video that gives a good accounting of the events along with photo’s as proof of Obama and Odinga campaigning together. And Obama, used U.S. taxpayer money for this and his Senatorial position to help this terrorist. Titled: Barack Obama & Raila Odinga – Link: – http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=S8QcpdUtxNQ&feature=related
October 16th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Sharon, do you work for an astroturfing group? How can I get a job like that? I know it’s seasonal work, but it would be so cool to get paid to surf around the net and leave spam all over the place without consequence…
Oh, wait. Consequence. McCain is losing because of stuff like this.
October 16th, 2008 at 11:52 am
When he was interviewed this morning on MSNBC, he didn’t seem to know much about the Natural Law Party or the positions that they stand for.
October 16th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
The problem with postings like Sharon’s is now I may have to vote for the Obama just to piss her off. Of course, this statement is a true as her posting. :-)
October 16th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Why the GOP primary all of a sudden in 2008? Is this guy a Pauler?
October 16th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Michael – Just to add to what Richard said, a small business owner could be taxed on $250,000 but have ZERO take home pay if he or she is having trouble making payroll, etc. The point was that Obama is raising the taxes of small businesses.
October 16th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Sharon’s contribution is interesting.
For those needing an update on Kenyan politics. Basically you had an incumbent party which had been responsible for endemic corruption and a near economic meltdown. Come election time the Government shamelessly rigged the vote-count and wasn’t even too bothered about hiding the fact.
Perhaps the next few weeks will show that Kenyan and US politics aren’t that different – presumably that’s what Sharon was saying.
Or was the first line meant to show us all that the post was a pastiche. I can’t really believe that anyone intelligent enough to both turn on a computer and be literate could believe such a load of nonsense…
October 16th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Richard,
Unqualified minor parties often have unofficial registration. If you take a look at the OGP page you can see “registered” members of the Ohio Green Party. The Libertarians also have dues paying members and the like.
Since the NLP in Ohio is about two or three people these days, I doubt they have anything to say about Plumber Joe.
October 16th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Perhaps he registered using a generic national voter registration form that includes a section for party preference? Or did they not have those in 1992?
Ben: Business expenses are tax-deductible. A small business that can barely make payroll is not going to be taxed on $250,000.
October 16th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
The “Motor Voter” Law was passed in 1993. That law set up the federal voter registration form. So there was no such thing in 1992.
October 16th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
The story in the Toledo Blade that the blog you linked to referenced, did not say anything about the NLP.
Since Mr. Wurzelbacher is 34, he would have been 18 in 1992, where it is reported that he graduated from Springfield High (the one near Toledo, rather than Dayton). From 1992-1995 he was in the Air Force, at least some of the time in Alaska. From 1997 to 2000 he lived in Arizona. He may or may not have voted in those locations.
October 16th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Michael T.,
Isn’t that law that states that entropy increases the biggest natural law. If so Joe becoming more confussed about what the Natural Law Party stands for, would be, well natural. Come to think about it this law on entropy may also explane why the Republican Party is so confused about what smaller government, don’t tax and spend and don’t run up the deficit means.
October 16th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I think the Toledo Blade rewrote the story and deleted the part about the Natural Law Party. It was definitely there this morning. Daily Kos had also noted the Natural Law Party connection.
October 16th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Andrew said:
“Come election time the Government shamelessly rigged the vote-count and wasn’t even too bothered about hiding the fact. Perhaps the next few weeks will show that Kenyan and US politics aren’t that different…”
Keep an eye on developments here:
http://usacoup.scoop.co.nz/
October 16th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Quote: “Since Mr. Wurzelbacher is 34, he would have been 18 in 1992, where it is reported that he graduated from Springfield High (the one near Toledo, rather than Dayton). From 1992-1995 he was in the Air Force, at least some of the time in Alaska. From 1997 to 2000 he lived in Arizona. He may or may not have voted in those locations.”
Don’t ya just love the internet !
By tomorrow morning we will know what this guy’s favorite breakfast cereal is and where he brings his Dry Cleaning.
That’ll teach him to mug the camera ! ;-)
October 16th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
For all to read, Joe did a great job of showing that we americans should speak up and be heard, it all comes down to this, take joe’s advice and study out the two canidates and search out in your hearts which one will be the best.
But all who read remember this, even goverments should stay within their means, we as a nation spend to much, we are taxed to much, we spend to much, we spend to much.
As a small business owner who net’s less than 250 year, even I spend to much, we all spend to much, we all need to stay within our means better than we have before.
We as a nation all need to finally work together and quit running around looking like we have our heads cut off.
October 16th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
And last thing, Joe if you see this, and may read this, stay true to yourself, and remember to grab all you deserve, but dont forget the day and the days before Obama showed up in front of your house.
I as your fellow American depend on you to represent me in all you say.
Dont get sucked up into the world that makes you change your inner self.
The man who was throwing the foot ball back and forth with our future, your son.
October 16th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
I own a plumbing company & Joe the so-called plumber is a fraud. Along with the reasons discussed above, he doesn’t know anything about the business side of plumbing. For one thing, he wouldn’t be taxed on “gross sales” but adjusted gross income (if a sole proprietorship) & that could easily equal 1/3 of gross sales. My one man operation nets me approx. 35% after everything is paid. Also, even if he did exceed 250K, it’s only the amount over that that would be taxed at a higher rate (39% instead of 36% – big deal).
His greatest thinking error is that it doesn’t matter what his marginal tax rate is if his phone stops ringing and that’s exactly what’s going to happen once this Republican engineered recession takes hold. Hey Joe – people without jobs don’t call plumbers Joe
October 17th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Brett Allen wrote: “For all to read, Joe did a great job of showing that we americans should speak up and be heard,”
As the minutes and hours tick by Joe-the-plumber is exposed as the fraud he truly is. Democracy Now reported this morning that Wurzelbacher has a lien attached to his home. There is nothing wrong with speaking out but there is a great deal wrong with hypocrisy. If one is going to speak out they had better make sure their affairs are in order. Wurzelbacher is now getting what he deserves.
Brett Allen wrote: “study out the two candidates and search out in your hearts which one will be the best.”
And what do you propose we should do if after studying those “2″ candidates we find out the actions of both in consort with their parties are responible for this mess ? This is the only conclusion one can come to if they use their brain instead of their heart.
Read that Brett ?
BOTH OF THE DOMINANT PARTIES CREATED THIS MESS !
Brett Allen wrote: “But all who read remember this, even goverments should stay within their means,”
Ralph Nader has accurately pointed out that this recession is unique in history in that it was brought on entirely by greed and wanton speculation.
Government spending had little if anything to do the current economic collapse. When in fact it was the Free Wheeling Laissez-Faire government deregulation over the last 10 years that has touched off this avalanche. I’m specifically referring to the passage of Graham-Leach-Blilely which undid the Glass-Steagall Act. Glass-Steagall flowed directly from the experience of the Great Depression where the need to separate speculative Investment Banking from Commercial Banking was readily recognized. Had Glass-Steagall been in place the current stock market collapse would not have been any where near as severe as it has turned out.
Brett Allen wrote: “we as a nation spend to much, we are taxed to much, we spend to much, we spend to much.”
The question is what do “we” spend the taxpayers dollars on. Half of all government spending is on War Expenditures ! And that is only what we can document. There are billions of dollars of expenditures on Secret Projects that are shielded from public scrutiny. This is why the US Government has been deemed “unauditable” by companies who undertake such matters.
In terms taxes the tax structure of this country is brutally regressive. Those who can afford it the least are taxed the most. Ralph Nader’s proposal to tax Security Derivative Trading to the tune of .1% is any idea that is long past due. The speculators got us into this mess they should be responsible for cleaning it up !
Brett Allen wrote: “As a small business owner who net’s less than 250 year, even I spend to much, we all spend to much, we all need to stay within our means better than we have before.”
This is obfuscation pure and simple. The idea you are postulating is if everyone is guilty of everything no one is guilty of anything. We should accept the status-quo and chose between the Dominant Parties that got us here.
Well there are many of us who have been working to change this country to benefit ALL it’s citizens not the 1% that own 42 percent of it. And let no mistake be made no matter which of the Dominant Parties wins in 2 weeks the 1% will get their representation to the exclusion of everyone else. There are two candidates that speak for the People of this country. They are Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney. This is the only legitimate choice presented to the American People for President of the United States next month.
And please don’t give us the drivel about us all being in the same boat. The fact is most of us are on leaky skiffs, many of us are splashing in the waves, while the few are on Tax Deductible Yachts. We did not share in the boom of the Go-Go 90s yet we are demanded to absorb most if not all of the pain. Well it’s time to blow through the crud and cheap stunts, like Joe Wurzelbacher, thrown at us buy the business structure in this country in order to preserve their stranglehold on government policy. It’s time to elect candidates that will stand up for our interests.
It’s time for Ralph Nader !
October 17th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Uh, Ben, you said:
“Michael – Just to add to what Richard said, a small business owner could be taxed on $250,000 but have ZERO take home pay if he or she is having trouble making payroll, etc. The point was that Obama is raising the taxes of small businesses.”
Nope. You really need to read the tax code. The $250K amount is a NET income, not a GROSS income, meaning after all business expenses are deducted. Considering that the average business profit margin (net income) these days is estimated at 4%-8%, do the math. Besides, businesses who are smart routinely invest out of their net income into deductible capital expenses to lower their tax bill to a lower bracket. What you will see is more capital investment by small businesses to dodge the higher taxes, which will help the economy. I know it sounds bizarre, but it happens a lot in small business worlds.
Think of it this way: your business net income is $268,000. Do you A) pay the extra taxes on teh $18,000, B) Spend $10K on a new inventory database computer linked into your cash register and deduct the expense to get you under the $250K line? Most businesses will upgrade their assets and take the deduction.
October 17th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
sorry, that should read $20K, not $10K–typo.
October 17th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Math: $268K net income = $250K x 36% + $18K x 39% = $90K + $7020 = $97020 tax; but $268K – $20K = $248K x 36% = $89280 tax; difference of $7740 in taxes plus the ability to depreciate the new asset over following tax years (deductible). That’s what I mean by investing the capital over paying the extra taxes.
October 18th, 2008 at 10:58 am
I find it curious that Joe the Plumber is connected to the Natural Law Party as this party was disbanded in 2006. They had believed in a very liberal view of politics and the use of Transcendental Meditation as a way to help move folks beyond politics. Listening to Joe, I find it difficult to envision him involved with liberal politics or meditation.
October 19th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Joe looks like a hare krishna to me….with republican views.
October 20th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
I thought Joe looked like he was cross-bred from John McCain and James Carville…