First They Came for Joe the Plumber…

Pajamas Media ^ | October 17, 2008 | Claudia Rosett

[Ooh-Ah]

Joe’s question about taxes threw a wrench into Barack Obama’s campaign pitch. So, oh what a background check Joe got. Within days, reports were all over the news that Joe owes back taxes, he doesn’t have an Ohio plumber’s license, his real name is Samuel, and he is — shock and horror — a registered Republican. Within days, Obama and Biden were holding up Joe to [1] public ridicule, and by implication mocking any American working stiff who might have the audacity [2] to want to earn more than $250,000 per year.

Obama may be full of talk about delivering the American dream, but he apparently has enormous disdain for Americans who actually sweat to earn it for themselves. He wants to take Joe’s money and spread it around in the name of helping others get ahead — but if anyone gets ahead more than Obama deems fitting, watch out.

 

It seems that Joe’s sins are less than [3] the litany would make them. He may not have a plumber’s license, but he works for someone who does. He owes back taxes, but less than $1,200. And at least to date, it is not a crime in America to use a nickname or be a registered Republican.

But to [4] squabble over Joe’s record is to miss the real point. Obama is the one running for public office, aspiring to the country’s highest position of power and public trust. Joe is not. He’s a private citizen, who had every right to ask a very good question. He wanted to know why he was being taxed “more and more for fulfilling the American dream?”

What he got from the well-heeled Senators Obama and Biden was mockery and contempt.

Most disturbing is this: If that’s how Joe the Plumber gets dealt with while Obama is still stumping for votes, then what happens to Joe, or anyone else who dares question Obama’s plans, should Obama win the White House?

Should we expect that that the answer will be targeted investigations, a public display of whatever can be dug up in the way of private laundry, and sneers from the Oval Office?

In the interest of having an informed electorate , it would be far more valuable were the media teams working less frantically to dig up dirt on Joe, and a lot harder on filling in the gaps in the record of candidate Obama. Why won’t Obama release his Columbia transcripts? What exactly was he doing during those gaps in the bio?

How are we supposed to square the lavish praise of Obama’s intellectual powers and refined sensitivities with his professed failure during years of intimate acquaintance to notice the hate-speech of Rev. Wright? What is the real story with the ties to Bill Ayers, to Tony Rezko? What does that say about his judgment in choosing friends and advisers and associates?

Would Obama appoint similar pals to high office in Washington? Would he bring similarly blinkered perceptions to the job of making policy? Would his critics receive the kind of savaging just dished out to Joe? If there’s any chance that the answer is yes, then the drubbing of Joe the Plumber is a warning to us all.

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Article printed from The Rosett Report: http://pajamasmedia.com/claudiarosett

URL to article: http://pajamasmedia.com/claudiarosett/first-they-came-for-joe-the-plumber/

URLs in this post:
[1] public ridicule: http://washingtonindependent.com/13122/obama-revisits-joe-the-plumber-on-the-stump
[2] to want : http://campaignspot.na tionalreview.com/post/?q=MWM3M2M4MGJkOGY5MGFhZGU0ZGNkMGY3YzEyYTM1MzU=
[3] the litany : http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/17/feeling-plumber-fatigue-media-turns-joe/
[4] squabble over Joe’s record : http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/17/MNQ013J6JV.DTL

[Fred]

This is what Team Obama thinks of the small businessman

"SPREAD THE WEALTH AROUND'

Youtube - Obama Attacks Joe the Plumber

Youtube - Joe Biden Insults Joe the Plumber and All Small Business Owners

[chimera]

If Obama wins, I expect that the Free Republic archives will be seized and sifted with a fine tooth comb. Registry information will be taken and IRS audits will be the beginning.

Before the site is closed permanently, I fully expect that the site owners will be served with subpoenas and the servers confiscated, all registry information will not only be sent to the IRS but also released to the MSM, so anyone posting with a screen name will have their personal identity revealed to the public and held up for scorn and ridicule.

Remember, what they've done to Joe Wurtzelbacher has been done before the Obamatrons have really won anything. Once they ascend to Power, they'll have every agency and power of the huge and bloated federal government at their disposal. You'll have people like William Ayers in the cabinet, Jamie Gorelick as AG, Rahm Emmanuel as NSA, etc. They will utterly destroy any and all opposition to The One.

[Mogollon]

His “real name” is also Joe. Lots of people are proud of their middle-name. (Unlike B. Hussein Obama)

[Luke21]

“The Nazis started this way in the 1930’s..”

Actually, it was the twenties. Usually I take things like this as hyperbole, but the attempt to squash dissent, insult and impugn one’s opponents in the most hideous and guttural fashion, and use any chance to cheat, incite violence, or intimidate has been used by these despicable Obamists. You aren't that far off.

[gimme1ibertee]

And the outcome-Hitler’s defeat-was assured because of some really brave,strong people who endured a lot but believed in freedom’s cause. God bless Joe,and may more like him come forward as Election day nears!!!
Be heard,wherever you are!!

[Fichori]

First they came for Joe the Plumber...

And middle America got out their toilet plungers!

They know how to deal with a steaming pile.

[gimme1ibertee]

Awesome.

[Terry Mross]

His followers don’t think it’ll happen to them. What “leaders” like this do is first eliminate those with any power. Then they go after anyone who disagrees and there’s nobody left to stand up for them.

[ErnBatavia]

Damn...that one’s even better than yesterday’s with Joe goin’ umppy on Barack.

[eccentric]

“there” should be “their”

Tell that to the close-captioning guys on FOXNews. They are suppose to be professionals, yet they screw it up a lot.

[redpoll]

>>>Is this the treatment an Obama administration would use against critics?<<<

Remember, this is America, not Stalin’s Soviet Union or Castro’s Cuba. In our socialist worker’s paradise, any dissent will accompany a public shaming period, followed by mandatory workshops about diversity and the common good. Perhaps your license or certification to do this or that job will be pulled since the new regulations will demand that your opinions be restricted to those opinions which are allowed. Of course you can disagree with the government; just don’t expect to be allowed to work in construction, plumbing, education, wiring, trucking, aviation, boating, fishing, broadcasting, accounting, insurance, banking, or any other job which requires a license or certification. The government won’t kick in your door; they’ll just ruin your reputation. The government won’t put you in jail; you’ll just have to deal with harassing visits from the Internal Revenue Service and pay hefty fines for a missed number or a forgotten reciept from years ago. And don’t think you can hide your money under the mattress, either. Remember, what happened to Al Capone can happen to you.

We are in for interesting times.

[johnny7]

Damn...that one’s even better than yesterday’s with Joe goin’ umppy on Barack.

Thanks... I love to play with Photoshop. ;)

[johnny7]

Damn...that one’s even better than yesterday’s with Joe goin’ umppy on Barack.

Thanks... I love to play with Photoshop. ;)

[RichardW]

Everyone here should copy this and send it to anyone you know who still values your freedom.

We are dealing with gangsters running the Obama campaign. This is right out of the Hitler playbook.

Don’t be the “New Jews” of the 21st Century. There is still time. We don’t have to march into the ovens unless we choose to.

[realcleanguy]

Well, I thought i was dreaming at first, but then the nightmare starting becoming real

[realcleanguy]

Yep

[lonestar]

Can anybody think of an example where anybody has gone farther than Obama ...on fewer accomplishments.

His career has been based on CONTACTS, not accomplishments...and he refuses to talk about his CONTACTS!

[sport]

Does a bear crap in the woods.

They haven’t waited until the election is over.

[Grampa Dave]

Click here to watch "Osama Barackula The Taxer mocking of Joe the Plumber!"...

Click here to watch McCain's new ad:"Joe The Plumber !!"...

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Click here to watch "Osama Barackula The Taxer mocking of Joe the Plumber!"...

Click here to watch McCain's new ad:"Joe The Plumber !!"...

<

Click here to watch McCain's new ad:"Joe The Plumber !!"...

[onevoter]

Why aren’t we hearing speeches by Tim Robbins about the “chill wind” that he was carrying on about during Bush’s Presidency? Oh yeah, supression and intimidation are acceptable when it is practiced by the Dems . . . .