October 19, 2008
Plumber Needs Plunger
Presidential elections are especially interesting because they always include an “October surprise.”
Right on schedule last week was the saga of Samuel J. Wurzelbacher, a plumber and divorced father with a 13-year-old son at Holland, Ohio, near Toledo.
Joe was considering buying the plumbing business -- for which he works -- that earns “something more” than $250,000 a year.
When Barack Obama campaigned in Wurzelbacher’s neighborhood, Joe asked him: “Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn’t it?”
Obama replied that -- under his proposal --taxes on $250,000 or less would stay the same. Larger amounts would be subject to a 39 percent tax -- 3 percent more than the present rate.
He declared, “When you spread the wealth around it is good for everybody.”
OVERWHELMED
This exchange of question and answer was flashed on television. John McCain described it during the presidential debate last week.
McCain declared that Obama’s plan would stop entrepreneurs such as Wurzelbacher from investing in new, small, businesses and keep existing ones from growing.
Liberal newspapers, radio and television stations rushed to denigrate Joe:
- Not a licensed plumber, but his employer is.
- Owes the state of Ohio $l,182 in personal income tax.
- State of Ohio has issued a lien on his property for that amount.
- Is not a member of Local 50 of the United Association of Plumbers, Steamfitters and Service Mechanics Union which has endorsed Obama.
Wurzelbacher says he feels a bit overwhelmed by the sudden notoriety. He told the Associated Press: “I’m kind of like Britney Spears having a headache. Everybody wants to know about it!”
ACORN PROBLEMS
Despite the momentary diversion of Joe the Plumber, serious investigations are underway in 13 states about suspicious voter-registration forms submitted by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN.)
In Ohio -- a bellwether state -- so many suspicious voter registrations were submitted that the Republican Party there filed suit against the Ohio Secretary of State to challenge the validity of ACORN registrations.
The Federal District Appeals Court ordered the election board secretary, Jennifer Brunner, to turn over for examination lists of 200,000 newly registered voters whose declarations did not match driver’s license or Social Security records.
She appealed to the U.S. Supreme court that upheld her.
The Ohio Republican party demanded that she produce the registration lists without being so ordered. Some 600,000 new voters have been listed there. Brunner went on about her duties without further ado.
POLITICAL BAGGAGE
Despite trustworthy election boards in all American states, organizations like ACORN mount intensive drives to register voters sympathetic to a particular political philosophy.
Obama carries a large load of political baggage. He was ACORN’s attorney at one time and has hired its “campaign services”
It is remembered that Obama began his political career as a “community organizer” for ACORN. His duties were to get Blacks – particularly church ministers – in south Chicago registered to vote Democratic. In the olden days, such grass-root organizers were called “ward heelers.”
Obama did such a good job, the Democrat regime awarded him the State Senate seat for the tightly organized Democrat machine – and soon after elected him to the U.S. Senate.
HISTORIC CANDIDACY
After a year and a half voting “present” – no legislation with his name on it – Senator Obama out-performed New York Senator Hillary Clinton at the Democrat National Convention for the right to seek the presidency of the United States of America.
Other Blacks have tried for the presidency as an independent. However, Obama is the first to be endorsed by a national political party.
Americans either get the kind of leaders they deserve, or deserve the kind they get.
By Lindsey Wilger Williams, retired newspaper publisher and syndicated columnist
