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The new Everyman
I just listened to a good fraction of the last Presidential debate of the year, and I have a new best friend: "Joe the Plumber". His moniker certainly makes him sound ordinary, salt-of-the-earth, just your average guy. He even has the same first name as "Joe Sixpack", the best friend of a week or two ago. But let's see...
"Joe the Plumber" has been working for a plumbing company for ten years, during which time he has built up enough savings to buy the company. After buying it, he expects to be netting at least $250,000/year, and to have over ten employees, as evidenced by the facts that his taxes will go up under the Obama administration and that he'll be fined if he doesn't provide health coverage for his employees.
I have a Ph.D, I've been working for a University for twelve years, and I thought I was doing pretty well for a middle-class American. I think our household income is about 90th percentile for the U.S. I have a retirement plan and a mortgage that I can afford, but basically no liquid savings -- certainly not enough to buy a company. I don't earn anywhere near $250,000/year, and I don't have any employees. Joe the Plumber is considerably wealthier than I am. But I guess from where McCain sits, Joe really is "salt of the earth", and I'm somewhere below the salt, not rich enough to even register on McCain's radar.
Good to have that cleared up.
"Joe the Plumber" has been working for a plumbing company for ten years, during which time he has built up enough savings to buy the company. After buying it, he expects to be netting at least $250,000/year, and to have over ten employees, as evidenced by the facts that his taxes will go up under the Obama administration and that he'll be fined if he doesn't provide health coverage for his employees.
I have a Ph.D, I've been working for a University for twelve years, and I thought I was doing pretty well for a middle-class American. I think our household income is about 90th percentile for the U.S. I have a retirement plan and a mortgage that I can afford, but basically no liquid savings -- certainly not enough to buy a company. I don't earn anywhere near $250,000/year, and I don't have any employees. Joe the Plumber is considerably wealthier than I am. But I guess from where McCain sits, Joe really is "salt of the earth", and I'm somewhere below the salt, not rich enough to even register on McCain's radar.
Good to have that cleared up.
no subject
(e) in debt to the State of Ohio for $1200 in back income taxes. A lien was put on his property in Jan. 2007 for this, which means the taxes must have been for 2005 or earlier.
Another weird thing: this whole story seems to have first broken in a Republican blog of dubious credibility (although the above facts have been confirmed by the New York Times).
Curioser and curioser.
no subject
My original point stands: if you're among the richest 5% of Americans, John McCain has got your back. If not, tough luck.