I'm afraid if he wins he might change like so many others in Congress. The institution does something to members. It makes them forget they were elected to run the country as we want it run, not the way they think it should be run. For their own, personal ends.
Joe has had a checkered career since first we met. In some ventures he was sorely out of his league, but he was enough of a 'personality' that he was afforded opportunities others of us would love to have had.
To run for Congress, however, is not out of his league. He's not slick. I have no idea what his formal education may have been but I wager it does not include a law degree from Harvard. I bet too he'd probably tell you what his grades were. That, however, is strictly conjecture on my part.
What he does have is savvy. Had hot shots like myself only listened to him when he asked Obama if he bought a company that made $250,000 or better a year would his taxes go up. Right then and there was the answer we've been grappling with ever since. Now it's being called class warfare - pitting Americans against Americans. What did Obama say?
"I think when you spread the wealth around it's, it's good for everybody."Perhaps this is why Herman Cain is so popular. He has spelled out a plan, while maybe not perfect, where everyone has some skin in the game. In other words, everyone would have to pony up. The rich wouldn't have to carry the poor.
Where Obama runs into problems is he has yet to provide an equitable plan for taxing the rich. How much is enough? How much is too much? Fault will be found with any number put forward. But then I don't think he cares. Just tax them. Mightily.
So what would happen to Joe? He's about as much the everyman that there is. He didn't like the politics behind the campaigning when McCain embraced him and made no bones about it. Now he's going to give it a try on his own.
If he's able to handle the flack that will be aimed at him, perhaps he can win. He'd be interesting. He saw right through the tax the rich rhetoric during the 2008 campaign. He knew that a company making $250,000 isn't going to be rich after expenses this day and age. Heck, by no measure is $250,000 rich this day and age. He didn't buy the company. He didn't create any jobs. It's one small business that didn't become part of the backbone of the American economy.
He understands because he's been there. I'd almost rather have him on the outside looking in with a platform to let us know what he's seeing. Sometimes it's the better place to be.
4 comments:
Actually, Obama told Joe that $250,000 wasn't considered rich. Joe, the Plumber, who is neither a Joe nor a plumber has apparently been carried away by his own notoriety. He was out of his league back then, and he is still out of his league. And, I'll wager he is as easily corruptible as all the others who delude themselves that they are ready for prime time.
He reminds me of a guy who was a house painter in Mass. who ran for congress... he said his income for a year was $35,000 and he knew how to budget really well and plan to do the same when he got to Washington DC.. the people voted him in.. in 8 months he was voting for a raise (he was getting $79,000 in Congress) to $129,000. When the reporter asked him why he voted for a raise, he said he couldn't live on $79,000 ..he needed more... he was voted out the next time around..
Re the rich carrying the poor and Cain's 999 plan
See this blog
http://notocains999plan.blogspot.com
I had almost forgotten Joe the plumber. This should be interesting.
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