07
May
Joe Plumber’s come and gone
First as farce…then as even more farce:
Samuel Wurzelbacher, better known as Joe the Plumber, tells TIME he’s so outraged by GOP overspending, he’s quitting the party — and he’s the bull’s-eye of its target audience. But he also said he wouldn’t support any cuts in defense, Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid — which, along with debt payments, would put more than two-thirds of the budget off limits.
r€nato
Is Joe the Plumber too idiotic for the GOP, or is it the other way around? I truly am not sure.
DougJ
Me neither.
r€nato
I’m really disappointed.
Now the only GOP idiots we have left to ridicule are Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Michael Savage, Newt Gingrich, Mitch McConnell, James Inhofe, James Dobson, Erik Erickson, Charles Johnson, Instapundit, Michelle Malkin, Ann Coulter…
James F. Elliott
And we care because?
ed
He’s going Galt! Huzzah!
tc125231
I saw “Joe” on Maher. At the time, he reminded me of the types who would show up with their kids at Boy Scouts, be all gung ho, but never be available when there was actual work to be done.
I thought maybe I was just being cranky. Guess not.
The embrace of “Joe” was just one more example of a GOP in desperate straits.
Mr. Stuck
Joe The Plumber— a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside a douche.
r€nato
Will the last Republican to leave the party, please turn out the lights? Thank you.
...oh hell, just leave them on, that way you can piss off Al Gore.
Napoleon
@r€nato:
How could you forget Michele Bachman (sp?)?
Jay in Oregon
I don’t care, but I find it hilarious that JTP is ditching the party that started his never-ending 15 minutes of fame.
If Sarah Palin goes with him, then I think it’s time to turn the lights out on the GOP.
SpotWeld
This might be a bit of a turning point. If Rush, Glenn Beck, etc attempt to ride this event for show ratings they could get the nutty core of the right-wing to form up with Joe the Plumber (or what ever protopolitical flack partners with Joe to cash in on him as a “consultant”)
The big question, has the GOP so sold itself to the hard-right that if the right-right decides to leave, they’ll he able to hijack the “nameplate”
Joe is going to attempt to rebrand himself as a figure head of the “Real Republican” party. Once that migration begins will there be enough money and/or political juice to keep the now withered “old school / moderate” GOP standing?
Watch the branding here people, this is where the foundations for the ‘10 and ‘12 races are being put down.
MattF
Fourteen minutes, 59.99 seconds and counting.
r€nato
@Napoleon:
it’s hard to keep track of GOP idiots without a scorecard these days. I forgot Glenn Beck too, as well as Fox News Channel itself…
YellowJournalism
There’s a possibility that he’s really doing this because he’s decided to focus on his singing career? And you thought him being in politics was scary!
John Cole
I read that piece and saw this:
And my first thought was that Amity Shlaes has her new column for Bloomberg.
Lev
@r€nato: That was pretty funny, but actually I think Charles Johnson is becoming much less irritating/crazy:
http://washingtonindependent.c.....logosphere
AnotherBruce
Reading this, I realize that Joe the Plumber needs a heavy dose of brain Draino. Or a cranial Roto Rooter.
Scruffy McSnufflepuss
The 16th minute of fame is the hardest one to get…
NickM
Talk about not understanding where your bread is being buttered. Joe is a true moran.
DougJ
Whenever I hear that, I wonder if she was being recorded in Dobly when she said it.
El Cid
Doesn’t this probably just mean that the wingnut welfare ride for Not-Joe the Not-Plumber was drying up anyway?
I mean, I don’t really have a big issue with a not-too successful plumber’s, um, helper jumping on a right wing nutwagon if they’re paying him money and sending him around the world for his live idiot routine.
But when the money dries up, I figure even Not-Joe decides it ain’t worf it.
JenJen
If Joe the Plumber couldn’t recognize his value to the GOP, nor realize this was an overflowin’ gravy train he could’ve ridden for years, I worry he may not have the smarts it takes to buy and operate his own plumbing business.
Poor Joe. ;-)
Brick Oven Bill
Joe the Plumber has a higher level of situational awareness than the vast majority of Democrats and a significant number of Republicans. He recognizes that both parties are beholden to the banking industry, and the entitlement society, and have essentially merged into a single party committed to expanding its own power and control.
As has been previously explained, the Democratic Party consists of three main constituencies:
1. Those on the take (John Cole, union workers, health care industry);
2. Victims;
3. Believers (DougJ, higher education).
As Joe the Plumber does not receive government cheese, refuses to be a victim, and interacts with society in his travels as a plumber on a regular basis, he can see clearly now.
Vision.
DanF
As I eloquently opined when I saw this on TPM:
HAHAH HAAAHAHAHAAHAA
!! HA AHA AHA AHAHAAA HHHHAAHAHAHA HHHHAAAAAA HAHAHAHAHAHAA
HAHA AHHA HHAA HAHAHA
! Oh … oh … oh …
HAHHAHAHA HAAHAHHAA HAHAHAHAHA
! HA AHA AHAH HAAHA!! Stop it! STOP IT!!
HAA AHAHA AHHAHAHAHH HAHAHA HAA
HHHHAAHAHAHA HHHHAAAAAA HAHAHAHA HHAA
! HA AHAHAHA AHHAAA HHAAAA AHAHAHA
!
wasabi gasp
Fame will soon require Joe to demonstrate his pipe laying skillz in gay porn.
Lev
Joe should have gotten a lifeboat before jumping the wingnut welfare ship: I think an FX “Rescue Me” style show about plumbers would have been just the ticket.
SnarkIntern
@Brick Oven Bill:
You need some new material, man. Bo-riiiiing.
Dennis-SGMM
The tough part is figuring out whether this is a net gain or a net loss for the GOP.
bobbo
This is our moment of Zen.
Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse
Sure, he’s a real plumber. Just like her.
And even though she’s in her eighties now, Jane Withers could still kick Sam’s ass. Also.
Johnny Pez
I’ve never seen an actual train wreck occur, and I probably never will, but this is close enough.
JL
Sorry for the OT, but Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games for performance enhancement drugs.
OT, Ridge is not running for Senate in PA
Dennis-SGMM
This is good news for John McCain!
norbizness
38 minutes, 43 seconds and counting, it’s just that the blogosophere didn’t notice the 23:43 overage.
Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse
Play Joe off, Keyboard Cat.
Mike in NC
Sam W: Plumb & Plumber
JK
Never before has a man of lesser consequence, importance, or relevance gotten more mileage out of his 15 minutes than Joe “The Make It Up As You Go Along” Plumber.
Brick Oven Bill
Stephanopoulos recently announced in his role as a national commentator, that it is very important to put government money into the banks. Buffett recently stated in his role as an economics expert, and not in his role as a bank owner, or the President’s economic advisor, that the banks are healthy.
NBC colors its studios with green lights, and does not explain to the American people that the construction of its parent company’s windmills increases greenhouse gas emissions. Nobody explains to the American people that CO2 constitutes 0.028% of the atmosphere, man creates 5% of CO2 emissions, and even if we were able to reduce our emissions by 5%, this would affect 0.00000095% of the atmosphere, which really wouldn’t mean squat, since the earth is cooling anyway.
Joe the Plumber can see this. Perhaps he has a gift. The gift of vision.
SpotWeld
B.O.B.
It’s getting old.
One spoof post per blog entry please.
It seems like a reasonable curtosy to request.
jake 4 that 1
Paul/Plumber 2012!
@Mr. Stuck: A misery wrapped in an enema. /Fred Colon
Dennis-SGMM
And now, for our Spanish readers; B.O.B en espanol:
“Mi tio es enfermo para la carretera es verde.”
Zifnab
@JK: Oh don’t say that, or we’ll just be forced to find someone new to prove you your statement wrong.
I never really “got” the idea behind Sammy Joe the wanna-be CPA. Are people really so ignorant of how they pay their taxes that his original riff even made sense? Did he ever have positive approval numbers or any serious degree of popularity?
I mean, at least Miss California has boobs you can stare at during another round of stupid. Tax Dodge the not Plumber, wasn’t even a pretty face.
J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford
@Brick Oven Bill:
As has been previously explained, the Republican Party consists of two main constituencies:
1. Those who wear wetsuits
2. Those who wear two wetsuits
JK
@JL:
What’s your source for stating that Ridge is not running for the PA Senate seat?
One poll shows him beating Toomey in a landslide and 2 polls show him running neck and neck with Specter.
J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford
@JL:
That means it’s time to “Draft Alan Keyes!”
TenguPhule
Corrected and improved.
JK
@jake 4 that 1:
The Dimmer Twins
Palin/Bachmann 2012
TenguPhule
But the question is are the double ended dildos mandatory or optional?
JK
Joe the Plumber can now get back to cleaning toilets
Brick Oven Bill
Joe is perhaps prescient. Joe the Plumber told Obama that Obama would raise his taxes. All of the college professors then laughed at Joe the Plumber, because he is an ignorant prole. And, voila!, Joe becomes a national celebrity who will get a beer endorsement. And a bigger tax bill.
Perhaps Joe’s prescience was regarding his beer endorsement, or perhaps he occasionally enjoys a smoke, or perhaps Joe uses electricity. In either case, you have to respect Joe the Plumber’s vision.
Perhaps Joe is smart enough to know that raising the top tier tax rate by 4%, will only cover 3% of the proposed new spending. This could be as a consequence of a gift, or perhaps a calculator.
LD50
BOB states this, helpfully:
But later he clarifies:
You mean… Joe can see the green lights?
J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford
@TenguPhule:
With the Republican model they come standard.
Dennis-SGMM
@JK:
Politico sez Ridge isn’t running. They quote a statement from Ridge to that effect.
sparky
looks like the GOP will be able to fit into one conference room after all…
TenguPhule
Joe made a lot more money.
Of course he’d be paying more in taxes then when he was un/under employed.
I hope he paid off those taxes he already owed.
Beauzeaux
Fixed.
Dork
@John Cole: who’s Amity Shales?
Jay in Oregon
Since they’re going all populist and shit, I nominate “The Republican Party of the People.”
No, wait, that’s too long… how about:
The People’s Republican Party
Barry Soetoro
@Brick Oven Bill:
Then why don’t you suck him off.
People like you criticize who you’re ordered to criticize—and those who gave you the orders tell you exactly what to say. Your favorite pundits and bloggers have all the talking points, ready to go. Just like they did during Bush’s administration.
You have no original thoughts; you’re incapable of thinking. And you fail to note that John Cole and others who frequent this site aren’t afraid to call out Obama, members of his administration, and the rest of the Democrats. Oh, and they call out Republicans and pundits sympathetic to the GOP cause (whatever that happens to be right this minute).
You don’t want improvement. You don’t want accountability from our government. You want entertainment. Brinksmanship, pissing contests, whipping out your dick to see who’s got the biggest one.
You, and people like you, aren’t serious. You’re adults in name only. Go back to your hole.
Cris
Meanwhile, the Shins have added Joe Plummer to their lineup. Coincidence? I think not.
xochi
I’m willing to bet he got a better paying gig with the Birchers.
angulimala
@Reason.
What analogy will they use when Obama does something to the Bus Industry? Can you throw buses under a bus?
The mind boggles.
Common Sense
.@Cris:
Modest Mouse and the Fruit Bats?
It’s like the Traveling Wilburys for College DJs
Thankovsky
@r€nato:
You’ll still be able to ridicule him. Don’t think for a moment that this will stop him from towing the Republican line in the media. He’s an “independent” in the sense that Glenn Beck is an “independent.”
lilysmom
@Barry Soetoro:
Project much?
Brick Oven Bill
Hey Barry; I can think. Perhaps Joe’s prescience is the benefit of a gift, or perhaps he thinks with a good spatial sense of situational awareness. I do not know.
Many other people can think too. You will note than membership in both the Republican and Democratic Parties is dropping, with those identifying as ‘Independent’ is rising. The Democrats’ numbers are shrinking slower than the Republicans, this is because a Victim usually stays a Victim, see East Germany and how collectivism changed the mindsets of a genetically similar group of people, evolved from the same latitude, through generations.
This will all end with the currency, regardless.
But I think ‘The People’s Republican Party’ is a stupid name. I would prefer the ‘Iron Teabag Party’ (ITP).
Hunter Gathers
Well, at least Joe the Sam will no longer be collecting a wingnut welfare check.
dlw32
Actually, B.O.B., Obama told Joe that he was going to raise taxes… hence JtP’s question.
El Cid
Anyone who thinks Not-Joe the Not-Plumber possesses keen political analysis instincts more sophisticated than “I’m not a billionaire so I’m probably going to get screwed in some fashion”—and that is not sophisticated thought—are complete idiots who can go fuck off and continue to infest the national Republican Party with the sort of Dixie shitbags that the South has too many of already.
joe from Lowell
You know, I’m starting to suspect that this Plumber fella isn’t very good at math.
Personally, I support Amanda the Plummer. “If any of you fucking pricks move, I’ll execute every last motherfucking one of you!”
greynoldsct00
OT, fun in Lousiana…look out Vitter
Stormy’s after your seat
Comrade Dread
Maybe he believes, like McCain, that getting rid of earmarks will fix everything and make the budget magically small.
TenguPhule
Half right.
Republicans are dropping.
Democrats roughly staying the same.
Unaffliated favoring Democrats up.
TenguPhule
A slap to the face of the bus industry.
BombIranForChrist
In a way, Joe is the epitome of exactly the problem Republicans face.
Lots and lots and lots of people don’t like high taxes and they don’t like lots of spending, but then when you try to get them to list what they would cut, they start mumbling something about pork before heading off into the sunset.
The problem Republicans have is that Americans LIKE big government. Sure, most won’t admit it, but if you have people like Joe standing behind these huge entitlement programs, you know your movement is f’d.
joe from Lowell
Vision, people.
Vision!
Hunter Gathers
I believe I’ve heard the type of rant that B.O.B. is always spewing from something from my youth. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Oh, wait. Now I can.
Nobody likes Illinois Nazis
Martian Buddy
More like Joe the Virulent Homophobe:
What a douchebag. It makes me sick that the wingnuts try to portray this bigoted idiot as the face of the average American.
Napoleon
@greynoldsct00:
I saw her a few weeks ago on TV talking about may be running and had to, er, look up her history on the internet. She is a woman of great talent.
More seriously, she is actually very articulate and doesn’t come across in the least bit trashy. More of the cute bright girl from down the street.
greynoldsct00
@Napoleon:
I love the irony of the whole thing!
Napoleon
@BombIranForChrist:
There is nothing “in a way” about it. It is exactly the problem, not only they face but the country as a whole. A large enough chunk of the electorate is exactly like this and it has lead to the last 30 years. Someone ought to tell Joe that there is not, in fact, a free lunch.
sab
That’s the problem on economic policy when Reagan Democrats are your only base.
Tax Analyst
Joe, is that you?
If it’s not, tap your toe three times.
Napoleon
@greynoldsct00:
You know, if after what I saw of her on TV I was told she was, say, a graduate of some MBA program and was currently a state rep. who was running for a senate seat at 30 I would have thought to myself “well she is a little young and you have to wonder if some people may think she is a little to cute/sweet for her own good, but she seems to have it togther and I am willing to hear what she has to say and consider her”
Joshua Norton
Still waiting for his big hit CW CD to be released. Talk about a text book case of Grandiose Narcissism. Eeeesh!
Tax Analyst
It IS you
Brick-Oven-Bill is really Joe-the-Plumber
BOB, I’m looking into your future and what I’m seeing looks like white jackets and rubber walls.
Xecklothxayyquou Gilchrist
Joe the Plumber tells TIME he’s so outraged by GOP overspending, he’s quitting the party…
Yeah, OK. Just like Rush got sick of carrying their water.
Uh-huh.
I bet NJtNP is dumb enough to jump off the gravy train, but I bet it won’t take him long to figure out that that overspending included paying his own empty shiny noggin.
Comrade Kevin
@Brick Oven Bill:
Oh really?
Martian Buddy
@Xecklothxayyquou Gilchrist: I’m reminded of Oral Roberts and his “I need a quick 8 mil or God will whack me” stunt. Perhaps Joe the Bigot is hoping the donations will come pouring in.
Egbs Smelly Sox
Strangely enough, this comes hot on the heels on “Joe” the “plumber” giving an interview with Christianity Today in which he thought that it would be a smart ploy to call gays “queers”, and then said that oh actually he had homosexual “friends” who he nevertheless would not let anywhere near his kids, because, well, you never know, nudge nudge wink wink [dog whistle etc].
Well, readers of Christian Times certainly did know enough to excoriate “Joe”’s views on the level of “WTF
?!” I get the feeling that “Joe” is a bit a shell-shock mode upon finding out that there are religious people that are not members of the US GOP- Shock horror!
I get the feeling his going Galt is really the last appeal of rat off what even he can recognise as a sinking ship.
Short Bus Bully
@B.O.B.
You slippery shit! You almost had me going for a second there; “Joe the Plumber is a visionary…” et al. HAHA! Good one, definitely the kind of stuff that puts a real fire under the ass of posters here. I am preparing myself for a really righteous rick roll link to some Sarah Palin pron from you within the next couple of days. I am on to you man…
In the meantime I have a new name for you Brick Oven Bill, I dub thee:
THE STICK THAT STIRS THE POOP IN THE POT.
/carry on fuckers
HyperIon
@tc125231:
Speaking of Boy Scouts and remembering the great Darrell flare up over trusting one’s kids with a gay Boy Scout leader, I note that old Joe got on the “wouldn’t let my kids be around gays” bandwagon in his most recent round of interviews. The guy is a real piece of work.
I see Martin got there before me in comment #77.
(I confess I didn’t read them all before writing one myself. sigh )
ThatLeftTurnInABQ
That’s pretty weak tea, and the initials sound like a mid-school prank planned via texting. This is much better:
the Native Sons and Daughters of America Party.
Rick Taylor
That’s funny. This puts him right in the mainstream of Republicans, who have for years bellowed that were it not for Democrat big spenders, the budget can easily be balanced without raising taxes or cutting defense or any of the above.
Original Lee
@ThatLeftTurnInABQ: Pretty good, but they wouldn’t actually use “Native” (that’s too PC), and the daughters would probably be left out (women are just for decoration).
I propose: The Natural-Born Americans Party.
(Valid birth certificates only. Non-WASPs need not apply. Framed King James version of the Ten Commandments available with every purchase before Election Day 2010.)
Dennis-SGMM
@ThatLeftTurnInABQ:
Ouch! Nicely played.
jeff
Is he STILL around!
His 15 minutes were up some time ago.
NEXT!
CobbleHill_PITA
Wasn’t this guy on welfare for a while? Did he ever return the money he took from the government teet?
canuckistani
What about the Popular People’s Republican Party?
(splitters!!)
Yaco
According to BOB, Joe the Plumber is in fact Paul Muad’Dib.
Mr. Stuck
@jake 4 that 1:
Bravo jake. Mucho better!!
Apsaras
Joe The Plumber is a man of vision, of unimaginable wisdom. He has mastered the five magics, and seized the promethian flame from atop Mt. Olympus and has deigned to share its luminance with you, if only you will accept him into your heart. He is as far beyond mutants as they are beyond you.
joe from Lowell
Hold on now.
On May 6, 2009 – when the Republican Party has been spending the past few months ranting about cutting spending, three months after they voted unanimously against the stimulus bill, a months after they embraced the Tea Party nonsense, a couple weeks after they voted unanimously against his budget outine, in the midst of their denunciations of bailouts, Joe the Plumber decides that he needs to quit the Republican Party because of their overspending?
Oh, by the way, yesterday he got in trouble for saying crude things about gay people.
Gee, I wonder if he heard from anyone from the Republican Party about that?
Mike in NC
Somebody once Photoshopped poor Joe’s noggin onto a picture of a 1930’s Brownshirt. It really looked at home there, I have to admit.
wolfetone
@Mr. Stuck: “Joe The Plumber— a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside a douche.”
FTW!
lovethebomb
I think Sam the plumber recognized his queer remarks killed whatever viability he had left, so he is trying to go down with some high brow consternation about GOP overspending. Despite my spite for this gimpy skinhead, I think that is a message that needs to get out to his Klan audience, now that they have re-discovered fiscal conservatism.
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge
I’ve been speculating about the coming GOP schism as well, and the question of naming the two new parties. I don’t suppose “The Batshit-Insane Party” and “The Tribally-Unable-to-Call-Ourselves-Democrats Rump Party” would go over too well. One or the other will wind up with the name. But which?
When Reg and Bernie broke up, Reg got custody of the name Elton John, but when Donald and Walter broke up, Donald made some solo albums, but didn’t call himself Steely Dan. I’m puzzled as to the etiquette in these matters.
Thankovsky
@The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge:
The situation becomes even more-complex when one considers the expulsion of Roger Waters from Pink Floyd. After all, as Roger argued, was not the character of “Pink” based on him personally? And yet the court ruled that David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Rick Wright could continue to use the name.
So I don’t know WHAT the GOP is going to do! :p
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge
Maybe the wing of the party that doesn’t want to be dragged into Crazy(er)town could call itself “The Provisional Republican Party.” It worked for the IRA>
lucslawyer
Hey B.O.B., do you think before you type?
asiangrrlMN
@ed: Damn you, ed! You stole my line!
Who the fuck cares????????????????????????????? It’s enough to make me gnash my teeth and rend my garments the way the media is covering this guy.
@Scruffy McSnufflepuss: This. Win. Yes.
noncarborundum
asiangrrlMN
Now that I have read all the comments, I would like to add what I’ve posted before about Joe-the-not-plumber and his statements about queers—Joe, if your kids are anything like you, then we don’t want to be around them, either. As for your ‘homosexual’ friends? A man of your age shouldn’t play with imaginary friends any more.
DonnaInMichigan
Samuel JT Plumber must of been upset that Bristol Palin stole his thunder…..
He wanted to be the new Candies Spokesperson for abstinence.