LOL, in a time when so many people are screw ups (housing crisis, credit crunch) in this country, you are gonna pick on $1,200 in back taxes? Or no license? Do you know how many of those workers that Obama wants to help probably have suspended drivers licenses? Do you know how many people out there work without the proper credencials? In a country where now a days it takes both parents working to make a living, at a time when the economy is squeezing the hell out of everyone and now people are gonna take Joe the plumber (Samuel) and make a mockery of him, drag him on the ground, smear his name and basically expose his entire life just to deal a blow to McCain when the guy is definitely you basic average Joe. A guy in debt just like almost everyone else. It's a shame you chose to post such a thing Sodaiho.

What's with trying to discredit Joe? Does it matter?  Obama said what he said.

Love it!  This is perfect!  I am so glad I decided to visit your blog again to see how you have sold your soul to the democrats.  Smearing a man.  Back taxes?  Better lock up half the US population for that one! (Notice they are back taxes, and not tax fraud......hmmm.....I guess democrats really dont know the difference!).

Unlicensed?  Did you read the article?  It clearly states he has not committed any crimes, and does not need one since he works for someone else.  But I am sure he is not going to get one now, and probably be audited for his federal taxes on January 21st, 2009.

Ah, you got to love the hate of the left!  No longer can they refute the facts, so they smear the messenger!  We are in for a great 4 years!  It will make any perceived abrogation of rights by the Bush administration look like a rights holiday!

But not to the sycophants of the left.  After all, they hate free speech.  Except when you agree with them.

Let's not forget, this guy is one of the many people Obama and the Democrats claim to wanna help. Who's the role model now? I say it again, here is the proof people, your own party (or the party who claims to work for you) will throw you under the bus just to win an election.

Hey Joe, say hi to Rev Wright, Ayers, ACORN, Jesse Jackson, and everyone else under that bus, for me.

The left wastes no time trashing this man. His question was valid, the far-left don't like their real agenda, wealth redistribution, getting out.

Hello Jill,

You are right.  My comment was polarizing.  I apologize.

I do not hide, however, at all.  If you read my work I share my life as if it were an open book, warts and all. I do not claim enlightenment, but I am a priestr and a spiritually, community driven person. My comments are always about the welfare of everyman. My sense is that these last eight years have been horrific and far out of balance.  Yours?  What would it take to appease the rich. the corporate CEOs?  Hands off?  Little to no government?  Few taxes?  Well, then, who watches the chicken koop as the fox comes in?  Who manages to pay the debt?  How do we pay the debt?

What I hear from the rich, the CEOs is cut my taxes! The theory is that this will allow them to hire more workers and there will be a trickle down effect.  Hmmm.  It seems we have had a lengthy history testing that theory and I see nothing but soaring unemployment numbers.  Greed took over reason in the markets and the banking systems, the result, a near collapse of the capitalist system, as the Bush and his conservative )get government off our backs" buddies, called for socializing the banking system, bailing out wall street, and so on.

I want to know how we intend to pay China back, reduce our debt, get energy independent, and bring up our children so that they respect education and hard work.  Again, this is not a democrat or republican issue, its a national one.  Suggestions?

Be well.

In defense of Sodaiho (not that he needs it as he can hold his own) this article isn't "smearing" Joe the plumber. Nor is it an attempt to do so. It is merely pointing out the undeniable facts, not conjecture, that he is not licenced and currently unable to subcontract work for his business in his state. How is pointing out the facts a "smear"?

Anywho.

Let's see. This year the U.S is on track to spend over 1 trillion dollars on defense. Yes, the official defense budget is something around 500 billion, but once you throw in all the other departments of government not directly part of the Pentagon plus all kinds of associated projects plus additional spending measures for Iraq, Afghanistan etc you're on track to pass 1 trillion. The Treasury, for example, is spending billions on homeland security. The deparment of energy is spending tens of billions to keep ICBM's maintained, the department of state billions more on all kinds of programs at home and overseas. Plus, you still need to buy more F-35's and Virginia class submarines to fight the terrorists.

One way to help out the situation? Bring U.S troops home. I'm not necessarily talking about Iraq, either. The U.S currently has 761 bases and installations OUTSIDE of it's own borders in over 151 countries around the world. If you want to increase homeland defense AND cut down costs, close some of those far-flung garrisons and bring the troops home.

Good call!

Those troops are also spending money in countries that oppose American foreign policy (and sometimes the USA as such). It would be a good idea not to waste any American tax money on countries that don't appreciate being allies of the US anyway.

Western Europe doesn't really deserve an American defence. It would be in the USA's best interests, I think to remove all troops from Europe except the UK.

Hardly defamation.  I have no trouble with honest, hard working people building a business.   I did it, My brother did it.  Both of us struggled to pay our taxes. I have trouble with people taking shortcuts.  The problem is with Sen. McCain picking out a soul and holding him up as an example when the examplar is a bit tarnished.  My brother worked for years as an apprectice, then a journeyman: he paid his dues to become an air conditioning and refrigeration repairman.  He then opened his own company in south Florida and did very well. I worked for two years with a provisional license under the supervision of another therapist with a license, then took an examination for an independent license, then started my own corporation.  There is a proper way to do things and shortcuts.  The trouble I am having with many of your responses isthat you all seem to think taking a shortcut is OK and that avoiding your tax obligation to the point of court action is also OK. Its not.  Its disrepectful to those who work their way up from the ground the right way and actually pay their fair share of taxes.

I am not the messinger here, McCain waws, and the AP story simply pointed out the facts behind Joe.

Be well.

It wasn't the left.  I was a news report.  Some may argue its the same. 

I don't think this is an income redistribution issue, in spite of how Sen. Obama phrased it.  I think we have a serious, overwhelming deficit and calls to reduce taxes amounts to financial idiocy in the face of it.  We need to increase our government's income and reduce its debt. Its a question of how much each economic tier is going to have to pay.

With our trillion dollar debt, ongoing war, and shakey economy we better get used to having to pay the piper.

Now, on a personal note:

Frankly, I don't know what I am anymore.  I suppose I am a "liberal" but then, I am also an ardent supporter of small business, entrepreneurial spirit, and individuality. On the other hand, I believe strongly in community. Business occurs in a society. I believe we are all deeply interconnected and that to allow a segment of our world to suffer creates a wave of suffering everywhere.  I believe we all have obligations to our country: to serve in the armed forces or alternatives, to pay taxes, to work for the good of everyone.  I do not believe that any one "class" is privileged, but I do believe that there exist underprivileged groups who need our help and sometimes our guidance.  I believe racism, sexism, ageism, and all the other special designations exist and should be remedied.  I think companies should make a profit, but that unbridled profits at the expense of the population is a problem.   So, essentially, I see myself as a centrist with liberal leanings, a strong sense that our obligations go both ways, to ourselves and to others.  

Liberal, conservative: who cares.  We are Americans and we each love our country.  Don't you think its time to figure out how to really deal with our problems? Rather than mouthing the same old sh*t?

So being a preist how much of that debt are you willing to pay? Do you have your own church? If you do, don't you enjoy a tax free status?

If I was tax exempt, I would probably be calling for all the rest of the hard working 'Joes' to pay more too.

I never understood why religious organisations are tax-exempt in a secular country with a division between religion and state.

Are religions organisations ("churches") charities? If so, do they actually offer a service to everyone, without prejudice, for free, like charities must?

Christian churches arguably do offer their services to everyone without prejudice and for free. Synagogues do too, in a way. While their services are only available to Jews, they do allow everyone to become Jewish. Plus they are open to the public (or would be, if security allows it).

I don't know about American mosques. Do they allow atheists to enter? I was told by Muslims in Israel that only Muslims, Christians, and Jews are allowed to enter a mosque.

And what about "religions" like Scientology? Do they offer their services (however useful they might be) to everyone for free?

And do churches have to make their books public? Do Scientology do that?