Reality Checking "Joe The Plumber"

Last Sunday he was plumber Joe Wurzelbacher confronting Barack Obama.

But by last, night, he was "Joe the Plumber," small business owner.

Joe the Plumber told Sen. Barack Obama that he might buy a business worth $280,000, but is afraid higher taxes will cut into his dream, CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews reports.

Sen. John McCain then used Joe's story to claim Obama will raise taxes for millions of small business owners.

"And what you want to do to Joe the Plumber and millions more like him is have their taxes increased," McCain said during Wednesdays third and final presidential debate.

The fact is, millions will not be hit by a tax hike. An estimated 335,000 small business owners - just 2 percent of the total - would be impacted by Obama's tax increases.

According to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, Obama's tax hikes apply only when personal income, not the value of the business, rises above $250,000.

"What goes on your income tax form is your profit, not your gross receipts," said Eric Toder of the Tax Policy Center.

So today, Joe, who said he makes much less than $250,000, reluctantly admitted Obama would lower his taxes.

"I would, if you believe him, I would be receiving his tax cuts," Wurzelbacher said.

But that wasn't it for Joe last night.

McCain wanted Obama to say how much he would fine businesses that don't provide health insurance to employees. Obama spoke directly to Joe, claiming there will be no health care fines on small business.

"And I'm happy to talk to you, Joe, too, if you're out there. Here's your fine - zero," Obama said Wednesday.

This claim is murky because Obama has not defined what he thinks is a small business. Meaning there's no way for voters to measure who gets these exemptions.

The McCain campaign, meanwhile, likes Joe the Plumber so much that officials began calling him on Tuesday and have asked him to appear at campaign rallies.

But Joe's anti-tax leanings are also playing out in his personal life. It turns out - he's behind on state taxes.

So the man whose personal story steered a Presidential debate over taxes owes some $1,200 in back taxes, according to the state of Ohio.

[RileyHammond]

The taxes still aren't a good idea. They prevent people from starting businesses just like the story of the <a href="http://www.bartmanplumbing.com">plumber</a> . Why would someone want to start a business if they aren't going to be able to get rich from it? The world revolves around money and when people work hard and get taxed too much, then they lose interest.

[magal1947]

No matter how you feel about it, the media is out of line to investigate a private citizen and reveal very personal information about him to millions. All he did was ask a question...when did it become a crime to do that?...yet his life has been smeared across the internet, the news, and television.

[spyderdave]

ohn McCain a Spy!!- Have you read the latest headline? It seems that a Vietnamese government official just released information that John McCain is actually a Vietnamese spy. The government official (who wished to remain anonymous) Stated that while John was supposedly being held as a %u201CP.O.W%u201D he was actually being trained by the Vietnam government as a covert agent. The plan was to have McCain return to America as a %u201CHero%u201D by using staged photos of him being held in a prison camp. McCain would then eventually run for political office using his heroic military experience to pave his way to become President of the United States.
These accusations are serious and need to be addressed! Is McCain planing to make this a communistic country? Are the allegations true?


See, anyone can make up lies about someones character in order to discredit their patriotism. This is of course completely untrue and fabricated in order to make a point, but what if stories like this were distributed just to attack someones character knowing that a percentage of the population will believe anything they hear or read.

McCain is no more a spy then Obama is a terrorist. stop with the lies and character attacks! Our Country deserves the truth.

[kopana]

JOE the Plumber seems to just another Republican operative, but funny since he doesn''t even pay taxes, how patriotic is that???Doesn''t he love his country or what? some connections to the Keating 5, Oh please, watch out desperate Republicans at PLAY and they can play very DIRTY

[hissteps4u]

This is of the way mcCain does his vetting and investigation of people, simply pisss Poor judgement and a lack of factual reality in an attempt to use someone to bolster his claims when in fact the person he used is a bum and a lier to boot...... This is what McCain/PALIN will do for us a great Big Fat Zero in Reality and we will be left at the Pumpo with no options, No Money and No Fuel as allegorys go.

Their attempt to sell us this dream is a Wash... as in Washington Two step shuffle....

[hissteps4u]

This is of the way mcCain does his vetting and investigation of people, simply pisss Poor judgement and a lack of factual reality in an attempt to use someone to bolster his claims when in fact the person he used is a bum and a lier to boot...... This is what McCain/PALIN will do for us a great Big Fat Zero in Reality and we will be left at the Pumpo with no options, No Money and No Fuel as allegorys go.

Their attempt to sell us this dream is a Wash... as in Washington Two step shuffle....

[achangenow]

This Joe the Plumber character isn''t even licensed and owes nearly $1,200 in unpaid taxes. You certainly know how to pick them McCain!!

[kimb54]

Typical McCain he brings up %u201CJoe%u201D then reporters swamp Joe and then McCain blames Obama for Joe%u2019s popularity. Joe can%u2019t afford to buy the business he only makes about 40 thousand a year and the business only makes about 100 thousand per year, facts are not passing the smell test.
Now Joe%u2019s life might get even more complicated. Will his employer be fined for having an unlicensed plumber do certain work? He might if there wasn%u2019t a licensed plumber on sight when Joe was plumbing. Then in the places that the work was done if no certified plumber oversaw the work it my have to be re-done, I see lawsuits against Joe%u2019s boss.
Yep McCain is looking out for his own selfish gains again. McCain invited himself into Joe%u2019s home and took a huge dump and has left it for Joe to deal with the mess!

[kimb54]

Typical McCain he brings up %u201CJoe%u201D then reporters swamp Joe and then McCain blames Obama for Joe%u2019s popularity. Joe can%u2019t afford to buy the business he only makes about 40 thousand a year and the business only makes about 100 thousand per year, facts are not passing the smell test.
Now Joe%u2019s life might get even more complicated. Will his employer be fined for having an unlicensed plumber do certain work? He might if there wasn%u2019t a licensed plumber on sight when Joe was plumbing. Then in the places that the work was done if no certified plumber oversaw the work it my have to be re-done, I see lawsuits against Joe%u2019s boss.
Yep McCain is looking out for his own selfish gains again. McCain invited himself into Joe%u2019s home and took a huge dump and has left it for Joe to deal with the mess!

[ohall36]

The only comment I have about Joe is that he was a McCain plant. Obama didn''t tell him anything other than what he has always been saying. If you make more than $250k, your *** will pay higher taxes. So what has changed, except McBush thinks he has something new to run with. McCain is slow-motion in thinking. And his running mate, Palin, in no-motion when it comes to knowing anything.