Middle Tennessee 'Joe the plumbers' pipe up on debate
They sympathize with his tax problem
By Chris Echegaray
They sympathize with his tax problem
By Chris Echegaray
• THE TENNESSEAN •
October 17, 2008
Some of Middle Tennessee's "Joe the plumbers" missed Wednesday night's debate, but they know their name and profession made a splash.
Joe Wurzelbacher of Ohio was a central figure in the candidates' arguments about taxing small-business owners — they mentioned "Joe" or "Joe the plumber" more than 20 times. A widely circulated video of him questioning Barack Obama's tax plan made the plumber a representative of the nation's ambitious blue-collar workers.
"I didn't watch it, but I've been hearing a lot about this plumber," said a chuckling Joe Brown of Joe B. Sullivan & Sons in Nashville. Brown said he stopped paying attention to the politics because his mind is made up — although he wouldn't say who he'll vote for.
Joe Schwark, owner of JMS Plumbing in Spring Hill, said he has a general distrust of politicians, but appreciated the recognition of his craft.
"Personally, I don't think either of them is what the country needs," he said. "But it is what it is."
Schwark said he agrees with the original Joe the plumber's problem with raising taxes for people who earn more than $250,000 a year. Taxes are the plight of the small-business owner, he said.
"I work for every penny," he said. "Taxes are what kills me, and if either of them raise taxes, it hurts people like me. You know, we jump though hoops as business owners. There is liability and vehicle insurance, and there are gas prices. For every dollar that comes in, it's going out."
After reducing his staff by 10 in recent months, Donald "Joe" Ward of W.W. Plumbing in Murfreesboro said he was glad to see a blue-collar worker at the center of presidential candidates' conversations.
"Sounded good to me," Ward said. "I thought it was great. But I had 63 workers and now I have 53. The whole thing is out of whack. I don't think we should tax the working people if they don't make as much money."
Some of Middle Tennessee's "Joe the plumbers" missed Wednesday night's debate, but they know their name and profession made a splash.
Joe Wurzelbacher of Ohio was a central figure in the candidates' arguments about taxing small-business owners — they mentioned "Joe" or "Joe the plumber" more than 20 times. A widely circulated video of him questioning Barack Obama's tax plan made the plumber a representative of the nation's ambitious blue-collar workers.
"I didn't watch it, but I've been hearing a lot about this plumber," said a chuckling Joe Brown of Joe B. Sullivan & Sons in Nashville. Brown said he stopped paying attention to the politics because his mind is made up — although he wouldn't say who he'll vote for.
Joe Schwark, owner of JMS Plumbing in Spring Hill, said he has a general distrust of politicians, but appreciated the recognition of his craft.
"Personally, I don't think either of them is what the country needs," he said. "But it is what it is."
Schwark said he agrees with the original Joe the plumber's problem with raising taxes for people who earn more than $250,000 a year. Taxes are the plight of the small-business owner, he said.
"I work for every penny," he said. "Taxes are what kills me, and if either of them raise taxes, it hurts people like me. You know, we jump though hoops as business owners. There is liability and vehicle insurance, and there are gas prices. For every dollar that comes in, it's going out."
After reducing his staff by 10 in recent months, Donald "Joe" Ward of W.W. Plumbing in Murfreesboro said he was glad to see a blue-collar worker at the center of presidential candidates' conversations.
"Sounded good to me," Ward said. "I thought it was great. But I had 63 workers and now I have 53. The whole thing is out of whack. I don't think we should tax the working people if they don't make as much money."
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