Republican presidential candidate John McCain appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman last night, and had to face an inquisition about his recent last-minute cancellation.
McCain cancelled the Letterman appearance Sept. 24, claiming he had to fly back to Washington to help fix the economic crisis. Nice try. Actually, the candidate was later revealed to have been interviewing with Katie Couric. Last week, Letterman called McCain, "squirrely" for lying about rushing back to D.C., adding, "I just don't know that we can trust him."
Letterman immediately lit into McCain last night, asking him when he sat down, "Can you stay?" Then he asked, "What exactly happened? "
Friday, October 17, 2008
JoeThePlumber Becomes Butt of Late Night TV Jokes, Owes Back Taxes
``Joe the plumber,'' the Toledo, Ohio, man whose complaints about Barack Obama's tax plan were highlighted by John McCain in the final presidential debate, owes the state of Ohio almost $1,200 in back income taxes.
According to records on file with the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, the state filed a tax lien against Samuel J. Wurzelbacher for $1,182.98 on Jan. 26, 2007, that is still active.
Wurzelbacher was thrust into the national spotlight this week when he told Obama he worried that the Illinois senator's proposals to roll back Bush administration tax breaks for Americans earning more than $250,000 would prevent him from buying a plumbing business that would earn between $250,000 and $280,000 a year.
McCain, an Arizona Republican senator, pointed to the exchange during the debate last night when he turned to the camera and said, ``I will not stand for a tax increase on small- business income.'' Directly criticizing Obama, he added, ``what you want to do to `Joe the plumber' and millions more like him is have their taxes increased and not be able to realize the American dream of owning their own business.''
Today, at a rally in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, McCain said ``the real winner last night was `Joe the plumber.'''
On Oct. 12, as Obama was campaigning door-to-door in suburban Toledo, Wurzelbacher confronted the Democratic presidential nominee about his tax plan.
`American Dream'
``Do you believe in the American dream?'' Wurzelbacher asked before asking about the tax increase. ``I'm being taxed more and more for fulfilling the American dream.''
Wurzelbacher's home telephone number is unlisted, and efforts to reach him by calling his neighbors and family were unsuccessful. Attempts to reach Wurzelbacher at the plumbing company where he works were also unsuccessful. The address on the lien and other records for him matched the address published by the Toledo Blade, which also noted the lien.
Wurzelbacher told ABC's ``Good Morning America'' program today that high earners shouldn't be ``penalized for being successful.''
The state of Ohio places a lien on real property after several steps to try to collect a tax debt, according to John Kohlstrand, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Taxation who said he couldn't discuss any specific case.
Delinquency Notice
If a delinquency notice goes unheeded, the Department of Taxation issues a billing notice, Kohlstrand said. If that is ignored, a more formal assessment notice is sent. Failing to appeal an assessment or losing an appeal puts the debt into the hands of the state attorney general for collection. The attorney general typically sends a collection notice and simultaneously files a lien.
``The taxpayers may not necessarily know about the lien,'' Kohlstrand said, although they would receive other notices.
In Wurzelbacher's case, the lien indicated that the notice was sent to a previous address in Toledo.
Ray Ann Estep, section chief for revenue-recovery services for the Ohio attorney general, said Wurzelbacher's lien was filed six months after the Department of Taxation certified the debt for collection.
According to records on file with the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, the state filed a tax lien against Samuel J. Wurzelbacher for $1,182.98 on Jan. 26, 2007, that is still active.
Wurzelbacher was thrust into the national spotlight this week when he told Obama he worried that the Illinois senator's proposals to roll back Bush administration tax breaks for Americans earning more than $250,000 would prevent him from buying a plumbing business that would earn between $250,000 and $280,000 a year.
McCain, an Arizona Republican senator, pointed to the exchange during the debate last night when he turned to the camera and said, ``I will not stand for a tax increase on small- business income.'' Directly criticizing Obama, he added, ``what you want to do to `Joe the plumber' and millions more like him is have their taxes increased and not be able to realize the American dream of owning their own business.''
Today, at a rally in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, McCain said ``the real winner last night was `Joe the plumber.'''
On Oct. 12, as Obama was campaigning door-to-door in suburban Toledo, Wurzelbacher confronted the Democratic presidential nominee about his tax plan.
`American Dream'
``Do you believe in the American dream?'' Wurzelbacher asked before asking about the tax increase. ``I'm being taxed more and more for fulfilling the American dream.''
Wurzelbacher's home telephone number is unlisted, and efforts to reach him by calling his neighbors and family were unsuccessful. Attempts to reach Wurzelbacher at the plumbing company where he works were also unsuccessful. The address on the lien and other records for him matched the address published by the Toledo Blade, which also noted the lien.
Wurzelbacher told ABC's ``Good Morning America'' program today that high earners shouldn't be ``penalized for being successful.''
The state of Ohio places a lien on real property after several steps to try to collect a tax debt, according to John Kohlstrand, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Taxation who said he couldn't discuss any specific case.
Delinquency Notice
If a delinquency notice goes unheeded, the Department of Taxation issues a billing notice, Kohlstrand said. If that is ignored, a more formal assessment notice is sent. Failing to appeal an assessment or losing an appeal puts the debt into the hands of the state attorney general for collection. The attorney general typically sends a collection notice and simultaneously files a lien.
``The taxpayers may not necessarily know about the lien,'' Kohlstrand said, although they would receive other notices.
In Wurzelbacher's case, the lien indicated that the notice was sent to a previous address in Toledo.
Ray Ann Estep, section chief for revenue-recovery services for the Ohio attorney general, said Wurzelbacher's lien was filed six months after the Department of Taxation certified the debt for collection.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
JoethePlumber Represents all the Joes, The Average Joes, and the Ordinary Guys
The last presidential debate gave rise to a winner, JoethePlumber. What is interesting is that there have always been regular regualar Joes around. Now that the financial market is destroyed with Wall Street, now that the economy is almost destroyed, now that the bailout, rescue package has been voted by both houses and signed by the president, both presidential candidates want to show their connection to the regular guys' daily trials, they create one kind of Joe. Thus was born JoethePlumber. But JoethePlumber.com has already existed. It has been said that Senator Obama met Joe the plumber in Amarillo, Texas. It appears that John McCain has also met him. What a coincidence that both candidates met the same guy who got thrown into the spotlight. That is the pure magic of a long campaign!
Joetheplumber represents all regular Joes who are working hard out there to make a living. Joetheplumber is a hard-working man in this economy. He represents all the Joes out there. blogJoethePlumber.blogspot.com aims at presenting the labor of all the average Joes in the world. It will feature Joethemechanic, JoetheGardener, Joethestreetsweeper, Joethefruitpicker, Joethefarmer, Joetheillegalalien, JoetheCaliforniafruitpruner, JoetheOregonapplepicker, Joetheautoworker, Joethesenator or JoeBiden who lost his wife and raised his children, Joethedivorcedfather, Joethelaidoffpilot, Joethesocialworker, Joetheunionmember, JoetheMcDonald'sworker, Joethemanager, Joethegroundskeeper, Joethescientist.
How about JoetheToyotaworker, JoetheGMCworker, JoetheChryslerengineer, JoetheFordmarketingdirector, JoetheFastlanefinancialworker, Joetheretailemployee, Joethefashionworker, Joethedeliveryman, Joethepostalworker, Joethebrokenhearted?
JoetheBrokenHearted lost his wife and family after he lost his employment. He got despondent and started gambling his savings and eventually a large portion of his retirement. His house was placed on the foreclosure list. He had to move to an apartment. when he could not make enough money to pay the rent, his wife and kids left. JoetheBrokenHearted needed help. He got it through retraining meetings organized by a local agency.
The winner of the last presidential debate is in all of us, ordinary folks from the main street.
Long after a president has been selected, Joetheplumber and regular Joes will be around. They are not going anywhere. Yet, they are going to be affected by the energy policies, healthcare plan, education proposals, financial and economic plans of the elected president. Joetheplumber like all other Joes will have to drive to work, send his children to school, travel on an airplane, get or use a credit card if he can get any credit these days. The Joes whom we know have already seeing their credit line contracted. Some of them have already lost their jobs. Others are thinking about finding a new line of work. The Joes who live in our neighborhoods are praying to be able to hang onto their jobs. Their employers have already lost many contracts due to the credit crunch. They got laid off. They are unemployed. If they are the owners of a once-growing company, they are watching their numbers. They are keeping expenses low. They still have to pay a lot of money in fuel expenses.
Joetheplumber represents all regular Joes who are working hard out there to make a living. Joetheplumber is a hard-working man in this economy. He represents all the Joes out there. blogJoethePlumber.blogspot.com aims at presenting the labor of all the average Joes in the world. It will feature Joethemechanic, JoetheGardener, Joethestreetsweeper, Joethefruitpicker, Joethefarmer, Joetheillegalalien, JoetheCaliforniafruitpruner, JoetheOregonapplepicker, Joetheautoworker, Joethesenator or JoeBiden who lost his wife and raised his children, Joethedivorcedfather, Joethelaidoffpilot, Joethesocialworker, Joetheunionmember, JoetheMcDonald'sworker, Joethemanager, Joethegroundskeeper, Joethescientist.
How about JoetheToyotaworker, JoetheGMCworker, JoetheChryslerengineer, JoetheFordmarketingdirector, JoetheFastlanefinancialworker, Joetheretailemployee, Joethefashionworker, Joethedeliveryman, Joethepostalworker, Joethebrokenhearted?
JoetheBrokenHearted lost his wife and family after he lost his employment. He got despondent and started gambling his savings and eventually a large portion of his retirement. His house was placed on the foreclosure list. He had to move to an apartment. when he could not make enough money to pay the rent, his wife and kids left. JoetheBrokenHearted needed help. He got it through retraining meetings organized by a local agency.
The winner of the last presidential debate is in all of us, ordinary folks from the main street.
Long after a president has been selected, Joetheplumber and regular Joes will be around. They are not going anywhere. Yet, they are going to be affected by the energy policies, healthcare plan, education proposals, financial and economic plans of the elected president. Joetheplumber like all other Joes will have to drive to work, send his children to school, travel on an airplane, get or use a credit card if he can get any credit these days. The Joes whom we know have already seeing their credit line contracted. Some of them have already lost their jobs. Others are thinking about finding a new line of work. The Joes who live in our neighborhoods are praying to be able to hang onto their jobs. Their employers have already lost many contracts due to the credit crunch. They got laid off. They are unemployed. If they are the owners of a once-growing company, they are watching their numbers. They are keeping expenses low. They still have to pay a lot of money in fuel expenses.
All Things JOethePlumber: Related JoethePlumber News and Videos
The day after the third and final presidential debate, "Joe the Plumber" might be the most popular man in America. No, not Joe Wurzelbacher, the Toledo, Ohio-based man who reportedly complained to Sen. Barack Obama about his tax policies and who was name-checked in the debate more than 20 times.
No, I mean Joe Francis, a plumber in Amarillo, Tex. who owns JoeThePlumber.com.
Reportedly, Joe has been offered thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to give up his Web site. While Joe didn't say what his plans were, he did confirm that his phone "has been ringing off the hook."
So far, the extra calls haven't translated into extra business; this probably isn't a surprise, since Joe only services Amarillo clients. "But I expect it will pick up in the near future," he said.
Joe Wurzelbacher, an Ohio plumber, confronted Sen. Barack Obama over his tax plans at a campaign stop earlier this week and became the surprise star of tonight's final presidential debate.
No, I mean Joe Francis, a plumber in Amarillo, Tex. who owns JoeThePlumber.com.
Reportedly, Joe has been offered thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to give up his Web site. While Joe didn't say what his plans were, he did confirm that his phone "has been ringing off the hook."
So far, the extra calls haven't translated into extra business; this probably isn't a surprise, since Joe only services Amarillo clients. "But I expect it will pick up in the near future," he said.
Joe Wurzelbacher, an Ohio plumber, confronted Sen. Barack Obama over his tax plans at a campaign stop earlier this week and became the surprise star of tonight's final presidential debate.
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