After the last presidential debate, John McCain declared Joe the plumber the winner.
A day later we learned that Joe's name was Sam and he wasn't really a plumber.
More importantly, Joe better watch out. John McCain's hand is in his pocket.
Despite productivity increases of almost 20%, plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters haven't done well over the last eight years of Bush inspired high income tax cuts, the kind that John McCain wants to make permanent. Almost all of the economic gains of the past eight years have gone to the wealthiest Americans. The richest 1% of Americans, averaging $1,5 million annually, capture more of the nation's income than at any time since 1929. The average working family earns less today in real dollars than they did in 2000.
John McCain's Republican Party has presided over one of the largest redistributions of income and wealth in American history. McCain, one of the richest men in the senate, isn't opposed to redistribution. He just prefers to redistribute it upward. His approach is less like Robin Hood and more like Robin Hood in reverse!
Winner of the Noble prize in economics, Paul Krugman, writes about this and more in his latest NYT's column.
Showing posts with label John MCain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John MCain. Show all posts
Monday, October 20, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Joe ain't a plumber, but Milwaukee's Al is and he is voting for change!
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that:
Joe the Plumber's story sprang a few leaks Thursday, a day after John McCain referred to him 21 times in the presidential debate with Barack Obama and declared him the real debate winner.
It turns out:
Joe the Plumber ain't a plumber at least not a licensed one.
His name isn't Joe. It's Sam.
And Joe or Sam, whatever, is concern about increased taxes - but hasn't paid his own. He owes Ohio about $1,200 in personal income taxes that he hasn't paid, according to the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas records.
As a result, Joe has an active lien on his property filed in January 2007, records from the Ohio Department of Taxation show.
The Toledo Blade, examining Lucas County Building Inspection records, reported that…"Mr. Wurzelbacher said he works under Al Newell's license, but according to Ohio building regulations, he must maintain his own license to do plumbing work," the newspaper said. "He is also not registered to operate as a plumber in Ohio - which means he's not a plumber."
What else did Americans learn about average Joe this week?
He is registered as a Republican, and voted in the state's GOP primary in March, county elections records show.
He was previously registered, dating back to 2007, in the Natural Law Party.
Joe may not be a real plumber, but Al Knapinski from Milwaukee is. Listen to what Al has to say about the presidential election:
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/31112804.html
Friday, October 3, 2008
Post debate poll results and NYTimes analysis
CBS NEWS/KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS POLL of Uncommitted Voters who watched the debate
46% of uncommitted voters who watched the debate tonight thought Joe Biden was the winner.
21% thought Sarah Palin won, 33% thought it was a draw…
98% after the debate saw [Biden] as knowledgeable (79% before the debate).
Who did the best job in the debate?
Biden 51 Palin 36
Did Biden do better or worse than you expected?
Better 64 Worse 14 Same 20
Did Palin do better or worse than you expected?
Better 84 Worse 7 Same 8
Is Palin qualified to serve as president? (Question not asked about Biden.)
Yes Before debate: 42 After debate: 46
No Before debate: 54 After debate: 53
Evidently, most undecided voters agreed with the NY Times assessment of the debate:
Ms. Palin mainly relied on enthusiasm and humor, talking about hockey moms, soccer moms and Joe Sixpack almost as often as she used the word “maverick” to describe Mr. McCain or herself.
But she offered virtually no detail — beyond the Republican mantra of tax cuts — for how she and Mr. McCain would address the financial crisis or help Americans avoid foreclosure or what programs they would cut because of the country’s disastrous fiscal problems.
Ms. Palin’s primary tactic was simply to repeat the same thing over and over: John McCain is a maverick. So is she. To stay on that course, she had to indulge in some wildly circular logic: America does not want another Washington insider. They want Mr. McCain (who has been in Congress for nearly 26 years). Ms. Palin condemned Wall Street greed and said she and Mr. McCain would “demand” strict oversight. In virtually the next breath, she said government should “get out of the way” of American business.
There were occasional, disturbing flashes of the old, pre-campaign Sarah Palin. Asked about the causes of global warming, Ms. Palin suggested that man had some role — but she wasn’t saying how much.
In the end, the debate did not change the essential truth of Ms. Palin’s candidacy: Mr. McCain made a wildly irresponsible choice that shattered the image he created for himself as the honest, seasoned, experienced man of principle and judgment. It was either an act of incredible cynicism or appallingly bad judgment.
46% of uncommitted voters who watched the debate tonight thought Joe Biden was the winner.
21% thought Sarah Palin won, 33% thought it was a draw…
98% after the debate saw [Biden] as knowledgeable (79% before the debate).
Who did the best job in the debate?
Biden 51 Palin 36
Did Biden do better or worse than you expected?
Better 64 Worse 14 Same 20
Did Palin do better or worse than you expected?
Better 84 Worse 7 Same 8
Is Palin qualified to serve as president? (Question not asked about Biden.)
Yes Before debate: 42 After debate: 46
No Before debate: 54 After debate: 53
Evidently, most undecided voters agreed with the NY Times assessment of the debate:
Ms. Palin mainly relied on enthusiasm and humor, talking about hockey moms, soccer moms and Joe Sixpack almost as often as she used the word “maverick” to describe Mr. McCain or herself.
But she offered virtually no detail — beyond the Republican mantra of tax cuts — for how she and Mr. McCain would address the financial crisis or help Americans avoid foreclosure or what programs they would cut because of the country’s disastrous fiscal problems.
Ms. Palin’s primary tactic was simply to repeat the same thing over and over: John McCain is a maverick. So is she. To stay on that course, she had to indulge in some wildly circular logic: America does not want another Washington insider. They want Mr. McCain (who has been in Congress for nearly 26 years). Ms. Palin condemned Wall Street greed and said she and Mr. McCain would “demand” strict oversight. In virtually the next breath, she said government should “get out of the way” of American business.
There were occasional, disturbing flashes of the old, pre-campaign Sarah Palin. Asked about the causes of global warming, Ms. Palin suggested that man had some role — but she wasn’t saying how much.
In the end, the debate did not change the essential truth of Ms. Palin’s candidacy: Mr. McCain made a wildly irresponsible choice that shattered the image he created for himself as the honest, seasoned, experienced man of principle and judgment. It was either an act of incredible cynicism or appallingly bad judgment.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Post debate polls give round one to Obama
Post debate polls indicate that Barack Obama won the debate.
It appears most viewers found Obama more personable than McCain, knowledgeable about the issues and more focused on their economic problems.
CBS Insta Poll showed Barack Obama won 39% to John McCain's 25% with 36% saying the debate was a draw. According to CBS:
Nearly half of those uncommitted voters who watched the debate said that their image of Obama changed for the better as a result. Just eight percent say their opinion of Obama got worse, and 46 percent reported no change in their opinions.
McCain saw less improvement in his image. Thirty-two percent have improved their image of McCain as a result of the debate, but 21 percent said their views of him are now worse than before.
Why did voters' image of Obama improve? Many volunteered that they were impressed by his poise and knowledge about the issues, that he was more knowledgeable about the issues than they thought previously. When it came to McCain, those same voters said he "didn’t control himself well under pressure," that he was "angry and bad-tempered," and that he "talked too much about the past."
Insider Advantage reports those polled Obama won 42% to McCain's 41% with Undecided 17%
CNN reports voter opinions that Obama "did better" 51%, McCain "did better" 38%
The CNN poll showed men were evenly split, but women gave Obama higher marks 59% to 41% for McCain.
Check out this interesting video where Republican pollster Frank Lutze interviews formally undecided voters immediately after the debate ended.
It appears most viewers found Obama more personable than McCain, knowledgeable about the issues and more focused on their economic problems.
CBS Insta Poll showed Barack Obama won 39% to John McCain's 25% with 36% saying the debate was a draw. According to CBS:
Nearly half of those uncommitted voters who watched the debate said that their image of Obama changed for the better as a result. Just eight percent say their opinion of Obama got worse, and 46 percent reported no change in their opinions.
McCain saw less improvement in his image. Thirty-two percent have improved their image of McCain as a result of the debate, but 21 percent said their views of him are now worse than before.
Why did voters' image of Obama improve? Many volunteered that they were impressed by his poise and knowledge about the issues, that he was more knowledgeable about the issues than they thought previously. When it came to McCain, those same voters said he "didn’t control himself well under pressure," that he was "angry and bad-tempered," and that he "talked too much about the past."
Insider Advantage reports those polled Obama won 42% to McCain's 41% with Undecided 17%
CNN reports voter opinions that Obama "did better" 51%, McCain "did better" 38%
The CNN poll showed men were evenly split, but women gave Obama higher marks 59% to 41% for McCain.
Check out this interesting video where Republican pollster Frank Lutze interviews formally undecided voters immediately after the debate ended.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Barack Obama on McCain & the old boys network
In a speech yesterday Barack Obama said:
Yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he's president that he'll take on, and I quote, 'the old boys network in Washington.'
Now I'm not making this up. This is somebody who's been in Congress for twenty-six years, who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign.
And now he tells us that he's the one who's gonna' to take on the old boys network. The old boys network? In the McCain campaign that's called a staff meeting. Come, on!
Yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he's president that he'll take on, and I quote, 'the old boys network in Washington.'
Now I'm not making this up. This is somebody who's been in Congress for twenty-six years, who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign.
And now he tells us that he's the one who's gonna' to take on the old boys network. The old boys network? In the McCain campaign that's called a staff meeting. Come, on!
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