Joe the Plumber

Joe the Plumber ( in Austria Joe the plumber, English Joe the Plumber, real name Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, born December 3, 1973 in Holland, Ohio) is an American plumber, conservative political activist and commentator.

He became known used in advance of the presidential election in the United States, 2008. In this context, the nickname was first used by the third televised debate between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama on October 15, 2008. Both McCain and Obama used "Joe the Plumber " as an example to demonstrate the effects of fiscal policies on the middle class. After the televised debate have been media reports about him in many U.S. and foreign.

Conversation with Obama

On October 11, 2008 Obama met residents in root Bachers neighborhood, as well as Joe Wurzelbacher himself, who had played that day with his son football in the front yard. The conversation root Bachers with Obama about his tax plan was recorded by the U.S. television network ABC. Wurzelbacher held Obama's tax plan is incompatible with the American dream and said that he wanted to start a new company that makes a profit of about 250,000 to $ 280,000 a year, after which he joined the question: " Your new tax plan will make me more taxing, ? or "( orig.: " Your new tax plan 's going to tax me more, is not it? " ).

Obama replied that Wurzelbacher first receive a tax credit of 50 percent and get a tax break for his health care. At an operating income of less than 250,000, the taxes would remain the same, at about 250,000 the taxes but would actually increase from 36 to 39 percent, as it was under Bill Clinton.

In addition, Wurzelbacher asked whether Obama would support a plan to introduce a flat tax, whereupon the latter replied that he was faced such plans generally open, but which then must correspond to a value added tax of 40 percent. Later, he also said that he would not harm root Bachers success, but that he wanted to make sure that others also have a chance of success. Here, Obama said, " And I think that it is good for everyone when we spread the wealth. " ( Orig.: " And I think I did When we spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody. " ) Quoted is exactly what McCain's campaign and compared Obama's policies with socialism.

The TV debate and reactions

While the TV duel between the two presidential candidates on 15 October 2008 relating finally was repeatedly referred to Wurzelbacher as " Joe the Plumber ". McCain brought Wurzelbacher again this week, prompting both candidates were directed in their statements directly to Wurzelbacher. Thereby, the media became aware of Wurzelbacher. Wurzelbacher turned after the debate not directly on the side of a candidate, although he expressed concern that Obama's tax plan " a step closer to socialism " ( orig.: "one step closer to socialism " ) were. On the very day of the TV duel, he appeared in the CBS television. He said that while he just not a company with $ 250,000 flat operating income, so no momentary problem with Obama's have tax rate, but that he feared that the border will also slightly further lowered and he did not find that wealth with 250,000 or even only 100,000 dollars begin.

Joe Biden, Obama's nominee for the office of Vice President, stated that nearly all smaller companies smaller than said of Wurzelbacher, be.

On October 18, McCain said that he had called the day before Wurzelbacher. He case called Wurzelbacher as "a great guy" who is proud of his grandfather, who had served in the Marine Corps. In addition, McCain stated that he would fight for him, to secure the 16 million U.S. jobs that would destroy Obama's plans, rather than to create new ones like McCain's own plans would provide.

Wurzelbacher was also used in a television advertising of McCain's campaign, where various people say, "I 'm Joe the Plumber " ("I'm Joe the Plumber ").

Terms of root Bachers question to reality

Wurzelbacher is one of two employees in an installation operation, which in no way makes $ 250,000 profit. After-tax income would even be less than $ 100,000. In addition, Wurzelbacher has not completed installer training and therefore no license to open his own business. He has his property taxes are not paid, so a garnishment against him is possible; On the other hand, it is likely that he knew nothing of this lien with respect to himself.

Wurzelbacher was initially a registered Republican, but came back later from the party. In March 2012, he was then nominated by the Republicans as a candidate for the congressional elections in 2012 in the ninth electoral district of Ohio. However, it applies in the democratic dominated district as underdogs against incumbent Marcy Kaptur. Wurzelbacher received 26.37 % of the vote, Kaptur 70.89 %.

Comment on the Holocaust

In June 2012, a video was released by root Bacher's campaign team, where he established a connection between the right to bear arms and the Holocaust. 1939, the German Reich would have limited the right to bear arms, which led to the fact that six million Jews and seven million other people would not oppose the persecution by the Nazis to fight back.

The National Jewish Democratic Council ( NJDC ) and the chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, Chris Redfern criticized the video sharp.