Is Joe The Plumber an Urban Myth?

Last Updated on Thursday, 16 October 2008 21:18 Thursday, 16 October 2008 20:11

Written by Giovanni

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Joe the Plumber became an overnight sensation after John Wayne McCain "mentioned" him 21 times in the last presidential debate.  Joe "pass the sixpack" Plumber aka SAMUEL J WURZELBACHER of Toledo. Ohio, had a great story.  He approached Barack Obama at a campaign stop and confronted him about his tax plan. 

You see, Joe the Plumber was planning to buy his bosses company and would soon be making more than $250k, the cutoff above which Obama says you should pay your fair share of taxes and give the middle class a break.

Soon Joe the Plumber was on all the news shows, everyone loved him, and rumor had it McCain even wanted to might even pick him as his running mate replacement for the hockey mom from hell. The only problem was, the story wasn't completely true. 

It seems that Joe the Plumber is not even a licensed plumber, and although he works for one, he may be breaking the rules:

The burly, bald man acknowledged he doesn't have a plumber's license, but said he didn't need one because he works for someone else at a company that does residential work.

But Wurzelbacher still would need to be a licensed apprentice or journeyman to work in Toledo, and he's not, said David Golis, manager and residential building official for the Toledo Division of Building Inspection.

He admits he doesn't make anywhere near $250k. Under Barack Obama's tax plan he would actually save more money and pay lower taxes han under John McCain's!  Oh, and his bosses business doesn't make over $250k but closer to $100k.  And it is not certain whether the business is even for sale--that should be an interesting conversation when Joe gets back to work in the morning!

And that's not all.  New records uncovered by very bored bloggers show a SAMUEL J WURZELBACHER of Toledo. Ohio with an $1,182 tax lien against his paycheck.  Sorry Joe, even under the McCain tax plan that's NOT tax deductible!