Who is Joe the Plumber?

Answer 1

Joe the Plumber is Joe Wurzelbacher. He's a real, live person. It was Joe Wurzelbacher (Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher) who last weekend approached Barack Obama at a campaign event near Toledo, Ohio. He complained, "Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn't it?" Mr. Obama had to admit that Joe, who is moving in the direction of having a Plumbing business that makes between $250,000 and $280,000 a year, was probably correct, and his taxes may well increase under the Obama tax plan. Joe became an overnight celebrity, and the next day news crews appeared outside his home to interview him. He was talked about in the last Presidential debate between the candidates, and both mentioned him (as Joe the Plumber). As Joe the Plumber asked a question that put Barack Obama on the spot and even caused Senator Obama to have to confess to him (Joe) that yes, his taxes may go up under his proposed tax plan of cutting taxes to those who make less that $250,000 per anum and increasing the tax burden on those who make more than a quarter of a million dollars ($250,000) in a year. This provided ammunition for Senator John McCain to use to assail Senator Obama in the race for President. It is John McCain who is largely responsible for the continued fame of Joe Wurzelbacher as he frequently refers to him in campain speeches. Additional information Mr Wurzelbacher's hometown newspaper, the Toledo Blade, revealed Mr. Wurzelbacher did not have a plumbing license and wasn't registered to work as a plumber in Ohio. 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, and it is still active. You'll find a link below that will take you to the online version of the Financial Times article on Joe.