Is Joe the Plumber a socialist?

[Cooked Crack]

Joe the Plumber " I once was on welfare, My parents twice!". Joe obviously didn't have a problem with the government spreading the wealth to him and his parents. Isn't welfare just taking money from the wealthy to give to the poor?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnK84mM5N-o

[Burgold]

Joe was so two weeks ago, but I do bet part of him regrets becoming a faux celeb (unless he's found a way to capatilize on it)

BTW, did you hear his "book" is being released in February. Joe the Plumber, Plunging Economics by Penguin Books. Just crazy. I wonder who'll buy it?

[Jumbo]

Joe the Plumber " I once was on welfare, My parents twice!". Joe obviously didn't have a problem with the government spreading the wealth to him and his parents. Isn't welfare just taking money from the wealthy to give to the poor?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnK84mM5N-o


Any taxation is "spreading the wealth." Using words with charged meanings to manipulate a desired reaction in support of a goal vs. discussing the actual pragmatic meat of the matter in objective context relevant to the actual situation is an ancient technique. It's practiced because it can still work.

Many people are too lazy to care or think any more than absolutely necessary. It's easier cogntively/biologically to just react out of long-established biases, or they may simply be too limited in ability to do so. Either way, such folks fail to discern the strategy and usually respond to the manipulation. Folks not like that, note the strategy for what it is and that usually works against the progenitor.

In this case, given the reality of our system under left or right admins for a long time, the whole "socialist" angle seems to being more met with the view that it's unhelpful hyperbole. And hopefully the concensus is forming that it's more a matter of pragmatism needed in choosing what techniques will repair the highly flawed socioeconomic system (increasingly complicated by global connections) that has evolved. The good news is the system is resilient and remains very potent.

But now, so much of that potency is connected not just to greed-obssessed corporate giants, but also to such of those in foreign nations who do have nationalistic motives as well as ambitions of personal wealth and power.

Just like many children who have been short-changed (or worse) by self-serving, self-indulgent, selfish parents, satisfying their own wants instead of behaving responsibly to those in their care, the public at large has been cast adrift by those pursuing their own insane levels of greed at our expnese. Joe the Phoney Plumber borrowing more than he can afford is not the main problem that torpedoed the system. It is the biggest guys and their bi-partisan political cronies (the parent analogy again) that are the most culpable guys.

All kinds of strategies, subject to a variety of labels, must now be evaluated and measured only by our best bet for baseline effectiveness, and not by how they fit into jingoistic worldviews.

[BigMike619]

damn, jumbo you are on a tear today!!

i feel like i have to sit up when i read your posts..

[Cooked Crack]

Joe was so two weeks ago, but I do bet part of him regrets becoming a faux celeb (unless he's found a way to capatilize on it)

BTW, did you hear his "book" is being released in February. Joe the Plumber, Plunging Economics by Penguin Books. Just crazy. I wonder who'll buy it?
I know he was shopping a book to publishing companies. Did he actually get a deal?

[Burgold]

I know he was shopping a book to publishing companies. Did he actually get a deal?

Sigh... how come all my jokes become reality. The world can't be as absurd as it is, can it?

[Yusuf06]

Joe was so two weeks ago, but I do bet part of him regrets becoming a faux celeb (unless he's found a way to capatilize on it)

BTW, did you hear his "book" is being released in February. Joe the Plumber, Plunging Economics by Penguin Books. Just crazy. I wonder who'll buy it?
If this turns out to be true, Penguin Books will buying the great majority of them back from retailers. :)

[SUSkinsFan]

Sigh... how come all my jokes become reality. The world can't be as absurd as it is, can it?In this day and age, would it really surprise you if Joe the Plumber got a book deal?

[BigMike619]

In this day and age, would it really surprise you if Joe the Plumber got a book deal?
or a reality show..

[SUSkinsFan]

or a reality show..and the really sad thing is that it would probably win an emmy

[HOF44]

damn, jumbo you are on a tear today!!

i feel like i have to sit up when i read your posts..

Thats right, sit up in that chair boy, uncle jumbo bout to learn you something. :silly:

[Jumbo]

damn, jumbo you are on a tear today!!

i feel like i have to sit up when i read your posts..

****, be careful if you do that dude--always makes my head spin and I hear old Moby Grape tunz.

[Larry]

. . .

Daym, Mr. Taggert. You use your tongue purtier than a $20 whore.

:)

[Jumbo]

When I used the parent analogy, I became immediately aware of an unattractive link it has to the "socialism" label. After all, we don't want a government parent, per se, nor are we the "children", but indeed, we are the creators (theoretically at least--and I still am a believer) of who governs us, via intellgently (I know I know) cast votes.

But I stayed with the analogy becuase it still works in terms of picturing a responsible, mutually beneficial when functional, stewardship-plus kind of relationship between the general public and the top of the economic and political power bases.

Even pursuing the analogy a bit farther, you ideally would want your wards (or children) to be independent, autnomous, self-sufficient, and still strongly connected. And the steward (or parent) is (ideally) netting their own rewards from working towards those goals effectively, and enjoying their own success along the way. Just had to address that about the analogy. ;)