I have commented before on the McCain campaign's new unofficial mascot of "Joe the Plumber". Well, I recently just saw a new TV ad by the McCain campaign in which multiple people look into the camera and say, "I'm Joe the Plumber". This has been a recurring theme in the McCain campaign since the third presidential debate, and I'm growing quite tired of it. The list of Joe the Plumbers has grown to include (in addition to the ones I've mentioned before):
- Molly the Engineer,
- Jane the Dental Hygenist,
- Doug the Barber,
- Chuck the Teacher,
- Phil the Bricklayer,
- Rose the Teacher,
- Jack the Hunter,
- Vicky the Realtor,
- Christine the Florist,
- Cindy the Citizen,
- and Tito the Builder.
They are supposed to represent the working Americans that McCain is trying to "fight" for. They are also the people that the McCain/Palin ticket is using to launch their new line of attack that Obama's policies represent socialism, and that it is wrong to "spread the wealth". Palin has consistently said, that it is wrong for the government to take the money of "hard-working Americans" and use it where they see fit.
Isn't the point of taxes to give the government money to spend where it sees fit? Did John McCain (and Barack Obama) not vote for the $700 billion economic rescue plan that is taking tax payer money and giving it to large corporations?
The policies of Franklin Roosevelt not only led to an economic recovery for the U.S. out of the Great Depression of the 1930s, but also brought sweeping changes to the way the government is run. In fact, many of Roosevelt's programs can be considered socialist programs. FDR's greatest achievement, which lasts to even today, is Social Security. According to the new McCain/Palin rhetoric, these programs (including Social Security) are bad for America. In order to stay consistent on their message, McCain and Palin need to outright say that Social Security is socialism and that it should be abolished! But, not only do I think they will never say that, I think that they will be hard-pressed to find very many Americans who belive Social Security should be ended.
Interestingly enough, Social Security was a very prominent issue in the 2000 election between Bush and Gore. Bush attempted reforms of Social Security, but they failed. So it is interesting that 8 years later in this 2008 election, even though Social Security has not been fixed, it has rarely been spoken of by either candidate on the campaign trail.
The ridiculousness of this "Joe the Plumber" business reached a new point at Palin rally in which during the middle of her speech a group in the crowd started chanting "I AM JOE" while holding up cards that spelled out that very phrase!
Honestly, where's Joe the Unemployed? Next up on the McCain/Palin list of working-class heroes?
BOB THE BUILDER!!!
6 comments:
They will go with the theme and push it as far as possible because none of their other messages have found traction.
I haven't heard Palin complain about all the money that the rest of the USA sends to Alaska in the form of earmarks. She even sought federal funds for Alaska quite aggressively. I guess earmarks count as spreading the wealth.
I also didn't hear that she insisted that her shopping sprees should have taken place at Lord & Taylor, but the party insisted on Neiman Marcus. She didn't mind getting some of that wealth. Too bad she has to give away the clothes to save face now. I read that, at a rally last weekend, she said something about wearing jeans that she had bought at her favorite consignment shop in Anchorage. Right. Anyone who believes that she shops regularly in consignment shops is brain-dead.
Maybe if everyone voted for Bob The Builder, everything would "get done"!! LOL
"Bob the Builder! Can we fix it? Yes we can!" Is it sad that I know that even though I've never seen that show?
Can you believe that there are already people talking about the possibility of Palin running in 2012? We havn't even elected our next president yet, and they're already talking about The NEXT presidential election! FOUR years from now.
Did you hear that today (Tuesday) Joe was on the McCain campaign trail. The McCain campaign is making him out to be a well informed, analytical and thoughtful man.
When he went put before the press he spoke on a range of issues as if he was an expert, including foriegn policy. He announced that a vote for Obama would be the death of Israel. Hmmmm, informed, thoughtful and analytical?
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