Joe The Plumber Admits He Knows “Little” About EFCA, Gets Jeered By Workers
Oof. Looks like Joe the Plumber’s campaigning against the Employee Free Choice Act in Pennsylvania didn’t go so well.
Mr. Plumber, whose appearances were organized by the anti-EFCA group Americans for Prosperity, admitted he knew “little” about the legislation after being confronted with questions at one of the events yesterday in Harrisburg by a Pennsylvania progressive group. He was also heckled by dozens of Pennsylvania union workers, according to a local report.
And after his rough time in Harrisburg, he skipped a subsequent rally in Philadelphia, according to union officials who were there.
Here’s some video of the grilling Mr. Plumber took from the group, Keystone Progress, which prompted the irritated plumber to respond: “I know a little about a lot of things. But I don’t know a lot about everything.”…
Pressed on the specifics of the law, Mr. Plumber repeatedly refused to answer, and finally lost his cool, telling his questioner: “Drop it, brother, drop it. I never said I was an expert, man.”
Meanwhile, the Patriot News reports that union members who were bussed to the rally jeered and heckled Mr. Plumber.
“Rat! Rat! Rat!” some shouted. Another yelled: “Real plumbers are for card check!”
According to the Patriot News, Mr. Plumber admitted at one point that he hadn’t read the bill.
The tough time Mr. Plumber endured was apparently too much for him. He was scheduled to appear at a subsequent rally against EFCA in Philadelphia, but according to the SEIU, which had several organizers on the scene, he was a no-show.
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Cripes. It’s like something out of a Robert Altman movie.
I wish someone could explain what the GOP thinks Joe brings to the debate. I’d also like to see a deeper dive into this guy’s background. Like why Huckabee said to Joe, a few weeks back “Say hi to your father for me” which no one picked up.
Mary, you have a link to that Huckabee quote? I hadn’t heard that…
Just because Joe The Fictional Plumber doesn’t know what he’s talking about he still has every right to take whatever stand he’s paid to take by the people who are paying his tab.
He’s an entertainer, not a worker, much less a plumber.
With all due respect, I think the headline goes a step too far. “Joe The Plumber Admits He Knows ‘Little’” sums up the totality of the man…
The Resluglicans threw him under the bus. Who in their right mind would send any anti-union speaker to Pennsylvania? Especially one who knows so little. Joe ought to be pissed. Just another example of how Republicans have no regard for the working man.
Watching Sam Wurzelbacher carry on like this is sad and difficult to watch. I hope the right-wing welfare he’s getting is enough to finally purchase that plumbing service company he always wanted.
Huckabee to Joe at CPAC: “Say hi to your dad for me.”
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/19383.html
Oops! Sometimes the facts (or lack of them) will come up and bite you on the butt.
Time to go back to Ohio, Sam.
Yeah, I seem to remember reading that Sam’s dad is some kind of well-connected right winger, but I don’t recall the details. Come on you political junkies, give us the scoop!
Whatever happened to Joe T. Plumber’s dream of buying his boss’ business that wasn’t for sale and make over $250,000 which his boss stated he never made? Did he give up that dream because his taxes would have gone from 37% to 39% on anything he made over $250,000 and would have to lay off employees so could live the life he was accustomed to? I just hate when people have to give up their dreams. Even the one’s that are pulled out their arses!
THIS BLOG SUCKS!!!
THANK YOU, JOE, FOR FIGHTING SOCIALISM AND FOR LOVING AMERICA!!!
Good thing he didn’t announce how horny he is during his latest pimp the rubes speechifying
….REAL America’s plumbers have snakes that can clear up Joe’s intellectual constipation.
I live near Harrisburg and had to hear this tool on NPR first thing this morning. When will he just go away?
Joe the Not Plumber is the latest evidence that the G.O.P. is politically and morally bankrupt. This guy is an ignoramus…a phony…a know-nothing, yet the party leaders keep inviting him to events. Man, when Joe the Not Plumber and Sarah Not Ready For Prime-Time Palin are major figures in your movement, you are in some serious trouble.
Interestingly the very talking heads that Joe the Plumber is mesmerized by on the air waves ranting against unions
. . . one and all BELONG TO A UNION themselves….and cash in on all the benefits the unions provide whilst denegrating others for thinking they deserve the same.
Interesting Americaphile…Unions are a socialist tool so fighting Unions is fighting Socialism?? I hope you are a billionaire AIG Financial Service exec because otherwise it’s so, so sad to see workin’ folk parrot elitist ****. Too bad we’ve got this commie safety net and all…can’t bully the ‘undesireables’ as much these days…
Joe, your 15 minutes were up a long time ago.
Seriously, does anyone actually *like* or *listen to* “Joe?” Even the Republicans I know think he’s a moron and cringe when he’s mentioned.
My Gawd! Teh Stupid is a virtue to these people. When will it end? Ahh! The rapture is coming. Lots of free stuff for the rest of us. Can’t wait.
Oh dear, what more can be said about oafish right-wing entertainer and self-parody Sam “The Tax-Cheat, Non-Plumber, Non-War Correspondent, Non-Worker” Wurzelbacher that hasn’t already be said?
Why let the guy off the hook; I say heckle him to death.
Union people are always so much better informed than other folk.
Back to the skinhead factory. We need a more effective bot. NOW!
If only Union President Ronald Reagan were here – perhaps he could explain why Conservatives hate unions.
I can tell you why conservatives ” hate” unions. Unions do provide protection for workers unfortunately they also promote mediacraty and inhibit increases in productivity. Unions also inhibit innovation as there primary purpose is to maintain union employment. I speak from experience as I was a union welder for seven years. There was absolutely no incentive for me to maximize my potential in fact the opposite was true. Please explain to me how this benefits the company or for that matter our country. There in only one faction that benefits…. The lowest common denominator.
chaz
Sure. If only unions did not exist, you would be welding to your “full potential.” And the “lowest common denominator” (hard working people) would unfairly benefit from your priceless contributions. Christ, you are more full of scheist than John Galt himself.
“If it wasn’t for unions, pipe fitting technology would be millenia ahead of where it is now.”
–Chaz the Welder
No I wouldn’t advocate the dismissal of unions. I’ve just personally witnessed the inhibition of productivity that unions promote. That is not the intent but it is the result. I’ve seen it from every aspect , labor and management and in competition. And I’m not denying the value of worker protection and work force competence. What I am saying is that unions promote these values at the expense of productivity and innovation. This many times is ultimately harmful to the workers the union is invested in protecting. I’m just making an observation based on many years experience, so you can call me names and dismiss my desires to maximise each individuals potential. Unions in there current form don’t do this. Just my opinion. I guess I realized a promotion of individualism and personal accomplishment might inspire some ire. By the way your assumption that I have some grandiose perception of my own accomplishments I can assure you, not.
By the way R. Cuellar your correct on that comment. For years unions in many large markets fought the use of ABS and PVC drain pipe which requires far less labor, keeping plumbing costs 30% to 40 % higher than needed.
“I guess I realized a promotion of individualism and personal accomplishment might inspire some ire”
We all believe you, genius. Sleep tight.
I always thought that when John McCain stood up at a rally and said “If I win, I’m going to take Joe The Plumber to Washington”, he pretty much sealed his own fate right there. I think a good few Republicans decided right there that enough was enough, and he lost their votes.
Heh heh. Better off staying out of Philly – they would have assailed him with more than jeers! Duracell, anyone? What an ***-hat.
Unions are socialism? Take a look at history and you will see they changed their names to hide that fact around 1900 to 1914. Unions are socialistic organizations – period.
As far a Joe – He is “just a guy” with a house and family. He stepped up to the plate. Nobody ever said he needed to be qualified as an expert on anything just to have a viewpoint. Why are you all so afraid to have an opposing view? Why not respect his opinion as different than yours rather than attack him.
I thought this article was about Joe Biden. What a rip off!
I believe you mean moron.
Gonna have to side with Chaz on this one. Just look at GM for a case study on how unions have become more trouble than they are worth. Most of GM’s problem is they cannot drop some overhead by cutting their workforce or lowering benefits.
I realize unions protect workers but it is ending up hurting them. Again look at GM, if the union does not conceed to working for equivalent compensation to foreign companies GM simply wont be competitive and theyll be loosing their jobs during the bankruptcy process anyway.
Unions were a god send at the previous turn of the century, but in the intervening 100 years some have grown so powerful they have become a problem themselves.
The idea they protect all workers is bogus. They protect the workers in the union, which given their current power, stiffles competition from outside labor. This in turn causes higher prices for the rest of us and an inability for the company to compete in the open market as effectively.
In addition since the creation of unions the government has stepped in and provided many of the protections you once needed a union for. Their role has shifted at least a little from defender of worker rights to simply greedy agents extorting as much money as they can which mirrors the corporate behavior they were made to counter.
I will note that some unions arent nearly as powerful and continue to simply protect workers that cannot adequately protect themselves. But again the gov plays a protection role these days that is not insignificant so I question the need.
But back to the point. Joe is an ***-hat idiot. When he was sent to the Middle East to be a coorespondent I was embarrassed for my country. I’m so glad Obama won and we dont have to deal with quite so much Republican craziness for at least a few years.
I don’t know where you live, but I’ve been around the labor movement for more than 40 years and in my experience the overwhelming majority of active union members are no only not socialists but actively oppose socialism. Indeed if anybody professing to be a socialist showed up at most union halls in the nation they would at the very least be bodily ejected. I’m not passing judgement on this for good or ill, and certainly a case can be made that (in Marxist terms no less) that unions are “objectively” socialist. After all, they are “class” organizations. By definition the boss can’t be a member. It’s also the case that a handful of lawyers, economists and other “experts” who sell their services to labor unions would probably consider themselves socialists, but they certainly don’t advertise that fact to the union members they serve who would most certainly cut them loose if they got wind of such tendencies.
Joe the Plumber is about one thing – Joe the Plumber. you can tell when he’s pissed off at a reporter because he starts that “brother” ****.