It turns out that "Joe" the "Plumber" is neither Joe or a plumber. Senator McCain's would be symbol for everything that is wrong with Obama's policies has proven to be a surprising example of what is wrong with his and George W. Bush's leadership. They quickly grab onto anything that fits with their world view and do not do the research required to find the truth.Samuel "Joe" Wurzelbacher, is a wannabe tradesman who found sudden fame among Republicans for confronting Senator Obama with the line, "Your new tax plan is going to tax me more." Fox immediately ran loops of Sam, and John McCain made Sam's story a centerpiece of his Wednesday debate. Senator McCain charged that Obama's tax plan would hurt Sam and the people he was planning to employ. The problem is that Senator McCain was reacting what sounded right but had not actually done the homework required to get to the truth.
If McCain had done his homework (something no classmate has accused him of), he could have quickly learned that Sam's claims were wrong. He would not pay more taxes under Obama's plan. The business he wanted to buy would not pay more taxes under Obama's plan. He could have also learned that Sam is not a licensed plumber, is not registered, is not a member of the plumber's union, and has not even undergone apprenticeship training.
McCain does not do his homework, and his campaign and his party are paying the price. Thankfully, voters are doing their own homework and learning that Joe is exactly the reason why Obama should be the next President of the United States.
Where did McCain go wrong? Like Bush, he is drawn to what SOUNDS right instead of what IS right. He does not do his homework. He does not do the math. Great Presidents do the math.
At the end of the Cold War, Ronald Reagan and his supporters did their homework and determined that government had become bloated. Both parties were spending like drunken sailors. Republicans were spending on Defense and Democrats were spending on social programs. The combination was driving record budget deficits. Reagan's staff rightly concluded that fiscal discipline was in order.
McCain and Bush II (W.) entered the scene understanding the tactics of cutting spending but not the analysis that led to the conclusion. If they had, they would have learned that cutting the size of government had reached a new era. The amount of waste is still high but harder to find. Further reductions are as likely to cut good programs as bad. Not all bank regulators are a waste of tax payer funds. Al Gore understood this. He cut costs without cutting services. These types of cuts require a scalpel and not a hatchet. A hatchet can remove a leg, but it takes a scalper (or even a very precise laser) to remove a cancer.
McCain, Bush, and Palin lack the sophistication to understand these concepts. They believe judgement is a character trait and not the result hard work. They have the bravado and the swagger required to "look like a leader, but they lack the discipline and the work ethic required to actually BE a leader.
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