Joe Wurzelbacher, a.k.a. Joe the Plumber, went from zero to hero in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio, last week when Barack Obama crossed his path. Joe, an average plumber about to buy a local plumbing business, confronted Obama when the Presidential candidate was campaigning on Joe’s street. Wurzelbacher asked Obama if his policies would raise taxes, saying, “Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn’t it?” according to the New York Times article, “Real Deal On Plumber Reveals New Slant.”
Joe the Plumber is lashing out at the possibility of Obama raising his taxes. More than two centuries ago, Patrick Henry gave a speech opposing the taxes England was forcing upon the American colonies, stating that the taxes inhibited the liberty of the colonists. Both men felt that higher taxes conflicted with their natural rights as Americans: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As Joe stated, “I’m being taxed more and more for fulfilling the American dream.”
But America’s economic situation has changed since the late 1700’s. The United States is in deep debt because of the Iraq War and the failing economy. Prior to the American Revolution, England was also in debt following the Seven Year War with France. England imposed taxes upon the colonies to help pay these debts, but the Americans refused to pay them. The colonies claimed that they could not be taxed because they did not have a place in Britain’s government, Parliament.
But today, when it is our own American government raising taxes in order to get out of debt, citizens like Joe Wurzelbacher are still fighting these tax increases. The American people need to understand the fine line between their liberties as Americans and the realities of a country in debt. Ironically, the U.S. government is following the lead of Britain’s bailout plan, which is using tax revenues to invest billions of dollars into the nation’s banks instead of buying their faulty mortgages. For the first time in over two centuries, England is setting an economic example for the United States, not the other way around. Patrick Henry was fighting for an America that may not exist anymore for Joe the Plumber.
1 comment:
Great post Linc!
I liked how you stated that people like Joe the Plumber need to understand that, realistically, raising taxes is necessary for a nation in debt. Your comparison to Patrick Henry was excellent. After all, during the colonial period, while England viewed American as part of its territory, and Americans view themselves as Englishmen, in effect they were separate governments. Therefore, Patrick Henry's argument that England should not tax the Americans was not purely idealistic, but backed by the reality that this decision was made by a government that was detached from the American "government". However, in the case of Joe the Plumber, while the ideals of no or low taxes might ring with Henry, the realistic side swings against his favor. Unlike Henry, the taxes "Joe" is paying are going towards a factor that directly affects him, the nations stumbling economy.
Also, I find it interesting that as it turns out, "Joe the Plumber" already owes the state over a thousand dollars in taxes.
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