Joe The Plumber Visits Occupy Wall Street Protests, Finds ‘Really Great People’
Today he discussed his candidacy on Megyn Kelly‘s America Live and revealed that he wasn’t totally against the Occupy Wall Street movement, saying that he found protesters to be “really great people” with whom he shared similar concerns.
~snip~
Adding a reasoned recognition of the frustrations felt by many of the Occupy Wall Street protestors, when many right-of-center pundits and GOP candidates have been dismissive, only gives Wurzelbacher some indie cred; one can’t purely call him a puppet of the right when he is candidly sharing some (not a ton) of good will towards the protest movement.
mediaite.com
Joe the Plumber, ever the political opportunist, has begun to shift with the winds. How bad is it for the Republican Establishment when they begin to lose Joe The Plumber?
Of course, Joe The Plumber has an agenda, he wants to get elected to Congress as a Republican, so he advises Occupy Wall Street to shift the blame away from Wall Street to the White House and Congress, which plays splendidly into the hands of Republicans like Joe The Plumber who want to twist Occupy Wall Street into a way to blame the government and the Democrats whom they wish to defeat in next years elections.
Now frankly, right now I don't really care about next years elections, there are months and months to go and I am too busy talking to people who have the tear gas and rubber bullets of Oakland still fresh in their minds, but I'd like to pay Joe The Plumber a compliment, the man is brilliant, and much smarter than every single Republican candidate for President. He gets it. Kind of. Sort of. Joe The Plumber is the GOP/Fox first attempt officially to co-opt Occupy Wall Street instead of destroying us, they see our growing influence and staying power, and now Fox and at least one GOP congressional candidate is trying to co-opt the outrage at our corrupt system on display at OWS and use it predictably as a way to blame government in general, and specifically the President and Democratic members of congress who currently occupy the government.
This is a bit of political brilliance, Joe. I gotta hand it to you. But I'm not gonna let you get away with it, you or Fox or the Republican Establishment that stands for nothing other than protecting and serving the banks, the wealthiest 1%, and every special interest on planet earth. Not on my watch.
So, as Megyn Kelly lobs softballs at Sam “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher , who halts to pander to #OWS while fitting in questionable talking points about Nazi's, of which mysteriously no pictures were obtained, let's remind ourselves that Sam Wurzelbacher has done NOTHING in his political life other than vigorously defend the wealthiest one percent along with his BFF Sarah Palin.
And now he wants to use #ows as a spring board to fight for tax cuts for the wealthiest 1%. Sorry jack, or joe, or sam, or whatever the hell you call yourself, but if you thought occupiers were going to fall for this you've got another thing coming . . .
More below the fold . . .
Now, make no mistake, Joe The Plumber is a corporate shill of the highest order. Every policy Joe The Plumber supports is just another crippling blow to the working class and the 99% of Americans who are not fabulously wealthy Hell, Joe says he will vote for Herman Cain, whom you may recall as the corporate CEO who wants to end the minimum wage! This is just the kind of political manipulation you should expect from Fox and Republican political candidates like Joe The Plumber, but I gotta tell you, it proves that Joe The Plumber, if he wasn't put up to this and it was his own idea, is the smartest person in the GOP.
Because if Joe thought of supporting #OWS on his own it says that he recognizes that #OWS is here to stay and will have to be recognized and pandered to instead of constantly attacked. This pandering on the part of JTP towards #OWS is proof of 3 things.
1. Fox and the GOP will try, predictably, to blame Obama and Dems for the righteous outrage expressed by #OWS
2. Fox and the GOP recognize that bashing #OWS 24/7 is a losing cause right now, so they are re-positioning to manipulate #OWS on some level in a way that blames Obama and Dems.
3. Joe The Plumber, if supporting #OWS was his idea, is smarter than Romney, Cain, Ryan, Cantor and basically every other GOP candidate and pundit combined.
Because if Joe The Plumber thinks he can piggy back his way into congress where he will fight for tax cuts for the rich, corporate tax cuts and crippling budget cust for the other 99% of America, he's got another thing coming, but at least he is smart enough to realize bad mouthing #OWS isn't going to work right now. Herman Cain isn't that smart, neither is Gingrich or Santorum, Romney or the other corporate lackeys in the GOP. Like I said in the title, it is brilliant, but I'm not going to let Joe The Plumber, Fox News or anyone else co-opt #OccupyWallStreet.
What will be interesting to watch is how Wurzelbacher’s feelings towards the OWS movement will shift and evolve in the coming days, after handlers and respected advisers opine on how to best get elected. Until then, we can enjoy this moment when this hero to the Tea Party movement is actually recognizing some real frustrations with the OWS movement.
mediaite.com
Seriously, how bad have things gotten for the GOP when they lose Joe The Plumber?
I thank Joe The Plumber for his support and ask him to support me by ending corporate personhood, overturning Citizens United, raising taxes on millionaires and enforcing strong regulations on the private sector since they can NOT be trusted to police themselves, to name a few of the policies that I personally support.
Checkmate.
Oh, and to the Democrats who are trying to pander to fundraisers over #OccupyWallStreet, and this means YOU DCCC Chair Steve Israel, the below exchange is an example of the petty political wankery that all of us are sick of and no longer have time for. Frankly, I must say this to both the Dem and GOP Establishments, but you are both horrible and quite useless, and this is proof.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is firing back at an attack from their counterparts at the NRCC, who released a web video Thursday that accused DCCC head Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) of supporting anti-Semitic demonstrators at the Occupy Wall Street protests.
In an e-mail to the DCCC supporter list, Steve Israel declares: “The extreme right wing has launched an outrageous attack to distract us from their reckless economic policies: They are questioning my commitment to my own religion.”
The full e-mail:
[Recipient’s name] —
Today they hit a new low.
The extreme right wing has launched an outrageous attack to distract us from their reckless economic policies: They are questioning my commitment to my own religion.
Hard working people are standing with middle income families across the country who are angry about Republican policies that failed them. The American people are outraged, and they have every right to be.
In response, over the last 24 hours, National Republicans have started personally attacking me by questioning my commitment to my own Jewish community.
I’m proud of my Jewish faith and heritage, of my leadership for Israel’s safety and security and my strong fight against the serious threats of anti-Semitism. It is outrageous that national Republicans are questioning that.
Please stand with us and sign our petition to the NRCC and Washington Republicans to stop the disgraceful attacks and start a real debate about jobs and how we can move America forward.
They’re attacking me to try to silence you — because they think it’s wrong that you’re frustrated and even angry about what Republicans are trying to do to this country. The personal attacks they’ve launched on me for standing with you are nothing in comparison to the hardships faced by middle income families across America every day.
Americans deserve a debate about our ideas. They deserve answers and solutions that rebuild the middle class and restore the American dream. They deserve representatives that make the middle class a priority again.
They can come at me as hard as they want, but I’m not backing down. Will you continue to stand with me? Stand with us today >>
Your Friend,
Steve Israel
DCCC Chairman
Late Update: When asked for comment by TPM, NRCC spokesman John Randall gave us this statement:
Perhaps DCCC Chairman, Steve Israel, should direct his outrage and indignation towards the Occupy Wall Street protesters highlighted in this video. In his appeal, Obama’s top Lieutenant does not condemn even one act or anti-Semitic statement made by those he stands with.
The DCCC can do their best to distract from the fact they have urged their supporters to stand with the Occupy Wall Street protesters, but their efforts will fail - just like their fiscal policy.
tpmuckraker/talkingpointsmemo.com
The DCCC is fundraising off of #ows. Not buying food or tents for protesters, but fundraising for DCCC approved spineless jellyfish. I don't know who is worse, SteveIsrael/DCCC or FoxNews/JoeThePlumber.
Earth to America's 2 party system, we don't have time for your bullshit anymore.
And as for Fox News, you just know if Fox is hosting Joe the co-opter coattail rider than there must be shenanigans going on. Nevertheless, I will say this, Sam Wurzelbacher is smarter than nearly every other Republican pundit and politician. He has figured out something the rest of the obsolete gasbags who fight for tax cuts for the rich still haven't gotten yet, that not only is #ows NOT going away anytime soon, but that the GOP is going to have to deal with us in a more intelligent way than just shouting socialist/hippy/hitler at us, as is their wont. I'm not saying Sam Wurzelbacher's plan to pander and shift with the political winds will work, but it shows that he is way more intelligent than the rest of the elephants in the room, though that isn't saying much.
I guess the next question is, how lousy is it when Sam Wurzelbacher is smarter than most of the Democratic politicians too. Where are they when the cops are shooting rubber bullets at unarmed anti-corporate greed protesters? I, for one, would love to know.
But Sam can wave that fake populism flag that Fox and the GOP bought him all he wants as he charges the windmill of socialism on his might steed of tax cuts ffor the rich. Just more proof that no one ever went broke carrying water for billionaires.
And it isn't going to work, but it is kinda funny and sad to see them try.
Chicago was beautiful. I wish I had more time to stay, but I am heading off to DC today and tomorrow and I have to buy a ticket to get to Oakland on Sunday and back to NYC early Tuesday morning.
Peace
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Peace and love to all.
Be a better person to your brothers and sisters around you.
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6:43 AM PT: Just wanted to share this thought from the comments by Supavash, as it expresses some of my feeling as well.
Steve Israel is actually a nice guy and I don't think he was trying to fundraise off of OWS at all. If anything, he's trying to protect OWS from the smear tactics of anti semitism. He's Jewish so he takes offense to their lame antics.
Okay, kossack Ozzie is giving me a ride to the airport, and then I am off to D.C. for today and Saturday. If anyone can help me find a cheap flight from DC to Oakland early Sunday morn and arriving back in NYC around 7am Tuesday Nov 1st I would be very appreciative, I have the money to get the tickets for the flight but no idea how to purchase the cheapest tickets available.
Okay, enough for now, peace and love to all, and I will see you in DC for the next two days if you are there.
Cheers