Why It's No Problem That Joe the Plumber Lacks a License

It's About the American Dream

The root of the Joe the Plumber issue is that Joe simply puts a face to what the American Dream is about and the true consequences of a socialistic system. All he did was raise a question – and people who crave power over your money and mind are fundamentally threatened by any intellectual who questions the roots of their ulterior motives (if you don’t believe me, just open a history book and read how some of the first to be killed by the Nazi’s were the intellectuals and people who questioned too much the practices of the Third Reicht, or I dare you to see if you get arrested in the Soviet Union for hosting an anti-government rally). Attacking Joe’s personal life or bringing up issues of his licensing status is merely a smoke screen designed by enemies of the capitalistic system to thwart the rest of us from understanding the true nature and consequence of Obama’s “vision for change”. What makes America different than any other place in the world is that every single American has the opportunity to put his or her sweat and blood into elevating their standard of living and live the life of reward and prosperity. Joe the Plumber simply smoked out a consequence of Obama’s plans of "spreading the wealth around" (Obama's own words) that would never have been brought to light in any debate or news article. Why would the average American worker whom has a dream to work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week to save enough to buy his own business set his sights for doing so if he knows the government ultimately will pick his pocket and depreciate his ability to provide wealth for his family and jobs in this country? Socialism fails because it falls short to consider the most basic of human nature: every single one of us craves independence and the right to provide for oneself, our family, and dream of a better life for our children. So, the fact that Joe is not a licensed plumber is a non-issue. He represents an ideal which forms the basis of all that makes the United States of America what it is and what brought our ancestors over on the Mayflower to settle on this soil. Would you work as hard to go to school and pass that bar exam or finish medical school if you knew your quality of life would end up being little or no better than a person whom stays home and accepts a welfare check? The government can’t even balance its own budget, what makes you think it can manage your money better than you can? Sarah Palin stated during the VP debate, “It was Ronald Reagan who said freedom is always just one generation away from extinction…We don’t pass [freedom] to our children in the bloodstream; we have to fight for it and protect it...” If 100 reporters are camping outside this man’s home and severely assaulting him for raising one simple question – an idea – we know that freedom is even more fragile than ever before. God Bless America.

christina of KY @ Oct 19, 2008 02:10:15 AM

Concerned Patriot of NC

What is your problem?? The point was you could call yourself a plumber and work as a plumber without a license! If his boss is running a company without a license then they should be fined. Why are you calling me pathetic and dumb. GET A LIFE, YOU SEEM TO ME TO BE THE PATHETIC ONE.

BTW: I am a democrat you jerk!

C.N. of NJ @ Oct 18, 2008 23:29:41 PM

Pathetic

"CN of NJ wrote: In running a plumbing company you need to be licensed. You can hire plumbers that do not have a plumbing license. THEY ARE CALLED PLUMBERS! They may not be licensed but they can work as plumbers under your license. "

Sounds good CN. But apparently Joe's boss, Al Newell of Newell Plumbing and Repair, is ALSO UNLICENSED!!!!!

Are all Republicans this dumb? Sure seems that way lately.

The GOP is for licensed and unlicensed idiots. They welcome all idiots.

Concerned Patriot of NC @ Oct 18, 2008 23:16:42 PM

Republican shilling

Shouldn't you be wearing a red shirt in that photo?

Really, your attempt to backpedal on the ridiculousness of this unlicensed and broke plumber makes you look like you're working for the McCain campaign.

Now the free marketer is defending removing ALL regulations.

That should make for a comfortable society. Maybe we shouldn't have standards for common tools and equipment either. You Repubs are getting dumber by the day.

You should be fired for being so wrong and indefensible.

You are the biased media we have been warned about.

Concerned Patriot of NC @ Oct 18, 2008 23:05:52 PM

Calling Yourself a Plumber?

In running a plumbing company you need to be licensed. You can hire plumbers that do not have a plumbing license. THEY ARE CALLED PLUMBERS! They may not be licensed but they can work as plumbers under your license. This is how it works. The company has insurance if there is a problem on a job. If Joe the Plumber works for a company under a master plumber then he is a plumber and does not need his own license. What do you think you get when you call Home de*** or Sear*, do you think you get a license plumber comming to your house. Yea sure, you get someone who works under another's license.

C.N. of NJ @ Oct 18, 2008 23:03:02 PM

Rubbish

At least try a google search before spouting nonsense. Plumbing is a very intricate craft. We aren't just talking replacing a faucet every once and a while, that's what a handyman is for. Are you going to call up "Joe the unlicensed laborer" to re-pipe your entire house?

This is just another hideous way of devaluing and stereotyping working class individuals. Government isn't bad, we have one for a reason. Seems to me as if a good number of neo-cons would prefer the complete dismantling and privatization of government.

Dan of CA @ Oct 18, 2008 21:32:40 PM

A LICENSED PLUMBER IS A REAL PLUMBER - iT IS CALLED CERTIFICATION

Licensed verses unlicensed.

A licensed plumber or an unlicensed plumber. A licensed physician or an unlicensed physician. A licensed attorney or an unlicensed attorney. A licensed accountant or an unlicensed accountant. A licensed engineer or an unlicensed engineer.

My mom had an unlicensed plumber do some basic plumbing work and there was a leak and she ended up having to hire a licensed plumber to redo the previous job that the unlicensed plumber did. You get what you pay for. I would prefer a licensed surgeon operate on me if he studied the subject and made an A than a un licesned surgeon that was a C student. One is the A Team the other is the C or D Team.

There is a certification process in becoming licensed and it is better to be certified than not. Therefore, A licensed plumber is truly a real plumber because he or she is certified.

of DC @ Oct 18, 2008 19:45:43 PM

Lame.

I'm sorry Matt but your weak and baseless argument against licensing is absolutley infuriating. I don't think that you actually believe what you wrote. I think that you are making lame excuses from a place of blind partisanship. Your article smacks of clumsy and child-like justification without a hint of logic or critical thinking. How is it that you are working for a professional news outlet? Oh yeah...no license required. You should be fired.

Joshua W. Johnson of CA @ Oct 18, 2008 15:11:10 PM