Unions protest Joe the Plumber in Pittsburgh.
Unions protest Joe the Plumber in Pittsburgh.
Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, aka “Joe the Plumber,” was recently tapped by the anti-labor group Americans for Prosperity to shill against the Employee Free Choice Act. Americans for Prosperity spokesperson Mary Ellen Burke said that Wurzelbacher was chosen because “he represents the American worker” and is a “role model.” At a rally yesterday near Pittsburgh, PA, Wurzelbacher received a chilly welcome from many residents — especially union members:
Two Green Tree police officers broke up several arguments to prevent fights in the midst of a crowd of about 150 packed inside a Radisson ballroom. The crowd was divided about evenly between union members and opponents of the so-called “card check” bill. No one was arrested.
Wurzelbacher, in a flannel shirt, T-shirt and jeans, drew some of the loudest rebukes from union members, who booed and jeered him for not having a plumber’s license in his native Ohio.
Watch a report from local CBS affiliate KDKA:
As the union members noted, Wurzelbacher never had a plumbing license. Many of the people in that profession are members of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA), which supports the Employee Free Choice Act.
Transcript:
REPORTER: Well his name would indicate that he’s a plumber. But the man who isn’t really one was in Green Tree today for what’s called the “Save my Ballot” tour. Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, better known as Joe the Plumber, was here to rally against the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that’s supposed to make it easier for unions to organize. Some local unions organized against Joe.
UNION MEMBER #1: Joe the Plumber, he don’t have a license. He ain’t a plumber.
UNION MEMBER #2: So for the Republican party to take a position that this is the epitome of a working person makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to anybody here that has to pay taxes.
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FANTASTIC!!!
Who’s horny now, not Joe?
March 31st, 2009 at 11:03 amDumb Question:
So can I assume that Joe the tax-cheat non-plumber will be disclosing the sources of his funding ? You know, a disclosure of any conflicts of interest when he isn’t speaking for himself ?
March 31st, 2009 at 11:04 amWhat really gets me is even though I live in a non-union state, I still see plumber as connected with union. The plumbers get their training via union journeyman programs.
And now the pretend plumber comes out and makes non-union pronouncements supposedly representing real plumbers ?
March 31st, 2009 at 11:07 amHound that nonplumbing tax-cheat right into jail where he belongs.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:09 amget a job man!
March 31st, 2009 at 11:12 amJoe The Plumber to me is a glaring symbol of just how out of touch the GOP is with actual working men and women. It’s no different that Hip Hop MC Steele shows how they view Blacks and Caribou Barbie shows how they view women. They respect working men and women so little that rather than address him by his name, they gave him a moniker, rather than allow him to show up to speak at major events dressed appropriately, he’s never seen out of a flannel shirt, jeans, and work boots.
Just because he looks like what the GOP thinks the average working man looks like (basically a bald Al Borlan) doesn’t mean he’s a role model. The spokesperson said it correctly when she said he “represented” working people. Not unlike how Spongebob Squarepants “represents” marine life.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:13 amWurzelbacher, in a flannel shirt, T-shirt and jeans, drew some of the loudest rebukes from union members, who booed and jeered him for not having a plumber’s license in his native Ohio.
_________________________________________________________
I don’t blame the union members. It’s one thing for this clown to masquerade as a plumber and give real plumbers a bad name. It’s quite another for him to masquerade as a plumber and come out against the EFCA, as if he’s some kind of representative of plumbers everywhere. If I was a real plumber, I’d be mad as h*ll.
Oh, and I wouldn’t be just booing him for not having a plumber’s license. I’d also be booing him for being an idiot.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:20 amJoe the fake azz plumber. He’s no representative of the American worker. He gets what he deserves! He’s nothing but a tool for rightwingnutcrazies!
March 31st, 2009 at 11:24 amRole model? ROLE MODEL???
Let’s see — a “plumber” without a license. Who doesn’t pay his taxes. Who believes he could buy a plumbing business that would net him over $250,000 a year, but the only thing holding him back is President Obama’s tax plan. Who’s only capable of parroting GOP propaganda. Who believes he’s a celebrity.
What kind of person would want this loser as a role model?
March 31st, 2009 at 11:25 amJoe Wishes-he-was-a-plumber is SO over. Buy BYE Joe time to get a REAL job
March 31st, 2009 at 11:26 am.
Joe the “Anti-union” Plumber…
… er Joe the Book Author…
… er Sam the correspondent…
… er Joe the (R)ush pundit…
… er Sam the Joe Tax dodger?
What incarnation will he take next?
Joe the Boy Wonder?
… As in we wonder what his next trick will be?
.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:26 amSarah’s running mate in 2012. They are about equals in intellect and critical thinking.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:27 amOne last time…
Joe IS NOT a plumber… he’s a plumber’s HELPER…
March 31st, 2009 at 11:27 amMapleStreet,
That was my question, too.
A: The G(no)P?
March 31st, 2009 at 11:31 amIsn’t it amazing what the face of the Republican Party has become?
Sarah “Caribou-Killing Barbie” Palin
March 31st, 2009 at 11:32 amRush “viagra smuggler” Limbaugh
Michael “spine NOT of” Steele
and
Joe the “almost but not really” Plumber
Joe the Tool
Joe the Fool
Joe the Prop
Sam the Ham
Sam the Spam
Sam the Sham
These are better titles for this guy.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:33 amThe Republic of Hymenoptera Stupidity Says:
He’s a laborer
March 31st, 2009 at 11:40 amJoe the Horny meet REAL PLUMBERS
March 31st, 2009 at 11:43 amHe’s THIS sort of helper:
plumber’s helper
March 31st, 2009 at 11:43 amFunction:
noun
Date:
1952
: plunger d —called also plumber’s friend
A tool… so to speak…
March 31st, 2009 at 11:44 amMax Anax junius -1 Says:
.
Joe the “Anti-union” Plumber…
… er Joe the Book Author…
… er Sam the correspondent…
… er Joe the (R)ush pundit…
… er Sam the Joe Tax dodger?
What incarnation will he take next?
Joe the Boy Wonder?
… As in we wonder what his next trick will be?
____________
You for “Joe, the Wanna-Be C&W Singer”…
March 31st, 2009 at 11:45 amMax Anax junius -1 Says:
“Joe the “Anti-union” Plumber…
… er Joe the Book Author…
… er Sam the correspondent…
… er Joe the (R)ush pundit…
… er Sam the Joe Tax dodger?”
Lest we forget Joe the Country Music Singer
March 31st, 2009 at 11:48 amFrom the first second this idiot came into the public eye he was lying, his imaginary business he was going to buy, and he really hasn’t stopped since. What a complete and utter tool. Does he really go to bed everynight thinking “I did some good today.” Drown yourself in a toilet idiot.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:50 amThe Doublewide Fashion Plate sure works that T-shirt.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:50 amYeah, when is the awesome country album coming out?
March 31st, 2009 at 11:51 amFirst single: Sam, I’m not who I say I am.
Call him what he really is, a scab.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:52 amThe Republic of Hymenoptera Stupidity Says:
You for “Joe, the Wanna-Be C&W Singer”…
___________
Ooops… that’s “forgot”… You FORGOT…
March 31st, 2009 at 11:53 amThe Republic of Hymenoptera Stupidity Says:
He’s THIS sort of helper:
: plunger d —called also plumber’s friend
March 31st, 2009 at 11:43 am
____________
You’re very kind to Mr. Wurzelplumber. I think of him more as the clog of feces you need a plumber’s friend to remove.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:55 amBig shout out to the union members of Pittsburgh, who I knew wouldn’t let Joe (not his real first name) the Plumber (not a licensed one) get away with all this anti-union nonsense. Way to go!
March 31st, 2009 at 11:55 amThat the right continues to trot out Joe the WetzelPretzel-macher is not a surprise.
They have always loved to promote actors…2 presidents…2 governors…etc.,
March 31st, 2009 at 11:56 amI love the fact that when the press asked the owner of the plumbing company Joe was going to buy, the man said ” I didn’t know I was selling”. Joe the part time plumbers helper is really a tool.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:56 amI couldn’t decide on my snarky comment today… so I will give you both:
1) Joe the Plumber — Republican Welfare Queen
or
2) License? License? I don’t need no Stinkin’ License. (IOKIAR)
March 31st, 2009 at 11:56 amI grew up outside of Pittsburgh and later lived in Pittsburgh after college. Pittsburgh for the most part is a fair representation of the country. While it does have it’s very wealthy elite that support Republican financial theories (e.g. Richard Mellon Scaife), it also has (and has a history of having, as does much of western PA) a very large contigent of workers and now retired workers who are and were able to support their families largely due to the strong unions in the region.
Joe is unfortunately another pawn of the GOP in trying to get the non-wealthy to support a governmental philosophy that cares only about the wealthy.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:56 amYou almost have to give JoeSamBillyClemBob credit. He either has a lot of guts or the brains of a shellfish for appearing before real plumbers.
I know which way I’d vote.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:59 amAt least Palin got to wear the nice clothes while she was on stage for the GOP. What is Joe the non-licensed plumber getting?
March 31st, 2009 at 12:01 pmYou know, they also love actors who have never been to war.
I.E. ‘The Duke’
March 31st, 2009 at 12:02 pmThe new stars of the GOP. Joe the Plumber, Bachman, Jindal, Steele, Cantor, Boss Rush, Sanford, Palin. I see a pattern here.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:03 pm***
aren’t there any “horny” trolls
out there willing to defend this guy?
spearNmagicHelmet?
bhayden90?
tpafla?
beefsucker? aka timmeh? aka tanq? aka klituu?
anyone?
anyone?
::
a little concern trolling might work.
try the “this is unworthy of tp”
or the “tp is in danger of becoming a tabloid”
line. we haven’t heard that in about oh, five minutes.
:|
March 31st, 2009 at 12:06 pmJoe the not a plumber, Joe the tax cheat, Joe the avoid traffic ticket, Joe the Fake Economist, Joe the Joke Reporter, Joe the Book Writer, Joe the Fraud…
…Joe is just perfect for representing the Repukes…
…dishonest, delusional, disingenuous.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:08 pmHey, I’ll play the part of the trolls for you. Don’t you libs get it? How can you trash a real working person? Can’t you tell he is real? Look he wears jeans and a work shirt, what more do you want? Hows that?
March 31st, 2009 at 12:09 pmSound of guitar being tuned…
Joe the Wanna-Be Plumber will now sing his latest hit tune…
“Clogged U-Trap”
(set to the melody of “Lost Highway”, w/ serious, serious apologies to H Williams…)
I’m a plumbin’ man… with a greasy wrench…
All the sh*t I’ve seen… has left quite a stench.
Takes my trusty snake… to clear a line of crap…
March 31st, 2009 at 12:10 pmI’m the one folks call… for a clogged u-trap….
24. Patriot Anopheles Acting said: Lest we forget Joe the Country Music Singer
Patriot, I haven’t heard that. And somehow I think he would make William Shatner’s record career look good.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:15 pmJoe will do anything for money…then again so will a prostitute.
Joe the Hooker
March 31st, 2009 at 12:16 pmThrows quarters *clink clink* into your opened guitar case.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:18 pmpastcaring ceratopogonidae Says:
Throws quarters *clink clink* into your opened guitar case.
____________
Thank yew… thank yeeeeeew verrrry much!
March 31st, 2009 at 12:22 pmAlan the Plumber, my neighbor, would (like to) kick Joe’s the Fake Plumber Union Busters ass.
He’s really must not have any brains to mess with plumbers, about as much as it would take to mess with steel workers. I’d pay to see that fight.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:25 pmIts all very Orwellian.
Joe, a ‘plumber’, is against employees organizing for better wages/prosperity by being speaking for an anti-labor group named ‘Americans for Prosperity’.
Are people really so gullible that they think this group is really for workers prosperity?
March 31st, 2009 at 12:30 pmfifty posts.
no trolls.
poor joe.
:(
March 31st, 2009 at 12:32 pmTRoS, Pat,
March 31st, 2009 at 12:32 pm… DOH!!!
joe cantwell:
I share your concern about the lack of trolls. Perhaps O’Dildo has called a meeting of the troops to outline his new strategy.
BTW is there a proper term for a group of trolls? (flock? bevy? herd?) Or would it depend on the particular concern of the trolls? Those in support of Sarah Palin, for example, might be a coven.
I’m sure the insect swarm around here could find an appropiate appelation for O’Dildos minions.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:34 pmI just realized that I posted the last comment on a Joe the Plumber thread and brought up O’Dildo and no mention of Joe! It uas quite unconscious, but appropiate since this thread has yet to attract any trolls.
Perhaps mentioning O’Dildo will attract some of the other trolls. Let’s wait and see.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:39 pmAs a retired member of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA), I resent this skanky scab purporting to be the voice of labor in this country. He is a brainless marionette whose strings are being manipulated by the GOPigs.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:46 pmLibertylover says:
Caribou Barbie got lots of expensive things to wear for herself and her family on the campaign trail.
All “Joe the plumber” got was this lousy t-shirt.
SNARK!
March 31st, 2009 at 12:47 pmaugie,
the republicans have their
future come-back hopes pinned
to joe’s flannel shirt but
if even the trolls can’t warm
up to him then they are totally
SCREWED.
::
March 31st, 2009 at 12:48 pmJoe the plunger.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:02 pmThis skin-head wannabe is pathetic! There are absolutely no redeeming qualities to his existence. He’s a waste of the Planet’s resources!
March 31st, 2009 at 1:37 pmThis is the republican party fools, nitwits, party of no party of crooks greedy business men this is there best. I know when election time, I am going to vote like republicans and vote NO to all republicans running if all people vote that way the next two election we can get rid of them from from now on, like the old wig party.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:39 pmsixty comments.
no trolls.
:\
March 31st, 2009 at 1:46 pmIt appears that from now on Scabby Joe the Not Plumber will have to speak before pre-approved audiences. Just like the Chimenfuehrer had to do. Gee, what a coincidence.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:54 pmOops. I believe the correct spelling is Chimpenfuehrer, or something.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:56 pmAs a proud member of the UA, i just wanted to say that Joe the scab wouldn’t last five minutes on one of our jobs. First, you have to know what you’re doing (he doesn’t). Second, he’s a lying bag of shit (bullshit walks). Finally, when he started talking shit against real working people, it would be a race to see who gets to knock his punk ass out.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:57 pmFlannel shirt and jeans…?
Joe the Slacker is more like it. This guy’s been in hog heaven ever since his fifteen minutes elapsed six months ago…
March 31st, 2009 at 2:20 pmSpeaking as another REAL UA member…unemployed -thanks to BushCo few are building.
Can’t say it better than # 7 regarding “Joe the Clown Act” and the rethug propaganda machine. Glad to see some UA brothers weighed in too.
I’m from a family of union plumbers but have made my living as a union steamfitter (pipefitter) for over 20 years. What irks me most is the stereotype Joe casts on the plumbing trade. This ignorant moron wouldn’t make a pimple on a plumber’s azz. From what I understand he never even bothered to apply for an apprenticeship-union or non. To be a plumbing contractor one must first attain journeyman status (4-5 yr apprenticeship) then acquire a masters license which takes another 2 yrs. I believe one could attain a doctorate in the time it takes to become a master. (Kudos to my father.) Some plumbers and pipefitters I’ve known are among the most intelligent individuals I’ve ever met bar none. And the world gets “Joe the Plumber”.
BTW Bros- It was reported here that Joe used the UA bug (logo) on his “My-space” page. That alone is worth an arse kickin.
March 31st, 2009 at 2:23 pmThinking of Joe pretending to be plumber, pretending to be journalist, pretending to be politician.
I wonder if the KBR employee who connected live wires to the showers was a wanna-be electrician ?
March 31st, 2009 at 2:56 pmJoe is a professional irritant.
“Murder” of trolls is too suggestive.
March 31st, 2009 at 3:06 pmwiley:
I agree on “Murder”, however, since most trolls could be classified as “birdbrains” (nothing against our avian friends) I’ll suggest “Flock” which is used with both sheep and turkeys.
March 31st, 2009 at 3:36 pmHow about Troupe of Trolls?
a company, band, or group of singers, actors, or other performers, esp. one that travels about.
Other performers that travel about? Perfect!
March 31st, 2009 at 4:25 pmHow about Trolley of Trolls?
a basket suspended from something (RNC, BO, Rush?) used to carry objects (talking points) to somewhere AND there is the alliteration factor
March 31st, 2009 at 4:46 pmTuft of trolls.
Knot of trolls.
Flux of trolls.
March 31st, 2009 at 5:19 pmUnit, squad, platoon or anything militarily related would be out since right wingers are chickenhawks.
Perhaps something to reference the olfactory sense – whiff or phew might do.
Maybe a pile of trolls because they are dumb as rocks, as we see in lodestone SIG.
March 31st, 2009 at 5:38 pmStink of trolls.
March 31st, 2009 at 6:00 pmOk,Just got laid off from my 3rd union job.I worked for C.F trucking,midstates trucking and just got laid off from a company that makes auto parts in lansing MI. I give up on union companies.2 have closed there doors and this one will end up closing.12 years with a union and all i get are my dues taken.I’M Done….Unions suck…they didn’t fight for us like they promised.
March 31st, 2009 at 6:37 pmfireman
Did you notice all the people Bush put in Federal Agencies that worked so hard for the American workers, union or not. The ones that didn’t enforce regulations for safety in mines for example. Hell, the Dept. of Labor was run by Mitch McConnel’s wife.
These people must be crazy for the crap that occurred under the Bush watch that had a high probability of hitting them – like the poisoned pet food, toxic toys, tainted food and putrid peanut butter.
Yea, fireman, its all the fault of the unions isn’t it?
March 31st, 2009 at 8:26 pmSam the Sprinkler Installer is painfully, tooth-pulling painfully stupid to have to listen to. And why on Earth would the ‘tards think that we don’t understand perfectly well why they send him into these functions dressed like they do? Did these asshats believe that Carol Burnett was actually a janitor?
March 31st, 2009 at 8:39 pmIf he had called himself “Joe the Philosopher,” he wouldn’t have a problem with a license.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:50 pmThe suggestion that this clown represents “average” offends me? Geatest nation my ass if that bullshit were true. Next thing I know they will be telling me that Applebees is cuisine…
March 31st, 2009 at 10:09 pmfireman Says:
I have had a union job for 32 years never spent a week laid off. My company has used exclusively union labor for and has lasted 125 years. If YOUR union didnt fight for you shame on them. That means THEY were bad unions not that unions are bad.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:41 pmAs a 29 year member of the UA let me make this real simple for everyone to understand.
April 1st, 2009 at 1:15 amJob & Plumber’s license = Plumber
No job and no license = Joe the plumber.