First of all, then we have to say the American public overwhelmingly voted for socialism when they elected President Obama,” Sharpton said. “Let’s not act as though the president didn’t tell the American people – the president offered the American people health reform when he ran. He was overwhelmingly elected running on that and he has delivered what he promised.”

Some say he wasn’t actually stating that Obama is for socialism, but rather stating that the American people are getting exactly what they asked for (with no real claim one way or another that Obama is socialist).  That’s a bit of a stretch, but fair-minded people might make that assessment of the conversation and believe it doesn’t necessarily imply Reverend Al’s own opinions on the subject.

But then Al said this:

The dream was not to put one black family in the White House. The dream was to make everything equal in everybody’s house. President Obama being in the White House can help us get there, but we’re not there yet.

Considered on its own, an honest assessment could once again be that Reverend Al wasn’t calling for Redistribution of Wealth as it sounds, but rather using “everybody’s house” as a symbol for everyone’s racial equality. I expect an Al apologist to believe that, especially when considering that statement alone.  But you can’t consider the statement alone when you have prior statements to give insight on its purpose.

Listening to both statements together leads to one of only two conclusions.

1. Al Sharpton supports America’s path towards socialism and supports redistribution of wealth.
   or
2. In a page out of Bill Clinton’s book, Al Sharpton attempting to rally supporters of a specific issue (in this case redistribution of wealth and “social justice”) while using his words carefully enough to maintain plausible deniability.

Either way, the two statements in concert paint a distinct picture and complicit endorsement of socialism.  If two points make a straight line, this line is headed in a very clear direction.

Joe has a tax lien?  Shocking. There are millions of small businesses, self-employed tradesmen, independent contractors and skilled laborers in this country.  Show me someone trying to achieve the American Dream through their own hard work, and I’ll show you someone likely to have a tax lien.

According to the The E-Myth Revisited most small business people fail twice before succeeding in business.  And many people like Joe have an income that is likely volatile based on the economic activity in their community and demands for their services.  I wouldn’t expect some Harvard educated lawyer whose never made a payroll to understand… but most small business and contractor income is volatile.

I spent years helping people with their mortgages and finances.  Many of them were self-employed, small business owners, tradesmen working for someone else or paid via 1099.  It wasn’t at all uncommon for them to have tax liens, a late payment here or there, or a bankruptcy in the past.  And you know what they all had in common?  They took risks and worked hard for themselves to achieve their idea of the American Dream.  They didn’t apologize for striving for success, even though they knew failure was always a possibility.  They worked hard for their successes, risking a lot to get there.

Funny, people not paying their mortgages are the new heroes in America… but someone who has a tax lien is a villain, destroyed for simply asking a question.

Joe The Plumber has a tax lien.  That makes him real, and goes a long way in pointing out the ridiculous complexity and burden of complying with the current tax code.  Barack Obama’s plan will only make it worse, and more expensive.  Why is it the left chooses to crucify this guy?  Why do they believe his tax lien disqualifies him from having a voice in America?

I find it astounding that within a day or two of becoming a household name, Joe The Plumber has been researched and talked about by the media and the left more than the Democratic nominee has.  We still don’t know much about Obama’s time at Columbia and we are told by the media not to question his ties with unrepentant terrorist William Ayers, American-hating racist pastor Reverend Wright or convicted fellon Tony Rezko… yet its okay to destroy Joe The Plumber simply for asking a question?

Joe isn’t running for President, he just asked a question.

Barack Obama and his campaign showed up in Joe’s neighborhood.  Joe had the audacity to stand patiently in line, hoping to speak with “The One”.  Obama stopped at Joe, Joe asked his question, and Obama gave a socialist answer in response.  It was Obama’s answer that started the firestorm.  So what is the left to do… destroy the questioner.

It is despicable, and it shows you the hatred and contempt the left has for anyone who questions their chosen One.  This thuggish mob mentality of destroying anyone in opposition is frightening.  It’s probably a good thing Joe had a tax lien, otherwise the left would have resorted to calling Joe a racist.

All Joe did was ask a question, Barack Obama answered it.  It was Obama’s answer that caused the problem, because it pointed out who Obama really is.  How dare they destroy Joe because America doesn’t like Barack’s answer.

The message is clear, question Barack Obama at your own peril.  They will demonize you and try to destroy you.  Thanks to these horrible actions by the left and the media, it is quite likely that the next Joe The Plumber will stay home and not risk questioning Barack Obama.  Why would they? The media won’t question Obama about his socialist welfare tax plan, so without people like Joe who will be left?

Poor Joe.  He did his civic duty of being informed and asking questions.  And now the left destroys him.  Joe’s son has been watching all of this and is learning a very valuble but unexpected lesson.  Don’t dare question the left.  Just sit back, fall in line, and do what the Marxist Obama and his Lemmings tell you to do and think how they tell you to think… otherwise you will be destroyed.

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UPDATE: Michelle Malkin has a great piece on this.  And guess what, they already are calling Joe a racist.

UPDATE: There’s another great post about this at Betsy’s Page:

What the left doesn’t understand is that Joe’s personal background doesn’t matter at all. What matters is Obama’s answer. And when asked about how Obama’s tax plan would affect a small businessman earning over $250,000, Obama said that it was time to “spread the wealth around.” And it turns out, as James Pethokoukis points out, that overwhelmingly most Americans aren’t in favor of redistributionist tax policies. But Obama revealed that his instincts are, as he told Charlie Gibson in the Democratic debate, to tax wealth as a matter of “fairness.”

So on the way to the coronation of President Obama, one ordinary guy asked a question that made Obama look bad. And the response by those on the left is that this guy Must Be Destroyed. And both Democratic candidates look for easy jokes about what type of plumber earns $250,000. They are tone deaf to the idea that Joe was asking a question about his dream, a dream that many people share of working hard and building up a small business.

And another “Joe The Plumber” for McCain.

H/T: Instapundit

After tonight’s debate, we had to offer these two t-shirts to our visitors.  Your choice this November is crystal clear.  You can support the real engine of our economy, the middle class, or you can support big government and redistribution of wealth.

If you support the middle class, American workers and entrepreneurs, get this Elect Joe the Plumber T-Shirt.  Joe understands what so many in Washington don’t, that higher taxes and government spending hurt real Americans.  And Joe did something Conservatives have been trying to do for over a year, point out the socialist policies of Barack Obama.

If you support big taxes, big government and “spreading the wealth around” get this Senator Government t-shirt and support socialism and Barack Obama.  Barack Obama wants to help all of the people “behind” Joe, but he’s policies won’t help for long.  Redistribution of wealth stifles creativity and hard work and rewards mediocrity.  Barack Obama’s tax and spending plans will cripple America and make our current economic troubles permanent.

Read this interview with Joe the Plumber, a good American who just wants to work his way up, earn a living, and keep what he earns.  Joe asked Barack Obama a simple question… one of the many simple questions the Mainstream Media refuses to ask… and Joe accomplished what the media refuses to do.  He exposed Barack Obama for the Marxist that many of us have been screaming about for over a year.

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I owned a small mortgage company.  A few years ago we would have fallen into Mr. Obama’s higher tax bracket.  Of course once you took out payroll, benefits, rent, utilities and office expenses, etc… there was no where near $250,000.00 left.  My take home was substantially less, but we still made it, and I was proud to have employees, offer benefits, and help people in their quest for the American Dream.

And what I understand that Barack Obama and all of his Lemmings who have never made a payroll don’t understand is that there is a fine line between making it and breaking.  Most small businesses run efficiently because every dollar lost is a dollar out of the owner’s pocket.  Every lost sale is tangible.  It might mean less for Christmas, it might mean someone gets laid off.  It might mean borrowing money just to keep the lights on.   The tax payments and regulatory responsibilities of any small business are a nightmare and a huge expense… caused by bureacrats who have no clue what its like to run a business, but want to tell you how anyway.  Add an additional tax or administrative nightmare and thousands of small businesses will break.

Eventually we broke anyway, even without Obama’s tax scheme.

The housing market got too sour for too long and we couldn’t afford the continue putting good money after bad.  Even though the office is now closed, I’m paying back personal loans that I took out to keep it afloat.  I don’t believe in handouts and won’t file bankruptcy.  It was my business and my debts, so I’m paying them off best I can.

And I don’t want a handout.  I don’t want a bailout.  I don’t want to take money from someone else’s labor.  When my business was successful, I enjoyed the fruits of my labor.  And while I am not responsible for the housing or credit crisis… I’m not crying foul that my fortunes have changed.  That’s how it goes.  You take the good with the bad, try to make good decisions, work hard, and hope you are a little better off at the end than when you began the race.

I was Joe The Plumber, now I am the guy behind him.  And I wouldn’t have it any other way.  How dare Barack Obama want to steal Joe’s wealth and redistribute it to people like me?  Joe’s fortunes are presently better than mine, but that is not his fault.  Why should he be penalized for success?  And what incentive would I have to get back to Joe’s status if I could stay where I’m at and collect the spoils of his hard work?

…

The Commissar Cometh.  And he’s going to take your wealth away.  The way to pick people up is not to give them a handout, its to encourage their hard work.  America’s greatness can be directly attributed to its reluctance to follow socialist ideals.  When Commissar Obama takes your wealth away, the American Dream will also be lost.

Redistribution of wealth.  Socialism.  You don’t get to keep what you earned because the government deems someone else deserves it more.  HOW DOES THE ENCOURAGE INGENUITY, EFFORT, OR SUCCESS?

Besides the fact that “spread[ing] the wealth around” does not encourage hard work or success and is by its very nature socialist… Obama’s logic is incredibly flawed.  Obama says he wants to redistribute this guy’s wealth, not to penalize him, but to help all of those behind him so they too can be successful.  But this guy’s success is proof positive that they don’t need the help.  With their own efforts and a bit of luck, they too can be successful.  This plumber didn’t benefit from some government handout that took money from someone else to enable his success.  So why do the people “behind” him need it to achieve the same level of success?

Its typical class warfare with a blatant socialist agenda.  Its wrong, and it doesn’t work.  Obama might try to claim he’s moderate or mainstream, but the proof comes out from time to time when he lets his guard down.  We’re already sliding down the slippery slope towards socialism, we don’t need a Marxist president to speed up the process.

Dedicate yourself to working long and hard for the things that are important to you.  Take responsibility for your own actions and act accordingly.  Those are the ideals that made American great while socialism led each of its followers into inferiority or collapse.  Is that what you want for the future of America?