The Real Plumbers of Ohio

I'm still at an undecided crossroad with my presidental choice. Thought that this was interesting in that regard:

Op-Ed Columnist - The Real Plumbers of Ohio - NYTimes.com

".....Mr. McCain claims that Mr. Obama’s policies would lead to economic disaster. But President Bush’s policies have already led to disaster — and whatever he may say, Mr. McCain proposes continuing Mr. Bush’s policies in all essential respects, and he shares Mr. Bush’s anti-government, anti-regulation philosophy.

What about the claim, based on Joe the Plumber’s complaint, that ordinary working Americans would face higher taxes under Mr. Obama? Well, Mr. Obama proposes raising rates on only the top two income tax brackets — and the second-highest bracket for a head of household starts at an income, after deductions, of $182,400 a year.

Maybe there are plumbers out there who earn that much, or who would end up suffering from Mr. Obama’s proposed modest increases in taxes on dividends and capital gains — America is a big country, and there’s probably a high-income plumber with a huge stock market portfolio out there somewhere. But the typical plumber would pay lower, not higher, taxes under an Obama administration, and would have a much better chance of getting health insurance.

I don’t want to suggest that everyone would be better off under the Obama tax plan. Joe the plumber would almost certainly be better off, but Richie the hedge fund manager would take a serious hit.

But that’s the point. Whatever today’s G.O.P. is, it isn’t the party of working Americans."

Hmmm, $180,000 plus a year????? Damn, I WISH I could pay taxes on that.

New York Times Health: "Spaghetti With Tomatoes, Olives, Capers, Hot Peppers and Anchovies"

Unquestionably, there is progress. The average American now pays out twice as much in taxes as he formerly got in wages.
~H.L. Mencken