Joe the Plumber, a new spin

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-2008
Joe the Plumber, a new spin
166
Fri, 10-17-2008 - 4:16pm

The appeal of Joe the Plumber is that he puts a face to a tax number. Even if he's really not earning that much or isn't even a plumber. I am married to someone who makes that much and let me try to make the same point from a different perspective.

Go ahead, raise my taxes Obama. You are right, I can afford it. But first I'd like you to meet Mike, Steve and Emily. I don't own a business or anything, but I do spend my money (you know, since I'm one of the have's, that's what we do). Obama wanta to spread my wealth around and here's how it will affect 3 people in the middle and lower income brackets.

Mike - Mike is a music school teacher. He does private lessons on the side to make a little extra, in addition to volunteering in a community band. He loves teaching and playing music. He teaches one of our children and we pay him $100/mo.

Steve - Steve works full time doing private music lessons. He has two kids who he pays child support for and he lives on the edge of poverty. Private lessons is his only source of income. We pay for him to instruct three of our children and me every week. We pay him $364/mo.

Emily - Emily works full time but became a mom at age 18 yo, has no education past high school and lives near the poverty level. She is on her own being recently divorced. She helps us out once or twice a week, earning $120-$160/mo.

I recalculated Obama's tax proposals and realized it will only cost my family $1,350/mo on average. I can cover almost half of that by cutting my budget back, not hiring the babysitter and doing away with private music lessons (they are luxury items anyway).

I'm sure Mike, Steve and Emily will be glad to know that instead of earning money from my family, they will get $500 refundable tax credit next year under Obama's plan. And maybe even if $300 stimulus check like they got from Bush in the past.

Make less and pay less in tax, that's Obama's plan for the middle class.

Pennsylvania Mom http://openlettertobarack.blogspot.com/

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 7:56pm

>>Perhaps Steve should look at getting a real job? Is would make him less reliant on the kindness of strangers.


Is that necessary?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-30-2004
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 7:56pm

"Perhaps Steve should look at getting a real job? Is would make him less reliant on the kindness of strangers."


So, you don't believe that teaching music to our young is a real job?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-27-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 7:58pm

I think Mike, Steve and Emily ARE pulling themselves up by their bootstraps! I'm not giving them a handout, they are working for pay. That's a good thing.

Are you paying workmen's comp and Fica for these employees?

If Bush and his buddy's hadn't destroyed the economy and shipped so many jobs oversees Mike, Steve and Emily wouldn't have to work for your leftovers?

Do you ask them if they want to eat cake?

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-27-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 8:00pm

I will say that my husband's income is allowing me to get more education so I can change careers and so something to help people instead. I'll earn a lot less in my new profession but it will be worth it to do something I think is more valuable to society.

In a prior post you stated that you were a SAHM? How much is that paying these days?

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-08-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 8:01pm

She has stated previously that they are self-employed so she doesn't need to pay FICA, etc.

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-27-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 8:28pm

Pennsylvania mom stated in another post that she had lost 30% of her investments and that if her spouse lost his job, they would lose their home.

Putting your money in risky investments and overly large mortgages is not responsible.
Any financial adviser will tell you to have at least 1 years income on hand before you start putting your money into other investments.

My husband and I have been living on a strictly cash basis. We purchased our home for cash, we buy our cars for cash and we paid for our educations and my sons education with cash. This is what I mean by being responsible. It is not an attack, it is good solid advice for someone who is making a substantial income.

Others who do not make $250,000 a year or even my families income, which is well below that of PA Mom's, simply do not earn enough to operate the way we do. People with lower incomes need help, and that is what where I would like to see my tax dollars expended.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-27-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 8:34pm

So, you don't believe that teaching music to our young is a real job? Do you not see the value of such a thing? I don't think he's reliant on the kindness of strangers, I think he probably gets paid for providing a valuable service.

>>It was stated that he is a private music teacher. I assume this means he is self employed. It was also stated that he was not able to earn an adequate income doing this type of work. The worth or value of the service is not the issue. The issue is that he is not able to support himself with this career. If he is not able to support himself he needs to either get a second job or another career.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-09-2007
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 8:37pm
Teaching a child music is not a real job?
Jess


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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-27-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 8:41pm

She has stated previously that they are self-employed so she doesn't need to pay FICA, etc. However, she should be providing them 1099s.

The music teacher probably are self employed. The housekeeper/babysitter would be an employee/employer relationship and hence FICA and workman's comp and required.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss8.pdf

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 8:53pm

But that's what liberals do, sweetie. In what way was it an offensive comment to tell the truth? Does the truth offend you that much?

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