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Joe Wurzelbacher

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Entrepreneur

The Resume

    (December 3, 1973-August 27, 2023)
    Born in Toledo, Ohio
    Birthname was Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher
    Plumbing contractor's assistant in Holland, Ohio
    Asked Barack Obama 'I'm getting ready to buy a company that makes $250,000 to $280,000 a year. Your new plan is going to tax me more isn't it?' (October 12, 2008)
    Mentioned at least 23 times, usually as 'Joe the Plumber,' in the third presidential debate (October 15, 2008)

Why he might be annoying:

    Although John McCain claimed there are 'millions more like Joe the Plumber,' the non-partisan Tax Policy Center estimates that fewer than 700,000 small businesses would pay higher taxes under Obama's plan.
    His question was based on a couple of faulty premises: he is nowhere close to actually buying the company; Ohio business records show the company's revenue as only $100,000; and even if the company revenue was in the range described, after taking standard business expense deductions, its taxable income would be less than $200,000.
    In fact, based on his current earnings of $40,000, he's eligible for a tax cut under Obama's plan.
    He said of Obama's answer, 'I still got a tapdance almost as good as Sammy Davis, Jr.'
    He has been a plumber for 15 years without getting a license or completing an apprentice program.
    The state of Ohio filed a lien against him for failing to pay $1,182 in taxes (2007).
    He unsuccessfully ran for US Congress as a Republican (2012).

Why he might not be annoying:

    Early reports that he was linked to Charles Keating appear to have been false.
    He said of the sudden attention, 'It's pretty surreal, man.'
    He declined to endorse either candidate, saying 'I want the American people to vote for who they want to vote for.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 152 Votes: 53.29% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 166 Votes: 53.01% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 15 Votes: 73.33% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 104 Votes: 52.88% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 30 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 16 Votes: 31.25% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 186 Votes: 53.76% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 33 Votes: 48.48% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 19 Votes: 47.37% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 29 Votes: 68.97% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 50 Votes: 64.00% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 87 Votes: 52.87% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 273 Votes: 64.47% Annoying