Yesterday I was sitting in the waiting room at Honda of Lake Norman trying to prepare for an upcoming e-commerce seminar. The plasma-screen TV, however, was turned to the Fox channel where a beautiful, young female announcer was screaming denunciations of the Democrats for questioning the credibility of "Joe the Plumber"—the main character in the presidential debates Wednesday night—instead of focusing on Joe's question.
The problem was that Joe had created a fictional identity for himself to score political points in a conversation with Barrack Obama. Nothing about the story he created was true. He wasn't planning on buying a plumbing business. He couldn't even pay past taxes of some $1,500, much less buy a company that would have to be worth over a million dollars to generate the kinds of profits he describes.
The problem was that Joe had created a fictional identity for himself to score political points in a conversation with Barrack Obama. Nothing about the story he created was true. He wasn't planning on buying a plumbing business. He couldn't even pay past taxes of some $1,500, much less buy a company that would have to be worth over a million dollars to generate the kinds of profits he describes.
Yet he claimed to be worrying about paying taxes on income over $250,000 for a company that only made $100,000 last year (his boss's company). Because his salary was only $40,000, the whole proposition was patently fictional. Joe was not even a licensed plumber. Even his name was fraudulent. He was called Sam by people who knew him.
Even if the premise were true, however, the chances were very slim that he'd have to pay any taxes next year. He'd be more likely to receive credits for new hires and other perks Obama promises small businesses to stimulate the economy.
The most surprising thing about the whole episode, however, was that when he later discovered he'd get a $5,000 refund on his taxes next year, he said he'd refuse to accept it...even though he's in arrears on his existing taxes!
How is all this possible? How can anyone make sense of it? The answer, of course, is that both Joe and the announcer are Republicans promoting an agenda. That doesn't really answer the question, however.
The real question has to do with the incredible emotion involved. Where does that come from? When you can answer that, you'll understand the American political system.
Fortunately, the answer is not only easy, but fairly obvious. It almost always starts with childhood bullying of one sort or another. In this case, it probably involved teachers and teacher's pets who were continually critical and perhaps even made fun of the people who were "slower." This kind of thing, when it goes deep into the soul over a long period of time, packs a powder keg of hatred and emotion toward similar people that can quickly be ignited by similar confrontations in the future.
That's almost certainly what happened in the case of the announcer. Even if she was putting on a show of emotion for the audience, she clearly thought that was what they wanted to hear, i.e. what they wanted to say if they could. "Joe," of course, was much calmer, but he was playing an elaborate game of Gotcha based on a tissue of lies.
His hope was to turn the tables on snotty teacher types and embarrass them the way he'd been embarrassed as a child. Unfortunately, he hadn't done his research. Even his fictional question turned out to have not one, but two embarrassing answers. Not only would his fictional persona receive government aid, but so would his real personna. Sam would receive a $5,000 refund check next year.
The proof of this analysis is suggested by Sam's reaction: "I won't take it!" Hear the voice of the petulant child inside? It's completely irrational. This is the actual basis of American politics!
Even if the premise were true, however, the chances were very slim that he'd have to pay any taxes next year. He'd be more likely to receive credits for new hires and other perks Obama promises small businesses to stimulate the economy.
The most surprising thing about the whole episode, however, was that when he later discovered he'd get a $5,000 refund on his taxes next year, he said he'd refuse to accept it...even though he's in arrears on his existing taxes!
How is all this possible? How can anyone make sense of it? The answer, of course, is that both Joe and the announcer are Republicans promoting an agenda. That doesn't really answer the question, however.
The real question has to do with the incredible emotion involved. Where does that come from? When you can answer that, you'll understand the American political system.
Fortunately, the answer is not only easy, but fairly obvious. It almost always starts with childhood bullying of one sort or another. In this case, it probably involved teachers and teacher's pets who were continually critical and perhaps even made fun of the people who were "slower." This kind of thing, when it goes deep into the soul over a long period of time, packs a powder keg of hatred and emotion toward similar people that can quickly be ignited by similar confrontations in the future.
That's almost certainly what happened in the case of the announcer. Even if she was putting on a show of emotion for the audience, she clearly thought that was what they wanted to hear, i.e. what they wanted to say if they could. "Joe," of course, was much calmer, but he was playing an elaborate game of Gotcha based on a tissue of lies.
His hope was to turn the tables on snotty teacher types and embarrass them the way he'd been embarrassed as a child. Unfortunately, he hadn't done his research. Even his fictional question turned out to have not one, but two embarrassing answers. Not only would his fictional persona receive government aid, but so would his real personna. Sam would receive a $5,000 refund check next year.
The proof of this analysis is suggested by Sam's reaction: "I won't take it!" Hear the voice of the petulant child inside? It's completely irrational. This is the actual basis of American politics!
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