Joe The Common Man Takes A Hit

JOE THE PLUMBER'S IGNORANT STATEMENTS ARE NOT HARD TO FIND--GO TO A BAR

I would like to hit Joe the Plumber--like really hard.

Not only was the first iteration of Joe Wurzelbacher annoying and bereft of integrity and overflowing with basic conservative obliviousness to his own situation, he also was boring.

Joe the Foreign Correspondent is even worse because he's Joe the Guy Drinking Budweiser at the Moose Lodge, Joe the Politically Incorrect New Boyfriend at the Family BBQ and Joe the Guy Who Finds Larry the Cable Guy Too Hilarious.

The point is Joe Wurzelbachers are a dime a dozen. Pajamas Media, of course, is merely using the "Joe the Plumber" brand name for attention; and that's perfectly fair, but when Wurzelbacher begins opining ignorantly on the wonders of war propaganda and comes close to stoking Palestinian anger he is more dangerous than entertaining.

I liked back in World War I and World War II, when you'd go to the theater and you'd see your troops on the screen and everyone would be real excited and happy for them. Now everyone's got an opinion and wants to down soldiers—our American soldiers, our Israeli soldiers. I think media should be abolished from reporting.

This statement is really a variation of Wurzelbacher's faulty personal premise and questions to Barack Obama regarding his tax plan. He did not have a personal stake in the question and did not have the wealth to actually be taxed under the plan, yet played the typical conservative fantasy they are created equally to the super rich that greatly prosper from their support despite their own interest not being met.

Wurzelbacher wants to abolish the media in war zones while fellow Americans of similar values and wealth fund these wars with their blood. In a time, when the media often times does not do its job of reporting the foreign news, people like Wurzelbacher continue to have an unwise and unhealthy view of the government and the military. As The Boss once said, "blind faith in your leader or in anything will get you killed." So can people like Joe the Plumber.

It's Gonna Be A Long Walk Home

THE LONG ROAD TO REDEMPTION STARTS TODAY.

Times have been difficult for Americans. The times we feel today are much different than the angst felt in the first years of the Bush presidentcy.

The pillars of our country--freedom, openness and democracy were smashed with a neo-conservative hammer laying the foundation for the fall of banks and the credit markets.

The excitement of yesterday, though, is tempered by uncertainty. Millions of Americans still wonder with the Christmas season coming how to placate their children while crossing their fingers there's enough money to pay the bills or the mortgage, for that matter.

As Bruce Springsteen wrote, "It's gonna be a long walk home" to our ideals as a people.

I've been thinking of this song, "Long Walk Home" for a few months in anticipation of the election of Barack Obama. (Listen to a snippet, here.)

What is home for us? I think The Boss puts it eloquently when he sings:

My father said "Son, we're lucky in this town
It's a beautiful place to be born
It just wraps its arms around you
Nobody crowds you, nobody goes it alone.
That you know flag flying over the courthouse
Means certain things are set in stone
Who we are, what we'll do and what we won't."

It's gonna be a long walk home, pretty darling.

Death Of Person In Springsteen Lyric Gets AP Story

Did you hear, the cops finally busted Madam Marie for tellin' fortunes better than they do

-Bruce Springsteen, "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)"

Apparently, Madam Marie wasn't just a figment of The Bosses alliterate imagination. Marie Castello died June 27.

Sloppy Sue and Big Bones Billie are still coming up for air. 

UPDATE: Here's a nice obit on Madam Marie in the Asbury Park Press.