Joe The Plumber With Yer Cuppa Joe?

Sometimes when we have a humor story we save it for the end of the day. But last night we wanted to get out the more serious post about reactionary Democrats crossing the aisle to vote with the GOP to make our cities' streets less safe from heavy weapons and to make women less safe in matters pertaining to their health. So this kind of silly post one got bumped to this morning. Claiming, although with no evidence whatsoever, that "the public loves Joe the Plumber" and that "they see him as a role model," an anti-union GOP front group in Pennsylvania, Americans for Prosperity has employed Joe the Plumber to run around the state lying about the Employee Free Choice Act.

I suppose it's good he's got some gainful employment now that his careers as an author, musician, journalist and consultant all fizzled so quickly... but what does Joe the Plumber know about Employee Free Choice? Republican Party talking points straight from the horse's mouth (Limbaugh), of course. He and lunatic fringe winger Pat Toomey will have a grand old time. In fact, Greg Sargent is reporting that actual plumbers are furious. A Plumbers Union official told Sargent that Joe "the Plumber" (who isn't a plumber) is "selling out real plumbers." Rick Terven, the political and legislative director for The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry:

Right now, labor law is stacked against real plumbers. Real plumbers want and need the Employee Free Choice Act as a way to empower themselves to join a union, without fear of intimidation or losing their jobs. Joe the Plumber doesn’t speak for real plumbers.

According to the GOP front group sponsoring Joe the Plumber, he'll be expected to remind Pennsylvania voters that they demand Arlen Specter-- who already raised the white flag earlier in the week-- to flip flop and join the GOP filibuster against Employee Free Choice. In case Wurzelbacher isn't a big enough draw, the Republicans are offering free food to try to get people to come to their rallies.