Obama losing more plumber votes By Merv Benson

Source: http://prairiepundit.blogspot.com/2008/10/obama-losing-more-plumber-votes.html

Monday, October 20, 2008

Pensacola News-Journal:

He's irritated by U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's plan to raise taxes on people who make $250,000 or more.

"I've made that," said Tommy Kimmons, owner of Kimmons Plumbing. "I know a lot of other plumbers that have made more than that. We are already taxed to the death and you want to throw some more on us, especially in these economical times. People are going to be laying people off."

Kimmons, 51, and some other local plumbers and small-business owners met Sunday at Kimmons' business on Gulf Beach Highway to talk about why they don't like the Democratic presidential nominee's tax plan.

...

Larry Downs Sr., 56, owner of Downs Plumbing, chuckled some last week when people started calling him "Larry the Plumber" and "Joe the Plumber."

"Everybody that calls now says, 'Hey, Larry the Plumber,' " Downs said. "It's kind of become a joke now."

Downs wasn't laughing Sunday.

"I don't think that we are going to go into a depression if Obama gets into office, but I just think for a businessperson, McCain will be better pick," he said.

...

A building contractor also complained about Obama's tax policy.

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In a conference call with Iowa reporters, Dave McCartney of McCartney Improvement Co. in Davenport, argued Obama’s tax policies would hurt small businesses like his.

McCartney said higher taxes on his profits cut back on the money he has to invest in new equipment and to expand his business or hire more people.

The company employs 13 full-time employees as well as additional sub-contractors.

“The economy’s already starting to slow, and we’re feeling it,” McCartney said.

McCartney also said a mandate that small businesses provide health care to their workers could cause him to trim his work force, a characterization of Obama’s health care plan that the campaign said was false.

...

What Obama is doing is using money that these men would use in their business to buy votes from those he is going to give money to. They have every right to be angry with the Obama plan. The Obama talking points of 95 and 98 percent are irrelevant to those who are going to be stuck with paying for the votes he is buying.