Obama calls Joe, the Plumber.

Barack Obama discovers a leak under his sink and calls Joe the Plumber to
come and fix it.

Joe drives to Obama's house, which is in a very nice neighborhood where it's
clear that all the residents make more than $250,000 per year. Joe arrives
and takes his tools into the house. He's shown the room that contains the
leaky pipe under the sink. Joe figures it's an easy job that will take less
than ten minutes. Obama is standing near the door and asks Joe how much it will
cost.
Joe immediately says, "$9,500."


"$9,500?" Obama replies stunned. "But you said it's an easy job!"

"Yeah, but what I do is charge a lot more to my clients who make more than
$250,000 per year so I can fix the plumbing of everybody who makes less than
that for free," responds Joe. Obama tells Joe there's no way he's paying that
much, so Joe leaves.



A week later the leak gets so bad that the Obamas have had to put a bucket
under the sink, and it fills up every two hours, so they call Joe back. Joe
goes back to the Obamas, looks at the leaky pipe, and says "It'll cost you
about $21,000."
Obama immediately says "A few days ago you told me it would cost $9,500!"


Joe explains, "Well, a lot of rich people are learning how to fix their own
plumbing, so there are fewer of you paying for all the free plumbing we're
doing for the people who make less than $250,000 - and I refuse to charge the
lesser income people for plumbing work."

Obama tries to straighten out Joe. "But don't you get it? If all the rich
people learn how to do their own plumbing and you won't charge the poor people,
what will you do for money?" Joe immediately replies, "Run for president,
apparently."