United Liberty

On Wednesday, I noted a 1998 speech given Barack Obama, then a state senator in Illinois, at Loyola University. As he wound down his comments, Obama made it clear that he believes in redistribution of wealth. As I explained, the comments aren’t surprising. During a 2008 campaign stop in Ohio, Obama told “Joe the Plumber” that he believes in “spread[ing] the wealth around.” And since that time, Obama has pushed his tax hikes along the same rhetorical line.

But more comments have surfaced in the last couple of days that show how deep-rooted this belief in wealth redistribution is. In 1995, Obama called for a collectivist society, based in “democracy — with a ‘small-d,’” which is essentially the rule of the mob, for the “common good”:

While closing a speech in 1998 at Loyola University, Barack Obama, then a state senator in Illinois, spoke against the “propaganda campaign against the possibility of government action.” Though Obama noted that “some of it has been deserved,” but further explained his desire to see government “pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution, because I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure that everbody’s got a shot.”

Here’s the audio:

This isn’t surprising. During a 2008 campaign stop, where he was questioned about his tax plan by “Joe the Plumber,” Obama did exactly hid from his belief in redistribution, saying, “[W]hen you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.” That actually sounds worse than what Obama said in the audio above, at least from my perspective.

Joe Wurzelbacher (aka “Joe the Plumber”), who made a name for himself when he questioned then-candidate Barack Obama over taxes, has filed the necessary paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run for Ohio’s Ninth Congressional District:

Samuel “Joe” Wurzelbacher’s statement of candidacy filed with the Federal Elections Commission last week says he intends to run as a Republican in Ohio’s ninth U.S. House district.

The seat is held by Marcy Kaptur, the longest serving Democratic woman in the House.

Wurzelbacher rose out of obscurity in 2008 after questioning then-candidate Barack Obama about economic policies. That led Obama’s opponent, Republican Sen. John McCain, to repeatedly cite “Joe the Plumber” in a debate.

The filing means a campaign committee can raise and spend funds on Wurzelbacher’s behalf. Republicans in northern Ohio said this summer they were recruiting Wurzelbacher to run.

It’s going to be an uphill battle for Wurzelbacher, to say the least. Dave Weigel notes that the OH-09, represented by Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, isn’t exactly considered to be a battleground district:

In a pre-Super Bowl interview with Bill O’Reilly, President Barack Obama explained that despite a recent Wall Street Journal article slamming his economic policies, he had not raised taxes in his two years in office.

Here is the revelant part of the transcript:

O’REILLY: Here’s what the Wall Street Journal said, I want you to react  to this. Mr. Obama is a determined man of the left whose goal is to redistribute much larger levels of income across society. He may give tactical ground when he has to, as he did on taxes to avoid a middle class tax increase, but he will resist to his last day any major changes to Obamacare and the other load-bearing walls of the entitlement state.

This is The Wall Street Journal you know painting you as pretty left-wing guy. Are you going to go along?

OBAMA: Well, the Wall Street Journal probably would paint you as a left-wing guy. I mean, if you’re talking about the Wall Street Journal editorial page…

O’REILLY: I’ve got to tell you, that’s what this is.

OBAMA: You know, that’s like quoting the New York Times editorial…

O’REILLY: Do you deny the assessment? Do you deny that you are a man who wants to redistribute wealth.

OBAMA: Absolutely.

O’REILLY: You deny that?

OBAMA: Absolutely. I didn’t raise taxes once, I lowered taxes over the last two years.

While speaking at an event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Sam Wurzelbacher (aka. Joe the Plumber) took some shots at John McCain and Sarah Palin:

Wurzelbacher touched on several different points during his speech, and many of them were surprising. He said he doesn’t support Sarah Palin anymore. Why? Because she’s backing John McCain’s re-election effort. “John McCain is no public servant,” he told the room, calling the 2008 Republican nominee a career politician.

I pointed out he’d just be plain old Sam Wurzelbacher of Ohio — Joe the Plumber wouldn’t exist –  without McCain. His response was blunt. “I don’t owe him s—. He really screwed my life up, is how I look at it.”

Wurzelbacher said, “McCain was trying to use me. I happened to be the face of middle Americans. It was a ploy.”

Joe the Plumber also had some comments about the attacks against President Barack Obama:

Wurzelbacher also told the room to lay off the extreme personal attacks on President Obama.  He said people who question whether Obama was born in the United States or compare him to Hitler “belittle and set back” the conservative movement.  “The birthers, the truthers — if people are trying to bunch them [with tea partiers], that would kill us. That just pushes away Democrats and independents who might come out for our cause otherwise.” He said he actually likes Obama, in some ways. “I think his ideology is un-American, but he’s one of the more honest politicians. At least he told us what he wanted to do.”

Well said.

The group, Judicial Watch, has filed charges on behalf of Joe Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, alleging that Ohio state officials conducted investigations into his past after his tête-à-tête with then Democratic Presidential nominee, Barack Obama.

MSNBC-According to a subsequent investigation by the Ohio Inspector General, on October 16, 2008, just four days after Mr. Wurzelbacher questioned Obama, Jones-Kelley, Williams and Thompson held a meeting and specifically discussed “Joe the Plumber.” Following the meeting the defendants authorized and instructed agency personnel to search confidential office databases to retrieve information about Mr. Wurzelbacher. All three defendants are believed to have been supporters of Obama’s presidential campaign.