A comedic look at a politician through the eyes of "Josephine the Plumber"

US Capitol

Carol Forsloff--Me and old John, you know we're buddies. We gotta be because, well you can't fix an old guy's toilets and not know something about him. He tells me he's a regular guy and got good sense, but somehow he forgets to use it when he's down there in Washington in that Congress, especially when it comes to managing money.

I can't figure out what's getting into my old buddy these days. He used to say to me, "You know Josephine." He always called me by my full name; the rest of the folks just call me Jo, I mean, John's a hoot. Anyway he'd say to me, "Josephine, I think you probably know me better than anyone." Well that's probably true, but I don't know if I know him very much at all anymore. Because my old buddy has changed so much that the rest of the guys around here aren't sure they understand him anymore than we do the rest of those folks in Congress.

I went by John's house last week hoping he might come around since I hadn't seen him in awhile. He's been stumbling quite a bit these days, and I can't do as much as I used to for him because of my arthritis. In fact I had to stop plumbing a few months, or was that weeks, no I think that was a couple of years ago. You know, I'm getting up there like my buddy, John and some of his friends in Washington who have been there way too long.  And the young ones who work with John in Congress?  They act like they didn't learn anything before they got their job. But then I'm not doing anything too important either since so many people lost their jobs and can't afford a plumber.

John has got this house in this fancy place in Alabama, just a few miles from where I live now. I retired here because you know, it's cheaper and all that. Anyway John's old house is near a vacant lot where my buddies and I hang out and have a cool one, and John always said he was going to hang out with us, so I was looking for him to come by any time.

So my buddy John was going by down the street past that house of his in some fancy bus with all these letters on it, and he stopped when he saw me. Besides he said he'd want to check on that house he's fixing up for him and his honey. At least that's what he told me once. He'd say, "You know, Josephine. You and I are going to retire together, and I'll hang out with you, because I know people like you. I feel your pain." Well, I'm curious about that because mine is right on my tail end just where I sit down.  Guess that's why people around here call people like John a pain in the ass.

 I've been hearing about him and those people he has been working with.  They keep telling us they feel our pain.  Well if that's true, and all of us are feeling the same, I guess we got our pain in the tether from them.

 When I first met John he had only a couple of bathrooms in just one house, and this house that wasn't much bigger than 1½ block or so. I can't remember sometimes about how big and all. But you know those toilet pipes of his, they got plugged up all the time; and I was always running over there to fix something or other. I told John he and his wife should splurge since they were getting up there and all. Besides I says, "John, you know those newspapers you been reading then turning around and using in the bathroom have been plugging up the john. You can afford to get something better in here." But they got to keep up appearances, he says, so their townhouse in Washington's got gold and sparkling stuff all over the bathroom.  Here where he was living before, and where he comes home when he's tired, well it's all different. He  told me he leaves the newspapers everywhere around his house so people know he's reading, including when he goes to the bathroom.  And he says if some bit of them are floating in the toilet, people will see he's trying to save money himself.   I guess that's why his folks called him John.  He says when it comes to things in Washington he feels sometimes like he's losing it.

Anyway, John stopped by and got off the bus when he was running for re-election to talk with me for a few minutes. I says to him, "You know, I get all these taxes, and I ain't got much to live on. Besides I'm no spring chicken with my arthritis and all." Well, then John he says to me, "Hey Josephine. I'm gonna make sure that that big store out on the highway with all those things shipped in from Korea from their plant over there gets a big tax cut, and the money will trickle all down to you." Well trickle my foot, or is that tickle my foot? No it's trick that's what that is. Yes, I think that's a trick all right because John doesn't know what trickle means or he would have fixed his own darn faucet.

I can't talk with you much longer because my old man Buzz he thinks I'm trying to get into politics myself by shooting off my mouth and all.  I just think someone's gotta stick up for the little woman,

I had to share this with all you folks cause there isn't a lot of time this year before a bunch of new guys take over in Washington, and it will be the same thing all over again, if old John is any example.  I know the guy for years, but I'll be switched if I can figure out what he's really going to do.  He'll probably just argue with everybody in Congress like he argues with me about that toilet.  Cause nothing ever changes now in Washington and I don't expect it ever will, if they all act like John.

Well, gotta go now. But you know what? It's been nice writing to you.
And I'll get back here as soon as I can when old Buzz isn't around to turn down the television when I'm trying to keep up with what's happening in Washington.

Hey Buzz, turn up that darn t.v., and can you bring me a beer?

Jehovah’s Witnesses and Baha’is: Not everyone loves politics

Political volunteers

"I love politics. Don't you?" the woman declared in a Spanish class at a local senior center.  Most folks there agreed.  But there are groups who find the topic of politics troublesome, and some of these groups have been persecuted for their opinions.

The hot topic for  news is politics, with even citizen journal sites finding fun in the political arguments that pervade most content on Internet news sites. The writer with a background in science or education often becomes the political "expert" when a news story develops that either directly counters or supports a point of view. While traditional media make some effort in staying above the fray, it is the opinion, not the news, that seeps through in many news articles and commentaries. Furthermore, those publications and writers who do not follow the lemmings in the constant political stream of content and comment, who do not emphasize politics, find their numbers dropping in times of political debate and controversy. But while media struggles with if, when, and how much political discussion the public wants, two religious groups remain distinctive in their withdrawal from those discussions because of their religious principles.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe the heaven on earth is coming and that the earth is a place of trial and tribulation that folks endure as good and evil are sorted out for those who will be part of that heaven or the hell that Judgment Day proscribes. Because their kingdom is not of this earth, they do not participate in politics, as they consider Jehovah as their ruler, unsurpassed by any earthly one. For that reason, although they respect the rights of others to honor symbols of flag and country, they do not accord these as having any significance in terms of their beliefs.  They particularly walk away from partisan politics and do not vote.

Kevin Jess is a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. He explains the belief as this: “ Jehovah's Witnesses remain neutral in regards to anything political. We look at it as a protection afforded us by Jehovah God. Sometimes people unknowingly try to draw us in to a conversation, asking our opinion on something political, we politely decline. We respect the laws of the land but we recognize only Jehovah as our ruler.”

Baha’is believe that adherents should work toward peace on earth through a set of basic beliefs. They abhor nationalism, communism, and racism as the false gods that lead to separation and conflict. Instead, Baha'is believe that the "World Order of Baha'u'llah", the founder of their Faith, is the Kingdom of the Father on earth, and fulfills Jesus' prayer, "Our Father in Heaven, holy be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

The Baha'i Faith seeks to establish the Father's Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.'

Baha'is accept Jesus as "the Very Savior of Man".” The Baha’i Faith emphasizes ethical ideals that include world peace, sexual equality, economic justice, and universal education.

As a consequence of their belief that God’s purpose is that heaven on earth, Baha’is don’t involve themselves in political parties or campaigns because they consider them divisive. On the other hand, they are encouraged to vote and to respect the laws of the countries in which they reside.

“It’s hard to stand apart from politics, as people continue to try to pull us into their discussions. But you can’t unite man into a world community that includes everyone when political divisions stand in the way,” says Janet Imaki, quoting from the basic precepts of her Baha’i Faith.

Politics has its appeal both in the United States, where 2012 is the time of campaigns that include both national and local offices in government.  Even the office of the President is part of partisan politics in 2012 with the Presidential election scheduled for November.  Many people find it enticing to write and discuss politics as it is current, enticing and often exciting and controversial; but not everyone is so attracted to it, as noted by the beliefs and practices of some faith groups. In the din that surrounds political discussion, who can  say which way is best in terms of loving one’s brother and creating pathways of peace.