RUSH: All right, we’re going to the phones. People have been waiting patiently. Livermore, California. Ray, we’re going to start with you. It’s nice to have you on the program, sir.
CALLER: Rush, thank you for your fine program. I’m here every day, and you give us a reason to live in this current environment. Rush, I want to talk about the disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street. They keep telling us that they have to do all these things for Wall Street because of Main Street. It couldn’t be more of a lie. I’ve got a small business. It’s a national franchise. I’m doing quite well. I have over a hundred competitors in my area and there’s nothing more than I would like to see some of my competitors just wither up and fall off the vine, and that’s exactly what the business cycle is for. It’s supposed to dry up bad businesses, flush them out of the way and then us strong businesses will come back even stronger.
RUSH: Yeah, I know, I know, I know. I know, Ray, but look at all the hurt and the suffering and the economic collapse that would be involved with the families of those people that you put out of business. We just can’t have that kind of suffering in America.
CALLER: Rush, the kind of controls that Obama wants to put on businesses are effectively going to put a glass ceiling on men like me. I don’t make $250,000 a year. I would like to, but Obama has told me there’s a glass ceiling that I shall never cross. I cannot ever make more than that and he’ll make sure of it.
RUSH: By the way, it’s not certain it’s $250,000. It might be $120,000. Biden said $120,000 during the campaign. Biden said $150,000. Obama said $200,000. But your point is right. There’s going to be a number in the Obama team where the American dream ends.
CALLER: And they have stated it. You will not go above this point, period.
RUSH: Why? Because they’re going to raise taxes, is that what you mean. You’re not gonna succeed much beyond this because your taxes are going to go up?
CALLER: Right. Once I hit that point, I’ll be taxed back to below it, and if I continue to try to rise up, they will make sure that they tax and regulate me down. Rush, right now I’m a small business, and I can maneuver pretty well in this economy. I’m doing okay. What’s happening on Wall Street is not hurting me. I don’t need to borrow money to make money. I make money. I’m in the trenches with my customers every day, shaking their hands —
RUSH: Ray, are you…?
CALLER: — taking their checks.
RUSH: Are you using your real name here, real first name?
CALLER: Yes, sir.
RUSH: I’m sorry. I hope you don’t get Joe the Plumbered after this call.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: Ladies and gentlemen, after our last call from Ray in Livermore, California, with such direct criticism of President-select Barack Obama — and I feel very bad. I should have warned him before he launched into his critique and criticism of the President-select, ’cause I’m afraid he’s going to be Joe the Plumbered because he used his real name. Those of you that are on hold or who have yet to get through and you’re trying to call, if you are going to be critical of President-elect Obama, please use a phony first name. I do want to know what town that you are calling from, but use a phony first name so that it will be much tougher for the Joe the Plumber crew in the Obama campaign to find you in your state and start investigating you like they did Joe the Plumber.