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It never ceases to amaze me how greedy Americans are. I used to think that they just want things that others outside the US have, but I'm starting to be convinced that they are envious toward each other. What's even more puzzling is that most Americans call themselves Christians.

I found the recent media frenzy about Joe the plumber really funny and revealing. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what his problem was with Obama's tax plan. Since he makes well under $200,000 now, he would enjoy a tax break. Why is he worried about a hypothetical situation that may or may not happen? How do Republicans convince so many people to vote against their own self-interests?

His story reminds me of a folk tale I heard in my childhood. Briefly, it goes something like this:

A man goes home one day and finds his wife in tears. She is looking at his gun and is crying her heart out. He asks what the problem is. She tells him that she is grieving for their son. "What do you mean?" he asks. She tells him: "You are so selfish. You never think of anyone but yourself. You put that gun on that shelf in that cupboard and never even considered that our son could find it and shoot himself accidentally." Puzzled, the man says: "First of all, the gun isn't loaded, and second, we don't have any children." "But one day we could," says the woman, "and if we had a son, he could open that cupboard door, pull a chair there, climb on it, reach the gun, which could be loaded at that time, and shoot himself accidentally."

This is what Joe the plumber sounded to me. Even though Obama's plan would benefit him now, which would make it easier for him to save up some money to buy a business one day, he is against it because if and when he does, and if and when he makes more than $250,000, he will have to pay higher taxes. Who knows what the conditions will be by then if that time ever comes!

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