LEAVE IT TO PEEVER

Peever challenges the status quo. Get it?

— Bumper sticker of the week: I don’t care if you are stupid and gullible ... must you always vote Republican?

— Quote of the week: “You know, I don’t know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we are trying to assassinate him, we should go ahead and do it.” Pat Robertson, talking about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (Has since said he was misunderstood. Claims he didn’t say assassinate. You be the judge).

— Positive peeverism of the week (For you folks who think I’m too negative. This one’s for you): Use whatever monies we have available over the next five years for economic development to expand and preserve the businesses that we do have. In that five year period, we need to decide what it is we want Galesburg to become. We need everyone’s input, not just the select few.

— Galesburg unemployment rate is second highest in the state: I hear tell they’re saying 8%. I would assume that’s a joke.

— Pat Robertson strikes again: Speaking of a joke. This guy is pure jackass. Anyone who listens to this jerk is destined to spend 2000 years in purgatory repenting. He and his Christian Coalition should be put on the terrorist list and treated accordingly.

— The best things for Iraq:

• Why don’t they just take our constitution and adopt it. I’m sure Bush would be happy to get

rid of it.

• They could use about 25,000 Baptist churches.

• How about the 51st state?

• They can have our President. He’d make them a great leader. Look what he’s done for us?

• I think what they need is liberty and justice for all, and a national band that could play The Star Spangled Banner and Onward Christian Soldiers.

— New Dartmouth study: Just released. Ranks the U.S. number one in health-care expenditures and no better than 16th in medical outcomes, out of 22 industrialized countries. Still, the insurance companies, congress, PPO’s, the AMA, managed care companies, all continue to claim our health-care system is the best in the world. In fact, the last five studies I’ve looked at seem to indicate their belief is a blatant lie. We are fading faster than the Cubs.

— The status quo:

• Galesburg is the epitome of, and defines, the status quo. It does little outside the parameters

of what is the usual and expected. It is the perfect subject for status quo busters.

• Our health-care system is mired in the status quo. The big boys are making too much money

to want to change it. Galesburg’s health-care system is a prime example. With two hospitals, we could have the best health-care system in the state. They could provide local, universal healthcare. Instead, all we have is more of the same.

• Giving money to businesses in an attempt to lure them to Galesburg and Knox County is unequivocally a mixture of stupidity and status quo mentality. There is absolutely no proof that it has paid off for the taxpayer and our taxing bodies. But no one wants to break the hearts of the status quo. The status quo seems sufficient here.

• Our city council and county board are prime examples of the status quo at its most efficient. They are easy to predict. Generally speaking, if you bet they will do nothing relevant to anything, you would be right 75% of the time. If you guessed that whatever they end up doing will help about twenty businessmen in Galesburg, you would be right the other 25%.

• The status quo wants things to stay the same, or better yet, go back to the way they were. Frankly, I sometimes yearn for the good old days myself. But I suppose I’ve grown up. They ain’t coming back. No preacher, no politician, no corporate wizard, no right-wing president, is going to take us backward. To provoke change and promote it is no more right, or righteous, than attempting to stop it. It is just a different way of looking at the world. Some call it negativism, I call it positive doubt. If you’re going to make an omelet, you got to break some eggs.