THE FLUB—A—DUB AWARD

Let’s Sue Maytag

The Flubs have been flying. Washington was once again in the hunt. The new Security Department raises the terrorist alert to high, then has second thoughts. Now it’s lower. Sorry, we prematurely preempted the warning. Then there’s Mr. Bush, who states the war protesters will not deter him from his mission, which is to make daddy happy and blow up Iraq and Saddam Hussein. In Great Britain, Prime Minister Tony Blair challenges his fellow countrymen, either back me in the preemptive strike on Iraq, or fire me. Never challenge an Englishman. He’s history. Bush will hire him, we could use a good Secretary of Stupidity. And last in the hunt, but certainly not least, is the Galesburg City Council, rushing off to start a new industrial park before they figure out how to get rid of the crap. The council also made fools of themselves the other night when discussing a proposed resolution opposing a preemptive strike on Iraq. Most of the council seems stuck in a patriotic rah—rah phase of revenge for 9/11. They don’t want to talk for their constituents. I suppose they forgot about that when they voted for the brick street downtown? Or when they voted to renew Enterprise Zones for another 10 years, never having been shown to benefit the taxpayer? While numerous Illinois communities have passed resolutions similar to the one handed to the council, Galesburg should not be expected to join those progressive communities. Why would we expect anything different? We are behind in every other category, why ruin our record. This council remains pathetically backward.

So there’s Bush, Tony Blair, and the Galesburg City Council, all making strong bids for February’s Flub. But I resisted.

No, February’s Flub goes to Maytag, one of our great American corporations, who figure when they got you down, they might as well kick you. Not only are they headed south to enjoy cheap labor and few environmental laws, they now want some of their tax dollars back, the community having cheated them over the last several years by taxing their now worthless property too high. So hey, all’s fair in love and war. I say we sue them for our back taxes, given to them in good faith to help remodel and retool their pathetically run—down factory. WE SHOULD SUE THEM! They took our money and are running south. While this may seem a bit radical, perhaps even juvenile, it certainly seems fair. The city council is way too spineless and pro—business to do anything like this, so it once again is up to us. THIS IS UP TO US, THE TAXPAYERS. I’ll put in the first $100 and will look for an attorney to represent us. It’s time we quit bending over and stood up to these greedy nitwits.

There’s February’s Flubs, written in my usual mild manner. February should be a time for rest, in preparation for spring. This year it ain’t working. Too much talk of war, too many greedy CEO’s, willing to cheat us at the drop of a hat, too incompetent of a city council, unwilling to take any kind of risks, short of helping their business friends. So the time is now. Get off your butt. Do something. February’s Flubbers deserve your attention.