LEAVE IT TO PEEVER
Peever challenges the status quo. Get it?
— Bumper sticker of
the week: I donÕt care if you are stupid and gullible ... must you always vote
Republican?
— Quote of the week:
ÒYou know, I donÕt know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks
we are trying to assassinate him, we should go ahead and do it.Ó Pat Robertson,
talking about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (Has since said he was
misunderstood. Claims he didnÕt say assassinate. You be the judge).
— Positive peeverism
of the week (For you folks who think IÕm too negative. This oneÕs 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
everyoneÕs input, not just the select few.
— Galesburg
unemployment rate is second highest in the state: I hear tell theyÕre saying
8%. I would assume thatÕs 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 donÕt they just take
our constitution and adopt it. IÕm 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. HeÕd make them a great leader. Look what heÕs 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, PPOÕs, 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 IÕve 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. GalesburgÕs 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 IÕve grown up.
They ainÕt 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 youÕre going to make an omelet, you got to break some
eggs.