SPEAK OUT - December 8th, 2010

This is my weekly column to rip apart call-in comments in a section called “Speak Out” in The Lombardian/Villa Park Review, my local paper. All comments are published by The Lombardian/Villa Park Review and are their property. I pick and choose comments I choose to rip apart.

Link to SPEAK OUT

Hi, Lombard calling. I’ve got an idea to address these political signs that are left up for months after the election. How about we charge them a nominal amount, maybe $25, to any candidate who wants to put up signs, no matter how many they put up? We”ll charge them something and then maybe you’ll have $500 or $1,000 bucks to deal with it at the end, and then you can get a couple of kids from College of DuPage, or wherever, to ride around on a Saturday and pick up all the signs. It won’t cost the taxpayers any money, it won’t hurt the candidates much, and we’ll clear up this eyesore that goes on and on. Think about it, Lombard, Mr. Mueller. It would be a good deal.

Tell me how this survives a court challenge?

On Veterans Day, did you get the day off? If you work for the government, you got the day off. If you had any other job, you had to get up and work. We have government employees getting paid for not working, police and firefighters who work in quiet towns like Lombard retiring in their early 50s, teachers making over $100,000 for nine months’ work and the state is in debt up to its eyeballs; and you people elect the same characters all over again.

So the government treats it employees better than your corporate overlords. Whose fault is that? Again, if you want to be pampered like government works, why don’t you get a government job? Problem seems to be solved right there. Better yet, why don’t you just become CEO of your company you currently work for, and then give all your employees living wages as well as a full pension. Oh and most banks are closed on Veterans Day.

This is Villa Park calling regarding our garbage pick-up service, which is horrible. It is now 4:30 and our garbage has not been picked up. The office is closed for the day. This is the worst service they could have contracted with. Again, a real disgusted Villa Park resident.

You wouldn’t be happening to complain about garbage pick up on a day after a holiday would you?

Lombard, please explain why Veterans Day ceremonies are held on Volunteer Plaza. This is a small area in the 7 Eleven parking lot on the corner of a busy intersection in downtown Lombard. A plaza with three flagpoles, one a Lombard flag, benches, statues, signage, flowers and other plants is enclosed with a low brick wall. Each year you have tried to hold a “moving tribute to our nation’s veterans,” by packing the VFW color guards, American Legion color guards, Boy Scout color guards, a keynote speaker, additional speakers, and of course, our village president, Bill Mueller, plus our citizens, wherever they can fit, into this inappropriate plaza. Next year, do our veterans a favor. Rather than hold it downtown, give a “solemn” tribute as other communities afford them. We have a veterans memorial for each branch of service. Sounds like a perfect place for a Veterans Day ceremony.

This is probably because Mr. Mueller wants to promote downtown Lombard, which you know, supports this town. However, I do see your point in that having it at the veteran’s memorial in the Lombard Commons (At least that’s what I think you’re talking about) would be a much better idea.

I hope a lot of you feel like I do. President Barack Obama tells everybody you’ve got to cut back and stop wasting money and stop spending money, etc. Well, I think he should take some of his own medicine. We’ve got to cut back on his vacations, he can’t have more than two a year; this is ridiculous. And, he can’t be spending billions of dollars on those vacations. Who the heck does he think he is? His wages are peanuts compared to what he spends on how many vacations, how far he travels on that billion-dollar plane. We’ve got to tell him he’s got to pull in the reins on his spending too or stop talking if he can’t do what he wants everybody else to do.

You become President and you tell me you do not want to have a vacation. The Presidency is the most stressful job in the world. Also, if you would open your eyes a little be and be opened minded and read/watch/listen more than one news source you would know his vacations cost nowhere near a billion dollars. Air Force One is also nowhere near a billion dollars. It’s an expensive plane, but nothing that ridiculous as you state. And while you’re speaking of pulling the reins in on his spending, why don’t you speak with the Republicans on doing thing to reduce the deficit…like allowing the tax cuts to expire…

This is for Villa Park, Villa Park Review SPEAK OUT. How come there is no grumbling from the residents of Villa Park? How come you don’t put anything in the paper from the residents of Villa Park since it’s in the Villa Park Review? I’m sure residents from Villa Park have called SPEAK OUT. Everything is Lombard. There shouldn’t be any national news in SPEAK OUT; it should all be local. That’s my opinion.
In the last two issues of the Lombardian and Villa Park Review—which share the SPEAK OUT column—there were three calls each from Villa Park. While that may not sound like much, there are, quite frankly, fewer calls received from Villa Park. –JAC
* * *

Poor Villa Park. Maybe YOU should petition your fellow Villa Parkians to speak out more often. I’ll be more than glad to speak back!

Hi, this is Lombard calling. Just another complaint about the post office. I have tried to complain at the post office, but get nowhere. I have had cards and letters lost, I have had bills that never got delivered to me and I ended up getting late fees. I’ve had cards that come back to me damaged and destroyed with a note that says, Sorry, your mail got damaged—no other offer of a refund of my 44-cent stamp or the cost of the card, which can range up to $5 nowadays. Any other business would be held accountable for this poor service. Since I can’t anywhere with the post office or get my money back from their mess-ups, I have decided to boycott them in my own small way. Of course we can’t do without the mail completely, but whenever possible, I pay online, in person or auto-deduct from my checking account. Any business run so poorly would go under by now if it wasn’t government-run. Since complaining doesn’t seem to get us anywhere, I suggest boycotting when able; hand deliver those cards when able; use online and auto-deduct options. The post office will get the message that we, the consumer, are dissatisfied.

Are you the same one who called in starting this whole shenanigan with the Post Office? If so, I’m glad you actually did take it up with the post office. And again, to correct you, the post office is not government run anymore. It is suppose to be self-sufficient. It worked well before Nixon and Reagan did things to it to take it out of control from the government. If anything blame Republicans for doing everything possible to destroy anything credible having to do with government. Also, plenty of people were already doing what you have been doing for years. It’s the reason why the post office is suffering so much. Technology has essentially damaged what the post office has done for over 200 years.

I’d like to comment on the person who said Barack did more than President Bush. You’re right; he did do more than President Bush—the highest unemployment in, I don’t know, 20 years? More foreclosures than anybody can ever remember? And let’s not forget the summer of recovery where nothing happened; more spending that anyone can ever remember. You didn't think he spent more than George Bush? Oh yes, that famous health care is going to mess up the economy even more, unless you're lucky enough to be one of the 111 companies he's giving waivers to, or the unions. I don’t think I need to say any more. Barack has really messed up this country and we're heading to socialism.

Unemployment started rising in 2008, before Obama was elected. Foreclosures started happening before Obama was elected. We would be in a deep dark DEPRESSION if the “summer of recovery” didn’t happen. I want all your proof, fact checked, cross referenced, confirmed by several economic analysts in great detail as to why you think the health care bill is going to mess up the economy even more. Also, define socialism and what makes it so bad and scary? And I think you’re right, you really don’t need to say anything more, because you haven’t been right on one thing so far.

SPEAK OUT - December 1st, 2010

This is my weekly column to rip apart call-in comments in a section called “Speak Out” in The Lombardian/Villa Park Review, my local paper. All comments are published by The Lombardian/Villa Park Review and are their property. I pick and choose comments I choose to rip apart.

Link to SPEAK OUT

Just a few thoughts about the holiday shopping and the post-Thanksgiving weekend. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised to see how rude people were—you’d think there was a major disaster the way people were running around with no consideration for others. Just had to push and shove to get that bargain. And the parking lots; I’m surprised there wasn’t an accident or a fight with people in such a hurry and not paying attention to the other vehicles.

Yeah well get use to it. Us Americans love our products more than anyone else. We have to have everything and have it right now. Even if we can’t afford it…

The independent tea party patriots who got involved to get new Republicans elected will hold every one of them accountable and will throw them out if they do not get this country back on the right track. Across the country, establishment GOP’ers were voted out. It would be nice if those blindly supporting Dems had their own purge—or how else can you explain the re-elections of people like Barney Frank (housing fiasco), Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi (read the bill?) and Charles Rangel (convicted of 11 ethics violations)? For decades the battle cry has been “Throw the bums out.” Well, this time, we did. and obviously we have more to go. Hey, Dems, it’s been almost two years. It’s time to stop blaming Bush and start holding your party accountable for your own disastrous policies.

Well I can tell you why some of those people got re-elected. Barney Frank is not to solely blame for the housing fiasco, Chris Dodd had more to do with it than Frank, and Dodd did not run for re-election. Harry Reid could have been defeated by the “independent tea party patriots” if they had run a candidate with an ounce of intelligence. Charlie Rangel is a Representative in a district that was gerrymandered just for him. And as I recall, Republicans re-elected David Vitter who was caught with a prostitute named the D.C. Maddam. How about those family values for you…Yeahhhhh… Democrats did hold their own accountable and have primaried such candidates as Joe Lieberman, Blanche Lincoln, and Arlen Spector. And I fail to see how throwing establishment GOP’ers out for people who have no idea what the hell they are talking about really accomplishes anything. Unless you enjoy gridlock and Congress spending billions of dollars to do absolutely nothing, then by all means continue on.

Lombard. The Lombard Post Office is doing a fine job. We live in the north end and we get all our local mail within one to two days. Remember, all mail has to go to Carol Stream. And, it's sorted by scanners and then by hand, so if you want good mail service, make sure your ZIP code is written clearly in box format and large, and the scanners will do a better job. It's not our post office; it's the overall mail system. They're going high-tech and it has to be able to be scanned, so don't grumble about our post office. They're doing the best job that they can.

Ah, the address to a comment a few weeks ago about the Post Office and how a woman wouldn’t get her bills on time. Well there you go. Its technology's fault!

Hi, this is Lombard calling in response to the mail service in Lombard. For years I've never complained or had a problem, but I had a great carrier. I think I have another good carrier; however, from Glen Ellyn, I might say, it took me six weeks to get a birth announcement delivered to my address here in Lombard, so who's at fault? It could have been walked here; Pony Express was faster.

Again, technology's fault. The scanners man, the scanners!

Hi, this is Lombard here. If you're going to complain about Obama, Bush or any kind of politician who may be affecting the outcome of this nation, why don't you just blame the founding of the nation, all those years back, that began in the 1700s? How about that?

Great idea! Because you know, if no one complained about it back then, we’d still be living under Great Britain’s rule, complaining about those taxes without representation. Whereas today we just complain about the rich not getting enough tax cuts!

Hi, I'm from Lombard. My message is, I am very proud to be an American citizen again today. In the recent election I became a member of a new political party; the tea party.

That’s a new party? I could have sworn they all ran as Republicans, a political party that has been around since the 1850’s, but whatever, congratulations. Now, what’s your plan for getting the economy back on its feet, balancing the budget, making health care affordable, winning Afghanistan, and ending government corruption? And don’t tell me lowering taxes on those making more than $250,000/year.

The flag does not belong in the sanctuary of St. Pius Church. Have you ever heard about separation of church and state?

Don’t you know it only applies to the state? Clearly you’re being a smartass in your comments, like I am being a smartass, but come on, use some common sense!

This is Lombard calling. Those of us are a little bit older remember the Three Musketeers candy bar as three different pieces and flavor of candy, known as Three Musketeers. Now for years, this candy has only one flavor, chocolate. Hence, this is only One Musketeer.

As I am not old, I clearly have no idea what you’re talking about or what this has to do with Lombard or anything in general.

I’d like to see Lombard become the sister city of a town in Oklahoma called Freedom. This would be really great because we could follow some of the things that are done in Oklahoma, even in Freedom—now that Oklahoma has overwhelmingly passed a law that says English is the state’s common and unifying language, and another one that says you have to have a government-issued photo ID to vote. Let’s take that freedom and spread it around Lombard and spread it around Illinois. What a great idea.

Well, the true definition of “freedom” states that I have the freedom to speak whatever language I so choose. Freedom also states I have the right not to have a government-issued photo ID to vote. Freedom also states I can live by any rules I so please and choose. So I fail to see what’s so free about Freedom, Oklahoma, where they limit my rights to choose whatever I feel. Of course I am an English speaking citizen and I have an government issue photo ID, which I have never been asked to show when I vote, so I fail to see the point. Oh right, I know, you don’t want those other people to vote…Yeah, there’s very little freedom in any of that line of thinking…

SPEAK OUT - November 24th, 2010

Link to this week's Speak Out

This week we have people complaining about Republicans taking back Congress, the socialist taking over Lombard, a eyesore of a bridge, and people complaining about having to wait for trains, despite the fact Americans have been doing that for ……150 years…

So the election is over and we got our country back. Not sure where it went or what privileges I lost but that’s what the Republicans told me. So the first thing they’re going to do is give tax breaks to the rich making $250,000 or more a year; we sure did get our country back, back to the way it was those eight long years.

I know isn’t it amazing!?! Just wait until more corporate tax loopholes are given and more and more corporations are paying $0 in US Taxes! Add on to that that Republicans want to lower taxes even further than 35% on people making more than $250,000/year and lower the corporate tax rate to 25%. In all seriousness, Republicans might as well just pass a tax law that says if you make over $250,000 you are exempt from every tax possible. Just hurry up and get it a lot of the way already Republicans!

I read in the Lombardian that Village of Lombard passed an ordinance in March that you can’t keep more than a cord of wood on your residential property. That is just amazing that in this time of recession when people actually use firewood to heat their homes and lower their fuel bills like myself, that the village is going to say you can’t keep more than one lousy cord of wood on your property? Well, I’ve been keeping four or five cords of wood on my property. It’s thick, it’s stacked, stored properly in my big fenced yard; and unless we’re turning into a socialist government, where the government dictates everything we can do. here again, government is interfering with people’s lives. If they want to pay my heating bills in the winter, when I turn down the heat and make a nice big fire in my fireplace in the basement, and lower my heating bills, then I’ll send the Village of Lombard my electric and my gas bills.

Oh! There you go again with that socialist word. You do know you live in DuPage County, which constantly elects Republicans to office right? So by saying Lombard is adopting socialist policies that would mean you will no longer support the Republican Party in elections right? But if you’ve been voting for Libertarians I will cut you some slack.

Hi, this is Lombard calling. I would just like to say that we have a real issue here in Lombard with these trains. Traffic is being held up at an unsafe level. There’s traffic backed up everywhere. I don’t think these trains should be allowed to go at such a slow pace and I don’t see why we have to have so many go through our towns. This is not right.

In case you haven’t noticed, there's this street called Main Street in Lombard that goes under the railroad tracks. You can take a detour at any time to go under the railroad tracks and be on your merry way. With that said, freight industry is a leading driver of our economy and as the trucking industry fell on hard times with high gasoline prices and then the overall economic collapse, shipping companies turned to rail to ship their products, and as a result they have seen an increased work load and companies like the Union Pacific, which runs through Lombard, have been highly profitable and are in fact hiring workers in this country as opposed to most companies. So if you want the economy to continue to suffer, then lobby for less movement of goods.

Lombard here. The very individuals and corporations of Wall Street that the “everyday American” denounced when the bailouts occurred, are the very individuals who poured millions of dollars into the Republican coffers to win seats this election. Just when financial regulatory reform was just getting under way. The wealthy in this country have fooled the undereducated citizens once again. How very, very sad.

Money wins. So, go on Wall Street, become one of them, but trick them! Seriously though, this will continue to be a problem in this country as long as we have privately financed campaigns. There’s seriously no way to fix it other than to educate American voters and make them vote for the guy who gets funded the least from major corporations. Unfortunately most Americans don’t pay that much attention to things in this country.

Lombard, all these people who voted Republican think this party is going to fix everything. Well, they are wrong. They blame the Democrats for all these problems; Europe has the same problems. Are you going to blame the Democrats for that, too?

Republicans aren’t going to fix anything. They're going to cut 2% of the budget and declare victory while making life harder for the American poor and middle class and they're going to lower taxes for the richest 1% of Americans….well they would like to, but there's this thing called the Democrats control the Senate and OBAMA IS IN THE FREAKING WHITE HOUSE! All of our problems that have existed since 2008 will continue to exist in 2012.

Yes, to the Villa Park individuals who had a Weber Grill and a bicycle stolen on Saturday, Nov. 6, four individuals were seen running with your items to South Wisconsin. So if you are looking for your stuff, go to South Wisconsin. It was seen being taken there.

Did you at least contact the police?

Hello, Villa Park. How long do we have to look at the Ardmore bridge? It’s an eyesore and what are we going on, four years now? Are you waiting for somebody to get critically hurt in a vehicle accident at Ardmore and North Avenue and they don’t make it because the fire engine had to go around or the ambulance had to go around? Or they got stuck by a train? How long do we have to look at this? Please. It’s been long enough. Please, stop the ugliness in Villa Park. Lawsuits will cost a lot more than fixing the bridge will.
The bridge closed down Aug. 25, 2009. –JAC [This is the Lombardians reply to the comment]

Maybe you should have been petitioning people to slightly raise the sales tax in Villa Park so they could pay for the bridge repair. And also, don’t ever rail about the Stimulus Plan because Villa Park lobbied for some money for that project.

Lombard calling. I just finished watching the last village board meeting where the Downtown Lombard Plan was addressed and I have to say I am completely disgusted by President Mueller’s response. First and foremost, he clearly did not read the entire report prior to the meeting. Had he read it, he would have realized that his comment about needing to see tasks that could be completed immediately were addressed in the report. As Trustee Moreau stated, there were items that could be addressed immediately, items that are a few years out and items that are several years out. When is President Mueller going to understand that residents of Lombard are demanding change to downtown Lombard? He was elected by us and works for us. I, for one, am tired of hearing his excuses of not having money to do anything. He clearly found money to rehab Yorktown. Now, it is downtown Lombard’s turn. Everything that was presented to him in the report, he was negative about. He is constantly negative about anything having to do with downtown Lombard. Instead of him constantly saying “we can’t” do something, it’s time for him to say “we need to find a way.” The days of President Mueller putting off revitalization of downtown Lombard are over. If he cannot find a way, it’s time for him to step down and for someone to step in who can. If you agree that it’s time for Mueller and the board to make changes to downtown Lombard, please call Speak Out and start getting involved. That is the only way things will start to change.

Ok, let me just put it this way. Mueller put a lot of work, time, and money into Yorktown but guess when he did that? BEFORE 2008! We are in this thing called a recession now. Lombard had to cut back on spending to keep a balanced budget (They cant act like our Federal Government) and so the money is not there unless you are in favor of a tax increase for improvement to downtown Lombard. Anything drastic would have to have voters’ approval anyways. I’ll agree that the downtown needs help, but a plan will not come about easy now a days.

Thank you for your time the six of you that currently read this.

SPEAK OUT - November 17th, 2010

Since I’m bored and have nothing better to do. I thought I would start a weekly column to rip apart comments in a section called “SPEAK OUT” in The Lombardian and Villa Park Review, my local paper. All comments are published by The Lombardian/Villa Park Review and are their property. I pick and choose comments I choose to rip apart.

Link to SPEAK OUT

Reference: Bold font is what is said in SPEAK OUT, below the bold is my comments

As a resident of Lombard I'm also dissatisfied with the post office as much as the previous SPEAK OUT caller is. I wasn't getting a weekly magazine on time, if at all, so I cancelled my subscription. Also a couple of bills came to my home after the due date so I went to the store to speak to the customer service to avoid the finance charges. I receive coupon offers after the expiration dates, and also a card from Chicago took four days to get to Lombard but only two days to get to Naperville from Chicago. And the postage rates are going to increase?

Yes they are because you see in the 1980’s President Ronald Reagan made the Post Office be self-sufficient without government funding, compared to the way it had been operated since even before The Pony Express with, you know, government money. In fact, its even mentioned in the U.S. Constitution. And as a result of President Reagan’s move, the post office has rarely seen the black on its balance sheets. Though my guess is maybe you should have just talked to the post office about your problem instead of completely ignoring them, canceling your subscriptions, complaining to customer service in a store about a bill, and calling into Speak Out, you know?

This is Lombard calling; a half-million dollars for the streetlights, and the construction project on Main Street is absolutely terrible. Being residents of the north side of town, it’s embarrassing to say I live in Lombard. Mr. President, come spend some time on the north side of town and stop spending all your time on the south side of town. What's wrong with us? Talk about getting treated like second-class citizens; the businesses on St. Charles Road are all leaving and the village does nothing except construction, so that nobody will go and visit those businesses. Lombard needs a change bad; real bad.

I’m sorry, but I’ve driven on that pothole filled street called North Main Street, and I one hundred percent support that road being ripped up and repaired. I’m sorry that you have been inconvenienced for a couple of months so you can use years of a good road in return and not have to pay extra in auto repairs due to potholes screwing up your alignment.

Congressman Roskam recently testified at a Medicare fraud hearing, exposing the waste that takes place in this program. The amount of fraudulent spending is 12 times that of the private credit card industry, although Medicare is 25 times smaller than the credit industry. Medicare fraud costs billions of dollars every year. The federal government is terribly inefficient at using our money and yet we pass a trillion-dollar health care bill. How much waste will take place then? Peter Roskam has introduced legislation to combat this type of fraud. Members like Roskam understand that the government needs to be held accountable when spending our money and offers meaningful solutions to reform them, including the technology before it happens.

:: Applauds to the Congressman:: So, besides getting rid of Medicare fraud and keeping government accountable, what has Mr. Roskam done to, you know, fix the healthcare system that is clearly broken in this country? As Mr. Roskam does not want us to have government health care, has Mr. Roskam opted out of his own socialistic government healthcare?

One of the biggest problems we have in this country that's causing a lot of our problems and financial costs is too many people being employed by our government. Too many getting too many jobs and pensions; bonuses; and this, that and the next thing. They’re not producing anything. All we do is lose money, lose our tax dollars. The other thing is, the people who are unemployed should be made to either go out and clean up the parks, clean up the streets, rather than sit there and collect the money and doing nothing. Let’s make it productive. If you want unemployment you must work and do something because you're taking our tax dollars.

Wait, wait, back up please. I must highlight something “Too many getting too many jobs and pensions” So that’s a bad thing? Why can’t government employees have that? Is it because your corporate overlords who you work for won’t give you any of their bonus money perhaps? Have they taken away your pension and given it to themselves? I do have to say cleaning up parks and cleaning up streets would be a nice thing for the unemployed to do, but I fail to see how that helps them get a job in the future unless they, you know, work for the government run park district that you know, has pensions…

This is in response to the person who called about President Obama not understanding government, that he has no experience. He was a senator, OK? He was a lawyer versed in constitutional law. You're right, though. He’s not skilled. The person went on to say that we need to vote for someone who has skills. So I’m wondering if that person who has skills is that lady from Alaska who quit her governor’s job half way through? Yeah, she's real skilled. I think I saw her at a debate once and she's so skilled she wrote the answers on her hand. Those are the skilled people you want us to vote for next time, huh?

Being this is my first time doing it and not reading speak out last week or the week before, I don’t know what comment this is in reference to, but let me just say…To the person you replied to, thinks you’re now nothing but a socialistic nazi muslim liberal.

I’m responding to the caller who was complaining he or she had to work on Columbus Day while government workers had the day off. Sounds like jealousy. Just ask for the day off if you wanted it. You also made a comment you had to work so you could pay the salaries of government workers. I’m tired of hearing people say government workers have it so easy. I haven’t had a raise in a couple of years. You want to work some overtime? I hope you had a nice day at work. I sure enjoyed my day off.

I wish I had the original comment. But, my solution would be if you really want Columbus Day off without using one of your vacation/sick/personal days, you should just become a government worker yourself and then you’ll have a paid holiday.