I recently attended my third-grader’s winter musical. Winter musical? So now the word “holiday” joins the word “Christmas” on the list of politically incorrect words? Who are the people deciding what words are permissible? This PC mentality has really gotten out of hand. By the way; only one of the nine songs that the kids sang that night was a traditional Christmas song. I can’t say I was surprised. How sad. Enough is enough. It’s time to reclaim our holiday.

* * *

This is a Flowerfield resident. Our grateful thanks to the York Township highway commissioner and his hard-working staff and crew. Time and again they have responded and solved concerns over improved safety and road maintenance—from the installation of new warming lights and legible signage to mowing and plowing, brush pick-up and more. We are grateful for your special services and could not do without out you 24/7. Happy Holidays and be safe.

* * *

This is Lombard calling. To all you people who voted for Barack Obama, I really hope this isn’t the change you looked for. Now, the president and the Democrats are getting ready to pass a bill that will raise the inheritance tax to 50 percent. He said he wouldn’t tax anyone who makes less than $250,000 a year. Well, that goes away with this inheritance tax. They’re not happy taking it from you alive; they want half of it when you die. Folks, these Democrats are money-grabbing thieves. And thank you, by the way, for voting for him. I’m out of work—things are much better. I appreciate it.

* * *

Most Americans can’t afford to send their own kids to college; why should we pay taxes and feel guilt for the illegal immigrants’ children? It’s sad, but their parents did this to them, not the Americans. We can’t pay taxes for food stamps, subsidized housing, unlicensed drivers, new car deals, college, etc. We can’t break our laws in this country and benefit from it and neither should they.

* * *

Villa Park calling. Somebody needs to look at the intersection of School and Harvard, where Ardmore School is located. In the morning and afternoon there is a lot of traffic in the area, a lot of cars going much too fast for school conditions and a lot of kids walking around. I propose that there should be one-way streets considered either way for Harvard and School at the corner where Ardmore School is located. Somebody should look into this.

* * *

How about having all the women in Congress vote on the female rules for health care and the men vote for all the male rules?

* * *

Listen up, ladies and gentlemen. I’d like to know how the Village of Lombard has the nerve to complain to people for shoveling snow into the street, when the big fat plow takes all that heavy stuff and puts in my driveway in the first place. I only have my back and a small shovel and it’s hard to lift that heavy stuff up after they pack it with their big truck. Tell them to stop throwing it in my driveway and I’ll stop throwing it in the street. They started the problem first and I wish they would stop it.

* * *

In response to the SPEAK OUT of Dec. 2, there needs to be some clarifications. The majority of people do want some health care reform, especially with regard to pre-existing conditions, but the majority do not want the wasteful overhaul the Democrats are trying to shove through haphazardly. Universal health care is not free. Just who do you think will pay for it? What’s left of the rich in this country? No. It’ll be paid by anyone who still has a job—a number dwindling every day. No one is denied health care in the U.S., including illegal aliens. Why some think we should have to pay for our insurance and their insurance through higher premiums and taxes is beyond me. Someone blamed Bush for the attacks of 9/11 “on his watch” and claimed Obama has protected us. Using the same warped logic, did they sleep through the army recruiter killed in Arkansas and the Fort Hood shootings “under Obama’s watch”? Global warming; scientists were caught admitting they were manipulating data. It doesn’t surprise me that Obama would listen to people who make up “facts.” He’s got a Cabinet full of czars who do so every day.

* * *

Our tax-funded Lombard library, Helen Plum Library has made a serious change in the way they handle our library loan Items.  No longer are they sliding due date cards into our checked out items. Instead, they hand out a 2"x2" paper receipt for all items. Please note that there are multiple variations in the duration of library loan time allotments.  For example, a new release book is due back in two weeks, a DVD in one week; most other books and software are loaned for three weeks. Note also that a regular library patron will have multiple items checked out with different loan times, but also taken out on several different dates. This is a recipe for disaster right from the start. I phoned to ask about this and was told that this is being done “to save the cost of maintaining the insert cards.” But there still is an insert card, it just says something else and not the due date. This new system is bound to cause a major surge in fines from the number of overdue books and library materials, but it is a harsh thing to do to library patrons, who each are being taxed $78 per year, per household for this service. Not only are patrons who’ve never had a single late item suddenly missing return dates, but those trying to reserve items are finding they're not being returned and made available on schedule. These due date cards are a small effort on their part that library patrons are well within reason to expect. Please help us return this most basic of service features to our home library.

* * *

There has been an outpouring of opinion on the cameras catching people running red lights. What's the problem? The only people being cited are lawbreakers. It seems there is an element of society who feel that traffic laws don't have to be obeyed like “other laws.” You can see them every day driving 70 in a 55 mph zone on the expressway or 50 in a 25 mph zone in a residential neighborhood. They feel that breaking a traffic law is their right. So it is with the right turn on red. It is one of the most abused traffic laws of all time. The turn without a stop is illegal. Period. You are guilty of running a red light. A very serious offense. To quote a slogan I have heard for the past year or so: “What part of illegal don't these people understand?”

* * *

I very seldom argue party politics; it’s a ruse. We’re not getting the job done by either party. Health care is needed, but not Washington health care. Our representatives are not part of the health care program—why? The more government we have the less liberty we have. Both parties are inept. We have a growing deficit, pork out-of-control spending and more taxes. It started with Bush and continues accelerating under Obama. It’s time to vote them all out of office and start over. Our future is bleak.

* * *

President Obama has reached an approval rating of 47 percent, the fastest president to reach a 47 percent approval rating the first year in office in the history of the presidency. I don’t understand why, because we have double-digit spending, government-controlled health care. What do we have to do, America?” I hope all of you Obama supporters are happy, now that we have the biggest deficit ever; he spent money faster than Bill Clinton and George Bush in his first year of office—the fastest president to reach a 47-percent approval rating the first year in office. The fastest president to put this country into bankruptcy. I really hope all of you Obama supporters are happy.

* * *

Both Democrats and Republicans are phony, calling to get their votes out before the Feb. 2 primary. That gives the good-old boys a large advantage. The debates with old and new candidates haven’t even been heard. News that might change your vote hasn’t happened. We really need to listen and weigh our votes to benefit our state and our country. Be a knowledgeable voter. Hear from everyone running for office. This could be the most important vote of your lifetime. Don’t vote early.