Trying to apply micro-economic principles to the big picture of macro-economics is like trying to apply Newtonian physics to the realm of quantum mechanics. Be wary of politicians who tell you that because you balance your own checkbook that you know that the government has to slash spending.  In order to foster economic growth, governments have to be countercyclical. When businesses and household decrease spending, governments need to increase in order to fuel the economic engine.

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I see the house on Main Street has the Santa display up and running again. Thank you to the homeowner for the time and effort to put it all together, and to any volunteers who helped make the yard look so great. I also saw the bright cross high in the tree off of West Road. Thank you also for the holiday reminder of the reason for the season.

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Last week in SPEAK OUT there was so much outrage that Democrats did away with the filibuster. Here are some facts that I know Republicans never use:  “In the history of the U.S. there have been 168 presidential nominees that have been filibustered and of all of those 82 have been under Obama.” So, basically half have happened in a few years. Very sad the obstruction this president deals with every day. All nominees still need a majority of the vote to be confirmed, so if you want a president to pick the nominees you like, go out there and win an election. The sad truth is I know why most Republicans are against everything this president does.

Quote marks were added to part of your comment because it was stated by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. According to Politifact.com, a graphic that represented those numbers—including 86 nominees blocked under all other presidents—was essentially right, but “The way the graphic described them was wrong.” Politifact explains: “This means that the numbers in the graphic—82 presidential nominees blocked under Obama and 86 nominees blocked previously—were described incorrectly. The figures actually represent the number of “cloture” attempts that had been made, not the people who were nominated. This matters because some of the nominations resulted in multiple cloture efforts. By our calculation, there were actually 68 individual nominees blocked prior to Obama taking office and 79 (so far) during Obama’s term, for a total of 147.” Politifact.com defined “cloture” by stating, “Senators can filibuster, or delay, action either by talking as long as they can on the floor, or by making an objection to party leaders. Such a blockage can be overcome by passing a ‘cloture’ motion with a supermajority of votes. Currently, 60 votes are needed to pass a cloture motion and proceed to a final vote on the matter at hand. (Before 1975, it was 67.)”—JAC

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I would like to thank the Tea Party Republicans for providing the constant stream of entertainment by spewing so much seemingly unreliable Fox News-esque hatred for all to read. You do your party right. We all know Obamacare is a mess. Thanks for refreshing our memories every week. Please research at least some of your statements at a non-partisan source. I have no doubt you’re all perfectly decent people, but your constant repeating of something you apparently saw on Fox News or heard from Rush really makes you look foolish. Such unguided hatred is a dangerous thing, however entertaining—thanks for the laughs.

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This is Lombard calling. Just want to say Merry Christmas and thank you, Village of Lombard and public works, for the beautiful job you did with the lit wreaths that you put on our lights going down Main Street and on some of the other streets in downtown Lombard. It looks very festive and lovely. Have a very happy Christmas.

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Hello, this is Lombard calling. Thank you, Marguerite Micken, for the wonderful column. I thoroughly agree with you on everything. Trees that are decorated are called a Christmas tree. It always has been and always should be. And, the holiday season is referred to as Christmastime. When it’s Hannukah, it’s Hannukah. Don’t ruin what has been our tradition for eons.

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As for the passage of same-sex marriage in Illinois, my world did not suddenly change as a result. My marriage isn’t threatened in any way, and I don’t begrudge people in love being able to get married. Why, I know male-female couples whose wedding—not civil—ceremonies did not even mention religion; they focused on the couple’s commitment to one another. Are those not valid marriages? And the argument about procreation in marriage, what about those who cannot have children and instead must adopt? Is theirs not a valid marriage either? I’m going to guess that those of you who want the government to get involved in people’s personal freedoms like marriage are also the same ones who are clamoring for smaller government with less intrusion in our lives. Sounds hypocritical to me.

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Lombard calling. I’m old enough to remember Christmas shopping a decade or two ago and it was nothing like this mob-shopping today. These seemingly narcissistic and entitlement generations will apparently do anything if they think they’re not getting their share that they think they are entitled to. How sad.

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It never fails to amaze me how the Democrats typically respond to criticism about someone or something in their party. Instead of responding to the criticism head-on by addressing the issue at hand, they seem to instead say, “But what about what so-and-so did?” They seem to deflect away from the comment and place the focus elsewhere. The second call in the Nov. 27 SPEAK OUT is a case in point. Why not just defend the person or actions instead of trying to change the focus of the issue?

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Hello Lombard. The Tri-Town YMCA has its annual tree sales in the Mr. Z parking lot until Dec. 22. They’ve got some very beautiful trees out there and some gorgeous wreaths. Please support the Tri-Town YMCA because they support our community. Thank you.

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This is to all the people who responded to my comment a few weeks ago about the Canada geese and to the one person who wrote in about it in the letter to the editor, it was meant as a joke to lighten things up. It was meant as a joke; quit being so literal about everything that you read. I suggest you get a life.

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This is Lombard calling in response to the caller who said Bush lied about the weapons of “mass deception” in Iraq; typical of Obama voters. Facts seem to be a problem because if you ask all the dead Kurdish rebels upon whom Saddam Hussein used mustard gas to murder, mustard gas is a weapon of mass destruction, so yes, Saddam Hussein did in fact have weapons of mass destruction. It really wasn’t a lie, but facts apparently are hard for Obama supporters.

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In a recent SPEAK OUT somebody called in thinking it was funny that Republicans are upset that Obama lied about getting kicked off of their “junk” insurance policies that don’t meet minimum requirements. They went off to the “Bush lied, it’s all Bush’s fault” and all that stuff. To this person I’d like to say, here’s the problem I have with comments like that and Democrats: The seeming arrogance; you imply that all those people who are going to lose their insurance are stupid? And their policies are junk? This is why the country is starting to get sick and tired of the apparent radical left. Junk policies and minimum requirements. News flash. George Bush has not been the president for awhile. In the immortal words of Barack Obama, “Get over it.”

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Hi, Lombard calling. I just want to say good job to the park district. They did a nice job on the walking path over in Lilacia Park. Thanks.

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Hi, Mr. Spew Out, I’m a very agreeable person. The point was that I didn’t agree with everything every president has done, unlike you, who probably thinks Obama walks on water. You probably thought Carter walked on water, too. I love life. I’m just giving my point of view.

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This is for the person who said Republicans are upset that Obama lied about people who got kicked off their insurance policy. Let me tell you something. You won’t think that Obamacare is so wonderful if you have trouble with your insurance or if you lose yours. And, quit talking about the previous administration. If you want to read something, read about the fall of the Roman Empire because that’s where we’re headed.

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To the reader who complained about the national debt “Obama” ran up to $15 trillion from $8 trillion I ask, where was the outrage when Bush erased a budget surplus to indebt us the first $8 trillion? OK, you win. Your guy is a trillion times worse than my guy.

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Villa Park calling. When is somebody going to remove the abandoned Chevy Suburban from the east side of the Jewel Food Store on St. Charles Road. It has been sitting there since at least last spring with expired California plates. The police patrol this lot several times a week, if not daily, and have not done a thing about it. Come on, Villa Park, let’s not let our town get littered with abandoned vehicles.

According to Robert Pavelchik, chief of police in Villa Park, “Parking issues on private business properties are handled based on the complaint of the business owner. Some businesses also contract with a private tow company to ‘police’ their property. The Villa Park Police Department will assist businesses with their parking issues, but we do not tow vehicles from private property except for arrest situations.”—Chris Fox