This is for the person who thinks just because 53 people died under Bush’s watch it is worse than Obama. You Obama lovers can’t seem to stop playing the previous administration card. I don’t care who it was, who died under who’s watch. Both Obama and Bush are equally bad, plain and simple. You want to talk about plain math, 53 died under Bush’s watch, that’s true, and four people died in Benghazi. Total it up. That’s 57 people who died. Look at it from that point. Don’t look at it from a Bush issue or Obama. It’s a human issue, OK? Fifty-seven people lost their lives because of the apparent stupidity of these two people. You Obama lovers, I don’t know what it is. Why don’t you just wake up? Wake up. This man is not a saint or a savior. Have you seen him walk on water? No, you haven’t. So please, cut out the previous administration card. Start looking at things from a human issue instead of political, Republican or Democrat issue.

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To the person asking about the police and fire pension after 20 years of work, you are correct— instead of complaining, go ahead and get an application take the test and get hired.

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To the caller complaining about the newscasters mentioning rain, I bet you are the same one who calls to gripe about all the other things that are mentioned on the news, like storms in summer and winter, and so forth. Time to get over it or change the channel, don’t you think?

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If Obamacare is so great, it should be implemented as soon as possible. But wait, there are problems. Who saw that coming? Only the tens of millions of people who knew it would be a disaster. A few years ago, Obama demonstrated he doesn’t understand the difference between collision insurance and liability insurance. Are we supposed to believe he knows how to fix the nation’s health care industry? Remember, Obamacare passed without any Republican votes. It will be interesting to hear liberals reflexively blame its failure on their usual bogeymen: Republicans in Congress, George Bush, the Fox News Channel and Rush Limbaugh.

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This is in response to all the gun lovers. The NRA always posted the complete Second Amendment in all its publications in full text. The NRA is not the one that seems to leave out part of the Second Amendment. Also, straw purchases are illegal and there are federal laws that cover that, and they’re just not enforced. As to liability insurance, training and registration for each gun purchased, that may be an acceptable way to go, as long as like your car, you are able to take it everywhere with you. That is a possibility. Training is encouraged by the NRA and everybody who wants to be responsible gun owners. It’s not so much that the NRA is full of gun lovers—there are some people who will be gun lovers—but they are freedom lovers. Freedom comes first, for most. Thank you.

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SPEAK OUT, this is Villa Park calling. I live in the 300 West block of Kenilworth. We have water standing in all of the sewers on Kenilworth. The water is actually at the top of the sewers. We have water which will not only breed mosquitoes all summer long, has an odor and is unhealthy, but as the rain comes down the sewers do not drain. The streets fill up with water that goes onto the lawns and can seep inside of the homes. I have made numerous attempts to have Villa Park repair this. Villa Park says they do not have the funds to repair this. If somebody could explain why we have standing water in the sewers on the 300 West block of Kenilworth, I would appreciate it, and if anyone else has this problem, please speak out about it so we can get help. Thank you.

Village of Villa Park Village Manager Rich Keehner responded to your comments: “Staff went out and inspected all the curb structures on West Kenilworth Avenue west of Harvard Avenue. All the curb structures inspected were inlets with the exception of the two, located at 336 and 337 West Kenilworth Ave. These two structures were catch basins and were connected to the combined sewer system. When a curb structure connects to a combined sewer, it should be a catch basin and have a trap in them to prevent sewer gas from backing into the atmosphere. That is the case with the two catch basins located at 336, 337 W. Kenilworth. The existing storm sewer does not go far enough west to pick these two catch basins up at this time. We can investigate the possibility of extending the storm sewer to tie these curb structures in to the storm sewer. All the inlets and catch basins inspected were clean from debris and would allow storm water to flow freely into the sewer system.”

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Lombard calling. I’d just like to say what a terrible decision it was that the Supreme Court came to on June 25 in striking out the heart of the Voting Rights Act. Bye.

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Today is June 26 and it’s a great day in America. Today the Supreme Court made the United States a freer and more equal society by their decisions on the Defense of Marriage Act and California’s Prop 8. I would like to give a verbal pat on the back to all of the majority justices. Thank you.

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How easy is it to spend $36 for breakfast—especially if it’s not your money. That’s how much the House of Representatives has spent, to the tune of $2 million. A watchdog group reported to “Good Morning America” and found that one House Republican spent $95,000 in 2012 alone. Two Democrats spent $61,000 and $52,000. This is all for coffee, pastries and catering. This is way more than many people make in a year, yet their wages help support such indulgence. Time to contact our legislators for some oversight.

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I’ve seen a lot of foolish comments in SPEAK OUT, but none was seemingly more foolish than the opening comment on June 26. How does the enlightened commenter know that gangbangers are getting their guns in Indiana? Are the gangbangers going to sporting goods and hunting stores in the Hoosier State, where the gun laws aren’t as strict as those in Chicago, and making authorized purchases there? Do you think that if Indiana enacted Chicago’s gun laws, the violence would go away? Wake up.

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Hey, I’m confused. Didn’t Barack Obama win the Nobel Peace Prize? Well, if he won the Nobel Peace Prize, why are so many people still getting shot here in this country every day? I don’t think he should have won that peace prize then, because if you listen to his supporters, there’s not much peace here. Thank you.

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The Supreme Court has just announced that only lawyers will be allowed to argue before their court. I emphasize, their court. So you citizens are not allowed to come in the presence of the almighty royal court. So much for government of the people, by the people and for the people. This is only the beginning.

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Anybody else annoyed at getting advertising fliers in their electric or gas bill? It’s the same stuff that comes in the money mailer coupon pamphlets and means more potential junk mail to dispose of.

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Hi, Lombard here. I was just watching the History Channel and they were talking about the power grid, what bad shape it’s in. I see our president gave $70 billion to Africa for their power companies. Isn’t that swell? What a great guy, huh?

A check of the facts, through a White House press release, indicates that the United States plans to contribute over $7 billion in financial support over the next five years, to assist with what is indicated to be a need for over $300 billion in investments to achieve “universal electricity access” for sub-Saharan Africa by the year 2030. The complete press release, along with a breakdown of where the $7 billion is slated to come from, is available through the office of the press secretary at http://whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/06/30/fact-sheet-power-africa.—JAC

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Lombard calling. Why is the grass along Finley Road by the golf course and the park so high. Whose responsibility is it for maintaining and cutting the grass? Thank you.

Due to a Lombard village policy, village officials no longer answer questions from anonymous sources.—JAC

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Once again, the Senate has really messed with people. The interest rates for a college loan went from 3.4 to 6.8; Democrats and Republicans couldn’t reach an agreement and it apparently was mainly the Tea Party, the young conservatives, who blocked the whole thing. The reason they blocked it? Because they could save $51 billion. Wow, what’s more important—the $51 billion or the education of our students? This is ridiculous.

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I have to comment about all you Second Amendment lovers. You know, I am one of those. I love our Constitution; I love all of our amendments to it; I love our Bill of Rights; I love this country. And if you think the problem with this country is that Rahm Emanuel and Rich Daley decided to let Chicago turn into a shooting gallery, and that we choose not to arrest and prosecute those who shoot each other and innocent people willy-nilly, if you think the problem is the Second Amendment to the Constitution, I hate to say it, but our founding fathers were way smarter than Rich Daley, Rahm Emanual and all you anti-gun people. How about we do what our founding fathers said and do not tolerate these shooters and let me protect myself?

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Hello, Lombard. I just wanted to send kudos out to Michelle Iwinski, executive director of the Lombard Town Centre. I’ve been to the last couple of events at the Lombard Town Centre and they have just been outstanding. Ever since she’s come aboard I’ve seen a whole different change in the enthusiasm, participation, everything. Great job, Michelle. Thank you, bye bye.

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This is to the Village of Villa Park. I saw that they want to pass bond issues to pay for the roads here and I would just like to know where all of the motor fuel tax money and taxes that I pay yearly have gone, because it seems like they have all disappeared somehow and I would like to know where they’re spending that money; there’s supposed to be enough money to take care of the problems and they don’t seem to have been taken care of over the years. Thank you.

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This is Villa Park calling. We would like to know what the Villa Park president and Villa Park police chief are doing about the alleged gang members walking around the neighborhoods lately, reportedly smoking dope and drinking beer, and we watch the Villa Park police driving right past, seemingly doing nothing. I would like to hear an answer from our Villa Park president and police chief. If you’re going to do something, do it. If you’re going to do nothing, say you’re going to do nothing like it seems to appear.

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Hello, this is Lombard calling. Thank you for the column and the adjoining photos of the “safety check” by the local police staged recently to enforce seat belt and equipment violations, and to removed impaired drivers from the roadway. However, the use of two canine units is well beyond the scope. The Constitution protects us from unreasonable search and seizure. We are well on the way to a police state in this country. Please scale it back. Thank you.

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Lombard calling. As I celebrated this Independence Day weekend and all the freedoms we have, my thoughts turned to the local Lombardian and the great service to its citizens here. It has kept its obligations as the fourth estate to inform us as to what is occurring in our nation and world. SPEAK OUT gives a voice to citizens who would otherwise not be heard. The more we speak out, the better government we have. May SPEAK OUT continue to serve. Thank you.

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Obama said that now that the Defense of Marriage Act has been overturned, he won’t force religious institutions to marry same-sex couples. Force them? Oh, my gosh, what has this country come to if the government is stepping in to dictate what religious institutions must do? Emphasis on dictate.

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It’s a shame the Main Stage artists on Saturday night began their sound check while the younger band finished their set on the B Stage. The young group remained professional during the ordeal, but the main act should have shown more respect and waited until they were finished.

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Hi. I was wondering if anyone of the Lombard area is aware of one of the schools collecting “Boxtops for Education.” My source has now gone away and I’d like to donate them. Thank you.

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In a recent SPEAK OUT somebody called in that started with, “To all gun lovers” and basically went on a bit of a diatribe about how terrible guns are and how terrible the NRA is and how it’s the NRA’s fault that gangbangers get guns, the part that I really found hilarious is, and I quote, “By the way, what part of the well-regulated militia don't you understand—which every gun lover seems to leave out that part of the Second Amendment?” Apparently this person doesn't understand the Second Amendment, probably has never read it. George Mason, considered the father of the Bill of Rights, when asked who the militia was, said, “That consists now of the whole people.” When asked what does that mean, he means that the people have a right to keep and bear arms. If you look at what Patrick Henry said, if you look at what Thomas Jefferson said, John Adams, James Madison, all of them said every private person is authorized to arm himself. To this person, you clearly have no concept of what the Second Amendment is.

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This is an ex-Villa Park resident. I was reading SPEAK OUT on June 26 and people were complaining about the streets and the flooding. People voted to raise taxes for our school’s new air conditioning unit, our astro turf at Willowbrook and also those who want the library replaced. We don’t need those—we need all this other stuff to raise our taxes. We are paying higher taxes than most people around us for the same style homes, less police service and less community service. That’s why I left and why a lot of my neighbors left. Good job, Villa Park. Keep up the good work. Think about what you’re doing.