Talk of the County

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Updated: April 2, 2011 5:43PM

Pension funding

Now Jim Edgar says that the tax hike was needed and we will all have to make changes and choices that will be painful. What would be painful is to see him move into a $50,000 home. I’d like to see him take a little pay cut on his pension. All these pensions are being funded on the backs of the citizens of this state.

School taxes

Why do we have to keep paying school taxes when we don’t have any children in the schools? The people that are retired need this break.

Yes, it is

MSNBC fired liberal commentator Keith Olbermann. That’s Comcastic!

Prison overflow

I agree with the comment about the death penalty and how we should start getting rid of the people the same way they kill people. The Bible says: “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” If they shoot us, we shoot them; if they torture us, we torture them. Enough of this pampering stuff, giving them life imprisonment and then they are out in 10 years. Let’s get more serious and get rid of the prison overflow.

Addictions

Maybe Illinois should consider what other states are doing. Mandatory drug and alcohol testing to qualify for welfare and public aid. It’s taxpayer money. Why should we pay for their addictions?

Four more years

I agree that Obama doesn’t care about anyone but him. The thing that bothers me is that there are so many stupid people in America that are going to vote for him again and probably get him re-elected. That’s sad.

Unborn babies

This is to all you people that believe in abortion: Imagine if your parents thought the way you do. You wouldn’t be here today to complain about it. Unborn babies have rights. Let’s start respecting life.

Return of the freebies

Now that the state has raised the income tax, the freebies start again. Chicago schools want to give supper to the students, along with breakfast and lunch. Modern day parents only have to have fun conceiving a child and then turn it over to the government to take care of and raise. The modern day taxpayers are stuck with the financial burden of the ear-responsible parents of today that don’t have the capabilities of caring for their own offspring.

Just temporary

About the “temporary” income tax increase. Wasn’t paying tolls “temporary” over 40 years ago? Just a question.

Roller coaster roads

Don’t spend big bucks for roller coaster rides in Gurnee. Instead, just experience a ride east or west on Beach Road, Loyola or Wilson avenues in Beach Park. You can even make the loop or figure-eight circle complete with Eastwood Avenue or Howard Street These streets have more bumps, twists and bone-jarring potholes than the Eagle at Great America and will jar your fillings loose. If Beach Park has enough money to grant a $580,000 TIF gift to a private business owner, it should have enough funds to repair these streets. Uncle Milty gets a new street every six years; the rest of us get a cold patch.

Wondering

Did you ever wonder about the deficit with Social Security? Where is all the extra money saved from people who contributed to the system for many years, but then died before reaching retirement age? Here’s another one: Where did all the money go for education every time you bought a lottery ticket in Illinois. And where does that liquor and cigarette tax go? Certainly begs the question.

Sentencing options

Although it varies from state to state, execution is far more expensive than imprisonment for life. The investigation and prosecution of capital cases costs at least twice as much, and costs through to execution are anywhere from 10 to 16 higher than cost through incarceration to death. There is not now and never has been any evidence to support the notion that the use of capital punishment as a sentencing option deters people from committing crimes. In fact, states that lead in number of executions do so year after year. Opposing the death penalty is not “like letting that person free who shot those people in Arizona.” It is preferring life in prison without parole as a more effective ultimate sentencing option.

Drop-off lane

This is directed to the parents of children who attend Forrestal Elementary School in North Chicago: The drop-off lane isn’t a huge mystery. You pull up, drop off your child and drive away. Should you feel the need to walk your child to the door, or put him/her out of the car and wait until they enter the building, please park in one of the numerous empty spots instead of holding up cars in the drop-off lane. Every morning, I get stuck behind at least two parents who feel the need to sit in their cars while their children walk around, talk to friends and eventually make their way inside. Please be courteous of others and use common sense. It’s easy to see cars backed up, out of the parking lot and down Washington Drive, which is only made worse by those who hold up everyone instead of parking.

Criminals and nuts

This is in response to the person that said “Gun nuts are wimps.” What would you do if an armed intruder broke into your home and threatened you and your family? Wait for the police? That’s assuming you could even get to a phone. This is reality. There will always be people that want what you have, whether it be the art collection in your home or the $5 in your pocket. And they are armed and they will kill to get it. I just want to be able to protect me and my family from all the criminals and nuts out there as guaranteed by the Second Amendment.

Subsidized housing

Why is it that the residents from cities like Lake Forest are quick to dump more subsidized housing and more government-funded entitlement programs in the Waukegan, Zion, North Chicago towns? A lot of the people pushing for these programs probably have management jobs in social service agencies. So they want their paychecks while pushing all these programs anywhere but in their own towns. Check them out.

More firepower

To the person who thinks “gun nuts are wimps,” I want to be able to have the same degree of firepower that they are using against me. You cannot eliminate defense until you eliminate violence. The criminals will always be able to get weapons, no matter how many laws you pass against them. I simply want to be able to have a weapon to defend myself against this person who has no regard for my life or the life of my family. Listen to the news. People die every day because they can’t defend themselves. Give me my right as guaranteed to me by the Constitution of the United States of America.

Possible solutions

A possible solution to help the U.S. economy would be to place a high tariff on U.S. companies’ products coming back into this country; give huge tax breaks to those same companies to build and hire in the U.S.; let the unions control working conditions, not necessarily wages; secure the borders and find companies who hire illegals; and place a time restriction possibly five years of residency in the U.S. before children born to illegals become a naturalized citizen. Steps like these would help put America back to work, but it’s not likely.

Sorry, wrong planet

Newt Gingrich announced that the Environmental Protection Agency should be abolished. What planet does he live on?