December 2017 - Page 3 of 7

December 21 Morning Edition

CAPITOL FAX
— Ives says Democrats are all running on pot, taxes and spending
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/21/ives-says-democrats-are-all-running-on-pot-taxes-and-spending/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Ives insisted that she could win a general election with her fiscally and socially conservative agenda. “Yes, I can absolutely win the general election,” she said. “Look, the Democrats have destroyed the state and the people know that. And what are all the Democratic candidates selling you? Recreational marijuana, higher taxes, more spending. “Is anybody buying that shtick? Anybody? No, and that’s the entire agenda of those folks.”)

CBS2
— Governor Rauner Shares Thoughts On Republican Tax Plan – Craig Dellimore
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/21/governor-rauner-republican-tax-plan/

WLS AM
— Rauner won’t move Vets from Quincy home – Bill Cameron
http://www.wlsam.com/2017/12/21/raunder-wont-move-vets-from-quincy-home/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Going down ‘fake news’ low road, Gov, is bad for democracy – Editorial (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, the Main Stream Media (MSM) a) promotes news that it can spin to promote the Democrat, Libertarian, and/or Green party platforms and b) downplays if not censures news that shows the Republican Party platform is the way to go. Ever-increasingly, the MSM publishes editorials that are unethically made to look like news articles.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/rauner-wbez-trump-democracy-going-down-fake-news-journalism/
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: On Tuesday, Rauner accused WBEZ, the public radio station, of dropping its monthly “Ask the Governor” feature, in which he took questions from callers, because WBEZ is “really more of a Democrat station.” That was factually untrue, and the governor owes the station an apology. . .The governor’s shot at WBEZ came five days after, on a Downstate radio show, he attacked the integrity of much of the local media as a whole. “What’s frustrating to me and many people around the state,” he said to Tom Miller of WJPF, “is how biased a lot of the media is around Chicago, around the state. Biased for the status quo.” If the governor believes that certain columnists, editorial pages, bloggers, radio commentators and the like have it in for him, by all means he should call them out. He’s taken a whack at this editorial page plenty of times. But most media companies operate from two separate silos — one for commentary, the other for news. One silo serves up opinion. The second serves up an honest effort to report the true facts of current events in a fair manner. Inevitably, the personal values of editors and reporters play a role, beginning with the choices they make about which stories to pursue. News shops are run by human beings. But to broadly brand the news coverage of much of the mainstream media as biased and untrustworthy, just as a general rule, is to undermine the role of an institution — a free press — that is essential to a democracy. It is dangerous.)

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— The Top 10 Illinois political stories of 2017
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-illinois-politics-top-10-stories-2017-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: 1. Republicans break with Rauner as Madigan leads major income tax hike, ends budget impasse. . .2. Lisa Madigan won’t run again, sets off crowded race to succeed her. . .3. J.B. Pritzker enters governor race, quickly consolidates support, sets Democratic self-funding record with $42.2 million. . . 4. State school funding formula revised for first time in decades. . . 5. Pritkzer sought political office from Rod Blagojevich, 2008 FBI wiretaps show. . . 6. Rauner flip-flops on abortion bill, angers conservative Republicans. . . 7. Exodus from the Capitol. . . 8. Rauner gets a primary challenger in Ives. . . 9. Rauner’s summertime right turn, staff struggles. . . 10. Illinois’ richest man Ken Griffin gives $20 million to Rauner campaign.)
— Roskam a no-show at White House – Katherine Skiba
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-illinois-politics-top-10-stories-2017-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam skipped Wednesday’s White House celebration with President Donald Trump after passage of the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul he has touted. The Wheaton Republican “was invited but he’s in meetings on the Hill so was unable to make it,” spokeswoman Veronica Vera said in an email. Several of his GOP colleagues stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Trump outside the White House as the president enthused: “It’s always a lot of fun when you win.” Roskam is on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, chairs its Tax Policy Subcommittee and helped shape and sell the bill. Urging passage of the measure on Tuesday, he said his constituents were longing for tax relief. “After months of work developing a tax code that prioritizes middle-income families and small businesses, Congress has sent a bill to the President’s desk that I am pleased to say accomplishes that goal,” Roskam said in a statement. Seven Democrats have signed up for the primary race to take on the six-term Republican in the northwest suburban 6th Congressional District. One rival, Sean Casten of Downers Grove, in a statement Wednesday said: “Republicans in the House and Senate put corporations and the wealthiest Americans first, while again turning their backs on middle-class families.”)
— ‘Feminism’ is the word of the year. Should we be celebrating? – Nicole Brodeur (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps encourage women to hate Trump supporters, and especially Trump supporters who are Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-feminism-word-of-year-1221-20171220-story.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Where are America’s well-informed citizens? – Ned L. McCray, Tinley Park (DIERSEN: QUESTION: Who does not want you to be a well-informed citizen? ANSWER: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes. They want you to know what they want you know, no more and no less.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/letters-where-are-americas-well-informed-citizens/

DAILY HERALD
— Suburbs contribute to Illinois’ population decline – Diane Dungey and Tim Broderick (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, by their words and/or by their actions, Democrats make it clear that they want you to leave Illinois if you are a member of any of the following groups: Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. Who takes the lead in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois in driving out of Illinois members of the aforesaid groups?)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171220/suburbs-contribute-to-illinois-population-decline
— Paying twice for conference asks too much of taxpayers – Editorial
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171220/editorial-paying-twice-for-conference-asks-too-much-of-taxpayers

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— The rush is on—to pay taxes before cap kicks in – STEVEN R. STRAHLER
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171221/NEWS02/171229977

WBEZ
— ‘Beginning Of An Epidemic’: Email Shows State Waited 6 Days To Publicize Legionnaires’ Outbreak – Dave McKinney
https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/email-shows-state-waited-6-days-to-publicize-legionnaires-outbreak/474d8281-7c0b-41f7-9baf-0ccebea3a100

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Rep. Ives: GOP should kick Rauner to the curb – Tom Kacich
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-12-21/rep-ives-gop-should-kick-rauner-the-curb.html

NORTHWEST HERALD
— McHenry County joining other officials to sue opioid drugmakers
http://www.nwherald.com/2017/12/20/mchenry-county-joining-other-officials-to-sue-opioid-drugmakers/ae92cxu/

TIMES
— Candidate Jaye DeBates spreads false claim – David Giuliani
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/local/candidate-spreads-false-claim/article_3a33258c-e365-54a2-807b-d3be2fa4dd8a.html

QUAD CITIES ONLINE
— Illinois strikes a blow against doctor-shopping – Editorial
http://qconline.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-illinois-strikes-a-blow-against-doctor-shopping/article_8da669bf-9b8a-5eea-ab36-d55adf62dcfa.html

PAXTON RECORD
— Senator Barickman’s stance on recreational pot spurs debate
http://www.paxtonrecord.net/news/politics-and-government/2017-12-20/senator%E2%80%99s-stance-recreational-pot-spurs-debate.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Ford County Republican Central Committee met last Saturday and erupted when the legalization of marijuana came up for discussion. Noting that state Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, put out a memo earlier in the week in support of legislation to legalize recreational marijuana, many comments and questions arose among precinct committeemen and the public. Many voiced their objection to Barickman’s position, stating that marijuana is an addictive gateway drug that will lead to using other illicit drugs. Since its use for medical purposes, many factions have been pushing for legalizing the drug for recreational use. That caused one participant to ask what such use would do to DUI violations, or the use by teens. “How accessible will it become for younger people?” the person said. Already, there is no significant penalty for possession or use of small amounts of marijuana in Illinois. And the court system has not worked well in preventing use. Barickman postulated that its legalization would raise money for the state.)

WREX
— Illinois lawmakers weigh in on state’s declining population – Taylor Utzig
http://www.wrex.com/story/37114834/2017/12/Wednesday/illinois-lawmakers-weigh-in-on-states-declining-population

NPR ILLINOIS
— Trump’s Tax Win: The Political Risks – ARI SHAPIRO
http://nprillinois.org/post/trumps-tax-win-political-risks#stream/0

CHICAGO READER
— Police misconduct exacts a heavy toll on Chicago Cops’ bad behavior corrodes trust in law enforcement and costs taxpayers millions in legal settlements. – Maya Dukmasova
https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/police-misconduct-worst/Content?oid=37060248

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— WHAT’S DRAGGING DOWN ILLINOIS’ ECONOMY? – Orphe Divounguy (DIERSEN: Who in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois takes the lead in driving out of Illinois individuals, organizations, and companies that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time? I should write a book about those in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois who take the lead in driving the aforesaid out of Illinois.)
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/whats-dragging-down-illinois-economy/

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Illinois elections board removes Democrat governor candidate who turned in zero signatures – Greg Bishop
https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/illinois-elections-board-removes-governor-candidate-who-turned-in-zero/article_89cf45d8-e5dc-11e7-9fb9-af0bbc625a1b.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: There’s also a citizen objection to Gary Grasso’s bid for the Republican attorney general slot.)
— Policy ideas promoted in Illinois’ governor’s race would only make things worse – Dan McCaleb
https://www.ilnews.org/opinion/op-ed-policy-ideas-promoted-in-illinois-governor-s-race/article_e6a422a6-e587-11e7-8f91-afe3c20641f9.html

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Democrats ‘betray’ illegal immigrant Dreamers – Stephen Dinan and Alex Swoyer
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/20/democrats-betray-illegal-immigrant-dreamers/
— Trump slams media for negative take on tax plan – Sally Persons
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/21/donald-trump-slams-media-for-negative-take-on-tax-/

WORLD NET DAILY
— THE ESTABLISHMENT FEARS ANNIHILATION — FOR GOOD REASON Erik Rush sees desperation in eyes of those hoping to destroy Trump
http://www.wnd.com/2017/12/the-establishment-fears-annihilation-for-good-reason/

THE HILL
— VERY SAD: Top Hollywood stars call on Congress for DACA fix – JUDY KURTZ
http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/365828-top-hollywood-stars-call-on-congress-for-daca-fix

NEW YORK TIMES
— In Protests of Net Neutrality Repeal, Teenage Voices Stood Out – Cecilia Kang (DIERSEN: Since 2000, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have made it very clear that they want to a) stop me from sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails, b) stop everyone from reading the emails, and c) stop everyone from reading copies of the emails at www.gopillinois.com.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/20/technology/net-neutrality-repeal-teens.html
— FRONT PAGE: Facebook Job Ads Raise Concerns About Age Discrimination – Julia Angwin, Noam Scheiber and Ariana Tobin (DIERSEN: How old are you? I am 69. Do you promote age discrimination? All my critics/opponents, all their operatives, and all their dupes have always promoted age discrimination big time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/20/business/facebook-job-ads.html
— Facebook Ads That Let Employers Target Younger Workers Focus of U.S. Lawsuit – Reuters (DIERSEN: How old are you? I am 69. Do you promote age discrimination? All my critics/opponents, all their operatives, and all their dupes have always promoted age discrimination big time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2017/12/21/technology/21reuters-facebook-lawsuit-discrimination.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— VERY TROUBLING: GOP Tax Overhaul Makes Homeownership Less Appealing Prices in more expensive markets are forecast to be as much as 10% lower by mid-2019 than they otherwise would have been – Laura Kusisto (DIERSEN: Government should encourage homeownership.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/gop-tax-overhaul-makes-homeownership-less-appealing-1513765800
— Overdose Deaths Drive Down U.S. Life Expectancy—Again Last year marked first back-to-back annual decline in life expectancy since early 1960s – Jeanne Whalen
https://www.wsj.com/articles/overdose-deaths-drive-down-u-s-life-expectancyagain-1513832460

USA TODAY
— Life expectancy is down for a second year. Drug overdoses are a big reason why. – Kim Painter
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/12/21/u-s-life-expectancy-drops-second-year-drug-deaths-spike-cdc/970283001/

MONEY MAGAZINE
— AT&T Is Giving Employees a $1,000 Bonus to Celebrate the Tax Bill – SCOTT MORITZ
http://time.com/money/5074566/att-republican-tax-cuts-bonuses/

GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE
— Oversight Democrat Asks White House to Release Plans for ‘Massive’ Agency Downsizing – Eric Katz (DIERSEN: Democrats run the federal government. They use any kind of downsizing to get rid of a) any remaining employees who are Republican, and then b) employees who are White, male, and/or non-veteran who did not GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
http://www.govexec.com/pay-benefits/2017/12/oversight-dems-ask-white-house-release-plans-massive-reductions-staffing/144719/

SSA
— Life Expectancy Calculator (DIERSEN: What is your life expectancy, that is, how many more years are you expected to live? For me, it is 16. But that may me optimistic because I have type 2 diabetes, I am overweight, and I do not get nearly enough exercise because I spend 10+ hours each and every day putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails together and sending them out.)
https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/longevity.cgi

WINDY CITY TIMES
— Three pro-LGBTQ equality laws to take effect in the new year (DIERSEN: Soon, if not already, if you do not promote LGBTQ activity, colleges will not accept you and employers will not hire you.)
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Three-pro-LGBTQ-equality-laws-to-take-effect-in-the-new-year/61443.html

December 20 Evening Edition

ABC7
— Rauner defends state handling of fatal Legionnaires outbreak at veterans’ home – Craig Wall
http://abc7chicago.com/health/rauner-defends-state-handling-of-fatal-legionnaires-outbreak-at-veterans-home/2805149/
— Trump celebrates after Congress wraps up massive tax package – AP
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/trump-celebrates-after-congress-wraps-up-massive-tax-package/2802688/

NBC5
— Wheaton, Palatine Ranked Among Safest Cities in Illinois
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/wheaton-palatine-named-safest-cities-to-live-in-illinois-465506123.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: For families looking to raise families, certain communities stand out for a variety of reasons, and a new ranking has revealed the safest city in the state. According to security company SafeHome, Wheaton is the safest city in the state. The ranking cites the city’s dramatic decrease in violent crime, which is down 17.8 percent in 2017, and their strong citizen-to-police officer ratio as the factors that pushed it to the top of the list. Narrowly finishing behind Wheaton is Palatine, which also saw drops in both violent crime and property crime. Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, and Mount Prospect rounded out the top five, according to the company. Naperville, recently ranked the second-best city in America to live by Niche, finished in seventh place among the safest cities in America. The security company used a variety of criteria to come up with its rankings, which took cities of 50,000 or more people and evaluated them on statistics such as violent crime rate, property crime rate, and other data made available by the FBI and the Census Bureau. While smaller cities tend to rank highly on the list, some of Illinois’ biggest cities made the cut as well. Champaign, home to the University of Illinois, ranked in the 22nd spot, and Chicago itself, despite making national headlines for gun violence, was ranked as the 23rd-safest city in the state according to SafeHome.)
— GOP Tax Bill Could Be a Windfall for Dozens of Lawmakers Only two Republicans found to have sizable real estate holdings voted against the bill
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/Tax-Bill-Loophole-Windfall-Lawmakers-465480623.html

CBS2
— Rauner: State Is Taking Action For Deaths At Quincy Veteran’s Home – Derrick Blakley
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/20/veterans-home-quincy-legionnaires/

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— Illinois loses population, drops to 6th-largest state – AP
http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/local/illinois-loses-population-drops-to-6th-largest-state

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Rauner: Federal tax changes help tax-cut agenda – Rick Pearson (DIERSEN: Are you a homeowner in a “traditionally Republican-leaning suburban (area) with high property tax bills?” Will Republicans making you pay more federal income tax inspire you to help Rauner fight Democrats for lower property tax bills and for lower state income taxes? According to the Democrats, if you itemize your deductions, and especially if you pay more than $10,000 a year in property and income taxes, you are undeservedly filthy rich and you can easily afford to pay more federal income tax.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-bruce-rauner-federal-tax-bill-20171220-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner said Wednesday that federal tax code changes limiting how much in state and local taxes Illinoisans can deduct could give a boost to his call for freezing property taxes and rolling back a state income tax hike. Under the measure sent to Trump, federal income taxpayers will see a larger standard deduction. But taxpayers used to itemizing their deductions will see a $10,000 limit on the deductibility of state income taxes and local property taxes. Previously, there were no limits on state and local tax deductibility. Supporters of capping the tax deduction contended it amounted to a federal subsidy for high-tax states. Opponents noted most of the high-tax states pay more in federal taxes than they receive back in federal benefits and are largely Democratic-leaning states, such as Illinois. Prior to the legislation’s passage, Rauner had declined to publicly weigh in on the effects of changing the state and local tax deduction on Illinois residents, though it could have negative effects on homeowners in traditionally Republican-leaning suburban areas with high property tax bills. “The simple fact is for states that are high-tax, high-spending states, it makes it more difficult… For states like Illinois and others, it makes it more difficult,” Rauner said. “It makes it all the more important that we make the type of changes that…I’ve been recommending from day one. That we bring down our property taxes, that we work down the income tax hike that Speaker (Michael) Madigan forced through last (July),” he said. “It makes it all the more essential that we in Illinois make those changes.” Rauner has called for freezing local property taxes and making it easier for residents to put on the ballot referendum questions that would lower real estate taxes. In addition, Rauner has called for a rollback of the income tax hike Democratic and some Republican lawmakers enacted over his veto to end the state’s historic budget stalemate.)
— Rauner won’t say if he has moral responsibility for Quincy veterans’ illnesses, deaths – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-bruce-rauner-quincy-veterans-home-legionnaires-20171220-story.html
— Elgin faith leaders call out U46 school board member for critique of religion assignment – Rafael Guerrero
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/elgin-courier-news/news/ct-ecn-elgin-faith-leaders-jeanette-ward-st-1220-20171219-story.html
— Trump stands to save millions under new tax measure, experts say – Drew Harwell
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-save-millions-tax-plan-20171220-story.html
— The new tax challenge for Illinois Democrats – Editorial
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-illinois-progressive-income-tax-20171220-story.html
— How the tax bill impacts homeowners, buyers and sellers – Kathy Orton
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-tax-bill-impact-homeowners-real-estate-20171220-story.html
— Trump just admitted the GOP’s tax cuts were deceptively sold – Aaron Blake
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-gop-taxes-analysis-20171220-story.html
— Triumphant Trump celebrates tax win — but some fear backlash – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-gop-tax-bill-20171220-story.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Drink water at vets’ home linked to deaths? ‘Absolutely,’ Rauner says – Tina Sfondeles
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/drink-water-at-vets-home-linked-to-deaths-absolutely-rauner-says/
— Declining population knocks Illinois down to 6th-largest state – Rachel Hinton
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/declining-population-knocks-illinois-down-to-sixth-largest-state/
— Trump has scored a solid year of accomplishments. What now? – Byron York
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/trump-has-scored-a-solid-year-of-accomplishments-what-now/

DAILY HERALD
— Ives says she’s the real social conservative running for governor – Marni Pyke
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171220/ives-says-shes-the-real-social-conservative-running-for-governors
— How tax bill impacts homeowners, buyers and sellers – Kathy Orton
http://www.dailyherald.com/business/20171220/how-tax-bill-impacts-homeowners-buyers-and-sellers
— DuPage sheriff dispatch center supervisor faces misconduct charge – Justin Kmitch
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171220/dupage-sheriff-dispatch-center-supervisor-faces-misconduct-charge
— A sweeping tax plan whose promises face widespread doubts – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20171220/business/312209938/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— The GOP tax bill is good for you—buh-leeve me! – GREG HINZ
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171220/BLOGS02/171229981/the-gop-tax-bill-is-good-for-you-x2014-buh-leeve-me
— Somebody’s getting a pay raise from the tax bill. Probably not you. – STEPHEN GANDEL
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171219/NEWS02/171219872/somebodys-getting-a-pay-raise-from-the-tax-bill-probably-not-you
— Illinois’ population dips again—and now trails Pennsylvania – GREG HINZ
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171220/BLOGS02/171229989/illinois-population-dips-again-and-now-trails-pennsylvania

WLS AM
— Rauner sees pros and cons with tax reform bill – Bill Cameron
http://www.wlsam.com/2017/12/20/rauner-sees-pros-and-cons-with-tax-reform-bill/
— Kinzinger: Republicans handling of govt. shutdown threat “extremely frustrating.” – John Dempsey
http://www.wlsam.com/2017/12/20/gop-congressman-republicans-handling-of-govt-shutdown-threat-extremely-frustrating/

BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
— Illinois drops from 5th to 6th in population. What’s driving people out? – JOSEPH BUSTOS (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrats focus on driving out of Illinois people, organizations, and companies that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.bnd.com/news/local/article190772804.html

SOUTHERN
— Rauner says he’s been kicking HUD ‘in the pants’; HUD says try ‘kick-starting the Cairo economy’ instead – MOLLY PARKER
http://thesouthern.com/news/local/acha/rauner-says-he-s-been-kicking-hud-in-the-pants/article_b46c3ac1-20ad-59a7-90d1-921dc24e7fd3.html

ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
— It’s time to consolidate school districts – Scott Reeder
http://www.rrstar.com/opinion/20171220/my-view-its-time-to-consolidate-school-districts

STATELINE
— What the Tax Bill Means for Illinois Taxpayers Story includes calculator to see how you and your family is impacted – Scott Picken
http://www.mystateline.com/news/what-the-tax-bill-means-for-illinois-taxpayers/884695096

WAND
— Ives, challenging Rauner, campaigns in Coles County – Joe Astrouski
http://www.wandtv.com/story/37112873/ives-challenging-rauner-campaigns-in-coles-county

IVES FOR ILLINOIS
— Ives Outlines Benedict Rauner’s Top Ten Betrayals
http://mailchi.mp/2ebbd210a631/ives-outlines-benedict-rauners-betrayals?e=985ad8c00b

HEARTLAND INSTITUTE
— HUFFINGTON POST PREPARES TO SMEAR HEARTLAND AGAIN – Joseph Bast
https://www.heartland.org/news-opinion/news/huffington-post-prepares-to-smear-heartland-again

WILL COUNTY NEWS
— Ives Outlines Benedict Rauner’s Top Ten Betrayals – Steve Balich
http://willcountynews.com/2017/12/20/ives-outlines-benedict-rauners-top-ten-betrayals/

CHICAGO CITY WIRE
— As a high property tax state, Illinois is not attractive, CNN economist says – Glenn Minnis
https://chicagocitywire.com/stories/511298937-as-a-high-property-tax-state-illinois-is-not-attractive-cnn-economist-says

ILLINOIS LEAKS
— Gubernatorial Candidate Jeanne Ives interviewed by ECWd – KIRK ALLEN
http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2017/12/gubernatorial-candidate-jeanne-ives-interviewed-by-ecwd/

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— IVES RESPONDS: BENEDICT RAUNER’S 10 BETRAYALS IN 2017
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/ives-responds-.html

CAPITOL FAX
— Ives puts together her own top ten list
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/20/ives-puts-together-her-own-top-ten-list/
— Rauner dodges questions about veterans’ home problems
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/20/rauner-dodges-questions-about-veterans-home-problems/

GOPUSA
— Trump: A nation without borders is not a nation
http://www.gopusa.com/trump-a-nation-without-borders-is-not-a-nation/

WASHINGTON TIMES
— ‘Dreamers’ flock to Capitol to protest lack of action on amnesty – Stephen Dinan
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/20/dreamers-flock-capitol-protest-lack-action-amnesty/

DAILY CALLER
— Media Bias Against GOP Tax Bill Misleads The Public – Amber Athey
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/20/media-bias-against-gop-tax-bill-misleads-the-public-video/

BREITBART
— Pro-Life Coalition Warns: Obamacare ‘Stability’ Deal Without Hyde Amendment Will Force Taxpayers to Fund Abortion – DR. SUSAN BERRY
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/20/pro-life-coalition-warns-obamacare-stability-deal-without-hyde%E2%80%A8-amendment-will-force-taxpayers-to-fund-abortion/

BLAZE
— Catholic priest comes out as gay during his homily — and parishioners give him a standing ovation – Dave Urbanski (DIERSEN: How soon, if not already, will “religious leaders” send you straight to HELL if you do not promote LGBTQ activity?)
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/20/catholic-priest-comes-out-as-gay-during-his-homily-and-parishioners-give-him-a-standing-ovation
— Rosie O’Donnell offers $2 million each to GOP senators to vote against tax reform bill – Sarah Taylor (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois who claim to be conservative and/or Republican, but treat me like they have been offered lots of money, a new home, a new car, a sweetheart job, a sweetheart contract, favorable legislation, and/or lots more if they succeed in stopping me from putting out GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails.)
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/20/rosie-odonnell-offers-2-million-each-to-gop-senators-to-vote-against-tax-reform-bill

THE HILL
— Amnesty for the ‘best and brightest’ will still cost taxpayers – IRA MEHLMAN (DIERSEN: Are/were you one of the “best and brightest?” For federal employees, if you are White, male, and/or non-veteran, you are not one of the “best and brightest” unless you make GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
http://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/365847-amnesty-for-the-best-and-brightest-will-still-cost-taxpayers

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— Chants of protest drown out any caroling this holiday season at the Capitol – Lisa Mascaro (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, members of Group A make it clear that they want the federal government to get rid of members of Group B. Members of Group A are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and members of Group B are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-capitol-holiday-protests-20171219-story.html

December 20 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE WITH COLOR PHOTO: Rauner lays out how second term will be different, blames Emanuel for first-term failures – Rick Pearson and Bill Ruthhart
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-bruce-rauner-emanuel-sacks-madigan-20171219-story.html
— Rauner on messaging woes: ‘Very, very difficult’ to explain complex issues to 12.5 million people (DIERSEN: It would be great if Rauner would read GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. Reading GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails helps you keep up to date with Illinois government and political news and commentary that is put out by television stations, newspapers, radio stations, political organizations, activists, etc. GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails go out each and every morning and each and every evening; their format allows for quick reading, they contain no advertising, and they are free.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-bruce-rauner-messaging-20171220-story.html
— FRONT PAGE: Strategist Christopher Robling touted volunteer work for College of DuPage while chairwoman secretly paid his son’s tuition to Georgetown – Stacy St. Clair and Christy Gutowski
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/cod/ct-met-college-of-dupage-consultant-20171204-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: When former College of DuPage board Chairwoman Kathy Hamilton ordered the school to hire her political strategist as a special assistant to the president, she and the strategist repeatedly described him as a volunteer and promised he would donate his salary to charity. But here’s what they didn’t disclose: He was getting money all along. Newly filed court documents show Hamilton was secretly paying the college tuition of strategist Christopher Robling’s son while Robling was employed at the state’s largest community college — payment that experts say may run counter to the state’s ethics and election laws. The private payment became public as part of Hamilton’s divorce case in DuPage County, where she and her estranged husband, John, have been battling over a $45 million estate for more than a year, according to court records. The divorce case explains Hamilton’s departure from the college’s board of trustees for “personal reasons” just months after she became its chairwoman, and it also contains allegations she used marital assets to, among other things, help pay for Robling’s son to attend Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The exact amount wasn’t included in the court documents, but sources say she paid Georgetown about $20,000 between June 2015 and November 2015. During that six-month period Robling served as special assistant to then-college President Joseph Collins, earning and then donating roughly the same amount that Hamilton paid to Georgetown. This wasn’t an unusual arrangement for the Hamiltons, their divorce case shows. The couple paid one year of American University tuition for John Hamilton’s assistant’s daughter, according to records. Robling, who owns a strategic communications firm and serves as a political commentator on local television and radio, acknowledged the money paid to Georgetown during a recent deposition. “I am an alum of Georgetown and he happens to attend Georgetown and I’m very proud of that,” Robling said in the deposition. In portions of the deposition filed as part of the divorce case, Robling declined to say whether he paid taxes on the tuition paid to Georgetown or whether it was considered a gift. Though John Hamilton refers to Robling as his wife’s “paramour” in court filings, Robling declined to answer questions about his personal relationship with Kathy Hamilton during his deposition. Attorney Aldo Botti, who represents both Kathy Hamilton and Robling in the divorce proceedings, says the allegation is false and meant to embarrass Kathy Hamilton. Both Hamilton and Robling declined interview requests through Botti. “She’s a woman of integrity who’s going through a very difficult divorce and who is seeking her fair share of the marital estate,” Botti said. “She’s been through a lot.” One day after the Tribune asked Botti about Hamilton’s tuition arrangement with Robling, Hamilton petitioned the court to seal her divorce file. DuPage County Judge Neal Cerne refused the request, siding with the Tribune after it intervened and asked that the case remain open for public viewing. The divorce proceeding is scheduled to go to trial Wednesday. Before Robling worked for COD, Hamilton personally paid him $2,500 a month between August 2014 and June 2015 for crisis management and to protect her political image, according to Robling’s deposition.)
— The risk of speaking up – Alexandra Olson (DIERSEN: If I had never spoken out against political affiliation discrimination, against reverse discrimination, or against age discrimination, the federal government would have promoted me into its Senior Executive Service long before I was 40 years old in 1988 notwithstanding the fact that I am Republican, White, male, and non-veteran.)
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20171220/281865823832319

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Gov. Rauner wages war with … WBEZ? – Tina Sfondeles (DIERSEN: GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails are put together from a Republican perspective. That is why Democrats and Democrats, Libertarians and Libertarian plants, Greens and Green plants, and RINOs do not like them.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/gov-rauner-wages-war-on-wbez/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Gov. Bruce Rauner on Tuesday accused Chicago public radio station WBEZ of discontinuing an “Ask the Governor” segment with him because “it’s really more of a Democrat station” — a charge the station is adamantly denying. The remarks were made during a Chicago Tribune editorial board meeting. Columnist Eric Zorn tweeted that the governor complained to the board that WBEZ discontinued the segment for political reasons. “Some of the powers that be didn’t want me goin’ on there, it’s really more of a Democrat station,” the governor said, per Zorn’s tweet. That accusation didn’t gel well for the public radio station, which offers extensive local and national political coverage. “WBEZ and Governor Rauner’s team agreed that the ‘Ask the Governor’ segment would have a limited run and end by Labor Day, as it would not be fair to gubernatorial candidates of all parties to allow the governor an hour of airtime each month during the election campaign,” Goli Sheikholeslami, WBEZ’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “WBEZ is committed to providing voters with fair coverage of all candidates, and we look forward to having Governor Rauner join us for our upcoming GOP primary candidate forum in 2018.”)
— Chicago area households may likely lose under GOP tax plan – Lynn Sweet
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/sweet-chicago-area-households-may-likely-lose-under-gop-tax-plan/

DAILY HERALD
— Former DuPage sheriff’s supervisor being investigated in wake of firing – Justin Kmitch
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171219/former-dupage-sheriffs-supervisor-being-investigated-in-wake-of-firing
— GOP tax bill would usher in a bleak future – Fareed Zakaria
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171220/gop-tax-bill-would-usher-in-a-bleak-future
— Vernon Township harassment probe shows need for outsider’s credibility – Editorial
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171219/editorial-township-harassment-probe-shows-need-for-outsiders-credibility

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— ‘Implicit racial bias’ training is coming to your school, for better or worse – MARK GLENNON
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171220/OPINION/171229999
— GOP House hopeful Shah admits to taking improper tax breaks – GREG HINZ
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171219/BLOGS02/171219867/gop-house-hopeful-shah-got-tax-breaks-for-two-homes-at-the-same-time

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Rauner administration to appeal AFSCME step pay ruling – Doug Finke (DIERSEN: Have you gotten step increases? My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always been beyond furious that I got step increases and COLAs while I worked for the federal government. They have also always been beyond furious a) that the Post Office hired me in 1966 and let me work there for almost 3 years, b) that IRS hired me in 1971 and let me work there for almost 9 years, c) that IRS promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974, d) that GAO hired me in 1980 and let me work there for almost 18 years, and e) that GAO promoted me in 1986.)
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171219/rauner-administration-to-appeal-afscme-step-pay-ruling

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Request period open for voting by mail in Illinois Primary – Carol Vorel
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-12-20/request-period-open-voting-mail-illinois-primary.html

MADISON RECORD
— Local governments challenged by underfunded pension plans; Ives calls for amending constitution – Ann Maher
https://madisonrecord.com/stories/511301780-local-governments-challenged-by-underfunded-pension-plans-candidate-for-governor-calls-for-amending-constitution

JACKSONVILLE JOURNAL COURIER
— Ives makes campaign stop – Greg Olson
http://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/117249/ives-makes-campaign-stop

FOX NEWS ILLINOIS
— Representative Jeanne Ives hosts meet and greet in Jacksonville
http://foxillinois.com/news/local/representative-jeanne-ives-hosts-meet-and-greet-in-jacksonville

NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO
— Ives Wants State Pension Changes – BRIAN MACKEY
http://northernpublicradio.org/post/gubernatorial-challenger-wants-state-pension-changes

NPR ILLINOIS
— 3 Trump Judicial Nominees Withdraw, Raising Some Questions About Vetting – NINA TOTENBERG (DIERSEN: Who vettes Republican candidates in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois? Are they a) the officers of your township/ward Republican party organization, b) the officers of your Republican county party organization, c) your representative on the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) State Central Committee, d) the IRP offices, and/or e) those who have the most religious, government, political, and/or financial clout? Because Rauner dominates everything that is Republican in Illinois, one could paint Rauner as being responsible for vetting all Republican candidates in Illinois.)
http://nprillinois.org/post/three-trump-judicial-nominees-withdraw-raising-some-questions-about-vetting#stream/0

NEWS CHANNEL 20
— Representative Jeanne Ives hosts meet and greet in Jacksonville
http://newschannel20.com/news/local/representative-jeanne-ives-hosts-meet-and-greet-in-jacksonville-12-20-2017

WJBC
— Congressional candidate’s views shaped by his religious faith, sees tax bill as morally ‘awful’ – Howard Packowitz
http://www.wjbc.com/2017/12/20/congressional-candidates-views-shaped-by-his-religious-faith-sees-tax-bill-as-morally-awful/

OAK LAWN PATCH
— Dist. 218 Knew Employee Was An Alleged ‘Peeping Tom:’ LAWSUIT New lawsuit claims Dist. 218 had received earlier complaints about an employee being an alleged locker room peeper before his 2015 arrest. – Lorraine Swanson
https://patch.com/illinois/oaklawn/dist-218-knew-employee-was-alleged-peeping-tom-lawsuit

CHICAGO REPORTER
— Thousands of black students leave Chicago for other segregated districts – Kalyn Belsha (DIERSEN: Democrats run Illinois and they especially Cook County and Chicago. Democrats used to promote integration, but now they promote segregation.)
http://chicagoreporter.com/black-cps-student-migration/#new_tab

INJUSTICE WATCH
— Rauner appointee to Illinois board accused of racial slurs, ethics violations – Emily Hoerner and Jeanne Kuang
http://www.injusticewatch.org/news/2017/rauner-prisoner-review-board-ethics-racial-slur/

WIREPOINTS
— Chicago’s Pension And Debt Load Worse Than Puerto Rico’s, And A New Moody’s Report Zaps Chicago – Mark Glennon
http://www.wirepoints.com/chicagos-pension-and-debt-load-worse-than-puerto-ricos-and-a-new-moodys-report-zaps-chicago-wirepoints-original/
— Squeezed out, fed up: Property tax hikes from Wilmette to Danville threaten Illinois’ tax base – Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
http://www.wirepoints.com/squeezed-out-fed-up-more-property-tax-hikes-from-wilmette-to-danville-means-illinois-risks-losing-its-tax-base-wirepoints-original/

NORTH COOK NEWS
— Rauner loses big in Palatine straw poll – W.J. Kennedy (DIERSEN: In your township/ward and county, which candidates would win straw polls in the following races: a) Rauner/Sanguinetti v. Ives/Morthland and b) Harold v. Grasso? In DuPage County, which candidates would win straw polls in the following races: a) Diganvker v. Jhingan, b) Stella v. Vlakancic, c) Minor v. Grant v. Byrne v. Augustynowicz, d) Kinzler v. Orozco, e) Zito v. Khouri, f) Mendrick v. Bibbiano, g) Tornatore v. DeMichele v. Fichtner v. Gavanes, h) Hart v. Abbott v. Tully v. Broline, i) McGowen v. Almiron v. Eckhoff v. Zaruba v. Tatro v. Chinchilla, j) Wiley v. Zay v. McQuade, k) Russo v. MacKay, l) Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee candidates, m) etc.?)
https://northcooknews.com/stories/511301118-rauner-loses-big-in-palatine-straw-poll

DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— Wheaton Chamber of Commerce to honor members’ efforts at Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon – C. M. Schmidlkofer (DIERSEN: What do those who dominate your Chamber of Commerce think of you? Sadly, those who dominate the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce have an extremely low opinion a) of me, b) of my conservatism, c) of my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails, d) of my opposition to video gambling, and e) of what I do each year to promote Wheaton’s Independence Day parades. They blame me for their problems. They blame me for your problems. They blame me for my problems. They blame me for everyone’s problems. They blame me for the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce’s problems. They blame me for Wheaton’s problems. In 2011, they abolished the chamber’s Government Affairs Committee to get rid of me, the committee’s senior member.)
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511301116-wheaton-chamber-of-commerce-to-honor-members-efforts-at-volunteer-appreciation-luncheon

PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— Rauner’s “betrayal” could be costing him endorsements from Illinois congressmen – W.J. Kennedy
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511299891-rauner-s-betrayal-could-be-costing-him-endorsements-from-illinois-congressmen

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— STATE LAWMAKER PLANS TO INTRODUCE TOWNSHIP CONSOLIDATION BILL State Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, is working on the framework for a bill that would dramatically improve taxpayers’ ability to eliminate township governments, of which Illinois has about 1,400. – Joe Kaiser
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/state-lawmaker-plans-to-introduce-township-consolidation-bill/

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Views differ on importance of Cook County’s non-binding pot legalization question – Greg Bishop (DIERSEN: If you promote pot, you promote destruction.)
https://www.ilnews.org/news/statewide/views-differ-on-importance-of-cook-county-s-non-binding/article_f830ea08-e439-11e7-b113-6336b50453ca.html

ILLINOIS LEAKS
— Illinois Prisoner Review Board Member – Use of racial slur found in member records – JOHN KRAFT
http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2017/12/illinois-prisoner-review-board-member-use-of-racial-slur-found-in-member-records/

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF THE IRS (DIERSEN: IRS does what politicians tell it to do. If you do not like what IRS does, you should be mad at the politicians who tell IRS what to do. Did you vote for politicians who told IRS to do things that you do not like?)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/the-unbearable-weight-of-the-irs.html
— HOLLYWOOD WANTS YOUR MONEY…AND YOUR MIND
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/hollywood-wants-your-moneyand-your-mind.html

CAPITOL FAX
— Rauner: “We had the possibility of a transformation for the state with the crisis that we had”
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/20/rauner-we-had-the-possibility-of-a-transformation-for-the-state-with-the-crisis-that-we-had/
— Rauner now says his second term will be successful because the courts will let him bypass Madigan
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/20/rauner-now-says-his-second-term-will-be-successful-because-the-courts-will-let-him-bypass-madigan/

FOX NEWS
— Half of Americans Think Their Taxes Will Go Up Under GOP Plan, Poll Shows
http://insider.foxnews.com/2017/12/19/half-americans-think-their-taxes-will-go-under-gop-plan-poll-says

DAILY CALLER
— It’s Time For Jeff Sessions To Bring Hate Crime Charges Against Chicago’s Facebook Live Torture Suspects – William J. Kelly
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/19/its-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-bring-hate-crime-charges-against-chicagos-facebook-live-torture-suspects/

WESTERN FREE PRESS
— Immigration: E-Verify A Must For American Workers – JOHN WALKER
http://westernfreepress.com/2017/12/19/immigration-e-verify-a-must-for-american-workers/

LIFE SITE NEWS
— Dear Cosmopolitan: Your evil sexual advice is literally destroying countless women
https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/dear-cosmopolitan-your-evil-sexual-advice-is-literally-destroying-countless

CNN
— A fractured GOP unified to pass a landmark tax plan: Here’s how it came together – Phil Mattingly and Lauren Fox
http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/20/politics/republican-tax-bill-behind-the-scenes/index.html
— GOP borrows ‘Obamacare’ playbook to defend tax bill: You’ll like it once you see it – Stephen Collinson
http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/20/politics/republicans-tax-reform-democrats-obamacare/index.html

NEW YORK TIMES
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH THREE BIG COLOR PICTURES: How Tough Is It to Change a Culture of Harassment? Ask Women at Ford Decades after the company tried to tackle sexual misconduct at two Chicago plants, continued abuse raises questions about the possibility of change. – SUSAN CHIRA and CATRIN EINHORN
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/19/us/ford-chicago-sexual-harassment.html

WASHINGTON POST
— With this tax bill, the GOP has finally killed family-friendly conservatism – Jonathan Coppage
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2017/12/20/with-this-tax-bill-the-gop-has-finally-killed-family-friendly-conservatism/
— Federal agency reports show ‘continuum of harm’ from workplace sexual misconduct – Joe Davidson (DIERSEN: I saw no sexual misconduct while I worked for the Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997. What I did see was that my Democrat superiors and supervisors always gave preference to their employees who were Democrat, and especially to their employees who were female, minority, and/or younger, that is, I saw that they discriminated against their employees who were Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/12/20/federal-agency-reports-show-continuum-of-harm-from-workplace-sexual-misconduct/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— What the Tax Bill Does to Homeowners The Republican tax-code overhaul would reduce or eliminate some of the benefits of homeownership that Americans have come to expect. – Christina Rexrode (DIERSEN: Government should encourage homeownership. I have been a homeowner since I was 24 years old in 1972, and my wife and I have been homeowners since we got married in 1978. Government should encourage homeownership.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-the-tax-bill-does-to-homeowners-1513737287
— Tax Reform Means Your Paycheck Will Grow – Paul Ryan (DIERSEN: What do growing paychecks mean for you? Growing paychecks mean nothing for me because the last time I got a paycheck was in 1997 when I was 49 years old. My $50,856/year Civil Service Retirement System pension is only 41% of what my $122,991 GAO salary was in 1997 in today’s dollars.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/tax-reform-means-your-paycheck-will-grow-1513728131
— Republican Tax Bill Has Grown More Unpopular, Poll Shows Overall, 41% of Americans in the survey said the tax plan was a bad idea, up from 35% in October. – Janet Hook
https://www.wsj.com/articles/republican-tax-bill-has-grown-more-unpopular-poll-shows-1513720886
— Sexual-Harassment Training Gets a Revamp – Sue Shellenbarger (DIERSEN: Employees who take such training will be even more anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/sexual-harassment-training-gets-a-revamp-1513696545

MOTLEY FOOL
— Why You’ll Need More Retirement Savings Than You Think (and What to Do About it) If retirement savings will be your main source of retirement income, you’ll need to have way more than the typical saver manages. – Wendy Connick (DIERSEN: Where you live in retirement is extremely important. If you live in DuPage County, the cost of living is very high.)
https://www.fool.com/retirement/2017/12/20/why-youll-need-more-retirement-savings-than-you-th.aspx

December 19 Evening Edition

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— How Illinois lawmakers voted on House tax bill. But there is a snag. – Lynn Sweet
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/how-illinois-lawmakers-and-others-voted-on-house-tax-bill/

DAILY HERALD
— Aurora Election Commission could be on chopping block in March vote – Susan Sarkauskas
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171219/aurora-election-commission-could-be-on-chopping-block-in-march-vote

ABC7
— Senate expected to pass massive tax reform bill after hiccup – AP
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/senate-expected-to-pass-massive-tax-reform-bill-after-hiccup/2799415/
— Mauled by dogs: Sheriff offers gruesome details about death of woman killed by her own pets – CNN
http://abc7chicago.com/mauled-by-dogs-sheriff-offers-gruesome-details-about-death-of-woman-killed-by-her-own-pets/2799855/

NBC5
— House Needs to Vote Again on $1.5T GOP Tax Bill Democrats called the bill a giveaway to corporations and the wealthy – Stephen Ohlemacher and Marcy Gordon
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/GOP-Roll-Trillion-Final-Tax-Bill-House-Senate-465150303.html

CBS2
— Palatine Township Board Delays Vote On Hiring Parliamentarian – Craig Dellimore
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/19/palatine-township-parliamentarian/

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— GOP on the verge of huge tax overhaul — with one hiccup – AP
http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/congress-tax-vote

WLS AM
— Ives out with a rescue plan for state’s pension problem – Bill Cameron
http://www.wlsam.com/2017/12/19/ives-out-with-a-rescue-plan-for-states-pension-problem/
— Chicago area Congressmen on WLS to debate tax bill – John Dempsey
http://www.wlsam.com/2017/12/19/chicago-area-congressmen-on-wls-to-debate-tax-bill/

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Rauner says nobody will buy plant that state helped sell – Bernard Schoenburg
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171219/schoenburg-rauner-says-nobody-will-buy-plant-that-state-helped-sell

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— Teen arrested trying bring pot into Peoria County courthouse – Phil Luciano
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20171218/teen-arrested-trying-bring-pot-into-peoria-county-courthouse

TIMES
— High school journalists should not be censored – Liza Buhr
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/youth/buhr-high-school-journalists-should-not-be-censored/article_89269742-8887-51ee-a00d-7ef52119ebec.html

WSIL TV
— Political expert weighs in on “Rauner’s Top 10 Accomplishments” – Roni LeForge
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/37104258/political-expert-weighs-in-on-rauners-top-10-accomplishments

SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS NEWS
— Bailey sees flight from Illinois as another Rauner failure – Glenn Minnis
https://seillinoisnews.com/stories/511300724-bailey-sees-flight-from-illinois-as-another-rauner-failure

DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— Straub notes Durkin role in aiding taxpayer flight from state – Glenn Minnis
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511301030-straub-notes-durkin-role-in-aiding-taxpayer-flight-from-state

REAL GOP ILLINOIS
— Shades of Rauner’s nursing home scandal in Quincy veterans death case
https://realgopillinois.com/2017/12/18/shades-rauners-nursing-scandal-quincy-veterans-home-case/

ILLINOIS LEAKS
— Ives for Governor “Meet and Greet” – Coles County – December 20, 2017 – KIRK ALLEN
http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2017/12/ives-for-governor-meet-and-greet-coles-county-december-20-2017/
— John Clough, Illinois Prisoner Review Board Member Electioneering with State Vehicle – JOHN KRAFT
http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2017/12/john-clough-illinois-prisoner-review-board-member-electioneering-with-state-vehicle/

CAPITOL FAX
— Rauner claims WBEZ canceled monthly show for political reasons
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/19/rauner-claims-wbez-canceled-monthly-show-for-political-reasons/
— ILGOP weighs in against Straub *** Oppo dump!
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/19/oppo-dump-10/
— Ives proposes pension changes
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/19/ives-proposes-pension-changes/
— Rauner touts his top 10 accomplishments
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/19/rauner-touts-his-top-10-accomplishments/
— The most negative campaign ever
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/19/the-most-negative-campaign-ever/
— Rauner talks up contributions to pro-life candidates while campaign highlights Dems’ worst moments of 2017
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/19/rauner-talks-up-contributions-to-pro-life-candidates-while-campaign-highlights-dems-worst-moments-of-2017/

CNS NEWS
— Rep. Roskam: ‘Low Expectations’ on Tax Plan Will Work in Republicans’ Favor – Susan Jones
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/rep-roskam-low-expectations-tax-plan-will-work-republicans-favor

LIFE NEWS
— Illinois Gov Bruce Rauner: Pro-Life People Should Vote for Me Even Though I Forced Them to Fund Abortions – MICAIAH BILGER
http://www.lifenews.com/2017/12/19/illinois-gov-bruce-rauner-pro-life-people-should-vote-for-me-even-though-i-forced-them-to-fund-abortions/

GOPUSA
— University of Virginia stonewalls conservative club for restricting membership to conservatives (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those in Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois who claim to be conservative and/or Republican, but a) who do lots of anti-conservative and/or anti-Republican things and/or b) focus on destroying those who are conservative and/or Republican. They really are Democrat plants, Libertarian plants, Green plants, or RINOs. Most commonly, they reject the traditional family, right to life, immigration, illegal drugs, Second Amendment, and equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. Most commonly, they promote LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, age discrimination, political affiliation discrimination, and patronage.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=35538

WASHINGTON POST
— Trump cheers on a stock market he once called a ‘big, fat, ugly bubble’ – Michael Scherer and Jenna Johnson
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-cheers-on-a-stock-market-he-once-called-a-big-fat-ugly-bubble/2017/12/19/811cce82-e4de-11e7-833f-155031558ff4_story.html

NEW REPUBLIC
— The Democrats’ Risky Pursuit of Suburban Republicans The strategy threatens to alienate the party’s base in the age of Trump. – JEET HEER
https://newrepublic.com/article/146345/democrats-risky-pursuit-suburban-republicans

December 19 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— What you need to know about Rauner’s ‘Top 10’ accomplishments list (DIERSEN: What will your top 10 accomplishments list for 2017 include? Mine will include putting together and sending out a GOPUSA ILLINOIS email each and every morning and each and every evening.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-top-10-20171219-story.html
— Twitter suspends white nationalists as it enforces new rules – AP (DIERSEN: How soon will Twitter suspend the following groups: Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time?)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-bc-us–twitter-abuse-enforcement-20171218-story.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Jump into the fight, Illinois, to keep the internet free and open to all Americans – Editorial (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents do not want the internet or any other form of communication to be “free and open to all Americans.” My critics/opponents are moral relativists who believe that their end justifies their means. They want to manipulate/dominate all forms of communication including GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. They focus on destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/editorial-jump-into-the-fight-illinois-to-keep-the-internet-free/

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: With deduction changes, should you pay next property taxes now? – Jake Griffin
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171218/with-deduction-changes-should-you-pay-next-property-taxes-now
— We’re intrigued by Ives’ unit district proposal – Editorial
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171219/editorial-were-intrigued-by-ives-unit-district-proposal
— ‘Simplified’ tax reform has plenty to offer ‘regulatory parasites’ – Catherine Rampell
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171219/simplified-tax-reform-has-plenty-to-offer-regulatory-parasites
— St. Charles wants to require massage employees to report sexual misconduct – James Fuller
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171219/st-charles-wants-to-require-massage-employees-to-report-sexual-misconduct

WGN TV
— Twitter suspends white nationalists as it enforces new rules on ‘hateful’ content (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes want everything that they cannot manipulate/dominate to be shut down.)
http://wgntv.com/2017/12/18/twitter-suspends-white-nationalists-as-it-enforces-new-rules-on-hateful-content/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Tobacco mogul stokes Raoul’s bid for Illinois AG – GREG HINZ
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171219/BLOGS02/171219876

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Illinois lawmakers fear low Medicaid-provider rates could doom plan – AP
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171218/illinois-lawmakers-fear-low-medicaid-provider-rates-could-doom-plan

ALTON RECORD
— Illinois Republicans Ready To Pass Tax Reform – Greg Bishop
http://altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=257096#.Wjj1c4zR-M8

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Public opposition to tax bill grows as vote approaches 55% now oppose GOP tax bill – JENNIFER AGIESTA
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/public-opposition-to-tax-bill-grows-as-vote-approaches/883480025
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Two-thirds see the bill as doing more to benefit the wealthy than the middle class (66%, vs. 27% who say it’ll do more to benefit the middle class) and almost four in 10 (37%) say that if the bill becomes law, their own family will be worse off. That’s grown five points since early November. Just 21% say they’ll be better off if the bill becomes law. President Donald Trump, the bill’s salesperson-in-chief, lands at an overall 35% approval rating in this poll, his worst mark yet in CNN polling by one point. Trump’s approval ratings continue to be the lowest for any modern president at this point in his presidency. As of December of their first year in office, all first-time elected presidents back to Eisenhower have approval ratings of 49% or higher except for Trump. More than six in 10 (63%) see the tax bill as leaving the President and his family better off. Just 5% think it harms the Trump clan. And disapproval of the President’s handling of taxes has risen six points in the last month, to 57%. Almost three-quarters, 73%, say the President should release his tax returns for public review, about the same share that said so as his inauguration approached in January.)

OSWEGO PATCH
— Oswego GOP County Leader Takes On Kinzinger Oswego Republican James Marter is running in the primaries against a three-term incumbent from the 16th congressional district. – Caitlin Ketel
https://patch.com/illinois/oswego/oswego-gop-county-leader-takes-kinzinger

CHICAGO CITY WIRE
— Ives says Illinois taxpayer flight a result of Rauner’s broken promises – Glenn Minnis (DIERSEN: Who wants those who share your demographics to leave your precinct, your municipality, your township/ward, your county, and Illinois? I should write a book about “leaders” who have lots of religious, government, political, and/or financial clout in Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Milton Township, DuPage County, and in Illinois who want those who share my demographics to leave. These “leaders” are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and/or they a) reject planks in the Republican Party platform and/or the Illinois Republican Party platform and work against those like me who support those planks, b) reject the Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling and work against those like me who support that resolution, c) focus on destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate, d) were defendants in lawsuits that I have filed, and/or e) are operatives or dupes for the aforesaid. If they do not want you to leave, it means that they are manipulating you or dominating you.)
https://chicagocitywire.com/stories/511298809-ives-says-illinois-taxpayer-flight-a-result-of-rauner-s-broken-promises

PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— GOP lawmakers heading to court to block bill that funds abortions – Caitlin Nordahl
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511296455-gop-lawmakers-heading-to-court-to-block-bill-that-funds-abortions

ILLINOIS CHRONICLE
— Rauner echoes Trump complaining about “fake news”
https://theillinoischronicle.com/chronicle-rauner-echoes-trump-complaining-about-fake-news/

ILLINOIS FAMILY INSTITUTE
— Women in America: Once Protected and Honored, Now Objectified – Tami Jackson
https://illinoisfamily.org/marriage/women-america-protected-honored-now-objectified/

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Senate Republicans deny buying votes for tax bill – David Sherfinski
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/18/senate-republicans-deny-buying-votes-for-tax-bill/

BREITBART
— Trump: ‘We Cannot Secure Our Nation If We Do Not Secure Our Borders’ – PAM KEY
http://www.breitbart.com/video/2017/12/18/trump-cannot-secure-nation-not-secure-borders/
— Illegal Aliens Arrested in Push for Christmas Amnesty – PENNY STARR
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/18/illegal-aliens-continue-push-amnesty-spending-bill-despite-cost-americans/

BLAZE
— Facebook admitted the site is bad for your mental health. Here’s what they recommend. – Aaron Colen (DIERSEN: Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes a) want you to know only what they want you to know and b) have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that reading GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails is bad for your health.)
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/18/facebook-admitted-the-site-is-bad-for-your-mental-health-heres-what-they-recommend

POLITICO
— Tax bill whacks liberal big cities ‘This is the screw-New Jersey bill,’ the mayor of Piscataway said. – AARON LORENZO
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/19/cities-republican-tax-bill-304123

NEW YORK TIMES
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Have You Ever Felt Sorry for the I.R.S.? Now Might Be the Time – Patricia Cohen (DIERSEN: How much do you know about IRS? I know a lot about IRS because I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $79,563-$90,173 and I worked for GAO on audits of IRS for 3 years at the GS-13 Step 1-3 levels, currently $94,610-$100,917. However, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always viciously demonized, denigrated, condemned, and wasted my knowledge of IRS. I should write a book about my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/18/business/irs-tax-bill.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: After years of upbraiding and even threatening to abolish the Internal Revenue Service, Republicans must now depend on the agency to carry out their signature legislative accomplishment: a comprehensive revision of the tax code. The task is monumental. While processing tens of millions of tax returns for 2017 under the current rules, the I.R.S. would also have to figure out how to interpret and explain a new system and put it into practice. “Beware,” said John A. Koskinen, who retired last month as I.R.S. commissioner. “If the budget keeps being cut and the agency keeps being given more things to do, the I.R.S. is simply not going to work.” Either the information technology will fail, forcing the filing and refund systems to collapse, he warned, or enforcement and audits will become so scarce that fewer people will be inclined to pay the taxes they owe. The House and Senate were expected to vote on the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul as soon as Tuesday. Vice President Mike Pence planned to preside over the vote and, if needed, break a tie and pass the bill.)
— Tax Cuts Benefit the Ultra Rich, but Not the Merely Rich – Andrew Ross Sorkin
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/18/business/dealbook/tax-bill-wealthy.html
— Republican Tax Cuts Would Lift Some Industries More Than Others – Jim Tankersley and Ben Casselman
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/18/us/politics/republican-tax-cuts-industries-.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Evanston, Illinois: Teacher Segregation ‘Staff that identifies as individuals of color will meet in Room 226.’
https://www.wsj.com/articles/notable-quotable-teacher-segregation-1513538452
— The Google-Facebook Duopoly Threatens Diversity of Thought A political website pulled an article after Google’s AdSense team threatened to withdraw advertising. – Mark Epstein (DIERSEN: He who pays the piper calls the tunes. Since 2000, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have been beyond furious that I have enough time and money that I do not have to ask any individual, any organization, any company, any government, or any country to give me money to put out GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-google-facebook-duopoly-threatens-diversity-of-thought-1513642519
— Middle Class to Get 23% of Tax Cuts for Individuals Under GOP Bill Benefits mostly peter out after a decade, joint committee on taxation finds – Siobhan Hughes and Shayndi Raice
https://www.wsj.com/articles/middle-class-to-get-23-of-tax-cuts-for-individuals-under-gop-bill-1513644268
— Higher Education Bill Could Heat Up Competition for Adult Students Focus on shorter programs, competency-based offerings is seen providing more options for older students – Melissa Korn and Douglas Belkin (DIERSEN: I was 23 when I started taking graduate business courses at Loyola. I was 27 when I started taking graduate accounting courses at DePaul. I was 43 when I started taking graduate finance courses at IIT. Because I took only one course at a time, it took me 4 years to graduate from Loyola, 4 years to graduate from DePaul, and 5 years to graduate from IIT.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/higher-education-bill-could-heat-up-competition-foradultstudents-1513598400

BLOOMBERG
— Trump Asks ‘How’s Your 401(k)?’ But Most Voters Don’t Have One New campaign slogan celebrates growth of stock market Only 45 percent of private-sector workers have 401(k) plans – Toluse Olorunnipa (DIERSEN: To be able to save for your retirement, you have to qualify yourself for better paying jobs. What have you done to qualify yourself for better paying jobs? I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32.)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-19/trump-asks-how-s-your-401-k-but-most-voters-don-t-have-one
(FROM THE ARTICLE: President Donald Trump is trying out a new campaign slogan: “How’s your 401(k) doing?” The answer for more than half of Americans is that they don’t have one. Trump has tested out the line this month at a fundraiser, a campaign rally and in a White House meeting, predicting that the rising U.S. stock market will help him win re-election. But only about 45 percent of private-sector workers participate in any employer-sponsored retirement plan, and the lower-income workers in Trump’s political base are the least likely to hold money in such an account, according to the Government Accountability Office. Trump mentions the stock market almost daily in tweets or public remarks, taking direct credit for record highs by the Dow Jones Industrial Average and other indexes. But only about 14 percent of U.S. families directly own stocks, an asset class dominated by the country’s top earners, according to the Federal Reserve. Meanwhile, the president has also rolled back efforts to expand retirement savings options to more middle-class and low-income workers. For a president propelled into office in no small part by resentment that a broad swath of the country has been left behind while an entrenched establishment prospers, continual references to the stock market and 401(k) accounts risk alienating his supporters, said Austan Goolsbee, a former chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama. How America’s Inequality Machine Is Firing the Dow Into Orbit “As a political slogan, ‘how is your 401(k) doing?’ suggests he’s most interested in the one-third of people who have a 401(k),” said Goolsbee, who teaches economics at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. “The more you highlight how great that group of financial winners is doing, you at least run the risk of angering and irritating the very people who revolted against what they perceived as the financial and political elites in the first place.” White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said Trump’s statements reflect “a strong economy” that is “good news for everyone.” “For the Americans that don’t have the opportunity to invest in a 401(k) plan or who choose not to, the Trump agenda of lower taxes, higher wages, and better jobs allows them to save more on their own, and potentially have a better chance of finding a job in the future that provides those benefits,” Walters added in an emailed statement. . .‘Privileged Few’ “And, by the way, how are your 401(k)s doing?” Trump said during a Dec. 8 rally in Pensacola, Florida, where median household income is about $46,000. “ Not too bad, right?” The line was met with light applause. “I’m not sure he understands that only a fraction of the population has 401(k)s,” said Alicia Munnell, director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. “So he just may not realize that he’s speaking to the privileged few.” Only a third of people contribute anything to their retirement accounts, according to a Census study released this year. Among workers in the bottom half of the income scale, less than 25 percent participate in a retirement program, according to the GAO.)

USA TODAY
— Minimum wage hikes: 18 states, 20 cities to lift pay floors Jan. 1 – Paul Davidson
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/12/19/minimum-wage-hikes-18-states-20-cities-lift-pay-floors-jan-1/961213001/

FEDERAL NEWS RADIO
— 6 things agencies did to improve employee engagement this year – Nicole Ogrysko (DIERSEN: QUESTION: What demonstrates employee engagement? ANSWER: Earning job-related college degrees, professional certifications, and professional licenses. I worked for the Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997. I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32. However, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates in the federal government always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that the undergraduate and graduate courses that I took a) were not job-related, b) did not help me carry out my job duties, c) were taken by me to get a job in the private sector, and d) were a distraction. To keep their jobs and to get promoted, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates in the federal government focused on getting rid of federal employees who were Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.)
https://federalnewsradio.com/workforce/2017/12/6-things-agencies-did-to-improve-employee-engagement-this-year/

December 18 Evening Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Rauner reminds abortion foes he’s got deep pockets to help them – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-bruce-rauner-abortion-campaign-contributions-20171218-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Facing a primary challenge amid Republican unrest over his expansion of taxpayer-funded abortions, Gov. Bruce Rauner is offering a new answer to why abortion opponents should support him: Look at what his wallet has done. “I am the strongest supporter of candidates for office who are pro-life. Nobody has worked harder to elect pro-life Republicans than I have and I remind everybody of that. I have fought hard,” Rauner said Friday on WJPF 1340-AM in Herrin when asked what he was telling angry social conservatives. “I supported Bill Brady when he ran. I’m supporting Erika Harold,” the governor said of the unsuccessful 2010 GOP candidate for governor and current Republican contender for attorney general, respectively. “I’m supporting legislators who are pro-life. I am a strong ally and strong supporter for pro-life candidates.” During his interview with the radio station, which bills itself as “The Voice of Southern Illinois,” Rauner did not explain his reasons for signing the legislation or his personal values in support of abortion rights — a motivating factor behind the Republican primary challenge he now faces from state Rep. Jeanne Ives of Wheaton. When Rauner signed the controversial abortion measure in September, he acknowledged he had “voted for and supported public officials and public servants who are pro-life.” But the governor also said by signing the measure, he was “being true to my values and my views. I have always been true to those.” David Yepsen, the former director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, said he doubts Rauner’s latest explanation will satisfy social conservatives — particularly Downstate. “I don’t think this is going to wash with pro-life Republicans. Rauner’s just coming off as being all over the map on this, trying to have it both ways and it’s already earned him a primary. He needs to come up with a better answer,” Yepsen said. To be sure, Rauner, a wealthy former private equity investor, has a history of giving to Republican candidates who oppose abortion rights, including Mitt Romney, Jon Huntsman and Tim Pawlenty in the 2012 battle for the GOP presidential nomination. But Rauner also has given money to GOP candidates who support abortion rights, including Carl DeMaio of San Deigo, a gay Republican who unsuccessfully ran for Congress, and, closer to home, former U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk and former North Shore congressman Robert Dold. Previously, Rauner contributed to Democratic candidates and causes backing abortion rights, including the Democratic National Committee in 2000 and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2003. In 2001, Rauner gave to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s congressional fund, and then-Montana Sen. Max Baucus. The governor and wife Diana Rauner also were listed as $50,000 sponsors of a Planned Parenthood Illinois fundraiser in April. At the time, Gov. Rauner had vowed to veto the abortion-expansion legislation. State Rep. David McSweeney, a frequent critic of Rauner who has endorsed Ives for governor, said that in the southern Illinois interview, it sounded to an uninformed listener that Rauner was opposed to abortion rights. “He happened to be on a very popular southern Illinois radio station and of course down there he told everybody he’s pro-life. That’s what you would actually think if you didn’t know the real story,” said McSweeney, a Barrington Hills Republican. “It’s another example of him going into different places and saying different things. Do you think he would ever say that to a Planned Parenthood meeting?” McSweeney asked. The lawmaker also said it’s another sign that for Rauner, “the issue is that it’s all about the money again.” Rauner pumped millions of dollars into GOP legislative campaigns last year, in part earning the allegiance of rank-and-file Republican lawmakers until earlier this year. Ives’ campaign did not respond to a request for comment Monday.)
— Will Rauner’s re-election campaign be, ‘Negative, negative, negative, negative?’ – Kim Janssen
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chicagoinc/ct-met-miller-rauner-1219-chicago-inc-20171218-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Gov. Bruce Rauner touted his top 10 accomplishments of 2017 in a news release Monday. But not everyone was buying the spin. Veteran Springfield journalist and Capitol Fax Publisher Rich Miller brought down the house at a City Club of Chicago downtown where he was asked by an audience member how Rauner can win re-election in 2018. “In a wave like this, he’s not going to win by touting his accomplishments,” Miller said to widespread laughter in a packed room of business and civic leaders that it’s fair to say tilted heavily Democratic. “He has to run the most negative campaign anyone in this room has ever seen, period. He has to drive down the black turnout, the woman turnout, Latino turnout, young people turnout — he’s got to drive them all down,” he said of discouraging voters most likely to cast a ballot for the Democrat running against Rauner. “The only way to do that — the only way to do that — is to be unbelievably negative, so negative that you just gasp at the TV ads.” Short of Twitter going out of business and “solving a lot of Republican problems” by silencing President Donald Trump’s social media output, “that’s what (Rauner) has to do,” Miller said, citing the higher than expected black voter turnout in Alabama’s recent special election as evidence of an energized Democratic base. “Negative, negative, negative, negative … what Rod (Blagojevich) did to Judy (Baar Topinka) times 50,” Miller said, referring to the expensive 2006 campaign ads in which Blagojevich painted the late Topinka as irresponsible by repeating the phrase “What’s she thinking?” over and over again. Rauner’s office didn’t respond to Miller’s comments. For the record, the list of Rauner accomplishments it was touting included passing education funding, the scholarship tax credit program, the Clean Energy Jobs Act, pushing EDGE tax credits, the state’s opioid task force, vetoing a “Madigan Tax Hike” and “ethical government and fighting corruption.”)
— No more valedictorian, class ranks at Kankakee High School – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-bc-il–class-rankings-kankakee-20171217-story.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Education funding, Amazon touted in Rauner’s top 10 ‘accomplishments’ – Tina Sfondeles
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/education-funding-amazon-touted-in-rauners-top-10-accomplishments/

DAILY HERALD
— DISGUSTING: Why Prospect Heights wagered $500,000 on a sports bar – Chacour Koop
http://www.dailyherald.com/business/20171218/why-prospect-heights-wagered-500000-on-a-sports-bar
— Heroin found near Elmhurst middle school
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171218/heroin-found-near-elmhurst-middle-school

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— How City Colleges manipulated graduation rates and won a national award – BGA
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171218/NEWS02/171219913#utm_medium=email&utm_source=ccb-morning10&utm_campaign=ccb-morning10-20171218

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Eat, drink and be merry? – Editorial
http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2017-12-18/eat-drink-and-be-merry.html

WTAX
— Rich Miller is on the loose
http://wtax.com/news/101101-rich-miller-is-on-the-loose/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The people following state politics and government the closest read the Capitol Fax web site, and the people at the City Club heard from the man behind that one-man operation Monday. Rich Miller knows not to make predictions, but he has seen enough Illinois government and politics to say this: “(Gov. Bruce) Rauner or whomever the Democrat is will be left with another mess,” Miller said before raising his voice. “We really suck at this governing thing in Illinois!” And in the Republican primary, where’s the money? “We don’t know yet where (Republican uberdonor) Richard Uihlein is going to stand on this,” Miller said. “You pretty much can’t take any more money from him now, because (as a donor to (the U.S. Senate campaign of Alabama’s Roy Moore) he’s kind of tainted. He put a lot of money behind an alleged pedophile.” Miller, whose annual holiday address to the City Club is also a toy drive for Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, says so far Gov. Rauner is ignoring his March 20 challenger, State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton).)

REPUBLICAN NEWS WATCH
— Rahm Emanuel’s jealousy of President Trump is killing Chicago, literally – DOUG IBENDAHL
http://republicannewswatch.com/wp/?p=14401

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Jeannie Ives Plays to Those Who Don’t Know How Salary Costs Would Increase If Dual Districts Became Unit Districts
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2017/12/18/jeannie-ives-plays-to-those-who-dont-know-how-salary-costs-would-increase-if-dual-districts-became-unit-districts/

WILL COUNTY GAZETTE
— Straub accuses Durkin of creating fake groups and using GOP to spread lies – Glenn Minnis
https://willcountygazette.com/stories/511299048-straub-accuses-durkin-of-creating-fake-groups-and-using-gop-to-spread-lies

ROCK ISLAND TODAY
— Mercer County GOP hopes to flip two courthouse positions, fill board seats, vice chair says
https://rockislandtoday.com/stories/511296626-mercer-county-gop-taking-aim-at-capturing-two-county-posts

LAKE COUNTY GAZETTE
— McSweeney backing Ives in bid to unseat ‘failed governor’ – Robert Hadley
https://lakecountygazette.com/stories/511286623-mcsweeney-backing-ives-in-bid-to-unseat-failed-governor

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— RAUNER BOASTS HIS TOP 10 BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2017
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/rauner-boasts-his-top-10-biggest-accomplishments-in-2017-.html
— REPUBLICANS NEED A BETTER SALES PITCH FOR TAX REFORM
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/republicans-need-a-better-sales-pitch-for-tax-reform.html
— TRUMP NEEDS HIS OWN PEOPLE RUNNING FEDERAL BUREAUCRACIES
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/trump-needs-his-own-people-running-federal-bureaucracies.html

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Chicago Bears co-owner Patrick McCaskey to speak at March for Life – Bradford Richardson
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/18/chicago-bears-co-owner-speak-march-for-life/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The co-owner of the NFL’s Chicago Bears will address tens of thousands of pro-life advocates at the March for Life in Chicago next month. Patrick McCaskey, grandson of legendary Bears founder George Halas, is one of several high-profile speakers slated to address what is expected to be the largest pro-life rally ever held in the Midwest. Other speakers include U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, Illinois Republican, former Planned Parenthood director Ramona Trevino and Sarah Storto, vice president of Loyola Students for Life. Dawn Fitzpatrick, president of the March for Life Chicago board of directors, called on “religious, civic and community leaders to renew every effort to build a nation and culture dedicated to protecting life at every stage and eliminating the violence of abortion.” “Thousands of individuals and groups will come together on January 14 to proclaim that our women, men, children and families deserve better than abortion,” Ms. Fitzpatrick said in a statement.)

BREITBART
— WSJ: The Tax Cuts Will Grow the Economy by Much More than Expected – JOHN CARNEY
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/18/wsj-the-tax-cuts-will-grow-the-economy-by-much-more-than-expected/
— American Economic Optimism Soars, Breaks CNBC Survey Record – JOHN CARNEY
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/18/american-economic-optimism-soars-breaks-cnbc-survey-record/

DAILY CALLER
— Democrats’ Favored DACA Amnesty Bill Would Cost $26 Billion – Will Racke
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/18/democrats-favored-daca-amnesty-bill-would-cost-26-billion/
— Flawed Heritage Report On Refugee Resettlement Misses The Mark – Jim Simpson
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/17/analysis-flawed-heritage-report-on-refugee-resettlement-misses-the-mark/

TOWNHALL
— Left Eats Left: Progressives Go After One of Few Remaining Moderate Democrats (Lipinski) – Leah Barkoukis
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2017/12/18/dems-go-after-their-own-rep-dan-lipinski-n2424128

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— John Skipper Resigns as ESPN President, Citing Substance Addiction Former president George Bodenheimer will oversee transition at sports network over 90 days – Joe Flint
http://www.wsj.com/articles/john-skipper-resigns-as-espn-president-citing-substance-addiction-1513615590

December 18 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Mendoza says Rauner can’t take criticism ‘from a 5-foot-3 woman from Chicago’ – Rick Pearson)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-susana-mendoza-20171219-story.html
— Lake Forest city manager: Nearly $200K spent lobbying without council OK – Daniel I. Dorfman
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-forest/news/ct-lfr-city-manager-lobbying-money-tl-1221-20171215-story.html
— The balance challenge Diversity helps the workplace, but many companies still aren’t making it happen – Rhett Power (DIERSEN: Rhett Power should write a book about the success that Democrats had during the 1980s and 1990s in promoting diversity at GAO, that is, the success that they had in wasting the careers of and getting rid of GAO’s employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who they had not promoted to GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20171218/281822874154835

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Doug Jones: Trump shouldn’t resign over misconduct allegations – AP
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/doug-jones-trump-shouldnt-resign-over-misconduct-allegations/

DAILY HERALD
— Don’t move backward on marijuana policy – Dr. Aaron Weiner, clinical psychologist and director of addiction services at Linden Oaks Behavioral Health in Naperville.
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171218/dont-move-backward-on-marijuana-policy
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Recently, two of our state legislators announced they would push for marijuana legalization as a solution to the state’s fiscal crisis when they return to Springfield in January. While quick to tout the potential for increased tax revenue, these politicians are ignoring the long-term, well-documented costs increased marijuana use would bring to our communities. As the director of an addiction service line and clinical psychologist with firsthand experience treating addiction, I know the public health consequences of promoting the sale of another addictive drug in Illinois will far outweigh any temporary benefit. Marijuana policies deserve a robust and informed debate, but that discussion should be driven by science and facts, not the motives of for-profit special interest groups (read: addiction profiteers) lobbying our elected officials. And when it comes to the negative health implications of marijuana use, the science is crystal clear. According to the CDC, one in 10 adults will develop an addiction when using marijuana regularly, and new research has even indicated that one in every three current marijuana users has a diagnosable marijuana use disorder. This is something I see in my clinics often. I treat patients suffering from marijuana addiction — a problem that, according to both my own experiences and published research, undermines my patients’ ability to complete school, achieve their maximum earning potential, hold their jobs, function in a healthy marriage, and find overall life satisfaction. Perhaps most concerning is the disproportionate impact legalizing marijuana would have on our young people. We now know Colorado leads the country in past-month marijuana use by youth. And the Centennial State isn’t an outlier in this trend: Oregon and Washington State, which have also legalized the drug, each rank in the top six states nationwide for past-month marijuana use by adolescents. Making matters worse, marijuana-related emergency room visits by young people in Colorado more than quadrupled since the state legalized marijuana. In fact, more Coloradans in drug treatment are self-reporting heavy use of marijuana than ever before. Moreover, states with legal marijuana are proving the impact of legalization stretches far beyond harms to the individual. A study conducted by the AAA in Washington State showed a doubling in the number of fatal drug-impaired car crashes after legalization. Adding insult to injury, Colorado still faces a $700 million state budget shortfall that it must compensate for through increased taxes or budget cuts elsewhere. Years ago, we realized that exposure to lead created significant adverse public health consequences. In response, we removed lead from nearly everything we could: paint, pencils, window blinds, glass, and so on. Like lead, the greater marijuana’s exposure to the public, the greater the negative health impact. Why move backward? There are far better ways for our state to make money than selling a new intoxicating, addictive substance to our residents. Marijuana commercialization will drive more kids to smoke pot, increase treatment admissions for addiction, and become a significant setback for public health and safety. The answer to criminal justice reform and our state’s financial crisis does not require creating a new industry that preys on our youngest and most vulnerable by marketing pot gummy bears, pot lollipops, and 93 percent THC concentrates. It’s time for politicians in Springfield to stand up to special interest groups campaigning for laws that would create a new for-profit addiction industry — the next Big Tobacco — and choose to promote healthy lifestyles instead. The residents of Illinois are depending on you.)
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: How limit on property, state tax deduction could hurt suburbs – AP (DIERSEN: Do you pay high real estate taxes? Under this “tax overhaul,” the more real estate tax that you pay, the more federal income tax that you will pay.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171218/how-limit-on-property-state-tax-deduction-could-hurt-suburbs
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The sweeping tax overhaul embraced by President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers would impose a $10,000 limit on the combined sum of property and state and local income taxes that a household could deduct. And that’s even if taxpayers would have an incentive to itemize anymore. The $10,000 cap will help pay for corporate and personal tax cuts totaling $1.5 trillion over the next decade. Conservatives have argued that unlimited state and local deductions amount to a federal subsidy for the wealthy in high-tax states like New York, New Jersey, California and Illinois with their prosperous suburbs. But many middle-class families in those states face disproportionately high housing costs and depend on deducting their state and local taxes. These households could soon pressure states and localities to ease their burden by cutting taxes — which would likely force cuts to social programs and public services.)

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Rauner keeping public in the dark about rates in Medicaid reboot – KRISTEN SCHORSCH
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171218/NEWS03/171219899

NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO
— Some Illinois Lawmakers Think It’s Too Soon To Pass Sexual Harassment Policies – DAISY CONTRERAS
http://northernpublicradio.org/post/some-illinois-lawmakers-think-its-too-soon-pass-sexual-harassment-policies

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Kasich: GOP is ‘losing future’ by ‘turning off millennials’ Gov. says he can’t support party if it isn’t fixed – MAEGAN VAZQUEZ (DIERSEN: Obviously, Kasich and his supporters want the Republican Party to pander to members of Group A and to dump members of Group B. Members of Group A are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and members of Group B are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/kasich-gop-is-losing-future-by-turning-off-millennials/882485890

REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— Hey, Rahm — Lay Off Trump and Start Fixing Chicago – Steve Cortes
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2017/12/15/hey_rahm_–_lay_off_trump_and_start_fixing_chicago_135807.html

BLAZE
— The effect that California’s $15 minimum wage will have was just revealed — and it’s devastating – Chris Enloe
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/17/the-effect-that-californias-15-minimum-wage-will-have-was-just-revealed-and-its-devastating

BREITBART
— Congress: Illegals-Only Households Will Birth at Least 600,000 Children in Next Decade – NEIL MUNRO (DIERSEN: QUESTION: Which employers prefer hiring illegals instead of citizens of America? ANSWER: Employers that are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/17/cbo-illegals-only-households-will-birth-600000-children-next-decade/
— GAO Audit: TSA Inspectors Only Spend ‘Half Their Working Hours’ on Work amid ‘Increased’ Terror Threat – EDWIN MORA
http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2017/12/17/audit-tsa-inspectors-only-spend-half-their-working-hours-fulfilling-work-amid-increased-terror-theat/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Republicans fear Trump’s ‘nonexistent’ political team will flop in 2020 – David M. Drucker
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/republicans-fear-trumps-nonexistent-political-team-will-flop-in-2020/article/2643713

NEW YORK TIMES
— Rebelling Republican Suburbs Offer Democrats Path to House Control – Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/18/us/politics/house-control-2018-suburbs-trump-republicans-democrats.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The new president, Mr. Russell said, has accelerated things: “They were Republicans for fiscal reasons, and Trump has alienated them from the party they used to belong to.” It is not hard to find such voters in the Illinois district of Representative Peter Roskam, which favored Mrs. Clinton by seven points and has a median income over $90,000. Mr. Roskam is bracing for perhaps his most difficult race since his first election to the House in 2006. Seven Democrats are jockeying to challenge Mr. Roskam in the western suburbs of Chicago, and they have largely gravitated toward a single message. Kelly Mazeski, a planning commissioner in Barrington Hills and a leading Democratic contender, rebuked Mr. Roskam for his positions on health care and taxes, but for one transgression most of all. “Most of the time, I talk about Peter Roskam — that’s who my opponent is,” Ms. Mazeski said. “But to be clear, his voting record is 97 percent of the Trump agenda.” That rebuke resonates with voters like Pat Robinson, a retired teacher inclined to vote for a Democrat in 2018 but waiting to see who will emerge as the nominee. Ms. Robinson, who said she voted for Mrs. Clinton last year as the “lesser of two evils,” said she would not reward a lawmaker allied with the White House. “He’s certainly following Trump’s platform, and I can’t go along with that at all,” Ms. Robinson said of Mr. Roskam.)
— A Tax Plan to Turbocharge Inequality, in 3 Charts – David Leonhardt
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/17/opinion/taxes-inequality-charts.html
— FRONT PAGE: In One New Jersey Town, Pending Tax Changes Create Anxiety – Patrick McGeehan (DIERSEN: How similar is your municipality to Livingston? How similar is your county to Essex County?)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/17/nyregion/livingston-new-jersey-tax-bill.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Politically speaking, Livingston is not the bluest of the suburbs surrounding New York City. But there are few places where people are feeling any more anxious about the potential impact of the federal tax bill proposed by Republican leaders in Washington. “They’re crippling us,” said Walter Levine, who has lived in this New Jersey community since 1976. As Mr. Levine sees it, Livingston, a fairly affluent town with a population of about 30,000, could become even less affordable as residents face rising tax bills and falling home values. They could be left with less disposable income to spend in the local stores, setting off a “domino effect” that could derail the town’s economy. It is a dire forecast, but not a radical one. Livingston sits on the western edge of Essex County, which Moody’s Analytics, a company that provides economic research, placed at the top of its list of places whose housing markets would suffer the most under the Republicans’ plan. According to Moody’s, the tax proposal could carve as much as 10.5 percent off the projected value of homes in Essex County in two years. Six other New Jersey counties made the top 10 on Moody’s list. Livingston’s Republican representative in Congress, Rodney Frelinghuysen, voted against the House version of the tax bill because, he said, of the “very negative impacts it would have on so many of my fellow New Jerseyans.”)
— FRONT PAGE: Champion of the ‘Little Guy’? Trump’s Actions Tell Another Story – Michael Tackett and Jim Tankersley
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/17/us/politics/trump-working-class.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Deduction Rollback Hurts High-Tax States, But Exodus Isn’t Assured Taxes look to be just one of many factors in Americans’ decisions about where to live – Ben Leubsdorf
https://www.wsj.com/articles/deduction-rollback-hurts-high-tax-states-but-exodus-isnt-assured-1513526894
— Democrats Against Tax Reform Unlike the past, the GOP has had no help passing these tax cuts. – Editorial
https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-against-tax-reform-1513552419
— How to Get American Men Back Into the Workforce Rethink unemployment insurance and increase public investment in improving skills. – Jason Furman (DIERSEN: What did you do to qualify yourself for better paying jobs? I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-get-american-men-back-into-the-workforce-1513538496

USA TODAY
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Ways to save (or splurge!) on vacations – Larry Bleiberg (DIERSEN: Vacations are expensive. Your GOPUSA Illinois Editor and his wife are not planning any kind of vacation. My $50,856/year pension is only 41% of the $122,991/year salary that I earned in 1997 in today’s dollars. Because my Democrat GAO superiors succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old, we have at least $72,135 less each year or $6,011 less each month or $1,387 less each week or $198 less each day to spend on vacations. I went on vacations in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, and 1977. My wife and I went on many vacations, typically four each year, 1978-1992 in connection with her business trips to luxury resorts all across America. Of course, my Democrat IRS and GAO superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were beyond furious about that.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2017/12/18/save-splurge-europe-beach-and-cruise-options-spender-and-budget-conscious/953201001/
— Retirement tips: 4 steps to a happier retirement – Ken Fisher (DIERSEN: Are you retired? What do you do with your time? Needless-to-say, spending 10+ hours each and every day putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails together and sending them out is NOT fun, but it does give my life purpose.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/2017/12/17/retirement-tips-4-steps-happier-retirement/954763001/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: 4. Fill your time with fun. Did you know retirement can cause depression? Even if your job was a drag, it gave you purpose. Beat back the boredom blues with hobbies, volunteering or even a part-time job. Check out community college course catalogues for art classes or anything striking your fancy. Offer to teach classes in your specialty. Think about part-timing at some retail boutique you like. To keep fit, find groups for biking, hiking, jogging, tennis or dancing. If volunteering, ponder the most fun way to spend that time — with children, in nature, with animals, at museums, the library — abundant choices. You’ll make friends, too, which reduces depression. Fun is the most important of these four. It affects your attitude, which drives your body. Start now. Have the Merriest Christmas possible by offering extra-fun kindness to those around you. It will pay you back immediately, boosting your psyche heading into 2018. And I’ll see you Jan. 2, when my next column appears.)

December 17 Evening Edition

ABC7
— Boy, 15, shot to death delivering newspapers with stepdad on SW Side
http://abc7chicago.com/boy-15-shot-to-death-delivering-newspapers-with-stepdad-on-sw-side/2792120/

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— Keeping ‘Dreamers’ would cost taxpayers $26B over next 10 years, feds say
http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/national/keeping-dreamers-would-cost-taxpayers-26b-over-next-10-years-feds-say

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— One more way GOP tax plan sticks it to Chicago – Editorial
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/editorial-one-more-way-gop-tax-plan-sticks-it-to-chicago/
— Trump dislikes being investigated; so did Al Capone – Neil Steinberg
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/trump-fbi-academy-chicago-crime-statistics/
— Illinois horse tracks say more gambling can stop ‘downward spiral’ – Taylor Hartz (DIERSEN: Gambling is a vice. If you promote gambling, you promote vice.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/horse-racing-tracks-illinois-gambling-regulations/

DAILY HERALD
— 2 candidates gone after challenges in Lake County Board races – Mick Zawislak
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171217/2-candidates-gone-after-challenges-in-lake-county-board-races
— Collateral damage of “credibly accused” – KATHLEEN PARKER
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171217/collateral-damage-of-x201ccredibly-accusedx201d

STATELINE
— BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: Republican Tax Bill Expected To Impact Property Tax Deductions Limits deductions to 10,000 dollars a year – Gregory Cormier
http://www.mystateline.com/news/republican-tax-bill-expected-to-impact-property-tax-deductions/882614534

WGN RADIO
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats use Barickman to promote pot. If you promote pot, you promote destruction.
http://wgnradio.com/2017/12/17/the-sunday-spin-politics-with-rick-pearson-full-show-12-17-17/

KMOV
— Illinois State Rep. Dan Beiser to step down effective immediately – Michael Ritter
http://www.kmov.com/story/37086576/illinois-state-rep-dan-beiser-to-step-down-effective-immediately

PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— Ives: ‘Rauner is not in charge in Springfield’ – Glenn Minnis
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511297583-ives-rauner-is-not-in-charge-in-springfield

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Algonquin Township Road Commissioner Andrew Gasser’s Amended Complaint Against Local 150
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2017/12/17/algonquin-township-road-commissioner-andrew-gassers-amended-complaint/
— Reick Steps into Township Efficiency Issue
nrycountyblog.com/2017/12/16/reick-steps-into-township-efficiency-issue/
— Discussion of November Referendum to Put McHenry Township Road District Under Township Board Set for January Meeting
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2017/12/15/discussion-of-november-referendum-to-put-mchenry-township-road-district-under-township-board-set-for-january-meeting/
— Republicans on McHenry Township Board Make Next Term’s Posts Voluntary–No Salary
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2017/12/15/republicans-on-mchenry-township-board-make-next-terms-posts-voluntary/

DAILY CALLER
— Poll Shows Nation Divided Between America First And Blame America First – GINNI THOMAS
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/16/poll-shows-nation-divided-between-america-first-and-blame-america-first-video/
— Final Tax Bill Contains Language Allowing Illegal Immigrants To Get Tax Credit – Alex Pfeiffer
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/16/final-tax-bill-contains-language-allowing-illegal-immigrants-to-get-tax-credit/

CNN
— McCain returning to Arizona, will miss tax bill vote – Dana Bash, Jeff Zeleny and Maegan Vazquez
http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/17/politics/mccain-return-arizona-tax-bill/index.html

December 17 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Ethics, redemption become issues in Will County clerk race – Ted Slowik
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/opinion/ct-sta-slowik-will-county-clerk-st-1214-20171213-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: I wondered this week how Lauren Staley-Ferry’s admission and apology for a felony forgery charge she faced 15 years ago in Arizona would affect her candidacy for Will County clerk. Staley-Ferry, 39, of Joliet, is one of two candidates running in the March 20 Democratic primary for county clerk. The other is Denise Mushro-Rumchak, 59, of Crest Hill.)
— I got kicked out of diversity training – Joanne Cleaver (DIERSEN: Democrats use Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion to get rid of Republicans, and especially to get rid of Republicans who are White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-diversity-feminism-white-privilege-20171217-story.html

WBEZ
— Are Taxpayers Footing The Bill For Patriotic Tributes At College Games? – Monica Eng (DIERSEN: Anti-Trumps are anti-patriotic.)
https://www.wbez.org/shows/curious-city/are-taxpayers-footing-the-bill-for-patriotic-tributes-at-college-games/d81a450a-b7e5-41a7-bbcd-46a3dbce251f

ALTON DAILY NEWS
— Illinois Has Highest Pension Liability In Nation – Greg Bishop
http://altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=256991#.WjaRKt-nGM8

QUINCY HERALD WHIG
— TRAGIC: Quincy City Council considers raising cap on video gaming terminals – Doug Wilson
http://www.whig.com/20171216/quincy-city-council-considers-raising-cap-on-video-gaming-terminals#//

HERALD & REVIEW
— POLL: As Chicago contemplates pot legalization, Decatur officials still skeptical – JAYLYN COOK
http://herald-review.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/poll-as-chicago-contemplates-pot-legalization-decatur-officials-still-skeptical/article_a2b4b6f6-eb83-56c6-95ad-ad49c5f0d80a.html

SOUTHERN
— At campaign stop, Pritzker tells Southern Illinois Democratic Women he’s ‘ready to resist’ – K. JANIS ESCH (DIERSEN: Ever-increasing, Pritzker makes it clear that if he is elected, he will drive out of Illinois all the individuals, organizations, and companies that are a member of one or more of the following groups: Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://thesouthern.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/at-campaign-stop-pritzker-tells-southern-illinois-democratic-women-he/article_0f2d9e0e-80f6-5606-b20f-33b82437a0b0.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: During a campaign-stop luncheon hosted by the Southern Illinois Democratic Women on Saturday afternoon, Democratic gubernatorial hopeful J.B. Pritzker billed himself as a feminist ally and a proud member of the anti-Trump resistance. Pritzker, a billionaire investor and entrepreneur, told a crowd of 250 people at the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 318 that he was “ready to listen … ready to resist and ready for the fight ahead.” After his speech, Pritzker moderated a panel discussion featuring female leaders. His running-mate, Juliana Stratton, state representative of the 5th District, noted in her introductory remarks that Pritzker was the first candidate in the race to choose a woman for the lieutenant governor position. “This is a partnership, and together, we’re going to put Springfield back on the side of women and families,” she said. In 2016, Stratton said, Illinois women made an average of $41,327, compared to the average for men of $52,161. She said equal pay for equal work will be a top priority for Pritzker’s administration. Pritzker spoke about his disappointment after the 2016 election, when Donald Trump won the presidency in a stunning upset over Hillary Clinton. “I was sad for our country, I was sad for the direction that it would take us in and for what it meant about and for our values. I was sad that my daughter witnessed a misogynistic, racist man defeating a deeply qualified woman for president,” Pritzker said.)

RIVER CITIES READER
— Can Rauner Really Take Out Madigan? – Rich Miller
https://www.rcreader.com/commentary/can-rauner-take-out-madigan

PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— Ives outscores Rauner in tax group’s policy survey – W.J. Kennedy
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511287066-ives-outscores-rauner-in-tax-group-s-policy-survey

HUFFINGTON POST
— If Congress Doesn’t Act Soon To Save Dreamers, It Might Not Save Them At All Immigration reform advocates want legal status for undocumented young people as part of a government spending bill. – Elise Foley
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/government-shutdown-dreamers_us_5a2989ece4b0b185e53a3098

BLAZE
— Pope Francis says journalists commit ‘sins of communication’ – Teri Webster (DIERSEN: Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes will hint/imply/argue/shout that the Pope is talking about me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails.)
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/16/pope-francis-says-journalists-commit-sins-of-communication
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Pope Francis weighed in on the issue of freedom of the press as he delivered a sermon to a group of journalists Saturday about “the sins of communication,” NPR News reported. Who was there? The Pope made his comments to members of the Italian Periodical Press Union and the Italian Federation of Catholic Weeklies, reports state. According to the Pope, journalism is a field “dominated by the anxiety of speed” and is driven by sensationalism. Reliable information, he said, is at a premium. Pope Francis also spoke about the perils of disinformation and slander, NPR reported. What did Pope Francis say? “You shouldn’t fall into the ‘sins of communication:’ disinformation, or giving just one side, calumny that is sensationalized, or defamation, looking for things that are old news and have been dealt with and bringing them to light today,” he said. Pope Francis added: “We must not fall prey to the ‘sins of communication’: disinformation that is, giving just one side of the argument, slander, which is sensationalistic, or defamation, looking for outdated and old things, and bringing them to light today. They are very grave sins, which damage the heart of the journalist and harm people.” The world can expect to hear similar sermons from the pope in the future. Pope Francis plans to make “fake news and journalism for peace,” the topic of his 2017 World Communications Day speech. The pope has waded into media issues in the past, as well. NPR reported last year that the pope told “journalists and media consumers” that an interest in dredging up scandals is similar to “the sickness of coprophilia,” which is an abnormal interest in feces “that can include elements of sexual arousal.”)

NEW YORK TIMES
— The Tax Bill That Inequality Created – Editorial
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/opinion/sunday/tax-bill-inequality-created.html
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Many Want Nothing to Do With the ‘R’ Word A growing number of older Americans continue to work for a variety of reasons. – Claudia Dreifus (DIERSEN: According to my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes, what I do 10+ hours each and every day putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails together and sending them out is NOT work. They hint/imply/argue/shout that because no one pays me for what I do as your GOPUSA Illinois Editor, that because I send the emails out free of charge, and that because the emails contain no advertising, what I do as your GOPUSA Illinois Editor is worthless.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/business/asked-about-retiring-they-have-a-simple-answer-why.html
— Bringing Down Our Monsters – Maureen Dowd (DIERSEN: The more of the following that you are, the harder that anti-Trumps work to destroy you: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/opinion/sunday/sexual-harassment-salma-hayek.html
— Are You Old? Infirm? Then Kindly Disappear – FRANK BRUNI (DIERSEN: If you work for the federal government and you are Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran, the federal government wants you to disappear if you do not make GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/opinion/sunday/are-you-old-infirm-then-kindly-disappear.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Trump labor adviser’s plan for cutting federal compensation, potentially even paid holidays – Joe Davidson (DIERSEN: Many millions have not and will not seek a job with the federal government a) because the pay and benefits are terrible, b) because the advancement opportunities are terrible, c) because they lack required education, work experience, professional certifications, and/or professional licenses, d) because they cannot pass an employment examination, e) because they cannot pass a background investigation, f) because they cannot pass a physical examination, g) because they cannot take the demonization, denigration, and condemnation that comes with being a federal employee or federal retiree, and/or h) because they are Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran and they know that the federal government discriminates against the aforesaid.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/12/18/trump-labor-advisers-plan-for-cutting-federal-compensation-potentially-even-paid-holidays/

December 16 Evening Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Gunfire hits Niles North as students leave basketball game
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-niles-north-gunfire-hits-school-20171216-story.html
– Omarosa’s departure highlights lack of White House diversity – AP (DIERSEN: How much pressure is/was your employer under to meet Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion quotas, goals, and targets? All during the almost 30 years that I worked for the federal government, my superiors were under tremendous pressure from Democrat politicians a) to hire, retain, and promote young Democrat minorities and young Democrat females and b) to make way for them by wasting the careers of and by getting rid of their employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who they had not promoted to GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-bc-us–white-house-diversity-20171215-story.html

CBS2
— Organizers Gearing Up For Women’s March Next Month – Nancy Harty (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps promote hatred of not only Trump and his supporters, but hated of all men.)
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/16/organizers-gearing-up-for-womens-march-next-month/

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— PAMELLA GRONEMEYER, a pathologist from Glen Carbon, is running against incumbent JAYNE MAZZOTTI of Taylorville as 13th Congressional District state central committeewoman. – Bernard Schoenburg (DIERSEN: Who wants to represent the Republican voters in your congressional district on the Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee?)
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20171216/schoenburg-bernie-backing-gronemeyer-vs-clinton-delegate-mazzotti-for-dem-post
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Republican precinct committeemen will meet after their March primary to name one member from each congressional district to the Republican State Central Committee. Then each elected member appoints a deputy member of the opposite sex. Current members are FRED FLORETH of Springfield in the 13th, and MIKE BIGGER of Wyoming, in Stark County, in the 18th.)

BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
— Did we miss something? Isn’t the Illinois governor race decided? – Editorial
http://www.bnd.com/opinion/editorials/article189867309.html

ROCK RIVER TIMES
— State-funded abortion, other new Illinois laws take effect Jan. 1
http://rockrivertimes.com/2017/12/16/state-funded-abortion-other-new-illinois-laws-take-effect-jan-1/

NORTH COOK NEWS
— 56th District candidate Bernas says she’s running ‘to keep families in Illinois’ – Angela Underwood
https://northcooknews.com/stories/511298958-56th-district-candidate-bernas-says-she-s-running-to-keep-families-in-illinois
— Jillian Bernas: Sanctuary cities, states ‘give unwarranted protections’ to those who harm others – Angela Underwood
https://northcooknews.com/stories/511287109-bernas-sanctuary-cities-states-give-unwarranted-protections-to-those-who-harm-others

ILLINOIS LEAKS
— Crawford County Petition Objections re: Precinct Committeemen – JOHN KRAFT
http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2017/12/video-crawford-county-petition-objections-re-precinct-committeemen/

NEW YORK TIMES
— Homeowners Have Had It Good. Too Good, Says the Tax Bill. – Conor Dougherty (DIERSEN: Government should encourage homeownership.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/business/economy/tax-bill-housing.html

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Ben Carson says there’s no ‘lack of diversity’ at HUD – Sally Persons
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/15/ben-carson-says-theres-no-lack-diversity-hud/

WASHINGTON POST
— How the oldest Senate ever is taking a toll on the business of Washington Eight octogenarians occupy powerful posts. Senate leaders have paused action at least three times this year to accommodate ailing colleagues. – Paul Kane
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/how-the-oldest-senate-ever-is-taking-a-toll-on-the-operations-of-washington/2017/12/16/349f27b8-e1b3-11e7-89e8-edec16379010_story.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— What GOP Tax Plan Means for Your Favorite Deductions The Republicans’ agreement on almost $1.5 trillion in cuts spares some tax breaks and eliminates others – Laura Saunders, Richard Rubin and Siobhan Hughes
https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-gop-tax-plan-means-for-your-favorite-deductions-1513453149