February 22, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— President Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump speaks at McHenry County fundraising event
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-politics-president-donald-trumps-daughter-law-lara-trump-speaks-mchenry-county-gopac-fundraising-event/15943990/
— Trump clashes with Democratic governor at White House event: ‘See you in court’
https://abc7chicago.com/post/maine-governor-janet-mills-president-donald-trump-clashes-executive-order-banning-transgender-athletes-womens-sports/15943839/

NBC5
— Judge blocks Trump administration from terminating DEI-related grants. The court ruling also prevents the Justice Department from bringing any enforcement actions against contractors and grant recipients who have such programs.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/judge-blocks-trump-administration-from-terminating-dei-related-grants/3680425/
— A look at Trump’s latest executive orders as he signs more than 70 in first month. This week, measures surrounding IVF, federal regulation and benefits for immigrants were among the newest additions.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/a-look-at-trumps-latest-executive-orders-as-he-signs-more-than-70-in-first-month/3680178/

FOX32
— Pritzker receives pushback for comments comparing Trump and the MAGA movement to Nazi Germany. (COMMENT: If you are a conservative Republican and White, male, older, Christian, and/or German American, the more demographics that you share with Hitler, the more that Democrat and RINO leaders hint/imply/argue/shout that you are a Nazi. Hitler was White, male, older, Christian, and German American.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1597352
(FROM WIKIPEDIA: The religious beliefs of Adolf Hitler, dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, have been a matter of debate. His opinions regarding religious matters changed considerably over time. During the beginning of his political career, Hitler publicly expressed favorable opinions towards traditional Christian ideals, but later deviated from them. Most historians describe his later posture as adversarial to organized Christianity and established Christian denominations. He also staunchly criticized atheism. Hitler was born to a practicing Catholic mother, Klara Hitler, and was baptized in the Roman Catholic Church; his father, Alois Hitler, was a free-thinker and skeptical of the Catholic Church. In 1904, he was confirmed at the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Linz, Austria, where the family lived. . .Toland offers the opinion that Hitler “carried within him its teaching that the Jew was the killer of God. The extermination, therefore, could be done without a twinge of conscience since he was merely acting as the avenging hand of God …” Michael Rissmann notes that, according to several witnesses who lived with Hitler in a men’s home in Vienna, he never again attended Mass or received the sacraments after leaving home at 18 years old. In a speech in 1932, Hitler declared himself “not a Catholic and not a Protestant, but a German Christian”.)

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/22/transgender-trump-executive-order-chicago-impact/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote immigrants. Democrat leaders want immigrants because immigrants vote for Democrats. RINO leaders want immigrants because RINO leaders want cheap labor.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/02/21/elaine-soloway-family-refugee-story-russa-immigration-aslyum

DAILY HERALD
— Democrats had mixed reactions last week to Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget address
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250222/news/majority-party-democrats-had-mixed-reactions-last-week-to-gov-jb-pritzkers-budget-address-with-le/

SHAW LOCAL
— Gary Sinise & The Lt. Dan Band return to Cantigny in Wheaton this summer Saturday, July 12
https://www.shawlocal.com/thescene/2025/02/22/gary-sinise-the-lt-dan-band-return-to-cantigny-in-wheaton-this-summer/

RIVER BENDER
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly encourage citizens of foreign countries to have their children born in America. Democrat leaders see those children as being soldiers in their army. Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against Republicans.
https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/duckworth-and-rosen-introduce-born-in-the-usa-act-legislation-79938.cfm?

WAND TV
— IL Democrats celebrate Pritzker’s budget, GOP criticize Governor for ‘Nazi comparison’
https://www.wandtv.com/news/statehouse/il-democrats-celebrate-pritzkers-budget-gop-criticize-governor-for-nazi-comparison/article_7b08d028-ef16-11ef-ba5b-efc1d3148209.html

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Trump says he may take control of the US Postal Service. (COMMENT: To force me to resign in 1969 when I was 20 years old, my Democrats Park Forest Post Office superiors falsely claimed that I was not available to work enough part-time hours. I was available to work every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, holiday, and every day that NIU was not in session. Previously, they denied my sick leave requests in 1968 and 1969.)
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-trump-says-he-may-take-control-of-the-us-postal-service-heres-what-to-know/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WIREPOINTS
— People in neighboring states are getting tax cuts. Gov. Pritzker has never offered Illinoisans the same relief.
https://wirepoints.org/people-in-neighboring-states-are-getting-tax-cuts-gov-pritzker-has-never-offered-illinoisans-the-same-relief-wirepoints-on-wls-ramblin-ray-show/

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— What are Affirmative Action (AA) and DEI? They are tools that Democrats and RINOs use to get rid of Republicans. I should write about how my Democrat superiors in the federal government used AA and DEI to waste my career and to force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. I should write about how RINO leaders of the following used DEI to get rid of me: a) Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party leaders, b) Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois leaders, c) conservative leaders, and d) religious leaders. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— How would your life have been different if Trump had ended Affirmative Action and DEI earlier? For me, it would have been much more difficult for my Democrat superiors in the federal government to take adverse actions against me and to force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. Because I earned three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license, the federal government would have promoted me into its Senior Executive Service before I was 40 years old in 1988. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— How has DEI impacted you, that is, how has race and gender based preference giving impacted you? Since the 1960s, my critics/opponents have used DEI to get rid of me. I should write about that. I would focus on a) my Democrat superiors in the federal government, b) leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party, c) Republican leaders of Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois, d) conservative leaders, and e) religious leaders. I would focus on the big adverse actions that the aforesaid would not have taken against me if I had been a minority or female. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Have you been fired? My Democrat Post Office superiors fired me in when I was 20 years old in 1969. My Democrat Firestone Store boss fired me in 1971. My Democrat GAO superiors fired me in 1997. My RINO Milton Township Republican Organization leaders fired me in 2004 and 2010. My RINO American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter leaders fired me in 2004. My RINO Illinois Center Right Coalition leaders fired me in 2007. My RINO Wheaton Chamber of Commerce leaders fired me in 2011. My RINO TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois leaders fired me in 2012. My RINO Wheaton leaders fired me in 2021. My RINO Illinois Republican Party leaders fired me 2024. I should write about those who have fired me and the pretexts that they used. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Did you get scholarships? Since I was 17 years old in 1966, my critics/opponents have used against me my not getting any scholarships. According to them, my not getting any scholarships proves that I am academically deficient and that my parents were filthy rich. They have always stressed that I only just barely made it into the upper 20% of my high school class and that my ACT score was only 24. In my defense, I stress that even though I had to work my way through college, I went on to earn three master’s degrees, six professional certifications, and a professional license. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on how much money their parents had. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What are your demographics? If I had been a minority or a woman when I was 49 years old in 1997, I would have been able to get a job appropriate for my work experience, education, professional certifications, and professional license. I had worked for GAO for almost 18 years. I had worked for IRS for almost 9 years. I had earned three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance). I had earned six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting). I had earned a job-related professional license (CPA). – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com)

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Judge pauses parts of Trump orders aimed at dismantling DEI
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/3326999/judge-pauses-parts-trump-dei-orders/
— Noem deputizes State Department employees as immigration officers (COMMENT: I worked for IRS as a Revenue Officer for almost 9 years. Will Trump deputize IRS Revenue Officers as immigration officers?)
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/immigration/3323486/kristi-noem-deputize-state-employees-dhs-immigration-officers/

NEW YORK POST
— No going back: The left will fail in trying to reverse Trump’s DEI death sentence (COMMENT: How has DEI impacted you, that is, how has race and gender based preference giving impacted you? Since the 1960s, my critics/opponents have used DEI to get rid of me. I should write about that. I would focus on a) my Democrat superiors in the federal government, b) leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party, c) Republican leaders of Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois, d) conservative leaders, and e) religious leaders. I would focus on the big adverse actions that the aforesaid would not have taken against me if I had been a minority or female.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/21/opinion/the-left-will-fail-in-trying-to-reverse-trumps-dei-death-sentence/

AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE
— Trump Should Lead A World Summit Against Illegal Immigration. Now is time to internationalize the campaign against illegal immigration.
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/trump-should-lead-a-world-summit-against-illegal-immigration/

BREITBART
— Attorney General Pam Bondi warned leftist mayors and governors that if they don’t comply with the law and work with federal authorities to deport illegal immigrants, they will be sued. (COIMMENT: Federal Law Trumps State And Local Law.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bg9yVmbd2k

COLLEGE FIX
— Federal agency halts scholarship program at HBCUs following Trump’s DEI crackdown (COMMENT: Since I was 17 years old in 1966, my critics/opponents have used against me my not getting any scholarships. According to them, my not getting any scholarships proves that I am academically deficient and that my parents were filthy rich. They have always stressed that I only just barely made it into the upper 20% of my high school class and that my ACT score was only 24. In my defense, I stress that even though I had to work my way through college, I went on to earn three master’s degrees, six professional certifications, and a professional license. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on how much money their parents had.)
https://www.thecollegefix.com/federal-agency-halts-scholarship-program-at-hbcus-following-trumps-dei-crackdown/

EPOCH TIMES
— Trump Considers Merging US Postal Service With Commerce Department. ‘We’re losing so much money with the Postal Service, and we don’t want to lose that kind of money,’ Trump said.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-considers-merging-us-postal-service-with-commerce-department-5814303

FOX BUSINESS
— Citigroup pulls back on diversity in job hiring as Trump administration dismantles DEI nationwide. Citigroup CEO announced in a memo that a diverse job candidate slate is no longer required. (COMMENT: If I had been a minority or a woman when I was 49 years old in 1997, I would have been able to get a job appropriate for my work experience, education, professional certifications, and professional license. I had worked for GAO for almost 18 years. I had worked for IRS for almost 9 years. I had earned three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance). I had earned six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting). I had earned a job-related professional license (CPA).)
https://www.foxbusiness.com/media/major-bank-pulls-back-diversity-job-hiring-trump-administration-dismantles-dei-nationwide

NEW AMERICAN
— Noem Ends TPS for 520K Haitians; Almost 1M Illegals No Longer Have Status
https://thenewamerican.com/us/noem-ends-tps-for-520k-haitians-almost-1m-illegals-no-longer-have-status/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CNN
— At CPAC, the MAGA base is skeptical of Trump’s Big Tech alliance
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/22/politics/cpac-tech-trump-musk/index.html

REUTERS
— Scenes from CPAC
https://www.reuters.com/pictures/scenes-cpac-2025-02-21/

CNBC
— Trump, DOGE mass job cuts: Federal workers’ money questions answered
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/21/trump-doge-mass-job-cuts-federal-workers-money-questions-answered.html

ASSOCIATED PRESS
— Experienced workers, not just rookies, get cut as Trump slashes probationary employees. (COMMENT: To deal with Republican-led budget cuts, while I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, they protected their employees who were Democrat, minority, female. younger, or veteran from adverse impacts and made their employees who were Republican, White, male, older, and or non-veteran pay the price.)
https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2025/feb/22/experienced-workers-not-just-rookies-get-cut-as/

CNN
— Trump administration fires top US general and Navy chief in unprecedented purge of military leadership  (COMMENT: Have you been fired? My Democrat Post Office superiors fired me in when I was 20 years old in 1969. My Democrat Firestone Store boss fired me in 1971. My Democrat GAO superiors fired me in 1997. My RINO Milton Township Republican Organization leaders fired me in 2004 and 2010. My RINO American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter leaders fired me in 2004. My RINO Illinois Center Right Coalition leaders fired me in 2007. My RINO Wheaton Chamber of Commerce leaders fired me in 2011. My RINO TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois leaders fired me in 2012. My RINO Wheaton leaders fired me in 2021. My RINO Illinois Republican Party leaders fired me 2024. I should write about those who have fired me and the pretexts that they used.)
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/21/politics/trump-fires-top-us-general-cq-brown/index.html

NBC NEWS
— Mass federal layoffs deliver a gutting one-two punch to America’s veterans. Veterans who lost their government jobs say they also have to worry about the potential fallout from cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs. (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, many of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were veterans, and at times, most, if not virtually all were veterans.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mass-federal-layoffs-deliver-gutting-one-two-punch-americas-veterans-rcna193127

NEW YORK TIMES
— Frustrated Democrats Urge Leaders to Show More Fight Against Trump. Voters, activists and even some governors, like Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, are growing exasperated with congressional Democrats’ restrained approach.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/22/us/politics/democrats-trump.html
— How Federal Employees Are Fighting Back Against Elon Musk. Some civil servants are using whatever levers they have to resist the orders of the world’s richest man, both in public and behind closed doors. (COMMENT: If I was still a federal employee, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates would have killed me by now figuratively if not literally.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/22/us/politics/federal-employees-elon-musk.html
— At CPAC, Leaders of the Global Right See a New World, Led by Trump
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/22/us/politics/cpac-trump-liz-truss-orban-germany-spain.html

WASHINGTON POST
— ‘Lifting’ becomes ‘leveling’: Companies reframe DEI amid Trump upheaval. With private-sector policies in the government’s crosshairs, businesses are ditching representation goals and focusing on inclusion. (COMMENT: I should write about how my Democrat superiors in the federal government used Affirmative Action and DEI to waste my career and force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/21/trump-business-dei-policy-rebrand-representation-goals/
— Trump expected to take control of USPS, fire postal board. Experts say the move would likely violate the law. Trump said Friday that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick would be “looking at” the mail agency.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/20/trump-usps-takeover-dejoy/

USA TODAY
— Tracking federal layoffs 2025: Impacted agencies include IRS, FAA, TSA and more
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/21/federal-layoffs-2025-list/79415517007/
— Trump keeps teasing a third term, but his fans at CPAC don’t back him on that
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/02/22/trump-third-term-steve-bannon-cpac/79468835007/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Debt Has Always Been the Ruin of Great Powers. Is the U.S. Next?
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/debt-has-always-been-the-ruinof-great-powers-is-the-u-s-next-02f16402?page=1

BUSINESS INSIDER
— Trump administration fires raft of top military officers in unprecedented purge
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-administration-fires-raft-pentagon-leaders-in-unprecedented-purge-2025-2

FORBES
— Trump Celebrates Efforts To End ‘Lawless’ DEI Policies Put In Place By Biden (COMMENT: I should write about how my Democrat superiors in the federal government used Affirmative Action and DEI to waste my career and force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBwKM9YIUP8
— Citigroup Rolls Back Diversity Initiatives—Here Are All The Companies Cutting DEI Programs (COMMENT: I should write about how my Democrat superiors in the federal government used Affirmative Action and DEI to waste my career and force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/02/21/pepsi-rolling-back-diversity-initiatives-here-are-all-the-companies-cutting-dei-programs/

NFFE
— What is happening to the federal workforce under Trump, updates and information you need (COMMENT: I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. I was a union member for almost 12 of those years. I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years.)
https://nffe.org/nffe_news/what-is-happening-to-the-federal-workforce-under-trump-updates-and-information-you-need/

FEDERAL NEWS NETWORK
— Impacts of federal layoffs will be felt for years to come, good government group warns (COMMENT: I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. I was a union member for almost 12 of those years. I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years.)
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/02/impacts-of-federal-layoffs-will-be-felt-for-years-to-come-good-government-group-warns/

FEDERAL NEWS NETWORK
— DoD to fire 5,400 probationary employees next week, with hiring freeze to follow (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, the agency was almost always under Republican-imposed hiring freezes and promotion freezes.)
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/defense-main/2025/02/dod-to-fire-5400-probationary-employees-next-week-with-hiring-freeze-to-follow/

ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE
— A snapshot of the federal workforce that is now under attack from the Trump administration (COMMENT: Virtually all federal employees are Democrats who are hell-bent on getting rid of Republicans. I should write about that. I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. I would focus on the many big adverse actions that my Democrat superiors took against me to get rid of me.)
https://www.epi.org/blog/a-snapshot-of-the-federal-workforce-that-is-now-under-attack-from-the-trump-administration/

CONVERSATION
— Trump’s moves to strip employment protections from federal workers threaten to make government function worse – not better (COMMENT: The more of the following that federal employees are, the fewer protections that they have: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-veteran, non-union member, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.)
https://theconversation.com/trumps-moves-to-strip-employment-protections-from-federal-workers-threaten-to-make-government-function-worse-not-better-248086

ABP
— Pentagon To Layoff 5,400 Employees As President Donald Trump And Elon Musk Continue To Downsize Federal Agencies. So far, over 20,000 workers have been laid off and multiple programs have been dismantled across the US government from foreign aid to financial oversight.
https://news.abplive.com/business/pentagon-to-layoff-5-400-employees-as-president-donald-trump-and-elon-musk-continue-to-downsize-federal-agencies-1753184

MANILA TIMES
— Undocumented Filipinos in US up for deportation as Trump cracks down on illegals
https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/02/22/news/undocumented-filipinos-in-us-up-for-deportation-as-trump-cracks-down-on-illegals/2060620

February 21, 2025 Evening Edition

WHITE HOUSE
— When There Are No Illegal Immigrants, There Is No Need for Shelters
https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/02/when-there-are-no-illegal-immigrants-theres-no-need-for-shelters/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Father Pfleger, faith leaders call for boycott of Target after company scales back DEI initiatives
https://abc7chicago.com/post/target-boycott-father-michael-pfleger-among-faith-leaders-calling-consumer-company-scales-back-dei-initiatives/15942947/
— Judge blocks Trump’s executive order ending federal support for DEI programs
https://abc7chicago.com/post/dei-judge-blocks-president-donald-trumps-executive-order-ending-federal-support-diversity-equity-inclusion-programs/15943426/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://abc7chicago.com/post/11-year-old-jocelynn-rojo-carranza-dies-suicide-days-chatter-rumors-ice-raids-gainesville-isd-school/15942540/

WGN9
— Fired IRS employee Vanessa Marie Rollins searching for health insurance after recent cancer diagnosis (COMMENT: I worked for IRS in its downtown Chicago office in 1971 and 1973-1980, its Harvey office 1972-1973, its 63rd & Halsted office in 1973, and its Joliet office 1973-1974.)
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/chicago-irs-federal-job-cuts-trump/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Judge blocks Donald Trump’s executive order ending federal support for DEI programs
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/21/judge-trump-dei-programs/

DAILY HERALD
— Darby Hills’ appointment to state Senate on hold as Republicans reopen applications for McConchie’s seat
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250221/illinois-state-politics/republicans-reopen-applications-for-mcconchies-suburban-senate-seat/

SOUTHERN
— Fired IRS employee decries irony of being hired to ‘make the IRS ‘more efficient’ (COMMENT: The purpose of GAO’s audits of IRS’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) that I worked on for GAO for 3 years was to help IRS CID close the tax gap.)
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/21/fired-irs-employee-decries-irony-of-being-hired-to-make-the-irs-more-efficient/

RIVER BENDER
— Duckworth Slams SecDef Hegseth’s Order to Cut Defense Budget by Eight Percent for the Next Five Years  (COMMENT: SEE: Downsizing the U.S. General Accounting Office at https://www.gao.gov/assets/Downsizing_at_the_U.S._General_Accounting_Office.pdf )
https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/duckworth-slams-secdef-hegseths-order-to-cut-defense-budget-by-eight-percent-for-the-next-five-years-79912.cfm
(FROM THE GAO REPORT: In 1995, Congress sent a legislative branch appropriations bill to the President, which he signed, that reduced the fiscal year 1996 budget of the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) by 15 percent. At the same time, Congress indicated that it would be calling for an additional 10 percent
reduction in GAO’S budget for fiscal year 1997. In order to accommodate those reductions, GAO determined that it would have to trim its workforce
from the fiscal year 1995 level of approximately 4,350 employees’ to 3,500 employees (a loss of 850 positions) by the beginning of fiscal year 1997.)

FOX ILLINOIS
— Kristi Noem deputizes hundreds of State Department agents for immigration enforcement
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/kristi-noem-deputizes-hundreds-of-state-department-agents-for-immigration-enforcement-dhs-department-of-homeland-security-trump-mass-deportations-illegal-immigration-ice

NEWS CHANNEL 20
— MAGA is ‘a Nazi movement’: Former NFL punter Chris Kluwe arrested at city council meeting (COMMENT: Under Pritzker’s lead, anticipate/expect that those in Illinois who voted for Harris (3 million) will ever-increasingly call those who voted for Trump (2.4million) Nazis.)
https://newschannel20.com/news/nation-world/maga-is-a-nazi-movement-former-nfl-punter-chris-kluwe-arrested-at-city-council-meeting-california-huntington-beach-city-council-minnesota-vikings-president-donald-trump-politics-make-america-great-again-red-hat-swastika

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Virtually all federal employees are Democrats. Democrat leaders ever-increasingly glorify and praise them because of Trump budget cuts.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-trump-administration-looks-to-slash-hud-workers-tackling-the-housing-crisis/

WGLT
— IRS cuts over 6,000 jobs in the middle of tax season
https://www.wglt.org/2025-02-20/irs-cuts-over-6-000-jobs-in-the-middle-of-tax-season

WOC 1420
— Former John Deere Employee Sues For Age Discrimination (SEE: Diersen v. GAO at: https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf )
https://woc1420.iheart.com/content/2025-02-21-former-john-deere-employee-sues-for-age-discrimination/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A former John Deere employee is suing the agricultural equipment maker for age discrimination. Sixty-one year-old Terence Murphy of Geneseo, Illinois says he was fired last summer after 26 years, and his job filled days later by a 33 year-old woman. In the suit, Murphy says his performance ratings were excellent. He says the new hire had no prior experience in the position, and lacked his credentials. Murphy’s attorneys say statistics show Deere fired employees over age 60 at a rate 7.5% higher than those under age 40. Deere & Company says it can’t comment on pending litigation.)

WQAD
— Employment law experts break down age discrimination lawsuit against John Deere  (SEE: Diersen v. GAO at: https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf )
https://www.wqad.com/article/money/business/john-deere/john-deere-wrongful-termination-lawsuit-age-discrimination/526-5c13b394-2ec9-4933-b724-eb26b9746e13

CHALKBEAT CHICAGO
— Illinois schools chief tells districts to follow state law, not Trump threats  (COMMENT: Federal Trumps State Law.)
https://www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2025/02/21/illinois-schools-chief-says-keep-teaching-black-history-after-trump-letter/

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/21/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-253/
— ILGOP calls out Jewish governor for ‘vile, antisemitic attacks”
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/21/ilgop-calls-out-jewish-governor-for-vile-antisemitic-attacks/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

ILLINOIS GOP
— ILGOP Responds To Pritzker’s Vile, Antisemitic Attacks
https://illinois.gop/category/news/
(THE PRESS RELEASE: Lost in the shuffle of the grandstanding and hypocrisy from Governor Pritzker’s budget speech was the dangerous, divisive rhetoric he used – comparing President Trump and the Republican Party to Nazi’s. During Wednesday’s budget speech, Pritzker referred to Nazi’s six times, painting an inaccurate and dangerously partisan picture of the Republican Party. As Pritzker continues to prepare for his 2028 run for President, ILGOP Chair Kathy Salvi released the following statement: “JB Pritzker stoops to a new low and needs to be condemned by both Democrats and Republicans. His disgusting and repulsive attack on Republicans and this administration comes at a time when President Trump and Republicans are supporting Israel and the Jewish people as they defend themselves from barbaric terrorists. Meanwhile, JB Pritzker is standing with criminal illegals and further dividing our great nation. At the Illinois Republican Party, we continue to fight with the Trump Administration to combat an unprecedented wave of antisemitism and will always call out Pritzker’s repulsive language. Bottom Line: In their effort to combat vile, antisemitic attacks like those by Governor Pritzker on Wednesday, President Trump and Republicans are fighting antisemitism in the United States.)

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Those who have demographics that vote for Democrats benefit from DEI. Those who have demographics that vote for Republicans are harmed by DEI. Demographics that vote for Democrats are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, unmarried, poor, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time. Demographics that vote for Republicans are conservative, White, male, older, married, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors have been in America for a long time. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Stopping the illegal alien invasion. January was the lowest month of people illegally crossing the border since May 2020.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/20/stopping-illegal-alien-invasion/

EPOCH TIMES
— Trump Fires Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Charles Q Brown. Trump will nominate Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine to replace the general.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-fires-joint-chiefs-of-staff-gen-chair-charles-q-brown-5814407

FOX BUSINESS
— Chicago resident says his city believes it’s ‘more important’ to take care of illegals than Americans
https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6369166557112
— Red state businesses put on notice if they intentionally hire illegal immigrants: ‘Stiff penalties’  The bill would give the Montana prosecutors resources to enforce the law.
https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/red-state-businesses-put-on-notice-intentionally-hire-illegal-immigrants-stiff-penalties

NEWSMAX
— Military Bases to Be Used to House Illegals
https://www.newsmax.com/us/immigration-deportation-ice/2025/02/21/id/1200023/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

NBC NEWS
— Elon Musk becomes a new power center at CPAC. The tech billionaire stole the show Thursday, a surprise guest who wielded a chainsaw to symbolize his government cuts.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/elon-musk-becomes-new-power-center-cpac-rcna193097
— At town halls, Republicans feel the heat from Trump and Musk’s firing and cutting spree. The White House said the incidents represent just a handful of critics. Others noted similarities to earlier backlash against disruptive moves in Washington.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/town-halls-republicans-feel-heat-trump-musks-firing-cutting-spree-rcna193164

CBS NEWS
— White House pushes back on criticism of Trump spending cuts
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/white-house-pushes-back-on-criticism-of-trump-spending-cuts/

MSNBC
— Not all Republicans want Musk’s chainsaw approach to spending cuts
https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/joe-not-all-republicans-want-musk-s-chainsaw-approach-to-spending-cuts-232576069725

USA TODAY
— What is DOGE dividend check? Will Illinoisans get a $5,000 stimulus check?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2025/02/21/will-illinoisans-get-5000-doge-stimulus-check-heres-what-to-know/79440259007/
— More than one way to slice a workforce: How Trump’s cuts differ from Clinton’s.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/21/clinton-trump-federal-workers-jobs/79306710007/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In the wake of mass layoffs under President Donald Trump’s new administration, some have compared the government-shrinking initiative to a 1990s effort under President Bill Clinton, when about 400,000 jobs were cut from the federal workforce.)

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Illinois Cancels Henry Hyde. Progressives stripped the late GOP Congressman’s name from a courthouse over abortion.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/dupage-county-democrats-henry-hyde-courthouse-illinois-abortion-hyde-amendment-bffcbb8d

POLITICO
— AP sues Trump officials after being barred from some White House events. The lawsuit says First and Fifth Amendment rights were violated.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/21/associated-press-lawsuit-trump-officials-white-house-00205504

JEWISH NEWS SYNDICATE
— Who is calling who a Nazi?  “Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s comparison of the Trump administration to the Nazi regime is deeply disturbing and unacceptable,” said Rabbi David Katz, executive director of the Israel Heritage Foundation.
https://www.jns.org/who-is-calling-who-a-nazi/

February 21, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Democrat leaders do not want America to be the leader of the free world.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/21/opinion-america-first-nato-ukraine-pete-hegseth/
— According to Democrat leaders Russia has won the Cold War and it all Trump’s fault.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/20/column-russia-wins-cold-war-ukraine-nato-shackelford/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump’s anti-DEI stance has Illinois companies tight-lipped or reversing diversity policies. The Sun-Times reviewed the policies of 15 major Illinois-based public companies and found some changed their policies and others won’t discuss them amid what experts blame on fears of being sued.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/work/2025/02/21/trump-dei-stance-illinois-raoul-mcdonalds-kraft-john-deere-reversing-diversity-policies
— Anticipate/expect that soon, Illinois Democrats will legalize prostitution and offer associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.Ds. in prostitution. What about licensing?
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/02/21/sex-workers-criminal-charges-exploit-survivor-model-traffickers-pimps-sex-buyers-marian-hatcher

NBC5
— What does DOGE’s IRS shake-up mean for tax season? (COMMENT: I was involved in IRS’s 1974 tax season big time. Have you ever phoned IRS with a tax question? If you did during the 1974 filing season, the IRS employee who answered your call was one of my subordinates. Back then, as a 25-year-old GS-11 (currently $82,655/year) IRS Revenue Officer, I supervised all of the IRS employees, which included a rotating staff of about 90 IRS Revenue Agent trainees, in IRS’s new downtown Chicago office who answered taxpayer questions using IRS’s new tollfree CentiPhone system. Because of my job performance, the IRS manager who had given me that developmental opportunity and who had promoted me in 1972 and 1973 promoted me to GS-12 (currently $99,069/year) in 1974.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/doge-irs-shake-up-tax-season/3679235/

WTTW
— Mass Deportations a Cause of Concern for Illinois Restaurant Industry (COMMENT: Have you ever had to compete against immigrants? What percent of restaurant employees are immigrants? I washed dishes for the minimum wage in the basement of the S.S. Kresge in Chicago Heights 1964-1966. If there had been as many immigrants back then as there are now, they would have gotten that job as well as all the jobs that I had 1964-1970. The money that I earned and saved washing dishes enabled me to buy a new 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint in May of 1966. I used that car to get to/from my parents’ home in Crete and a) jobs cleaning golf shoes, chipping slag, and pumping gasoline during the summer of 1966, b) delivering mail during 1966 and 1967, and c) classes at UIC 1966 and1967. I sold that car in late 1967 and bought a new 1968 Oldsmobile 442 that I used delivering mail 1967 and1968 and getting to/from classes at UIC. I sold that car in late 1968 and bought a new 1969 Dodge Charger SE that I used delivering mail 1968 and 1969, getting to/from classes at NIU, and working on the Chrysler assemble line in Belvidere in 1970.)
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/20/mass-deportations-cause-concern-illinois-restaurant-industry

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Anticipate/expect that Pritzker will ever-increasingly call Trump and the 2.4 million in Illinois who voted for Trump Nazis. To call someone a Nazi in America today is like calling someone a Jew in Germany during the 1920s, 19390s, and 1940s. Anticipate/expect that Pritzker will focus on those in the 2.4 million who share the most demographics with Trump but not with Pritzker, that is, those who are Protestant and/or German American.
https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/columns/jim-dey-pritzker-says-no-to-new-taxes-cellphones-in-school-and-nazis/article_f7117e3a-eefe-11ef-868c-63cea336ecf0.html

FOX ILLINOIS
— Rand Paul gives post-election endorsement to Trump: ‘I was wrong’ (COMMENT: Will the hate-filled Trump-hating Republican major donors, candidates, elected officials, and party leaders in your county, township, municipality, and school district do the same?)
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/rand-paul-gives-post-election-endorsement-to-trump-i-was-wrong-white-house-2024-presidential-election-politics
— White House avoids question on who Trump blames for Russia’s invasion
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/white-house-avoids-question-on-who-trump-blames-for-russias-invasion-united-states-ukraine-president-volodymyr-zelenskyy-peter-doocy-dmitry-medvedev-putin-senate-intelligence-committee-negotiations-war-freedom-democracy

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Ukrainians rally around their president after Trump seeks to denigrate him
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/world/ap-ukrainians-rally-around-their-president-after-trump-seeks-to-denigrate-him/
— IRS lays off 6,700 employees, torpedoing Democratic enforcement boost (COMMENT: I worked for IRS 1971-1980 and I worked for GAO on audits of IRS’s enforcement efforts 1986-1988.)
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/hill-politics/irs-lays-off-6700-employees-torpedoing-democratic-enforcement-boost/

NPR ILLINOIS
— EV’s and the Trump Administration (COMMENT: I have ordered a 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T EV. If you know anyone who shares my interest in that car, please ask them to contact me.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/illinois/2025-02-20/statewide-evs-and-the-trump-administration

ILLINOIS TIMES
— Don Tracy clears his name. Illinois executive inspector general previously cited him for prohibited political activity.
https://www.illinoistimes.com/news-opinion/don-tracy-clears-his-name-19783942

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Illinois Democrat leaders ever-increasingly fight Trump
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/21/illinois-ag-kwame-raoul-says-it-costs-to-fight-trump-00205408

CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/21/64866/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

JOHN KASS
— Unanchoring Babies
https://johnkassnews.com/unanchoring-babies/

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Anticipate/expect that Pritzker will ever-increasingly call Trump and the 2.4 million in Illinois who voted for Trump Nazis. To call someone a Nazi in America today is like calling someone a Jew in Germany during the 1920s, 19390s, and 1940s. Anticipate/expect that Pritzker will focus on those in the 2.4 million who share the most demographics with Trump but not with Pritzker, that is, those who are Protestant and/or German American. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— The mainstream news media ever-increasingly carries out Democrat Party orders to negatively spin and to demonize, denigrate, and condemn everything that Trump says and does. I base that on what I see spending 10-15 hours each and every day putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters together and sending them out. I should write about that. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— I was involved in IRS’s 1974 tax season big time. Have you ever phoned IRS with a tax question? If you did during the 1974 filing season, the IRS employee who answered your call was one of my subordinates. Back then, as a 25-year-old GS-11 (currently $82,655/year) IRS Revenue Officer, I supervised all of the IRS employees, which included a rotating staff of about 90 IRS Revenue Agent trainees, in IRS’s new downtown Chicago office who answered taxpayer questions using IRS’s new tollfree CentiPhone system. Because of my job performance, the IRS manager who had given me that developmental opportunity and who had promoted me in 1972 and 1973 promoted me to GS-12 (currently $99,069/year) in 1974.- Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Have you ever had to compete against immigrants? What percent of restaurant employees are immigrants? I washed dishes for the minimum wage in the basement of the S.S. Kresge in Chicago Heights 1964-1966. If there had been as many immigrants back then as there are now, they would have gotten that job as well as all the jobs that I had 1964-1970. The money that I earned and saved washing dishes enabled me to buy a new 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint in May of 1966. I used that car to get to/from my parents’ home in Crete and a) jobs cleaning golf shoes, chipping slag, and pumping gasoline during the summer of 1966, b) delivering mail during 1966 and 1967, and c) classes at UIC 1966 and1967. I sold that car in late 1967 and bought a new 1968 Oldsmobile 442 that I used delivering mail 1967 and1968 and getting to/from classes at UIC. I sold that car in late 1968 and bought a new 1969 Dodge Charger SE that I used delivering mail 1968 and 1969, getting to/from classes at NIU, and working on the Chrysler assemble line in Belvidere in 1970. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Have you been discriminated against? According to my critics/opponents, no one has ever discriminated against me for any reason. Have you had adverse employment actions taken against you? According to my Democrat superiors in the federal government, all the adverse employment actions that they took against me were justified. In my defense, I earned a job-related bachelor’s degree, three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. In my defense, my Democrat superiors never cited any performance problems or employee complaints against me to justify any of the adverse actions that they took against me. In my defense. all my coworkers who my Democrat superiors promoted over me were Democrats who had less work experience than I had, had less education than I had, had no professional certifications or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had and/or were minority, female, younger, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time. In my defense, my Democrat GAO superiors have never denied a) that I complained about their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination or b) that I became an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation when I was 40 years old in 1988. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What pretexts have been used against you to justify adverse actions against you? When I was 20 years old in 1969, to force me to resign, my Democrat Post Office superiors falsely argued that I would not be available to work enough part-time hours. Starting in 1974, to not promote me to GS-13, my Democrat IRS and GAO superiors used up-or-out to falsely hint/imply/argue/shout that I was too old to be promoted to GS-13. In 1974, to disallow my travel vouchers, my Democrat IRS superiors falsely charged me with living inside their commuting area. In 1978, to disallow my education deductions, they falsely argued that the courses that I took did not relate to my job duties, did not maintain or improve my job skills, qualified me for a new trade or business, and were taken by me to get a job in the private sector. In 1980, to justify forcing me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO, my Democrat GAO superiors falsely argued that the work that I did for IRS was not similar to the work that I would do for GAO and that my earning an MBA from Loyola in 1976, that my passing the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, and that my almost completing the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul were not enough. To keep me off audits of IRS, they falsely badmouthed what I had learned about IRS by working for it for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year and stressed the adverse actions that my Democrat IRS superiors had taken against me and falsely hinted/implied/argued/shouted that because of that, I could not be objective, that I would take revenge against my former IRS superiors. To delay my promotions, to not promote me beyond GS-13, and to always rank me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay for performance, they falsely used the tremendous subjectivity in their performance appraisal system. In 1997, to force me to take their early retirement “offer,” they falsely denied that they told me that if I did not retire, they would demote me, they would give me adverse transfers, and/or they would take even bigger adverse actions against me. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— The Democrats who ran the Park Forest Post Office hired me in 1966 because they could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, or veteran who would take the job. I had passed the postal employment examination, I had earned a diploma from Crete-Monee High School, and I was taking classes at UIC. Virtually all my superiors, supervisors, and coworkers were Democrat veterans. My Democrat Post Office superiors despised/hated Republicans, and especially draft avoiding Republicans like me. They disallowed my sick leave requests in 1968 and 1969 and they forced me to resign in 1969 falsely claiming that I was not available to work enough part-time hours. I was available each and every a) Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, b) holiday, and c) day that NIU was not in session. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— To get more votes from Blacks, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout at Blacks that Republicans cause all the problems that Blacks have. According to my critics/opponents, all the federal jobs and promotions that I got should have been given to Blacks instead of me. The Post Office hired me when I was 18 years old in 1966. IRS hired me in 1971 and promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. GAO hired me in 1980 and promoted me in 1986. GAO forced me to retire in 1997 and gave my job and my preferred corner office to my Black subordinate. He had less work experience than I had, less education than I had, one professional certification while I had six, and had no professional license like the one I had. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Are you involved in politics? If so, what do your critics/opponents use against you? My critics/opponents in Republican politics use a) my promoting the individual responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, illegal drugs, Second Amendment, and equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks in the Republican Party platform, b) my promoting direct election of Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee members, c) my supporting Pat O’Malley in the Illinois Republican gubernatorial primary in 2002, d) my serving on the Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee 2003-2007, e) my serving as the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman 2005-2012, and f) my serving as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and firework 2005-2021. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

FOX NEWS
— Frustrated Chicago residents fed up with spending on illegal immigrants, call for Republican leadership. The group ‘Chicago Flips Red’ has been active in pushing for the GOP to take over the traditionally blue city.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/frustrated-chicago-residents-fed-up-spending-illegal-immigrants-call-republican-leadership

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

THE HILL
— 5 takeaways from Musk’s CPAC talk
https://www.wjtv.com/news/5-takeaways-from-musks-cpac-talk/amp/

WASHINGTON POST
— Democrat and RINO leaders do not want anyone to be deported.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/02/21/panama-costa-rica-migrants-trump/

USA TODAY
— Trump evolved CPAC beyond conservatism. Is there still room for Reagan Republicans? CPAC has become a parade of prancing personalities, all trying to one-up each other in toadyism to Trump, where provocation is everything and actual policy of governing is, at best, an afterthought.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/02/21/cpac-conservative-conference-trump-republican-party/79313361007/
— Anticipate/expect that the more demographics that you share with Trump, and especially if you are Protestant and/or German American, the more that Democrats and RINOs will call you an extremist and even worse things.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/02/21/extremist-murders-2025-increase-on-the-rise/78385408007/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— An Escape Route From Illinois. Indiana takes the first step toward welcoming Land of Pritzker counties that want to secede.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/indiana-illinois-secession-boundary-adjustment-commission-todd-huston-j-b-pritzker-a3c18977
— Trump Is Planning to Take Control of the Postal Service. President seeks to disband governing board and put Postal Service under the Commerce Department. (COMMENT: The Democrats who ran the Park Forest Post Office hired me in 1966 because they could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, or veteran who would take the job. I had passed the postal employment examination, I had earned a diploma from Crete-Monee High School, and I was taking classes at UIC. Virtually all my superiors, supervisors, and coworkers were Democrat veterans. My Democrat Post Office superiors despised/hated Republicans, and especially draft avoiding Republicans like me. They disallowed my sick leave requests in 1968 and 1969 and they forced me to resign in 1969 falsely claiming that I was not available to work enough part-time hours. I was available each and every a) Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, b) holiday, and c) day that NIU was not in session.)
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-is-planning-to-take-control-of-the-postal-service-officials-say-e9188e7c
— FRONT PAGE: IRS Begins to Fire 6,000 Workers, Threatening Tax-Season Delays. Some collections and audits are likely to be paused, and one-on-one personal service is set to be more limited.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/irs-workers-fired-tax-season-doge-102fbecb

BLOOMBERG GOVERNMENT
— Ambitious MAGA Republicans Hunt for Trump Bump as Others Skip CPAC
https://news.bgov.com/bloomberg-government-news/ambitious-maga-republicans-hunt-for-trump-bump-as-others-skip-cpac

POLITICO
— Trump holds Black History Month celebration amid his administration’s war on DEI. Famed golfer Tiger Woods attended the event. (COMMENT: To get more votes from Blacks, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout at Blacks that Republicans cause all the problems that Blacks have. According to my critics/opponents, all the federal jobs and promotions that I got should have been given to Blacks instead of me. The Post Office hired me when I was 18 years old in 1966. IRS hired me in 1971 and promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. GAO hired me in 1980 and promoted me in 1986. GAO forced me to retire in 1997 and gave my job and my preferred corner office to my Black subordinate. He had less work experience than I had, less education than I had, one professional certification while I had six, and had no professional license like the one I had.)
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/20/trump-black-history-month-dei-021434
— The Trump administration has defended its cuts at the Federal Aviation Administration by saying safety-critical employees weren’t affected. Experts disagree. (COMMENT: During the early 1980s, I worked for GAO on an audit of FAA that involved air traffic control staffing.)
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/20/faa-firings-aviation-safety-experts-00205160

NPR
— A far-right influencer is getting invitations to travel with Trump Cabinet members (COMMENT: My critics/opponents hint/imply/argue/shout that I am a failed would-be far right influencer. They stress the many big adverse actions that they had their operatives and their dupes take against. I should write about my critics/opponents and their operatives and dupes.)
https://www.wesa.fm/2025-02-21/a-far-right-influencer-is-getting-invitations-to-travel-with-trump-cabinet-members

ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS
— Who in the Democratic party Is calling who a Nazi? if any use of Holocaust imagery was justified, it was President Trump’s description of Jewish hostages released from Hamas terrorist captivity last week, certainly not Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s parallels between Trump’s political agenda and the rise of Nazi Germany.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404252

AL JAZEERA
— Are White Afrikaners at risk in South Africa? Not really, most say. As Trump offers to take in Afrikaner refugees, many say right-wing lobbyists have spread misinformation and fear. (COMMENT: Have you been discriminated against? According to my critics/opponents, no one has ever discriminated against me for any reason. Have you had adverse employment actions taken against you? According to my Democrat superiors in the federal government, all the adverse employment actions that they took against me were justified. In my defense, I earned a job-related bachelor’s degree, three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. In my defense, my Democrat superiors never cited any performance problems or employee complaints against me to justify any of the adverse actions that they took against me. In my defense. all my coworkers who my Democrat superiors promoted over me were Democrats who had less work experience than I had, had less education than I had, had no professional certifications or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had and/or were minority, female, younger, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time. In my defense, my Democrat GAO superiors have never denied a) that I complained about their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination or b) that I became an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation when I was 40 years old in 1988.)
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/2/21/are-white-afrikaners-at-risk-in-south-africa-not-really-most-say

February 20, 2025 Evening Edition

WHITE HOUSE
— America Is Back — and President Trump Is Just Getting Started
https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/02/america-is-back-and-president-trump-is-just-getting-started/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Pritzker Following Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels’ Playbook
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/20/pritzker-following-nazi-propaganda-minister-joseph-goebbels-playbook/
— Indiana About to Pass Real Property Tax Relief
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/20/indiana-about-to-pass-real-property-tax-relief/
— Pritzker Four-Year Junior College Proposal Will Hurt Four-Year State Universities
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/20/pritzker-four-year-junior-college-proposal-will-hurt-four-year-state-universities/
— Judges Go to Schools
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/20/judges-go-to-schools/
— The Censures of Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk – Part 4
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/20/the-censures-of-algonquin-township-supervisor-randy-funk-part-4/

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Fallout continues after Pritzker’s Nazi comments during budget speech
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_3ad0cf8a-efc3-11ef-b47d-1fb230bbecf6.html

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Food assistance need grows 12% in Illinois since 2019 (COMMENT: Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, more and more and more will want/need/demand more and more and more food assistance.)
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/food-assistance-need-grows-12-in-illinois-since-2019/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Democrat leaders promote Pritzker’s hate speech
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-governor-jb-pritzker-getting-national-attention-speaking-president-donald-trump-during-budget-address/15939325/
— Democrat leaders use their “undocumented immigrant children” to promote hatred against Trump
https://abc7chicago.com/post/latest-trump-cuts-leave-26000-undocumented-immigrant-children-legal-representation/15938544/
— Border crossings are down and refugee shelters in border cities are seeing decrease first hand
https://abc7chicago.com/post/us-mexico-border-news-crossings-down-refugee-shelters-cities-seeing-decrease-first-hand/15933759/

NBC5
— What does DOGE’s IRS shake-up mean for tax season?  DOGE wants access to filers’ data, and the commerce secretary says Trump wants to scrap the IRS altogether. But filing a return remains mandatory — the earlier the better, tax advisers say.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/doge-irs-shake-up-tax-season/3679235/?os=fuzzscanazstr&ref=app

CBS2
— Thousands of IRS employees facing layoffs by Trump administration. Another round of federal job cuts is coming. This time, it’s at the agency responsible for bringing money into the government’s coffers. (COMMENT: While I worked for GAO 1980-1997, its employees always faced Republican-led layoffs.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/thousands-of-irs-employees-facing-layoffs-by-trump-administration/

FOX32
— Chicago Columbus statues could return as city faces art controversy
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-columbus-statues-could-return-art-controversy
— Chicago aldermen push to restore Columbus statues
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1596704

WTTW
— Democrat leaders promote fired federal employees. Democrats and RINOs either could care less or applauded my Democrat IRS and GAO superiors wasting my career and forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/20/dream-jobs-us-forest-service-unemployment-meet-2-illinois-fired-federal-workers

WGN RADIO
— Former federal employee shares her story of losing her job (COMMENT: Democrats and RINOs do not want to hear my story.)
https://wgnradio.com/lisa-dent/former-federal-employee-shares-her-story-of-losing-her-job/
— Mayor Brandon Johnson shares plan to fight food inequity in the city
https://wgnradio.com/lisa-dent/mayor-brandon-johnson-shares-plan-to-fight-food-inequity-in-the-city/

WBEZ
— To get more votes from minorities, Democrat leaders want more federal money to be spent on them.
https://www.wbez.org/education/2025/02/20/uic-cultural-centers-and-race-based-college-programs-across-illinois-threatened-by-latest-trump-guidance

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump, Musk unpopular with Illinois voters, Pritzker poll finds. It is notable that Gov. JB Pritzker’s team released the poll, and it shows he is prepared for a political fight — both in terms of a potential third term for Illinois governor, or a 2028 presidential bid.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/donald-trump/2025/02/20/president-donald-trump-elon-musk-illinois-voters-poll-jb-pritzker
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A new Illinois poll commissioned by Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker finds President Donald Trump and his cost-cutting czar Elon Musk’s early administration actions aren’t quite popular. A Global Strategy Group poll of 800 “likely 2026 voters” conducted Feb. 5-9 found more than 50% of those surveyed called Trump’s actions “extremely concerning.” Of those polled, 56% called Trump unfavorable, including 49% who called him very unfavorable. For Musk, 56% called him unfavorable, with 50% dubbing him very unfavorable. Democrats were the most negative on Musk and Trump, but independents viewed both unfavorably as well. A party-line split was evident in the poll, with 90% of Republican voters saying they approved of Trump, and 83% saying they approved of Musk. Among independents, 40% approved of Trump, and 38% approved of Musk. The poll also delved into some of Trump and Musk’s actions, with 57% of those polled calling any move to end an initiative to lower the cost of prescription drugs “extremely concerning.” Eliminating government programs, including health care, Meals on Wheels and child care; eliminating all members of the Aviation Safety Board; pardoning all the Jan. 6 rioters; and eliminating the Department of Education were among the most concerning topics for those polled. It is notable that Pritzker’s team released the poll, and it shows the Democratic governor is prepared for a political fight ahead — both in terms of a potential third term for governor, or a 2028 presidential bid. Pritzker has been criticizing Trump since his first gubernatorial campaign began in 2017. But now he’s aiming his ire at Musk as well — and has frequently railed against the billionaire adviser at Illinois news conferences. At a Wednesday briefing at the Illinois State Capitol, Pritzker blamed Musk for the unpredictability of federal funding and its effects on the state budget. And he used a collective “we” when talking about Musk and Trump. “We don’t know what they’re going to do. And you’ve seen that. You know, Elon Musk comes out with tweets about Social Security that turned out to be completely false,” Pritzker said. “We don’t know what they’re going to do. We don’t know whether they’re going to cut off the Medicaid expansion across the country. They’ve been hearing from Republican governors, just like they have from Democratic governors about the negative impact on the people of their state.” Despite the poll’s negative approval rating for Trump, the Republican president’s statewide vote grew to 43.8% last year, up from 38.76% in 2016. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.)
— Alderman introduces plan to punish Chicago city employees and officers for having extremist ties. The plan from 47th Ward Ald. Matt Martin follows growing calls for the Chicago Police Department and Mayor Brandon Johnson to fire cops with ties to extremist groups. (COMMENT: I should write about my critics/opponents who painted Illinois Center Right Coalition and TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois as being extremist groups. I would focus on those who have taken the most/biggest adverse actions against me.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/extremism-in-the-ranks/2025/02/20/alderman-introduces-plan-to-punish-chicago-city-employees-and-officers-for-having-extremist-ties

DAILY HERALD
— Facing lawsuit, Republicans to meet a second time to choose McConchie’s successor
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250220/illinois-state-politics/facing-lawsuit-republicans-to-meet-a-second-time-to-choose-mcconchies-successor/

HERALD WHIG
— Black and Latino leaders want more government assistance for Blacks and Latinos
https://www.whig.com/news/illinois-news/black-latino-lawmakers-criticize-pritzker-s-proposed-budget/article_6e2f622e-efa5-11ef-9fea-3fe4be18874d.html

FOX ILLINOIS
— MAGA is ‘a Nazi movement’: Former NFL punter Chris Kluwe arrested at city council meeting
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/maga-is-a-nazi-movement-former-nfl-punter-chris-kluwe-arrested-at-city-council-meeting-california-huntington-beach-city-council-minnesota-vikings-president-donald-trump-politics-make-america-great-again-red-hat-swastika

WAND TV
— Illinois House Democrats bash Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) for saying his caucus is part of ‘team Jew’
https://www.wandtv.com/news/statehouse/illinois-house-democrats-bash-republican-for-saying-his-caucus-is-part-of-team-jew/article_690a5734-efd4-11ef-843e-c7d87166bf31.html

WQAD
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://www.wqad.com/article/news/local/the-current/black-hawk-college-cannabis-courses-cohort-online-industry/526-ddc205a3-5e9c-46c0-9ed3-2a4a141a9018

WSJD
— Pritzker Insults President Trump and Fails to Take Responsibility for Illinois’ Budget Deficit (COMMENT: Pritzker runs Illinois. He hates Trump and he hates the 2.4 million in Illinois who voted for Trump. Anticipate/expect that he will ever-increasingly destroy those 2.4 million voters starting with those who are registered Republicans, who voted in the election, and who share Trump’s demographics: conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, non-veteran, married, Protestant, German America, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.)
https://wsjd.fm/new-blog-1/2025/2/20/severin-pritzker-insults-president-trump-and-fails-to-take-responsibility-for-illinois-budget-deficit

NEWS CHANNEL 20
—  Do you support President Trump’s plan to cut the size of the IRS? (COMMENT: I should write about those who have demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me the most for my having been an IRS employee for almost 9 years.)
https://newschannel20.com/question/vote-do-you-support-president-donald-trumps-plan-to-cut-the-size-of-the-irs-question-of-the-day-internal-revenue-service-doge-department-of-government-efficiency-elon-musk-federal-workforce-downsize-taxpayers

EFFINGHAM RADIO
— IL GOP Reacts To Governor Pritzker’s Budget Address
https://www.effinghamradio.com/2025/02/20/il-gop-reacts-to-governor-pritzkers-budget-address/

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Democrats push a Democrat push poll.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/trump-approval-rating-appears-to-be-underwater-one-month-into-second-term-survey/
— IRS layoffs could hurt revenue collection and foil efforts to go after rich tax dodgers, experts say (COMMENT: Democrats and RINOs either could care less or applauded my Democrat IRS and GAO superiors wasting my career and forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.)
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-irs-layoffs-could-hurt-revenue-collection-and-foil-efforts-to-go-after-rich-tax-dodgers-experts-say/

BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
— Plan To Turn Lincoln Square’s Diplomat Hotel Into Transitional Housing Gets $5.5 Million TIF Boost. City Council approved additional funding for the $14 million renovation of the former motel into The Haven for people experiencing homelessness.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/02/19/plan-to-turn-lincoln-squares-diplomat-hotel-into-transitional-housing-gets-5-5-million-tif-boost/

CHALKBEAT CHICAGO
— Chicago releases its Black Student Success Plan amid backlash against race-based initiatives
https://www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2025/02/20/cps-releases-black-student-success-plan/

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/20/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-252/
— Pritzker’s new Illinois poll has majority ‘extremely concerned’ about a host of Trump’s recent actions
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/20/pritzkers-new-illinois-poll-has-majority-extremely-concerned-about-a-host-of-trumps-recent-actions/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump blasts Zelenskyy as ‘dictator’ who duped U.S. into sending aid
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/19/donald-trump-blasts-volodymyr-zelenskyy-dictator-duped-u-sending-aid/
— Trump has conquered CPAC
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/20/donald-trump-conquered-cpac/
— Musk wields symbolic chainsaw at CPAC in celebration of his federal role: ‘This is awesome’
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/20/elon-musk-wields-symbolic-chainsaw-cpac/
— Vance emerges as an early favorite at CPAC to carry the MAGA flag into 2028
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/20/jd-vance-emerges-early-favorite-cpac-carry-maga-flag-2028/
— ‘I want to find out’: Trump says he is going to personally inspect the gold at Fort Knox
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/20/trump-inspect-gold-fort-knox/

NEW YORK POST
— Musk wields ‘chainsaw for bureaucracy’ on stage at CPAC to symbolize DOGE’s massive government cuts
https://nypost.com/2025/02/20/us-news/elon-musk-wields-chainsaw-for-bureaucracy-on-stage-at-cpac-to-symbolize-doges-massive-government-cuts/

BIZ PAC REVIEW
— ‘America-last RINOs’ side with Zelenskyy over Trump
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/02/20/america-last-rinos-side-with-zelenskyy-over-trump-1523948/

CAMPUS REFORM
— Ex-UIC prof files lawsuit saying he was fired for opposing racial hiring preferences. The Liberty Justice Center recently filed a lawsuit against the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), alleging that a professor was fired because he criticized the school’s hiring practices, which the professor believes are racially discriminatory. The federal lawsuit was filed on Feb. 10 in the Eastern Division of the Northern District of Illinois.  (SEE: Diersen v. GAO at : https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf )
https://www.campusreform.org/article/ex-uic-prof-files-lawsuit-saying-fired-opposing-racial-hiring-preferences/27506
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Liberty Justice Center recently filed a lawsuit against the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), alleging that a professor was fired because he criticized the school’s hiring practices, which the professor believes are racially discriminatory. The federal lawsuit, which was filed on Feb. 10 in the Eastern Division of the Northern District of Illinois, asserts that the school administration violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment when it terminated Professor Stephen Kleinschmit. While he was at UIC, Kleinschmit “observed that multiple hiring and funding programs were either a) explicitly designed to use race as a qualification in hiring decisions or b) being subverted to favor nonwhite applicants and faculty,” according to the lawsuit. The document asserts that when Kleinschmit spoke out about the allegedly discriminatory hiring practices, the school administration terminated his contract. “When he complained about this unlawful behavior, he was terminated—ostensibly due to budget cuts, yet the University retained faculty hired under a non-competitive, racially preferential hiring program, and soon after advertised a new job opening in his old department stating ‘members of a recognized underrepresented group are particularly encouraged to apply,’” the complaint says. Kleinschmit has a Ph.D. in Public Administration and was a professor in the school’s Department of Public Policy, Management, and Analytics until he was fired in 2023. Among other specific allegations, the complaint asserts that UIC required Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) statements in hiring. The lawsuit additionally accuses the administration of incorporating the race-conscious statements “into departmental norms and guidelines for promotion and tenure.” The 31-page lawsuit also gives other examples of allegedly racially discriminatory school policies. “The University Faculty Senate on July 29, 2020 released the UIC Senate Statement on Black Lives Matter, which asked the white faculty and administrators to ‘acknowledge their white privilege and power, and to commit to take action against systematic racism through anti-racist action,’” the lawsuit explains. In a statement about the lawsuit, Liberty Justice Center Senior Counsel Reilly Stephens called UIC’s hiring practices “blatantly” illegal. “The University of Illinois Chicago repeatedly engaged in blatant acts of racial discrimination, then added illegal retaliation to the mix to avoid accountability for its unlawful behavior,” Stephens asserted in a press release. “These actions are unacceptable violations of the right to equal protection under the law, and we urge the court to put a stop to it immediately.” Campus Reform has contacted the University of Illinois Chicago for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.)

CATHOLIC LIFE
— At CPAC, Vance talks faith, says policies should help ‘choose life’ and ‘start families’
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262327/at-cpac-vance-talks-faith-says-policies-should-help-choose-life-and-start-families

DAILY CALLER
— ‘Trump Administration Is Serious’: America’s Southern Border Hasn’t Been This Quiet Since The 1960s
https://dailycaller.com/2025/02/20/border-encounters-drop-to-1960s-levels/

EPOCH TIMES
— Federal Judge Allows Trump Admin to Continue Layoffs of Federal Workers. The suit was brought by federal unions seeking to preserve union dues and bargaining power.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/federal-judge-allows-trump-admin-to-continue-layoffs-of-federal-workers-5813651

FOX NEWS
— VP JD Vance speaks on ‘fundamental goal’ of Trump administration at CPAC address. ‘It is easy, unfortunately, to burn the house down. It takes a little bit of time to build it back up and that’s what we have to do,’ said Vance.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/vp-jd-vance-speaks-fundamental-goal-trump-administration-cpac-address
— Homan says billions saved on illegal migrants can be used to help Americans
https://www.foxnews.com/media/trump-border-czar-tom-homan-says-billions-saved-illegal-migrants-can-used-help-americans

NATIONAL REVIEW
— Pro-Life Issues Are Given Short Shrift at This Year’s CPAC
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/pro-life-issues-are-given-short-shrift-at-this-years-cpac/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

THE HILL
— Trump set to speak at CPAC
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5154914-donald-trump-speaking-cpac-2025/

REUTERS
— Musk to appear at CPAC
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/musk-appear-cpac-conservative-gathering-organizer-says-2025-02-20/

CBS NEWS
— Thousands of IRS workers to be laid off (COMMENT: I should write about those who have demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me the most for my having been an IRS employee for almost 9 years.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/thousands-of-irs-workers-to-be-laid-off-source-says/
— GOP lawmakers concerned about impact of DOGE cuts on constituents, but most support effort (COMMENT: How dependent on federal spending are those in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gop-lawmakers-doge-cuts-impact/

POLITICO
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote those who seek asylum in America.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/20/asylum-seekers-trump-administration-021337
— At CPAC, Vance finally gets the reception he wishes he got in Munich. Surrounded by allies, the vice president basked in his role as culture-warrior-in-chief.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/20/cpac-jd-vance-culture-war-00205236

HARPER’S MAGAZINE
— Rage Against the Machine. Trump’s second attempt at dismantling the bureaucracy.
https://harpers.org/archive/2025/03/rage-against-the-machine-andrew-cockburn-trump-bureaucracy/

EDUCATION WEEK
— Parents Lose Appeal Over School’s Gender Identity Notification Policy  (COMMENT: Democrat teachers ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.)
https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/parents-lose-appeal-over-schools-gender-identity-notification-policy/2025/02

RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— 53% Approve Trump Ending DEI Policies
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/53_approve_trump_ending_dei_policies

February 20, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Republicans shocked by Gov. Pritzker’s attacks on Trump administration, Nazi Germany references
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jts1KaE_rj0

WTTW
— Pritzker Compares Trump Administration’s Approach to Nazi Germany During State Budget Address
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/19/pritzker-compares-trump-administration-s-approach-nazi-germany-during-state-budget

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— What Central Illinois lawmakers liked, and didn’t like, in Pritzker budget plan (FROM THE ARTICLE: Multiple Republicans walked out of the joint session in the House chamber.”)
https://pantagraph.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/what-central-illinois-lawmakers-liked-and-didnt-like-in-pritzker-budget-plan/article_a48aeb5e-ef23-11ef-b7ba-2f418a049d96.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Near the end of his address, Pritzker compared the actions taken by the Trump Administration in recent weeks to the rise of Nazi Germany in the 1930s. “The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here,” Pritzker said. “They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems.” What comes next, he asked, “after we’ve discriminated against, deported or disparaged all the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women and the minorities, once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends after that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face — what comes next?’” Before Pritzker could finish making his point, multiple Republicans walked out of the joint session in the House chamber, including state Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville. “That rhetoric was out of place, and (did) not need to be talked and spoken,” Halbrook, a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, said. “It was completely wrong.” Fellow caucus member Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Teutopolis, had more heated criticism. “Parts of the governor’s own party want to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth,” Niemerg said. “And to call Trump and Republicans Nazis is dangerous political grandstanding and will only incite the violence he claims to condemn. But this is about JB Pritzker’s misguided aspirations to be the next president.”)

WAND TV
— GOP criticize Governor for ‘Nazi comparison’ (COMMENT: To harm me, my critics/opponents, including those who are Protestant and/or German American, have always stressed that I am Protestant and German American. I should write about my critics/opponents who are Protestant and/or German American and who have taken the biggest/most adverse actions against me to curry favor with non-Protestants and/or with non-German Americans.)
https://www.wandtv.com/news/statehouse/il-democrats-celebrate-pritzkers-budget-gop-criticize-governor-for-nazi-comparison/article_7b08d028-ef16-11ef-ba5b-efc1d3148209.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Pritzker ended his speech by criticizing the Trump administration and comparing it to when the Nazis attacked marginalized communities. “To sit there and basically be called Nazis, not only Trump but the Republican party, it was disgusting,” House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) said.)

NBC5
— To get more votes from Blacks, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote reparations. Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout at Blacks that Republicans cause all the problems that Blacks have.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/top-videos-home/former-educator-historian-makes-push-for-reparations/3678446/
— President Trump signs executive order to make IVF more affordable (COMMENT: During the 1980s, my Democrat GAO superiors used against me big time my and my wife giving up trying to have children without trying IVF even though they knew full-well that both of us had big fertility problems and that because of that, our doctor had advised against trying IVF. They stressed that IVF was covered by our health insurance and they punished me big time for our not trying IVF. They hinted/implied/argued/shouted that if my wife and I had children, I would not have been able to pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, earn a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, or pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and became a licensed CPA in 1981. I should write about my Democrat GAO superiors. I would focus on those who complained the most about the time and money they spent raising their children.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/top-videos-home/president-trump-signs-executive-order-to-make-ivf-more-affordable/3678347/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— City Council proposal would return Columbus statues to Grant, Arrigo parks. Condemning what he calls “selective censorship,” Ald. Anthony Napolitano also is criticizing the city’s refusal to remove from the city-owned Cultural Center a puppet display titled “U.S.-Israel War Machine.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2025/02/19/columbus-statues-grant-arrigo-park-cultural-center-public-art-gaza-monuments-project-report
— When politics seep into schools, learning becomes harder (COMMENT: Democrat teachers focus on turning their students into good little Democrats.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/02/20/schools-politics-culture-wars-learning-becomes-harder-students-want-comfort-jerald-mcnair

WBEZ
— Chicago’s most marginalized students have almost no shot of getting into CPS’ elite schools (COMMENT: According to Democrat and RINO leaders, a) the more of the following that you are, the more marginalized that you are: liberal/moderate, Democrat, minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, unmarried, poor, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or if your ancestors have not been in America for a long time and b) the more of the following that you are, the more of an oppressor that you are: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, heterosexual, married, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.wbez.org/education/2024/07/09/chicagos-most-marginalized-students-have-almost-no-shot-of-getting-into-cps-elite-schools

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Anticipate/expect that Democrat leaders will ever-increasingly blame Trump for everything that is bad. My critics/opponents ever-increasingly blame me for all of their problems, your problems, my problems, and everyone’s problems. They mainly blame me for all the losses that Republican candidate candidates on ballots in my precinct have suffered. I should write about my critics/opponents and those candidates and the many big adverse actions that they have had their operatives and dupes take against me.
thing that is bad.
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/politics/pritzker-calls-55-2b-budget-responsible-and-balanced-warns-trump-policies-could-upend-it/article_3415cc6c-ef33-11ef-ab69-bf48b8db64d3.html

STATELINE
— IRS plans to lay off 7,000 probationary workers beginning Thursday (COMMENT: I worked for IRS 1971-1980.)
https://www.mystateline.com/news/national/ap-irs-plans-to-lay-off-7000-probationary-workers-beginning-thursday-ap-source-says/

WSIL TV
— Democrats ever-increasingly crow about their success in making children and everyone else sexually active LGBTQers. How much success have Democrats had doing that in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?
https://www.wsiltv.com/news/health/population-identifying-as-lgbtq-in-the-us-has-nearly-doubled-since-2020-poll-finds/article_db540a40-8c28-5949-a7a8-4a96dd9d4432.html

FOX ILLINOIS
— Senate Republicans voice rare dissent after Trump blames Ukraine for Russia’s invasion
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/senate-republicans-voice-rare-dissent-after-trump-blames-ukraine-for-russias-invasion-zelenskyy-american-russian-officials-putin-bipartisan-backlast-chuck-schumer-war

CHICAGO DEFENDER
— Pritzker ‘proud’ to join lawsuit against Trump over federal spending freezes (COMMENT: To get more votes from those who need/want/demand government assistance, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use government to give them more money. How dependent on government spending are those in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?)
https://chicagocrusader.com/pritzker-proud-to-join-lawsuit-against-trump-over-federal-spending-freezes/

BARRINGTON HILLS OBSERVER
— Do Over Scheduled for Meeting to Replace State Senator Dan McConchie
https://barringtonhillsobserver.com/2025/02/20/do-over-scheduled-for-meeting-to-replace-state-senator-dan-mcconchie/

NORTHERN STAR
— Democrats run Illinois. They ever-increasingly use the power that they have to drive Republicans out of Illinois who are conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://northernstar.info/123108/news/pritzker-talks-budget-rise-of-american-authoritarianism-at-state-of-the-state-address/

BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
— City Crews Tear Down Tents At Gompers Park Encampment On One Of Coldest Mornings Of The Year. The Park District said the city was removing “smoke stack components and propane tanks used to heat five, illegal structures” in the park. The rest of the encampment would be spared, they said.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/02/19/city-crews-tear-down-tents-at-gompers-park-encampment-on-one-of-the-coldest-mornings-of-the-year/

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Democrats love Pritzker’s promotion of hate against Trump, that is, Democrats hate Trump. How much success has Pritzker had promoting hate against Trump in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/20/pritzker-packs-a-punch-00205092
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Pritzker used the word “idiot” to describe Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk, and he compared the actions unfolding in Washington to Nazi Germany. The governor isn’t apologizing: He had a whole passage about the Nazis trying to march in Skokie. “I do not invoke the specter of Nazis lightly.” Pritzker said in his speech in the Illinois House chamber, adding he’s “watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now.” In a powerful passage, Pritzker added: “After we’ve discriminated against, deported or disparaged all the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women and the minorities — once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends — After that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face — what comes next?” The whole speech is here. Critics see Pritzker’s address as an effort to fuel his political aspirations, though the governor has denied that even saying so in his speech: “I am not speaking up in service to my ambitions — but in deference to my obligations.” Simply put, the governor told reporters later, he is “passionate” about his belief in the Constitution and sees the Trump administration’s efforts to sidestep that as an attack on Democracy. He’s not going to keep quiet about Trump. . .Latino Caucus lawmakers felt stung learning Pritzker wants to eliminate a healthcare benefit for noncitizen immigrants younger than 65. It’s a program that had huge support from Democrats when it was passed. And members of the Black Caucus wished they had heard the governor mention Black History Month or the importance of the Black community in his speech, noting the governor’s sweeping mention of diversity and equity was fine but not enough.)

CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/20/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-459/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WIREPOINTS
— Pritzker says he is fighting against Nazis in astounding speech
https://wirepoints.org/jb-pritzker-says-he-is-fighting-against-nazis-in-astounding-speech-wirepoints/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: It was supposed to be the annual State of the State and Budget Address, but the most notable segment by far in Gov. J.B Pritzker’s Wednesday speech was what he said about Americans he opposes. That message was deliberate and unequivocal: “I do not invoke the specter of Nazis lightly,” he said after talking about his work building the Holocaust Museum and an earlier Nazi march. “I’m watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now,” Pritzker said, citing President Trump blaming a recent plane crash on diversity hiring and the Missouri Attorney General’s reverse discrimination lawsuit against Starbucks. “The authoritarian playbook is laid bare,” he said. “They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems.” Pritzker continued. “I just have one question. What comes next? All the atrocities of human history lurk in the answer to that question. And if we don’t want to repeat history – then for God’s sake in this moment we better be strong enough to learn from it…. If you think I’m overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this: It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic.” Note that Pritzker’s words weren’t only about Donald Trump. The looming and sinister “they” are the Nazi threat, Pritzker said. The Missouri attorney general is an example. It’s not the first time Pritzker has made such an astonishing charge about so many Americans. Last year, he said all Republican Trump supporters are fascist. “Illinois Democrats have done more in the last five years to push back on the wave of authoritarian, anti-democratic MAGA Republican nonsense than in any other place in the country,” Pritzker said. “Leave it to us to raise the tallest flag in the fight against modern American fascism.” The full text of the relevant part of Pritzker’s speech is below. It’s difficult to imagine words more inflammatory and irresponsible than Pritzker’s. “Nazi” is perhaps the worst conceivable insult, they being tyrannical monsters who slaughtered some 20 million people during World War II and its run-up. How are Pritzker’s words not incitement to violence? To those convinced by Pritzker’s words, would it not be morally right, or even morally imperative, to use violence or even kill those who are bringing Nazism to America? Pritzker’s accusation applies to around half of America, with support growing. A recent CBS poll, for example, found Trump’s job approval rating at 53%. Support is much stronger, as that poll showed, for Trump policies to which Pritzker is most hostile, namely, those  on illegal immigration, deportations and DEI policies (diversity, equity and inclusion). Among other consequences of words as outrageous as Pritzker’s is his loss of credibility on matters that Trump can be reasonably criticized for. There’s no shortage of those. Most Americans, for example, don’t like Trump’s tariff policies, and even Trump’s Republican base doesn’t like his idea for America taking ownership of Gaza. On those and many other matters, Pritzker’s bombast about Nazism dooms him to irrelevance. All hope of constructive input is forfeited. The Trump Administration will laugh him off or perhaps impose reprisals on Illinois. Finally, does Pritzker not know that invoking the Holocaust and comparisons to Nazism must be used sparingly to preserve their impact when true risks arise? Who does Pritzker think benefits from insults like the ones he made? Presumably, he thinks it will help him in the next presidential race, but good luck with that. His speech will help nobody. Not him, his faction of the Democratic Party, the State of Illinois or the United States. Hatred and division help nobody. They are Nazis, he told us.)
— This wasn’t the budget speech that ordinary Illinoisans want to hear. They want tax relief, not more spending.
https://wirepoints.org/this-wasnt-the-budget-speech-that-ordinary-illinoisans-want-to-hear-they-want-tax-relief-not-more-spending-wirepoints-on-the-illinois-radio-network/
— Pritzker declares Lake Michigan is now “Lake Illinois.” The responses are perfect.
https://wirepoints.org/gov-pritzker-declares-lake-michigan-is-now-lake-illinois-the-responses-are-perfect-not-the-bee/

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— State Election Board Vindicates Illinois Review in 6-0 Vote as Mayor Pekau Allies Fail to Silence Conservative Voice
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2025/02/state-election-board-vindicates-illinois-review-in-6-0-vote-as-mayor-pekau-allies-fail-to-silence-conservative-voice.html

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Pritzker’s magic beans: Growing a record-setting $55B Illinois budget
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/pritzkers-magic-beans-growing-a-record-setting-55b-illinois-budget/

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— How much success has Pritzker had promoting hatred against Trump in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct? I anticipate/expect to get a measure of Pritzker’s success when I hand-deliver Republican campaign literature and sample ballots to the 400 residences in my precinct that have at least one Republican or Independent voter for the April 1 election. Anticipate/expect that ever-increasingly, the more demographics that you share with Trump, the more that Pritzker will do to destroy you. Trump is conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, married, Protestant, German American, and his ancestors have been in America for a long time. Anticipate/expect that Pritzker will ever-increasingly focus on destroying those who do not share his demographics with Trump, especially those who are Protestant and/or German American. It is called religious discrimination and national origin discrimination. Are you Protestant? I am. I was baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran. Are you German American? I am. If you are, what do you stress in defense of your national origin? I stress that my grandfather on my father’s side fought the Germans in WWI, that my uncles on my mother’s side fought the Germans in WWII, and that my father would have fought the Germans in WWII if he had not been 4-F. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Are you Protestant? Are you German American? To harm me, my critics/opponents, including those who are Protestant and/or German American, have always stressed that I am Protestant and German American. I should write about my critics/opponents who are Protestant and/or German American and who have taken the biggest/most adverse actions against me to curry favor with non-Protestants and/or with non-German Americans. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What is your position on IVF? During the 1980s, my Democrat GAO superiors used against me big time my and my wife giving up trying to have children without trying IVF even though they knew full-well that both of us had big fertility problems and that because of that, our doctor had advised against trying IVF. They stressed that IVF was covered by our health insurance and they punished me big time for our not trying IVF. They hinted/implied/argued/shouted that if my wife and I had children, I would not have been able to pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, earn a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, or pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and became a licensed CPA in 1981. I should write about my Democrat GAO superiors. I would focus on those who complained the most about the time and money they spent raising their children. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Anticipate/expect that Democrat leaders will ever-increasingly blame Trump for everything that is bad. My critics/opponents ever-increasingly blame me for all of their problems, your problems, my problems, and everyone’s problems. They mainly blame me for all the losses that Republican candidate candidates on ballots in my precinct have suffered. I should write about my critics/opponents and those candidates and the many big adverse actions that they have had their operatives and dupes take against me. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— To get more votes from those who need/want/demand government assistance, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use government to give them more money. How dependent on government spending are those in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Democrats run Illinois. They ever-increasingly use the power that they have to drive Republicans out of Illinois who are conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. – Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Democrat leaders like Duckworth ever-increasingly do everything that they can to turn veterans against Republicans. While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, many, most, and at times, virtually all of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrat veterans. To turn them against me, my Democrat superiors stressed to them that I avoided the Vietnam War draft. They hinted/implied/argued/shouted that if had not avoided the Vietnam War draft, I would not have been able to a) earn a bachelor’s degree in management when I was 21, a master’s degree in business when I was 27, pass the CPA examination on my first attempt when I was 30, earn a master’s degree in accounting when I was 31, and pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt when I was 32; b) buy new cars when I was 19, 20, 23, 25, and 29; c) buy real estate when I was 24, 25, 27, 29, and 35; and d) get married when I was 29. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Did you enlist? I did not. Worse yet, I avoided the Vietnam War draft. Since 1966, my critics/opponents have used that against me. They stress a) that I am a conservative Republican, b) that I was 1-A for the draft, and c) I would not have been sent into combat anyway because I could not run because I had a bone disease, my vision could not be corrected to 20/20, and I had partial red/green color blindness. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What is your position on age discrimination? My Democrat IRS and GAO superiors used up-or-out, that is, they used age discrimination big time to get rid of their Republican employees. They wrote off their Republican employees as being too old to be promoted if they had not made GS-13 (currently $117,807/year) by age 25, GS-14 ($139,211/year) by age 30, GS-15 ($163,749/year) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service ($195,200/year) by age 40. Extremely few federal employees make the aforesaid promotion deadlines. I should write about that. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What are your demographics? According to Democrat and RINO leaders, a) the more of the following that you are, the more marginalized that you are: liberal/moderate, Democrat, minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, unmarried, poor, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or if your ancestors have not been in America for a long time and b) the more of the following that you are, the more of an oppressor that you are: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, heterosexual, married, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— CPAC attendees ecstatic about conservatives’ big wins in the new Trump-era
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/20/cpac-attendees-ecstatic-conservatives-big-wins-new-trump-era/

EPOOCH TIMES
— Trump Loves Idea of Sending Taxpayers Checks Funded by DOGE Savings. The proposal was first floated by businessman James Fishback, who called it a ‘DOGE dividend.’ (COMMENT: To justify its budget requests, GAO always stresses that its audits save the federal government far more tax dollars than its budget requests. SEE: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-107438 )
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-considers-returning-20-percent-of-doge-related-savings-to-americans-5813167
(FROM GAO’s FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET REQUEST: In fiscal year 2023, GAO’s work yielded $70.4 billion in financial benefits. Our average return on investment for the past 6 years is $133 for every $1 invested in GAO. In this testimony before the House Subcommittee on Legislative Branch Appropriations, U.S. Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro discusses GAO’s FY 2025 budget request. Our budget request will enable GAO to continue to meet key areas of importance to the nation and Congress including national security, fraud prevention, science and technology, cybersecurity, and health care costs. These resources will also support GAO’s IT modernization and space optimization efforts.)

FOX NEWS
— Trump signs executive order ending use of taxpayer money to ‘incentivize or support’ illegal immigration. A White House fact sheet said the executive order is to ensure taxes are used to ‘protect the interests of American citizens, not illegal aliens.’
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-signs-executive-order-ending-use-taxpayer-money-incentivize-support-illegal-immigration?lid=q4376bhn4ot7

NEWSMAX
— Democrats Criticize Trump IVF Order as ‘PR Stunt’ (COMMENT: During the 1980s, my Democrat GAO superiors used against me big time my and my wife giving up trying to have children without trying IVF even though they knew full-well that both of us had big fertility problems and that because of that, our doctor had advised against trying IVF. They stressed that IVF was covered by our health insurance and they punished me big time for our not trying IVF. They hinted/implied/argued/shouted that if my wife and I had children, I would not have been able to pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, earn a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, or pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and became a licensed CPA in 1981. I should write about my Democrat GAO superiors. I would focus on those who complained the most about the time and money they spent raising their children.
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/trump-ivf-pr/2025/02/19/id/1199750/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ASSOCIATED PRESS
— To these Black retirees, the federal civil service now under attack was a path to the middle class (COMMENT: According to my critics/opponents, all the federal jobs and promotions that I got should have been given to Blacks instead of me. The Post Office hired me when I was 18 years old in 1966. IRS hired me in 1971 and promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. GAO hired me in 1980 and promoted me in 1986. GAO forced me to retire in 1997 and gave my job and my preferred corner office to my Black subordinate. He had less work experience than I had, less education than I had, one professional certification while I had six, and had no professional license like the one I had.)
https://apnews.com/article/trump-doge-civil-service-race-black-americans-64980891924f179c7395ed7443107ce5

USA TODAY
— Are you a fired federal employee? Here are resources to help you get back on your feet. (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors not only wasted my career, took many adverse actions against me, and forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, they did everything that they could to stop me from getting a job appropriate for my work experience, professional certifications, and professional license. Their success in doing that drove me into Republican politics. I became a Republican Precinct Committeeman in 1999, the GOPUSA Illinois Editor in 2000, an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member in 2001, an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member in 2003, the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman in 2005, the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and fireworks in 2005, etc.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2025/02/17/what-to-do-lost-federal-government-job-resources/78976164007/

SACRAMENTO BEE
— Number of studio apartments has doubled in Sacramento region in last decade. ‘We do sacrifice’ (COMMENT: I bought a studio condo in the Outer Drive East building when I was 25 years old in 1974. I lived in it weekdays until 1976 when I traded it in to the building’s developer for a one bedroom condo. During that time, I waked to/from my IRS job in Loop and graduate evening business courses at Loyola. I spent weekends in my townhome in University Park that I had bought in 1972.)
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article298981875.html

STARS AND STRIPES
— ‘On the backs of veterans’: Senators rail against federal workforce purge as vets hit hard by cuts (COMMENT: While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, many, most, and at times, virtually all of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrat veterans. To turn them against me, my Democrat superiors stressed to them that I avoided the Vietnam War draft. They hinted/implied/argued/shouted that if had not avoided the Vietnam War draft, I would not have been able to a) earn a bachelor’s degree in management when I was 21, a master’s degree in business when I was 27, pass the CPA examination on my first attempt when I was 30, earn a master’s degree in accounting when I was 31, and pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt when I was 32; b) buy new cars when I was 19, 20, 23, 25, and 29; c) buy real estate when I was 24, 25, 27, 29, and 35; and d) get married when I was 29.)
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2025-02-19/veterans-federal-firings-trump-musk-16888063.html

C-SPAN
— VP Vance & Republicans Deliver Remarks at CPAC
https://www.c-span.org/event/public-affairs-event/vp-vance-republicans-deliver-remarks-at-cpac/431061
— Democrats run Illinois. They ever-increasingly use the power that they have to drive Republicans out of Illinois who are conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.c-span.org/clip/state-legislature/illinois-governor-pritzker-warns-against-threats-to-american-democracy-in-state-of-the-state-address/5154061

NBC NEWS
— Democrats run Illinois. They ever-increasingly use the power that they have to drive Republicans out of Illinois who are conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.nbcnews.com/video/illinois-gov-jb-pritzker-warns-against-authoritarianism-in-address-232454725674

BARRON’S
— CPAC: American Conservatives Gather To Savor Trump’s Triumph
https://www.barrons.com/news/american-conservatives-gather-to-savor-trump-s-triumph-468d4b89

360 LAW
— Chicago’s Art Institute School Hit With Age Bias Claims (COMMENT: My Democrat IRS and GAO superiors used up-or-out, that is, they used age discrimination big time to get rid of their Republican employees. They wrote off their Republican employees as being too old to be promoted if they had not made GS-13 (currently $117,807/year) by age 25, GS-14 ($139,211/year) by age 30, GS-15 ($163,749/year) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service ($195,200/year) by age 40. Extremely few federal employees make the aforesaid promotion deadlines. I should write about that.)
https://www.law360.com/employment-authority/wage-hour/articles/2299888/chicago-s-art-institute-school-hit-with-age-bias-claims

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
— Amnesty International sides with countries that send their citizens into America to destroy America.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/02/the-right-to-seek-asylum-does-not-exist-at-u-s-mexico-border/

COMPASS
— FOR SALE: 1000 Delles Road, Wheaton – $889,000
https://www.compass.com/listing/1000-delles-road-wheaton-il-60189/1776211843058275473/
— FOR SALE: 1044 Golf Lane, Wheaton – $1.075,000
https://www.compass.com/listing/1044-golf-lane-wheaton-il-60189/1258102091755862113/
— FOR SALE: 1011 Penny Lane, Wheaton – $1,139,000
https://www.compass.com/listing/1011-penny-lane-wheaton-il-60189/1779055728122503841/

February 19, 2025 Evening Edition

Anticipate/expect that ever-increasingly, the more demographics that you share with Trump, the more that Pritzker will do to destroy you. Trump is conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, married, Protestant, German American, and his ancestors have been in America for a long time. 2.4 million voted for Trump in Illinois.

Are you German American? I am. If you are, what do you stress in defense of your national origin? I stress that my grandfather on my father’s side fought the Germans in WWI, that my uncles on my mother’s side fought the Germans in WWII, and that my father would have fought the Germans in WWII if he had not been 4-F.

FOX32
— Pritzker compares Trump Administration to Nazi regime during budget address
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/pritzker-compares-trump-administration-nazi-regime-during-budget-address
— Trump designates some cartels as ‘foreign terrorist organizations’
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1596064

NBC5
— Pritzker delivers stern message on state of country. Pritzker, who has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump over the years, specifically cited actions taken by Trump and Elon Musk, and in some cases referenced the Holocaust.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/what-comes-next-illinois-governor-delivers-stern-message-on-state-of-country/3678083/
— Government officials charge taxpayers millions to try to keep secrets from public. NBC 5 Investigates has found that it has cost Chicago-area taxpayers more than $13.4 million over the past 12 years for officials to try to keep clearly-public documents secret.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/government-officials-charge-taxpayers-millions-to-try-to-keep-secrets-from-public/3677223/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Pritzker proposes belt-tightening budget with no new taxes, invokes Nazism in bashing Trump
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/19/gov-j-b-pritzker-likens-trump-administration-actions-to-nazi-germany-what-comes-next/
— Trump and Zelenskyy trade barbs as US-Ukraine relations sour over the war with Russia
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/19/ukraine-zelenskyy-trump-russia/
— Indiana House passes Illinois secession bill on first reading, but amendments keep session lively
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/19/indiana-house-passes-illinois-secession-bill-on-first-reading-but-amendments-keep-session-lively/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Pritzker unveils $55.2 billion budget with no new taxes, compares Trump playbook to the Nazi movement. The Democratic governor also peppered his seventh budget blueprint — which Republicans derided as the largest in state history — with key policy proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2025/02/19/jb-pritzker-budget-address-state-of-the-state
— Federal worker firings by Trump, Musk are chaos, not cost-cutting
https://chicago.suntimes.com/editorials/2025/02/19/president-trump-elon-musk-doge-layoffs-firings-civil-servants-endanger-america-bird-flu-nuclear

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Pritzker remarks on the Holocaust — and on Trump
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/jb-pritzker-remarks-holocaust-and-donald-trump

ADVANTAGE NEWS
— Pritzker calls to tighten Illinois’ belt, repeatedly invokes Nazis in attack on Trump
https://www.advantagenews.com/news/local/pritzker-calls-to-tighten-illinois-belt-repeatedly-invokes-nazis-in-attack-on-trump/article_d1537bae-eefd-11ef-ad36-1bda87f7591b.html

STATELINE
— Pritzker invokes specter of Nazi Germany in rebuke of Trump administration
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/pritzker-invokes-specter-of-nazi-germany-in-rebuke-of-trump-administration/

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Republicans decry, Pritzker defends ‘Nazi’ references during budget speech. Pritzker refers to Nazis six times in criticism of Trump.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_edb79bb8-ef16-11ef-8c25-474e08243540.html
— Pritzker calls to tighten belt, repeatedly invokes Nazis in attack on Trump. Governor makes no calls for ethics reforms despite Madigan conviction.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_92dde236-eefa-11ef-9497-332440818a6d.html
— Republicans criticize Pritzker after budget address
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_b405d33a-ef11-11ef-9a1a-73cef9f3019e.html

ST.LOUIS TODAY
— Pritzker likens Trump administration actions to Nazi Germany
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/illinois/illinois-gov-j-b-pritzker-likens-trump-administration-actions-to-nazi-germany/article_cd5a1a2e-ef18-11ef-b4c3-83559ec34cbe.html

UNION BULLETIN
— Pritzker likens Trump administration actions to Nazi Germany: ‘What comes next?’
https://www.union-bulletin.com/news/national/gov-j-b-pritzker-likens-trump-administration-actions-to-nazi-germany-what-comes-next/article_7a81f5f3-2f15-59c1-b3d6-b304a0f0e406.html

CITIES 92.9
— Republicans decry, Pritzker defends ‘Nazi’ references during budget speech
https://www.cities929.com/2025/02/19/watch-republicans-decry-pritzker-defends-nazi-references-during-budget-speech/

ABC7
— Pritzker proposes $2B in spending growth without new income or service taxes in budget. Budgeting office says global outlook has changed since previous $3.2B deficit estimate.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-governor-jb-pritzker-deliver-budget-address-wednesday/15930773/
— Democrat leaders crow about their getting Democrats to protest.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/university-illinois-chicago-uic-educators-researchers-students-protest-nih-funding-cuts-proposed-trump-admin/15933853/
— Federal workers in Chicago left confused by mass firings, sudden rehiring
https://abc7chicago.com/post/federal-workers-chicago-left-confused-sudden-rehiring-following-mass-firings-trump-administrations-doge/15934016/

CBS2
— Homeless encampment residents in Chicago’s Gompers Park take issue with city “cleanup”
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/homeless-encampment-residents-chicago-gompers-park-cleanup/

DAILY HERALD
— Restraining order sought to block 26th Senate appointment amid legal fight
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250219/illinois-state-politics/restraining-order-sought-to-block-26th-senate-appointment-amid-legal-fight/

WGN RADIO
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://wgnradio.com/news/asylum-seekers-the-american-dream-is-over/

WBEZ
— Lawmakers promised cannabis funds would right many wrongs, but results are mixed. In 2020, Illinois legalized recreational marijuana. But experts say the boon won’t last forever, and policymakers should re-examine how the funds are spent.
https://www.wbez.org/curious-city/2025/02/19/lawmakers-promised-cannabis-funds-would-right-many-wrongs-but-results-are-mixed
— Pritzker’s $55.2 billion budget has no new taxes, cuts health care for adults lacking legal status. The Democratic governor also peppered his seventh budget blueprint — which Republicans derided as the largest in state history — with key policy proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.
https://www.wbez.org/springfield/2025/02/19/jb-pritzker-budget-address-state-of-the-state

RIVER BENDER
— State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton), House Republican Caucus Deputy Budgeteer, Issues Statement On Gov. Pritzker’s Budget Address
https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/rep-elik-issues-statement-on-gov-pritzkers-budget-address-79845.cfm

BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
— Families Experiencing Homelessness Can Apply For Up To $6,500 — With No Limit On How It’s Spent. Families of Chicago Public Schools students who lack stable housing may be eligible for a one-time payment through a state guaranteed income program.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/02/18/families-experiencing-homelessness-can-apply-for-up-to-6500-with-no-limit-on-how-its-spent/

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/19/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-251/
— Black Caucus angrily responds to Pritzker’s budget proposals: ‘An insult to this entire Black community’
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/19/black-caucus-angrily-responds-to-pritzkers-budget-proposals-an-insult-to-this-entire-black-community/
— Pritzker zeroes out health plan for undocumented immigrants – Slashes welcoming center funding
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/19/pritzker-zeroes-out-health-plan-for-undocumented-immigrants-slashes-welcoming-center-funding/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Irony Concerning ComEd Profit and Mike Madigan’s Conviction
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/irony-concerning-comed-profit-and-mike-madigans-conviction/
— Robotic House Building Inaugurated in Southwest Florida
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/robotic-house-building-inaugurated-in-southwest-florida/
— Pritzker Proposes Easier Township Government Consolidation, Plus Abolition of Township Assessors in Townships Under 5,000 Population
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/pritzker-proposes-easier-township-government-consolidation-plus-abolition-of-township-assessors-in-townships-under-5000-population/
— Reactions to Governor’s Budget Talk
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/reactions-to-governors-budget-talk/
— Algonquin Township Integrity Trustee Team Mail
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/algonquin-township-integrity-trustee-team-mail/
— The Censures of Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk – Part 3
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/the-censures-of-randy-funk-part-3/

JOHN BIVER
— Looking for solutions in all the wrong places
https://johnbiver.com/looking-for-solutions-in-all-the-wrong-places/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump Education Department cancels $226 million in ‘divisive’ diversity grants
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/19/trump-education-department-cancels-226-million-divisive-diversity-gran/
— Trump to sign executive order ending benefits for illegal immigrants
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/19/trump-executive-order-end-benefits-illegal-immigrants/

NEW YORK POST
— McDonald’s to let white students apply for Latino scholarships after DEI lawsuit (COMMENT: My critics/opponents have always used my not getting any scholarships against me.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/19/business/mcdonalds-to-let-white-students-to-apply-for-latino-scholarships/

AMERICAN THINKER
— DOGE takes on the Social Security monster
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/doge_takes_on_the_social_security_monster.html

BREITBART
— President Trump Blasts Zelensky: ‘A Dictator Without Elections’
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2025/02/19/president-trump-blasts-zelensky-a-dictator-without-elections/

TOWNHALL
— ‘Game On’ for Democrats in ICE’s Way, Homan Says
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeremyfrankel/2025/02/19/tom-homan-to-dems-obstructing-ice-game-on-n2652484

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CBS NEWS
— Pritzker takes jabs at Trump tariffs
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/illinois-governor-jb-pritzker-takes-jabs-trump-tariffs/

FORTUNE
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use DEI to promote more hatred against Republicans.
https://fortune.com/2025/02/19/trump-anti-dei-campaign-hits-universities/

C-SPAN
— Illinois State of the State Address
https://www.c-span.org/program/state-legislature/illinois-state-of-the-state-address/655949

February 19, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

NBC5
— Fired federal workers protest Trump administration cuts as others speak out in support (COMMENT: If you were me, what position would you take on federal employees. While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years (Post Office-3, IRS-9, and GAO-18), virtually all my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats. Extremely few sided with me. Virtually none came to my defense. Many helped my Democrat superiors waste my career and take adverse actions against me including forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. Overwhelmingly, they promoted Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, they promoted race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and/or national origin discrimination.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SsrWEuGTRs

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Libertyville Township has unrelated O’Connors facing off for supervisor; ‘We were just blessed with the same last name’ (COMMENT: What offices are on the April 1 ballot in your precinct? Who are the candidates? How much do you know about them? How have those candidates treated your Republican Precinct Committeeman?)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/18/libertyville-township-has-unrelated-oconnors-facing-off-for-supervisor-we-were-just-blessed-with-the-same-last-name/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump’s Friday firings leave EPA Chicago office down dozens of scientists, staff  (COMMENT: Republican-led budget cuts during the 1980s and 1990s left GAO’s Chicago office down dozens of auditors. I was one of those auditors that my Democrat GAO superiors forced into early retirement.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/environment/2025/02/18/trump-fires-epa-chicago-scientists-staff-environmental-protection-agency
— Democrats oppose anything and everything that discourages voter fraud.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/02/18/safeguard-american-voter-eligibility-illinois-citizenship-passport-birth-certificate-becky-simon

NPR ILLINOIS
— She worked for years to get a federal job. Within a month, she was fired (COMMENT: The Democrats who ran GAO in 1980, IRS in 1971, and the Post Office in 1966 hired me because they could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, younger person, or veteran who would take the job.  My passing the postal employment examination and earning a high school diploma qualified me for the Post Office job. My passing the Federal Service Entrance Examination and earning a bachelor’s degree in management qualified me the IRS job. My earning an MBA, passing the CPA examination on my first attempt, and almost completing the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting qualified me for the GAO job.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-19/she-worked-for-years-to-get-a-federal-job-within-a-month-she-was-fired
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A dream job. Rose is the daughter of immigrants and grew up on the East Coast. For her entire professional life, she had wanted to work in the government. She’d done a few internships around Washington, D.C., before taking a job as a consultant. In that role, she’d worked alongside federal workers on environmental cleanup and clean energy projects. Working with those federal employees inspired her to pursue a job as a civil servant. But, she says, she soon learned that “getting a job in the federal government is a science in itself.” Initially, she was rejected from several positions. Undaunted, Rose steeped herself in the language of the U.S. government. She taught herself an endless list of acronyms and bought a book on how to build a résumé that would make her more attractive to federal work. Then late last year, she got what she thought was going to be her big break. She had interviewed at the Department of Energy for a job helping to oversee a portfolio of renewable energy projects. She says the hiring process was a monthslong ordeal, during which, she jokes, she told them everything except “what my blood type is.” In December, she got the call from human resources telling her she’d landed the role. “I was with a friend at the time,” she says. “And I just kept saying over and over, ‘I got the job! I got the job!'” It was going to be a turning point in her life: “It really felt like … my career is beginning, because this is the job I want,” she recalls.)

WOKV
— ‘Now I have a voice’: Jacksonville sheriff joins statewide illegal immigration crackdown
https://www.wokv.com/news/local/now-i-have-voice-jacksonville-sheriff-joins-statewide-illegal-immigration-crackdown/AGNOWOCVPNBXHMIWPMNIJGNBRQ/

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Trump imposes his vision on America
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-trump-imposes-his-vision-on-america-in-departure-from-first-term-stumbles/

WAND TV
— Rep. Will Davis (D- East Hazel Crest), who chairs the House Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education Committee, calls for more Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, for more race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination. Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout that all the problems that minorities and females have are caused by Republicans.
https://www.wandtv.com/news/statehouse/rep-blaine-wilhour-argues-illinois-should-stop-focusing-on-equity-in-education-funding/article_b0c6b2da-ee4d-11ef-ade8-67c4623f0b02.html

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Anticipate/expect that ever-increasingly, hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters will blame for everything that is bad.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/19/pritzkers-budget-reveal-00204837

CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/19/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-458/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WIREPOINTS
— Illinois has spent billions and billions on illegal immigrants…and that’s just the money we can see publicly
https://wirepoints.org/illinois-has-spent-billions-and-billions-on-illegal-immigrants-and-thats-just-the-money-we-can-see-publicly-wirepoints-on-am-560-chicagos-morning-answer/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Morning Greatness: Most Americans Say Foreign Aid Is Wasted on Corruption
https://amgreatness.com/2025/02/18/morning-greatness-most-americans-say-foreign-aid-is-wasted-on-corruption/
— Support for President Trump’s Tariffs on China: A Strategic Move Towards Equitable Global Relations. Trump’s tariffs on China target fentanyl, economic espionage, and human rights abuses, signaling a hardline stance on trade and national security.
https://amgreatness.com/2025/02/19/support-for-president-trumps-tariffs-on-china-a-strategic-move-towards-equitable-global-relations/

BREITBART
— Fmr. GAO Head David Walker: DOGE Opponents Aren’t ‘Providing Any Support’ for Claims It’s Breaking Law
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2025/02/19/fmr-gao-head-doge-opponents-arent-providing-any-support-for-claims-its-breaking-law/

CENTER SQUARE
— IRS tax gap grows to $600 billion as DOGE looks for savings (COMMENT: I worked for GAO for 3 years on audits of IRS’s efforts to close the tax gap.)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_ecd0de72-ee0c-11ef-848d-ebb54839938d.html

CHRISTIAN POST
— Wheaton College alumni flood petition for leadership change amid ‘pernicious drift’
https://www.christianpost.com/news/wheaton-college-alumni-flood-petition-to-change-leadership.html

COLLEGE FIX
— Trump finds nearly $1 billion in Education Department waste
https://www.thecollegefix.com/trump-finds-nearly-1-billion-in-education-department-waste/

DAVID ARMANO
— These federal employees have no idea how private sector workers view them. Wow, they live in a world of their own with guaranteed job security, unions and legal armies ready to do battle on their behalf. A completely different set of rules. (COMMENT: If you were me, what position would you take on federal employees. While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years (Post Office-3, IRS-9, and GAO-18), virtually all my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats. Extremely few sided with me. Virtually none came to my defense. Many helped my Democrat superiors waste my career and take adverse actions against me including forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. Overwhelmingly, they promoted Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, they promoted race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and/or national origin discrimination.)
https://x.com/armano/status/1892047499755409808?mx=2

EPOCH TIMES
— Trump Terminates Biden-Era US Attorneys in DOJ Overhaul. The president stated that the move was necessary to restore a ‘fair justice system’ in the country. (COMMENT: My critics/opponents have always stressed that my Republican U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald appointed U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald who sided with my Democrat GAO superiors in Diersen v. GAO. To side with my Democrat GAO superiors is to promote Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, to promote race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination.)
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-terminates-biden-era-us-attorneys-in-doj-overhaul-5812443

FOX NEWS
— Deportation flights are ‘the most profoundly impactful tactic’ to deter illegal immigration (COMMENT: Anticipate/expect that many, most, if not virtually all of those who are deported will return.)
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6369027551112

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CNN
— Trump administration terminates privacy officials at agency overseeing government hiring and firing
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/18/politics/opm-privacy-team-fired/index.html

NEWSWEEK
— Musk Says Some DOGE Workers Are Federal Employees
https://www.newsweek.com/elon-musk-doge-employees-hannity-interview-2033017

NBC NEWS
— Despite DOGE, Trump’s agenda calls for adding trillions of dollars to U.S debt. Budget experts say Trump’s tax and spending priorities would increase red ink, even as he boasts of balancing the budget. “I don’t think their rhetoric matches reality,” says one.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/doge-trumps-agenda-calls-adding-trillions-dollars-us-debt-rcna191665

CBS NEWS
— Tension between sanctuary cities and federal immigration crackdown
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/tension-between-sanctuary-cities-and-federal-immigration-crackdown/

MSN
— Boeing’s new Air Force One delayed until 2029 or later
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/boeing-s-new-air-force-one-delayed-until-2029-or-later-official-says/ar-AA1zeNrN

WASHINGTON POST
— U.S. Catholic bishops sue Trump administration over blocked refugee funds. The suit says the impact of the administration’s action is “devastating” for the Church and the refugees it serves. (COMMENT: According to Democrat leaders, sooner or later, everyone outside of America who is one of the following a) is a refugee, b) will be a refugee, and c) should be admitted as a refugee: minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, disabled, poor, non-Protestant, non-German American.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/02/18/catholic-bishops-sue-trump-refugee-funds/
— FEMA is losing scores of employees. What does that mean for disaster recovery? Cuts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency could affect people across the country who are struggling to rebuild and prepare for disasters. (COMMENT: I should write about the tremendous negative impacts of Republican gutting of GAO during the 1980s and 1990s.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/02/18/fema-layoffs-disaster-response/
— Trump and Musk praise each other, promise ‘hundreds of billions’ in cuts during Fox interview
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/18/trump-presidency-news/
— Youngkin promises help for federal workers but defends Trump job cuts. In his first extended remarks on the Trump cuts, Youngkin acknowledges many are anxious but says the process is needed and that state help is coming. (COMMENT: In Diersen v. GAO, virtually everyone sided with the Democrats who ran GAO. Those who sided with GAO were many, most, if not virtually all of the following: liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, poor, LGBTQ, veteran, disabled, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/02/18/virginia-youngkin-trump-federal-jobs/
— Why people aren’t having kids (COMMENT: My Democrat IRS and GAO superiors used my and my wife’s giving up trying to have children to justify the big adverse actions that they took against me. They hinted/implied/argued/shouted that I had lied about our efforts to have children. They stressed that we did not try IVF knowing full-well that our doctors said it would not be successful. They shouted that we could have adopted or become foster parents but did not.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/02/18/fertility-decline-women-kids-claudia-goldin/

USA TODAY
— Trump’s mass firing of probationary employees illegal, not performance-based, lawyers say (COMMENT: After I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980, my Democrat GAO superiors were furious that they could not use their probationary procedures to fire me because I had served my probationary period while I worked for IRS.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/18/trump-mass-firings-federal-workers-illegal/79070972007/
— Barron Trump is ‘future of conservative movement’ say College Republicans
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/19/barron-trump-nyu-conservative-republican/79104907007/
— Trump said he was the ‘father of IVF.’ After his executive order, these voters are rejoicing.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2025/02/19/ivf-trump-insurance-executive-order-reactions/78405547007/

UNION JOURNAL
— Trump Has Used $10.7 Million in Taxpayer Funds for Golf Expenses
https://www.theunionjournal.com/donald-trump-has-used-10-7-million-in-taxpayer-funds-for-golf-expenses/

BLOOMBERG
— Trump Accelerates Mass Firing of Federal Workers
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-02-18/trump-accelerates-mass-firing-of-federal-workers-evening-briefing

FAST COMPANY
— How federal workers are mobilizing against Trump, Musk, and DOGE. In response to sudden firings, government workers from across departments are starting a protest movement to fight back—and are targeting Tesla dealerships.
https://www.fastcompany.com/91280631/how-federal-workers-are-mobilizing-against-trump-musk-and-doge

WORLD AND WAY
— Wheaton College Clash Over Russell Vought Escalates, Exposing Evangelical Fault Lines
https://wordandway.org/2025/02/19/wheaton-college-clash-over-russell-vought-escalates-exposing-evangelical-fault-lines/

INSIDE HIGHER EDUCATION
— Democrat and RINO leaders use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/02/19/higher-ed-groups-push-back-trumps-dei-threats

GOVERNMENT EXCUTIVE
— Thousands join class actions as fired feds weigh options to challenge Trump’s moves. Former federal probationary employees are hopeful they can prove their dismissals were not actually performance based, as their agencies claim. (COMMENT: After I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980, my Democrat GAO superiors were furious that they could not use their probationary procedures to fire me because I had served my probationary period while I worked for IRS.)
https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/02/thousands-join-class-actions-fired-feds-weigh-options-challenge-trumps-moves/403087/

FED MANAGER
— Federal Agencies Start Mass Layoffs, Probationary Employees Targeted (COMMENT: After I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980, my Democrat GAO superiors were furious that they could not use their probationary procedures to fire me because I had served my probationary period while I worked for IRS.)
https://www.fedmanager.com/news/federal-agencies-start-mass-layoffs-probationary-employees-targeted

FEDERAL NEWS NETWORK
— Fired probationary employees bring class-wide complaint to OSC (COMMENT: After I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980, my Democrat GAO superiors were furious that they could not use their probationary procedures to fire me because I had served my probationary period while I worked for IRS.)
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce-rightsgovernance/2025/02/fired-probationary-employees-bring-class-wide-complaint-to-osc/

FED WEEK
— Federal Workplace Likely to Be Topic in Hearing on New GAO High-Risk List (COMMENT: At that hearing, Republicans should stress that GAO wasted my career and forced me to retire when I was 49 years old. My Democrat GAO superiors wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years and for IRS for almost 9 years before that, b) earning six job-related professional certifications, c) earning a job-related professional license, and d) earning three job-related master’s degrees. Who does Trump want the next head of GAO to be, that is, who does Trump want the next Comptroller General to be?)
https://www.fedweek.com/fedweek/federal-workplace-likely-to-be-topic-in-hearing-on-new-gao-high-risk-list/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Democrats likely will use the hearing to point out that among GAO’s concerns in all such reports since they started in 2001 is what GAO calls “strategic management of human capital.” Main issues cited have included persistent shortages of federal employees with needed skills in areas such as cybersecurity and other IT functions, the STEM fields in general, acquisition, HR, and others—along with the need for better planning and building up capacity for the workforce of the future. The prior report said that shortages of employees were “undermining agencies’ abilities to meet their missions.” Closing those gaps “will require demonstrated improvements in agencies’ capacity to perform workforce planning, foster employee engagement, train staff effectively, and recruit and retain the appropriate number of staff with the necessary skills,” it said.)

AFGE
— AFGE Condemns Trump’s Mass Firing of Federal Employees
https://www.afge.org/article/afge-condemns-trumps-mass-firing-of-federal-employees/

NARFE
— NARFE Members Denounce Fed Firings During Nationwide Protests. Act Now: Protect Federal Earned Federal Retirement and Health Benefits from Budget Cuts. Urge Congress to Stand Up for Public Servants, Rule of Law. (COMMENT: I have been a NARFE member since I was 40 years old in 1988.)
https://www.narfe.org/advocacy/legislative-action-center/?_zs=NUifm&_zl=k7OF3

REDDIT
— Some federal workers are ‘getting wealthy at taxpayer expense,’ says Elon Musk, whose companies have received at least $20 billion from the government. (COMMENT: I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. My critic/opponents have always demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me as being overpaid.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/50501/comments/1isvn9q/some_federal_workers_are_getting_wealthy_at/?rdt=63007

INSTAGRAM
— 3rd of federal workers are veterans. The federal government is largely a jobs program for them.(COMMENT: My Democrat superiors who took adverse actions against me were veterans and/or used their subordinates who were veterans to do that. I should write about that. Of course, they stressed that I avoided the Vietnam War draft.)
https://www.instagram.com/thetnholler/p/DGPScQstOrO/

February 18, 2025 Evening Edition

WHITE HOUSE
— EXPANDING ACCESS TO IN VITRO FERTILIZATION; ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ALL AGENCIES
https://www.whitehouse.gov/news/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— ‘We are the patriots’: Chicago federal employees protest mass firings in Federal Plaza (COMMENT: I have always been a Republican. Virtually all federal employees are Democrats. I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. I share many demographics with Trump. If I was still a federal employee, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates would have killed me by now figuratively if not literally.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/18/federal-employees-protest-mass-firings/
— Trump administration gives schools a deadline to end DEI programs or risk losing federal money
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/18/trump-schools-end-dei-programs/
— Trump signs order to study how to expand IVF and calls for ‘radical transparency’ from government
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/18/trump-will-sign-new-executive-orders-while-his-first-joint-tv-interview-with-musk-airs-in-prime-time/
— Soon, if not already, under the Democrats and under the RINOs, everyone in America will be a) handing out welfare and/or b) receiving welfare.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/14/dupage-naperville-homeless-winter-emergency-shelter/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/la-voz/chicago-immigration-resource-guide
— Trump’s Friday firings leave EPA Chicago office with fewer scientists, staff.  Dozens of probationary employees were cut because they didn’t have job protections.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/environment/2025/02/18/trump-fires-epa-chicago-scientists-staff-environmental-protection-agency

DAILY HERALD
— Suit asks court to block appointment of McConchie successor in Senate
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250218/illinois-state-politics/suit-asks-court-to-block-appointment-of-mcconchie-successor-in-senate/
— College of DuPage board names top pick for president
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250218/news/college-of-dupage-board-names-top-pick-for-president/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: COD Trustee Andrew Manno, who co-chairs the presidential search committee, told the board last month that it had selected about a dozen or so candidates to appear before the committee for interviews. The committee held those interviews over a span of two days — “over long, long hours” — and was able to narrow the search down to four candidates, Manno said in January. Both the board and the committee agreed to follow a “hybrid confidential approach” to “ensure that COD has the best quality candidates that the country has to offer,” Manno said previously.)

ABC7
— Judge declines to immediately block Elon Musk or DOGE from federal data or layoffs
https://abc7chicago.com/post/white-house-claims-elon-musk-does-not-run-doge-new-filing/15925645/
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-leaders-speak-undocumented-business-owners-deportations-illinois-hispanic-chamber-commerce-offers-legal-adivce/15926782/

NBC5
— Republicans consider cuts, work requirements for Medicaid. Eighty million U.S. adults and children are currently enrolled in the nearly-free health care coverage offered to the poorest Americans.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/health/republicans-consider-cuts-work-requirements-medicaid/3677068/

CBS2
— Mentoring program helping Black high school students prepare for college success (COMMENT: To get rid of me, my Democrat IRS superiors got rid of my IRS mentor who promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. To get rid of me, my Democrat GAO superiors got rid of my GAO mentor who arranged for my transfer from IRS in 1980 and was finally able to assign me to audits of IRS and to promote me in 1986.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/onegoal-mentoring-program-black-high-school-students-college/

FOX32
— Illinois federal employees protest against Trump’s layoffs. Federal workers held a rally at Federal Plaza in Chicago, protesting planned layoffs under President Donald Trump. The Trump administration offered buyouts to nearly 2 million federal employees, leading to 75,000 resignations. Thousands of probationary workers, including EPA employees, were fired without warning, sparking outrage. (COMMENT: I have always been a Republican. Virtually all federal employees are Democrats. I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. I share many demographics with Trump. If I was still a federal employee, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates would have killed me by now figuratively if not literally.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-federal-employees-protest-against-trumps-layoffs

WTTW
— Are You a Federal Worker in Illinois? We Want to Hear From You. (COMMENT: Would WTTW be interested in hearing about how my Democrat GAO superiors used Republican-led budget cuts to waste my career and to force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997?)
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/17/are-you-federal-worker-illinois-we-want-hear-you
— Fired EPA Workers in Chicago Rally Against Trump’s Mass Government Layoffs
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/18/fired-epa-workers-chicago-rally-against-trump-s-mass-government-layoffs
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/18/committee-advances-bill-ban-vehicle-searches-based-smell-cannabis

VERMILION COUNTY FIRST
— Chief Budgeteer Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) joined Illinois Senate Republican Leader Senator John Curran (R-Downers Grove) and Deputy Leader Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris) to call on Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to commit to transparent accounting of taxpayer spending and to deliver a budget that does not include tax increases on Illinois families and businesses in tomorrow’s address.
https://vermilioncountyfirst.com/2025/02/18/illinois-senate-republicans-call-for-no-new-taxes-transparent-accounting-in-budget/

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Illinois Republican Senate members say Democrats state budget is flawed
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/watch-live-illinois-republican-senate-members-discuss-budget/
— Florida is rushing to enforce new immigration laws.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-florida-is-rushing-to-enforce-new-immigration-laws-heres-what-to-know/

FOX ILLINOIS
— Trump’s border czar says ICE arrests way up, illegal border crossings way down
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/trump-effect-has-migrants-thinking-twice-about-crossing-the-border-white-house-says-illegal-immigration-border-security-politics-ice-arrests-public-safety

WQAD
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more abortion
https://www.wqad.com/video/news/politics/illinois-politics/planned-parenthood-of-illinois-offering-medication-abortion-pills-through-app/526-3295b9a7-c293-4033-9d3d-4a4e89a2c287
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://www.wqad.com/video/news/politics/illinois-politics/illinois-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-vehicle-searches-based-on-smell-of-cannabis/526-3f033835-2d5d-4df9-b093-e19bb4879010

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Eliminating immigrant spending, boosting education funding top Senate Republican budget priorities. Gov. JB Pritzker set to give budget address Wednesday.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/eliminating-immigrant-spending-boosting-education-funding-top-senate-republican-budget-priorities/

BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
— Residents, Advocates Fear An Encampment Clearing As Tensions At Gompers Park Rise. Though the city said a planned March 5 moving event doesn’t mean the encampment will be cleared, similar events have led to the dismantling of tent cities, advocates said.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/02/18/residents-advocates-fear-an-encampment-clearing-as-tensions-at-gompers-park-rise/

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/18/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-250/
— Poll unsurprisingly finds Trump/Musk and their actions unpopular in Illinois, except for a close division on immigration (COMMENT: 2.4 million in Illinois voted for Trump/Vance.)
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/18/poll-unsurprisingly-finds-trumpmusk-and-their-actions-unpopular-in-illinois-except-for-a-close-division-on-immigration/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Bill would eliminate property taxes for Illinois homeowners after 30 years of residency (COMMENT: I have lived in Illinois for more than 76 years and in Wheaton for almost 47 years. I have paid real estate taxes for more than 52 years.)
https://www.aol.com/bill-eliminate-property-taxes-illinois-213600444.html
— Pritzker to deliver proposed Illinois budget amid mounting spending pressures
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_d154e64e-ee38-11ef-ad97-eb573b7a9e65.html
— Government efficiency caucus formed
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_1951acf4-ee41-11ef-8dfc-47160dadc270.html

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Because Secret Service Clearance Is Required Wednesday Deadline to Buy Tickets to See Lara Trump at McHenry County/Joe Tirio Fundraiser
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/because-secret-service-clearance-is-required-wednesday-deadline-to-buy-tickets-to-see-lara-trump/
— Algonquin Township Road Commissioner Danijela Sandberg’s Opponent Prematurely Declares Victory
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/algonquin-township-road-commissioner-danijela-sandbergs-opponent-prematurely-declares-victory/
— Illinois Policy Institute Tees Up Opposition to Progressive Income Tax Proposals by Democrats
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/illinois-policy-institute-tees-up-opposition-to-progressive-income-tax-proposals-by-democrats/
— Looks Like I Was Wrong on Netflix Subject for “Monsters – Season 3”
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/looks-like-i-was-wrong-on-netflix-subject-for-monsters-season-3/
— Grafton Township Republican Party Issues Endorsements for Township Trustee
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/grafton-township-republican-party-issues-endorsements-for-township-trustee/
— Another View of the Replacement Process for State Senator Dan McConchie
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/another-view-of-the-replacement-process-for-state-senator-dan-mcconchie/
— The Censures of Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk – Part 2
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/the-censures-of-randy-funk-part-2/
— McHenry County Administrator Peter Austin Gets 5.3% Raise
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/mchenry-county-administrator-peter-austin-gets-5-3-raise/

ILLINOIS RECORD
— A leaked Video shows the Illinois GOP seemingly lying about their 2024 election get out the vote impact
https://www.illinoisrecord.com/p/a-leaked-video-shows-the-illinois

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Illegal immigrants now paying up to $30,000 as cartels raise prices under Trump
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/18/illegal-immigrants-paying-30-000-cartels-raise-pri/

WASHINGTON EXAMINAR
— CPAC theme: ‘America is back on track’
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/washington-secrets/3322407/cpac-theme-america-back-on-track/

AMERICAN WIRE
— Biden admin doled out 10 BILLION to illegals in just one year, shocking probe finds
https://americanwirenews.com/biden-admin-doled-out-10-billion-to-illegals-in-just-one-year-shocking-probe-finds/

CENTER SQUARE
— New guidance seeks to end use of ‘race preferences, stereotypes’ in school admissions
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_127ef2e4-ee26-11ef-a6c4-878910db08f2.html
— IRS tax gap grows to $600 billion as DOGE looks for savings (COMMENT: I worked for GAO for 3 years 1986-1988 on audits of IRS Criminal Investigation Division efforts to close the tax gap.)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_ecd0de72-ee0c-11ef-848d-ebb54839938d.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: As billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency take a look at one of the federal government’s most-disliked agencies, the Internal Revenue Service, some point to a persistent problem: the tax gap. The tax gap is the difference between what taxpayers pay the IRS voluntarily and on time and what they actually owe the IRS. The projected annual gross tax gap for tax year 2022 was $696 billion, with about $90 billion of that paid late or through IRS enforcement, according to the IRS.)

DAILY WIRE
— Education Dept Slashes $600 Million In Grants Promoting ‘Divisive’ Ideologies. Grants had been training teachers in CRT and gender ideology.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/education-dept-slashes-600-million-in-grants-promoting-divisive-ideologies

FEDERALIST
— United States Should Encourage Less Migration, More Stability
https://thefederalist.com/2025/02/18/former-refugee-the-united-states-should-encourage-less-migration-more-stability/

FOX NEWS
— Vance to speak at CPAC’s opening day. CPAC, which dates back to 1974, is the nation’s oldest and largest annual gathering of conservative leaders and activists.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/vice-president-jd-vance-speak-cpacs-opening-day

NEW AMERICAN
— Noem to Illegal Aliens and Would-be Illegals: Get Out, Stay Out, and Don’t Cross the Border
https://thenewamerican.com/us/immigration/noem-to-illegal-aliens-and-would-be-illegals-get-out-stay-out-and-dont-cross-the-border/

NEWSMAX
— If you have a criminal record, you can’t stay here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt8YhNBsLVc

OPEN THE BOOKS
— CASH FOR MIGRANTS: FEMA NOT THE ONLY AGENCY SPENDING BIG. The Office of Refugee Resettlement has faced questions over transparency, conflict of interest.
https://openthebooks.substack.com/p/5f0bfa8c-91b1-4477-baa5-b98ecf340a76?lid=q5u4w2bhnmbt

TOWNHALL
— Homan Has the Perfect Response to AOC ‘Educating’ Illegals on How to Evade ICE
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2025/02/18/tom-homan-aoc-update-n2652391

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CBS NEWS
— Trump says he may impose auto tariffs of around 25%
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-auto-tariffs-25-percent/

NEWSWEEK
— Inside the Five-Star Hotel Where Deported Migrants Are Awaiting Their Fate
https://www.newsweek.com/inside-five-star-hotel-where-deported-migrants-are-awaiting-their-fate-2032899

USA TODAY
— Student asks Supreme Court to say he can wear T-shirt saying ‘There are only two genders.’  In past decisions, the Supreme Court has allowed students to wear arm bands in protest of the Vietnam War but not to hold up a “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” banner.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/16/supreme-court-student-two-genders-t-shirt-free-speech/78390509007/

LEADER
— IRS tax gap grows to $600 billion as DOGE looks for savings (COMMENT: I worked for GAO for 3 years 1986-1988 on audits of IRS Criminal Investigation Division efforts to close the tax gap.)
https://www.myleaderpaper.com/news/national/irs-tax-gap-grows-to-600-billion-as-doge-looks-for-savings/article_e3f7dd85-5ace-5b39-a934-9d543adda481.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: As billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency take a look at one of the federal government’s most-disliked agencies, the Internal Revenue Service, some point to a persistent problem: the tax gap.  The tax gap is the difference between what taxpayers pay the IRS voluntarily and on time and what they actually owe the IRS. The projected annual gross tax gap for tax year 2022 was $696 billion, with about $90 billion of that paid late or through IRS enforcement, according to the IRS. The problem has been around for decades and is growing. From 2014 to 2016, the IRS estimated the tax gap was about $496 billion each year, according to a 2024 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.)

ABP
— How Big A Problem Are Illegal Indians For US? 11 Insights From Johns Hopkins Study.
https://news.abplive.com/news/world/how-big-problem-illegal-indians-us-11-insights-johns-hopkins-study-1752190

February 18, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CBS2
— Durbin, congresspeople highlight what they say would be detrimental effects of federal spending cuts (COMMENT: To what extent is your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct dependent on federal spending?)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/durbin-congresspeople-detrimental-effects-federal-spending-cuts/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/protesters-rally-in-chicago-against-president-trumps-policies/

WGN9
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFkVQUBlIoY
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/chicago-presidents-day-trump-musk-protests/
— Illinois Congressional Democrats rail against Trump, Musk cuts (COMMENT: To what extent is your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct dependent on federal spending?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luDPZki4H5Q

FOX32
— Illinois Dem lawmakers push back against Trump budget cuts (COMMENT: To what extent is your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct dependent on federal spending?)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1594717

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/18/opinion-illinois-fighting-unconcstitutional-actions-donald-trump/
— Homer Township Reset slate challenges Freedom Caucus incumbents in Republican Primary
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/17/homer-township-republican-primary/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2025/02/17/protesters-march-donald-trump-nationwide-presidents-day-demonstration
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-the-editor/2025/02/17/trump-presidency-republicans-maga-mean-federal-layoffs-debt-conservatives-new-party-usaid

NPR ILLINOIS
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-17/thousands-of-people-protest-in-washington-d-c-and-across-the-u-s-on-presidents-day

WCIA
— Central Illinois federal workers face unemployment, uncertainty (COMMENT: Because of Republican-led budget cuts, all during the almost 18 years that I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, I faced Democrat retaliation, that is, I faced political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination. I should write about that.)
https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-county/there-were-people-crying-central-illinois-federal-workers-face-unemployment-uncertainty/

WAND TV
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more abortion.
https://www.wandtv.com/news/planned-parenthood-of-illinois-expands-medication-abortion-access-through-app/article_206323fe-edf3-11ef-ab84-1f11aa00a2cd.html

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— TROLLING TRUMP: The Illinois Democratic Party has been trolling President Donald Trump by projecting digital phrases onto the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago’s River North neighborhood and a stream of online messaging.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/18/richard-irvin-returns-to-the-ring-00204650

CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/18/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-457/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— How much success have the Democrat and RINO leaders of your county, township, municipality, and school district had promoting fear, anger, and hatred against Trump and against those who voted for Trump? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— I should write about the tremendous negative impacts from Republican gutting GAO instead of Republican reforming of GAO. If Republicans had reformed GAO, the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997 would not have been able to a) force me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO, b) delay my promotions and never promote me beyond GS-13, c) always rank me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, or d) force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— GAO is supposed to fight waste in the federal government. But Democrats run the federal government and Democrats run GAO. I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997. Because I have always been a Republican, they did not want me fight waste. To get rid of me, they. a) forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO, b) delayed my promotions and never promote me beyond GS-13, c) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, and d) forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. They wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years and for IRS for almost 9 years, b) earning three job-related master’s degrees, c) earning six job-related professional certifications, and d) earning a job-related professional license. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— According to my critics/opponents, the courts in Diersen v. GAO decided that employers can fire their employees a) because they oppose political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and/or age discrimination and/or b) because they have performance problems. According to my critics/opponents, both of the aforesaid applied to me a) because I was an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged my employer with reverse discrimination and age discrimination and b) because my employer never promoted me beyond GS-13 and always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance. According to them, I had to have performance problems because they took those adverse actions against me even though I had three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. But in fact, they took those adverse actions against me a) because I opposed their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination and b) because I was an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination and age discrimination. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What do your critics/opponents stress about you to turn people against you? My critics/opponents stress that I am conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, my ancestors have been in America since 1844, I was a federal employee for almost 30 years and almost 9 of which working for IRS, I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years, I have been married for almost 47 years, I have more education than they have, I have six professional certifications and a professional license, I have more real estate, vehicles, and/or money than they have, I have better health than they have, etc. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What do your critics/opponents stress to promote envy against you? Mine stress that I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years, that I have been married for almost 47 years, that I have more education than they have, that I have six professional certifications and a professional license, that I have more real estate, vehicles, and/or money than they have, that I have better health than they have, etc.
http://www.gopillinois.com

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Congressman Robert C. McClory’s Significant Law
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/congressman-robert-c-mcclorys-significant-law/
— Crystal Lake Grade School District Has 20% Fewer Students Than in 2008, But More Staff
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/crystal-lake-grade-school-district-has-20-fewer-students-than-in-2008-but-more-staff/
— The Censures of Randy Funk – Part 1
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/the-censures-of-randy-funk-part-1/
— The Contract with Peter Bensinger I Would Not Sign in the Thompson Administration
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/the-contract-with-peter-bensinger-i-would-not-sign-in-the-thompson-administration/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

U.S. Department of HOMELAND SECURITY
— Secretary Kristi Noem announced a nationwide and international multimillion-dollar ad campaign warning illegal aliens to leave our country now or face deportation with the inability to return to the United States. The international ads warn criminal illegal aliens not to come to America and break its laws or they will be hunted down and deported. (COMMENT: Of course, Democrats and RINOs oppose/reject the aforesaid.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hezXQvjzCkQ

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Time to go: DHS tells illegal immigrants to ‘self-deport and stay out’  Secretary Kristi Noem vows ‘We will hunt you down’
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/dhs-tells-illegal-immigrants-self-deport-stay/

NEW YORK POST
— AOC’s harmful migrant assistance (COMMENT: It is criminal to help people commit crimes.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/opinion/aocs-harmful-migrant-assistance-letters/
— Eric Adams is a hostage to New Yorkers’ will — not to Donald Trump
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/opinion/memo-to-eric-adams-critics-hes-a-hostage-to-nyers-will-not-donald-trump/

AMERICAN THINKER
— Buttigieg insinuates that Trump’s IG firing spree has something to do with promoting ‘waste, fraud, and abuse’ (COMMENT: When the Democrats who ran GAO’s Chicago Office forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, the Democrats who ran IG offices in Chicago could have offered to hire me, but they did not. I should write about those who they hired instead of me.)
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/buttigieg_insinuates_that_trump_s_ig_firing_spree_has_something_to_do_with_promoting_waste_fraud_and_abuse.html

BREITBART
— Supreme Court Path for President Trump on Birthright Citizenship
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/17/scotus-path-birthright-citizenship-trump/
— Kristi Noem Warns Migrants Against Entering U.S. Illegally: ‘You Will Be Caught’
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/17/kristi-noem-warns-migrants-entering-u-s-illegally-will-be-caught/

FOX BUSINESS
— DOGE critics are in favor of government waste  (COMMENT: GAO is supposed to fight waste in the federal government. But Democrats run the federal government and Democrats run GAO. I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997. Because I have always been a Republican, they did not want me fight waste. To get rid of me, they. a) forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO, b) delayed my promotions and never promote me beyond GS-13, c) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, and d) forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. They wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years and for IRS for almost 9 years, b) earning three job-related master’s degrees, c) earning six job-related professional certifications, and d) earning a job-related professional license.)
https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6368973252112

FOX NEWS
— Homan takes victory lap after illegal immigrant crossings plummet during Trump admin: ‘He is delivering’  Homan said it’s the lowest he’s seen since President Reagan was in office.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/homan-victory-lap-after-illegal-immigrant-crossings-plummet-during-trump-admin-delivering

LEGAL INSURRECTION
— Dear DOGE – Why Is The U.S. Government Funding “Media Literacy” Informers And Indoctrination?  DHS, Defense, and State are all involved. I know, I took the trainings. Do Secretaries Noem, Hegseth, and Rubio know?
https://legalinsurrection.com/2025/02/dear-doge-why-is-the-u-s-government-funding-media-literacy-informers-and-indoctrination/

NEWSMAX
— Some Shelters Close as Migrant Flow Slows
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/migrant-shelters-closing-border/2025/02/17/id/1199406/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

NBC NEWS
— Supreme Court could decide who Trump is allowed to fire (COMMENT: According to my critics/opponents, the courts in Diersen v. GAO decided that employers can fire their employees a) because they oppose political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and/or age discrimination and/or b) because they have performance problems. According to my critics/opponents, both of the aforesaid applied to me a) because I was an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged my employer with reverse discrimination and age discrimination and b) because my employer never promoted me beyond GS-13 and always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance (PFP). According to them, I had to have performance problems because they took those adverse actions against me even though I had three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. But in fact, they took those adverse actions against me a) because I opposed their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination and b) because I was an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination and age discrimination.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq2hVZ_zz94

MSN
— Hegseth reports that IRS has audited him and says he owes $33,558.16. (COMMENT: I should write about why my Democrat IRS superiors disallowed my education deductions when I was 29 years old in 1978. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, younger, or veteran.)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/pete-hegseth-shares-back-taxes-self-own-while-blasting-biden-irs-for-audit/ar-AA1zfqGt
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A Fox News host until being nominated by Donald Trump to lead the Defense Department, Hegseth’s annual salary at the media company was north of $2 million, according to a financial disclosure report he filed as part of the confirmation process. Additionally, he earned $900,000 in speaking engagement fees over the last two years, according to the report. As Secretary of Defense, Hegseth will be paid $246,000 per year. The Trump administration is expected to soon announce substantial layoffs at the IRS. Furthermore, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency is looking to gain access to the IRS’s highly-classified system for housing taxpayers’ financial information.)

ASSOCIATED PRESS & MSNBC & NEWSWEEK & LOS ANGELES & ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER & NBC BOSTON & ABC DENVER & BUSINESS TIMES
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump.
https://apnews.com/article/president-donald-trump-protest-c8796556fbf20e796f42167f61c3d942
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLJLFiB6bb8
https://www.newsweek.com/photos-show-trump-musk-50501-protests-across-us-2032448
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-02-17/presidents-day-rally-long-beach
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/02/17/on-presidents-day-in-irvine-demonstrators-rally-against-president-trump-and-elon-musk/
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/politics/presidents-day-brings-protests-against-trumps-policies/3634753/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKbNe3qG8MQ
https://www.btimesonline.com/articles/172879/20250218/no-kings-on-presidents-day-rallies-target-trump-policies-musk-s-influence.htm

NEW YORK TIMES
— What do your critics/opponents stress to promote envy against you? Mine stress that I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years, that I have been married for almost 47 years, that I have more education than they have, that I have six professional certifications and a professional license, that I have more real estate, vehicles, and/or money than they have, that I have better health than they have, etc.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/03/learning/do-you-ever-feel-envious-of-others.html
— Democrats Fear They Are Missing the Moment to Remake the Party. As President Trump steamrolls over their priorities, Democrats say they could miss the opportunity to learn lessons from their defeat and undertake needed reform. (COMMENT: From what I see, the Democrat Party will forever promote dependency on government charity, LGBTQ, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, abolition of the Second Amendment, and Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination. By doing the aforesaid, the Democrat Party wants to get more votes from those who are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, poor, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, are in America illegally, boozers, gamblers, stoners, and criminals.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/us/politics/democrats-trump-future.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Trump Targets a Growing List of Those He Sees as Disloyal. In his first month in office, the president has carried out a campaign of retribution that has little analogue in history. (COMMENT: My critics/opponents demand blind loyalty and destroy those like me who they cannot manipulate or dominate, who refuse to glorify and praise them, who refuse to pander to them, who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, who refuse to coverup their wrongdoing, and/or who refuse to give them money.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/us/politics/trump-retribution-list.html

USA TODAY
— Federal government has wasted trillions. Trump and Musk are saying, ‘Enough!’
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/02/17/trump-musk-doge-government-waste-national-debt/78518870007/

WEEK
— How much did Germany pay as WWI reparations? Here’s why Donald Trump’s proposed $500 billion offer for Ukraine is even worse. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked his officials to reject Donald Trump administration’s $500 billion deal, saying it does not give adequate security guarantees for Kyiv.
https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2025/02/18/how-much-did-germany-pay-as-wwi-reparations-here-s-why-donald-trump-s-proposed-500-billion-offer-for-ukraine-is-even-worse.html

WBAL TV
— Employees across federal agencies detail impacts of layoffs, DOGE action (COMMENT: I should write about the tremendous negative impacts of Republicans gutting GAO instead of reforming GAO. If Republicans had reformed GAO, the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997 would not have been able to a) force me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO, b) delay my promotions and never promote me beyond GS-13, c) always rank me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, or d) force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.)
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/federal-employees-layoffs-impacts-doge-executive-orders/63821109

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— The Media Claim to Find No Fraud in Government. Then again, they also told us Biden was sharp as a tack and nothing was amiss at the border.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-media-claim-to-find-no-fraud-in-government-waste-abuse-agencies-8ed673b2
— 6 Ways to Fix the Job-Application Nightmare. Companies are needlessly hurting their reputations among potential employees. Here’s what they can do to improve the process—and attract better talent. (COMMENT: I did not apply to be an IRS employee. IRS offered me a job because I had passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination.)
https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/job-search-applications-fixes-476ed638
— America’s Trumpiest City Council Is Thriving—in Newsom’s California. Huntington Beach has become a laboratory for Trump-style local governance; ‘non-sanctuary city’ status and a MAGA plaque at the library. (COMMENT: How strongly do the Republican leaders of the following support Trump: a) your state senate and house districts, county, township, municipality, and school board and b) the Illinois Republican Party and your Republican county and township/ward party organizations?)
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/americas-trumpiest-city-council-is-thrivingin-newsoms-california-e671f21c

INSIDE HIGHER EDUCATION
— Anticipate/expect that Democrat and RINO leaders will ever-increasingly use DEI to get rid of Republicans
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/diversity/race-ethnicity/2025/02/18/after-trumps-diversity-threats-what-should-colleges-do

February 17, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Durbin, others in Chicago push back on proposed federal budget cuts to Medicaid. Illinois Democratic Congressional Delegation promise to stand up to Trump administration.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/sen-dick-durbin-joins-citizen-action-aids-foundation-chicago-push-back-proposed-federal-budget-cuts-medicaid/15921887/
— Mexico threatens to sue Google over Gulf of Mexico name change
https://abc7chicago.com/post/mexico-threatens-sue-google-company-continues-label-us-maps-gulf-america-entire-body-water/15921876/

WGN9
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luDPZki4H5Q

FOX32
— Democratic Illinois members of Congress blast Trump budget cuts
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1594551

WTTW
— Illinois Legislative, Labor Leaders Speak Out Against Trump Budget Cuts
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/17/illinois-legislative-labor-leaders-speak-out-against-trump-budget-cuts
— Durbin, University Leaders Push Back on Trump’s Efforts to Cut Medical Research Funding
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/17/sen-dick-durbin-university-leaders-push-back-trump-s-efforts-cut-medical-research

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— ‘No kings on Presidents Day’ rings out from protests against Trump and Musk
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/17/trump-musk-protests/
— Illinois secession bill passes out of Indiana committee, but even supporters aren’t totally on board
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/17/illinois-secession-bill-passes-out-of-indiana-committee-but-even-supporters-arent-totally-on-board/
— Mexico awaits new response from Google on dispute over Gulf of Mexico name before filing lawsuit
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/17/mexico-google-gulf-of-mexico/

DAILY HERALD
— Musk’s DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250217/nation-and-world-politics/musks-doge-seeks-access-to-personal-taxpayer-data-raising-alarm-at-irs/
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise illegals and b) demonize, denigrate, and condemn Republicans.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250217/letters-to-the-editor/save-immigrants-who-are-kind-hard-working/

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER & OUR QUAD CITIES & DAILY EGYPTIAN
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/state/2025/02/17/illinois-protestors-rally-at-state-capitol-against-president-trump/78992981007/
https://www.sj-r.com/picture-gallery/news/2025/02/17/protestors-rally-against-president-trump-for-second-time-in-illinois/78997988007/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/illinois-protestors-rally-state-capitol-230718017.html
https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/local-news/illinois-advocates-speak-out-against-federal-cuts/
https://dailyegyptian.com/120456/news/carbondale-endures-cold-to-protest-trump-musk-on-presidents-day/

SOUTHERN
— Trump is the only person who can force Putin to the table
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/17/gop-sen-mullin-trump-is-the-only-person-who-can-force-putin-to-the-table/

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Don’t believe ‘incredible’ claims about Illinois schools
https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/mark-glennon-dont-believe-incredible-claims-about-illinois-schools/article_ea37a3f4-ea14-11ef-9b08-173768ebbab5.html

STATELINE
— Indiana bill to ‘adopt’ Illinois counties advances in House
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/indiana-bill-to-adopt-illinois-counties-advances-in-house/

STATELINE & ADVANTAGE NEWS & WQRF
— 2.4 million voted for Trump in Illinois
https://www.mystateline.com/news/pritzker-majority-of-illinois-residents-dont-support-trump/
https://www.advantagenews.com/news/local/pritzker-says-trump-may-be-popular-nationwide-but-not-in-illinois/article_8724d48c-eb11-11ef-a176-efe4e140ec9e.html
https://www.yahoo.com/news/jb-pritzker-says-donald-trump-201600367.html

NPR ILLINOIS
— GAO official says fraud does exist, but it’s not widespread
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-16/government-accountability-official-says-fraud-does-exist-but-its-not-widespread

WAND TV
— Durbin, Kelly join Citizen Action Illinois in fight against Trump budget cuts to Medicaid, SNAP
https://www.wandtv.com/news/statehouse/durbin-kelly-join-citizen-action-illinois-in-fight-against-trump-budget-cuts-to-medicaid-snap/article_fa0cd2ec-ed78-11ef-b7d9-477fd3841f09.html

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Second ‘50501’ protest held outside Illinois Capitol. Protestors take aim at Trump, call for “No Kings on President’s Day.”
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/second-50501-protest-held-outside-illinois-capitol/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WIREPOINTS
— With the border closed, will Illinois finally cut spending on illegal immigrants?
https://wirepoints.org/with-the-border-finally-closed-when-will-illinois-stop-spending-on-illegal-immigrants-wirepoints-quickpoint/

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Integrity Team Seeks to Defeat Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk’s Slate
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/integrity-team-seeks-to-defeat-algonquin-township-supervisor-randy-funks-slate/
— Former Co-Chair of Republican National Committee Headlining Joe Tirio Fundraiser on February 21st
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/former-co-chair-of-republican-national-committee-headlining-joe-tirio-fundraiser-on-february-21st/
— Resident Criticizes McHenry Mayor Wayne Jett’s Stewardship
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/resident-criticizes-mchenry-mayor-wayne-jetts-stewardship/
— Is McHenry County Administrator’s Pending 5.3% Raise a Signal That All Non-Union Employees Will Receive the Same?
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/16/is-mchenry-county-administrators-pending-5-3-raise-a-signal-that-all-non-union-employees-will-receive-the-same/

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Bill introduced to again try for progressive income tax in Illinois
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/bill-introduced-to-again-try-for-progressive-income-tax-in-illinois/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Democrats protest as Trump’s DOGE squad exposes federal waste. Discoveries of misspent millions reveal a pattern of unauthorized funding to partisan causes.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/democrats-protest-trump-doge-squad-exposes-federal/
— DOGE seeks access to IRS system with taxpayers’ financial data
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/doge-seeks-access-irs-system-taxpayers-financial-d/
— White House hits back on Democrats’ criticism of DOGE actions
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/white-house-hits-back-democrats-criticism-doge-act/
— FAA’s new air traffic control towers go ‘green’ instead of the latest safe tech
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/faa-new-air-traffic-control-towers-go-green-instea/
— Vance calls for U.S. and its allies to reject Germany’s ‘Orwellian’ speech laws (COMMENT: My critics/opponents hate the First Amendment. They want to stop me from sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters. Failing that, they want to stop everyone from reading them. Failing that, they have their operatives and their dupes take big adverse actions against me. I should write about my critics/opponents.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/j-d-vance-calls-u-allies-reject-germany-orwellian-/
— Trump’s immigration crackdown protects Hispanic communities
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/trump-immigration-crackdown-protects-hispanic-comm/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Everything you need to know about this year’s CPAC
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3319947/everything-you-need-to-know-about-cpac-this-year/
— Losing the race: Crass identity politics isn’t what it used to be for Democrats
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/premium/3311358/losing-race-crass-identity-politics-not-what-it-used-to-be-democrats/

NEW YORK POST
— Homan vows to ‘eradicate’ every criminal migrant from US — as he touts staggering drop in daily encounters
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/us-news/border-czar-tom-homan-vows-to-eradicate-every-criminal-migrant-from-us/
— Wall Street banks scrub DEI language from websites in latest retreat from corporate wokeness
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/business/wall-street-banks-scrub-dei-language-in-retreat-from-wokeness/
— DOGE discovers $4.7 trillion in Treasury payments were missing critical code: ‘Traceability almost impossible’
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/us-news/doge-discovers-4-7-trillion-in-treasury-payments-were-missing-critical-code/
— Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says Biden’s IRS targeted him for an audit (DIERSEN: I should write about my Democrat IRS superiors who disallowed my education deductions in 1978.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/us-news/defense-secretary-pete-hegseth-says-bidens-irs-targeted-him-for-an-audit/
— Riots and hijackings — why ICE cuffs and shackles some deportees
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/opinion/riots-and-hijackings-why-ice-cuffs-and-shackles-some-deportees/
— Dems far outnumber conservatives in government — here’s what department is the worst (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, virtually all my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats. I should write about Democrat superiors and supervisors who hated Republicans the most.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/opinion/dems-far-outnumber-conservatives-in-government-heres-what-department-is-the-worst/

AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Pete Hegseth Says Biden’s IRS Targeted Him With ‘Sham’ Audit on Their Way Out the Door (DIERSEN: I should write about my Democrat IRS superiors who disallowed my education deductions in 1978.)
https://amgreatness.com/2025/02/17/pete-hegseth-says-bidens-irs-targeted-him-with-sham-audit-on-their-way-out-the-door/

AMERICAN THINKER
— Memo suggests the City of San Diego’s government is loaded with illegals
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/memo_suggests_the_city_of_san_diego_s_government_is_loaded_with_illegals.html

BREITBART
— Homan Says Illegal Daily Encounters Down to 229 from 11,000
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/02/17/nolte-border-czar-tom-homan-says-illegal-daily-encounters-down-to-229-from-11000/

CHRISTIAN POST
— Lesbian pastor blasphemes Jesus as drag queen at council meeting
https://www.christianpost.com/news/lesbian-pastor-blasphemes-jesus-as-drag-queen-at-council-meeting.html

FOX NEWS
— Obama library, begun with lofty DEI goals, now plagued by $40M racially charged suit, ballooning costs. The Black-owned firm claims it was accused of underperforming in the project because of race.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/obama-center-subcontractor-hired-under-dei-initiative-now-suing-40m-racial-discrimination-lawsuit

NATIONAL REVIEW
— Education Department Ends $600 Million in Grants for DEI, Critical Race Theory Trainings
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/education-department-ends-600-million-in-grants-for-dei-critical-race-theory-trainings/

NEWSMAX
— Big Banks Cutting DEI to Avoid Federal Scrutiny
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/dei-division-inequity/2025/02/17/id/1199374/
— GOP Rep Introduces Proposal to End Asylum for Criminals
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/illegal-alien-criminals/2025/02/17/id/1199423/

TOWNHALL
— Illinois state Rep. John Cabello (R) Wants to Create a DOGE for His State
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2025/02/17/a-republican-lawmaker-in-illinois-wants-to-create-a-state-doge-agency-n2652334

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

THE HILL
— DOGE sets up IRS, SEC accounts on X
https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5149582-doeg-irs-sec-x-accounts/
— Musk divides GOP
https://thehill.com/newsletters/technology/5149945-musk-divides-gop/
— Musk is coming for your Social Security
https://thehill.com/opinion/5148448-elon-musk-targeting-social-security/

MSN
— NAACP spending guide urges Black Americans to avoid companies that dumped DEI
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/naacp-spending-guide-urges-black-americans-to-avoid-companies-that-dumped-dei/ar-AA1zdVIs

CBS NEWS
— Trump’s firings of independent agency heads put 90-year-old Supreme Court precedent in crosshairs
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-firings-agencies-boards-supreme-court-precedent/

NEW YORK TIMES
— Education Dept. Gives Schools Two Weeks to Eliminate Race-Based Programs. The department’s Office for Civil Rights warned that it would penalize schools that consider race in scholarships, hiring and an array of other activities.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/us/politics/education-dept-race-based-programs.html