Month: March 2026

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Early voting expands in Chicago, Cook County for Illinois Primary. DD: How many have voted so far in Illinois, in your county, in your township, in your municipality, and in your precinct? How many Democrat, Republican, and NA ballots have been cast so far? Who does not want the aforesaid information to be reported and why?
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-primary-elections-2026-early-voting-expands-chicago-cook-county/18666942/
— Republican candidates for Illinois governor James Mendrick, Darren Bailey
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-election-primary-republican-governor-candidates-darren-bailey-james-mendrick-talk-abc7-before-midterms-2026/18658956/
— Trump says there will ‘likely’ be more US casualties amid operation. Iranian officials have vowed to hit back against the U.S. and Israel.
https://abc7chicago.com/live-updates/iran-live-updates-trump-says-major-combat-operations-have-begun/18660347/
— At least 10 killed in Pakistan as protesters try to storm US Consulate over Khamenei’s death
https://abc7chicago.com/post/karachi-deadly-protest-least-10-killed-pakistan-demonstrators-try-storm-us-consulate-khameneis-death/18664582/
— Oil prices rise sharply in market trading after attacks in Middle East disrupt global energy supply
https://abc7chicago.com/post/us-israel-attack-iran-oil-prices-rise-sharply-market-trading-attacks-middle-east-disrupt-global-energy-supply/18665641/

NBC5
— Illinois primary election early voting set to expand this week. New early voting sites will open in all 50 Chicago wards this week, along with numerous suburban locations. DD: How many have voted so far in Illinois, in your county, in your township, in your municipality, and in your precinct? How many Democrat, Republican, and NA ballots have been cast so far? Who does not want the aforesaid information to be reported and why?
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/illinois-primary-election-early-voting-set-to-expand-this-week/3901636/

CBS2
— Early voting begins at locations all across Chicago, suburban Cook County. DD: How many have voted so far in Illinois, in your county, in your township, in your municipality, and in your precinct? How many Democrat, Republican, and NA ballots have been cast so far? Who does not want the aforesaid information to be reported and why?
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/early-voting-begins-across-chicago-suburban-cook-county/

FOX32
— Republicans join Democrats in effort to block Trump’s military authority over Iran
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/republicans-join-democrats-block-trumps-military-authority-over-iran

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Air strikes, death of Ayatollah Khamenei, celebrated by many in Chicago Iranian community
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/01/iran-strikes-chicago-reaction-ayatollah-khamenei/
— Video gambling terminals spell bad news for Chicago. DD: In 2009, I led the successful effort to ban video gambling in Wheaton.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/02/opinion-video-gambling-terminals-chicago/
— Public servants are under attack. Here’s why their work matters. DD: What is your attitude toward federal employees? I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. In my defense, I would not have become a postal employee when I was 18 in 1966 if my high school friend had not asked me to join him in taking the postal employment examination with him. I would not have become an IRS employee in 1971 if my Firestone Store boss had not fired me for accepting a job offer from Oldsmobile, an offer that Oldsmobile withdrew saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. Because government employees are so widely despised if not hated, once you become a government employee, it is almost impossible to get a job in the private sector. Because federal employees are so widely despised if not hated, once you become a federal employee, it is almost impossible to get a job working for state, county, township, or municipal governments.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/02/opinion-illinois-public-servants-matter/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Across the nation, public servants carry a burden that few in the private sector ever shoulder: a persistent (and loudly expressed) perception that they do not work hard, they are overpaid, they are lost in the swamp of bureaucracy, or worse, that they simply do not care. These assumptions were amplified on the national stage last year when the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) took an axe to the federal workforce. Rather than collaborate with tenured employees who had firsthand insight on what processes needed to be reworked, DOGE told thousands of workers that their civic efforts were worthless and the country would be better off without them. In doing so, it continued a politically convenient narrative that has since had a chilling effect on state-level jobs and devastating impacts on real people. For instance, just hours after 2,400 Veterans Affairs jobs were dissolved, health care appointments for Illinois veterans were cancelled due to staffing shortages. We should all be concerned that the only efficiency DOGE delivered was deeper mistrust and disregard for those who keep our most fundamental systems running.)
— Chicago sees exodus of immigration judges during Trump’s second term
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/02/chicago-immigration-judges/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— War is much easier to enter than to exit. President Donald Trump begins a war with Iran without congressional approval, public debate or a clear path out.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2026/03/01/president-donald-trump-iran-strikes-israel-war
— More early voting sites open Monday in Chicago, suburbs. The 50 ward early voting sites in Chicago open as will 55 sites in suburban Cook County. Additional early voting sites also open in the collar counties. DD: How many have voted so far in Illinois, in your county, in your township, in your municipality, and in your precinct? How many Democrat, Republican, and NA ballots have been cast so far? Who does not want the aforesaid information to be reported and why?
https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2026/03/01/early-voting-chicago-suburbs

DAILY HERALD
— Democratic comptroller candidates make push for why they’re voters’ best option. DD: If you had run for the comptroller office, which of your qualifications would you have stressed? I would have stressed a) that I worked as an Analyst for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $118,984-$154,682/year, b) that before that, I worked as a Revenue Officer for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $100,059-$113,402/year, c) that I became a CPA and a certified internal auditor, fraud examiner, government financial manager, financial services auditor, and forensic accountant, d) that I became a licensed CPA, e) that I earned master’s degrees in business, accounting, and finance, and f) that I served on the Executive Committee of the Association of Government Accountants Chicago Chapter for 13 years.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260301/illinois-state-politics/democratic-comptroller-candidates-make-push-for-why-theyre-voters-best-option/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH PICTURE: Time for electric vehicle owners to pony up? Legislation to hike EV fees has a pay-per-mile option. DD: Do you own a EV? I own a 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T EV. How many miles did you dive your EV last year? I drove mine only 42 mile. I paid $100 more for an EV license plate sticker. The car weighs almost 6,000 pounds. If the car had been available with a Hemi, I would have opted for that.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260301/transportation/time-for-electric-vehicle-owners-to-pony-up-legislation-to-hike-ev-fees-has-a-pay-per-mile-option/

WGN RADIO
— The difference in average net worth across the country is vast, depending on where you live. It’s so vast that the median net worth in the U.S. can range from anywhere between $62,000 to nearly $700,000, based solely on which state you call home. DD: Illinois is 19th at $209,500.
https://wgnradio.com/news/curious-what-the-net-worth-of-residents-in-your-state-might-be-a-new-report-has-the-answer/

DAILY NORTHWESTERN
— A guide to early voting before Evanston’s March 17 primary election. DD: How many have voted so far in Illinois, in your county, in your township, in your municipality, and in your precinct? How many Democrat, Republican, and NA ballots have been cast so far? Who does not want the aforesaid information to be reported and why?
https://dailynorthwestern.com/2026/03/01/city/a-guide-to-early-voting-before-evanstons-march-17-primary-election/

BELLEVIEW NEWS DEMOCRAT
— Reviv­ing the Amer­ican dream. DD: The American Dream motivated me to earn a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970, job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, job-related professional certifications when I was 30 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and a job-related professional license when I was 32. But if I was those ages today, I doubt that I could find the motivation. Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, the future is bleaker and bleaker and bleaker for those who share my demographics.
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/belleville-news-democrat-sunday/20260301/281616721852123

WAND TV
— US, Israel pound targets in Iran as Trump signals openness to talk to new leadership. The U.S. and Israel are pounding targets across Iran, dropping massive bombs on the country’s ballistic missile facilities and wiping out warships as part of an intensifying military campaign that accompanied the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
https://www.wandtv.com/news/national/us-israel-pound-targets-in-iran-as-trump-signals-openness-to-talk-to-new-leadership/article_266406e0-3045-5877-8af2-ac586d123e4e.html

WCIA
— Champaign Co. issues warning about lines due to lack of election judges
https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-county/champaign-co-issues-warning-about-lines-due-to-lack-of-election-judges/

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Trump says more US service member deaths ‘likely’ in Iran conflict after 3 killed, 5 injured
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/trump-says-more-us-service-members-will-likely-die-in-iran-conflict-after-3-killed-5-injured/

NORTHERN STAR
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://northernstar.info/133879/opinion/opinion-stop-treating-lgbtq-like-a-porn-category/

POLITICO  ILLINOIS
— How war could reshape the primaries
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2026/03/02/how-war-could-reshape-the-primary-00806681

CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2026/03/02/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-689/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER RIGHT SOURCES

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— What discourages you from helping elect candidates win elections? For me, since 2000, it has been far too many Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct who have blamed their defeats a) on me, b) on what I have done as the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000, and c) on what I did as an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007, the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman 2005-2012, and the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and fireworks 2005-2019. Most commonly, they hint/imply/argue/shout that I painted them as being more conservative than they wanted to be painted, and that caused them to lose. According to them, I am far too conservative, and because of that, the more that I do to help them, the more votes that they will not get. Most commonly, they blame articles that I linked to in my newsletters that they do not like. Because Democrat and RINO leaders have ever-increasingly painted me so negatively, Republican candidates ever-increasingly make it clear that they do not want my help to get elected. Sadly, some Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct have taken averse actions against me to get more votes. Comments? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Transgenderism: An attack on reality. For the left, facts are meaningless.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/mar/1/transgenderism-attack-reality/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— NEA’s hyper-fixation on race shows fight against ‘woke’ indoctrination is not over
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/4473612/nea-hyper-fixation-on-race-woke-indoctrination/

WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
— ‘Unnecessary War of Choice’? Absolutely Not. Democratic talking point, not reality.
https://freebeacon.substack.com/p/unnecessary-war-of-choice-absolutely

NEW YORK POST
— Why the left’s serial insanities keep becoming the law of the land
https://nypost.com/2026/03/01/opinion/why-the-lefts-serial-insanities-keep-becoming-the-law-of-the-land/
— The end of college racial quotas is already making America more just. DD: UIC admitted me in 1966, NIU in 1969, Loyola in 1972, DePaul in 1976, and IIT in 1992 because they could not find a qualitied minority or female to admit.
https://nypost.com/2026/02/07/opinion/the-end-of-college-racial-quotas-is-already-making-america-more-just/

FOX NEWS
— Three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down in a friendly fire incident over Kuwait late Sunday during active combat operations tied to Operation Epic Fury, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The aircraft were mistakenly engaged by Kuwaiti air defenses amid a complex battle environment that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones.  All six aircrew members safely ejected, were quickly recovered, and are reported to be in stable condition.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/3-us-warplanes-shot-down-kuwaiti-air-defenses-pilots-bail-out-friendly-fire-incident-centcom-says?lid=ehvfygq6rbvz

LEGAL INSURRECTION
— University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Students Want School to Spend $25K on Reparations Commission. DD: The more of the following that you are, the more that Democrats say you benefitted from slavery, and therefore, the more reparations that you should pay: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/03/u-illinois-urbana-champaign-students-want-school-to-spend-25k-on-reparations-commission/

POST BULLETIN
— No room for divided allegiance. DD: From what I see, more and more and more of those who come to America remain strongly aligned either for or against the countries they came from. Further, more and more and more want to turn America into their motherland.
https://www.postbulletin.com/news/let-no-room-for-divided-allegiance

WESTERN JOURNAL
— DD: While I worked for the Democrats who ran IRS 1971-1980, they always had strict race and gender quotas to meet for promotions to GS-13.  Because of that, they never promoted me to GS-13 even though I had earned an MBA in 1976 and passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979. While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, they always had strict race and gender quotas to meet for promotions to GS-14. They never promoted me to GS-14 and they would not have promoted me to GS-13 in 1986 if I had not a) earned an MBA in 1976, passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, earned a master’s degree in accounting in 1980, passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981, and became a licensed CPA in 1981. They would never have promoted me to GS-13 if the GAO manager who had arranged for my transfer from IRS in 1980 had not gotten back into power and assigned me to audits of IRS in 1986 and promoted me in 1986. Because he did that, my Democrat GAO superiors forced him to retire in 1987. If I had been a Democrat, minority, female, and/or veteran, they would have promoted me to GS-14, then GS-15, and then Senior Executive Service before I was 40 in 1988.
https://www.westernjournal.com/affirmative-action-quotas-question-female-minority-pilots-caused-half-pilot-error-crashes/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

MSN
— Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson admitted coordinating with other sanctuary city leaders to resist federal immigration enforcement. DD: Constructively, sanctuary states, that is, Democrat states, have declared war on America and have seceded from the United States.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/chicago-mayor-plots-anti-ice-strategy-with-peers/gm-70CE8E00F8

NEW YORK TIMES
— DD: Anticipate/expect that Democrat leaders will ever-increasing fill their schools with their illegals.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/27/nyregion/immigration-agents-college-campus-columbia.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Trump’s attack on Iran risks alienating war-weary supporters
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/03/01/trump-iran-gop-coalition-divide/

USA TODAY
— Trump faces MAGA backlash on Iran. Trump campaigned as a staunch critic of previous U.S. wars in the Middle East, and some in his MAGA coalition aren’t happy about the Iran operation. DD: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, many of my superiors and supervisors were veterans, and at times, most, if not virtually all of them were veterans. They did not blame Republicans for starting the Vietnam War, but they certainly blamed Republicans like me for America losing the Vietnam War. They especially blamed Republicans like me who were 1-A and avoided the Vietnam War draft with deferments. I should write about the many big adverse actions that they took against me. At the Post Office, they disallowed my sick leave requests in 1968 and 1969 and forced me to resign in 1969. At IRS, they disallowed my travel vouchers in 1974, disallowed my education deductions in 1978, and never promoted me beyond GS-12. At GAO, they forced me to take a $23,699 (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS in 1980, delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, and forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/03/01/trump-iran-maga-backlash-tucker-mtg/88935179007/
— Experts question Trump administration claims of Iran nuclear threat
https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/politics/2026/03/01/trump-administration-faces-questions-over-iran-nuclear-threat-claims/88936194007/
— Unemployed Americans struggle to find next job. DD: Have you been unemployed, and if so, how long and why?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2026/03/01/unemployed-struggling-to-find-work/88903339007/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— A New Lost Generation: Why Gen Z Is Unprepared for the Workplace. Young employees often don’t have the skills they need to navigate organizations. Leaders should first understand the problem, and then how to fill the gaps. DD: The first 6 months that I worked for IRS as a Revenue Officer in 1971 was classroom training. I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step-1-5 Levels, currently $100,059-$113,402/year. GAO audits IRS. I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31. The Democrats who ran GAO wasted my knowledge of IRS. The succeeded in keeping me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, or veteran.
https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/gen-z-worker-skills-294463f6
(FROM GOOGLE AI: IRS Revenue Officer training is a comprehensive, multi-year program focusing on tax law, civil investigative techniques, and collection procedures. Training includes in-person classroom instruction and on-the-job training (OJT) for navigating delinquent tax cases. As of 2025, training is primarily delivered through the Integrated Talent Management (ITM) system. Key aspects of the training program include: Curriculum Focus: Training covers the Internal Revenue Code, financial analysis, and investigative techniques for field work. Delivery Methods: Uses a combination of classroom training, web-based distance learning, and extensive on-the-job training. Initial Training: New hires undergo rigorous, often two-year, initial training to prepare for face-to-face interactions with taxpayers and representatives. System Access: Training is managed via the ITM system, with some specialized academies still under development as of April 2025. Career Path: Training supports the ability to handle complex tax collection cases, with opportunities for advancement. Newly hired revenue officers are typically trained to work in the field, analyzing financial information and enforcing tax compliance.)

FED WEEK
— OPM Guidance Addresses How Veterans’ Preference Applies in RIFs. DD: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, the agency was almost always under hiring and/or promotion freezes because of Gingrich budget cuts. Many, if not most, and at times, virtually all of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates who were males were veterans. Because GAO officially exempted GAO employees who were veterans from any adverse impact of Gingrich budget cuts, because I was a Republican, because I was not a veteran, and especially because I avoided the Vietnam War draft with deferments, my Democrat GAO superiors made me pay the price big time. They ultimately forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997.
https://www.fedweek.com/issue-briefs/opm-guidance-addresses-how-veterans-preference-applies-in-rifs/

MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
— Veterans’ Hiring Preference Goes Far Beyond Landing a Federal Job. DD: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, the agency was almost always under hiring and/or promotion freezes because of Republican Gingrich budget cuts. Many, if not most, and at times, virtually all of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates who were males were veterans. Because GAO officially exempted GAO employees who were veterans from any adverse impact of Gingrich budget cuts, because I was a Republican, because I was not a veteran, and especially because I avoided the Vietnam War draft with deferments, my Democrat GAO superiors made me pay the price big time. They ultimately forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997.
https://www.moaa.org/content/publications-and-media/news-articles/2025-news-articles/transition-and-career/veterans-hiring-preference-goes-far-beyond-landing-a-federal-job/

OPM
— DD: The Democrats who ran the Post Office in 1966 would not have hired me if I had not passed the postal employment examination. The Democrats who ran IRS in 1971 would not have hired me if I had not passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination. The Democrats who ran GAO in 1980 would not have hired me if I had not passed the CPA examination. They would not have hired me because I was not a Democrat, female, younger, or veteran.
https://www.opm.gov/chcoc/latest-memos/ending-use-of-administrative-careers-with-america-assessments.pdf

PBS
— DD: Democrat and RINO leaders legally and illegally flood America with citizens of foreign countries.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/trump-said-hes-pro-legal-immigration-his-policies-say-otherwise