December 11, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Indiana Republicans block Trump’s redistricting push in rare break with president
https://abc7chicago.com/post/indiana-redistricting-news-proposed-2025-map-final-vote-state-senate-thursday-amid-pressure-president-donald-trump/18275092/
— New policies cause worry among refugees, asylum seekers in Chicago area
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-immigration-news-president-donald-trumps-new-policies-cause-worry-among-refugees-asylum-seekers-city-suburbs/18276909/

NBC5
— Indiana GOP blocks Trump’s redistricting push in a rare break with the president
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/indiana-gop-blocks-trumps-redistricting-push-in-a-rare-break-with-the-president/3861947/
— Senate rejects extension of health care subsidies as costs are set to rise for millions of Americans
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/senate-health-care-vote-aca-subsidies/3861640/

CBS2
— Hopkins introduced revamped teen curfew measure
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/hopkins-introduced-revamped-teen-curfew-measure/

WTTW
— Senators Clash Over Trump’s National Guard Deployments During Hearing Pushed by Duckworth
https://news.wttw.com/2025/12/11/senators-clash-over-trump-s-national-guard-deployments-during-hearing-urged-duckworth

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— In dueling DC hearings, Ramirez calls Noem a liar and Duckworth questions Trump troop deployments. Ramirez also penned a letter on Wednesday that asked House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan “to conduct a complete investigation into Noem’s “unlawful and potentially impeachable actions.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/12/11/kristi-noem-testimony-congress-delia-ramirez-tammy-duckworth-trump-troop-deployments

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Indiana GOP blocks Trump redistricting push, easing pressure on Illinois
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/indiana-gop-rejects-trump-redistricting-easing-illinois-pressure
— Duckworth confronts defense officials over Guard deployment in Chicago
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/tammy-duckworth-confronts-dod-officials-over-national-guard

AM870
— Young Voters Want Socialism
https://am870theanswer.com/columnists/larry-elder/video/693a04b03d0f1ebab8af1d95

ALTON TELEGRAPH
— How the IRS’ crime-fighting force took on immigration. IRS Criminal Investigations Chief Guy Ficco spoke with The Associated Press about how the agency is juggling its work on new Trump administration priorities with its core mission of tax enforcement. The little-known agency has been doing more with fewer staff, according to its annual report, released on Thursday. DD: I worked for GAO for 3 years on audits of IRS’s Criminal Investigation Division.
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/politics/article/how-the-irs-crime-fighting-force-took-on-21237763.php

FOX ILLINOIS
— Thirteen House Republicans joined Democrats in advancing a bill that would reverse Trump’s executive order to crack down harder on federal worker unions. DD: When I started working for the Post Office in 1966, I felt I had no choice but to join the union. When I started working for IRS in 1971, I felt I had no choice but to join the union.
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/13-house-republicans-join-democrats-to-advance-bill-reversing-trumps-union-crackdown
— HUD Secretary blames illegal migration for ruining the housing market for Americans
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/hud-secretary-turner-blames-illegal-migration-for-ruining-the-housing-market-for-americans-biden-administration-immigration-families

CITIES 92.9
— Your kids now belong to the Chicago Teachers Union
https://www.cities929.com/2025/12/11/op-ed-your-kids-now-belong-to-the-chicago-teachers-union/

DURBIN
— Durbin Condemns Trump’s Racist Comments Towards Immigrants In Senate Judiciary Committee Executive Meeting. During his opening remarks, Durbin again called on Noem to testify in front of the Committee, urged Grassley to consider a subpoena if she refuses to appear.
https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-condemns-president-trumps-racist-comments-towards-immigrants-in-senate-judiciary-committee-executive-meeting

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Indiana Republicans defy Trump, block redistricting push
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/dec/11/indiana-republicans-defy-trump-block-redistricting-push/
— America’s unsustainable fertility crisis. A demographic earthquake is coming, unless we change.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/dec/11/americas-unsustainable-fertility-crisis/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Democratic socialist breaks DC campaign filing system with massive fundraising haul
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/3914740/janeese-lewis-george-breaks-dc-campaign-filing-system-massive-fundraising-haul/

NEW YORK POST
— Tyler Robinson, accused in Charlie Kirk killing, smirks and chuckles during first in-person court appearance, with family in tow
https://nypost.com/2025/12/11/us-news/tyler-robinson-accused-in-charlie-kirk-killing-looks-calm-chuckles-with-lawyers-during-first-in-person-court-appearance-with-family-in-tow/
— Erika Kirk tormented by vile trolls since Charlie’s assassination
https://nypost.com/2025/12/10/opinion/miranda-devine-erika-kirk-tormented-by-vile-trolls-since-charlies-assassination/
— Nikki Haley’s son says ‘this isn’t the country for you’ if you can’t choose your loyalty. DD: My critics/opponents demand blind loyalty. They have their operatives and their dupes take adverse actions against me. They destroy those like me who they cannot manipulate or dominate, who refuse to glorify and paise them, who refuse to pander to them, who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, who refuse to cover up their wrongdoing, and/or who refuse to give them money. They reject some, many, most, virtually all, if not all conservative principles and planks in the Republican Party platform. Most commonly, they reject its personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, illegal drugs, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on those who continue to have lots of clout and have had their operatives and their dupes take the most/biggest adverse actions against me lately.
https://nypost.com/2025/12/11/media/nikki-haleys-son-says-this-isnt-the-country-for-you-if-you-cant-choose-your-loyalty/

AMERICAN THINKER
— Pritzker and the Act of Choosing Sides
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/12/j_b_pritzker_and_the_act_of_choosing_sides.html

BREITBART
— Mamdani on NYPD Arresting ICE Agents
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2025/12/11/mamdani-on-nypd-arresting-ice-agents-focus-is-on-sanctuary-law-but-has-to-be-accountability-for-all-of-us-for-law-to-be-meaningful/

BIZ PAC REVIEW
— DHS buying six 737s to speed up getting illegal aliens OUT
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/12/11/dhs-buying-six-737s-to-speed-up-getting-illegal-aliens-out-1609593/

DAILY WIRE
— Ending The Woke Monopoly: White House Takes Aim At Higher Ed’s Ideological Capture. University leaders would be wise to get out of the business of indoctrination and discrimination and return to open inquiry.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/ending-the-woke-monopoly-white-house-takes-aim-at-higher-eds-ideological-capture

FOX NEWS
— Noem confronts Democrats over NYC crime, asylum abuses as members hurl accusations. Noem fought off a wave of Democrat attacks and calls to resign during Thursday’s hearing.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/noem-confronts-democrats-over-nyc-crime-asylum-abuses-members-hurl-accusations
— Top Republican rebukes notions to arrest DHS agents with plan to pull funding from problem cities. House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington’s SHIELD Act could target San Francisco, Chicago.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-republican-rebukes-notions-arrest-ice-agents-plan-pull-fed-funding-from-problem-cities
— Musk accuses Ilhan Omar of treason
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/elon-musk-accuses-ilhan-omar-treason-over-somalia-comments-viral-social-media-post
— In wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder, Elon Musk says security issues keep him from spending much time in public
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/wake-charlie-kirk-murder-elon-183853711.html

HOT AIR
— Homan: You Better Believe We’re Looking Into Omar’s Alleged Marriage to Brother as Immigration Fraud
https://hotair.com/ed-morrissey/2025/12/11/homan-you-better-believe-were-looking-into-omars-marriage-to-brother-as-immigration-fraud-n3809763

NATIONAL REVIEW
— On the Brink of Suicide: New York and Illinois
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/on-the-brink-of-suicide-new-york-and-illinois/

NEWS BUSTERS
— Pritzker ‘Violated the Supremacy Clause’ of Constitution, DHS Warns
https://newsbusters.org/blogs/cnsnews/craig-bannister/2025/12/10/illinois-gov-pritzker-violated-supremacy-clause

NEWSMAX
— HUD Links Migration to Higher Housing Costs
https://www.newsmax.com/us/hud-jd-vance-scott-turner/2025/12/11/id/1237974/

PJ MEDIA
— 2.5M Illegal Aliens Out of U.S. Since January
https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2025/12/11/25m-illegals-out-of-us-since-january-n4946939
— DOJ Sues Minneapolis Schools for Race Discrimination in Hiring
https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2025/12/11/doj-sues-minneapolis-schools-for-race-discrimination-n4946944
— Is American Urban Culture Beyond Repair?
https://pjmedia.com/benbartee/2025/12/11/is-american-urban-culture-beyond-repair-retail-reparations-pt-iv-n4946937
— Biden Admin Let at Least 18,000 Terrorists Into America
https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2025/12/11/biden-admin-let-at-least-18000-terrorists-into-america-n4946947

POST MILLENNIAL
— ‘Not all cultures are equal’: Rep Randy Fine defends Trump admin’s crackdown on Somali migrants after billion dollar fraud scheme in Minnesota. “There are some people who come to this country to add value, and there are some that come to this country to take value.”
https://thepostmillennial.com/not-all-cultures-are-equal-rep-randy-fine-defends-trump-admins-crackdown-on-somali-migrants-after-billion-dollar-fraud-scheme-in-minnesota

REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— Mamdani: “I’m Prepared For Any Consequence” For Standing Up To ICE For New Yorkers
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/12/10/mamdani_im_prepared_for_any_consequence_for_standing_up_to_ice_for_new_yorkers.html

TOWNHALL
— The Somali Experiment Failed, It’s Time to Change Course
https://townhall.com/columnists/dustin-grage/2025/12/11/the-somali-experiment-failed-its-time-to-change-course-n2667661
— Thank You, Indiana RINOS…for Being Totally Worthless
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2025/12/11/indianas-push-to-redraw-its-congressional-maps-torpedoed-by-republicans-n2667769

TURNING POINT USA
— Another College Student Government Votes Against a TPUSA Chapter Becoming a Recognized Student Organization
https://tpusa.com/live/another-college-student-government-votes-against-a-tpusa-chapter-becoming-a-recognized-student-organization/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CBS NEWS
— DD: Democrat leaders drive up grocery prices and then blame on Trump.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-speech-affordability-fact-check-inflation-data/

NEW YORK TIMES
— Noem Faces Questions From House Panel Amid Immigration Crackdown
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/us/politics/noem-house-hearing-immigration-crackdown.html
— ICE Says It Has No Videos to Release of Chicago Deportation Operations
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/10/us/politics/ice-bodycam-video-chicago.html
— What Is a Trump Gold Card? Applications Open for Million-Dollar Visas.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/10/us/politics/trump-gold-card.html

WASHINGTON POST
— House votes to repeal Trump order ending union rights at federal agencies. DD: GAO did not unionize until 2007. If GAO had unionized sooner, I might still be a GAO employee. But if not that, my Democrat GAO superiors would not have been able to take the adverse actions against me that they did.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/12/11/house-repeal-trump-union-order/

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— DD: To illegally bring a child illegally into a country illegally demonstrates gross disrespect for the rule of law and for that country.
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-12-11/trump-administration-separates-thousands-of-migrant-families-in-u-s

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Socialism Still Not That Popular. But capitalism wins only a plurality in a new survey.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/socialism-still-not-that-popular-00686d77
— Miami, a Power Center for Trump, Delivers a Rebuke of the President. Voters sent clear messages on issues in race that became a referendum on the president.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/miami-a-power-center-for-trump-delivers-a-rebuke-of-the-president-03fcebe6?mod=djemwhatsnews

MONEY WIZE
— Everything about retirement changes if you’re one of the lucky few who have a pension in America. DD: I got in line for a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) pension when I was 18 years old in 1966. I have begetting a CSRS pension since I was 49 years old in 1997. My critics/opponents have always been furious about that.
https://www.aol.com/finance/everything-retirement-changes-one-lucky-114500050.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: If you’re one of the few American workers with a traditional pension, your retirement strategy likely looks different from that of your peers. As of March, 2025, only 14% of U.S. workers were covered by a defined benefit pension plan, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These plans are far more common among government employees and retirees. In fact, nearly 86% of state and local public sector workers have access to such a pension, according to Congress. And in 2024, 56% of retirees reported receiving pension income, according to the Federal Reserve. Depending on your age and your employer, a defined benefit pension could significantly shape your retirement outlook. The guaranteed monthly income offers stability, but it brings unique considerations for tax strategy and estate planning.)

NFFE
— NFFE Applauds House Passage of the Protect America’s Workforce Act to Restore Collective Bargaining Rights for Federal Employees. DD: GAO did not unionize until 2007. If GAO had unionized sooner, I might still be a GAO employee. But if not that, my Democrat GAO superiors would not have been able to take the adverse actions against me that they did.
https://nffe.org/nffe_news/nffe-applauds-house-passage-of-the-protect-americas-workforce-act-to-restore-collective-bargaining-rights-for-federal-employees/

POLITICO
— Indiana GOP rejects Trump’s map in major blow to his gerrymandering push
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/11/indiana-republicans-redistricting-vote-trump-00687714

FROM FOREIGN SOURCES

DEMOCRACY NOW
— Trump Launches “Trump Gold Card” Visa Program for Wealthy Noncitizens
https://www.democracynow.org/2025/12/11/headlines/trump_launches_trump_gold_card_visa_program_for_wealthy_noncitizens

TIMES OF INDIA
— Charlie Kirk’s Widow Delivers Emotional Message To People Mocking His Death
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/entertainment/english/charlie-kirks-widow-delivers-emotional-message-to-people-mocking-his-death/videoshow/125920713.cms
— Elite US colleges see record surge in low-income enrolments as new financial aid strategies take hold. DD: Overwhelmingly, low-income students are minorities.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/elite-us-colleges-see-record-surge-in-low-income-enrolments-as-new-financial-aid-strategies-take-hold/articleshow/125913704.cms

WESTERN STANDARD
— Not all ideas are equal. Neither are all cultures.
https://www.westernstandard.news/opinion/albers-not-all-ideas-are-equal-neither-are-all-cultures/69690

Author: David Diersen

The opinions that I express in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails are based on experience that I have gained doing many things since 1948. I base my opinions on what I learned a) working for the federal government for almost 30 years -- Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997, serving on the Executive Committee of the Association of Government Accountants Chicago Chapter 1983-1996, and being a union member while I worked for the Post Office and IRS; b) earning an MBA from Loyola in 1976, a masters degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, and a masters degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997; c) passing the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979 and passing the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981; c) serving as a Republican Precinct Committeeman since 1999, the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000, the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois Chairman 2005-2012, a member of the 2008 Illinois Republican Party (IRP) Platform and Resolutions Committee, a Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, the Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007, and an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member 2001-2004; d) attending the 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 IRP State Conventions as a delegate; e) being the subject of a nasty 4-page article in the February 1978 issue of Money Magazine; f) pursing litigation including Diersen v. GAO and Diersen v. Chicago Car Exchange; g) being married since 1978; h) living in Crete 1948-1972, in University Park 1972-1976, in Chicago 1976-1978, and in DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton since 1978; and i) being baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran.