FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Illinois Republican senator Neil Anderson pushes to outlaw abortion, loses leadership spots. Republican leaders called the proposal ‘extreme’ and said it is a no go. DD: What is your position on right to life? I have always supported the Hyde Amendment. My critics/opponents on the left demonize, denigrate, and condemn my position as being too strong. My critics/opponents on the right demonize, denigrate, and condemn my position as being too weak.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-abortion-law-neil-anderson-senator-pushes-ban-fetal-personhood-bill-loses-leadership-spots/18614296/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Senate Republican Leader John Curran said the bill is a “no” for the Republican caucus. “I don’t support his proposal, no other Republican legislator supports his proposal, House or Senate,” he said. “It’s an extreme proposal. I do not view it as a pro-life proposal, I view it as an anti-woman proposal about punishment.” Curran also removed Anderson as minority spokesperson on the Senate executive and assignments committees, though he remains a member on the Executive Committee. Curran said he talked to Anderson about leadership’s expected duties and responsibilities to the whole Republican caucus. Darren Bailey, a Republican candidate running for governor who has served in the Illinois House and Senate, released a statement calling for Anderson to pull the bill. “When women and families are facing a crisis, they need understanding, support, and real help, not the threat of jail time,” he said in a statement. “I am pro-life, but I believe we also have to face reality. Approaches like this pull people away and make it harder to move Illinois forward.” In his leadership resignation letter, Anderson said he was saddened by Republican disagreement on the issue.)
FOX32
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-lx7fbtnqrncbzg5e
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use their high school students to promote more hatred against Republicans. Have Democrat leaders already or will they promise high school students free rides in Ivy League universities if they protest?
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/letters-021726-student-walkouts/
— Diane Harris for Illinois Secretary of State Republican primary
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/editorial-diane-harris-illinois-secretary-of-state-republican-primary/
— Juliana Stratton’s $25-per-hour minimum wage plan draws fire from rivals in US Senate race in Illinois. DD: I did not start earning $25/hour in today’s dollars until after I had earned a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU in 1970.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/illinois-senate-stratton-25-dollar-minimum-wage/
— More than $1.1 billion in medical debt erased in Illinois, with the help of a state program. DD: What have you done to avoid medical debt? I have always assured that my wife and I have health insurance. The federal government paying 72% of our health insurance for the rest of our lives helped me endure tremendous efforts to get rid of me by the Democrats who ran the Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/medical-debt-program-illinois/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more pot. They want everyone in America, in Illinois, in your county, in your township, in your municipality, in your school district, and in your precinct to be stoners.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/16/cannabis-sales-illinois/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2026/02/18/federal-immigration-ice-border-patrol-police-mistrust-abuse-louis-martinez
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly blame Republicans for everything that is bad including bad weather.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-the-editor/2026/02/18/climate-change-finding-delivery-robots-super-bowl-bad-bunny-trump-valentines-day
DAILY HERALD
— Illinois Republican senator Neil Anderson files a bill to outlaw abortion, loses leadership spots. DD: What is your position on right to life? I have always supported the Hyde Amendment. My critics/opponents on the left demonize, denigrate, and condemn my position as being too strong. My critics/opponents on the right demonize, denigrate, and condemn my position as being too weak.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260217/news/illinois-republican-senator-pushes-to-outlaw-abortion-loses-leadership-spots/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Senate Republican Leader John Curran said the bill is a “no” for the Republican caucus. “I don’t support his proposal, no other Republican legislator supports his proposal, House or Senate,” he said. “It’s an extreme proposal. I do not view it as a pro-life proposal, I view it as an anti-woman proposal about punishment.” Curran also removed Anderson as minority spokesperson on the Senate executive and assignments committees, though he remains a member on the Executive Committee. Curran said he talked to Anderson about leadership’s expected duties and responsibilities to the whole Republican caucus. Darren Bailey, a Republican candidate running for governor who has served in the Illinois House and Senate, released a statement calling for Anderson to pull the bill.)
— GOP hopefuls in 9th Congressional District differ on immigration policy
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260217/us-congress-politics/gop-hopefuls-in-9th-congressional-district-differ-on-immigration-policy/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Illinois erases $1.1 billion in medical debt for residents. DD: What have you done to avoid medical debt? I have always assured that my wife and I have health insurance. The federal government paying 72% of our health insurance for the rest of our lives helped me endure tremendous efforts to get rid of me by the Democrats who ran the Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/health-care/illinois-erases-11-billion-medical-debt-residents
WBEZ
— Four candidates vie for the GOP nomination for Illinois governor. Four Republican candidates have thrown their hats in the ring to challenge two-term Gov. JB Pritzker in November. They face an uphill battle against a billionaire Democrat in a state that has shifted more and more blue over the past decade. DD: Since the 1970s, the Illinois Republican Party has ever-increasing dumped more conservative planks in the Republican Party platform, that is, it has moved further and further and further to the left. At the same time, the Illinois Democrat Party has more aggressively advanced the most liberal planks in its platform.
https://www.wbez.org/wbez-news/2026/02/16/four-candidates-vie-for-the-gop-nomination-for-illinois-governor
— What to know about the March 17 primary for Illinois comptroller. Four candidates are vying in the Democratic primary to replace outgoing incumbent Susana Mendoza as the state’s chief financial officer. DD: I just finished hand-delivering Republican comptroller candidate Bryan Drew’s campaign literature to 400 residences in my precinct. 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, and e) that I earned master’s degrees in business, accounting, and finance.
https://www.wbez.org/government-politics/elections/2026/02/17/what-to-know-about-illinois-comptroller-primary
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Illinois comptroller is the state’s chief financial officer. The office manages the state’s fiscal accounts, records all transactions, pays bills and reviews all expenditures and contracts. The comptroller also chairs the State Employees’ Retirement System Board and sits on the Illinois State Board of Investment, helping manage pensions for state employees. The comptroller also issues financial reports about the state’s fiscal affairs.)
SHAW LOCAL
— 14th District GOP candidates say curbing government spending, overreach are top issues
https://www.shawlocal.com/news/2026/02/17/14th-district-gop-candidates-say-curbing-government-spending-overreach-are-top-issues/
ALTON TELEGRAPH
— Pritzker pours in $25M; GOP lags in funds
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/illinois-governor-fundraising-jb-pritzker-21347891.php
CITIES 92.9
— Illinois abortion bill sparks division between Republicans, pro-life advocates
https://www.cities929.com/2026/02/17/illinois-abortion-bill-sparks-division-between-republicans-pro-life-advocates/
NPR ILLINOIS
— Why is long-term unemployment on the rise? DD: QUESTION: Why have I been unemployed since I was 49 in 1997? ANSWER: The many big adverse actions that my Democrat superiors in the federal government took against me. QUESTION: Why did they take those adverse actions against me? ANSWER: Because I opposed their political affiliation discrimination, their reverse discrimination, and their age discrimination. I became an active participant in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation when I was 40 in 1988.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-02-17/why-is-long-term-unemployment-on-the-rise
— DD: For Democrat leaders, National Parks exist to promote the Democrat Party platform.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-02-18/trump-administration-is-erasing-history-and-science-at-national-parks-lawsuit-argues
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Illinois Republican senator pushes to outlaw abortion, loses leadership spots. Republican leaders called the proposal ‘extreme’ and said it is no go. DD: I should write about my critics/opponents who have demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me the most as being an extremist. I would name them and demand that they put their charges against me in writing.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/illinois-republican-senator-pushes-to-outlaw-abortion-loses-leadership-spots/
— DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick focuses on public safety in GOP governor’s race. DD: Public safety is extremely important.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/dupage-county-sheriff-james-mendrick-focuses-on-public-safety-in-gop-governors-race/
ELMHURST PATCH
— A longtime Republican Party official accused of forging pages of signatures for a former Elmhurst mayoral candidate’s petition has pleaded guilty, according to public records. Longtime Addison resident Lawrence Moretti was charged with 14 felony forgery accounts in connection with 2025 mayoral candidate Mark Mulliner’s petition.
https://patch.com/illinois/elmhurst/elmhurst-political-forgery-suspect-pleads-guilty-county
POLITICO
— Pritzker’s Springfield squeeze play
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2026/02/18/pritzkers-springfield-squeeze-play-00785693
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/18/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-681/
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/17/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-469/
— Heidner spokesperson says candidate will divest gaming interests if elected
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/17/heidner-spokesperson-says-candidate-will-divest-gaming-interests-if-elected/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— VALLAS: Don’t be fooled by Pritzker’s boasts of population gains
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/vallas-dont-be-fooled-by-pritzkers-boasts-of-population-gains/
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— What have you done with your life the last 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 years? What are you going to do with the rest of your life? I have put together and sent out GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters for the last 26 years and I have served as a Republican Precinct Committeeman (RPC) for the last 27 years. I am going to continue to do the aforesaid for the rest of my life. My critics/opponents are slowly becoming to realize that. But what more and bigger adverse actions will they going to take against me to stop me from sending out my newsletters and serving as a RPC? Should I start naming my critics/opponents and start counterattacking them? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
NEW YORK POST
— Enough with the gaslighting on ICE
https://nypost.com/2026/02/17/us-news/enough-with-the-gaslighting-on-ice/
AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Trump’s FTC Takes Up The Fight Against Big Tech Wokeness. Trump’s FTC is cracking down on Big Tech, with Ferguson targeting censorship and anticompetitive practices at Microsoft and Apple.
https://amgreatness.com/2026/02/18/trumps-ftc-takes-up-the-fight-against-big-tech-wokeness/
AMERICAN THINKER
— Biden granted ‘quiet amnesty’ to an additional million illegals
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/center_for_immigration_studies_biden_granted_quiet_amnesty_to_an_additional_million_illegals.html
CAMPUS REFORM
— Harvard undergrads prepare asylum claims, law students fight deportations of illegal aliens in court. As the White House fights to make American communities and campuses safer by deporting illegal aliens, universities are training college students to fight those deportations in court.
https://www.campusreform.org/article/sturge-harvard-undergrads-prepare-asylum-claims-law-students-fight-deportations-illegal-aliens-court/29432
COLLEGE FIX
— University of Illinois graduate fellowships require ‘commitment to diversity and inclusion.’ DD: I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO for almost 18 years, who ran IRS for almost 9 years, and who ran the Post Office for almost 3 years. You had to commit to promoting Affirmative Action (AA) and DEI big time to get promoted to GS-14 at GAO, to GS-13 at IRS, and to GS-5 at the Post Office. To promote AA and DEI 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.thecollegefix.com/u-illinois-grad-fellowships-require-commitment-to-diversity-and-inclusion/
FOX NEWS
— Harvard students earn course credit helping asylum seekers as critics calls school ‘bastion of woke activism.’ HIST 123 course partners with Mabel Center for Immigrant Justice to provide research and writing support for asylum applicants.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/harvard-students-earn-course-credit-helping-asylum-seekers-critics-calls-school-bastion-woke-activism
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
MSN
— DD: In your opinion, is it fair to stress the political positions that candidates’ spouses have? I have seen many cases in which once candidates are elected, they push their spouses’ political positions.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-attacks-gop-congressman-and-his-new-wife-ahead-of-key-house-vote-blessed-be-their-marriage/ar-AA1VwwRh
NEW YORK TIMES
— DD: Democrat and RINO employers use Affirmative Action and DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/business/goldman-sachs-diversity-board.html
— Rubio: Western Civilization Can Save Us — Again
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/opinion/munich-rubio-western-civilization.html
— DD: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/nyregion/stonewall-pride-flag-lawsuit.html
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote wealth taxes. My critics/opponents have always demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me as having too much wealth. They have gotten more and more and more furious every time I bought a new car, bought real estate, bought collector cars, went on vacations, earned college degrees, earned professional certifications, earned a professional license, etc. According to them, I have the aforesaid a) because I have always benefitted big time from discrimination against those who do not share my demographics, b) because I avoided the Vietnam War draft, c) because I have never had children, and d) because of my wife’s income.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/us/california-wealth-tax-opposition-bernie-sanders.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/nyregion/budget-mamdani-property-taxes.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/us/california-billionaire-wealth-tax.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/31/business/economy/wealth-tax-france.html
— How Spain Is Carving a Different Path on Immigration. The country is hoping its new amnesty for undocumented immigrants will avoid a public backlash. DD: All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have. Noncitizens work for less money and are easier to exploit.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/world/europe/spain-amnesty-immigration.html
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use their high school students to promote more hatred against Republicans. Have Democrat leaders already or will they promise high school students free rides in Ivy League universities if they protest?
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/15/us/student-protests-walkouts-ice-texas.html
USA TODAY
— DD: The more that you fight reverse discrimination, the more that Democrat leaders call you a racist.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/02/16/elon-musk-white-supremacy-x-racist/88661158007/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— America Needs an Immigration Department. Congress should also review the law with an eye toward meeting U.S. economic needs. DD: All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have. Noncitizens work for less money and are easier to exploit.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/america-needs-an-immigration-department-97fbf4fb
PIX NEW YORK
— New York City is hiring for various positions that do not require applicants to take a civil service exam. DD: If I had not passed the postal employment test, the Democrats who ran the Post Office in 1966 would not have hired me. If I had not passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination, the Democrats who ran IRS in 1971 would not have hired me. If I had not passed the CPA examination on my first attempt, the Democrats who ran GAO in 1980 would not have hired me.
https://pix11.com/news/local-news/nyc-offers-benefits-for-job-applicants-without-civil-service-exam/
POLITICO
— DD: Democrat leaders deny that their illegals vote. Illegals use false identifications. Because illegals vote for Democrats, Democrat election officials do not stop voter fraud. All elections should both Republican and Democrat oversight.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/17/save-act-election-security-noncitizen-voting-00782470
