July 22, 2026

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE WITH PHOTO: DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/07/21/ice-arrests-chicago-public-schools-employee/
— Why the US should consider making voting compulsory.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/07/22/opinion-compulsory-voting-us-democracy-polarization/

NAPERVILLE SUN
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: Lots of changes at the DuPage County Fair.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/07/21/dupage-county-fair-wheaton/

NPR ILLINOIS
— Trump has campaigned more so far in 2026 midterms than he did at this point in 2018.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-07-22/trump-has-campaigned-more-so-far-in-2026-midterms-than-he-did-at-this-point-in-2018

CAPITOL CITY NOW
— Governor candidate Aaron Del Mar. Del Mar says while Bailey knows “south of I-80” in Illinois, he knows about the Chicagoland area. DD: I lived south of I-80 1948-1976.
https://capitolcitynow.com/podcasts/illinois-republican-lieutenant-governor-candidate-aaron-del-mar/

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— My critics/opponents have always wanted me to leave the Republican Party and to join the Conservative Party. My critics/opponents reject some, many, most, virtually all, if not all the planks in the Republican Party platform. Most commonly, they reject the personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on those who are/were a) leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party, b) Republican leaders of Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois, c) Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct and their political consultants, major donors, fundraisers, pollsters, campaign managers, campaign staff members, and campaign volunteers, d) conservative leaders, and e) religious leaders.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/independent-collin-corbett-to-remain-on-ballot-after-bailey-camp-withdraws-objection/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In 2018, former Republican state Sen. Sam McCann captured 4.23% running under the Conservative Party banner. And in 2010, Scott Lee Cohen won 3.64% running as an independent after his withdrawal as the Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial nominee.)

CHICAGO PARENT
— These are the 10 best places to live in DuPage County.
https://www.chicagoparent.com/how-do-i/these-are-the-10-best-places-to-live-in-dupage-county-ff1a4447

ILLINOIS
— Illinois Electric Vehicle Rebate Program Application Cycle to Open August 1. DD: Shockingly, last year, Pritzker gave me a $4,000 rebate for my 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T EV.
https://www.illinois.gov/news/release.html?releaseid=32735

POLITICO ILLINOIS
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2026/07/22/data-boom-meets-boundaries-01007090

CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

JOHN KASS
— Hatred Has Become a Greater Driver Than the Opposite.
https://johnkassnews.com/hatred-has-become-a-greater-driver-than-the-opposite/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Cal Thomas: The lure of socialism. DD: Under socialism, to advance, all you need to do is be a socialist. Under Democrats, to advance, all you need to do is be a Democrat. For Democrats, the federal government exists to hire, retain, and promote Democrats who are minority, female, younger, veteran, disabled, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time. All of my coworkers who my Democrat superiors in the federal government promoted over me were Democrats who a) were minority, female, younger than me, and/or veteran and b) had less education than I had, had less work experience than I had, had no professional certification or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had. My Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997 and gave my job and my preferred corner office to my Black Democrat subordinate. He had less education than I had. He had less work experience than I had. He had one professional certification while I had six. He had no professional license like the one I had.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/jul/21/lure-socialism/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— For America 250, reject Mamdani’s narrative of American oppression. DD: All my ancestors immigrated from what is now Germany during the 1840s and 1850s. They always lived in northeast Illinois. They never were in a position to oppress anyone and they never did oppress anyone.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/op-eds/4636240/america-250-reject-mamdani-narrative-american-oppression/
— Republicans can save elections and defund Planned Parenthood. So why aren’t they?
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/op-eds/4655987/republicans-can-save-elections-defund-planned-parenthood
— Mike Lindell proposes six-month amnesty for illegal immigrants if elected Minnesota governor. DD: All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have. My critics/opponents cannot say that because they had wealthy parents. Noncitizens work for less money and they are easier to exploit.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/state/4658121/mike-lindell-six-month-amnesty-illegal-immigrants-minnesota-governor//

NEW YORK POST
— DOJ opens probe into Harvard’s financial aid for discrimination against American students. DD: Even though no one thought I was college material, I took college preparatory courses, I got an ACT score of 24, I graduated in the upper 20% of my high school class, I got accepted by UIC, I worked my way through college, and I graduated debt-free from NIU in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in business and owning a 1969 Dodge Charger SE.
https://nypost.com/2026/07/21/us-news/doj-opens-probe-into-harvards-financial-aid-for-alleged-discrimination-against-american-students/

BIZ PAC REVIEW
— Is DHS caving to corporatocracy’s demand for cheap ‘illegal’ labor?
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2026/07/21/is-dhs-caving-to-corporatocracys-demand-for-cheap-illegal-labor-1651472/

BREITBART
— Duckworth on Punishing Iran for Troops’ Deaths: It’s Trump’s Fault.
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/07/21/duckworth-on-punishing-iran-for-troops-deaths-its-trumps-fault/
— GOP Rep. Maria Salazar: Americans Need Illegal Migrants to Defend the USA.
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2026/07/21/rep-maria-salazar-americans-need-migrants-defend-usa/
— Rand Paul: Need Hundreds of Thousands of Troops to Secure Strait, Iran Knows We Won’t Do That.
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/07/21/rand-paul-need-hundreds-of-thousands-of-troops-to-secure-strait-iran-knows-we-wont-do-that/
— Darline Graham Says a Focus on Domestic Economic Issues Would Differentiate Her from Her Brother.
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/07/21/darline-graham-says-a-focus-on-domestic-economic-issues-would-differentiate-her-from-her-brother/

CAMPUS REFORM
— Students value qualifications, bucking anti-merit trend in higher ed.
https://www.campusreform.org/article/students-value-qualifications-bucking-anti-merit-trend-higher-ed-watch/30286

CHRISTIAN POST
— Members of Congress spar over radicalism at US History Museum.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/members-of-congress-spar-over-radicalism-at-us-history-museum.html

COLLEGE FIX
— UCSD med school favored black, Hispanic applicants over more qualified white, Asian ones.
https://www.thecollegefix.com/doj-ucsd-med-school-favored-black-hispanic-applicants-over-more-qualified-white-asian-ones/

DAILY CALLER
— Trump Promises To Investigate GOP Bill Offering Amnesty To Illegal Farmworkers.
https://dailycaller.com/2026/07/21/trump-investigate-gop-bill-amnesty-illegal-farmworkers-visas/
— Republicans Promised To Put America First, Instead They’ve Betrayed Everyone For Money From Massive Agriculture Donors.
https://dailycaller.com/2026/07/21/republicans-america-first-massive-agriculture-donors-legislation-amnesty-glenn-thompson-corporations-corruption/

DAILY CITIZEN
— What is Democratic Socialism? Here’s What You Need to Know.
https://dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com/what-is-democratic-socialism-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

FEDERALIST
— Republicans Will Do Anything To Illegals Except Deport Them.
https://thefederalist.com/2026/07/21/republicans-will-do-anything-to-illegals-except-deport-them/
— 47 Republicans Are Pushing Amnesty For Illegal Alien Agriculture Workers.
https://thefederalist.com/2026/07/20/47-republicans-are-pushing-amnesty-for-illegal-alien-agriculture-workers/
— Rather Than Back Down, Trump Must Escalate His Campaign For Mass Deportations.
https://thefederalist.com/2026/07/17/rather-than-back-down-trump-must-escalate-his-campaign-for-mass-deportations/

FOX NEWS
— California county approves reparations plan as neighboring school district ‘Black Thriving’ effort stalls. DD: Affirmative Action and DEI are reparations. Since the 1960s, America has given Blacks many trillions of dollars in reparations.
https://www.aol.com/articles/california-county-approves-reparations-plan-110028000.html

PJ MEDIA
— Teachers’ Union Brags About Fighting Trump’s Plan to Eliminate Racism and Bias in Universities.
https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2026/07/21/teachers-union-brags-about-fighting-trump-plan-to-ax-racism-bias-in-universities-n4955274
— House GOP divided over immigration bill that would allow illegal immigrant farm workers to remain in US.
https://thepostmillennial.com/no-amnesty-house-gop-divided-over-immigration-bill-that-would-allow-illegal-immigrant-farm-workers-to-remain-in-us

TOWNHALL
— The Questions Illinois Never Asked.
https://townhall.com/columnists/joe-abraham/2026/07/22/the-questions-illinois-never-asked-n2679879
— Here’s an Update on How the ICE Deportations Are Going.
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2026/07/21/heres-an-update-on-how-the-ice-deportations-are-going-n2679891
— Party’s Over for Foreigners at College.
https://townhall.com/columnists/johnandandyschlafly/2026/07/22/partys-over-for-foreigners-at-college-n2679890

WHITE HOUSE
— Democrat “Glitch” Registers Thousands of Noncitizens to Vote: Another Reason to Pass the SAVE America Act.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2026/07/democrat-glitch-registers-thousands-of-noncitizens-to-vote-another-reason-to-pass-the-save-america-act/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

MSN
— DOJ warns California to drop Glock ban or face lawsuit. DD: How soon will Pritzker officially move to abolish the Second Amendment and confiscate all firearms and ammunition from Republicans?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/doj-warns-california-to-drop-glock-ban-or-face-lawsuit/gm-GMCC215DC8
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/other/11-reasons-why-more-women-are-walking-away-from-men-and-marriage/ss-AA1YvbfS

NEW YORK TIMES
— America Has Eight Political Tribes. Which One Do You Belong to? DD: My critics/opponents demonize me, denigrate me, and condemn me as being a bad member of the Loyal Right.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/opinion/voters-political-parties-coalitions.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Loyal Right remains enthusiastic about Mr. Trump and ready to turn out for Republicans in this year’s midterms, but its size — 18 percent of the electorate — makes it insufficient, on its own, for retaining a Republican majority. In lower-turnout elections like the ones this year and the partisan primaries we will have in 2028, the Loyal Left and the Loyal Right will be at their most powerful. Those voters show up when the others stay home. If you’re wondering why parties nominate candidates who are out on the extremes, it is often because of the voters who reliably participate in the process. Folks who are closer to the center will keep feeling let down or left out if they don’t throw their weight around, turning out in primaries as often as their more ideologically predictable peers. There’s nothing wrong, of course, with being a party loyalist, but it’s worth reminding ourselves that most of us don’t line up neatly with the platform of either of America’s two major parties. It’s also worth keeping in mind that there’s a reason Democrats range from the aforementioned democratic socialist Representative Ocasio-Cortez to the centrist Senator Elissa Slotkin. And why Republicans range from the moderate Senator Lisa Murkowski to the populist Representative Anna Paulina Luna. It may be more useful to think of our two parties as two coalitions. For now, at least, both have to accept some level of ideological incoherence in order to cobble together a majority.)

ASPEN DAILY NEWS
— Rethinking our definitions of success. DD: My critics/opponents a) attribute their successes to meritocracy and b) attribute my successes to my benefitting tremendously from tremendous discrimination against those who do not share my demographics.
https://www.aspendailynews.com/opinion/growing-community-rethinking-our-definitions-of-success-cb8c2696

KOMO NEWS
— Washington approves low-income toll discounts, though some urge relief for all drivers. DD: I started paying tolls when I was 20 in January of 1969 when I commuted in my 1969 Dodge Charger SE weekends to/from NIU and my parents’ home in Crete to keep my part-time Park Forest Post Office job.
https://komonews.com/news/local/washington-weighs-low-income-toll-discounts-fueling-debate-over-who-should-pay-road-highway-driving-commute-transit-income-economy-taxes-discount-program-family-paycheck-services

BREEZE COURIER
— The Limits of Merit.  DD: My critics/opponents a) attribute their successes to meritocracy and b) attribute my successes to my benefitting tremendously from tremendous discrimination against those who do not share my demographics.
https://www.breezecourier.com/editorials/the-limits-of-merit-11a70117

CORTLAND STANDARD
— Get out the vote. DD: What is your Republican Precinct Committeeman going to do to get out the vote? As the Republican Precinct Committeeman for DuPage County Milton Township Precinct 59 in Wheaton, I will hand-deliver to the 400 residences in my precinct that have at least one Republican or one Independent registered voter a copy of the sample ballot, campaign literature from all the candidates who provide their literature to the Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO), and a MTRO election guide. The Republican candidates on the ballot in my precinct are: Tracy, Bailey/Del Mar, Fioretti, Harris, Drew, Soloman, Oakley, Lewis, Vrankovich, Grasso, Noonan, Schiappa, Henry, Eckhoff, Michaud, Schultz, Quirk, and Helland.
https://www.cortlandstandard.com/opinion/get-out-the-vote/article_df8017df-98cb-4481-94c7-735a07510cde.html

JACOBIN
— Working class. DD: I was a member of the working class 1964-1997, that is, I was a wage earner 1964-1997. My critics/opponents look down on the working class, that is, they look down on wage earners.
https://jacobin.com/2026/07/class-definition-socioeconomic-status-discourse

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— New Jersey Removes Thousands of Noncitizens From Voter Rolls. State says software error led to noncitizens being mistakenly registered to vote when they applied for driver’s licenses and ID cards.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/new-jersey-removes-6-600-noncitizens-from-voter-rolls-after-software-error-9acc2492
— Socialism and the Young. Students discuss why DSA candidates perform well in their age cohort. DD: Under socialism, to advance, all you need to do is be a socialist. Under Democrats, to advance, all you need to do is be a Democrat. For Democrats, the federal government exists to hire, retain, and promote Democrats who are minority, female, younger, veteran, disabled, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time. All of my coworkers who my Democrat superiors in the federal government promoted over me were Democrats who a) were minority, female, younger than me, and/or veteran and b) had less education than I had, had less work experience than I had, had no professional certification or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had. My Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997 and gave my job and my preferred corner office to my Black Democrat subordinate. He had less education than I had. He had less work experience than I had. He had one professional certification while I had six. He had no professional license like the one I had.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/socialism-and-the-young-d32844a2
— China vs. India Isn’t as Simple as Merit vs. Caste Quotas. The Indian economy’s lag behind its neighbor can’t be explained by the practice of reservations. DD: What Caste were you born into? Neither of my parents attended college. My father was only the first of my ancestors to earn a high school diploma. He never earned more than $50,000/year in today’s dollars. He almost always worked second jobs to pay the family’s bills. He died suddenly when he was 47 and I was 21, My mother never attended high school. All my grandparent spoke German. I had to work my way through college. Nevertheless, my critics/opponents have always outrageously, disgustingly, falsely, and unethically painted my parents as having been filthy rich. They have always known full-well that I did yard work 1962-1964, delivered newspapers 1962-1966, washed dishes 1964-1966, cleaned golf shoes, chipped slag, and pumped gasoline in 1966, delivered mail 1966-1969, worked on an automotive assemble line in 1970, sold tires, automotive services, and major appliances 1970-1971, pumped more gasoline 1971-1972, collected delinquent taxes 1971-1980, and audited federal agencies 1980-1997. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on those whose parents were wealthy.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/china-vs-india-isnt-as-simple-as-merit-vs-caste-quotas-a704033f

FED SMITH
— The Grass Isn’t Always Greener But Is Federal Salary Really That Bad?  Before assuming a private sector salary is usually better, look beyond your federal salary. Federal retirement, FEHB, and job security make a big difference. DD: Ever since I became a federal employee when I was 18 in 1966, my critics/opponents have demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me as being overpaid and getting employment benefits that are far too generous. Ever since I became a federal retiree when I was 49 in 1997, my critics/opponents have demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me as getting a Civil Service Retirement System pension that is far too generous. Ever since I became a federal employee when I was 18 in 1966 and ever since I got married in 1978, my critics/opponents have demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me for me and my wife getting a 72% health insurance premium subsidy. In my defense, I planned to work in the private sector, the automotive industry to be exact. But my high school friend asked me to join him to take the postal employment test in 1966. Because I passed, I was a part-time postal employee while I attended UIC 1966-1968 and NIU in 1969. I graduated from NIU in 1970 and accepted the only job offer that I got, to be the Retail Sales Manager in a Firestone Store, a job that not really require a college degree. I accepted a job offer from Oldsmobile in 1971, but Oldsmobile withdrew that offer saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. My Firestone Store boss rudely fired me because I had accepted that offer. Because I had to have a job, I accepted a job offer that I got from IRS. I had taken and passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination while I was a NIU student. Potential employers saw me as being draft bait. They did not believe that my application for a financial hardship draft deferment to help support my mother and brother would be approved.
https://www.fedsmith.com/2026/07/15/are-federal-employees-underpaid/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: According to the Federal Salary Council’s FY 2024 analysis using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, General Schedule employees earned an estimated 24.72% less than private-sector workers in comparable occupations. That’s an improvement from the previous year’s estimated 27.54% gap, thanks in part to larger pay raises in 2023 and 2024, but it is still a significant difference. . .Salary is only one part of what employers provide. Federal employees also receive retirement benefits, health insurance, paid leave, and workplace protections that have real financial value—even though they do not appear on an earnings statement. When economists compare total compensation rather than salary alone, the gap between federal and private employment often narrows considerably. . .Consider a GS-13 Step 10 employee in the Washington, DC area earning roughly $158,322 who retires after 30 years of service. That employee could receive a substantial lifetime pension, continue Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage into retirement if eligible, receive the FERS retirement supplement before becoming eligible for Social Security, and continue drawing income from a well-funded TSP account. Someone leaving federal service midway through a career may receive a much smaller deferred pension and may need substantially higher private-sector earnings to replace the long-term value of those retirement benefits.)

LAW & LIBERTY
— What Is the Government Good For? DD: For Democrats, the federal government exists to hire, retain, and promote Democrats who are minority, female, younger, veteran, disabled, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time.
https://lawliberty.org/book-review/what-is-the-government-good-for/

FROM FOREIGN SOURCES

DAILY OBSERVER
— Civil service promotions in Bangladesh draw criticism over alleged bias and vetting gaps. DD: Federal employees in America who are the following have no Civil Service protections: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-veteran, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. Unions provide some protection. But GAO did not unionize until 2007. If GAO had been unionized when I transferred from IRS in 1980, my Democrat GAO superiors might not have been able to take the many big adverse actions against me that they did. My Democrat GAO superiors a) forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997, b) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, c) delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, and d) forced me to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. But even though I was a union member at the time, a) my Democrat IRS superiors never promoted me beyond GS-12, disallowed my education deductions in 1978, and disallowed my travel vouchers in 1974 and b) my Democrat Post Office superiors forced me to resign in 1969 and disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968. That was because I was not a Democrat, minority, female, and/or veteran. For Democrats, the federal government exists to hire, retain, and promote Democrats who are minority, female, younger, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time. Virtually all federal employees are Democrats who are one, many, most, if not virtually all of the aforesaid. All of my coworkers who my Democrat superiors in the federal government promoted over me were Democrats who a) had less education than I had, had less work experience than I had, had no professional certification or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had and/or b) were minority, female, younger, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time.
https://observerbd.com/news/584450

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.