FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
FOX32
— Reaction after Chicago-area mayor grazed in deadly restaurant shooting. Robbins Mayor Darren Bryant was grazed when a masked gunman opened fire inside a restaurant early Saturday. A private security guard reportedly returned fire, killing the gunman. A DJ was also wounded. The gunman who died has been identified.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-5tngxhltxyhq6zkf
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— In Lake County, Democratic Socialists supporting like-minded candidates: ‘People who share our values.’ DD: How strongly are socialists promoting Democrat candidates in your county?
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/08/17/lake-county-democratic-socialists/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Chicago Teachers Union sues Illinois Policy Institute for ‘toxic’ branding, ‘defamatory’ claims about audits. The CTU is framing the suit as its president, Stacy Davis Gates, “standing up to the multimillion dollar marketing firm Illinois Policy Institute,” the Liberty Justice Center and Austin Berg, IPI’s marketing vice president.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2026/08/17/chicago-teachers-union-illinois-policy-institute-defamation-lawsuit-stacy-davis-gates
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— JPMorgan Chase opens Mag Mile flagship as wealth management competition heats up. The financial center is dedicated to clients with investable assets between $1 million and $5 million — a segment of customers the bank began targeting in 2025. DD: According to Investopedia, About one in seven U.S. households headed by someone 65 or older has $1 million or more in financial assets. Married households are about three times as likely as single households to reach that mark. College graduates are several times more likely than those with only a high school diploma to have at least $1 million, as are homeowners compared with renters.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/banking-finance/ccb-jpmorgan-wealth-magnificent-mile-20260817/
WBEZ
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.wbez.org/immigration/2026/08/18/illinois-lawmakers-want-chaotic-mega-master-hearings-at-chicagos-immigration-court-to-end
WHEATON PATCH
— 2 Initiatives Introduced By DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office Signed Into Law.
https://patch.com/illinois/wheaton/amp/34654605/2-initiatives-introduced-by-dupage-county-states-attorneys-office-signed-into-law
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— School board showdown splits unions.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2026/08/18/school-board-showdown-splitting-unions-01039775
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2026/08/18/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-793/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Democrats embrace socialist calls to abolish ICE.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/4689804/democrats-embrace-socialist-call-abolish-ice/
— Majority of Americans say they’re worse off financially since Trump took office again.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/4689645/majority-americans-worse-off-financially-trump-second-term-poll/
— Trump approval sinks to new low as voters fear prolonged Iran war.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/4690392/trump-approval-rating-iran-war-poll/
CENTER SQUARE NEW YORK
— Second amendment groups sue New York over ‘Glock’ handgun ban.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/new_york/article_34a7616f-3cc6-4092-913e-979f5c74099d.html
CREATORS SYNDICATE
— Schumer Thanks Expletive-Using Duckworth for Her Beautiful Words.
https://www.creators.com/read/daily-editorials/08/26/schumer-thanks-expletive-using-senator-for-her-beautiful-words-1a8a0
COLLEGE FIX
— Indiana U. professor not reappointed after complaint she linked MAGA to ‘white supremacy. DD: To get more votes from non-Whites, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly blame Republicans for all the problems that non-Whites have.
https://www.thecollegefix.com/indiana-u-professor-not-reappointed-after-complaint-she-linked-maga-to-white-supremacy/
DAILY WIRE
— The Hidden Way Corporate Lawfare Is Keeping DEI Alive.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-hidden-way-corporate-lawfare-is-keeping-dei-alive
EPOCH TIMES
— Why Teens Are Struggling to Find Summer Jobs. DD: When you were a teen, what did you do when you were not in school? I did yard work 1962-1964. I delivered newspapers 1962-1966. I washed dishes 1964-1966. I cleaned golf shoes, chipped slag, and pumped gasoline in 1966. I delivered mail 1966-1969.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/why-teens-are-struggling-to-find-summer-jobs-6050689
FOX BUSINESS
— ‘CHAMPAGNE SOCIALISTS’: Trump advisor CALLS OUT wealthy socialist leaders.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlSmkcN4GPI
— Democrats are going to go down the path of where socialists will take them.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8gquzy5MHEY
FOX NEWS
— NY socialist defends shoplifting for ‘biological need.’
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6403606093112
— Illegal immigrant learns fate after using stolen identity to vote in US elections for decades.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/illegal-immigrant-learns-fate-after-using-stolen-identity-vote-us-elections-decades
LEGAL INSURRECTION
— CBS News Poll Finds 58% of Democrats Have a Positive View of Socialism. Socialism finds more positive views among Democrats with college degrees than those without. DD: I avoided Democrat indoctrination by majoring in business, accounting, and finance.
https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/08/cbs-news-poll-finds-58-of-democrats-have-a-positive-view-of-socialism/
NATIONAL REVIEW
— I Still Think IVF Should Be Banned.
https://www.nationalreview.com/2026/08/i-still-think-ivf-should-be-banned/
NEWSMAX
— Fetterman: Democrat Support of Socialism is Lunacy.
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/john-fetterman-socialism-democrats/2026/08/17/id/1266373/
PJ MEDIA
— Fetterman Torches His Own Party After Poll Exposes Its Socialism Problem.
https://pjmedia.com/matt-margolis/2026/08/17/fetterman-trashes-socialism-in-his-party-n4956235
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— Democrats hold more favorable view of socialism than capitalism.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/6033535-cbs-yougov-socialism-poll-results/
— 23 percent of Republicans say they’re worse off since second Trump term began.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6032764-donald-trump-second-term-republicans-survey/
ABC NEWS
— Socialism more popular than capitalism among Democrats. DD: How strongly are socialists promoting Democrat candidates in your county?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8QyohAabwk
CBS NEWS
— DD: Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters blame Trump for the of socialism. Then again, they blame Trump for everything that is bad.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/how-economic-conditions-are-fueling-a-rise-of-us-socialism/
NEWSWEEK
— Trump’s approval rating is underwater in all but Idaho, West Virginia and Wyoming.
https://www.newsweek.com/map-shows-only-three-states-that-approve-of-donald-trump-12333143
AOL
— Curfews, drones, and criminal charges: Cities differ on approaches to ‘teen takeovers.’ DD: What is your municipality doing to stop Democrat teen takeovers?
https://www.aol.com/articles/curfews-drones-criminal-charges-cities-140006000.html
— Why the American Dream feels like a fantasy to many. DD: What did you do to achieve the American Dream? I worked my way through college. I earned a job-related bachelor’s degree. I earned three job-related master’s degrees. I earned six job-related professional certifications. I earned a job-related professional license.
https://www.aol.com/articles/why-american-dream-feels-fantasy-160806000.html
NEW YORK TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly blame Trump for inflation.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/15/business/inflation-worker-pay.html
USA TODAY
— Socialist insurgency comes to Florida Democratic primaries Aug. 18.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/08/18/florida-primary-democratic-socialist-byron-donalds-governor/91343768007/
— Fetterman blasts Democrats on new socialism polling results.
https://www.usatoday.com/embed/video/91339455007/
— Half of workers fear they will never fully retire. DD: I got in line for a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) pension when I was 18 in 1966. I have been getting a CSRS pension, currently $68,640/year, since I was 49 in 1997. My critics/opponents have always been furious about that. In my defense, I paid 7% of my federal salary into the CSRS. Further, I would not have become a postal employee in 1966 if my high school friend had not asked me to join him in taking the postal employment test. Further, I would not have become an IRS employee in 1971 if Oldsmobile had not withdrawn a job offer that I had accepted because Oldsmobile had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personal-finance/2026/08/15/american-workers-fear-no-full-retirement/91277362007/
— DD: The more that you promote conservative principles, the more that you promote planks in the Republican Party platform, the more that Democrats and RINOs call you an extremist.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/08/09/republican-definition-extremism-democratic-socialist/91197531007/
ORLANDO
— Most Americans think the economic system is rigged. DD: Democrats run the federal government. They rig everything a) to favor their Democrat employees 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 and b) to waste the careers of and to get rid of their Republican employees who are White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2026/08/18/poll-most-americans-think-the-economic-system-is-rigged-and-its-shaping-midterm-politics/
MIAMI HERALD
— Becker CPA Review: Is the Prep Course Worth It? DD: I would not have passed the CPA examination on my first attempt when I was 30 in 1979 if I had not a) taken the Becker CPA Review, b) taken graduate evening accounting courses at DePaul, c) earned an MBA from Loyola, and d) worked for IRS for 8 years.
https://www.miamiherald.com/careers-education/becker-cpa-review/
WKDQ
— Traveling With Weed From Illinois Could Land You In Jail.
https://wkdq.com/ixp/722/p/cannabis-travel-laws-illinois/
NEWS24
— Democratic Socialists are desperate to tear the US down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkxdcNylghw
— Americans are ignorant of the long list of failed socialist states as DSA support continues to grow.
https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/national/americans-ignorant-to-long-list-of-failed-socialist-states-as-dsa-support-continues-to-grow/video/03c126ee47d49140ada8711716d5d6a0
NTD
— Socialists Do Not Want Progress, They Want Control.
https://www.ntd.com/ntdplus/economist-warns-of-the-socialist-trap-for-americans-they-dont-want-progress-what-they-want-is-control_1166829.html
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Bean Counting, Antisemitism and the EEOC. Reports on workforce demography not only encourage quotas but mask discrimination. DD: Ever-increasingly, since the 1960s, the top priority for those above me has been a) giving preference to those who are minority, female, younger, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for the long time, and/or are noncitizens and b) getting rid of those who are not the aforesaid.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/bean-counting-antisemitism-and-the-eeoc-3b1531d5
— A Senate Food Fight on SNAP Welfare Waste. Democrats want the farm bill to delay state accountability for improper payments.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/gop-retreat-food-stamps-snap-improper-benefits-congress-0c7ac1a6
BLOOMBERG
— The American Dream Now Comes With a Survival Guide. DD: What has helped you deal with inflation? COLAs have helped me deal with inflation big time. My critics/opponents are furious that I got COLAs while I worked for the federal government 1966-1969 and 1971-1997 and that I have continued to get COLAs as a federal retiree since 1997 and as a Social Security recipient since 2010.
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-08-17/the-american-dream-now-comes-with-a-survival-guide
BLOOMBERG LAW
— Trump Defangs Independent Watchdog of Civil Service Disputes. DD: Federal employees 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. Democrats run the federal government. For Democrats, the federal government exists to hire, retain, and promote Democrats who are minority, female, younger, and/or veteran. I am none of the aforesaid. To get rid of me, my Democrat Post Office, IRS, and GAO superiors punished me a) for my not becoming a Democrat, b) for my avoiding the Vietnam War draft, c) for my complaining about their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation, and d) for my being an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with the aforesaid. Unions provide some protection. But GAO did not unionize until 2007. If GAO had been unionized when I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 in 1980, my Democrat GAO superiors might not have been able to take the many big adverse actions against me that they did including forcing me to retire when I was 49 in 1997.
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/trump-defangs-independent-watchdog-of-civil-service-disputes
FORBES
— Reparations. DD: Affirmative Action (AA) and DEI are reparations. Blacks have been given many trillions of dollars in AA and DEI since the 1960s, that is, Blacks have been given many trillions of dollars in reparations since the 1960s. Democrats and RINOs make Republicans pay the price of AA and DEI, that is, they make Republicans pay the price of reparations. What my Democrat GAO superiors did to me is a classic example. They forced me to retire and gave my Black subordinate my job and my preferred corner office. He had less job-related education than I had. He had less job-related work experience than I had. He had one job-related professional certification while I had six. I had no job-related professional license like the one I had.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2026/08/14/leading-through-backlash-nycs-fight-for-reparations/
24/7 WALL STREET
— At 65, the FAA Forced Him Out of the Airline Cockpit. Social Security Still Called Him Two Years Early. DD: My critics/opponents stress that while my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997, since then, a) I have gotten a Civil Service Retirement System pension, currently $68,640/year and b) the federal government has paid 72% of my and my wife’s healthcare insurance.
https://247wallst.com/personal-finance/social-security/2026/08/17/at-65-the-faa-forced-him-out-of-the-airline-cockpit-social-security-still-called-him-two-years-early/
FED SMITH
— Locality Pay: Why a GS-13 in San Francisco Earns About $30,000 More Than “Rest of U.S.” 2026 federal locality pay supplements range from 17.06% to 46.34%. See how it affects GS-13 salaries, high-3 averages, and annuities across top and bottom areas. DD: My critics/opponents have always been furious that I benefitted from locality pay 1994-1997.
https://www.fedsmith.com/2026/08/17/locality-pay-gs13-san-francisco-vs-rest-of-us/
FEDERAL NEWS NETWORK
— The number of so-called TSP millionaires trends downward. As of April 1, there were about 185,000 Thrift Savings Plan participants with accounts totaling over $1 million. Compared with the previous fiscal quarter, that means there are now about 10,000 fewer TSP millionaires. Latest reports show that million-dollar accounts make up about 2.5% of the nearly 7.3 million total TSP accounts.
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/federal-newscast/2026/04/the-number-of-so-called-tsp-millionaires-trends-downward/
AFGE
— AFGE Highlights Administration’s Attacks on Federal Workers During NAACP Conference. DD: According to my critics/opponents, I have always been grossly overpaid. They stress that I was a union member for almost 12 years, almost 3 years while I worked for the Post Office 1966-1969 and almost 9 years while I worked for IRS 1971-1980. In today’s dollars, a) my Post Office salary increased from $19.57/hour to $20.87/hour and b) my IRS salary increased from $56,409/year to $113,402/year. In my defense, during that time, I stress that I earned a bachelor’s degree in management in 1970, I earned an MBA in 1976, I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, and I almost completed the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting.
https://www.afge.org/article/afge-highlights-administrations-attacks-on-federal-workers-during-naacp-conference/
MONDAQ
— Illinois Curbs Ability To Require Driver’s License In Job Postings. DD: My Post Office, IRS, and GAO jobs required me to have a driver’s license. The Post Office paid me mileage for my using my 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint, 1968 Oldsmobile 442, and 1969 Dodge Charger SE to deliver mail. IRS paid me milage for my using my 1962 Chevrolet BelAir and my 1978 Chevrolet Chevette to make field calls. GAO paid me mileage for my using my Chevette to travel to audit sites.
https://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/employee-rights-labour-relations/1831958/illinois-curbs-ability-to-require-drivers-license-in-job-postings
FROM FOREIGN SOURCES
TIMES OF INDIA
— ‘Five to eight years behind’: UC Berkeley professor raises alarm over student math skills.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/five-to-eight-years-behind-uc-berkeley-professor-raises-alarm-over-student-math-skills/articleshow/133313658.cms
