March 18 Morning Edition

NATIONAL REVIEW
— National Review Urges IL Republicans to Vote for Ives
http://link.nationalreview.com/view/547fb2963b35d0210c8c883a7hmmc.1jes/09778ff9

 

NBC5
— Pritzker Now at $70 Million, Rauner Feeling Pressure from Ives Days before the Illinois primary, candidates for governor attend the St. Patrick’s Day parade. – Mary Ann Ahern
https://www.nbcchicago.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Governor-Illinois-candidates-st-Patricks-day-477182573.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats crow that “Parkland shooting survivors visit CPS students to plan Chicago gun control march.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/parkland-shooting-survivors-visit-cps-students-to-plan-chicago-gun-control-march/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Guilty of lying to the FBI, Michael Flynn hits the campaign trail for GOP in California – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-michael-flynn-campaign-20180317-story.html
— Microsoft says it fired about 20 people last year for sexual harassment – Rachel Lerman (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. Of course, my nastier critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes hint/imply/argue/shout that my superiors in the federal government took adverse actions against me NOT because I complained about political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, retaliation or because I became an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation, but because I am a sexual harasser, White supremacist, Nazi, KKK member, hater, racist, sexist, bigot, and even worse things. In support of their charges against me, they stress a) that I am White, b) that I am a male, c) that I was baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran, d) that I am 100% German American, e) that I am conservative, f) that I am patriotic, g) that I am Republican, h) that I am not poor, i) that I am a gun owner, j) that my ancestors have been in America since 1844, k) etc.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-tns-bc-microsoft-harassment-20180316-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— Some races to watch Tuesday in Lake County – Mick Zawislak
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180317/some-races-to-watch-tuesday-in-lake-county
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Place your bets? Illinois preparing for legal sports wagering – Bob Susnjara
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180318/place-your-bets-illinois-preparing-for-legal-sports-wagering—–
— Hillary, stop. Please. – Kathleen Parker (DIERSEN: How many votes did Hillary get in your precinct? Hillary got 211 in my precinct, while Trump got only 137. What do those who voted for Hillary think of you? What do those 211 who voted for Hillary in my precinct think of me?)
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20180318/hillary-stop-please
(FROM THE ARTICLE: She has variously blamed former FBI Director James Comey, Russia, sexists, “deplorables” and, in a speech in Mumbai, racism. In one of her worst-yet panders — quite a distinction if you remember Hillary’s 2007 speech in Selma, Alabama — she apparently noticed the darker pigmentation of her Indian audience and adapted. She started out by reiterating her disdain for those who failed to recognize her virtues, saying that she won in places “that are optimistic, diverse, dynamic, moving forward,” compared with Trump voters who are always looking “backward.” Then, mockingly, talking to “those people” who voted for him, she continued, “You know you didn’t like black people getting rights, you don’t like women, you know, getting jobs, you don’t want to, you know, see Indian-Americans succeeding more than you are.”)

 

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Democratic early-voting turnout is up all over – Tom Kacich (DIERSEN: What percent of those who cast Democrat primary ballots now a) previously cast Republican primary ballots and b) previously had not cast any primary ballots?)
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2018-03-18/tom-kacich-democratic-early-voting-turnout-all-over.html

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— My predictions for Tuesday’s primary election – Bernard Schoenburg
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20180317/bernard-schoenburg-my-predictions-for-tuesdays-primary-election
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A year ago, it would have been hard to imagine a serious Republican challenge to first-term Gov. BRUCE RAUNER. But state Rep. JEANNE IVES of Wheaton is waging just that type of fight. A key reason Ives got into the race is that Rauner signed a bill he said he would veto — which in part expands taxpayer-paid abortions to Medicaid recipients. Rauner has said Ives is too far to the right to get elected in Illinois. Ives says Rauner lied about the abortion bill and is lying about her in ads that accuse her of being linked to House Speaker MICHAEL MADIGAN, D-Chicago. She also says Rauner doesn’t deserve another term after his first one. Ives got a lot of attention by running an ad, roundly criticized, that showed actors (including a man in a dress) seen by critics as stereotypical negative views of groups including transgender people. Some newspapers have cited that ad as divisive and the reason they can’t endorse Ives. It did get attention, but also gave people pause. I think Rauner gets the nomination — but Ives could well be close. And if she even overcomes him, it won’t be a shock. . .On the GOP side, Rauner backs Urbana attorney ERIKA HAROLD, and she beats DuPage County Board member GARY GRASSO.)
— Sadly, the primary campaign is coming to an end – Doug Finke – Bernard Schoenburg
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20180317/statehouse-insider-sadly-primary-campaign-is-coming-to-end
— Pritzker defends putting $69.5 million of his fortune into campaign – Kim Geiger and Hal Dardick (DIERSEN: My Democrat IRS and GAO superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates always blasted my putting so much of my time and/or money into a) earning three job-related master’s degrees, b) earning six job-related professional certifications, c) earning a job-related professional license, and d) serving on the board of a job-related professional association for 13 years. My doing the aforesaid frustrated their efforts to waste my career and to get rid of me.)

http://www.sj-r.com/news/20180317/pritzker-defends-putting-695-million-of-his-fortune-into-campaign

 

BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
— Illinois primary puts focus on security of state voter rolls – CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY AND SARAH ZIMMERMAN
http://www.bnd.com/news/state/illinois/article205739494.html

 

QUAD CITIES ONLINE
— Don’t lose chance to frame debate; vote Tuesday – Editorial (DIERSEN: What do you say to candidates who run as Republicans in Illinois, in DuPage County, in Milton Township, in Glen Ellyn, and in Wheaton, but who talk and act like they will not defend or advance the traditional family, right to life, immigration, Second Amendment, and other planks in the Illinois Republican Party platform? At a minimum, Republican candidates should a) pledge to make E-Verify mandatory and b) pledge to stop the legalization of pot for recreational use. Political parties exist to help elect candidates who can and will defend and advance their platform.)
http://qconline.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-don-t-lose-chance-to-frame-debate-vote-tuesday/article_df02d5a2-5eda-5d7b-9dc3-e41dfbd9bd4b.html

 

PONTIAC DAILY LEADER
— Ives makes local campaign stop – Paul Westermeyer
http://www.pontiacdailyleader.com/news/20180317/gubernatorial-candidate-makes-local-campaign-stop

 

RIVER CITIES’ READER
— Rauner’s Gun-Bill Veto Was Timed Accidentally, but Perfectly – Rich Miller
https://www.rcreader.com/commentary/rauners-gun-bill-veto-timed-perfectly

 

GALESBURG REGISTER MAIL
— Voters: Bring jobs to Illinois – Rebecca Susmarski
http://www.galesburg.com/news/20180318/voters-bring-jobs-to-illinois

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Senate GOP leader Bill Brady talks guns, voter fraud – Paul Cicchini
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/senate-gop-leader-talks-guns-voter-fraud/1053734965

 

WGLT
— Gov. Rauner Spotted In Bloomington-Normal On St. Patrick’s Day – RYAN DENHAM
http://wglt.org/post/gov-rauner-spotted-b-n-st-patricks-day#stream/0

 

97.1 TALK
— Jeanne Ives: “There Is A Day Of Reckoning Coming Over Assessments.” Annie talk with Jeanne about Taxes, Rauner, and the politics of running for candidate for Governor. – Annie Frey (DIERSEN: If you had to sell your home, would you be able to sell it for its assessed valuation?)
http://www.971talk.com/blogs/annie-frey-show/weekender/jeanne-ives-there-day-reckoning-coming-over-assessments

 

FOX NEWS
— Hillary Clinton’s ‘Deplorables 2’ moment and why it matters for America’s future – Steve Hilton (DIERSEN: Who demonizes, denigrates, and condemns Trump voters in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois? Which candidates will the anti-Trumps vote for? Which candidates will the Trump supporters vote for?)
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/03/17/hillary-clinton-s-deplorables-2-moment-and-why-it-matters-for-america-s-future.html

 

TOWNHALL
— California Continues to Steamroll Its Citizens’ Rights by Appointing an Illegal Alien to a Statewide Post – Donna Carol Voss (DIERSEN: In Illinois, to curry favor with Hispanic voters, Democrats and RINOs would love to appoint an illegal Hispanic to a statewide post.)
https://townhall.com/columnists/donnacarolvoss/2018/03/18/california-continues-to-steamroll-its-citizens-rights-by-appointing-an-illegal-alien-to-a-statewide-post-n2462039
— Trump the Turnaround Manager – Bruce Bialosky (DIERSEN: Democrats continue to run the federal government. I am sure that under Trump, overwhelmingly, a) those who have left the federal government are Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran and b) those who have not been hired for entry-level federal jobs have been Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.)
https://townhall.com/columnists/brucebialosky/2018/03/18/trump-the-turnaround-manager-n2461290
(FROM THE ARTICLE: President Trump has gotten flack for not filling a significant number of political appointee positions in his first year. His answer to that is “You don’t need them.” He has cut positions across departments by eliminating people who probably don’t like the guy anyway. In his first six months, the federal employee count went down 10,700. It is not just what he cut, but likewise what he has not added. In their first six months, President Bush (the younger) added 36,000 and President Obama added 60,000. While 10,700 may be a small dent in the total number of federal workers (2.8 million), it is still headed in the right direction.)

 

BLAZE
— Despite mainstream media narrative, Andrew McCabe wasn’t fired for political reasons — here’s the truth – Chris Enloe (DIERSEN: Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes a) side with my Democrat superiors in the federal government and b) hint/imply/argue/shout that all the adverse actions that they took against me were justified. But they know full-well that neither the official record nor anything else supports any of the adverse actions that they took against me.)
https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/03/17/despite-mainstream-media-narrative-andrew-mccabe-wasnt-fired-for-political-reasons
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Despite the mainstream media narrative surrounding Andrew McCabe’s Friday termination, the now-former deputy FBI director wasn’t fired for political reasons. Instead, it was an internal Department of Justice investigation lead by inspector general Michael Horowitz that led to McCabe’s dismissal.)
— Democrats rally to help former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe still get $1.8 million pension – Teri Webster (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents stress that after my Democrat GAO superiors succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old, that neither they, nor anyone else offered me a federal job. They hint/imply/argue/shout that if I was any good, Henry Hyde, Peter Fitzgerald, Dennis Hastert, Peter Roskam, etc. would have offered me jobs.)
https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/03/17/democrats-rally-to-help-former-fbi-deputy-director-andrew-mccabe-still-get-1-8-million-pension

 

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Joe Walsh tears into Republicans for lacking ‘courage and the decency” to tell Trump to lay off Mueller – Katie Leach
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/joe-walsh-tears-into-republicans-for-lacking-courage-and-the-decency-to-tell-trump-to-lay-off-mueller

 

THE HILL
— GOP pushes for ‘phase two’ of tax cuts – NAOMI JAGODA (DIERSEN: Needless-to-say, Roskam should increase the SALT cap from $10,000 to $20,000 for married filing jointly. Government should encourage marriage and homeownership.)
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/378861-gop-pushes-for-phase-two-of-tax-cuts
— ‘Saturday Night Live’ targets DeVos over ‘60 Minutes’ interview – REBECCA SAVRANSKY
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/378983-saturday-night-live-targets-devos-over-60-minutes-interview

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— How Mike Pompeo Could Save the State Department – SAMANTHA POWER (DIERSEN: Did you “start at the bottom?” I started at the bottom a) at the Post Office in 1966 when I was 18 as a GS-4, currently $15.85/hour in today’s dollars, b) at IRS in 1971 as a GS-7 Revenue Officer, currently $45,703/year in today’s dollars, and c) at GAO in 1980 as a GS-9 Step 10 Analyst, currently $72,677/year in today’s dollars. If I had been a Democrat, a minority, a female, or a veteran, GAO would not have forced me to “start at the bottom” and suffer a $19,203/year pay cut in today’s dollars. To justify forcing me to “start at the bottom,” GAO dismissed the fact a) that GAO audits IRS, b) that much of what IRS Revenue Officers do is similar to what GAO Analysts do, c) that I had almost 9 years of experience working for IRS, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $81,071-$91,880, d) that I had earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976, e) that I had almost completed the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul, and f) that I had passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/13/opinion/samantha-power-pompeo-state-department.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: We also need to attract new Foreign Service officers. Hiring declined by more than a third from 2016 to 2017, and the number of young people seeking to take the Foreign Service exam has dropped significantly from the rates seen during the previous two administrations. Attracting the right personnel will require Mr. Pompeo to work with Congress and take other steps to change obsolete rules that, for instance, discourage former State Department employees from returning, and require even experienced people to start at the bottom if they have not previously worked in government — denying our diplomatic corps the ability to draw on specialized expertise.)
— Stanford History Event Was ‘Too White and Too Male,’ Organizer Admits – MAYA SALAM (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, to get elected/reelected, Democrats and RINOs stress that they want individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries to get rid of individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, draft avoiders, German American, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/17/us/stanford-conference-white-males.html
— Stop Apologizing for Being Elite – Susan Jacoby
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/16/opinion/sunday/elites-stop-apologizing.html
— It’s Hard to Be Hungry on Spring Break – Anthony Abraham Jack (DIERSEN: To demonize, denigrate, and condemn me as being an undeservedly filthy rich draft dodger while attended NIU, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes would stress that I drove my 1969 Dodge Charger SE to Florida for spring break in 1969 and 1970.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/17/opinion/sunday/spring-break-colleges-poor-students.html
— FRONT PAGE WITH TWO COLOR PICTURES: Oakland Embraces Marijuana Sales. Compton Bans Them. How Is Justice Best Served? – Thomas Fuller
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/17/us/california-marijuana-oakland-compton.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Retirement frees congressional Republicans to give some straight talk – Paul Kane (DIERSEN: In 1997, my Democrat GAO superiors freed me to become a Republican Precinct Committeeman in 1999 and a GOPUSA Illinois Editor in 2000 and to serve as a TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman 2005-2012, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007, and American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member 2001-2004.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/retirement-frees-congressional-republicans-to-give-some-straight-talk/2018/03/17/2a164d08-292a-11e8-874b-d517e912f125_story.html
— Russia scrambles to get voters to polls to legitimize election ahead of expected Putin landslide – Anton Troianovski (DIERSEN: In your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois, a) how many registered Republican voters will cast Republican primary ballots, b) how many registered Democrat voters will cast Democrat primary ballots, c) how many registered Republican voters will cast Democrat primary ballots, d) how many registered Democrat voters will cast Republican primary ballots, e) how many registered Independent voters will cast Republican primary ballots, and f) how many registered Independent voters will cast Democrat primary ballots? How close is the polling place for your precinct and how easy it for the voters in your precinct to find it?)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russia-scrambles-to-get-voters-to-polls-to-legitimize-election-ahead-of-expected-putin-landslide/2018/03/18/f8d31426-2963-11e8-a227-fd2b009466bc_story.html
— Distinguished federal employee of the week: This is what you do when asked to lie – Jennifer Rubin (DIERSEN: If you are a non-veteran White male federal employee, to keep your job, you have to falsely say that there is no political affiliation discrimination, no reverse discrimination, no age discrimination, and no retaliation in the federal government. Ironically, one could argue that political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation encourages Democrats, minorities, females, and younger people to become federal employees and remain federal employees.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2018/03/18/distinguished-person-of-the-week-this-is-what-you-do-when-asked-to-lie/

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats crow about their success in demonizing, denigrating, and condemning Republicans as being White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things. One could argue that Democrats are becoming more successful at demonizing, denigrating, and condemning Republicans than Nazis were at demonizing, denigrating, and condemning Jews.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-regain-double-digit-advantage-over-gop-in-voter-sentiment-poll-1521378001

 

DAILY MAIL
— ‘That was sneaky evil, even for me’: Jeff Sessions struggles with ‘Trump’s order’ to fire FBI Deputy McCabe in SNL cold open as he is joined by an irate Rex Tillerson – while The Mooch pops up for an indiscreet cameo – MATTHEW WRIGHT (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents stress that after my Democrat GAO superiors succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old, that neither they, nor anyone else offered me a federal job. They hint/imply/argue/shout that if I was any good, Henry Hyde, Peter Fitzgerald, Dennis Hastert, Peter Roskam, etc. would have offered me jobs.)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5514711/Trumps-firing-Tillerson-McCabe-brutally-slammed-SNL.html

 

RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— Job Market Confidence Hits New Highs (DIERSEN: From what I see, employers only want hire those who are anti-Trump supporters, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, ant-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/jobs_employment/march_2018/job_market_confidence_hits_new_highs

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.