August 14 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— China’s crackdown on dissent is described as the harshest in decades – Julie Makinen (DIERSEN: Are you a Republican activist, candidate, elected official, party leader, major donor, political consultant, etc. in Illinois?  Have you joined with Pat Brady in shouting hatred against Trump and shouting hatred against Trump’s supporters?  If Trump loses on November 8, 2016, how fast and how harshly will the anti-Trumps crackdown in Illinois?  How fast will they dump the following if they do not shout hatred against Trump and shout hatred against Trump’s supporters: the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) Chairman, the IRP National Committeeman, the IRP National Committeewoman, the IRP State Central Committee members, the county party officers, the township and ward party officers, precinct committeemen and precinct captains, the governor, state senators, state representatives, county officials, township and ward officials, municipal officials, etc.  Will the anti-Trumps install Pat Brady as governor, as IRP Chairman, and/or as IRP National Committeeman?  Of course, needless-to-say, Democrats and Democrat plants, Libertarians and Libertarian plants, Greens and Green plants, and RINOs will take the lead in getting rid of those who do not shout hatred against Trump and who do not shout hatred against Trump’s supporters.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-fg-china-crackdown-snap-story.html
— How many MBA grads stay in Chicago? – Ally Marotti  (DIERSEN: From what university did you earn your MBA, in what year, how old were you, and who paid for it?  I earned my MBA from Loyola in 1976 when I was 27 years old. I paid for it with money that I earned working for IRS’s Collection Division. Of course, needless-to-say, my Democrat IRS superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates hinted/implied/argued/shouted that the courses a) were not job-related, b) did not help me carry out my job duties, c) were taken by me to get a job in the private sector, and d) were a distraction.  To get promoted, instead of taking job-related courses, my Democrat IRS superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates focused on getting rid of IRS employees who were Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/originals/ct-mba-graduates-chicago-gfx-20160812-htmlstory.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— McSweeney bill would increase transparency in collective bargaining – Editorial
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160813/discuss/160819948/

 

HERALD & REVIEW
— Davis’s support for Trump is troubling – Editorial  (DIERSEN: How much clout do the anti-Trumps have in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, in Illinois, in America, and in the world?  How fast are those anti-Trumps moving to a) first get rid of Trump supporters and b) then get rid of those who do not share their hatred of Trump and their hatred of Trump supporters?  Anti-Trumps are anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
http://herald-review.com/news/opinion/editorial/our-views-davis-s-support-for-trump-is-troubling/article_5f2d91ed-bbb1-57fa-932d-de103ea26bdc.html
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: But Davis’ refusal to step away from his party and the Trump campaign is troubling. Davis can’t really believe that after nearly two years of a campaign that features name-calling and temper tantrums that Trump is going to change his ways in the next 100 days. By supporting Trump, even timidly, Davis is putting himself on the same side as the candidate the referred to Mexican immigrants as “rapists,” believes Muslim should be banned from entering the country and thinks it’s appropriate to criticize the mother and father of a son who made the ultimate sacrifice. We’ve often thought of Davis as a reasonable representative, but this decision calls that belief into question.)

 

HERALD NEWS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Great Lakes no help for a struggling Donald Trump on road to 270 electoral votes.”
http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/08/14/great-lakes-no-help-for-a-struggling-donald-trump-on-road-to-270-electoral-votes/at1vji9/

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Selfie opportunities, yes, but not as much free stuff at elected officials’ fair tents – David Blanchette
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20160813/selfie-opportunities-yes-but-not-as-much-free-stuff-at-elected-officials-fair-tents

 

BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
— FBI raids East St. Louis Township offices
http://www.bnd.com/news/local/article94974067.html

 

AMERICAN THINKER
— Trump suggests he doesn’t need a get out the vote operation – Rick Moran
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/08/trump_suggests_he_doesnt_need_a_get_out_the_vote_operation.html

 

TOWNHALL
— Trump threatens to pull credentials of NY Times  (DIERSEN: Should I write book about activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc. in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois who blame me for their problems, for your problems, for my problems, and for everyone’s problems?)
http://townhall.com/news/politics-elections/2016/08/13/the-latest-pence-dodges-questions-about-his-own-tax-returns-n2204668

 

NEWSMAX
— Trump Threatens to Pull NY Times Credentials – Todd Beamon  (DIERSEN: Should I write an article about blacklisters in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and who focus on destroying me because I refuse to comply with their blacklist demands?  These blacklisters include many activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, and political consultants who have hundreds, if not thousands of individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries on their blacklists.  They blacklist me because I refuse to comply with their blacklist demands.)
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Trump-New-York-Times-creditentials/2016/08/13/id/743485/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Donald Trump Saturday threatened to revoke the credentials of The New York Times after the newspaper published a report detailing the “failing” effort by Republican Party operatives to “save Mr. Trump from himself.” “The newspaper’s going to hell,” Trump told a rally at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn. “They’ve got a couple of reporters in that newspaper who are so bad — I mean lack of talent. But it’s going to hell. “So, I think maybe what we’ll do, maybe we’ll start thinking about taking their press credentials away from them,” the Republican nominee added, drawing cheers from the crowd. “Maybe we’ll do that. I think so. I think so. “When they write dishonest stories, we should be a little bit tough, don’t we agree?” Many in the audience yelled “yeah.” The Times report, by Alexander Burns and Maggie Haberman, detailed efforts by staffers to keep Trump on script, focus more on policy and tone down his inflammatory rhetoric and combative style. It was based on interviews with 20 Republicans, many of whom insisted on anonymity to avoid clashing with him,” according to the Times. The article also described a meeting Trump had with GOP political consultant Karl Rove and casino magnate Steve Wynn during primaries — from which Rove emerged “stunned” that the nominee knew little about campaign basics. Trump slammed the Times for using anonymous sources, saying “I don’t think they have any names.” In an overall attack on the press, Trump that it was his biggest competitor in this campaign, not Hillary Clinton. “I’m not running against crooked Hillary,” he said. “I’m running against the crooked media. “That’s what I’m running against, I’m not running against crooked Hillary.” Trump has revoked the press credentials of several media outlets, including Politico, The Washington Post and The Huffington Post. “I’m no fan of the Washington Post, although they have been much nicer lately, I must say,” Trump said Saturday. “Maybe I’ll let them back in. they’ve been much better.” He also ripped CNN for its coverage of him saying that President Barack Obama was the “founder” of the Islamic State — a remark he later said was sarcastic, “but not that sarcastic.” “CNN is so disgusting,” Trump said. “Their ratings are going down big league. “You know why? Because I refuse to be interviewed. And I get high ratings, what can I say? “These people are so dishonest.” He later praised an article from The New York Post, which detailed his contributions as a developer to New York City. Trump slammed the Times report on Twitter:)
— NY Times: Rove ‘Stunned’ by Trump’s Failure to Grasp Basics – Todd Beamon
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Rove-Trump-basics-campaign/2016/08/13/id/743477/

 

HUMAN EVENTS
— Hillary Would Give Us a Disastrous Third Obama Term – David Limbaugh
http://humanevents.com/2016/08/12/hillary-would-give-us-a-disastrous-third-obama-term/

 

ANN COULTER
— GOP BLAMES VICTIM OF MEDIA RAPE
http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2016-08-10.html#read_more

 

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Pence: Clintons ‘made tens of millions of dollars’ from public service – PAUL BEDARD  (DIERSEN: Many, if not most, if not virtually everyone hates federal employees and hates federal retirees. I was a federal employee for almost 30 years and I have been a federal retiree for almost 19 years.  To demonize me, to denigrate me, and to condemn me, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes stress that I worked for GAO for almost 18 years, for IRS for almost 9 years, and for the Post Office for almost 3 years. They stress that in 1997, GAO paid me $120,427 (GS-13 Step 10) in today’s dollars and hint/imply/argue/shout that the federal government grossly overpaid me.  They hint/imply/argue/shout that GAO should not have promoted me in 1986 and that IRS should not have promoted me in 1974, 1973, or 1972.)
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/pence-clintons-made-tens-of-millions-of-dollars-from-public-service/article/2599297

 

POLITICO
— GOP officials lay the groundwork to blame their nominee if Clinton wins. – ELI STOKOLS and KENNETH P. VOGEL  (DIERSEN: Who are the “GOP officials” in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois going to blame for November 8, 2016 Republican losses in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois?  I should write a book about past and present “GOP officials” in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois who blame me and my being the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000, my being the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman 2005-2012, my being a Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, my being the Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, my being an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007, and my being an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member 2001-2004 FOR ALL THE LOSSES THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE SUFFERED IN ILLINOIS SINCE 2000.)
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/donald-trump-rnc-support-226987

 

REUTERS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Trump rails against press in response to reports of chaos.”
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUSKCN10P01W?il=0

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Those who hate Trump and hate Trump’s supporters blame Trump and blame Trump’s supporters for that.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/opinion/sunday/donald-trump-is-making-america-meaner.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Inside the Failing Mission to Save Donald Trump From Himself.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/us/politics/donald-trump-campaign-gop.html
— The Election Won’t Be Rigged. But It Could Be Hacked. – Zeynep Tufekci
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/opinion/campaign-stops/the-election-wont-be-rigged-but-it-could-be-hacked.html
— Sisterhood Is Not Enough: Why Workplace Equality Needs Men, Too – PEGGY KLAUS  (DIERSEN: Should I write a book about men who pander to women by demonizing men, denigrating men, and condemning men?)
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/jobs/sisterhood-is-not-enough-why-workplace-equality-needs-men-too.html
— The Billion-Dollar Jackpot: Engineered to Drain Your Wallet – JEFF SOMMER  (DIERSEN: If you promote gambling, you promote vice. If you promote gambling, you are not religious, conservative, or Republican.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/your-money/the-billion-dollar-lottery-jackpot-engineered-to-drain-your-wallet.html
— The Decline of Unions and the Rise of Trump – NEIL GROSS  (DIERSEN: Many, if not most, if not virtually of my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes who claim to be religious, conservative, and/or Republican hate unions and hate union members.  They stress that I was a union member 1966-1969 while I worked for the Post Office.  They stress that I was a union member 1971-1980 while I worked for IRS.  They stress that if GAO had been unionized in 1997, I might still be a GAO employee.  They stress that I only buy cars that were made by union members.  How strong is your hatred of unions?  How strong is your hatred of union members?)
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/opinion/sunday/the-decline-of-unions-and-the-rise-of-trump.html
— Join the Army and Choose Whichever God You Like – SARAH VOWELLA  (DIERSEN: There are tremendous irreconcilable conflicts between Islam and the U.S. Constitution. Islam is more like a political party or a country without borders than a religion.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/opinion/sunday/join-the-army-and-choose-whichever-god-you-like.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG COLOR PICTURE: DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, Democrats make it clear that Democrat presidents will use executive power to get rid of those individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are Protestant, conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/us/politics/obama-era-legacy-regulation.html

 

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Donald Trump claims the election might be ‘rigged.’ Here’s how voting really works.”
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-presidential-election-process-20160812-snap-htmlstory.html
— Racial, partisan divides shape American views of poverty and the poor – DAVID LAUTER  (DIERSEN: My critic/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that a) instead of me, the Post Office should have hired a poor Democrat, a poor minority, a poor female, and/or a poor veteran in 1966, b) the Post Office should gotten rid of me much sooner than it did so that a poor Democrat, a poor minority, a poor female, a poor younger person, and/or a poor veteran could have my job, c) instead of me, IRS should have hired a poor Democrat, a poor minority, a poor female, a poor younger person, and/or a poor veteran in 1971, d) instead of me, IRS should have promoted a poor Democrat, a poor minority, a poor female, a poor younger person, and/or a poor veteran in 1972, 1973, and 1974, e) instead of me, GAO should have hired a poor Democrat, a poor minority, a poor female, a poor younger person, and/or a poor veteran in 1980, f) instead of me, GAO should have promoted a poor Democrat, a poor minority, a poor female, a poor younger person, and/or a poor veteran in 1980, and g) GAO should gotten rid of me much sooner than it did so that a poor Democrat, a poor minority, a poor female, a poor younger person, and/or a poor veteran could have my job and my preferred corner office.)
http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-na-pol-poverty-poll/

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Polling proliferates in Virginia and elsewhere, with colleges leading the charge – Nick Anderson  (DIERSEN: What percent of those involved with political polling are anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors – 97%, 98%, 99%+?  What percent of those involved in political polling are moral relativists who believe that their end justifies their means and are disciples of Saul Alinsky – 97%, 98%, 99%+?)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/08/12/polling-proliferates-in-virginia-and-elsewhere-with-colleges-leading-the-charge/
— What makes marijuana users different from everyone else – Christopher Ingraham  (DIERSEN: If you use pot, you shout that you want to harm yourself, that is, that you are mentally ill.  Individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that push pot in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, in Illinois, and in America shout that THEY WANT TO DESTROY THOSE WHO ARE in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, in Illinois, and in America.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/08/14/what-makes-marijuana-users-different-from-everyone-else/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A massive study published this month in the Journal of Drug Issues found that the proportion of marijuana users who smoke daily has rapidly grown, and that many of those frequent users are poor and lack a high-school diploma. Examining a decade of federal surveys of drug use conducted between 2002 and 2013, study authors Steven Davenport and Jonathan Caulkins paint one of the clearest pictures yet of the demographics of current marijuana use in the U.S.  They found that the profile of marijuana users is much closer to cigarette smokers than alcohol drinkers, and that a handful of users consume much of the marijuana used in the U.S. “In the early 1990s only one in nine past-month [marijuana] users reported using daily or near-daily,” Davenport and Caulkins write. “Now it is fully one in three. Daily or near-daily users now account for over two-thirds of self-reported days of use (68%).” These usage patterns are similar to what’s seen among tobacco users. “What’s going on here is that over the last 20 years marijuana went from being used like alcohol to being used more like tobacco, in the sense of lots of people using it every day,” Caulkins said in an email. Adults with less than a high school education accounted for 19 percent of all marijuana use in 2012 and 2013 (compared to 13 percent of the total adult population), according to the survey. This is similar to their 20 percent share of all cigarette use, but considerably higher than their 8 percent share of all alcohol use. Similarly, Americans of all ages with a household income of less than $20,000 accounted for 29 percent of all marijuana use and 27 percent of all cigarette use, compared to only 13 percent of all alcohol use and 19 percent of the total adult population. The concentration of use among poorer households means that many marijuana users are spending a high proportion of their income on their marijuana habit. Users who spend fully one quarter of their income on weed account for 15 percent of all marijuana use. One interesting finding is that over the past 10 years as many states have liberalized their marijuana policies, marijuana arrests are down while marijuana purchases are up. This means that the risk of getting arrested for marijuana use has fallen sharply since 2002. That year, there was one marijuana arrest for every 550 marijuana purchases, according to Davenport and Caulkins. By 2013, there was one marijuana arrest for every 1,090 purchases. “The criminal risk per marijuana transaction has fallen by half,” they conclude. Much of that risk is still born by non-white marijuana users. Davenport and Caulkins stress that since the study was conducted over a period preceding the opening of recreational marijuana markets in Colorado and Washington, it doesn’t offer any evidence on the merits or lack thereof of legalization. “Our results can in no way be interpreted as evidence toward the successes or failures of marijuana legalization or even medical marijuana laws,” they write. However, they say their research presents a number of things to consider as states like California, Arizona and Maine vote on marijuana legalization this fall. “Most people who have used marijuana in the past year are in full control of their use, and are generally happy with that use,” Caulkins said in an email. But, “consumption is highly concentrated among the smaller number of daily & near-daily users, and they tend to be less educated, less affluent, and less in control of their use.” The median marijuana user, in other words, may be someone who indulges periodically but generally doesn’t consume a lot of it. However, most of the marijuana consumed in the U.S. isn’t consumed by the median marijuana user, but rather by the very heavy users who smoke daily or more. “There is a sharp contrast between what policy is best for the typical user versus what is best for the people who consume most of the marijuana,” Caulkins said. Legalization may not change much in the life of the typical marijuana user. But heavy users who overindulge may find it even easier to do so when marijuana is legal and cheaper to buy. The findings support the argument for legalization measures to be accompanied by public health protections — like treatment programs and public awareness campaigns educating people about the risks of overuse.)

 

USA TODAY
— Trump Threatens to Pull Credentials of NY Times (DIERSEN: Should I write book about activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc. in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois who blame me for their problems, for your problems, for my problems, and for everyone’s problems?)
http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/nation/2016/08/13/88699710/
— Conservatives want to force House vote to impeach IRS chief – Erin Kelly  (DIERSEN: Of course, needless-to-say, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes side with IRS against me.  They side with IRS’s not promoting be beyond GS-12, IRS’s disallowing my education deductions, IRS’s disallowing my partial day per diem claims, etc.)
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/08/13/conservatives-want-force-house-vote-impeach-irs-chief/88615878/

 

COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE
— A massive new study debunks a widespread theory for Donald Trump’s success – Max Ehrenfreund and Jeff Guo  (DIERSEN: What are your demographics?  Does Trump promise to use the federal government to help those who share your demographics?  Clinton promises to use the federal government to help those who are anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
http://gazette.com/a-massive-new-study-debunks-a-widespread-theory-for-donald-trumps-success/article/1582677
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Economic distress and anxiety across working-class white America have become a widely discussed explanation for the success of Donald Trump. It seems to make sense. Trump’s most fervent supporters tend to be white men without college degrees. This same group has suffered economically in our increasingly globalized world, as machines have replaced workers in factories and labor has shifted overseas. Trump has promised to curtail trade and other perceived threats to American workers, including immigrants.)

 

BOSTON GLOBE
— Some GOP stalwarts weigh vote for Clinton – Victoria McGrane  (DIERSEN: If yo hint that you might vote for Clinton, you not only shout that you are not a Republican, that you never was a Republican, and that you never will be a Republican, you shout that you are anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2016/08/13/gop-defections-new-hampshire-and-other-swing-states-could-swamp-donald-trump/mS8SZK9FNewB8Hnpi0AtuO/story.html

 

PBS
— Is suburbia ready for retiring baby boomers? – JENNI BERGAL (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes should know that their past, present, and future efforts to get my wife and I to leave Wheaton, to leave Milton Township, to leave DuPage County, to leave Illinois, an/or to leave America have been a waste of their time and money, is a waste of their time and money, and will forever be a waste of their time and money.  Of course, I reserve my right to defend myself.  Of course, I reserve my right to drop my policy of forgiving those who trespass against me.  Of course, I reserve my right to retaliate.)
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/is-suburbia-ready-for-retiring-baby-boomers/

 

MORNING JOURNAL
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: What do you say to individuals, to organizations, to companies, to governments, and to countries that encourage children to engage in LGBTQ activity?
http://www.morningjournal.com/article/MJ/20160811/NEWS/160819889

 

NEWSWEEK
–THE ‘BIG LIE’ BEHIND THE ROSY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE If total joblessness was counted accurately, the unemployment rate would be closer to 12 percent. – DAVID SIROTA  (DIERSEN: I have been unemployed since 1997.  Of course, needless-to-say, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes are very happy about that. Of course, needless-to-say, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes do not want me to have a job that is appropriate for someone with my education, work experience, professional certifications, and professional license. In 1997, GAO paid me $120,427/year in today’s dollars.)
http://www.newsweek.com/big-lie-rosy-unemployment-rate-489897

 

FED SMITH
— 2017 Federal Employee Pay Raise: Where Does it Stand? – Ralph Smith (DIERSEN: Many millions have not and will not seek a job with the federal government a) because the pay and benefits are terrible, b) because the advancement opportunities are terrible, c) because they lack required education, work experience, professional certifications, and/or professional licenses, d) because they cannot pass an employment examination, e) because they cannot pass a background investigation, f) because they cannot pass a physical examination, g) because they cannot take the demonization, denigration, and condemnation that comes with being a federal employee or federal retiree, and/or h) because they are Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran and they know that the federal government discriminates against its employees who are Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.)
http://www.fedsmith.com/2016/08/10/2017-federal-employee-pay-raise-where-does-it-stand/

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.