November 13 Morning Edition

ROLL CALL
— Rep. Adam Kinzinger ‘Disgusted’ By Trump Mocking Unseated Republicans ‘Some of them lost because people, frankly, were voting against the president,’ GOP congressman says – Emily Kopp (DIERSEN: Democrats won on November 6, 2018 because of  Democrat success in a) promoting hatred against Trump and b) getting voters to punish Trump by voting for Democrats.)
https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/rep-adam-kinzinger-disgusted-by-trump-mocking-unseated-republicans
(FROM THE ARTICLE: As President Donald Trump the day after Election Day read off a list of defeated Republicans whose losses he attributed to not embracing his endorsement on the campaign trail, Illinois Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger watched in disgust. “I wish the president had shown some more grace in that and said ‘Thank you for your service,’ instead of ‘It’s because you didn’t back me,’” the 16th District congressman said in an interview with CNN Tuesday. “I was very disgusted when I heard that.” Last week Trump identified Carlos Curbelo, Mike Coffman, Peter Roskam, Erik Paulsen, Bob Hugin, John Faso and Mia Love as candidates who “didn’t want the embrace.” Kinzinger made a different case: That some of those candidates suffered losses in a wave of backlash to the White House. “Some of them lost because people, frankly, were voting against the president,” he said. Kinzinger’s critique follows similar comments by retiring Republican Rep. Ryan Costello of Pennsylvania, who likened the president’s chiding words to “dancing on somebody’s grave.” Costello declined to run for reelection this cycle, facing tough political realities in his district. Costello also placed the blame for the party’s losses squarely on the president’s shoulders. He said even candidates who eschewed Trump on the campaign trail should be credited with advancing the White House’s policy agenda. “The president should be thanking them for putting up the tough votes,” he said last week.)

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps promote Michelle Obama’s book.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/books/ct-books-becoming-michelle-obama-1113-story.html
(FROM THE PROMOTION: Michelle Obama manages to be inspirational, direct and naive about race and gender politics. She wonders after the 2016 election “about what led so many women, in particular, to reject an exceptionally qualified female candidate and instead choose a misogynist as their president.” The misclassification is glaring: More than 90 percent of black women voted for Hillary Clinton, but more than half of white women voted for Trump. But now, her life in politics is over. No, Michelle Obama will not run for office. The attendant “nastiness” and “tribal segregation” of the political climate soured her to the prospect. Obama names her husband’s successor fewer than a dozen times over 426 pages, but her loathing is clear. His lies about President Obama’s birthplace were “deliberately meant to stir up the wingnuts and kooks,” she writes. “What if someone with an unstable mind loaded a gun and drove to Washington? … Donald Trump, with his loud and reckless innuendos, was putting my family’s safety at risk. And for this, I’d never forgive him.” Again, she saw what was coming. In November 2011, a man who had said Obama “needed to be shot” fired a semi-automatic rifle at the White House. Bullets hit a window, a window frame and the roof. “Becoming” was finished before a white nationalist killed 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue in October — and before a registered Republican and fan of Hitler allegedly sent pipe bombs to CNN, 12 high-profile Democrats and Trump critics this fall. Yet one can sense Obama’s disappointment, as the pendulum of progressiveness and inclusivity swung to a nation pocked with white nationalists, neo-Nazis, alt-righters who welcomed a bullier-in-chief into the White House.)
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG COLOR PICTURE: DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps promote Michelle Obama’s book.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-michelle-obama-visit-20181112-story.html
(FROM THE PROMOTION: As she often does, Obama leaned on her personal narrative to encourage the teenagers to find their voices and use them. Rather than condemn systemic inequality, structural racism and gender bias, Obama told the students they could win allies by first acknowledging to themselves that their unique experiences are their strengths. “It’s important for you guys, that when you are at the table, you bring your full voice,” she told them. Obama subtly commented on issues she’s rarely talked about publicly before. “You think there are certain voices that are more important than others,” she said. “And they look a certain way, they have a certain title. That gets us into a lot of trouble, when we measure people just by what I call people’s stats, and not their story,” she said.)
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An NRA-hater promotes hatred of NRA.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/stevens/ct-life-stevens-monday-nra-tweet-stay-in-your-lane-1112-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Republicans promote voter fraud.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/glanton/ct-met-dahleen-glanton-republicans-voter-fraud-laughable-20181112-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— Divestment will burn firefighters’ pensions – Jay Fisher
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20181113/divestment-will-burn-firefighters-pensions
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Criminals vote for Democrats. Democrats want criminals to vote.
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20181113/are-we-sincere-about-second-chances
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps promote Michelle Obama’s book.
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20181113/editorial-lessons-worth-reflection-from-a-former-first-lady

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Chicago loses Amazon HQ2 The city’s bid comes to an end, the Wall Street Journal reports, and the city misses what might be the biggest economic-development prize ever. – JOHN PLETZ
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/john-pletz-technology/chicago-loses-amazon-hq2
— It’s time for Pritzker to level with us about taxes and spending During his successful campaign for governor, J.B. Pritzker revealed little about his tax and spending plans. Now that he’s won, slogans parading as a campaign platform won’t do anymore. – DAVID GREISING
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opinion/its-time-pritzker-level-us-about-taxes-and-spending

 

DANVILLE COMMERCIAL NEWS
— The war for the soul of America – Pat Buchanan
https://www.commercial-news.com/opinion/buchanan-the-war-for-the-soul-of-america/article_c1468f83-a429-5e64-aec0-95c9d808154a.html

 

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— OUTSTANDING: Macon County board OKs resolution supporting 2nd Amendment – RYAN VOYLES
https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/macon-county-board-oks-resolution-supporting-nd-amendment/article_a29568bc-45b3-5f67-a955-2ad34d9f423b.html

 

WJBC
— Rep. Brady seeks to make lemonade from lemons as Democratic governor takes control
http://www.wjbc.com/2018/11/12/rep-brady-seeks-to-make-lemonade-from-lemons-as-democratic-governor-takes-control/

 

DEPAULIA
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Casten and Underwood won because of a) Democrat success in promoting hatred against Trump and b) Democrat success in getting voters to punish Trump by voting for Democrats.
https://depauliaonline.com/37754/news/roskam-and-underwood-defeat-republican-incumbents/
— Rauner loses gubernatorial race after a single rocky term – Carina Smith
https://depauliaonline.com/37749/news/rauner-loses-gubernatorial-race-after-a-single-rocky-term/

 

WIREPOINTS
— Gov. Jim Edgar’s starring role in Illinois’ pension crisis: It’s bigger than just the “Edgar Ramp” – Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
http://www.wirepoints.com/gov-jim-edgars-starring-role-in-illinois-pension-crisis-its-bigger-than-just-the-edgar-ramp/

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Rauner, Pritzker to make “unity” appearance at scaled-down bicentennial event
https://capitolfax.com/2018/11/13/rauner-pritzker-to-make-unity-appearance-at-scaled-down-bicentennial-event/

 

FOX NEWS
— Chicago’s Emanuel gives advice to Dems in House: divide and conquer – Andrew O’Reilly (DIERSEN: I should write a book about anti-conservatives, that is, anti-Republicans, in the Milton Township Republican Central Committee (MTRCC), DuPage County Republican Central Committee (DCRCC), and Illinois Republican Party (IRP) who focus on dividing and conquering the MTRCC, DCRCC, and IRP, that is, who focus on destroying the MTRCC, DCRCC, and IRP. The aforesaid focus on destroying those like me who support the traditional family, right to life, immigration, Second Amendment, illegal drugs, and equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks in the IRP and Republican Party platforms. The aforesaid focus on destroying those like me who oppose promoting dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, retaliation, and even worse things.)
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/chicagos-emanuel-gives-advice-to-dems-in-house-divide-and-conquer

 

GOPUSA
— Tijuana braces for arrival of thousands as Central American caravan moves north
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=58972

 

FRONT PAGE MAGAZINE
— PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION ADDRESSES MASSIVE ILLEGAL ‘MIGRANT’ CARAVAN A dire national security threat. – Michael Cutler
https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/271910/presidential-proclamation-addresses-massive-michael-cutler

 

DAILY CALLER
— EVERY WEEK, ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS DWARF CARAVAN THAT’S ‘HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY’ – Will Racke
https://dailycaller.com/2018/11/12/illegal-border-crossings-week-caravan/

 

CNS NEWS
— Graham: ‘I Support’ Trump Policy That Illegals Cannot Apply for Asylum – Melanie Arter
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/melanie-arter/graham-i-support-trump-policy-illegals-cannot-apply-asylum

 

HOT AIR
— WSJ: Did Facebook Fire An Executive For Supporting Trump? – ED MORRISSEY
https://hotair.com/archives/2018/11/12/wsj-facebook-fire-executive-supporting-trump/

 

NATIONAL REVIEW
— One Week Later: The Midterms Don’t Look So Good For the GOP – JIM GERAGHTY
https://www.nationalreview.com/the-morning-jolt/one-week-later-the-midterms-dont-look-so-good-for-the-gop/

 

CONSERVATIVE HQ
— Trump Is Right: Honest Vote Count No Longer Possible
http://www.conservativehq.com/node/29121

 

AMERICAN THINKER
— When Obama ejected reporters, the media yawned – Thomas Lifson
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/11/when_obama_ejected_reporters_the_media_yawned.html
— Dealing with Gun Violence and Mental Illness – Peter Olsson, MD
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/11/dealing_with_gun_violence_and_mental_illness.html
— Ending Election Fraud – Daniel John Sobieski (DIERSEN: There are two large cemeteries in my DuPage County Milton Township Precinct 9 in Wheaton.)
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/11/ending_election_fraud.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: That second batch of 4,000 was enough to flip the election to the Democrat. As Mayor Daley might say, his voice rising from a cemetery precinct, just tell me how many votes do you need? Or as Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin once reportedly observed, “The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.”)

 

POLITICAL INSIDER
— Here’s All the Times Obama Ejected the Media (DIERSEN: I should write a book about adverse actions taken against me by 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 paint themselves as being religious, conservative, and/or Republican. They blame me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails for their problems, for your problems, for my problems, and for everyone’s problems.)
https://thepoliticalinsider.com/times-obama-ejected-media-reporters/

 

POLITICO
— Flake floats GOP primary run against Trump: ‘Somebody needs to run’ The retiring Arizona senator isn’t ruling out a 2020 bid. John Kasich or Ben Sasse would be good, too, he said. – BURGESS EVERETT (DIERSEN: One could argue that Rauner wanted a primary challenge from the right. One could argue that he saw his defeating a primary challenger from the right would get him many votes from the left.)
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/09/flake-2020-trump-980914
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats won because of a) Democrat success in promoting hatred against Trump and b) Democrat success in getting voters to punish Trump by voting for Democrats.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/11/13/2018-election-analysis-democrats-republicans-politics-222412

 

THE HILL
— Trump’s hostile takeover of the GOP – JUAN WILLIAMS
https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/416088-juan-williams-trumps-hostile-takeover-of-the-gop
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Promoting “inclusion” is code for getting rid of those who are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/416259-voters-chose-the-politics-of-inclusion
— CNN sues Trump administration over pulling Acosta press pass – JUSTIN WISE (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those who have constructively pulled my GOPUSA Illinois press pass since 2000. I would focus on those who are/were activists, candidates, elected officials, and party leaders in Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois who claim to be religious, conservative, and/or Republican.)
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/416383-cnn-sues-trump-admin-over-pulling-acostas-press-pass

 

HUFFINGTON POST
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats crow about their a) success in promoting LGBTQ activity and b) success in getting rid of those who do not promote LGBTQ activity.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-gop-antigay-candidates-midterms_us_5be8566ee4b0e8438899137c

 

CNN
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, Trump-haters call you a White supremacist if you do not hate Trump.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/11/13/hate-groups-cheer-midterms-president-trump-nationalist-sara-sidner-pkg-ac-vpx.cnn
— CNN sues President Trump and top White House aides for barring Jim Acosta – Brian Stelter (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those who have constructively pulled my GOPUSA Illinois press pass since 2000. I would focus on those who are/were activists, candidates, elected officials, and party leaders in Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois who claim to be religious, conservative, and/or Republican.)
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/13/media/cnn-sues-trump/index.html

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— America-haters say “Trump Dreams Up Another Immigrant Crisis The president turns to an old ploy to justify a new ban on people seeking refuge.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/opinion/trump-caravan-asylum-immigration-border.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Meet the New House Democrats: They May Not Toe the Party Line The freshman House Democrats are the most diverse, most female class in history — and span the ideological spectrum. They arrive in Washington for orientation this week. – Sheryl Gay Stolberg (DIERSEN: The Democrat Party will insist that they will be anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/us/house-democrats-new.html
— Trump’s Tax Cut Was Supposed to Change Corporate Behavior. Here’s What Happened. Nearly a year after the tax cut, economic growth has accelerated. Wage growth has not. Companies are buying back stock and business investment is a mixed bag. – Jim Tankersley and Matt Phillips
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/business/economy/trumps-tax-cut-was-supposed-to-change-corporate-behavior-heres-what-happened.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— It’s not the economy, stupid! – Robert J. Samuelson (DIERSEN: For Democrats, it is promoting dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, retaliation, and even worse things. For Democrats, it getting rid of individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/its-not-the-economy-stupid/2018/11/11/e1da4040-e453-11e8-ab2c-b31dcd53ca6b_story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A Trump-hater says that Sessions is a “doughty bigot.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2018/11/12/jeff-sessions-the-doughty-bigot/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Trump-haters say that Black women journalists are taking the lead in bringing Trump down.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2018/11/12/when-black-women-journalists-fight-back/
— CNN sues Trump administration, asking court to restore Jim Acosta’s White House press pass after testy exchange with the president (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those who have constructively pulled my GOPUSA Illinois press pass since 2000. I would focus on those who are/were activists, candidates, elected officials, and party leaders in Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois who claim to be religious, conservative, and/or Republican.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/national/wp/2018/11/13/cnn-sues-trump-administration-asking-court-to-restore-jim-acostas-white-house-press-pass-after-testy-exchange-with-the-president/

 

USA TODAY
— Black, Hispanic homeownership rates remain stuck below whites – Janna Herron (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes hint/imply/argue/shout that if I had been a minority, I would NOT have gotten mortgages a) to buy a new town home in University Park in 1972, b) to buy a studio condo in downtown Chicago in 1974, and c) to buy a one bedroom condo in downtown Chicago in 1976. They hint/imply/argue/shout that if I had been a minority, my wife and I would NOT have gotten mortgages a) to buy 1017 East Harrison in Wheaton in 1978 and b) to have 915 Cove Court built in Wheaton in 1984. In my defense, I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/11/13/housing-market-black-hispanic-homeownership-rates-below-whites/1917973002/

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Democrats Built a Big Tent; Can They Keep It? Party broadened its appeal in midterms, but it must watch for split between progressives and moderates – Gerald F. Seib (DIERSEN: The Democrat Party is a coalition of those who are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-built-a-big-tent-can-they-keep-it-1542037487
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps glorify and praise citizens of foreign countries.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-students-help-america-innovate-1542066465
— CNN Sues Trump Administration Over Jim Acosta Press Credentials The network says revocation of reporter’s credentials violates CNN and Acosta’s First Amendment rights – Joe Flint (DIERSEN: I should write a book about my critics/opponents who make it clear that they want end my First Amendment rights. They focus on stopping me from putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails together and sending them out. They focus on stopping everyone from reading those emails.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/cnn-sues-trump-administration-over-jim-acosta-presscredentials-1542119994

 

FORBES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Trump-haters love women journalists who try to bring Trump down.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/averyblank/2018/11/12/women-journalists-are-rising-to-the-occasion-in-the-trump-era/

 

INC.
— A Former Facebook Exec May Have Been Dismissed for Supporting Trump Before cutting Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey, Facebook reportedly urged him to support Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson. – Guadalupe Gonzalez (DIERSEN: My Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates in the federal government were furious that I supported a) Bob Dole for President in 1996, b) Bush for President in 1992 and 1988, c) Reagan for President in 1984 and 1980, d) Ford for President in 1976, e) Nixon for President in 1972 and 1968, f) Goldwater for President in 1964, and g) Nixon for President in 1960.)
https://www.inc.com/guadalupe-gonzalez/palmer-luckey-facebook-oculus-co-founder.html

 

NEW YORK MAGAZINE
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: The more that you support Trump, the more that Trump-haters call you a racist.
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/11/republican-denial-trumps-racism-absurd.html

 

NEW YORK BOOKS
— ‘I’m not the Resistance, I’m a reporter’: An Interview with April Ryan – Claudia Dreifus (DIERSEN: Diersen says “I am not an operative or a dupe for anyone, I am a reporter.” While Ryan promotes the Democrat Party platform, I promote the Republican Party platform.)
https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/11/12/im-not-the-resistance-im-a-reporter-an-interview-with-april-ryan/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: At the top of Donald Trump’s journalistic enemies list is April Ryan, the fifty-one-year-old American Urban Radio Networks correspondent. Ryan—who has covered the presidency for more than two decades—is also an on-air political analyst for CNN and the author of three books, including the recently released Under Fire: Reporting from the Front Lines of the Trump White House. Around Washington, D.C., Ryan holds the title “Dean of the White House Press Corps.” “I watched her get up,” the president fumed last week before departing for Paris. “I mean, you talk about somebody that’s a loser. She doesn’t know what the hell she’s doing… She’s very nasty, and she shouldn’t be… You’ve got to treat the White House and the Office of the Presidency with respect.” What Trump may find disrespectful is that Ryan has a penchant for asking tough questions on topics he’d doesn’t want to hear about: voter suppression, civil rights, Russia. Ryan is also black, female, middle-aged, and resolute. In January 2018, she asked, “Mr. President, are youa racist?” This boldness has made Ryan the target of Trump’s more ardent followers. She receives frequent death threats. On a reporter’s salary, she’s had to hire a full-time bodyguard. There are reports that Cesar Sayoc Jr., who is accused of sending pipe bombs to Hillary Clinton, George Soros, Barack Obama, and others, also had Ryan on his mailing list. We spoke for two hours in New York City in the early fall, and then again, twice after the November 6 election, by telephone. An edited and condensed version of the conversations follows.)

 

REASON
— Are Democrats Now the Party of the Rich? The Trump rebranding of the GOP as a working class party coincides with a number of super-rich Democrats winning high-profile elections. – Ira Stoll
https://reason.com/archives/2018/11/12/are-democrats-now-the-party-of-the-rich

 

LGBTQ NATION
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Those who promote LGBTQ activity despise if not hate Trump, but then again, those who promote LGBTQ activity despise if not hate all heterosexuals who do not serve their operatives or dupes.
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2018/11/trumps-support-nationalism-code-fascism-actions-prove/

 

HR NEWS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Employers often get advice on how to discriminate without getting caught.
http://hrnews.co.uk/age-discrimination-interviewee-denied-job-because-of-his-age/

 

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Suggestion for Republican Precinct Committeemen/Captains: Take a copy of the sample ballot for the November 6, 2018 election for your precinct to the residences in your precinct that have at least one Republican or one Independent registered voter that shows how many votes each candidate got in your precinct and the percentage turnout in your precinct. A copy of what I am distributing in my precinct is at https://gopillinois.com/documents/. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

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.