FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS2
— Republican Illinois U.S. Senate candidate Jeannie Evans shares her agenda
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/republican-illinois-u-s-senate-candidate-jeannie-evans-shares-her-agenda/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE WITH PICTURE: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/22/japanese-americans-incarceration-broadview/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD IN NAPERVILLE SUN: Naperville D203 to offer teacher retirement incentives as $12.4M deficit looms. DD: In 1993, when I was 45 years old, to deal with Gingrich’s ever-increasing budget cuts, the Democrats who ran GAO “offered” its employees like me who had 25 years or more of federal service a $25,000 ($56,000 in today’s dollars) buyout and early retirement. Virtually all my coworkers who took that “offer” were White males who had not made GS-15 ($165,386-$197,200/year in today’s dollars). Their buyout “offer” expired September 30, 1994 and their early retirement “offer” expired September 30, 1997. They led me to believe they would let me work until I was 55 in 2003 and eligible for regular retirement. But in August of 1997, they made it clear that they were going to force me to retire by September 30, 1997 and they succeeded in doing that. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, female, or veteran. By forcing me to retire, they flushed down their toilets what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels ($118,984-$154,682/year in today’s dollars), b) working for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels ($100,069-$113,402/year in today’s dollars), c) earning three job-related master’s degrees, d) earning six job-related professional certifications, and e) earning a job-related professional license. By forcing me to retire, my Democrat GAO superiors forced the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) to pay me a $68,640/year pension in today’s dollars to stop me from coming to work. So far, that has been $1.95 million in today’s dollars. SEE: https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/20/teacher-retirement-incentives-naperville-203-deficit/
— Illinois lawmakers push university funding overhaul amid regional enrollment drops and U. of I. opposition
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/22/illinois-lawmakers-push-university-funding-overhaul-amid-regional-enrollment-drops-and-u-of-i-opposition/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— ALL OF THE FRONT PAGE: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/02/20/operation-midway-blitz-effects-latino-neighborhoods-pilsen-little-village-southeast-side
— As Stratton airs ad with anti-Trump expletive, Krishnamoorthi launches first negative TV ad attacking her
https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2026/02/21/us-senate-democratic-primary-stratton-krishnamoorthi-negative-tv-ads
— DD: What do you stress in defense of your ancestors? I stress that my ancestors always lived in northeast Illinois.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2026/02/21/black-artists-express-complicated-relationship-with-u-s-flag-in-show-honoring-nations-250th-anniversary
— Unions demand more from Pritzker for education
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2026/02/20/pritzker-state-budget-proposal-education-evidence-based-funding-rich-miller
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Sanctuary cities and the New Confederacy. Sanctuary cities were always a bad idea. The notion that city or state leadership can declare a jurisdiction exempt from federal law is antithetical to core American principles.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/fairness-justice/4439839/sanctuary-cities-and-the-new-confederacy/
BIZ PAC REVIEW
— Omar shows up to ‘support’ detainees but ICE deported them first
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2026/02/21/rope-a-dope-rep-ilhan-omar-shows-up-to-support-detainees-but-ice-deported-them-first-1623546/
FOX NEWS
— Bureaucrats hide true price of Obama Presidential Center as taxpayers hit with infrastructure bill
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bureaucrats-hide-true-price-obama-presidential-center-taxpayers-hit-infrastructure-bill
— Scrapping SAT/ACT in name of ‘inclusivity’ is leaving students unprepared
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cal-state-prof-warns-scrapping-sat-name-inclusivity-leaving-students-unprepared
LEGAL INSURRECTION
— Arizona State University Dean Admits to Rebranding DEI in Undercover Video. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly give preference to those who have demographics that vote for Democrats. That is why those who have demographics that vote for Republicans are ever-increasingly leaving Illinois.
https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/02/arizona-state-u-dean-admits-to-rebranding-dei-in-undercover-video/
WESTERN JOURNAL
— D.C. Water Chief Said DEI Was a Top Priority – Now City Faces Historic Sewage Spill. DD: Since the 1960s, Affirmative Action and DEI has been the top priority for those above me. That ever-increasingly have rendered worthless my job-related bachelor’s degree, my three job-related master’s degrees, my six job-related professional certifications, and my job-related professional license.
https://www.westernjournal.com/flashback-d-c-water-chief-said-dei-top-priority-now-city-faces-historic-sewage-spill/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
MSN
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly crow about their success in making people LGBTQ, that is, their success in destroying traditional marriage and family. How successful have Democrat leaders been in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/twice-as-many-lgbtq-people-in-us-than-in-2012-study-shows/ar-AA1Wxequ
WASHINGTON POST
— Why it’s becoming so expensive to buy a car in America. Prices are at record highs. More loans are going bad. It’s not an easy time to afford a new car in America. DD: Back in the good old days, I was able to earn enough money to a) pay for my undergraduate and graduate college expenses, b) buy new cars when I was 17, 19, 20, 23, 25, 29, etc., and c) buy real estate when I was 24, 25, 27, 29, and 35.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/02/17/new-cars-high-prices/
PAXTON MEDIA
— Early voting continues. DD: The DuPage County Election Division (DCED) should highlight early voting data on its website. That data should include how many votes have been cast the day before, the week before, and cumulatively broken out by the number of Republican, Democrat, and NA ballots that were cast. Further, voters should be able to easily see the aforesaid data for their township and for their precinct. Voters should be able to see and analyze trends. According the DCED website, 2,406 have voted as of 2/21/26.
https://www.paxtonmedia.com/news/jonesboro_sun/early-voting-continues/article_542f3a10-3938-5265-bc98-1172c8fd68a9.html
FORTUNE
— 40% of Stanford undergrads receive disability accommodations—but it’s become a college-wide phenomenon as Gen Z try to succeed in the current climate
https://fortune.com/article/rise-in-elite-students-seeking-accomodation-gen-z-phenomenon-find-success-in-competitive-job-market-stanford-university-skills-based-hiring/
FAST COMPANY
— Careers aren’t ladders, they’re quilts. Why traditional career maps miss the real shape of growth, and what to do instead. DD: The Democrats who run the federal government use “up-or-out” to get rid of their employees who are Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who they do not promote to GS-13 ($118,984) by age 25, GS-14 ($140,604) by age 30, GS-15 ($165,386) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service ($197,200) by age 40. Extremely few federal employees make the aforesaid promotion deadlines.
https://www.fastcompany.com/91486024/careers-arent-ladders-theyre-quilts
INSIDE HIGHER EDUCATION & SLATE & AMERICAN EDUCATOR
— College material. DD: When I was a student at Crete-Monee High School 1962-1966, no one thought that I was college material. Nevertheless, to earn a job-related bachelor’s degree, I took college preparatory courses, got an ACT score of 24, graduated in the upper 20% of my class, and got accepted by UIC. I did yard work 1962-1964 and delivered newspapers 1962-1966 and used the money I earned to buy a 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air I used to get to/from my parents’ home in Crete and a minimum wage job washing dishes in Chicago Heights 1964-1966. I used the money I earned to buy a new 1966 Pontic Tempest Sprint in May of 1966. I used that car to get to/from my parents’ home in Crete and classes at UIC 1966-1968. I got a part-time job working for the Park Forest Post Office in 1966 and used the money I earned to pay for my UIC expenses, to buy a new 1968 Oldsmobile 442 in 1967, to buy a new 1969 Dodge Charger SE in 1968, and to pay for my NIU expenses. I graduated debt-free from NIU with a bachelor’s degree in management and owning that Charger in August of 1970.
https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2021/04/12/colleges-should-reimagine-what-it-means-be-college-material-and-be-force-equity
https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-visiting/not-college-material
https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/03/college-isnt-for-everyone-lets-stop-pretending-it-is.html
https://www.aft.org/ae/fall2007/cushman
FROM FOREIGN SOURCES
INDEPENDENT
— ICE recruits are showing up for training with disqualifying criminal backgrounds. DD: The Democrats who ran the Post Office in 1966, IRS in 1971, and GAO in 1980 hired me because they could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, younger person, or veteran who would take the job. Since then, to hire Democrats who are minority, female, younger, and/or veteran, they have lowered standards. If I had not earned a high school diploma and passed the postal employment test, the Democrats who ran the Post Office in 1966 would not have hired me. If I had not earned a job-related bachelor’s degree and passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination, the Democrats who ran IRS in 1971 would not have hired me. If I had not earned a job-related master’s degree and passed the CPA examination on my first attempt, the Democrats who ran GAO in 1980 would not have hired me.
https://www.aol.com/articles/ice-recruits-showing-training-disqualifying-160752475.html
Tag: age
February 18, 2026 Evening Edition
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— In State of the State address, Gov. JB Pritzker pitches affordability and Illinois resilience to Trump
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/18/pritzker-illinois-2026-state-of-the-state/
— League of Women Voters of Central Kane County urges early mail-in voting amid USPS changes
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/18/league-of-women-voters-of-central-kane-county-urges-early-mail-in-voting-amid-usps-changes/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Arrigo Park’s Columbus statue to be replaced by one of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini. A statue of Cabrini, the first American saint, will stand upon a pedestal left vacant since 2020, when the city removed the park’s Christopher Columbus statue.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2026/02/18/arrigo-parks-columbus-statue-saint-frances-xavier-cabrini
DAILY HERALD
— Three of the four Republicans running for Illinois’ 11th Congressional District seat have expressed doubts that Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 presidential election.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260218/us-congress-politics/gop-congressional-candidates-express-doubts-about-bidens-2020-white-house-win/
— GOP candidates in 6th Congressional District differ on immigration; one says close borders to all
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260218/us-congress-politics/gop-candidates-in-6th-congressional-district-differ-on-immigration-one-says-close-borders-to-all/\\
— Woman’s hospitalization following Bailey campaign launch stirs questions within GOP
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260218/illinois-state-politics/womans-hospitalization-following-bailey-campaign-launch-stirs-questions-within-gop/
ABC7
— Pritzker proposes $56B budget with minimal new spending, tax on social media companies. State faces challenging financial future amid federal funding cuts and new mandates.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-governor-jb-pritzker-deliver-budget-address-springfield/18615380/
NBC5
— Pritzker: Trump ‘illegally confiscating’ federal money from Illinois
https://www.nbcchicago.com/video/news/local/pritzker-trump-illegally-confiscating-federal-money-from-illinois/3895916/
FOX32
— Illinois given 30 days to fix CDL violations or risk $128M in funding
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-klu0fo3j5euq3c92
— US Senate candidates spar over $25 minimum wage. DD: I did not start earning $25/hour in today’s dollars until after I had earned a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU in 1970. My critics/opponents have always painted me as being overpaid.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-g35txz1b449jg0cu
— Illinois bill would lower legal blood alcohol limit for drivers
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-bill-lower-legal-blood-alcohol-limit-drivers
— Bill would guarantee paid sick leave for all US workers if passed. DD: I had paid sick leave all during the almost 30 years that I worked for the federal government. My Civil Service Retirement System pension is higher because I got credit for my many unused sick days like I had worked them. My critics/opponents have always been furious about that. According to those on the right, the benefit was too generous. According to those on the left, federal jobs and their benefits should only be given to Democrats.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/guaranteed-paid-sick-leave-bill-healthy-families-act-bernie-sanders
WGN RADIO
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly treat Pat Brady like he is still the chairman of the Illinois Republican Party.
https://wgnradio.com/lisa-dent/pat-brady-jb-pritzkers-budget-address/
BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— Rick Heidner touts Trump ties in bid to unseat Pritzker
https://pantagraph.com/news/local/government-politics/article_643b216f-62e7-4082-8718-187d90b12eb8.html
STATELINE
— Pritzker criticizes ICE raids; Republicans say governor encourages illegal immigration
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/pritzker-criticizes-ice-raids-republicans-say-governor-encourages-illegal-immigration/
25 NEWS NOW
— Democrats praise Pritzker’s ‘roadmap,’ Republicans call budget ‘empty promises’ in partisan split
https://www.25newsnow.com/2026/02/18/democrats-praise-pritzkers-roadmap-republicans-call-budget-empty-promises-partisan-split/
CWB CHICAGO
— 14-year-old boy shot as teen gathering turns violent in the Loop
https://cwbchicago.com/2026/02/14-year-old-boy-shot-as-teen-gathering-turns-violent-in-the-loop.html
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Democrats offer muted praise of Pritzker’s speech, Republicans dismiss ‘campaign’ rhetoric. Reactions largely fell along partisan lines, though there were some mixed feelings all around.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/democrats-offer-muted-praise-of-pritzkers-speech-republicans-dismiss-campaign-rhetoric/
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/18/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-470/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Illinois’ increased revenue because of federal economy, not state lawmakers
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-increased-revenue-because-of-federal-economy-not-state-lawmakers/
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— In your opinion, is it fair to stress the political positions that candidates’ spouses have? I have seen many cases in which once candidates are elected, they push their spouses’ political positions.
http://www.gopillinois.com
(GOOGLE AI: Spouses of political candidates often serve as influential, strategic partners who shape campaign narratives, engage voters, and expand outreach. While many spouses share aligned political views, they are not monoliths; they can hold independent opinions or, in some cases, bring diverse perspectives that create internal or public conflict.)
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump celebrates Black History Month at the White House. DD: My Black Democrat GAO subordinate who my Democrat GAO superiors rudely replaced me with led the office’s Black History Month events. He had less work experience than I had. He had less education than I had. He had one professional certification while I had six. He had no professional license like the one I had.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/18/trump-celebrates-black-history-month-white-house/
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Trump endorsement tracker: Here’s who the president has picked in GOP midterm election primaries. DD: There are six U.S. Senate candidates in Illinois.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/4460164/trump-endorsement-tracker-gop-2026-election-primaries/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Illinois will hold a Senate race this election cycle, though the field mainly consists of Democratic candidates. Trump has not endorsed the lone Republican, Don Tracy. Trump has endorsed Reps. Mike Bost, Mary Miller, and Darin LaHood for reelection. The three incumbents represent Illinois’ three Republican voting districts, which are primarily south of Chicago.)
— The canonization of Jesse Jackson
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/4462248/the-canonization-of-jesse-jackson/
— Jesse Jackson was not controversial, or liberal, according to the obituaries
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/4460851/jesse-jackson-death-obituary-nbc-controversial/
AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Teachers Are Fomenting Anti-ICE Hysteria. Alleged ICE activity at schools is being used as a pretext to indoctrinate children.
https://amgreatness.com/2026/02/17/teachers-are-fomenting-anti-ice-hysteria/
BREITBART
— Illinois Illegally Issued One-in-Five Trucker Licenses to Non-Residents
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2026/02/18/report-illinois-illegally-issued-one-in-five-trucker-licenses-to-non-residents/
DAILY CALLER
— Professors Furious Over Being Told Not To Indoctrinate Students
https://dailycaller.com/2026/02/18/professors-furious-told-not-to-indoctrinate-students-out-of-control/
EPOCH TIMES
— More Than 550 Commercial Driving Schools to Close After Checks
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/more-than-550-commercial-driving-schools-to-close-after-checks-transportation-department-5987313
FEDERALIST
— While Democrats’ Anti-ICE Fury Escalates, Americans Show They Want Immigration Laws Enforced
https://thefederalist.com/2026/02/18/while-democrats-anti-ice-fury-escalates-americans-show-they-want-immigration-laws-enforced/
— Affluent White Female Liberals Are Living In A Made-Up World
https://thefederalist.com/2026/02/18/affluent-white-female-liberals-are-living-in-a-made-up-world/
FOX NEWS
— Duffy gives Illinois 30-day ultimatum after audit finds 1 in 5 noncitizen truck licenses issued illegally. Transportation secretary gives Pritzker 30-day ultimatum after audit finds drivers from El Salvador to Ukraine received improper commercial licenses.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/duffy-gives-illinois-30-day-ultimatum-after-audit-finds-1-5-noncitizen-truck-licenses-issued-illegally
NEW YORK POST
— Education Department scraps Biden-era race-based rules for doctoral degree grants
https://nypost.com/2026/02/18/us-news/education-department-scraps-biden-era-race-based-rules-for-doctoral-degree-grants/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ROLL CALL
— Vance pledges anti-abortion policies after White House deemed soft. DD: I should write about those abortion advocates who have taken the most/biggest adverse actions against me since 2000 because I oppose abortion. I would focus on those who are/were a) leaders of the Illinois Republican Party, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Milton Township Republican Organization, b) Republican elected officials in Illinois, DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton, c) Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct, d) conservative leaders, and e) religious leaders.
https://rollcall.com/2026/01/23/vance-pledges-anti-abortion-policies-after-white-house-deemed-soft/
MOTLEY FOOL
— What causes unemployment? DD: QUESTION: Why have I been unemployed since I was 49 in 1997? ANSWER: The many big adverse actions that my Democrat superiors in the federal government took against me. QUESTION: Why did they take those adverse actions against me? ANSWER: Because I opposed their political affiliation discrimination, their reverse discrimination, and their age discrimination. I became an active participant in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation when I was 40 in 1988.
https://www.fool.com/terms/u/unemployment/
OKLAHOMAN
— Schools discipline over 100 students for anti-ICE walkout. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use their high school students to promote more hatred against Republicans. Have Democrat leaders already or will they promise high school students free rides in Ivy League universities if they walkout?
https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/18/over-100-mustang-public-schools-students-given-in-school-suspension-for-anti-ice-walkout/88738114007/
FEDERAL NEWS NETWORK
— Lawmakers eyeing changes to federal benefits, hiring, pay. DD: I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO for almost 18 years, who ran IRS for almost 9 years, and who ran the Post Office for almost 3 years. You had to commit to promoting Affirmative Action (AA) and DEI big time to get promoted to GS-14 at GAO, to GS-13 at IRS, and to GS-5 at the Post Office. To promote AA and DEI is to promote race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination.
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/congress/2026/02/lawmakers-eyeing-changes-to-federal-benefits-hiring-pay/
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
— How to Judge a Candidate. DD: If you ran for a government office, which of your qualifications would you stress. I would stress a) that I worked for GAO as an Analyst for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $118,984-$154,682/year, b) that before that, I worked for IRS as a Revenue Officer for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $100,059-$113,402/year, c) that I became a CPA and a certified internal auditor (CIA), fraud examiner, government financial manager, financial services auditor, and forensic accountant, d) that I passed the CPA and CIA examinations on my first attempt, e) that I became a licensed CPA, and f) that I earned master’s degrees in business, accounting, and finance.
https://www.lwv.org/blog/how-judge-candidate
February 18, 2026
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Illinois Republican senator Neil Anderson pushes to outlaw abortion, loses leadership spots. Republican leaders called the proposal ‘extreme’ and said it is a no go. DD: What is your position on right to life? I have always supported the Hyde Amendment. My critics/opponents on the left demonize, denigrate, and condemn my position as being too strong. My critics/opponents on the right demonize, denigrate, and condemn my position as being too weak.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-abortion-law-neil-anderson-senator-pushes-ban-fetal-personhood-bill-loses-leadership-spots/18614296/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Senate Republican Leader John Curran said the bill is a “no” for the Republican caucus. “I don’t support his proposal, no other Republican legislator supports his proposal, House or Senate,” he said. “It’s an extreme proposal. I do not view it as a pro-life proposal, I view it as an anti-woman proposal about punishment.” Curran also removed Anderson as minority spokesperson on the Senate executive and assignments committees, though he remains a member on the Executive Committee. Curran said he talked to Anderson about leadership’s expected duties and responsibilities to the whole Republican caucus. Darren Bailey, a Republican candidate running for governor who has served in the Illinois House and Senate, released a statement calling for Anderson to pull the bill. “When women and families are facing a crisis, they need understanding, support, and real help, not the threat of jail time,” he said in a statement. “I am pro-life, but I believe we also have to face reality. Approaches like this pull people away and make it harder to move Illinois forward.” In his leadership resignation letter, Anderson said he was saddened by Republican disagreement on the issue.)
FOX32
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-lx7fbtnqrncbzg5e
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use their high school students to promote more hatred against Republicans. Have Democrat leaders already or will they promise high school students free rides in Ivy League universities if they protest?
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/letters-021726-student-walkouts/
— Diane Harris for Illinois Secretary of State Republican primary
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/editorial-diane-harris-illinois-secretary-of-state-republican-primary/
— Juliana Stratton’s $25-per-hour minimum wage plan draws fire from rivals in US Senate race in Illinois. DD: I did not start earning $25/hour in today’s dollars until after I had earned a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU in 1970.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/illinois-senate-stratton-25-dollar-minimum-wage/
— More than $1.1 billion in medical debt erased in Illinois, with the help of a state program. DD: What have you done to avoid medical debt? I have always assured that my wife and I have health insurance. The federal government paying 72% of our health insurance for the rest of our lives helped me endure tremendous efforts to get rid of me by the Democrats who ran the Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/medical-debt-program-illinois/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more pot. They want everyone in America, in Illinois, in your county, in your township, in your municipality, in your school district, and in your precinct to be stoners.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/16/cannabis-sales-illinois/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2026/02/18/federal-immigration-ice-border-patrol-police-mistrust-abuse-louis-martinez
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly blame Republicans for everything that is bad including bad weather.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-the-editor/2026/02/18/climate-change-finding-delivery-robots-super-bowl-bad-bunny-trump-valentines-day
DAILY HERALD
— Illinois Republican senator Neil Anderson files a bill to outlaw abortion, loses leadership spots. DD: What is your position on right to life? I have always supported the Hyde Amendment. My critics/opponents on the left demonize, denigrate, and condemn my position as being too strong. My critics/opponents on the right demonize, denigrate, and condemn my position as being too weak.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260217/news/illinois-republican-senator-pushes-to-outlaw-abortion-loses-leadership-spots/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Senate Republican Leader John Curran said the bill is a “no” for the Republican caucus. “I don’t support his proposal, no other Republican legislator supports his proposal, House or Senate,” he said. “It’s an extreme proposal. I do not view it as a pro-life proposal, I view it as an anti-woman proposal about punishment.” Curran also removed Anderson as minority spokesperson on the Senate executive and assignments committees, though he remains a member on the Executive Committee. Curran said he talked to Anderson about leadership’s expected duties and responsibilities to the whole Republican caucus. Darren Bailey, a Republican candidate running for governor who has served in the Illinois House and Senate, released a statement calling for Anderson to pull the bill.)
— GOP hopefuls in 9th Congressional District differ on immigration policy
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260217/us-congress-politics/gop-hopefuls-in-9th-congressional-district-differ-on-immigration-policy/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Illinois erases $1.1 billion in medical debt for residents. DD: What have you done to avoid medical debt? I have always assured that my wife and I have health insurance. The federal government paying 72% of our health insurance for the rest of our lives helped me endure tremendous efforts to get rid of me by the Democrats who ran the Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/health-care/illinois-erases-11-billion-medical-debt-residents
WBEZ
— Four candidates vie for the GOP nomination for Illinois governor. Four Republican candidates have thrown their hats in the ring to challenge two-term Gov. JB Pritzker in November. They face an uphill battle against a billionaire Democrat in a state that has shifted more and more blue over the past decade. DD: Since the 1970s, the Illinois Republican Party has ever-increasing dumped more conservative planks in the Republican Party platform, that is, it has moved further and further and further to the left. At the same time, the Illinois Democrat Party has more aggressively advanced the most liberal planks in its platform.
https://www.wbez.org/wbez-news/2026/02/16/four-candidates-vie-for-the-gop-nomination-for-illinois-governor
— What to know about the March 17 primary for Illinois comptroller. Four candidates are vying in the Democratic primary to replace outgoing incumbent Susana Mendoza as the state’s chief financial officer. DD: I just finished hand-delivering Republican comptroller candidate Bryan Drew’s campaign literature to 400 residences in my precinct. If you had run for the comptroller office, which of your qualifications would you have stressed? I would have stressed a) that I worked as an Analyst for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $118,984-$154,682/year, b) that before that I worked as a Revenue Officer for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $100,059-$113,402/year, c) that I became a CPA and a certified internal auditor, fraud examiner, government financial manager, financial services auditor, and forensic accountant, d) that I became a licensed CPA, and e) that I earned master’s degrees in business, accounting, and finance.
https://www.wbez.org/government-politics/elections/2026/02/17/what-to-know-about-illinois-comptroller-primary
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Illinois comptroller is the state’s chief financial officer. The office manages the state’s fiscal accounts, records all transactions, pays bills and reviews all expenditures and contracts. The comptroller also chairs the State Employees’ Retirement System Board and sits on the Illinois State Board of Investment, helping manage pensions for state employees. The comptroller also issues financial reports about the state’s fiscal affairs.)
SHAW LOCAL
— 14th District GOP candidates say curbing government spending, overreach are top issues
https://www.shawlocal.com/news/2026/02/17/14th-district-gop-candidates-say-curbing-government-spending-overreach-are-top-issues/
ALTON TELEGRAPH
— Pritzker pours in $25M; GOP lags in funds
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/illinois-governor-fundraising-jb-pritzker-21347891.php
CITIES 92.9
— Illinois abortion bill sparks division between Republicans, pro-life advocates
https://www.cities929.com/2026/02/17/illinois-abortion-bill-sparks-division-between-republicans-pro-life-advocates/
NPR ILLINOIS
— Why is long-term unemployment on the rise? DD: QUESTION: Why have I been unemployed since I was 49 in 1997? ANSWER: The many big adverse actions that my Democrat superiors in the federal government took against me. QUESTION: Why did they take those adverse actions against me? ANSWER: Because I opposed their political affiliation discrimination, their reverse discrimination, and their age discrimination. I became an active participant in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation when I was 40 in 1988.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-02-17/why-is-long-term-unemployment-on-the-rise
— DD: For Democrat leaders, National Parks exist to promote the Democrat Party platform.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-02-18/trump-administration-is-erasing-history-and-science-at-national-parks-lawsuit-argues
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Illinois Republican senator pushes to outlaw abortion, loses leadership spots. Republican leaders called the proposal ‘extreme’ and said it is no go. DD: I should write about my critics/opponents who have demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me the most as being an extremist. I would name them and demand that they put their charges against me in writing.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/illinois-republican-senator-pushes-to-outlaw-abortion-loses-leadership-spots/
— DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick focuses on public safety in GOP governor’s race. DD: Public safety is extremely important.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/dupage-county-sheriff-james-mendrick-focuses-on-public-safety-in-gop-governors-race/
ELMHURST PATCH
— A longtime Republican Party official accused of forging pages of signatures for a former Elmhurst mayoral candidate’s petition has pleaded guilty, according to public records. Longtime Addison resident Lawrence Moretti was charged with 14 felony forgery accounts in connection with 2025 mayoral candidate Mark Mulliner’s petition.
https://patch.com/illinois/elmhurst/elmhurst-political-forgery-suspect-pleads-guilty-county
POLITICO
— Pritzker’s Springfield squeeze play
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2026/02/18/pritzkers-springfield-squeeze-play-00785693
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/18/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-681/
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/17/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-469/
— Heidner spokesperson says candidate will divest gaming interests if elected
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/17/heidner-spokesperson-says-candidate-will-divest-gaming-interests-if-elected/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— VALLAS: Don’t be fooled by Pritzker’s boasts of population gains
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/vallas-dont-be-fooled-by-pritzkers-boasts-of-population-gains/
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— What have you done with your life the last 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 years? What are you going to do with the rest of your life? I have put together and sent out GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters for the last 26 years and I have served as a Republican Precinct Committeeman (RPC) for the last 27 years. I am going to continue to do the aforesaid for the rest of my life. My critics/opponents are slowly becoming to realize that. But what more and bigger adverse actions will they going to take against me to stop me from sending out my newsletters and serving as a RPC? Should I start naming my critics/opponents and start counterattacking them? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
NEW YORK POST
— Enough with the gaslighting on ICE
https://nypost.com/2026/02/17/us-news/enough-with-the-gaslighting-on-ice/
AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Trump’s FTC Takes Up The Fight Against Big Tech Wokeness. Trump’s FTC is cracking down on Big Tech, with Ferguson targeting censorship and anticompetitive practices at Microsoft and Apple.
https://amgreatness.com/2026/02/18/trumps-ftc-takes-up-the-fight-against-big-tech-wokeness/
AMERICAN THINKER
— Biden granted ‘quiet amnesty’ to an additional million illegals
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/center_for_immigration_studies_biden_granted_quiet_amnesty_to_an_additional_million_illegals.html
CAMPUS REFORM
— Harvard undergrads prepare asylum claims, law students fight deportations of illegal aliens in court. As the White House fights to make American communities and campuses safer by deporting illegal aliens, universities are training college students to fight those deportations in court.
https://www.campusreform.org/article/sturge-harvard-undergrads-prepare-asylum-claims-law-students-fight-deportations-illegal-aliens-court/29432
COLLEGE FIX
— University of Illinois graduate fellowships require ‘commitment to diversity and inclusion.’ DD: I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO for almost 18 years, who ran IRS for almost 9 years, and who ran the Post Office for almost 3 years. You had to commit to promoting Affirmative Action (AA) and DEI big time to get promoted to GS-14 at GAO, to GS-13 at IRS, and to GS-5 at the Post Office. To promote AA and DEI is to promote race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination.
https://www.thecollegefix.com/u-illinois-grad-fellowships-require-commitment-to-diversity-and-inclusion/
FOX NEWS
— Harvard students earn course credit helping asylum seekers as critics calls school ‘bastion of woke activism.’ HIST 123 course partners with Mabel Center for Immigrant Justice to provide research and writing support for asylum applicants.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/harvard-students-earn-course-credit-helping-asylum-seekers-critics-calls-school-bastion-woke-activism
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
MSN
— DD: In your opinion, is it fair to stress the political positions that candidates’ spouses have? I have seen many cases in which once candidates are elected, they push their spouses’ political positions.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-attacks-gop-congressman-and-his-new-wife-ahead-of-key-house-vote-blessed-be-their-marriage/ar-AA1VwwRh
NEW YORK TIMES
— DD: Democrat and RINO employers use Affirmative Action and DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/business/goldman-sachs-diversity-board.html
— Rubio: Western Civilization Can Save Us — Again
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/opinion/munich-rubio-western-civilization.html
— DD: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/nyregion/stonewall-pride-flag-lawsuit.html
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote wealth taxes. My critics/opponents have always demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me as having too much wealth. They have gotten more and more and more furious every time I bought a new car, bought real estate, bought collector cars, went on vacations, earned college degrees, earned professional certifications, earned a professional license, etc. According to them, I have the aforesaid a) because I have always benefitted big time from discrimination against those who do not share my demographics, b) because I avoided the Vietnam War draft, c) because I have never had children, and d) because of my wife’s income.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/us/california-wealth-tax-opposition-bernie-sanders.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/nyregion/budget-mamdani-property-taxes.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/us/california-billionaire-wealth-tax.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/31/business/economy/wealth-tax-france.html
— How Spain Is Carving a Different Path on Immigration. The country is hoping its new amnesty for undocumented immigrants will avoid a public backlash. DD: All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have. Noncitizens work for less money and are easier to exploit.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/world/europe/spain-amnesty-immigration.html
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use their high school students to promote more hatred against Republicans. Have Democrat leaders already or will they promise high school students free rides in Ivy League universities if they protest?
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/15/us/student-protests-walkouts-ice-texas.html
USA TODAY
— DD: The more that you fight reverse discrimination, the more that Democrat leaders call you a racist.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/02/16/elon-musk-white-supremacy-x-racist/88661158007/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— America Needs an Immigration Department. Congress should also review the law with an eye toward meeting U.S. economic needs. DD: All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have. Noncitizens work for less money and are easier to exploit.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/america-needs-an-immigration-department-97fbf4fb
PIX NEW YORK
— New York City is hiring for various positions that do not require applicants to take a civil service exam. DD: If I had not passed the postal employment test, the Democrats who ran the Post Office in 1966 would not have hired me. If I had not passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination, the Democrats who ran IRS in 1971 would not have hired me. If I had not passed the CPA examination on my first attempt, the Democrats who ran GAO in 1980 would not have hired me.
https://pix11.com/news/local-news/nyc-offers-benefits-for-job-applicants-without-civil-service-exam/
POLITICO
— DD: Democrat leaders deny that their illegals vote. Illegals use false identifications. Because illegals vote for Democrats, Democrat election officials do not stop voter fraud. All elections should both Republican and Democrat oversight.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/17/save-act-election-security-noncitizen-voting-00782470
February 17, 2026
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Lewis University moves some classes online after school says ICE to work out of same building. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/lewis-university-moves-classes-online-learning-school-says-ice-work-same-oak-brook-il-building/18608542/
CBS2
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/jb-pritzker-ofelia-torres-death-cancer-father-deportation-fight/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Bailey rebukes national GOP for post mocking Pritzker’s weight
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/16/gop-pritzker-cartoon-bailey-illinois/
— Girl Scouts in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa moving cookie sales online in response to ICE actions. From now until March 29, Girl Scouts River Valleys’ cookie program will go digital. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/16/girl-scouts-moving-cookie-sales-online-in-response-to-ice-actions/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOL:D: DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more pot. What will Democrat leaders do next to push more pot?
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/16/cannabis-sales-illinois/
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly analogized Trump with Joseph McCarthy.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/opinion-donald-trump-joseph-mccarthy/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly reduce/end penalties for breaking the law.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2026/02/17/formerly-incarcerated-celebrate-passage-of-illinois-clean-slate-act
DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use high school students to promote more hatred against Republicans. How soon, if not already, will Democrat leaders promise high school students free rides at Ivy League universities if they walkout? If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a Crete-Monee High School student 1962-1966, the Democrats who ran the Park Forest Post Office would not have hired me in 1966. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a UIC student 1966-1968 and 1971 and/or a NIU student 1969-1970, the Democrats who ran IRS would not have hired me in 1971. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a part-time Loyola student 1972-1976, the Democrats who ran IRS would not have promoted me in 1972, 1973, or 1974. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a part-time DePaul student 1976-1980, the Democrats who ran GAO would not have hired me in 1980 or promoted me in 1986. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a part-time IIT student 1992-1997, my Democrat GAO superiors would have forced me to retire 4 years earlier, in 1993 instead of 1997. If I had been active in Republican politics, I doubt that UIC would have admitted me in 1966, NIU in 1969, Loyola in 1972, DePaul in 1976, and IIT in 1992. Democrats
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260216/news/we-see-the-injustice-suburban-students-pledge-walkouts-will-continue-no-matter-the-consequences/
— 14th District GOP candidates say curbing government spending, overreach are top issues
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260216/us-congress-politics/14th-district-gop-candidates-say-curbing-government-spending-overreach-are-top-issues/
— 8th Congressional District GOP hopefuls debate U.S. immigration policies
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260216/us-congress-politics/8th-congressional-district-gop-hopefuls-debate-u-s-immigration-policies/
WAND TV
— Urbana city leaders rejected a federal grant Monday night. Urbana City Council members said it is because the FEMA money has strings attached under the Trump administration. They stated that taking the money would require Urbana to follow all Department of Homeland Security rules and comply with federal action, like recent ICE raids nationwide. Urbana’s legal counsel said the city likely would not be on the hook for paying the money back. However, council members added they don’t trust the current administration and are hoping to protect residents. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.wandtv.com/news/illinois/urbana-city-council-rejects-federal-grant-over-dhs-ties/article_c0f55a33-5c85-4785-bf35-6c4c1757b68a.html
CLARION LEDGER
— Federal judge orders DHS to allow Ash Wednesday service for ICE detainees. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use religious leaders a) to glorify and praise their illegals and b) to fight their deportation. When my lawsuit against GAO was transferred from Washington DC to Chicago in 2000, it was initially assigned to Gettleman. SEE: https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2026/02/16/federal-judge-orders-trump-administration-dhs-must-allow-ash-wednesday-services-for-ice-detainees/88701099007/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to let detainees have access to church services for Ash Wednesday. “The court finds that the government has substantially burdened plaintiffs’ exercise of religion,” U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman said in his order. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security must “allow plaintiffs to access the Broadview, Illinois, facility on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026, to offer ashes and Communion for those who desire it.”)
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— The Rev. Jesse Jackson has died
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinoisplaybook
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/17/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-680/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Political parties exist to help elect candidates who can and will defend and advance their platform. The Republican Party platform is conservative. RINOs reject some, many, most, virtually all, if not all the planks in the Republican Party platform. Most commonly, they reject its personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. Far too many RINOs use the Republican Party’s “BIG TENT” policy a) to become Republican Precinct Committeemen, b) to become leaders in Republican organizations, c) to run for government offices as Republicans, and d) to get elected as Republicans. The Democrat Party does not have a “BIG TENT” policy. Its precinct committeemen, party leaders, candidates, and elected officials aggressively defend and advance all the planks in the Democrat Party platform, especially its dependency on government and charity, LGBTQ, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, pro-vice, gun control, and Affirmative Action and DEI planks, that is, its race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination planks. If the Republican Party does not stop RINOs from destroying the Republican Party, the Republican Party will soon be defunct. Soon, all of America will be like Illinois. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What has your Republican Precinct Committeeman (RPC) done so far to increase the number of Republican ballots cast in your precinct in the March 17, 2026 primary? Notwithstanding ever-increasing Democrat-promoted hatred against RPCs, yesterday, I finished hand-delivering envelopes to 400 residences in my precinct using 800 mailing labels for those residences that have at least one Republican (R) or Independent (NA) voter. The envelopes had my return address label, a copy of the unmarked sample ballot, a Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO) Voter Guide, and campaign literature from all the candidates on the Republican ballot in my precinct who had provided their literature to MTRO (Tracy, Mendrick, Dabrowski, Drew, and Moore). I had to explain to some voters why they were NA. I am happy to report that only one Democrat voter in my precinct, albeit an aggressive, nasty, wealthy, and prominent realtor with a common name, shouted threats at me. He shouted at me in a very threatening tone that he had thrown my envelope in the trash, that I should not deliver anything there anymore, that he knew who I was, that he knew where I lived, and that if I ever did deliver there again, he would come to my home and dump it on my driveway. While I did not realize who he was until after the incident, he had known who I was for many years. He had been a registered D in my precinct very near my home years ago. I now know that after he sold that home, he bought a very expensive and prominent home in the new part of my precinct. I delivered to his new home only because there was a registered NA in his home. To avoid future threats like his from Ds, I will identify those homes in my precinct that have NAs and not deliver to those homes that also have Ds but no Rs, something I did not take the time to do this time. There are limits on the time that I can spend. I spend 10+ hours a day 7 days a week putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters together and sending them out. I spent many hours putting 800 mailing labels and 400 return address label on 400 envelopes, putting them into walk order, stuffing them, dividing them into 5 batches, and hand-delivering them. I used 400 DuPage County Republican Central Committee envelopes and I used my photocopier, paper, and ink to copy the sample ballot 400 times 2-sided back-to-back. If I spent 6 minutes getting each envelope ready, that would be 40 hours. I spent about 15 hours hand-delivering the envelopes, or about 3 hours per batch. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopoillinois.com
— What were doing 25 years ago? In 2001, I successfully led a group that overcame Rev. Jesse Jackson’s opposition and got Comcast to start carrying Fox News Channel in Wheaton and in other western suburbs. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
(FROM GOOGLE AI: Rev. Jesse Jackson and his organization, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, have had a long, complex, and often criticized relationship with major telecommunications companies, including Comcast and AT&T. Over the past two decades, Jackson has frequently endorsed mergers involving these companies and lobbied against net neutrality regulations, often coinciding with donations from these corporations to his non-profit organizations. Key aspects of this relationship include: Corporate Funding & Support: AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon have been major financial contributors to Jackson’s Citizenship Education Fund. For instance, in 1999, AT&T donated $425,000 to the fund shortly after Jackson withdrew his opposition to the AT&T/TCI Cable merger.)
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Three GOP Members of Congress (that is, All of Them) Support Don Tracy for U.S. Senate Nomination
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/02/17/three-gop-members-of-congress-that-is-all-of-them-support-don-tracy-for-u-s-senate-nomnation/
— 9th District GOP Candidate Got Hawaiian Record Wiped Clean
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/02/16/9th-district-gop-candidate-gets/
JOHN KASS
— To Be Optimistic or Not to Be. DD: I tried to be optimistic while I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, but as they ever-increasingly took more and bigger adverse actions against me, it became ever-increasingly difficult. I have tried to be optimistic while I have served as a Republican Precinct Committeeman since 1999, but as Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party leaders have ever-increasingly taken more and bigger adverse actions against me, it is becoming ever-increasingly difficult.
https://johnkassnews.com/to-be-optimistic-or-not-to-be/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Democrats’ ICE opposition shutdown echoes ‘defund the police’ 2.0. Left’s unreasonable demands would make officers’ jobs impossible.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/16/democrats-ice-opposition-shutdown-echoes-defund-police-20/
NEW YORK POST
— Biden’s ‘quiet amnesty’ for nearly 1 million illegal immigrants
https://nypost.com/2026/02/16/opinion/bidens-quiet-amnesty-for-nearly-1-million-illegal-immigrants/
— Woke Portland pizza restaurant hits diners with anti-ICE propaganda and bizarrely declares ‘food is political’
https://nypost.com/2026/02/17/us-news/woke-pizza-restaurant-hits-diners-with-anti-ice-propaganda-and-bizarrely-declares-food-is-political/
CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES
— DOJ Reveals that Biden Granted ‘Quiet Amnesty’ to Nearly a Million Aliens. Cases that have been ‘temporarily paused’ for more than three decades.
https://cis.org/Arthur/DOJ-Reveals-Biden-Granted-Quiet-Amnesty-Nearly-Million-Aliens
— Fifth Circuit Greenlights Mandatory Detention for All Illegal Entrants. Ignore the thousands of habeas claims — this issue is bound for SCOTUS.
https://cis.org/Arthur/Fifth-Circuit-Greenlights-Mandatory-Detention-All-Illegal-Entrants
CREATORS SYNDICATE
— DD: Political parties exist to help elect candidates who can and will defend and advance their platform. The Republican Party platform is conservative. RINOs reject some, many, most, virtually all, if not all the planks in the Republican Party platform. Most commonly, they reject its personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. Far too many RINOs use the Republican Party’s “BIG TENT” policy a) to become Republican Precinct Committeemen, b) to become leaders in Republican organizations, c) to run for government offices as Republicans, and d) to get elected as Republicans. The Democrat Party does not have a “BIG TENT” policy. Its precinct committeemen, party leaders, candidates, and elected officials aggressively defend and advance all the planks in the Democrat Party platform, especially its dependency on government and charity, LGBTQ, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, pro-vice, gun control, and Affirmative Action and DEI planks, that is, its race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination planks. If the Republican Party does not stop RINOs from destroying the Republican Party, the Republican Party will soon be defunct. Soon, all of America will be like Illinois.
https://www.creators.com/read/daily-editorials/02/26/rinos-meet-the-depublicans-5df4a
FOX NEWS
— West Chicago teacher breaks silence after losing job over 2-word Facebook post supporting ICE: ‘Devastating.’ The teacher’s supporters started a GoFundMe, calling him a “beloved” educator
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/chicago-area-teacher-breaks-silence-after-losing-job-over-2-word-facebook-post-supporting-ice
— Illinois district where faculty celebrated Charlie Kirk’s death exposed over racial ‘segregation’ plan. Oswego District 308 divided middle school students by racial background without parental notification as part of equity training sessions.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/illinois-district-where-faculty-celebrated-charlie-kirks-death-exposed-over-racial-segregation-plan
FOX NEWS RADIO
— Who Is Allowing Illegals To Get Trucking Licenses?
https://radio.foxnews.com/2026/02/16/who-is-allowing-illegals-to-get-trucking-licenses-ft-shannon-everett-rep-wesley-hunt/
PJ MEDIA
— DD: Democrat leaders have declared a Second Civil War against Republicans. Illegals are their soldiers in their Democrat Army.
https://pjmedia.com/matt-margolis/2026/02/16/is-nancy-pelosi-steering-democrats-toward-a-civil-war-in-2028-n4949566
— The Trump Administration Officially Kills DEI at the FAA. DD: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, they ever-increasingly used Affirmative Action to lower their hiring, retention, and promotion standards to hire, retain, and promote more Democrats who were minority, female, younger, and/or veteran. That ever-increasingly rendered worthless my job-related bachelor’s degree, my three job-related master’s degrees, my six job-related professional certifications, and my job-related professional license.
https://pjmedia.com/matt-margolis/2026/02/16/the-trump-administration-officially-kills-dei-at-the-faa-n4949555
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— How Uncle Sam helps illegal aliens take jobs, homes, and benefits. DD: All of my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have. If my employers had hired noncitizens instead of me, I would not have been able a) to buy a 6-year-old car when I was 16, b) to buy new cars when I was 17, 19, 20, 23, 25, 29, etc., c) to pay for tuition and books to earn college degrees when I was 21, 27, 31, and 48, d) to buy real estate when I was 24, 25, 27, 29, 35, etc., or d) to get married when I was 29. My critics/opponents cannot say anything like that because they had wealth parents who bought the cars, who paid for their college expenses, who got them jobs, etc. My father died suddenly when he was 47 and I was 21. Neither he nor my mother attended college. My father was only the first of my ancestors to earn a high school diploma. He never earned more than $50,000/year in today’s dollars. He almost always worked second jobs to pay the family’s bills. My mother never attended high school.
https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/5737890-the-itin-how-uncle-sam-helps-illegal-aliens-take-jobs-homes-and-benefits/
REUTERS
— Goldman Sachs plans to drop DEI from board-candidate criteria. DD: I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO for almost 18 years, for IRS for almost 9 years, and for the Post Office for almost 3 years. You had to promote Affirmative Action big time to get promoted to GS-14 at GAO, GS-13 at IRS, and GS-5 at the Post Office.
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/goldman-sachs-plans-drop-diversity-factors-board-candidate-criteria-wsj-reports-2026-02-17/
NEW YORK TIMES
— Democrats’ Debate: ‘Abolish ICE,’ or ‘Abolish Trump’s ICE’? An upcoming Senate primary contest in Illinois, which is likely to pick the state’s next senator, has centered on Democrats’ future approach to federal immigration policy.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/us/politics/democrats-illinois-senate-ice-trump.html
WASHINGTON POST
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly blame Trump for inflation.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/02/16/affordability-politics-cost-living-prices/
USA TODAY
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly reject federal law. That caused the Civil War.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/02/14/states-different-approaches-immigration-enforcement/88597879007/
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use the Olympics to promote LGBTQ.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2026/02/17/team-usa-lgbtq-athletes-2026-winter-olympics-representation/88690898007/
— FAA orders merit-based pilot hiring as Trump DEI crackdown continues. DD: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, they ever-increasingly used Affirmative Action to lower their hiring, retention, and promotion standards to hire, retain, and promote more Democrats who were minority, female, younger, and/or veteran. That ever-increasingly rendered worthless my job-related bachelor’s degree, my three job-related master’s degrees, my six job-related professional certifications, and my job-related professional license.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2026/02/16/faa-merit-based-pilot-hiring-order/88700875007/
DUKE TODAY
— When Wages Are Not Enough for Retirement Savings. DD: My retirement income and savings are dramatically less because my Democrat superiors in the federal government a) wasted my career, b) took many big adverse actions against me, and c) forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997. They flushed down their toilets my job-related bachelor’s degree, my three job-related master’s degrees, my six job-related professional certifications, and my job-related professional license. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, and/or veteran.
https://today.duke.edu/2026/02/when-wages-are-not-enough-retirement-savings
POLITICO
— Democrats’ struggles could be partly because they’re just too old, says Obama. “There is an element of, at some point, you age out,” the former president said. DD: According to my Democrat IRS superiors, I aged out to be a GS-13 when I was 25 in 1974.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/15/obama-democrats-problems-too-old-00782719?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
FROM FOREIGN SOURCES
HINDUSTAN TIMES
— Indians face racist backlash in US amid success
https://www.pressreader.com/india/hindustan-times-lucknow/20260217/282218017248218
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A wave of hostility targeting people of Indian origin in the United States is causing concern as public meetings, political campaigns and online platforms see a surge in openly racist rhetoric directed at Indians. The backlash was on display at a recent City Council meeting in Frisco, a fast-growing suburb north of Dallas in Texas where about one-third of residents are of Asian heritage, The New York Times reported. During nearly two hours of public comments, several speakers described what they called an “Indian takeover” of their city.)
INDEPENDENT ONLINE
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://iol.co.za/lifestyle/love-sex/relationships/2026-02-16-the-sheconomy-surge-why-45-of-women-will-be-single-and-thriving-by-2030/
February 15, 2026
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly fight deportation of their illegals.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/icirr-2026-illinois-coalition-immigrant-refugee-rights-summit-launching-state-campaign-ice-border-patrol-agenda/18601453/
https://abc7chicago.com/post/donald-trump-deportation-news-us-spent-40m-roughly-300-deportations-nations-other-own-democratic-report-says/18599935/
WGN9
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use Bad Bunny to promote more hatred against Republicans.
https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/bad-bunny-represents-u-s-better-than-trump-americans-say-in-poll/
FOX32
— ICE ramps up deportation push with 92,600 new beds in $38.3B expansion
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/ice-ramps-up-deportation-push-92600-new-beds-38-3b-expansion
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/14/protest-broadview-ice/
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/14/chicago-teen-fought-cancer-dies/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Neighborhood, Loop protests are part of nationwide ‘spring surge to melt ICE’ Campus walkouts and a large cross-city gathering in Federal Plaza spotlight the continuing actions of the Trump administration against immigrants and U.S. citizens. “We’re just telling ICE to get out of our streets,” a high school freshman says. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use their high school students to fight deportation of their illegals.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/02/13/immigration-ice-trump-administration-protest-students-walkouts
— DD: Democrat leaders say that as Trump administration holds back funding, new taxes could be in store for Illinois.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2026/02/14/illlinois-democrats-budget-address-federal-tax-trump-rich-miller
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly equate their runaway slaves with their illegals.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2026/02/13/chicago-resistance-ice-operation-midway-blitz-deportation-campaign-fugitive-slave-act
DAILY HERALD
–DD: In its Sunday, February 15, 2026 hardcopy edition, the Daily Herald indorsed Bailey for governor.
https://www.dailyherald.com/
KANE COUNTY CHRONICLE
— Kane County GOP to host annual Lincoln Dinner fundraiser
https://www.shawlocal.com/kane-county-chronicle/2026/02/14/kane-county-gop-to-host-annual-lincoln-dinner-fundraiser/
— Kane County Democrats’ Truman Dinner speaker lineup includes Durbin, Duckworth, Krishnamoorthi
https://www.shawlocal.com/kane-county-chronicle/2026/02/14/kane-county-democrats-truman-dinner-speaker-lineup-includes-durbin-duckworth-krishnamoorthi/
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly have their students walkout to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.aol.com/news/second-aurora-school-walkout-remains-005959824.html
SHAW LOCAL
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly have their students walkout to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.shawlocal.com/kendall-county-now/2026/02/13/oswego-east-h-s-students-walk-out-of-school-friday-to-protest-actions-of-ice-agents/
CHICAGO TODAY
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly have their students walkout to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://nationaltoday.com/us/il/chicago/news/2026/02/14/chicago-area-students-walk-out-to-protest-trump-policies/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— What would have sold more tickets for the DuPage County Republican Central Committee (DCRCC) February 27 fundraiser? Many more tickets would have been sold if the event included a straw poll. If I had been asked, I would have conducted one for the contested statewide and countywide races (U.S. Senate, Illinois Governor, Illinois Secretary of State, DuPage Sheriff, and 3rd District Appellate Court) like I did for the Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO) in the past. DuPage County straw polls have had big impacts on races. Jack Ryan’s winning MTRO’s 2003 Oktoberfest fundraiser U.S. Senate straw poll helped him win the 2004 Illinois U.S. Senate primary. 600 attended the fundraiser and 400 voted in the straw poll. The fundraiser’s profit was $20,000+, that is, it was $35,000+ in today’s dollars. SEE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_United_States_Senate_election_in_Illinois – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
BREAKTHROUGH IDEAS
— Wheaton College Professor Really Didn’t Like My Bad Bunny Article
https://www.breakthrough-ideas.com/read/2026/02/12/wheaton-college-professor-really-didnt-like-my-bad-bunny-article
ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— New bill offers police and firefighters pension buyout option. DD: When I was 45 years old In 1993, my Democrat GAO superiors “offered” my coworkers including me a $25,000 ($56,000 in today’s dollars) buyout to get rid of us. We had to have at least 25 years of federal service which I did. Virtually all my workers who took that “offer” were older White males.
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/new-bill-offers-police-and-firefighters-pension-buyout-option/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Minneapolis prosecutors charge few anti-ICE protesters amid mass unrest
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/investigations/4457253/minneapolis-prosecutors-charge-few-anti-ice-protesters/
— It’s getting harder to walk down the aisle with someone from across the aisle. DD: Things that impressed me about my outstanding wife included that her first job after high school was working for the FBI. She soon became the Corporate Secretary for the U.S. League of Savings Institutions. She did much to help elect Big Jim Thompson governor in 1976.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/community-family/4457813/its-getting-harder-to-walk-down-the-aisle-with-someone-from-across-the-aisle/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: According to a new poll, 60% of Americans aged 18 to 29 say it is important that a romantic partner share their political views. Among baby boomers, only one-third feel the same way. Research from 2016 onward shows that roughly 60% of both Democrats and Republicans prefer to marry within their own party. This is a dramatic leap from 1958, when just 33% of Democrats and 25% of Republicans expressed such a preference.)
NEW YORK POST
— California dreamin’ migrants better off in front of SF judges than LA ones
https://nypost.com/2026/02/14/us-news/big-gap-in-california-immigration-asylum-cases-in-la-sf/
— Educators need to stop radicalizing kids
https://nypost.com/2026/02/14/opinion/educators-stop-radicalizing-kids/
AMERICAN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION
— India’s caste system determines much about an individual’s opportunities, from marriage prospects to occupation. Such a long history of rigid social norms has also created a stigma around certain jobs and tasks. Defying these stereotypes may come with social and psychological costs. DD: What caste were you born into? Neither of my parents attended college. My father was only the first of my ancestors to earn a high school diploma. He never made more than $50,000/year in today’s dollars He almost always worked second jobs to pay the family’s bills. He died suddenly when he was 47 and I was 21. My mother never attended high school. Because that dramatically lowered her earning potential, she stayed home and raised me and my brother.
https://www.aeaweb.org/research/charts/labor-supply-castes-india
AMERICAN THINKER
— Trump ends the era of fake asylum claims. Suddenly, the law now means what it says, thanks to Trump.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/trump_ends_the_era_of_fake_asylum_claims.html
— Why haven’t there been protests at Mayorkas’s house? After all, he was the architect of the immigration disaster plaguing America, and he implemented his plan during both Obama’s and Biden’s terms.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/why_haven_t_there_been_protests_at_mayorkas_s_house.html
— Trump didn’t declare defeat in Minneapolis; he switched to a smarter strategy. What he did was take a pragmatic look at the current board and adjust the pieces so that he can win the midterm.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/trump_didn_t_declare_defeat_in_minneapolis_he_switched_to_a_smarter_strategy.html
BREITBART
— Concealed Carry Permit Applications ‘Nearly Double,’ Gun Sales Up in Minnesota
https://www.breitbart.com/2nd-amendment/2026/02/14/concealed-carry-permit-applications-nearly-double-gun-sales-up-minnesota/
FOX NEWS
— Chicago Teachers Union budgeting millions for ‘political activities.’ CTU’s November fiscal report shows union plans ‘Environmental Justice Freedom School’ and anti-Trump protests while student proficiency declines.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/chicago-teachers-union-budgeting-millions-political-activities-according-fiscal-report
— San Francisco residents band together to shut down reparations fund, claiming it’s ‘dividing’ the city.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/san-francisco-residents-band-together-shut-down-reparations-fund-claiming-its-dividing-city
LEGAL INSURRECTION
— Penn State’s DEI requirement for faculty promotion prompts lawsuit. DD: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the Post Office for almost 3 years, to keep your job and to get promoted, you had to be a Democrat. While I worked for the Democrats who ran IRS for almost 9 years, to keep your job and to get promoted to GS-13, you had to be a Democrat. While worked for the Democrats who ran GAO for almost 18 years, to keep your job and to get promoted to GS-14, you had to be a Democrat. Further, to get promoted, you had to be a minority, female, younger, and/or veteran.
https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/02/penn-states-dei-requirement-for-faculty-promotion-typical-among-us-universities/
NEWSMAX
— 50 GOP Senators Co-sponsoring SAVE America Act
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/mike-lee-save-america-act-republicans/2026/02/14/id/1246189/
TOWNHALL
— What Is Harvard Trying to Hide? This DOJ Lawsuit Aims to Find Out
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeff-charles/2026/02/14/justice-department-sues-harvard-for-refusing-to-turn-over-admissions-data-n2671299
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use Obama to fight deportation of their illegals.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-president-barack-obama-ice-shootings-minnesota/
ASSOCIATED PRESS
— Trump boasts of over $1.5B in political funds. His spending tactic could shape the midterms.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-boasts-of-over-1-5b-in-political-funds-his-spending-tactic-could-shape-the-midterms
MSN
— Chris Harrison is looking for ‘traditional’ singles. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage. What helped you become marriage material? By the time I got married when I was 29 in 1978, I had worked for IRS for almost 7 years and my salary was $110,066/year in today’s dollars. I had earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976 and I was taking graduate evening accounting courses at DePaul. I lived in a one bedroom condo in the Outer Drive East building that I had bought in 1976. I was renting out a town home in University Park that I had bought new in 1972. I owned a 1972 Corvette that I had bought new in 1971. Things that impressed me about my outstanding wife included that her first job after high school was working for the FBI. She soon became the Corporate Secretary for the U.S. League of Savings Institutions. She did much to help elect Big Jim Thompson governor in 1976. She earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from DePaul in 1986.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/chris-harrison-is-looking-for-traditional-singles/ar-AA1VGdXz
— Finding a life partner will put you on the path to a richer retirement. DD: Since I got married when I was 29 years old in 1978, my critics/opponents have been furious, and especially my critics/opponents who are not married, whose spouses have little or no income, and/or who have children. When we got married, my wife had saved $20,000 ($102,000 in today’s dollars). She had a good job with the U.S. League of Savings Institutions. We used her savings to buy 1017 East Harrison in Wheaton ( https://www.redfin.com/IL/Wheaton/1017-E-Harrison-Ave-60187/home/18135528 ). For the next 14 years, we went on vacations 4 times a year following her business trips to luxury golf resorts across America. Her income helped us have 915 Cove Court built in Wheaton ( https://www.redfin.com/IL/Wheaton/915-Cove-Ct-60189/home/18126600 ) in 1984. My being married to her helped me a) pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, b) afford to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980, c) earn a master’s degree in accounting in 1980, d) pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981, e) become a licensed CPA in 1981, f) get promoted in 1986, g) buy collector cars in 1989 and 1994, h) etc.
https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/heres-how-much-more-singles-need-to-save-for-retirement-to-enjoy-the-same-lifestyle-as-couples/ar-AA1Wd1Tx
NEW YORK TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly fight deportation of their illegals.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/opinion/ice-congress-trump-dhs.html
— Maybe America Needs Some New Cities Built From Scratch. DD: HUD built Park Forest South (now University Park) from scratch. Between 1966 and 1969, I delivered mail in what is now University Park. I bought a new townhome in University Park ( https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/774-Sunset-Ct-5-University-Park-IL-60484/5451474_zpid/ ) in 1972. I lived in it full-time 1972-1974, part-time 1974-1976, rented it out 1976-1984, and sold it in 1984.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/business/economy/america-new-cities-irvine.html
— Want More Babies? Abolish Commutes. DD: My wife and I got married in 1978. We soon learned that we had fertility problems. Because of that, when I transferred from IRS to GAO in 1980, I asked my GAO superiors to assign me to in-town audits instead of out-of-town audits. My GAO coworkers overwhelming wanted to be assigned to out-of-town audits. When my wife and I gave up trying to have children, we did not adopt, and we did not become foster parents, my Democrat GAO superiors used that against me viciously. They hinted/implied/argued/shouted that I lied about are wanting/trying to have children and that we were disgusting filthy rich DINKs.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/774-Sunset-Ct-5-University-Park-IL-60484/5451474_zpid/
WASHINGTON POST
— Dr. Oz has a point about retirement. Spending healthy years in idleness isn’t good for you. DD: If you are not retired, what do you plan to do when you are retired? If you are retired, what are you doing? I was forced to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. Since 2000, ever-increasingly, I spend more of my time and money putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters together and sending them out. Between 2000 and 2010, I spent a lot of my time helping the Milton Township Republican Organization and the DuPage County Republican Central Committee be successful. Between 2003 and 2007, I spent a lot of my time serving as an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member. Between 2005 and 2012, I spent a lot of my time serving as the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman. All of the aforesaid was to defend and advance conservative principles and the Republican Party platform.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/02/14/retirement-age-dr-oz-social-security/
— Job applicants scrub campus political activism from their résumés. DD: If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a Crete-Monee High School student 1962-1966, the Democrats who ran the Park Forest Post Office would not have hired me in 1966. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a UIC student 1966-1968 and 1971 and/or a NIU student 1969-1970, the Democrats who ran IRS would not have hired me in 1971. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a part-time Loyola student 1972-1976, the Democrats who ran IRS would not have promoted me in 1972, 1973, or 1974. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a part-time DePaul student 1976-1980, the Democrats who ran GAO would not have hired me in 1980 or promoted me in 1986.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/11/09/gen-z-job-applicants-campus-activism/
FOX SAN ANTONIO & WBALTV & KSWO
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly have their students walkout to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://foxsanantonio.com/newsletter-daily/east-central-hs-plans-walkout-friday-as-student-protests-against-ice-continue-immigration-customs-enforcement-trump
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/students-walk-out-of-two-baltimore-area-high-schools-to-protest-ice/70351166
https://www.kswo.com/video/2026/02/15/lawton-students-walk-out-ice-out-protests/
BUSINESS INSIDER
— DD: According to my critics/opponents, my wife and I can and should pay way more taxes a) because we never had dependents, b) because we have no debts, c) because we have substantial retirement savings, d) because we inherited some money, e) because they believe that the federal government grossly overpaid me, f) because they believe that my $68,640/year Civil Service Retirement System pension is much too generous, g) because they believe that my $18,711.60/year Social Security is much too generous, h) because the federal government pays $21,000/year (72%) of our $30,000/year healthcare insurance premiums because I am a federal retiree, and i) because I avoided the Vietnam War draft. According to my critics/opponents, those who share our demographics and can pay more taxes should pay more taxes. According to them, we have what we have because we benefitted tremendously from discrimination against those who do not share our demographics. Comments?
https://www.businessinsider.com/california-millionaire-support-billionaire-wealth-tax-higher-taxation-2026-1
TIME
— From Eisenhower to Trump: How Military Service Impacts the Presidency. DD: How has the draft impacted you? My avoiding the Vietnam War draft has had a tremendous negative impact on me. While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, many, most, virtually all, and at times, all of my superiors and supervisors were Democrat veterans who blamed Republicans for America losing the Vietnam War. They especially blamed Republicans like me who are White, male, and 1-A. They were furious that while my peers were dying in Vietnam, I earned college degrees, bought new cars, bought real estate, and went on vacations. Democrat veterans either orchestrated or carried out all the many adverse actions that the federal government took against me.
https://time.com/7221827/presidents-combat-veterans/
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
— Success in high school and college athletics often is influenced by race and gender, as well as socioeconomic status, including family wealth and education. DD: What limited your athletic success? For me, it was my not being able to run since I was in grade school because I have a hereditary bone disease. If I was been 4-F for the Vietnam draft because of that along with my eyesight not being correctable to 20/20 and my having partial red/green color blindness, my entire life would have been drastically different.
https://news.osu.edu/how-family-background-can-help-lead-to-athletic-success/
NEXT 25
— Your campus activism could destroy job prospects forever. New survey reveals troubling employer attitudes toward politically active college graduates seeking their first professional positions. DD: If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a Crete-Monee High School student 1962-1966, the Democrats who ran the Park Forest Post Office would not have hired me in 1966. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a UIC student 1966-1968 and 1971 and/or a NIU student 1969-1970, the Democrats who ran IRS would not have hired me in 1971. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a part-time Loyola student 1972-1976, the Democrats who ran IRS would not have promoted me in 1972, 1973, or 1974. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a part-time DePaul student 1976-1980, the Democrats who ran GAO would not have hired me in 1980 or promoted me in 1986.
https://rollingout.com/2026/01/25/you-campus-activism-destroy-job-prospect/
FROM FOREIGN SOURCES
TELEGRAPH
— How to avoid living with retirement regret. Choosing the right time, or what to do next, takes careful planning. DD: I should write about what my last 28 years would have been like if I had not succumbed to my Democrat GAO superiors’ threats to retire 6 years early. If I had survived until I was 55 in 2003 and took regular retirement, my Civil Service Retirement System pension and retirement savings would be much higher. But my last 6 years would have been a living hell. They would have constructively demoted me, assigned me to work for my former subordinates, given me adverse transfers, given me bad job assignments, assigned me to supervise their most problematic employees, given me unfair performance expectations, given me unfair performance appraisals, and always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/pensions/news/how-to-avoid-living-with-retirement-regret/
February 13, 2026
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE WITH PICTURE: DD: Democrat leaders say Illinois Republicans weigh fealty to Trump as president’s agenda faces backlash and shutdown threat.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/illinois-republicans-weigh-fealty-to-trump/
— DD: Democrat ever-increasingly blame Republicans for everything that is bad including bad weather.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/daywatch-trump-administration-dismantles-us-ability-to-fight-climate-change/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2026/02/12/new-york-times-marijuana-legalization-taxes-regulations-jacob-sullum
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Republicans. How successful have Democrat leaders been promoting more hatred against Republicans in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2026/02/13/democrats-republicans-november-maga-trump-immigration-tariffs-economy-mona-charen
DAILY HERALD
— Kane County clerk unveils voter wait time app
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260212/news/kane-clerk-unveils-voter-wait-time-app/
— Ukraine support key for GOP Senate candidates despite cost concerns
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260211/nation-and-world-politics/ukraine-support-key-for-gop-senate-candidates-despite-cost-concerns/
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Illinois GOP Senate candidates debate Trump’s policies, minimum wage
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/politics/state/2026/02/13/illinois-gop-senate-candidates-debate-trump-minimum-wage-and-more/88647013007/
PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— DD: Democrat leaders to have their Dunlap High School students walkout on Friday, February 13.
https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/education/2026/02/12/dunlap-high-school-students-plan-protest-against-ice/88646221007/
STATELINE
— Illinois considers taxpayer-funded gang tattoo removal for inmates
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/illinois-considers-taxpayer-funded-gang-tattoo-removal-for-inmates/
COUNTRY HERALD
— DD: Democrat leaders to have their high school students across Illinois walkout on Friday, February 13.
https://countryherald.com/news/illinois-high-school-walkouts-planned-friday-over-ice-policies-friday-feb-13th/
— DD: Democrat leaders to have their Glenbard East High School students walkout on Friday, February 13.
https://countryherald.com/news/lombard-illinois-police-monitor-anti-ice-walkout-feb-13/
— DD: Democrat leaders to have their Trail High School students walkout on Friday, February 13.
https://countryherald.com/news/addison-illinois-anti-ice-protest-set-at-trail-high-school/
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— New bill aims to prevent kids’ accidental cannabis intake. DD: Pot is poison.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/cannabis-edibles-child-safety/
WIFR
— Elementary students eat marijuana edibles during lunch, prompting emergency response. DD: Pot is poison.
https://www.wifr.com/2026/02/13/elementary-students-eat-marijuana-edibles-during-lunch-prompting-emergency-response/
WGIL
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more pot. DD: Pot is poison.
https://www.wgil.com/2026/02/12/even-though-marijuana-is-legal-in-illinois-clearing-old-criminal-records-still-a-challenge/
NIEMAN LAB
— DD: For Democrats, journalism exists a) to promote the Democrat Party platform and b) to elect and reelect Democrats.
https://www.niemanlab.org/2026/02/for-the-past-year-illinois-has-been-giving-local-news-outlets-tax-credits-to-support-journalism-jobs-a-new-report-looks-at-how-its-going/
BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
— Black, Hispanic Drivers Get Majority Of Chicago’s Traffic Tickets — Including In Mostly White Areas. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly accuse police of being racist.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/02/12/black-hispanic-drivers-get-majority-of-chicagos-traffic-tickets-including-in-mostly-white-areas/
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/13/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-679/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Waukegan: Foreign national faces harboring, forced labor charges. DD: Bad employers want illegals because illegals work for less money and are easier to exploit.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_f177c338-6e34-425b-9357-9addc92de803.html
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— The DuPage County Republican Central Committee (DCRCC) has barred me from attending its Lincoln Day Dinner in Glen Ellyn on February 27 unless I buy a $75 ticket. I have promoted that event in my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters since it was announced. Ever since I became the GOPUSA Illinois reporter in 2000, my critics/opponents have used my being the GOPUSA Illinois reporter against me. They use their operatives and their dupes to destroy people like me who they cannot manipulate or dominate, who refuse to glorify and praise them, who refuse to pander to them, who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or who refuse to give them money. I should write about my critics/opponents. I take the many big adverse actions that they have taken against me as badges of honor. But of course, my critics/opponents deny that they took their adverse actions against me for the aforesaid reasons. I should write about all the money I have given the DCRCC since 2000. I should write about the many things that I have done to help elect and help to reelect Republicans in DuPage County since 2000. I should write about those DCRCC leaders who have blamed me and blamed my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters the most since 2000 a) for defeats suffered by Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct, b) for their problems, c) for your problems, d) for my problems, and e) for everyone’s problems. I should write about DCRCC leaders who since 2000 have taken the most/biggest adverse actions against me. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Is your Republican Precinct Committeeman (RPC) appointed or elected? RINO leaders would never appoint me a RPC. To this day, past and present RINO leaders in Illinois, DuPage County, Milton Township, Wheaton, Wheaton Warrenville School District 2000, and my precinct remain furious that I became an elected RPC in 2000 because Roskam and Hultgren endorsed me over the woman who they ran against me. RINO leaders want RPCs who they can manipulate and dominate, who glorify and praise them, who pander to them, who serve as one of their operatives or dupes, who cover up their wrong doing, and/or who give them money. I refuse to do the aforesaid. RINO leaders reject some, many, most, virtually all, if not all the planks in the Republican Party platform, most commonly, its personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. RINO leaders not only want to strike the aforesaid planks, they want to get more preference for those who share their demographics. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
AM870 THE ANSWER
— Obama Deported More Illegals…Liberals Didn’t Care
https://am870theanswer.com/columnists/larry-elder/video/698e656dbf50ba50b9cb3917
BIZ PAC REVIEW
— The left is very, very upset that federal immigration agents are now “arresting and charging suburban moms” who interfere with their arrests of illegal alien killers, rapists, and other Democrat Party heroes.
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2026/02/12/ice-arresting-obstructionist-suburban-moms-has-left-clutching-pearls-1621830/
BLAZE
— ‘Solely on the basis of race’: White-majority Evanston sparks outcry with $25K payments to some black residents
https://www.theblaze.com/news/solely-on-the-basis-of-race-white-majority-chicago-suburb-sparks-outcry-with-25k-payments-to-some-black-residents
— I came to the US legally. What we have now isn’t immigration — it’s chaos.
https://www.theblaze.com/columns/opinion/i-came-to-the-us-legally-what-we-have-now-isnt-immigration-its-chaos
FOX NEWS
— Over 1.5 million illegal aliens with deportation orders in US. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said, ‘There’s 16,840 final orders at large in the state of Minnesota.’
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/over-1-5-million-illegal-aliens-deportation-orders-us-ice-director-reveals
NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE
— Lara Trump is headlining the National Right to Life’s pro-life gala in Chicago on March 24. Trump is the former co-chair of the Republican National Committee and daughter-in-law of President Donald Trump.
https://nrlc.org/proudly-pro-life-gala/2026-chicago/
PJ MEDIA
— Texas: Illegal Aliens Can No Longer Have Occupational Licenses
https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2026/02/12/texas-illegal-aliens-can-no-longer-have-occupational-licenses-n4949413
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— DD: ICE should not be banned from polling places because it would not deter US citizens from voting.
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5735693-jason-smith-polling-places-ice/
WASHINGTON POST
— Judge rejects Hegseth bid to punish Sen. Kelly for video message to troops. DD: My Democrat superiors in the federal government who were veterans succeeded in punishing me big time for my avoiding the Vietnam War draft. They blamed Republican males for America losing the Vietnam War. My Democrat superiors in the federal government who were minority, female, and/or younger succeeded in punishing me big time for my opposing their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination. They blamed Republicans who were White, male, and/or older for the problems that minorities, females, and younger people had.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/02/12/mark-kelly-hegseth-censure-ruling/
NBC FLORIDA
— Lee County students suspended after ICE protest walkouts. DD: Will your school district punish a) their students who walked out and/or b) their faculty who organized/promoted the walkouts?
https://spotonflorida.com/southwest-florida/5969477/lee-county-students-suspended-after.html
FOX TWIN CITIES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.fox9.com/news/viral-protest-songs-unify-twin-cities-against-ice-efforts-feb-2026
ALASKA WATCHMAN
— Alaska Family Council joins push to reclaim traditional marriage – 1 man, 1 woman
https://alaskawatchman.com/2026/02/12/alaska-family-council-joins-push-to-reclaim-traditional-marriage-1-man-1-woman/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— DEI Is a Threat to Americans’ Health. The Trump administration should seek to establish an alternative accreditor for medical schools.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/dei-is-a-threat-to-americans-health-97b25a64
FAST COMPANY
— DD: Democrat and RINO employers use DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://www.fastcompany.com/91490412/trumps-anti-dei-policies-are-hurting-college-educated-black-women
FED AGENT
— DD: Democrats say: Administration Finalizes Schedule Policy/Career Rule, Putting Civil Service Protections at Risk for 50,000 Federal Workers. Democrats run the federal government. For Democrats, the federal government exists to hire, retain, and promote Democrats. Federal employees who are Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran have no Civil Service protections.
https://www.fedagent.com/news/administration-finalizes-schedule-policy/career-rule-putting-civil-service-protections-at-risk-for-50000-federal-workers
WAKE UP TO POLITICS
— Is Don Lemon a Journalist? DD: The DuPage County Republican Central Committee (DCRCC) has barred me from attending its Lincoln Day Dinner in Glen Ellyn on February 27 unless I buy a $75 ticket. I have promoted that event in my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters since it was announced. Ever since I became the GOPUSA Illinois reporter in 2000, my critics/opponents have used my being the GOPUSA Illinois reporter against me. They use their operatives and their dupes to destroy people like me who they cannot manipulate or dominate, who refuse to glorify and praise them, who refuse to pander to them, who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or who refuse to give them money. I should write about my critics/opponents. I take the many big adverse actions that they have taken against me as badges of honor. But of course, my critics/opponents deny that they took their adverse actions against me for the aforesaid reasons. I should write about all the money I have given the DCRCC since 2000. I should write about the many things that I have done to help elect and help to reelect Republicans in DuPage County since 2000. I should write about those DCRCC leaders who have blamed me and blamed my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters the most since 2000 a) for defeats suffered by Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct, b) for their problems, c) for your problems, d) for my problems, and e) for everyone’s problems. I should write about DCRCC leaders who since 2000 have taken the most/biggest adverse actions against me.
https://www.wakeuptopolitics.com/p/is-don-lemon-a-journalist-does-it
NEWS KARNATAKA
— No one is coming to save your career. DD: To qualify myself for better paying jobs, a) I earned a job-related bachelor’s degree in 1970, b) I earned job-related master’s degrees in 1976, 1980, and 1997, c) I earned job-related professional certifications in 1979, 1981, 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1997, and d) I earned a job-related professional license in 1981. The Democrats who ran IRS would not have promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974 if I had not been taking job-related graduate evening courses. The Democrats who ran GAO would not have promoted me in 1986 if I had not a) earned job-related master’s degrees in 1976 and 1980, b) earned job-related professional certifications in 1979 and 1981, and c) earned a job-related professional license in 1981. My Democrat GAO superiors would have succeeded in forcing to retire earlier than they did if I had not a) earned job-related professional certifications in 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1997 and b) earned a job-related master’s degree in 1997.
https://newskarnataka.com/business/no-one-is-coming-to-save-your-career-says-mcdonalds-ceo-in-viral-advice/24012026
PBS
— DD: Democrat leaders applaud their success in keeping their illegals in Minnesota. How much success have Democrat leaders had keeping their illegals in your county, township, municipality, and school district?
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/after-deaths-protests-and-political-backlash-ice-surge-set-to-end-in-minnesota
FROM FOREIGN SOURCES
MEAWW
— These are not peaceful protesters
https://news.meaww.com/steve-bannon-pushes-back-on-trumps-ice-pullback-in-minnesota-these-are-not-peaceful-protesters
February 12, 2026 Evening Edition
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— DHS shutdown seems certain as funding talks between White House and Democrats stall
https://abc7chicago.com/post/upcoming-2026-dhs-shutdown-seems-certain-federal-government-funding-talks-between-white-house-democrats-stall/18592318/
WGN RADIO
— Should students be able to protest without penalty?
https://wgnradio.com/john-williams/newsclick/the-john-williams-newsclick-should-students-be-able-to-protest-without-penalty/#/questions
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— 3 Illinois GOP rivals for US Senate sidestep criticizing President Donald Trump in debate but note differences
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/12/illinois-gop-senate/
— Preckwinkle calls for charges against federal immigration agents in local shootings
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/12/toni-preckwinkle-charges-federal-immigration-agents-local-shootings/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Voters cast ballots at Loop Supersite as early voting kicks off. DD: I want to know the number ballots cast each day and cumulatively in DuPage County broken out by Republican, Democrat, and N/P.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2026/02/12/voters-cast-ballots-at-loop-supersite-as-early-voting-kicks-off-everythings-at-stake
— DePaul and Loyola accused of pushing low-income families toward hefty loans while favoring wealthier students. DD: I paid for my tuition and books for my graduate evening business courses at Loyola 1972-1976 and my graduate evening accounting courses at DePaul 1976-1980 with my IRS salary 1972-1979 and my GAO salary in 1980.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2026/02/12/depaul-and-loyola-chicago-accused-of-pushing-low-income-families-toward-hefty-loans-while-favoring-wealthier-students
DAILY HERALD
— Many — but not all — 9th Congressional District Democratic candidates say abolish ICE.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260212/us-congress-politics/many-but-not-all-9th-congressional-district-democratic-candidates-say-abolish-ice/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Illinois leads states’ lawsuit challenging Trump’s $600M health grant cuts
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/health-care/illinois-sues-trump-over-600-health-grant-cuts
SOUTHERN
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly demonize, denigrate, and condemn ICE.
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2026/02/12/trust-has-been-lost-ice-cbp-officials-questioned-on-enforcement-tactics-during-senate-oversight-hearing/
STATELINE & UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly discourage assimilation, that is, they ever-increasingly encourage citizens of American to think of themselves as being members of racial, sexual, age, religious, national origin, etc. groups, and not as being citizens of America.
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/new-bill-requires-illinois-schools-to-teach-latin-american-history-and-culture/
https://news.illinois.edu/study-demographic-forms-census/
BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://www.bnd.com/news/state/illinois/article314644715.html
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly crow about their success in promoting illegal immigration, that is, their success in destroying America.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/just-8-percent-in-us-see-immigration-as-biggest-problem-gallup/
CITIES 92.9
— Illinois senator’s bill on transgender ‘mental illness’ sparks debate.
https://www.cities929.com/2026/02/12/illinois-senators-bill-on-transgender-mental-illness-sparks-debate/
WGLT
— LaHood sticks with president despite concerns about tariffs
https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2026-02-12/lahood-sticks-with-president-despite-concerns-about-tariffs
NPR ILLINOIS & CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Rick Heidner casts himself as ‘Trump Republican’ in bid to unseat Pritzker. The Barrington Hills businessman has been criticized for past donations to Democrats.
https://www.nprillinois.org/government-politics/2026-02-12/rick-heidner-casts-himself-as-trump-republican-in-bid-to-unseat-pritzker
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/rick-heidner-casts-himself-as-trump-republican/
ILLINOIZE
— “Too little, too late?” as Heidner Dumps More Money into Governor Campaign
https://www.theillinoize.com/articles/too-little-too-late-heidner
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Illinois on track to lose another congressional seat
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-on-track-to-lose-another-congressional-seat/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Democrats’ demands for immigration enforcement changes should be DOA
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/12/democrats-demands-immigration-enforcement-changes-doa/
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— The Bad Bunny halftime show wasn’t for you or me
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/in_focus/4447991/bad-bunny-halftime-show-not-for-you-or-me/
— Fueling the transgender persecution complex is getting people killed
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/beltway-confidential/4456357/fueling-transgender-persecution-complex-is-getting-people-killed/
NEW YORK POST
— Handcuffing ICE will cost Americans big-time — and not just in crime
https://nypost.com/2026/02/12/opinion/handcuffing-ice-will-cost-americans-big-time-and-not-just-in-crime/
AMERICAN THINKER
— Are there any voting-age citizens who don’t have a photo ID? Shouldn’t the GOP make the Democrats defend their ridiculous, racist lies?
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/are_there_any_voting_age_citizens_who_don_t_have_a_photo_id.html
CAMPUS REFORM
— University of Houston asks faculty to pledge against indoctrination. DD: I avoided Democrat indoctrination while I earned my four college degrees by majoring in management, business, accounting, and finance.
https://www.campusreform.org/article/university-houston-asks-faculty-pledge-indoctrination/29401University of Houston asks faculty to pledge against indoctrination
FEDERALIST
— Democrats Want To Stop Illegal Alien Deportations By Shutting Down DHS. It’s That Simple
https://thefederalist.com/2026/02/12/democrats-want-to-stop-illegal-alien-deportations-by-shutting-down-dhs-its-that-simple/
— Anti-Truth Media Bend Over Backward To Call Canadian Trans School Shooter By His Preferred Pronouns
https://thefederalist.com/2026/02/12/anti-truth-media-bend-over-backward-to-call-canadian-trans-school-shooter-by-his-preferred-pronouns/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly demonize, denigrate, and condemn Republicans.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/poll-analysis-words-voters-describe-republicans-democrats/
— Judge blocks Pentagon from downgrading Sen. Mark Kelly’s military rank, pay
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/judge-blocks-pentagon-from-downgrading-sen-mark-kellys-military-rank-pay/
TIME
— Why These Democratic Governors Are Boycotting the White House Dinner
https://time.com/7377722/democratic-governors-boycott-white-house-dinner-nga-meeting/
POLITICO
— Federal court blocks Hegseth effort to punish Democratic senator. The judge said the Pentagon had “trampled” on Sen. Mark Kelly’s First Amendment freedoms. DD: To win, Hegseth should cite Diersen v. GAO. SEE: https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/12/court-hegseth-kelly-senator-00778449
PBS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly train their protesters to harass ICE.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/immigration-officials-defend-officers-and-tactics-as-public-backlash-grows
HR DRIVE
— Democrat and RINO employers use Affirmative Action and DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://www.hrdive.com/news/dei-initiatives-impact-employees-executives-conference-board/812070/
February 11, 2026
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Demonstrators gather at Aurora PD after video shows officers, students clashing at anti-ICE protest. Demonstrators want the police chief to resign after Monday’s protest ended with three students arrested and an officer injured. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students to a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/aurora-protest-today-held-police-department-school-walkout-ice-ends-students-arrested-officer-hurt-video/18582100/
— ICE chief defends his officers’ actions before Congress after the deaths of 2 protesters.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/acting-ice-director-cbp-commissioner-testify-first-time-fatal-shootings/18578697/
NBC5
— Thousands of students from several suburban schools walk out of class to protest ICE. Three high school students in Aurora are facing charges after a Monday walkout protest that police said started peacefully but later escalated.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/thousands-of-students-from-several-suburban-schools-walk-out-of-class-to-protest-ice/3890816/
— Downers Grove students walk out of class to protest ICE enforcement. “We are the upcoming voters. We are the upcoming generation. We are the future,” one student told NBC Chicago at the protest. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students to a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/downers-grove-students-walk-out-of-class-to-protest-ice-enforcement/3890667/
— Video shows Aurora police officer kneeling on person amid student protest against ICE. Roughly 1,500 students walked out of class from several Aurora schools Monday afternoon, police said. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students to a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/video-shows-aurora-police-officer-kneeling-on-person-amid-student-protest-against-ice/3890760/
— Pritzker, Democratic governors to boycott White House dinner held by Trump
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/pritzker-democratic-governors-to-boycott-white-house-dinner-held-by-trump/3890597/
CBS2
— Republican Illinois U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy outlines his policies
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/republican-illinois-u-s-senate-candidate-don-tracy-outlines-his-policies/
FOX32
— Push for millionaire’s tax in Illinois for property tax relief
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-4is0qupvkq0k2r1c
— DOJ announces arrest of leader of 2012 attack on US consulate in Benghazi that left 4 Americans dead
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/doj-announces-arrest-benghazi-attack
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Students in Aurora stage walkout on Monday, three charged, Aurora. — DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students to a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/10/three-charged-student-walkout-aurora/
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/10/gov-jb-pritzker-urges-democratic-governors-to-confront-trump-seek-accountability-for-immigration-actions/
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/10/marimar-martinez-video-release-bovino/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/donald-trump/2026/02/10/trump-administration-cuts-illinois-hiv-prevention-grants
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2026/tracker-federal-prosecutions-chicago-status-trumps-immigration-blitz-ice
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/02/10/marimar-martinez-the-chicago-woman-shot-by-border-patrol-agent-expected-to-file-lawsuit-release-evidence
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2026/02/10/phil-ponce-retired-chicago-tonight-host-video-latino-ice-agents
— Top Trump DHS officials defend enforcement during fiery hearing: ‘We are only getting started’
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/02/10/donald-trump-dhs-officials-ice-immigration-enforcement-committee-hearing
WBEZ
— 1 in 4 Chicago adults live with a disability, majority on South and West sides. The first-of-its-kind report uncovers key information about the city’s population of those with disabilities and inequities in their neighborhoods and seeks input on how to improve conditions in their neighborhoods.
https://www.wbez.org/health-medicine/2026/02/10/disabilities-inequities-health-west-south-sides
STATELINE
— Proposed Illinois law would classify transgender identity as form of mental illness
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/proposed-illinois-law-would-classify-transgender-identity-as-form-of-mental-illness/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “There are only two genders,” Chesney said in a statement. “Radical activists are confusing children and pushing irreversible, life-altering decisions on kids who are far too young to understand the consequences. This bill draws a hard line and says Illinois will not abandon reality to appease the woke mob.”)
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Annual governors’ gathering with White House unraveling after Trump excludes Democrats
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/nation-world/governors-wont-hold-trump-meeting-after-white-house-only-invited-republicans/article_03c3f12f-b5c6-5f97-8822-3d19b0db6b42.html
SOUTHERN
— Stonewall pride flag removed by National Park Service
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2026/02/10/trump-admin-removes-pride-flag-from-stonewall-national-monument/
JOURNAL COURIER
— DD: Democrat and RINO employers use Affirmative Action and DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/scrapping-dei-cost-black-women-jobs-21343372.php
WQAD
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://www.wqad.com/video/news/politics/illinois-politics/even-though-marijuana-is-legal-in-illinois-clearing-old-criminal-records-still-a-challenge/526-4bb3215c-bce2-4a1e-8626-55a5bd3bea21
ELMHURST PATCH
— Elmhurst Lawmakers Draw Cash From Corporate Interests. A longtime Elmhurst politician donated to a local legislator, explaining why.
https://patch.com/illinois/elmhurst/elmhurst-lawmakers-draw-cash-corporate-interests
PRITZKER
— DD: Democrat leaders have declared a Second Civil War against Republicans. Their illegals are their soldiers in their Democrat Army.
https://jbpritzker.substack.com/p/the-state-of-illinois-is-being-loud
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/10/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-466/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WIREPOINTS
— Illinois Budget Scrutiny Intensifies Over State Funding of Politically Active Nonprofits
https://wirepoints.org/illinois-budget-scrutiny-intensifies-over-state-funding-of-politically-active-nonprofits-wirepoints-mark-glennon-on-am560/
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Political parties exist to help elect candidates who can and will defend and advance their platform. The Republican Party platform is conservative. Far too many get involved in Republican politics to get the Republican Party to strike planks from its platform, most commonly, its personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. Further, far too many get involved in Republican politics to get more preference for those who share their demographics. To want to strike the aforesaid planks and to want more preference is not only to be anti-conservative, it is to be anti-Republican. My critics/opponents a) reject some, many, most, virtually all, if not all the aforesaid planks and b) want more preference for those who share their demographics. I should write about my critics/opponents. I could publish a spreadsheet that shows which planks they want stricken and what demographics they want more preference for. I would focus on a) leaders of the Illinois Republican Party, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Milton Township Republican Organization, b) Republican leaders in Illinois, DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton, c) Republican candidates on the ballot in my precinct, d) conservative leaders, and e) religious leaders. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
NEW YORK POST
— Evanston hands out $25K cash payments to 44 Black residents through reparations program
https://nypost.com/2026/02/11/us-news/evanston-illinois-giving-25k-reparations-to-44-black-residents/
— Trump admin quietly yanks rainbow flag from NYC’s Stonewall monument, sparking fury: ‘American symbol’ DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ, that is, they ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://nypost.com/2026/02/10/us-news/trump-admin-yanks-rainbow-flag-from-nycs-stonewall-monument/
BLAZE
— Mamdani is outraged at Trump administration after Pride flag is quietly removed from Stonewall monument to gay riot. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ, that is, they ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/mamdani-lgbtq-pride-flag-stonewall
— ‘Shady carriers hiring illegals’: Sen. Banks launches trucking tip line after 4 Amish men die in crash.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/shady-carriers-hiring-illegals-sen-banks-launches-trucking-tip-line-after-4-amish-men-die-in-crash
BREIUTBART
— A U.S. Olympic curler has become the latest in a trend of American athletes to use the Winter Olympics as a platform to blast President Trump’s policies at home.
https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2026/02/10/watch-olympic-curler-blasts-ice-whats-happening-in-minnesota-is-wrong/amp/
CAMPUS REFORM
— University instructs staff to lower academic expectations, extend deadlines for illegal alien students
https://www.campusreform.org/article/university-instructs-staff-lower-academic-expectations-extend-deadlines-illegal-alien-students-exclusive/29391
— Stanford discontinues fellowship built for ‘underrepresented’ recruits. DD: As I earned my bachelor’s degree and three master’s degrees, more and more and more of my classmates did not share my demographics.
https://www.campusreform.org/article/stanford-discontinues-edge-fellowship-built-underrepresented-phd-recruits/29390
FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM
— Sanctuary Jurisdictions Seek to Make Themselves Literal Battlegrounds Against ICE Enforcement. DD: Democrat leaders have declared a Second Civil War against Republicans. Their illegals are their soldiers in their Democrat Army.
https://www.fairus.org/sanctuary-jurisdictions-seek-make-themselves-literal-battlegrounds-against-ice-enforcement
NEWSMAX
— HUD-funded housing is for Americans, not illegals. DD: University Park was created by HUD. Ever since I bought a new townhome in University Park ( https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/774-Sunset-Ct-5-University-Park-IL-60484/5451474_zpid/ ) when I was 24 years old in 1972, my critics/opponents have hinted/implied/argued/shouted that my buying that townhome improperly/unethically stopped a Black and/or a female from buying that townhome.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6vUG4bHRSk
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Democratic governors excluded by Trump from typically bipartisan gathering at White House
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/democratic-governors-excluded-by-trump-from-white-house/
MSN
— Trump advisers warn job growth could fall well below recent levels, citing deportations and productivity surge. DD: How many illegals are employed by Democrats and RINOs in your county, township, municipality, and school district?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/trump-advisers-warn-job-growth-could-fall-well-below-recent-levels-citing-deportations-and-productivity-surge/ar-AA1W5HJk
MSN & CNN & USA TODAY & SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ, that is, they ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/professional-athletes-who-identify-as-lgbtq/ss-AA1W0ONB
https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/10/politics/pride-flag-removed-stonewall-monument-trump-administration
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/10/national-park-service-removes-pride-flag-stonewall-inn/88605713007/
https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/news/nation/2026/02/10/pride-flag-stonewall-monument-photos/88611050007/
https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-exhibits/article/stonewall-pride-flag-removed-21345218.php
NEWSWEEK
— Project 2025 Group Has Plan for Next 250 Years of America. DD: How has traditional marriage helped you? I met my outstanding wife at a social meeting for young adults at the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. She was raised as a Catholic and I was raised as a Missouri Synod Lutheran. We were both looking for a traditional marriage. Our marriage in 1978 helped me a) pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, b) afford to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980, c) earn a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, d) pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981, e) become a licensed CPA in 1981, and f) get promoted to GS-13 in 1986. Our marriage helped us a) buy a home in Wheaton and two new cars in 1978 and b) have a home built in Wheaton in 1984. Our marriage helped my wife earn a bachelor’s degree in finance from DePaul in 1986.
https://www.newsweek.com/project-2025-heritage-foundation-latest-plans-11495097
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Its new report, Saving America by Saving the Family: A Foundation for the Next 250 Years, was released in January and calls for traditional family values and the promotion of marriage and children to ensure what it deems positive outcomes for the U.S.)
NEW YORK TIMES
— ICE Hired Thousands While the Rest of the Immigration System Shrank. With more ICE agents and fewer judges and asylum officers, the balance of the federal immigration apparatus has shifted. DD: In 1971, while I was in training for my IRS Revenue Officer job, Nixon had me make telephone calls for 2 weeks to fight inflation.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/us/ice-agents-hiring-immigration-system.html
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use Bad Bunny to promote more hatred against Republicans
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/opinion/bad-bunny-super-bowl-americans.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/arts/music/bad-bunny-super-bowl-show-everyday-people.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/arts/music/bad-bunny-super-bowl-halftime-show-review.html
— Epstein Used Cash and Sway to Get Women He Abused Into Top Colleges
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/nyregion/epstein-columbia-nyu-donations-admission-young-women.html
— Gabbard Is Back in Trump’s Good Graces. DD: For me to try to get back in my critics’/opponents’ good graces, I would have to do the following, but I refuse to: a) glorify and praise them, b) pander to them, c) serve as one of their operatives or dupes, d) cover up their wrongdoing, and/or e)give them money.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/us/politics/tulsi-gabbard-2020-election.html
WASHINGTON POST
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ, that is, they ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2026/02/10/lgbtq-flag-trump-administration-remove/
— DD: All elections should have both Republican and Democrat oversight.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/10/republicans-are-pushing-drastically-change-way-you-cast-ballots/
USA TODAY
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Former federal employees follow their ‘calling’ to state and city jobs. DD: After my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, no federal, state, county, township, municipal, or private sector employer offered me a job appropriate for my work experience, education, professional certifications, and professional license. That is not surprising given my bad demographics and the many big adverse actions that my Democrat superiors in the federal government had taken against me.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/10/federal-workers-layoffs-city-state-jobs/88527503007/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Schools Don’t Teach Personal Responsibility. Students learn to view themselves as victims and often don’t face consequences for bad behavior. DD: My parents and teachers promoted personal responsibility. That put me on track to earn a) a job-related bachelor’s degree, b) three job-related master’s degrees, c) six job-related professional certifications, and d) a job-related professional license.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/schools-dont-teach-personal-responsibility-9ab43f99
— America Is Running Out of Patience With Republicans. Voters no longer blame Joe Biden for the state of the economy, and Trump’s policies haven’t delivered.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/america-is-running-out-of-patience-with-republicans-a1faa098
— Black and Jewish Americans Can Find Unity Again. The stories of the Hebrew Bible have long resonated with the experience of slavery and Jim Crow. DD: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, many, most, and at times, virtually all my superiors and supervisors were Democrats who were veteran, minority, female, Jewish, and/or younger than me. They all took adverse actions against me.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/black-and-jewish-americans-can-find-unity-again-b1512b9b
— Even Trump Can’t Go Back to the Future. To MAGA, the 1950s were a better time. But the White House can’t bring it back. DD: Since the 1960s, because of Affirmative Action, my future has gotten bleaker and bleaker and bleaker.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/even-trump-cant-go-back-to-the-future-17f7fa39
BLOOMBERG
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly shout at Blacks that Republicans cause all the problems that Blacks have. Democrat leaders especially blame Republicans who are conservative, White, male, older, non-veteran, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. Of course, my Democrat GAO superiors in the federal government hinted/implied/argued/shouted at my Black subordinates that I caused all their problems. But not only my Black subordinates, but also my subordinates who were non-White, female, younger, veteran, disabled, non-Protestant, non-German American, had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time, and/or had performance problems. Virtually all my subordinate were many, most, if not virtually all of the aforesaid.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-10/black-bankers-feel-the-impact-of-dei-rollback-at-jpmorgan-and-citibank
FORTUNE
— In 2026, many employers are ditching merit-based pay bumps in favor of ‘peanut butter raises’ DD: In 1989, the Democrats who ran GAO adopted “banding” and “pay-for-performance (PFP)” to get rid of their employees who they had not promoted to GS-15 (currently $165,386-$197,200/year) and who were Republican, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, had ancestors who had been in America for a long time, and/or did not have a degree from an Ivy League university. They used Gingrich budget cuts to justify the aforesaid. For course, they always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for PFP.
https://www.aol.com/articles/2026-many-employers-ditching-merit-163727296.html
BARRON’S
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ, that is, they ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.barrons.com/news/outrage-as-lgbtq-pride-flag-removed-from-stonewall-monument-cdfb5518
CORPORATE WELLNESS
— The concept of a linear career—steady upward progression within a single function, organization, or industry—is no longer the dominant model for many segments of the workforce. DD: Is/was your career linear? My career was not. To get promoted to GS-13, I had to transfer from IRS to GAO and take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars, a downgrade from GS-12 Step 5, currently $113,402/year, to GS-9 Step 9, currently $89,703/year, when I was 31 years old in 1980. I did not make GS-13, currently $118,984/year when I was 38 in 1986. But I would not have gotten that promotion if I had not a) earned an MBA when I was 27, b) passed the CPA examination on my first attempt when I was 30, c) earned a master’s degree in accounting when I was 31, d) passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt when I was 32, and e) became a licensed CPA when I was 32. I would not have gotten that promotion to GS-13 when I was 32 if the GAO manager who had arranged my transfer from IRS had not been finally able to assign me to audits of IRS and to promote me when I was 32. I would not have had to do the aforesaid to get promoted to GS-13 if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, and/or veteran. My Democrat IRS and GAO superiors overtly practiced political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination.
https://www.corporatewellnessmagazine.com/article/creating-psychological-safety-for-employees-with-non-linear-careers
LAW
— The Celebration of Marriage. DD: How has traditional marriage helped you? I met my outstanding wife at a social meeting for young adults at the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. She was raised as a Catholic and I was raised as a Missouri Synod Lutheran. We were both looking for a traditional marriage. Our marriage in 1978 helped me a) pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, b) afford to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980, c) earn a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, d) pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981, e) become a licensed CPA in 1981, and f) get promoted to GS-13 in 1986. Our marriage helped us a) buy a home in Wheaton and two new cars in 1978 and b) have a home built in Wheaton in 1984. Our marriage helped my wife earn a bachelor’s degree in finance from DePaul in 1986.
https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal/2026/02/10/the-celebration-of-marriage/
HRD MAGAZINE
— Employee sues Intuit alleging manager branded her a ‘DEI hire’ DD: All my coworkers who my Democrat superiors in the federal government promoted over me were Democrats who a) had less work experience than I had, had less education than I had, had no professional certifications or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had and/or b) were minority, female, younger than me, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time.
https://www.hcamag.com/us/specialization/diversity-inclusion/employee-sues-intuit-alleging-manager-branded-her-a-dei-hire/564902
HIGHER EDUCATION DRIVE
— Trump secures legal victory on anti-DEI directives. DD: Democrats and RINOs use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.highereddive.com/news/trump-secures-legal-victory-anti-dei-directives-higher-ed/811885/
CHALKBEAT
— Despite recent efforts to make change, top colleges are still home to mostly wealthy students. DD: How much money did your parents have? My father never earned more than $50,000/year in today’s dollars. He almost always worked second jobs to pay the family’s bills. My mother had no income because she stayed home and raised me and my brother. Her earning was limited by her never having attended high school. Consequently, I had to work my way through college. That harmed my GPA. I spent far too many hours washing dishes and delivering mail instead of studying.
https://www.chalkbeat.org/2026/02/10/top-universities-still-have-little-economic-diversity-and-few-low-income-students/
GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE
— DD: For Democrat leaders, the federal government exists to hire, retain, and promote Democrats.
https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2026/02/former-cabinet-secretaries-urge-federal-employees-keep-faith-despite-threats-civil-service/411336/
VOX
— Woke isn’t dead. Bad Bunny’s halftime show proved it. Maybe the right didn’t capture the culture as much as they thought. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly crow about their success in replacing those who have demographics that vote for Republicans with those who have demographics that vote for Democrats.
https://www.vox.com/culture/478687/bad-bunny-super-bowl-halftime-show-woke-vibe-shift-republican-backlash
MOVIEGUIDE
— Former BACHELOR host Chris Harrison just announced a new dating show that will focus on promoting “traditional marriage.” DD: How has traditional marriage helped you? I met my outstanding wife at a social meeting for young adults at the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. She was raised as a Catholic and I was raised as a Missouri Synod Lutheran. We were both looking for a traditional marriage. Our marriage in 1978 helped me a) pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, b) afford to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980, c) earn a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, d) pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981, e) become a licensed CPA in 1981, and f) get promoted to GS-13 in 1986. Our marriage helped us a) buy a home in Wheaton and two new cars in 1978 and b) have a home built in Wheaton in 1984. Our marriage helped my wife earn a bachelor’s degree in finance from DePaul in 1986.
https://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/chris-harrison-announces-traditional-love-dating-show.html
FROM FOREIGN SOURCES
NTD
— Every Person in Our Country Illegally Committed a Crime to Do That, Does Not Respect US. DD: To come into a country illegally and/or to stay in a country illegally is to demonstrate gross disrespect for the rule of law and for that country. It is illegal to falsely claim asylum.
https://www.ntd.com/every-person-in-our-country-illegally-committed-a-crime-to-do-that-does-not-respect-us-rep-fine_1125400.html
— 89 Indians on US’ ‘worst of the worst’ criminal list amid Trump’s immigration crackdown
https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/89-indians-on-us-worst-of-the-worst-criminal-list-amid-trumps-immigration-crackdown/ar-AA1VN6sO
February 9, 2026 Evening Edition
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
DAILY HERALD
— Should U.S. nationalize elections? GOP governor candidates speak up. DD: All elections should have both Republican and Democrat oversight.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260209/illinois-state-politics/should-u-s-nationalize-elections-gop-governor-candidates-speak-up/
— Early voting to begin Tuesday in DuPage County after delay
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260209/news/early-voting-to-begin-tuesday-in-dupage-county-after-delay/
— Virtual forum Tuesday for GOP candidates in 11th U.S. House District
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260209/us-congress-politics/virtual-forum-tuesday-for-gop-candidates-in-11th-u-s-house-district/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Chicago Tribune offers 30% premium to buy Daily Herald suburban newspaper
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/09/chicago-tribune-daily-herald/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Cook County prosecutors drop charges against 19 arrested during clergy-led protest at Broadview ICE facility. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly fight deportation of their illegals.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/02/09/cook-county-prosecutors-drop-charges-against-19-arrested-during-clergy-led-protest-broadview-ice-facility
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote Bad Bunny
https://chicago.suntimes.com/music/2026/02/09/bad-bunny-superbowl-halftime-chicago-conductor-giancarlo-guerrero-lady-gaga-ricky-martin-music
— Cardinal Blase Cupich calls for White House to apologize for racist video depicting Obamas as primates
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2026/02/09/cardinal-blase-cupich-white-house-obama-racist-video-apology
ABC7
— Leadership exodus continues at Chicago’s US Attorney’s Office. DD: My critics/opponents stress that GAO works for Congress and that while Diersen v. GAO was pending a) the Chicago US Attorney’s Office was run by Republican Patrick Fitzgerald under Republican President Bush and Republican US Attorney General Ashcroft, b) Republican Gingrich and Republican Hastert were the Speakers of the House, c) Republican Peter Fitzgerald was my U.S. Senator, and d) Republican Hyde was my Congressman. According to my critics/opponents, Patrick Fitzgerald’s defending GAO and his success in getting the US Appellate Court for the 7th Circuit to deny me my 7th Amendment right to a jury trial proves a) that the aforesaid Republicans reject the equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) plank in the Republican Party platform and/or b) that they reject me personally. To reject the equal opportunity plank is to curry favor with minorities and with females. SEE: https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf
https://abc7chicago.com/post/northern-district-illinois-us-attorneys-office-leadership-exodus-continues-andrew-boutros-donald-trump-administration/18575999/
WGN9
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote Bad Bunny
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/bad-bunnys-halftime-show-sparks-pride-across-humboldt-park/
FOX32
— Chicago archbishop calls for Trump to apologize for “racist” video of Obamas. Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich called on President Donald Trump to apologize for sharing what he called a “racist” video on social media depicting former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle as apes.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-3m7ahb91ctyoq0pv
WBEZ
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote Bad Bunny
https://www.wbez.org/music/2026/02/09/bad-bunny-superbowl-halftime-chicago-conductor-giancarlo-guerrero-lady-gaga-ricky-martin-music
NORTHERN STAR
— DD: Democrat leaders have no problem with their protesters bringing their loaded guns to their protests.
https://northernstar.info/132817/opinion/opinion-the-death-of-alex-pretti-shows-trump-ublicans-true-colors/
CHICAGO TODAY
— Chicago Businesses Reject Calls to Relocate to Florida. Billionaire Ken Griffin’s pitch for Florida falls flat with Chicago’s business community. DD: What percent of Chicago businesses are run by Democrats?
https://nationaltoday.com/us/il/chicago/news/2026/02/09/chicago-businesses-reject-calls-to-relocate-to-florida/
DUPAGE COUNTY ELECTION DIVISION
— County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek announces that five early voting sites in DuPage County will open on Tuesday, Feb. 10th from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm weekdays and 9:00 am to noon Saturdays. Early voting sites will be open on President’s Day, Monday, Feb. 16th.
https://www.dupagecounty.gov/county_clerk/EaryVoting_1637.php
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/09/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-465/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
BREAKTHROUGH IDEAS
— The Waukegan HS Failure Factory. Waukegan High School Student Protest February 6, 2026.
https://www.breakthrough-ideas.com/read/2026/02/09/the-waukegan-hs-failure-factory
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— White House sends counteroffer to Democrats’ immigration enforcement demands
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/9/republicans-prepare-counteroffer-democrats-immigration-enforcement/
— Trump administration to make it harder for federal workers to appeal firing. DD: My critics/opponents stand with my Democrat superiors in the federal government who wasted my career, took many big adverse actions against me, and forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997. My critics/opponents stand with the following who had their operatives and their dupes take many big adverse actions against me since 2000: a) leaders of the Illinois Republican Party, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, Milton Township Republican Organization, TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois, and Illinois Center Right Coalition, b) Republican leaders of Illinois, DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton, c) unsuccessful Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct and their political consultants, fundraisers, pollsters, campaign managers, campaign staff members, and campaign volunteers, d) conservative leaders, e) religious leaders, and f) those who I have sued and their attorneys.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/9/trump-administration-make-harder-federal-workers-appeal-firing/
— Ford worker who heckled Trump won’t be disciplined or lose job. DD: I never heckled my Democrat GAO superiors, but I did become an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation. Because of that, they forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997. Federal employees who are Republican have no Civil Service protections.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/9/ford-worker-heckled-trump-wont-disciplined-lose-job/
— How states can fix America’s retirement access shortfall. DD: I started earning credits toward a Civil Service Retirement System pension when I was 18 in 1966. My critics/opponents have always been furious about that. They got more furious when my Democrat GAO superiors “offered” me early retirement when I was 45 in 1993 and that I took it when I was 49 in 1997.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/9/states-fix-americas-retirement-access-shortfall/
NEW YORK POST
— Bad Bunny slammed for controversial Super Bowl halftime show decision that ‘encourages’ division. He made no effort in his Spanish-only performance to include the 78% of American households that speak only English. He previously taunted that anyone annoyed with his selection as halftime performer had “four months to learn Spanish.”
https://nypost.com/2026/02/09/us-news/bad-bunny-slammed-for-controversial-super-bowl-halftime-show-decision-that-encourages-division/
— How voters fleeing California turn other states blue. DD: Democrats fleeing the Democrat Chicago and Democrat Cook County turned DuPage County blue.
https://nypost.com/2026/02/09/opinion/how-california-refugees-turn-other-states-blue/
FEDERALIST
— If SCOTUS Bans Illegals From The Census, Dems Could Lose Power For Years
https://thefederalist.com/2026/02/09/if-scotus-bans-illegals-from-the-census-dems-could-lose-power-for-years/
FOX NEWS
— Trump administration pushes back on CBS claim very few arrested illegal aliens have ‘violent criminal records.’ DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said CBS’ report was an inaccurate reading of the numbers, pointing out that the article downplayed several serious crimes.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/trump-administration-pushes-back-cbs-claim-very-few-arrested-illegal-aliens-have-violent-criminal-records
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly fight deportation of their illegals.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-arrests-violent-criminal-records-trump-first-year/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Immigration Raids in South Texas Are Starting to Hit the Economy. Trade groups are raising alarms about aggressive immigration enforcement hurting businesses in the region. DD: All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have. They wanted cheap labor.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/texas-immigration-raids-economy-87e23e2e
FLORIDIAN PRESS
— Oberweis Donation to Hillary Clinton
https://floridianpress.com/2026/02/james-oberweis-donation-to-hillary-clinton-had-brush-with-illegal-immigration/
February 9, 2026
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— US Olympians speaking up about politics at home face online backlash – including from Trump
https://abc7chicago.com/post/winter-olympics-2026-hunter-hess-chris-lillis-amber-glen-get-backlash-politics-speak-donald-trump-posts-truth-social/18568048/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— US Olympians speaking up about politics at home face online backlash – including from Trump
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/08/us-olympians-politics-at-home/
— DD: The mainstream news media exists to destroy Trump.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/07/cascos-y-placas-falsas-reportes-sobre-tcticas-del-ice-aumentan-el-miedo-en-minnesota/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: The mainstream news media exists to destroy Trump.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2026/02/09/donald-trump-propaganda-deed-video-violence-renee-macklin-good-alex-pretti-janette-defelice
https://chicago.suntimes.com/public-safety/2026/02/06/how-can-chicagos-top-prosecutor-hold-ice-accountable
— Chicago Tribune owner Alden wants to acquire publisher of northwest suburban Daily Herald. In a full-page ad in Sunday’s Tribune, Alden Global Capital said it could pay 30% more than others for employee-owned Paddock Publications and offer employees better terms. Crystal Lake-based Shaw Media could be another bidder.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/business/2026/02/08/chicago-tribune-alden-global-paddock-daily-herald-shaw-media-newspapers
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— US Olympians speaking up about politics at home face online backlash – including from Trump
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/nation-world/us-olympians-speaking-up-about-politics-at-home-face-online-backlash-including-from-trump/article_4aa8a33a-6fe1-5993-afe0-58386766e6c5.html
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly fight deportation of their illegals.
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/nation-world/appeals-court-affirms-trump-policy-of-jailing-immigrants-without-bond/article_26a5affa-996d-53ce-afdd-f3b14ee16077.html
SHAW LOCAL
— 2026 Election Questionnaire: Don Tracy, United States Senate
https://www.shawlocal.com/news/2026/02/08/2026-election-questionnaire-don-tracy-united-states-senate/
NPR ILLINOIS
— Trump administration lauds plastic surgeons’ statement on trans surgery for minors
https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-02-08/trump-administration-lauds-plastic-surgeons-statement-on-trans-surgery-for-minors
— DD: All elections should have both Republican and Democrat oversight.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-02-07/what-does-it-mean-when-the-president-calls-to-nationalize-the-voting
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning roundup
https://capitolfax.com/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— In your county, in your township, in your municipality, in your school district, and in your precinct, how successful have Democrat leaders been blaming Republicans for all problems that those who are the following have: liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, veteran, non-married, non-rich, non-citizen, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time? Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
BREAKTHROUGH IDEAS
— Articles DD: Hopefully, Breakthrough Ideas will start posing its outstanding newsletters on its website. All my 10,000+ GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters since 2016 are posted at www.gopillinois.com . Since 2004, my newsletters have included links to 534,000+ articles. I have sent out my newsletters since 2000.
https://www.breakthrough-ideas.com/read
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Thank our schools and churches for the Minneapolis madness. They’ve taught and preached divisive, apologist swill for decades.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/8/thank-schools-churches-minneapolis-madness/
— DOJ reaches legal settlement declaring Biden’s border ‘parole’ to be unlawful. Deal would prevent future use of ‘parole’ for immigrants caught at the border, then released.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/8/doj-reaches-legal-settlement-declaring-bidens-border-parole-unlawful/
— No Noem or no deal: Democrats vow to oppose any funding bill if Noem remains in charge. DD: Democrats run the federal government. GAO works for Congress. When I was 49 years old in 1997, my Democrat GAO superiors talked and acted like Democrat politicians would fire them if they did not force me to retire. I should write about a) Democrat Durbin and Braun who were the U.S. Senators in 1997 and b) Democrat Rush, Jackson, Gutierrez, Blagojevich, Davis, and Yates who were U.S. Congressmen who represented Chicago in 1997. Hyde was my Congressman. My Democrat GAO superiors replaced me with my Democrat Black Chicagoan subordinate a) who had less work experience than I had, b) had less education than I had, c) had one professional certification while I had six, and d) had no professional license like the one I had. Federal employees who are Republican have no Civil Service protections and especially those who are White, male, older, non-veteran, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time like me.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/8/no-noem-no-deal-remains-charge-dhs-democrats-vow-oppose-funding-bill/
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Democrats reject woke rebrand in favor of message to ‘fight’ for progressive ideals
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/4448272/democrats-reject-anti-woke-rebrand-favor-message-fight-progressive-ideals/
NEW YORK POST
— Trump slams Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show: ‘An affront to the Greatness of America.’ DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://nypost.com/2026/02/08/us-news/trump-slams-bad-bunnys-super-bowl-halftime-show/
— Trump slams ‘loser’ Olympian Hunter Hess over ‘mixed emotions’ representing US.
https://nypost.com/2026/02/08/sports/trump-slams-loser-olympian-hunter-hess-over-mixed-emotions-representing-us/
— Democrat leaders may go too far for their illegals
https://nypost.com/2026/02/08/opinion/dems-may-go-too-far-for-illegals-the-eus-digital-service-despots-and-other-commentary/
— Democrats’ ICE hysteria hides their deepest midterm fears
https://nypost.com/2026/02/08/opinion/democrats-ice-hysteria-hides-their-deepest-midterm-fears/
— California’s K-12 schools have been put on notice that indoctrinating children in extremist left wing ideology will lead to federal funding cuts.
https://nypost.com/2026/02/08/us-news/california-public-schools-indoctrinating-kids-with-leftist-ideology-could-lose-funding/
— Med schools’ racial preferences degrade all doctors
https://nypost.com/2026/02/08/opinion/the-death-of-dei-med-schools-racial-preferences-degrade-all-doctors/
AMERICAN THINKER
— The second American Civil War. We have been in a state of civil war for years; all it has lacked is a formal declaration. DD: Democrat leaders have declared a Second Civil War against Republicans. Their illegals are their soldiers in their Democrat Army.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/the_second_american_civil_war.html
— So You Wanna Be a Democrat? As a public service, then, let me educate potential Democrats on what will be necessary for them to fit in with their fellow donkeys. DD: To vote for Democrats is to be anti-conservative, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-non-poor people, anti-Protestant, anti-German American, and anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/02/so_you_wanna_be_a_democrat.html
— What would America have looked like had Trump not won? Spain. Right now. The terrifying specter of what’s happening to Spain should tell everyone that, as Obama once said, “elections have consequences.”
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/what_would_america_have_looked_like_had_trump_not_won_spain_right_now.html
— Peaceful Protesters, or Fifth Column Insurrectionists? A sobering analysis of Chinese ties to progressive politicians.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/02/peaceful_protesters_or_fifth_column_insurrectionists.html
— Disrupting church isn’t journalism. There is no right to protest on private property, nor to be present there, journalist or not. DD: How successful have Democrats been taking over your church?
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/disrupting_church_isn_t_journalism.html
— Interpreting the leftist noise about illegal alien deportations. One of the most important things we must understand is that, while there’s always a kernel of truth in leftist narratives, the direction is invariably toward indoctrination.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/interpreting_the_leftist_noise_about_illegal_alien_deportations.html
— New York in a Mamdani state of mind. New York’s mayor calls for looking to Islam for guidance as New York’s trash and snow pile high.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/new_york_in_a_mamdani_state_of_mind.html
— Keep the monkey and Hitler out of our politics. Politics in a civil society works when people focus on issues, not name-calling.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/keep_the_monkey_and_hitler_out_of_our_politics.html
BLAZE
— Mamdani cites the Quran and quotes Muhammed while announcing order to protect illegal aliens from ICE
https://www.theblaze.com/news/mamdani-cites-the-quran-and-quotes-muhammed-while-announcing-order-to-protect-illegal-aliens-from-ice
BREITBART
— Turning Point USA’s All-American Halftime Show Wins the Super Bowl. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/02/08/charlie-spikes-the-ball-turning-point-usas-all-american-halftime-show-wins-the-super-bowl/
— Sports fans lament the left-wing political activism in this year’s NFL Super Bowl LX Sunday game, and especially from its halftime show star Bad Bunny, who has a long history of leftist activism. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/02/08/from-backing-blm-and-kamala-to-bashing-ice-super-bowl-60-star-bad-bunnys-history-of-left-wing-activist-fk-trump/amp/
CENTER SQUARE
— Majority prefer Trump’s immigration policies over Biden’s. DD: How successful was Biden filling your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct with his illegals?
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_11e240e1-37bc-40fe-ab3e-94b290a1785d.html
CITY JOURNAL
— Want to Reduce Poverty? Teach the “Success Sequence.” Any serious attempt to tackle the problem must address not just economics but culture. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage. What helped you become marriage material? By the time I got married when I was 29 in 1978, I had worked for IRS for almost 7 years and my salary was $110,066/year in today’s dollars. I had earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976 and I was taking graduate evening accounting courses at DePaul. I lived in a one bedroom condo in the Outer Drive East building that I had bought in 1976. I was renting out a town home in University Park that I had bought new in 1972. I owned a 1972 Corvette that I had bought new in 1971. Things that impressed me about my outstanding wife included that her first job after high school was working for the FBI. She soon became the Corporate Secretary for the U.S. League of Savings Institutions. She did much to help elect Big Jim Thompson governor in 1976. She earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from DePaul in 1986.
https://www.city-journal.org/article/poverty-success-sequence-school-employment-marriage
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Success Sequence. Social scientists have long observed a simple, three-step behavioral pattern that dramatically lowers the risk of poverty: graduate from high school, secure full-time employment, and marry before having children. This pattern, known as the success sequence, is not a guarantee of success. But the numbers are striking. Ninety-seven percent of Americans who follow all three steps avoid poverty by age 30. Encouragingly, this idea enjoys broad support; a majority of both Democratic and Republican parents believe the success sequence should be taught in public schools. Cultural Norms and Elite Messaging. The success sequence is widely followed by affluent professionals—but rarely endorsed publicly. Many elites fear that endorsing these norms will seem moralizing or judgmental. But their silence sends mixed signals. When those at the top quietly follow a set of rules while refusing to articulate them, it creates confusion—especially for young people without strong role models, who rely more heavily on cultural cues to guide their decisions. Family Structure and Stability. In 1960, nearly all American children, regardless of income, lived with their married biological parents. Among high-income families today, that figure remains above 80 percent today. But for families in the bottom income quintile, the number has dropped to just 30 percent. This divergence matters. Research consistently shows that marriage boosts upward mobility, even when controlling for education and income. For example, a child born to a married mother with only a high school diploma is three times more likely to graduate from college than a child born to an unmarried mother with the same level of education. The Importance of School Discipline. Academic success also depends on order in the classroom. Even the best teachers struggle in environments filled with disruption. Recent efforts to reform school discipline, especially those aimed at reducing racial disparities in suspensions, have often had unintended consequences. In many districts, disorder has increased, teachers have left the profession, and student achievement has declined. Students cannot learn when chaos reigns. Schools must have the authority to enforce clear behavioral standards to create environments where learning can happen. A Cultural Foundation for Upward Mobility. Policymakers often look for quick, measurable solutions to complex problems. But the most powerful interventions work over the long term. If we want to confront poverty in a meaningful way, we must reinforce the social and cultural foundations that support stability: strong families, clear norms, disciplined schools, and a culture that values responsibility. These ideas are not novel—but they are neglected. The roots of poverty are not just economic; they are cultural, too. Any serious attempt to reduce poverty must be willing to address both aspects of the problem.)
COLLEGE FIX
— A University of Minnesota education professor ran an “ICE drill” in class which included having selected students “shield” peers who might be targeted by the agency. DD: Schools in Minnesota today, schools in your school district tomorrow, if not already.
https://www.thecollegefix.com/umn-professor-allegedly-conducted-ice-drill-in-class-had-students-shield-targeted-peers-report/
DAILY SIGNAL
— Conservative Media at a Crossroads
https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/02/08/conservative-media-at-a-crossroads-daily-signals-rob-bluey-on-press-freedom-trust-and-future-of-journalism/
— Pollsters Don’t Ask If Anti-ICE Activists Have ‘Gone Too Far’
https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/02/08/pollsters-dont-ask-if-anti-ice-activists-have-gone-too-far/amp/
FEDERALIST
— It’s Time For Trump To Win The West’s Civil War. DD: Democrat leaders have declared a Second Civil War against Republicans. Their illegals are their soldiers in their Democrat Army.
https://thefederalist.com/2026/02/06/its-time-for-trump-to-win-the-wests-civil-war/
FOX NEWS
— Turning Point USA’s patriotic Super Bowl alternative earns praise as millions tune in over Bad Bunny. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/turning-point-usas-patriotic-super-bowl-alternative-earns-praise-millions-tune-over-bad-bunny.amp
— American Olympian taking social media breather over ‘hate’ after Trump criticism.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/american-olympian-taking-social-media-breather-over-hate-after-trump-criticism
— Mamdani expands sanctuary laws, defends alleged cop-attacker.
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6388973301112
— Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show ignites Trump’s fury, divides viewers. Many viewers were frustrated that almost none of the show was in English. DD: Anticipate/expect that ever-increasingly, Democrat leaders will force everyone to speak, read, and write Spanish.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/bad-bunnys-super-bowl-halftime-show-ignites-trumps-fury-divides-viewers?lid=gxbe53lgujd2
LEGAL INSURRECTION
— Non-Whites Can “Take Over This Country.” DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly unite those who are the following to destroy America: non-White, non-citizen, non-Republican, liberal/moderate, female, younger, non-rich, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time.
https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/02/resurfaced-remarks-show-texas-lawmaker-pushing-racial-power-politics/
NUMBERS USA
— The Worst of the ICE Reform Demands
https://www.numbersusa.com/blog/the-worst-of-the-ice-reform-demands/
POST MILLENNIAL
— DHS demands California honor ICE detainers for illegal immigrant criminals
https://thepostmillennial.com/dhs-demands-california-honor-ice-detainers-for-illegal-immigrant-criminals
TOWNHALL
— No Sanctuary in the Sanctuary. DD: Illinois is a lot like Minnesota.
https://townhall.com/columnists/jerrynewcombe/2026/02/08/no-sanctuary-in-the-sanctuary-n2670689
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Minnesota is a Sanctuary State, meaning that illegal aliens can flaunt our immigration laws, even though every nation has to have borders to remain a nation. But as we all know, there was no sanctuary for those in the sanctuary of Cities Church in St. Paul a couple of weeks ago. Just last week, Don Lemon—a former CNN anchor who was present during the sanctuary riot—was re-arrested for his role in the chaos that erupted when belligerent protesters commandeered a Sunday morning worship service. Lemon claims he was just acting as an impartial journalist at the scene. Fox News reports, “Lemon, who was released without bail Friday, says he was acting as a journalist, while prosecutors allege he coordinated with activists who disrupted services at Cities Church.” Lemon went on to quote Jesus in his defense (“The truth shall set you free.”)
— Foreign-Born Ohio Lawmaker Pushes ‘Sensitive Locations’ Bill to Limit ICE Enforcement
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/scott-mcclallen/2026/02/08/foreign-born-ohio-lawmaker-pushes-sensitive-locations-bill-to-limit-ice-enforcement-n2670936
— Texas Democrat Goes Viral After Pitting Whites Against Minorities
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/josephchalfant/2026/02/08/texas-democrat-goes-viral-after-pitting-whites-against-minorities-n2670938
WESTERN JOURNAL
— Affirmative Action Quotas in Question as Female, Minority Pilots Caused Half of Pilot-Error Crashes. DD: All during the almost 30 years that I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government, they had to meet race and/or gender quotas, goals, and targets to promote their employees who were minority and/or female, that is, they had to discriminate against their employees who were White and/or male. They especially discriminated against their employees who were White and/or male and who were Republican, older, non-veteran, German American, and/or had ancestors who had been in America for a long time. To meet their quotas, goals, and targets, they ever-increasingly lowered standards. That ever-increasingly rendered worthless my three job-related master’s degrees, my six job-related professional certifications, and my job-related professional license.
https://www.westernjournal.com/affirmative-action-quotas-question-female-minority-pilots-caused-half-pilot-error-crashes/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
MSN
— Millions of Super Bowl fans tune into Turning Point USA’s halftime show instead of Bad Bunny. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/tv/millions-of-super-bowl-fans-tune-into-turning-point-usa-s-halftime-show-instead-of-bad-bunny/ar-AA1VWHCy
YAHOO
— Turning Point USA’s alternative Super Bowl halftime show draws millions. What happened. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/turning-point-usas-alternative-super-022229919.html
AOL
— Kid Rock’s Alternative Super Bowl Show By Turning Point USA Sparks Backlash Online. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.aol.com/articles/kid-rock-alternative-super-bowl-064438036.html
YAHOO
— Donald Trump called Bad Bunny ‘terrible,’ but still watched it over Erika Kirk’s Turning Point show. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/donald-trump-called-bad-bunny-080000264.html
CBS NEWS
— Trump lashes out at Team USA athlete for sharing thoughts on political situation at home.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-lashes-out-hunter-hess-milano-cortina-winter-games/
NEW YORK TIMES
— Turning Point USA’s All-American Halftime Show draws 6.1M concurrent viewers on YouTube. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7031946/2026/02/08/turning-point-usa-halftime-show-pete-hegseth/
— DD: I have been the Illinois reporter for GOPUSA since 2000. Democrat leaders stand up for reporter Georgia Fort. According to Google AI, she is “a Twin Cities-based independent, three-time Emmy-winning journalist and founder of BLCK Press, focusing on racial justice, policing, and community stories. She previously worked for WTVM, KBJR, and covered the George Floyd murder trial.” Republican and conservative leaders in Illinois, DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton have rarely stood up for me. In fact, many of them have taken many big adverse actions against me since 2000.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/opinion/minnesota-protest-arrested-press-journalism.html
— Demanding Support for Trump, Justice Dept. Struggles to Recruit Prosecutors. Some offices are so decimated that the Justice Department has sent in military lawyers. More recently, officials asked for volunteers from other offices who can quickly deploy to places in desperate need. DD: The Democrats who ran the Post Office in 1966, IRS in 1971, and GAO in 1980 hired me because they could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, younger person, or veteran who would take the job. Since then, to hire Democrats who are minority, female, younger, and/or veteran, they have lowered standards.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/us/politics/doj-prosecutors-recruiting-trump.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Democrat leaders say “Trump Finds A Rare Need To Pull Back.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/us/politics/trump-social-post-reaction.html
USA TODAY
— Trump vows ‘softer touch’ but forges ahead with ‘mass deportation.’ Immigrant advocates point to the billions of dollars in funding to beef up ICE detention and put thousands more agents on the street.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/07/trump-softer-touch-ice-mass-deportation/88497160007/
— They had enough money to retire. Then the cost of living went up. DD: My retirement and savings are dramatically less because my Democrat superiors in the federal retirement wasted my career and forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2026/02/05/why-older-adults-unretire/88483469007/
NEW YORK TODAY
— NYC Mayor Signs Order to Protect Immigrants from ICE Enforcement. Mamdani’s executive order aims to uphold sanctuary city laws and limit information-sharing with federal immigration authorities. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasing use their illegals to destroy America.
https://nationaltoday.com/us/ny/new-york/news/2026/02/07/nyc-mayor-signs-order-to-protect-immigrants-from-ice-enforcement/
KGW
— Did you miss Turning Point’s ‘All American Halftime Show’? Here’s how to rewatch it. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.kgw.com/article/sports/nfl/superbowl/how-rewatch-turning-point-all-american-halftime-show/507-0a908db4-3408-4245-8cc9-a19ced3d0f10
KLEW
— More than 5 million people watch TPUSA halftime show live on YouTube. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://klewtv.com/news/nation-world/watch-tpusa-halftime-show?teaserSource=trending
WCNC
— Trump slams Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/nfl/superbowl/trump-critiques-bad-bunny-super-bowl-halftime-show/507-5cd226dd-020f-415f-a23f-c161e63d7fdf
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Elderly Lawmakers Won’t Step Aside, Prompting New Debate Over Age Limits. Calls are increasing for mandatory retirement ages for politicians, with Rahm Emanuel proposing 75 for federal officeholders. DD: How old are you? I am 77. I have been fighting age discrimination since I was 25 in 1974 when my Democrat IRS superiors used up-or-out to deem me to be too old to be promoted to GS-13. I finally succeeded in getting promoted to GS-13 by GAO when I was 38 in 1986 after a) I earned an MBA when I was 27, b) passed the CPA examination on my first attempt when I was 30, c) transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31, d) earned a master’s degree in accounting when I was 31, e) passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt when I was 32, and f) became a licensed CPA when I was 32. I never would have made GS-13 if the GAO manager who had arranged my transfer a) had not gotten back into power when I was 37, b) had not assigned to audits of IRS when I was 37, c) had not promoted me to GS-13 when I was 38. Because he did that, my Democrat GAO superiors forced him to retire when I was 39.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/politician-age-limits-debate-ef33b504
(FROM THE ARTICLE: An aging political class in Washington is prompting fresh calls for forcing older officeholders to step aside in favor of younger faces. Working well past retirement age is an area of rare bipartisan agreement in Washington. President Trump will turn 80 this year, and Joe Biden left office at age 82, both breaking Ronald Reagan-era records for age in office. In Congress, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) is 92 years old, while Rep. Maxine Waters (D., Calif.) is 87. It isn’t unusual for members to die on the job, as three did in 2025 alone. Rahm Emanuel, a 66-year-old Democrat and Washington veteran, recently called for a mandatory retirement age of 75 for presidents, cabinet officials, members of Congress and federal judges. The former congressman, White House chief of staff and Chicago mayor said that should also apply to him, should he ever return to a major Washington job. “Washington needs a good power washing,” Emanuel, who is exploring a possible 2028 presidential bid, said in an interview. Trump is showing signs of aging in public and private, The Wall Street Journal has reported. He has struggled to keep his eyes open during several televised events, and some people close to him have said he at times strains to hear. (Trump denied having a hearing problem and said he closes his eyes for relaxation.) Biden’s age-related collapse in 2024 damaged the Democratic Party in ways it is still working to repair.)
— Why Unemployment is Rising Among Young College Grads. Their skills, experience and ability to function are increasingly out of step with employers’ needs. DD: To waste my career and to get rid of me, my Democrat Post Office, IRS, and GAO superiors ever-increasingly outrageously, disgustingly, and unethically hinted/implied/argued/shouted that what I learned earning a) a job related bachelor’s degree, b) three job-related master’s degrees, c) six job-related professional certifications, and d) a job-related professional license a) was not related to my job duties, b) did not maintain or improve my job skills, c) was acquired by me to get a job in the private sector, d) qualified me for a new trade or business, and/or e) was a distraction. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, minority, female. and/or veteran.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/why-unemployment-is-rising-among-young-college-grads-42d037da
— Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? It turns out the way to become wealthy is to refrain from living as if you’re rich. DD: Ever since my wife and I got married in 1978, we tried to live on just one of our salaries. My salary ended abruptly in 1997, but my pension is 44% of what it was..
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-554fa8ee
— Brazil Criminalizes Transgender Dissent. A feminist could go to prison for asserting that a male can’t become a female.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/brazil-criminalizes-transgender-dissent-69ae7917
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: How a $30 Billion Welfare Program Became a ‘Slush Fund’ for States. Republicans and Democrats alike decry the lack of oversight for America’s famous antipoverty experiment. ‘Fraud by design.’
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/how-a-30-billion-welfare-program-became-a-slush-fund-for-states-c39b8311
LA PROGRESSIVE
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly blame Republicans for all problems that not only minorities have, but for all problems that those who are female, younger, LGBTQ, veteran, non-married, non-rich, non-citizen, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time.
https://www.laprogressive.com/economic-equality/why-the-racial-wealth-gap-funds-white-supremacy
VANITY FAIR
— Democrat leaders say “As Bad Bunny Slayed the Super Bowl, Turning Point USA Staged Its Own Weird Little Event. The counterprogramming to the half time show was predictably xenophobic, but (perhaps) surprisingly low-quality and poorly attended.” DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/turning-point-usa-all-american-halftime-show-review
INSIDE HIGHER EDUCATION
— N.C. State Fires LGBTQ Pride Employee in Undercover Video. DD: When I was 49 in 1997, if I had recorded what my Democrat GAO superiors told me they would do to me if I did take their early retirement “offer,” I would have won Diersen v. GAO. SEE: https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf They said they would a) assign me to work for my subordinates, that is, that they would constructively demote me and/or b) throw me out of their group that audited federal financial regulators. I had worked in that group for 8 years. Because they had assigned to that group in 1990, I had taken 14 graduate evening finance courses at IIT starting in 1992 and I had earned a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997. In addition, I had become a certified fraud examiner in 1990, government financial manager in 1994, financial services auditor in 1996, and forensic accountant in 1997. Previously, I had earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976, passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, earned a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981, and became a licensed CPA in 1981. They made it clear they would ever-increasingly give me bad job assignments, assign me to supervise their most problematic employees, give me unfair performance expectations, give me unfair performance appraisals, and always rank me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2026/02/09/nc-state-fires-secretly-recorded-lgbtq-pride-employee
SALON
— DD: Democrats fought for slavery in the Civil War. Today’s Democrat leaders ever-increasingly paint today’s Republicans as being yesterday’s Democrats, that is, they ever-increasingly hint/imply that Republicans were the Confederates in the Civil War and that Democrats were the Union Army in the Civil War. Yesterday’s Democrats fought for slavery. Today’s Democrats fight for Affirmative Action and for DEI, that is, they fight for race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination. Democrat leaders have declared a Second Civil War against Republicans. Their illegals are their soldiers in their Democrat Army.
https://www.salon.com/2026/02/08/magas-war-on-woke-has-a-long-history-like-400-years/
FROM FOREIGN SOURCES
HINDUSTAN TIMES
— Laura Loomer threatens ICE raid on Bad Bunny Super Bowl performance over foreign flags; ‘nothing American about this.’ Loomer threatened that somebody should ‘call in an ICE raid’ during the Bad Bunny Super Bowl performance. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/laura-loomer-threatens-ice-raid-on-bad-bunny-super-bowl-performance-over-foreign-flags-nothing-american-about-this-101770602486657.html
EWTN NEWS
— Professor calls student ‘fascist bastard,’ stops speech in favor of traditional marriage. A lawsuit has been filed against officials of the Los Angeles Community College District after a professor censored and threatened to expel a student for his speech about marriage and his Christian faith in a public speaking class. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage. What helped you become marriage material? By the time I got married when I was 29 in 1978, I had worked for IRS for almost 7 years and my salary was $110,066/year in today’s dollars. I had earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976 and I was taking graduate evening accounting courses at DePaul. I lived in a one bedroom condo in the Outer Drive East building that I had bought in 1976. I was renting out a town home in University Park that I had bought new in 1972. I owned a 1972 Corvette that I had bought new in 1971. Things that impressed me about my outstanding wife included that her first job after high school was working for the FBI. She soon became the Corporate Secretary for the U.S. League of Savings Institutions. She did much to help elect Big Jim Thompson governor in 1976. She earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from DePaul in 1986.
https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/professor-calls-student-fascist-bastard-stops-speech-in-favor-of-traditional-marriage
INDEPENDENT
— Trump slams ‘absolutely terrible’ Bad Bunny halftime show: ‘Slap in the face to our country.’ Rant comes as Turning Point USA’s ‘All-American’ Super Bowl halftime show garnered just four million viewers. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-bad-bunny-halftime-show-response-b2916397.html
— Trump silent on Kid Rock’s MAGA alternative despite Democrats’ taunts. MAGA-friendly Super Bowl alternative to Bad Bunny featured Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert and more.
https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/turning-point-halftime-show-kid-rock-b2916233.html
— Alternative Super Bowl halftime show features Charlie Kirk tribute. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/culture/super-bowl-turning-point-charlie-kirk-b2916458.html
U.S. SUN
— Erika Kirk breaks silence on Turning Point USA Super Bowl halftime show after failing to show at event honoring Charlie. The late Charlie Kirk’s wife took to social media after the show honoring the Turning Point USA founder. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15911091/erika-kirk-super-bowl-turning-point/
— Turning Point USA confirms last-minute BAN on streaming its rival Super Bowl halftime show on X. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15910201/turning-point-super-bowl-all-american-halftime-show/
— Turning Point USA legend Charlie Kirk sends gutwrenching messages from beyond the grave at rival halftime show. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15910692/charlie-kirk-sends-messages-beyond-grave-rival-halftime-show/
— Nearly 5 MILLION tune in to Turning Point USA’s Super Bowl rival halftime show as fans switch off Bad Bunny. DD: My critics/opponents watched Bad Bunny. My supporters watched the Turning Point USA show.
https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15910450/turning-point-usa-halftime-show-bad-bunny/