Tag: age

January 5 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Downstate governor candidate blames lack of attention on his ‘middle-class’ status – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bob-daiber-illinois-governor-20180105-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Pot pushers say “Pot cures town’s economic ills.”
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20180105/281895888630617
— AS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY’S STRANGLEHOLD ON AMERICA TIGHTENS: 1 in 10 youths has been homeless over the past year, survey finds – Moriah Balingit (DIERSEN: Democrats promote homelessness because they promote a) the breakdown of the traditional family, b) dependency on government, c) dependency on charity, d) LGBTQ activity, e) abortion, f) mass/illegal immigration, g) booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, and h) even worse things.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-homeless-youths-survey-20171231-story.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Questions about Trump’s mental, physical health brewing.” Have the Democrats succeeded in forcing you out? In 1997, my Democrat GAO superiors succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer.” In 1969, my Democrat Post Office superiors succeeded in forcing me to resign.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/sweet-questions-about-trumps-mental-physical-health-brewing/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Democrats in the meantime are trying to figure out a way to invoke the 25th Amendment for the first time — that’s the one where a president can be removed from office if he can’t discharge his duties because of a physical or mental condition. My take on the question of what the public will learn about Trump’s Jan. 12 physical exam is . . . Trump, 71, who does not exercise and is not careful about what he eats, wants the nation to know his body mass index about as much as he wants to release his tax returns. Barack Obama and other presidents have allowed their doctors to provide a detailed medical report. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has pledged a “readout.” Obama’s March 8, 2016, physical, besides the body mass index, disclosed his weight, resting heart rate, pulse and the results of pulmonary, cardiac, gastrointestinal and other tests and studies. In addition there were lab results for cholesterol, fasting blood glucose tests and the list of medications being taken. Obama got good grades for a healthy diet and consistent exercise. You may recall that in December 2015, Trump’s personal physician, Harold Bornstein, declared that Trump “will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.” We’ll see. There are other reasons besides the Wolff book to wonder about Trump’s mental competence. How about that risky and innuendo-laced Tweet on Tuesday night taunting North Korea leader Kim Jong Un over whose nuclear button is bigger? Or Trump’s compulsion to disregard facts, even when he has been proven wrong? Or his insistence that everything he does is bigger and better than every president before him? Republicans feel they have to be circumspect about Trump’s behavior. But Trump’s erratic moves energizes Democrats who are itching to invoke Section 4 of the 25th Amendment to force Trump out of the White House. Now this is not impeachment. This is about using the 25th Amendment for the first time to remove a president from office for a physical or mental incapacity. Section 4 says when the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet members or Congress find “that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.”)
— Regular folks have no real chance of making a difference in elections – Donald Nauyokas, Brighton Park (DIERSEN: By their blaming me for all the defeats that Republicans have suffered in Illinois since 2000, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes hint/imply/argue/shout that I am more than just a “regular folk.”)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/regular-folks-make-difference-elections-letters/

 

DAILY HERALD
— Mount Prospect gives manager 5 percent raise, $20,000 bonus – Steve Zalusky
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180104/mount-prospect-gives-manager-5-percent-raise-20000-bonus

 

WTTW
— Bannon Slams Trump: Republicans (Matt Murphy and Jennifer Nevins) React to Claims of West Wing Chaos – Eddie Arruza
http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2018/01/04/bannon-slams-trump-republicans-react-claims-west-wing-chaos

 

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Kennedy keeps firing at bosses – Editorial
http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2018-01-05/kennedy-keeps-firing-bosses.html

 

FOX ILLINOIS
— AS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY’S STRANGLEHOLD ON ILLINOIS TIGHTENS: Sangamon County’s population declines by 2,500 in five years – Rachel Droze
http://foxillinois.com/news/local/sangamon-countys-population-declines-by-2500-in-five-years#new_tab

 

WBEZ
— Illinois First Lady To Join Rauner At Vets’ Home With Legionnaires’ History – Tony Arnold, Mariah Woelfel
https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/illinois-first-lady-to-join-rauner-at-vets-home-with-legionnaires-history/a3516b7e-77f1-4195-ad43-cec739d83ecd

 

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Rauner Polls – Cal Skinner
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/01/04/rauner-polls/

 

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Illinois legislators react to possible DOJ move on marijuana prohibition – Greg Bishop
https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/illinois-legislators-react-to-possible-doj-move-on-marijuana-prohibition/article_006ed280-f17c-11e7-88eb-ff866e2039c8.html

 

GOPUSA
— OUTSTANDING: ICE leader says sanctuary city politicians should be arrested
http://www.gopusa.com/ice-leader-says-sanctuary-city-politicians-should-be-arrested/
— Planned Parenthood enters transgender market
http://www.gopusa.com/planned-parenthood-enters-transgender-market/

 

WORLD NET DAILY
— ANTI-INVASION GROUP HITS TWITTER WITH CIVIL-RIGHTS COMPLAINT Immigration PAC blocked for issuing statement about DACA legislation – ALICIA POWE (DIERSEN: Who wants to block you from doing what? My critics/opponents want to block me from a) sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails, b) knowing about their events and other activities, b) promoting their events and other activities, c) attending their events, and d) reporting on their events and other activities.)
http://www.wnd.com/2018/01/twitter-being-hit-with-civil-rights-complaint/

 

INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY
— America Is Migrating To Trump States – MICHAEL BARONE
https://www.investors.com/politics/columnists/america-is-migrating-to-trump-states/

 

THE HILL
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “New scrutiny for Trump’s mental fitness after book, tweets.” Democrats always hint/imply/argue/shout that Republicans are not mentally fit.
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/367512-book-tweets-prompt-new-scrutiny-for-trumps-mental-fitness

 

POLITICO
— Journalists scrutinize Michael Wolff’s credibility ‘Fire and Fury’ author to appear on ‘Today’ while other reporters criticize — and defend — his reporting. – MICHAEL CALDERONE (DIERSEN: Democrats and Democrat plants, Libertarians and Libertarian plants, and Greens and Green plants criticize my credibility and my reporting. Republicans defend my credibility and my reporting.)
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/04/michael-wolff-fire-fury-credibility-325399

 

CNN
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “Trump’s bully bluster works better from Trump Tower than the White House.”
http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/04/opinions/trumps-bully-bluster-works-better-from-trump-tower-than-the-white-house-opinion-callan/index.html

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— Can States Fix the G.O.P. Tax Law? – Editorial (DIERSEN: For example, will states cap real estate tax bills at say $7,000/year and cap state income tax at say $3,000/year?)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/03/opinion/states-fix-gop-tax.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “The Bogus Voter-Fraud Commission Is Dead, but the Myths Aren’t.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/opinion/voter-fraud-commission.html
— California Defiant in Face of Federal Move to Get Tough on Marijuana – Thomas Fuller (DIERSEN: How soon will California leave the United States and join up with Mexico? Constructively, Mexico has declared war on the United States.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/us/california-defiant-in-face-of-federal-move-to-get-tough-on-marijuana.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— If 2017 posed problems for feds, 2018 could be worse with attacks on pay, benefits – Joe Davidson (DIERSEN: I was a federal employee for almost 30 years and I have been a federal retiree for more than 20 years. Who hates you? Overwhelmingly, a) past, present, and future federal employees and retirees hate me because I have always been a Republican and b) those who hate past, present, and future federal employees and retirees hate me because I was a federal employee for almost 30 years and I have been a federal retiree for more than 20 years.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/01/05/if-2017-posed-problems-for-feds-2018-could-be-worse-with-attacks-on-pay-benefits/

 

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
— Steve Bannon reportedly loses support of top financial backer Rebekah Mercer – David Boroff (DIERSEN: It would be great if my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes would disclose who their financial backers are. Operatives and dupes who work for my critics/opponents talk and act like they have been promised lots of money, a new home, a new car, a sweetheart job, a sweetheart contract, favorable legislation, and lots more if they succeed in stopping me from sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. In the past, they succeeded in ending my a) TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship, b) Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee membership, c) Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster service, d) Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee membership, e) American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board membership, f) GAO employment, g) etc.)
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/bannon-reportedly-loses-support-top-financial-backer-article-1.3736973

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— OUTSTANDING: Justice Department Rescinds Obama-Era Relaxation of Marijuana Prosecution – Del Quentin Wilber and Dan Frosch
https://www.wsj.com/articles/justice-department-to-rescind-obama-era-relaxation-of-marijuana-prosecution-1515080168
— Trump Administration Seeks $18 Billion Over Decade to Expand Border Wall Expansion would cover about half of the entire southwest border, as described in document sent to senators – Laura Meckler
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-administration-seeks-18-billion-over-decade-to-expand-border-wall-1515148381
— Downside of Automatic 401(k) Savings: More Debt New research finds employees auto-enrolled in retirement plans borrow more than they otherwise would have, offsetting savings – Anne Tergesen (DIERSEN: It should be illegal to say that anyone is rich UNLESS they are debt-free and have at least $1 million in retirement savings or are on track to have that by the time they retire.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/downside-of-automatic-401-k-savings-more-debt-1515148201
— NFL Ratings Fall at Faster Pace Average audience for a game fell 9.7% to 14.9 million, but league says NFL programming still accounted for 33 of top 50 programs on TV in 2017 – Joe Flint
https://www.wsj.com/articles/nfl-ratings-fall-at-faster-pace-1515061801
— Mark Zuckerberg Resolves to ‘Fix’ Facebook in 2018 Chief executive has set annual personal challenge since 2009; in post, says company ‘has made too many errors’ – Deepa Seetharaman
https://www.wsj.com/articles/mark-zuckerberg-resolves-to-fix-facebook-in-2018-1515104645
— ‘The Character Gap’ by Christian B. Miller – Julian Baggini (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes focus on a) destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate, b) promoting LGBTQ activity, c) promoting abortion, d) promoting mass/illegal immigration, e) promoting booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, f) promoting patronage, g) promoting political affiliation discrimination, h) promoting reverse discrimination, i) promoting age discrimination, j) promoting hatred of past, present, and future union members and federal employees, and k) promoting hatred of federal retirees.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/review-good-people-bad-people-and-the-character-gap-1515110640

 

USA TODAY
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: ISIS in our own backyard: Group’s U.S. followers are diverse, in places large and small – Christal Hayes
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/01/04/fight-against-isis-teenager-playing-basketball-fbi-agent-and-couple-their-honeymoon-heres-how-isis-s/953954001/

 

SPECTRUM NEWS
— DREAMERS: ‘WE HAVE DREAMS, WE WANT TO WORK HERE’ – Alex Peterson (DIERSEN: What dreams have you had dashed? In 1969, my dream of continuing to work for the Post Office was dashed when my Democrat Post Office superiors forced me to resign. In 1971, my dream of working for Oldsmobile was dashed when Oldsmobile withdrew its job offer saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. After 1974, my dream of getting promoted to GS-13 was dashed when my Democrat IRS superiors made it clear that they would never do that. In 1980, my dream of GAO offering me a promotion to GS-13 to transfer to GAO was dashed when my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to take a $19,203 pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO. During 1980-1985 and 1989-1997, my dream of being assigned to audits of IRS was dashed when my Democrat GAO superiors refused to do that. After 1986, my dream of getting promoted to GS-14 was dashed when my Democrat GAO superiors made it clear that they would never do that. In 1997, my dream of continuing to work for GAO was dashed when my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to take their early retirement “offer.”)

http://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2018/01/05/dreamers-hold-rally-in-uptown-charlotte

 

GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE
— Democrats Challenge Proposed Citizenship Question on 2020 Census – Charles S. Clark (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrats encourage people to come to America illegally, to stay in America illegally, and to bring others to America illegally.)
http://www.govexec.com/management/2018/01/democrats-challenge-proposed-citizenship-question-2020-census/144972/

January 4 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Rauner calls Republican federal tax overhaul ‘punishing’ to Illinois – Rick Pearson (DIERSEN: Did Rauner prepay his real estate taxes? One could argue that those who are being punished by the federal tax overhaul are homeowners, and especially homeowners who pay more than $10,000 a year in real estate tax and state income tax. One could argue that homeowners who are being punished the most are homeowners who took the trouble to prepay their real estate taxes.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-congress-taxes-20180104-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Late last month, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner gave his take on the Republican D.C. tax overhaul, saying he wished it “did more for the middle class” but praising its corporate tax cuts as “more supportive of businesses.” On Wednesday, though, Rauner called the new federal tax law “punishing,” criticizing a $10,000 cap on deducting state and local taxes. “That’s going to hurt a lot of middle-class families and higher income families and it’s going to push more employers out of the state. That’s going to hurt job creation and that’s going to increase the cost of living for the people of Illinois,” Rauner said in an interview with WJOL 1340-AM in Joliet. The governor also repeated his belief that the state and local tax deduction limit could give a boost to his call for freezing property taxes and rolling back a state income tax hike. “It’s punishing in that regard,” Rauner said of the tax limitation. “That’s why it’s so critical that we get the reforms done that I’ve been advocating.” Rauner said in the interview that he was in Joliet on Wednesday, but the governor’s office listed no events on his public schedule. He has not been out in public since the week before Christmas.)
— Slow growth, low patient count, political uncertainty: The state of medical pot in Illinois – Ally Marotti (DIERSEN: If you promote pot, you promote destruction.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-medical-cannabis-new-year-20180107-story.html
— Job market delivered for Trump in 2017, but 2018 may be tougher
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-trump-us-job-market-20180104-story.html
— Why we can’t stop checking Facebook – Vivek Wadhwa
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-facebook-technology-personal-relationships-mental-health-0104-20180103-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Facebook’s recent acknowledgment that social media may be making its users feel bad in some cases is a significant milestone. So far, the technology industry hardly has talked about the downsides of their products. Now a realization seems to be setting in that perhaps something has gone wrong along the way. Academic research that Facebook cited in a corporate blog post in December documented that when people spend a lot of time passively consuming information they feel worse. For example, reading Facebook posts for even 10 minutes can put people in a bad mood, and clicking or liking too many links and posts can have a negative effect on mental health. Some researchers also believe that reading rosy stories about others leads to negative comparisons about one’s life and that being online too much reduces in-person socializing. Social media may well be making many of us unhappy, jealous and anti-social.)

 

DAILY HERALD
— Elgin mayor blasts councilman for spending $6,000 to attend Harvard program – Elena Ferrarin (DIERSEN: I spent lots of my personal time and my personal money taking job-related courses while I worked for the federal government 1966-1969 and 1971-1997. However, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that the courses that I took a) were not job-related, b) did not help me carry out my job duties, c) were taken by me to get a job in the private sector, and d) were a distraction. To keep their jobs and to get promoted, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates in the federal government focused on getting rid of federal employees who were Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180103/elgin-mayor-blasts-councilman-for-spending-6000-to-attend-harvard-program
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The mayor of Elgin blasted a councilman’s decision to attend a program offered by Harvard University that cost the city $6,015. Councilman Rich Dunne took part in June in the program on senior executives in state and local government by the John F. Kennedy School of Government, which cost $5,700 — plus $315 for airfare — according to information obtained by the Daily Herald. Dunne said he took vacation from his job. “Being a former training manager, I believe in it. I believe in career development and executive development,” he said. Mayor David Kaptain said the city should pay for only employees to attend such programs, not council members. Dunne received approval from City Manager Rick Kozal.” I was pretty upset with Rick and the whole thing at the time, but the horse had already left the barn, so to speak,” Kaptain said. Police Chief Jeff Swoboda participated in the program in 2016, and former City Manager Sean Stegall attended when he was assistant city manager in 2008. “It’s a long-term investment (to pay for employees),” Kaptain said. “It’s not to help somebody’s political career.” Dunne’s tuition came at a 55 percent discount because he’d been placed on a waiting list and was offered a spot three days before the start of the program. The city paid $12,400 tuition for Swoboda, who also was paid his regular city salary. Dunne put Kozal “in a bad spot,” Kaptain said, by making a last-minute request and saying Stegall had promised him he could go in 2017. Kozal didn’t respond to a request for comment. Dunne said the mayor never told him he had any objections.)
— Trump’s cease-and-desist letter to Bannon sounds tough. Is it? – Samantha Schmidt (DIERSEN: Since 2000, my critics/opponents have wanted me to cease-and-desist from sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails, and failing that, they have wanted me to cease-and-desist a) from including links in the emails to articles that they do not like and b) from including my comments in the emails that they do not like. They blame me for all of their problems, for all of your problems, for all of my problems, and for all of everyone’s problems. They blame me for all defeats that Republicans have suffered in Illinois since 2000.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180104/trumps-cease-and-desist-letter-to-bannon-sounds-tough-is-it

 

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Davis says Trump, Republicans still big in 13th District – Tom Kacich (DIERSEN: How big are Trump and the Republicans in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, in your county board district, in your state house district, in your state senate district, in your congressional district, and in Illinois?)
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2018-01-04/davis-says-trump-republicans-still-big-13th-district.html

 

BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
— 2 men suspected of breaking into video gaming terminals – AP
http://www.bnd.com/news/state/illinois/article192889444.html

 

SAUK VALLEY
— Seniors should have health care options available at home Guest workers, senior citizens would benefit from proposal – Brian Bartoz Morrison (DIERSEN: My 87-year-old aunt is paying $239 a day to live in an assisted living facility. That is $1,673 a week, $7,403 a month, $87,235 a year, and $872,350 a decade.)
http://www.saukvalley.com/2017/12/18/seniors-should-have-health-care-options-available-at-home/aht1l26/

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— The Latest: Trump blasts states resisting vote fraud probe – AP
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/the-latest-trump-blasts-states-resisting-vote-fraud-probe/901809035
— Divided Democrats face liberal backlash on immigration – AP
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/divided-democrats-face-liberal-backlash-on-immigration/901691118

 

NPR ILLINOIS
— As U.S. Retreats From World Stage, China Moves To Fill The Void
http://nprillinois.org/post/journalist-us-retreats-world-stage-china-moves-fill-void#stream/0

 

WBIR
— Trump’s tax cut won’t deliver promised growth. Republicans put politics over permanence. Trump’s ‘get even’ tax cut will fail – Melvyn Krauss
http://www.wbir.com/article/news/nation-now/trumps-tax-cut-wont-deliver-promised-growth-republicans-put-politics-over-permanence/465-b3189891-505b-48f4-99fa-f878af5fe700

 

DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— Khouri says despite exodus, it’s not to late to save the state – Angela Underwood
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511306112-khouri-says-despite-exodus-it-s-not-to-late-to-save-the-state

 

WEST COOK NEWS
— Faced with exodus, it’s time to oust the charlatans, Leef says – Glenn Minnis
https://westcooknews.com/stories/511303225-faced-with-exodus-it-s-time-to-oust-the-charlatans-leef-says

 

WEST CENTRAL REPORTER
— Despite exodus from state, Jonas not giving up hope – Glenn Minnis
https://westcentralreporter.com/stories/511304242-despite-exodus-from-state-jonas-not-giving-up-hope

 

METRO EAST SUN
— Jameson fears flight from Illinois could get worse without major policy changes – Glenn Minnis
https://metroeastsun.com/stories/511300716-jameson-fears-flight-from-illinois-could-get-worse-without-major-policy-changes

 

ILLINOIS LEAKS
— Coles County contracting assessment work violates settled law. – KIRK ALLEN
http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2018/01/coles-county-contracting-assessment-work-violates-settled-law/


ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Mattoon Township businesses see over 100 percent property tax hike in one year – Cole Lauterbach
https://www.ilnews.org/news/statewide/mattoon-township-businesses-see-over-percent-property-tax-hike-in/article_9f6ae1ea-f0bd-11e7-8452-679a5eaeb92f.html
— Repeal of fine for not having health insurance set for 2019 – Greg Bishop
https://www.ilnews.org/news/health/repeal-of-fine-for-not-having-health-insurance-set-for/article_70dc98fc-efe9-11e7-9291-23ed57b46f75.html

 

ILLINOIS FAMILY INSTITUTE
— Anger and the Church – Laurie Higgins (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, “religious leaders” act as operatives or as dupes from the Democrat Party.)
https://illinoisfamily.org/faith/anger-and-the-church-2/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: There are some battles in which all Christians and all who are committed to truth are called to engage: all Christians should have opposed slavery; all Christians should have fought for the civil rights of blacks; all Christians are called to oppose abortion; and we are all called to oppose the rancorous, pernicious demands to affirm the pro-homosexuality/pro-“trans” ideologies. In his book Kingdoms in Conflict, Chuck Colson writes about the failure of the church to oppose the extermination of Jews and the government usurpation of control of the church in Nazi Germany. Immediately following the naming of Hitler as Chancellor of Germany, the persecution of the church began in earnest. In response, a resistance movement sprang up headed by Martin Niemoller and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Initially, they had the support of the dominant Protestant group, the German Evangelical Church, but as the persecution increased, so did the cowardice and concomitant rationalization of cowardice on the parts of most church leaders. In Germany only a remnant, who came to call themselves the Confessing Church, remained standing courageously in the gap for truth.)

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Rauner says he’s focused on one… wait… two statewide campaigns
https://capitolfax.com/2018/01/04/rauner-says-hes-focused-on-one-wait-two-statewide-campaigns/

 

BREITBART
— Kris Kobach: ‘Amnesties Are Always Bad Policy’; ‘Knife in the Back of Trump’s Base’ – ROBERT KRAYCHIK
http://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2018/01/03/kris-kobach-amnesty-always-bad-policy/
— Kris Kobach: DACA Amnesty Will ‘Cause Surge in Illegal Immigration,’ Trump Must ‘Demand E-Verify’ – JOHN BINDER
http://www.breitbart.com/video/2018/01/03/kris-kobach-daca-amnesty-will-cause-surge-illegal-immigration-trump-must-demand-e-verify/
— Nine Reasons Why Democrats’ DACA Amnesty ‘Deadline’ Does Not Exist – NEIL MUNRO
http://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2018/01/03/nine-reasons-why-democrats-daca-deadline-does-not-exist/

 

WEEKLY STANDARD
— What Should Trump Read? – ADAM RUBENSTEIN (DIERSEN: To keep up to date with government and political news and commentary in Illinois, I suggest that Trump read GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails.)
http://www.weeklystandard.com/christina-hoff-sommers-what-should-trump-read/article/2011006

 

THE HILL
— The Memo: Bannon firestorm consumes Washington – NIALL STANAGE
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/367335-the-memo-bannon-firestorm-consumes-washington

 

POLITICO
— ‘It’s a giant present to the tax lobbying community’ K Street lobbyists are banking on years of paydays from the tax overhaul. – THEODORIC MEYER
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/02/tax-overhaul-paydays-for-k-street-261668

 

CNN
— OUTSTANDING: Sessions to rescind Obama-era rules on non-interference with states where pot is legal – Laura Jarrett
http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/04/politics/jeff-sessions-cole-memo/index.html
— Trump’s many staff breakups (and some reconciliations), ranked – Greg Krieg (DIERSEN: In 1971, when I was 22 years old, when I gave him my 2-week notice, my Firestone Stores boss rudely fired me. But then Oldsmobile withdrew it job offer that I had accepted saying that it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. That directly resulted in my accepting a job offer from IRS. Then, my Firestone Stores boss offered me a part-time job which I accepted and held until the end of 1972.)
http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/04/politics/donald-trump-steve-bannon-break-ups/index.html

 

ABC NEWS
— Trump attorney sends Bannon cease and desist letter over ‘disparaging’ comments – JOHN SANTUCCI (DIERSEN: Since 2000, my critics/opponents have wanted me to cease-and-desist from sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails, and failing that, they have wanted me to cease-and-desist a) from including links in the emails to articles that they do not like and b) from including my comments in the emails that they do not like. They blame me for all of their problems, for all of your problems, for all of my problems, and for all of everyone’s problems. They blame me for all defeats that Republicans have suffered in Illinois since 2000.)
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-attorney-sends-bannon-cease-desist-letter-disparaging/story

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— OUTSTANDING: Trump Administration to Move to Weaken Marijuana Legalization Movement – Charlie Savage and Jack Healy
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/us/politics/marijuana-legalization-justice-department-prosecutions.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Challenges in Federal Tax Bill Color Cuomo’s Agenda for 2018 – Jesse McKinley and Vivian Wang
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/03/nyregion/albany-cuomo-state-of-the-state.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In his 90-minute State of the State speech, Mr. Cuomo said the state would challenge the new Republican-led federal tax plan in court — earning a standing ovation from the crowd — and asked the Legislature to restructure the state’s tax code by adding a statewide payroll tax and to counter the effects of the so-called carried interest loophole. The governor’s office suggested that it was reviewing eliminating the state income tax, whose deductibility was capped by the new federal tax bill, likely in favor of a payroll tax, which is deductible, an idea also being floated in other states. Precise details on the plan were scant, and such a plan would face an uphill battle, with Republicans generally opposing new taxes and some conservative economists already voicing concerns on Wednesday.)

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Trump lawyer seeks to block insider book on White House Trump says Bannon ‘not only lost his job, he lost his mind’ as president’s lawyers send cease-and-desist letter – Josh Dawsey and Ashley Parker (DIERSEN: Since 2000, my critics/opponents have wanted me to cease-and-desist from sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails, and failing that, they have wanted me to cease-and-desist a) from including links in the emails to articles that they do not like and b) from including my comments in the emails that they do not like. They blame me for all of their problems, for all of your problems, for all of my problems, and for all of everyone’s problems. They blame me for all defeats that Republicans have suffered in Illinois since 2000.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-slams-bannon-when-he-was-fired-he-not-only-lost-his-job-he-lost-his-mind/2018/01/03/21fb158a-f0aa-11e7-b3bf-ab90a706e175_story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Late Wednesday, lawyers for Trump sent a cease-and-desist letter to Bannon, arguing he violated the employment agreement he signed with the Trump Organization in numerous ways and also likely defamed the president. They ordered that he stop communicating either confidential and or disparaging information, and preserve all records in preparation for “imminent” legal action.)

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Hey, Bargain-Hunters: An M.B.A. Is Cheaper Than You Think Top business schools are setting aside millions in scholarships and financial aid to lure young professionals – Kelsey Gee (DIERSEN: When I started working for IRS in 1971 as a GS-7 (currently $45,703/year) Revenue Officer, IRS encouraged its Revenue Officers to take graduate business, accounting, and law courses. In 1972, I started taking graduate business courses at Loyola and I earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976. However, my Democrat IRS superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates hinted/implied/argued/shouted that the courses a) were not job-related, b) did not help me carry out my job duties, c) were taken by me to get a job in the private sector, and d) were a distraction. In 1978, they and Money Magazine disallowed all the tuition and books that I had paid and deducted for those graduate business courses. However, I took IRS to the Tax Court, and the Tax Court ruled in my favor.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/hey-bargain-hunters-an-m-b-a-is-cheaper-than-you-think-1514988000

 

USA TODAY
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Refugee admissions to U.S. plummet in 2017 – Alan Gomez (DIERSEN: Anti-Trumps shout at refugees that Republicans are White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/01/03/refugee-admissions-u-s-plummet-2017/999903001/
— Warren Buffett in ‘Time’: U.S. kids will live better than parents, he writes in Gates edited issue – Paul Davidson
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/01/04/buffett-time-u-s-kids-live-better-than-parents-he-writes-gates-edited-issue/1001218001/
— World War II vet, 93, sworn in as New Jersey mayor – Katie Park (DIERSEN: How old are you? My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always promoted age discrimination. They stress that the federal government gets rid of its non-veteran White male employees who do not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40. They stress that I did not make GS-13 until I was 38 and that I never made GS-14, GS-15, or SES. They stress a) that my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old, always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, did not promote me beyond GS-13, got rid of my mentor in 1987, kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, and forced me to take an $18,847 pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980; b) that my Democrat IRS superiors did not promote me beyond GS-12, disallowed my education deductions in 1978, got rid of my mentor in 1975, and disallowed my partial day per diem claims in 1974; and c) that my Democrat Post Office superiors forced me resign in 1969 and disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/01/03/world-war-ii-vet-93-nj-mayor/999781001/

 

NEWSWEEK
— TRUMP’S THREAT OF LAWSUIT AGAINST BANNON IS ‘STUPID’ AND COULD HURT THE PRESIDENT, SAYS LAWYER – GRAHAM LANKTREE (DIERSEN: Since 2000, my critics/opponents have wanted me to cease-and-desist from sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails, and failing that, they have wanted me to cease-and-desist a) from including links in the emails to articles that they do not like and b) from including my comments in the emails that they do not like. They blame me for all of their problems, for all of your problems, for all of my problems, and for all of everyone’s problems. They blame me for all defeats that Republicans have suffered in Illinois since 2000.)
http://www.newsweek.com/trumps-threat-lawsuit-against-bannon-stupid-and-could-hurt-president-says-770251

 

FEDERAL NEWS RADIO
— Recent court decision reminds agencies they can put indicted employees on indefinite suspension – Nicole Ogrysko (DIERSEN: Constructively, even though they never indicted me for anything, my Democrat GAO superiors have had me on “indefinite suspension” since 1997.)
https://federalnewsradio.com/workforce-rightsgovernance/2018/01/recent-court-decision-reminds-agencies-they-can-put-indicted-employees-on-indefinite-suspension/

January 3 Morning Adition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— A look at who’s raised the most in race to replace Lisa Madigan
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-illinois-attorney-general-cash-20180103-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: On the Republican side, former congressional candidate Erika Harold raised about $116,000 in the last three months. Harold, who has the backing of much of the state’s Republican establishment, has collected nearly $250,000 so far. DuPage County Board member Gary Grasso raised about $90,000. Some caveats: The numbers reported so far only reflect donations of $1,000 or more, and some donations made in the waning days of December might not have shown up yet.)
— Ives gets Fremont Township GOP backing – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-illinois-attorney-general-cash-20180103-story.html
— Does speaking Spanish make one Latino? – Anne Vasquez (DIERSEN: How soon, if not already, will members of the following groups succeed in stopping you from getting an education, from getting a job, from etc. unless you speak, read, and write Spanish: anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors?)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-spanish-language-latino-cultural-identity-0103-20180102-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “Trump’s misguided ideas about Chicago crime.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/page/ct-perspec-page-trump-murder-rate-jeff-sessions-0103-20180102-story.html
— Universities face #MeToo movement over sexual harassment – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-bc-us–sexual-misconduct-universities-20171228-story.html
— Victim behind Dennis Hastert downfall seeks protective order in lawsuit – Christy Gutowski
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-dennis-hastert-lawsuit-protective-order-20180101-story.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD IN NAPERVILLE SUN: Naperville Township officials want responsibility for highway department – Erin Hegarty
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-naperville-township-road-merger-st-0103recovered-tue-jan–2-110643-201-20180102-story.html
— Trump to have medical exam in January, release results – Justin Sink
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20180103/281706910065438
— Advocates debate helping homeless – Amy Taxin and Geoff Mulvihill
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20180103/281736974836510

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Animal Care and Control Chief orders pit bull that bit her euthanized – Fran Spielman
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/animal-care-and-control-shelter/
— Man suing Dennis Hastert wants to keep some details secret – Jon Seidel
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/man-suing-ex-house-speaker-dennis-hastert-wants-some-details-secret/

 

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Who gets the interest from the property taxes you paid early? – Jake Griffin
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180103/who-gets-the-interest-from-the-property-taxes-you-paid-early

 

OUR QUAD CITIES
— Stopping the Illinois population’s downward spiral State is now 6th largest in the nation, dropping behind Pennsylvania – Kelley Bowles (DIERSEN: Overwhelmingly, those who are being driven out of Illinois are members of the following groups: Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. Soon, if not already, virtually everyone left in Illinois will be members of the following groups: anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
http://www.ourquadcities.com/news/4-the-record/stopping-the-illinois-populations-downward-spiral/897305431

 

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Another load of laws from Legislature – Editorial
http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2018-01-03/another-load-laws-legislature.html

 

ALTON DAILY NEWS
— Davis Verbally Pokes at Bernie Sanders (DIERSEN: What if all those who prepaid their real estate taxes were surveyed about the recently passed tax reform plan?)
http://www.altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=257837
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Republican Congressman Rodney Davis of Taylorville says he continues to get positive feedback about the recently passed tax reform plan as he travels along the 13th Congressional District. Davis recently blasted one of the high profile opponents of the reform plan while touting its benefits. (AUDIO CLIP) Davis says Illinoisans will see the benefits of the tax plan in less than a month.)

 

SOUTHERN
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps glorify and praise those who come to America illegally, who stay in America illegally, and who bring others to America illegally.
http://thesouthern.com/news/local/the-undocumented-immigrant-next-door-he-came-to-america-to/article_3fbbb0c3-31f6-5331-9307-54f6fa10dc47.html

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Trump: My ‘nuclear button’ is bigger than Kim’s
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/the-latest-trump-says-his-nuclear-button-is-bigger/897688798

 

ROCK ISLAND TODAY
— Rock Island County Republicans support Ives
https://rockislandtoday.com/stories/511306020-rock-island-county-republicans-support-ives

 

ILLINOIS CHRONICLE
— Scathing Fox News report caps “rough first term” for Rauner
https://theillinoischronicle.com/chronicle-scathing-fox-news-report-caps-rough-first-term-for-rauner/

 

GOPUSA
— Where is the feminist support for the oppressed women in Iran?
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=36323

 

FREEDOM’S JOURNAL
— OPTIMISM ABOUT TRUMP IN 2018 – Star Parker
https://freedomsjournalinstitute.org/latest-news/opinion/optimism-about-trump-in-2018/
— DANGERS OF GOVERNMENT CONTROL – Walter E. Williams
https://freedomsjournalinstitute.org/latest-news/opinion/dangers-of-government-control/

 

TOWNHALL
— An Unfond Farewell to Un-statesman Orrin Hatch – Michelle Malkin
https://townhall.com/columnists/michellemalkin/2018/01/03/an-unfond-farewell-to-unstatesman-orrin-hatch-n2429306
— GOP President and Congress Still Funding Planned Parenthood – Terry Jeffrey
https://townhall.com/columnists/terryjeffrey/2018/01/03/gop-president-and-congress-still-funding-planned-parenthood-n2429315

 

FOX BUSINESS
— Government watchdog group could be the key to ‘draining the swamp’ (DIERSEN: What about political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation for complaining about the aforesaid? What percent of federal employees are a) Democrat, b) minority, c) female, and d) non-veteran?)
http://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/2018/01/02/government-watchdog-group-could-be-key-to-draining-swamp.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Throughout Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, he promised to “drain the swamp” and to end political corruption in Washington. An organization called OpenTheBooks.com could be the key to making President Trump’s promise a reality. The government watchdog organization discloses the amount of spending at every level of government across the U.S. Recently, the website released a 40-page report called “Mapping the Swamp” that reveals all publicly disclosed federal salaries and bonuses of government employees for the 2016 fiscal year. OpenTheBooks.com CEO Adam Andrzejewski said Tuesday that his organization could help provide President Trump with data supporting his claims of government corruption. “One thing that drives taxpayers crazy is the $1.5 billion worth of bonuses that are given out each year. So all of these agency heads and the president leading on this can bring forth civil service reform this year-we’ve got the data to back it all up,” he told FOX Business’ David Asman on “After the Bell.” According to the “Mapping the Swamp” report, 29,852 federal employees make over $190,823 a year, which out earned each of the 50 state governors.)

 

THE HILL
— Trump ICE pick: Politicians who run sanctuary cities should be charged with crimes – BRANDON CONRADIS
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/367167-trump-ice-pick-politicians-who-run-sanctuary-cities-should-be-charged

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— Iranian Authorities Block Access to Social Media Tools – Sheera Frenkel (DIERSEN: What do your critics/opponents want to block? My critics/opponents want to block everyone a) from getting GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails and b) from visiting www.gopillinois.com.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/02/technology/iran-protests-social-media.html
— Critics Say Questions About Citizenship Could Wreck Chances for an Accurate Census – Michael Wines (DIERSEN: How many illegals are there in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, in Illinois, and America?)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/02/us/census-citizenship-status-immigrants.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Democrats Outline Demands as Threat of Shutdown Looms – Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Thomas Kaplan (DIERSEN: What have the Democrats, Libertarians, and Greens in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois demanded? From what I see, they have demanded that Republican township, ward, and county organizations and the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) a) GET RID OF those like me who support the traditional family, right to life, immigration, illegal drugs, Second Amendment, equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) and other planks in the Republican Party platform and the IRP platform; b) GET RID OF those like me who support the Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling; c) GET RID OF those like me who do not promote dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation for complaining about the aforesaid; and d) GET RID OF those like me who are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, gun owners, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/02/us/politics/senate-democrats-government-shutdown-immigration.html

 

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— CHICAGO TRIBUNE FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: President boasts of ‘my’ arsenal – Tracy Wilkinson
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-fg-trump-korea-20180102-story.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Why do so many Republicans hate college? – Catherine Rampell (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, colleges focus on cranking out “good little Democrats.”)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-do-so-many-republicans-hate-college/2017/12/28/db55f5f6-ec16-11e7-b698-91d4e35920a3_story.html

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Should Business Be ‘Grateful’? In fact, we should all be grateful when tax reform leads to better incentives. – Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. (DIERSEN: Those who prepaid their real estate taxes are not grateful.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/should-business-be-grateful-1514940942
— ‘White-Informed Civility’ Is the Latest Target in the Campus Wars The rules of collegiate debate are also coming under attack as racist and patriarchal. – Steve Salerno
https://www.wsj.com/articles/white-informed-civility-is-the-latest-target-in-the-campus-wars-1514938758
— Looking for a Few Good Men A society that won’t let boys be boys will pay a price in the end. – Angela Rocco DeCarlo
https://www.wsj.com/articles/looking-for-a-few-good-men-1514941459
— Even If Your New Job Is a Bad Fit, Don’t Quit How to evaluate whether the challenges can be overcome or it’s really a toxic workplace – Sue Shellenbarger (DIERSEN: Have you worked in toxic workplaces? Soon after I took a $19,203 (26%) pay cut in today’s dollars (a downgrade from GS-12 Step 5, currently $91,880, to GS-9 Step 10, currently $72,677) to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980 when I was 31 years old, I learned how toxic its Chicago office was for those who shared my demographics. Nevertheless, I counted on the GAO manager who had arranged for my transfer a) to protect me from political affiliation discrimination, from reverse discrimination, and from age discrimination, b) to get me assigned to audits of IRS, c) to get me promoted to GS-11 Step 10 (currently $87,933), to GS-12 Step 5 (currently $91,880), to GS-13 Step 1 (currently $96,403), etc. However, ever-increasingly, the Democrats who ran the office did everything that they could to get rid of him. Nevertheless, in 1986, he succeeded a) in getting me assigned to audits of IRS and b) in promoting me to GS-13 Step 1 (currently $96,403). However, the Democrats succeeded a) in getting rid of him in 1987, b) in throwing me off audits of IRS in 1989, c) in keeping me off audits of IRS for the rest of my GAO career, d) in giving me unfair performance expectations and unfair performance appraisals, e) in always ranking me the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, and f) in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/even-if-your-brand-new-job-is-a-bad-fit-dont-quit-1514906394
— Iranians Turn to Telegram App Amid Protests People have used the messaging tool to share information and videos – Sam Schechner and Stu Woo (DIERSEN: In Illinois, what tools should Republicans make better use of to protest a) Democrats and Democrat plants, b) Libertarians and Libertarian plants, c) Greens and Green plants, and d) RINOs?)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/iranians-turn-to-telegram-app-amid-protests-1514919114

THE WEEK
— Why are Illinois Democrats banking on a billionaire in 2018? – David Faris
http://theweek.com/articles/742925/why-are-illinois-democrats-banking-billionaire-2018

 

INDEPENDENT JOURNAL REVIEW
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: California’s New Pot Law May Popularize Weed Weddings, Budtenders, Canna-bus Rides and Pot ‘Church’ – VICTORIA TAFT
https://ijr.com/the-declaration/2018/01/1042948-californias-new-pot-law-will-popularize-weed-weddings-bud-tenders-canna-bus-rides-pot-church/

 

VANITY FAIR
— WILL 2018 BE THE YEAR THE INTERNET KILLS OLD MEDIA? Experts share their fears—and their hopes—for another year of reckoning with the digital apocalypse. – JAMES WARREN
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/01/will-2018-be-the-year-the-internet-kills-old-media

 

MONEY MAGAZINE
— America’s Next Retirement Crisis Could Be That Baby Boomers Are Living Too Long – ELANA HOLODNY (DIERSEN: What is your life expectancy?)
http://time.com/money/5072402/americas-next-retirement-crisis-could-be-that-baby-boomers-are-living-too-long/

 

FED WEEK
— New Year’s Resolutions for your Career – Nancy Segal (DIERSEN: What would have helped you move up your career ladder? The federal government would have promoted me into its Senior Executive Service long before I was 40 if I had been a Democrat. If I had been a Democrat, I would have focused on helping my superiors meet their Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion quotas, goals, and targets, that is, I would have helped them get rid of their employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who did not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40. If I had been a Democrat, I would not have complained about political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, or retaliation. If I had been a Democrat, I would not have become an active member in a class action lawsuit in 1988 when I was 40 years old that charged the federal government with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation.)
https://ask.fedweek.com/career-resolutions-made-2018/

January 2 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: California rolls its own recreational pot sales out for 2018 – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-bc-us–california-marijuana-open-for-business-20180102-story.html
— Stories to watch in Chicago and Illinois politics in 2018
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-illinois-chicago-politics-look-ahead-2018-20171221-story.html
— Paying for pricey continuing care – Patricia Mertz Esswein and Eileen Ambrose (DIERSEN: My 87-year-old aunt is paying $239 a day to live in an assisted living facility. That is $1,673 a week, $7,403 a month, $87,235 a year, and $872,350 a decade.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/success/kiplinger/tca-paying-for-pricey-continuing-care-20171227-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: California rolls its own recreational pot sales out for 2018 – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20180102/news/301029979/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats promote Democrats.
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180102/democrats-vying-to-oppose-roskam-give-views-on-health-care

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— The next step in tax reform is tax repair – NOAH SMITH (DIERSEN: Hopefully, the Republicans will remove the $10,000 limit on real estate and state income tax deductions.)
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171229/OPINION/171229916
— Downtown growth leads Chicago to highest job peak in decades – GREG HINZ (DIERSEN: I worked in downtown Chicago in 1971 and then 1973-1997. I lived in downtown Chicago weekdays 1974-1976 and then full-time 1976-1978. I took courses in downtown Chicago 1966-1968, 1971-1983, and 1992-1997.)
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180102/BLOGS02/180109998

 

WBEZ
— Illinois Tax Credits For Private Schools Expected To Be Claimed In Days – Linda Lutton (DIERSEN: My outstanding parents saved Crete-Monee School District 201-U (http://www.cm201u.org/) lots of money during the 1950s and 1960s by sending my brother and me to Trinity Lutheran Grade School in Crete and then to Hope Lutheran Grade School in Park Forest to stay with the Missouri Synod.)
https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/illinois-tax-credits-for-private-schools-expected-to-be-claimed-in-days/b329d4c6-0fc0-4e37-8d2d-099f8467553a

 

ALTON DAILY NEWS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats want more money to register Democrats to vote.
http://altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=257784

 

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— Illinois taxpayers expected to snap up credits for scholarships – Pam Adams (DIERSEN: My outstanding parents saved Crete-Monee School District 201-U (http://www.cm201u.org/) lots of money during the 1950s and 1960s by sending my brother and me to Trinity Lutheran Grade School in Crete and then to Hope Lutheran Grade School in Park Forest to stay with the Missouri Synod.)
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20171231/illinois-taxpayers-expected-to-snap-up-credits-for-scholarships

 

WAND
— Medicaid overhaul adds clients, bumps up cost
http://www.wandtv.com/story/37171533/medicaid-overhaul-adds-clients-bumps-up-cost

 

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— RAUNER TO SPEAK — The Lincoln Forum, which launched late last year as something of a foil to the City Club of Chicago, has booked Gov. Bruce Rauner as its first speaker of 2018. The event is at 5:30 p.m. January 22 in the Chicago Athletic Association’s historic Madison Ballroom, 12 S. Michigan Ave. Unless we’re mistaken, Rauner hasn’t spoken at the City Club, though Illinois First Lady Diana Rauner has. The Lincoln Forum was started in part by longtime Rauner ally Pat Brady. More details here: www.LincolnForum.org (DIERSEN: Of course, Pat Brady and all my other critics/opponents are overjoyed that TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois is dead.)
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/01/02/sizing-up-governor-candidates-fundraising-234247
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Natasha Korecki says “Happy New Year, Illinois! Great to be back after completely unplugging for two weeks.” Your GOPUSA Illinois Editor has never been completely unplugged, does not want to be completely unplugged, and will never be completely unplugging. GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails go out each and every morning and each and every evening.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/01/02/sizing-up-governor-candidates-fundraising-234247

 

DAILY CALLER
— Never Trumpers Check Their White Privilege – Scott Greer (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, the more of the following that you are, the more that you are viciously demonized, viciously denigrated, and viciously condemned: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://dailycaller.com/2018/01/01/never-trumpers-check-their-white-privilege/

 

FREE BEACON
— Trump Admin Throws Weight Behind Union Challenge Brief argues that government unions are inherently political – Bill McMorris (DIERSEN: GAO did not unionize until 2007. If GAO had been unionized in 1997, I might still be a GAO employee.)
http://freebeacon.com/issues/trump-admin-throws-weight-behind-union-challenge/

 

PUBLIUS FORUM
— Donald Trump Has Trimmed Thousands of Government Workers, But So Far it is Tens of Thousands Too Few – Warner Todd Huston (DIERSEN: Do you want all federal employees to be Democrats, minorities, females, and/or veterans? Jobs should not be trimmed at all agencies, for example, jobs should not be trimmed at GAO. Democrats run the federal government. When they trim jobs, they get rid of employees who are Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who did not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40. Soon, all federal employees will be Democrats, minorities, females, and/or veterans.)
http://www.publiusforum.com/2018/01/01/donald-trump-trimmed-thousands-government-workers-far-tens-thousands/

 

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Researcher: Government shares some blame in opioid crisis – Benjamin Yount
https://www.ilnews.org/news/health/researcher-government-shares-some-blame-in-opioid-crisis/article_c1173f46-ecc1-11e7-820a-0735050da85d.html

 

CBN NEWS
— 5 Tips For Making Financial Resolutions For The New Year
https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/finance/2018/january/5-tips-for-making-financial-resolutions-for-the-new-year

 

THE HILL
— Financial New Year’s resolutions that will pay off – JOHN PELLETIER
http://thehill.com/opinion/finance/366820-financial-new-years-resolutions-that-will-pay-off

 

CBS NEWS
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Recreational marijuana sales begin in California
https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/recreational-marijuana-sales-begin-in-california/

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Recreational Pot Is Officially Legal in California – Thomas Fuller
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/01/us/legal-pot-california.html
— The Retreat to Tribalism – David Brooks (DIERSEN: Democrats used to promote integration, but now they promote segregation.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/01/opinion/the-retreat-to-tribalism.html

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— FRONT PAGE WITH COLOR GRAPHIC: Caterpillar Clashes With IRS – Andrew Tangel and Michael Rapoport
http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2018/01/02/caterpillar-clashes-with-irs-wsj-2.html

 

USA TODAY
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Pot sales now legal in California – Colin Atagi
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2018/01/01/legal-california-pot/994263001/

 

FEDERAL NEWS RADIO
— Paying yourself first pays off – Mike Causey
https://federalnewsradio.com/mike-causey-federal-report/2018/01/paying-yourself-first-pays-off/

 

FINANCIAL EXPRESS
— Top 10 New Year resolutions for 2018 that will put your financial house in order – Sanjeev Sinha
http://www.financialexpress.com/money/top-10-new-year-resolutions-for-2018-that-will-put-your-financial-house-in-order/997103/

 

REALTOR
— What Is ‘House Poor’? What It Means, and Whether You’re at Risk – Daniel Bortz
https://www.realtor.com/advice/finance/what-is-house-poor/

 

MILLENNIUM POST
— INDIA: Driving out underemployment – Nantoo Banerjee (DIERSEN: Are/were you underemployed? While I worked for the federal government 1966-1969 and 1971-1997, I became increasingly underemployed. I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32. If I had been a Democrat, minority, or female, the federal government would not have underemployed me.)
http://www.millenniumpost.in/opinion/driving-out-underemployment-277638

January 1 Evening Edition

ABC7
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: California pot shops ring in 2018, ring up first legal sales – AP
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/california-pot-shops-ring-in-2018-ring-up-first-legal-sales/2848154/

 

NBC5
— Hastert Case Returns to Court Tuesday – Phil Rogers (DIERSEN: Needless-to-say, if you have ever done anything that subjects you to blackmail, you should not seek or hold any kind of government or political office.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Hastert-Case-Returns-to-Court-Tuesday-467535533.html
— 2018 Brings Governor’s Race, Other Big Contests in Illinois – Sara Burnett
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/2018-Brings-Governors-Race-Other-Big-Contests-in-Illinois-467558543.html

 

CBS2
— Trump Rings In New Year At Mar A Lago Before the clock struck midnight, the President spoke with the press about his expectations for 2018. CBS 2’s Diane King Hall reports.
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/video/category/spoken-word-wbbmtv/3785563-trump-rings-in-new-year-at-mar-a-lago/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: A ‘monumental moment’ for fully legal marijuana in California – Patrick McGreevy
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-california-legal-marijuana-20180101-story.html
— Keeping stoners from driving cars – John O’Halloran, DeKalb
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/ct-keep-pot-heads-off-road-legalize-marijuana-20171228-story.html
(FROM THE LETTER: As a commercial driver, I don’t want to share the road with pot heads. But I do support legalization of marijuana in Illinois. The state legislature should pass a law that says a citizen who chooses to purchase marijuana may be issued a special drug-use license, but will first have to surrender their driver’s license. You can use drugs. Or you can drive. But you can’t do both safely.)

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— How to make regular folks’ $50 donations count in elections – Editorial (DIERSEN: Should I write a book about “Republican” candidates who hint/imply/argue/shout that unless I give them lots of money, a) they do not want me to know about their fundraisers, b) they do not want me to promote their fundraisers, c) they do not want me to attend their fundraisers, and d) they do not want me to report on their fundraisers? They hint/imply/argue/shout that I fraudulently claim to be a member of the news media to get information to intentionally/unintentionally use to harm them. They blame me for their problems. They blame me for your problems. They blame me for my problems. They blame me for everyone’s problems. They blame me for all the losses that Republicans have suffered in Illinois since 2000.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/editorial-how-to-make-average-voters-50-donation-count/
— Remember, rekindle the spirit of Emancipation Proclamation – Jesse Jackson (DIERSEN: When did your ancestors immigrate to America? What do you say to those who hint/imply/argue/shout that if you are an old White male Republican, the longer that your ancestors have been in America, a) the more that you have benefited from their discrimination against minorities and against women and b) the more that you should pay the price of Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion?)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/jackson-remember-rekindle-the-spirit-of-emancipation-proclamation/

 

DAILY HERALD
— Armed with new data, officials target ‘drug-dealing’ doctors – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20180101/news/301019948/

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— 2018 Brings Governor’s Race, Other Big Contests in Illinois The new year will be one of big decisions in Illinois. – SARA BURNETT
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20180101/2018-brings-governors-race-other-big-contests-in-illinois
(FROM THE ARTICLE: All statewide offices will be on the ballot on Nov. 8, but no contest will be as fevered — or costly — as the governor’s race. Democratic candidates including billionaire J.B. Pritzker, wealthy businessman Chris Kennedy and state Sen. Daniel Biss are seeking their party’s nomination in the March 20 primary, when Rauner also faces a GOP primary challenge from conservative state Rep. Jeanne Ives. Already, the candidates are raising and spending money at a pace that could make this the most expensive governor’s race in U.S. history. Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s unexpected announcement that she won’t seek a fifth term created a crowded Democratic primary for that office. Some congressional races also will be closely watched. Several Democrats are vying for the seat held by U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Chicago, who’s retiring. And Republican Congressman Peter Roskam will try to hold his seat representing suburban Chicago, a district Democrats are eyeing as one of the party’s best chances to gain a seat in the U.S. House after voters there supported Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016.)
— Police seize $5 million in pot at Morgan Co. truck stop (DIERSEN: If the Democrats legalize pot for recreational use in Illinois, what percent of those in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois will become stoners, that is, what percent will become wards of the state?)
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20180101/police-seize-5-million-in-pot-at-morgan-co-truck-stop

 

NPR ILLINOIS
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Legal Recreational Marijuana Sales Begin In California
http://nprillinois.org/post/legal-recreational-marijuana-sales-begin-california#stream/0

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Californians line up to legally buy recreational pot Seen as another milestone of mainstreaming weed – THERESA WALDROP
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/business/californians-line-up-to-legally-buy-recreational-pot/895012072

 

ILLINOIS LEAKS
— Help make your Government accountable in 2018! – KIRK ALLEN
http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2018/01/help-make-your-government-accountable-in-2018/

 

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— INCUMBENTS FACE PRIMARY CHALLENGES IN ILLINOIS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/01/incumbents-face-primary-challenges-in-illinois-congressional-districts.html
— THORNER & INGOLD: DAY OF RECKONING FOR GOP TAX BILL NAYSAYERS
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/01/thorner-ingold-day-of-reckoning-for-gop-tax-bill-naysayers.html
— PETITION SIGNATURE INVESTIGATION LEADS TO 16TH CD GOP CANDIDATE WITHDRAWING
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/01/marter-investigation-into-petition-signatures-leads-to-16th-cd-candidate-withdrawing.html
— CHICAGO 2017 MURDERS AVERAGED 2 A DAY
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/01/chicago-2017-murders-averaged-2-a-day.html
— DEMOCRAT-CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE MAKES ILLINOIS FIRST IN BANNING LIVE ELEPHANT SHOWS (DIERSEN: The elephant is the symbol of the Republican Party. In 2007, I had the honor of raising $2,000 from DuPage Republicans on short notice to sponsor an elephant that walked behind Congressman Peter Roskam in Wheaton’s Independence Day parade. Outstandingly, Roger Claar contributed $500 of that $2,000. SEE: http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2007/07/photos-from-the.html)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/01/democrat-controlled-legislature-makes-illinois-first-in-banning-live-elephant-shows.html

 

NEWSMAX
— Blue States Look to Blunt Tax Law by Legal Challenges – Jeff Rodack (DIERSEN: Did you prepay your real estate taxes? Will the Democrats try to get all those who prepaid their real estate taxes to join in a class action lawsuit against the Republicans? What percent of those who prepaid their real estate taxes are Democrats and what percent are Republicans?)
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/blue-states-california-new-york-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act/2018/01/01/id/834551/

 

GOPUSA
— Obama worried about rollback of his so-called ‘legacy’ (DIERSEN: Obama condemned my 1996 Ford Thunderbird LX V-8 as being a clunker. SEE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_Allowance_Rebate_System Will Trump pardon my 1996 Ford Thunderbird LX V-8? It gets 24 MPG on the highway.)
http://www.gopusa.com/obama-worried-about-rollback-of-his-so-called-legacy/
— Bloody Chicago: It took 2 hours to record city’s first homicide of 2018
http://www.gopusa.com/bloody-chicago-it-took-2-hours-to-record-citys-first-homicide-of-2018/
— Chain migration concerns grow as millions enter US with legal status
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=36066
— Fighting for religious liberty proving costly for average Americans (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are members of the following groups force individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries to promote LGBTQ activity: anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=36153

 

FOX NEWS
— Hillary Clinton backer paid $500G to fund women accusing Trump of sexual misconduct before Election Day, report says – Robert Gearty
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/31/hillary-clinton-backer-paid-500g-to-fund-women-accusing-trump-sexual-misconduct-before-election-day-report-says.html

 

BREITBART
— California Ushers in 2018 with Ammunition Control – AWR HAWKINS
http://www.breitbart.com/california/2018/01/01/california-ushers-2018-ammunition-control/
— Weak 17: A Frozen Wasteland of Empty Seats on the Final Week of the NFL Year – WARNER TODD HUSTON
http://www.breitbart.com/sports/2017/12/31/weak-17-frozen-wasteland-empty-seats-final-week-nfl-year/

 

BLAZE
— Republicans and Democrats open 2018 by arguing over how much to grow the size of government – Leon Wolf
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/01/01/republicans-and-democrats-open-2018-by-arguing-over-how-much-to-grow-the-size-of-government

 

DAILY CALLER
— Trump Really Is Draining The Swamp – ROBERT DONACHIE (DIERSEN: One could say that Trump supporters promote hatred of past, present, and future federal employees. How should past, present, and future federal employees react to that?)
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/31/trump-really-is-draining-the-swamp/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The federal workforce grew sizably under both former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, ballooning from roughly 1.8 million employees in 2000 to 2.14 million at the height of Obama’s presidency. Trump’s administration is moving at a historically slow pace in filling political positions at federal agencies, whether it be part of his “draining the swamp” promise or a slow movement on the part of the Senate is unclear. The Senate has only confirmed 240 of the over 600 political appointments that are supposed to help carry out the administration’s agenda.)

 

THE HILL
— Most key federal agencies have cut staff under Trump: report – JULIA MANCHESTER (DIERSEN: Democrats run the federal government. They use budget cuts to get rid of their employees who are Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who did not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40.)
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/366925-most-key-federal-agencies-have-cut-staff-under-trump-report

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Winners and losers from 2017, the year in politics – Aaron Blake (DIERSEN: One could argue that those who have itemized their deductions are losers, and especially those who pay lots of mortgage interest, real estate taxes, state income taxes, medical and dental expenses, 501(c)(3) contributions, and/or job-related education.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/01/01/winners-and-losers-from-2017-the-year-in-politics/

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Congress’s Gift to Blue-State Taxpayers Limiting the SALT deduction will enforce fiscal discipline. – Alfredo Ortiz (DIERSEN: Those who dominate Illinois talk and/or act like they want to drive out of Illinois those who itemize their deductions. Most commonly, those who itemize their deductions spend lots of money on mortgage interest, real estate tax, state income tax, medical and dental expenses, contributions to 501(c)(3) organizations, and/or job-related education.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/congresss-gift-to-blue-state-taxpayers-1514823290
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The great American migration out of high-tax states like New York and Illinois may be about to accelerate. The tax reform enacted last month caps the deduction for state and local taxes, known as SALT, at $10,000. This means millions of people will finally feel the full tax burden imposed by state and local politicians. When the SALT shield shrinks, so may people’s willingness to put up with these high taxes. Such states already are losing population, and new Census Bureau data—released the same day tax reform passed the House and Senate—shows the continued migration. Of the seven states that grew the fastest between July 1, 2016, and July 1, 2017, four (Nevada, Washington, Florida and Texas) have no income tax, and the other three (Idaho, Utah and Arizona) have low taxes. On the flip side, high-tax states like New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois and Rhode Island either lost residents or stagnated. Pennsylvania quietly became the fifth-most-populous state in the nation, displacing Illinois. When people move, they take their money with them. The five high-tax states listed above have lost more than $200 billion of combined adjusted gross income since 1992, according to the website HowMoneyWalks.com, which aggregates IRS data. In contrast, Nevada, Washington, Florida and Texas gained roughly the same amount. If politicians in high-tax states want to prevent this migration from becoming a stampede, they will have to deliver fiscal discipline.)
— What New Tax Law? Caterpillar Fights to Protect Its Swiss-Made Profits American manufacturing icon pays little on parts sales outside U.S., so the IRS wants $2 billion – Andrew Tangel and Michael Rapoport
https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-new-tax-law-caterpillar-fights-to-protect-its-swiss-made-profits-1514834745
— California Poses Problem for GOP as 2018 Dawns Party policies ranging from taxes to immigration cast a shadow over midterm prospects – Gerald F. Seib
https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-poses-problem-for-gop-as-2018-dawns-1514819328
— In Cities With Low Unemployment, Wages Finally Start to Get Bigger Ending an economic riddle, pay is moving higher and could point to improved incomes nationally in 2018 – Shayndi Raice and Eric Morath (DIERSEN: Overwhelmingly, my critics/opponents want cheap labor.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-cities-with-low-unemployment-wages-finally-start-to-get-bigger-1514808001

 

USA TODAY
— Trump rings in new year at glitzy Mar-a-Lago party, predicts ‘fantastic 2018’ – AP
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/01/01/trump-rings-new-year-glitzy-mar-lago-party-predicts-fantastic-2018/994015001/
— Retirement planning: Here’s how much money you should have saved at every age – Kathleen Elkins (DIERSEN: How much had you saved for your retirement when you were 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, and 65. I was 65 in 2013. In today’s dollars, my salary in 1997 when I was 49 years old was $122,991. Eight times $122,991 is $983,928.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/retirement/2018/01/01/retirement-planning-heres-how-much-money-you-should-have-saved-every-age/990172001/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In your 20s: Aim to save 25% of your overall gross pay, Greene tells CNBC. “That 25% is the combination of 401(k) withholdings, matching funds from your employer and any cash savings that you have,” she notes. “It can also include debt repayment. “Just make sure your lifestyle expenses don’t exceed 75% of your gross income.” By age 30: Have the equivalent of your annual salary saved, Greene says. If you earn $50,000 a year, aim to have $50,000 in savings when you hit 30. Again, this includes any retirement account contributions, matching funds from your company, cash savings, or money you have invested elsewhere, in index funds or robo-advisers. By age 35: Have twice your annual salary saved. By age 40: Have three times your annual salary saved. By age 45: Have four times your annual salary saved. By age 50: Have five times your annual salary saved. By age 55: Have six times your annual salary saved. By age 60: Have seven times your annual salary saved. By age 65: Have eight times your annual salary saved.)

 

OAKLAND PRESS
— Financial advisor suggests couples try to live like a retired person before retiring – Debra Kaszubski (DIERSEN: My Civil Service Retirement System pension is only 41% of my ending salary in today’s dollars.)
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/lifestyle/20171226/financial-advisor-suggests-couples-try-to-live-like-a-retired-person-before-retiring

January 1 Morning Edition

ABC7
— Police: 650 murdered in Chicago in 2017, down 15 percent from previous year – Jessica D’Onofrio
http://abc7chicago.com/police-650-murdered-in-chicago-in-2017/2846873/
— Police: 1 dead, 23 wounded in New Year’s weekend shootings across Chicago
http://abc7chicago.com/police-1-dead-23-wounded-in-new-years-weekend-shootings-across-chicago/2847078/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— AS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY’S STRANGLEHOLD ON AMERICA TIGHTENS: 1 in 10 youths has been homeless over the past year, survey finds – Moriah Balingit
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-homeless-youths-survey-20171231-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Transportation experts’ predictions for 2018 in Chicago, suburbs – Marni Pyke
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171231/transportation-experts-predictions-for-2018-in-chicago-suburbs

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Priorities for 2018 include improving fiscal, economic conditions in Illinois – Editorial
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20171231/our-view-priorities-for-2018-include-improving-fiscal-economic-conditions-in-illinois

 

PEKIN TIMES
— State Rep. Mike Unes bucks governor and wins, for now – Chris Kaergard and Nick Vlahos
http://www.pekintimes.com/news/20171231/word-on-street-state-rep-mike-unes-bucks-governor-and-wins-for-now

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Trump welcomes new year with a lavish party at private club – AP
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/trump-welcomes-new-year-with-a-lavish-party-at-private-club/894300665

 

BLAZE
— Federal judge: School districts can’t force football players to stand for the national anthem – Leon Wolf
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/31/federal-judge-school-districts-cant-force-football-players-to-stand-for-the-national-anthem

 

WORLD NET DAILY
— TRUMP LAYS DOWN IMMIGRATION CHALLENGE TO DEMS Demands wall, end to chain migration in exchange for DACA
http://www.wnd.com/2017/12/trump-lays-down-immigration-challenge-to-dems/

 

THE HILL
— GOP establishment using Trump for its own ends – JUAN WILLIAMS
http://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/366933-juan-williams-gop-establishment-using-trump-for-its-own-ends
— U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.): ‘We’re not talking about taking away benefits from those who deserve those benefits’ – JULIA MANCHESTER (DIERSEN: What federal “benefits” do you get? Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes paint my Civil Service Retirement System pension, my federal health, dental, and vision insurance subsidies, and my Social Security as being “benefits” that I do not “deserve.” In my defense, I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years and I paid Social Security taxes for 10 years. I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32.)
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/366919-republican-were-not-talking-about-taking-away-benefits-from-those-who-deserve
— With Franken’s fall, the ‘Trump effect’ could turn Minnesota red — if Republicans embrace him – JOHN GILMORE (DIERSEN: What if the Democrats got Duckworth and/or Durbin to resign? Illinois “Establishment Republicans” got U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald to not seek a second term in 2004. That directly resulted in a) Obama being elected U.S. Senator in 2004, b) Obama being elected U.S. President in 2008, and c) Obama being reelected U.S. President in 2012. “Establishment Republicans” are really Democrat plants, Libertarian plants, Green plants, or RINOs.)
http://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/366897-with-frankens-fall-the-trump-effect-could-turn-minnesota-red-if-republicans

 

NBC NEWS
— Millennials don’t like Trump. Here’s how they say he could win them over. – ALI VITALI (DIERSEN: To win over millennials, anti-Trumps want Trump a) to punish those who itemize their deductions and b) to promote dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, and even worse things.)
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/millennials-don-t-trump-here-s-how-they-say-he-n832961

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Democrats in High-Tax States Plot to Blunt Impact of New Tax Law – Ben Casselman (DIERSEN: What do you say to Republicans who give ammunition to Democrats? Of course, Democrats will do everything that they can to turn those who itemize their deductions against Republicans. Democrats will focus on turning those who pay high real estate taxes against Republicans. But wait, Democrats promote high real estate taxes.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/31/business/high-tax-states-law.html
— How Do You Vote? 50 Million Google Images Give a Clue – Steve Lohr (DIERSEN: The cars that you own say more about you than anything that you can say about yourself. My daily diver is a 2003 Chevy Cavalier LS that I bought from my aunt in 2010. Other cars that I own are: 1972 Chevy Corvette, 1996 Ford Thunderbird LX, 2005 Chevy Corvette, 2013 Dodge Charger R/T Max, and 2016 Ford Mustang. Previously, I bought a 1958 Chevy BelAir, 1962 Chevy BelAir, 1962 Chevy Impala SS, 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint, 1968 Oldsmobile 442, 1968 Dodge Charger R/T, 1969 Dodge Charger SE, 1974 Dodge Dart, 1978 Chevy Chevette, 1978 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale, 1990 Ford Thunderbird LX, 1993 Ford Thunderbird, and 1997 Chevy Cavalier.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/31/technology/google-images-voters.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Stanford car project generated a host of intriguing connections, not so much startling revelations. In the most recent paper, and one published earlier in the year by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, these were among the predictive correlations: The system was able to accurately predict income, race, education and voting patterns at the ZIP code and precinct level in cities across the country. Car attributes (including miles-per-gallon ratings) found that the greenest city in America is Burlington, Vt., while Casper, Wyo., has the largest per-capita carbon footprint. Chicago is the city with the highest level of income segregation, with large clusters of expensive and cheap cars in different neighborhoods; Jacksonville, Fla., is the least segregated by income. New York is the city with the most expensive cars. El Paso has the highest percentage of Hummers. San Francisco has the highest percentage of foreign cars.)
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Killers love those who want to end the death penalty.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/31/opinion/capital-punishment-death-penalty.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Partisans, Wielding Money, Begin Seeking to Exploit Harassment Claims – Kenneth P. Vogel (DIERSEN: In your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, in Illinois, and in America, how much money are anti-Trumps offering women to charge Trump supports with sexual harassment? Ever-increasingly, under the anti-Trumps, the more of the following that you are, the more that you are presumed to be a sexual harasser: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/31/us/politics/sexual-harassment-politics-partisanship.html

 

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: California Inc.: Recreational pot coming soon to a shop near you – David Lazarus
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-calinc-01012018-story.html
— Remember, much of what Trump does can be undone – Scott Lemieux (DIERSEN: To get elected, Democrats will promise to remove all restrictions on itemized deductions? Democrats will stress that itemized deductions help low and middle income taxpayers far more than they help upper income taxpayers. Will the Democrats stress how itemizing deductions helped Dave Diersen 1972-1977 and helped him and his wife since they got married in 1978?)
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-lemieux-trump-endurance-20180101-story.html

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Mike Pence Amasses a War Chest for the Midterm Elections Some strategists say vice president can campaign successfully in places where GOP candidates might be wary of sharing a stage with Trump – Peter Nicholas
https://www.wsj.com/articles/mike-pence-likely-to-assist-republicans-in-midterm-elections-1514543402

 

USA TODAY
— Republican tax law is not a win. Take it from me, the backlash is coming. You can’t sell something people don’t like. I would know; I had a front-row seat for the Obamacare-fueled GOP wave in 2010. The parallels are striking. – Shripal Shah
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/12/28/republican-tax-law-not-win-2018-backlash-coming-shripal-shah-column/982307001/

 

NATIONAL MEMO
— 6 Big Victories For Feminism In 2017, Despite Donald Trump And Other Toxic Men – Liz Posner (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trump women talk and act like they not only want to get rid of heterosexual men, ever-increasingly they talk and act like they want to turn all women into lesbians.)
https://www.nationalmemo.com/6-big-victories-feminism-2017-despite-donald-trump-toxic-men/

December 31 Morning Edition

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— 8 New Year’s wishes for Chicago and Illinois – Editorial
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/8-new-year-wishes-chicago-illinois-2018-editorial/
— Here’s what we fought for in 2017 – Editorial (DIERSEN: What did you fight for in 2017? With my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails, I fought for the Republican Party platform, the Illinois Republican Party platform, and the Milton Township resolution against video gambling. I especially fought for the traditional family, right to life, immigration, Second Amendment, equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. I especially fought against the promotion of LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, further erosion of the First and Second Amendments, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, political affiliation discrimination, patronage, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/2017-trump-rauner-schools-chicago-police-golf-course-park-district-republican-tax-bill/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— After dispute over epitaph, tombstone at Catholic cemetery reads: ‘She supported priest sexual abuse victims’ – Angie Leventis Lourgos
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-met-catholic-grave-marker-20171221-story.html
— Senators’ Russia trip scuttled because of ‘black list’ – AP (DIERSEN: Who has you on their black list? I should write a book about those who have me on their black lists. They do not want me a) to know about their events or their other activities, b) to promote their events or their other activities, c) attend their events, or d) report on their events or other activities. They blame me for their problems, for your problems, for my problems, and for everyone’s problems. They blame me for all the defeats that Republicans have suffered in Illinois since 2000. They pander to Rich Miller and to the rest of the Democrat news media in Illinois.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-bc-us–senate-russia-20171230-story.html
— More adults are living together than ever, analysis shows. Here’s why. – Darcel Rockett (DIERSEN: I had saved enough and I was earning enough a) in 1972 when I was 24 years old to buy a new town home in University Park, b) in 1974 to buy a studio condo in the Outer Drive East building in downtown Chicago, and c) in 1976 to buy a one bedroom condo in that building. My father died suddenly in 1969. I lived with my mother and brother in Crete 1970-1972 to help support them.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/ct-re-roommates-rental-prices-20171219-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Republicans promote booze, gambling, pot, and other vices.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chapman/ct-perspec-chapman-sports-betting-new-jersey-supreme-court-nfl-1231-20171229-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— Couple leaves words ‘priest rapist’ off Wheaton cemetery tombstone – Chacour Koop
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171230/couple-leaves-words-priest-rapist-off-wheaton-cemetery-tombstone
— Nurture skepticism, not cynicism, to combat ‘fake news’ – Editorial (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, virtually everything that the mainstream media puts out is designed to promote the Democrat Party platform, the Libertarian Party platform, and/or the Green Party platform.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171231/editorial-nurture-skepticism-not-cynicism-to-combate-fake-news
— ‘I hope I can quit working in a few years’: A preview of the US without pensions – Peter Whoriskey (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, those who are not getting a pension or are not in line to get a pension promote hatred against those who are getting a pension or are in line to get a pension. Soon, if not already, those who are getting a pension or are in line to get a pension will join/form organizations to protect what they have earned. One such organization is the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association at http://www.narfe.org. Those who promote hatred against me should acknowledge that if my Democrat GAO superiors had been stopped from forcing me to take their early retirement “offer in 1997 when I was 49 years old, and if I was still working for GAO, in today’s dollars, I would have paid into the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) $174,340 ($717 X 243 months) instead of CSRS paying me $1,029,834 ($4,238 X 243 months).)
http://www.dailyherald.com/business/20171231/i-hope-i-can-quit-working-in-a-few-years-a-preview-of-the-us-without-pensions

 

FOX NEWS
— Trump defends frequent Twitter use as way to ‘fight a very dishonest and unfair press’ – Alex Pappas
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/30/trump-defends-frequent-twitter-use-as-way-to-fight-very-dishonest-and-unfair-press.html

 

NBC5
— Efforts Grow to Help Students Evaluate What They See Online – Ryan J. Foley (DIERSEN: What helps you evaluate what you see online? I have been putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails together and sending them out since 2000. I have served as an arbitrator for the Financial Services Regulatory Authority since 1998. I worked for GAO for almost 18 years 1980-1997, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 levels, currently $94,610-$122,991. I worked for IRS 1971-1980, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $79,563-$90,173. I became a Forensic Accountant in 1997, Certified Financial Services Auditor in 1996, Certified Government Financial Manager in 1994, Certified Fraud Examiner in 1990, Licensed CPA in 1981, Certified Internal Auditor in 1981, and CPA in 1979. I earned a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997, a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, an MBA from Loyola in 1976, and a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU in 1970. According to my critics/opponents, a) they and only they determine what is fact or fiction and b) what they put out is fact and everything else is fiction.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/Spread-of-Fake-News-Prompts-Media-Literacy-Efforts-in-Schools-467328253.html

 

BREITBART
— Rep. Dave Brat: 2018 DACA Amnesty Fight ‘Will Determine the Nature of Our Country’ — ‘If We Fail on This, Just Picture Europe’ – ROBERT KRAYCHIK (DIERSEN: Anti-Trumps want America to look like foreign countries because anti-Trumps are anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
http://www.breitbart.com/radio/2017/12/30/rep-dave-brat-2018-daca-amnesty-fight-will-determine-the-nature-of-our-country-if-we-fail-on-this-just-picture-europe/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Congress must prioritize four repairs for the immigration system before contemplating any DACA-style amnesty negotiation, said Brat: 1. Ending chain migration and the visa lottery; 2. Mandating employer use of E-Verify; 3. Construction of a southern border wall; and 4. Interior enforcement of immigration law. The four aforementioned “permanent fixes” must precede any DACA negotiation regarding amnesty for illegal immigrants, said Brat: “It shouldn’t be about trusting or hoping, the permanent part has to come first, you see in that place and then you negotiate later.”)

 

POLITICO
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps are furious that candidates who are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors do not get more votes.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/12/31/trump-white-working-class-history-216200

 

NBC NEWS
— Forget resolutions: 3 more productive ways to look back at 2017 Looking back at the past year with a different lens may set you up for more success in the new year. – Brianna Steinhilber (DIERSEN: Of course, my resolutions for 2018 include sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails each and every morning and each and every evening.)
https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/forget-resolutions-3-more-productive-ways-look-back-2017-ncna833651

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— The Year the News Accelerated to Trump Speed – Matt Flegenheimer (DIERSEN: We are in a 12-hour news cycle. To deal with that concerning government and political news and commentary of interest to Illinois Republicans, you can rely on GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. They come out each and every morning and each and every evening.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/29/us/politics/trump-news-overload.html
— The Patriarchs Are Falling. The Patriarchy Is Stronger Than Ever. – Susan Faludi (DIERSEN: Ever-increasing, anti-Republicans shout at women that Republicans are the cause of all the problems that women have had, are having, and will have, and especially Republicans who are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/28/opinion/sunday/patriarchy-feminism-metoo.html
— Want to Be Happy? Think Like an Old Person – JOHN LELAND (DIERSEN: I do not think like an old person.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/29/nyregion/want-to-be-happy-think-like-an-old-person.html

 

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— The GOP tax plan creates one of the largest new loopholes in decades – Editorial (DIERSEN: What deductions do your critics/opponents hint/imply/argue/shout are loopholes? My critics/opponents hint/imply/argue/shout that the following deductions are loopholes: mortgage interest, real estate tax, state income tax, medical and dental expenses, 501(c)(3) contributions, and job-related education. I should write a book about my critics/opponents a) who have never owned real estate, b) who pay little or no state income tax, c) who have had little or no medical or dental expenses, d) who give little or no money to 501(c)(3) organizations, and/or e) who have never spent any money for job-related education.)
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-batchelder-kamin-tax-deduction-pass-through-income-20171231-story.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— A New Year’s resolution for the media: Do not let Republicans get away with saying ‘reforms’ when they mean ‘cuts’ – Jared Bernstein (DIERSEN: During the 1980s and 1990s, to justify cutting GAO’s budget, Democrats and RINOs shouted that the agency needed “reforms.” “Reforms” is code for getting rid of employees who are Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2017/12/29/a-new-years-resolution-for-the-media-do-not-let-republicans-get-away-with-saying-reforms-when-they-mean-cuts/
— Scandal has overwhelmed the IRS – Editorial (DIERSEN: What do you base your knowledge of IRS on? I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $79,563-$90,173. I worked for GAO on audits of IRS for 3 years at the GS-13 Step-1-3 levels, currently, $94,610-$100,917. I have filed federal income tax returns since 1964 and itemized returns since 1972. I took IRS to Tax Court and won a split decision on my education deductions. Nevertheless my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes continue to viciously demonize, viciously denigrate, and viciously condemn my knowledge of IRS.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/scandal-has-overwhelmed-the-irs/2017/12/29/9b80e022-e431-11e7-ab50-621fe0588340_story.html
— In search of a word that won’t offend ‘old’ people – Laura L. Carstensen (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always a) promoted age discrimination and b) hinted/implied/argued/shouted that if you are a non-veteran White male federal employee, you are stupid, lazy, and even worse things if you do not make GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/in-search-of-a-word-that-wont-offend-old-people/2017/12/29/76640346-b808-11e7-a908-a3470754bbb9_story.html?utm_term=.344fb1d4f788
— I grow pot in California for a living. I’m worried about legalization. – Chiah Rodriques
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/will-small-marijuana-farmers-like-me-be-wiped-out-when-pot-goes-legal-in-california/2017/12/29/b54cd99c-ec25-11e7-b698-91d4e35920a3_story.html

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— The Divide Between America’s Prosperous Cities and Struggling Small Towns—in 20 Charts – Paul Overberg
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-divide-between-americas-prosperous-cities-and-struggling-small-townsin-20-charts-1514543401

 

BALTIMORE SUN
— Toying with the idea of trading up? 3 steps homebuyers should take before doing anything else – Ellen James Martin (DIERSEN: What discouraged you from trading up? For my wife and I, it was my Democrat GAO superiors forcing me to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old, their always ranking me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, their not promoting me beyond GS-13, their getting rid of my mentor in 1987, and their keeping me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO.)
http://digitaledition.baltimoresun.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=a61a6d95-05f6-4a95-b106-77df9b30b08e

 

PALM BEACH POST
— CHICAGO TRIBUNE HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Extra house on your hands? – Ellen James Martin (DIERSEN: Because I could not sell it for a fair price, I rented out 774-5 Sunset Court in University Park 1976-1984.)
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/classifieds/real-estate/what-should-remarried-couples-with-extra-house/U9qKLFjsIvE7CQkQW74jrJ/

 

MESSENGER INQUIRER
— How do my finances compare with my peers’? – Brianna McGurran
http://www.messenger-inquirer.com/features/business/how-do-my-finances-compare-with-my-peers/article_4da1b7a5-1d2b-5e41-b68d-ddfe2a556f96.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: If you’re under 35, here’s how your peers are really doing, according to the Federal Reserve Board’s Survey of Consumer Finances: The median income for families with a head of household under 35 was $40,500 in 2016. Nearly half of families under 35 had credit card balances, with median debt of $1,400 per family. About 42 percent of families under 35 had retirement accounts, and their median value was $12,300. Lastly, about 45 percent of families with a head of household under 35 had education debt. The median amount was $18,500 per family, but the amount varies widely by income level and highest degree attained. . .Do you have an emergency fund of at least $500? It should eventually include three to six months of basic expenses. Are you paying down high-interest debt, like credit cards and personal loans? That should come before attacking lower-interest debt like student loans. Do you spend less than you earn? A budget based on the 50/30/20 rule can help: You’ll spend no more than 50 percent of after-tax income on necessities, no more than 30 percent on wants and at least 20 percent on savings and debt repayment. Do you follow the 28/36 rule? Lenders use this to qualify you for a mortgage, but Amis suggests it’s also a helpful way to assess cash flow even if you’re years from buying a home. Housing costs should be less than 28 percent of your pretax income. With other debt payments, like credit card, car or student loan bills, the total should come under 36 percent of pretax income. Do you save for retirement? Socking away 10 to 15 percent of your pretax income is the goal. These guidelines are aspirational. But your progress toward them is a better measure of whether your money is working for you than surveys or Instagram. In the end, your financial well-being boils down to whether you can meet your basic needs today, plan for a better tomorrow and enjoy life as you go.)

 

MOTLEY FOOL
— 4 Reasons Your Social Security Benefit May Be Worth Less Than You Think – Christy Bieber
https://www.fool.com/retirement/2017/12/30/4-reasons-your-social-security-benefit-may-be-wort.aspx
(FROM THE ARTICLE: 2. Social Security benefits aren’t keeping pace with rising costs of living Retirees receiving Social Security benefits get periodic cost of living adjustments (COLAs). COLAs are tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Unfortunately, many believe this is the wrong index to tie benefit increases to because it does not accurately reflect seniors’ spending patterns. Seniors often devote more of their income to medical costs than the general population. Unfortunately, in 33 out of the past 35 years, healthcare costs have risen at faster rates than Social Security COLA increases. Food and housing cost increases are also outpacing COLA for retirees on Social Security. If Social Security benefits don’t rise as much as the costs of products and services used by seniors, the latter have less purchasing power. Even if income appears to go up because you receive a small raise, benefits will actually be worth less in real terms. And, unfortunately, there’s not even a guarantee you’ll get a raise — even on paper. Since 2010, COLAs have averaged just 1.35% per year. In three of the past 10 years, seniors didn’t get a raise at all, and in 2016, the COLA was just 0.3%.)

 

CNBC
— 4 lifestyle changes to make you more productive in 2018 – Marguerite Ward
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/29/4-lifestyle-changes-to-make-you-more-productive-in-2018.html

 

SALON
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps use Moore to demonize, to denigrate, and to condemn Trump and his supporters.
https://www.salon.com/2017/12/30/evangelical-christianity-is-facing-a-political-crisis_partner/

December 30 Evening Edition

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— Armed robbers target passengers as they get off trains across Chicago
http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/crime/armed-robbers-target-passengers-as-they-get-off-trains-across-chicago

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Ex-mayor Henry Vicenik says Rep. Jim Durkin got involved in Broadview brouhaha – Dan Mihalopoulos
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/mihalopoulos-ex-mayor-says-rep-jim-durkin-broadview-strip-club/
— Governor’s veto of senior care program jeopardizes services – Rachel Hinton
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/governors-veto-of-senior-care-program-jeopardizes-services/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Man’s Country, Chicago’s oldest gay bathhouse, closing after 44 years – Bill Daley
http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-life-mans-country-bathhouse-closing-1230-story.html
— Mike Pence’s Colorado neighbors greet him with ‘Make America Gay Again’ banner – Kristine Phillips (DIERSEN: How soon, if not already, will those who promote LGBTQ activity brag that they can viciously destroy any individual, any organization, any company, any government, and any country that does not promote LGBTQ activity.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-mike-pence-neighbors-20171230-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— Spread of fake news prompts literacy efforts in schools – AP (DIERSEN: According to my critics/opponents, a) they and only they determine what is fact or fiction and b) what they put out is fact and everything else is fiction. What helps you determine fact from fiction? I have been putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails together and sending them out since 2000. I have served as an arbitrator for the Financial Services Regulatory Authority since 1998. I worked for GAO for almost 18 years 1980-1997, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 levels, currently $94,610-$122,991. I worked for IRS 1971-1980, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $79,563-$90,173. I became a Forensic Accountant in 1997, Certified Financial Services Auditor in 1996, Certified Government Financial Manager in 1994, Certified Fraud Examiner in 1990, Licensed CPA in 1981, Certified Internal Auditor in 1981, and CPA in 1979. I earned a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997, a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, an MBA from Loyola in 1976, and a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU in 1970.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20171230/news/312309905/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Alarmed by the proliferation of false content online, state lawmakers around the country are pushing schools to put more emphasis on teaching students how to tell fact from fiction. Lawmakers in several states have introduced or passed bills calling on public school systems to do more to teach media literacy skills that they say are critical to democracy. The effort has been bipartisan but has received little attention despite successful legislation in Washington state, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Mexico.)
— Why your New Year’s resolution should be to spend more money – Suzanne Woolley (DIERSEN: What discourages you from spending more? For me, it is knowing that my Civil Service Retirement System pension is only 41% of what my ending salary was today’s dollars.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/business/20171230/why-your-new-years-resolution-should-be-to-spend-more-money
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “When we speak about spending resolutions, we usually speak about how to encourage people to spend less,” said Meir Statman, a behavioral finance professor at Santa Clara University. “This is right for most young people. But with many older people, the problem is too little spending because of a reluctance to dip into capital.”)

 

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— Better Government Association: Demand government we deserve, use FOIA law – Jose Sanchez
http://www.pjstar.com/opinion/20171230/better-government-association-demand-government-we-deserve-use-foia-law
— Resolve to be an engaged citizen in 2018 – Editorial (DIERSEN: Who does not want you to be an engaged citizen? Those who do not want me to be an engaged citizen a) reject planks in the Republican Party platform and/or the Illinois Republican Party platform and work against those like me who support those planks, b) reject the Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling and work against those like me who support that resolution, c) focus on destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate, d) were defendants in lawsuits that I have filed, and/or e) are operatives or dupes for the aforesaid and/or are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
http://www.pjstar.com/opinion/20171230/editorial-resolve-to-be-engaged-citizen-in-2018

 

TIMES
— Republican congressional candidate Jaye DeBates, whose petitions to get on the ballot were challenged by an opponent, withdrew his candidacy Friday. – David Giuliani
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/local/congress-hopeful-leaves-race/article_d59a9308-4626-5935-9d66-9c8ae79cb939.html

 

LASALLE NEWS TRIBUNE
— Congressional candidate Jaye DeBates has withdrawn his candidacy from the March primary ballot. – Brett Herrmann
http://www.newstrib.com/free/pc-republican-coming-off-of-ballot/article_65cadc30-ecab-11e7-b48c-f3687e0741d9.html

 

  1. LOUIS TODAY
    — DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps make it clear that they are also anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.
    http://www.stltoday.com/opinion/columnists/national/ruben-navarrette-it-s-no-surprise-when-racists-claim-the/article_7c44b735-bf8c-50c9-bc7f-6c504284e013.html

 

ILLINOIS FAMILY ACTION
— How the Left Became So Intolerant – Kim Holmes
https://illinoisfamilyaction.org/2017/12/how-the-left-became-so-intolerant/

 

GOPUSA
— AS Democrats say black female voters key to victory in South (DIERSEN: Democrats focus on turning everyone against Republicans, but Democrats especially focus on turning Black females against Republicans.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=36079

 

BREITBART
— Anchor Baby Population in U.S. Exceeds One Year of American Births – JOHN BINDER
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/28/anchor-baby-population-in-u-s-exceeds-one-year-of-american-births/

 

BLAZE
— Media critics say BuzzFeed list of things ‘white people’ ruin is racist, bigoted – Teri Webster
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/30/media-critics-say-buzzfeed-list-of-things-white-people-ruin-is-racist-bigoted

 

THE HILL
— Republicans face an uphill climb in 2018 if they fail on immigration and ObamaCare – RACHEL BOVARD
http://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/366854-republicans-face-an-uphill-climb-in-2018-if-they-fail-on-immigration-and

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Polls show Americans distrust the media. But talk to them, and it’s a very different story. – Margaret Sullivan (DIERSEN: You can trust the mainstream media a) to promote the Democrat Party platform, the Libertarian Party platform, and the Green Party platform and b) to demonize, denigrate, and condemn the Republican Party platform.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/polls-show-americans-distrust-the-media-but-talk-to-them-and-its-a-very-different-story/2017/12/27/ed9bbabe-ce3b-11e7-81bc-c55a220c8cbe_story.html
— How the Trump era is changing the federal bureaucracy – Lisa Rein and Andrew Ba Tran (DIERSEN: All during the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, the agency shrank. It was almost always under hiring and/or promotion freezes. Further, it was always under tremendous pressure from Democrat politicians a) to hire, retain, and promote young Democrat minorities and young Democrat females and b) to make way for them by wasting the careers of and by getting rid of the agency’s employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who had not made GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-the-trump-era-is-changing-the-federal-bureaucracy/2017/12/30/8d5149c6-daa7-11e7-b859-fb0995360725_story.html

 

DAILY COMMERCIAL
— Affordability driving the 2018 housing projection – Don Magruder (DIERSEN: Limiting the deductibility of real estate taxes harms affordability.)
http://www.dailycommercial.com/news/20171230/around-house-affordability-driving-2018-housing-projection

 

CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
— Why Education Matters to Your Health – Karin Fischer
https://www.chronicle.com/article/Why-Education-Matters-to-Your/242123

 

NEW YORK MAGAZINE
— Trump Is Still Happily Mixing Government Affairs With His Private Businesses – Benjamin Hart
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/12/trump-still-mixing-government-affairs-with-private-business.html

 

ALTERNET
— How the GOP Tax Cut Will Also Shrink Your Paycheck When Republicans cut taxes, wages go down or stay flat for working people. – Thom Hartmann
https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/how-gop-tax-cut-will-also-shrink-your-paycheck

December 30 Morning Edition

NBC5
— Silverstein Has Petition Troubles, May Not Make it to Primary Ballot – Mary Ann Ahern
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Silverstein-Has-Petition-Troubles-May-Not-Make-It-To-Primary-Ballot-467220783.html

 

ABC7
— New Illinois Laws 2018: Laws that take effect January 1
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/new-illinois-laws-2018-laws-that-take-effect-january-1/2785524/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Time at Mar-a-Lago is a respite for Trump — and a headache for his staff – Ashley Parker and Josh Dawsey
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-staff-mar-a-lago-20171229-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “In a 30-minute interview, President Trump made 24 false or misleading claims.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/factcheck/ct-trump-interview-fact-check-20171229-story.html
— Trump administration fires all members of HIV/AIDS advisory council – Ben Guarino
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-trump-hiv-aids-council-20171229-story.html
— Cheap Amazon shipping leaves the Postal Service ‘dumber and poorer,’ Trump tweets – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-trump-postal-service-rates-amazon-20171229-story.html
— How 2018 will transport Americans back to 1968 – Editorial (DIERSEN: What did you do in 1968? I worked as a part-time mailman for the Democrats who ran the Park Forest Post Office. I was a full-time student at UIC. I lived with my parents and brother in Crete. I sold my 1968 Oldsmobile 442 and bought a 1969 Dodge Charger SE. I saved money for college expenses.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-nineteen68-0101-story.html
— Bernie Sanders to Republicans: Stop saying I support your tax bill – David Weigel
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-bernie-sanders-republican-tax-bill-20171229-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG COLOR PICTURES: Suburban homeowners flock to prepay property tax bills to beat looming deadline – Katlyn Smith
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171229/suburban-homeowners-flock-to-prepay-property-tax-bills-to-beat-looming-deadline#autoplay
— FRONT PAGE: New consolidation twist surfaces about Naperville township roads – Marie Wilson
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171229/new-consolidation-twist-surfaces-about-naperville-township-roads

 

WBEZ
— Chicago Murder Rate Drops, But Not In All Neighborhoods – Patrick Smith, Natalie Moore
https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/chicago-murder-rate-drops-but-not-in-all-neighborhoods/3658ab1f-3cbd-4c50-b60b-73cf87dad6e3

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Gov. Rauner announces staff changes
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171229/gov-rauner-announces-staff-changes
— Springfield’s Winter Warming Center seeing big crowds during first month – Crystal Thomas
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171228/springfields-winter-warming-center-seeing-big-crowds-during-first-month

 

NORTHWEST HERALD
— Abortion on decline in McHenry County Declines seen among most age groups, especially teens since start of decade – ERIC R. OLSON
http://www.nwherald.com/2017/12/30/abortion-on-decline-in-mchenry-county/af4haa/

 

TIMES
— In 2018, Illinois needs to stop the decline – Editorial (DIERSEN: Members of Group A run Illinois and they focus on driving out of Illinois those individuals, organizations, and companies that are members of Group B. Members of Group A are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and members of Group B are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/editorial/our-view-in-illinois-needs-to-stop-the-decline/article_d752af8e-f266-5fc6-89e0-52dc6f4933ea.html

 

JOURNAL COURIER
— Governor rejects elderly home care plan – AP
http://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/117604/governor-rejects-elderly-home-care-plan

 

ALTON DAILY NEWS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Alton Daily News badmouths those who prepaid their real estate taxes; says they want to “skirt the new law.”
http://altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=257637#.Wkd2Dt-nGM8

 

NPR ILLINOIS
— Transgender Rights Lead NPR’s Top LGBTQ Stories of 2017 – DANNY NETT (DIERSEN: Soon, if not already, if you do not promote LGBTQ activity, you will be barred from getting an education, barred from getting a job, etc.)
http://nprillinois.org/post/transgender-rights-lead-nprs-top-lgbtq-stories-2017#stream/0

 

CHICAGO PATCH
— Year In Review: Trump’s 5 Biggest Clashes With Chicago In 2017 The president and the city were constant sparring partners throughout the year. But who won in the end? – Joe Vince
https://patch.com/illinois/chicago/year-review-trumps-5-biggest-clashes-chicago-2017

 

PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— Ives points finger at Rauner following report on Legionnaires’ outbreak at veterans home – Glenn Minnis
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511306058-ives-points-finger-at-rauner-following-report-on-legionnaires-outbreak-at-veterans-home

 

WILL COUNTY GAZETTE
— Will County Clerk candidate McPhillips: Taxes causing residents to flee Illinois – Glenn Minnis
https://willcountygazette.com/stories/511304245-will-county-clerk-candidate-mcphillips-taxes-causing-residents-to-flee-illinois

 

FOX NEWS
— Capitol Hill’s sexual harassment scandal reignites debate about thrifty lawmakers sleeping in their office – Chad Pergram
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/30/capitol-hill-s-sexual-harassment-scandal-reignites-debate-about-thrifty-lawmakers-sleeping-in-their-office.html
— Facebook rolling back controversial initiative to fight fake news
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2017/12/28/facebook-rolling-back-controversial-initiative-to-fight-fake-news.html

 

BREITBART
— Judge Upholds Controversial Bill Requiring Taxpayers to Fund Abortions in Illinois – THOMAS D. WILLIAMS, PH.D.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/29/judge-upholds-controversial-bill-requiring-taxpayers-to-fund-abortions-in-illinois/

 

DAILY CALLER
— REPORT: Obama’s DOJ Suffered From ‘Systemic’ Sexual Misconduct – Joe Simonson
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/28/obamas-doj-suffered-from-systemic-sexual-misconduct/

 

AMERICAN THINKER
— Is amnesty for DREAMers worth it if we get a border wall? – Ed Straker
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/12/is_amnesty_for_dreamers_worth_it_if_we_get_a_border_wall.html
— White Privilege: An Article of Left-Wing Faith – Eileen F. Toplansky (DIERSEN: To be accepted by Democrats, you have agree with them that the more of the following that you are, the more that you have benefited from discrimination against minorities and against females and the more that you should pay the price of Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2017/12/white_privilege_an_article_of_leftwing_faith.html

 

TOWNHALL
— Mr. President: No DACA, Build The Wall, or No Deal at All! – Arthur Schaper
https://townhall.com/columnists/arthurschaper/2017/12/30/mr-president-no-daca-build-the-wall-or-no-deal-at-all-n2428356

 

THE HILL
— Nonprofits are the unintended victims of the new tax bill – CHRIS GATES
http://thehill.com/opinion/finance/366773-nonprofits-are-the-unintended-victims-of-new-tax-bill

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— Don’t Cheer as the I.R.S. Grows Weaker – Editorial (DIERSEN: What do you base your knowledge of IRS on? I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $79,563-$90,173. I worked for GAO on audits of IRS for 3 years at the GS-13 Step-1-3 levels, currently, $94,610-$100,917. I have filed federal income tax returns since 1964 and itemized returns since 1972. I took IRS to Tax Court and won a split decision on my education deductions. Nevertheless my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes continue to viciously demonize, viciously denigrate, and viciously condemn my knowledge of IRS.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/29/opinion/dont-cheer-as-the-irs-grows-weaker.html
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: No federal agency generates as much rancor as the Internal Revenue Service, part of that duo of inevitability, taxes and death. Despite its reputation for toughness, the I.R.S. relies on voluntary compliance, as in Americans’ sense of duty, to collect the money that powers our government. That’s more true than ever, because as it prepares to implement the most sweeping tax overhaul in 30 years, the I.R.S. is perhaps weaker than it has ever been. In 1986, the last time Congress passed major changes in the tax code, it included a budget increase for the agency, allowing it to hire 2,100 more employees to carry out the changes. Earlier this year, as the agency struggled to do its job with a decimated staff, a shrinking budget and decrepit computers, its commissioner pleaded with Congress to at least give it time to prepare for the big tax overhaul Republicans wanted. That didn’t happen. Instead, Republicans rushed hastily written legislation larded with amendments through both chambers. Even before this hash hit their desks, I.R.S. officials were warning about the potential for a catastrophic breakdown that could imperil our tax system. Then, at its busiest time of year, the agency was given a week before the tax law goes into effect to translate hundreds of pages of conflicting provisions, potential loopholes and unintended consequences into coherent guidance for taxpayers.)
— America, Can We Talk About Your Drinking? More people are consuming alcohol in risky ways. That’s not a good trend. – GABRIELLE GLASER
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/29/opinion/sunday/alcohol-binge-drinking.html
— Germans Will Ring in New Year With Extra Security, Especially for Women – Melissa Eddy
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/29/world/europe/germans-will-ring-in-new-year-with-extra-security-especially-for-women.html

 

NEW YORK MAGAZINE
— The GOP Tax Bill Has Affluent Homeowners Enraged and Confused – Eric Levitz (DIERSEN: Those who itemize their deductions have always been demonized, denigrated, and condemned as being affluent. I itemized my deductions 1972-1977 and my wife and I have itemized our deductions since we got married in 1978.)
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/12/the-gop-tax-bill-has-wealthy-homeowners-enraged-and-confused.html

 

BLOOMBERG
— Ken Griffin Kicks in $3 Million for Soccer – Amanda L Gordon
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-29/ken-griffin-kicks-in-3-million-for-soccer-philanthropy-tracker

 

INEWS
–UK: Millennials will get an ‘inheritance boom’ – but too late to help housing struggles – Karl McDonald
https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/millennials-will-get-inheritance-boom-late-help-housing-struggles/

 

COMMUNITIES DIGITAL NEWS
— Why 20% of American households will not benefit from tax cut – Michael Busler (DIERSEN: One could argue that the tax bill is designed to reward renters and to punish homeowners.)
https://www.commdiginews.com/business-2/economic-politics/why-20-percent-households-will-not-benefit-tax-cut-97552/

 

SLATE
— Homeowners Lining Up to Pay Early Taxes Is a Sign of Blue-State Pain to Come – Henry Grabar (DIERSEN: Those who itemize their deductions have always been demonized, denigrated, and condemned as being wealthy. I itemized my deductions 1972-1977 and my wife and I have itemized our deductions since we got married in 1978. High real estate taxes depress home values.)
https://slate.com/business/2017/12/the-first-drops-of-rain-from-a-tax-bill-hurricane.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: And now, in these frigid waning days of December, come the tax bill’s first visible losers: wealthy blue-state property owners (and the governments their taxes support). In the four days since Christmas, homeowners have lined up at city halls across the Northeast, doing something whose unnatural aspect reveals the scale of damage the tax bill will wreak in the Northeast: voluntarily handing over thousands of dollars in taxes months and months in advance. Hundreds of people waited on lines at city halls and county seats from Fairfax County, Virginia, to the suburbs of Baltimore, New York, and Boston, trying to pay their property taxes while they remain fully deductible on federal returns. Starting next year, the IRS will impose a limit of $10,000 on all state and local tax deductions. Of course, the bracket here is pretty limited to a certain privileged class: homeowners who not only have enormous property tax bills but also the money and the wherewithal to pay them in advance. It is overwhelmingly a wealthy group, and one concentrated in a handful of Democratic states and counties. Real estate taxes make up only about a third of SALT deductions, but they are easy to pay in advance. And if filing now means taking $10,000 off your 2018 tax return, a little dead-week trip to the Finance Department could save you thousands on next year’s taxes. So it’s not surprising that early payers are dedicating a few hours to fixing cash-flow issues in cities, suburbs, and counties up and down the Northeast Corridor, and in Illinois, Texas, and California as well. On the one hand, it’s hard to drum up much sympathy for the winners of a home price run that has sent the collective value of real estate in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, to take one example, higher than the GDP of the United Kingdom.)

December 29 Evening Edition

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— Trump says no protection for Dreamers without wall – AP
http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/dont-miss/trump-says-no-protection-for-dreamers-without-wall

 

ABC7
— Trump: East Coast could use some ‘good old Global Warming’ this weekend – AP
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/trump-east-could-use-some-global-warming-this-weekend/2837581/

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “At expense of other nations, Trump follows through to put America first.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/america-first-trump-michael-barone/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Reversing the Illinois exodus – Editorial (DIERSEN: The more that members of Group A are elected in Illinois, the faster that members of Group B will leave Illinois. Members of Group A are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and members of Group B are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-illinois-population-20171222-story.html
— Trump says no protection for ‘Dreamers’ without wall – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-daca-20171229-story.html
— Carjackings skyrocket in Chicago in 2017 — to highest level in at least 10 years – Jeremy Gorner
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-chicago-carjackings-2017-story.html
— Not much to ‘like’ if Facebook job ads ignore older workers – Robert Reed (DIERSEN: How old are you? What is your position on age discrimination? My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes promote age discrimination. They demonize, denigrate, and condemn as being lazy, stupid, and even worse things non-veteran White male federal employees who do not make GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/reed/ct-biz-age-discrimination-facebook-ads-robert-reed-1226-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Older job seekers, who often have a tough time finding employment, now face another painful reality: Social media isn’t their work buddy. Dozens of companies are recruiting workers with ads on Facebook that use “age-based” microtargeting — a system designed to connect clients to millennial job prospects. But this hyper-focused approach has a dark side: It can prevent older job hunters from getting equal access to career opportunities posted online, and that smacks of age discrimination. Facebook and their corporate clients should wise up and dump this ham-handed strategy before it spirals out of control. Aside from being potentially ageist, unfair and legally suspect, it reduces a company’s employment possibilities by ignoring qualified, older job candidates.)
— Emanuel’s average income is $365,000 per year, 6 years of mayor’s tax returns show – Bill Ruthhart
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-rahm-emanuel-tax-returns-20171229-story.html
— Lawmakers behaving badly? Let’s see the names. – Editorial
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-congress-sex-harassment-settlements-20171229-story.html
— Vernon Township supervisor to propose anti-nepotism policy, debate legal fees – Rick Kambic
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/vernon-hills/news/ct-vhr-vernon-township-legal-fees-tl-0104-story.html
— Lake County spent $4.9 million on uncompleted e-filing system, records show – Emily K. Coleman
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-lns-lake-county-efiling-st-1230-20171215-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— The tax bill has turned America’s accountants into ‘rock stars’ – Ben Terris
http://www.dailyherald.com/business/20171229/the-tax-bill-has-turned-americas-accountants-into-rock-stars

 

QUINCY HERALD WHIG
— Illinois counties receive historic number of tax prepayments – Matt Dutton
http://www.whig.com/20171229/illinois-counties-receive-historic-number-of-tax-prepayments#

 

BOLINGBROOK PATCH
— Rachel Tuszynski Admits To Hate Crime Against Mayor Roger Claar The Bolingbrook mayor was a big campaign supporter of Donald Trump’s candidacy for president in 2016. – John Ferak
https://patch.com/illinois/bolingbrook/rachel-tuszynski-pleads-guilty-hate-crime-vs-mayor-claar

 

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Wilcox Summarizes First Day of Reinert Petition Challenge
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2017/12/29/wilcox-summarizes-first-day-of-reinert-petition-challenge/

 

EAST CENTRAL REPORTER
— Brickman’s marijuana stance not shared by fellow Republicans
https://eastcentralreporter.com/stories/511306796-brickman-s-marijuana-stance-not-shared-by-fellow-republicans

 

ILLINOIS FAMILY ACTION
— WATCH: CNN Worries Tax Bill Will Help GOP, Hints At Conspiracy Theory – Ryan Saavedra
https://illinoisfamilyaction.org/2017/12/watch-cnn-worries-tax-bill-will-help-gop-hints-at-conspiracy-theory/

 

ILLINOIS FAMILY REVIEW
— REP. BREEN REACTS TO CIRCUIT COURT RULING ON TAXPAYER FUNDED ABORTIONS
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/rep-breen-reacts-to-circuit-court-ruling-on-taxpayer-funded-abortions.html
— ILLINOIS’ ANDRZEJEWSKI MAPS THE SWAMP
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/illinois-andrzejewski-maps-the-swamp.html
— NATIONAL NEWS FOCUSES ON NATION’S “WORST REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR” IN ILLINOIS
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/national-news-focuses-on-nations-worst-republican-governor-in-illinois.html
— GLENNON: BEST CHICAGO NEWS IN 2017? HISTORIC LOW TEEN BIRTHS
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/glennon-best-chicago-news-in-2017-historic-low-teen-births.html

 

FOX NEWS
— Chicago’s Emanuel reaps benefits of opposing Trump — as city problems fester – Lukas Mikelionis (DIERSEN: What benefits have the anti-Trumps reaped in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois?)
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/29/chicagos-emanuel-reaps-benefits-opposing-trump-as-city-problems-fester.html
— Things college professors called ‘racist’ in 2017 – Caleb Parke
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/12/29/things-college-professors-called-racist-in-2017.html

 

THE HILL
— A secure retirement may be in jeopardy for millions of Americans – CHARLES JESZECK AND FRANK TODISCO
http://thehill.com/opinion/finance/366783-a-secure-retirement-may-be-in-jeopardy-for-millions-of-americans

 

ASSOCIATED PRESS
— Illinois governor announces staff changes
http://www.sfgate.com/news/education/article/Illinois-governor-announces-staff-changes-12462676.php

 

NEW YORK MAGAZINE
— Trump: Give Me a Border Wall or I’ll Deport the Dreamers – Eric Levitz
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/12/trump-give-me-a-border-wall-or-ill-deport-the-dreamers.html

 

FORBES
— The Administrative State — Size, Scope And Resistance Of The Swamp – Adam Andrzejewski
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamandrzejewski/2017/12/29/the-administrative-state-its-size-scope-and-resistance/#572a153933b5