FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Chicago Mayor Johnson defends spending on migrant crisis during Capitol Hill hearings
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-defends-spending-migrant-crisis-during-sanctuary-city-hearings-washington-dc/15981771/
— Mayor Brandon Johnson testifies in DC at sanctuary city hearing
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-set-testify-washington-dc-sanctuary-city-hearing/15979555/
— Trump issues ‘last warning’ to Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza
https://abc7chicago.com/post/trump-issues-last-warning-hamas-release-remaining-hostages-held-gaza/15981541/
— Trump administration plans to fire over 70K employees at Department of Veterans Affairs
https://abc7chicago.com/post/president-donald-trumps-administration-planning-fire-70k-employees-us-department-veterans-affairs-memo-shows/15981426/
— ‘Partisan and divisive’: House leadership on Trump’s joint address
https://abc7chicago.com/post/democrats-republicans-react-president-trumps-joint-address-congress/15980125/
— Illinois legislative revenue estimate more than $700M lower than Gov. Pritzker’s proposed budget
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-legislative-revenue-estimate-737-million-lower-governor-jb-pritzkers-proposed-state-budget/15982106/
NBC5
— House Republicans seek to censure Rep. Al Green after interrupting Trump’s speech
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/house-republicans-seek-to-censure-rep-al-green-after-interrupting-trumps-speech/3689903/
— LaHood questions Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson during testimony before Congress
https://www.nbcchicago.com/top-videos-home/il-rep-darin-lahood-questions-chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-during-testimony-before-congress/3689776/
CBS2
— Mayor Brandon Johnson defends Chicago’s immigration policies on Capitol Hill; “Chicago is and always has been a proud city of immigrants.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/after-prep-mayor-johnson-testify-capitol-hill-immigration/
FOX32
— Mayor Brandon Johnson delivers opening statement in sanctuary cities hearing
https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DliSvuXQIHh8
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Mayor Brandon Johnson defends Chicago’s sanctuary laws in GOP-led congressional hearing
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/05/mayor-brandon-johnson-congress-committee-sanctuary-laws/
— Democrat leaders say “Trump uses Democrats as stooges at address to Congress” and ask “When will the party learn some common sense?”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/05/editorial-donald-trump-uses-democrats-as-stooges-at-state-of-the-union-when-will-the-party-learn-some-common-sense/
— City begins rehousing efforts for Gompers Park homeless encampment residents
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/05/chicago-rehousing-efforts-gompers-park-homeless/
— Aurora mayoral candidates Richard Irvin, John Laesch to answer questions at upcoming forum (COMMENT: While I was the chairman of TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois 2005 -2012, far too many Republican candidates objected to my asking them after their speeches that if elected, would they defend and advance all the planks in the Republican Party platform.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/05/aurora-mayoral-candidates-richard-irvin-john-laesch-to-answer-questions-at-upcoming-forum/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Heavily-scripted Mayor Brandon Johnson survives congressional hot seat on Chicago’s sanctuary city policy
https://chicago.suntimes.com/brandonjohnson/2025/03/05/chicago-sanctuary-city-brandon-johnson-testimony-updates-file
DAILY HERALD
— ‘Insulting and disrespectful’: Suburban Democratic lawmakers slam Trump’s address to Congress
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250305/us-congress-politics/insulting-and-disrespectful-suburban-democratic-lawmakers-slam-trumps-address-to-congress/
— Illinois lawmakers boycott, bring pointed guests to Trump speech
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250304/nation-and-world-politics/illinois-lawmakers-boycott-bring-pointed-guests-to-trump-speech/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Brandon Johnson argues sanctuary city law keeps Chicago safer in high-profile House testimony
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/brandon-johnson-defends-chicagos-sanctuary-city-law-dc
SOUTHERN
— Trump, Musk raise questions about whether nation’s gold at Fort Knox has been stolen
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/03/05/trump-musk-raise-questions-about-whether-nations-gold-at-fort-knox-has-been-stolen/
NPR ILLINOIS
— Volunteers help fired federal workers re-enter the job market (COMMENT: No one helped me or my Republican GAO coworkers who were fired because of Republican-led budget cuts during the 1980s and 1990s.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-03-05/volunteers-help-fired-federal-workers-re-enter-the-job-market
NEWS CHANNEL 20
— Republicans push for special master in Illinois redistricting lawsuit
https://newschannel20.com/news/local/republicans-push-for-special-master-in-illinois-redistricting-lawsuit#
KDHL RADIO
— Cannabis Edible Sends Illinois Teen To Emergency Room
https://kdhlradio.com/ixp/722/p/cannabis-edible-illinois/
WHEATON
— Women of Wheaton (COMMENT: What About Men of Wheaton?)
https://www.wheaton.il.us/1069/Women-of-Wheaton
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/05/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-261/
— Underutilized CPS schools driving up costs
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/05/report-underutilized-cps-schools-driving-up-costs/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— It all comes out in the wash. As time goes on, it becomes all the more clear that all my critics/opponents who claim to be religious, conservative, and/or Republican reject many, most, if not virtually all of the planks in the Republican Party platform, most commonly, its personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, illegal drugs, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on those who still have lots of religious, government, political, and/or financial clout in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois and have had their operatives and their dupes take the most/biggest adverse actions against me lately. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Antics at speech highlight Democrats’ Trump problem
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/5/antics-speech-highlight-democrats-trump-problem/
WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
— Chicago Mayor: Sanctuary Policies Make Cities Safer Because ‘Undocumented Immigrants Come Forward To Report Crimes’
https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/chicago-mayor-sanctuary-policies-make-cities-safer-because-undocumented-immigrants-come-forward-to-report-crimes/
BREITBART
— Biden Quadrupled Unvetted Immigration Through Parole Program Abuse
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/03/05/report-biden-quadrupled-unvetted-immigration-through-parole-program-abuse/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CNN
— USDA employees fired en masse by Trump administration reinstated (COMMENT: I was among the more than 3,000 GAO employees who Republicans fired during the 1980s and 1990s. What if we had been reinstated?)
https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/05/politics/usda-employees-fired-reinstatement/index.html
NBC NEWS
— Trump grants automakers a 1-month exemption on tariffs; Vance visits southern border
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/live-blog/live-updates-trump-vance-musk-doge-immigration-russia-ukraine-rcna194067
CBS NEWS
— JD Vance touts Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration in Texas
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/jd-vance-touts-trump-administrations-crackdown-on-illegal-immigration-in-texas/
— House Speaker Mike Johnson’s chief of staff arrested for DUI after Trump speech
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mike-johnson-chief-of-staff-hayden-haynes-arrested-dui-trump-speech/
NEW YORK TIMES
— Chicago’s Mayor Pushes Back as Republicans Attack Immigration Policies
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/us/brandon-johnson-chicago-mayor-sanctuary-city-hearing.html
WASHINGTON POST
— Americans don’t love Trump’s methods on Ukraine
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/05/americans-dont-love-trumps-methods-ukraine/
— Trump administration plans 15 percent cut to VA workforce (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO during the 1980s and 1998s, Republicans cut half its workforce.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/05/veterans-affairs-cut-employees-trump-doge/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Trump Tariff Concerns Paralyze Businesses, Raising Uncertainty
https://www.wsj.com/video/trump-tariff-concerns-paralyze-businesses-raising-uncertainty/9883E3CA-F5B0-4DB2-A2FB-0845198B7542
INDEPENDENT
— Speaker Mike Johnson’s chief of staff arrested on DUI charge after Trump’s speech
https://www.yahoo.com/news/speaker-mike-johnson-chief-staff-213942800.html
Tag: amendment
March 3, 2025
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Hundreds rally for Ukraine in downtown Chicago after shouting match between Trump, Zelenskyy (COMMENT: If you, if your parents, if your grandparents, or if any of your ancestors are/were from Ukraine, what are you doing about this, what are you going to do about this? All my ancestors immigrated from what is now Germany during the 1840s and 1850s. My grandfather on my father’s side fought the Germans in WWI. My uncles on my mother’s side fought the Germans in WWII. My father would have fought the Germans in WWII if he had not been 4-F.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/ukraine-chicago-protest-today-demonstrators-rally-justice-heated-donald-trump-volodymyr-zelenskyy-meeting/15970169/
— Proposed Medicaid cuts could put nearly 1M Illinois residents at risk of losing coverage. A Humboldt Park Health official said people can expect much longer wait times in the emergency room if the cuts are approved.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/medicaid-illinois-chicago-protest-today-proposed-cuts-held-humboldt-park-health/15966039/
NBC5
— ‘Reverse Robin Hood scam’ or windfall for middle class? Lawmakers debate Trump tax plan extensions. (COMMENT: My critics/opponent have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that I should pay more federal taxes. I should write about my critics/opponents.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/business/money-report/reverse-robin-hood-scam-or-windfall-for-middle-class-lawmakers-debate-trump-tax-plan-extensions/3687002/
CBS2
— Emotions run high at rally for Ukraine in Chicago’s Daley Plaza
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/emotions-run-high-at-rally-for-ukraine-in-chicagos-daley-plaza/
— More than 1,000 protest for Ukraine, lambaste President Trump in downtown Chicago
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/protest-for-ukraine-lambaste-president-trump-downtown-chicago/
FOX32
— Chicago mayor to be ‘held accountable’ for sanctuary policies in Capitol Hill hearing, GOP reps say
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/republican-chicago-johnson-hearing
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Chicagoans rally in support of Ukraine after Zelenskyy’s contentious meeting with Trump
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/02/chicago-ukraine-rally/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more opposition to Republican budget cuts. While I worked for GAO 1980-1997, there was virtually no opposition to Republicans cutting GAO’s budget.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/02/federal-employment-cuts-to-national-park-service-other-agencies-draw-sharp-criticism-here/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/02/chicago-guatemalans-community/
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/02/fear-of-ice-arrests-keeping-customers-at-home-immigrant-owned-businesses-in-aurora-say-the-streets-were-so-lonely/
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly replace those who have demographics that vote for Republicans with those who have demographics that vote for Democrats.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/02/northbrook-celebrates-diversity-with-cultural-fair/
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly discourage assimilation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/03/opinion-multilingualism-us-spanish/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Musk’s DOGE moves to cancel leases for federal offices across Illinois. The Trump administration is aiming to unload half the buildings the government owns and cancel 50% of leases for offices across the country.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2025/03/03/elon-musk-doge-leases-federal-offices-illinois
DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: Reflecting history: County board considering update to DuPage Heritage Gallery
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250302/news/reflecting-history-county-board-considering-update-to-dupage-heritage-gallery/
— District 207 candidates oppose Trump plans to abolish U.S. Education Department, use public funds for private schools (COMMENT: I should write about my critics/opponents who have used against me the most my attending a) Trinity Lutheran Grade School in Crete 1953-1961 and b) Hope Lutheran Grade School in Park Forest 1961-1962.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250228/local-politics/district-207-candidates-oppose-trump-plans-to-abolish-u-s-education-department-use-public-funds-fo/
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Nothing new about financial mismanagement in Illinois
https://www.yahoo.com/news/editorial-nothing-financial-mismanagement-illinois-155100049.html
OUR QUAD CITIES
— Illinois governor plays Nazi Trump card
https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/4-the-record/illinois-governor-plays-nazi-trump-card/
— Democrat leaders not only oppose cutting federal spending for those who vote for Democrats, they want that spending to be increased. Those who vote for Democrats include those who are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, unmarried, LGBTQ, non-rich, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, are in America illegally, boozers, gamblers, stoners, and criminals.
https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/local-news/whats-ahead-as-illinois-lawmakers-push-to-stop-medicaid-cuts/
FOX ILLINOIS
— Trump is not the first U.S. President to lose patience with Zelenskyy reports show
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/trump-is-not-the-first-us-president-to-lose-patience-with-zelenskyy-reports-show-volodymyr-former-president-joe-biden-jd-vance-oval-office-russia-ukraine-war-foreign-aid
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Trump’s speech to Congress comes as he wields vast power almost daring lawmakers, courts to stop him
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-trumps-speech-to-congress-comes-as-he-wields-vast-power-almost-daring-lawmakers-courts-to-stop-him/
— Trump’s past speeches to Congress asked them to pass his agenda. Now, he’s willing to go it alone. (COMMENT: Trump got elected by promising to defend and advance the Republican Party platform.)
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-trumps-past-speeches-to-congress-asked-them-to-pass-his-agenda-now-hes-willing-to-go-it-alone/
WSIU
— Democrats say “What Putin thinks of the tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy.”
https://www.wsiu.org/2025-03-03/what-putin-thinks-of-the-tensions-between-trump-and-zelenskyy
WCIA
— Conan O’Brien swipes at Trump with ‘Anora’ joke: Americans ‘excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful Russian’
https://www.wcia.com/news/national/conan-obrien-swipes-at-trump-with-anora-joke-americans-excited-to-see-somebody-finally-stand-up-to-a-powerful-russian/
WAND TV
— Following Trump’s lead, his allies lash out at Ukraine’s Zelenskyy and suggest he may need to resign
https://www.wandtv.com/news/national/following-trumps-lead-his-allies-lash-out-at-ukraines-zelenskyy-and-suggest-he-may-need/article_56d77fe3-1f42-5d25-88d5-3626b63a97ed.html
NPR ILLINOIS
— Foreign students say the threat of Trump’s executive orders is getting real
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-03-03/foreign-students-say-the-threat-of-trumps-executive-orders-is-getting-real
— Democrat leaders say “Majorities say state of the union is not strong, and Trump is rushing change.”
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-03-03/poll-majorities-say-state-of-the-union-is-not-strong-and-trump-is-rushing-change
DAILY NORTHWESTERN
— How Northwestern has responded to Trump’s anti-DEI orders
https://dailynorthwestern.com/2025/03/03/campus/the-daily-explains-how-northwestern-has-responded-to-trumps-anti-dei-orders/
AXIOS CHICAGO
— Democrat leaders say “What’s at stake if we lose sanctuary city laws.”
https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/03/03/sanctuary-city-chicago-immigration-house-hearing
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Former Gov. Bruce Rauner is among Republicans looking at Elon Musk and President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency with a bit of nostalgia, uncertainty and caution. In an interview, Rauner acknowledged the challenges of trimming government. “There are all kinds of restrictions and union rules and regulatory rules for what you can do as an executive versus what needs legislative or other approvals, including union approvals and employee approvals,” he said. “It was very, very, very tough to shrink.” . . . Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump’s funding freeze, will host Lauri Morrison-Frichtl during the president’s speech before Congress on Tuesday. Morrison-Frichtl is executive director of the Illinois Head Start Association, which has been affected by the freeze. Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) will bring Eric Rodriguez for Trump’s speech. Rodriguez is a disabled Army veteran who works at the Hines VA Hospital and is concerned about Trump’s cuts to veterans’ services and the rights of unionized federal employees, according to Garcia’s team.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/03/03/this-week-is-going-to-be-viral-00206948
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Democrat leaders not only oppose cutting federal spending for those who vote for Democrats, they want that spending to be increased. Those who vote for Democrats include those who are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, unmarried, LGBTQ, non-rich, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, are in America illegally, boozers, gamblers, stoners, and criminals. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gpoillinois.com
— The Democrat mainstream news media, that is, Democrat leaders, ever-increasingly spins everything against Trump and against the 77 million who voted for Trump. The more demographics that you share with Trump, the more that Democrats assume that you voted for Trump. Trump is conservative, Republican, White, male, older, married, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and his ancestors have been in America for a long time. I am all of the aforesaid. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Trump is following Gingrich’s policy of gutting of federal agencies instead of reforming them. While Gingrich was a U.S. Representative 1979-1999, and especially while he was the Speaker of the House 1995-1999, he became ever-increasingly critical of GAO. He cut GAO’s budget in relative terms, and increasingly, in absolute terms. My Democrat GAO superiors punished me severely for that. If Gingrich had reformed GAO instead of gutting it, there would be no need for DOGE today. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Were you a bad employee? My critics/opponents ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout that I must have been an extremely bad employee because my superiors in the federal government took so many big adverse actions against me. They stress that my GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old EVEN THOUGH I had earned three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Democrats have invited fired federal employees to Trump’s congressional address. The move comes as lawmakers hear from constituents over President Trump’s and Elon Musk’s efforts to slash federal spending and cull the civil service ranks. My Democrat GAO superiors fired me in 1997, that is, they forced me to retire. What if my U.S. Congressman Henry Hyde and my U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald had invited me to Congressional addresses? My critics/opponents have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that Hyde and Fitzgerald sided with GAO against me. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What would your critics/opponents stress to Trump and to his supporters to turn them against you? My critics/opponents would stress that I am not a team player, that is, that I have not ever been and that I will never be blindly loyal to any individual, that is, that I am instead loyal to conservative principles and to the Republican Party platform. Further, they would stress that I cannot be manipulated or dominated and that I refuse orders to a) glorify, praise, demonize, denigrate, or condemn people, b) pander to people, c) serve as an operative or dupe for anyone, d) coverup wrongdoing, and e) give money to anyone. No offense to Trump or to his supporters, but I take the aforesaid as a badge of honor. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Since 2000, as your GOPUSA Illinois Editor, I have served as a conservative Republican political and government news and commentary aggregator. Of course, my critics/opponents do not want me to influence anything. That is why they a) ended my service as the Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO) webmaster in 2004 and 2010, b) ended my bid to serves as MTRO Treasurer in 2004, c) ended my service as an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member in 2004, d) almost got Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) to censure me for my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters in 2006, e) ended my ICRC Steering Committee membership in 2007, f) ended my Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee membership in 2011, g) ended my TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship in 2012, h) gerrymandered my precinct in 2015, i) ended my service as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and fireworks in 2021, and j) ended my Illinois Republican Party State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee membership in 2024. I should write about my critic/opponents. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
WIREPOINTS
— Willful indifference to cost: Illinois’ noncitizen healthcare scandal is worse than new audit shows
https://wirepoints.org/willful-indifference-to-cost-illinois-noncitizen-healthcare-scandal-is-worse-than-new-audit-shows-wirepoints/
BREAKTHROUGH IDEAS
— Illinois Commits to Using Schools to Harm and Indoctrinate Minors
https://www.breakthrough-ideas.com/read/2025/02/28/illinois-commits-to-using-schools-to-harm-and-indoctrinate-minors
ILLINOIS REVIEW
— Illinois Schools to Trump: We’re Keeping DEI, Even If It Costs Millions!
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2025/03/illinois-schools-to-trump-were-keeping-dei-even-if-it-costs-millions.html
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is directing the civilian workforce at the Pentagon to respond to the Office of Personnel Management’s request for a list of their accomplishments for the past week. (COMMENT: My accomplishments last week include my putting together and sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters with links to 500 articles.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/2/defense-secretary-directs-civilian-employees-comply-opm-request/
— Islam is killing Germany. To survive, Europe must return to its roots.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/2/islam-killing-germany/
— Trump Is right: Fire bad federal employees and reward good ones (COMMENT: My critics/opponents ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout that I must have been an extremely bad employee because my superiors in the federal government took so many big adverse actions against me. They stress that my GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old EVEN THOUGH I had earned three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/2/trump-right-fire-bad-federal-employees-reward-good-ones/
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Hollywood’s decline is an American tragedy
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/3334133/hollywood-decline-is-an-american-tragedy/
NEW YORK POST
— Vance family moved to ‘undisclosed location’ after hundreds of pro-Ukraine protesters swarm ski resort ahead of vacation
https://nypost.com/2025/03/01/us-news/jd-vances-visit-to-vermont-ski-resort-interrupted-by-pro-ukraine-demonstrators-after-zelensky-exchange/
AMERICAN THINKER
— Fonda disproves the adage age brings wisdom
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/03/fonda_disproves_the_adage_age_brings_wisdom.html
CAMPUS REFORM
— ‘LGBTQ+ words for elementary students’: 10 ways Maine’s Department of Education spends its money
https://www.campusreform.org/article/lgbtq-words-elementary-students-10-ways-maines-department-education-spends-money-/27577
FOX NEWS
— Illinois GOP chair Kathy Salvi unleashes on governor for ‘grandstanding’ with special demand of Trump admin. ‘Governor Pritzker is grandstanding for his 2028 run for president instead of focusing on the mess that he’s left with us in Illinois,’ she said.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/blue-state-gop-chair-unleashes-governor-grandstanding-demand-trum-admin
NATIONAL REVIEW
— Trump’s Worthy Effort to Rein In ‘Independent’ Agencies (COMMENT: GAO is supposed to be an independent agency, but instead, it is an arm of the Democrat Party. If Gingrich had reformed GAO instead of gutting it, there would be no need for DOGE today.)
https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/03/trumps-worthy-effort-to-rein-in-independent-agencies/
NEWSMAX
— Zelenskyy Should Work With Trump to End Ukraine War
https://www.newsmax.com/drlucjaswiatkowskicannon/zelenskyy-trump-ukraine/2025/02/26/id/1200577/
WESTERN JOURNAL
— Wheaton College Alumni Send Clear Message on School’s Woke Drift
https://www.westernjournal.com/christian-college-alumni-send-clear-message-schools-woke-drift/
— Canada Spent $320 Million to Fuel Anti-Christian Hate But Came Up Empty-Handed
https://www.westernjournal.com/canada-spent-320-million-fuel-anti-christian-hate-came-empty-handed/
— Have We Become the Party of Handouts?
https://www.westernjournal.com/become-party-handouts/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
NEW YORK TIMES
— Elon Musk Is South African. We Shouldn’t Forget It. (COMMENT: My critics/opponents have always demonized, denigrated, and condemned my hometown of Crete where I lived 1948-1972. They stress that while I lived there, it was overwhelmingly Lutheran and German American.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/opinion/elon-musk-south-africa.html
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump. Soon, if not already, Democrat and RINO employers will officially a) not hire you unless you hate Trump and b) fire you if you do not hate Trump.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/opinion/trumps-masculinity-democrats.html
— Democrats Invite Fired Federal Workers to Trump’s Congressional Address. The move comes as lawmakers hear from constituents over President Trump’s and Elon Musk’s efforts to slash federal spending and cull the civil service ranks. (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors fired me in 1997, that is, they forced me to retire. What if my U.S. Congressman Henry Hyde and my U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald had invited me to Congressional addresses? My critics/opponents have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that Hyde and Fitzgerald sided with GAO against me.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/us/politics/democrats-trump-federal-workers.html
— Trump and the press
https://messaging-custom-newsletters.nytimes.com/dynamic/render?campaign_id=9
WASHINGTON POST
— Trump’s opponents decry a sweeping crackdown on free speech. In an effort to stamp out “woke” racial and gender messages, critics say, the president is running afoul of the First Amendment.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/02/trump-free-speech-censorship/
— Tariffs on Canada, Mexico to take effect Tuesday barring Trump reprieve
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/03/trump-presidency-news/
— A closer look at DEI and veterans’ preference (COMMENT: According to my critics/opponents, all the jobs that I got and all the promotions that I got should have been given to veterans instead of me because I avoided the Vietnam War draft. I should write about that.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/03/03/dei-preference-veterans-military-families/
LOS ANGELES TIMES
— Trump is surrendering a century’s worth of U.S. global power in a matter of weeks
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2025-03-03/trump-ukraine-russia-global-power
USA TODAY
— Trump orders additional troops, armored vehicles to southern border
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/03/01/pentagon-troops-armored-vehicles-southern-border/80972784007/
— Dismantling agencies and firing workers: How Trump is redefining relations with Congress and courts. Trump has adopted a theory from former Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia that presidents control the entire executive branch. (COMMENT: Trump is following Gingrich’s policy of gutting of federal agencies instead of reforming them. While Gingrich was a U.S. Representative 1979-1999, and especially while he was the Speaker of the House 1995-1999, he became ever-increasingly critical of GAO. He cut GAO’s budget in relative terms and increasingly in absolute terms. My Democrat GAO superiors punished me severely for that. If Gingrich had reformed GAO instead of gutting it, there would be no need for DOGE today.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/03/02/president-trump-unitary-executive-branch-congress/80517757007/
CBS NEWS
— Trudeau to bring up Trump’s threat to annex Canada in meeting with King Charles
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trudeau-meeting-king-charles-trump-annex-threat/
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
— Despite federal deadline, N.Y. colleges make few changes to DEI programs
https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/03/02/despite-federal-deadline-ny-colleges-make-few-changes-to-dei-programs/
BOSTON GLOBE
— Musk and Trump aren’t just decimating the federal workforce. They’re denigrating it. (COMMENT: Overwhelmingly, Republicans view federal employees negatively. Why is that? I have always been a Republican. I was a federal employee for almost 30 years and I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years. To demonize me, denigrate me, and condemn me, my Republican critics/opponents have always stressed that I was a federal employee 1966-1969 and 1971-1997 and that I have been a federal retiree since 1997. They stress that I was an IRS employee 1971-1980. I should write about my Republican critics/opponents.)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/03/02/opinion/doge-federal-workforce-layoffs/
MIAMI HERALD
— Democrats Denounce Their Own Party: ‘Over-the-Top Wokeism’
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democrats-denounce-their-own-party-over-the-top-wokeism/ss-AA1A6goG
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Some of Illinois Wants to Join Indiana
https://www.wsj.com/video/series/journal-editorial-report/wsj-opinion-some-of-illinois-wants-to-join-indiana/04100582-95B9-4BA1-B267-3BC902D84795
— FRONT PAGE: ‘Garage Mahals’ Are Driving Neighbors Nuts. When a regular garage isn’t big enough, Minnesotans turn to luxury storage spaces. (COMMENT: My critics/opponents despise/hate cars, and especially American nameplate cars, and more especially muscle cars, and even more especially Corvettes. I have owned my 1972 Corvette since I bought it new in 1971. If I sought a political office or a government office, my critics/opponents would stress the Iron Gate Motor Condo in Naperville that I used to own, the one that I own now, and the one that I am buying.)
https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/garage-mahal-man-cave-car-barn-storage-shed-45681baa
(FROM THE ARTICLE: With his three-car garage in this Minneapolis suburb already full, Bret Bailey had to keep his racing Porsche in a trailer outside through brutal Minnesota winters. Then one March, as he prepared for a race, Bailey discovered the wheels of the trailer had frozen to the ground. “For two weeks, I’m throwing salt out there,” said the 64-year-old retired IT manager. Now, Bailey is part of a man-cave-meets-Storage Wars revolution spreading across the country. He keeps his two Porsches, Ferrari, custom Harley, dune buggy and racing trailer in a nearly 2,700-square-foot space outfitted like a sleek European car dealership. It sports a tequila bar, heated floors, bathroom with a shower, giant TV, leather sofa, stack of racing tires and a car lift. He’s among 100 owners in a complex of garage condos called Chanhassen AutoPlex whose car shows attract thousands of people on summer weekends. When a regular garage just isn’t big enough to stash all their cars, boats, snowmobiles, RVs or even quilting gear and golf simulators, some people turn to luxury storage spaces where they can be close to their toys with all the comforts of home. Call them car barns, barndominiums, toy sheds, garage mahals or shouses (for shop houses), they are a big hit in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.)
FORBES
— DOJ Civil Rights Chief Nominee Harmeet Dhillon Decries Affirmative Action In College Admissions (COMMENT: If Affirmative Action pressure had been stronger when I was young, minorities and females would have been admitted instead of me. I only just barely made it into the upper 20% of my high school class and my ACT score was only 24. If qualified minorities and females had applied in 1966, UIC would have admitted them instead of me. The same for NIU in 1969, Loyola in 1972, DePaul in 1976, and IIT in 1992.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKtKDNN0L0Q
INC.
— To get more votes from women, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout that women are superior to men.
https://www.inc.com/stephanie-mehta/this-banks-board-is-78-percent-female-but-dont-credit-dei/91154397
REASON
— Mass Firings Aren’t Meritocracy
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/mass-firings-aren-t-meritocracy/ar-AA1zZEcv
PEW RESARCH CENTER
— No consensus on who comes to mind when Americans are asked to name a news influencer (COMMENT: Since 2000, as your GOPUSA Illinois Editor, I have served as a conservative Republican political and government news and commentary aggregator. Of course, my critics/opponents do not want me to influence anything. That is why they a) ended my service as the Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO) webmaster in 2004 and 2010, b) ended my bid to serves as MTRO Treasurer in 2004, c) ended my service as an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member in 2004, d) almost got Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) to censure me for my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters in 2006, e) ended my ICRC Steering Committee membership in 2007, f) ended my Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee membership in 2011, g) ended my TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship in 2012, h) gerrymandered my precinct in 2015, i) ended my service as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and fireworks in 2021, and j) ended my Illinois Republican Party State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee membership in 2024.)
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/02/19/no-consensus-on-who-comes-to-mind-when-americans-are-asked-to-name-a-news-influencer/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: About one-in-five U.S. adults (21%) say they regularly get news from news influencers on social media, according to our recent study. The study is part of the Pew-Knight Initiative, a research program funded jointly by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. But because the idea of “news influencers” is relatively new, we also wanted to know who Americans are thinking of when they hear the term. So in an open-ended question, we asked U.S. adults who say they regularly get news from news influencers to name the first one who comes to mind for them. In response, half named a person (as opposed to an organization or entity) or gave no response. The 425 people they named reflect a wide range of backgrounds – from journalists to opinion commentators to politicians to content creators. Most of these people fit the definition of news influencers in our larger study – that is, people with large followings on social media who regularly post about news or politics. The influencers our respondents most often named include Philip DeFranco (volunteered by 3%), Tucker Carlson (2%), Ben Shapiro (2%), V Spehar from Under the Desk News (2%) and Carlos Eduardo Espina (2%).)
DAILY MAIL
— Trump shocks as he makes huge concession to Russia
https://www.msn.com/en-ie/news/world/trump-shocks-as-he-makes-huge-concession-to-russia/ss-AA1A8EKk
February 28, 2025
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
NBC5
— Democrats plan to boycott major corporations during ‘Economic Blackout’ protest. The one-day event is designed to bring attention to dissatisfaction with the Trump administration’s push to eliminate DEI initiatives at U.S. companies. (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO leaders use DEI to get rid of Republicans.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicagoans-plan-to-boycott-major-corporations-during-economic-blackout-protest/3685163/
WGN9
— DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick announces GOP run for Illinois governor
https://wgntv.com/news/dupage-county/dupage-county-sheriff-james-mendrick-announces-gop-run-for-illinois-governor/
WBEZ
— Illinois Democrats have bold words for Trump. What action can they take? The U.S. Constitution gives federal law authority over conflicting state law, but state lawmakers have some means to push back.
https://www.wbez.org/springfield/2025/02/28/illinois-democrats-have-bold-words-for-trump-what-action-can-they-take
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly encourage children to be sexually active LGBTQers.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/28/opinion-transgender-children-sports-donald-trump/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— How Trump is taking an ax to federal government in Chicago and the State of Illinois (COMMENT: I should write about how Republican-led budget cuts took an ax to GAO’s Chicago office while I worked for it 1980-1997.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9VN4HU489g
DAILY HERALD
— Amy Erkenswick: 2025 candidate for Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 board
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250226/local-politics/amy-erkenswick-2025-candidate-for-wheaton-warrenville-unit-district-200-board/
— Brooke Gennaro: 2025 candidate for Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 board
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250226/local-politics/brooke-gennaro-2025-candidate-for-wheaton-warrenville-unit-district-200-board/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Illinois and Chicago economies on shaky ground
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/illinois-and-chicago-economies-shaky-moodys-cogfa-report
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly promote Duckworth.
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2025/02/27/tammy-duckworth-is-usa-today-women-of-the-year-honoree-for-illinois/77679604007/
SOUTHERN
— Education Department launches ‘END DEI’ website (COMMENT: My critics/opponents have always used DEI to get rid of Republicans who are conservative, White, male, older, married, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.)
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/27/dei-needs-to-go-education-department-launches-end-dei-website/
JOURNAL COURIER
— To get more votes from voters who have less money than others, Democrat and RINO candidates ever-increasingly promise to use government to give more money to those voters who have less money than others. Those voters are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, unmarried, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time. Democrat and RINO candidates ever-increasingly shout at the aforesaid voters that Republicans cause all their financial and other problems.
https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/more-americans-of-all-political-stripes-support-20191490.php
HERALD REVIEW
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote Edgar.
https://herald-review.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/article_b8cdf40f-05fb-582d-8af6-f00a62210b23.html
FOX ILLINOIS
— Trump poised to sign order making English the official US language
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/trump-poised-to-sign-order-making-english-the-official-us-language-reports-suggest
WAND TV
— DOGE cuts 2400 VAs jobs, Illinois veterans lose access to services (COMMENT: I should write about the tremendous damage caused by Republican-led gutting of GAO. If Republicans had reformed GAO instead of gutting it, there would be no need for DOGE.)
https://www.wandtv.com/news/doge-cuts-2400-vas-jobs-illinois-veterans-lose-access-to-services/article_b7e54534-f575-11ef-9fd1-57a21ce38ff1.html
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Legislation aims to help first-time homebuyers. Bill would create tax deductible accounts to save for down payment.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/legislation-aims-to-help-first-time-homebuyers/
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— The sheriff who wants to be governor
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/28/the-sheriff-who-wants-to-be-governor-00206652
(FROM THE ARTICLE: AND SO IT BEGINS: DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick took the low-key approach to roll out his announcement that he’s running for the Republican nomination for governor in 2026. It was a message on Facebook. And it created plenty of buzz. Mendrick’s been receiving calls and emails ever since, including donation offers. It’s still in the works. Mendrick doesn’t even have a campaign manager yet. His wife, a psychiatric nurse, filled the role in his two bids for sheriff, “but this will be too big for her to do alone so we’re going to figure all that out this weekend,” he said in an interview with your Playbook host. Mendrick doesn’t have Ken Griffin or Dan Proft working behind the scenes for him. And didn’t even think to call Republican Chair Kathy Salvi before he made his announcement. “I did not plan on running for sure,” Mendrick said. He made the surprise move after choosing not to leave Illinois because he didn’t like how it’s being run. He’s now staying put in Woodridge after his 25-year-old son said he wasn’t budging. Mendrick and his wife also have a 22-year-old son with autism and are active in the disability community, he said. His campaign should be taken seriously, according to a GOP insider we talked to. Mendrick has been a police officer since 1996, following in the footsteps of his father. He’s been sheriff since 2018. Now, instead of retiring outright, he’s going to enter the state’s biggest political ring: the governor’s race. It doesn’t scare him. Mendrick currently oversees the county-wide correctional facility, where he says he sees first-hand how crime and immigration has challenged the state. Mendrick is focused on the SAFE-T Act. He disagrees with letting potential offenders out on bail instead of letting them clean up their addictions and get mental health assistance in jail. “I do believe that we’re doing God’s work,” he said. The sheriff opposes the state’s TRUST Act, which makes Illinois a sanctuary state. He calls it an “unfunded mandate” that prompts new immigrants from all over the country to move to Illinois, putting a strain on services. As for the state budget, Mendrick says, “I very much believe everything should be done within our economic footprint. You should never go outside what you can afford.” His politics: “I’m a Republican with a lot of conservative values,” Mendrick said, adding he doesn’t want to be labeled in a political way, though his social media posts suggest he leans far right. “It’s hard to be a slave to the politics,” he said. “It’s just about doing the right thing.” Mendrick is the first Republican officially in the race, but there will be others. Aaron Del Mar, a 2022 lieutenant governor candidate, is mulling a bid. Also mulling: Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker has yet to announce whether he’ll run for a third term in 2026 — and/or if he’ll make a run for president in 2028.)
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/28/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-464/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Johnson responds to congressional probe
https://www.aol.com/news/illinois-quick-hits-johnson-responds-214000056.html
WIREPOINTS
— Illinois’ own auditors admit they don’t know where all the state’s money goes (COMMENT: I should write about my critics/opponents who have ignored/dismissed/belittled/badmouthed my auditing experience the most. I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt. I passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt. I became a licensed CPA and a certified fraud examiner, financial services auditor, and forensic accountant. I earned a master’s degree in accounting. I worked for GAO as an Analyst for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year. 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 $99,069-$112,280/year. I would focus on my critics/opponents in the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, Illinois Republican Party, Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois.)
https://wirepoints.org/illinois-own-auditors-admit-they-dont-know-where-all-the-states-money-goes-wirepoints-on-with-jeff-daly-of-wzus-decatur-radio/
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Democrat and RINO leaders use DEI to get rid of Republicans. My critics/opponents have always used DEI to get rid of Republicans like me who are conservative, White, male, older, married, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. To get more votes from voters who have problems, Democrat and RINO candidates ever-increasingly promise to use government to give them more preference and more money. Those voters are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, unmarried, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time. Democrat and RINO candidates ever-increasingly shout at the aforesaid voters that Republicans cause all their problems. I should write more about the aforesaid. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What do you attribute your financial success to? I attribute my financial success to following conservative principles. I earned three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance), six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting), and a job-related professional license (CPA). But my critics/opponents attribute my financial success to my benefitting from discrimination against those who share their demographics. My critics/opponents are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, unmarried, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— I should write about my critics/opponents who have ignored/dismissed/belittled/badmouthed my auditing experience the most. I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt. I passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt. I became a licensed CPA and a certified fraud examiner, financial services auditor, and forensic accountant. I earned a master’s degree in accounting. I worked for GAO as an Analyst for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year. 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 $99,069-$112,280/year. I would focus on my critics/opponents in the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, Illinois Republican Party, Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— The more planks in the Republican Party platform that candidates on ballots in my precinct promise to defend and advance if elected, the more that I do to help elect them. According to my critics/opponents, the more that I do to help elect those candidates, the fewer votes that they get. My critics/opponents reject some, many, most, if not virtually all the planks in the Republican Party platform. Most commonly, they reject the personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, illegal drugs, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
ILLINOIS REVIEW
— Jeanne Ives, Who Backed DeSantis for President, Now Throws Support Behind DuPage County Sheriff Mendrick for Governor
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2025/02/sources-jeanne-ives-who-backed-desantis-for-president-now-throws-support-behind-dupage-county-sheriff-mendrick-for-governor.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Multiple sources also confirmed with this publication early this morning that Republican State Central Committee member Jeanne Ives – also a DuPage County resident, is supporting Mendrick’s candidacy and also serving in a behind-the-scenes advisory role. Ives is also rumored to be eying a run for governor or Lt. Governor.)
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
NEW YORK POST
— Experts break down how Trump’s illegal immigrant registry will help ICE round up millions – and why migrants may register
https://nypost.com/2025/02/27/us-news/how-trumps-illegal-immigrant-registry-will-make-it-easier-for-ice-to-round-up-millions-more-migrants/
AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Morning Greatness: ICE Arrested More Than 20,000 Illegal Aliens in Trump’s First Month
https://amgreatness.com/2025/02/28/morning-greatness-ice-arrested-more-than-20000-illegal-aliens-in-trumps-first-month/
COLLEGE FIX
— Professor sues University of. Illinois for discriminating against him as a White male. (COMMENT: If I had been a minority or a female, my Democrat superiors in the federal government would not have taken the adverse actions against me that they did. They would have promoted me into their Senior Executive Service before I was 40 years old. None of my coworkers who they promoted over me did what I did. I earned three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a professional license.)
https://www.thecollegefix.com/professor-sues-u-illinois-claims-it-discriminated-against-him-as-a-white-male/
DAILY SIGNAL
— ICE Arrests of Illegal Aliens Up 627% Under Trump
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/27/ice-arrests-illegal-aliens-increase-627-under-trump/
FOX NEWS
— Blue state governor’s ‘gross mismanagement’ cost taxpayers $1.6B for illegal immigrant healthcare. Illinois GOP’s Senate leader wants to see state’s liberal governor be more ‘cooperative’ with Trump migrant crackdown.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/blue-state-govs-gross-mismanagement-cost-taxpayers-1-6b-illegal-immigrant-healthcare-audit
LAW ENFORCEMENT TODAY
— Trump administration set to launch mandatory registration program for illegal aliens
https://lawenforcementtoday.com/trump-administration-set-to-launch-mandatory-registration-program-for-illegal-aliens
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC NEWS
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise illegals and b) blame Republicans for all the problems that illegals have.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/confinement-unbearable-migrants-describe-held-guantanamo/story?id=119270282
NEW YORK TIMES
— What to Know About Filing Taxes as the I.R.S. Sheds Workers (COMMENT: I was involved in IRS’s 1974 tax season big time. Have you ever phoned IRS with a tax question? If you did during the 1974 filing season, the IRS employee who answered your call was one of my subordinates. Back then, as a 25-year-old GS-11 (currently $82,655/year) IRS Revenue Officer, I supervised all of the IRS employees, which included a rotating staff of about 90 IRS Revenue Agent trainees, in IRS’s new downtown Chicago office who answered taxpayer questions using IRS’s new tollfree CentiPhone system. Because of my job performance, the IRS manager who had given me that developmental opportunity and who had promoted me in 1972 and 1973 promoted me to GS-12 (currently $99,069/year) in 1974.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/26/business/irs-tax-refund.html
WASHINGTON POST
— Trump officials start gutting civil rights offices, as part of DOGE’s plan. Legal experts said that unwinding a civil rights-era bulwark designed to safeguard employees’ rights removes a crucial check on institutional power. (COMMENT: Democrats run the federal government. Ever-increasingly, since the 1960s, they have used Affirmative Action and DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/02/28/doge-trump-civil-rights-office-closing-eeoc/
— Federal workers could get a second email Saturday. It might require a response. A new strategy might compel employees to respond with bulleted lists of what they did in the past week.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/28/federal-workers-second-email-elon-musk/
— Transgender troops will be removed from U.S. military, Pentagon says
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/27/transgender-ban-us-service-members-military-pentagon/
USA TODAY
— Commendations, cash awards, positive reviews. Then they were fired for poor performance. (COMMENT: Democrats run the federal government. The job performance appraisal systems that they use are extremely subjective. My Democrat superiors took many big adverse actions against me. To justify that, they used the aforesaid subjectivity and hinted/implied that I was a poor performer. But my doing the following frustrated that. I earned a job-related bachelor’s degree and three job-related master’s degrees. I earned six job-related professional certifications. I earned a job-relate professional license.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/27/federal-employees-firing-letters-claim-poor-work/80269905007/
— US household income growth is slowing, posing risks for consumer spending and economy. (COMMENT: Because my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, in today’s dollars, my income has been $86,371/year (56%) less since then.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/02/24/income-growth-slowing-economy/79339787007/
— FRONT PAGE WITH PICTURE OF TRUMP: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly shout at Blacks that Republicans cause all the problems that Blacks have.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/02/27/dei-backlash-erase-black-executives-gains/78475480007/
NBC PHILADELPHIA
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise illegals and b) blame Republicans for all the problems that illegals have.
https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/national-international/panama-costa-rica-turning-black-hole-migrants-deportees-from-us/4121338/
CBS19
— Senator Cruz reintroduces act to abolish sanctuary cities in Texas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAWBQGmUWVg
ECONOMIST
— Democrats run the mainstream new media
https://www.economist.com/united-states/2025/02/27/america-has-never-had-state-media-like-it-does-today
February 27, 2025
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Pritzker calls for release of $2B in federal funding halted by President Donald Trump administration
https://abc7chicago.com/post/gov-jb-pritzker-democratic-members-illinois-congressional-delegation-demanding-2b-federal-funding-halted-trump-admin/15957989/
— Federal workers rally at Chicago VA hospital in protest of mass layoffs by Trump administration
https://abc7chicago.com/post/federal-workers-rally-chicago-jesse-brown-va-west-side-protest-mass-layoffs-president-donald-trumps-administration/15957573/
— Immigration officials say everyone living in the US illegally must register.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/immigration-officials-say-everyone-living-us-illegally-register-what-does-mean/15957638/
— Apple to fix iPhone dictation glitch that suggests replacing the word ‘racist’ with ‘Trump’
https://abc7chicago.com/post/apple-fix-iphone-dictation-glitch-suggests-replacing-word-racist-trump/15956769/
— ‘Radical agreement’ in SCOTUS discrimination case. The Supreme Court seemed to find common ground in a high-profile case brought by a straight woman alleging “reverse” job discrimination in favor of gay people.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/supreme-court-finds-radical-agreement-employment-discrimination-case/15957259/
— Pritzker announces medical debt relief for 170,000 more Illinoisans under state program (COMMENT: What has helped you avoid medical debt? One thing that helped me endure my Democrat superiors’ tremendous efforts to waste my career and to get rid of me was the federal government paying 72% of my health care insurance premiums since I was 18 years old in 1966 and my wife’s premiums since we got married in 1978.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/gov-jb-pritzker-announces-medical-debt-relief-170000-more-illinois-state-program/15957129/
— Acero Schools officials say immigration agents detained adult outside schools in Gage Park. Vigil held ahead of Chicago Public Schools Board meeting on taking control of some Acero charter schools.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-acero-schools-officials-say-immigration-agents-detained-adult-outside-soto-high-school-idar-elementary-gage-park/15958346/
WGN9
— Illinois lawmakers’ bill would decriminalize prostitution, create sex workers’ bill of rights (COMMENT: Democrats promote vices. Anticipate/expect that Democrats would promote prostitution just as strongly as they promote pot.)
https://wgntv.com/news/illinois/illinois-lawmakers-bill-would-decriminalize-prostitution-create-sex-workers-bill-of-rights/
FOX32
— Blagojevich compares his case to Trump’s in FOX 32 interview, says ‘corrupt’ prosecutors should be in jail
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/blagojevich-compares-case-trump-fox-32-interview-corrupt-prosecutors-jail
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1599885
— Trump holds first full cabinet meeting, what was discussed
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1599706
— Trump instructs federal agencies to plan for massive layoffs
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1599560
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Gov. JB Pritzker accuses Donald Trump of being a king, but he has acted like one himself – David E Smith
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/26/letters-022625/
— Extreme gerrymandering is as bad – Ray LaHood and James Nowlan
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/27/opinion-gerrymandering-us-house-fair-maps/
— Hundreds protest Musk at Libertyville Tesla dealership: ‘What Elon has done to the brand is just make it feel dirty’
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/26/hundreds-protest-musk-at-libertyville-tesla-dealership-what-elon-has-done-to-the-brand-is-just-make-it-feel-dirty/
— Audit finds thousands were improperly enrolled in state health care program for noncitizens, while costs were vastly underestimated
https://www.yahoo.com/news/audit-finds-thousands-were-improperly-234600903.html
— Local HUD workers terminated in recent Trump administration cuts
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/26/local-hud-workers-terminated-in-recent-trump-administration-cuts/
— Pritzker and state’s Democratic delegation in Washington say White House withholding $1.9 billion in federal funding
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/26/pritzker-omb-freeze-letter/
— Trauma on trauma: Immigration agents detain Acero charter schools parent on eve of school board vote to shutter some locations
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/26/ice-detains-school-parent/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Chicago immigrant advocates plan ‘full week of civil disobediences’ kicking off on May Day. The “week of action” will start with a mega march on May 1 from Union Park to Federal Plaza and end with a “day without margaritas and guacamole” on Cinco de Mayo, May 5. There will also be work stoppages on May 2 and 3.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/02/26/chicago-immigrant-advocates-week-civil-disobediences-may-day
— Trump’s control of press pool, ban of AP clearly aim to drown free speech. The White House’s ongoing beef with the Associated Press and its takeover to control reporters covering President Trump are a slap in the face to Americans who rely on a free press and the First Amendment.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/editorials/2025/02/26/white-house-ban-associated-press-freedom-pool-donald-trump-gulf-of-mexico-america-first-amendment
— Elon Musk, a one-man show of conflict of interest. Musk’s role at DOGE has him in charge of what happens next at the very agencies that can make his businesses thrive or suffer. If that sounds like a bad idea, that’s because it definitely is.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2025/02/26/elon-musk-doge-conflicts-of-interest-federal-agencies-doge-s-e-cupp
— Trump, feds blame private jet pilot for near-collision with Southwest jet at Midway. A Southwest Airlines jet attempting to land at Midway on Tuesday morning nearly crashed with a Flexjet jet that had crossed into its landing path. Federal officials are investigating the incident. A preliminary report could take 30 days.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/transportation/2025/02/26/trumo-ntsb-private-jet-pilot-near-collision-southwest-midway
— Pritzker warns of Medicaid cuts, pushes White House to release $1.88B in funds. Gov. JB Pritzker traveled to Washington Tuesday to push for the release of $1.8 billion in frozen federal funds to the state of Illinois — and to further sound the alarm on a pending GOP budget cut to Medicaid that will strip coverage for more than 700,000 Illinois residents.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2025/02/26/jb-pritzker-donald-trump-frozen-federal-funds-illinois-medicaid-cuts
DAILY HERALD
— Trump administration sets the stage for large-scale federal worker layoffs in a new memo
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250226/nation-and-world-politics/the-trump-administration-sets-the-stage-for-large-scale-federal-worker-layoffs-in-a-new-memo-2/
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Tens of thousands gather for Hindu festival at Nepal temple, with many lighting up marijuana joints
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/nation-world/tens-of-thousands-gather-for-hindu-festival-at-nepal-temple-with-many-lighting-up-marijuana/article_2d1037c0-2de7-5699-a3aa-f9c66d668d41.html
SOUTHERN
— Republicans pushing forward on Medicaid changes, despite potential political fallout
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/27/republicans-pushing-forward-on-medicaid-changes-despite-potential-political-fallout/
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
— Chicago organizations gather outside Trump Tower on Inauguration Day to protest new administration
https://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/watch-chicago-organizations-gather-outside-trump-tower-on-inauguration-day-to-protest-new-administration/
EFFINGHAM DAILY NEWS
— Illinois schools continuing DEI initiatives despite federal funding threats
https://www.effinghamdailynews.com/news/local_news/illinois-schools-continuing-dei-initiatives-despite-federal-funding-threats/article_a7b56614-f48d-11ef-9b9a-2786de45574a.html
FOX ILLINOIS
— Registry revival: Trump targets undocumented immigrants in sweeping new enforcement push
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/migrants-could-soon-face-fines-and-prison-time-for-failing-to-register-with-government-illegal-immigration-us-mexico-border-asylum-executive-order-immigration-and-nationality-act
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Pentagon orders new purge of social media sites to dump diversity, inclusion mentions by March 5
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-pentagon-orders-new-purge-of-social-media-sites-to-dump-diversity-inclusion-mentions-by-march-5/
— Democrats push pot in Pekin
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/new-cannabis-dispensary-proposed-to-go-in-historic-downtown-pekin-building/
NPR ILLINOIS
— Christianity declines among U.S. adults while ‘religiously unaffiliated’ grows
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-26/christianity-declines-among-u-s-adults-while-religiously-unaffiliated-grows-study-says
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly glorify and praise their illegals.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-27/how-trumps-crackdown-plays-into-misperceptions-about-immigrants-and-crime
ILLINOIS TIMES
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters glorify and praise those who say that they can “work with” the hate-filled Trump-hating Pritzker. Pritzker destroys those who do not share his hatred against Trump.
https://www.illinoistimes.com/news-opinion/gop-says-they-can-work-with-dems-19816396
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/27/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-463/
— Isabel’s afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/26/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-256/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WIREPOINTS
— About that “balanced” budget in Illinois
https://wirepoints.org/and-about-that-balanced-budget-in-illinois-wirepoints-quickpoint/
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— The Washington Post wants to hear from recently fired federal employees. Does the Washington Post what to hear my story? My Democrat GAO superiors fired me, that is, they forced me to retire when was 49 years old in 1997. To justify that, they used massive Republican-led budget cuts and up-or-out, that is, they’re not having promoted me beyond GS-13. But they wanted to retaliate against me because I had been an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation since 1988. Previously, they had a) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, b) delayed my promotions, c) kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for them, and d) forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS in 1980. By doing the aforesaid, my Democrat GAO superiors wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years and for IRS for almost 9 years, b) earning three job-related master’s degrees, c) earning six job-related professional certifications, and d) earning a job-related professional license. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, to deal with Republican-led budget cuts, they first got rid of their employees who were Republican and then their employees who were conservative, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or had ancestors who had been in America for a long time. Because I was all of the aforesaid, I never would have survived for the 18 years if I had not a) passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979 and Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981, b) earned additional job-related professional certifications in 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1997, c) became a licensed CPA in 1981, and d) earned job-related master’s degrees in 1976, 1980, and 1997. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— With Bryon Daniels Announcing Candidacy for Florida Governor, Three Past Illinois Congressional Candidates Being Mentioned
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/26/with-bryon-daniels-announcing-candidacy-for-florida-governor-three-past-illinois-congressional-candidates-being-mentioned/
— FOID Retrieval Action in Cary
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/26/foid-retrieval-action-in-cary/
— Ness Reports on Springfield
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/26/ness-reports-on-springfield/
— Illinois Paying for Kaplan Test Preparation Courses for University Students and Those at Five Junior Colleges
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/26/illinois-paying-for-kaplan-test-preparation-courses/
— LaHood Playing Key Role in Selection of Next U.S. Attorney
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/26/lahood-playing-key-role-in-selection-of-next-u-s-attorney/
— Former Algonquin Township Trustee Ed Zimel Reflects on Randy Funk’s Defeat, Posts Victory Celebration Photos
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/26/ed-zimel-reflects-on-randy-funks-defeat-posts-victory-celebration-photos/
— Nail-Biter in Grafton Township Trustee Contest
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/26/nail-biter-in-grafton-township-trustee-contest/
– Pritzker Two-Step 3 AM Tax Hike Predicted
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox?compose=GTvVlcSBpRTKlGmDwHHjfpWkJTSNnwFZNWcqZdGStTcRNvBHZSlhfHFFDjMlLWXSDsbdLWldLzhQg
— Anonymous Letter in Support of Leda Bobera-Drain’s Re-Election Campaign Day Before Voting Did Not Lead to Victory
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/26/anonymous-letter-in-support-of-leda-bobera-drains-re-election-campaign-day-before-voting-did-not-lead-to-victory/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— ICE tallies 20,000 arrests in one month
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/26/ice-tallies-20000-arrests-one-month/
— Trump memo orders ‘large-scale’ federal layoffs in sweeping agency cuts
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/26/memo-calls-large-scale-cuts-federal-agencies/
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE
— Will Trump’s Second Musk Bet Pay Off? DOGE could reform the government, or it could just aggravate voters.
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/will-trumps-second-musk-bet-pay-off/
AMERICAN DECENCY
— Has the Glory of the Lord Departed from Wheaton?
https://americandecency.org/2025/has-the-glory-of-the-lord-departed-from-wheaton/
AMERICAN WIRE
— Michael Moore says deported illegals could cure cancer, stop killer asteroid, but Dem lawmaker reminds people that they are food picking slaves
https://americanwirenews.com/michael-moore-says-deported-illegals-could-cure-cancer-stop-killer-asteroid-but-dem-lawmaker-reminds-people-that-they-are-food-picking-slaves/
BLAZE
— Illegal aliens are criminals, not victims (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly glorify and praise illegals.)
https://www.theblaze.com/columns/opinion/illegal-aliens-are-criminals-not-victims
BREITBART
— Illegals Will Have Chance to Register Within 30 Days of Arrival and Be Removed, Will Have Chance to Come Back Later
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2025/02/26/noem-illegals-will-have-chance-to-register-within-30-days-of-arrival-and-be-removed-will-have-chance-to-come-back-later/
— Migration Arrests Rise Sevenfold Under Trump
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/02/26/migration-arrests-rise-sevenfold-under-trump/
— Michael Moore: Trump Might Be Deporting Illegals Who Could ‘Cure Cancer’ or Stop an Asteroid (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly glorify and praise illegals.)
https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2025/02/26/michael-moore-trump-might-be-deporting-illegals-who-could-cure-cancer-or-stop-an-asteroid/
— Pentagon Orders the Removal of DEI from All Official Online Content
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/26/exclusive-pentagon-orders-removal-dei-all-official-online-content/
FOX NEWS
— The war on woke has ‘certainly’ not been won yet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3FlFq4SoiU
NATIONAL REVIEW
— Wokeness in Medicine Lingers
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/wokeness-in-medicine-lingers/
PJ MEDIA
— Trump Revokes Biden’s Concessions to Commie Venezuela
https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2025/02/26/trump-revokes-bidens-concessions-to-commie-venezuela-n4937356
REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— USAID Has Done America Extreme Harm Overseas
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/02/26/former_usaid_coo_the_agency_has_done_america_extreme_harm_overseas_its_a_multibillion-dollar_money_pot.html
— Pritzker’s Not a Nazi Either – Richard Porter (COMMENT: In my opinion, Pritzker is ever-increasingly treating Republicans like Hitler treated Jews. That explains why more and more and more Republicans are giving up on Illinois. That explains why more and more and more Republicans are fleeing Illinois.)
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2025/02/26/pritzkers_not_a_nazi_either_152419.html
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— Trump suggests pilot’s license be suspended in close call at Chicago airport
https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/trump-suggests-pilot-s-license-be-suspended-in-close-call-at-chicago-airport/ar-AA1zQfGk
— Trump hosts event honoring Black History Month (COMMENT: Democrats and RINOs ever-increasingly promote Black History Month. When I was 49 years old in 1997, my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire and replaced me with their Black History Month coordinator. He had less work experience than I had. He had less education than I had. He had one professional certification while I had six. He no professional license like the one I had.)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/watch-live-trump-hosts-event-honoring-black-history-month/ar-AA1zsYRv
ASSOCIATED PRESS
— Democratic governors pitch state jobs to federal workers cut by Trump
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democratic-governors-pitch-state-jobs-to-federal-workers-cut-by-trump/ar-AA1zR4Yr
— Trump administration sets the stage for large-scale federal worker layoffs
https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-2-27-2025
ABC NEWS
— As Trump’s deadline to eliminate DEI nears, few schools openly rush to make changes
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/trumps-deadline-eliminate-dei-nears-schools-openly-rush-119240446
— A Project 2025 author Russell Vought carries out his vision for mass federal layoffs. The Trump administration’s demand that federal agencies plan to radically downsize is driven by a key figure in the conservative movement who has long planned this move. (COMMENT: Vought is a Wheaton College graduate.)
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/project-2025-author-carries-vision-mass-federal-layoffs-119229770
NBC NEWS
— Trump administration creates registry for immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. Everyone who is in the U.S. illegally must register, give fingerprints and provide an address, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/trump-administration-registry-immigrants-illegal-undocumented-rcna193818
CBS NEWS
— Federal agencies told to submit “reorganization plans,” prepare for mass firings
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-personnel-budget-memo-reorganization-plans/
NEW YORK TIMES
— Trump Administration, Breaking With Musk’s Directive, Says Replying to His Email Is Voluntary. The response to Elon Musk’s “What did you do last week?” email to federal employees suggests that there may be limits to how far he can push the government’s work force.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/24/us/politics/elon-musk-email-federal-workers.html
— The Next Phase of Trump’s Large-Scale Work Force Cuts Is Underway. Workers at a handful of agencies have begun receiving notifications that they are part of the “reduction in force” directed by the president, after a wave of firings that targeted probationary workers.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/us/politics/trump-musk-doge-cuts-federal-workers.html
— Trump Administration Escalates Layoffs of Federal Workers. Federal officials circulated a memo asking agency leaders to plan even more job reductions after thousands of federal workers were fired in recent weeks.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/26/us/politics/trump-doge-federal-worker-layoffs-memo.html
— Trump Said E.P.A. Would Lose 65 Percent of Staff. Then, a Correction.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/26/climate/trump-epa-layoffs.html
WASHINGTON POST
— Elon Musk’s business empire is built on $38 billion in government funding. Government infusions at key moments helped Tesla and SpaceX flourish, boosting Musk’s wealth.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2025/elon-musk-business-government-contracts-funding/
— Musk attends Trump’s first Cabinet meeting of new term
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/26/trump-presidency-news/
— Are you a federal employee who was fired after a glowing review? Tell The Post. The Washington Post wants to hear from federal employees who were recently fired after receiving a glowing performance review. Tell us your story through this form.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/02/26/submissions-federal-dismissals/
USA TODAY
— Democrat and RINO employers ever-increasingly use DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/02/27/dei-backlash-erase-black-executives-gains/78475480007/
FORBES
— Here’s Where Trump’s Government Layoffs Reportedly Are—Social Security Administration, FEMA, IRS And More
https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/02/26/heres-where-trumps-government-layoffs-reportedly-are-social-security-administration-fema-irs-and-more/
HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW
— Democrat and RINO employers ever-increasingly use DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://hbr.org/2025/02/how-to-assess-the-new-legal-risks-of-your-dei-policies
BUSINESS INSIDER
— Federal workers react to Trump administration’s new plan for restructuring, staff cuts: ‘They’ll have to fire me.’
https://www.businessinsider.com/doge-office-new-staff-cuts-federal-workers-responde-2025-2
FED SMITH
— RIFs Are Coming: What Federal Employees Need to Know About the Upcoming Workforce Optimization Initiative. The Trump administration is directing agencies to plan for large scale reorganizations and RIFs. Details of the plans have emerged. (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, to deal with Republican-led budget cuts, they first got rid of their employees who were Republican and then their employees who were conservative, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or had ancestors who had been in America for a long time. Because I was all of the aforesaid, I never would have survived for the 18 years if I had not a) passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979 and Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981, b) earned additional job-related professional certifications in 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1997, c) became a licensed CPA in 1981, and d) earned job-related master’s degrees in 1976, 1980, and 1997.)
https://www.fedsmith.com/2025/02/26/rifs-are-coming-what-federal-employees-need-to-know-about-upcoming-workforce-optimization/
POLITICO
— Elon Musk’s bad rep among Dems threatens EV sales push in statehouses. Tesla’s campaigns to sell its electric vehicles directly to consumers, bypassing traditional dealerships, face more challenges in Democratic statehouses as Musk’s national clout grows.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/27/elon-musk-tesla-ev-sales-00206194
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
— All those in the mainstream news media are LGBTQ and/or promote LGBTQ.
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/02/26/most-lgbtq-adults-expect-trumps-policies-to-affect-gay-lesbian-bisexual-and-trans-people-negatively/
FINANCIAL TIMES
— Democrat and RINO employers ever-increasingly use DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://www.ft.com/content/87cdf51c-c8e6-439c-aef6-91cb8faed78a
February 24, 2025
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Father Pfleger, faith leaders call for boycott of Target after company scales back DEI initiatives (COMMENT: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly crow about their success in getting religious leaders to do their bidding. The Democrat Party platform is extremely anti-religious.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/target-boycott-father-michael-pfleger-among-faith-leaders-calling-consumer-company-scales-back-dei-initiatives/15942947/
NBC5
— ‘Dark MAGA’ spreads as conservatives embrace Musk’s influence on Trump. The black “Dark MAGA” hats made popular by Elon Musk was heavily noticeable at an annual gathering of conservative activists.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/dark-maga-spreads-conservatives-musks-influence-trump/3681062/
CBS2
— Oak Park seeks to regulate hemp-derived THC products (COMMENT: Pot pushers want THC to be regulated because THC sales cut into pot sales.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/oak-park-illinois-regulate-hemp-derived-thc-products/
FOX32
— Musk email to federal employees met with resistance (COMMENT: Because GAO is part of the legislative branch, if I was still working for GAO, I presume that I would not have gotten Musk’s email. But if had gotten his email, I would have stressed specific things that I did to fight fraud, waste, and abuse in the federal government. See https://www.google.com/search?q=gao+analyst+%22position+description for a description of what GAO Analysts do. During my last 11 years at GAO, I worked at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/elon-musk-email-federal-employees-trump-what-did-you-do-last-week
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been directed to tell the Office of Personnel Management what they accomplished over the last week. Elon Musk, who’s been tasked with slashing federal spending, said they must reply within 48 hours or risk losing their jobs. Key federal agencies from the FBI and State Department to the Pentagon have instructed their employees not to comply.)
WBEZ
— Chicagoans mark three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As the administration in Washington grows critical of Ukraine, hundreds waving flags filled the Wrigley Building plaza downtown Saturday to call for an end to the war.
https://www.wbez.org/politics/2025/02/23/ukraine-war-putin-zelenskyy-trump-nato-chicago
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Democratic governors balance whether to fight or pacify after Donald Trump threatens one of their own
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/23/democratic-governors-after-trump-threatens/?clearUserState=true
— The more planks in the Republican Party platform that a group promotes, the more that RINO leaders hint/imply/argue/shout that that group is an extremist group if not a hate group. Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) and TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois promoted all the planks in the Republican Party platform. I should write about my critics/opponents who did the most to destroy ICRC and TAPROOT. I would focus on those who are still in power.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/23/chicago-police-extremism-task-force/
— Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, the more of the following that you are, the less likely that you will be hired, retained, and/or promoted: citizen of America, heterosexual, Republican, conservative, White, male, older, married, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/24/opinion-end-racism-dei-affirmative-action/
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/24/column-republican-voters-donald-trump-page/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— ALL OF THE FRONT PAGE: Soon, if not already, everyone in health care in America will be more and more and more of the following: citizens of foreign countries, non-conservative, non-Republican, minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2025/02/24/illinois-medical-school-amissions-race-affirmative-action-black-hispanic-students
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Trump and Musk take aim at Loop’s Kluczynski, Metcalfe buildings (COMMENT: I worked in the Kluczynski building 1973-1980 for IRS and then for GAO 1980-1981.)
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/trump-and-musk-take-aim-loops-kluczynski-metcalfe-buildings
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Overcoming sexual stigma: Springfield massage therapist shares experiences, hardships (COMMENT: Illinois Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote prostitution.)
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/local/2025/02/24/how-unlicensed-massage-parlors-sexually-stigmatize-massage-therapy/79187661007/
WCIA
— Trump, Musk aren’t the first to make deep cuts: Clinton-era initiative saved billions (COMMENT: During the Clinton-era, I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO. They used Clinton budget cuts to get rid of their Republican employees like me who were conservative, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or had ancestors who had been in America for a long time.)
https://www.wcia.com/news/national/trump-musk-arent-the-first-to-make-deep-cuts-clinton-era-initiative-saved-billions/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Clinton administration also worked with Congress to authorize $25,000 buyouts for federal workers and ended up eliminating what Kamarck said were more than 400,000 federal positions between 1993 and 2000 through a combination of voluntary departures, attrition and a relatively small number of layoffs.)
NPR ILLINOIS
— Democrats say “CPAC is an annual meeting of conservative leaders” and ask “How’s it changed in recent years?” (COMMENT: From what I see, CPAC has ever-increasingly moved more toward Libertarianism.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-22/cpac-is-an-annual-meeting-of-conservative-leaders-hows-it-changed-in-recent-years
— Democrats say “Two conservative events show how Trump has created a divide in the Republican Party.” (COMMENT: Trump got elected by promising to defend and advance the Republican Party platform. What Trump does against that platform divides the Republican Party.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-23/two-conservative-events-show-how-trump-has-created-a-divide-in-the-republican-party
WREX
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://www.wrex.com/news/illinois-senate-to-be-presented-with-bill-that-could-stop-police-from-searching-a-vehicle/article_c91efbd2-f25b-11ef-8879-0b0dd6cd474e.html
NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO
— What does Trump’s pick for labor secretary tell us about his priorities for workers? (COMMENT: I should write about what picks by Republican leaders say about those leaders. I would focus on the leaders of the Illinois Republican Party (IRP), DuPage County Republican Central Committee, Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO) and the Republican leaders of Illinois, DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton since 2000. Ever-increasingly their picks reject more and more and more planks in the Republican Party platform. Ever-increasingly, their picks paint themselves as being Democrat-Lite, if not anti-conservative, if not anti-Republican. I would focus on those leaders whose picks took the most/biggest adverse actions against me. MTRO leaders fired me as MTRO webmaster in 2004 and 2010. Wheaton leaders fired me as a member of the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee in 2011 and as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades in 2021. IRP leaders fired me as a member of the IRP State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee in 2024. Republican leaders had their operatives and dupes fire me as a) an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member in 2004, b) an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee in 2007, and c) as the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman in 2012.)
https://www.northernpublicradio.org/2025-02-23/what-does-trumps-pick-for-labor-secretary-tell-us-about-his-priorities-for-workers
UIC TODAY
— FEBRUARY 17, 2015 FLASHBACK: Circle Back, UIC Forward: UIC remembers its roots (COMMENT: I attended UIC 1966-1968.)
https://today.uic.edu/circle-back-uic-forward/
AXIOS CHICAGO
— Why the Obama Presidential Center is immune to Trump’s cuts
https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/02/19/obama-presidential-center-immune-trumps-spending-cuts
ILLINOIS EAGLE
— State rep calls for equity in funding for HIV in Black community
https://illinoiseagle.com/2025/02/22/eaglets-state-rep-calls-for-equity-in-funding-for-hiv-in-black-community/
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— How Pritzker’s speech was written
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/24/how-pritzkers-speech-was-written-00205688
— A Trump visit (COMMENT: I used to attend such Republican events and post such reports on them, but not as detailed. But I stopped because leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party ever-increasingly punished me for doing that. I should write about the aforesaid leaders. I would focus on those still in power.)
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/24/how-pritzkers-speech-was-written-00205688
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Lara Trump, the former co-chair of the Republican National Committee and daughter-in-law of the president, visited Illinois on Friday making a bold statement that Illinois could turn red in 2028 — and she revealed some insight about President Donald Trump’s executive moves. She had stats: “Donald Trump in 2016 got 38 percent of the vote here. In 2020, 40 percent of the vote. In 2024, he got 45 percent of the vote in the state of Illinois. I want you guys to understand something. We are about to turn the state of Illinois in the next presidential election to a red state,” Trump told a crowd of 500 at Venuti’s Italian restaurant in Addison. The event was a fundraiser for McHenry County GOPAC. Lara Trump also offered a glimpse into the thinking of the president’s recent executive actions. During his first term, she said, the president was told repeatedly, “You need to fit into this specific mold. And so he tried to fit into that mold, and he got a lot of great things accomplished.” That changed in his second term: He’s “looking at things differently,” Lara Trump said. The president “isn’t trying to fit in that mold anymore. He said, ‘You know what? I’m going to come into this White House, and I’m going to do things my way this time.’” ABC 7’s Liz Nagy has more. SPOTTED: Illinois GOP Chair Kathy Salvi, House Republican Leader Tony McCombie and Republican state Reps. Martin McLaughlin, John Cabello, Jed Davis, Regan Deering, Bradley Fritts, Amy Grant, Jeff Keicher, Patrick Sheehan, Dennis Tipsword, Dan Ugaste and Tom Weber. Also in the room: Former state Sen. Darren Bailey, who’s mulling a run for office again. “Stay tuned,” he says.)
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/24/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-460/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— What do your critics/opponents do? My critics/opponents focus on stopping me from sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters, and failing that, they focus on stopping everyone from reading my newsletters. I should write about my critics/opponents and the biggest adverse actions that they have had their operatives and dupes take against me since 2000. I would focus on my critics/opponents who are still in power. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopollinois.com
— Are your critics/opponents anti-Trump? My critics/opponents are anti-Trump if not Trump-haters. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on those who have taken the most/biggest adverse actions against e since 201`5. I would focus on those who are still in power. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Because GAO is part of the legislative branch, if I was still working for GAO, I presume that I would not have gotten Musk’s email. But if had gotten his email, I would have stressed specific things that I did to fight fraud, waste, and abuse in the federal government. See https://www.google.com/search?q=gao+analyst+%22position+description for a description of what GAO Analysts do. During my last 11 years at GAO, I worked at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year.- Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— The more planks in the Republican Party platform that a group promotes, the more that RINO leaders hint/imply/argue/shout that that group is an extremist group if not a hate group. Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) and TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois promoted all the planks in the Republican Party platform. I should write about my critics/opponents who did the most to destroy ICRC and TAPROOT. I would focus on those who are still in power. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— During the Clinton-era, I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO. They used Clinton budget cuts to get rid of their Republican employees like me who were conservative, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or had ancestors who had been in America for a long time. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— I should write about what picks by Republican leaders say about those leaders. I would focus on the leaders of the Illinois Republican Party (IRP), DuPage County Republican Central Committee, Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO) and the Republican leaders of Illinois, DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton since 2000. Ever-increasingly their picks reject more and more and more planks in the Republican Party platform. Ever-increasingly, their picks paint themselves as being Democrat-Lite, if not anti-conservative, if not anti-Republican. I would focus on those leaders whose picks took the most/biggest adverse actions against me. MTRO leaders fired me as MTRO webmaster in 2004 and 2010. Wheaton leaders fired me as a member of the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee in 2011 and as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades in 2021. IRP leaders fired me as a member of the IRP State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee in 2024. Republican leaders had their operatives and dupes fire me as a) an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member in 2004, b) an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee in 2007, and c) as the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman in 2012.)
— Who are the members of the conservative news media in Illinois? What are their positions on me and on my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters? According to my critics/opponents, me and my newsletters cause all their problems, all of your problems, all of my problems, and all of everyone’s problems. They want to stop me from sending my newsletters out, and failing that, they want to stop everyone from reading them. Everyone in Illinois sees how members of the conservative news media in Illinois treat me and treat my newsletters. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Why is DOGE needed? I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO for almost 18 years 1980-1997. Fewer and fewer and fewer of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinate were Republicans. Toward the end, virtually none were Republicans. If Gingrich had reformed GAO instead of gutting it in the 1990s, there would be no need for DOGE today. The Democrats who ran GAO used Gingrich’s budget cuts to get rid of the agency’s few remaining Republican employees including me. Federal agencies run by Democrats do not want Republicans to audit them. Federal agencies run by Republicans do not want Democrats to audit them. Solutions include requiring half of GAO’s employees and its audit teams to be Republicans and half to be Democrats. When auditing agencies headed by Democrats, the lead auditors would be Republicans. When auditing agencies headed by Republicans, the lead auditors would be Democrats. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Anticipate/expect that ever-increasingly, if you are a Republican in Illinois, the more of the following that you are, the more that hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters like Pritzker will call you a Nazi: conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time. To call someone a Nazi in America today is like calling someone a Jew in Germany during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Pritzker ever-increasingly makes it clear that he is going to get rid of all Republicans in Illinois once and for all. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) paint Republicans as being oppressors and b) paint Democrats as being protectors. According to Democrat leaders, Republicans oppress those who are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, non-rich, disabled, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, citizens of foreign countries, boozers, gamblers, stoners, criminals, etc. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
WIREPOINTS
— New Trier High School Led On Woke Education. It Should Lead The Way Out.
https://wirepoints.org/new-trier-high-school-led-on-woke-education-it-should-lead-the-way-out-wirepoints/
BREAKTHROUGH IDEAS
— Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are, Wheaton College Lefties
https://www.breakthrough-ideas.com/read/2025/02/21/come-out-come-out-wherever-you-are-wheaton-college-lefties
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Danjela Sandberg Mails in Support of Her Candidacy for Road Commissioner on Tuesday
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/22/danjela-sandberg-mails-in-support-of-her-candidacy-for-road-commissioner-on-tuesday/
Danijela Sandberg Makes Second Mailing in Campaign to Remain Algonquin Township Road Commissioner
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/23/danijela-sandberg-makes-second-mailing-in-campaign-to-remain-algonquin-township-road-commissioner/
— You Won’t See Stories Like This about McHenry County Restaurants
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/23/you-wont-see-stories-like-this-about-mchenry-county-restaurants/
— Durbin Holds Lonely Protest
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/23/durbin-holds-lonely-protest/
— Rob Parrish Mails before Election on Which He Is Not on the Ballot
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/22/rob-parrish-mails/
— Reaction to Pritzker’s Announcement That Lake Michigan Shall Henceforth Be Called “Lake Illinois”
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/23/reaction-to-pritzkers-announcement-that-lake-michigan-shall-henceforth-be-called-lake-illinois/
— The Censures of Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk – Part 7
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/23/the-censures-of-algonquin-township-supervisor-randy-funk-part-7/
— Pritzker Hit New Low with Nazi Charge, According to Jewish News Syndicate
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/23/pritzker-hit-new-low-with-nazi-charge-according-to-jewish-news-syndicate/
— The CBS Gal Who Thinks Freedom of Speech Led to the Nazi Holocaust
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/23/the-cbs-gal-who-thinks-freedom-of-speech-led-to-the-nazi-holocaust/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— GOP States threaten fines and jail time for local officials who resist Trump’s immigration crackdown. (COMMENT: What is Pritzker doing to stop enforcement of federal immigration laws in your county, township, municipality, and school district?)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/23/gop-states-threaten-fines-jail-time-local-officials-resist-trumps/
— Patel tells FBI employees to ignore Musk’s email on work reporting, for now
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/23/kash-patel-tells-fbi-employees-ignore-elon-musk-email-work-reporting/
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Pentagon tells personnel not to respond to Musk-backed accomplishments email
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense/3327666/pentagon-tells-personnel-not-respond-musk-accomplishments-email/
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE
— The Mellon Foundation’s Assault on American History. The organization bankrolls the deconstruction of our heroes and founding principles.
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-mellon-foundations-assault-on-american-history/
AMERICAN THINKER
— The AP’s feelings get hurt; it’s a First Amendment crisis!
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/the_ap_s_feelings_get_hurt_it_s_a_first_amendment_crisis.html
— Lies, damn lies, and statistics—or, in the case of Democrats, polls
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/lies_damn_lies_and_statistics_or_in_the_case_of_democrats_polls.html
BREITBART
— Jane Fonda Uses SAG Life Achievement Award Speech to Push Hollywood to Resist Trump: ‘Woke Means You Give a Damn About Other People’ (COMMENT: To be woke is to promote more hatred against Republicans who are conservative, White, male, older, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2025/02/23/jane-fonda-uses-sag-life-achievement-award-speech-to-push-hollywood-to-resist-trump-woke-just-means-you-give-a-damn-about-other-people/
— More Artists and Celebrities Canceling Shows at Kennedy Center to Protest Trump (COMMENT: Overwhelmingly, increasingly, artists and celebrities are anti-conservative, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-heterosexual, anti-non poor people, anti-Protestant, anti-German American, and/or anti-those who have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2025/02/23/more-artists-and-celebrities-canceling-shows-at-kennedy-center-to-protest-trump/
DAILY SIGNAL
— What Has Changed in the Darien Gap Under Trump’s Presidency?
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/23/darien-gap-migration-slows-from-torrent-trickle-under-trump/
FOX NEWS
— Musk’s demand that fed employees list their accomplishments roils workforce: ‘Mass civil disobedience’ ‘This is a good opportunity for mass civil disobedience,’ Democratic Rep. Sean Casten posted to X.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/musks-demand-fed-employees-list-accomplishments-roils-workforce-mass-civil-disobedience
— CPAC attendees say Trump ‘activated’ new media conservatism (COMMENT: Who are the members of the conservative news media in Illinois? What are their positions on me and on my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters? According to my critics/opponents, me and my newsletters cause all their problems, all of your problems, all of my problems, and all of everyone’s problems. They want to stop me from sending my newsletters out, and failing that, they want to stop everyone from reading them. Everyone in Illinois sees how members of the conservative news media in Illinois treat me and treat my newsletters.)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/watch-cpac-attendees-trump-activated-140716949.html
LEGAL NSURRECTION
— Reports of the Death of DEI are Greatly Exaggerated (COMMENT: I should write about how DEI continues to be enforced in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois.)
https://legalinsurrection.com/2025/02/video-reports-of-the-death-of-dei-are-greatly-exaggerated/
— American Bar Association Temporarily Suspends DEI Enforcement (COMMENT: I should write about how DEI continues to be enforced in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois.)
https://legalinsurrection.com/2025/02/american-bar-association-temporarily-suspends-dei-enforcement/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— Hegseth responds to blowback over Friday night Pentagon purge
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5159850-defense-secretary-hegseth-defends-firings/
ASSOCIATED PRESS
— Georgia and other states threaten fines and jail time for local officials who resist immigration crackdown
https://www.wabe.org/georgia-and-other-states-threaten-fines-and-jail-time-for-local-officials-who-resist-immigration-crackdown/
MSN
— Trump Sparks Firestorm By Sending Illegals to Guantanamo
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/appalling-trump-sparks-firestorm-by-sending-migrants-to-guantanamo/ss-AA1zu3Ht
— Trump Wants To End the EV Tax Credit — Are EVs Still Worth Buying? (COMMENT: I have ordered a 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T EV. What positions do my critics/opponents have on that?)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/trump-wants-to-end-the-ev-tax-credit-are-evs-still-worth-buying/ar-AA1yACUF
ABC NEWS
— Fired Joint Chiefs chairman posts farewell message (COMMENT: Because my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, I did much more than post a farewell message, I sued them. SEE: https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf )
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/trump-2nd-term-live-updates/?id=119115308
CBS NEWS
— Homan says he’s “bringing hell” to sanctuary city Boston
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/immigration-tom-homan-president-trump-sanctuary-city-boston/
NEW YORK TIMES
— Some Trump Officials Push Back Against Musk’s Ultimatum to Workers
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/23/us/politics/elon-musk-email-federal-workers.html
— Does Elon Musk Still Care About Selling Cars? Mr. Musk, one of President Trump’s main advisers, has not outlined a plan to reverse falling sales at the electric car company of which he is chief executive.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/20/business/elon-musk-tesla-trump.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The chief executive’s polarizing social media posts and work in the Trump administration were driving away customers, prompting some employees to leave and making it harder to recruit new talent to Tesla, the manager said, according to an audio recording of the meeting reviewed by The New York Times. . .Some investors said that Mr. Musk’s lack of interest in selling cars was apparent in how little he had said about Mr. Trump’s initiatives that could hurt Tesla’s sales. The chief executive of Ford, Jim Farley, last week said that some of Mr. Trump’s plans to repeal Biden era incentives for electric cars could force the company to lay off workers. But Mr. Musk has said nothing publicly about them.)
— Prison Officials Detail Treatment of Trans Inmates Under Trump Gender Order (COMMENT: Inmates who say that they are LGBTQ should be housed with other inmates who say that they are LGBTQ.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/us/trump-trans-women-prison.html
— Trump Just Fired 6,700 I.R.S. Workers in the Middle of Tax Season. That’s a Huge Mistake. (COMMENT: I was involved in IRS’s 1974 tax season big time. Have you ever phoned IRS with a tax question? If you did during the 1974 filing season, the IRS employee who answered your call was one of my subordinates. Back then, as a 25-year-old GS-11 (currently $82,655/year) IRS Revenue Officer, I supervised all of the IRS employees, which included a rotating staff of about 90 IRS Revenue Agent trainees, in IRS’s new downtown Chicago office who answered taxpayer questions using IRS’s new tollfree CentiPhone system. Because of my job performance, the IRS manager who had given me that developmental opportunity and who had promoted me in 1972 and 1973 promoted me to GS-12 (currently $99,069/year) in 1974.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/24/opinion/irs-taxes-trump.html
WASHINGTON POST
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/02/23/panama-united-states-migration-trump/4518008e-f226-11ef-acb5-08900d482a27_story.html
— Trump announces conservative podcaster Dan Bongino as FBI deputy director. The appointment of Bongino, a former Secret Service agent and NYPD officer turned conservative radio host, puts a second Trump ally at the top of the agency.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/23/dan-bongino-fbi-deputy-director-trump/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Trump Paralyzes the U.S. Wind Power Industry. The president, who despises wind turbines, has paused federal permits and leasing for such projects, putting company plans in limbo.
https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/trump-paralyzes-the-u-s-wind-power-industry-21fd4c7a
FORBES
— Democrat and RINO employers ever-increasingly use DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marybethgasman/2025/02/23/how-leaders-are-unpacking-trumps-anti-dei-actions/
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
— Trump and Musk cite fraud, but what does a government audit really look like? (COMMENT: I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO for almost 18 years 1980-1997. Fewer and fewer and fewer of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinate were Republicans. Toward the end, virtually none were Republicans. If Gingrich had reformed GAO instead of gutting it in the 1990s, there would be no need for DOGE today. The Democrats who ran GAO used Gingrich’s budget cuts to get rid of the agency’s few remaining Republican employees including me. Federal agencies run by Democrats do not want Republicans to audit them. Federal agencies run by Republicans do not want Democrats to audit them. Solutions include requiring half of GAO’s employees and its audit teams to be Republicans and half to be Democrats. When auditing agencies headed by Democrats, the lead auditors would be Republicans. When auditing agencies headed by Republicans, the lead auditors would be Democrats.)
https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2025/0224/trump-musk-government-fraud-doge
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Every year, the federal government could be losing between $233 billion and $521 billion to fraud, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). At the high end, that is about 8% of the $6.75 trillion the federal government spent in its last fiscal year. . .If the GAO were to initiate an agency audit, it would use a standardized process that involves gathering the right group of people, meeting with interested parties to iron out goals and get feedback, collecting and examining evidence, reviewing comments on drafts and findings, and writing a comprehensive report. In all, the process might take nine months. “It’s a really rigorous process,” says Rebecca Shea, a director in GAO’s Forensic Audits and Investigative Service. “Every word in the report, every line, every number, is indexed and referenced. It is tied back, linked back, to a piece of evidence that we have collected.” DOGE, by contrast, has started down a much different path. Instead of deliberation, it has moved with entrepreneurial speed. Instead of the fact-checking rigor of a GAO audit, Mr. Musk has made unsubstantiated claims, some of which have turned out to be false. “Nobody’s going to bat a thousand,” he told reporters in a recent press briefing. He promised to quickly fix any problems.)
NPR
— Democrats say “Two conservative events show how Trump has created a divide in the Republican Party.”
https://www.npr.org/2025/02/23/nx-s1-5300044/two-conservative-events-show-how-trump-has-created-a-divide-in-the-republican-party
GOVERNING
— The Unacceptable Risk Sanctuary Cities Pose for Public Safety. The consequences of sanctuary policies extend far beyond the ideological debate surrounding immigration enforcement. These policies enable criminal networks to make communities more dangerous.
https://www.governing.com/urban/the-unacceptable-risk-sanctuary-cities-pose-for-public-safety
DAILY CAMPUS
— Anticipate/expect that ever-increasingly, if you are a Republican in Illinois, the more of the following that you are, the more that hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters like Pritzker will call you a Nazi: conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time. To call someone a Nazi in America today is like calling someone a Jew in German during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Pritzker ever-increasingly makes it clear that he is going to get rid of all Republicans in Illinois once and for all.
https://dailycampus.com/2025/02/24/trump-and-hitler-drawing-the-parallels/
INSIDE HIGHER EDUCATION
— Democrats used to promote integration. Now they promote segregation.
https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2025/02/24/colleges-must-stand-new-segregationists-opinion
AXIOS
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) paint Republicans as being oppressors and b) paint Democrats as being protectors. According to Democrat leaders, Republicans oppress those who are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, non-rich, disabled, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, citizens of foreign countries, boozers, gamblers, stoners, criminals, etc.
https://www.axios.com/2025/02/23/trump-attacks-dei-diversity-disability
DAILY MAIL
— Pam Bondi’s brutal three-word response to Democrat governors refusing to deport illegal migrants
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14427009/pam-bondi-three-word-response-democrat-governor-deport-migrants.html
February 21, 2025 Evening Edition
WHITE HOUSE
— When There Are No Illegal Immigrants, There Is No Need for Shelters
https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/02/when-there-are-no-illegal-immigrants-theres-no-need-for-shelters/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Father Pfleger, faith leaders call for boycott of Target after company scales back DEI initiatives
https://abc7chicago.com/post/target-boycott-father-michael-pfleger-among-faith-leaders-calling-consumer-company-scales-back-dei-initiatives/15942947/
— Judge blocks Trump’s executive order ending federal support for DEI programs
https://abc7chicago.com/post/dei-judge-blocks-president-donald-trumps-executive-order-ending-federal-support-diversity-equity-inclusion-programs/15943426/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://abc7chicago.com/post/11-year-old-jocelynn-rojo-carranza-dies-suicide-days-chatter-rumors-ice-raids-gainesville-isd-school/15942540/
WGN9
— Fired IRS employee Vanessa Marie Rollins searching for health insurance after recent cancer diagnosis (COMMENT: I worked for IRS in its downtown Chicago office in 1971 and 1973-1980, its Harvey office 1972-1973, its 63rd & Halsted office in 1973, and its Joliet office 1973-1974.)
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/chicago-irs-federal-job-cuts-trump/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Judge blocks Donald Trump’s executive order ending federal support for DEI programs
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/21/judge-trump-dei-programs/
DAILY HERALD
— Darby Hills’ appointment to state Senate on hold as Republicans reopen applications for McConchie’s seat
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250221/illinois-state-politics/republicans-reopen-applications-for-mcconchies-suburban-senate-seat/
SOUTHERN
— Fired IRS employee decries irony of being hired to ‘make the IRS ‘more efficient’ (COMMENT: The purpose of GAO’s audits of IRS’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) that I worked on for GAO for 3 years was to help IRS CID close the tax gap.)
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/21/fired-irs-employee-decries-irony-of-being-hired-to-make-the-irs-more-efficient/
RIVER BENDER
— Duckworth Slams SecDef Hegseth’s Order to Cut Defense Budget by Eight Percent for the Next Five Years (COMMENT: SEE: Downsizing the U.S. General Accounting Office at https://www.gao.gov/assets/Downsizing_at_the_U.S._General_Accounting_Office.pdf )
https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/duckworth-slams-secdef-hegseths-order-to-cut-defense-budget-by-eight-percent-for-the-next-five-years-79912.cfm
(FROM THE GAO REPORT: In 1995, Congress sent a legislative branch appropriations bill to the President, which he signed, that reduced the fiscal year 1996 budget of the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) by 15 percent. At the same time, Congress indicated that it would be calling for an additional 10 percent
reduction in GAO’S budget for fiscal year 1997. In order to accommodate those reductions, GAO determined that it would have to trim its workforce
from the fiscal year 1995 level of approximately 4,350 employees’ to 3,500 employees (a loss of 850 positions) by the beginning of fiscal year 1997.)
FOX ILLINOIS
— Kristi Noem deputizes hundreds of State Department agents for immigration enforcement
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/kristi-noem-deputizes-hundreds-of-state-department-agents-for-immigration-enforcement-dhs-department-of-homeland-security-trump-mass-deportations-illegal-immigration-ice
NEWS CHANNEL 20
— MAGA is ‘a Nazi movement’: Former NFL punter Chris Kluwe arrested at city council meeting (COMMENT: Under Pritzker’s lead, anticipate/expect that those in Illinois who voted for Harris (3 million) will ever-increasingly call those who voted for Trump (2.4million) Nazis.)
https://newschannel20.com/news/nation-world/maga-is-a-nazi-movement-former-nfl-punter-chris-kluwe-arrested-at-city-council-meeting-california-huntington-beach-city-council-minnesota-vikings-president-donald-trump-politics-make-america-great-again-red-hat-swastika
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Virtually all federal employees are Democrats. Democrat leaders ever-increasingly glorify and praise them because of Trump budget cuts.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-trump-administration-looks-to-slash-hud-workers-tackling-the-housing-crisis/
WGLT
— IRS cuts over 6,000 jobs in the middle of tax season
https://www.wglt.org/2025-02-20/irs-cuts-over-6-000-jobs-in-the-middle-of-tax-season
WOC 1420
— Former John Deere Employee Sues For Age Discrimination (SEE: Diersen v. GAO at: https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf )
https://woc1420.iheart.com/content/2025-02-21-former-john-deere-employee-sues-for-age-discrimination/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A former John Deere employee is suing the agricultural equipment maker for age discrimination. Sixty-one year-old Terence Murphy of Geneseo, Illinois says he was fired last summer after 26 years, and his job filled days later by a 33 year-old woman. In the suit, Murphy says his performance ratings were excellent. He says the new hire had no prior experience in the position, and lacked his credentials. Murphy’s attorneys say statistics show Deere fired employees over age 60 at a rate 7.5% higher than those under age 40. Deere & Company says it can’t comment on pending litigation.)
WQAD
— Employment law experts break down age discrimination lawsuit against John Deere (SEE: Diersen v. GAO at: https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf )
https://www.wqad.com/article/money/business/john-deere/john-deere-wrongful-termination-lawsuit-age-discrimination/526-5c13b394-2ec9-4933-b724-eb26b9746e13
CHALKBEAT CHICAGO
— Illinois schools chief tells districts to follow state law, not Trump threats (COMMENT: Federal Trumps State Law.)
https://www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2025/02/21/illinois-schools-chief-says-keep-teaching-black-history-after-trump-letter/
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/21/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-253/
— ILGOP calls out Jewish governor for ‘vile, antisemitic attacks”
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/21/ilgop-calls-out-jewish-governor-for-vile-antisemitic-attacks/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
ILLINOIS GOP
— ILGOP Responds To Pritzker’s Vile, Antisemitic Attacks
https://illinois.gop/category/news/
(THE PRESS RELEASE: Lost in the shuffle of the grandstanding and hypocrisy from Governor Pritzker’s budget speech was the dangerous, divisive rhetoric he used – comparing President Trump and the Republican Party to Nazi’s. During Wednesday’s budget speech, Pritzker referred to Nazi’s six times, painting an inaccurate and dangerously partisan picture of the Republican Party. As Pritzker continues to prepare for his 2028 run for President, ILGOP Chair Kathy Salvi released the following statement: “JB Pritzker stoops to a new low and needs to be condemned by both Democrats and Republicans. His disgusting and repulsive attack on Republicans and this administration comes at a time when President Trump and Republicans are supporting Israel and the Jewish people as they defend themselves from barbaric terrorists. Meanwhile, JB Pritzker is standing with criminal illegals and further dividing our great nation. At the Illinois Republican Party, we continue to fight with the Trump Administration to combat an unprecedented wave of antisemitism and will always call out Pritzker’s repulsive language. Bottom Line: In their effort to combat vile, antisemitic attacks like those by Governor Pritzker on Wednesday, President Trump and Republicans are fighting antisemitism in the United States.)
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Those who have demographics that vote for Democrats benefit from DEI. Those who have demographics that vote for Republicans are harmed by DEI. Demographics that vote for Democrats are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, unmarried, poor, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time. Demographics that vote for Republicans are conservative, White, male, older, married, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors have been in America for a long time. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Stopping the illegal alien invasion. January was the lowest month of people illegally crossing the border since May 2020.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/20/stopping-illegal-alien-invasion/
EPOCH TIMES
— Trump Fires Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Charles Q Brown. Trump will nominate Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine to replace the general.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-fires-joint-chiefs-of-staff-gen-chair-charles-q-brown-5814407
FOX BUSINESS
— Chicago resident says his city believes it’s ‘more important’ to take care of illegals than Americans
https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6369166557112
— Red state businesses put on notice if they intentionally hire illegal immigrants: ‘Stiff penalties’ The bill would give the Montana prosecutors resources to enforce the law.
https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/red-state-businesses-put-on-notice-intentionally-hire-illegal-immigrants-stiff-penalties
NEWSMAX
— Military Bases to Be Used to House Illegals
https://www.newsmax.com/us/immigration-deportation-ice/2025/02/21/id/1200023/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
NBC NEWS
— Elon Musk becomes a new power center at CPAC. The tech billionaire stole the show Thursday, a surprise guest who wielded a chainsaw to symbolize his government cuts.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/elon-musk-becomes-new-power-center-cpac-rcna193097
— At town halls, Republicans feel the heat from Trump and Musk’s firing and cutting spree. The White House said the incidents represent just a handful of critics. Others noted similarities to earlier backlash against disruptive moves in Washington.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/town-halls-republicans-feel-heat-trump-musks-firing-cutting-spree-rcna193164
CBS NEWS
— White House pushes back on criticism of Trump spending cuts
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/white-house-pushes-back-on-criticism-of-trump-spending-cuts/
MSNBC
— Not all Republicans want Musk’s chainsaw approach to spending cuts
https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/joe-not-all-republicans-want-musk-s-chainsaw-approach-to-spending-cuts-232576069725
USA TODAY
— What is DOGE dividend check? Will Illinoisans get a $5,000 stimulus check?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2025/02/21/will-illinoisans-get-5000-doge-stimulus-check-heres-what-to-know/79440259007/
— More than one way to slice a workforce: How Trump’s cuts differ from Clinton’s.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/21/clinton-trump-federal-workers-jobs/79306710007/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In the wake of mass layoffs under President Donald Trump’s new administration, some have compared the government-shrinking initiative to a 1990s effort under President Bill Clinton, when about 400,000 jobs were cut from the federal workforce.)
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Illinois Cancels Henry Hyde. Progressives stripped the late GOP Congressman’s name from a courthouse over abortion.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/dupage-county-democrats-henry-hyde-courthouse-illinois-abortion-hyde-amendment-bffcbb8d
POLITICO
— AP sues Trump officials after being barred from some White House events. The lawsuit says First and Fifth Amendment rights were violated.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/21/associated-press-lawsuit-trump-officials-white-house-00205504
JEWISH NEWS SYNDICATE
— Who is calling who a Nazi? “Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s comparison of the Trump administration to the Nazi regime is deeply disturbing and unacceptable,” said Rabbi David Katz, executive director of the Israel Heritage Foundation.
https://www.jns.org/who-is-calling-who-a-nazi/
February 21, 2025
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Democrat leaders do not want America to be the leader of the free world.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/21/opinion-america-first-nato-ukraine-pete-hegseth/
— According to Democrat leaders Russia has won the Cold War and it all Trump’s fault.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/20/column-russia-wins-cold-war-ukraine-nato-shackelford/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump’s anti-DEI stance has Illinois companies tight-lipped or reversing diversity policies. The Sun-Times reviewed the policies of 15 major Illinois-based public companies and found some changed their policies and others won’t discuss them amid what experts blame on fears of being sued.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/work/2025/02/21/trump-dei-stance-illinois-raoul-mcdonalds-kraft-john-deere-reversing-diversity-policies
— Anticipate/expect that soon, Illinois Democrats will legalize prostitution and offer associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.Ds. in prostitution. What about licensing?
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/02/21/sex-workers-criminal-charges-exploit-survivor-model-traffickers-pimps-sex-buyers-marian-hatcher
NBC5
— What does DOGE’s IRS shake-up mean for tax season? (COMMENT: I was involved in IRS’s 1974 tax season big time. Have you ever phoned IRS with a tax question? If you did during the 1974 filing season, the IRS employee who answered your call was one of my subordinates. Back then, as a 25-year-old GS-11 (currently $82,655/year) IRS Revenue Officer, I supervised all of the IRS employees, which included a rotating staff of about 90 IRS Revenue Agent trainees, in IRS’s new downtown Chicago office who answered taxpayer questions using IRS’s new tollfree CentiPhone system. Because of my job performance, the IRS manager who had given me that developmental opportunity and who had promoted me in 1972 and 1973 promoted me to GS-12 (currently $99,069/year) in 1974.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/doge-irs-shake-up-tax-season/3679235/
WTTW
— Mass Deportations a Cause of Concern for Illinois Restaurant Industry (COMMENT: Have you ever had to compete against immigrants? What percent of restaurant employees are immigrants? I washed dishes for the minimum wage in the basement of the S.S. Kresge in Chicago Heights 1964-1966. If there had been as many immigrants back then as there are now, they would have gotten that job as well as all the jobs that I had 1964-1970. The money that I earned and saved washing dishes enabled me to buy a new 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint in May of 1966. I used that car to get to/from my parents’ home in Crete and a) jobs cleaning golf shoes, chipping slag, and pumping gasoline during the summer of 1966, b) delivering mail during 1966 and 1967, and c) classes at UIC 1966 and1967. I sold that car in late 1967 and bought a new 1968 Oldsmobile 442 that I used delivering mail 1967 and1968 and getting to/from classes at UIC. I sold that car in late 1968 and bought a new 1969 Dodge Charger SE that I used delivering mail 1968 and 1969, getting to/from classes at NIU, and working on the Chrysler assemble line in Belvidere in 1970.)
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/20/mass-deportations-cause-concern-illinois-restaurant-industry
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Anticipate/expect that Pritzker will ever-increasingly call Trump and the 2.4 million in Illinois who voted for Trump Nazis. To call someone a Nazi in America today is like calling someone a Jew in Germany during the 1920s, 19390s, and 1940s. Anticipate/expect that Pritzker will focus on those in the 2.4 million who share the most demographics with Trump but not with Pritzker, that is, those who are Protestant and/or German American.
https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/columns/jim-dey-pritzker-says-no-to-new-taxes-cellphones-in-school-and-nazis/article_f7117e3a-eefe-11ef-868c-63cea336ecf0.html
FOX ILLINOIS
— Rand Paul gives post-election endorsement to Trump: ‘I was wrong’ (COMMENT: Will the hate-filled Trump-hating Republican major donors, candidates, elected officials, and party leaders in your county, township, municipality, and school district do the same?)
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/rand-paul-gives-post-election-endorsement-to-trump-i-was-wrong-white-house-2024-presidential-election-politics
— White House avoids question on who Trump blames for Russia’s invasion
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/white-house-avoids-question-on-who-trump-blames-for-russias-invasion-united-states-ukraine-president-volodymyr-zelenskyy-peter-doocy-dmitry-medvedev-putin-senate-intelligence-committee-negotiations-war-freedom-democracy
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Ukrainians rally around their president after Trump seeks to denigrate him
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/world/ap-ukrainians-rally-around-their-president-after-trump-seeks-to-denigrate-him/
— IRS lays off 6,700 employees, torpedoing Democratic enforcement boost (COMMENT: I worked for IRS 1971-1980 and I worked for GAO on audits of IRS’s enforcement efforts 1986-1988.)
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/hill-politics/irs-lays-off-6700-employees-torpedoing-democratic-enforcement-boost/
NPR ILLINOIS
— EV’s and the Trump Administration (COMMENT: I have ordered a 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T EV. If you know anyone who shares my interest in that car, please ask them to contact me.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/illinois/2025-02-20/statewide-evs-and-the-trump-administration
ILLINOIS TIMES
— Don Tracy clears his name. Illinois executive inspector general previously cited him for prohibited political activity.
https://www.illinoistimes.com/news-opinion/don-tracy-clears-his-name-19783942
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Illinois Democrat leaders ever-increasingly fight Trump
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/21/illinois-ag-kwame-raoul-says-it-costs-to-fight-trump-00205408
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/21/64866/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
JOHN KASS
— Unanchoring Babies
https://johnkassnews.com/unanchoring-babies/
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Anticipate/expect that Pritzker will ever-increasingly call Trump and the 2.4 million in Illinois who voted for Trump Nazis. To call someone a Nazi in America today is like calling someone a Jew in Germany during the 1920s, 19390s, and 1940s. Anticipate/expect that Pritzker will focus on those in the 2.4 million who share the most demographics with Trump but not with Pritzker, that is, those who are Protestant and/or German American. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— The mainstream news media ever-increasingly carries out Democrat Party orders to negatively spin and to demonize, denigrate, and condemn everything that Trump says and does. I base that on what I see spending 10-15 hours each and every day putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters together and sending them out. I should write about that. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— I was involved in IRS’s 1974 tax season big time. Have you ever phoned IRS with a tax question? If you did during the 1974 filing season, the IRS employee who answered your call was one of my subordinates. Back then, as a 25-year-old GS-11 (currently $82,655/year) IRS Revenue Officer, I supervised all of the IRS employees, which included a rotating staff of about 90 IRS Revenue Agent trainees, in IRS’s new downtown Chicago office who answered taxpayer questions using IRS’s new tollfree CentiPhone system. Because of my job performance, the IRS manager who had given me that developmental opportunity and who had promoted me in 1972 and 1973 promoted me to GS-12 (currently $99,069/year) in 1974.- Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Have you ever had to compete against immigrants? What percent of restaurant employees are immigrants? I washed dishes for the minimum wage in the basement of the S.S. Kresge in Chicago Heights 1964-1966. If there had been as many immigrants back then as there are now, they would have gotten that job as well as all the jobs that I had 1964-1970. The money that I earned and saved washing dishes enabled me to buy a new 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint in May of 1966. I used that car to get to/from my parents’ home in Crete and a) jobs cleaning golf shoes, chipping slag, and pumping gasoline during the summer of 1966, b) delivering mail during 1966 and 1967, and c) classes at UIC 1966 and1967. I sold that car in late 1967 and bought a new 1968 Oldsmobile 442 that I used delivering mail 1967 and1968 and getting to/from classes at UIC. I sold that car in late 1968 and bought a new 1969 Dodge Charger SE that I used delivering mail 1968 and 1969, getting to/from classes at NIU, and working on the Chrysler assemble line in Belvidere in 1970. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Have you been discriminated against? According to my critics/opponents, no one has ever discriminated against me for any reason. Have you had adverse employment actions taken against you? According to my Democrat superiors in the federal government, all the adverse employment actions that they took against me were justified. In my defense, I earned a job-related bachelor’s degree, three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. In my defense, my Democrat superiors never cited any performance problems or employee complaints against me to justify any of the adverse actions that they took against me. In my defense. all my coworkers who my Democrat superiors promoted over me were Democrats who had less work experience than I had, had less education than I had, had no professional certifications or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had and/or were minority, female, younger, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time. In my defense, my Democrat GAO superiors have never denied a) that I complained about their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination or b) that I became an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation when I was 40 years old in 1988. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What pretexts have been used against you to justify adverse actions against you? When I was 20 years old in 1969, to force me to resign, my Democrat Post Office superiors falsely argued that I would not be available to work enough part-time hours. Starting in 1974, to not promote me to GS-13, my Democrat IRS and GAO superiors used up-or-out to falsely hint/imply/argue/shout that I was too old to be promoted to GS-13. In 1974, to disallow my travel vouchers, my Democrat IRS superiors falsely charged me with living inside their commuting area. In 1978, to disallow my education deductions, they falsely argued that the courses that I took did not relate to my job duties, did not maintain or improve my job skills, qualified me for a new trade or business, and were taken by me to get a job in the private sector. In 1980, to justify forcing me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO, my Democrat GAO superiors falsely argued that the work that I did for IRS was not similar to the work that I would do for GAO and that my earning an MBA from Loyola in 1976, that my passing the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, and that my almost completing the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul were not enough. To keep me off audits of IRS, they falsely badmouthed what I had learned about IRS by working for it for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year and stressed the adverse actions that my Democrat IRS superiors had taken against me and falsely hinted/implied/argued/shouted that because of that, I could not be objective, that I would take revenge against my former IRS superiors. To delay my promotions, to not promote me beyond GS-13, and to always rank me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay for performance, they falsely used the tremendous subjectivity in their performance appraisal system. In 1997, to force me to take their early retirement “offer,” they falsely denied that they told me that if I did not retire, they would demote me, they would give me adverse transfers, and/or they would take even bigger adverse actions against me. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— The Democrats who ran the Park Forest Post Office hired me in 1966 because they could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, or veteran who would take the job. I had passed the postal employment examination, I had earned a diploma from Crete-Monee High School, and I was taking classes at UIC. Virtually all my superiors, supervisors, and coworkers were Democrat veterans. My Democrat Post Office superiors despised/hated Republicans, and especially draft avoiding Republicans like me. They disallowed my sick leave requests in 1968 and 1969 and they forced me to resign in 1969 falsely claiming that I was not available to work enough part-time hours. I was available each and every a) Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, b) holiday, and c) day that NIU was not in session. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— To get more votes from Blacks, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout at Blacks that Republicans cause all the problems that Blacks have. According to my critics/opponents, all the federal jobs and promotions that I got should have been given to Blacks instead of me. The Post Office hired me when I was 18 years old in 1966. IRS hired me in 1971 and promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. GAO hired me in 1980 and promoted me in 1986. GAO forced me to retire in 1997 and gave my job and my preferred corner office to my Black subordinate. He had less work experience than I had, less education than I had, one professional certification while I had six, and had no professional license like the one I had. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Are you involved in politics? If so, what do your critics/opponents use against you? My critics/opponents in Republican politics use a) my promoting the individual responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, illegal drugs, Second Amendment, and equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks in the Republican Party platform, b) my promoting direct election of Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee members, c) my supporting Pat O’Malley in the Illinois Republican gubernatorial primary in 2002, d) my serving on the Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee 2003-2007, e) my serving as the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman 2005-2012, and f) my serving as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and firework 2005-2021. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
FOX NEWS
— Frustrated Chicago residents fed up with spending on illegal immigrants, call for Republican leadership. The group ‘Chicago Flips Red’ has been active in pushing for the GOP to take over the traditionally blue city.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/frustrated-chicago-residents-fed-up-spending-illegal-immigrants-call-republican-leadership
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— 5 takeaways from Musk’s CPAC talk
https://www.wjtv.com/news/5-takeaways-from-musks-cpac-talk/amp/
WASHINGTON POST
— Democrat and RINO leaders do not want anyone to be deported.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/02/21/panama-costa-rica-migrants-trump/
USA TODAY
— Trump evolved CPAC beyond conservatism. Is there still room for Reagan Republicans? CPAC has become a parade of prancing personalities, all trying to one-up each other in toadyism to Trump, where provocation is everything and actual policy of governing is, at best, an afterthought.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/02/21/cpac-conservative-conference-trump-republican-party/79313361007/
— Anticipate/expect that the more demographics that you share with Trump, and especially if you are Protestant and/or German American, the more that Democrats and RINOs will call you an extremist and even worse things.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/02/21/extremist-murders-2025-increase-on-the-rise/78385408007/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— An Escape Route From Illinois. Indiana takes the first step toward welcoming Land of Pritzker counties that want to secede.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/indiana-illinois-secession-boundary-adjustment-commission-todd-huston-j-b-pritzker-a3c18977
— Trump Is Planning to Take Control of the Postal Service. President seeks to disband governing board and put Postal Service under the Commerce Department. (COMMENT: The Democrats who ran the Park Forest Post Office hired me in 1966 because they could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, or veteran who would take the job. I had passed the postal employment examination, I had earned a diploma from Crete-Monee High School, and I was taking classes at UIC. Virtually all my superiors, supervisors, and coworkers were Democrat veterans. My Democrat Post Office superiors despised/hated Republicans, and especially draft avoiding Republicans like me. They disallowed my sick leave requests in 1968 and 1969 and they forced me to resign in 1969 falsely claiming that I was not available to work enough part-time hours. I was available each and every a) Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, b) holiday, and c) day that NIU was not in session.)
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-is-planning-to-take-control-of-the-postal-service-officials-say-e9188e7c
— FRONT PAGE: IRS Begins to Fire 6,000 Workers, Threatening Tax-Season Delays. Some collections and audits are likely to be paused, and one-on-one personal service is set to be more limited.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/irs-workers-fired-tax-season-doge-102fbecb
BLOOMBERG GOVERNMENT
— Ambitious MAGA Republicans Hunt for Trump Bump as Others Skip CPAC
https://news.bgov.com/bloomberg-government-news/ambitious-maga-republicans-hunt-for-trump-bump-as-others-skip-cpac
POLITICO
— Trump holds Black History Month celebration amid his administration’s war on DEI. Famed golfer Tiger Woods attended the event. (COMMENT: To get more votes from Blacks, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout at Blacks that Republicans cause all the problems that Blacks have. According to my critics/opponents, all the federal jobs and promotions that I got should have been given to Blacks instead of me. The Post Office hired me when I was 18 years old in 1966. IRS hired me in 1971 and promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. GAO hired me in 1980 and promoted me in 1986. GAO forced me to retire in 1997 and gave my job and my preferred corner office to my Black subordinate. He had less work experience than I had, less education than I had, one professional certification while I had six, and had no professional license like the one I had.)
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/20/trump-black-history-month-dei-021434
— The Trump administration has defended its cuts at the Federal Aviation Administration by saying safety-critical employees weren’t affected. Experts disagree. (COMMENT: During the early 1980s, I worked for GAO on an audit of FAA that involved air traffic control staffing.)
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/20/faa-firings-aviation-safety-experts-00205160
NPR
— A far-right influencer is getting invitations to travel with Trump Cabinet members (COMMENT: My critics/opponents hint/imply/argue/shout that I am a failed would-be far right influencer. They stress the many big adverse actions that they had their operatives and their dupes take against. I should write about my critics/opponents and their operatives and dupes.)
https://www.wesa.fm/2025-02-21/a-far-right-influencer-is-getting-invitations-to-travel-with-trump-cabinet-members
ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS
— Who in the Democratic party Is calling who a Nazi? if any use of Holocaust imagery was justified, it was President Trump’s description of Jewish hostages released from Hamas terrorist captivity last week, certainly not Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s parallels between Trump’s political agenda and the rise of Nazi Germany.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404252
AL JAZEERA
— Are White Afrikaners at risk in South Africa? Not really, most say. As Trump offers to take in Afrikaner refugees, many say right-wing lobbyists have spread misinformation and fear. (COMMENT: Have you been discriminated against? According to my critics/opponents, no one has ever discriminated against me for any reason. Have you had adverse employment actions taken against you? According to my Democrat superiors in the federal government, all the adverse employment actions that they took against me were justified. In my defense, I earned a job-related bachelor’s degree, three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. In my defense, my Democrat superiors never cited any performance problems or employee complaints against me to justify any of the adverse actions that they took against me. In my defense. all my coworkers who my Democrat superiors promoted over me were Democrats who had less work experience than I had, had less education than I had, had no professional certifications or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had and/or were minority, female, younger, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time. In my defense, my Democrat GAO superiors have never denied a) that I complained about their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination or b) that I became an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation when I was 40 years old in 1988.)
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/2/21/are-white-afrikaners-at-risk-in-south-africa-not-really-most-say
February 20, 2025 Evening Edition
WHITE HOUSE
— America Is Back — and President Trump Is Just Getting Started
https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/02/america-is-back-and-president-trump-is-just-getting-started/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Pritzker Following Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels’ Playbook
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/20/pritzker-following-nazi-propaganda-minister-joseph-goebbels-playbook/
— Indiana About to Pass Real Property Tax Relief
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/20/indiana-about-to-pass-real-property-tax-relief/
— Pritzker Four-Year Junior College Proposal Will Hurt Four-Year State Universities
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/20/pritzker-four-year-junior-college-proposal-will-hurt-four-year-state-universities/
— Judges Go to Schools
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/20/judges-go-to-schools/
— The Censures of Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk – Part 4
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/20/the-censures-of-algonquin-township-supervisor-randy-funk-part-4/
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Fallout continues after Pritzker’s Nazi comments during budget speech
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_3ad0cf8a-efc3-11ef-b47d-1fb230bbecf6.html
ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Food assistance need grows 12% in Illinois since 2019 (COMMENT: Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, more and more and more will want/need/demand more and more and more food assistance.)
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/food-assistance-need-grows-12-in-illinois-since-2019/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Democrat leaders promote Pritzker’s hate speech
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-governor-jb-pritzker-getting-national-attention-speaking-president-donald-trump-during-budget-address/15939325/
— Democrat leaders use their “undocumented immigrant children” to promote hatred against Trump
https://abc7chicago.com/post/latest-trump-cuts-leave-26000-undocumented-immigrant-children-legal-representation/15938544/
— Border crossings are down and refugee shelters in border cities are seeing decrease first hand
https://abc7chicago.com/post/us-mexico-border-news-crossings-down-refugee-shelters-cities-seeing-decrease-first-hand/15933759/
NBC5
— What does DOGE’s IRS shake-up mean for tax season? DOGE wants access to filers’ data, and the commerce secretary says Trump wants to scrap the IRS altogether. But filing a return remains mandatory — the earlier the better, tax advisers say.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/doge-irs-shake-up-tax-season/3679235/?os=fuzzscanazstr&ref=app
CBS2
— Thousands of IRS employees facing layoffs by Trump administration. Another round of federal job cuts is coming. This time, it’s at the agency responsible for bringing money into the government’s coffers. (COMMENT: While I worked for GAO 1980-1997, its employees always faced Republican-led layoffs.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/thousands-of-irs-employees-facing-layoffs-by-trump-administration/
FOX32
— Chicago Columbus statues could return as city faces art controversy
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-columbus-statues-could-return-art-controversy
— Chicago aldermen push to restore Columbus statues
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1596704
WTTW
— Democrat leaders promote fired federal employees. Democrats and RINOs either could care less or applauded my Democrat IRS and GAO superiors wasting my career and forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/20/dream-jobs-us-forest-service-unemployment-meet-2-illinois-fired-federal-workers
WGN RADIO
— Former federal employee shares her story of losing her job (COMMENT: Democrats and RINOs do not want to hear my story.)
https://wgnradio.com/lisa-dent/former-federal-employee-shares-her-story-of-losing-her-job/
— Mayor Brandon Johnson shares plan to fight food inequity in the city
https://wgnradio.com/lisa-dent/mayor-brandon-johnson-shares-plan-to-fight-food-inequity-in-the-city/
WBEZ
— To get more votes from minorities, Democrat leaders want more federal money to be spent on them.
https://www.wbez.org/education/2025/02/20/uic-cultural-centers-and-race-based-college-programs-across-illinois-threatened-by-latest-trump-guidance
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump, Musk unpopular with Illinois voters, Pritzker poll finds. It is notable that Gov. JB Pritzker’s team released the poll, and it shows he is prepared for a political fight — both in terms of a potential third term for Illinois governor, or a 2028 presidential bid.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/donald-trump/2025/02/20/president-donald-trump-elon-musk-illinois-voters-poll-jb-pritzker
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A new Illinois poll commissioned by Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker finds President Donald Trump and his cost-cutting czar Elon Musk’s early administration actions aren’t quite popular. A Global Strategy Group poll of 800 “likely 2026 voters” conducted Feb. 5-9 found more than 50% of those surveyed called Trump’s actions “extremely concerning.” Of those polled, 56% called Trump unfavorable, including 49% who called him very unfavorable. For Musk, 56% called him unfavorable, with 50% dubbing him very unfavorable. Democrats were the most negative on Musk and Trump, but independents viewed both unfavorably as well. A party-line split was evident in the poll, with 90% of Republican voters saying they approved of Trump, and 83% saying they approved of Musk. Among independents, 40% approved of Trump, and 38% approved of Musk. The poll also delved into some of Trump and Musk’s actions, with 57% of those polled calling any move to end an initiative to lower the cost of prescription drugs “extremely concerning.” Eliminating government programs, including health care, Meals on Wheels and child care; eliminating all members of the Aviation Safety Board; pardoning all the Jan. 6 rioters; and eliminating the Department of Education were among the most concerning topics for those polled. It is notable that Pritzker’s team released the poll, and it shows the Democratic governor is prepared for a political fight ahead — both in terms of a potential third term for governor, or a 2028 presidential bid. Pritzker has been criticizing Trump since his first gubernatorial campaign began in 2017. But now he’s aiming his ire at Musk as well — and has frequently railed against the billionaire adviser at Illinois news conferences. At a Wednesday briefing at the Illinois State Capitol, Pritzker blamed Musk for the unpredictability of federal funding and its effects on the state budget. And he used a collective “we” when talking about Musk and Trump. “We don’t know what they’re going to do. And you’ve seen that. You know, Elon Musk comes out with tweets about Social Security that turned out to be completely false,” Pritzker said. “We don’t know what they’re going to do. We don’t know whether they’re going to cut off the Medicaid expansion across the country. They’ve been hearing from Republican governors, just like they have from Democratic governors about the negative impact on the people of their state.” Despite the poll’s negative approval rating for Trump, the Republican president’s statewide vote grew to 43.8% last year, up from 38.76% in 2016. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.)
— Alderman introduces plan to punish Chicago city employees and officers for having extremist ties. The plan from 47th Ward Ald. Matt Martin follows growing calls for the Chicago Police Department and Mayor Brandon Johnson to fire cops with ties to extremist groups. (COMMENT: I should write about my critics/opponents who painted Illinois Center Right Coalition and TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois as being extremist groups. I would focus on those who have taken the most/biggest adverse actions against me.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/extremism-in-the-ranks/2025/02/20/alderman-introduces-plan-to-punish-chicago-city-employees-and-officers-for-having-extremist-ties
DAILY HERALD
— Facing lawsuit, Republicans to meet a second time to choose McConchie’s successor
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250220/illinois-state-politics/facing-lawsuit-republicans-to-meet-a-second-time-to-choose-mcconchies-successor/
HERALD WHIG
— Black and Latino leaders want more government assistance for Blacks and Latinos
https://www.whig.com/news/illinois-news/black-latino-lawmakers-criticize-pritzker-s-proposed-budget/article_6e2f622e-efa5-11ef-9fea-3fe4be18874d.html
FOX ILLINOIS
— MAGA is ‘a Nazi movement’: Former NFL punter Chris Kluwe arrested at city council meeting
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/maga-is-a-nazi-movement-former-nfl-punter-chris-kluwe-arrested-at-city-council-meeting-california-huntington-beach-city-council-minnesota-vikings-president-donald-trump-politics-make-america-great-again-red-hat-swastika
WAND TV
— Illinois House Democrats bash Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) for saying his caucus is part of ‘team Jew’
https://www.wandtv.com/news/statehouse/illinois-house-democrats-bash-republican-for-saying-his-caucus-is-part-of-team-jew/article_690a5734-efd4-11ef-843e-c7d87166bf31.html
WQAD
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://www.wqad.com/article/news/local/the-current/black-hawk-college-cannabis-courses-cohort-online-industry/526-ddc205a3-5e9c-46c0-9ed3-2a4a141a9018
WSJD
— Pritzker Insults President Trump and Fails to Take Responsibility for Illinois’ Budget Deficit (COMMENT: Pritzker runs Illinois. He hates Trump and he hates the 2.4 million in Illinois who voted for Trump. Anticipate/expect that he will ever-increasingly destroy those 2.4 million voters starting with those who are registered Republicans, who voted in the election, and who share Trump’s demographics: conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, non-veteran, married, Protestant, German America, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.)
https://wsjd.fm/new-blog-1/2025/2/20/severin-pritzker-insults-president-trump-and-fails-to-take-responsibility-for-illinois-budget-deficit
NEWS CHANNEL 20
— Do you support President Trump’s plan to cut the size of the IRS? (COMMENT: I should write about those who have demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me the most for my having been an IRS employee for almost 9 years.)
https://newschannel20.com/question/vote-do-you-support-president-donald-trumps-plan-to-cut-the-size-of-the-irs-question-of-the-day-internal-revenue-service-doge-department-of-government-efficiency-elon-musk-federal-workforce-downsize-taxpayers
EFFINGHAM RADIO
— IL GOP Reacts To Governor Pritzker’s Budget Address
https://www.effinghamradio.com/2025/02/20/il-gop-reacts-to-governor-pritzkers-budget-address/
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Democrats push a Democrat push poll.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/trump-approval-rating-appears-to-be-underwater-one-month-into-second-term-survey/
— IRS layoffs could hurt revenue collection and foil efforts to go after rich tax dodgers, experts say (COMMENT: Democrats and RINOs either could care less or applauded my Democrat IRS and GAO superiors wasting my career and forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.)
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-irs-layoffs-could-hurt-revenue-collection-and-foil-efforts-to-go-after-rich-tax-dodgers-experts-say/
BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
— Plan To Turn Lincoln Square’s Diplomat Hotel Into Transitional Housing Gets $5.5 Million TIF Boost. City Council approved additional funding for the $14 million renovation of the former motel into The Haven for people experiencing homelessness.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/02/19/plan-to-turn-lincoln-squares-diplomat-hotel-into-transitional-housing-gets-5-5-million-tif-boost/
CHALKBEAT CHICAGO
— Chicago releases its Black Student Success Plan amid backlash against race-based initiatives
https://www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2025/02/20/cps-releases-black-student-success-plan/
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/20/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-252/
— Pritzker’s new Illinois poll has majority ‘extremely concerned’ about a host of Trump’s recent actions
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/20/pritzkers-new-illinois-poll-has-majority-extremely-concerned-about-a-host-of-trumps-recent-actions/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump blasts Zelenskyy as ‘dictator’ who duped U.S. into sending aid
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/19/donald-trump-blasts-volodymyr-zelenskyy-dictator-duped-u-sending-aid/
— Trump has conquered CPAC
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/20/donald-trump-conquered-cpac/
— Musk wields symbolic chainsaw at CPAC in celebration of his federal role: ‘This is awesome’
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/20/elon-musk-wields-symbolic-chainsaw-cpac/
— Vance emerges as an early favorite at CPAC to carry the MAGA flag into 2028
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/20/jd-vance-emerges-early-favorite-cpac-carry-maga-flag-2028/
— ‘I want to find out’: Trump says he is going to personally inspect the gold at Fort Knox
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/20/trump-inspect-gold-fort-knox/
NEW YORK POST
— Musk wields ‘chainsaw for bureaucracy’ on stage at CPAC to symbolize DOGE’s massive government cuts
https://nypost.com/2025/02/20/us-news/elon-musk-wields-chainsaw-for-bureaucracy-on-stage-at-cpac-to-symbolize-doges-massive-government-cuts/
BIZ PAC REVIEW
— ‘America-last RINOs’ side with Zelenskyy over Trump
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/02/20/america-last-rinos-side-with-zelenskyy-over-trump-1523948/
CAMPUS REFORM
— Ex-UIC prof files lawsuit saying he was fired for opposing racial hiring preferences. The Liberty Justice Center recently filed a lawsuit against the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), alleging that a professor was fired because he criticized the school’s hiring practices, which the professor believes are racially discriminatory. The federal lawsuit was filed on Feb. 10 in the Eastern Division of the Northern District of Illinois. (SEE: Diersen v. GAO at : https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf )
https://www.campusreform.org/article/ex-uic-prof-files-lawsuit-saying-fired-opposing-racial-hiring-preferences/27506
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Liberty Justice Center recently filed a lawsuit against the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), alleging that a professor was fired because he criticized the school’s hiring practices, which the professor believes are racially discriminatory. The federal lawsuit, which was filed on Feb. 10 in the Eastern Division of the Northern District of Illinois, asserts that the school administration violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment when it terminated Professor Stephen Kleinschmit. While he was at UIC, Kleinschmit “observed that multiple hiring and funding programs were either a) explicitly designed to use race as a qualification in hiring decisions or b) being subverted to favor nonwhite applicants and faculty,” according to the lawsuit. The document asserts that when Kleinschmit spoke out about the allegedly discriminatory hiring practices, the school administration terminated his contract. “When he complained about this unlawful behavior, he was terminated—ostensibly due to budget cuts, yet the University retained faculty hired under a non-competitive, racially preferential hiring program, and soon after advertised a new job opening in his old department stating ‘members of a recognized underrepresented group are particularly encouraged to apply,’” the complaint says. Kleinschmit has a Ph.D. in Public Administration and was a professor in the school’s Department of Public Policy, Management, and Analytics until he was fired in 2023. Among other specific allegations, the complaint asserts that UIC required Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) statements in hiring. The lawsuit additionally accuses the administration of incorporating the race-conscious statements “into departmental norms and guidelines for promotion and tenure.” The 31-page lawsuit also gives other examples of allegedly racially discriminatory school policies. “The University Faculty Senate on July 29, 2020 released the UIC Senate Statement on Black Lives Matter, which asked the white faculty and administrators to ‘acknowledge their white privilege and power, and to commit to take action against systematic racism through anti-racist action,’” the lawsuit explains. In a statement about the lawsuit, Liberty Justice Center Senior Counsel Reilly Stephens called UIC’s hiring practices “blatantly” illegal. “The University of Illinois Chicago repeatedly engaged in blatant acts of racial discrimination, then added illegal retaliation to the mix to avoid accountability for its unlawful behavior,” Stephens asserted in a press release. “These actions are unacceptable violations of the right to equal protection under the law, and we urge the court to put a stop to it immediately.” Campus Reform has contacted the University of Illinois Chicago for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.)
CATHOLIC LIFE
— At CPAC, Vance talks faith, says policies should help ‘choose life’ and ‘start families’
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262327/at-cpac-vance-talks-faith-says-policies-should-help-choose-life-and-start-families
DAILY CALLER
— ‘Trump Administration Is Serious’: America’s Southern Border Hasn’t Been This Quiet Since The 1960s
https://dailycaller.com/2025/02/20/border-encounters-drop-to-1960s-levels/
EPOCH TIMES
— Federal Judge Allows Trump Admin to Continue Layoffs of Federal Workers. The suit was brought by federal unions seeking to preserve union dues and bargaining power.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/federal-judge-allows-trump-admin-to-continue-layoffs-of-federal-workers-5813651
FOX NEWS
— VP JD Vance speaks on ‘fundamental goal’ of Trump administration at CPAC address. ‘It is easy, unfortunately, to burn the house down. It takes a little bit of time to build it back up and that’s what we have to do,’ said Vance.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/vp-jd-vance-speaks-fundamental-goal-trump-administration-cpac-address
— Homan says billions saved on illegal migrants can be used to help Americans
https://www.foxnews.com/media/trump-border-czar-tom-homan-says-billions-saved-illegal-migrants-can-used-help-americans
NATIONAL REVIEW
— Pro-Life Issues Are Given Short Shrift at This Year’s CPAC
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/pro-life-issues-are-given-short-shrift-at-this-years-cpac/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— Trump set to speak at CPAC
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5154914-donald-trump-speaking-cpac-2025/
REUTERS
— Musk to appear at CPAC
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/musk-appear-cpac-conservative-gathering-organizer-says-2025-02-20/
CBS NEWS
— Thousands of IRS workers to be laid off (COMMENT: I should write about those who have demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me the most for my having been an IRS employee for almost 9 years.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/thousands-of-irs-workers-to-be-laid-off-source-says/
— GOP lawmakers concerned about impact of DOGE cuts on constituents, but most support effort (COMMENT: How dependent on federal spending are those in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gop-lawmakers-doge-cuts-impact/
POLITICO
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote those who seek asylum in America.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/20/asylum-seekers-trump-administration-021337
— At CPAC, Vance finally gets the reception he wishes he got in Munich. Surrounded by allies, the vice president basked in his role as culture-warrior-in-chief.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/20/cpac-jd-vance-culture-war-00205236
HARPER’S MAGAZINE
— Rage Against the Machine. Trump’s second attempt at dismantling the bureaucracy.
https://harpers.org/archive/2025/03/rage-against-the-machine-andrew-cockburn-trump-bureaucracy/
EDUCATION WEEK
— Parents Lose Appeal Over School’s Gender Identity Notification Policy (COMMENT: Democrat teachers ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.)
https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/parents-lose-appeal-over-schools-gender-identity-notification-policy/2025/02
RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— 53% Approve Trump Ending DEI Policies
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/53_approve_trump_ending_dei_policies
February 18, 2025
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS2
— Durbin, congresspeople highlight what they say would be detrimental effects of federal spending cuts (COMMENT: To what extent is your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct dependent on federal spending?)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/durbin-congresspeople-detrimental-effects-federal-spending-cuts/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/protesters-rally-in-chicago-against-president-trumps-policies/
WGN9
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFkVQUBlIoY
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/chicago-presidents-day-trump-musk-protests/
— Illinois Congressional Democrats rail against Trump, Musk cuts (COMMENT: To what extent is your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct dependent on federal spending?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luDPZki4H5Q
FOX32
— Illinois Dem lawmakers push back against Trump budget cuts (COMMENT: To what extent is your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct dependent on federal spending?)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1594717
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/18/opinion-illinois-fighting-unconcstitutional-actions-donald-trump/
— Homer Township Reset slate challenges Freedom Caucus incumbents in Republican Primary
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/17/homer-township-republican-primary/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2025/02/17/protesters-march-donald-trump-nationwide-presidents-day-demonstration
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-the-editor/2025/02/17/trump-presidency-republicans-maga-mean-federal-layoffs-debt-conservatives-new-party-usaid
NPR ILLINOIS
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-17/thousands-of-people-protest-in-washington-d-c-and-across-the-u-s-on-presidents-day
WCIA
— Central Illinois federal workers face unemployment, uncertainty (COMMENT: Because of Republican-led budget cuts, all during the almost 18 years that I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, I faced Democrat retaliation, that is, I faced political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination. I should write about that.)
https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-county/there-were-people-crying-central-illinois-federal-workers-face-unemployment-uncertainty/
WAND TV
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more abortion.
https://www.wandtv.com/news/planned-parenthood-of-illinois-expands-medication-abortion-access-through-app/article_206323fe-edf3-11ef-ab84-1f11aa00a2cd.html
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— TROLLING TRUMP: The Illinois Democratic Party has been trolling President Donald Trump by projecting digital phrases onto the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago’s River North neighborhood and a stream of online messaging.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/18/richard-irvin-returns-to-the-ring-00204650
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/18/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-457/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— How much success have the Democrat and RINO leaders of your county, township, municipality, and school district had promoting fear, anger, and hatred against Trump and against those who voted for Trump? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— I should write about the tremendous negative impacts from Republican gutting GAO instead of Republican reforming of GAO. If Republicans had reformed GAO, the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997 would not have been able to a) force me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO, b) delay my promotions and never promote me beyond GS-13, c) always rank me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, or d) force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— GAO is supposed to fight waste in the federal government. But Democrats run the federal government and Democrats run GAO. I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997. Because I have always been a Republican, they did not want me fight waste. To get rid of me, they. a) forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO, b) delayed my promotions and never promote me beyond GS-13, c) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, and d) forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. They wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years and for IRS for almost 9 years, b) earning three job-related master’s degrees, c) earning six job-related professional certifications, and d) earning a job-related professional license. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— According to my critics/opponents, the courts in Diersen v. GAO decided that employers can fire their employees a) because they oppose political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and/or age discrimination and/or b) because they have performance problems. According to my critics/opponents, both of the aforesaid applied to me a) because I was an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged my employer with reverse discrimination and age discrimination and b) because my employer never promoted me beyond GS-13 and always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance. According to them, I had to have performance problems because they took those adverse actions against me even though I had three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. But in fact, they took those adverse actions against me a) because I opposed their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination and b) because I was an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination and age discrimination. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What do your critics/opponents stress about you to turn people against you? My critics/opponents stress that I am conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, my ancestors have been in America since 1844, I was a federal employee for almost 30 years and almost 9 of which working for IRS, I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years, I have been married for almost 47 years, I have more education than they have, I have six professional certifications and a professional license, I have more real estate, vehicles, and/or money than they have, I have better health than they have, etc. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What do your critics/opponents stress to promote envy against you? Mine stress that I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years, that I have been married for almost 47 years, that I have more education than they have, that I have six professional certifications and a professional license, that I have more real estate, vehicles, and/or money than they have, that I have better health than they have, etc.
http://www.gopillinois.com
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Congressman Robert C. McClory’s Significant Law
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/congressman-robert-c-mcclorys-significant-law/
— Crystal Lake Grade School District Has 20% Fewer Students Than in 2008, But More Staff
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/crystal-lake-grade-school-district-has-20-fewer-students-than-in-2008-but-more-staff/
— The Censures of Randy Funk – Part 1
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/the-censures-of-randy-funk-part-1/
— The Contract with Peter Bensinger I Would Not Sign in the Thompson Administration
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/the-contract-with-peter-bensinger-i-would-not-sign-in-the-thompson-administration/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
U.S. Department of HOMELAND SECURITY
— Secretary Kristi Noem announced a nationwide and international multimillion-dollar ad campaign warning illegal aliens to leave our country now or face deportation with the inability to return to the United States. The international ads warn criminal illegal aliens not to come to America and break its laws or they will be hunted down and deported. (COMMENT: Of course, Democrats and RINOs oppose/reject the aforesaid.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hezXQvjzCkQ
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Time to go: DHS tells illegal immigrants to ‘self-deport and stay out’ Secretary Kristi Noem vows ‘We will hunt you down’
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/dhs-tells-illegal-immigrants-self-deport-stay/
NEW YORK POST
— AOC’s harmful migrant assistance (COMMENT: It is criminal to help people commit crimes.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/opinion/aocs-harmful-migrant-assistance-letters/
— Eric Adams is a hostage to New Yorkers’ will — not to Donald Trump
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/opinion/memo-to-eric-adams-critics-hes-a-hostage-to-nyers-will-not-donald-trump/
AMERICAN THINKER
— Buttigieg insinuates that Trump’s IG firing spree has something to do with promoting ‘waste, fraud, and abuse’ (COMMENT: When the Democrats who ran GAO’s Chicago Office forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, the Democrats who ran IG offices in Chicago could have offered to hire me, but they did not. I should write about those who they hired instead of me.)
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/buttigieg_insinuates_that_trump_s_ig_firing_spree_has_something_to_do_with_promoting_waste_fraud_and_abuse.html
BREITBART
— Supreme Court Path for President Trump on Birthright Citizenship
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/17/scotus-path-birthright-citizenship-trump/
— Kristi Noem Warns Migrants Against Entering U.S. Illegally: ‘You Will Be Caught’
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/17/kristi-noem-warns-migrants-entering-u-s-illegally-will-be-caught/
FOX BUSINESS
— DOGE critics are in favor of government waste (COMMENT: GAO is supposed to fight waste in the federal government. But Democrats run the federal government and Democrats run GAO. I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997. Because I have always been a Republican, they did not want me fight waste. To get rid of me, they. a) forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO, b) delayed my promotions and never promote me beyond GS-13, c) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, and d) forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. They wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years and for IRS for almost 9 years, b) earning three job-related master’s degrees, c) earning six job-related professional certifications, and d) earning a job-related professional license.)
https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6368973252112
FOX NEWS
— Homan takes victory lap after illegal immigrant crossings plummet during Trump admin: ‘He is delivering’ Homan said it’s the lowest he’s seen since President Reagan was in office.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/homan-victory-lap-after-illegal-immigrant-crossings-plummet-during-trump-admin-delivering
LEGAL INSURRECTION
— Dear DOGE – Why Is The U.S. Government Funding “Media Literacy” Informers And Indoctrination? DHS, Defense, and State are all involved. I know, I took the trainings. Do Secretaries Noem, Hegseth, and Rubio know?
https://legalinsurrection.com/2025/02/dear-doge-why-is-the-u-s-government-funding-media-literacy-informers-and-indoctrination/
NEWSMAX
— Some Shelters Close as Migrant Flow Slows
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/migrant-shelters-closing-border/2025/02/17/id/1199406/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
NBC NEWS
— Supreme Court could decide who Trump is allowed to fire (COMMENT: According to my critics/opponents, the courts in Diersen v. GAO decided that employers can fire their employees a) because they oppose political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and/or age discrimination and/or b) because they have performance problems. According to my critics/opponents, both of the aforesaid applied to me a) because I was an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged my employer with reverse discrimination and age discrimination and b) because my employer never promoted me beyond GS-13 and always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance (PFP). According to them, I had to have performance problems because they took those adverse actions against me even though I had three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. But in fact, they took those adverse actions against me a) because I opposed their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination and b) because I was an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination and age discrimination.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq2hVZ_zz94
MSN
— Hegseth reports that IRS has audited him and says he owes $33,558.16. (COMMENT: I should write about why my Democrat IRS superiors disallowed my education deductions when I was 29 years old in 1978. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, younger, or veteran.)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/pete-hegseth-shares-back-taxes-self-own-while-blasting-biden-irs-for-audit/ar-AA1zfqGt
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A Fox News host until being nominated by Donald Trump to lead the Defense Department, Hegseth’s annual salary at the media company was north of $2 million, according to a financial disclosure report he filed as part of the confirmation process. Additionally, he earned $900,000 in speaking engagement fees over the last two years, according to the report. As Secretary of Defense, Hegseth will be paid $246,000 per year. The Trump administration is expected to soon announce substantial layoffs at the IRS. Furthermore, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency is looking to gain access to the IRS’s highly-classified system for housing taxpayers’ financial information.)
ASSOCIATED PRESS & MSNBC & NEWSWEEK & LOS ANGELES & ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER & NBC BOSTON & ABC DENVER & BUSINESS TIMES
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump.
https://apnews.com/article/president-donald-trump-protest-c8796556fbf20e796f42167f61c3d942
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLJLFiB6bb8
https://www.newsweek.com/photos-show-trump-musk-50501-protests-across-us-2032448
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-02-17/presidents-day-rally-long-beach
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/02/17/on-presidents-day-in-irvine-demonstrators-rally-against-president-trump-and-elon-musk/
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/politics/presidents-day-brings-protests-against-trumps-policies/3634753/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKbNe3qG8MQ
https://www.btimesonline.com/articles/172879/20250218/no-kings-on-presidents-day-rallies-target-trump-policies-musk-s-influence.htm
NEW YORK TIMES
— What do your critics/opponents stress to promote envy against you? Mine stress that I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years, that I have been married for almost 47 years, that I have more education than they have, that I have six professional certifications and a professional license, that I have more real estate, vehicles, and/or money than they have, that I have better health than they have, etc.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/03/learning/do-you-ever-feel-envious-of-others.html
— Democrats Fear They Are Missing the Moment to Remake the Party. As President Trump steamrolls over their priorities, Democrats say they could miss the opportunity to learn lessons from their defeat and undertake needed reform. (COMMENT: From what I see, the Democrat Party will forever promote dependency on government charity, LGBTQ, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, abolition of the Second Amendment, and Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination. By doing the aforesaid, the Democrat Party wants to get more votes from those who are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, poor, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, are in America illegally, boozers, gamblers, stoners, and criminals.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/us/politics/democrats-trump-future.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Trump Targets a Growing List of Those He Sees as Disloyal. In his first month in office, the president has carried out a campaign of retribution that has little analogue in history. (COMMENT: My critics/opponents demand blind loyalty and destroy those like me who they cannot manipulate or dominate, who refuse to glorify and praise them, who refuse to pander to them, who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, who refuse to coverup their wrongdoing, and/or who refuse to give them money.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/us/politics/trump-retribution-list.html
USA TODAY
— Federal government has wasted trillions. Trump and Musk are saying, ‘Enough!’
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/02/17/trump-musk-doge-government-waste-national-debt/78518870007/
WEEK
— How much did Germany pay as WWI reparations? Here’s why Donald Trump’s proposed $500 billion offer for Ukraine is even worse. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked his officials to reject Donald Trump administration’s $500 billion deal, saying it does not give adequate security guarantees for Kyiv.
https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2025/02/18/how-much-did-germany-pay-as-wwi-reparations-here-s-why-donald-trump-s-proposed-500-billion-offer-for-ukraine-is-even-worse.html
WBAL TV
— Employees across federal agencies detail impacts of layoffs, DOGE action (COMMENT: I should write about the tremendous negative impacts of Republicans gutting GAO instead of reforming GAO. If Republicans had reformed GAO, the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997 would not have been able to a) force me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO, b) delay my promotions and never promote me beyond GS-13, c) always rank me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, or d) force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.)
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/federal-employees-layoffs-impacts-doge-executive-orders/63821109
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— The Media Claim to Find No Fraud in Government. Then again, they also told us Biden was sharp as a tack and nothing was amiss at the border.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-media-claim-to-find-no-fraud-in-government-waste-abuse-agencies-8ed673b2
— 6 Ways to Fix the Job-Application Nightmare. Companies are needlessly hurting their reputations among potential employees. Here’s what they can do to improve the process—and attract better talent. (COMMENT: I did not apply to be an IRS employee. IRS offered me a job because I had passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination.)
https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/job-search-applications-fixes-476ed638
— America’s Trumpiest City Council Is Thriving—in Newsom’s California. Huntington Beach has become a laboratory for Trump-style local governance; ‘non-sanctuary city’ status and a MAGA plaque at the library. (COMMENT: How strongly do the Republican leaders of the following support Trump: a) your state senate and house districts, county, township, municipality, and school board and b) the Illinois Republican Party and your Republican county and township/ward party organizations?)
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/americas-trumpiest-city-council-is-thrivingin-newsoms-california-e671f21c
INSIDE HIGHER EDUCATION
— Anticipate/expect that Democrat and RINO leaders will ever-increasingly use DEI to get rid of Republicans
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/diversity/race-ethnicity/2025/02/18/after-trumps-diversity-threats-what-should-colleges-do
February 17, 2025 Evening Edition
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Durbin, others in Chicago push back on proposed federal budget cuts to Medicaid. Illinois Democratic Congressional Delegation promise to stand up to Trump administration.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/sen-dick-durbin-joins-citizen-action-aids-foundation-chicago-push-back-proposed-federal-budget-cuts-medicaid/15921887/
— Mexico threatens to sue Google over Gulf of Mexico name change
https://abc7chicago.com/post/mexico-threatens-sue-google-company-continues-label-us-maps-gulf-america-entire-body-water/15921876/
WGN9
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luDPZki4H5Q
FOX32
— Democratic Illinois members of Congress blast Trump budget cuts
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1594551
WTTW
— Illinois Legislative, Labor Leaders Speak Out Against Trump Budget Cuts
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/17/illinois-legislative-labor-leaders-speak-out-against-trump-budget-cuts
— Durbin, University Leaders Push Back on Trump’s Efforts to Cut Medical Research Funding
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/17/sen-dick-durbin-university-leaders-push-back-trump-s-efforts-cut-medical-research
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— ‘No kings on Presidents Day’ rings out from protests against Trump and Musk
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/17/trump-musk-protests/
— Illinois secession bill passes out of Indiana committee, but even supporters aren’t totally on board
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/17/illinois-secession-bill-passes-out-of-indiana-committee-but-even-supporters-arent-totally-on-board/
— Mexico awaits new response from Google on dispute over Gulf of Mexico name before filing lawsuit
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/17/mexico-google-gulf-of-mexico/
DAILY HERALD
— Musk’s DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250217/nation-and-world-politics/musks-doge-seeks-access-to-personal-taxpayer-data-raising-alarm-at-irs/
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise illegals and b) demonize, denigrate, and condemn Republicans.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250217/letters-to-the-editor/save-immigrants-who-are-kind-hard-working/
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER & OUR QUAD CITIES & DAILY EGYPTIAN
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/state/2025/02/17/illinois-protestors-rally-at-state-capitol-against-president-trump/78992981007/
https://www.sj-r.com/picture-gallery/news/2025/02/17/protestors-rally-against-president-trump-for-second-time-in-illinois/78997988007/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/illinois-protestors-rally-state-capitol-230718017.html
https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/local-news/illinois-advocates-speak-out-against-federal-cuts/
https://dailyegyptian.com/120456/news/carbondale-endures-cold-to-protest-trump-musk-on-presidents-day/
SOUTHERN
— Trump is the only person who can force Putin to the table
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/17/gop-sen-mullin-trump-is-the-only-person-who-can-force-putin-to-the-table/
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Don’t believe ‘incredible’ claims about Illinois schools
https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/mark-glennon-dont-believe-incredible-claims-about-illinois-schools/article_ea37a3f4-ea14-11ef-9b08-173768ebbab5.html
STATELINE
— Indiana bill to ‘adopt’ Illinois counties advances in House
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/indiana-bill-to-adopt-illinois-counties-advances-in-house/
STATELINE & ADVANTAGE NEWS & WQRF
— 2.4 million voted for Trump in Illinois
https://www.mystateline.com/news/pritzker-majority-of-illinois-residents-dont-support-trump/
https://www.advantagenews.com/news/local/pritzker-says-trump-may-be-popular-nationwide-but-not-in-illinois/article_8724d48c-eb11-11ef-a176-efe4e140ec9e.html
https://www.yahoo.com/news/jb-pritzker-says-donald-trump-201600367.html
NPR ILLINOIS
— GAO official says fraud does exist, but it’s not widespread
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-16/government-accountability-official-says-fraud-does-exist-but-its-not-widespread
WAND TV
— Durbin, Kelly join Citizen Action Illinois in fight against Trump budget cuts to Medicaid, SNAP
https://www.wandtv.com/news/statehouse/durbin-kelly-join-citizen-action-illinois-in-fight-against-trump-budget-cuts-to-medicaid-snap/article_fa0cd2ec-ed78-11ef-b7d9-477fd3841f09.html
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Second ‘50501’ protest held outside Illinois Capitol. Protestors take aim at Trump, call for “No Kings on President’s Day.”
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/second-50501-protest-held-outside-illinois-capitol/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WIREPOINTS
— With the border closed, will Illinois finally cut spending on illegal immigrants?
https://wirepoints.org/with-the-border-finally-closed-when-will-illinois-stop-spending-on-illegal-immigrants-wirepoints-quickpoint/
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Integrity Team Seeks to Defeat Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk’s Slate
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/integrity-team-seeks-to-defeat-algonquin-township-supervisor-randy-funks-slate/
— Former Co-Chair of Republican National Committee Headlining Joe Tirio Fundraiser on February 21st
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/former-co-chair-of-republican-national-committee-headlining-joe-tirio-fundraiser-on-february-21st/
— Resident Criticizes McHenry Mayor Wayne Jett’s Stewardship
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/resident-criticizes-mchenry-mayor-wayne-jetts-stewardship/
— Is McHenry County Administrator’s Pending 5.3% Raise a Signal That All Non-Union Employees Will Receive the Same?
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/16/is-mchenry-county-administrators-pending-5-3-raise-a-signal-that-all-non-union-employees-will-receive-the-same/
ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Bill introduced to again try for progressive income tax in Illinois
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/bill-introduced-to-again-try-for-progressive-income-tax-in-illinois/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Democrats protest as Trump’s DOGE squad exposes federal waste. Discoveries of misspent millions reveal a pattern of unauthorized funding to partisan causes.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/democrats-protest-trump-doge-squad-exposes-federal/
— DOGE seeks access to IRS system with taxpayers’ financial data
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/doge-seeks-access-irs-system-taxpayers-financial-d/
— White House hits back on Democrats’ criticism of DOGE actions
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/white-house-hits-back-democrats-criticism-doge-act/
— FAA’s new air traffic control towers go ‘green’ instead of the latest safe tech
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/faa-new-air-traffic-control-towers-go-green-instea/
— Vance calls for U.S. and its allies to reject Germany’s ‘Orwellian’ speech laws (COMMENT: My critics/opponents hate the First Amendment. They want to stop me from sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters. Failing that, they want to stop everyone from reading them. Failing that, they have their operatives and their dupes take big adverse actions against me. I should write about my critics/opponents.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/j-d-vance-calls-u-allies-reject-germany-orwellian-/
— Trump’s immigration crackdown protects Hispanic communities
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/trump-immigration-crackdown-protects-hispanic-comm/
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Everything you need to know about this year’s CPAC
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3319947/everything-you-need-to-know-about-cpac-this-year/
— Losing the race: Crass identity politics isn’t what it used to be for Democrats
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/premium/3311358/losing-race-crass-identity-politics-not-what-it-used-to-be-democrats/
NEW YORK POST
— Homan vows to ‘eradicate’ every criminal migrant from US — as he touts staggering drop in daily encounters
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/us-news/border-czar-tom-homan-vows-to-eradicate-every-criminal-migrant-from-us/
— Wall Street banks scrub DEI language from websites in latest retreat from corporate wokeness
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/business/wall-street-banks-scrub-dei-language-in-retreat-from-wokeness/
— DOGE discovers $4.7 trillion in Treasury payments were missing critical code: ‘Traceability almost impossible’
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/us-news/doge-discovers-4-7-trillion-in-treasury-payments-were-missing-critical-code/
— Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says Biden’s IRS targeted him for an audit (DIERSEN: I should write about my Democrat IRS superiors who disallowed my education deductions in 1978.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/us-news/defense-secretary-pete-hegseth-says-bidens-irs-targeted-him-for-an-audit/
— Riots and hijackings — why ICE cuffs and shackles some deportees
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/opinion/riots-and-hijackings-why-ice-cuffs-and-shackles-some-deportees/
— Dems far outnumber conservatives in government — here’s what department is the worst (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, virtually all my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats. I should write about Democrat superiors and supervisors who hated Republicans the most.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/opinion/dems-far-outnumber-conservatives-in-government-heres-what-department-is-the-worst/
AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Pete Hegseth Says Biden’s IRS Targeted Him With ‘Sham’ Audit on Their Way Out the Door (DIERSEN: I should write about my Democrat IRS superiors who disallowed my education deductions in 1978.)
https://amgreatness.com/2025/02/17/pete-hegseth-says-bidens-irs-targeted-him-with-sham-audit-on-their-way-out-the-door/
AMERICAN THINKER
— Memo suggests the City of San Diego’s government is loaded with illegals
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/memo_suggests_the_city_of_san_diego_s_government_is_loaded_with_illegals.html
BREITBART
— Homan Says Illegal Daily Encounters Down to 229 from 11,000
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/02/17/nolte-border-czar-tom-homan-says-illegal-daily-encounters-down-to-229-from-11000/
CHRISTIAN POST
— Lesbian pastor blasphemes Jesus as drag queen at council meeting
https://www.christianpost.com/news/lesbian-pastor-blasphemes-jesus-as-drag-queen-at-council-meeting.html
FOX NEWS
— Obama library, begun with lofty DEI goals, now plagued by $40M racially charged suit, ballooning costs. The Black-owned firm claims it was accused of underperforming in the project because of race.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/obama-center-subcontractor-hired-under-dei-initiative-now-suing-40m-racial-discrimination-lawsuit
NATIONAL REVIEW
— Education Department Ends $600 Million in Grants for DEI, Critical Race Theory Trainings
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/education-department-ends-600-million-in-grants-for-dei-critical-race-theory-trainings/
NEWSMAX
— Big Banks Cutting DEI to Avoid Federal Scrutiny
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/dei-division-inequity/2025/02/17/id/1199374/
— GOP Rep Introduces Proposal to End Asylum for Criminals
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/illegal-alien-criminals/2025/02/17/id/1199423/
TOWNHALL
— Illinois state Rep. John Cabello (R) Wants to Create a DOGE for His State
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2025/02/17/a-republican-lawmaker-in-illinois-wants-to-create-a-state-doge-agency-n2652334
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— DOGE sets up IRS, SEC accounts on X
https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5149582-doeg-irs-sec-x-accounts/
— Musk divides GOP
https://thehill.com/newsletters/technology/5149945-musk-divides-gop/
— Musk is coming for your Social Security
https://thehill.com/opinion/5148448-elon-musk-targeting-social-security/
MSN
— NAACP spending guide urges Black Americans to avoid companies that dumped DEI
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/naacp-spending-guide-urges-black-americans-to-avoid-companies-that-dumped-dei/ar-AA1zdVIs
CBS NEWS
— Trump’s firings of independent agency heads put 90-year-old Supreme Court precedent in crosshairs
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-firings-agencies-boards-supreme-court-precedent/
NEW YORK TIMES
— Education Dept. Gives Schools Two Weeks to Eliminate Race-Based Programs. The department’s Office for Civil Rights warned that it would penalize schools that consider race in scholarships, hiring and an array of other activities.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/us/politics/education-dept-race-based-programs.html