January 3 Morning Adition

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

December 31 Morning Edition

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

December 23 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Democrats who supported spending bill face angry backlash over immigration – David Weigel and Ed O’Keefe
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-daca-democrats-spending-bill-20171222-story.html
— Proposed bill would ban sale of commercially bred pets in Will, DuPage counties – Erin Hegarty
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-commercial-pet-sale-ban-bill-st-1224-20171222-story.html
— How to know when holiday drinking is hurting your brain – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/ct-holiday-drinking-brain-health-20171219-story.html
— Carpentersville doubles video gaming fee – Erin Sauder
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/elgin-courier-news/news/ct-ecn-carpentersville-gaming-machine-fees-st-1227-20171226-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— A month-by-month look at what you should expect from the Republican tax bill – Philip Bump
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171223/a-month-by-month-look-at-what-you-should-expect-from-the-republican-tax-bill
— New year to be a challenge for Republicans in Congress – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20171223/news/312239976/

 

ABC7
— Miss America suspends CEO in email flap – AP
http://abc7chicago.com/entertainment/miss-america-suspends-ceo-in-email-flap/2815659/

 

TIMES
— Kinzinger: Trump has done ‘great job’ – David Giuliani
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/local/column-kinzinger-trump-has-done-great-job/article_49d55ebf-1cf3-519c-a795-49448d475d6b.html
— Kinzinger and Marter disagree on DACA – David Giuliani
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/local/congressman-rival-disagree-on-daca/article_2ba5ffe5-4963-5021-beda-faa623b484ce.html

 

ALTON DAILY NEWS
— Federal Tax Plan Hits Illinois – Benjamin Yount
http://www.altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=257293#.Wj5TO4zR-M8

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Justice Department rolls back guidance on fining poor defendants – DAVID SHORTELL AND JESSICA SCHNEIDER (DIERSEN: One could look at it this way: Since September 30, 1997, in today’s dollars, my Democrat GAO superiors have been fining me $198 a day or $1,387 a week or $6,011 a month or $72,135 a year for my opposing political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination. On September 30, 1997, to punish me for the aforesaid opposition, they succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” of $50,856 a year, or only 41% of my $122,991 a year salary in today’s dollars. So far, in today’s dollars, I have been fined $1,460,673 or $6,011 X 243 months.)
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/justice-department-rolls-back-guidance-on-fining-poor-defendants/886728546

 

WSIL TV
— Congressman Bost predicts tax law will become more popular – Brandon Richard
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/37130399/congressman-bost-predicts-tax-law-will-become-more-popular

 

KANE COUNTY CONNECTS
— KANE BOARD CHAIRMAN: UNFUNDED STATE PENSION LIABILITIES ARE ‘FISCAL CALAMITY’
http://kanecountyconnects.com/2017/12/kane-board-chairman-unfunded-state-pension-liabilities-are-fiscal-calamity/

 

NPR ILLINOIS
— What The Tax Bill Could Mean For Lawmakers During The Midterms
http://nprillinois.org/post/what-tax-bill-could-mean-lawmakers-during-midterms#stream/0
— Why Mental Health Is A Poor Measure Of A President – JON HAMILTON (DIERSEN: Sooner or later, Democrats paint all non-Democrats as being mentally ill.)
http://nprillinois.org/post/why-mental-health-poor-measure-president#stream/0

 

PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— Ives proposes constitutional amendment to address pension reform – Glenn Minnis
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511301761-ives-proposes-constitutional-amendment-to-address-pension-reform

 

SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS NEWS
— Bailey vows to reverse trend of taxpayers fleeing the state – Glenn Minnis
https://seillinoisnews.com/stories/511301836-bailey-vows-to-reverse-trend-of-taxpayers-fleeing-the-state

 

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Batinick: More than 200 new laws adopted, none tackle Illinois’ major issues – Greg Bishop
https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/lawmaker-more-than-new-laws-adopted-none-tackle-illinois-major/article_50ac2fc4-e680-11e7-99fa-4b0ef07a8c8c.html

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Berrios spox says Tribune story “extremely unbalanced and, typically, unfair” *** ILGOP, Kaegi react to new Tribune story on Berrios
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/21/ilgop-kaegi-react-to-new-tribune-story-on-berrios/

 

BREITBART
— Cardinal Cupich: ‘It Would Be a Horrible Injustice’ Not to Give Amnesty to DACA Illegal Aliens at Americans’ Expense – JOHN BINDER (DIERSEN: It appears that the overwhelming majority of those who are in America state that they are Catholic. What if Cupich proposed that the Catholic Church would support the illegals, that is, provide them with medical care, food, clothing, housing, transportation, education, jobs, etc.? But, of course, very soon, the Catholic Church would be bankrupt.)
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/22/cardinal-cupich-horrible-injustice-not-to-give-amnesty-to-daca-illegal-aliens/

 

COLLEGE FIX
— Enough with race-based admissions
http://www.thecollegefix.com/bulletin-board/enough-race-based-admissions/

 

THE HILL
— Karl Rove: ‘Bad idea’ for Trump to hold a lot of rallies in 2018 – MAX GREENWOOD
http://thehill.com/homenews/news/366273-karl-rove-a-very-bad-idea-for-trump-to-hold-a-lot-of-rallies-in-2018

 

ABC NEWS
— Tax overhaul leads to end-of-year rush to pay property bills – GEOFF MULVIHILL (DIERSEN: Are you a homeowner? How much will the “GOP tax overhaul” harm you? The more that you have paid in real estate tax and/or state income tax over $10,000 a year, the more that you will be harmed. How much of your estimated real estate tax bill due next year can you afford to pre-pay by the end of this year?)
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/tax-overhaul-leads-end-year-rush-pay-property-51957744

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— Tax Bill Is Great for Accountants — Unless They Have Holiday Plans – Tiffany Hsu and Julie Creswell
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/22/business/republican-tax-plan-accountants-auditors-holidays.html
— Homeowners Rush to Soften Tax Bill’s Impact – Jeffery C. Mays
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/22/nyregion/cuomo-assist-as-homeowners-rush-to-prepay-property-tax-bill.html
— E.P.A. Officials, Disheartened by Agency’s Direction, Are Leaving in Droves – Lisa Friedman, Marina Affo and Derek Kravitz (DIERSEN: QUESTION: Which GAO employees left GAO in drovers during the 1980s and 1990s? ANSWER: Those who were Republican, White, male, older, non-veteran, and/or accounting degree holders. WHY? Democrat politicians wanted to replace them with employees who were Democrat, minority, female, younger, and/or public policy degree holders.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/22/climate/epa-buyouts-pruitt.html

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: VERY SAD: Households Are Spending Rather Than Saving – Harriet Torry and Suzanne Kapner
https://www.wsj.com/articles/americans-shop-more-save-less-this-holiday-season-1513978732

 

NEWSWEEK
— MISS AMERICA CEO SAM HASKELL’S WEBSITE IS LITTERED WITH VIAGRA ADS – EMILY GAUDETTE
http://www.newsweek.com/miss-america-2018-sam-haskell-emails-viagra-756975

 

FED SMITH
— Order Issued on 2018 Pay Raise for Federal Employees – Ralph R. Smith (DIERSEN: If was still working for GAO at the GS-13 Step 10 level, my 2018 salary would increase by $2,334 or by 1.9% to $125,325.)
https://www.fedsmith.com/2017/12/22/order-issued-2018-pay-raise-federal-employees/

December 20 Evening Edition

ABC7
— Rauner defends state handling of fatal Legionnaires outbreak at veterans’ home – Craig Wall
http://abc7chicago.com/health/rauner-defends-state-handling-of-fatal-legionnaires-outbreak-at-veterans-home/2805149/
— Trump celebrates after Congress wraps up massive tax package – AP
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/trump-celebrates-after-congress-wraps-up-massive-tax-package/2802688/

 

NBC5
— Wheaton, Palatine Ranked Among Safest Cities in Illinois
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/wheaton-palatine-named-safest-cities-to-live-in-illinois-465506123.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: For families looking to raise families, certain communities stand out for a variety of reasons, and a new ranking has revealed the safest city in the state. According to security company SafeHome, Wheaton is the safest city in the state. The ranking cites the city’s dramatic decrease in violent crime, which is down 17.8 percent in 2017, and their strong citizen-to-police officer ratio as the factors that pushed it to the top of the list. Narrowly finishing behind Wheaton is Palatine, which also saw drops in both violent crime and property crime. Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, and Mount Prospect rounded out the top five, according to the company. Naperville, recently ranked the second-best city in America to live by Niche, finished in seventh place among the safest cities in America. The security company used a variety of criteria to come up with its rankings, which took cities of 50,000 or more people and evaluated them on statistics such as violent crime rate, property crime rate, and other data made available by the FBI and the Census Bureau. While smaller cities tend to rank highly on the list, some of Illinois’ biggest cities made the cut as well. Champaign, home to the University of Illinois, ranked in the 22nd spot, and Chicago itself, despite making national headlines for gun violence, was ranked as the 23rd-safest city in the state according to SafeHome.)
— GOP Tax Bill Could Be a Windfall for Dozens of Lawmakers Only two Republicans found to have sizable real estate holdings voted against the bill
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/Tax-Bill-Loophole-Windfall-Lawmakers-465480623.html

 

CBS2
— Rauner: State Is Taking Action For Deaths At Quincy Veteran’s Home – Derrick Blakley
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/20/veterans-home-quincy-legionnaires/

 

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— Illinois loses population, drops to 6th-largest state – AP
http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/local/illinois-loses-population-drops-to-6th-largest-state

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Rauner: Federal tax changes help tax-cut agenda – Rick Pearson (DIERSEN: Are you a homeowner in a “traditionally Republican-leaning suburban (area) with high property tax bills?” Will Republicans making you pay more federal income tax inspire you to help Rauner fight Democrats for lower property tax bills and for lower state income taxes? According to the Democrats, if you itemize your deductions, and especially if you pay more than $10,000 a year in property and income taxes, you are undeservedly filthy rich and you can easily afford to pay more federal income tax.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-bruce-rauner-federal-tax-bill-20171220-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner said Wednesday that federal tax code changes limiting how much in state and local taxes Illinoisans can deduct could give a boost to his call for freezing property taxes and rolling back a state income tax hike. Under the measure sent to Trump, federal income taxpayers will see a larger standard deduction. But taxpayers used to itemizing their deductions will see a $10,000 limit on the deductibility of state income taxes and local property taxes. Previously, there were no limits on state and local tax deductibility. Supporters of capping the tax deduction contended it amounted to a federal subsidy for high-tax states. Opponents noted most of the high-tax states pay more in federal taxes than they receive back in federal benefits and are largely Democratic-leaning states, such as Illinois. Prior to the legislation’s passage, Rauner had declined to publicly weigh in on the effects of changing the state and local tax deduction on Illinois residents, though it could have negative effects on homeowners in traditionally Republican-leaning suburban areas with high property tax bills. “The simple fact is for states that are high-tax, high-spending states, it makes it more difficult… For states like Illinois and others, it makes it more difficult,” Rauner said. “It makes it all the more important that we make the type of changes that…I’ve been recommending from day one. That we bring down our property taxes, that we work down the income tax hike that Speaker (Michael) Madigan forced through last (July),” he said. “It makes it all the more essential that we in Illinois make those changes.” Rauner has called for freezing local property taxes and making it easier for residents to put on the ballot referendum questions that would lower real estate taxes. In addition, Rauner has called for a rollback of the income tax hike Democratic and some Republican lawmakers enacted over his veto to end the state’s historic budget stalemate.)
— Rauner won’t say if he has moral responsibility for Quincy veterans’ illnesses, deaths – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-bruce-rauner-quincy-veterans-home-legionnaires-20171220-story.html
— Elgin faith leaders call out U46 school board member for critique of religion assignment – Rafael Guerrero
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/elgin-courier-news/news/ct-ecn-elgin-faith-leaders-jeanette-ward-st-1220-20171219-story.html
— Trump stands to save millions under new tax measure, experts say – Drew Harwell
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-save-millions-tax-plan-20171220-story.html
— The new tax challenge for Illinois Democrats – Editorial
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-illinois-progressive-income-tax-20171220-story.html
— How the tax bill impacts homeowners, buyers and sellers – Kathy Orton
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-tax-bill-impact-homeowners-real-estate-20171220-story.html
— Trump just admitted the GOP’s tax cuts were deceptively sold – Aaron Blake
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-gop-taxes-analysis-20171220-story.html
— Triumphant Trump celebrates tax win — but some fear backlash – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-gop-tax-bill-20171220-story.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Drink water at vets’ home linked to deaths? ‘Absolutely,’ Rauner says – Tina Sfondeles
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/drink-water-at-vets-home-linked-to-deaths-absolutely-rauner-says/
— Declining population knocks Illinois down to 6th-largest state – Rachel Hinton
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/declining-population-knocks-illinois-down-to-sixth-largest-state/
— Trump has scored a solid year of accomplishments. What now? – Byron York
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/trump-has-scored-a-solid-year-of-accomplishments-what-now/

 

DAILY HERALD
— Ives says she’s the real social conservative running for governor – Marni Pyke
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171220/ives-says-shes-the-real-social-conservative-running-for-governors
— How tax bill impacts homeowners, buyers and sellers – Kathy Orton
http://www.dailyherald.com/business/20171220/how-tax-bill-impacts-homeowners-buyers-and-sellers
— DuPage sheriff dispatch center supervisor faces misconduct charge – Justin Kmitch
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171220/dupage-sheriff-dispatch-center-supervisor-faces-misconduct-charge
— A sweeping tax plan whose promises face widespread doubts – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20171220/business/312209938/

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— The GOP tax bill is good for you—buh-leeve me! – GREG HINZ
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171220/BLOGS02/171229981/the-gop-tax-bill-is-good-for-you-x2014-buh-leeve-me
— Somebody’s getting a pay raise from the tax bill. Probably not you. – STEPHEN GANDEL
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171219/NEWS02/171219872/somebodys-getting-a-pay-raise-from-the-tax-bill-probably-not-you
— Illinois’ population dips again—and now trails Pennsylvania – GREG HINZ
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171220/BLOGS02/171229989/illinois-population-dips-again-and-now-trails-pennsylvania

 

WLS AM
— Rauner sees pros and cons with tax reform bill – Bill Cameron
http://www.wlsam.com/2017/12/20/rauner-sees-pros-and-cons-with-tax-reform-bill/
— Kinzinger: Republicans handling of govt. shutdown threat “extremely frustrating.” – John Dempsey
http://www.wlsam.com/2017/12/20/gop-congressman-republicans-handling-of-govt-shutdown-threat-extremely-frustrating/

 

BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
— Illinois drops from 5th to 6th in population. What’s driving people out? – JOSEPH BUSTOS (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrats focus on driving out of Illinois people, organizations, and companies that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.bnd.com/news/local/article190772804.html

 

SOUTHERN
— Rauner says he’s been kicking HUD ‘in the pants’; HUD says try ‘kick-starting the Cairo economy’ instead – MOLLY PARKER
http://thesouthern.com/news/local/acha/rauner-says-he-s-been-kicking-hud-in-the-pants/article_b46c3ac1-20ad-59a7-90d1-921dc24e7fd3.html

 

ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
— It’s time to consolidate school districts – Scott Reeder
http://www.rrstar.com/opinion/20171220/my-view-its-time-to-consolidate-school-districts

 

STATELINE
— What the Tax Bill Means for Illinois Taxpayers Story includes calculator to see how you and your family is impacted – Scott Picken
http://www.mystateline.com/news/what-the-tax-bill-means-for-illinois-taxpayers/884695096

 

WAND
— Ives, challenging Rauner, campaigns in Coles County – Joe Astrouski
http://www.wandtv.com/story/37112873/ives-challenging-rauner-campaigns-in-coles-county

 

IVES FOR ILLINOIS
— Ives Outlines Benedict Rauner’s Top Ten Betrayals
http://mailchi.mp/2ebbd210a631/ives-outlines-benedict-rauners-betrayals?e=985ad8c00b

 

HEARTLAND INSTITUTE
— HUFFINGTON POST PREPARES TO SMEAR HEARTLAND AGAIN – Joseph Bast
https://www.heartland.org/news-opinion/news/huffington-post-prepares-to-smear-heartland-again

 

WILL COUNTY NEWS
— Ives Outlines Benedict Rauner’s Top Ten Betrayals – Steve Balich
http://willcountynews.com/2017/12/20/ives-outlines-benedict-rauners-top-ten-betrayals/

 

CHICAGO CITY WIRE
— As a high property tax state, Illinois is not attractive, CNN economist says – Glenn Minnis
https://chicagocitywire.com/stories/511298937-as-a-high-property-tax-state-illinois-is-not-attractive-cnn-economist-says

 

ILLINOIS LEAKS
— Gubernatorial Candidate Jeanne Ives interviewed by ECWd – KIRK ALLEN
http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2017/12/gubernatorial-candidate-jeanne-ives-interviewed-by-ecwd/

 

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— IVES RESPONDS: BENEDICT RAUNER’S 10 BETRAYALS IN 2017
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/ives-responds-.html

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Ives puts together her own top ten list
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/20/ives-puts-together-her-own-top-ten-list/
— Rauner dodges questions about veterans’ home problems
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/20/rauner-dodges-questions-about-veterans-home-problems/

 

GOPUSA
— Trump: A nation without borders is not a nation
http://www.gopusa.com/trump-a-nation-without-borders-is-not-a-nation/

 

WASHINGTON TIMES
— ‘Dreamers’ flock to Capitol to protest lack of action on amnesty – Stephen Dinan
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/20/dreamers-flock-capitol-protest-lack-action-amnesty/

 

DAILY CALLER
— Media Bias Against GOP Tax Bill Misleads The Public – Amber Athey
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/20/media-bias-against-gop-tax-bill-misleads-the-public-video/

 

BREITBART
— Pro-Life Coalition Warns: Obamacare ‘Stability’ Deal Without Hyde Amendment Will Force Taxpayers to Fund Abortion – DR. SUSAN BERRY
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/20/pro-life-coalition-warns-obamacare-stability-deal-without-hyde%E2%80%A8-amendment-will-force-taxpayers-to-fund-abortion/

 

BLAZE
— Catholic priest comes out as gay during his homily — and parishioners give him a standing ovation – Dave Urbanski (DIERSEN: How soon, if not already, will “religious leaders” send you straight to HELL if you do not promote LGBTQ activity?)
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/20/catholic-priest-comes-out-as-gay-during-his-homily-and-parishioners-give-him-a-standing-ovation
— Rosie O’Donnell offers $2 million each to GOP senators to vote against tax reform bill – Sarah Taylor (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois who claim to be conservative and/or Republican, but treat me like they have been offered lots of money, a new home, a new car, a sweetheart job, a sweetheart contract, favorable legislation, and/or lots more if they succeed in stopping me from putting out GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails.)
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/20/rosie-odonnell-offers-2-million-each-to-gop-senators-to-vote-against-tax-reform-bill

 

THE HILL
— Amnesty for the ‘best and brightest’ will still cost taxpayers – IRA MEHLMAN (DIERSEN: Are/were you one of the “best and brightest?” For federal employees, if you are White, male, and/or non-veteran, you are not one of the “best and brightest” unless you make GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
http://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/365847-amnesty-for-the-best-and-brightest-will-still-cost-taxpayers

 

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— Chants of protest drown out any caroling this holiday season at the Capitol – Lisa Mascaro (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, members of Group A make it clear that they want the federal government to get rid of members of Group B. Members of Group A are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and members of Group B are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-capitol-holiday-protests-20171219-story.html

December 19 Evening Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— GOP on verge of huge tax overhaul — with one hiccup Stephen Ohlemacher and Marcy Gordon
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-gop-tax-bill-20171219-story.html
— Illinois Republicans, Democrats in Congress stick with their parties on tax vote – Katherine Skiba
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-illinois-congress-taxes-20171219-story.html
— Tax plan a windfall for companies, but will anything trickle down to the rank and file? – Robert Reed
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/reed/ct-biz-tax-plan-wages-jobs-robert-reed-1220-story.html
— When people wouldn’t believe two dogs killed their owner, the sheriff described the horror – Kristine Phillips
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-dogs-maul-owner-virginia-20171219-story.html
— Suicide expert says rampant stress not a new problem for Naperville students – Suzanne Baker
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-naperville-suicide-expert-st-1220-20171219-story.html
— The toughest job in state government – Editorial
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-dcfs-walker-rauner-abuse-20171219-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: If you promote pot in Illinois, you promote the destruction of Illinois.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/opinion/ct-sta-slowik-marijuana-legalization-st-1220-20171219-story.html
— Why doesn’t Trump get credit for revving up the economy? – Ed Rogers
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-economy-trump-gross-domestic-product-ed-rogers-1220-story.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— How Illinois lawmakers voted on House tax bill. But there is a snag. – Lynn Sweet
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/how-illinois-lawmakers-and-others-voted-on-house-tax-bill/

 

DAILY HERALD
— Aurora Election Commission could be on chopping block in March vote – Susan Sarkauskas
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171219/aurora-election-commission-could-be-on-chopping-block-in-march-vote

 

ABC7
— Senate expected to pass massive tax reform bill after hiccup – AP
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/senate-expected-to-pass-massive-tax-reform-bill-after-hiccup/2799415/
— Mauled by dogs: Sheriff offers gruesome details about death of woman killed by her own pets – CNN
http://abc7chicago.com/mauled-by-dogs-sheriff-offers-gruesome-details-about-death-of-woman-killed-by-her-own-pets/2799855/

 

NBC5
— House Needs to Vote Again on $1.5T GOP Tax Bill Democrats called the bill a giveaway to corporations and the wealthy – Stephen Ohlemacher and Marcy Gordon
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/GOP-Roll-Trillion-Final-Tax-Bill-House-Senate-465150303.html

 

CBS2
— Palatine Township Board Delays Vote On Hiring Parliamentarian – Craig Dellimore
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/19/palatine-township-parliamentarian/

 

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— GOP on the verge of huge tax overhaul — with one hiccup – AP
http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/congress-tax-vote

 

WLS AM
— Ives out with a rescue plan for state’s pension problem – Bill Cameron
http://www.wlsam.com/2017/12/19/ives-out-with-a-rescue-plan-for-states-pension-problem/
— Chicago area Congressmen on WLS to debate tax bill – John Dempsey
http://www.wlsam.com/2017/12/19/chicago-area-congressmen-on-wls-to-debate-tax-bill/

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Rauner says nobody will buy plant that state helped sell – Bernard Schoenburg
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171219/schoenburg-rauner-says-nobody-will-buy-plant-that-state-helped-sell

 

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— Teen arrested trying bring pot into Peoria County courthouse – Phil Luciano
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20171218/teen-arrested-trying-bring-pot-into-peoria-county-courthouse

 

TIMES
— High school journalists should not be censored – Liza Buhr
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/youth/buhr-high-school-journalists-should-not-be-censored/article_89269742-8887-51ee-a00d-7ef52119ebec.html

 

WSIL TV
— Political expert weighs in on “Rauner’s Top 10 Accomplishments” – Roni LeForge
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/37104258/political-expert-weighs-in-on-rauners-top-10-accomplishments

 

SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS NEWS
— Bailey sees flight from Illinois as another Rauner failure – Glenn Minnis
https://seillinoisnews.com/stories/511300724-bailey-sees-flight-from-illinois-as-another-rauner-failure

 

DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— Straub notes Durkin role in aiding taxpayer flight from state – Glenn Minnis
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511301030-straub-notes-durkin-role-in-aiding-taxpayer-flight-from-state

 

REAL GOP ILLINOIS
— Shades of Rauner’s nursing home scandal in Quincy veterans death case
https://realgopillinois.com/2017/12/18/shades-rauners-nursing-scandal-quincy-veterans-home-case/

 

ILLINOIS LEAKS
— Ives for Governor “Meet and Greet” – Coles County – December 20, 2017 – KIRK ALLEN
http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2017/12/ives-for-governor-meet-and-greet-coles-county-december-20-2017/
— John Clough, Illinois Prisoner Review Board Member Electioneering with State Vehicle – JOHN KRAFT
http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2017/12/john-clough-illinois-prisoner-review-board-member-electioneering-with-state-vehicle/

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Rauner claims WBEZ canceled monthly show for political reasons
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/19/rauner-claims-wbez-canceled-monthly-show-for-political-reasons/
— ILGOP weighs in against Straub *** Oppo dump!
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/19/oppo-dump-10/
— Ives proposes pension changes
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/19/ives-proposes-pension-changes/
— Rauner touts his top 10 accomplishments
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/19/rauner-touts-his-top-10-accomplishments/
— The most negative campaign ever
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/19/the-most-negative-campaign-ever/
— Rauner talks up contributions to pro-life candidates while campaign highlights Dems’ worst moments of 2017
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/19/rauner-talks-up-contributions-to-pro-life-candidates-while-campaign-highlights-dems-worst-moments-of-2017/

 

CNS NEWS
— Rep. Roskam: ‘Low Expectations’ on Tax Plan Will Work in Republicans’ Favor – Susan Jones
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/rep-roskam-low-expectations-tax-plan-will-work-republicans-favor

 

LIFE NEWS
— Illinois Gov Bruce Rauner: Pro-Life People Should Vote for Me Even Though I Forced Them to Fund Abortions – MICAIAH BILGER
http://www.lifenews.com/2017/12/19/illinois-gov-bruce-rauner-pro-life-people-should-vote-for-me-even-though-i-forced-them-to-fund-abortions/

 

GOPUSA
— University of Virginia stonewalls conservative club for restricting membership to conservatives (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those in Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois who claim to be conservative and/or Republican, but a) who do lots of anti-conservative and/or anti-Republican things and/or b) focus on destroying those who are conservative and/or Republican. They really are Democrat plants, Libertarian plants, Green plants, or RINOs. Most commonly, they reject the traditional family, right to life, immigration, illegal drugs, Second Amendment, and equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. Most commonly, they promote LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, age discrimination, political affiliation discrimination, and patronage.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=35538

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Trump cheers on a stock market he once called a ‘big, fat, ugly bubble’ – Michael Scherer and Jenna Johnson
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-cheers-on-a-stock-market-he-once-called-a-big-fat-ugly-bubble/2017/12/19/811cce82-e4de-11e7-833f-155031558ff4_story.html

 

NEW REPUBLIC
— The Democrats’ Risky Pursuit of Suburban Republicans The strategy threatens to alienate the party’s base in the age of Trump. – JEET HEER
https://newrepublic.com/article/146345/democrats-risky-pursuit-suburban-republicans

December 13 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DuPage Election Commission merger question OK’d for spring ballot – Gary Gibula (DIERSEN: What has disappointed you the most about the DuPage County Election Commission (DCEC). For me, it has been DCEC’s a) failure/refusal to do more to remove deadwood from the voting rolls and b) failure/refusal to deal directly with elected precinct committeemen concerning proposed changes to their polling place and to their precinct lines.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-dupage-board-election-commission-st-1213-20171212-story.html
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Question about legalizing marijuana could go on Cook County ballots – Hal Dardick (DIERSEN: If you promote pot, you promote destruction.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-cook-county-marijuana-20171213-story.html
— Illinoisans want Trump sexual misconduct investigation – Katherine Skiba
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-cook-county-marijuana-20171213-story.html
— Illinois’ home health care industry rife with fraud, tainted by unscrupulous physicians – Michael J. Berens
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/ct-home-health-main-met-20171212-story.html
— Making way for transgender troops – Editorial (DIERSEN: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government 1966-1969 and 1971-1997, they made way for young Democrat minorities and for young Democrat females by wasting the careers of and by getting rid of their employees who were Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran. Democrats use Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion to get rid of Republicans, and especially to get rid of Republicans who are White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-transgender-20171211-story.html
— A cooking fire at a homeless encampment sparked a wildfire last week that destroyed six homes in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, authorities said Tuesday, while the fifth-largest wildfire in California history burning northwest of the city kept expanding and kept thousands out of their homes. – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-california-wildfires-20171212-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Those who are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors march in Naperville.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-community-unity-march-st-1213-20171212-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG COLOR PICTURE AND GRAPHIC: Why four small Lake County suburbs spent thousands at the Illinois Municipal League conference in Chicago – Jake Griffin
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171213/why-four-tiny-suburbs-spent-thousands-at-chicago-conference
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: If you vote against the Second Amendment, those who will never vote for a Republican love you.
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171213/editorial-roskam-gets-gun-vote-right-hultgren-doesnt
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Adjunct faculty, Elmhurst College at odds over union vote – Marie Wilson
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171212/adjunct-faculty-elmhurst-college-at-odds-over-union-vote

 

WTTW
— List of Top 200 Pension Earners Shows Potential for Big Payouts – Paris Schutz
http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2017/12/12/list-top-200-pension-earners-shows-potential-big-payouts

 

WBEZ
— Protesters Disrupt Meeting, Call For Palos Trustee To Quit Over ‘Racist’ Comments – Linda Lutton
https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/protesters-disrupt-meeting-call-for-palos-trustee-to-quit-over-racist-comments/18461cd8-0df1-403c-9024-e06b85f91b97

 

NORTHWEST HERALD
— Time to get rid of township government – Editorial
http://www.nwherald.com/2017/12/08/our-view-time-to-get-rid-of-township-government/a38rxj9/

 

DEKALB DAILY JOURNAL
— Kendall GOP chief James Marter to challenge Kinzinger in 16th District No requirement for residency in congressional district, only in state – TONY SCOTT (DIERSEN: How long have you lived in Illinois, in your county, in your township/ward, in your municipality, and in your precinct. I have lived in Illinois since 1948, in DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton since 1978, and in my precinct since 1984.)
http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2017/12/11/kendall-gop-chief-to-challenge-kinzinger-in-16th-district/a9e321v/

 

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Government for the insiders – Editorial
http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2017-12-13/government-the-insiders.html

 

WSIL TV
— Candidates set for March Primaries – Andrew Feather
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/37053669/candidates-set-for-march-primaries

 

WTAX
— “Top integrity” demanded, says guv (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents do not demand integrity. They demand blind loyalty. They do everything that they can to punish and destroy those individuals, those organizations, those companies, those governments, and those countries that they cannot manipulate/dominate.)
http://wtax.com/news/101101-top-integrity-demanded-says-guv/

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— USA Today bashes Trump as ‘not fit to clean the toilets’ in Obama’s presidential library Editorial board reacts to Trump’s Gillibrand tweet – CHRIS CILLIZZA
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/usa-today-trump-as-not-fit-to-clean-the-toilets-in-obamas-presidential-library/880252842

 

SOUTHERN
— HUD’s new Midwest director Joseph Galvan was forced out as chairman of Illinois’ housing finance agency – MOLLY PARKER
http://thesouthern.com/news/local/acha/hud-s-new-midwest-director-was-forced-out-as-chairman/article_06c340dc-a3f9-528a-83b6-f0615b732d3f.html

 

RIPON ADVANCE
— Republicans oppose tax provision hitting graduate students (DIERSEN: What about proposed tax provisions that hit homeowners, hit people who have high medical and dental expenses, and hit those who pay for job-related graduate courses?)
https://riponadvance.com/featured/republicans-oppose-tax-provision-hitting-graduate-students/

 

DUPAGE COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION
— Results of Lottery Drawing for Simultaneous Filing 2018 General Primary Election

http://www.dupageco.org/Election/Election_Commission_News/2017/56460/

WIRE POINTS
— Fitch Ratings: Illinois debt burden highest in nation – Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
http://www.wirepoints.com/fitch-ratings-illinois-debt-burden-highest-in-nation-wirepoints-original/
— Major attention to Illinois emigration data from Wall Street Journal but nothing in Illinois press. What gives? – Mark Glennon
http://www.wirepoints.com/major-attention-to-irs-data-from-wall-street-journal-but-nothing-in-illinois-press-what-gives-quicktake/

 

CHICAGO CITY WIRE
— Ives running mate says Rauner sold state ‘a bill of goods’ – Glenn Minnis
https://chicagocitywire.com/stories/511285544-ives-running-mate-says-rauner-sold-state-a-bill-of-goods

 

PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— Ives slams Rauner during appearance on southern Illinois radio show – Caitlin Nordahl (DIERSEN: Who slams you and why? I should write a book about those who slam me and why they do it.)
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511286619-ives-slams-rauner-during-appearance-on-southern-illinois-radio-show
— Illinois lost 86,000 people, $4.75 billion to other states in 2015-16, Illinois Policy Institute says – Caitlin Nordahl
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511286611-illinois-lost-86-000-people-4-75-billion-to-other-states-in-2015-16-illinois-policy-institute-says

 

HEARTLAND INSTITUTE
— Occupational Licensing Craziness (DIERSEN: I became a licensed CPA in 1981. I had worked for GAO for more than a year, I had passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981, I had earned a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, I had passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, I had earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976, and I had worked for IRS 1971-1980, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $79,653-$90,173.)
http://www.icontact-archive.com/maf-9-s7_-akggRj2BorjvoB8XVQ7Odf?w=4

 

ILLINOIS HOMEPAGE
— Rauner on Murashko: ‘A gentleman resigned’ Video shows state employee on Rauner campaign turf – Mark Maxwell
http://www.illinoishomepage.net/news/local-news/rauner-on-murashko-a-gentleman-resigned/880350773

 

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— AG says Illinois taxpayers to begin paying for elective abortions Jan. 1 – Greg Bishop
https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/ag-says-illinois-taxpayers-to-begin-paying-for-elective-abortions/article_9824953e-df88-11e7-934e-bbe2af49a82c.html

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Ethics complaint filed against Murashko, Deputy Governor Childress probed
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/13/report-ethics-complaint-filed-against-murashko-deputy-governor-childress-probed/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: If you seek a government office or a political office, sooner or later, your critics/opponents will draw attention big time to assessed valuation reductions that you sought/obtained. There is a lot in the public record about my success during the 1980s and 1990s in getting a small reduction of the assessed valuation of my home at 915 Cove Court in Wheaton.)
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/13/apples-and-organges/

 

GOPUSA
— Sex Vigilantes Trash Due Process
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=35084

 

FOX NEWS

— Washington Post reporters barred from Roy Moore election night party – Nicole Darrah
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/12/washington-post-reporters-barred-from-roy-moore-election-night-party.html

 

INDEPENDENT JOURNAL REVIEW
— Rep. Peter King (R-NY) Says Steve Bannon Doesn’t Belong in Politics: ‘He Looks Like a Disheveled Drunk’ – JOSH BILLINSON
http://ijr.com/the-response/2017/12/1033978-gop-rep-says-steve-bannon-doesnt-belong-in-politics-he-looks-like-a-disheveled-drunk/

 

CNS NEWS
— Trump Congratulates Democrat Doug Jones on ‘Hard-Fought Victory’; Says He Knew Moore Couldn’t Win – Susan Jones
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/trump-congratulates-democrat-doug-jones-hard-fought-victory

 

AMERICAN THINKER
— Illinois residents still fleeing state in record numbers – Rick Moran
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/12/illinois_residents_still_fleeing_state_in_record_numbers.html
— Leftists: Establishing a Religion – Tom Trinko
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2017/12/leftists__establishing_a_religion.html

 

NET RIGHT DAILY
— Are Americans losing faith in the U.S. justice system? – Printus LeBlanc (DIERSEN: How bad are your demographics? Ever-increasingly, the more of the following that you are, the more likely that you will lose in court: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, non-veteran, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time. The more of the aforesaid that you are, the more likely that summary judgment will be granted against you. The more of the aforesaid that you are, the worst that your “jury appeal” is.)
http://netrightdaily.com/2017/12/americans-losing-faith-u-s-justice-system/

 

COLUMBIA JOURNALISM REVIEW
— The media today: The loss of net neutrality threatens local journalism – Mathew Ingram
https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/net-neutrality-local-news.php

 

THE HILL
— Jones wins Alabama Senate seat for Dems – BEN KAMISAR AND LISA HAGEN
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/364547-jones-wins-alabama-senate-seat-for-dems

 

HUFFINGTON POST
— Four Reasons Why The Republican Tax Bill is a Disaster for Latinos – Hector E. Sanchez Barba
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/four-reasons-why-the-republican-tax-bill-is-a-disaster_us_5a311d58e4b0b73dde46a8ce

 

POLITICO
— Alabama earthquake: Democrat Jones wins Republican Roy Moore is defeated in a huge blow for President Donald Trump and his former strategist Steve Bannon. – DANIEL STRAUSS
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/12/alabama-election-results-2017-293309

 

CNN
— Alabama election: Doug Jones scores stunning win, but Moore won’t concede – Eric Bradner
http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/12/politics/alabama-senate-election-mainbar/index.html

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— FRONT PAGE: ‘Fake News,’ Trump’s Obsession, Is Now a Cudgel for Strongmen – Steven Erlanger (DIERSEN: Who are the strongmen in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois? I should write a book about past and present strongmen, their operatives, and their dupes in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/12/world/europe/trump-fake-news-dictators.html
— Tax Plan’s Biggest Cuts Could Be in Living Standards – Eduardo Porter (DIERSEN: What has cut your living standards? For me, since 1997 when I was 49 years old, it has been my Democrat GAO superiors’ success in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer.” My pension is only 41% of my ending salary in today’s dollars. Previously, they always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, did not promote me beyond GS-13, kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, and forced me to take an $18,847 pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. Before that, my Democrat IRS superiors did not promote me beyond GS-12, disallowed my education deductions in 1978, and disallowed my partial day per diem claims in 1974. Before that, my Democrat Post Office superiors forced me resign in 1969 and disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/12/business/economy/tax-plan-standard-of-living.html
— Once a Long Shot, Democrat Doug Jones Wins Alabama Senate Race – Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/12/us/politics/alabama-senate-race-winner.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, female anti-Trumps viciously demonize men, viciously denigrate men, and viciously condemn men. Ever-increasingly, female anti-Trumps make it clear that they want to get rid of men once and for all.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/11/upshot/sexual-harassment-workplace-prevention-effective.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Doug Jones declared victor in Alabama race for Senate; Roy Moore may seek recount – Sean Sullivan, David Weigel and Michael Scherer
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/voters-head-to-the-polls-in-contentious-senate-race-in-alabama/2017/12/11/26e36b56-deb7-11e7-8679-a9728984779c_story.html
— Alabama presented the demographic nightmare that’s been looming for the Republican Party – Philip Bump (DIERSEN: Those who want Republicans to lose want Republicans to pander to those who are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/12/12/alabama-presented-the-demographic-nightmare-thats-been-looming-for-the-republican-party/

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Illinois Drives People Away The taxpayer migration continues from the Land of Ever Higher Taxes. – Editorial
https://www.wsj.com/articles/illinois-drives-people-away-1513125224
— Democrat Doug Jones Wins Alabama Senate Seat, AP Calls Upset victory in Alabama shrinks GOP Senate majority – Janet Hook and Joshua Jamerson
https://www.wsj.com/articles/republicans-look-beyond-alabama-senate-race-1513124366
— When It’s Illegal to Ask, ‘How Much Do You Make?’ – Gerald Skoning (DIERSEN: If you are/were a government employee, your salary is public record. From the beginning of time, government employees have been viciously demonized, viciously denigrated, and viciously condemned as being overpaid by those who would never seek or take a government job because they view the salaries as being too low. In my defense, I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/when-its-illegal-to-ask-how-much-do-you-make-1513124971

 

NEW YORK MAGAZINE
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Republicans say “Doug Jones’s Victory Shows Why Democrats Must Compete Everywhere.”
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/12/joness-victory-shows-why-democrats-must-compete-everywhere.html

 

SALON
— Never mind the sex scandals: Roy Moore is a son of the Confederacy Controversial Alabama U.S. Senate candidate has extensive ties to white nationalists and Christian supremacists – MATTHEW SHEFFIELD (DIERSEN: Have you or any of your ancestors ever lived in one of the Confederate states? Ever-increasingly, if you, or any of your ancestors have ever lived in one of the Confederate states, anti-Trumps demonize, denigrate, and condemn you as being a White supremacist, Nazi, KKK member, hater, racist, sexist, bigot, and even worse things. I have lived in Illinois since 1948, in DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton since 1978, and in my precinct since 1984. All my ancestors have lived in northeast Illinois since the 1840s and 1850s.)
https://www.salon.com/2017/12/12/never-mind-the-sex-scandals-roy-moore-is-a-son-of-the-confederacy/

 

BBC
— Who are the poor Americans? – Jay Shambaugh
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41930107

December 12 Morning Edition

NBC5
— Biss Wins Straw Poll of Democratic Gubernatorial Candidates – Mary Ann Ahern (DIERSEN: Which candidates would win straw polls in the following races: a) Rauner/Sanguinetti and Ives/Morthland, b) Harold and Grasso, c) Diganvker and Jhingan, d) Stella and Vlakancic, e) Minor, Grant, Byrne, and Augustynowicz, f) Kinzler and Orozco, g) Zito and Khouri, h) Mendrick and Bibbiano, i) Tornatore, DeMichele, Fichtner, and Gavanes, j) Hart, Abbott, Tully, and Broline, k) McGowen, Almiron, Eckhoff, Zaruba, Tatro, and Chinchilla, l) Wiley, Zay, and McQuade, m) Russo and MacKay, p) Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee candidates, q) etc.?)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Biss-Wins-Straw-Poll-of-Democratic-Gubernatorial-Candidates-463535663.html

 

CBS2
— Woman, 77, Mauled To Death By Dog In Alsip
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/11/woman-77-mauled-to-death-by-dog-in-alsip/

 

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— 3 Trump accusers speak out, call for congressional probe – AP
http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/national/3-trump-accusers-speak-out-call-for-congressional-probe

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, Democrats hint/imply/argue/shout that if you are a Republican, the longer that your ancestors have been in America, a) the more that you have benefited from their discrimination against minorities and against women and b) the more that you should pay the price of Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/jackson-alabama-is-choosing-between-its-past-and-its-future/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Monday was the deadline to object to candidates’ petition signatures they need to get on the March primary ballot. Among the challenged candidates: Democratic attorney general hopefuls state Rep. Scott Drury and Renato Mariotti, and Republican AG candidate Gary Grasso. The State Board of Elections listed 147 such objections, and that number doesn’t even count the many county-level challenges.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-forrest-claypool-20171212-story.html
— Rauner calls Claypool situation ‘very, very tragic’
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-forrest-claypool-20171212-story.html
— Chicago police union official blasts $31 million wrongful conviction settlement as part of ‘cottage industry’ – John Byrne
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-chicago-police-englewood-four-settlement-20171211-story.html
— Black Americans cross jobs milestone, though victory is tenuous – Bloomberg (DIERSEN: Federal employment is a “zero sum game.” What would your superiors say that they did help Blacks? My Democrat GAO superiors would stress that they forced me to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old, always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, did not promote me beyond GS-13, kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, and forced me to take an $18,847 pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. My Democrat IRS superiors would stress that they did not promote me beyond GS-12, that they disallowed my education deductions in 1978, and that they disallowed my partial day per diem claims in 1974. My Democrat Post Office superiors would stress that they forced me resign in 1969 and disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968. My aforesaid Democrat superiors would stress that the aforesaid adverse actions that they took against me directly benefited their employees who were Black.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-tns-bc-jobs-blacks-20171207-story.html
— Can the #MeToo movement free black men of the sexual predator stereotype? – Dahleen Glanton
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/glanton/ct-met-glanton-metoo-black-men-20171211-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE: Pentagon to allow transgender people to enlist in military – AP (DIERSEN: In 1966, when I was 18 years old, I was 1-A for the draft notwithstanding the fact that my eyesight could not be corrected to 20/20, I had partial red/green color blindness, and I had Osgood-Schlatter disease (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osgood%E2%80%93Schlatter_disease).)
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20171211/news/312119901/
— Admin says big revenue from GOP tax plan; analysts less rosy – AP (DIERSEN: If itemized deductions are limited or cut, the housing market will crash and then the economy will crash.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20171212/news/312129975/

 

WTTW
— How Stress and Anxiety Are Hurting Children – Alexandra Silets (DIERSEN: How much stress were you under when you were young? When you were in high school, were you “college material?” While I attended Crete-Monee High School 1962-1966, I took college preparatory courses notwithstanding the fact that many, if not most, if not virtually everyone at the time viewed me as NOT being “college material.” Neither of my parents had attended college. My father was the first of his ancestors to earn a high school diploma. My mother never attended high school. I spent my junior and senior years and the summer in between washing dishes for the minimum wage in the basement of the S.S. Kresges in Chicago Heights. I just barely made into the top 20% of my class, my ACT score was only 24, I was draft bait, my eyesight could not be corrected to 20/20, I had partial red/green color blindness, and I had Osgood-Schlatter disease (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osgood%E2%80%93Schlatter_disease).)
http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2017/12/11/how-stress-and-anxiety-are-hurting-children

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Westerfield, Hicks, Senor among candidates hit with petition objections – Bernard Schoenburg (DIERSEN: Of the candidates who want to be on March 20, 2018 Republican primary ballots in your precinct, which ones have been hit with petition objections? The contested races in my precinct are a) Rauner/Sanguinetti and Ives/Morthland, b) Harold and Grasso, c) Minor, Grant, Byrne, and Augustynowicz, d) Mendrick and Bibbiano, e) McGowen, Almiron, Eckhoff, Zaruba, Tatro, and Chinchilla, and f) Russo and MacKay.)
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171211/westerfield-hicks-senor-among-candidates-hit-with-petition-objections

 

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Champaign/Urbana News Gazette promotes Pritzker. To promote Pritzker is to promote pot. To promote pot is to promote destruction.
http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2017-12-12/pritzker-run-keeps-picking-steam.html

 

TIMES
— James Marter, through a supporter, filed an objection to the petitions of another candidate, Jaye DeBates. – David Giuliani
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/local/gop-hopeful-s-petition-challenged/article_d18ffc81-43c4-5216-a935-b5e38f01b279.html

 

CHICAGO MAROON
— UC Dems Condemn College Republicans for Staying Silent on Roy Moore – University of Chicago Democrats (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, members of Group A call for everyone to condemn members of Group B. Members of Group A are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and members Group B are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.chicagomaroon.com/article/2017/12/12/uc-dems-condemn-college-republicans-staying-silent/

 

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— EMANUEL on COLBERT – Natasha Korecki (DIERSEN: How soon, if not already, will Emanuel officially banish individuals, organizations, and companies from Chicago that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time, like Hitler banished Jews from Germany?)
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2017/12/12/politico-illinois-playbook-emanuels-alabama-worries-rauner-berrios-want-to-fire-each-other-229989
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s comeback tour took a swing through the Late Night world as he sat down with host Stephen Colbert to trash Trump, talk Chicago as a sanctuary city and promote his podcast. Emanuel talked about declaring Chicago a “Trump-free zone.” “Our motto: A city he’ll never sleep in,” Emanuel said. “We don’t want him.” Colbert asks how he can do that when there’s a Trump hotel. Emanuel plowed ahead, listing ways he’s combated Trump policies through legal challenges and policy initiatives, including on the environment. When Colbert pressed Emanuel on the legality of immigration policies, the mayor dipped into his oft-told tale about the grandson of an immigrant becoming the mayor of Chicago. “That doesn’t necessarily answer my question,” Colbert challenged. “How does it not violate federal law?” Emanuel then said it wasn’t the job of Chicago police to enforce immigration policies.)

 

UPSTREAM IDEAS
— “Rauner Is The Fringe Candidate” (DIERSEN: Political parties exist to help elect candidates who can and will defend and advance their platform. If you run as a Republican, the more planks in the Republican Party platform that you reject, the more of a fringe candidate that you are. You definitely are a fringe candidate if you reject the traditional family, right to life, immigration, illegal drugs, gambling, Second Amendment, or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks.)
http://upstream-ideas.com/upstream-ideas/ideas/rauner-is-the-fringe-candidate

 

WIRE POINTS
— When will Springfield accept the blame for the pension crisis? – Ted Dabrowski
http://www.wirepoints.com/dabrowski-when-will-springfield-accept-the-blame-for-the-pension-crisis-opinion-chicago-tribune/

 

NORTH COOK NEWS
— 53rd District candidate Katie Miller says immigration legislation wrong for Illinois – Angela Underwood
https://northcooknews.com/stories/511287106-53rd-district-candidate-says-immigration-legislation-wrong-for-illinois

 

DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— Nybo wants health care providers kept in the loop on state’s new Medicare program – Angela Underwood
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511287105-nybo-wants-health-care-providers-kept-in-the-loop-on-state-s-new-medicare-program
— Conroy opponent Jay Kinzler disagrees with law establishing sanctuary state – Chandra Lye
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511289193-conroy-opponent-disagrees-with-law-establishing-sanctuary-state

 

WILL COUNTY NEWS
— GOP Rep. McSweeney: “The ‘Fringe Candidate’ Is Bruce Rauner. He Stands For Nothing.” – Steve Balich
http://willcountynews.com/2017/12/12/gop-rep-mcsweeney-the-fringe-candidate-is-bruce-rauner-he-stands-for-nothing/

 

METRO EAST SUN
— Don Moore says making Illinois a sanctuary state is ‘pandering to the left’ – Carrie Bradon
https://metroeastsun.com/stories/511292443-moore-says-making-illinois-a-sanctuary-state-is-pandering-to-the-left

 

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Illinois lawmakers allowed to pick which harassment cases their own ethics watchdog pursues – Cole Lauterbach
https://www.ilnews.org/news/justice/illinois-lawmakers-allowed-to-pick-which-harassment-cases-their-own/article_82da2cc0-dec0-11e7-b3f0-bf2bcb4a1c51.html
— As release of 2017 numbers approaches, will Illinois continue to lead the nation in population decline? – Cole Lauterbach (DIERSEN: Obviously, Democrats want Republican individuals, organizations, and companies to leave Illinois, DuPage County, Milton Township, Wheaton, and my precinct, and especially those that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.ilnews.org/news/statewide/as-release-of-numbers-approaches-will-illinois-continue-to-lead/article_98c3eb90-dc57-11e7-8309-bba5270b5f2f.html

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Rauner releases new digital ad “Nightmare for Illinois”
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/12/rauner-releases-new-digital-ad-nightmare-for-illinois/
— Dodge says Rauner is doing what he can “to put Illinois on the right track”
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/12/dodge-says-rauner-is-doing-what-he-can-to-put-illinois-on-the-right-track/
— Biss crows about straw poll result
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/12/biss-crows-about-straw-poll-result/
— Rauner piles on Claypool
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/12/rauner-piles-on-claypool/

 

GOPUSA
— With three weeks left in year, Chicago exceeds 630 homicides
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=34983
— Women realizing harassment accusations could backfire in workplaces
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=34952

 

DAILY CALLER
— GOP Tax Bill Will Cause Dem States To Face Reality – Robert Donachie (DIERSEN: The GOP tax bill will make those who have itemized their deductions pay more federal income taxes. Those who have itemized their deductions are typically homeowners, those who have high medical and dental expenses, and/or those who give more money to 501(c)(3) organizations.)
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/11/gop-tax-bill-will-cause-dem-states-to-face-reality/
— Sarah Sanders Gets Into It With CNN Over Fake News Question: ‘I’m Not Finished!’ – Benny Johnson (DIERSEN: According to my critics/opponents, a) the only news that is not fake new is the news that they put out and b) GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails are full of fake news because they contain links to articles written those who they do not like. My critics/opponents a) refuse to keep diersen@aol.com on their press advisory and press release lists. They do not want me to know about their events and other activities. They do not want me to promote their events and other activities. They do not want me to attend their events. They do not want me to report on their events. They paint themselves as being anti-Diersen.)
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/11/sarah-sanders-gets-into-it-with-cnn-over-fake-news-question-im-not-finished/

 

REUTERS
— Trump’s push to cut federal jobs has modest impact, mostly in defense – Jason Lange (DIERSEN: Democrats have always run GAO. During the 1980s and 1990s, Republican push to cut GAO jobs had a tremendously negative impact on GAO employees like me who were Republican, White, male, older, and non-veteran. When I transferred from IRS to GAO in 1980, I was already “old,” I was 31 years old.)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trump-effect-federal-employment/trumps-push-to-cut-federal-jobs-has-modest-impact-mostly-in-defense-idUSKBN1E61DK

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— Trump Escalates His Criticism of the News Media, Fueling National Debate – Peter Baker and Sydney Ember (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois who since 2000 have demonstrated the most hatred against me because of what I do for you as your GOPUSA Illinois Editor. They blame me for their problems, for your problems, for my problems, and for everyone’s problems. They blame me for all the losses that Republican candidates have suffered in Illinois since 2000.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/11/us/politics/trump-news-media-new-york-times.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: President Trump has escalated his fiery attacks on the news media, seizing on a recent string of mistaken reports to bolster his case that he is being persecuted by a left-leaning establishment out to bring him down and fueling a national debate over truth, accountability and a free press. In a series of broadsides reflecting his own profound grievances while also resonating with his populist conservative base, Mr. Trump castigated ABC News for a “horrendously inaccurate and dishonest report,” declared that CNN’s slogan should be “THE LEAST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS” and insisted that a Washington Post reporter “should be fired.” While every president has groused about his coverage, Mr. Trump has proved to be the most vocal and visceral news media critic in the Oval Office in at least a generation. In recent days, news outlets have provided him ammunition with reporting errors. But the barrage has deepened concern among media executives about what they see as a concerted campaign to discredit independent journalism. The tension erupted Monday in the White House briefing room when Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the president’s press secretary, engaged in a testy exchange with reporters. She said bias in news reports has gotten “out of control” and “should be taken seriously,” dismissing journalists who attributed recent errors to honest mistakes that were corrected.)
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps shout that Republicans are White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things. What did Hitler say that Jews in Germany were during the 1930s and 1940s?
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/11/opinion/white-supremacy-caucus.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE IN THE DAILY HERALD: #MeToo spotlight increasingly pointed at past Trump conduct – Jonathan Lemire
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/metoo-spotlight-increasingly-pointed-at-past-trump-conduct/2017/12/11/edb625de-ded5-11e7-b2e9-8c636f076c76_story.html

 

USA TODAY
— America’s growing income inequality The chairman of the world’s biggest hedge fund is worried about the growing wealth gap in America. – John Maxfield (DIERSEN: What would your superiors say that they did to fight income inequality? My Democrat GAO superiors would stress that they forced me to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old, always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, did not promote me beyond GS-13, kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, and forced me to take an $18,847 pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. My Democrat IRS superiors would stress that they did not promote me beyond GS-12, that they disallowed my education deductions in 1978, and that they disallowed my partial day per diem claims in 1974. My Democrat Post Office superiors would stress that they forced me resign in 1969 and disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968. My aforesaid Democrat superiors would stress that the aforesaid adverse actions that they took against me directly benefited their employees who were poor, and especially their poor employees who were Democrat, minority, female, younger, and/or veteran.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/12/12/a-foolish-take-americas-growing-income-inequality/108303078/

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— White House Opposes Push by Trump Accusers for Sexual-Misconduct Probe President faced more than a dozen allegations of sexual-misconduct during campaign, which he has denied – Rebecca Ballhaus
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-accusers-ask-congress-to-probe-sexual-misconduct-allegations-1513016298
— How the Richest Got That Way – Gregory Clark (DIERSEN: Where did your wealth come from? My wealth came from a) money that I earned by doing yard work and delivering newspapers 1962-1964; washing dishes 1964-1966; cleaning golf shoes, chipping slag, and pumping gasoline in 1966; delivering mail 1966-1969; working on an automobile assembly line and as a security guard in 1970; selling tires, automotive services, and major appliances 1970-1971; pumping gasoline 1971-1972; collecting delinquent taxes 1971-1980; and auditing federal agencies 1980-1997 and b) my Civil Service Retirement System pension since 1997 and Social Security since 2010.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/review-how-the-richest-got-that-way-1513036026

 

ZERO HEDGE
— “I Feel Tremendous Guilt”: Former Facebook Exec Says Company Is “Ripping Apart The Social Fabric Of Society” – Tyler Durden
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-12-11/i-feel-tremendous-guilt-former-facebook-exec-says-company-ripping-apart-social-fabri

December 11 Morning Edition

ABC7
— Governor Rauner calls for Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios to resign – Craig Wall
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/rauner-calls-for-cook-county-assessor-to-resign/2768602/

 

NBC5
— Rauner Calls on Berrios to Resign as Cook County Assessor
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/rauner-joe-berrios-resign-cook-county-assessor-463384673.html

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Congressional hopeful Ramirez-Rosa blasts ‘corporate Democrats’ – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-ramirez-rosa-congress-20171211-story.html
— Why 50-year-olds should be eligible for Medicare – Faye Flam
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-medicare-1211-story.html
— Cake case is about gay intolerance — but isn’t the same as racial intolerance – Dahleen Glanton (DIERSEN: Under the anti-Trumps, ever-increasingly, individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries do not tolerate those who are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/glanton/ct-met-gay-wedding-cake-dahleen-glanton-20171208-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: In a front page top of fold editorial unethically made to look like a news article, Associated Press uses Alabama Senator Richard Shelby to demonize, denigrate, and condemn Moore.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-roy-moore-alabama-election-20171210-story.html
— ‘Evil’ tax cuts? Nope, it’s blue-state panic – Heather Wilhelm
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-wilhelm-1211-story.html
— 401(k) on cusp of 40 – Sandra Block
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20171211/281861528846469

 

DAILY HERALD
— How an eleventh-hour border shift kept the suburbs in Illinois – Mick Zawislak (DIERSEN: All my ancestors immigrated to northeast Illinois from what is now Germany during the 1840s and 1850s. They would have immigrated to Wisconsin if Illinois had been a slave state.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171210/how-an-eleventh-hour-border-shift-kept-the-suburbs-in-illinois-
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Pope’s move provided the groundwork for Chicago to become Illinois’ economic juggernaut and literally turned state politics upside-down as the area grew. But it also had the national implication of ensuring Illinois would be a free state at a time of percolating political unrest over slavery.)
— Price hikes push health insurance shoppers into hard choices – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20171210/news/312109954/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: In a front page top of fold editorial unethically made to look like a news article, Associated Press uses Alabama Senator Richard Shelby to demonize, denigrate, and condemn Moore.
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20171211/news/312119936/

— DuPage center becoming driving force behind Mexican cultural programs – Robert Sanchez (DIERSEN: Do you fight against assimilation? Those who fight against assimilation have always fought against me.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171211/dupage-center-becoming-driving-force-behind-mexican-cultural-programs

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Where harassment hits hardest – CLAIRE BUSHEY
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171208/ISSUE01/171209878

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Durbin urges ACA signup as deadline nears – Jason Nevel (DIERSEN: How much do you pay for health, dental, and vision insurance? My critics/opponents stress a) that my wife and I pay only $5,763/year for $23,051/year worth of health, dental, and vision insurance and b) that the federal government pays $17,288/year because I am a federal retiree. Many millions have not and will not seek a job with the federal government a) because the pay and benefits are terrible, b) because the advancement opportunities are terrible, c) because they lack required education, work experience, professional certifications, and/or professional licenses, d) because they cannot pass an employment examination, e) because they cannot pass a background investigation, f) because they cannot pass a physical examination, g) because they cannot take the demonization, denigration, and condemnation that comes with being a federal employee or federal retiree, and/or h) because they are Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran and they know that the federal government discriminates against the aforesaid.)
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171210/durbin-urges-aca-signup-as-deadline-nears

 

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Pot pushers push pot. If you push pot, you push destruction.
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20171210/word-on-street-state-sen-jason-barickman-pragmatic-on-recreational-pot

 

GALESBURG REGISTER MAIL
— Pritzker brings pro-union message to Galesburg – Talbot Fisher (DIERSEN: What is your attitude toward unions and past, present, and future union members? I was a union member for almost 12 years 1966-1969 and 1971-1980. GAO did not unionize until 2007. If GAO had been unionized in 1997, I might still be a GAO employee.)
http://www.galesburg.com/news/20171210/pritzker-brings-pro-union-message-to-galesburg

 

BELOIT DAILY NEWS
— WILL MISCONDUCT SCANDALS MAKE MEN WARY OF WOMEN AT WORK? – AP
http://www.beloitdailynews.com/article/20171211/AP/312119990

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Senators call for Trump’s resignation over sexual assault allegations Booker, Merkley cite Franken’s resignation – AILEEN GRAEF
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/senators-call-for-trumps-resignation-over-sexual-assault-allegations/878988317

 

POLITIFACT ILLINOIS
— No, JB Pritzker did not release more tax information than Bruce Rauner – Matt Dietrich
http://www.politifact.com/illinois/statements/2017/dec/11/jb-pritzker/no-jb-pritzker-did-not-release-more-tax-informatio/

 

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Welcome to Murashko Memo Monday. – Natasha Korecki
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2017/12/11/murashko-memo-reveals-questionable-timeline-first-look-report-warns-rauners-mco-plan-could-destabilize-medicaid-229799
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Capitol Fax’s Friday release had Rauner’s primary opponent state Rep. Jeanne Ives applying pressure: “I am calling on Governor Rauner to answer a simple question: Was Dennis Murashko fired because he told Bruce Rauner that the Governor couldn’t use public resources for political work?”)

 

WIRE POINTS
— Mandatory ‘Implicit Bias’ Training For Illinois Teachers Quietly Became Illinois Law – Mark Glennon (DIERSEN: Of course, this training will make students more anti-Trump, more anti-Protestant, more anti-conservative, more anti-patriotic, more anti-Republican, more anti-American, more anti-White, more anti-male, more anti-older people, more anti-rich people, more anti-gun owners, more anti-German Americans, and/or more anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
http://www.wirepoints.com/mandatory-implicit-bias-training-for-illinois-teachers-quietly-became-illinois-law-wirepoints-original/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: But the obvious question is whether this will become another self-defeating chapter of identity politics — champions of “equity” inflaming the racial divisions they claim to oppose. Specifically, will the training be done by the likes of the National Seed Project, PEG (the Pacific Education Group) and their supporters? They’re already training teachers in many Illinois schools. For some background on the divisiveness and catastrophic failure they can bring, see the City Journal article on their work in St. Paul. Some of the controversy they brought to one Illinois district is discussed in an Evanston Roundtable article. Another article discusses use of federal Title 1 money, which is for helping students in poor districts, to send four school board members to a PEG conference in Baltimore “to engage in deepened conversations about the systematic racism and its impact on opportunity and achievement for all students. Becoming conscious of inadvertent bias may seem to have obvious value, but you need to ask further whether it results in discriminatory behavior. That is, do most of us overcome any implicit bias we have by conscious, egalitarian efforts? The Chronicle of Higher Education discussed that question earlier this year:)

 

ILLINOIS TIMES
— Poor outcomes Spreading white poverty and failing schools – James Krohe Jr.
http://illinoistimes.com/article-19432-poor-outcomes.html

 

ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY
— Fake news: a symptom of the post-truth era – Elizabeth Lynch and Mitch Combs (DIERSEN: According to my critics/opponents, the only news that is not fake is news that they put out. They want to stop me from sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails and stop everyone from reading those emails. But failing that, they “punish” me a) for my not getting their permission before including links to articles in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails and b) for my not getting their permission before I include my comments in the emails. To “punish” me, they keep diersen@aol.com off their press advisory and press release lists. They do not want me to a) know about their events or other activities, b) promote their events or other activities, c) attend their events, or d) report on their events or other activities. These “punishers” glorify and praise, pander to, give news scoops to, and/or give money to Rich Miller and the rest of the Democrat news media in Illinois.)
https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2017/12/fake-news-symptom-post-truth-era/

 

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— THORNER: IVES DRUMBEAT BEGINS TO RESOUND AMONG IL CONSERVATIVES (DIERSEN: The Ives campaign hosted an outstanding kickoff party at the Wheaton Bowl Banquet Hall Sunday afternoon, December 10, 2017. Tom Morrison and Chris Cleveland spoke very highly of her. The 250+ attendees included Denise Cattoni, Lori Carlson, Sal Falbo, Richard Furstenau, Amy Grant, Heidi Holan, Babette Holder, Bob Krzyzewski, Chris Lauzen, Chris LeVan, Paula McGowen, Gary Muehlfelt, Thommen Poozhikunnel, Jan Shaw, and Herb Wehling.)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/ives-drumbeat-begins-to-resound-among-il-conservatives.html
— ILLINOIS PUBLIC SCHOOL PERSONNEL TO BE TRAINED IN DETECTING RACIAL BIAS (DIERSEN: Of course, this training will make students more anti-Trump, more anti-Protestant, more anti-conservative, more anti-patriotic, more anti-Republican, more anti-American, more anti-White, more anti-male, more anti-older people, more anti-rich people, more anti-gun owners, more anti-German Americans, and/or more anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/illinois-public-school-personnel-to-be-trained-in-detecting-racial-bias.html
— LOYOLA CHICAGO STUDENTS QUESTION CATHOLIC SCHOOL’S EMPHASIS ON CHRISTMAS
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/loyola-chicago-students-question-catholic-schools-emphasis-on-christmas.html
— CONGRESS CONSIDERS “CONSCIENCE PROTECTION ACT” WITH ILLINOIS NURSE’S SUPPORT
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/right-of-conscience-.html

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Berrios campaign responds by calling on Rauner to resign***Rauner, Democrats lash out at Berrios
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/11/rauner-democrats-lash-out-at-berrios/
— Rauner hammered over “I am not in charge” claim
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/11/rauner-hammered-over-i-am-not-in-charge-claim/
— Pritzker tax claim rated “False”
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/11/pritzker-tax-claim-rated-false/

 

GOPUSA
— The NFL loves leftist causes a lot more than it loves its fans (DIERSEN: Obviously, the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) loves its major donors a lot more than it loves Illinois Republicans. Ever-increasingly, those major donors, and therefore the IRP, make it clear that they want the IRP to dump those in Illinois who support the traditional family, right to life, immigration, illegal drugs, and many other planks in the Republican Party platform and the IRP platform.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=34904
— Will Alabama voters nullify the biased media?
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=34907

 

BREITBART
— Durbin Drops Amnesty-or-Shutdown Threat, Pushes Amnesty-WIth-Cameras Plan – NEIL MUNRO
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/10/durbin-pushes-amnesty-with-cameras-plan-gang-of-eight-group/

 

BLAZE
— NFL stadium tickets plummet to unimaginable prices — see just how bad the protest damage is – Chris Enloe
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/10/nfl-stadium-tickets-plummet-to-unimaginable-levels-see-just-how-bad-the-protest-damage-is
— College Republicans kicked out of on-campus coffee shop for wearing ‘MAGA’ hats – Chris Enloe
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/10/video-college-republicans-kicked-out-of-on-campus-coffee-shop-for-wearing-maga-hats

 

DAILY CALLER
— On Friday, Republican Iowa Rep. Steve King, Congress’ foremost immigration hawk, tweeted out, “Diversity is not our strength. Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban, ‘Mixing cultures will not lead to a higher quality of life but a lower one.’” – SCOTT GREER (DIERSEN: To promote diversity is to get rid of individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/10/diversity-must-not-be-questioned/

 

POLITICUS USA
— Kaepernick’s Protest for….Workplace Democracy? – Tim Libretti (DIERSEN: Democrats run the federal government. Were it not for federal Civil Service protections, those Democrats would not hire, retain, or promote any Republicans. Because I have always been a Republican, were it not for federal Civil Service protections, a) the Post Office would NOT have hired me in 1966 or let me work there for almost 3 years, b) IRS would NOT have hired me in 1971 or let me work there for almost 9 years, c) IRS would NOT have promoted me in 1972, 1973, or 1974, d) GAO would NOT have hired me in 1980 or let me work there for almost 18 years, and e) GAO would NOT have promoted me in 1986. The Democrats who run the Post Office, IRS, and GAO hired me because they could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, younger person, or veteran who would take the jobs.)
http://www.politicususa.com/2017/12/10/kaepernicks-protest-for-workplace-democracy.html

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— Leave the Johnson Amendment Alone – Ellen P. Aprill (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, “religious leaders” act as operatives or as dupes for the Democrat Party, the Libertarian Party, and/or the Green Party. Ever-increasingly, they promote dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, race and gender based preference giving, age discrimination, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, and even worse things.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/10/opinion/johnson-amendment-campaigns.html
— Trump Wants Washington Post Reporter Fired Over Misleading Tweet – Zach Johnk (DIERSEN: Who wants you to be fired? The following want me to be fired as a GOPUSA Illinois Editor and as a Republican Precinct Committeeman and they succeeded in getting me fired as a TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member, Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster, Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member, American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member, GAO employee, etc.: those who a) reject planks in the Republican Party platform and/or the Illinois Republican Party platform and work against those like me who support those planks, b) reject the Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling and work against those like me who support that resolution, c) focus on destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate, d) were defendants in lawsuits that I have filed, and/or e) are operatives or dupes for the aforesaid and/or are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/10/us/politics/trump-dave-weigel.html
— Net Neutrality’s Holes in Europe May Offer Peek at Future in U.S. – Liz Alderman and Amie Tsang
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/10/business/net-neutrality-europe-fcc.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— ‘Very, very scary’: 8.8 million Americans face big tax hike if Republicans scrap the medical deduction – Heather Long (DIERSEN: What were your medical and dental expenses last year? If the medical and dental deduction is not kept, a) my 87-year-old aunt who has Alzheimer’s will have to pay a lot more federal income tax; her medical and dental expenses last year were $78,213 and b) the Diersens will have to pay a lot more federal income tax; our medical and dental expenses last year were $21,433.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/12/10/very-very-scary-8-8-million-americans-face-big-tax-hike-if-republicans-scrap-the-medical-deduction/

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Even for the Very Rich, More Money Brings Happiness But a study also shows that happiness depends on where the wealth comes from. Those who earned their wealth reported significantly greater happiness than those who primarily inherited or married into it, according to the authors’ study. – Grant E. Donnelly and Michael Norton (DIERSEN: Where did your wealth come from? My wealth came a) from money that I earned when I did yard work and delivered newspapers 1962-1964; washed dishes 1964-1966; cleaned golf shoes, chipped slag, and pumped gasoline in 1966; delivered mail 1966-1969; worked on an automobile assembly line and as a security guard in 1970; sold tires, automotive services, and major appliances 1970-1971; pumped gasoline 1971-1972; collected delinquent taxes 1971-1980; and audited federal agencies 1980-1997; b) my Civil Service Retirement System pension since 1997, and c) Social Security since 2010. My wife’s wealth comes from money that she has earned working since 1966.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/even-for-the-very-rich-more-money-brings-happiness-1512662638
— More Local Programs Help Students Pay for College The ‘free-college’ idea may be on the back burner on the national level, but states and cities are boosting efforts – Jillian Berman (DIERSEN: Where did the money come from to pay for your undergraduate expenses? For me, to pay for my expenses at UIC 1966-1968 and at NIU 1969-1970, it was money that earned doing yard work and delivering newspapers 1962-1964; washing dishes 1964-1966; cleaning golf shoes, chipping slag, and pumping gasoline in 1966; delivering mail 1966-1969; and working on an automobile assembly line and as a security guard in 1970. Money that I earned doing the aforesaid jobs also enabled me to buy a 1958 Chevy BelAir in 1964, a new 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint in 1966, a new 1968 Oldsmobile 442 in 1997, and a new 1969 Dodge Charger SE in 1968.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/more-local-programs-help-students-pay-for-college-1512961680
— Why Most New Retirees Need Time to Grieve Even people who are prepared for life after work inevitably suffer withdrawal pains – Glenn Ruffenach (DIERSEN: I have suffered withdrawal pains since 1997, and I will continue to suffer withdrawal pains the rest of my life. When my Democrat GAO superiors succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old, a) I had just completed the requirements for a job-related master’s degree, b) I had worked for GAO for almost 18 years, c) I had earned job-related professional certifications in 1997, 1996, 1994, 1990, 1981, and 1979; d) I had earned a job-related professional license in 1981; e) I had earned job-related master’s degrees in 1980 and 1976; f) I had worked for an agency that GAO audits for almost 9 years; and g) I had earned a job-related bachelor’s degree in 1970.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-most-new-retirees-need-time-to-grieve-1512748465
— The Secret to Getting Workers to Save More for Retirement   If we make it easy for people to do the right thing, more of them will reach their goals. The retirement-saving autopilots developed by Shlomo Benartzi and Richard Thaler were designed to help individuals overcome a lack of willpower and inertia when it comes to saving. – Shlomo Benartzi and Richard H. Thaler (DIERSEN: My wife and I have saved a lot of money for our retirement. My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes hint/imply/argue/shout that we were able to do that a) because I was born with silver spoon in our mouth and I have always been privileged, b) because I avoided the draft, c) because the federal government grossly overpaid me, d) because I itemized my deductions 1972-1977 and my wife and I have itemized our deductions since 1978, e) because my wife and I gave up trying to have children, we did not adopt, and we did not become foster parents, f) because my Civil Service Retirement System pension and federal health, dental, and vision insurance subsidies are much too generous, and g) because I do not give lots of money to a church life they do.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-secret-to-getting-workers-to-save-more-for-retirement-1512961920
— The First Women in Tech Didn’t Leave—Men Pushed Them Out In computing’s early years, when it was considered women’s work, all six programmers of America’s first digital computer, Eniac, were women – Christopher Mims (DIERSEN: Women who worked for the Post Office 1966-1969, for IRS 1971-1980, and for GAO 1980-1997 were not pushed out. To meet Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion quotas, goals, and targets, they were given preferential treatment.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-first-women-in-tech-didnt-leavemen-pushed-them-out-1512907200

 

USA TODAY
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Poll: GOP tax bill favors wealthy Most say overhaul won’t help them or economy – Susan Page (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, those who itemize their deductions are demonized, denigrated, and condemned as being wealthy tax dodgers and even worse things. Those who itemize their deductions pay lots of a) mortgage interest, b) real estate taxes, c) state income taxes, d) medical and dental expenses, e) 501(c)(3) contributions, and/or f) tuition and books for job-related graduate courses.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/12/10/poll-most-americans-doubt-gop-bill-cut-their-taxes-boost-economy/938355001/
— Tax cuts the GOP will regret – Editorial
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/12/10/tax-cuts-gop-regret-editorials-debates/920808001/
— GOP tax bill is good for middle-class Americans – F.H. Buckley
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/12/10/gop-tax-bill-good-middle-class-editorials-debates/108491346/
— Who are the 3 women who accused Trump of sexual misconduct in Megyn Kelly interview? – Mary Bowerman (DIERSEN: I predict that soon, if not already, Kelly’s top priority will be get Trump to resign.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/12/11/who-3-women-who-accused-trump-sexual-misconduct-megyn-kelly-interview/940125001/

 

NEWSWEEK
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says: “ROY MOORE ELECTION VICTORY COULD SPELL DISASTER FOR TRUMP, REPUBLICANS IN 2018.”
http://www.newsweek.com/if-roy-moore-wins-alabama-senate-election-spell-disaster-republican-trump-743235

 

BLOOMBERG
— GOP’s Taxing Question: Will Middle-Class Folks Notice Their Cut? Americans didn’t notice similar measure in 2009, poll showed Republicans seek ‘more middle-income tax relief,’ Roskam says – Sahil Kapur (DIERSEN: From what I see, the less federal income tax that you have paid because you have itemized your deductions, the more federal income tax that you will pay in now.)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-11/gop-s-taxing-question-will-middle-class-folks-notice-their-cut

 

SOCIALIST WORKER
— Tax the rich, not the sick SocialistWorker.org rounds up reports from demonstrations that brought protesters into the streets and onto the campuses to protest the Republican tax heist. (DIERSEN: What were your medical and dental expenses last year? If the medical and dental deduction is not kept, a) my 87-year-old aunt who has Alzheimer’s will have to pay a lot more federal income tax; her medical and dental expenses last year were $78,213 and b) the Diersens will have to pay a lot more federal income tax; our medical and dental expenses last year were $21,433.)
https://socialistworker.org/2017/12/11/tax-the-rich-not-the-sick

 

RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— One-in-Three Republicans Say GOP Should Block Roy Moore If Elected (DIERSEN: What percent of those who say that they are Republicans are really Democrats, Libertarians, Greens, etc.?)
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/december_2017/one_in_three_republicans_say_gop_should_block_roy_moore_if_elected
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Voters Less Concerned That Providing Citizenship Path Will Lead to More Illegal Immigration.”
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/immigration/immigration_update_dec11

December 10 Morning Edition

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democratic candidates for governor gather for women’s forum – Rachel Hinton (DIERSEN: If I was still the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman, the organization would be hosting candidate forums for a) Rauner and Ives, b) Sanguinetti and Morthland, c) Harold and Grasso, d) Diganvker and Jhingan, e) Stella and Vlakancic, f) Minor, Grant, Byrne, and Augustynowicz, g) Kinzler and Orozco, h) Mazzochi and Arendt, i) Zito and Khouri, j) Mendrick and Bibbiano, k) Tornatore, DeMichele, Fichtner, and Gavanes, l) Hart, Abbott, Tully, and Broline, m) McGowen, Almiron, Eckhoff, Zaruba, Tatro, and Chinchilla, n) Wiley, Zay, and McQuade, o) Russo and MacKay, p) Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee candidates, q) etc.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/democratic-candidates-for-governor-gather-for-womens-forum/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: There’s no escaping politics – Ted Slowik (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes will tell you that you can escape politics and live happily ever after if you do not read GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. What do you say to those who a) crow that they do not read GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails and b) discourage everyone from reading GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails?)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/opinion/ct-sta-slowik-everything-political-st-1210-20171208-story.html
— Economy is creating millionaires at an astonishing pace. But what’s it doing for everyone else? – Christopher Ingraham (DIERSEN: How much money have you saved for your retirement? If you have not saved at least $1 million dollars, or are on track to have at least $1 million saved by the time you retire, you are in big financial trouble.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-economy-millioniares-20171208-story.html
— ‘Crisis mode’: As boomers age, a shortage of caregivers – Robert Channick (DIERSEN: How much have you saved for your retirement? My 87-year-old aunt is paying $230 a day, or $1,610 a week, or $6,900 a month, or $83,950 a year, or $839,500 a decade out of her life savings to live in an assisted living facility.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-caregivers-demand-aging-20171116-story.html
— GOP tax plan diverges wildly from Trump’s promises to the middle class – Damian Paletta (DIERSEN: QUESTION: Who wants to make those who itemize their deductions to pay more federal income tax? ANSWER: Those who rent rather than own. Those who pay little or no state income tax. Those who do not have major medical and/or dental expenses. Those who do not pay for job-related graduate courses. Those who give little or nothing to 501(c)(3) organizations. Overwhelmingly, the aforesaid are Democrats and/or people with major financial problems who will never vote for a Republican.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-gop-tax-plan-trump-middle-class-20171209-story.html
— ‘SNL’ cold open: Kids wonder if Al Franken, Roy Moore and Trump are on Santa’s naughty list – Amy B Wang
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-snl-james-franco-20171210-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— There’s a lot that’s right about Illinois – Editorial (DIERSEN: Members of Group B can celebrate that members of Group A have not yet succeeded in driving them out of Illinois. Members of Group A are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and members of Group B are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171209/editorial-theres-a-lot-thats-right-about-illinois
— NOVEMBER 17, 2017 FLASHBACK: Haymarket could open residential drug treatment center in Wheaton – Katlyn Smith
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171103/haymarket-could-open-residential-drug-treatment-center-in-wheaton

 

ABC7
— Chicago police finalizing expansion of body camera program to every patrol officer (DIERSEN: As things get worse, soon, if not already, members of Group B should wear body cameras to better document threats of violence and/or violence against them by members of Group A. Members of Group A are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and members of Group B are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://abc7chicago.com/cpd-finalizing-expansion-of-body-camera-program-to-every-patrol-officer/2764478/

 

NBC5
— ‘Cards Against Humanity’ Cuts Checks as Part of Latest Promotion – James Neveau (DIERSEN: The more of the following that you are, the more that Cards Against Humanity wants to get rid of you: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/cards-against-humanity-redistributes-money-with-latest-promotion-463103443.html

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Save the date for governor’s race primary debates – Angie Muhs (DIERSEN: If I was still the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman, the organization would be hosting debates between a) Rauner and Ives, b) Sanguinetti and Morthland, c) Harold and Grasso, d) Diganvker and Jhingan, e) Stella and Vlakancic, f) Minor, Grant, Byrne, and Augustynowicz, g) Kinzler and Orozco, h) Mazzochi and Arendt, i) Zito and Khouri, j) Mendrick and Bibbiano, k) Tornatore, DeMichele, Fichtner, and Gavanes, l) Hart, Abbott, Tully, and Broline, m) McGowen, Almiron, Eckhoff, Zaruba, Tatro, and Chinchilla, n) Wiley, Zay, and McQuade, o) Russo and MacKay, p) Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee candidates, q) etc.)
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20171209/angie-muhs-save-date-for-governors-race-primary-debates
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Our three organizations also have invited the two Republican candidates — incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner and state Rep. Jeanne Ives — to debate the night before, on Feb. 20, also at UIS. Ives has accepted our invitation, and we certainly hope that the governor will do the same.)
— Governor, focus on what you can do – Editorial
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20171209/our-view-governor-focus-on-what-you-can-do
— Houlihan tells Biss to not give GOP ammunition – Bernard Schoenburg
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20171209/bernard-schoenburg-houlihan-tells-biss-to-not-give-gop-ammunition

 

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Division of power No single person has been, is now or ever will be in charge of the state of Illinois, and it’s a darn good thing. – Editorial (DIERSEN: One could argue that Rauner is in charge of the Illinois Republican Party (IRP), and therefore, he is in charge of a) the IRP National Committeeman and National Committeewoman, b) the IRP officers and staff, c) the IRP State Central Committee members, d) the IRP County Chairman’s Association, e) the IRP county party officers, f) the IRP township/ward party officers, and g) your Republican Precinct Committeeman/Captain. How strongly do the aforesaid talk and act like Rauner is in charge of them, that is, that Rauner tells them what to think, do, say, etc.?)
http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2017-12-10/division-power.html
— Jim Durkin hires top pro Mike Zolnierowicz to fend off opponent Mickey Straub- RICH MILLER
http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/columns/2017-12-10/capitol-fax-gops-durkin-hires-top-pro-fend-opponent.html

 

QUAD CITIES ONLINE
— Time for candidates, voters to refocus the debate – Editorial (DIERSEN: QUESTIONS FOR REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES: Do you support the following planks in the Illinois Republican Party platform and the Republican Party platform, and if so, what would you do if elected to defend and advance those planks: traditional family, right to life, immigration, illegal drugs, Second Amendment, and equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving)? Do you oppose promotion of the following, and if so, what would you do to stop promotion of the following: LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot and other vices, abolition of the Second Amendment, race and gender based preference giving, age discrimination, patronage, and political affiliation discrimination?)
http://qconline.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-time-for-candidates-voters-to-refocus-the-debate/article_bf4aaf33-9a75-5de1-b56a-4f9bb7162b47.html

 

RIVER CITIES’ READER
— Durkin Stepping Up His Primary Race – Rich Miller
https://www.rcreader.com/commentary/durkin-stepping-up-primary-race

 

WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
— FBI Increasingly Politicized Under Comey and Mueller – Bill Gertz (DIERSEN: The federal government has always been politicized and it getting worse. While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, it hired, retained, and promoted fewer and fewer and fewer Republicans. Ever-increasingly, I was one of an extremely few Republicans, if not the only Republican, in the office that I worked in and the group that I was assigned to.)
http://freebeacon.com/national-security/fbi-increasingly-politicized-comey-mueller/
— Acosta: ‘When Journalists Are Attacked, Journalists Have to Resist’ – Charles Russell (DIERSEN: Who attacks you and why? I should write a book about activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc. in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois who state that they are conservative and/or Republican and who attack me. If you attack me, you shout that you are not conservative or Republican.)
http://freebeacon.com/politics/acosta-journalists-attacked-journalists-resist/

 

THE HILL
— Democratic Rep. Don Beyer (Va.): Trump’s reported habits would ‘get most Americans fired from their jobs’ – JOSH DELK (DIERSEN: What do you do with your time? I spend 10+ hours each and every day putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails together and sending them out.)
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/364102-democrat-reported-trump-habits-would-get-most-americans-fired-from
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “According to his own aides Trump watches 4-8 hours of TV every day, regularly fails to show up for work by 9-930 even after urging from both of his Chiefs of Staff, and spends many days golfing,” Beyer tweeted, citing a new report from The New York Times. . .Trump regularly watches cable news and often references things being discussed on the programs when hitting back at political opponents on Twitter. Trump also regularly records his favorite cable news shows, including Fox News’s “Fox & Friends” on a recording device installed for him in the White House, the Times reported. Trump has previously denied reports of his TV habits, saying that he is often too busy “reading documents.” White House chief of staff John Kelly has also worked to strengthen Trump’s work habits, reducing the president’s free time and pushing Trump to arrive at work earlier, by 9 a.m. or 9:30 a.m., an effort previously undertaken by former chief of staff Reince Priebus, according to the Times. Beyer has ripped Trump in the past for golfing at one of his resorts during the Hurricane Maria recovery efforts in Puerto Rico as many U.S. citizens faced dire conditions including no electricity or clean water.)

 

REUTERS
— Trump attends civil rights museum opening; black leaders stay away – Jeff Mason (DIERSEN: It is always very interesting a) who organizes events, b) who attends those events, and c) how many attend those events. What do you say to “conservative” and “Republican” event organizers a) who do not want me to know about their events, b) who not want me to promote their events, c) who do not want me to attend their events, d) who bar me or evict me from their events, and e) who do not want me to report on their events? Most commonly, they a) reject planks in the Republican Party platform and/or the Illinois Republican Party platform and work against those like me who support those planks, b) reject the Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling and work against those like me who support that resolution, c) focus on destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate, d) were defendants in lawsuits that I have filed, and/or e) are operatives or dupes for the aforesaid.)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-mississippi/trump-attends-civil-rights-museum-opening-black-leaders-stay-away-idUSKBN1E30P1

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Solid Sources to Help Sort Fact From Fiction – Justin Wolfers (DIERSEN: Of course, my critics/opponents viciously demonize, viciously denigrate, and viciously condemn any source that they cannot manipulate/dominate.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/08/business/economic-facts-political-fictions.html
— Trump, Rejecting Calls to Stay Away, Speaks at Civil Rights Museum – Michael D. Shear and Ellen Ann Fentress
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/09/us/politics/trump-mississippi-civil-rights-museum.html

 

BLOOMBERG
— How the Kremlin Tried to Pose as American News Sites on Twitter  Twitter has suspended dozens of accounts masquerading as U.S. news sources that had more than 500,000 followers. – Selina Wang (DIERSEN: I should write a book about Libertarian news websites that unethically pose/masquerade as being conservative and/or Republican. I should write a book about Democrat news websites that unethically pose/masquerade as being non-partisan.)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-05/how-the-kremlin-tried-to-pose-as-american-news-sites-on-twitter

 

USA TODAY
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “He does not deserve to be in Jackson.” Who does not want you to know about, to promote, to attend, and/or to report on their events? For me, it is those who a) reject planks in the Republican Party platform and/or the Illinois Republican Party platform and work against those like me who support those planks, b) reject the Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling and work against those like me who support that resolution, c) focus on destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate, d) were defendants in lawsuits that I have filed, and/or e) are operatives or dupes for the aforesaid and/or are those who are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/12/09/he-does-not-deserve-jackson-trumps-visit-civil-rights-museum-met-protests/937988001/
— 5 ways to cut the cost of your commute – William Cummings (DIERSEN: What did you do to cut the cost of your commute? When I got promoted to a job in the Loop in 1974, I bought a studio condo and then a one bedroom condo in 1976 in the Outer Drive East Building and walked to work and to job-related graduate business courses at Loyola 1974-1976 and job-related graduate accounting courses at DePaul 1976-1978. When my wife and I got married in 1978, we bought a home in walking distance of the College Avenue train station in Wheaton and we had a home build in walking distance of the Wheaton train station in 1984.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/budget-and-spending/2017/12/04/5-ways-cut-cost-your-commute-transportation/556620001/

 

ARIZONA CENTRAL
— With reform pending in Congress, now is the time to look at your taxes – Russ Wiles (DIERSEN: According to this article, “Only about 30 percent of individual taxpayers itemize deductions.” My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that if you itemize your deductions, you are a tax dodger and you are undeservedly filthy rich. I itemized my deductions 1972-1977 and my wife and I since 1978. We would NOT have itemized our deductions a) if we had rented instead of owned, b) if I had not taken job-related graduate courses, c) if we had given less money to 501(c)(3) organizations, and d) if we had not had major medical and dental expenses.)
https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/economy/2017/12/10/tax-reform-pending-congress-time-look-your-taxes/921033001/

(FROM THE ARTICLE: Taxpayers who wait until the ink is dry on the sweeping Republican tax-reform plan could leave some money on the table. While the vast majority of changes won’t take effect until January — assuming the legislation is signed into law — several tax-shaving actions still can be taken before then. The waning weeks of 2017 thus are shaping up as particularly important for year-end planning, as many people may not be able to take advantage of several key deductions come Jan. 1. Only about 30 percent of individual taxpayers itemize deductions, and that could drop to around 10 percent with the proposed changes. Even for people who continue to itemize, plenty of familiar deductions might no longer be available. As a rule, taxpayers often find it worthwhile to defer income into the next year, if they can, and to take as many deductions and credits as possible in the current year. “With tax reform, that strategy makes even more sense,” said Mark Luscombe, principal federal tax analyst at Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting. Most people can’t do much to delay salary income. But for those who can ask their employer to defer year-end bonuses or delay their own invoices for a personal business, that income likely will be taxed at somewhat reduced rates next year. “Most people in most brackets will get at least some benefits (from the proposed lower rates),” said Luscombe, referring to House and Senate bills that had been passed as of early December. Try moving deductions into 2017 On the deduction side, there are several year-end planning opportunities. People who itemize might want to focus on deductions that, as of early December, were slated to get cut entirely or scaled back. These include the proposed elimination of the federal deduction for state/local income taxes and a possible new $10,000 annual deduction cap on real estate taxes. Other itemized deductions likely will continue to be available, but only for people who itemize, such as the deduction for charity donations and that for mortgage interest, which could be scaled back a bit. Year-end planning opportunities thus might include prepaying a property-tax installment due early in 2018, making a premature estimated state-tax payment or writing an early mortgage check prior to Jan. 1. Also, the remaining weeks of 2017 could be a time to double-up on charity donations that might not deliver any tax benefits next year, depending on your circumstances. Donations can be made by credit card prior to Jan. 1 and applied for 2017, even if the bill isn’t paid for weeks or months later. For certain deductions that have thresholds to meet, it can be beneficial to bunch expenses and utilize them in alternate years. This is true of medical expenses, which are currently deductible only to the extent they exceed 10 percent of a person’s adjusted gross income. As of early December, the House bill would repeal this deduction, though the Senate version would retain it, allowing deductions above 7.5 percent of AGI temporarily before reverting to 10 percent in 2019. This creates an opportunity to utilize the medical-expense deduction, possibly by prepaying certain items during 2017, if you are near this year’s threshold. . .The Government Accountability Office, in a new report, estimates Americans pay 81.7 percent of the taxes owed on a voluntary and timely basis. The report looked at individual, corporate, estate, excise and employment taxes from 2008 to 2010. According to the report, which relies on Internal Revenue Service estimates, taxpayers collectively owed $2.5 trillion in taxes annually, of which $2.04 trillion was paid in a timely and voluntary manner. Another $52 billion was collected in late payments and enforcement actions, with the IRS estimating $406 billion never will be paid.)

December 9 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE WITH BIG COLOR PICTURE: Angry worshipers lash out against Trump across Muslim world – AP (DIERSEN: Anti-Trumps want America to dump Israel and to dump Jewish people.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-bc-trump-jerusalem-fallout-20171208-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Large crowds of worshippers across the Muslim world staged anti-U.S. marches Friday, some stomping on posters of Donald Trump or burning American flags in the largest outpouring of anger yet at the U.S. president’s recognition of bitterly contested Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. In the holy city itself, prayers at Islam’s third-holiest site dispersed largely without incident, but Palestinians clashed with Israeli troops in several dozen West Bank hotspots and on the border with the Gaza Strip.)
— How the GOP tax cut could take money away from most Americans – Heather Long
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-gop-tax-cut-analysis-20171208-story.html
— Wages remain mostly stagnant despite unemployment hitting new lows – Danielle Paquette
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-wages-stagnant-low-unemployment-20171208-story.html
— Supreme Court will review case alleging partisan gerrymanding from Maryland – Robert Barnes
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-supreme-court-gerrymanding-case-20171208-story.html
— DISGUSTING: Veterinarians seek permission to research pot meds for pets – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-bc-us–marijuana-pet-medicine-20171207-story.html
— Rep. John Lewis: Trump is an ‘insult’ to civil rights event – AP (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps encourage minorities to hate Whites.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-bc-us–trump-mississippi-20171207-story.html
— Analysts miffed by lack of pay hikes for workers as unemployment rate continues to dip – Danielle Paquette (DIERSEN: What pay hikes have you gotten? Since 1966, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have been beyond furious that my pay increased every year that I worked for the federal government 1966-1969 and 1971-1997 because of step increases, COLAs, and/or promotions except 1980 when I took an $18,847 (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO. My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always accused me of being overpaid. In my defense, I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-wages-stagnant-low-unemployment-20171208-story.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump says country ‘cannot afford’ Roy Moore loss in Alabama – AP
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/trump-says-country-cannot-afford-roy-moore-loss-in-alabama/

 

DAILY HERALD
— Kane County Republicans pick Ken Shepro as new leader – James Fuller
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171207/kane-county-republicans-pick-ken-shepro-as-new-leader

 

ABC7
— Call to clean up ‘hellish viaducts’ disrupts homeless community – Ravi Baichwal
http://abc7chicago.com/society/call-to-clean-up-hellish-viaducts-disrupts-homeless-community/2758043/

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— We must break stigmas about careers in skilled trades – Nick Stafford (DIERSEN: What about breaking the stigma of being a lawn mower, newspaper boy, dish washer, golf shoe cleaner, slag chipper, gasoline pumper, mailman, automobile assembly line worker, security guard, tire, automotive services, and major appliance salesman, tax collector, and auditor? I did yard work and delivered newspapers 1962-1964; washed dishes 1964-1966; cleaned golf shoes, chipped slag, and pumped gasoline in 1966; delivered mail 1966-1969; worked on an automobile assembly line and as a security guard in 1970; sold tires, automotive services, and major appliances 1970-1971; pumped gasoline 1971-1972; collected delinquent taxes 1971-1980; and audited federal agencies 1980-1997. Because the aforesaid jobs are so strongly stigmatized, it was extremely difficult for my superiors to get younger people, minorities, females, and veterans to take them.)
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20171208/guest-view-we-must-break-stigmas-about-careers-in-skilled-trades

 

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— UI releases statement pledging free speech for all – Julie Wurth (DIERSEN: Yes, but if you say anything positive about members of Group B, members of Group A will kill you figuratively if not literally. Members of Group A are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and members of Group B are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-12-09/ui-releases-statement-pledging-free-speech-all.html

 

QUAD CITY TIMES
— Iowa 4th District Republican Rep. Steve King: ‘Mixing cultures’ leads to lower quality life – Bret Hayworth (DIERSEN: Those who promote Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion have always worked very hard against me a) because I have always supported the equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) plank in the Republican Party platform and b) because I have always opposed age discrimination.)
http://qctimes.com/news/iowa/king-mixing-cultures-leads-to-lower-quality-life/article_a4956af6-3dea-50cd-b596-27eb7693afbd.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Iowa 4th District Rep. Steve King on Friday twice declared that diversity is not an American strength and endorsed a European leader’s view that “mixing cultures” leads to a lower quality of life. In a tweet, King linked to a Voice of Europe story that quoted Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban as saying, ‘Mixing cultures will not lead to a higher quality of life but a lower one.'” King, a conservative Republican and leading critic of U.S. immigration policies, followed with a second tweet, “Assimilation has become a dirty word to the multiculturalist Left. Assimilation, not diversity, is our American strength.” The social media posts were King’s latest take on the cultural shifts happening in Europe and how they intersect with U.S. culture. The Kiron Republican has long contended that immigrant groups are best served by blending in strongly, or assimilating, into American culture. It was a topic he raised again in March, during the time after he tweeted about culture again.)

 

QUAD CITIES ONLINE
— Spread the swamp? Trump administration wants to move government offices out of Washington – Evan Halper (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, people hate past, present, and future federal employees. How strongly do you hate past, present, and future federal employees?)
http://qconline.com/news/nation/spread-the-swamp-trump-administration-wants-to-move-government-offices/article_f3d75dda-5484-57f8-ad92-3ec085af66e2.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Amid the talk of draining swamps, restoring political might to blue-collar America and turning off the spigot of taxpayer cash that showers Washington, a familiar battle cry is ricocheting through this city: Move the bureaucrats out. It has the ring of a Trumpian fantasy. Dislodge arms of the federal government from Washington and reattach them in faraway places, spreading the wealth generated by these well-paid agency workforces and forcing senior bureaucrats to face the people they affect. But the idea has established populist roots that spread across party lines, and they are reemerging at this unique political moment.)

 

SAUK VALLEY
— How politicians use religion to promote goals – Scott Reeder (DIERSEN: What do you say to politicians who hint/imply/argue/shout that Jesus is a liberal Democrat/Libertarian/Green who promotes dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, race and gender based preference giving, age discrimination, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, and even worse things?)
http://www.saukvalley.com/2017/12/05/how-politicians-use-religion-to-promote-goals/azid7yo/

 

WJBD RADIO
— White House lacks ‘top political operative’ ahead of 2018 elections – ABC Radio (DIERSEN: Who are the top political operatives in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois? Who do they promote? Who do they destroy?)
http://www.wjbdradio.com/politics/2017/12/08/lewandowski-white-house-lacks-top-political-operative-ahead-of-2018-elections

 

BREITBART
— Starlets Smile for Amnesty in Elite’s Stealth Campaign for Cheap Labor – NEIL MUNRO (DIERSEN: All my critics/opponents, all their operatives, and all their dupes want cheap labor.)
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/08/nyt-starlets-smile-for-amnesty-elite-stealth-campaign-cheap-labor/

 

INDEPENDENT JOURNAL REVIEW
— NFL Tickets Fall to an Incredible $4 Apiece – CALEB HULL
http://ijr.com/the-declaration/2017/12/1031591-nfl-tickets-fall-incredible-4-piece/

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— The Scoundrel Theory of American Politics The idea that a candidate’s character doesn’t matter is pervasive and pernicious. – Greg Weiner (DIERSEN: How much do you know about the character of the Republicans who represent you and/or who want to represent you in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois? I know a tremendous amount about the character of Republicans who represent me and/or who want to represent me in Wheaton, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois. I should write a book about them. How they, their operatives, and their dupes treat me is extremely revealing.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/08/opinion/roy-moore-scoundrel-theory-politics.html
— Under New Tax Plan, the Cost of Aging Could Rise – Ron Lieber (DIERSEN: Last year, my aunt had $78,213 in medical and dental expenses, and $74,050 of that was deductible. Last year, my wife and I had $21,433 in medical and dental expenses, and $13,859 of that was deductible.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/08/your-money/tax-plan-medical-deduction.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In the coming days, a small group of Republicans will meet in Washington to try to settle a simple question: Should their revised tax bill eliminate a deduction for medical expenses and take away thousands of dollars each year from many people who are sick and, often, old? The two competing tax bills that will form the basis of an attempt at compromise over the coming weeks, one from the House of Representatives and one from the Senate, answer the question differently. The Senate bill would keep a deduction for medical expenses intact. The House bill would kill it off entirely. The more money that people had to spend this year, the more they would lose next year if the House prevails and the deduction disappears.)
— Tax Changes Are Coming Next Year, but You Can Plan for Them Now – Paul Sullivan
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/your-money/tax-overhaul-wealth.html
— Liberal Activists to Democrats: Protect Young Immigrants or Shut Down Government – Yamiche Alcindor and Thomas Kaplan (DIERSEN: All my critics/opponents, all their operatives, and all their dupes want cheap labor.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/08/us/politics/government-shutdown-immigration-daca.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Liberals promote liberalism.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/08/opinion/facts-have-a-well-known-liberal-bias.html
— How Some States Are Helping First-Time Home Buyers – Ann Carrns (DIERSEN: What helped you buy your first home? The following helped me buy my first home, a new town home in University Park in September of 1972 when I was 24 years old: a) my working for IRS since June of 1971 and earning $54,864/year in today’s dollars, b) my having 49 months of federal seniority (15 IRS and 34 Post Office), c) my working part-time for the Firestone Store in Chicago Heights, d) my not having any debts, e) my owning a 1972 Corvette and a 1962 Chevy BelAir, f) my having earned a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU in August of 1970, g) my taking graduate business courses at Loyola, and h) my not being draft bait.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/08/your-money/first-time-home-buyers.html
— For Female Lobbyists, Harassment Often Accompanies Access – Trip Gabriel and Julie Bosman
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/08/us/lobbyists-sexual-harassment.html
— Lost in Translation? Pope Ponders an Update to Lord’s Prayer – Elisabetta Povoledo, Laurie Goodstein and Alan Cowell (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes focus on leading people into temptation. They promote dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, race and gender based preference giving, age discrimination, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, abolition of the First and Second Amendment, and even worse things. They crow that I am no longer a TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member, Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster, Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member, American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member, GAO employee, etc.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/08/world/europe/pope-francis-lords-prayer-translation-temptation.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: It has been a question of theological debate and liturgical interpretation for years, and now Pope Francis has joined the discussion: Does the Lord’s Prayer, Christendom’s resonant petition to the Almighty, need an update? In a new television interview, Pope Francis said the common rendering of one line in the prayer — “lead us not into temptation” — was “not a good translation” from ancient texts. “Do not let us fall into temptation,” he suggested, might be better because God does not lead people into temptation; Satan does. “A father doesn’t do that,” the pope said. “He helps you get up right away. What induces into temptation is Satan.” In essence, the pope said, the prayer, from the Book of Matthew, is asking God, “When Satan leads us into temptation, You please, give me a hand.”)

 

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— 2018 Ford Mustang: Best sports car buy in town? – Charles Fleming
http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-ford-mustang-review-20171209-story.html

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Ready to Retire? Here’s a Pre-Flight Checklist Three questions to help you determine if you’re on the right track – Anne Tergesen (DIERSEN: Have you saved enough to retire? Using this formula, I need at least $1,137,725 to retire. 80% of my $122,991 ending salary in today’s dollars is $98,393. Subtract my $50,856 pension and my $2,028 Social Security and you get $45,509. Dividing $45,509 by 4% is $1,137,725 and by 3% is $1,516,967.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/ready-to-retire-heres-a-pre-flight-checklist-1512745200

(FROM THE ARTICLE: 1. Have I saved enough? With some simple math, it’s possible to assess retirement readiness without resorting to online calculators that produce “dramatically different results,” says Wade Pfau, a professor of retirement income at the American College of Financial Services in Bryn Mawr, Pa. The first step is to go to the Social Security website to get an estimate of how much income you will receive. This tells you what your monthly payout is likely to be if you claim benefits at 62, 70 and full retirement age, which is 66 for those born between 1943 and 1954. (The benefit will be lower if you claim before full retirement age and higher if you claim after.) Also, ask current and past employers for an estimate of any pension you are eligible to receive. If you suspect you may have left a pension behind at a previous employer that’s defunct or changed its name, free help is available from sources including the Labor Department and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. Then figure out your retirement spending needs, including taxes and premiums for Medicare Parts B and D, which cover doctor visits and prescription drugs, respectively. If you aren’t sure what you might spend, use the 80% rule. It assumes that retirees can get by on about 80% of what they earned while working because they no longer need to commute or save for retirement and frequently wind up in a lower tax bracket. Using the rule, a couple with a $100,000 annual income would need a retirement income of $80,000. The next step is to deduct from that $80,000 your expected Social Security and pension benefits, plus guaranteed income from any annuities you have. If you are entitled to $35,000 a year in Social Security but nothing from a pension or annuity, for example, you would need savings to supply the remaining $45,000. Mr. Pfau suggests dividing that $45,000 by 4%, which represents the 4% “safe” inflation-adjusted withdrawal rate that historically has ensured U.S. retirees a high probability of never running out of money. The result, $1.125 million, is the amount you will need. (With stocks at records and bond yields low, Mr. Pfau says it may be safer to use a 3% withdrawal rate.)