discrimination Archives - Page 233 of 310

December 26 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Stocks look cheapest in years, as Trump preaches buy the dip – Bloomberg
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-trump-stock-market-buying-opportunity-20181226-story.html

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, Trump-haters use young citizens of foreign countries as cannon fodder.
https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20181226/news/312269987/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: ‘Serve … as best as you can’: 4 departing lawmakers (Sente, Harris, Rooney, and Olsen) reflect on highs, lows in Springfield – Russell Lissau
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20181226/serve–as-best-as-you-can-4-departing-lawmakers-reflect-on-highs-lows-in-springfield
— FRONT PAGE: Suburban libraries hoard money, avoid getting voters’ approval to build – Jake Griffin
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20181226/suburban-libraries-hoard-money-avoid-getting-voters-approval-to-build
— With Trump preaching buy the dip, stocks look cheapest in years – Bloomberg
https://www.dailyherald.com/business/20181226/with-trump-preaching-buy-the-dip-stocks-look-cheapest-in-years

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “CNN debunks Trump’s latest border claims.”
https://www.pantagraph.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/cnn-debunks-trump-s-latest-border-claims/video_651c08c6-bf65-5447-afad-b26e8756f3d4.html

ALTON DAILY NEWS
— Illinois GOP Leadership Questioned – Scot Bertram
http://altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=276844#.XCNy8tN_OM8

TIMES
— Rauner’s legacy as Illinois governor – SCOTT REEDER
https://www.mywebtimes.com/2018/12/25/statehouse-reeder-rauners-legacy-as-illinois-governor/aldwzy4/

ALTON TELEGRAPH
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, Trump-haters make it clear that they are America-haters.
https://www.thetelegraph.com/opinion/article/Dunphy-Walling-off-Jesus-8217-brothers-and-13490295.php

HERALD REVIEW
— Now hiring in Decatur and Macon County. Recently posted employment opportunities for job seekers.
https://herald-review.com/jobs/now-hiring-in-decatur-and-macon-county-recently-posted-employment/collection_fda6b9b4-1d77-5f98-8a97-ec470a5a2161.html

NPR ILLINOIS
— In A White House With Unprecedented Turnover, Survivors Have ‘Endurance’ – TAMARA KEITH (DIERSEN: How long have you endured? I endured as a GAO employee for almost 18 years, as an IRS employee for almost 9 years, and as a Post Office employee for almost 3 years. I endured as a TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman for almost 7 years, as a Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member for 8 years, as a Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster for 6 years, as an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member for 4 years, and as an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member for 3 years. I have endured as a GOPUSA Illinois editor for 18 years and as a Republican Precinct Committeeman for 19 years.)
https://www.npr.org/2018/12/26/679303244/in-a-white-house-with-unprecedented-turnover-survivors-have-endurance

FREEDOM’S JOURNAL
— DISPARITIES GALORE – Walter E. Williams (DIERSEN: According to Democrats, all disparities are caused by Republicans, and especially by Republicans who are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, draft avoiders, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://freedomsjournalinstitute.org/latest-news/opinion/disparities-galore/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Much is made about observed differences between sexes and among races. The nation’s academic and legal elite try to sell us on the notion that men and women and people of all races should be proportionally represented in socio-economic characteristics. They make statements such as “Though African Americans and Hispanics make up approximately 32 percent of the US population, they (constituted) 56 percent of all incarcerated people in 2015” and “20 percent of Congress is women. Only 5 percent of CEOs are.” These differences are frequently referred to as disparities. Legal professionals, judges, politicians, academics and others often operate under the assumption that we are all equal. Therefore, inequalities and disparities are seen as probative of injustice. Thus, government must intervene, find the cause and engineer a policy or law to eliminate the injustice. Such a vision borders on lunacy. There’s no evidence anywhere or at any time in human history that shows that but for some kind of social injustice, people would be proportionally represented across a range of socio-economic attributes by race and sex.)

TOWNHALL
— Stonewalling the Wall – Betsy McCaughey
https://townhall.com/columnists/betsymccaughey/2018/12/26/stonewalling-the-wall-n2538038
— Protect Our Nation. Build the Wall – Star Parker
https://townhall.com/columnists/starparker/2018/12/26/protect-our-nation-build-the-wall-n2538036

WORLD NET DAILY
— CITY SLAPPED DOWN FOR FORCING CHURCHES TO BOW TO LGBT AGENDA ‘Fought back against intolerant and aggressive policies’
https://www.wnd.com/2018/12/city-slapped-down-for-forcing-churches-to-bow-to-lgbt-agenda/

BRETIBART
— Pope Urges Nations to Celebrate Diversity in Christmas Message – Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D. (DIERSEN: Democrats use Diversity to get rid of Republicans, and especially to get rid of Republicans who are White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.)
https://www.breitbart.com/faith/2018/12/25/pope-urges-nations-to-celebrate-diversity-in-christmas-message/

LIFEZETTE
— Trump’s Christmas Message to Democrats: We Need That Wall President stayed at White House for holiday while his family was in Florida — expects to be in Texas soon for ‘groundbreaking’ ceremony – Greg Norman
https://www.lifezette.com/2018/12/trumps-christmas-message-to-democrats-we-need-that-wall/

COLLEGE FIX
— William & Mary Law School apologizes after donor’s speech defends Kavanaugh, disparages Kaepernick – BRITTANY SLAUGHTER
https://www.thecollegefix.com/william-mary-law-school-apologizes-after-donors-speech-defends-kavanaugh-disparages-kaepernick/

THE HILL
— The religious unaffiliated and politics in 2019 – QUARDRICOS BERNARD DRISKELL (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, “religious leaders” talk and/or act like they are operatives or dupes for the Democrat Party.)
https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/422833-the-religious-unaffiliated-and-politics-in-2019
— Daughters of NY podiatrist allege he helped Trump avoid Vietnam War – AVERY ANAPOL (DIERSEN: What would your critics/opponents throw at you if you ran for a government or a political office? They would throw at me that I became a college student solely to get student draft deferments. In my defense, I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32.)
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/422854-daughters-of-queens-podiatrist-and-fred-trump-tenant-say-father

NEW YORK TIMES
— A Gutted I.R.S. Makes the Rich Richer With enforcement enfeebled, as much as 20 percent of potential tax revenues go uncollected. – Editorial (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those who did the most to waste my knowledge of IRS. They include my IRS and GAO superiors, U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives, and their staffs. I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $81,071-$91,880. I worked for GAO on audits of IRS for 3 years, at the GS-12 Step 1-3 levels, currently $96,403-$102,830.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/25/opinion/editorials/irs-audits-rich.html
— Federal Prosecutors Need a Watchdog, Too Lawyers at the Justice Department get little oversight from their own inspector general. That’s a problem. – Editorial
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/25/opinion/editorials/prosecutors-justice-inspector-general.html
— Black Voters, a Force in Democratic Politics, Are Ready to Make Themselves Heard – Astead W. Herndon (DIERSEN: Democrats are anti-Trump voters, anti-Protestant voters, anti-conservative voters, anti-patriotic voters, anti-Republican voters, anti-American voters, anti-White voters, anti-male voters, anti-older people voters, anti-rich people voters, anti-gun owners voters, ant-draft avoiders voters, anti-German Americans voters, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time voters.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/25/us/politics/blacks-democrats-president-2020-.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A Trump-hater says “Time for G.O.P. to Threaten to Fire Trump.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/24/opinion/impeach-fire-president-trump.html
DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, Trump-haters use citizens of foreign countries to promote hatred of Trump.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/opinion/the-mexican-border-as-refugee-camp.html
— Facebook Closes 5 Accounts Tied to Russia-Like Tactics in Alabama Senate Race – Scott Shane
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/22/us/politics/facebook-suspends-alabama-elections.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Trump dials back attack on Fed, sees ‘opportunity to buy’
https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/trump-dials-back-attack-on-fed-sees-opportunity-to-buy/2018/12/25/e21e2247-68d8-4f82-a00c-5d85184c8ca7_video.html
— Facebook suspends five accounts, including that of a social media researcher, for misleading tactics in Alabama election – Tony Romm and Craig Timberg
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/12/22/facebook-suspends-five-accounts-including-social-media-researcher-misleading-tactics-alabama-election/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “We could be headed for a recession. Imagine how President Trump will react.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2018/12/26/we-could-be-headed-recession-imagine-how-president-trump-will-react/

NEW YORK POST
— Dems are at it again — this time, smearing wall supporters as ‘deplorables’ – Betsy McCaughey
https://nypost.com/2018/12/25/dems-are-at-it-again-this-time-smearing-wall-supporters-as-deplorables/

SEATTLE TIMES
— Can we be our authentic selves at work? – Diya Khanna (DIERSEN: If I had painted myself as being a Democrat, the federal government would have promoted me into its Senior Executive Service long before I was 40 years old notwithstanding the fact that I am White, male, German-American, non-veteran, I was baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran, and my ancestors have been in America since 1844.)
https://www.seattletimes.com/explore/careers/can-we-be-our-authentic-selves-at-work/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— GOP’s Fundraising Problem: Democrats’ One-Stop Online Platform Democrats, united on a single platform, gain firepower in online fundraising – Julie Bykowicz
https://www.wsj.com/articles/republicans-seek-better-ways-to-woo-small-donors-online-11545753600
— As Market Rout Continues, Trump Stands Firm on Fed, Border Wall President criticizes central bank’s rate increases, extends stalemate over border-wall funding; aides consider meeting with Powell – Peter Nicholas, Michael Wursthorn and Paul Kiernan
https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-market-rout-continues-trump-stands-firm-on-fed-and-shutdown-11545765737
— Trump Seen Deploying Off-the-Cuff Communications in Re-Election Drive President’s reliance on Twitter, off-the-cuff interviews and criticism of the media are likely to continue – Vivian Salama
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-seen-deploying-off-the-cuff-communications-in-re-election-drive-11545667535
— Obama’s Racial Preferences Made Schools Dangerous Education Secretary Betsy DeVos ends a policy that subordinated safety to political correctness. – Jason L. Riley
https://www.wsj.com/articles/obamas-racial-preferences-made-schools-dangerous-11545767080
— Welcome to College. Now Take a Year Off New gift to Duke will support gap-year projects before students enroll as freshmen, with aim of opening up option beyond affluent students – Melissa Korn (DIERSEN: Future federal employees who are White, male, and/or non-veteran cannot afford to take a gap-year because the federal government will get rid of you if you do not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40. Extremely few federal employees make the aforesaid promotion deadlines.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/welcome-to-college-now-take-a-year-off-11545742801
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “Trump’s Volatility Only Adds to Stock-Market Selling Pressure Attacks on Fed undermine faith in its independence, stir new policy turmoil.”
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-volatility-only-adds-to-stock-market-selling-pressure-11545830875

BUSINESS INSIDER
— I asked more than a dozen people what a ‘good’ job looks like, and noticed a curious pattern among the worst jobs they’ve had – Shana Lebowitz (DIERSEN: Have you had bad jobs? According to my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes, all the jobs that I had were bad jobs that they would never stoop to take. 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.)
https://www.businessinsider.com/bad-jobs-can-lead-to-good-jobs-later-in-career-2018-12

YAHOO FINANCE
— The industries that thrive on discrimination – Lydia Smith
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/industries-thrive-discrimination-060004083.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: How far down will the anti-Trumps drive the markets?
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/markets-telling-trump-act-together-130415646.html

BOSTON HERALD
— Democrats risk voter backlash by opposing wall – BETSY MCCAUGHEY
https://www.bostonherald.com/2018/12/26/dems-risk-voter-backlash-by-opposing-wall/

NEWSWEEK
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps glorify and praise illegals.
https://www.newsweek.com/how-are-migrants-celebating-christmas-usmexico-border-tamales-church-services-1271275
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: If you blast Trump, anti-Trumps will glorify and praise you.
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-bully-white-house-conservative-christian-1271063

December 25 Morning Edition

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Critics say campaigns’ software makes petition challenges all too easy – Rachel Hinton
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/software-challenges-votebuilder-petition-review-software-chicago-mayoral-campaigns-election-2019/
— Schools provide stability to students, neighborhoods – Big Shoulders Fund Executive Committee (DIERSEN: The outstanding Whittier Elementary School (https://www.facebook.com/whittierelementary/) and the outstanding Edison Middle School (https://www.facebook.com/Edison-Middle-School-Wheaton-IL-126228154099483/) are both in my precinct.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/chicago-school-closings-neighborhood-stability/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “Trump’s Christmas Eve airing of grievances on Twitter portray an increasingly isolated leader.” Who isolates you? The following isolate me: a) those who 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) those who reject the Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling and work against those like me who support that resolution, c) those who focus on destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate, d) those who were defendants in lawsuits that I have filed, and/or e) those who are operatives or dupes for the aforesaid.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-christmas-eve-tweets-20181224-story.html

DAILY HERALD
— Trump: ‘Nothing new’ on shutdown, ‘need border security’ – AP
https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20181225/news/312259984/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: According to the Chicago Federal Executive Board, there are about 41,500 federal employees in the Chicago area. That makes the federal government the largest employer in the Chicago area. What percent of those 41,500 vote for Republicans? There are about 70,000 federal annuitants in Illinois. What percent of those 70,000 vote for Republicans?
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/data-lists/39780/2019-book-lists

TELEGRAPH HERALD
— Tourists dismayed that Lincoln home closed by federal shutdown – AP (DIERSEN: Which federal funding action has dismayed you the most? For me, it was the gutting of GAO during the 1980s and 1990s. The Democrats who ran GAO used that gutting to get rid of GAO employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who they had not promoted to GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40.)
http://www.telegraphherald.com/news/iowa-illinois-wisconsin/article_3d07d419-04fc-5e4f-8137-0d3a2438af5b.html

FOX ILLINOIS
— Colorado baker back in court over 2nd LGBT bias allegation – AP
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/colorado-baker-back-in-court-over-2nd-lgbt-bias-allegation
— Granite City schools agree to pay-out in federal discrimination lawsuit (DIERSEN: If I had not been denied my 7th Amendment rights in Diersen v. GAO, I would have presented a jury with many examples in which GAO paid its female employees more than it paid its male employees who had more job-related work experience, education, professional certifications, and/or professional licenses.)
https://foxillinois.com/news/local/granite-city-schools-agree-to-pay-out-in-federal-discrimination-lawsuit

WQAD
— New Illinois law caps employee payouts at taxpayer-funded institutions – BRODY WOODDELL
https://wqad.com/2018/12/24/new-illinois-law-caps-employee-payouts-at-taxpayer-funded-institutions/

NEW AMERICAN
— Christmas Gift From ICE: More Murderers Deported – R. Cort Kirkwood
https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/immigration/item/31009-christmas-gift-from-ice-more-murderers-deported

AMERICAN THINKER
— Google funds another ‘junk news’ study in what looks like a new bid to stomp out conservative news – Monica Showalter (DIERSEN: Who works the hardest to stomp out you? I should write a book about those who work the hardest to stomp out me. I would focus on those who falsely claim to be religious, conservative, and/or Republican to give themselves standing to stomp out those who are religious, conservative, and/or Republican.)
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/12/google_funds_another_junk_news_study_in_what_looks_like_a_new_bid_to_stomp_out_conservative_news.html
— What Should Come After Trump? – Christopher Chantrill
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/12/what_emshouldem_come_after_trump.html

BREITBART
— New York Times Pressures Credit Card Giants to Blacklist Gun Purchasers – Awr Hawkins
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/24/new-york-times-pressures-credit-card-giants-to-blacklist-gun-purchasers/
— Patriotic Countries That Rejected the UN’s Global Governance of Migration in 2018 – Victoria Friedman
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2018/12/25/patriotic-countries-rejected-un-global-governance-of-migration-2018/

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE
— TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RESTRICTS CHINESE STUDENTS Finally, America confronts a massive espionage operation. – Michael Cutler
https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/272324/trump-administration-restricts-chinese-students-michael-cutler

CANADA FREE PRESS
— What is Treason? – Chuck Lehmann (DIERSEN: It is treason to encourage people to come to America illegally. It is treason to encourage people to stay in America illegally. It is treason to encourage people to bring people to America illegally. It is treason to promote countries that send their citizens to America illegally. It is treason to promote countries that keep their citizens in America illegally. It is treason to promote countries that send illegal drugs into America illegally.)
https://canadafreepress.com/article/what-is-treason

DAILY WIRE
— Women’s March Leader: Yeah, Jews Are White Supremacists – HANK BERRIEN
https://www.dailywire.com/news/39657/womens-march-leader-yeah-jews-are-white-hank-berrien

EPOCH TIMES
— Despite Stock Woes, Big Tech Toes the Line of Political Correctness – PETR SVAB
https://www.theepochtimes.com/despite-stock-woes-big-tech-toes-the-line-of-political-correctness_2747211.html

THE HILL
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “Trump chaos pervades holiday season.”
https://thehill.com/homenews/the-memo/422799-the-memo-trump-chaos-pervades-holiday-season

CNN
— Five things even Trump critics can give him credit for this Christmas – John Avlon
https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/25/opinions/critics-can-give-trump-credit-this-christmas-avlon/index.html

NEW YORK TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps side with anti-Trump judges.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/opinion/asylum-jeff-sessions.html

NEW YORK SUN
— Trump Foes Become Stertorus – CONRAD BLACK
https://www.nysun.com/national/trump-hatred-becomes-stertorus/90511/

USA TODAY
— Government shutdown, day 4: Pelosi blames Trump for using ‘scare tactics’ over border wall – Eliza Collins, John Fritze and Deirdre Shesgreen
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/25/government-shutdown-donald-trump-democrats-odds-over-border-wall/2409226002/

NEW JERSEY HERALD
— Trump’s last chance for a wall – Michael Reagan
https://www.njherald.com/20181225/trumps-last-chance-for-a-wall#

NEWSWEEK
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “GLOBAL MARKETS PLUNGE AS TRUMP’S ATTACK ON FED ADDS TO WORRIES OVER MNUCHIN’S COMMENTS AND GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.”
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-steven-mnuchin-stock-markets-dow-jones-sp-500-nasdaq-federal-1271041

LAWYERS
— IBM Age Discrimination – Christian V. McOmber (DIERSEN: Who should “pay the price” of Affirmative Action (AA), Diversity, and Inclusion? The Democrats who run the federal government use AA, Diversity, and Inclusion a) to not hire, to not retain, to not promote, and to get rid of Republicans, and especially Republicans who are White, male, and/or non-veteran, and 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 and b) to hire, to retain, and to promote Democrats, and especially Democrats who are minority, female, and/or young. The Democrats who run the federal government use budget cuts to get rid of their employees who are Republican, and especially those who are White, male, and/or non-veteran, and 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.)
https://blogs.lawyers.com/attorney/discrimination/ibm-age-discrimination-52401/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Identifying Age Discrimination The IBM lawsuit illustrates that fact that age discrimination is not only hard for employees to identify, but proving age discrimination to a court of law is a difficult task. Although it is not illegal for a company to seek employees with different skills, downsize their workforce, or cut costs, older workers often pay the price. For example, company cutbacks can include laying off higher paid workers or eliminating positions entirely. Unfortunately, older workers would naturally be on staff the longest, working in positions that may no longer be needed. Additionally, older workers are usually the most experienced, and are therefore the highest paid. Simply put, firing older workers is not always indicative of age discrimination.)

December 23 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— AS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY’S STRANGLEHOLD ON CHICAGO TIGHTENS: What are those metal triangle things at the ‘L’ station? Yes, they’re urine guards – Morgan Greene
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-cta-urine-shields-20181219-story.html
— The college kid vs. the Chicago political boss is looking mysterious – John Kass
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-met-kass-krupa-madigan-20181220-story.html
— Exhibit at 1950s Park Forest House Museum takes visitors back to midcentury founding of village – Jessi Virtusio (DIERSEN: What are your connections with Park Forest? I attended Hope Lutheran Grade School there 1961-1962. I was confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran there in 1962. I worked part-time for the Park Forest Post Office there 1966-1969. I collected delinquent taxes for IRS there 1972-1973. I bought a new town home in Park Forest South (University Park) in 1972 and a) lived in it full-time 1972-1974, lived in it weekends 1974-1976, and rented it out 1976-1984.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-ent-park-forest-70-st-1228-story.html

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Sorry Illinois, Nevada beat you to a majority female legislature – Doug Finke (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrats shout at women, and at everyone else, that Republicans are White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things who should be gotten rid of once and for all. Ever-increasingly, Democrats want women, and everyone else, to focus on getting rid of Republicans who are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, White, male, older, non-poor, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. Ever-increasingly, Democrats what women, and everyone else, to promote welfare, dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abolition of traditional marriage, abolition of traditional family, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation.)
https://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20181222/statehouse-insider-sorry-illinois-nevada-beat-you-to-majority-female-legislature

QUINCY HERALD WHIG
— A proposal that would let voters decide whether to make city offices nonpartisan is scheduled to come up for consideration at Wednesday’s meeting of the Quincy City Council. – Doug Wilson
https://www.whig.com/20181222/quincy-voters-may-get-to-decide-on-nonpartisan-city-elections#

NPR ILLINOIS
— For Asylum-Seekers Waiting In Mexico, Volunteers Offer Medical Help – ALYSSA JEONG PERRY (DIERSEN: How much time do you spend doing volunteer work? I spend 10+ hours every day, 70+ hours every week, 300+ hours every month, 3,650+ hours every year, and 36,500+ hours every decade.)
http://www.nprillinois.org/post/asylum-seekers-waiting-mexico-volunteers-offer-medical-help#stream/0

TOWNHALL
— The Biggest Threat to America Comes From Within – Tana Goertz (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trump Republican Party leaders fail/refuse to defend and advance the Republican Party platform.)
https://townhall.com/columnists/tanagoertz/2018/12/23/the-biggest-threat-to-america-comes-from-within-n2537967

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Trump forgets his base is populists and conservatives – Salena Zito
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/trump-forgets-his-base-is-populists-and-conservatives

WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
— Gutierrez Berates ‘Remorseless’ Nielsen for 6 Minutes, Leaves Before She Can Respond – David Rutz (DIERSEN: Democrats paint the anti-White Gutierrez as being THE SPOKESMAN for all Hispanics in America, if not the world. Democrats stress that RINOs accept the anti-White Gutierrez as being THE SPOKESMAN for all Hispanics in America, if not in the world. Who speaks for Hispanics in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois? For that matter, who speaks for 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, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois?)
https://freebeacon.com/national-security/gutierrez-berates-remorseless-nielsen-for-6-minutes-leaves-before-she-can-respond/
— ‘Republican’ PAC That Attacks GOP Bankrolled by Liberal Billionaires – Joe Schoffstall (DIERSEN: What do you say to RINOs who give money to RINOs? What do you say to those who falsely claim to be religious, conservative, and/or Republican to give themselves standing to destroy individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are religious, conservative, and/or Republican? I should write a book about past and present RINOs in the Milton Township Republican Central Committee, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, Illinois Republican Party, TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Center Right Coalition, American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter, etc. in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois. RINOs are really Democrat plants, Libertarian plants, or Green plants.)
https://freebeacon.com/politics/republican-pac-attacks-gop-bankrolled-liberal-billionaires/
— America Is Not the Fifth Most Dangerous Country for Journalists, You Idiots – Alex Griswold
https://freebeacon.com/blog/america-is-not-the-fifth-most-dangerous-country-for-journalists-you-idiots/

DAILY CALLER
— CHUCK SCHUMER SAYS REPUBLICANS MUST ‘ABANDON’ WALL IN ORDER TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT – Henry Rodgers (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrats make it clear that they are anti-America, if not America-haters.)
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/22/schumer-abandon-wall-shutdown/

FOX NEWS
— As shutdown continues, Trump is right to fight for the border wall – Our national security demands it – Christian Whiton
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/as-shutdown-continues-trump-is-right-to-fight-for-the-border-wall-our-national-security-demands-it

NEWS BUSTERS
— Facebook Worked with Lefty ‘Civil Rights’ Groups During Election – Corinne Weaver (DIERSEN: Facebook is a Democrat website. Democrats exist to get rid of Republicans, once and for all. What do you say to “Republican” activists, candidates, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc. who say that they are “too busy” to read GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails, but spend many hours every day on Facebook?)
https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/techwatch/corinne-weaver/2018/12/19/facebook-worked-lefty-civil-rights-groups-during-election

BREITBART
— President Fights for Funding: I Won an Election on ‘Strong Borders’ – Michelle Moons
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/22/president-fights-for-funding-i-won-an-election-on-strong-borders/
— Trump Administration Aims for ‘Painless as Possible’ Partial Shutdown – Michelle Moons
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/22/ttrump-administration-aims-for-painless-as-possible-partial-shutdown/

AMERICAN THINKER
— The Schumer & Pelosi show – Patricia McCarthy
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/12/the_schumer__pelosi_show.html
— The Swamp Is Growing Deeper – Brian C. Joondeph
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/12/the_swamp_is_growing_deeper.html

AMERICAN GREATNESS
— The Wall is Trump’s ‘Read My Lips’ Moment – Roger Kimball
https://amgreatness.com/2018/12/22/the-wall-is-trumps-read-my-lips-moment/
— Obstructionist Republicans vs. Trump – Rachel Bovard (DIERSEN: I should write a book about obstructionist Republicans in the Milton Township Republican Central Committee (MTRCC), in the DuPage County Republican Central Committee (DCRCC), and in the Illinois Republican Party (IRP). They focus on driving out of the MTRCC, DCRCC, and IRP those like me who support the IRP platform, the Republican Party platform, and the MTRCC resolution against video gambling.)
https://www.amgreatness.com/2018/12/22/obstructionist-republicans-vs-trump/
— A Stooge Leaves Congress: Paul Ryan’s Career in Perspective – Gavin Wax
https://amgreatness.com/2018/12/22/a-stooge-leaves-congress-paul-ryans-career-in-perspective/
— Lessons from the Failure of the California GOP – Robert Miller (DIERSEN: The Democrat Party is a STRONG COALITION of those individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that 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, anti-draft avoiders, and anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://amgreatness.com/2018/12/07/lessons-from-the-failure-of-the-california-gop/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: As early as debates between the Federalists and anti-Federalists, political parties formed as a means of coordinating and communicating throughout the Republic. Although George Washington warned against the “baneful effects of the spirit of party generally,” parties have been necessary to coordinate coalitions to confront issues ranging from slavery to social spending, and from protectionism to prohibition. Many may lament the lack of a viable third party; however, there are very real mathematical reasons to explain why we have two. Once that is understood, it will become clear why Brulte’s thinking about candidates rather than the party being responsible for messaging is blinkered and can only further sink the California GOP in continued and perpetual failure.)

NEW AMERICAN
— Good Food+Good Morals=Good Business: Boycotted Chick-fil-A Crows in Triumph – Selwyn Duke
https://www.thenewamerican.com/economy/sectors/item/31001-good-food-good-morals-good-business-boycotted-chick-fil-a-crows-in-triumph

THE HILL
— Washington braces for lengthy shutdown – JORDAIN CARNEY
https://thehill.com/policy/finance/422626-washington-braces-for-lengthy-shutdown

HUFFINGTON POST
— Lindsey Graham Doubles Down On Wall Funding: ‘We’re Not Going To Give In’ The GOP senator vowed to put up a fight for border wall money. – Amy Russo
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/lindsey-graham_us_5c1f1061e4b05c88b6f96284

NBC NEWS
— While celebrities quit Facebook, others say they feel trapped in it A study concluded that the average Facebook user would require more than $1,000 in exchange for deactivating their account for one year. – David Ingram
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/while-celebrities-quit-facebook-others-say-they-feel-trapped-it-n951281

NEW YORK TIMES
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Unpaid Federal Workers, Exasperated but Resigned, Wait and Worry – Jack Healy, Alan Blinder and Richard Fausset (DIERSEN: How have federal government shutdowns impacted you? I was a federal retiree during shutdowns in 2013 and this year. I was an IRS employee during shutdowns in 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979. I was a GAO employee during shutdowns in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1995, and 1996.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/22/us/government-shutdown.html
— Should Kids Whose Parents Could Earn Higher Salaries Get Financial Aid? – Kwame Anthony Appiah (DIERSEN: What hindered your parents from earning higher salaries? Neither of my outstanding parents attended college. My father was the first of his ancestors to earn a high school diploma. My mother never attended high school. My father fought type 1 diabetes from age 14 and died suddenly of heart failure in 1969 when he was 47 and I was 21.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/18/magazine/should-kids-whose-parents-could-earn-higher-salaries-get-financial-aid.html

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— L.A. ‘Faith Caravan’ delivers medical care, food and supplies to migrants in Tijuana – ROB NIKOLEWSKI (DIERSEN: How much time do you spend doing volunteer work? I spend 10+ hours every day, 70+ hours every week, 300+ hours every month, 3,650+ hours every year, and 36,500+ hours every decade.)
https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-faith-caravan-20181222-story.html

BALTIMORE SUN
— ‘We need to recruit more diverse candidates’: Maryland GOP chairman Dirk Haire on the future of the party – Luke Broadwater (DIERSEN: How bad are your demographics? From what I see, ever-increasingly, the more of the following demographics that you have, the more that Trump-haters want to get rid of you once and for all: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, draft avoider, and if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-haire-interview-20181221-story.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Trump Won’t Try to Fire Fed Chairman Powell, Treasury Secretary Says President has called on Fed not to raise rates and has blamed the central bank for market weakness – Nick Timiraos
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-wont-try-to-fire-fed-chairman-powell-treasury-secretary-says-11545533304
— Shutdown’s Initial Impact Likely to Be Minor Due to the weekend and federal holidays, the closing of government agencies and services won’t be fully felt until Wednesday – Kate Davidson and Andrew Duehern
https://www.wsj.com/articles/shutdowns-initial-impact-likely-to-be-minor-11545455237

INDIANA GAZETTE
— Building the border wall that he promised – Ann Coulter
https://www.indianagazette.com/opinion/columnists/building-the-border-wall-that-he-promised/article_b5800aba-05f1-11e9-8f5a-27ecfb62b370.html

HAVASU NEWS
— Bipartisanship is another word for ignoring the base – Michael Shannon
https://www.havasunews.com/opinion/michael-shannon-bipartisanship-is-another-word-for-ignoring-the-base/article_a3bb2b52-0682-11e9-bcac-fbfa3f5910f6.html

TIMES OF SAN DIEGO
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats want Republicans to lose. Democrats want Republicans to promote welfare, dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abolition of traditional marriage, abolition of traditional the family, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, retaliation, and even worse things. Democrats want Republicans to dump individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.
https://timesofsandiego.com/opinion/2018/12/22/california-gop-woefully-out-of-synch-with-majority-of-states-voters/

SUBURBANITE
— ‘Proud Deplorable’ thanks President Trump – Sue Froelich (DIERSEN: How much did/will your income drop when you retire? My income dropped $73,461/year (59%), from $125,325/year down to $51,861/year in today’s dollars, when my Democrat GAO superiors succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old.)
http://www.thesuburbanite.com/opinion/20181222/letter-proud-deplorable-thanks-president-trump

(FROM THE LETTER: I retired in 2003 and my income was cut in half when I went on Social Security and pension. Fortunately I had a few investments that were doing quite well which almost made up for the difference in my income. I was making almost as much as when I was working and this additional money was most appreciated by this senior living on a fixed income. All my investments were doing well until 2008 when an unqualified community organizer became president and all my stocks tanked. The first year I lost over $10,000. Even though things improved during his second term, I was never able to make up the difference. One of my investments used to give me $450 a quarter and went to $69 a quarter during Obama’s eight-year regime. That investment now gives me $651 a quarter. This Proud Deplorable thanks President Trump for all the good things he’s doing for our country!)

LOS ANGELES BLADE
— The military #MeToo movement: 6,769 reports of sexual assault in 2017
https://www.losangelesblade.com/2018/12/22/the-military-metoo-movement-6769-reports-of-sexual-assault-in-2017/

DURANGO HERALD
— Does La Plata County’s barking dog ordinance have teeth? New regulations will be tested in court jury trial in January. – Jonathan Romeo (DIERSEN: I should write a book about past and present dog owners and their dogs in my neighborhood since 1984.)
https://durangoherald.com/articles/253865

GUARDIAN
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: America-haters ask “Why are Guatemalans seeking asylum?” and say “US policy is to blame.”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/23/why-guatemalans-seeking-asylum-us-policy

— DIERSEN HEADLINE: America-haters say “The US is on the edge of the economic precipice – Trump may push it over.”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/23/us-economic-precipice-donald-trump-government-shutdown

December 22 Evening Edition

NBC5
— Shutdown Expected to Drag Into Christmas as Talks Continue Even a temporary measure to keep the government running for a few days while negotiations continued seemed out of reach – Lisa Mascaro, Darlene Superville and Kevin Freking
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/Federal-Government-Shutdown-Begins-Trump-Lawmakers-Fail-Deal-Wall-503378981.html

ABC7
— A look back at recent federal government shutdowns (DIERSEN: How have federal government shutdowns impacted you? I was a federal retiree during shutdowns in 2013 and this year. I was an IRS employee during shutdowns in 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979. I was a GAO employee during shutdowns in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1995, and 1996.)
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/a-look-back-at-recent-government-shutdowns/2971149/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Chicago Democrat operatives tied to McHenry County chairman behind ‘Crooked Joe’ flyers, printer says under threat of jail – Amanda Marrazzo
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-met-mchenry-county-campaign-flyer-jail-contempt-20181221-story.html
— Here’s what a partial government shutdown means for Chicago – Mike Riopell, Morgan Greene
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-federal-government-shutdown-chicago-20181217-story.html
— Chicago Heights mayor unopposed after 3 challengers tossed from ballot – Ted Slowik
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-slowik-chicago-heights-election-ct-1223-story.html
— Facebook has 5 ‘core values.’ Guess where ‘protect users’ ranks – Joseph Holt
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-facebook-privacy-zuckerberg-microsoft-amazon-1221-20181220-story.html
— Shutdown to stretch until at least Thursday as Senate adjourns with no budget deal – Paul Kane, David Weigel and Philip Rucker
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-government-shutdown-20181222-story.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— New asylum policy comes with few details, many questions – AP
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/new-asylum-policy-comes-with-few-details-many-questions/
— Trump staying in D.C. for Christmas – AP
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/trump-staying-in-d-c-for-christmas/
— Open and closed: shutdown’s varied impact on parks, tourists – AP
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/open-and-closed-shutdowns-varied-impact-on-parks-tourists/

NORTHWEST HERALD
— Breaker Press president names Jack Franks’ former campaign manager in court Political printing company outs County Board chairman’s ex-campaign staffers – ED KOMENDA
https://www.nwherald.com/2018/12/21/breaker-press-president-names-jack-franks-former-campaign-manager-in-court/apkgyas/

KANKAKEE DAILY JOURNAL
— Taxes upset you? Look at pensions – David Giuliani
https://www.daily-journal.com/news/local/david-giuliani-taxes-upset-you-look-at-pensions/article_d282fc0e-0488-11e9-a229-e3b49a1b6c59.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Let’s do a comparison: An active worker making $50,000 in 2008 would see his income rise to $58,400 by 2018 if increases only kept up with the rate of inflation. With a public pension, a person’s income would rise to $67,200 during the same time, nearly double the increase of the active worker’s pay. Under the Illinois Constitution, the state cannot diminish employees’ pensions. The state Supreme Court interprets this to mean that the terms of an employee’s public pension benefits must stay exactly the same from the very first day of employment. In 2011, the state made changes to the pension systems for employees who started in 2011 or later — known as Tier 2. When they retire, they’ll get noncompounded, annual increases of 3 percent or half the consumer price index, whichever is less. When Tier 2 folks start retiring, our state likely will see its pension costs grow less rapidly — or perhaps start to fall. But we’re decades away from that rosy scenario. In the meantime, more and more people are leaving the state. That means fewer taxpayers are staying around to pay the growing pension bills.)

WREG
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Barrington promotes LGBTQ activity big time.
https://wreg.com/2018/12/21/neighbors-cover-street-with-rainbow-flags-after-couples-flag-stolen-replaced-with-american-flag/

FOX ILLINOIS
— Activist and Parkland survivor David Hogg to attend Harvard University – AP (DIERSEN: Having survived a mass shooting at a Florida high school gives Hogg standing to fight against gun violence. Having been forced to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old by my Democrat GAO superiors gives me standing to fight against political affiliation discrimination, against reverse discrimination, against age discrimination, and against retaliation. Previously, they gave me unfair performance expectations and appraisals, always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, did not promote me beyond GS-13, got rid of my mentor in 1987, kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, and forced me to take a $19,203 (26%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. My Democrat IRS superiors did not promote me beyond GS-12, disallowed my education deductions in 1978, got rid of my mentor in 1975, and disallowed my partial day per diem claims in 1974. My Democrat Post Office superiors forced me resign in 1969 and disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968.)
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/activist-and-parkland-survivor-david-hogg-to-attend-harvard-university

NPR ILLINOIS
— The Fate of Illinois Farmland, An Intergenerational Effort – KRISTIN WALTERS (DIERSEN: On my mother’s side, my grandfather, my great grandfather, and my great great grandfather operated a farm in Grant Park. On my father’s side, my great grandfather and my great great grandfather operated a farm in Crete.)
http://www.nprillinois.org/post/fate-illinois-farmland-intergenerational-effort#stream/0

WINNETKA PATCH
— Winnetka Attorney, GOP Committeeman Considered To Replace Rauner A Republican national committeeman confirmed he was the fourth person approached by Gov. Bruce Rauner about taking his place on the ballot. – Jonah Meadows (DIERSEN: What if any of the four had gone public when they were approached? Would the Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee have a) forced Rauner to withdraw and b) replaced him with Ives?)
https://patch.com/illinois/winnetka/winnetka-attorney-gop-committeeman-considered-replace-rauner

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Detail of What Happened in Court Featuring Revelation of Jack Franks’ Allies Who Sent Mail Smearing Joe Tirio’s Name
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/22/detail-of-what-happened-in-court-featuring-revelation-of-jack-franks-allies-who-sent-mail-smearing-joe-tirios-name/

AMERICANS FOR TRUTH ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY
— Good Morning America Celebrates ‘Drag Kid’ – ‘Desmond Is Amazing’ – Media Child Abuse? – Peter LaBarbera
https://americansfortruth.com/2018/12/21/good-morning-america-celebrates-drag-kid-desmond-is-amazing-media-child-abuse/

NEW AMERICAN
— Supreme Court: Borders Open; Trump Can’t Stop Illegal-Alien Invasion – R. Cort Kirkwood
https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/immigration/item/31003-supreme-court-borders-open-trump-can-t-stop-illegal-alien-invasion

GOPUSA
— Government shutdown 2018: What will close and who still needs to work
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=61503

PJ MEDIA
— 4 Reasons Why Big Tech is Hazardous to Our Lives – JEFF SANDERS (DIERSEN: Instead of reading articles linked in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails and instead of reading my comments on those emails, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes want you to spend 24 hours a day on a Democrat website called Facebook.)
https://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/4-reasons-why-big-tech-is-hazardous-to-our-lives/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: 1. They are spying on us. . .2. They are censoring us. . .3. They are selling us. . .4. They are time-wasters.)

BREITBART
— Gun Control Activist David Hogg Accepted to Harvard – Awr Hawkins (DIERSEN: Having survived a mass shooting at a Florida high school gives Hogg standing to fight against gun violence. Having been forced to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old by my Democrat GAO superiors gives me standing to fight against political affiliation discrimination, against reverse discrimination, against age discrimination, and against retaliation. Previously, they gave me unfair performance expectations and appraisals, always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, did not promote me beyond GS-13, got rid of my mentor in 1987, kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, and forced me to take a $19,203 (26%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. My Democrat IRS superiors did not promote me beyond GS-12, disallowed my education deductions in 1978, got rid of my mentor in 1975, and disallowed my partial day per diem claims in 1974. My Democrat Post Office superiors forced me resign in 1969 and disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968.)
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/22/gun-control-activist-david-hogg-accepted-harvard/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Hogg emerged as a gun control activist following the February 14, 2018, Marjory Stoneman Douglas attack and continues to seek restrictions on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. On December 9, 2018, Breitbart News reported that Hogg mocked Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) for sharing Bible verses on Twitter, pushing Rubio to pass gun laws instead. On December 8, Breitbart News reported that Hogg was pushing a federal sales tax on all firearms, despite the fact that such a tax would run the risk of making firearms cost prohibitive for poorer Americans who may need them most. On October 29, 2018–two days after the attack on Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue–Hogg mocked President Trump’s suggestion that places of worship acquire armed protection. No security was in the synagogue when the attacker struck.)

ONE NEWS NOW
— LaBarbera: Catholic Church ignoring source of scourge Another state (Illinois) has discovered the Catholic Church hasn’t been honest about priest abuse in its ranks. – Steve Jordahl
https://www.onenewsnow.com/church/2018/12/21/labarbera-catholic-church-ignoring-source-of-scourge

LIFE SITE NEWS
— Pro-lifers save two babies by singing Christmas carols outside abortion centers – Lisa Bourne
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pro-lifers-save-two-babies-by-singing-christmas-carols-outside-abortion-cen

THE HILL
— Shutdown to drag on for days after Senate adjourns without deal – JORDAIN CARNEY AND JESSE BYRNES
https://thehill.com/policy/finance/422610-senate-adjourns-until-monday-without-taking-action-to-end-shutdown

POLITICO
— Senate adjourns with no sign of shutdown in sight The Senate move, no plans to reconvene until Dec. 27, suggest Washington is settling into a lengthy government shutdown. – HEATHER CAYGLE, BURGESS EVERETT and RACHAEL BADE
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/22/government-shutdown-2018-deal-1074299

NEW YORK TIMES
— Russians Tried, but Were Unable to Compromise Midterm Elections, U.S. Says – Julian E. Barnes
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/us/politics/russia-midterm-election-influence-coates.html
— Government Shutdown to Continue for Days as Senate Adjourns Until Thursday – Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Katie Rogers
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/22/us/politics/shutdown-trump-senate.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “For Trump, ‘a War Every Day,’ Waged Increasingly Alone. At the midpoint of his term, the president has grown more sure of his own judgment and more isolated from anyone else’s than at any point since he took office.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/22/us/politics/trump-two-years.html

WASHINGTON POST
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: “Saving the Dreamers” would result in millions more children being brought into America illegally.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/newt-gingrich-and-donald-graham-fund-the-wall-and-save-the-dreamers/2018/12/22/eb89b756-05f0-11e9-9122-82e98f91ee6f_story.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Government Shutdown Continues as Senate Adjourns Until Thursday Negotiations over a spending deal are expected to continue – Kristina Peterson and Natalie Andrews
https://www.wsj.com/articles/on-day-one-of-shutdown-talks-set-to-resume-over-border-wall-funding-11545496150

WASHINGTON POST
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “A rogue presidency: The era of containing Trump is over.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-rogue-presidency-the-era-of-containing-trump-is-over/2018/12/22/26fc010e-055b-11e9-b5df-5d3874f1ac36_story.html
— Shutdown to stretch on until at least Thursday as Senate adjourns with no deal over budget, Trump’s border wall – Paul Kane and Philip Rucker
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/shutdown-day-1-trump-warns-it-could-be-a-long-stay-amid-impasse-over-border-wall/2018/12/22/006ff10c-060b-11e9-9122-82e98f91ee6f_story.html

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
— Russia’s election trolls found it all too easy to manipulate black voters – Solomon Jones
http://www.philly.com/columnists/russia-election-interference-black-voters-20181219.html

ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION
— When was the last government shutdown? A timeline of US shutdowns – Fiza Pirani (DIERSEN: How have federal government shutdowns impacted you? I was a federal retiree during shutdowns in 2013 and this year. I was an IRS employee during shutdowns in 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979. I was a GAO employee during shutdowns in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1995, and 1996.)
https://www.ajc.com/news/national/when-was-the-last-government-shutdown-timeline-shutdowns/KlN1FLdhfBz9FznrrIBpTI/

GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE
— White House Digs In on Wall Demand, Aims for ‘Painless’ Shutdown – Erich Wagner 3:1
https://www.govexec.com/management/2018/12/white-house-digs-wall-demand-aims-painless-shutdown/153781/

MOTOR ILLUSTRATED
— 2019 Jeep Cherokee vs 2019 Ford Escape Quick Comparison – Matt St-Pierre (DIERSEN: I am considering buying a 2019 Jeep Cherokee Limited or a 2019 Ford Escape Titanium. Which would you recommend and why?)
https://motorillustrated.com/2019-jeep-cherokee-vs-2019-ford-escape-quick-comparison/14968/

December 22 Morning Edition

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Federal shutdown begins; lawmakers fail to reach deal but ‘still talking’ – AP
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/government-shutdown-border-wall-funding-deadline/
— Should the Dan Ryan Expressway be the Barack Obama Expressway? – Alexandra Arriaga (DIERSEN: Have you driven the Dan Ryan? I did 1966-1968 when I commuted to/from my parents’ home in Crete and classes at UIC, first in my 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint and then in my 1968 Oldsmobile 442.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/dan-ryan-expressway-renamed-barack-obama-expressway-bill-daley/

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— Bartonville National Guard unit to deploy to Afghanistan – Andy Kravetz
https://www.pjstar.com/news/20181221/bartonville-national-guard-unit-to-deploy-to-afghanistan

JOURNAL COURIER
— Nearly all counties reportedly dodging work rules for food stamps – Greg Bishop (DIERSEN: The overwhelming reason why hypocritical Republican-haters move to DuPage County is to take advantage of the a) low unemployment, b) prosperity, and c) safety that Republicans created there. What do you say to those hypocritical Republican-haters?)
https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Nearly-all-counties-reportedly-dodging-work-rules-13485900.php
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Last month state officials said they requested a waiver from the federal work requirements for able-bodied adults without kids to get food stamps. The request was for all Illinois counties except DuPage. “All counties in Illinois are included in the waiver request with the exception of DuPage County due to low unemployment rates,” Illinois Department of Human Services spokeswoman Meghan Powers said. More than 1.7 million people in Illinois enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits in August, about 13.2 percent of the state’s population.)

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Jack Franks’ 2000 Campaign Manager Revealed as Researcher for Joe Tirio Smear Pieces
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/21/jack-franks-2000-campaign-manager-revealed-as-researcher-for-je-tirio-smear-pieces/

TOWNHALL
— Trump is Proving to Be One Tough Hombre at the Border – Nicholas Waddy
https://townhall.com/columnists/nicholaswaddy/2018/12/22/trump-is-proving-to-be-one-tough-hombre-at-the-border-n2537955
— I’m Not A Liar: Tempers Flare As DHS Secretary And House Dems Duke It Out Over Trump’s Immigration Agenda – Matt Vespa
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2018/12/21/im-not-a-liar-fireworks-fly-as-dhs-secretary-and-house-dems-duke-it-out-over-tr-n2537891

DAILY CALLER
— TRUDEAU BLAMES TRUMP FOR CANADA’S ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRISIS – David Krayden
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/21/trudeau-blames-trump-for-canadas-illegal-immigrant-crisis/
— HOW THE POLITICAL BLAME GAME WORKED IN 2013 SHUTDOWN VERSUS NOW – Evie Fordham (DIERSEN: Of course, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates in the federal government always blamed Republicans for all negatives. In the organizations that you are/were a member of, who determines/determined which members get/got blamed for negatives? I should write a book about scapegoaters in the Milton Township Republican Central Committee, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, Illinois Republican Party, TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Center Right Coalition, American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter, etc. Of course, they always blame/blamed me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails for all negatives.)
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/21/government-shutdown-2018-2013/

AMERICAN THINKER
— Democrats keep being wrong and keep demanding we believe them – Jack Hellner
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/12/democrats_keep_being_wrong_and_keep_demanding_we_believe_them.html

WORLD NET DAILY
— SENATOR BLOCKS VOTE ON EEOC COMMISSIONER WITH ‘RADICAL VIEWS ON MARRIAGE’ Opposes lesbian member of agency that handles discrimination complaints (DIERSEN: How has EEOC impacted you? What did you want when you were young? I wanted a successful career in the automotive industry. EEOC ended all that in 1971 when I was 22 when Oldsmobile withdrew a job offer that I had accepted saying that it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. That made me unemployed because Firestone had fired me for accepting that offer. I had to get a job fast because I had a financial hardship draft deferment to help support my mother and brother. Because of the aforesaid, I accepted a job offer from IRS.)
https://www.wnd.com/2018/12/senator-blocks-vote-on-eeoc-commissioner-with-radical-views-on-marriage/

— THERE IS SIMPLY NO REASONING WITH FOOLS Joseph Farah tells of run-in with news ‘guardian’ questioning his life’s work
https://www.wnd.com/2018/12/there-is-simply-no-reasoning-with-fools/

FEDERALIST
— How Academia’s Unhealthy Obsession With Diversity Creates Social Unrest A new book by Heather Mac Donald, ‘The Diversity Delusion: How Race and Gender Pandering Corrupt the University and Undermine Our Culture,’ provides evidence and underlines the causes behind campus radicalism to Judge Kavanaugh’s witchhunt. – Sumantra Maitra
https://thefederalist.com/2018/12/21/how-academias-unhealthy-obsession-with-diversity-creates-social-unrest/
— MSNBC Rolls Out Sexist, Anti-Christian Smears Against Female Trump Employees Because these women happen to work for the Trump administration, MSNBC hosts think it’s fair game to mock them in ways they’d scream about if applied to liberal women. – Kelsey Harkness
https://thefederalist.com/2018/12/21/msnbc-rolls-sexist-anti-christian-smears-female-trump-employees/

CANADA FREE PRESS
— With Liberty And Justice For Some There is no doubt that Democrats, liberals, progressives, and socialists will fight until they either achieve their purpose, are defeated, or self-destruct. But, if they win, they will win a broken country. – Ray DiLorenzo
https://canadafreepress.com/article/with-liberty-and-justice-for-some

THE HILL
— Shutdown begins as lawmakers wrestle over Trump’s border wall – JULIEGRACE BRUFKE AND MIKE LILLIS
https://thehill.com/policy/finance/422572-shutdown-set-to-begin-as-lawmakers-wrestle-over-trumps-border-wall

ABC NEWS
— The US Federal Government has shut down for the third time in a year, so what happens next? (DIERSEN: Are/were you an essential employee? If I sought any kind of government or political office, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes would shout that I was a non-essential federal employee who worked for non-essential federal agencies.)
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-22/what-happens-with-the-latest-us-federal-government-shutdown/10664104

NBC NEWS
— A Trump-approved government shutdown is a fitting end to Paul Ryan’s disappointing, hypocritical tenure Throughout his career, neither Ryan’s words nor his results have lined up with his self-image. – Seth Hanlon (DIERSEN: Does what you say and do line up with your self-image? What do you say to activists, to candidates, to elected officials, to party leaders, to major donors, and to political consultants in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois who paint themselves as being religious, conservative, and/or Republican, but who focus on destroying religious, conservative, and Republican individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries?)
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/trump-approved-government-shutdown-fitting-end-paul-ryan-s-disappointing-ncna951176
— As scandals mount, advertisers begin to question Facebook’s value One ad agency chief has said enough is enough, while others are questioning how much consumers trust the social network. – Claire Atkinson
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/all/scandals-mount-advertisers-begin-question-facebook-s-value-n951131

NEW YORK TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A Trump-hater says “Trump Stokes Fears in Pre-Shutdown Video” by declaring “We Need a Great Barrier.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/us/politics/trump-video-border-wall-shutdown.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Trump-haters say “Reliable Allies Refuse to Defend a President Content With Chaos.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/us/politics/donald-trump-syria-government-shutdown.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Tump-haters promote Trump-haters.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/opinion/mattis-resignation-foreign-policy-syria.html
— Where Government Is a Dirty Word, but Its Checks Pay the Bills The residents of Harlan County, Ky., depend heavily on federal assistance. That hasn’t deterred, and may explain, their swing to Republican voting. – Eduardo Porter (DIERSEN: From what I see, in Illinois, overwhelmingly, a) those who depend on federal assistance and b) those who promote federal assistance vote for Democrats.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/business/economy/harlan-county-republican-welfare.html
— ‘Dead Skunk’ Stench From Marijuana Farms Outrages Californians – Thomas Fuller
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/19/us/california-marijuana-stink.html

NEW YORK POST
— Shutdown leaves hundreds of thousands of federal workers in limbo for Christmas – Marisa Schultz and Bob Fredericks (DIERSEN: Do you know anyone who works/worked for the federal government? I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years – almost 3 years for the Post Office 1966-1969, almost 9 years for IRS 1971-1980, and almost 18 years for GAO 1980-1997.)
https://nypost.com/2018/12/22/shutdown-leaves-hundreds-of-thousands-of-federal-workers-in-limbo-for-christmas/

WASHINGTON POST
— Major parts of the federal government begin shutting down for an indefinite closure – Erica Werner and Damian Paletta and John Wagner
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-leans-on-mcconnell-to-pass-spending-bill-with-border-funding-in-senate/2018/12/21/31bb453a-0517-11e9-b5df-5d3874f1ac36_story.html
— Who will Americans blame if the government shuts down? – Scott Clement and Emily Guskin (DIERSEN: Of course, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates in the federal government always blamed Republicans for all negatives. In the organizations that you are/were a member of, who determines/determined which members get/got blamed for negatives? I should write a book about scapegoaters who determine/determined which members get/got blamed for negatives in the Milton Township Republican Central Committee, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, Illinois Republican Party, TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Center Right Coalition, American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter, etc. Of course, they always blame/blamed me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails for all negatives.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/12/21/who-will-americans-blame-if-government-shuts-down/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— U.S. Government Shuts Down Over Border Wall Funding Negotiations between White House officials, congressional leaders to continue Saturday – Natalie Andrews and Kristina Peterson
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-pledges-long-government-shutdown-without-border-wall-funding-11545398044
— ‘The Great War in America’ Review: A Country at War With Itself A great many Americans felt that the war ‘over there’ had little to do with them. Others actively favored opposing sides. – Roger Lowenstein (DIERSEN: My grandfather on my father’s side fought the Germans in WWI.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-great-war-in-america-review-a-country-at-war-with-itself-11545428594
— China Gets Its Message to Americans but Doesn’t Want to Reciprocate Beijing enjoys a big megaphone in America even as it blocks U.S. media outlets, hinders independent scholars and limits U.S. public diplomacy – Orville Schell and Larry Diamond (DIERSEN: Overwhelmingly, my critics/opponents side with China, with Mexico, and with other foreign countries against America.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-gets-its-message-to-americans-but-doesnt-want-to-reciprocate-11545407490

FORBES
— How To Measure The ROI Of Diversity Programs – Janice Gassam (DIERSEN: Democrats use Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion a) to hire, to retain, and to promote young Democrat minorities and young Democrat females, b) to not hire Republicans, and c) to get rid of Republicans, and especially Republicans who are White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2018/12/21/how-to-measure-the-roi-of-diversity-programs/#4566a78624e7
— Facebook Just Keeps On Falling. What Comes Next? – Enrique Dans
https://www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedans/2018/12/21/facebook-just-keeps-on-falling-what-comes-next/#6c5cf17d1bde

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Trump-haters crow about their success in making Evangelicals anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.

https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2018-12-22/surge-at-us-border-pushes-some-evangelicals-to-help-asylum-seekers

GUARDIAN
— It’s the demographics, stupid: party loyalties are shifting as 2020 looms – Lloyd Green (DIERSEN: Those who vote for Democrats 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, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/dec/22/2020-election-republican-democrat-demographics-party-loyalties

December 21 Evening Edition

ABC7
— Government shutdown would ‘last for a very long time,’ Trump says – AP
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/government-shutdown-would-last-for-a-very-long-time-trump-says/4941642/
— US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has surgery to remove malignant growths
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/justice-ginsburg-has-surgery-to-remove-malignant-growths/4943286/

NBC5
— Bill Daley Proposes Re-Naming Dan Ryan Expressway After Barack Obama A stretch of Interstate 55 is already named after the former president
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/barack-obama-dan-ryan-renamed-503354831.html

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— President Trump tells House GOP he won’t sign Senate spending bill to avoid government shutdown – AP
http://www.fox32chicago.com/facebook-instant/trump-lashes-out-as-house-struggles-with-avoiding-shutdown

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Bill Daley wants to rename the Dan Ryan Expressway for former President Barack Obama, his ex-boss – Mike Riopell
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-barack-obama-bill-daley-20181221-story.html
— Chicago mayoral candidate Bill Daley releases limited tax return showing he made $2.5M in 2017, refuses to disclose more – Bill Ruthhart
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-bill-daley-tax-returns-20181221-story.html
— Each day, a plane full of Illinoisans moving to another state – Austin Berg (DIERSEN: Illinois Democrats are overjoyed that those who leave Illinois 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.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/opinion/ct-sta-berg-column-st-1223-story.html

DAILY HERALD
— 400 Illinois National Guard soldiers to deploy to Afghanistan – Eric Peterson
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20181221/400-illinois-national-guard-soldiers-to-deploy-to-afghanistan

HERALD & REVIEW
— ‘It’s a big victory’: Central Illinois farmers among those celebrating $867B farm bill signed by President Trump
https://herald-review.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/it-s-a-big-victory-central-illinois-farmers-among-those/article_3971b049-2918-5911-8bfc-e2d5752eb45c.html

ALTON DAILY NEWS
— Anti-Abortion Group Appeals to Illinois Supreme Court – Cole Lauterbach
http://altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=276598#.XB1s-VxKiM8

WTTW
— Bill Daley Unveils Partial 2017 Tax Returns – Paris Schutz and Amanda Vinicky
https://news.wttw.com/2018/12/21/bill-daley-unveils-partial-2017-tax-returns

WBEZ
— International Students An Increasingly Rare Sight On U.S. College Campuses – Kate McGee
https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/international-students-in-the-us-an-increasingly-rare-sight-on-college-campuses/2392e8bc-cbd5-415f-a76d-f10ba797aa5a

TRI STATE PUBLIC RADIO
— Life after Layoff from WIU – RICH EGGER (DIERSEN: I should write a book about life after being forced to retire when you are 49 years old.)
http://www.tspr.org/post/life-after-layoff-wiu

WEEK
— Rauner names cabinet members to cover for retiring aides
https://week.com/news/illinois-news-from-the-associated-press/2018/12/21/rauner-names-cabinet-members-to-cover-for-retiring-aides/

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— “John Doe,” Claiming to be Part of Illinois Integrity Fund, Asks to Join Case Against Jack Franks’ Ally’s Printer to Seek Minimum Contempt of Court Penalty
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/21/john-doe-claiming-yo-be-part-of-illinois-integrity-fund-asks-to-join-case-against-jack-franks-allys-printer-to-seek-minimum-contempt-of-court-penalty/

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— LAHOOD AND BOST EXPLAIN SUPPORTING $5.7 BILLION FOR THE SOUTHERN BORDER
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2018/12/lahood-and-bost-explain-their-support-for-57-billion-for-the-southern-border.html
— DUCKWORTH TAKES ON SECOND AMENDMENT AND NRA IN NATIONAL OP-ED
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2018/12/duckworth-takes-on-second-amendment-and-nra-in-national-op-ed.html
— IL US SENATORS SHOW NO SIGN OF SUPPORTING BORDER WALL FUNDING, DESPITE DURBIN’S PAST VOTES
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2018/12/il-us-senator-show-no-sign-of-supporting-border-wall-funding-despite-durbins-past-votes.html
— BLACK LEADERSHIP NETWORK HAILS FOOD STAMP REFORM PROPOSAL
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2018/12/black-leadership-network-hails-food-stamp-reform-proposal.html

FOX NEWS
— RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel: Democrats should stop opposing the wall and sensible border security – Ronna McDaniel (DIERSEN: It would be great if Republican state, county, ward, and township party leaders would issue such statements.)
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/rnc-chairwoman-ronna-mcdaniel-democrats-should-stop-opposing-the-wall-and-sensible-border-security

SEAN HANNITY
— John Roberts Sides with Liberal Justices, Upholds Block on Trump’s ‘Asylum Ban’
https://www.hannity.com/media-room/breaking-john-roberts-sides-with-liberal-justices-upholds-block-on-trumps-asylum-ban/

RUSH LIMBAUGH
— A Golden Opportunity for Republicans
https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2018/12/21/a-golden-opportunity-for-republicans/

BREITBART
— Sanders: ‘Sad Day in America’ When Mexico Does More to Protect the Country Than Senate Dems – Trent Baker
https://www.breitbart.com/video/2018/12/21/sanders-sad-day-in-america-when-mexico-does-more-to-protect-americans-than-senate-dems/

TPM
— Trump Affirms He’ll Shut Down Gov Over Wall: ‘Chances Are Probably Very Good’ – Matt Shuham
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-affirms-hell-shutdown-gov-over-wall-chances-are-probably-very-good

TOWNHALL
— President Trump: It’s Up to Democrats Whether We Have a Shutdown; We’re Prepared for a Long One – Katie Pavlich
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2018/12/21/president-trump-its-up-to-democrats-whether-we-have-a-shutdown-n2537936
— Roberts Joins Liberal Wing, SCOTUS Refuses To Allow Trump Administration To Enforce Asylum Ban – Matt Vespa
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2018/12/21/roberts-joins-liberal-wing-scotus-refuses-to-allow-trump-administration-to-enfor-n2537952
— Sen. Rubio Compares Border Security to TSA Airport Security – Zachary Petrizzo
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/zacharypetrizzo/2018/12/21/rubio-compares-border-security-to-tsa-airport-security-n2537923
— Democrats Are Choosing Illegal Aliens Over The American People”
https://townhall.com/columnists/jakehoffman/2018/12/21/democrats-are-choosing-illegal-aliens-over-the-american-people-n2537958

DAILY CALLER
— THE NEW YORK TIMES WAS AGAINST WAR IN SYRIA BEFORE IT WAS FOR IT – Joe Simonson
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/21/new-york-times-editorial-syria/
— ROBERTS JOINS LIBERALS, THWARTS TRUMP BID TO ENFORCE NEW ASYLUM RULES – Kevin Daley
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/21/supreme-court-trump-asylum-rules/
— JUSTICE GINSBURG TOLD AUDIENCE HER HEALTH WAS ‘FINE’ DAYS BEFORE CANCER OPERATION – Kevin Daley
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/21/ginsburg-hid-cancer-diagnosis/

ONE NEWS NOW
— Porous border, asylum policy invited a human tragedy – Chad Groening
https://www.onenewsnow.com/national-security/2018/12/21/porous-border-asylum-policy-invited-a-human-tragedy

CNS NEWS
— Sen. Mike Lee Blocks EEOC Appointee, LGBT Activist Chai Feldblum – Emily Ward (DIERSEN: How has EEOC impacted you? What did you want when you were young? I wanted a successful career in the automotive industry. EEOC ended all that in 1971 when I was 22 when Oldsmobile withdrew a job offer that I had accepted saying that it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. That made me unemployed because Firestone had fired me for accepting that offer. I had to get a job fast because I had a financial hardship draft deferment to help support my mother and brother. Because of the aforesaid, I accepted a job offer from IRS.)
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/emily-ward/sen-mike-lee-blocks-eeoc-appointee-fears-she-could-threaten-religious

AMERICAN THINKER
— The left thumps the Bible to promote illegal immigration – Monica Showalter (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrats hint/imply/argue/shout that GOD hates individuals, hates organizations, hates companies, hates governments, and hates countries that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. Ever-increasingly, Democrats hint/imply/argue/shout that GOD wants poverty, crime, welfare, dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, diminishment of First or Second Amendment rights, booze, gambling, pot, or other vices, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, or retaliation.)
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/12/the_left_thumps_the_bible_to_promote_illegal_immigration.html

HOT AIR
— Roberts Thwarts Trump, Sides With SCOTUS Liberals To Deny Stay In Key Asylum Case
https://hotair.com/archives/2018/12/21/roberts-thwarts-trump-sides-scotus-liberals-deny-stay-key-asylum-case/
— Mexico Goes Along With Trump’s Caravan Plan – JAZZ SHAW
https://hotair.com/archives/2018/12/21/mexico-goes-along-trumps-caravan-plan/

REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— McConnell: Senate Should Put National Interest Ahead Of “Personal Spite” For The President – Tim Hains
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2018/12/21/mcconnell_senate_should_put_national_interest_ahead_of_spite_for_president.html

WORLD NET DAILY
— TRIPLE-AMPUTEE VET’S WALL FUND HITS $11.5 MILLION Nearly 200,000 Americans put up cash to build it!
https://www.wnd.com/2018/12/veteran-starts-crowdfunding-for-border-wall/

— JUDGE: DEPORTED ILLEGALS MUST BE FLOWN BACK INTO U.S. U.S. agreed in 1980 to implement U.N’s rules on refugees
https://www.wnd.com/2018/12/judge-deported-illegals-must-be-flown-back-into-u-s/
— SENATOR BLOCKS VOTE ON EEOC COMMISSIONER WITH ‘RADICAL VIEWS ON MARRIAGE’ Opposes lesbian member of agency that handles discrimination complaints (DIERSEN: How has EEOC impacted you? What did you want when you were young? I wanted a successful career in the automotive industry. EEOC ended all that in 1971 when I was 22 when Oldsmobile withdrew a job offer that I had accepted saying that it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. That made me unemployed because Firestone had fired me for accepting that offer. I had to get a job fast because I had a financial hardship draft deferment to help support my mother and brother. Because of the aforesaid, I accepted a job offer from IRS.)
https://www.wnd.com/2018/12/senator-blocks-vote-on-eeoc-commissioner-with-radical-views-on-marriage/

ROLL CALL
— Hammered by Conservatives, Trump Pivots to ‘Principles’ and Chaos When Trump is in trouble he incites base and distracts from bad news, expert says: ‘A shutdown is two for two’ – John Bennett
https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/hammered-by-conservatives-trump-pivots-to-principles-and-chaos

NEW YORK TIMES
— GoFundMe Campaign to Build Border Wall Raises Millions, Riles Migrant Advocates – Dan Levin
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/us/gofundme-wall-border-border-mexico.html
— The Mexican Border as Refugee Camp The Trump administration plans to send asylum seekers back to Mexico. What will happen to them there? – Ioan Grillo
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/opinion/the-mexican-border-as-refugee-camp.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Partial government shutdown assured after House adjourns without spending deal – Erica Werner, Damian Paletta and John Wagner
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-leans-on-mcconnell-to-pass-spending-bill-with-border-funding-in-senate/2018/12/21/31bb453a-0517-11e9-b5df-5d3874f1ac36_story.html

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— Migrant caravan in Tijuana hunkers down for the long haul – ANDREA CASTILLO
https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-migrant-caravan-jobs-20181214-htmlstory.html

FORBES
— Are You Selling Your Experience Or Demonstrating Your Value? – Grace Totoro (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those who have focused on demonizing, denigrating, and condemning the experience that I gained a) working for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently, $81,071-$91,880/year, b) working for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 levels, currently $96,403-$125,325/year, c) passing the CPA examination on my first attempt and passing the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt, d) earning a bachelor’s degree in management and master’s degrees in business, accounting, and finance, and e) serving on the Association of Government Accountants Chicago Chapter Executive Committee for 13 years.)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/12/21/are-you-selling-your-experience-or-demonstrating-your-value/#45d75ff96afd

FEDERAL NEWS NETWORK
— Congressman brushes off idea of feds living paycheck to paycheck – Eric White
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/federal-newscast/2018/12/congressman-brushes-off-idea-of-federal-workers-living-paycheck-to-paycheck/

FED SMITH
— Shutdowns Are Part of What Federal Employees ‘Sign Up For’ – Ian Smith
https://www.fedsmith.com/2018/12/21/shutdowns-part-federal-employees-sign/

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— What campaign promises do you want candidates to make and keep? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

(THE ARTICLE: I want candidates to make and keep the following campaign promises:

– To defend and advance all the planks in the Republican Party Platform and in the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) platform,

– To especially defend and advance the traditional family, right to life, immigration, and Second Amendment planks in the IRP platform,

– To especially defend and advance the illegal drugs and equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks in the Republican Party platform, and

– To take no action that promotes poverty, crime, welfare, dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, diminishment of First or Second Amendment rights, booze, gambling, pot, or other vices, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, or retaliation.)

December 21 Morning Edition

NORTHWEST HERALD
— Is the McHenry County GOP imploding? Some say party must rebuild Some Republican officeholders say party must rebuild – ED KOMENDA
https://www.nwherald.com/2018/12/19/is-the-mchenry-county-gop-imploding-some-say-party-must-rebuild/a9jduy0/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Chicago election board votes to refer nominating petition question in 13th Ward race to federal, county prosecutors – Gregory Pratt
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-david-krupa-marty-quinn-challenge-20181220-story.html
— Start an online post, then delete it? Many websites save it anyway. – Drew Harwell
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-websites-recording-deleted-data-20181219-story.html
— U.S. Rep. Gutierrez releases videos, asks for help identifying man shown threatening Logan Square staff – Elvia Malagon (DIERSEN: When will the Chicago Tribune report on what Gutierrez said about The Wall?)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-gutierrez-logan-square-police-20181220-story.html
— Washington shutdown strife reawakens Wall Street’s debt-ceiling dread – Bloomberg
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-government-shutdown-wall-street-20181221-story.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Chaos. Confusion. Confrontation: No Christmas cheer as Trump rattles Washington – Lynn Sweet
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/chaos-confusion-confrontation-no-christmas-cheer-donald-trump-rattles-washington/
— Most volunteers who got signatures for embattled Ald. Burke can’t vote for him – Tim Novak and Carlos Ballesteros
https://chicago.suntimes.com/?post_type=cst_article&p=1572334

DAILY HERALD
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Trump-haters say “Media is tougher on Trump because he fabricates more than his predecessors.”
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20181221/cokie-and-steve-roberts-media-is-tougher-on-trump-because-he-fabricates-more-than-his-predecessors
— Prairie State’s Low Income Tax Clinic receives $100,000 from IRS (DIERSEN: Who do you know who works/worked for IRS? I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $81,071-$91,880. Who do you know who works/worked on audits of IRS? I worked for GAO on audits of IRS for 3 years at the GS-12 Step 1-3 levels, currently $96,403-$102,830. I should write a book about those who have done the most to waste my knowledge of IRS. They include my Democrat IRS and GAO superiors, my Republican U.S. Senators, my Republican U.S. Representatives, and their staffs.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/submitted/20181219/prairie-states-low-income-tax-clinic-receives-100000-from-irs

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps glorify and praise “Undocumented immigrant couple sentenced to time served for using fake ID to work.”
https://www.sj-r.com/news/20181220/undocumented-immigrant-couple-sentenced-to-time-served-for-using-fake-id-to-work

SOUTHERN
— Assessing Rauner’s legacy as governor – Dan McCaleb
https://thesouthern.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-dan-mccaleb-assessing-rauner-s-legacy-as-governor/article_54bf834a-df85-52e1-b7d9-46d2bf41eba5.html

WQAD
— AS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY’S STRANGLEHOLD ON ILLINOIS TIGHTENS: Illinois population falls for fifth straight year with decline of 45,000 (DIERSEN: To vote for a Democrat is to vote to get rid of individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older people, non-poor, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. In my precinct, in the November 6, 2018 election, 196 voted for Casten, that is, 196 voted to get rid of me.)
https://wqad.com/2018/12/20/illinois-population-falls-for-fifth-straight-year-with-decline-of-45000/

QUAD CITIES ONLINE
— Slashing townships wouldn’t cut taxes – Chuck Layer, supervisor, Blackhawk Township
https://qconline.com/opinion/letters/letter-slashing-townships-wouldn-t-cut-taxes/article_f4950d06-63c1-56d4-8323-28298a6280ed.html
— AS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY’S STRANGLEHOLD ON ILLINOIS TIGHTENS: People moving out of Illinois lowers state to 6th largest
https://qconline.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/people-moving-out-of-illinois-lowers-state-to-th-largest/article_6543efe9-ac96-5925-9312-33aebe67c99f.html

MDJ ONLINE
— Even with low unemployment, nearly all Illinois counties dodge work rules for food stamps – Greg Bishop (DIERSEN: If/when pot is legalized in Illinois, how many millions of Illinois residents will become stoners so that they can be disabled and not have to work?)
https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/extra/news/even-with-low-unemployment-nearly-all-illinois-counties-dodge-work/article_ae07ade2-5957-501b-b0eb-b21d4dafbf4d.html

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— AS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY’S STRANGLEHOLD ON ILLINOIS TIGHTENS: The SHRINKING congressional delegation – Shia Kapos
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/12/21/redistricting-at-lincoln-levels-rauner-not-giving-up-pritzkers-team-tracking-tickets-368498
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Rauner sends thank-you letters to state employees. Any thank-you letters that Bowsher may have sent to GAO employees would have gone to those GAO employees who did the most to help him get rid of GAO’s employees like me who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who GAO had not promoted to 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.)
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/12/21/redistricting-at-lincoln-levels-rauner-not-giving-up-pritzkers-team-tracking-tickets-368498
— Candidate In 45th Ward Had Order Of Protection Issued Against Him Last Year By Ex-Girlfriend
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/12/21/redistricting-at-lincoln-levels-rauner-not-giving-up-pritzkers-team-tracking-tickets-368498

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— The Tight Noose of Leaders – Mike Madigan and Jack Franks
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/20/the-tight-noose-of-leaders/

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— AS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY’S STRANGLEHOLD ON ILLINOIS TIGHTENS: EACH DAY, A PLANE FULL OF ILLINOISANS MOVING TO ANOTHER STATE It’s the fifth year in a row Illinois has lost people. And the fifth year in a row that the loss has gotten worse. No other state finds itself adrift in five consecutive years of worsening population decline. – Austin Berg
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/each-day-a-plane-full-of-illinoisans-moving-to-another-state/

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— WATCH: ILLINOIS CONGRESSMAN STORMS OUT OF HEARING AFTER CLAIMING TRUMP WOULD’VE HELPED KILL BABY JESUS
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2018/12/watch-illinois-congressman-storms-out-of-hearing-after-claiming-trump-wouldve-helped-kill-baby-jesus.html
— FEDERAL PROSECUTORS ARE NOW OBTAINING GUILTY PLEAS FOR THINGS THAT ARE NOT CRIMES.
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2018/12/federal-prosecutors-are-now-obtaining-guilty-pleas-for-things-that-are-not-crimes.html

FOX NEWS
— Is That From the ‘Book of Obama’?: Tucker Blasts Gutierrez for Saying Trump Wall Would’ve Killed Jesus Christ (DIERSEN: According to Democrats, Gutierrez speaks for all Hispanics. In your neighborhood, in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois, how many of the Trump-haters agree with Gutierrez? What will those Trump-haters do to get rid of Trump and his supporters once and for all?)
http://insider.foxnews.com/2018/12/20/luis-gutierrez-slams-nielsen-says-trump-border-wall-would-kill-jesus

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Gutierrez: Trump’s border policies would have killed Jesus – Jessica Chasmar
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/dec/20/luis-gutierrez-trumps-border-policies-would-have-k/

TOWNHALL
— Gutierrez Says Trump Administration Would Have Killed Baby Jesus – Lauretta Brown
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/laurettabrown/2018/12/20/rep-gutierrez-says-trump-administration-would-have-killed-baby-jesus-n2537883

WORLD NET DAILY
— Gutierrez: TRUMP’S BORDER POLICIES WOULD HAVE KILLED JESUS ‘Thank God there wasn’t a wall that stopped him from seeking refuge in Egypt’
https://www.wnd.com/2018/12/congressman-trumps-border-policies-would-have-killed-jesus/

GOPUSA
— Gutierrez: Trump’s border policies would have killed Jesus
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=61476

CONSERVATIVE HQ
— Trump Keeps His Promise – Congress In Disbelief
http://www.conservativehq.com/node/29357

THE HILL
— Bobby Rush calls on Facebook to fire Zuckerberg – TAL AXELROD (DIERSEN: GAO works for Congress. I would not be surprised at all to learn that Bobby Rush directed my GAO superiors a) to force me to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old, b) to give me unfair performance expectations and appraisals, c) to always rank me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, and d) to not promote me beyond GS-13.)
https://thehill.com/policy/technology/technology/422202-dem-rep-calls-on-facebook-to-fire-zuckerberg

CNS NEWS
— Gutierrez: Trump’s Border Wall Would Have Killed the Baby Jesus – Craig Bannister
https://www.cnsnews.com/blog/craig-bannister/rep-gutierrez-trumps-border-wall-would-have-killed-baby-jesus

RUSH LIMBAUGH
— Unhinged Gutierrez Rants About Trump Killing the Baby Jesus
https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2018/12/20/unhinged-gutierrez-rants-about-trump-killing-the-baby-jesus/

DAILY WIRE
— Gutierrez Storms Out Of Hearing After Claiming Trump Would’ve Helped Kill Baby Jesus – RYAN SAAVEDRA
https://www.dailywire.com/news/39560/democrat-says-trump-wouldve-been-responsible-ryan-saavedra

NEW YORK TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An America-hater says “None of Us Deserve Citizenship” and asks “On what moral grounds can we deny others rights, privileges and opportunities that we did not earn ourselves?” The more of the following that you are, the more that America-haters want to get rid of you once and for all: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, draft avoider, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. Ever-increasingly, the aforesaid are buying firearms and ammunition for their self-defense.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/opinion/sunday/immigration-border-policy-citizenship.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Pope Francis tells priests guilty of sexual abuse that the church won’t shield them. ‘Hand yourself over to human justice.’ (DIERSEN: Democrat superiors in the federal government make it very clear to their supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates that they will be shielded if they discriminate against federal employees who are Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who did not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/world/wp/2018/12/21/pope-francis-tells-priests-guilty-of-sexual-abuse-that-the-church-wont-shield-them-hand-yourself-over-to-human-justice/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Lawyers Have Rights, Too In 18 states, they’re forced to pay fees to politicized bar associations. – Jacob Huebert and Timothy Sandefur
https://www.wsj.com/articles/lawyers-have-rights-too-11545350433
— FRONT PAGE: ‘Just Unbearable.’ Booming Job Market Can’t Fill the Retirement Shortfall Nearly eight million older Americans are out of work or stuck in low-quality jobs, denying them a crucial time to accumulate savings – Ruth Simon
https://www.wsj.com/articles/even-a-booming-job-market-cant-fill-retirement-shortfall-for-older-workers-11545326195
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Even though the official unemployment rate is just 3% for older workers, the actual jobs environment is surprisingly bleak. Nearly eight million older Americans are out of work or stuck in low-quality jobs that offer little opportunity to prepare for retirement, a Wall Street Journal analysis of government data shows. At Risk Nearly eight million older Americans are out of work or stuck in low-quality jobs that offer little opportunity to prepare for retirement. The figures include the nearly 2.1 million Americans who are out of work, working part time because they can’t find a full-time job or have stopped looking because they don’t think anyone will hire them. Another 5.8 million Americans—or 23% of full-time, year-round workers ages 55 and older—are employed in what economists describe as “bad jobs” that offer no health benefits and typically pay poorly. A decade ago, about 20% held these jobs, according to census data compiled by the Minnesota Population Center.)

USA TODAY
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: The maker of Budweiser is partnering with Tilray to explore pot-infused drinks – Ben Tobin
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/12/20/budweiser-maker-partners-tilray-explore-pot-infused-drinks/2373429002/
— Poll: Americans can agree that the nation is divided. Beyond that, they don’t agree on much. – Susan Page and Bill Theobald
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/20/poll-democrats-republicans-agree-us-divided-worry-trump-health-border-issues/2349589002/
— Facebook’s really bad, horrible 2018 can only improve next year, right? – Jefferson Graham
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2018/12/19/facebooks-really-bad-2018-can-only-improve-2019-right/2364211002/

ATLANTIC
— What the President Could Do If He Declares a State of Emergency From seizing control of the internet to declaring martial law, President Trump may legally do all kinds of extraordinary things. – ELIZABETH GOITEIN (DIERSEN: Obviously, Trump-haters want Trump to declare a state of emergency.)
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/01/presidential-emergency-powers/576418/

FCW
— Will Democrats revive the Office of Technology Assessment in 2019? – Chase Gunter (DIERSEN: In 1997, I was a “casualty of Republican cost-cutting.”)
https://fcw.com/articles/2018/12/07/2019outlook-ota-revival-gunter.aspx
(FROM THE ARTICLE: From 1972 to 1995, the Congressional office provided scientific and technological advice to lawmakers, penning more than 750 studies and, at its peak, supporting 140 staffers with a budget exceeding $30 million in today’s dollars. When Newt Gingrich was Speaker of the House, the office became a casualty of Republican cost-cutting. . .One alternative emerging among conservatives is to increase resources to offices with technological focuses that already receive funding, like the Government Accountability Office’s IT oversight arm. “There is this sort of natural skepticism of expert bureaucracies and the optics of recreating a new federal agency,” said Graves, who has also worked at R Street and Cato Institutes. “Republicans are going to be much naturally more favorable to doing this in GAO rather than OTA.” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who led this year’s Senate-side push to revive OTA, isn’t limiting the path for improving tech capacity in Congress just to OTA. Keith Chu, Wyden’s press spokesperson, said the senator will look at a range of options to bring tech expertise to Congress, “whether it’s through reviving the OTA, giving GAO additional resources, or encouraging programs like TechCongress fellowships.” But boosting funding for GAO without bringing back an agency with OTA’s mission comes with downsides, because the two have fundamentally distinct visions, said Schuman. “GAO is an agency that has a waste, fraud and abuse mission — that is the organizational culture approach, that is the way they think about things,” he said. “OTA is often about imagining what’s possible and not criticizing what currently exists.”)

GOVERNING
— All or Nothing: How State Politics Became a Winner-Take-All World – ALAN GREENBLATT
http://www.governing.com/topics/politics/gov-state-politics-governors-2019.html

SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS
— We’re in this together
https://www.spj.org/together.asp
(FROM THE POSTING: The Society of Professional Journalists is troubled by the continued layoffs and buyouts in journalism. Our members are the lifeblood of our organization, and it has been painful to watch as many of our friends, perhaps you, have lost their jobs as a result of dramatic industry changes. As the nation’s oldest professional journalism organization, we stand with you during these trying times, and we thank you for your vigilance in pursuit of truth.)

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— What do those who want Republicans to lose want Republican party leaders to do? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

(THE ARTICLE: What percent of those individuals, organizations, and companies that are leaving Illinois, leaving DuPage County, and leaving Milton Township 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 – 98%, 99%, 100%?

Political parties exist to help elect candidates who can and will defend their platform. Those who want dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation, and even worse things ALWAYS VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS.

QUESTION: What do Democrats and Democrat plants, Libertarians and Libertarian plants, Greens and Green plants, and RINOs in Illinois, in DuPage County, and in Milton Township want Republican party leaders to do?

ANSWER: They want the Illinois Republican Party (IRP), DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and the Milton Township Republican Central Committee to downplay, to ignore, if not to strike the traditional family, right to life, immigration, and Second Amendment planks in the IRP platform and the illegal drugs and equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks in the Republican Party platform. They know that downplaying, ignoring, and striking the aforesaid planks will drive individuals, organizations, and companies out of Illinois that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, gun owners, German American, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.

Further, those who want Republicans to lose want Republican party leaders to promote dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation.

Further, those who want Republicans to lose want Republican party leaders to banish individuals, organizations, companies, and governments that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, gun owners, German American, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)

December 20 Evening Edition

DONALD TRUMP
— Democrats, it is time to come together and put the SAFETY of the AMERICAN PEOPLE before POLITICS. Border security must become a #1 priority!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1075870519046610945

ABC7
— Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to step down after clashes with Trump – AP
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/defense-secretary-mattis-leaving-after-clashes-with-trump/4938018/
— Trump defends move to risk government shutdown – AP
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/trump-defends-move-to-risk-government-shutdown/4935197/
— Trump pushing rule making work mandatory for food stamps – AP
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/trump-proposes-rule-requiring-job-for-food-stamps/4937976/
— GoFundMe for Trump’s border wall has raised more than $6M
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/gofundme-for-trumps-border-wall-has-raised-more-than-$6m/4935637/

NBC5
— NBC 5 Sues for Documents From Federal Raids on Ald. Burke’s Offices The lawsuit follows the denial of a request to release search warrants and subpoenas – Carol Marin and Don Moseley
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/nbc-5-goes-to-court-seeking-documents-from-federal-raid-on-ald-burke-503246421.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Pritzker names three heavy-hitting deputy governors but mum on salaries – Tina Sfondeles
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/pritzker-announces-heavy-hitters-deputy-governor-positions/
— U.S. says asylum-seeking migrants to wait in Mexico – AP
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/asylum-migrants-mexico-us-border/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— The abuse scandal: Next steps for Madigan and the church – Editorial
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-sexual-abuse-catholic-priests-chicago-archdiocese-20181220-story.html
— Trump administration moves to tighten work requirements for food stamps – AP
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-food-stamps-snap-work-requirements-20181220-story.html

DAILY HERALD
— Pritzker should set goal of making tollway more patronage-proof – Editorial (DIERSEN: All my critics/opponents, all their operatives, and all their dupes promote patronage and reject the decision in Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois (SEE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_v._Republican_Party_of_Illinois and http://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/13/us/seeking-return-to-ways-of-patronage-in-politics.html). My Democrat IRS and GAO superiors treated me like I was part of a plot to stop them from hiring, retaining, and promoting young Democrat minorities and young Democrat females. They knew that my wife had helped elect Jim Thompson. They were fully aware of the arguments that Thompson and Jim Edgar made in Rutan that government employers should be allowed to engage in political affiliation discrimination.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20181220/editorial-pritzker-should-set-goal-of-making-tollway-more-patronage-proof
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: Today, we share our ideas for true tollway reform: Reduce political hiring. Patronage hiring is permitted in too many jobs, which are called “Rutan-exempt” in Illinois legal shorthand. That allowed the tollway to flood the agency with highly-paid top Republican insiders. More of these jobs needs to be designated as patronage free so they go to the most qualified, not the most connected.)

ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
— Pritzker assembles strong team to make Illinois a winner – Editorial
https://www.rrstar.com/opinion/20181220/our-view-pritzker-assembles-strong-team-to-make-illinois-winner

FOX ILLINOIS
— Trump tells GOP leaders he won’t sign bill to avoid shutdown – AP
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/speaker-ryan-says-trump-will-not-sign-bill-to-keep-government-open
— Mattis leaving as Pentagon chief after clashes with Trump – AP
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/trump-announces-defense-secretary-mattis-to-retire-in-february

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Algonquin Township Road District Levy Drama – Cal Skinner
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/20/algonquin-township-road-district-levy-drama/
— Algonquin Township Board to Undo Damage Done by Previous Refusals to Approve Road District Levy
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/20/algonquin-township-board-to-undo-damage-done-by-refusal-to-approve-road-district-levy/
— Appellate Court Denies Jack Franks’ Ally’s Printer’s Appeal to Stop Illinois Integrity Fund Identification Process
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/20/appellate-court-denies-jack-franks-allys-printers-appeal-to-stop-illinois-integrity-identification-process/

CAPITOL FAX
— Reader comments closed until January 7th (DIERSEN: We are in a 12-hour news cycle. Ever-increasingly, people are busy, and they do not have time to read news and commentary articles that are more than 12 hours old. Overwhelmingly, since 2015, news and commentary articles linked in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails have been less than 12 hours old. GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails have gone out each and every morning and each and every evening since 2015. They went out every morning 2005-2015. Those emails have included links to more than 320,600 news and commentary articles.)
https://capitolfax.com/2018/12/20/reader-comments-closed-until-january-7th/

FOX NEWS
— Gutierrez: Trump’s Border Wall Would Have Gotten Jesus Killed as Herod Intended
http://insider.foxnews.com/2018/12/20/luis-gutierrez-slams-nielsen-says-trump-border-wall-would-kill-jesus

BREITBART
— Luis Gutierrez: Trump Would Have Killed Jesus with Inhumane Border Policies – Pam Key
https://www.breitbart.com/video/2018/12/20/luis-gutierrez-trump-would-have-killed-jesus-with-inhumane-border-policies/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Trump’s veto threat pays off: House approves $5.7B for border wall – Susan Ferrechio
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/trumps-veto-threat-pays-off-house-approves-5-7b-for-border-wall

DAILY CALLER
— E-VERIFY — THE IMMIGRATION SOLUTION CONGRESS IS LOOKING FOR – Ken Blackwell
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/20/e-verify-solution-to-immigration/
— TRUMP MOVES TOWARDS SHUTDOWN OVER WALL FUNDING – Saagar Enjeti
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/20/trump-shutdown-wall/
— GOFUNDME FOR TRUMP’S BORDER WALL SURPASSES $5 MILLION IN LESS THAN FOUR DAYS – Jason Hopkins
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/20/border-wall-gofundme-millions/

EAGLE ACTION REPORT
— Rand Paul: ‘The Deep State Needs More Oversight’ – Sean Moran (DIERSEN: All my critics/opponents, all their operatives, and all their dupes promote patronage and reject the decision in Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois (SEE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_v._Republican_Party_of_Illinois and http://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/13/us/seeking-return-to-ways-of-patronage-in-politics.html). My Democrat IRS and GAO superiors treated me like I was a member of the deep state, that I was part of a plot to stop them from hiring, retaining, and promoting young Democrat minorities and young Democrat females. They knew that my wife had helped elect Jim Thompson. They were fully aware of the arguments that Thompson and Jim Edgar made in Rutan that government employers should be allowed to engage in political affiliation discrimination.)
https://eagleactionreport.com/articles/rand-paul-the-deep-state-needs-more-oversight
— Will We Ever Get A Wall? – Derek Hunter
https://eagleactionreport.com/articles/will-we-ever-get-a-wall

CAMPUS REFORM
— 5 most politically biased courses of 2018 – Grace Gottschling
https://www.campusreform.org/?ID=11665

NEW AMERICAN
— Immigrationists Try to Wreck Tucker Carlson as Illegals Wreck Our Land – Selwyn Duke
https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/immigration/item/30971-immigrationists-try-to-wreck-tucker-carlson-as-illegals-wreck-our-land

NATIONAL REVIEW
— Mexico Is Building Its Wall — and the U.S. Is Paying for It – KEVIN D. WILLIAMSON
https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/12/mexico-border-security-us-foreign-aid-good-idea/

CNN
— GUTIERREZ CALLS TRUMP OFFICIAL KIRSTJEN NIELSEN ‘LIAR,’ STORMS OUT
https://www.wthitv.com/content/national/503264361.html

NEW YORK TIMES
— Planned Parenthood Is Accused of Mistreating Pregnant Employees – Natalie Kitroeff and Jessica Silver-Greenberg
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/business/planned-parenthood-pregnant-employee-discrimination-women.html
— For American Workers, 4 Key Retirement Issues to Watch in 2019 – Mark Miller
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/business/retirement-pensions-social-security-2019.html

December 18 Morning Edition

ABC7
— New Laws 2019: Illinois laws that take effect January 1
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/new-laws-2019-illinois-laws-that-start-january-1/4918510/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— New Senator Yadav “Nick” Nathwani seeks input from residents
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/elmhurst/community/chi-ugc-article-new-senator-seeks-input-from-residents-2018-12-17-story.html
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Pot pushers push pot.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/opinion/ct-lns-selle-marijuana-st-1218-story.html
— Paging all prosecutors to Chicago’s 13th Ward – Editorial
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-madigan-quinn-chicago-alderman-13th-ward-corrupt-20181217-story.html

DAILY HERALD
— Take commuter tax off the table – Editorial
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20181218/editorial-take-commuter-tax-off-the-table

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Pot pushers push pot.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/manufacturing/when-baggie-just-wont-do-packaging-age-legal-pot

NEWS CHANNEL 20
— Illinois among the most financially unprepared states in U.S. – Rachel Droze (DIERSEN: Should all candidates for government and political offices be required to prove that they are financially prepared for their retirement? According to some financial advisors, if you are not on track to have at least $1,000,000 when you retire, you are not financially prepared. SEE: https://www.fool.com/retirement/2018/10/14/why-1-million-may-not-be-enough-to-retire-comforta.aspx)
https://newschannel20.com/news/local/report-illinois-among-the-most-financially-unprepared-states-in-us

WGEM
— Quincy aldermen vote to raise property taxes
https://wgem.com/2018/12/17/quincy-aldermen-vote-to-raise-property-taxes/

WREX
— Rockford approves new commission to battle discrimination (DIERSEN: The more of the following demographics that you have, the more that Democrats demonize you, denigrate you, and condemn you as being a discriminator: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, draft avoider, and if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://wrex.com/category/2018/12/17/rockford-approves-new-commission-to-battle-discrimination/

KANE COUNTY CONNECTS
— REFERENDUMS, MAYORAL, SCHOOL BOARD CONTESTS TAKE SHAPE FOR APRIL 2 ELECTION
http://kanecountyconnects.com/2018/12/referendums-mayoral-school-board-contests-take-shape-for-april-2-election/

ONE ILLINOIS
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: DIERSEN HEADLINE: Pot pushers push pot.
https://www.oneillinois.com/stories/2018/12/17/legal-cannabis

CITY CLUB OF CHICAGO
— VIDEO: Christmas with Rich Miller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE7-GzPEW4Q

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Jeanne Ives is back. The conservative state lawmaker who lost the 2018 primary race to Gov. Bruce Rauner, is now championing David Krupa—the kid candidate in the 13th Ward aldermanic race. That’s right. Ives has emailed supporters asking that they donate to the 19-year-old running against veteran alderman Marty Quinn, a friend and ally of House Speaker Mike Madigan. Ives sees this as a David v. Goliath race after learning Quinn supporters filed some 3,000 affidavits to revoke signatures for Krupa—even though he only collected 1,700 names. “I am sending this to my entire statewide email list and beyond. And I am asking all of you to send this guy $10 to keep his fight going against the Madigan Machine,” Ives says in her email. She links to stories in the Tribune, which feature Krupa as a little guy trying to beat the establishment. Ives’ email doesn’t mention yesterday’s POLITICO story detailing Krupa’s backstory. A year ago, he had an order of protection against him to stay away from his former girlfriend. – SHIA KAPOS and ADRIENNE HURST
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/12/18/mendozas-plan-for-underused-schools-ives-rallies-for-kid-candidate-preckwinkle-to-donate-burke-monies-366110

WIREPOINTS
— Flashback to 1994 reveals Edgar’s ramp up of Illinois pension crisis – Ted Dabrowski
https://www.wirepoints.com/flashback-to-1994-reveals-ramp-up-of-illinois-pension-crisis/
— “Illinois true retirement costs would consume 50% of the budget. In most states, it’s 15%” – Ted Dabrowski
https://www.wirepoints.com/illinois-true-retirement-costs-would-consume-50-of-the-budget-in-most-states-its-15-ted-on-wjpf/

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Treasurer of McHenry County Republican Party Resigns
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/17/treasurer-of-mchenry-county-republican-party-resigns/
— Pam Althoff Wins Township Officials of Illinois President’s Award
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/16/pam-althoff-wins-township-officials-of-illinois-presidents-award/

ILLINOIS CONSERVATIVE UNION
— Conservatives Letter to Santa
http://www.ilpac.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/121618-Release_Santa-Letter.pdf

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Judge’s ruling could make government shutdown even more costly – Stephen Dinan and David Sherfinski (DIERSEN: Of course, since 1966 when I was 18 years old and became a federal employee, I have been demonized, denigrated, and condemned as being a nonessential, worthless, and overpaid federal employee. In my defense, I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/dec/17/government-shutdown-threatens-federal-employees-ho/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: More than 400,000 essential government employees could be forced to stay on the job throughout a government shutdown — even if they’d already planned to take holiday vacations. A quirk of federal law says paid leave is considered government spending, and since no unauthorized spending can happen during a funding lapse, no one can take vacation. The silver lining, though, is that government workers could be eligible for double pay should the shutdown last long enough to make them miss a paycheck, thanks to a federal judge’s ruling earlier this decade. Those are just some of the factors in what could be one of the weirder government shutdowns in memory.)

BREITBART
— Democrat Reps., Lawyers Escort Caravan Migrants Across the Border – Neil Munro
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/18/democrat-reps-lawyers-escort-migrants-across-the-border/
— Democrats Funded ‘Wall’ Under Bush, Obama–Refuse Same Barrier to Trump – John Binder
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/17/democrats-funded-wall-under-bush-obama-refuse-same-barrier-to-trump/
— Business Group: Labor Shortages in Trump’s Economy Boost Blue-Collar Voters – Neil Munro
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/17/business-group-labor-shortages-in-trumps-economy-boost-blue-collar-voters/

TOWNHALL
— Mexico Has a Plan to Deter Illegal Aliens From Flocking to the United States. Here’s What It Entails. – Beth Baumann
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/bethbaumann/2018/12/17/mexico-has-a-plan-to-deter-illegal-aliens-from-flocking-to-the-united-states-her-n2537660

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE
— VISA/MASTERCARD AND THE ASSAULT ON CIVIL RIGHTS – Wallace Nunn
https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/272269/visamastercard-and-assault-civil-rights-wallace-nunn

CNS NEWS
— ICE: 158,581 Illegals Arrested in FY2018; Those Arrested Had 1,641 Homicide Convictions, 1,294 Kidnap Convictions – Michael W. Chapman
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/michael-w-chapman/ice-2018-158581-illegal-aliens-arrested-including-1294-kidnappers

ACCURACY IN ACADEMIA
— OUTRAGEOUS: University of Illinois Department Calls Abolishing ICE – Malcolm A. Kline
https://www.academia.org/university-of-illinois-department-calls-abolishing-ice/

WORLD NET DAILY
— 10 REASONS OBAMA WAS THE WORST PRESIDENT — EVER – Larry Tomczak
https://www.wnd.com/2018/12/10-reasons-obama-was-the-worst-president-ever/
— NEW YORK AG HOPES TO DESTROY TRUMP Mychal Massie claims Letitia James doing the bidding of her ‘white handlers’
https://www.wnd.com/2018/12/new-york-ag-hopes-to-destroy-trump/

COLLEGE FIX
— University of Southern California trustees bless decision to dump business dean for ‘lack of diversity’ – GREG PIPER (DIERSEN: While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, my superiors were always in danger of being dumped a) if they did not hire, retain, and promote enough young Democrat minorities and young Democrat females and b) if they did not get rid of enough 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.)
https://www.thecollegefix.com/usc-trustees-bless-decision-to-dump-business-dean-for-lack-of-diversity/

ASSOCIATED PRESS
— Inmate says his religion entitles him to smoke marijuana in prison
https://fox17.com/news/nation-world/inmate-says-his-religion-entitles-him-to-smoke-marijuana-in-prison

CBS NEWS
— How I tried and failed to quit Google – DAN PATTERSON
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-i-tried-and-failed-to-quit-google/

CNN
— The real problem with the American auto industry – Chris Isidore
https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/17/economy/us-auto-plant-glut/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: SUVs are suddenly popular Consumers’ changing tastes have also contributed to the supply glut. The relatively sudden shift in car buyers’ preferences from traditional sedans to SUVs and trucks has left some of the plants building cars with way more capacity than they need to satisfy demand. Some SUV plants are actually straining for capacity. Some auto plants have changed from cars to SUVs or trucks. Ford took a plant that had made the Ford Focus and put it to use building the new Ranger pickup. Ford is also is cutting 1,150 jobs at some underutilized plants and shifting most of the workers to plants building SUVs. Chrysler is reportedly planning to take a closed engine plant in Detroit and reopen it to build the Jeep Cherokee. But shifting a plant from cars to trucks is an expensive process. The growing popularity of SUVs isn’t enough to fill all of the unused capacity at car-making plants. And it will take some time for electric cars and self-driving vehicles to pick up the slack. That’s why GM is planning to close plants and Ford is cutting shifts and jobs at one of its few remaining American plants that makes cars.)

NEW YORK TIMES
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Russian 2016 Influence Operation Targeted African-Americans on Social Media – Scott Shane and Sheera Frenkel
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/17/us/politics/russia-2016-influence-campaign.html
— Facebook Blocks Netanyahu’s Son, Saying His Posts ‘Included Hate Speech’ – Isabel Kershner
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/17/world/middleeast/yair-netanyahu-facebook-hate-speech.html
— Voter Suppression and Racial Targeting: In Facebook’s and Twitter’s Words – Tiffany Hsu
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/17/business/russia-voter-suppression-facebook-twitter.html
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Study Shows Big Rise in Teen Vaping This Year – Jan Hoffman
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/17/health/ecigarettes-teens-nicotine-.html

USA TODAY
— More teens vape, but binge drinking and opioid use are down – Ken Alltucker
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2018/12/17/teen-vaping-rises-drug-use-drinking-and-opioid-use-all-decline/2301914002/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— De Blasio Sees Too Many Asians A lawsuit accuses New York’s mayor of using racial discrimination to promote ‘diversity.’ – William McGurn
https://www.wsj.com/articles/de-blasio-sees-too-many-asians-11545090940

FORTUNE
— NAACP Joins Growing List of Civil Rights Groups Criticizing Facebook – Bloomberg
http://fortune.com/2018/12/18/facebook-naacp-russian-hacking/

NEW YORK POST
— Behind Andrew Cuomo’s sharp left turn – Editorial
https://nypost.com/2018/12/17/behind-andrew-cuomos-sharp-left-turn/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— The Benefits (and Risks) of the Mental-Health Day More workplaces are allowing time off for employees facing stress, anxiety or depression, but not all bosses are understanding of their workers’ needs – Sue Shellenbarger (DIERSEN: Of course, to get rid of me, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates did everything that they could to promote stress, anxiety, depression, lack of self-confidence, etc. in me. I should write a book about them. At GAO, they succeeded in forcing me to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old, giving me unfair performance expectations and appraisals, always ranking me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, not promoting me beyond GS-13, getting rid of my mentor in 1987, keeping me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, and forcing me to take a $19,203 (26%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. At IRS, they succeeded in not promoting me beyond GS-12, disallowing my education deductions in 1978, getting rid of my mentor in 1975, and disallowing my partial day per diem claims in 1974. At the Post Office, they succeeded in forcing me resign in 1969 and disallowing my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-benefits-and-risks-of-the-mental-health-day-11545060850

INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY
— California Companies Flee Business-Hostile State In Droves – Editorial
https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/california-companies-leave-taxes/

FED SMITH
— Best Places to Work: What the Partnership’s New Rankings Tell Us – Jeff Neal (DIERSEN: One would expect that the federal government would be ranked very highly by its employees who are Democrat, minority, female, younger, and/or veteran because the federal government gets rid of its employees who are Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who do not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40.)
https://www.fedsmith.com/2018/12/17/best-places-work-partnerships-new-rankings-tell-us/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Best Places to Work Index is based on the percentage of positive responses to three questions that address workplace satisfaction: 1) I recommend my organization as a good place to work. 2) Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your job? 3) Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your organization?)

INDEPENDENT
— TWITTER IS ‘TOXIC PLACE’ FOR WOMEN, FINDS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT A study by Amnesty International found black women were 84 per cent more likely to be mentioned in an abusive tweet than white women – Katie O’Malley
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/women/twitter-women-sexist-amnesty-international-diane-abbott-report-a8688426.html

December 17 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Trump tweets support for Patti Blagojevich, doesn’t mention clemency – Rick Pearson
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-trump-blagojevich-tweet-20181216-story.html
— Wage gap even worse than we had thought – Jill Schlesinger (DIERSEN: If I had not been denied my 7th Amendment rights in Diersen v. GAO, I would have presented a jury with many examples in which GAO paid its female employees more than it paid its male employees who had more job-related work experience, education, professional certifications, and/or professional licenses.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/success/jillonmoney/tca-wage-gap-even-worse-than-we-had-thought-20181211-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: I know you probably want good news for the holiday season, but women workers — and the guys who root for them — it’s high time to argue for an end-of-year bonus or salary increase, because you are coming up short. According to a report from the Institute for Women’s Policy, the gender wage gap is even worse than previously thought. Unlike Census Bureau data that examines the current state of wage disparity in a given year, this report looked at a 15-year time period (from 2001 through 2015) to better gauge the gender wage gap that exists. The extended time period captures something called “work force attachment,” which takes into account when people leave the workforce voluntarily or involuntarily. (The study followed the same people over the time period.) While men were also penalized for time out of the workforce, women’s earnings losses for time out were almost always greater than men’s. With a longer lens, the gender wage gap balloons from the often-cited 20 percent to a jaw-dropping 51 percent. Did you catch that? Women made 49 cents for every dollar a man made.)
— To improve savings plan, imagine your retirement – Eileen Ambrose
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/success/kiplinger/tca-to-improve-savings-imagine-your-retirement-20181207-story.html
— Blue collar labor shortage means ‘lower income workers are doing better’ – Bloomberg
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-too-few-blue-collar-workers-20181217-story.html
— 25 best places to work – Peter Economy (DIERSEN: My Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates in the federal government hinted/implied/argued/shouted that the federal government would be a better place to work if it got rid of its employees who were Republican, and especially those who were White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/success/inc/tca-glassdoor-reveals-25-best-places-to-work-20181206-story.html
— White House closer to partial shutdown with wall demand – AP
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-border-wall-funding-shutdown-20181217-story.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— If you want to play with the big boys and girls, you’ve got to be one – Laura Washington
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/laura-washington-chicago-mayoral-election-petition-challenges/

WGN TV
— President Trump tweets support for Patti Blagojevich as husband seeks clemency
https://wgntv.com/2018/12/16/president-trump-tweets-support-for-patti-blagojevich-as-ex-governor-seeks-clemency/

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH COLOR PICTURE OF UNDERWOOD: Suburban congressional newbies adjust to life in Washington – Marni Pyke (DIERSEN: Has Hultgren announced if he is going to run against Underwood in 2020? Has Roskam announced if he is going to run against Casten in 2020? In 1974, my Democrat IRS superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were furious when I got promoted to a GS-12 (currently, $81,071/year) Revenue Officer position in the Loop and bought a studio condo in the Outer Drive East building so that I could walk to work and to graduate business classes at Loyola. In 1990, my Democrat GAO superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were furious when I got to pick a better office in the new 200 West Adams building that GAO moved into because of the almost 12 years of federal seniority that I gained working for the Post Office 1966-1969 and for IRS 1971-1980.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20181217/suburban-congressional-newbies-adjust-to-life-in-washington
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Sean Casten is finalizing the purchase of a studio condo. . .The two suburbanites also participated in a tradition: entering a lottery for dibs on the best offices on Capitol Hill. Casten drew No. 80, putting him among the last to pick. “If you want to come over in the fall and see the (metal) rebar change colors, there’s a great view,” he said of his utilitarian space in the Cannon House Office Building. Underwood did a little better. She selected 70 and is ensconced in the Longworth House Office Building.)

NORTHWEST HERALD
— McHenry County GOP Treasurer Rachael Lawrence resigns – ED KOMENDA
https://www.nwherald.com/2018/12/15/mchenry-county-gop-treasurer-rachael-lawrence-resigns/a6edqg2/

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Catholic group prays for removal of Satanic Temple display in Capitol – Crystal Thomas
https://www.sj-r.com/news/20181216/catholic-group-prays-for-removal-of-satanic-temple-display-in-capitol

JOURNAL COURIER
— Legislation would make road district consolidation easier – Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree
https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Legislation-would-make-road-district-13471232.php

TIMES
— Illinois will roll out several new laws in 2019
https://www.mywebtimes.com/2018/12/15/illinois-will-roll-out-several-new-laws-in-2019/aelx6dw/

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Now there’s a new chapter in the race as Krupa is having to answer for abusive behavior spelled out in a court filing. In 2017, he was accused of abuse by his former high school girlfriend. An emergency order of protection was granted in June 2017 and extended for nine months after Juliet Schmidt filed her complaint, according to court documents sent to POLITICO. The filing in the Circuit Court of Cook County Domestic Violence division describes Krupa as a “controlling” boyfriend who “isolated” Schmidt from her friends, whom he referred to as “liberal faggots.” The document details incessant text messages and an incident in which he chased Schmidt in his car while she was walking. “It was emotionally abusive,” Schmidt told POLITICO in an interview Sunday. “It wasn’t healthy for me to continue the relationship. He had a lot of issues of control. I could see him taking advantage of that in political office.” In seeking the order of protection, Schmidt wrote, “I am afraid that David Krupa will continue to physically abuse me, harass me, interfere with my personal liberty and stalk me. Therefore, I fear for the safety of myself.” The order of protection ran nine months and ended when neither Schmidt nor Krupa could agree on a hearing date, Schmidt said. The judge didn’t rule on the case and Schmidt left Chicago to attend college out of state. Krupa has denied the allegations. In a TV interview and with POLITICO, he accused Schmidt of being manipulated by Madigan because she had interned for the Madigan-Quinn service offices in 2016. Schmidt says the summer office internship isn’t connected to her court filing. In an interesting twist, POLITICO has learned Krupa also worked for Madigan-Quinn at one point. “I picked up garbage at a public park” in the summer of 2015, he said. “It was for a month. It was a minimum wage job and I don’t care about it.” But he did try to get rehired in 2016. He didn’t get the job, he says, because Madigan took retribution for Krupa’s father saying he wouldn’t vote for the House speaker. Krupa sees it as another effort by Madigan to “strong-arm” voters. – Shia Kapos
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/12/17/krupas-other-challenge-trump-tweets-about-blago-next-gigs-for-roskam-lisa-madigan-365577
— Attorney Gen. Lisa Madigan, who didn’t seek re-election, and U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, who lost his race, have been named fellows for the University of Chicago Institute of Politics for the upcoming winter quarter. U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, accused that chamber of being dysfunctional in her final Senate speech last week, also is part of the fellows group. Institute of Politics founder and director David Axelrod said fellows will interact with students looking to gain insight and experiences “at every level of government.” Two party leaders from other states as well as Chicago journalist Laura Washington also are among the group. – Shia Kapos
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/12/17/krupas-other-challenge-trump-tweets-about-blago-next-gigs-for-roskam-lisa-madigan-365577

JEANNE IVES
— Meet David Krupa and help him take out Mike Madigan’s General!
https://mailchi.mp/b6cf78490c1b/meet-the-college-kid-taking-on-madigan-he-deserves-our-support

PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— Ives : Rauner’s lack of interest cheated GOP voters – Hoang Tran
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511677926-ives-rauner-s-lack-of-interest-cheated-gop-voters

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— THE TECHNOLOGY OF TOTALITARIANISM
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2018/12/the-technology-of-totalitarianism.html

— WHY YOU SHOULD BE A NATIONALIST
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2018/12/why-you-should-be-a-nationalist.html

CONSERVATIVE DAILY NEWS
— Did Trump Sign An Executive Order To Prevent Illegal Immigrants From Getting Welfare? – Emily Larsen
https://www.conservativedailynews.com/2018/12/did-trump-sign-an-executive-order-to-prevent-illegal-immigrants-from-getting-welfare/

TOWNHALL
— Pat Buchanan: We Are Not a Democracy—And the World Needs to Learn From Us – Arthur Schaper
https://townhall.com/columnists/arthurschaper/2018/12/17/mr-buchanan-we-are-not-a-democracyand-the-world-needs-to-learn-from-us-n2537569

PJ MEDIA
— Trump Aide Miller Says They Will Do ‘Whatever Is Necessary’ to Build Wall – RICK MORAN
https://pjmedia.com/trending/trump-aide-miller-says-they-will-do-whatever-is-necessary-to-build-wall/

AMERICAN THINKER
— The Immigration Ultimatum – John S. Allen
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/12/the_immigration_ultimatum.html
— Gun Confiscation Begins in New Jersey – Daniel John Sobieski
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/12/gun_confiscation_begins_in_new_jersey.html

AMERICAN GREATNESS
— The Globalist Mindset: They Hate You – Victor Davis Hanson
https://www.amgreatness.com/2018/12/16/the-globalist-mindset-they-hate-you/

DAILY CALLER
— PITTSBURGH MAYOR DECLARES INTENT TO BAN GUNS IN VIOLATION OF STATE LAW
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/16/pittsburgh-mayor-declares-intent-to-ban-guns-in-violation-of-state-law/

WORLD NET DAILY
— THE ORWELLIAN LEXICON OF THE LEFT Lowell Ponte challenges Christians not to surrender to forces of darkness
https://www.wnd.com/2018/12/the-orwellian-lexicon-of-the-left/

NEWSMAX
— WSJ: Blue-Collar Vote Remains Up for Grabs in 2020 – Eric Mack (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes look down on if not despise blue-collar workers.)
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/bluecollar-voters-2020-republican/2018/12/16/id/894665/

GOPUSA
— Democrats blame Trump for death of child brought 2,000 miles by father
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=61158
— The Imbalanced Scales of Justice (DIERSEN: I should write a book about judges who by their rulings make it clear that they reject laws that prohibit political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=61140

BREITBART
— Pope Francis Lauds U.N. ‘Global Compact’ for Immigration – Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D.
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2018/12/17/pope-francis-lauds-u-n-global-compact-for-immigration/

ABC NEWS
— Black conservatives to GOP: Reach out to black voters – BEATRICE PETERSON (DIERSEN: What are your demographics? How strongly does the GOP reach out to those who share your demographics? Democrats want the GOP to dump voters, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
)https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/black-conservatives-gop-reach-black-voters/story?id=59430955

NEW YORK TIMES
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: A Shutdown Looms. Can the G.O.P. Get Lawmakers to Show Up to Vote? – Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Emily Cochrane (DIERSEN: Has Hultgren announced if he is going to run against Underwood in 2020? Has Roskam announced if he is going to run against Casten in 2020?)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/16/us/politics/congress-trump-shutdown.html
— The Secret to Winning in 2020 – David Leonhardt (DIERSEN: From what I see, to win on April 2, 2019 and November 3, 2020, RINO political consultants in Illinois will advise Republican candidates in Illinois to hint/imply/argue/shout that they are not only anti-Trump, but that they 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, anti-draft avoiders, and anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. These RINO political consultants will advise Republican candidates in Illinois a) to not read Diersen’s emails, b) to not return phone calls from Diersen, c) to not seek or take any advice from Diersen, d) to stop Diersen from learning about their press conferences, fundraisers, and other activities, e) to stop Diersen from promoting or attending their press conferences and fundraisers, f) to stop Diersen from asking questions or speaking with anyone at their press conferences and fundraisers, and g) to stop Diersen from reporting on their press conferences, fundraisers, and other activities.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/16/opinion/democrats-2020-election-economic-populism.html
— More Powerful Than a Russian Troll Army: The National Enquirer – Jim Rutenberg
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/16/business/media/national-enquirer-trump-mistresses.html
— ‘They’re Not Fact-Checking’: How Lies on College Applications Can Slip Through the Net – Anemona Hartocollis (DIERSEN: In 1978, my Democrat IRS superiors charged me with lying on my 1972 Loyola application and on my 1976 DePaul application. IRS encourages its Revenue Officers to take business, accounting, and law courses. But according to my Democrat IRS superiors, the real reason why I wanted to take graduate business courses at Loyola and graduate accounting courses at DePaul was TO GET A JOB IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/16/us/college-admission-applications.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH COLOR PICTURE: HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: In China, ‘Re-education’ Leads to Forced Labor – Chris Buckley and Austin Ramzy (DIERSEN: In America, Democrats want to re-educate you to be anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/16/world/asia/xinjiang-china-forced-labor-camps-uighurs.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Trump administration disputes falling federal employee engagement findings Criticism of leadership criticized – Joe Davidson (DIERSEN: While I worked for the federal government 1966-1969 and 1971-1997, virtually all my superiors and supervisors were Democrats. They did not want me to be “engaged,” they wanted to get rid of me. They wanted to give my job to a Democrat, to a minority, to a female, to someone younger than me, and/or to a veteran. They were furious when I did things that demonstrated my “engagement” including my earning a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/12/17/trump-administration-disputes-falling-federal-employee-engagement-findings/

NEW YORK POST
— Don’t trust the government to make Big Tech behave – F.H. Buckley
https://nypost.com/2018/12/17/dont-trust-the-government-to-make-big-tech-behave/

USA TODAY
— Obamacare unconstitutional? That’s a cruel mistake, not ‘great news for America’ – Andy Slavitt (DIERSEN: If sought a government or a political office, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes would demonize, denigrate, and condemn the fact because I am a federal retiree, my wife and I pay only $6,000/year for $24,000/year worth of health, dental, and vision insurance.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/12/16/trump-ensures-2020-another-health-care-debacle-republicans-column/2330158002/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— U.S. Homelessness Edges Higher Again After Seven Years of Declines Lack of affordable housing fuels the problem in major cities, though L.A. makes progress – Laura Kusisto and Nour Malas (DIERSEN: Since 1972, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have hinted/implied/argued/shouted that I should help the homeless a) because I bought a new town home in 1972 when I was 24 years old, because I bought a studio condo in the Outer Drive East building in 1974, and because I bought a one bedroom condo in that building in 1976 and b) because my wife and I bought 1017 East Harrison in Wheaton in 1978 and because we had 915 Cove Court built in Wheaton in 1984.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-homelessness-edges-higher-again-after-seven-years-of-declines-11545022860
— Blue-Collar Voters Are Up for Grabs in 2020 Compounding the problem for Republicans may be a slowing automobile industry – Dante Chinni (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes look down on if not despise blue-collar workers.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/blue-collar-voters-are-up-for-grabs-in-2020-11544976000
— Tips on Deciding Which Tax-Filing Status Is Best for You Do you file jointly or separately? There may be some powerful reasons to do the latter. – Tom Herman (DIERSEN: My wife and I have paid the marriage penalty big time since we got married 40 years ago in in 1978.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/tips-on-deciding-which-tax-filing-status-is-best-for-you-11545015960
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Marriage bonus or penalty: Getting married this month, or postponing the official ceremony until next year, might have a surprising impact on your taxes in certain cases. For example, some two-income couples who get married this year and are in the top brackets may wind up owing more in combined federal income tax than they would if they had each remained single—commonly known as the marriage penalty tax. But in other cases, a married couple winds up paying less total tax than if each spouse had remained single. Lawmakers have taken steps to reduce or eliminate the marriage penalty in certain cases and to increase the amount of the bonus in many others. But these issues haven’t disappeared entirely.)
— Four Simple Changes to Bring Social Security Into the 21st Century The program was devised for a totally different era and now it’s time to update – Alicia H. Munnell (DIERSEN: My Social Security is dramatically reduced because I get a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) pension. My CSRS pension is dramatically reduced a) because my Democrat superiors in the federal government wasted my career and b) because they succeeded in getting me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/four-simple-changes-to-bring-social-security-into-the-21st-century-11545016080

BLOOMBERG
— Nearly 156 People Leave Chicago Daily: Demographic Trends – Alexandre Tanzi and Wei Lu (DIERSEN: How many of these 156 a day a) move to Republican areas to take advantage of the prosperity and safety that Republicans created there and b) bring with them their hatred of Republicans, and especially their hatred of Republicans who are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, White, male, older people, rich people, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time?)
https://www.bloombergquint.com/business/chicago-exodus-sees-city-shrink-by-156-daily-demographic-trends#gs.AUOw7HU

DAILY BEAST
— Log Cabin Republicans Plan to ‘Push’ Trump on LGBT Rights Jerri Ann Henry, the new executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, ‘would take a meeting’ to work on LGBT-related policy with President Trump, if he would meet with her. – Samantha Allen
https://www.thedailybeast.com/log-cabin-republicans-plan-to-push-trump-on-lgbt-rights