December 13 Morning Edition

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

FOX NEWS

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

December 11 Morning Edition

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

December 9 Morning Edition

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

December 8 Evening Edition

NBC5
— ‘I Will be in Charge,’ Pritzker Says as Durbin, Duckworth Endorse Him
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/i-will-be-in-charge-pritzker-says-as-durbin-duckworth-endorse-him-462831723.html
— Dennis Hastert Could Soon Face Questions About Payoffs – Phil Rogers
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/dennis-hastert-could-face-questions-about-payoffs-462835873.html

 

ABC7
— JB Pritzker wins endorsements as infighting continues among candidates – Craig Wall
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/jb-pritzker-wins-endorsements-as-infighting-continues-among-candidates/2758269/
— Forrest Claypool resigns as CPS CEO effective Dec. 31
http://abc7chicago.com/education/forrest-claypool-resigns-as-cps-ceo/2757751/

 

CBS2
— Erika Harold Wants Harassment Allegations To Be Taken Seriously – Craig Dellimore
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/08/at-issue-erika-harold/
— Council Moving To Mandate Sexual Harassment Training For All City Workers (DIERSEN: Federal employees are required to take lots of “training” that makes them anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/08/city-employee-sexual-harassment-training/

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— To understand GOP infighting in Illinois, follow Durkin race – Rich Miller
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/miller-to-understand-gop-infighting-in-illinois-follow-durkin-race/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Seven Democrats line up for a chance to run against Roskam – Katherine Skiba (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. Based on my experience with this since 2000, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have already and/or will hint/imply/argue/shout at Roskam that my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails encouraged these seven Democrats to run against him. My critics/opponents have lots of religious, government, political, and financial clout in the 6th Congressional District and they blame everything that is bad in the 6th Congressional District on me.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-peter-roskam-primary-race-20171206-story.html
— Durbin, Duckworth endorse Pritzker, try to show Dem unity amid divisions – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-jb-pritzker-durbin-duckworth-20171208-story.html
— Politicians use religion to further their goals – Scott Reeder (DIERSEN: What do you say to politicians who hint/imply/argue/shout that Jesus is a liberal Democrat/Libertarian/Green who promotes dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, race and gender based preference giving, age discrimination, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, and even worse things?)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/opinion/ct-sta-reeder-column-st-1210-20171208-story.html
— There’s too much money in politics — just look at Illinois – Jared Bernstein (DIERSEN: How much money do you give activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc.? My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes stress that I give them virtually none. In my defense, I send them a GOPUSA ILLINOIS email each and every morning and each and every evening free of charge and without any advertising. GOPUSA ILLINOIS email subscriptions are worth at least $1,000/year.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-illinois-governors-race-money-20171208-story.html
— What next for #MeToo, America? Noncelebrities need sexual harassment protection too. – Page’s Page
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/page/ct-perspec-page-metoo-tarana-burke-sexual-harassment-1210-20171208-story.html
— Illinois taxpayers to pay blended rate of 4.35 percent for 2017 income – AP (DIERSEN: Do you pay state income tax? Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have been furious a) that since 1997 that my Civil Service Retirement System pension has not been subject to state income tax and b) that since 2010, my Social Security has not been subject to state income tax.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-illinois-blended-income-tax-20171207-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— Tax proposal could carry high costs for many homeowners – Ken Harney
http://www.dailyherald.com/entlife/20171208/tax-proposal-could-carry-high-costs-for-many-homeowners
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Whether you already own a home or are thinking of purchasing, the new tax legislation pending before Congress poses serious questions: Am I going to get smacked with punitive new taxes? Will the value of my home decrease because previous real estate tax benefits have been stripped away? Or am I one of the lucky ones, well insulated against big losses? . . . Though no independent or academic studies have been published estimating the effects of the new tax legislation on home values and prices, most studies to date have concluded that federal tax benefits are a component of property values. Strip these away and buyers will not obtain the full traditional financial benefits of ownership, and will pay less for homes. Economists at the National Association of Realtors estimate that the tax changes could whack 10 percent off average prices around the country, with declines steeper in states with higher home costs and tax burdens, lower in areas with more moderate prices and taxes. The flip side of all this, of course, is that if prices do decline, that will make purchasing a home more affordable — potentially good news for renters and move-up buyers priced out of the current marketplace. Tax-free capital gains exclusion. Under the legislation, owners will still be able to “exclude” up to $500,000 ($250,000 for single filers) of gain on their home sales. But to qualify they will need to have lived in their house for five of the preceding eight years; for decades the standard has been two out of the preceding five years. For many buyers who own homes for extended periods, this change won’t matter. But for many others it could pose problems, especially for people who transfer jobs in less than five years, and owners forced to sell because of divorce, health or other issues. Mortgage interest, second home deductions. As of this writing, House and Senate conferees had not agreed on whether to cut the home mortgage interest deduction maximum to $500,000 or to eliminate interest write-offs on second homes. Both are only in the House version and would primarily affect upper-income owners. So where does all this leave you? It depends on what you own, where you live, what you earn and what you may want to buy. Overall, the Republicans’ tax changes look like a net plus for corporations and stockholders, but a net negative for people who’ve benefited the most from the tax code’s longtime preferences for homeownership over renting.)

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Mix Obama, Hitler, Trump. Watch internet go wild. – ANN DWYER (DIERSEN: The more of the following that you are, the more that anti-Trumps hint/imply/argue/shout that you are a Nazi, White supremacist, KKK member, hater, racist, sexist, bigot, and even worse things: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171208/NEWS02/171209886/mix-obama-hitler-trump-watch-internet-go-wild
— Claypool out as CPS chief – GREG HINZ
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171208/BLOGS02/171209877/claypool-out-as-cps-chief
— Another potential ripple effect of the GOP tax overhaul – STEVE DANIELS
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171208/ISSUE01/171209879/another-potential-ripple-effect-of-the-gop-tax-overhaul

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Governor Rauner not in charge? Tell me something I don’t know – John Cullerton
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20171208/john-cullerton-governor-rauner-not-in-charge-tell-me-something-i-dont-know

 

QUINCY HERALD WHIG
— Rauner continues verbal assault on Madigan during Quincy stop – Matt Hopf
http://www.whig.com/20171209/rauner-continues-verbal-assault-on-madigan-during-quincy-stop#//

 

TIMES
— Illinois’ biggest question: Who’s the boss? – Editorial
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/editorial/our-view-illinois-biggest-question-who-s-the-boss/article_8e66347a-e266-5051-8616-fa4713a394a3.html

 

JOURNAL TOPICS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Mount Prospect restaurant owners promote video gambling. To promote video gambling is to promote destruction.
https://www.journal-topics.com/articles/mount-new-push-for-video-gaming/

 

BUREAU COUNTY REPUBLICAN
— A primary where voters will have an actual voice On the county, regional and statewide levels, Bureau County residents will have some real choices when the primary election takes place in March. It’s not too early for voters to resolve to play an important role in the outcome. – Editorial
http://www.bcrnews.com/2017/12/07/a-primary-where-voters-will-have-an-actual-voice/auj79tp/

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Tax bill could make ‘dark money’ political contributions tax deductible Provision could make its way into final bill – JON SARLIN (DIERSEN: Of course, politicians like “dark money” when that money is used to help elect them.)
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/tax-bill-could-make-dark-money-political-contributions-tax-deductible/877607062
— Hispanic unemployment at all-time low under Trump Community makes up 17 percent of labor market – JULIA HOROWITZ
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/business/hispanic-unemployment-at-alltime-low-under-trump/877888621

 

NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO
— Shimkus Will Help Finalize Tax Overhaul – MARK SCHULTZ (DIERSEN: Hopefully, Shimkus will work hard to keep all the itemized deductions and the personal exemption.)
http://northernpublicradio.org/post/illinois-congressman-will-help-finalize-tax-overhaul

 

WAND TV
— “Madigan has the governor on the ropes.” – Doug Wolfe
http://www.wandtv.com/story/37028237/rose-madigan-has-the-governor-on-the-ropes

 

BGA
— IS IL READY TO ATTACK BUREAUCRATIC BLOAT AND SAVE MONEY? – Andy Shaw
https://www.bettergov.org/news/shaw-is-il-ready-to-attack-bureaucratic-bloat-and-save-money

 

UPSTREAM IDEAS
— Paul Ryan: 90% Of Taxpayers Will File On A Postcard (DIERSEN: The following expenses are not “loopholes:” mortgage interest, real estate taxes, state income taxes, medical and dental, 501(c)(3) contributions, and job-related education. Government should encourage home ownership and job-related education.)
http://upstream-ideas.com/upstream-ideas/ideas/paul-ryan-90-of-taxpayers-will-file-on-a-postcard
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “When you clean out the tax system and get rid of a bunch of loopholes then K street and the loophole industry in Washington shrinks.” The philosophical change in the GOP tax plan is to get rid of loopholes and let people decide what they want to do with their own money. Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan joins Dan and Amy to discuss why tax reform will pass and how it will benefit all Americans.)

 

NORTH COOK NEWS
— Katie Miller blames one-party control for tax burden affecting House District 53, rest of state – Angela Underwood
https://northcooknews.com/stories/511272466-miller-blames-one-party-control-for-tax-burden-affecting-house-district-53-rest-of-state

 

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Gov. Rauner won’t commit to debate with GOP challenger Ives – Greg Bishop
https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/gov-rauner-won-t-commit-to-debate-with-gop-challenger/article_8b1bce7e-dc46-11e7-8b40-3f4740baeada.html

 

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— STILL NO RESPONSE: HOW DOES THE IL GOP DECIDE HOW TO SPEND RAUNER’S MILLIONS IN DONATIONS?
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/still-no-response-how-does-the-il-gop-decide-how-to-spend-rauners-millions-in-donations-.html
— KATHLEEN MYALLS TAKES ON NEW TRIER TOWNSHIP GOP COMMITTEEMAN POST
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/kathleen-myalls-takes-on-new-trier-township-gop-committeeman-post.html

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Rauner dodges Ives debate question three times
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/08/rauner-dodges-ives-debate-question-three-times/

 

GOPUSA
— Black Democrats refuse to show up for Trump’s visit to honor Civil Rights Museum
http://www.gopusa.com/black-democrats-refuse-to-show-up-for-trumps-visit-to-honor-civil-rights-museum/

 

NEWSMAX
— Obama Invokes Hitler, Sparks Outcry From Trump Supporters – Zoe Papadakis (DIERSEN: The more of the following that you are, the more that anti-Trumps hint/imply/argue/shout that you are a Nazi, White supremacist, KKK member, hater, racist, sexist, bigot, and even worse things: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.newsmax.com/thewire/obama-invoke-hitler-trump/2017/12/08/id/830689/

 

CONSERVATIVE REVIEW
— Republicans scheme to give illegal immigrants citizenship – Chris Pandolfo
https://www.conservativereview.com/articles/republicans-scheme-to-give-illegal-immigrants-citizenship

 

THE HILL
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-White says “Stop pointing at Asian Americans to downplay racism at universities.”
http://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/363974-stop-pointing-at-asian-americans-to-downplay-racism-at-universities
— Financial regulator’s conflicts of interest are a serious concern – BENJAMIN EDWARDS AND ANDREW STOLTMANN (DIERSEN: I worked for GAO on audits of federal financial industry regulators for almost 9 years at the GS-13 Step 4-10 levels 1989-1997, currently $104,070-$122,991. I have been an arbitrator for FINRA since 1998.)
http://thehill.com/opinion/finance/363941-financial-regulators-conflicts-of-interest-are-a-serious-concern

 

ASSOCIATED PRESS
— Rauner recommended appointment of monitor he now criticizes
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/rauner-recommended-appointment-of-monitor-he-now-criticizes/

 

BEST SCHOOLS
— Is Marijuana Legalization Boosting College Enrollment? – David A. Tomar (DIERSEN: What percent of high school students want to go to college so that they can smoke pot? Did you want to go to college so that you could smoke pot? I did not. I lived with my parents and brother in our home in Crete a) while I was a full-time student at UIC 1966-1968, b) weekends during my first semester at NIU in 1969, and c) the summer of 1969.)
https://thebestschools.org/magazine/marijuana-legalization-college-enrollment/

 

NASDAQ
— Millions would lose mortgage, gift write-offs under U.S. tax bill – Reuters (DIERSEN: Do you itemize your deductions? I itemized my deductions 1972-1977 and my wife and I have itemized our deductions since got married in 1978. Of course, operatives and dupes who work for my critics/opponents have always been beyond furious about that. Almost all of them have financial problems. Most of them rent rather own, pay little or no state income tax, have never paid for job-related education, give little or no money to 501(c)(3) organizations, and/or have not had major medical or dental expenses. They will be overjoyed if the aforesaid deductions are taken away.)
http://www.nasdaq.com/article/millions-would-lose-mortgage-gift-writeoffs-under-us-tax-bill-20171208-00497

December 7 Evening Edition

ABC7
— Sen. Al Franken announces resignation following allegations of sexual misconduct – CNN
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/sen-al-franken-announces-resignation-following-allegations-of-sexual-misconduct/2752094/

 

NBC5
— Kennedy Calls on Berrios to Resign Following Scathing Report
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/kennedy-calls-on-joe-berrios-to-resign-following-scathing-report-462627473.html

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Trump administration sides with Rauner in Supreme Court case over union fees – Kim Geiger
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-bruce-rauner-donald-trump-scotus-20171207-story.html
— Trump administration asks Supreme Court to overrule precedent helping unions – Robert Barnes (DIERSEN: Are you anti-union? Virtually all my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes are anti-union. I was a union member for almost 12 years 1966-1969 and 1971-1980. If GAO had been unionized in 1997, I might still be a GAO employee.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-supreme-court-union-case-20171207-story.html
— Northern Illinois University board upholds $600K severance for ousted president – Alice Fabbre
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-northern-illinois-severance-20171207-story.html
— Democratic governor candidate Kennedy says Berrios should resign over tax assessments – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-chris-kennedy-joe-berrios-20171207-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “The party of Lincoln has devolved into the party of Trump.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-ptb-robinson-gop-st-1208-20171207-story.html
— Tom Cullerton disgusted with bloated handout to failed NIU executive
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/glen-ellyn/community/chi-ugc-article-tom-cullerton-disgusted-with-bloated-handout-2017-12-07-story.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— CPS’ Claypool ‘repeatedly lied’ to cover up ethics breach, report says – Dan Mihalopoulos and Lauren FitzPatrick
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/cps-ceo-forrest-claypool-lied-lawyers-ethics-breach-cps-inspector-general-report-nicholas-schuler/
— Emanuel can’t win after inspector general’s damning report on Claypool – Fran Spielman
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/emanuel-cant-win-after-inspector-generals-damning-report-on-claypool/
— Emanuel reaffirms support for Schools CEO Forrest Claypool – Fran Spielman
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/emanuel-chicago-public-schools-reaffirms-support-for-schools-ceo-forrest-claypool/
— Sexual harassment training to be mandatory for city employees – Fran Spielman
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/sexual-harassment-training-to-be-mandatory-for-city-employees/
— With Franken’s departure, eye on Moore – Lynn Sweet
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/sweet-with-frankens-departure-eye-on-moore/
— Trump administration takes Rauner’s side in ‘fair share’ case – TINA SFONDELES
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/trump-administration-takes-rauners-side-in-fair-share-case/

 

DAILY HERALD
— Average ComEd bills to rise about $1 per month in January
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171206/average-comed-bills-to-rise-about-1-per-month-in-january

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Here’s how that tax bill could hurt Illinois landlords – ALBY GALLUN
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20171207/CRED03/171209905/heres-how-that-tax-bill-could-hurt-illinois-landlords
— GOP House members back a bit of gun control—but not too much – GREG HINZ
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171207/BLOGS02/171209902/gop-house-members-back-a-bit-of-gun-control-x2014-but-not-too-much

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Who’s in charge of Illinois? Not Rauner, he says
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171207/under-dome-podcast-whos-in-charge-of-illinois-not-rauner-he-says

 

  1. LOUIS TODAY
    — Barrington Hills GOP Rep. David McSweeney demands proof on Rauner claim
    http://www.stltoday.com/news/state-and-regional/the-latest-gop-lawmaker-demands-proof-on-rauner-claim/article_06a71bd9-63d6-5c5a-9815-eb2934d322cc.html

 

WSIU
— Illinois Seeing Mixed Results In Female Candidate Participation – DAISY CONTRERAS
http://news.wsiu.org/post/illinois-seeing-mixed-results-female-candidate-participation#stream/0

 

WSIL TV
— Record number of people leaving Illinois – Andrew Feather (DIERSEN: Members of Group A run Illinois and they make it increasing clear that they want members of Group B to leave Illinois. Members of Group A are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and members of Group B are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/37011823/record-number-of-people-leaving-illinois

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Black congressmen skip museum opening over Trump’s attendance Statement blames Trump’s ‘hurtful policies’- KAITLAN COLLINS
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/black-congressmen-skip-museum-opening-over-trumps-attendance/877117931
— Trump will undergo a physical and release details early next year President will keep with past precedent – JEREMY DIAMOND (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. If you have any serious health problems, sooner or later, your critics/opponents will use them against you.)
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/trump-will-undergo-a-physical-and-release-details-early-next-year/877066784
— Al Franken resigning, calls out Trump and Moore ‘I’m not giving up my voice’ – ELI WATKINS
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/amid-calls-to-resign-franken-to-make-a-statement/876796842

 

IN THESE TIMES
— When Billionaires Battle for Public Office, Working People Always Lose The upcoming Illinois governor’s race is more proof that big campaign spending narrows political possibilities and increases inequality. – EMMA TAI (DIERSEN: Do you look down on working people? My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes look down on working people like I was 1962-1997. 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.)
http://inthesetimes.com/article/20753/billionaire-illinois-governor-chicago-rauner-pritzker

 

DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— 46th House District candidate Kinzler says states around Illinois with right-to-work laws are ‘flourishing’ – Chandra Lye
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511276906-46th-house-district-candidate-kinzler-says-states-around-illinois-with-right-to-work-laws-are-flourishing

 

PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— Feedback not lacking after Rauner’s not in charge comment – Keri Carbaugh
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511285722-feedback-not-lacking-after-rauner-s-not-in-charge-comment
— Morthland takes aim at Rauner for ‘It’s not my fault’ remark – Glenn Minnis
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511285620-morthland-takes-aim-at-rauner-for-it-s-not-my-fault-remark

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Ives vows to repeal Trust Act
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/07/ives-vows-to-repeal-trust-act/
— A money-making machine for tax appeals attorneys
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/07/a-money-making-machine-for-tax-appeals-attorneys/
— Durkin litigation threat has unintended outcome (DIERSEN: Will my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes hit me with a “cease and desist letter,” or will they just continue to “punish” me?)
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/07/durkin-litigation-threat-has-unintended-outcome/

 

TOWNHALL
— Al Franken To Resign ‘In Coming Weeks’; Immediately Pivots To Blame Trump – Christine Rousselle
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/christinerousselle/2017/12/07/breaking-sen-al-franken-resigns-n2419018

 

REUTERS
— Nobel economics winner says Trump tax plans spur inequality, tax avoidance
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nobel-prize-economics/nobel-economics-winner-says-trump-tax-plans-spur-inequality-tax-avoidance-idUSKBN1E11WK
— U.S. lawmakers propose ban on arbitration of sexual misconduct claims – Daniel Wiessner (DIERSEN: I am an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. But there are many reasons to not sign arbitration agreements. SEE: https://www.leagle.com/decision/1987526153illapp3d3731482)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-misconduct/u-s-lawmakers-propose-ban-on-arbitration-of-sexual-misconduct-claims-idUSKBN1E12M6

 

WASHINGTON POST
— 21 GOP governors write Congress, urging completion of a tax bill. What about the other 13? – John Wagner
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/12/07/21-gop-governors-write-congress-urging-completion-of-a-tax-bill-what-about-the-other-13/?utm_term=.4e4d445e874c

 

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— Spread the swamp? Trump administration wants to move government offices out of Washington – Evan Halper (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, people hate past, present, and future federal employees. How strongly do you hate past, present, and future federal employees?)
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-spread-the-swamp-20171207-story.html

 

AMERICAN BANKER
— Treasury office accused of deceiving GAO auditors – Kevin Wack
https://www.americanbanker.com/news/treasury-office-accused-of-deceiving-congressional-auditors

 

FORBES
— Popular Employee Perks For Attracting And Motivating Talent – David Rodeck (DIERSEN: Knowing that they were earning credits toward a Civil Service Retirement System pension helped me and those who shared my demographics endure tremendous efforts by our Democrat superiors in the federal government to waste our careers and to get rid of us.)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adp/2017/12/07/popular-employee-perks-for-attracting-and-motivating-talent/#1e9c05d21fe3

December 7 Morning Edition

ABC7
— Illinois Rep. Jeanne Ives calls for repeal of sanctuary state law – Craig Wall
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/illinois-rep-jeanne-ives-calls-for-repeal-of-sanctuary-state-law/2751638/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Rauner primary challenger Ives to make immigration law an issue (DIERSEN: I have not received any notification that “Ives is scheduled to hold a Thursday news conference.” What do you say to Ives “supporters” who tell her to not include diersen@aol.com on her press advisory and press release lists? They want Ives to “punish” me for including links in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails to articles written by those who they blacklist. What do you say to politicians a) who glorify, praise, pander to, and give scoops to reporters who they manipulate/dominate or who they are manipulated/dominated by and b) punish reporters like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate?)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-jeanne-ives-immigration-20171207-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Republican governor challenger Jeanne Ives is scheduled to hold a Thursday news conference to unveil legislation that would repeal an immigration law Gov. Bruce Rauner signed. The Trust Act was approved by lawmakers and the governor just months ago, so a bid to repeal it is all but dead on arrival. The law protects immigrants who are in the country illegally from being detained solely because of their immigration status. For Ives, Thursday’s event outside the Cook County Jail will be a chance to highlight another difference she has with Rauner in their race for the Republican governor nomination. His signature on the Trust Act in August angered conservatives, but has been overshadowed by their disdain for his signature on an abortion law the following month. Immigration was a key issue for President Donald Trump in last year’s election, and he won some Downstate counties by wide margins. So the issue could be one that comes up as Rauner tries to fend off Ives’ challenge. When the governor signed the bill into law, he said he sought the guidance of law enforcement officials. “I asked them, should I sign this bill, should I not sign this bill?” Rauner said at the time. “They all said to me, governor, this is a reasonable compromise, it will help us do our jobs better, it will help us keep our communities safer.” Ives is set to appear with Brian McCann, whose brother Dennis was hit by a car and killed while crossing the street in Logan Square by driver Saul Chavez. Police said Chavez had a blood-alcohol content of 0.29 percent. Chavez was released on bond and never prosecuted, and the family says Cook County’s so-called sanctuary laws allowed Chavez to flee the country.)
— Chicago businesses keeping a wary eye on immigration deal deadline – Robert Reed (DIERSEN: From what I see, ever-increasingly, “Chicago businesses” want to replace their employees who are members of Group B with those who are members of Group A. Members of Group A are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and members of Group B are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/reed/ct-biz-immigration-employers-deadline-robert-reed-127-story.html
— Indiana GOP Senate candidate Braun voted in Democratic primary until 2012 – AP (DIERSEN: What percent of those in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois a) vote in Republican primaries to do whatever damage that they can and b) vote for Democrats in general elections?)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-indiana-gop-senate-candidate-democrat-vote-2012-20171206-story.html
— Trump can be impeached even if he didn’t commit a crime – Jennifer Rubin (DIERSEN: Who wants you to be impeached and why? I should write a book about those who unsuccessfully tried to get the Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) to censure me at the start of its 2006 Annual Convention in the Wheaton Bowl because of articles that I had included links to in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails and those who succeeded ended my TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship in 2012, my Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee membership in 2011, Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster service in 2010 and 2004, my ICRC Steering Committee membership in 2007, my American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board membership in 2004, my GAO employment in 1997, etc.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-president-trump-impeached-crime-20171206-story.html
— Debate schedule (DIERSEN: When will Ives and Rauner debate? If I was still the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman, the organization would be hosting debates between a) Rauner and Ives, b) Sanguinetti and Morthland, c) Harold and Grasso, d) Diganvker and Jhingan, e) Stella and Vlakancic, f) Minor, Grant, Byrne, and Augustynowicz, g) Kinzler and Orozco, h) Mazzochi and Arendt, i) Zito and Khouri, j) Mendrick and Bibbiano, k) Tornatore, DeMichele, Fichtner, and Gavanes, l) Hart, Abbott, Tully, and Broline, m) McGowen, Almiron, Eckhoff, Zaruba, Tatro, and Chinchilla, n) Wiley, Zay, and McQuade, o) Russo and MacKay, p) Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee candidates, q) etc.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-jeanne-ives-immigration-20171207-story.html
— BEYOND OUTRAGEOUSLY, AGAINST THE ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM: U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, a Wheaton Republican, broke with his party and joined all 11 Illinois House Democrats in opposing a measure to let people with permits to carry a concealed firearm in their own state take the weapon into other states that allow concealed carry. The measure also enhanced the background check system for gun purchases and passed 231-198, with Roskam one of 14 Republicans opposed. All other Illinois Republicans voted for it. – Katherine Skiba
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-jeanne-ives-immigration-20171207-story.html
— Under Joseph Berrios, assessments of commercial and industrial properties defy logic, punish taxpayers and enrich lawyers – Jason Grotto and Sandhya Kambhampati
http://apps.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/cook-county-property-tax-divide/
— Amazon urged to hire more women execs – Jena McGregor (DIERSEN: While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, my superiors were always under tremendous pressure from Democrat politicians a) to hire, retain, and promote young Democrat women and young Democrat minorities and to make way for them be getting rid of their employees who were Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.)
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20171207/281938838250702

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Pritzker fires back: Rauner got rich ‘cutting jobs,’ ‘firing people’ – Mitchell Armentrout (DIERSEN: What would your critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes say that you did to get rich? Mine would say a) that I avoided the draft, b) that the federal government grossly overpaid me, c) that I itemized my deductions, d) that my wife and I gave up trying to have children, we did not adopt, and we did not become foster parents, e) that my retirement benefits are far too generous, and f) I do not give money to any church.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/j-b-pritzker-fires-back-bruce-rauner-tax-avoidance-accusations/

 

DAILY HERALD
— Duckworth, Durbin join call for fellow Democrat Franken to resign – Bloomberg
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171206/duckworth-durbin-join-call-for-fellow-democrat-franken-to-resign–
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Veteran numbers down, taxes up: Suburban facts from new census data – Jamie Sotonoff
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171207/veteran-numbers-down-taxes-up-suburban-facts-from-new-census-data
— Vernon Township supervisor alleges harassment in assessor’s office
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171207/report-vernon-township-supervisor-alleges-harassment-in-assessors-office

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Hearing in abortion funding case set for Dec. 28 – Doug Finke
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171206/hearing-in-abortion-funding-case-set-for-dec-28
— Benevolence program gifts vehicles to single mothers – Tamara Browning (DIERSEN: What is your daily driver? Mine is a 2003 Chevy Cavalier LS that I bought from my aunt in 2010. Other cars that I own are: 1972 Chevy Corvette, 1996 Ford Thunderbird LX, 2005 Chevy Corvette, 2013 Dodge Charger R/T Max, and 2016 Ford Mustang. Previously, I bought a 1958 Chevy BelAir, 1962 Chevy BelAir, 1962 Chevy Impala SS, 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint, 1968 Oldsmobile 442, 1968 Dodge Charger R/T, 1969 Dodge Charger SE, 1974 Dodge Dart, 1978 Chevy Chevette, 1978 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale, 1990 Ford Thunderbird LX, 1993 Ford Thunderbird, and 1997 Chevy Cavalier.)
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171206/benevolence-program-gifts-vehicles-to-single-mothers
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Single mothers Jamie Smith and Alana Yates each drove away Wednesday with free vehicles that will improve their lives thanks to a benevolence program sponsored by Zara’s Collision Center. Smith, the mother of two children, received a 2009 Chevrolet Equinox, and Yates, mother of three children, received a 2007 Hyundai Entourage during a presentation Wednesday at Zara’s, 3117 Wide Track Drive.)

QUAD CITY TIMES
— Bustos, Gillibrand propose ending arbitration agreements in sexual harassment disputes – Ed Tibbetts (DIERSEN: I am an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. But there are many reasons to not sign arbitration agreements. SEE: https://www.leagle.com/decision/1987526153illapp3d3731482)
http://qctimes.com/news/local/government-and-politics/bustos-gillibrand-propose-ending-arbitration-agreements-in-sexual-harassment-disputes/article_12d3f917-0462-56c3-bb3c-616f52e1960c.html

 

TIMES
— What do Pritzker and Kennedy have in common with Rauner and Trump? – Editorial
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/editorial/what-do-pritzker-and-kennedy-have-in-common-with-rauner/article_0573b012-c690-5716-9aac-18c188f45b0f.html

 

SUBURBAN LIFE
— COD board chairwoman among candidates running for 47th Illinois House District seat – ERIC SCHELKOPF
http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/2017/12/05/cod-board-chairwoman-among-candidates-running-for-47th-illinois-house-district-seat/aclv7on/

 

WGIL
— STATE REP JEANNE IVES VYING FOR REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR ILLINOIS GOVERNOR.
http://www.wgil.com/2017/12/07/state-rep-jeanne-ives-vying-for-republican-nomination-for-illinois-governor/

 

WHEATON PATCH
— Ives To Throw Campaign Kickoff Party At Wheaton Bowl State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) will kick off her campaign for governor at Wheaton Bowl on Dec. 10. – Lisa Marie Farver (DIERSEN: Is this event open or closed to members of the news media like me? What do you say to those who advise the Ives campaign to punish me for including links in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails a) to articles that they do not like and b) to articles written by those who they blacklist?)
https://patch.com/illinois/wheaton/ives-throw-campaign-kickoff-party-wheaton-bowl

 

WIRE POINTS
— Pension update: Illinois pension debt stuck at $129 billion despite market gains – Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
http://www.wirepoints.com/pension-update-illinois-pension-debt-stuck-at-129-billion-despite-market-gains-wirepoints-original/

 

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— GOP tax reform’s effects on home values questioned – Cole Lauterbach
https://www.ilnews.org/news/economy/gop-tax-reform-s-effects-on-home-values-questioned/article_28170452-da01-11e7-a1cd-1fac2356fce9.html
— ‘Gravy train’ conference is abuse of taxpayers – Dan McCaleb
https://www.ilnews.org/opinion/mccaleb-gravy-train-conference-is-abuse-of-taxpayers/article_738797ca-d9e4-11e7-8f3d-9bc12e82e13f.html

 

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Is DEM GOVERNOR’s primary greased for PRITZKER? — BUSTOS, MANAR say only JB can defeat RAUNER – Natasha Korecki (DIERSEN: What about Republican primary races in Illinois? Rauner dominates Republican politics in Illinois. Who does Rauner want to win in the following primaries: a) Rauner/Sanguinetti v. Ives/Morthland, b) Harold v. Grasso, c) Diganvker v. Jhingan, d) Stella v. Vlakancic, e) Minor v. Grant v. Byrne v. Augustynowicz, f) Kinzler v. Orozco, g) Mazzochi v. Arendt, h) Zito v. Khouri, i) Mendrick v. Bibbiano, j) Tornatore v. DeMichele v. Fichtner v. Gavanes, k) Hart v. Abbott v. Tully v. Broline, l) McGowen v. Almiron v. Eckhoff v. Zaruba v. Tatro v. Chinchilla, m) Wiley v. Zay v. McQuade, n) Russo v. MacKay, o) Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee races, p) etc.?)
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2017/12/07/is-dem-governors-primary-greased-for-pritzker-bustos-manar-say-only-jb-can-defeat-rauner-claypool-controversy-rahm-on-colbert-229127
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Today we explore the Democratic governor’s primary race and whether the party is repeating mistakes it made on a national level in the 2016 presidential election. What makes it a particularly compelling question is the fact that J.B. Pritzker’s campaign manager, Anne Caprara, headed the Hillary Clinton SuperPac in 2016. An inevitable candidate. Accusations of a rigged primary.)

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Rauner claims female Chief Procurement Officer was influenced by Madigan
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/07/rauner-claims-female-cpo-was-influenced-by-madigan/
— Over half of all House Democratic primary candidates are women
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/07/over-half-of-all-house-democratic-primary-candidates-are-women/

 

GOPUSA
— NAACP objects to Trump attending opening of civil rights museum
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=34704

 

DAILY CALLER
— CNN Glorifies ‘White Allies’ Who Want To Police Your ‘Insensitive’ Facebook Comments – Scott Greer (DIERSEN: Of course, my critics/opponents want to take away my First Amendment rights; they want to stop me from including my comments on articles linked to in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. Failing that, they “punish” me.)
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/06/cnn-glorifies-white-allies-who-want-to-police-your-insensitive-facebook-comments/

 

NEWS BUSTERS
— Bloomberg Forced to Correct False Trump-Deutsche Bank Subpoena Story – Tom Blumer (DIERSEN: I served many subpoenas while I worked for IRS’s Collection Division for almost 9 years 1971-1980, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $79,563-$90,173.)
https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/tom-blumer/2017/12/06/bloomberg-forced-correct-false-trump-deutsche-bank-subpoena-story

 

AMERICAN THINKER
— Are they anti-Trump or anti-America? – Peter Lemiska (DIERSEN: Overwhelmingly, those who are anti-Trump are also anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/12/are_they_antitrump_or_antiamerica.html

 

NEWSMAX
— RNC Gives $170,000 to Support Moore’s Senate Bid
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/rnc-gop-republican-moore/2017/12/06/id/830226/
— Gay Men Earn 10 Percent More Than Straight Men – Solange Reyner (DIERSEN: Ever-increasing, Democrats a) glorify and praise gay men as being creative, energetic, and many other positive things and b) demonize, denigrate, and condemn straight White men as being White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things.)
https://www.newsmax.com/us/gay-men-earn-10-percent-more-than-straight-labor/2017/12/06/id/830337/

 

THE HILL
— Any immigration compromise must shut down magnets for future lawbreakers – DAVE RAY
http://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/363622-any-immigration-compromise-must-shut-down-magnets-for-future-lawbreakers

 

POLITICO
— Illinois governor’s race haunted by 2016 presidential primary Is the Democratic Party putting its thumb on the scale for a billionaire candidate? – NATASHA KORECKI
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/07/illinois-governor-race-2016-285259
— Trump administration opposes unions in key Supreme Court case – IAN KULLGREN (DIERSEN: Overwhelmingly, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes hate unions, hate union members, and hate former union members. I was a union member for almost 12 years. If GAO had been unionized in 1997, I might still be a GAO employee.)
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/06/trump-unions-supreme-court-285260

 

NBC NEWS
— Democrats turn on Franken to get to Moore – JONATHAN ALLEN and LEIGH ANN CALDWELL
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/democrats-turn-franken-get-moore-n827161

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— Futures in Jeopardy, ‘Dreamers’ Get Backing of Big Names and Businesses – Miriam Jordan (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, “big names and businesses” are dumping those who are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/us/dreamers-shutdown-laurene-jobs.html
— Republicans Move to Resolve Tax Bill Differences as Cost Concerns Loom – Alan Rappeport
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/us/politics/republicans-move-to-resolve-tax-bill-differences-as-cost-concerns-loom.html
— A Reckoning on Sexual Misconduct? Absolutely. But How Harsh, Women Ask. – Nellie Bowles
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/business/sexual-harassment-debates.html

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— How to Help the High-Tax States The solution is to offset the lost deduction with a lower tax rate. – Editorial
https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-help-the-high-tax-states-1512603342

 

DETROIT NEWS
— How big will Conyers’ pension be? – Melissa Nann Burke
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2017/12/06/conyers-government-pension/108380788/

 

HARTFORD COURANT
— Republican Gubernatorial Hopefuls Offer Solutions To State’s Fiscal Woes – Russell Blair
http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-pol-republicans-governor-debate-20171206-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “The first thing we need to do is we need to keep businesses and high-income individuals from moving out of the state,” said David Walker of Bridgeport, who served as head of the federal Government Accountability Office under Republican and Democratic presidents. “We have to eliminate the estate tax and the gift tax,” as well as a 20 percent surcharge on corporations, he said.)

 

FEDERAL TIMES
— Leadership determines best agencies to work in, research finds – Jessie Bur (DIERSEN: According to the Democrats who ran GAO’s Chicago office during the 1980s and 1990s, GAO employees who were Democrat, minority, female, younger, and/or veteran said they would be much happier if the agency got rid of its employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who failed to make GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
https://www.federaltimes.com/management/career/2017/12/06/leadership-determines-best-agencies-to-work-in-research-finds/

December 6 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Rauner stands by ‘I am not in charge’ comment
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-michael-madigan-20171206-story.html
— Sexual harassment training? Let’s start with a trip back to kindergarten – Donna Vickroy
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-vickroy-sexual-harassment-training-st-1119-20171201-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH FOUR COLOR PICTURES: HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: On Your Dime Here’s how elected officials and staffs from 50 suburbs examined by the Daily Herald spent $119,431.64 attending the 2017 Illinois Municipal League conference in downtown Chicago – Jake Griffin (DIERSEN: If I ran for a government office or for a political office, would the Daily Herald get copies of and examine all my expense vouchers while I worked for GAO 1980-1997, IRS 1971-1980, and Post Office 1966-1969? Information on partial-day per diem claims that I submitted 1973-1974 is available at http://www.gao.gov/products/463866.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171206/1325-dinner-for-11-taxpayers-cover-hotels-dining-booze-at-conference
— TRAGIC: Lake Zurich approves video gambling at BBQ’d Productions – Doug T. Graham
http://www.dailyherald.com/business/20171205/lake-zurich-approves-video-gambling-at-bbqd-productions
— The GOP tax plan is Robin Hood in reverse – Frank Manzo IV
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171206/the-gop-tax-plan-is-robin-hood-in-reverse
— Time’s Person of Year: ‘Silence Breakers’ who spoke out about sexual harassment – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171206/times-person-of-year-silence-breakers-who-spoke-out-about-sexual-harassment

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Invoking the specter of Nazi Germany, Obama warns against complacency – GREG HINZ (DIERSEN: The more of the following that you are, the more that anti-Trumps hint/imply/argue/shout that you are a Nazi and even worse things: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171206/BLOGS02/171209933

 

WBEZ
— Gov. Rauner Defends Statement He Made Saying He’s Not In Charge Of State Government – Quinn Myers
https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-updates/gov-rauner-defends-statement-he-made-saying-hes-not-in-charge-of-state-government/e73b10ed-05fe-4a03-a96a-737ceb6cfaa1

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Do Pritzker and Kennedy have a tax transparency gap? – BGA (DIERSEN: It would be great if operatives and dupes who work for my critics/opponents were required to disclose the sources and amounts of all their income. Are they being paid at least $15/hour?)
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171205/fact-check-do-pritzker-and-kennedy-have-tax-transparency-gap
— State officer voids $13 million no-bid Medicaid consulting contract – Doug Finke
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171205/state-officer-voids-13-million-no-bid-medicaid-consulting-contract
— Statehouse evacuated for three hours after bomb threat – AP
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171204/statehouse-evacuated-for-three-hours-after-bomb-threat

 

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— 40 years is enough for Urbana GOP committeeman – Tom Kacich (DIERSEN: Who is your Republican Precinct Committeeman/Captain? What has he/she done to help elect Republicans who can and will defend and advance the Illinois Republican Party platform?)
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-12-06/tom-kacich-40-years-enough-urbana-gop-committeeman.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: His friendly foe in Urbana’s Cunningham 10 precinct retired in 2016, and now Jan Miller — the Republican precinct committeeman in what is generally regarded as the most Democratic precinct in Champaign County — is stepping down after 40 years. Back in 2009, then-County Clerk Mark Shelden said that Miller and his Democratic counterpart, Bernadine Stake, had set the county record for most consecutive two-year terms (16) as committeemen in the same precinct. Miller has been a GOP committeeman since 1978. Stake had served for Democrats from 1980 to 2016. “We’re still super active, but 40 years, that’s enough,” Miller said of the work he and his wife, Karen, have done for the party in the precinct centered around Carle Park in Urbana. “It was really more than 40.” Before he became committeeman in Cunningham 10, Miller said, he was the GOP committeeman in a Coles County precinct near Eastern Illinois University, while he was a student there. That’s where he met former Gov. Jim Edgar, who had lived in Charleston, attended EIU and later represented the area in the Illinois House. “I got to know him really well. I have a picture of my 1965 Chevrolet with a giant Edgar roof sign on it,” said Miller. “We used to go out and take groups of kids down to Paris and other towns to work for him. We had a lot of fun, and I made a lot of good friends.”)

 

HERALD NEWS
— Constituents stage sit-in at Lipinski’s Lockport office over DACA – ALEX ORTIZ
http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/12/05/constituents-stage-sit-in-at-lipinskis-lockport-office-over-daca/am9cjl9/

 

SOUTHERN
— A 27-year-old Libertarian former model from Benton is challenging Bost in the 12th District GOP primary – ISAAC SMITH (DIERSEN: There are tremendous conflicts between the Republican Party platform and the Libertarian Party platform.)
http://thesouthern.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/a–year-old-libertarian-former-model-from-benton-is/article_03564f04-9007-5ec5-af33-c46e648a79cc.html

 

QUAD CITY TIMES
— Even Rauner knows he’s failed – Editorial (DIERSEN: Those who want Rauner to fail vote for Democrats.)
http://qctimes.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-even-rauner-knows-he-s-failed/article_04a19889-73c9-51a5-ace6-c7926d0025a0.html

 

QUAD CITIES ONLINE
— Illinois procurement chief cancels Rauner consulting pact – AP
http://qconline.com/illinois/illinois-procurement-chief-cancels-rauner-consulting-pact/article_5404a1f2-912c-5c8d-80ef-4cadc0f48c1e.html

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Bannon rallies Republicans for Roy Moore in Alabama Bannon goes after Romney, Sen. Flake – ERIC BRADNER
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/bannon-rallies-republicans-for-roy-moore-in-alabama/875767946

 

WJPF
— Newsradio WJPF interview with Jeanne Ives
http://www.wjpf.com/episode/newsradio-wjpf-interview-with-jeanne-ives-2/

 

IN THESE TIMES
— In the Face of the GOP’s Class-War Tax Bill, Chicago Activists Voice Outrage in the Streets – TIMNA AXEL
http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/20733/in_the_face_of_the_gops_class_war_tax_bill_chicago_activists_voice_outrage

 

CHICAGO OBSERVER
— Rauner, Republicanism and Resignation – RUSS STEWART
http://www.cdobs.com/archive/featured/rauner-republicanism-and-resignation/

 

ILLINOIS CHRONICLE
— Rauner endorses plan to balloon the federal deficit, like he did in Illinois
https://theillinoischronicle.com/chronicle-rauner-endorses-plan-to-balloon-the-federal-deficit-like-he-did-in-illinois/

 

ILLINOIS LEAKS
— Disgraced Former Planning Director Amy Connolly Loses Immunity Claim and Must Answer Tinley Park Lawsuit – KEVIN DUJAN (DIERSEN: What would your critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes stress to hint/imply/argue/shout that you are disgraced? Mine would stress that I am no longer a TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member, Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster, Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) Steering Committee member, American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member, GAO employee, etc. They would stress that they almost got ICRC to censure me at the start of ICRC’s 2006 Annual Convention. They would stress their success in keeping off their press advisory lists and their press release lists. They would stress their success in barring me from their events and in throwing me out of their events.)
http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2017/12/disgraced-former-planning-director-amy-connolly-loses-immunity-claim-and-must-answer-tinley-park-lawsuit/

 

ILLINOIS FAMILY ACTION
— Islam in America
https://illinoisfamilyaction.org/podcast/islam-in-america-illinois-family-spotlight-071/

 

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— VOTERS REJECT SANCTUARY POLICIES NATIONWIDE; REMAINS TOUCHY ISSUE IN ILLINOIS
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/voters-reject-sanctuary-policies-nationwide-remains-touchy-issue-in-illinois.html


— BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: IL CONGRESSMEN DAVIS, KINZINGER JOIN 32 GOPERS CALLING FOR DACA AMNESTY
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/il-congressmen-davis-kinzinger-join-32-gopers-calling-for-daca-amnesty-.html

 

REAL GOP ILLINOIS
— McCann independent bid could spell doom for Rauner
https://realgopillinois.com/2017/12/05/mccann-independent-bid-spell-doom-rauner/

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Attacking Pritzker (and Madigan) instead of Ives
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/06/attacking-pritzker-instead-of-ives/
— GOP Sen. Barickman says legalizing marijuana is “inevitable,” calls on Rauner to change his mind (DIERSEN: If you promote pot, you promote destruction.)
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/06/gop-sen-barickman-says-legalizing-marijuana-is-inevitable-calls-on-rauner-to-change-his-mind/

 

GOPUSA
— Mueller’s credibility plunging as leftist staff exposed (DIERSEN: What do you say those who say that they are conservative and/or Republican, but who surround themselves with Democrat plants, Libertarian plants, Green plants, and RINOs?)
http://www.gopusa.com/muellers-credibility-plunging-as-leftist-staff-exposed/

 

DAILY CALLER
— Federal Grand Jury Indicts Steinle Killer – Alex Pfeiffer
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/05/federal-grand-jury-indicts-steinle-killer/

 

THE HILL
— GOP and Dems bitterly divided by immigration – ALEXANDER BOLTON (DIERSEN: Democrats shout at immigrants that Republicans are White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things.)
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/363447-gop-and-dems-bitterly-divided-by-immigration

 

HUFFINGTON POST
— Everyone Should Serve – William Becker (DIERSEN: I served 1966-1969 and 1971-1997.)
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/everyone-should-serve_us_5a26c751e4b0e383e63c3ce0
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Every few years, someone promotes the idea of mandatory national service for young Americans. Just as regularly, the idea fades away. But for a variety of reasons right now, this would be a great time for Congress to put finally put obligatory national service in place. The latest call for this comes from Isabel Sawhill of Brookings. As she points out, mandatory national service has been supported in the past by leaders such as Sen. John McCain, Presidents George H.W. and George W. Bush, Gov. John Kasich and Mitt Romney. Why is this a good idea? One year or more of national service gives young adults a valuable dose of reality before they enter college. It gives them greater perspective to choose what they really want to study.)

 

REUTERS
— Cuts to homeowner tax breaks could cost Republicans in 2018 races – Sharon Bernstein, Howard Schneider (DIERSEN: Are you a homeowner? I have been a homeowner since 1972 and my wife and I since 1978.)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trump-effect-red-states/cuts-to-homeowner-tax-breaks-could-cost-republicans-in-2018-races-idUSKBN1E01BP

 

AOL NEWS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “31 percent of Republicans want a different presidential nominee in 2020.”
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/12/05/poll-31-of-republicans-want-a-different-presidential-nominee-i/23297873/

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— Among the Tax Bill’s Biggest Losers: High-Income, Blue State Taxpayers – ALICIA PARLAPIANO and K.K. REBECCA LAI (DIERSEN: According to this article, the average SALT deduction is $7,243 for AGI of $75,000-$100,000 and $11,099 for AGI of $100,$200,000. But the Diersens’ 2016 SALT deduction was $14,303 – $12,835 real estate tax and $1,468 state income tax.)
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/05/us/politics/tax-bill-salt.html
— Conservative Groups Seeking Support for Tax Cuts Find It a Hard Sell – Jeremy W. Peters
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/us/politics/tax-cuts-public-opinion-koch-brothers.html
— How Effective Is Your School District? A New Measure Shows Where Students Learn the Most – EMILY BADGER and KEVIN QUEALY
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/05/upshot/a-better-way-to-compare-public-schools.html
— Tax Plan Aims to Slay a Reagan Target: The Government Beast – Eduardo Porter
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/business/economy/tax-plan-reagan.html
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: What Colleges Want – Rebecca Zwick (DIERSEN: From what I see, colleges want to crank out “good little Democrats.” Colleges want people who they can make even more anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/opinion/college-applications-stress.html
— As Harassment Accusations Multiply, a Question: Who Stays and Who Goes? – Sheryl Gay Stolberg (DIERSEN: From What I see, the more of the following that you are, the sooner that you go: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/us/politics/sexual-harassment-congress-resignation-pressure.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Bannon rails against Romney in Alabama speech: ‘You hid behind your religion’ to avoid Vietnam – David Weigel (DIERSEN: If you avoided the draft, you should expect that your critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes will use that against you. I sought and obtained a) student draft deferments 1966-1070 and b) a financial draft deferment 1970-1971. But what if I had been 4-F? My eyesight could not be corrected to 20/20, I had partial red/green color blindness, and I had Osgood-Schlatter disease (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osgood%E2%80%93Schlatter_disease).)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/12/05/bannon-rails-at-romney-in-alabama-speech-you-hid-behind-your-religion-to-avoid-vietnam/
— Once a populist, Trump governs like a conservative Republican – John Wagner and Juliet Eilperin
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/once-a-populist-trump-governs-like-a-conservative-republican/2017/12/05/e73c6106-d902-11e7-b1a8-62589434a581_story.html
— Despite Trump, federal employee morale improves under Trump – Joe Davidson (DIERSEN: Democrats have run the federal government. Democrats are running the federal government. Democrats will continue to run the federal government.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/12/06/despite-trump-federal-employee-morale-improves-under-trump/?utm_term=.d7fe684b6109
(FROM THE ARTICLE: If the top office on my job was unexpectedly filled with a racist, Islamophobe caught boasting about groping women, it would hurt my morale. Not so, apparently, with many federal employees. Although President Trump has repeatedly disgraced the nation, not to mention proposing cuts to federal employees’ retirement and their workplaces, the morale of federal workers has gone up on his watch. So say the data. The Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings released Wednesday by the Partnership for Public Service and the Deloitte consulting firm, indicate, with notable exceptions, the federal government is a better place to work since Trump took office. Overall, there was a 2.1 point increase in 2017 employee engagement over 2016. The 61.5/100 score is the highest since 2011. The rankings are based largely on the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey that was conducted in May and June by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). That survey, released in October, also indicated the highest level of employee engagement since 2011, predicting the Best Places findings. But the data’s big picture conflict with the workplace image drawn by many federal employees who have expressed disgust and anxiety over the Trump administration. This year’s increase is part of a three-year upward trend that began under former president Barack Obama. The scores are based on questions from the survey.)

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Judging Roy Moore A GOP victory in Alabama may be more costly than a defeat. – Editorial (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, the more of the following that you are, the more that you are presumed to be guilty as charged: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time. Ever-increasingly, the more of the aforesaid that you are, the more that you are blacklisted.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/judging-roy-moore-1512519609
— This Tax Plan Puts Another Knife Into American Democracy – Tom Steyer
https://www.wsj.com/articles/this-tax-plan-puts-another-knife-into-american-democracy-1512519822
— Federal Charges Laid Against Illegal Immigrant Acquitted of Murder Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, who was found not guilty of murder in San Francisco woman’s killing, was indicted by a federal grand jury – Alicia A. Caldwell
https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-charges-laid-against-illegal-immigrant-acquitted-of-murder-1512535885
— San Francisco Wasn’t a Sanctuary for Kate Steinle Did the jurors acquit her killer to send a message of disapproval to President Trump? – Jason L. Riley
https://www.wsj.com/articles/san-francisco-wasnt-a-sanctuary-for-kate-steinle-1512519875
— California Republicans Push to Preserve Income-Tax Deduction   Deduction was repealed by Senate and House in the bills they passed; income taxes are bigger issue in California than property taxes – Richard Rubin and Siobhan Hughes
https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-republicans-push-to-preserve-income-tax-deduction-1512517910
— GOP Tax Plan Calculator Calculate your taxes and discover the potential effect of the House plan – Dylan Moriarty and Taylor Umlauf
https://www.wsj.com/graphics/republican-tax-plan-calculator/
— North Koreans Get Smartphones, and the Regime Keeps Tabs Dictatorship allows wider use of mobile devices and embeds technology to limit and monitor their use – Timothy W. Martin and Warangkana Chomchuen (DIERSEN: In many ways, my critics/opponents are like those who run North Korea.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-koreans-get-smartphones-and-the-regime-keeps-tabs-1512556200
— After Push on Taxes, Republicans Line Up Welfare Revamp Next Trump and GOP lawmakers ready to kick off fight to overhaul social programs – Louise Radnofsky (DIERSEN: Everyone could ask themselves, how much welfare would it take for them “go on the dole?” – $15,000/year, $20,000/year, $25,000/year, $30,000/year, $35,000/year, $40,000/year, $45,000/year, $50,000+/year?)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/after-push-on-taxes-republicans-line-up-welfare-revamp-next-1512469801

 

NEWSWEEK
— BARACK OBAMA THANKS HIMSELF FOR SUCCESS OF AMERICAN ECONOMY SINCE DONALD TRUMP BECAME PRESIDENT – GRAHAM LANKTREE
http://www.newsweek.com/barack-obama-thanks-himself-american-economys-success-739598

 

GOVERNING
– Don’t Rush New Sexual Harassment Policies, Some Women Lawmakers Warn The Illinois legislature was one of the first in the country to confront the fallout of the #metoo movement. Lawmakers there worry that going too fast could result in faulty policies. – DANIEL C. VOCK
http://www.governing.com/topics/politics/gov-metoo-sexual-harassment-state-capitols.html

 

FED SMITH
— Is Your Agency Among the ‘Best Places to Work’ in Government? – Ian Smith (DIERSEN: GAO is ranked second among mid-sized agencies. Democrats would stress that they had great success during the 1980s and 1990s getting rid of the agency’s employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who had not made GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
https://www.fedsmith.com/2017/12/06/agency-among-best-places-work-government/

 

RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— Voters Reject Steinle Verdict, Favor Punishing ‘Sanctuary’ Lawmakers
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/december_2017/voters_reject_steinle_verdict_favor_punishing_sanctuary_lawmakers

December 5 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Senate’s tax plan approval is news to Rauner – Kim Geiger (DIERSEN: Obviously, beyond tragically, Rauner does not read GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. Beyond obviously, if he has asked his wife, his staff, his volunteers, or anyone else to monitor GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails for him, he should immediately fire them.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-congress-taxes-20171205-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The governor, however, was a few days behind on his news. Over a packed weekend welcoming Illinois National Guard troops home from Puerto Rico, riding his Harley in a Toys for Tots motorcycle run and attending the Illinois Bicentennial bash at Navy Pier, Rauner might have missed that Republican senators had voted for a sweeping tax bill early Saturday morning. “First of all, the Senate hasn’t passed anything,” Rauner said on Monday when asked to explain what he thought Congress needed to do to get the tax code right. “And what the Senate is talking about is very different than what the House is working on. They have a long, long way to go.” Indeed, distance remains between the House and Senate tax bills. But Senate Republicans’ approval of their own version was a big step forward and a sign they are willing to approve a tax overhaul even if it adds to the deficit. Rauner often has avoided talking about national issues, dismissing questions about activity in Congress as not relevant to his role as governor. And Monday wasn’t the first time that Rauner appeared out of the loop on the news.)
— History foretells a tough road: State Rep. Jeanne Ives’ decision to take on an incumbent governor in the March primary is unusual but not uncommon. In 2014, then-Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn bested anti-violence activist Tio Hardiman, 72 percent to 28 percent. In 2006, then-Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich defeated former Ald. Edwin Eisendrath 71 percent to 29 percent. And in 1994, then-Republican Gov. Jim Edgar won over the late-conservative businessman Jack Roeser, 75 percent to 25 percent. – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-congress-taxes-20171205-story.html
— Roskam on sidelines in governor race: Republican U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam hasn’t taken sides in the GOP primary for governor. Asked by Chicago Tribune’s Editorial Board Monday if he eventually would, the Wheaton Republican said: “We’ll see.” Roskam lives in state Rep. Ives’ district and had signed a letter from Illinois’ Republican congressmen slamming Rauner for signing legislation expanding taxpayer-subsidized abortions for women covered by Medicaid or state employee health insurance. Roskam said there’s a parallel between the governor and Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Donald Trump. The two presidents came to Washington with “massive personalities” they thought were enough to get their agendas through, Roskam said. Likewise, Rauner, based on “incredible success in the private sector,” has run into roadblocks with the Illinois legislature, he said. “It’s a hard lesson for anybody to learn, particularly people who have been very successful in other walks of life,” he said. – Katherine Skiba
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-congress-taxes-20171205-story.html
— Silverstein accuser gets into House race: The only person to publicly accuse a sitting state lawmaker of sexual harassment amid the ongoing scandal in Springfield filed to run for Illinois House on Monday. Denise Rotheimer filed as a Republican to run for a central Lake County seat now held by Democratic state Rep. Sam Yingling of Grayslake. Rotheimer accused Democratic state Sen. Ira Silverstein of sexual harassment at a public hearing. He has disputed the allegations and said he apologized “if I made her uncomfortable.” He has since resigned his leadership post and filed to seek re-election.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-congress-taxes-20171205-story.html
— Foster criticizes Trump administration on health care – Linda Girardi
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-health-care-st-1205-20171204-story.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Roskam, Shimkus tapped by Speaker Ryan to negotiate tax overhaul bill – Lynn Sweet (DIERSEN: Hopefully, they will argue to keep all the itemized deductions, to keep the personal exemption, and to eliminate the marriage penalty.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/roskam-shimkus-tapped-by-speaker-ryan-to-negotiate-tax-overhaul-bill/
— ‘Unborn children’ in tax bill an anti-abortion ploy – Lynn Sweet
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/sweet-unborn-children-in-tax-bill-an-anti-abortion-ploy/
— Trump science job nominees missing advanced science degrees – AP (DIERSEN: While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years 1966-1969 and 1971-1997, extremely few of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates took job-related college courses, earned job-related professional certifications, or earned job-related professional licenses. 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://chicago.suntimes.com/news/trump-nominees-health-science-degrees-obama-785846/

 

DAILY HERALD
— Be an educated voter and build a better government – Editorial (DIERSEN: What do you say to my critics/opponents, to their operatives, and to their dupes who do everything that they can to stop everyone from reading GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails?)
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171204/editorial-be-an-educated-voter-and-build-a-better-government

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Illinois: Land of Laggards – ORPHE PIERRE DIVOUNGUY
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171205/OPINION/171209955

 

ABC7
— Wisconsin food stamp users to be drug tested – AP
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/wisconsin-food-stamp-users-to-be-drug-tested/2741350/
— Legal sports gambling in Illinois, Indiana hinges on Supreme Court decision – Chuck Goudie and Christine Tressel (DIERSEN: As everyone has always known, I do not follow sports. Virtually all my Democrat male GAO superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates followed sports big time and they painted themselves as being sports experts. They were outraged when I beat all of them and won (by pure chance) the first and only time that they asked me to place a sports bet in their office pool.)
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/legal-sports-gambling-in-illinois-indiana-hinges-on-supreme-court-decision/2738005/

 

WTTW
— Gov. Rauner Seeking Re-election: ‘I Am Not in Charge’ – Amanda Vinicky
http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2017/12/04/gov-rauner-seeking-re-election-i-am-not-charge

 

WBEZ
— How The Republican Tax Overhaul Would Affect You – Danielle Kurtzleben, Scott Horsley
https://www.wbez.org/shows/npr/chart-how-the-republican-tax-overhaul-would-affect-you/f2eff1dc-33ae-4adb-b8d9-af04b3206d03

 

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Wounded Rauner on run vs. angry Dems, alienated GOP – Jim Dey
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-12-05/jim-dey-wounded-rauner-run-vs-angry-dems-alienated-gop.html
— Two surprises in last day of candidate filings for March primary – Tom Kacich
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-12-05/two-surprises-last-day-candidate-filings-march-primary.html

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Ives joins governor’s race, says Rauner has ‘betrayed our party’ – Bernard Schoenburg
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171204/ives-joins-governors-race-says-rauner-has-betrayed-our-party

 

KANKAKEE DAILY JOURNAL
— City, video gambling owners at odds – Lee Provost
http://www.daily-journal.com/news/local/city-video-gambling-owners-at-odds/article_44dbe6da-7bc4-567d-95eb-98413221fa11.html

 

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— Normal approves property tax levy hike – Derek Beigh
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/government-and-politics/normal-approves-property-tax-levy-hike/article_ddb9fe86-0db6-5c0e-b4c6-a418d08dd020.html

 

JACKSONVILLE JOURNAL COURIER
— Senator McCann won’t seek re-election, cites party views – Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree (DIERSEN: Political parties exist to help elect candidates who can/will defend/advance their platform. The Illinois Republican Party (IRP) should remove “Republican” candidates, elected officials, and party leaders who fail/refuse to defend/advance the IRP platform.)
http://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/116730/senator-wont-seek-re-election-cites-party-views-2

 

FOX ILLINOIS
— People protest Republican tax plan outside Congressman Lahood’s office
http://foxillinois.com/news/local/people-protest-republican-tax-plan-outside-congressman-lahoods-office

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Car dealers get a big, last-minute tax break in Senate reform bill New interest deduction cap won’t apply – CHRIS ISIDORE
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/car-dealers-get-a-big-lastminute-tax-break-in-senate-reform-bill/874856251

 

NORTH COOK NEWS
— Morrison calls student access bill ‘bad policy’ – Glenn Minnis
https://northcooknews.com/stories/511268420-morrison-calls-student-access-bill-bad-policy

 

WILL COUNTY GAZETTE
— Burr Ridge mayor Mickey Straub says state is ‘on the wrong path’ – Glenn Minnis
https://willcountygazette.com/stories/511279582-burr-ridge-mayor-says-state-is-on-the-wrong-path

 

WIRE POINTS
— Tax hike fail: Illinois politicians to overspend again in 2019 – Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
http://www.wirepoints.com/tax-hike-fail-illinois-politicians-to-overspend-again-in-2019-wirepoints-original/

 

PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— National Review slams Rauner, praises Ives as alternative – Robert Hadley
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511281881-national-review-slams-rauner-praises-ives-as-alternative
— Gov. Rauner found sexual harassment bill flawed but signed it anyway – Angela Underwood
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511271477-gov-rauner-found-sexual-harassment-bill-flawed-but-signed-it-anyway

 

CHICAGO NOW
— WVON’s Charles Thomas w/Berkowitz on Speaker Madigan’s plantation & JB Pritzker’s endorsement by racists
http://www.chicagonow.com/public-affairs-with-jeff-berkowitz/2017/12/watch-wvons-charles-thomas-wberkowitz-on-speaker-madigans-plantation-jb-pritzkers-endorsement-by-racists-cable-web/

 

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— IRS DATA: ILLINOIS LOST PEOPLE AND INCOME TO EVERY NEIGHBORING STATE ON NET New data from the IRS show Illinois lost $720 million and 21,800 people on net to neighboring states from 2015-2016. – Austin Berg
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/irs-data-illinois-lost-people-and-income-to-every-neighboring-state-on-net/

 

ILLINOIS FAMILY INSTITUTE
— Pro-Choicers Choose Live Dismemberment – Laurie Higgins
https://illinoisfamily.org/life/pro-choicers-choose-live-dismemberment/

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Ives says she’s “ready to lead the charge”
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/05/ives-says-shes-ready-to-lead-the-charge/

 

GOPUSA
— Men wonder if hugging women still OK (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. Because my demographics are so terrible, if my critics/opponents, their operatives, or their dupes ever got a picture of me hugging anyone other than my wife, they would immediately charge me with being a sexual harasser and even worse things.)
http://www.gopusa.com/men-wonder-if-hugging-women-still-ok/
— The NFL signs on with George Soros
http://www.gopusa.com/the-nfl-signs-on-with-george-soros/

 

BLAZE
— Poll: Republicans see a dip in party affiliation – Kate Scanlon (DIERSEN: Should I write a book Democrat plant, Libertarian plant, Green plant, and RINO activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc. in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois who have done the most to drive Republicans out of the Republican Party since 2000?)
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/04/poll-republicans-see-a-dip-in-party-affiliation
— Illegal immigration is extremely costly — see how much your state is paying for it this year (Illinois will spend $3,220,767,517) – Chris Enloe (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes reject the immigration planks in Republican Party platform and in the Illinois Republican Party platform.)
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/04/illegal-immigration-is-extremely-costly-see-how-much-your-state-is-paying-for-it-this-year

 

DAILY WIRE
— Group At University Of Chicago Demands School Pay Reparations For Slavery “National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America” held a rally demanding to be repaid for the school’s ties to the founder’s plantation. – EMILY ZANOTTI (DIERSEN: Who should pay reparations, that is, who should pay the price of Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion?)
http://www.dailywire.com/news/24283/group-university-chicago-demands-school-pay-emily-zanotti#

 

DAILY CALLER
— Apple CEO Tim Cook Brushes Off Senators, Taunts Activists On Chinese Censorship – Peter Flaherty
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/05/apple-ceo-tim-cook-brushes-off-senators-taunts-activists-on-chinese-censorship/

 

POLITICO
— Women Rule Summit (DIERSEN: Individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that reject the equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) plank in the Republican Party platform and those who promote age discrimination have always worked extremely hard against me. They have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted a) that instead of me, the Post Office should have hired a woman in 1966, b) that the Post Office should gotten rid of me much sooner than it did so that a woman could have my job, c) that instead of me, IRS should have hired a woman in 1971, d) that instead of me, IRS should have promoted women in 1972, 1973, and 1974, e) that instead of me, GAO should have hired a woman in 1980, f) that instead of me, GAO should have promoted a woman in 1986, and g) that GAO should have gotten rid of me much sooner than it did so that a woman could have my job and my preferred corner office.)
https://www.politico.com/womenrulesummit17
https://www.politico.com/live-events/about/womenrule/agenda
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/05/women-rule-summit-highlights-278447
— Trump’s Threat to Take Down the GOP Still Stands Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie don’t know if Donald Trump will remain a Republican, but they believe Republicans owe him their loyalty. – EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/12/05/donald-trump-inside-campaign-corey-lewandowski-david-bossie-interview-podcast-216010

 

INTERCEPT
— HOUSE REPUBLICANS WANT TO END STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR PUBLIC INTEREST JOBS – Zaid Jilani (DIERSEN: I held public interest jobs for almost 30 years – almost 3 years working for the Post Office, almost 9 years working for IRS, and almost 18 years working for GAO.)
https://theintercept.com/2017/12/04/prosper-act-student-debt-college-funding-higher-education/

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Cocktails Rise and Shine While Beer and Wine Sales Slip – Saabira Chaudhuri and Jennifer Maloney (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always talked and/or acted like they a) drink lots of booze, b) want to drink lots of booze, and/or c) want to make lots of money selling booze.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/cocktails-win-liquor-consumption-around-the-world-outpaces-wine-and-beer-1497519008

 

USA TODAY
— Trump and GOP promised America an anti-Washington party. Where is it? – Andrew Cline
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/12/05/trump-republicans-promised-america-anti-washington-party-where-andrew-cline-column/902290001/

 

HERALD SUN
— How D.C. political assassins use media to oust Rex Tillerson – ANDREW MALCOLM (DIERSEN: I should write a book about past and present political assassins in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois.)
http://www.heraldsun.com/opinion/article188001274.html

 

NEW YORK MAGAZINE
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “On Second Thought, the RNC Would Like to Elect Alleged Sex Predator Roy Moore.”
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/12/on-second-thought-rnc-will-back-alleged-predator-roy-moore.html

 

FEDERAL TIMES
— GAO: More can be done to increase minority representation in tech – Jessie Bur (DIERSEN: The tech sector should consider hiring Charles Bowsher. During the 1980s and 1990s, Bowsher had great success in getting rid of GAO’s employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who did not make GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
https://www.federaltimes.com/federal-oversight/2017/12/04/gao-more-can-be-done-to-increase-minority-representation-in-tech/

 

DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND
— Rauner repeatedly lashes out at reporters over Madigan: “You’re playing games and you’re not reporting the truth to the people of Illinois” (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those who have “lashed out” at me since 2000 because of articles that I have included links to in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. According to them, the only “true” articles are the articles that they put out.)
https://www.democraticunderground.org/10493515

 

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Top reasons why “Republican” activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc. in Illinois, in DuPage County, in Milton Township, and in Wheaton refuse to keep diersen@aol.com on their press advisory and press release lists and do not want Diersen to a) know about their events and other activities, b) promote their events and other activities, c) attend their events, or d) report on their events and other activities.
https://gopillinois.com

– they are Democrat plants, Libertarian plants, Green plants, or RINOs
– they are anti-Trump
– they reject the traditional family plank
– they reject the right to life plank
– they reject the immigration plank
– they reject the Second Amendment plank
– they reject the equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) plank
– they promote age discrimination
– they promote patronage and political affiliation discrimination
– they promote booze, gambling, pot, and other vices
– they want to curry favor with Democrat plants, Libertarian plants, Green plants, and/or RINOs
– they want to curry favor with Rich Miller and the rest of the Democrat news media in Illinois
– they want to curry favor with certain major donors
– they focus on destroying those who they cannot manipulate or dominate
– they know that they cannot manipulate or dominate me
– they want someone who they can manipulate or dominate to be the GOPUSA Illinois Editor
– they disapprove of one or more of my demographics

November 29 Morning Edition

CBS2
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Should Recreational Marijuana Be Legal? Travel Expert Rick Steves Pushes For Legalization
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/11/28/recreational-marijuana-rick-steves-legalization/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Gutierrez federal pension estimated at $62,000 a year – Katherine Skiba
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-luis-gutierrez-pension-20171129-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: When U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez moves on from Congress to whatever is next for him, he could qualify for a federal pension of about $62,000 per year, a Washington group estimates. Federal pension details aren’t made public as they are for state officials and teachers. The estimate comes from the National Taxpayers Union, which since the late 1970s has calculated congressional pensions based on available data. Pete Sepp, the organization’s president, said the estimate assumes Gutierrez elected for his wife to be paid an annuity upon his death. His annual payout would be higher if he didn’t. Members of Congress also may receive a 401(k)-style supplement to their pensions if they made contributions, Sepp said. The calculation takes into account how long a lawmaker was in office. When Gutierrez entered Congress in 1993, the annual pay was $133,600. He has been paid $174,000 a year since 2009, when members of Congress last had a raise, according to the Congressional Research Service. In announcing he won’t run for re-election, Gutierrez said his plans included traveling the country with his wife, Soraida. Since 2010, Gutierrez has paid her a total of nearly $400,000 from his campaign war chest for help on his re-election campaigns, Federal Election Commission records show. The figure does not include reimbursements for office supplies and other expenses. During the first nine months of this year, he paid her a total of $42,000 in seven increments of $6,000 each. Reports show she has been paid for acting as his treasurer or account manager and for management and fundraising.)
— Gutierrez tries to anoint Garcia successor in Chicago politics shake-up – Rick Pearson and Hal Dardick
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-luis-gutierrez-congress-politics-20171128-story.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Tax reform: ‘Middle class’ is in eye of beholder – Lynn Sweet and Ashlee Rezin (DIERSEN: From what I see, outrageously, under proposed “tax reform,” the more that your itemized deductions have been, the more federal income tax that you will pay. My and my wife’s 2016 federal income tax return shows that we had $30,890 in itemized deductions. We paid $21,433 in medical and dental expenses and we were able to deduct $13,859 of that, we paid $12,835 in real estate taxes, we paid $1,468 in state income taxes, and we made $2,728 in 501(c)(3) contributions. From what I see, outrageously, the proposed “tax reform” is designed to a) punish those who have high medical and dental expenses, b) discourage homeownership, and c) discourage taking job-related graduate courses. Government should encourage homeownership. The deductibility of mortgage interest and real estate taxes a) encouraged me to buy a new town home in 1972 when I was 24 years old, a studio condo in 1974, and a one bedroom condo in 1976 and b) encouraged my wife and I to buy a home in 1978 and to have one built in 1984. Further, government should encourage getting job-related education. The deductibility of job-related education encouraged me to take job-related graduate courses 1972-1983 and 1992-1997.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/tax-reform-middle-class-eye-beholder/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Complicating matters: For all the talk about giving the middle class tax breaks, Democrats are skeptical that repealing a variety of popular deductions — such as for state taxes, a big one for Illinois — will yield the promised relief. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said in CNN on Sunday, “the tax breaks for working families, half of them will see a tax increase, half a tax break. Those disappear, as Senator Graham just mentioned,” a Durbin reference to a provision that expires in 2027. “But the tax cuts for wealthiest people are permanent. That’s just unfair, and that’s why half of the American people are skeptical about this Trump tax plan,” Durbin said. . .Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Ill., is on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee and in a recent Sun-Times interview was asked what he considered middle-class income. He had no specific number. Neither did Trump White House Council of Economic Advisers chair Kevin Hassett when asked several weeks ago. “This is so fascinating because when you talk about middle income, it’s a very broad description,” Roskam said. “When you talk about who is wealthy, it is generally people saying, well, ‘I’m not wealthy, it’s somebody else.’” “And, we’ve had a wide range of opinions,” with places in the country “where $80,000 of household income is a whole lot of money and you have other areas around the country where $80,000 is not a whole lot of money. So it really is in the eyes of the beholder.”)
— Gutierrez: From chopping up ‘pig innards’ to owning $1.1M second home – Dan Mihalopoulos
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/gutierrez-from-chopping-up-pig-innards-to-owning-1-1m-second-home/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Gutierrez, who turns 64 next month, reported investments worth a total of between $1,325,022 and $2,975,000 at the end of 2015. That amount — which did not include his home in his 4th Congressional District — ranked 147th among the 435 House members, the Center for Responsive Politics said. He cashed in more than $1 million of those assets in 2016, lowering his total investments to somewhere between about $662,000 and $1.56 million, according to his most recent disclosure statement, which was filed in August. Gutierrez said that money went toward the June 2016 purchase of the new house in Puerto Rico for $1.1 million. “It cost us another couple hundred thousand dollars to rehab,” he said. “I bought a house that was then under construction for all of 2016.” . . . Gutierrez — who is paid $174,000 a year as a congressman — said he’s been smart with his personal finances but always acted appropriately as an elected official. “I’ve been fighting for people, doing my job, and ain’t nobody ever questioned my integrity,” he said, predicting that this article would be a “negative story.” For years, Gutierrez invested heavily in Chicago’s residential real estate market, moving repeatedly as he made hundreds of thousands of dollars buying and selling homes in the city. Although he described himself as a “walking open book,” he added, “It’s not important to look at what somebody is doing and what they’re buying. Big deal.” Assuming Gutierrez completes this final term in Congress in January 2019, he would have served 25 years in Washington and be eligible for a full pension of about $67,860 per year. Gutierrez also is eligible for Social Security. His payment would depend on the age he decided to start drawing a Social Security check, with maximum benefits reached by waiting until the age of 70. Before becoming a congressman, Gutierrez was an alderman representing the 26th Ward, the heart of the city’s Puerto Rican community. Chicago pension fund officials wouldn’t immediately say if he’s getting retirement benefits from the city or what those payments would be. His Gutierrez for Congress political committee has paid his wife, Soraida, nearly $400,000 for fundraising and for serving as treasurer and manager for the campaign fund during the past eight years, according to Federal Election Commission records. She was paid $42,000 by the campaign between the start of this year and Sept. 30. From 2003 and 2009, Soraida Gutierrez lobbied state government. The couple’s 37-year-old daughter Omaira Figueroa worked as a staffer for the Chicago City Council and now is on the state of Illinois payroll, with a $68,208-a-year salary as a “consumer counselor” for the Illinois Commerce Commission. Gutierrez often has highlighted the long road between his humble origins and where he ended up as a political power player. “After all, I’m the Puerto Rican son of a cabdriver and a factory worker, a kid who chopped up pig innards and swept the floor of an unsuccessful restaurant, a guy who had to drive a cab on the night shift to make ends meet,” he wrote in his autobiography, “Still Dreaming: My Journey from the Barrio to Capitol Hill.”)

 

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG COLOR GRAPHIC: Suburban schools losing students but adding teachers – Jake Griffin (DIERSEN: As fewer and fewer and fewer students come from traditional families, it is harder and harder and harder to teach them.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171129/suburban-schools-losing-students-but-adding-teachers
— Palatine Township wants expert to referee board meetings – Bob Susnjara
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171129/palatine-township-wants-expert-to-referee-board-meetings

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Rauner finalizes $15 billion Medicaid overhaul – KRISTEN SCHORSCH
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171129/NEWS03/171129897

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Feds sue Springfield over group home ordinance – Crystal Thomas
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171128/feds-sue-springfield-over-group-home-ordinance
— Candidates should release full tax returns – Editorial
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20171128/our-view-candidates-should-release-full-tax-returns

 

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Big-bucks Dems bare some income sources, but not all – Jim Dey (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes talk and act like they get lots of money from 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, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and/or from those that a) reject planks in the Republican Party platform and/or the Illinois Republican Party platform and work against those like me who support those planks, b) reject the Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling and work against those like me who support that resolution, c) focus on destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate, d) were defendants in lawsuits that I have filed, and/or e) are operatives or dupes for the aforesaid.)
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-11-29/jim-dey-big-bucks-dems-bare-some-income-sources-not-all.html

 

NORTHWEST HERALD
— Taxing bodies should follow McHenry County Board in cutting property tax levies by 10 percent – Editorial
http://www.nwherald.com/2017/11/16/our-view-taxing-bodies-should-follow-mchenry-county-board-in-cutting-property-tax-levies-by-10-percent/atvnxlw/

 

ALTON DAILY NEWS
— CEO’s Dislike Illinois – Cole Lauterbach
http://www.altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=255971#.Wh6U0svR-M8

 

STATELINE
— New Campaign Ads, New Opponents for Illinois Governor Rauner in Gubernatorial Race Governor Rauner target of new Gubernatorial Campaign Ad – Jerrica Valtierra
http://www.mystateline.com/news/new-campaign-ads-new-opponents-for-illinois-governor-rauner-in-gubernatorial-race/866752332

 

SAUK VALLEY
— In search of honesty among public servants With the example of an honest retired city clerk and the perseverance of an ancient philosopher as inspiration, voters should accept the challenge of finding honest men and women to vote for in the March primary. – Editorial (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents do not want honest people. They want people who they can manipulate/dominate, and yes, who will do dishonest things for them. I am overjoyed when my critics/opponents say about me that “You cannot tell him what to do.”)
http://www.saukvalley.com/2017/11/22/svm-editorial-in-search-of-honesty-among-public-servants/akv2n4/

 

PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— People want alternative to Rauner, Ives says – Glenn Minnis
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511278535-people-want-alternative-to-rauner-ives-says

 

ILLINOIS HOMEPAGE
— Roy Moore scandal divides Illinois GOP Moore’s mega-donor revealed – Mark Maxwell
http://www.illinoishomepage.net/news/local-news/moore-scandal-divides-illinois-gop/868194166

 

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— CHICAGO BAKERY LOSES $21M AFTER 800 WORKERS CAUGHT UP IN IMMIGRATION RAIDS
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/11/chicago-bakery-loses-800-illegal-aliens-from-workforce.html
— THORNER: BACHMANN IN CHICAGO TO RAISE ABSTINENCE EDUCATION FUNDS
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/11/thorner-michelle-bachman-touts-the-beauty-of-marriage-as-priority-view-in-todays-society.html
— CEO SURVEY: ILLINOIS THIRD-WORST STATE TO DO BUSINESS IN SINCE GREAT RECESSION
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/11/ceo-survey-illinois-third-worst-state-to-do-business-in-since-great-recession.html
— ILLINOIS ON UNSUSTAINABLE PATH, 113TH DISTRICT CANDIDATE SAYS
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/11/illinois-on-unsustainable-path-113th-district-candidate-says.html

 

GOPUSA
— Chuck & Nancy boycott WH meeting; Trump shames them with empty chairs
http://www.gopusa.com/chuck-trump-shames-them-with-empty-chairs/

 

DAILY CALLER
— CNN Boycotts The White House Christmas Party — Sarah Sanders’ Response Is FIRE – Benny Johnson (DIERSEN: Who has boycotted your events? Members of the following groups boycotted TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois events while I served as the organization’s chairman 2005-2012: anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and those who a) reject planks in the Republican Party platform and/or the Illinois Republican Party platform and work against those like me who support those planks, b) reject the Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling and work against those like me who support that resolution, c) focus on destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate, d) were defendants in lawsuits that I have filed, and/or e) are operatives or dupes for the aforesaid. The aforesaid also boycotted Wheaton’s 2004 and 2005 Patriot Day events that I organized.)
http://dailycaller.com/2017/11/28/cnn-boycotts-the-white-house-christmas-party-sarah-sanders-response-is-fire/

 

BLAZE
— Schumer and Pelosi skipped a meeting with Trump because of this tweet – Aaron Colen (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those who punish me for including links in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails to articles that they disapprove of. They punish me rather than punishing the authors of those articles. What do you think about that?)
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/11/28/schumer-and-pelosi-skipped-a-meeting-with-trump-because-of-this-tweet

 

POLITICO
— Luis Gutiérrez’s totally abnormal retirement ploy The abruptness and timing of the congressman’s announcement raises questions about his motives. – NATASHA KORECKI
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/28/luis-gutierrez-retirement-chicago-illinois-267821

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— What the Tax Bill Would Look Like for 25,000 Middle-Class Families – QUOCTRUNG BUI and BEN CASSELMAN (FROM THE ARTICLE: The story is very different for the roughly one-quarter of middle-class families that itemize deductions. The Senate bill would eliminate some popular tax breaks, including deductions for state and local taxes. As a result, households that take those deductions now could lose out. In total, about 40 percent of households that itemize their deductions would pay more in 2018 under the Senate bill — in some cases a lot more.)
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/11/28/upshot/what-the-tax-bill-would-look-like-for-25000-middle-class-families.html
— Senate Considers Making a Terrible Tax Bill Even Worse Dragging its abysmal standards lower, it may throw more money at billionaires to win two crucial votes. – Editorial
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/opinion/senate-tax-bill.html
— Millions Pay the Obamacare Penalty Instead of Buying Insurance. Who Are They? – K.K. REBECCA LAI and ALICIA PARLAPIANO (DIERSEN: During my lifetime, I have paid lots of money for insurance including life insurance, health, dental, and vision insurance, home insurance, and car insurance.)
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/11/28/us/politics/obamacare-individual-mandate-penalty-maps.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Trump Shares Inflammatory Anti-Muslim Videos.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/29/us/politics/trump-anti-muslim-videos-jayda-fransen.html
— Retail Jobs Don’t Need to Be Bad. Here’s Proof. – Eduardo Porter (DIERSEN: What bad jobs have you had? According to my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes, all the jobs that I had were bad. But nevertheless, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that instead of me, Democrats, minorities, women, younger people, and veterans should have had the jobs that I had. 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.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/business/economy/retail-work.html
— FRONT PAGE WITH COLOR PICTURE: HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Pushed to Fringes, Needy New Yorkers Face a Long Slog to Work – Jim Dwyer (DIERSEN: Needless-to-say, my Democrat IRS superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were beyond furious a) when I got promoted to a GS-12 (currently $79,563) job in the Loop in 1974, b) when I bought a studio condo in the Outer Drive East building in 1974 and walked to work and to graduate business classes at Loyola, and c) when I bought a one bedroom condo in that building in 1976 and walked to work and to graduate accounting classes at DePaul.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/nyregion/new-york-subway-funding-real-estate.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: “Trump retweets inflammatory and unverified anti-Muslim videos.” (DIERSEN: Needless-to-say, my critics/opponents want me to “verify” all articles before I include links to them in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails, that is, they want me to only include links to articles that they like.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/11/29/trump-retweets-inflammatory-and-unverified-anti-muslim-videos/
— Republicans had a big idea to give tax relief to the poor. Then it disappeared. – Jeff Stein (DIERSEN: If you are “poor,” you do not pay federal income tax.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/11/29/republicans-had-a-big-idea-to-give-tax-relief-to-the-poor-then-it-disappeared/

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Where Chicago Isn’t the Second City Trains arrive on time, and the subway has 4G. This is the power of public investment. – William A. Galston
https://www.wsj.com/articles/where-chicago-isnt-the-second-city-1511913175
— Companies Foster Collaboration – Sue Shellenbarger (DIERSEN: The federal government fosters collaboration. It wants its employees to collaborate to get rid of their superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates who are Republican, and especially those who are White, male, non-veteran and who failed to make GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/taking-one-for-the-team-companies-foster-collaboration-1511885844

 

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES
— Who Funds Conservative Campus Group Turning Point USA? Donors Revealed – ALEX KOTCH (DIERSEN: Who funds you? No one funds me. To discredit me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails, my critics/opponent stress that Ed Bachrach, Henry Bradley, Richard DeVos, William Dixon, Stephen Einhorn, Vince Foglia, Foster Friess, Peter Huizenga, Vince Kolber, Mike Leven, Bernie Marcus, Virginia McCaskey, Mike Miller, Gary Rabine, Bruce Rauner, Richard Uihlein, Elizabeth Weiss, etc. HAVE NOT GIVEN ME ANY MONEY. They further stress that Bachrach, Kolber, McCaskey, and Rabine did not want to know about, to promote, to attend, or to report on their November 20 fundraiser for Ives.)
http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/who-funds-conservative-campus-group-turning-point-usa-donors-revealed-2620325

 

MOTLEY FOOL
— Will Tax Reform Get Rid of the Marriage Penalty? Married couples with two working spouses often have to pay a higher tax rate than if they were single. – Matthew Frankel (DIERSEN: My wife and I have paid the marriage penalty big time ever since we got married in 1978.)
https://www.fool.com/taxes/2017/11/25/will-tax-reform-get-rid-of-the-marriage-penalty.aspx

 

PILOT ONLINE
— Too late for training – Anamae Leon, Norfolk (DIERSEN: I was a federal employee for almost 30 years.)
https://pilotonline.com/opinion/letters/letter-too-late-for-training/article_349b45d2-70d2-5d48-9cdd-1206acb8bdfa.html

(FROM THE LETTER: I am a retired federal employee. I attended annual required classes on the prevention of sexual harassment for many years. The last few years I worked, an additional course on the prevention of sexual assault was required. Apparently, our esteemed members of Congress were exempt from this training and now must pass a bill so that they will be required to get such training. People in such positions know how to behave in the workplace. These men know exactly what they are doing. Years ago, when I was a teenager, my mother told me that it’s a man’s world. I protested at the time, but now, sadly, I know what she meant. We must do better as a nation. Our girls deserve better.)

November 27 Morning Edition

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— 38 candidates were in line at the DuPage County Election Commission by 8:00 AM this morning to file nominating petitions. Cantore was first in the line followed by Wiley, McGowen, Mendrick, Almiron, Covert, Tully, Selmon, Rutledge, Hart, Zay, Eckhoff, Tornatore, Painter, Hinds, Holz, Moretti, Dabrowski, Suratwala, Grant, Zaruba, Nero, Bibbiano, Orsianger, Chaplin, Qayyum, Schultz, Kaczmarek, Anderson, Falbo, Murphy, Ruscitti, Cooper, Renehan, Fisher, Demichele, Prater, and Abbott.

 

Since 2000, I have gathered signatures on nominating petitions for all the candidates who seek to be on Republican primary ballots in my precinct. For the March 20, 2018 Republican primary, I gathered 667 signatures from 19 households in my precinct for the following candidates:


U.S. CONGRESS: Peter Roskam;
STATE OF ILLINOIS: Bruce Rauner, Governor and Evelyn Sanguinette, Lieutenant Governor; Jeanne Ives, Governor and Rich Morthland, Lieutenant Governor; William Kelly, Governor and Brian Leggero, Lieutenant Governor; Erika Harold, Attorney General; Jason Helland, Secretary of State; Jim Dodge, Treasurer; and Darlene Senger, Comptroller;
ILLINOIS SENATE: Michael Connelly;
ILLINOIS HOUSE: Amy Grant, Jeanne Ives; Burt Minor
DUPAGE COUNTY: Dan Cronin, Board Chairman; James Mendrick and Frank Bibbiano, Sheriff; Paul Hinds, Clerk; Gwen Henry, Treasurer; Darlene Ruscitti, Regional Superintendent of Schools;
DUPAGE COUNTY BOARD District 4: Ron Almiron, Grant Eckhoff, Amy Grant, Paula McGowen, Thommen Poozhikunnel, Beth Tatro, and Chris Zaruba;
DUPAGE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE: Joseph Cantore, President;
CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE: Jeff MacKay, Richard Russo, Karen Wilson
https://gopillinois.com

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Ives says she won’t file petitions today
https://capitolfax.com/2017/11/27/ives-says-she-wont-file-petitions-today/
— Pritzker, others file petitions
https://capitolfax.com/2017/11/27/pritzker-others-file-petitions/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Senate GOP tax bill hurts the poor more than originally thought, CBO finds – Heather Long
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-senate-gop-tax-bill-cbo-analysis-20171126-story.html
— Guns were Black Friday must-haves, going by the FBI’s record 203,086 background-check requests – Cleve R. Wootson Jr.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-guns-black-friday-20171126-story.html
— College grads, it’s time to start repaying your loans – Steve Rosen (DIERSEN: Because I graduating debt-free from NIU in 1970 and owning a 1969 Dodge Charger SE when I was 21 years old, I had more money to help support my mother and brother 1970-1972, buy a new 1972 Corvette in 1971, pay for tuition and books for graduate business courses at Loyola 1972-1976, buy a new town home in 1972, buy a studio condo in 1974, buy a one bedroom condo in 1976, etc.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/yourmoney/sns-201711171511–tms–kidmoneyctnsr-a20171117-20171117-story.html
— Scholarships are free money for the taking – Terry Savage (DIERSEN: Did you apply for scholarships? I did not. When you in high school, were you “college material?” While I attended Crete-Monee High School 1962-1966, I took college preparatory courses notwithstanding the fact that many, if not most, if not virtually everyone at the time viewed me as NOT being “college material.” Neither of my parents had attended college. My father was the first of his ancestors to earn a high school diploma. My mother never attended high school. I spent my junior and senior years and the summer in between washing dishes for the minimum wage in the basement of the S.S. Kresges in Chicago Heights. I just barely made into the top 20% of my class, my ACT score was only 24, I was draft bait, my eyesight could not be corrected to 20/20, I had partial red/green color blindness, and I had Osgood-Schlatter disease (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osgood%E2%80%93Schlatter_disease).)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-201711172143–tms–savagectnts-a20171117-20171117-column.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— No ‘easy task’ recouping $1M Rush owes Trump pal’s firm, feds for loan – Sandy Bergo and Chuck Neubauer
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/no-easy-task-recouping-1m-rush-owes-trump-pal-feds-for-church-loan/

 

DAILY HERALD
— Ballots to take shape as Illinois candidates begin filing today
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171127/ballots-to-take-shape-as-illinois-candidates-begin-filing-today
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG COLOR PICTURE: Three members of tollway board have links to contractor seeking 10-year deal – Marni Pyke
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171127/3-members-of-tollway-board-have-links-to-contractor-seeking-10-year-deal

 

ABC7
— 6 dead, 30 wounded in Thanksgiving weekend shootings across Chicago
http://abc7chicago.com/6-dead-30-wounded-in-thanksgiving-weekend-shootings-across-chicago/2697946/

 

NORTHWEST HERALD
— Lakewood trustees to talk censure of Village President Paul Serwatka Trustee alleges board was kept out of the loop on recent hires – MIKE MALLORY
http://www.nwherald.com/2017/11/24/lakewood-trustees-to-talk-censure-of-village-president-paul-serwatka/avynkao/

 

EVANSTON NOW
— Aldermen to vote on 3 percent property tax hike – Bill Smith
http://evanstonnow.com/story/government/bill-smith/2017-11-26/78777/aldermen-to-vote-on-3-percent-property-tax-hike

 

ILLINOIS LEAKS
— Algonquin Township – Clerk demands control over meetings – KIRK ALLEN
http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2017/11/algonquin-township-clerk-demands-control-over-meetings/

 

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— DEMS DO NO GOOD WHEN THEY KICK HISPANIC REPUBLICANS TO CURB
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/11/dems-do-no-good-when-they-kick-hispanic-republicans-to-curb.html
— GOODBYE NET NEUTRALITY; HELLO COMPETITION (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, “companies” act like they are not in business to make a profit, but instead, to defend and advance the Democrat, Libertarian, and Green platforms.)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/11/goodbye-net-neutrality-hello-competition.html

 

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Tax reform puts blue-state Republicans in difficult spot – S.A. Miller
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/nov/26/tax-reform-puts-blue-state-republicans-in-difficul/

 

AMERICAN THINKER
— The Myth of White Privilege – John Meinhold (DIERSEN: In 1971, Oldsmobile withdrew its job offer that I had accepted saying that it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. GAO hired me in 1980 because it could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, younger person, or veteran who would take the job. IRS hired me in 1971 because it could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, or veteran who would take the job. The Post Office hired me in 1966 because it could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, or veteran who would take the job.)
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/11/the_myth_of_white_privilege.html

 

BLAZE
— Black Friday posts new all-time record for number of background checks in single day, FBI says – Chris Enloe
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/11/26/black-friday-posts-new-all-time-record-for-number-of-background-checks-in-single-day-fbi-says
— The NFL and its TV partners are on track to lose $500 million this year alone as ratings plunge – Chris Enloe
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/11/26/the-nfl-and-its-tv-partners-are-on-track-to-lose-500-million-this-year-alone-as-ratings-plunge

 

CONSERVATIVE AMERICAN
— Don’t Blame Donald Trump for Eclipsing the State Department The real culprit is a much older one: our militaristic foreign policy. – PETER VAN BUREN
http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/dont-blame-donald-trump-for-eclipsing-the-state-department/

 

FOX BUSINESS
— Military overhauls retirement system in biggest shift since World War II – Brittany De Lea
http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2017/11/22/military-overhauls-retirement-system-in-biggest-shift-since-world-war-ii.html

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— Diplomats Sound the Alarm as They Are Pushed Out in Droves – GARDINER HARRIS (DIERSEN: While I worked for GAO 1980-1997, the agency’s top priority was to get rid of its employees who were Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran. If my Democrat GAO superiors had not succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old, I might still be a GAO employee and paying 7% of my salary into the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) instead of the CSRS pension paying me a pension. In today’s dollars, since September 30, 1997, I would have paid $173,622 into the CSRS instead of the CSRS paying me $1,025,596.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/24/us/politics/state-department-tillerson.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Comey tweeted about freedom of the press — minutes after Trump attacked CNN – Kristine Phillips (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents oppose “freedom of the press.” My critics/opponents have lots of religious, government, political, and/or financial clout. They a) glorify and praise, pander to, serve as operatives or dupes for, and/or give money to “reporters” and to “journalists” who they manipulate/dominate and b) viciously demonize, viciously denigrate, viciously condemn, and blacklist reporters and journalists like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate. They refuse to keep diersen@aol.com on their press advisory and press release lists. They do not want me to know about their events or other activities. They do not want me to promote their events or other activities. They do not want me to attend their events or other activities. They do not want me to report on their events or other activities. They focus on a) stopping me from putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails together and sending them out and b) stopping everyone from reading those emails.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/11/26/james-b-comey-tweeted-about-freedom-of-the-press-minutes-after-trump-attacked-cnn/James B.
— Time to take baby boomers off the ticket – David Von Drehle (DIERSEN: All my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always promoted age discrimination, most commonly to get promoted or to curry favor with those who are younger.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/time-to-take-baby-boomers-off-the-ticket/2017/11/24/7b4aa97c-d154-11e7-81bc-c55a220c8cbe_story.html

 

USA TODAY
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: For many, a leisurely retirement is a long shot Fewer older American think they’ll be able to afford trips, survey finds – Paul Davidson (DIERSEN: How much money do you have to go on trips? Since 1997, in today’s dollars, I have had $1,454,723 less dollars to go on trips, that is, $72,135 less a year, $6,011 less a month, $1,403 less a week, and $200 less a day. In 1997, my Democrat GAO superiors succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer.” In 1997, in today’s dollars, my GAO salary was $122,991/year. But my Civil Service Retirement System pension is only $50,856/year, or 41% of that.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/11/26/retirees-dream-more-travel-less-health-care-tough-achieve/890562001/
— Hijab Barbie: Perfect Christmas gift for non-Muslim parents who want to stick it to Trump – James S. Robbins
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/11/24/hijab-barbie-perfect-christmas-gift-non-muslim-parents-who-want-stick-trump-james-robbins-column/884583001/

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Why Immigrants Make Great Entrepreneurs – Adrian Furnham (DIERSEN: Are you an immigrant and/or an entrepreneur? My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes shout that I am neither. My ancestors have been in America since 1844 and I was a lowly wage earner 1964-1997. I 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.wsj.com/articles/why-immigrants-make-great-entrepreneurs-1511752261

 

NEWSWEEK
— REX TILLERSON IS MAKING THE STATE DEPARTMENT A LOT MORE WHITE – CARLOS BALLESTEROS (DIERSEN: While I worked for GAO 1980-1997, the agency’s top priority was to get rid of its employees who were Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran. If my Democrat GAO superiors had not succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old, I might still be a GAO employee and paying 7% of my salary into the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) instead of the CSRS pension paying me a pension. In today’s dollars, since September 30, 1997, I would have paid $173,622 into the CSRS instead of the CSRS paying me $1,025,596.)
http://www.newsweek.com/rex-tillerson-diversity-state-department-foreign-service-722653
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Rex Tillerson is ousting many of the State Department’s high-ranking women diplomats and diplomats of color. On Friday, the New York Times revealed how Tillerson’s State Department is pushing out scores of career diplomats from the agency, offering them buyouts and early retirement in the hopes of getting them out the door. “Among those fired or sidelined were most of the top African-American and Latino diplomats, as well as many women, difficult losses in a department that has long struggled with diversity,” reported the Times. The drastic reduction in senior staff is part of Tillerson’s plan to slash the State Department’s expenses by 31 percent. Former officials warn that Tillerson is worsening America’s image abroad and compromising the country’s foreign policy agenda. “These people either do not believe the U.S. should be a world leader or they’re utterly incompetent,” former ambassador to Qatar Dana Shell Smith, who retired from the service in June, told the Times. Tillerson has put a stop to most hiring at the State Department and hopes to push out some 2,000 career diplomats by this time next year, according to the Times. Tillerson plans on doing so by arbitrarily denying posts and assignments to certain diplomats, as well as offering $25,000 contract buyouts for many of the agency’s senior staff. His aides have also simply fired many diplomats whose vision does not align with that of the Secretary of State. Senior non-male and non-white diplomats have been among those targeted by Tillerson. The State Department’s level of diversity has historically been low: In 2016, 5.4 percent of career diplomats were black, 6.9 percent were Asian, and 5.6 percent Hispanic, according to Foreign Policy. The Obama administration made an effort to increase the number of diplomats of color in order to create a Foreign Service that “looked more like America.” But Tillerson’s plans are much different. Instead of recruiting a more diverse pool of talent, the State Department is in the process of substantially reducing its staff, all but ending the drive to diversify the agency.)