Tag: Family

January 5 Morning Edition

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

January 4 Evening Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Rauner spends night in Quincy veterans home plagued by deadly water problems – Monique Garcia
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-bruce-rauner-quincy-veterans-20180104-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “New Trump book details Bannon’s ‘treasonous’ claim, Ivanka’s presidential ambitions and Melania’s first-lady concerns.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-bannon-book-analysis-20180103-story.html
— Investigation details secretive contacts with lobbyist on $2 billion Illinois lottery contract – Joe Mahr and Matthew Walberg
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/ct-met-lottery-lobbyists-0104-story.html
— U. of I. plans in-state tuition freeze for 4th straight year – Dawn Rhodes
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-university-of-illinois-tuition-freeze-20180103-story.html
— Rapper Chief Keef had eight different drugs in his system during DUI arrest – Rachel DeSantis
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-chief-keef-arrest-20180104-story.html
— Hello, exodus deniers: No, it isn’t Illinois’ weather – Kristen McQueary
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-mcqueary-opinion-illinois-population-0105-20180104-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Chris Kennedy’s divisive fantasy.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-kennedy-chicago-rahm-gentrification-20180104-story.html
— Chuy Garcia: Kennedy was right about Emanuel’s ‘strategic gentrification plan’ to force minorities out of city – Kim Janssen
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chicagoinc/ct-chuy-rahm-0105-chicago-inc-20180104-story.html
— Orland Park voters to see 2 ballot proposals on video gambling – Mike Nolan (DIERSEN: If you promote video gambling, you promote destruction.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-orland-video-gambling-st-0105-20180104-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Those who promote pot say: “New federal pot policy unlikely to affect Ill. medical marijuana; legalization push continues.” If you promote pot, you promote destruction.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-met-illinois-cannabis-industry-sessions-20180104-story.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Local leaders say Sessions’ rollback on pot policy won’t stop them – Rachel Hinton and Tina Sfondeles (DIERSEN: If you promote pot, you promote destruction.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/us-to-end-policy-that-let-legal-pot-flourish-sources/
— The pols created Illinois’ property tax monster — and they love it – Phil Kadner
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/kadner-the-pols-created-illinois-property-tax-monster-and-they-love-it/
— Gov. Rauner staying at Quincy veterans home under fire for Legionnaires’ disease – Tina Sfondeles
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/gov-rauner-staying-at-quincy-veterans-home-under-fire-for-legionnaires-disease/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Trump’s latest claim of voter fraud is an assault on democracy.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/trumps-latest-claim-of-voter-fraud-is-an-assault-on-democracy/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Quick way to undermine the U.S. Census? Ask about citizenship.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/quick-way-to-undermine-the-u-s-census-ask-about-citizenship/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Jacob Sullum promotes pot big time. If you promote pot, you promote destruction.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/sullum-stop-pretending-sober-drivers-are-stoned/

 

DAILY HERALD
— Trial delayed for DuPage judge accused of reckless conduct – Justin Kmitch
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180104/trial-delayed-for-dupage-judge-accused-of-reckless-conduct
— Legislators to meet with Naperville homeowners Saturday, Jan. 20
http://www.dailyherald.com/submitted/20180104/legislators-meet-with-naperville-homeowners
— OUTSTANDING: U.S. to end policy that let legal marijuana flourish – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20180104/news/301049947/

 

ABC7
— Rauner staying at veterans home during Legionnaires’ crisis – AP
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/rauner-staying-at-veterans-home-during-legionnaires-crisis/2861624/

 

NBC5
— Rauner’s Former General Counsel Offers Rare Statement – Mary Ann Ahern
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/former-top-rauner-attorney-new-years-message-468053403.html
— Rauner Moves Into Quincy Vets’ Home Amid Controversy
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/governor-bruce-rauner-moves-into-quincy-veterans-home-amid-controversy-468083373.html

 

CBS2
— Rauner Checks Into Veterans’ Home Under Fire For Deadly Legionnaires’ Outbreak
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2018/01/04/rauner-veterans-home-legionnaires-disease/
— Trump Sends Cease And Desist Letter To Publishers Of Tell-All Book
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/video/category/spoken-word-wbbmtv/3787359-trump-sends-cease-and-desist-letter-to-publishers-of-tell-all-book/

 

WGN TV
— Rauner visits veterans home where several residents died from Legionnaires’ disease – CHARLES HAYES AND TAHMAN BRADLEY
http://wgntv.com/2018/01/04/rauner-visits-veterans-home-where-several-residents-died-from-legionnaires-disease/

 

WLS AM
— Rauner stay at vets home called publicity stunt – Bill Cameron
http://www.wlsam.com/2018/01/04/rauner-stay-at-vets-home-called-publicity-stunt/
— Rauner stunt reminds some of Jane Byrne’s Cabrini Green stay – Bill Cameron
http://www.wlsam.com/2018/01/04/rauner-stunt-reminds-some-of-jane-byrnes-cabrini-green-stay/

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Rauner, Roskam, Ives trade barbs over GOP tax bill – GREG HINZ (DIERSEN: Will the mainstream media ask Rauner, Roskam, and Ives a) if they prepaid their real estate taxes and b) why they did or did not do that?)
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180104/BLOGS02/180109961/rauner-roskam-ives-trade-barbs-over-gop-tax-bill
— Hot assessor race sparks financial flap: Who pays?
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180104/BLOGS02/180109968/hot-assessor-race-sparks-financial-flap-who-pays

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Rauner to spend ‘several days’ at Quincy veterans home – Doug Finke
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20180104/rauner-to-spend-several-days-at-quincy-veterans-home

 

HERALD & REVIEW
— Congressman Rodney Davis predicts more charitable giving with new tax bill – RYAN VOYLES (DIERSEN: Being deductible motivated me to give more money to 501(c)(3) organizations.)
http://herald-review.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/congressman-rodney-davis-predicts-more-charitable-giving-with-new-tax/article_549c9f6b-65ed-5151-ab17-e5c75096ade0.html

 

MADISON RECORD
— Judge who overturned Rauner ‘fair share’ executive order had worked as Madigan staffer in earlier days – Ann Maher
https://madisonrecord.com/stories/511309644-judge-who-overturned-rauner-fair-share-executive-order-had-worked-as-madigan-staffer-in-earlier-days

 

WGLT
— Davis: Tax Bill Will Win Over Voters Before November Election – RYAN DENHAM (DIERSEN: What about those voters who pay more than $10,000 a year in SALT each year?)
http://wglt.org/post/davis-tax-bill-will-win-over-voters-november-election#stream/0

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— OUTSTANDING: Sessions terminates US policy that let legal pot flourish – AP
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-newsbreak-us-to-end-policy-that-let-legal-pot-flourish/901877894

 

NPR ILLINOIS
— OUTSTANDING: Attorney General Rescinds Obama-Era Marijuana Guidelines – RYAN LUCAS
http://nprillinois.org/post/attorney-general-rescinds-obama-era-marijuana-guidelines#stream/0
— Despite Takedown And Legal Threat, Bannon Says He Still Backs Trump – SCOTT DETROW
http://nprillinois.org/post/despite-takedown-and-legal-threat-bannon-says-he-still-backs-trump#stream/0

 

IVES FOR GOVERNOR
— Ives Responds to Rauner Criticism of Congressional Tax Reform “Bruce Rauner is out trying to sell a success as failure, and failure as success. It is little wonder Illinois Republicans can feel they can no longer trust the man they elected in 2014.”
http://mailchi.mp/88d2ae75c1bd/ives-responds-to-rauner-criticism-of-congressional-tax-reform?e=985ad8c00b
— Ives Response to Rauner’s Illinois Veterans Home Stay “This is a cynical and transparent publicity stunt.”
http://mailchi.mp/d8f4da241352/ives-response-to-rauners-illinois-veterans-home-stay?e=985ad8c00b

 

CHICAGO PRESS RELEASE
— Former Top Rauner Attorney’s Facebook Post Raises Eyebrows
http://chicagopressrelease.com/news/former-top-rauner-attorneys-facebook-post-raises-eyebrows

 

CHICAGO CITY WIRE
— Democrats, Madigan backing Pritzker to control redistricting, state GOP says – Caitlin Nordahl
https://chicagocitywire.com/stories/511302009-democrats-madigan-backing-pritzker-to-control-redistricting-state-gop-says
— Pritzker accused of throwing low, middle class under the bus – Caitlin Nordahl
https://chicagocitywire.com/stories/511296671-pritzker-accused-of-throwing-low-middle-class-under-the-bus

 

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR: ILLINOIS SEES RECORD LOSS OF PEOPLE TO NEARBY STATES – Austin Berg
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/like-a-good-neighbor-illinois-sees-record-loss-of-people-to-nearby-states/

 

ILLINOIS FAMILY ACTION
— Is It Okay to Be Angry with Leftists Promoting Transgenderism? – John Biver
https://illinoisfamilyaction.org/2018/01/is-it-okay-to-be-angry-with-leftists-promoting-transgenderism/

 

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— DEMOCRATS COO OVER RAUNER BLASTING TRUMP’S TAX PLAN AS “PUNISHING” THE MIDDLE CLASS (DIERSEN: What percent of those who prepaid their real estate taxes were Republicans and what percent were Democrats?)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/01/democrats-coo-over-rauner-blasting-trumps-tax-plan-as-punishing-the-middle-class.html
— IVES BLAMES RAUNER’S POOR LEADERSHIP FOR ILLINOIS’ HIGH TAX MISERIES (DIERSEN: Will the mainstream media ask Rauner, Roskam, and Ives a) if they prepaid their real estate taxes and b) why they did or did not do that?)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/01/ives-blames-rauners-poor-leadership-for-illinois-high-tax-miseries.html
— THORNER/O’NEIL: ANYONE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF SCHOOL CHILDREN?
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/01/thorneroneil-anyone-concerned-about-school-children-being-sexually-harassed.html

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Roskam, Ives, DCCC, Biss respond *** Rauner calls new Republican tax law “punishing” for Illinois
https://capitolfax.com/2018/01/04/rauner-calls-new-republican-tax-law-punishing-for-illinois/

 

FOX NEWS
— JFK’s nephew says Emanuel has plan to force black people out of Chicago – Andrew O’Reilly
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/01/04/jfks-nephew-says-emanuel-has-plan-to-force-blacks-out-chicago.html

 

GOPUSA
— Some law schools drop the LSAT to increase diversity (DIERSEN: Ever-since the 1960s, to increase diversity, the federal government has lowered its hiring standards and made them more subjective.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=36249
— California tax scam coming?
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=36397
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Cooper on CNN’s New Year’s Eve pot party coverage: ‘The whole thing surprised me’
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=36460

 

NATIONAL REVIEW
— OUTSTANDING: Is That Marijuana Legal? Attorney General Jeff Sessions Says No. – Jim Geraghty
http://www.nationalreview.com/morning-jolt/455135/marijuana-legal-attorney-general-jeff-sessions-says-no
— OUTRAGEOUS: It’s Time to Decriminalize Marijuana – DAVID FRENCH
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/455147/marijuana-decriminalization-congress-must-act

 

THE HILL
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “Trump’s failed fraud commission: Flawed from the start, dissolved in disgrace.”
http://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/367496-trumps-failed-fraud-commission-flawed-from-the-start-dissolved-in

 

NBC NEWS
— Trump: Give me the wall, I’ll give you ‘Dreamers’ – ALI VITALI
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-border-wall-must-be-part-any-daca-deal-n834671

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “Everyone in Trumpworld Knows He’s an Idiot.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/opinion/fire-fury-wolff-trump-book.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “Trump’s cease-and-desist letter: A ‘desperate’ attempt to silence Bannon.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/01/04/trumps-cease-and-desist-letter-a-desperate-attempt-to-silence-bannon/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “The Trump potboiler is important, even if you don’t believe a lot of it.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2018/01/04/the-trump-potboiler-is-important-even-if-you-dont-believe-a-lot-of-it/

 

NEWSWEEK
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “TRUMP TEAM’S MANY INSULTS FOR THE PRESIDENT INCLUDED ‘DUMB’ AND A ‘DOPE,’ CLAIMS NEW BOOK.”
http://www.newsweek.com/trump-insults-wolff-fire-fury-insults-priebus-mnuchin-mcmaster-770887
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “TRUMP IS LOSING IT: NEW BOOK SAYS PRESIDENT CAN’T REMEMBER OLD FRIENDS AND BANNON SAW CHANCE OF ‘UNFIT’ DETERMINATION.”
http://www.newsweek.com/trump-cant-remember-faces-friends-and-has-childlike-fits-according-new-book-770518

January 4 Morning Edition

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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


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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

January 3 Evening Edition

ABC7
— Trump unloads on ex-strategist Steve Bannon: ‘He lost his mind’ – CNN
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/trump-unloads-on-ex-strategist-steve-bannon-he-lost-his-mind/2856363/

 

NBC5
— Hastert Accuser Seeks to Reinstate Case – Phil Rogers
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/dennis-hastert-accuser-seeks-to-reinstate-case-467744683.html
— Doug Jones Becomes Only Democratic Senator With a Black Chief of Staff Dana Gresham served for eight years as assistant secretary for governmental affairs at the Department of Transportation during the Obama administration – Liz Lane
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/Doug-Jones-Chief-of-Staff-Dana-Gresham-Senate-Democrats-467880803.html

 

WGN TV
— Chris Kennedy accuses Emanuel of plan to force out black Chicagoans – TAHMAN BRADLEY
http://wgntv.com/2018/01/03/chris-kennedy-accuses-emanuel-of-plan-to-force-out-black-chicagoans/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Kennedy accuses Emanuel of ‘strategic gentrification plan’ to force blacks out of Chicago – Rick Pearson (DIERSEN: One could argue that Emanuel wants to force more than just Blacks out of Chicago. Emanuel talks and acts like he wants to force out of Chicago individuals, organizations, and companies that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-chris-kennedy-rahm-emanuel-black-voters-20180103-story.html
— Trump slams Bannon: ‘When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind’ – Alex Wayne, Jennifer Jacobs
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-steve-bannon-book-treasonous-20180103-story.html
— Bonus or no, don’t get your hopes up for a raise – Rebecca Greenfield (DIERSEN: What raises have you gotten? My salary increased every year that I worked for the federal government 1966-1969 and 1971-1997 because of COLAs, step increases, and/or promotions except 1980 when I took a $19,203 (26%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO. 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-biz-employee-raises-20180103-story.html
— Will County plans to demolish old courthouse – Susan DeMar Lafferty
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-will-demo-courthouse-st-0103-20180102-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Pot promoters promote pot. If you promote pot, you promote destruction.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/reed/ct-biz-pot-legalization-illinois-robert-reed-1418-story.html
— 2017 was bad, but 2018 could be much worse – Steve Chapman
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chapman/ct-perspec-chapman-trump-war-recession-20180103-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “Trump doesn’t have some master plan. He’s just angry and impulsive.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-trump-tweets-angry-impulsive-20180103-story.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Kennedy contends Rahm behind plan to push blacks out of city – Mark Brown
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/chris-kennedy-accuses-rahm-emanuel-pushing-people-color-out-chicago/
— Army vet’s fight to avoid deportation lands in federal appeals court – Ashlee Rezin
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/army-vets-fight-to-avoid-deportation-lands-in-federal-appeals-court/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Her son served two tours in Afghanistan, but now faces deportation for a drug conviction. . .He had spent seven years behind bars for delivering cocaine. His family and supporters blame the error in judgement on head injuries and PTSD resulting from his time in the military that went untreated until Perez Jr. finally received medical attention behind bars.)
— Trump sinks to a new low in 2018, and the world shudders – Editorial
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/trump-north-korea-nuclear-button-sinks-to-a-new-low-in-2018-and-the-world-shudders/
— Garry McCarthy inches closer to challenging Rahm Emanuel – Fran Spielman
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/garry-mccarthy-inches-closer-to-challenging-rahm-emanuel/
— Sessions sends Illinois four more federal prosecutors to focus on violent crime – Matthew Hendrickson
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/sessions-sends-illinois-four-more-federal-prosecutors-to-focus-on-violent-crime/

 

DAILY HERALD
— Trump: Bannon ‘lost his mind’ after leaving White House – Bloombrerg
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180103/trump-bannon-lost-his-mind-after-leaving-white-house
— College of DuPage helps students navigate toward success – Ann Rondeau
http://www.dailyherald.com/submitted/20180103/college-of-dupage-helps-students-navigate-toward-success

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Taxpayers give $36M to scholarships on 1st day of new credit – AP (DIERSEN: My outstanding parents saved Crete-Monee School District 201-U (http://www.cm201u.org/) lots of money during the 1950s and 1960s by sending my brother and me to Trinity Lutheran Grade School in Crete and then to Hope Lutheran Grade School in Park Forest to stay with the Missouri Synod.)
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20180103/taxpayers-give-36m-to-scholarships-on-1st-day-of-new-credit

 

GALESBURG REGISTER MAIL
— Right wing targets Medicare, Social Security – Bill Knight (DIERSEN: Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes are furious that I have gotten Medicare since 2013 and Social Security since 2010. Medicare costs me $1,308 a year. My $2,064/year Social Security is dramatically reduced because I get a Civil Service Retirement System pension.)
http://www.galesburg.com/opinion/20180103/bill-knight-right-wing-targets-medicare-social-security

 

BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
— Police seek suspects in string of gambling machine burglaries; company offers reward – DANA RIECK
http://www.bnd.com/news/local/article192782539.html

 

WGLT
— Davis Defends Trump’s ‘Strong Stance’ in North Korea Nuclear Button Tweet – RYAN DENHAM
http://wglt.org/post/davis-defends-trumps-strong-stance-north-korea-nuclear-button-tweet#stream/0

 

WNNS
— Rauner Vows to Roll Back “Madigan Tax Hike”
http://www.wnns.com/2018/01/03/rauner-vows-to-roll-back-madigan-tax-hike/

 

IVES FOR GOVERNOR
— Ives Responds To California Becoming A Sanctuary State
http://mailchi.mp/f246a4c57a0b/ives-responds-to-california-becoming-a-sanctuary-state?e=985ad8c00b

 

WILL COUNTY GAZETTE
— Balich sees high taxes as fueling exodus from ‘broke state’ – Angela Underwood
https://willcountygazette.com/stories/511306950-balich-sees-high-taxes-as-fueling-exodus-from-broke-state

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Ives pledges to repeal “extreme and dangerous” Trust Act
https://capitolfax.com/2018/01/03/ives-pledges-to-repeal-extreme-and-dangerous-trust-act/
— Mayor Emanuel, CPD Supt. Johnson respond *** Kennedy claims a “strategic gentrification plan” is deliberately forcing people of color to leave Chicago
https://capitolfax.com/2018/01/03/kennedy-claims-a-strategic-gentrification-plan-is-deliberately-forcing-people-of-color-to-leave-chicago/
— Rauner makes some budget promises
https://capitolfax.com/2018/01/03/rauner-makes-some-budget-promises/
— Rauner foundation donates $100K to Cairo Port project, but lots more needed
https://capitolfax.com/2018/01/03/rauner-foundation-donates-100k-to-cairo-port-project-but-lots-more-needed/
— Pressed on anti-violence specifics, Kennedy says banning legislators from property tax appeals work is his top issue
https://capitolfax.com/2018/01/03/pressed-on-anti-violence-specifics-kennedy-says-banning-legislators-from-property-tax-appeals-work-is-his-top-issue/

 

BLAZE
— Pennsylvania State Police urge gun owners to give up firearms to get medical marijuana – Sarah Taylor (DIERSEN: Further, to buy pot, you should be required to give up your driver’s license.)
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/01/03/pennsylvania-state-police-urge-gun-owners-to-give-up-firearms-to-get-medical-marijuana

 

HOT AIR
— “Morale Has Never Been Lower”: Federal Gov’t Employment Declines In First Trump Year – ED MORRISSEY (DIERSEN: While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, a) virtually all my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats and b) whenever Republican politicians did something harmful to federal employees, they took their anger out on me.)
https://hotair.com/archives/2018/01/02/morale-never-lower-federal-govt-employment-declines-first-trump-year/

 

FOX NEWS INSIDER
— ‘Essentially Un-American’: Varney Calls Out Bloated Salaries of Federal Gov’t Employees – Stuart Varney (DIERSEN: Varney should acknowledge that 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. I doubt that Varney or anyone who agrees with him would ever stoop to take a job with the federal government.)
http://insider.foxnews.com/2018/01/03/stuart-varney-report-federal-employee-pay-reveals-essentially-un-american-bureaucracy

 

GOPUSA
— Felons welcome! Fake road signs mock California’s new status as ‘sanctuary state’
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=36358
— Hillary donors paid $700K in hunt for Trump accusers
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=36301
— Trump to announce awards for worst ‘fake news’ journalism (DIERSEN: It would be great if my critics/opponents would a) get together, b) review each of the almost 290,400 articles that I have included links to in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails since 2004, c) identify all those articles that they disapprove of and explain in detail why they disapprove of each of them, d) identify all my comments in those emails that they disapprove of and explain in detail why they disapprove of each of them, and e) provide me with the aforesaid information in writing so that I could respond to it. In addition, it would be great if my critics/opponents would provide me with a written list of all those who are on their blacklists so that I could respond to that.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=36361
— Renters Win in Tax Law; Dems Lie About It (DIERSEN: Government should encourage homeownership.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=36307
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Renters came out winners under the new tax law. For over a century, the federal tax code catered to homeowners and treated renters like second-class citizens. Homeowners have been able to deduct interest on their mortgages and home equity loans, as well as property taxes. Meanwhile, everyone, including renters, footed the bill for these deductions by paying higher rates. The new tax law at last begins leveling the playing field between renters and homeowners. Millions of New Yorkers and Californians reap the benefits, because these states have among the lowest rates of homeownership in the nation, and renting is common. So ignore the hyperventilating from Democratic politicians that tax reform is a gift to the rich. New York Senator Chuck Schumer condemns the new tax law as “a gut shot to the middle class” while “rewarding the wealthiest among us.” Just the opposite is true. Tax reform benefits renters living in urban areas — a key Democratic constituency. Democrats are usually eager to slap taxes on millionaires. But today, they’re defending deductions that benefit only the wealthiest homeowners in the country’s most expensive East and West Coast enclaves. Places like Westchester County, New York, and Marin County, California. Under the new tax law, everyone — renters and homeowners alike — will have their tax rates cut and their standard deduction almost doubled. Most will end up paying less tax. To cover the cost of these cuts, the law caps the mortgage deduction for buyers of the priciest real estate. Few homebuyers will even notice it, because they’re not borrowing $750,000 or more. Last year, only 4 percent of homebuyers borrowed that much, and only about 100,000 buyers will take out such huge mortgages in 2018. It’s true that the cap will likely hit the wallets of the bicoastal elite. Some 64 percent of buyers in Manhattan’s rarefied real estate market took out a mortgage that big, and 58 percent of San Francisco buyers did. But the tax change certainly won’t hurt middle class first-time homebuyers. On average, they buy homes with a median price of $182,500. In the past, the tax code encouraged wealthy homeowners to buy even bigger homes and borrow more. Great for the wealthy and the banks. No much help for the average Joe. Homeownership isn’t any higher than in the late 1960s — with only 64 percent of households owning their own home. For minorities, the goal is even farther out of reach, with only 46 percent of black families and Hispanic families owning their home. So disregard the partisan claim that lowering the cap on the mortgage interest deduction is going to hurt the middle class. The other major deduction for homeowners has been property taxes. The new law puts a $10,000 lid on deducting all state and local taxes combined, whether income, sales, or property taxes. Homeowners in most of the nation don’t have much to worry about. Hardest hit are a few tony counties with multimillion dollar homes like Westchester County, New York, where the average property tax tab is a whopping $15,000. For that, the streets should be paved with gold. But only one-fifth of New York property owners pay over $10,000 and about 30 percent of New Jersey homeowners do. Schumer rants against the new tax law, claiming it hurts “middle-class and working families.” Baloney. Tax reform makes the tax code more progressive, not less. It imposes added costs on the wealthiest homeowners to fund across-the-board tax breaks for all filers. Including renters. Homeowners still have the option of taking deductions for most mortgage interest and property taxes, but almost all will crunch the numbers and find it pays to take the nearly doubled standard deduction instead. Only 5 percent of filers are expected to itemize. California’s Jerry Brown calls the tax law “evil in the extreme.” That’s demagoguery. Most taxpayers will end up with more money in their wallets. Betsy McCaughey is a senior fellow at the London Center for Policy Research and a former lieutenant governor of New York State.)

 

DAILY SIGNAL
— The ‘Dreamers’ Have No Right to Demand Anything – Peter Parisi
http://dailysignal.com/2018/01/03/why-dreamers-have-no-right-to-demand-anything/

 

HERITAGE FOUNDATION
— Not-So-Beautiful Dreamers: The Reality Behind the Media Airbrushing – Hans A. von Spakovsky
http://www.heritage.org/immigration/commentary/not-so-beautiful-dreamers-the-reality-behind-the-media-airbrushing

 

THE HILL
— Labor Department eyes drug test rule for unemployment pay – LYDIA WHEELER
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/367154-labor-department-eyes-drug-test-rule-for-unemployment-pay
— In the long run, low-wage workers lose out in ‘Fight for $15’ – JACK SALMON
http://thehill.com/opinion/finance/367111-in-the-long-run-low-wage-workers-lose-out-in-fight-for-15

 

POLITICO
— Trump disbands voter fraud commission
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/03/trump-disbands-voter-fraud-commission-322621

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Cuomo says New York will sue over GOP tax law – Jeff Stein (DIERSEN: Will all those across America who prepaid their real estate taxes have the opportunity to be parties in class action lawsuits?)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/01/03/cuomo-says-new-york-will-sue-over-gop-tax-law/?utm_term=.83aff040f025
(FROM THE ARTICLES: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday that New York state will sue the federal government over the new Republican tax law, but legal experts are skeptical the lawsuit will hold up in court. Cuomo said New York will challenge a provision of the law that limits how much Americans can deduct from their federal taxes for payments made to state and local governments. Many of the people most affected by that provision live in states run by Democrats, which tend to have higher state and local tax rates. Cuomo, widely seen as a potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, said the provision is “violative of states’ rights and the principle of equal protection.”)
— Trump portrayed as uninformed, unprepared and lacking focus in unflattering new book – John Wagner
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-portrayed-as-uninformed-unprepared-and-lacking-focus-in-unflattering-new-book/2018/01/03/f63895f8-f0bd-11e7-b390-a36dc3fa2842_story.html
— Trump abolishes controversial commission studying voter fraud – John Wagner
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-abolishes-controversial-commission-studying-voter-fraud/2018/01/03/665b1878-f0e2-11e7-b3bf-ab90a706e175_story.html

 

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
— Why Steve Bannon’s revolt may only wind up strengthening establishment Republicans – NOAH ROTHMAN
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/bannon-revolt-wind-strengthening-establishment-article-1.3735860

 

FED WEEK
— Mileage Rates Increase Slightly (DIERSEN: Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes remain furious that the Post Office paid me millage when I a) used my 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint to deliver mail during 1966 and 1967, b) used my 1968 Oldsmobile 442 to deliver mail in 1968, and used my 1969 Dodge Charger SE to deliver mail in 1969. Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes remain furious that IRS paid me mileage when I used my 1962 Chevy BelAir to collect delinquent taxes 1971-1978.)
http://www.fedweek.com/federal-managers-daily-report/mileage-rates-increase-slightly/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: GSA has announced the calendar year 2018 mileage reimbursement rates for federal employees using personal vehicles while on official business and as authorized by the agency. The new rates are: for the use of a privately owned automobile, 54.5 cents per mile if no government-owned vehicle is available and 18 cents per mile if one is available; for a motorcycle, 51.5 cents per mile; for a privately owned airplane, $1.21 per mile. The so-called “POV” rate, the most closely watched, mirrors a recent increase by the IRS in a comparable rate used for certain tax deduction purposes. The GSA typically mirrors the IRS regarding that rate in setting the federal employee rate, although it is not required to.)

January 3 Morning Adition

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

December 31 Morning Edition

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

December 30 Evening Edition

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

December 29 Evening Edition

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

December 29 Morning Edition

ABC7
— IRS warns only some can benefit from filing property taxes early – MEGHAN KENEALLY
http://abc7chicago.com/irs-warns-only-some-can-benefit-from-filing-property-taxes-early/2836065/

 

CBS2
— Effort To Delay Abortion-Funding Law Fails – Derrick Blakley
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/28/effort-to-delay-abortion-funding-law-fails/
— Gambling Watchdog Hits Jackpot – Charlie De Mar
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/28/gambling-watchdog-hits-jackpot/

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Prepaying property taxes to cut federal tax bill a confusing mess for now – Lynn Sweet
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/sweet-congress-or-courts-will-have-to-fix-property-tax-prepayment-confusion/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Who is to blame for this confusion? Congress. In the conference report that accompanies the new tax law, Congress was explicit in stating that one could not prepay state income taxes — but was silent about property taxes. Lawmakers should have anticipated the IRS concerns and address property tax prepayment. Congress “could have given explicit guidance,” about property taxes Jaffe said. “.. . If they had put that in the bill, everybody would be a happy camper at this point.” Congress “could have given explicit guidance,” Jaffe said. “… If they had put that in the bill, everybody would be a happy camper at this point.” What happens to the extra tens of millions of dollars being collected by the counties? The money will be held in escrow, put in short-term investments with the interest likely apportioned among the local taxing districts.)
— Secret political donors to judges hurt the image of the bench – Editorial
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/undisclosed-donors-hurt-image-judges-editorial/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Thousands in Chicago area prepay property taxes, with payoff uncertain – Erin Hegarty and Nereida Moreno
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-property-taxes-prepaid-20171228-story.html
— Lake County continues accepting property tax prepayments in wake of tax code overhaul – Emily K. Coleman
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-lns-lake-county-property-taxes-st-1229-20171228-story.html
— Chicago’s homicide total drops by over 100, but violence still ‘intolerably high’ – Jeremy Gorner
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-chicago-violence-2017-story.html
— FRONT PAGE: #MeToo in 2018: Will the movement create real change in the workplace? – Samantha Bomkamp
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-metoo-sexual-harassment-future-20171214-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— Will property tax prepayments matter in all counties?
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171228/will-property-tax-prepayments-matter-in-all-counties
— California law enforcement readies for new marijuana laws – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20171229/news/312299976/
— How a fact becomes fabrication Hyped-up ‘spin’ can bury grain of truth under layers of innuendo and opinion – Editorial (DIERSEN: Virtually everything published by the mainstream media is anti-Trump and promotes the Democrat Party platform, the Libertarian Party platform, and/or the Green Party platform.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171229/editorial-how-a-fact-becomes-fabrication

 

NORTHWEST HERALD
— Rep. Steve Reick launches petition against bill that would give Jack Franks power of appointments – ED KOMENDA
http://www.nwherald.com/2017/12/28/rep-steve-reick-launches-petition-against-bill-that-would-give-jack-franks-power-of-appointments/ai4et43/

 

JOURNAL COURIER
— Anti-gambling crusader wins $25,000 in sweepstakes – Robert McCoppin
http://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/117574/anti-gambling-crusader-wins-25000-in-sweepstakes

 

JOURNAL STAR
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps make it clear that they are also anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors._
http://journalstar.com/opinion/columnists/ruben-navarrette-racists-claim-trump-s-name/article_4c112b89-0027-51eb-a7f5-62fd7b281e38.html

 

WSIL TV
— A busy year ahead in Illinois politics – Brandon Richard
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/37155001/a-busy-year-ahead-in-illinois-politics
— What’s on the agenda for Congress in 2018? – Brandon Richard
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/37155124/whats-on-the-agenda-for-congress-in-2018

 

WJPF
— Newsradio WJPF interview with Jeanne Ives
http://www.wjpf.com/episode/newsradio-wjpf-interview-with-jeanne-ives-3/

 

NPR ILLINOIS
— Trump Scorns Mainstream News, But Not The Christian Broadcasting Network – SARAH MCCAMMON
http://nprillinois.org/post/trump-scorns-mainstream-news-not-christian-broadcasting-network#stream/0

 

NORTH COOK NEWS
— Illinois GOP criticizes Pritzker for silence on Barrios ‘corruption’ allegations – Robert Hadley
https://northcooknews.com/stories/511306049-illinois-gop-criticizes-pritzker-for-silence-on-barrios-corruption-allegations

 

WILL COUNTY GAZETTE
— Straub: Term limits are needed in Springfield – Glenn Minnis
https://willcountygazette.com/stories/511304318-straub-term-limits-are-needed-in-springfield

 

ROCK ISLAND TODAY
— Businessman Kleine hopes to ride anti-incumbent tide to unseat Bustos
https://rockislandtoday.com/stories/511306132-businessman-kleine-hopes-to-ride-anti-incumbent-tide-to-unseat-bustos

 

WHEATON PATCH
— All Eyes On Illinois’ 6th District In 2018 Political experts have pegged the race for Rep. Pete Roskam’s seat as one of the most important contests in 2018. – Lisa Marie Farver
https://patch.com/illinois/wheaton/all-eyes-illinois-6th-district-2018

 

ILLINOIS FAMILY INSTITUTE
— Crazy College Courses and the Religion of Sex – Dr. Frank Turek
https://illinoisfamily.org/education/crazy-college-courses-religion-sex/

 

WASHINGTON TIMES
— ‘Fake News’: Half of all Americans believe the media make up anti-Trump stories – Bradford Richardson
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/28/fake-news-half-all-americans-believe-media-make-an/

 

BREITBART
— ‘A Presidency-Defining Moment’ Looms: All Eyes on Donald Trump as DACA Amnesty Deal Lurks in January Spending Fight – MATTHEW BOYLE
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/28/a-presidency-defining-moment-looms-all-eyes-on-donald-trump-as-daca-amnesty-deal-lurks-in-january-spending-fight/

 

CNN
— Trump tweets that ‘cold’ East Coast ‘could use a little bit of’ global warming – Dan Merica
http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/28/politics/trump-global-warming-tweet/index.html

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— Last-Minute Rush to Prepay Taxes Gives Way to Confusion and Anger – Ben Casselman and Jeffery C. Mays
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/28/business/economy/irs-prepay-property-tax.html

 

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— The economic riddle for 2018: Will the middle and working classes see any gains from the big tax cut? – Michael Hiltzik
http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-2017-yearend-20171228-story.html

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— FRONT PAGE WITH COLOR GRAPHIC: Looking to Prepay Property Taxes? Check Local Timetables First IRS says only property taxes that have been assessed prior to 2018 are deductible on 2017 returns – David Harrison, Joseph De Avila, and Jennifer Levitz
https://www.wsj.com/articles/looking-to-prepay-property-taxes-check-local-timetables-first-1514479088
— Five Things to Know If You Want to Prepay Your Property Taxes Speaking with your mortgage provider is just one important step to make sure you aren’t creating a headache for yourself – David Harrison
https://www.wsj.com/articles/five-things-to-know-if-you-want-to-prepay-your-property-taxes-1514486522
— Who’s the Center of Attention at Holiday Parties? Your Tax Accountant Accountants face long hours, anxious clients, but ‘it’s never been a better time to be a CPA’ – Michael Rapoport
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-tax-law-makes-cpas-interesting-for-now-1514457000
— A Big, Beautiful Trump 2018 Issue Civil-service reform could get bipartisan support, even in a rough election year. – Kimberley A. Strassel (DIERSEN: 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.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-big-beautiful-trump-2018-issue-1514499989
— Baby Boomers Looking for Reinvention Try College—Again – Douglas Belkin (DIERSEN: To get rid of me, in 1988, my Democrat GAO superiors made it clear that they would never again assign me to audits of IRS. But in 1990, they implied that they would assign me to audits of federal financial industry regulators at least until I would be eligible to retire in 2003. That was a major reason I spent lots of my personal time and money earning a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/baby-boomers-looking-for-reinvention-try-collegeagain-1514466001

 

USA TODAY
— FRONT PAGE: HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: TRAGIC: California sees plenty of green in legal pot – Trevor Hughes
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/12/28/legal-marijuana-arriving-california-after-decades-underground-dealing/975323001/
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Plan to partake in pot? Read This. California permits marijuana for recreation, but there are still rules to follow. Trevor Hughes
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/12/28/what-californias-legalization-marijuana-means-you/975348001/

December 28 Morning Edition

WASHINGTON POST
— IRS says many who prepaid property taxes may still face cap on deductions – Peter Jamison, Jeff Stein and Patricia Sullivan (DIERSEN: Will the Republicans amend the tax bill so that real estate taxes due in 2018 that were not assessed in 2017 but were prepaid in 2017 can be deducted in 2017?)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/tax-bill-spawns-new-holiday-ritual-waiting-in-line-to-pay-taxes/2017/12/27/1e7ea59a-eb12-11e7-b698-91d4e35920a3_story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: However, the IRS said Wednesday that filers could only avoid the cap by paying property taxes that have been assessed in 2017. Many local governments, including most Washington-area jurisdictions, have not completed assessments for upcoming years. Critics said the last-minute confusion underscored the haste with which Republicans passed their tax bill, completed in record time for such a far-reaching piece of legislation. “This is not the way to do legislation that will massively impact the entire economy. It sets off a flurry of action from people trying to save money, and they act as rash as the legislators who pushed this thing through,” said Philip Hackney, a tax expert at Louisiana State University. That confusion was echoed among thousands of taxpayers in the Washington region and elsewhere — some following the advice of their accountants — who interrupted their holiday activities to line up in subfreezing temperatures at tax offices.)
— Can you save a lot of money by prepaying your property taxes? Key questions and answers. – Zachary A. Goldfarb
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/12/27/essential-questions-and-answers-about-prepaying-your-property-taxes/
— Most Americans do not support making cuts to programs for people with low incomes – Eugene Scott (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, under the Democrats, more and more and more people have low incomes. What did you do to qualify yourself for better paying jobs? I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/12/27/most-americans-do-not-support-making-cuts-to-programs-for-people-with-low-incomes/

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— Prepaying Your Property Tax? I.R.S. Cautions It Might Not Pay Off – Ben Casselman
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/27/business/prepaying-your-property-taxes-irs-cautions-it-might-not-pay-off.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: In a Complex Tax Bill, Let the Hunt for Loopholes Begin – Natalie Kitroeff (DIERSEN: What deductions do your critics/opponents hint/imply/argue/shout are loopholes? My critics/opponents hint/imply/argue/shout that the following deductions are loopholes: mortgage interest, real estate tax, state income tax, medical and dental expenses, 501(c)(3) contributions, and job-related education.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/27/business/economy/tax-loopholes.html

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— IRS Says 2018 Property Taxes Have to Be Assessed to Qualify for Deduction Agency says taxes on real estate that haven’t been assessed before 2018 won’t be deductible on 2017 returns – Joseph De Avila
https://www.wsj.com/articles/irs-2018-property-taxes-have-to-be-assessed-to-qualify-for-prepayment-1514417581

 

FORBES
— When You Shouldn’t Prepay Your 2018 Property Taxes – Kate Ashford
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateashford/2017/12/28/property-taxes/#5e95fa6d5513
(FROM THE ARTICLE: If you don’t have a bill yet for 2018, it’s not officially deductible. “The IRS ruled that you cannot pay and deduct in 2017 unless assessed,” says Scott Bishop, a financial planner with STA Wealth Management in Houston. If, for instance, your locality assessed property taxes earlier in the year and you generally pay in installments, you can pay the full balance in 2017 and deduct it. But if property taxes haven’t been assessed yet, you’re out of luck. “That seems to be the bigger issue now,” says Howard Hook, a financial planner and CPA in Princeton, NJ. “If you’re not assessed for 2018, you can’t make the payments.”)

 

NBC5
— How to Prepay Property Taxes in Chicago Suburbs
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/How-to-Prepay-Property-Taxes-in-Chicago-Suburbs-466954723.html

 

ABC7
— Homeowners rush to pre-pay property taxes after GOP tax bill – Eric Horng
http://abc7chicago.com/finance/homeowners-rush-to-pre-pay-property-taxes-after-gop-tax-bill/2832246/

 

DAILY HERALD
— IRS: Many who prepay taxes may still face caps – Peter Jamison, Jeff Stein and Patricia Sullivan
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171227/irs-many-who-prepay-taxes-may-still-face-caps
— 6 essential questions and answers about prepaying your property taxes – Zachary A. Goldfarb
http://www.dailyherald.com/business/20171228/6-essential-questions-and-answers-about-prepaying-your-property-taxes
— Charity gets a jolt from tax law _ but due to drop next year – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20171228/business/312289970/
— How 6th District Democrats would change Republican tax law – Marie Wilson
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171228/how-6th-district-democrats-would-change-republican-tax-law
— Activists seek injunction against Illinois abortion law – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20171228/news/312289983/
— Group wants photos of every service member killed in Vietnam War – Katlyn Smith
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171228/group-wants-photos-of-every-service-member-killed-in-vietnam-war
— Trump’s unjust insults to undermine Washington Post – Editorial (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, the MSM (main stream media) makes it clear that it exists a) to defend and advance the Democrat, Libertarian, and Green party platforms and b) 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 American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171228/editorial-trumps-unjust-insults-to-undermine-washington-post
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: State requires new sexual harassment policies for all local governments – Eric Peterson
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171228/state-requires-new-sexual-harassment-policies-for-all-local-governments

 

ILLINOIS PATCH
— Illinois Homeowners Rush To Pay Taxes Before GOP Plan Kicks In Friday is your last day to prepay taxes ahead of the new GOP plan, which caps tax deductions at $10,000. – Shannon Antinori
https://patch.com/illinois/across-il/illinois-homeowners-rush-pay-taxes-gop-plan-kicks

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Roy Moore files lawsuit to block Alabama Senate result – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-roy-moore-lawsuit-alabama-senate-20171227-story.html
— Husband blames owner of two dogs who killed wife on Christmas Eve in Kentucky – Kristine Phillips
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-kentucky-dog-attack-20171227-story.html
— Will #metoo movement speed up the number of women in leadership — or slow it down? – Jena McGregor (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, under the anti-Trumps, if a woman accuses a man of something, that man is presumed to be guilty, and especially if that man is a Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if his ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-metoo-movement-female-leadership-20171227-story.html
— FRONT PAGE: Anti-gambling crusader Kathy Gilroy who shut down raffles wins $25,000 in gaming parlor sweepstakes – Robert McCoppin
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-met-anti-gambling-crusader-wins-sweepstakes-20171227-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Kathy Gilroy has crusaded against gambling in Illinois for decades, speaking out against casinos, illegal raffles and the recent wave of video poker cafes. As one of the most visible gaming opponents in the state, she has warned that the vice erodes society’s values and work ethic, takes money from poor people and can lead to addiction, bankruptcy, crime and suicide. Just this year, she blew the whistle on a $1.6 million Queen of Hearts raffle put on by the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in rural Morris, forcing it to shut down hours before the planned drawing, until the raffle was properly licensed. So even she concedes it may seem ironic that she recently won $25,000 by playing a sweepstakes game at a gambling cafe in her hometown of Villa Park. “I called a pastor friend, and said, ‘Oh my God, should I send it back? What do I do? Do I donate it?’” she said. “He said, ‘Don’t feel guilty. You just got paid for all your volunteer work against gambling.’ It’s God showing his grace on me.” Despite her longtime anti-gambling activism, it turns out Gilroy has a history of playing and winning sweepstakes. She said she’s landed prizes including electronics and trips to the Bahamas and California. She once won a big-screen TV from a mechanic, but asked instead for $1,000 in service. A week later, her transmission went out, and she quickly got her money’s worth. She’ll even play the video poker machines at gambling cafes if she is given a free promo card. The distinction Gilroy makes is that she was not spending her own money to gamble. She enters sweepstakes because, by state law, they must be made available free of charge. And — unlike the VFW game that was not licensed, as required by law — she says the sweepstakes she plays are perfectly legal. Still, Morris VFW Commander Jerry Zeborowski was perplexed to hear that Gilroy had won a sweepstakes. “It’s ironic that someone who’s anti-gambling would enter something like that,” he said. “That’s a little hypocrisy there, don’t you think?” Gilroy, 68, who works selling supplemental health insurance for people on Medicare, shrugs off the negative comments she’s gotten over the years, such as when she succeeded in halting a raffle to raise money for needy college students because it was unlicensed and not put on by a nonprofit, as required by law. But she admitted she did have to think twice about this situation. She worried that her winnings were proceeds from money that people lost gambling, but decided that it comes out of the profits of the parent company, Laredo Hospitality Ventures. Gilroy said she was raised on a farm near Lost Nation, Iowa, in a family that never had much money. She worked her way through school, and traveled to fairs and trade shows around the country, selling everything from books to blenders. Decades ago, she used to gamble at racetracks, she said. But her attitude towards gambling started to change when she won $700, only to lose it back swiftly to the track. She took part in an anti-gambling seminar by the Rev. Tom Grey, leader of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, formed in 1994. She began speaking out against any effort to expand gambling, including most recently with video poker cafes, which have grown to offer more than 24,000 machines statewide. Last year, as one example, she asked the Lincolnwood Village Board to reject a request to lift its ban on video gambling. At issue was a proposal by Laredo Hospitality to open a Stella’s Cafe — the same Des Plaines company and gambling parlor chain through which Gilroy ended up winning her drawing. As Gilroy tells it, she heard about the sweepstakes after signing up for the gambling cafes’ emails. After every fifth visit to a cafe, she got a scratch-off card, which occasionally won her a $5 card to play the machines or entries for the grand prize, a new Ford Mustang convertible. Finalists were drawn from each of Laredo’s 52 locations in Illinois, and Gilroy was one of them. Winners had to be present, so she attended the grand prize drawing at a restaurant in Rosemont on Dec. 16. She drew No. 7, and when her number was pulled from a fishbowl, she was amazed to hear that she had won. She opted for $25,000 in cash instead of a car, and has already bought some stocks with the money. To get the winnings, Gilroy had to sign an agreement to let Laredo take her photo and use it as they wish — so she might end up promoting the very industry she fights. Laredo officials didn’t return calls for comment, and didn’t allow the Tribune to take Gilroy’s picture inside the Stella’s in Villa Park, so they may not be eager to use her as their poster child. Years ago, just before she quit betting on the ponies, Gilroy said, she looked around and was struck by the smoke and the broken-down players at the track. “I said, ‘What am I doing?’ This is so stupid,’” she recalled. “It dawned on me, this is not the lifestyle I want. I don’t want to even associate with these people.” Still, after all these years, after shutting down numerous illegal raffles and raising awareness statewide that raffles need to be locally licensed, Gilroy said she takes advantage of sweepstakes whenever she can. “It’s the gambling I oppose,” she said, “not the sweepstakes.”)

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— WMAY using stories of network linked to Illinois Policy Institute – Bernard Schoenburg (DIERSEN: Virtually every story in the MSM (main stream media) is linked to the Democrat Party, to the Libertarian Party, and/or to the Green Party.)
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20171227/bernard-schoenburg-wmay-using-stories-of-network-linked-to-illinois-policy-institute

 

TIMES
— More pay for public defenders? – David Giuliani
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/local/more-pay-for-public-defenders/article_c53f4fb4-9c10-537d-a0d5-193545880ec7.html

 

BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
— You owe $52K for state employee pensions, and the bill is overdue
http://www.bnd.com/opinion/editorials/article190917849.html

 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Democrat: GOP rep. calling for ‘purge’ needs a history lesson Call reminiscent of McCarthyism during Cold War – JASON SQUITIERI (DIERSEN: While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, my superiors always acted like Democrat politicians had called for a purge of all federal 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. Democrats use Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion to purge the aforesaid employees. While I worked for GAO in its Chicago office 1980-1997, every time a new manager took over the office, they were given a list of the office’s employees who they were supposed to purge. Of course, I was always on those lists.)
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/democrat-gop-rep-calling-for-purge-needs-a-history-lesson/889700747

 

LCBC RADIO
— TRAGIC: Gamblers in Biggest Illinois Valley Cities Lost Nearly $20 Million in Last 12 Months
http://www.lcbcradio.com/wlpo/gamblers-in-biggest-illinois-valley-cities-lost-nearly-million-in/article_f971ea5c-ebd2-11e7-abf8-1f467db27161.html

 

WIREPOINTS
— Illinois Comptroller: Moving Debt From One Credit Card To Another Is ‘A Win Win Win’ – Mark Glennon
http://www.wirepoints.com/illinois-comptroller-moving-debt-from-one-credit-card-to-another-is-a-win-win-win-wirepoints-original/

 

DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— Kinzler blames Illinois’ exodus on ‘dysfunctional system’ – Glenn Minnis
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511303230-kinzler-blames-illinois-exodus-on-dysfunctional-system

 

METRO EAST SUN
— Top-down change needed to reverse Illinois exodus, Don Moore says – Glenn Minnis
https://metroeastsun.com/stories/511305596-top-down-change-needed-to-reverse-illinois-exodus-moore-says

 

ILLINOIS FAMILY INSTITUTE
— Coalition Letter Urges Trump Administration to Resist Courts on “Transgenders” in Military – John Biver
https://illinoisfamily.org/religious/coalition-letter-urges-trump-administration-resist-courts-transgenders-military/

 

GOPUSA
— Food, showers, tents: Are the homeless helped or enabled?
http://www.gopusa.com/food-showers-tents-are-the-homeless-helped-or-enabled/

 

REDSTATE
— Americans Fled Blue States In The Hundreds Of Thousands Due To High Taxes, Leaving Fewer To Pay The Democrats’ Tab – Brandon Morse
https://www.redstate.com/brandon_morse/2017/12/27/americans-fled-blue-states-hundreds-thousands-due-high-taxes-high-crime-rates/

 

NEWSMAX
— A Guide to the 2018 Midterm Elections – Scott Rasmussen
https://www.newsmax.com/scottrasmussen/democrats-races-gop-seats/2017/12/27/id/834000/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: There are, however, a few races to give a sense of how good a night the Democrats are likely to have. The first is Illinois-6, currently held by Republican Peter Roskam. This suburban district was carried by Hillary Clinton. Not only that, special elections this year have shown that the GOP is struggling to hang on to suburban voters. If Roskam is still competitive come November, the GOP might hold their losses to a dozen seats or so.)

 

BLAZE
— Ron Paul: The economic boom under Trump is ‘an illusion’ that will come crashing down – Chris Enloe
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/12/27/ron-paul-the-economic-boom-under-trump-is-an-illusion-that-will-come-crashing-down

 

INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY
— The ‘Swamp’ Trump Is Trying To Drain Isn’t Really A Swamp — It’s An Ocean (DIERSEN Democrats run the federal government. If Republicans cut a federal agency’s budget, those cuts will be used to get rid of the agency’s employees who are 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.investors.com/politics/editorials/the-swamp-trump-is-trying-to-drain-isnt-really-a-swamp-its-an-ocean/

 

LIFEZETTE NEWS
— ‘Mapping The Swamp’ Report Shows It’s Even Bigger, Costlier Than You Think Paying federal workforce costs taxpayers $1.1M per minute, according to a pro-transparency group, Open The Books – Mark Tapscott (DIERSEN Democrats run the federal government. If Republicans cut a federal agency’s budget, those cuts will be used to get rid of the agency’s employees who are 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.lifezette.com/polizette/mapping-the-swamp-report-shows-its-even-bigger-costlier-than-you-think/?preview_id=873085

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Roy Moore Files Suit to Block Certification of Alabama Senate Election Result Defeated GOP candidate’s attorney said in complaint he believed there were irregularities during the election and a new one should be held – AP
https://www.wsj.com/articles/roy-moore-files-suit-to-block-certification-of-alabama-senate-election-result-1514453058
— The Tax Law Makes CPAs Interesting (for Now) Accountants face long hours, anxious clients, but ‘it’s never been a better time to be a CPA’ – Michael Rapoport (DIERSEN: In 1979, when I was 30 years old, I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt. In 1981, I became a licensed CPA.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-tax-law-makes-cpas-interesting-for-now-1514457000
— Employee Mentorship Program Gets a Reboot – Rachel Feintzeig (DIERSEN: What happened to your mentors? My Democrat IRS superiors got rid of the IRS manager who promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. My Democrat GAO superiors got rid of the GAO manager who hired me in 1980, who got me assigned to audits of IRS in 1986, and who promoted me in 1986.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/employee-mentorship-program-gets-a-reboot-1514376000

 

USA TODAY
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE HEADLINE: Republicans accuse American Bar Association of bias – Richard Wolf (DIERSEN: What percent of ABA members are Democrats?)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/12/26/lawyers-group-fuels-republicans-ire-over-its-negative-reviews-trump-judicial-picks/974095001/
— Hot housing market could cool in 2018 – Paul Davidson
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/12/28/hot-housing-market-could-cool-2018/971539001/

 

FED SMITH
— Compensation for Federal Workforce Costs the Government $1 Million Per Minute
https://www.fedsmith.com/2017/12/28/compensation-federal-workforce-costs-government-1-million-per-minute/

 

ATLANTIC
— Employers Are Looking for Job Candidates in the Wrong Places – LOLADE FADULU (DIERSEN: Did you meet legal requirements when you were hired? I did. I had a job-related master’s degree (MBA Loyola 1976), a job-related professional certification (CPA 1979), almost 9 years of job-related work experience (the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels (currently $79,563-$90,173), and I had almost completed the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul when GAO hired me at the GS-9 Step 10 level (currently $71,326) in 1980. I had a job-related bachelor’s degree (management NIU 1970) and I had passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination when IRS hired me at the GS-7 Step 1 level (currently $54,864) in 1971. I had a high school diploma and I had passed an employment examination when the Post Office hired me at the GS-4 Step 1 level (currently $15.56/hour) level in 1966.)
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/12/employers-are-looking-for-job-candidates-in-the-wrong-places/549080/