How will things change under Grogan? For how long and how closely have you watched the Illinois Republican Party (IRP)? Ever since Big Jim Thompson got elected governor in 1976, the IRP has moved to the left, that is, it has become Democrat Lite and the more that it has pushed out platform Republicans like me, that is, the more that it has pushed out conservatives like me. How will things change under Grogan? I have watched the IRP since the 1960s, and more closely since I started working the Democrats who ran the Post Office in 1966, and more closely since I started working for the Democrats who ran IRS in 1971, and more closely since I was the subject of a 4-page One Person’s Finances article in Money Magazine ( https://gopillinois.com/documents/ ) in 1978, and more closely since I started working for the Democrats who ran GAO in 1980, and more closely since they forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997, and more closely since I filed Diersen v. GAO in 1998 ( https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf ), and more closely since I became a Republican Precinct Committeeman in 1999, and more closely since I became the GOPUSA Illinois Editor in 2000, and more closely since I became an Illinois Center Right Steering Committee member in 2003, and more closely since I became the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman in 2005. I have attended all the IRP State Conventions as a delegate since 2000. I have attended many IRP State Central Committee (SCC) meetings, although not recently. I served on the IRP State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee in 2008. How will things change under Grogan? Many believe that nothing will change until IRP SCC members are directly elected.
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Can Bob Grogan rebuild the Illinois GOP in the suburbs?
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/26/bob-grogan-gop-ilgop-illinois-republicans-kathy-salvi-tom-cross-gop/
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: After years of infighting, ideological warfare and organizational atrophy, Illinois Republicans appear to be betting on a different model: coalition building over purity tests, precinct organizing over political theatrics and suburban recovery over grievance politics. “You can’t purge your way to 51%,” new Illinois Republican Chairman Bob Grogan told us over the phone Thursday. He went on: “Fratricide isn’t a good campaign strategy.” Republican State Central Committee members on May 18 voted out Kathy Salvi after roughly two years at the party’s helm in favor of Grogan, an accountant, former DuPage County auditor and a lifelong resident of the collar counties Republicans once dominated politically. Grogan, who served as DuPage County auditor from 2008 to 2020, is no stranger to rooting out waste, fraud and abuse, almost a prerequisite for anyone who wants to take on Springfield’s many challenges. Some may remember Grogan from his 2014 primary campaign for state treasurer against longtime Illinois Republican politician Tom Cross, a race Grogan lost before Cross himself lost the general election to Democrat Michael Frerichs. Yet Grogan comes off today as more of a tempering force than one might expect to meet in today’s GOP. First and foremost, he told us, he wants to present a positive message. Among his many catchphrases, Grogan shared a vision that’s at odds with what’s playing in Washington. “You can’t grow the church by excommunicating all the sinners,” he said. Something must be in the water, because that’s the tone GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey of downstate Xenia is taking this time around, too. Bailey, a Republican who had trouble ginning up support here in Chicagoland when he last ran for governor in 2022, is doing his level best to right past wrongs. He even came before the City Council on May 20 to apologize formally for calling our city a “hellhole” in his previous gubernatorial campaign. Can a kinder, friendlier GOP work? Not on its own, and adjusting the party’s tone and tent are not the only things Grogan aims to change about the tired party structure. He also pointed out the obvious: Illinois Republicans need to focus on getting out the vote. “We haven’t failed in a very short period of time, we’ve had failures over a long period of time,” he said. He’s not wrong there. After former Gov. Bruce Rauner — temporarily the GOP’s largest benefactor and anchor — picked up his ball and went home, the party became rudderless. The Rauner void led to competing factions, overlapping power centers and deep internal discord. While we respect Republicans like state Rep. Ryan Spain of Peoria and House Republican Leader Tony McCombie of Savanna, others within the party have gone to the fringes alongside many of their national counterparts. While outgoing Chair Kathy Salvi has been praised for her fundraising abilities, the party remains disorganized and has been unable to assemble and execute adequate GOTV strategies. Republican turnout tells the story. The four GOP gubernatorial candidates this year combined had about 560,000 primary votes — nearly 230,000 fewer than Republicans cast in the 2022 gubernatorial primary, and far below even the low-turnout 2014 contest won by Rauner. While many tend to view the ticket top-down, Grogan said he sees things in a more bottom-up way. If Republicans think Salvi’s best skill set was fundraising, Grogan says his is his ground game. For Grogan, “ground game” means rebuilding the Republican Party as a neighborhood-level organization again — training volunteers, strengthening precinct operations, coordinating county groups and creating a durable turnout machine instead of relying on personalities and TV ads. It also helps that he’s from DuPage, formerly a Republican stronghold where the GOP has atrophied and needs to build back up. That means running candidates in all races, no excuses. While Republicans this primary season had a crowded gubernatorial race, down the ticket Republicans have done a spottier job of making sure Democrats face a challenger. That’s part of what frustrates would-be Republican voters here, especially because Illinois is a land of political opportunity for anyone with a solid plan to make a go of it. First, there’s money here. Ahead of the 2024 election, President Donald Trump and affiliated super PACs raised over $30 million out of Illinois. Second, it’s not as if Democrats are wildly popular. Illinois Democrats control the Statehouse and the governor’s mansion, and preside over years of fiscal mismanagement and an unwillingness to face up to our state’s biggest problems, though they aren’t as shy about turning to taxpayers for more revenue. And while it’s likely Gov. JB Pritzker will win reelection in November, his most recent victory wasn’t exactly a sweeping mandate — he didn’t even crack 55% of the vote. All that to say, Illinois is ripe for a commonsense voice to come in and challenge our state’s one-party rule. “If it takes a long time to screw things up, it’ll take a long time to make things right,” Grogan said. He has less than six months until the November general election to make his mark, but the new Republican chairman’s legacy will extend far beyond this fall. Moderate voters and Republican donors need a reason to invest in the state party. Grogan’s task is to give them one.)
— Stomping on IRS audits is an egregious abuse of power by Trump. DD: Has IRS audited you? To get rid of me, my Democrat IRS superiors disallowed my education deductions when I was 29 years old in 1978. I had deducted graduate evening business courses at Loyola 1972-1976 and accounting courses at DePaul 1976-1978. They outrageously, disgustingly, falsely, and unethically argued in tax court a) that the courses I deducted did not relate to my job duties, b) that they did not maintain or improve my job skills, c) that I took them to get a job in the private sector, and d) that I took them to qualify myself for a new trade or business. They outrageously, disgustingly, falsely, and unethically ignored the fact a) that my IRS employee manual encouraged me to take the courses, b) the course descriptions and my position descriptions, and c) that I had stated in my applications that I wanted to take the courses to maintain and improve my IRS job skills. They would not have done that a) if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, younger, or veteran and/or b) if I had not complained about their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/21/editorial-donald-trump-justice-department-lawsuit-settlement-lawfare-fund-irs/
DAILY HERALD
— ‘Discussion by discussion’: Republicans make promising choice with new state party leader.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260526/editorials/daily-herald-opinion-discussion-by-discussion-republicans-make-promising-choice-with-new-state-p/
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: A combination of voter demographics and structural election dynamics — read gerrymandering — has made it tough in recent years for Republicans to show enough political strength to become relevant in Illinois government. Adding to the picture have been philosophical differences eating away at the party from within. In 2024, then-state party Chairman Don Tracy stepped away from the job complaining that he spent “far too much time dealing with intraparty power struggles, and local intraparty animosities.” Some of that squabbling appears to have settled down under Tracy’s successor, Kathy Salvi, of Mundelein, yet it’s not clear whether that is because the internal forces are cooperating or much of the strength of the party has simply abandoned ship. If the latter is true — and, for that matter, even if it is not — Republicans could hardly have done better last week than to elect former DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan to take the reins. In three terms as auditor, Grogan, of Downers Grove, was an innovative, efficient, taxpayer-focused executive, known for his concentration on the demands of the job over partisan political concerns. His lists of county firsts include a county online checkbook, an office transparency and an auditor hotline. He was one of the most respected auditors in the state, eventually serving as president of the Association of Illinois County Auditors. Yet, although his focus centered on the functions of his job, he also understood the political side of the equation and demonstrated leadership in promoting traditional Republican values, including serving on the influential Republican State Central Committee. His new role no doubt will be one of the most challenging he has faced. Through a systematic process of legislative boundary control, Democrats have stacked the political calculus strongly in their favor, and the animus-driven influence of Trumpian politics that breaches no sense of compromise still fractures the party. Yet, if anyone can placate what the Republicans’ arch-conservative wing call the “grass roots” while wooing back traditional conservative voters like those in the molds of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan who used to dominate suburban politics, it is someone like Grogan. His basic spirit is a good place to start. In an interview following his election, he told our Marni Pyke, “I consider myself a member of the ‘civil right.’ Which means I consider myself conservative, however, I believe in deliberate, peaceful discussion. I don’t believe in calling people names.” That alone will be a welcome priority in elevating political discussions. But Grogan’s fundamental strategy also holds great promise. “I do believe in the average common sense of the Illinois voter,” he said. “At some point, one by one, discussion by discussion, door knock by door knock, Facebook post by Facebook post … they do see that Republicans’ answers to some of these everyday life problems are better.” It takes two strong, influential political parties to produce the kind of strong, well-moderated government needed for a diverse state like Illinois. That has not been the case for too long. The state Republican Party took a good step in the right direction by putting Grogan at its head.)
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Dozens march in anti-war protest on Memorial Day in the Loop. Dozens, including many veterans and relatives of veterans, gathered in front of the city’s Riverwalk Vietnam War memorial wall to protest ongoing U.S. military action around the globe. DD: My many Democrat superiors who were veterans blamed Republicans for America losing the Vietnam War.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2026/05/25/dozens-march-in-anti-war-protest-on-memorial-day-in-the-loop
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/music/2026/05/24/suenos-music-festival-midway-blitz-latino-mexican-celebration-joy-fuerza-regida
— DD: Democrat leaders will never stop using George Floyd to promote more hatred against Republicans.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2026/05/23/george-floyd-murder-racial-injustice-civil-rights-black-brown-zindy-marquez
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Seth Lewis: Illinois has all the advantages to make it an economic leader, not a laggard
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/forum/ccb-illinois-pritzker-economic-advantages-leader-20250525/
ABC7
— Trump honors troops killed in Iran war during Memorial Day remarks.
https://abc7chicago.com/live-updates/iran-war-news-trump-peace-deal-strait-of-hormuz-oil-gas-prices/19168718/
— Chicago veterans protest against Trump administration’s military interventions on Memorial Day. DD: My many Democrat superiors who were veterans blamed Republicans for America losing the Vietnam War.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/veterans-gather-downtown-chicago-protest-iran-war-donald-trump-administration-actions-vietnam-memorial/19169540/
WBEZ
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.wbez.org/music/2026/05/24/suenos-music-festival-midway-blitz-latino-mexican-celebration-joy-fuerza-regida
ALTON TELEGRAPH
— Juliana Stratton doubles Don Tracy in Illinois U.S. Senate fundraising. Inside the money trail shaping the Illinois race to replace U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/juliana-stratton-illinois-senate-fundraising-tracy-22229090.php
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Meanwhile, Tracy has pulled together roughly $2.32 million for his Senate campaign, with $2 million of that coming from a loan. The remainder of his fundraising dollars came predominantly from individual and committee contributions. Tracy ended the reporting period with about $1.54 million in cash on hand.)
SHAW LOCAL
— DD: Pot industry oversold medical benefits, downplayed risks. In 2019, I led the successful effort to ban the sale of pot in Wheaton.
https://www.shawlocal.com/news/2026/05/26/lawsuit-claims-cannabis-industry-oversold-medical-benefits-downplayed-risks/
FOX NEWS ILLINOIS
— Trump will see doctors for his annual physical. What the public finds out is up to him. President Donald Trump is scheduled to get a medical exam on Tuesday, putting his health back under public scrutiny. DD: How old are you? I am 77. What do you stress to defend your health? I stress my putting together and sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters.
https://www.foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/trump-will-see-doctors-for-his-annual-physical-what-the-public-finds-out-is-up/article_0ef56e9f-4e3e-574a-81ba-ace909033f26.html
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Durbin will return to Springfield on Wednesday to address a rare joint session of the Illinois General Assembly, where lawmakers are also expected to recognize his nearly 44 years in Congress. DD: GAO works for Congress. Durbin was my U.S. Senator in 1997 when my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2026/05/26/ctus-dues-hike-falls-flat-00935596
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2026/05/26/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-744/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER_RIGHT SOURCES
WIREPOINTS
— Totaling the unsustainable tax increases and windfall revenue during Pritzker Administration
https://wirepoints.org/totaling-the-unsustainable-tax-increases-and-windfall-revenue-during-pritzker-administration-wirepoints/
OPEN THE BOOKS
— Southern Poverty Law Center Received Millions of Taxpayer Dollars to Spread its Message and Materials, Including in Schools
https://openthebooks.substack.com/p/southern-poverty-law-center-received
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Pride for veterans, America’s 250th felt from crowd during D.C. Memorial Day parade
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/25/pride-veterans-americas-250th-felt-crowd-dc-memorial-day-parade/
— IRS weighing adding non-U.S. citizen checkbox to tax forms
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/25/irs-reportedly-weighing-adding-non-us-citizen-checkbox-tax-forms/
— Pope Leo XIV makes historic apology for Vatican’s role in legitimizing slavery.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/25/vaticans-role-legitimizing-slavery-leo-makes-historic-apology/
— Trump thanks service members who died in Operation Epic Fury
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/25/trump-thanks-service-members-died-operation-epic-fury/
— Primaries prove Trump clout stronger than ever
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/25/primaries-prove-trump-clout-stronger-ever/
— Will Democrat wrongdoers ever face justice? Public memory of leftist malfeasance is short thanks to legacy media.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/24/democrat-wrongdoers-ever-face-justice/
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Pope Leo urges significant regulation to disarm AI
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/world/4581180/pope-leo-artificial-intelligence-regulation-encyclical/
NEW YORK POST
— AOC lays groundwork for White House bid while insisting she’s not focused on presidency.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/25/us-news/aoc-lays-groundwork-for-white-house-bid-while-insisting-shes-not-focused-on-presidency/
— Classic cars don’t need smog tests —so pass Leno’s Law. DD: Emissions testing for cars with low mileage is a waste.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/25/opinion/classic-cars-dont-need-smog-tests-pass-lenos-law/
— More proof that progressives are pro-crime.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/25/opinion/more-proof-that-progressives-are-pro-crime/
— Mai Vang, who disdains Pledge of Allegiance, has no place in Congress.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/23/opinion/mai-vang-who-disdains-america-has-no-place-in-congress/
— Democrats’ radicalism is their biggest problem.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/23/opinion/the-concept-of-transgenderism-has-created-disarray-in-the-democratic-party/
— With gambling, marijuana, NYC’s new vice economy is set up for failure. DD: To get more votes, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more vice. I led the successful efforts to ban video gambling and the sale of pot in Wheaton.
https://nypost.com/2022/12/10/why-nycs-new-vice-economy-weed-casinos-might-be-doomed/
FOX NEWS
— Anti-ICE protesters clash with agents outside New Jersey detention center as Gov Sherrill denied entry.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/anti-ice-protesters-clash-agents-outside-new-jersey-detention-center-gov-sherrill-denied-entry.amp
INSTITUTE FOR FAMILY STUDIES
— The Success Sequence. DD: My parents and teachers promoted personal responsibility. That put me on track to earn a job-related bachelor’s degree, three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license.
https://ifstudies.org/blog/what-does-the-success-sequence-mean
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Finish high school. Get a full-time job once you finish school. Get married before you have children. . .Most men and women have the capacity to make choices, to embrace virtues or avoid vices, and to otherwise take steps that increase or decrease their odds of doing well in school, finding and keeping a job, or deciding when to marry and have children.)
TOWNHALL
— DEI Is Not Disappearing. New York Is Just Renaming It.
https://townhall.com/columnists/gregory-lyakhov/2026/05/26/dei-is-not-disappearing-new-york-is-just-renaming-it-n2676632
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
MSN
— DD: How successful have Democrat leaders been destroying traditional marriage and family in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/relationships/11-reasons-why-more-women-are-walking-away-from-men-and-marriage/ss-AA1YvbfS
— DD: Democrat leaders had tremendous success making the military woke. To be woke is to be against those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, married, Protestant, German American, and/or those who have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. My critics/opponents are either woke and/or are operatives or dupes for those who are woke.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/pete-hegseth-left-isolated-at-pentagon-as-he-continues-firing-spree-to-weed-out-wokeness/ar-AA22jE1c
NEW YORK TIMES
— Vice and the Crisis of Liberalism. DD: To get more votes, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more vice. I led the successful efforts to ban video gambling and the sale of pot in Wheaton.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/opinion/vice-liberalism-addiction-gambling-drugs.html
— Retirees Expect Their Home to Be a Financial Safety Net. They Shouldn’t. DD: Reverse mortgages have limits.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/09/business/retirement-home-equity-selling-your-house.html
— FRONT PAGE: G.O.P. Worries It’s Trump First, Midterms Last. Trump’s Self-Indulgence Deepens G.O.P. Fears in Midterms. “The stupid stuff is killing our chances,” said a retiring Republican senator.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/25/us/politics/trump-gop-fears-midterms.html
— Trump Wants to Compile Citizenship Lists, but They Would Be Hard to Create. DD: All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/24/us/politics/trump-lists-noncitizens-states.html
USA TODAY
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: USPS DD: I delivered mail for the Park Forest Post Office 1966-1969.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/05/18/usps-built-a-mighty-network-financial-problems/90044771007/
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/05/06/liberal-women-less-likely-marry-conservatives/89929874007/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Reports of Woke’s Death Are Exaggerated. DD: My critics/opponents are woke. According to them, I owe all my successes in my life to my benefiting from discrimination against those who are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, poor, veteran, LGBTQ, unmarried, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, and/or noncitizen.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/reports-of-wokes-death-are-exaggerated-30f09ab8
— Trump’s Anti-DEI Push Is Unraveling College Scholarships. DD: Since the 1960s, ever-increasingly, scholarships are for those who are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, poor, veteran, LGBTQ, unmarried, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, and/or noncitizen.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/how-trump-s-anti-dei-push-is-unraveling-college-scholarships/ar-AA1I1HlT
— People Hate the Idea of Losing Their Job. DD: My Democrat GAO superiors’ success in forcing me to retire when I was 49 in 1997 was one of the biggest negatives in my life.
https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/people-hate-the-idea-of-losing-their-job-even-more-than-high-gas-prices-f25e3a49
— The New Big Labor GOP. Republicans in Congress hand union bosses a pair of political victories. DD: My critics/opponents are anti-union. They stress that I was a union member for almost 12 years. According to them, my salary would not have increased from $19.57/hour to $113,402/year in today’s dollars if I had not been a union member. In my defense, during that time, I earned a bachelor’s degree in business, I earned an MBA, and I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-new-big-labor-gop-41539fa0
— You’ve Landed Your First Job. Now Don’t Sink Your Career Before It Starts. Your first job holds promise and peril. Here’s how to protect your future self. DD: If I had become a Democrat, the federal government would have promoted me into its Senior Executive Service long before I was 40 years old. I earned a bachelor’s degree in management when I was 21. I earned an MBA when I was 27. I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt when I was 30. I earned a master’s degree in accounting when I was 31. I passed the Certified Internal Auditing examination on my first attempt when I was 32. I became a licensed CPA when I was 32. I earned four more job-related professional certifications when I was 41, 45, 47, and 48. I earned a master’s degree in financial markets and trading when I was 48.
https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/youve-landed-your-first-job-now-dont-sink-your-career-before-it-starts-96a3ad5b
FORBES
— Pope Leo Paints Bleak AI Future—With ‘Tower Of Babel’ Warning—Without Human Control
https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2026/05/25/pope-leo-paints-bleak-ai-future-with-tower-of-babel-warning-without-human-control/
FORTUNE
— It’s a lot harder to put yourself through college than it used to be. Even if you do, you’ll probably graduate later. DD: To discredit me, my critics/opponents stress that it was much easier to work yourself through college like I did 1966-1970. They stress that if my ACT score and my GPA were higher I could have gotten scholarships. What percent of those who graduated in 1970 worked their way through college?
https://fortune.com/2023/01/11/college-students-with-jobs-20-percent-less-likely-to-graduate-than-privileged-peers-study-side-hustle/
HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW
— DD: According my critics/opponents, I owe all my successes in my life to my benefiting from discrimination against those who are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, poor, veteran, LGBTQ, unmarried, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, and/or noncitizen.
https://hbr.org/2018/09/use-your-everyday-privilege-to-help-others
BUSINESS INSIDER
— 8 Ways That Money Can Buy Happiness. DD: When you were young, what did you use the money for that you earned? For me, it was for job-related college degrees when I was 21, 27, 31, and 48; professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and a professional license when I was 32. Also, for cars when I was 16, 17, 19, 20, 23, 25, 29, 41, etc. Also, for real estate when I was 24, 25, 27, 29, and 35.
https://www.businessinsider.com/8-ways-that-money-can-buy-happiness-2012-11
POPULATION REFERENCE BUREAU
— DD: All my female coworkers who my Democrat superiors in the federal government promoted over me had less work experience than I had, had less education than I had, had no professional certifications or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had.
https://www.prb.org/resource/college-education-benefits-some-more-than-others/
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
— The Case for Prohibiting Vice. DD: To get more votes, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more vice. I led the successful efforts to ban video gambling and the sale of pot in Wheaton.
https://nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/case-prohibiting-vice
ATLANTIC
— America Has Gone Too Far in Legalizing Vice. DD: To get more votes, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more vice. I led the successful efforts to ban video gambling and the sale of pot in Wheaton.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/02/legalized-gambling-marijuana-use-addiction/673028/
DAILY KOS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly crow about their successes in destroying Republicans.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/5/25/800028836/news/woke-mob-defeats-trumps-team-3-times/
— DD: My critics/opponents want Blacks to get preference. They were overjoyed when my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997 and gave my job and my preferred corner office to my Black subordinate. He had less work experience than I had. He had less education than I had. He had one professional certification while I had six. He had no professional license like the one I had.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/5/20/800041803/community/if-it-was-a-black-person-theyd-be-let-go/
POLITICO
— Donald Trump’s unlikely weed wager. The former president’s pro-cannabis policies could bolster his efforts to gain support with key Democratic constituencies. DD: To get more votes, Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more vice. I led the successful efforts to ban video gambling and the sale of pot in Wheaton.
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/15/donald-trump-marijuana-legalization-00179205
PEW RESEARCH
— DD: According my critics/opponents, I owe all my successes in my life to my benefiting from discrimination against those who are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, poor, veteran, LGBTQ, unmarried, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, and/or noncitizen.
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/03/11/about-one-in-four-americans-say-theyve-had-fewer-advantages-in-life-than-others-their-age/
— DD: For Democrats, voting exists to take opportunities, money, and everything else away from Republicans and to give it to Democrats.
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/07/22/wide-partisan-divide-on-whether-voting-is-a-fundamental-right-or-a-privilege-with-responsibilities/
FROM FOREIGN SOURCES
NATIONAL HERALD INDIA
— The new US immigration policy forces millions of Indians into uncertainty. Green card applications currently under adjudication will be significantly impacted as it changes how officers handle pending and incoming applications. DD: All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have.
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/amp/story/opinion/the-new-us-immigration-policy-forces-millions-of-indians-into-uncertainty
Tag: Family
May 25, 2025
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Memorial Day weekend ceremony remembers DuPage County residents killed in U.S. military operations
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/24/memorial-day-dupage-county-veterans/
NBC5
— More than a dozen arrested after teen gathering on Near West side. Among the 13 taken into custody was a teen driver who allegedly struck multiple police officers with a vehicle. DD: How soon will Democrat teens takeover your downtown?
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/more-than-a-dozen-arrested-after-teen-gathering-on-near-west-side/3939999/
CBS2
— Teens shot, officers hit by car in violent Memorial Day weekend in Chicago. DD: How soon will Democrat teens takeover your downtown?
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/teens-shot-officers-hit-by-car-violent-memorial-day-weekend-chicago/
RIVER BENDER
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote SPLC, that is, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use SPLC to promote more hatred against Republicans.
https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/attorney-general-raoul-urges-funds-to-reevaluate-decision-to-cut-off-donations-to-southern-poverty-law-center-93642.cfm?
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Trump’s slush fund goes way beyond bounds of propriety. DD: Just kidding, but should I apply? Democrat leaders in Illinois had my Democrat GAO, IRS, and Post Office superiors waste my career and take many big adverse actions against me. My Democrat GAO superiors a) forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997, b) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, c) delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, and d) forced me to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. My Democrat IRS superiors a) never promoted me beyond GS-12, b) disallowed my education deductions in 1978, and c) disallowed my travel vouchers in 1974. My Democrat Post Office superiors a) forced me to resign in 1969 and b) disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968. My critics/opponents have always stressed that in Diersen v. GAO, not only Bush’s DOJ sided with my Democrat GAO superiors against me, but that no Republican federal elected officials in Illinois came to my defense, that is, they sided with my Democrat GAO superiors against me. To side with my Democrat GAO superiors, is to promote Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, to promote race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination.
https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-trumps-slush-fund-goes-way-beyond-bounds-of-propriety/article_7cf44ce9-f366-42db-8003-2e46cf0e621b.html
JOURNAL GAZETTE TIMES COURIER
— Pritzker and Trump agree housing affordability is a major problem. How do we fix it? DD: My critics/opponents want the north end of my DuPage County Milton Township Precinct 59 in Wheaton to be rezoned for public housing.
https://jg-tc.com/opinion/column/article_dfcc5b01-554a-54c9-8da3-b0a01e4ce3ad.html
NORTHWEST INDIANA TIMES
— Illinois is closed for business
https://nwitimes.com/opinion/article_c1843271-f1c9-5e16-bc01-6bb9ddc4ff3f.html
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Illinois DHS appointment sparks backlash over alleged voter registration mailer practices
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_65a52879-f8e6-4ec8-9dc2-7e879a618c91.html
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
NEW YORK POST
— 5 officers struck by car after ‘teen takeover’ hits Chicago’s West Side — as 19 people hurt in shootings. DD: How soon will Democrat teens takeover your downtown?
https://nypost.com/2026/05/24/us-news/5-officers-struck-by-car-after-teen-takeover-hits-chicagos-west-side-as-19-peopkle-hurt-in-shootings/
CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES
— GAO Report Confirms Everything the Center Told You About Biden’s Parole Schemes. Bland government document that’s chock-full of scary details.
https://cis.org/Arthur/GAO-Report-Confirms-Everything-Center-Told-You-About-Bidens-Parole-Schemes
— DHS and DOJ Begin Imposing (Often Massive) Fines on Aliens Who Refuse to Leave
https://cis.org/Arthur/DHS-and-DOJ-Begin-Imposing-Often-Massive-Fines-Aliens-Who-Refuse-Leave
DAILY SIGNAL
— DNC 2024 Autopsy Reveals Why Democrats Won’t Shake Their Worst Political Liability: Woke Makes Democrats Radioactive. DD: To be woke is to be against those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, married, Protestant, German American, and/or those who have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. My critics/opponents are either woke or are operatives or dupes for those who are woke.
https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/05/24/democrats-worst-political-liability/
FOX NEWS
— Scalise urges Pritzker to ‘look at the man in the mirror’ after he blames Trump for political violence
https://www.aol.com/scalise-urges-pritzker-look-man-024806224.html
HERITAGE FOUNDATION
— Stamping Out Food Stamp Fraud
https://www.heritage.org/welfare/commentary/stamping-out-food-stamp-fraud
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— 50 years since conservatives broke through in the Republican Party. DD: When will conservatives break through in Illinois?
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/5892184-ford-reagan-1976-republican-primary/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Conservatives had been marginalized ever since Herbert Hoover’s defeat in 1932. . .Reagan’s popularity showed the ideas of the right — limited government, sound money, liberty, staunch anti-Communism, belief in the traditional family unit — could find a receptive audience. The Republican Party had been transfixed by FDR’s success and had spent decades fielding candidates who seemed to accept the basic architecture of the New Deal. Roe v. Wade, Watergate, stagflation, racial strife, the fall of Saigon, détente, these were the birds now coming home to roost, and increasingly Republican voters accepted that the party needed a correction. Reagan’s performance consolidated a conservative revival which had begun with Goldwater in 1964 and was soon to reach its apotheosis.)
AOL
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation. All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have.
https://www.aol.com/news/settlement-rnc-requires-nc-elections-185456739.html
MSN
— Hegseth tells West Point class of 2026 they may soon see combat
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/hegseth-warns-west-point-grads-they-may-soon-face-war/gm-GME3A1ECEE
— Trump defends ballroom project as GOP unease grows over costs
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/tillis-warns-trump-feud-risks-gop-midterm-chances/ss-AA23S2HS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family. If you are a product of a traditional marriage, you are far more likely to be successful and vote for Republicans.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/relationships/11-reasons-why-more-women-are-walking-away-from-men-and-marriage/ss-AA1YvbfS
BOSTON GLOBE
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation. All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/05/24/metro/trump-green-card-impossible-choice/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Five Takeaways From the DNC’s 2024 ‘Autopsy.’ Democratic officials disowned their own deep dive on how the party can learn from its election losses.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/dnc-2024-election-autopsy-kamala-harris-b3138cb9
— Did Democrats Learn Anything from Losing in 2024?
https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/opinion-potomac-watch/did-democrats-learn-anything-from-losing-in-2024/0e267af4-fffb-4074-a7e5-1a66383cd76f
— This Summer’s Teen Job Market Is the Toughest in Decades. DD: When you were young, what did you do after-school, weekends, and summers? I did yard work in 1962, 1963, and 1964. I delivered newspapers 1962-1966. I washed dishes 1964-1966. I cleaned golf shoes, chipped slag, and pumped gasoline in 1966. I delivered mail 1966-1969. I worked on an automotive assemble line in 1970. According to my critics/opponents, the aforesaid proves that I have always been an unmitigated loser.
https://www.wsj.com/economy/teen-summer-jobs-f3ffdbfa
BARRON’S
— Teens Face Challenging Summer Job Prospects. DD: When you were young, what did you do after-school, weekends, and summers? I did yard work in 1962, 1963, and 1964. I delivered newspapers 1962-1966. I washed dishes 1964-1966. I cleaned golf shoes, chipped slag, and pumped gasoline in 1966. I delivered mail 1966-1969. I worked on an automotive assemble line in 1970. According to my critics/opponents, the aforesaid proves that I have always been an unmitigated loser.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/teens-summer-jobs-retail-045ed2c0
— Your Political Affiliation Could Be Hurting Your Returns. DD: Anticipate/expect that Pritzker will ever-increasingly destroy Republican businesses in Illinois.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/politics-and-investing-dont-mix-why-your-political-affiliation-could-be-hurting-your-returns-25735778
FORBES
— DD: Employers have always been under ever-increasing pressure from Democrat and RINO leaders to give more preference to their Democrat and RINO employees who are minority, female, and/or younger.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimelsesser/2026/05/19/the-myth-of-meritocracy-and-other-outdated-beliefs-women-are-told-at-work/
HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW
— Most Performance Evaluations Are Biased. DD: My Democrat superiors and supervisors in the federal government used the subjectivity in their performance evaluation systems to get rid of their Republican employees. My Democrat GAO superiors used that subjectivity to a) force me to retire when I was 49 in 1997, b) always rank me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, c) delay my promotions and never promote me beyond GS-13, and d) force me to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. My Democrat IRS superiors used that subjectivity to a) never promote me beyond GS-12, b) disallow my education deductions in 1978, and c) disallow my travel vouchers in 1974. My Democrat Post Office superiors used that subjectivity to a) force me to resign in 1969 and b) disallow my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968. They used that subjectivity to ignore/dismiss/belittle a) my 1970 job-related bachelor’s degree, b) my 1976, 1980, and 1997 job-related master’s degrees, c) my 1979, 1981, 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1997 job-related professional certifications, and d) my 1981 job-related professional license. They would not have done any of the aforesaid if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, or veteran.
https://hbr.org/2019/01/why-most-performance-evaluations-are-biased-and-how-to-fix-them
BUSINESS INSIDER
— Challenges federal workers face pivoting into the private sector. DD: My critics/opponents have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that I was forced to retire when I was 49 in 1997 because of performance problems. They have always stressed that my superiors had delayed my promotions, never promoted me beyond GS-13, and always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance. In my defense, I have always stressed that I had earned three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. I have always stressed that I had been an active member in a class action lawsuit since I was 40 that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation. I have always stressed that they replaced me with my Black subordinate who had less work experience than I had, had less education than I had, had one professional certification while I had six, and had no professional license like the one I had.
https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-workers-private-sector-job-search-challenge-2025-3
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Fighting stigma. DOGE-led job cuts have pushed layoffs to their highest level since the pandemic, and more positions will likely be cut. DOGE has said that the reductions, in part, have targeted “low performers,” a narrative that some federal employees have pushed back on. Still, any stigma could prove challenging for one-time government staffers, said Ken Crowell, founder of EmployTest, which creates assessments for job candidates. Tropes about bureaucrats and inefficiency could emerge as a headwind, he told BI. “We can talk about fair and not fair, but you know, at a personal level, it’s going to be tough for them to get through,” Crowell said. Still, he said many former government workers have vast experience and substantive leadership and management skills that employers would be foolish to dismiss out of turn.)
FED WEEK
— Reductions in force. DD: My critics/opponents have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that I was forced to retire when I was 49 in 1997 because of performance problems. They have always stressed that my superiors had delayed my promotions, never promoted me beyond GS-13, and always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance. In my defense, I have always stressed that I had earned three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. I have always stressed that I had been an active member in a class action lawsuit since I was 40 that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation. I have always stressed that they replaced me with my Black subordinate who had less work experience than I had, had less education than I had, had one professional certification while I had six, and had no professional license like the one I had.
https://www.fedweek.com/fedweek/if-opms-proposed-rif-rules-become-final-what-federal-employees-should-do-now/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Under current RIF rules, agencies consider several retention factors, including tenure, veterans’ preference, length of service, and performance. Proposed changes could increase the role of performance ratings in that calculation. . .Many employees disagree with a performance rating but never create a written record. That can be a serious mistake. . .If RIF activity appears possible in your agency, ask HR specific questions. General assurances are not enough. . .Many RIF appeals turn on records. Unfortunately, employees often lose access to government systems quickly after separation, demotion, or placement on administrative status. . .The possible expansion of performance ratings in RIF decisions should change how federal employees think about their records. Performance appraisals may no longer be just annual paperwork. They may become a deciding factor in whether an employee keeps a job during a workforce reduction. Federal employees should act now: download records, correct errors, challenge unsupported ratings, document accomplishments, and preserve evidence. If a RIF comes, the employees best positioned to protect themselves will be those who prepared before the notice arrived.)
FROM FOREIGN SOURCES
YAHOO UK
— Having wealthy parents leads to young adults being six times better off. DD: My critics/opponents had wealthy parents. I should write about those whose parents were the wealthiest. I had to work my way through college. That harmed my GPA. I spent far too many hours washing dishes and delivering mail instead of studying.
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/having-wealthy-parents-leads-young-230100398.html
GUARDIAN
— A college degree once ensured prosperity – but gen Z is finding ‘just not much out there.’ DD: What was your entry-level job? When I earned a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU when I was 21 in 1970, potential employers saw me as being draft bait. They did not believe my application for a financial hardship draft deferment would be granted. Further, they were under tremendous pressure to hire minorities, females, and veterans. Further, I had the stigma of having been a federal employee who had been forced to resign. I had to have a job. Consequently, I accepted the only job offer that I got. It was from Firestone Stores for a sales job that did not really require a college degree. My Chicago Heights store boss would never had hired me, but his boss had assigned me to him. He did not have a college degree. He refused to let me start until after I passed a probationary period in Indiana. He disapproved of my avoiding the Vietnam War draft. He disapproved of my being Protestant, my being German American, my having ancestors who had been in America since 1844, and my living in Crete. Under him, I saw that my Firestone career was bleak, if not nonexistent. Consequently, I accepted a job offer from Oldsmobile in early 1971. But Oldsmobile withdrew that offer saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. My Firestone Store boss rudely, if not violently, fired me because I had accepted that offer. I had to have a job. So I accepted the only job offer that I got. It was to be an IRS Revenue Officer.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/may/24/gen-z-college-degree-employment
May 24, 2026
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/22/fallout-from-broadview-six-case/
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/04/25/legal-providers-try-to-bridge-the-gap-touting-the-benefits-of-counsel-for-immigrants-fighting-removal/
— The answer to rising antisemitism is to stand proud, not silent
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/24/opinion-antisemitism-college-campuses-synagogues/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Work permits. DD: Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly make America more dependent on foreign countries and their citizens. All my employers would have hired noncitizens if they could have. My critics/opponents cannot say that because they had wealthy parents.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/05/21/work-permits-immigrant-workforce-rules-backlogs
DAILY HERALD
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly want to replace GOD with government.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260524/news/references-to-god-didnt-come-from-founders/
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL
— DD: To get more votes from Blacks, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly shout at Blacks that Republicans cause all the problems that Blacks have. Democrat leaders especially blame Trump and those who share his demographics: conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, married, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. How many demographics do you share with Trump?
https://www.jsonline.com/story/opinion/columnists/james-causey/2026/05/23/trump-fund-reparations-black-americans/90183069007/
ADVANTAGE NEWS
— Illinois House Republicans say Governor J.B. Pritzker’s housing proposals will give local control to state politicians, but the governor says decisions will still be made by local government units. The governor’s Building Up Illinois Developments plan consists of at least five bills aiming to address housing supply and affordability issues. State Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro, R-Hanover Park, said the plan would take zoning decisions away from local communities and move them to Springfield. DD: My critics/opponents want the north end of my DuPage County Milton Township Precinct 59 in Wheaton to be rezoned for public housing.
https://www.advantagenews.com/news/local/house-gop-pushes-pritzker-for-local-control/article_e3c44520-a08e-41f6-8e06-942bd7be4176.html
FOX ILLINOIS
— Democrats vow a redistricting counterpunch but are facing hurdles Republicans don’t. Democrats are poised to finish several seats behind Republicans in 2026 in the nationwide race to redraw maps for the U.S. House. DD: I live in Illinois’ racially gerrymandered 3rd Congressional District.
https://www.foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/democrats-vow-a-redistricting-counterpunch-but-are-facing-hurdles-republicans-dont/article_2e475e0d-5d0a-56b4-ac01-3bf08b73cd3f.html
NPR ILLINOIS
— Suspect dead after opening fire near White House security checkpoint
https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-05-23/suspect-dead-after-opening-fire-near-white-house-security-checkpoint-secret-service-says
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Catalina Lauf Takes Hit in Her Florida Congressional Campaign from The Conservative Journal
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/24/catalina-lauf-takes-hit-in-her-florida-congressional-campaign-from-the-conservative-journal/
LEGAL NEWSLINE
— IL Supreme Court again turns aside challenge to state’s FOID law. DD: I have had a FOID card since I was 20 in 1968.
https://www.legalnewsline.com/madison-stclair-record/il-supreme-court-again-turns-aside-challenge-to-state-s-foid-law/article_891e5daa-d385-4525-8a6a-bbf6ef91ea94.html
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Registration is open for political entries in Wheaton’s July 4 Independence Day Parade. SEE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wheaton-independence-day-parade-entry-2026-tickets-1984881886153 The deadline is June 28. The cost is $183.58. I hope that all the Republican candidates on the ballot in my precinct will participate in the parade: Tracy, Bailey/Del Mar, Fioretti, Harris, Drew, Soloman, Oakley, Lewis, Vrankovich, Grasso, Noonan, Schiappa, Henry, Eckhoff, Michaud, Schultz, Quirk, and Helland. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What is your Republican Precinct Committeeman going to do to help elect the Republican candidates on the ballot in your precinct win November 3? The Republican candidates on the ballot in my precinct are Tracy, Bailey/Del Mar, Fioretti, Harris, Drew, Soloman, Oakley, Lewis, Vrankovich, Grasso, Noonan, Schiappa, Henry, Eckhoff, Michaud, Schultz, Quirk, and Helland. I am going to hand-deliver to all the residences in my precinct a copy of the sample ballot, campaign literature that the candidates provide the Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO), and whatever else MTRO asks me to deliver. I did the aforesaid for the March 17 Republican primary in my precinct. 39% of the registered Republican voters voted. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— A tree limb recently fell on the overhead ComEd and Xfinity lines that bring electricity and internet to my subdivision. The resultant outage caused me lots of problems. I have filed tree trimming requests with ComEd and Xfinity. Further, I have asked that they put the lines underground. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Hegseth praises West Point cadets as ‘not an army of woke’ in commencement speech. DD: My critics/opponents are woke. To be woke is to be against those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, heterosexual, married, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense/4580616/hegseth-praise-west-point-cadet-commencement-speech/
NEW YORK POST
— Pete Hegseth tears into DEI, ‘woke military’ in fiery West Point graduation speech. DD: My critics/opponents are woke. To be woke is to be against those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, heterosexual, married, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/23/us-news/pete-hegseth-tears-into-dei-woke-military-in-fiery-west-point-graduation-speech/
— Master’s degrees yielding fewest jobs in 20 years as some businesses uninterested in candidates with advanced education. DD: I spent lots of my time and lots of my money earning three master’s degrees: 16 courses for an MBA from Loyola in 1976 when I was 27, 12 courses for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, and 14 courses for a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997. If I had not been taking graduate evening business courses, my Democrat IRS superiors would not have promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. If I had not earned an MBA and passed the CPA examination on my first attempt, the Democrats who ran GAO would not have hired me in 1980. If I had earned a master’s degree in accounting, passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt, became a licensed CPA, earned four more professional certifications, and earned a master’s degree in finance, my Democrat GAO superiors a) would not have promoted me in 1986 and b) would have succeeded in forcing me to retire sooner than they did.
https://nypost.com/2026/05/21/us-news/masters-degrees-hiring-at-one-of-its-worst-levels-in-20-years-been-a-bit-tough/
AMERICAN THINKER
— DD: If you live in a Republican state, county, township, municipality, school district, and/or precinct, anticipate/expect that sooner or later, Democrats will move in and destroy it. I should write about the Democrat invasion of a) DuPage County, Milton Township, Wheaton, Wheaton Warrenville School District 200, and my precinct and b) Will county, Crete Township, and Crete.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/05/we_need_to_educate_renegade_democrats_in_the_ways_of_conservativism.html
BREITBART
— Socialist Dream: Zohran Mamdani Touts Universal Childcare for Two-Year-Olds. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/05/23/socialist-dream-zohran-mamdani-touts-universal-childcare-for-two-year-olds/amp/
DAILY SIGNAL
— Trump Team to Restore ‘Integrity and Safety’ for American Truckers
https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/05/23/trump-team-american-truckers/
EPOCH TIMES
— AI Content Is Swamping the Internet—How It Impacts Critical Thinking. Under near constant exposure to AI output, experts say the dangers are real and the evidence is already showing up. DD: All the decisions made to include or to not include links to articles in GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters are made my me. All the comments on those articles in those newsletters are made by me.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/ai-content-is-swamping-the-internet-how-it-impacts-critical-thinking-6026954
FOX NEWS
— Hegseth reveals Army hit its recruiting goal early
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6396440826112
PJ MEDIA
— Voter Received Ballots for Prior Residents
https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2026/05/23/harmeet-dhillon-says-she-received-ballots-for-prior-residents-n4953177
REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— Thousands of Illegal Aliens Live in Taxpayer-Funded Housing. Trump Is Ending it.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2026/05/19/thousands_of_illegal_aliens_live_in_taxpayer-funded_housing_trump_is_ending_it_154133.html
TOWNHALL
— Illegal Alien Stole Identity, Collected Over $300K in Taxpayer Benefits for Decades
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/scott-mcclallen/2026/05/23/illegal-alien-stole-identity-collected-over-300k-in-taxpayer-benefits-for-decades-n2676580
— Here Is What’s Wrong With the Republican Party
https://townhall.com/columnists/marklewis/2026/05/24/here-is-whats-wrong-with-the-republican-party-n2676592
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— Hegseth torches identity politics in West Point speech: ‘Can’t throw your pronouns at the enemy.’ DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ. How successful have Democrat leaders been promoting LGBTQ in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5892744-defense-secretary-west-point-address/
CNN
— Hegseth slams ‘woke ideology’ in West Point speech. DD: My critics/opponents are woke. To be woke is to be against those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, heterosexual, married, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/23/politics/video/pete-hegseth-commencement-speech-west-point-digvid-vrtc
REUTERS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ. How successful have Democrat leaders been promoting LGBTQ in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?
https://www.reutersconnect.com/item/visitors-celebrate-lgbtq-pride-at-pensacola-beach-park-east-during-annual-party-on-may-23-2026/dGFnOnJldXRlcnMuY29tLDIwMjY6bmV3c21sX01UMVVTQVRPREFZMjkwNDEwMjU
MSN
— Hegseth tells West Point grads to reject ‘woke ideology.’ DD: My critics/opponents are woke. To be woke is to be against those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, heterosexual, married, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/hegseth-tells-west-point-grads-slow-slide-into-woke-is-over/ss-AA23TTip
— Traditional marriage and family. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/relationships/11-reasons-why-more-women-are-walking-away-from-men-and-marriage/ss-AA1YvbfS
ABC NEWS
— Individuals targeted by the Trump. DD: I should write about my critics/opponents who have targeted me the most and why. I would focus on those who have had their operatives and their dupes take the most/biggest adverse actions against me. I would focus on past and present a) leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party, b) Republican leaders of Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois, c) Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct, d) Republican political consultants, fundraisers, major doners, pollsters, campaign managers, campaign staff members, and campaign volunteers, e) conservative leaders, and f) religious leaders.
https://abcnews.com/US/list-individuals-including-lisa-cook-targeted-trump-administration/story?id=124968309
CBS NEWS
— Wealthy parents. DD: My critics/opponent had wealthy parents. They bought them cars, paid for their education, got them jobs. etc. My father never earned more than $50,000/year in today’s dollars. I had to buy all my own cars. I had to work my way through college. I should write about my critics/opponents whose parents had the most money. I would focus on those who have had their operatives and their dupes take the most/biggest adverse actions against me. I would focus on past and present a) leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party, b) Republican leaders of Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois, c) Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct, d) Republican political consultants, fundraisers, major doners, pollsters, campaign managers, campaign staff members, and campaign volunteers, e) conservative leaders, and f) religious leaders.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/parents-wealth-homeownership-study/
NBC NEWS
— Green cards. DD: Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly make America more dependent on foreign countries and their citizens. All my employers would have hired noncitizens if they could have. My critics/opponents cannot say that because they had wealthy parents.
https://www.nbcnews.com/video/shorts/trump-announces-new-green-card-application-rules-263858757707
— $1.8B ‘anti-weaponization’ fund. DD: Just kidding, but should I apply? Democrat leaders in Illinois had my Democrat GAO, IRS, and Post Office superiors waste my career and take many big adverse actions against me. My Democrat GAO superiors a) forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997, b) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, c) delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, and d) forced me to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. My Democrat IRS superiors a) never promoted me beyond GS-12, b) disallowed my education deductions in 1978, and c) disallowed my travel vouchers in 1974. My Democrat Post Office superiors a) forced me to resign in 1969 and b) disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968. My critics/opponents have always stressed that in Diersen v. GAO, not only Bush’s DOJ sided with my Democrat GAO superiors against me, but that no Republican federal elected officials in Illinois came to my defense, that is, they sided with my Democrat GAO superiors against me. To side with my Democrat GAO superiors, is to promote Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, to promote race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/anti-weaponization-fund-trump-settlement-justice-lawsuits-blowback-rcna346424
NEW YORK TIMES
— Illegals. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/02/19/us/trump-news
— Three Decades on the Supreme Court Is Too Long. DD: For my Democrat GAO superiors, 18 years was too long. For my Democrat IRS superiors, 9 years was too long. For my Democrat Post Office superiors, 3 years was too long.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/opinion/supreme-court-tenure.html
NEW YORK SUN
— Defense Secretary Slams DEI and ‘Woke’ Military Policies in West Point Commencement Address
https://www.nysun.com/article/defense-secretary-slams-dei-and-woke-military-policies-in-west-point-commencement-address
BOSTON HERALD
— Ex-CIA officer tapped to replace Gabbard blasted ‘toxic’ DEI culture
https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/05/23/ex-cia-officer-tapped-to-replace-gabbard-blasted-toxic-dei-culture/
FORTUNE
— Illegals. DD: Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly make America more dependent on foreign countries and their citizens. All my employers would have hired noncitizens if they could have. My critics/opponents cannot say that because they had wealthy parents.
https://fortune.com/2026/05/05/ice-deportations-us-born-job-losses-study/
— Affirmative Action and DEI: DD: Ever-increasingly, Democrat and RINO employers what to a) hire, retain, and promote Democrats and RINOs who are minority, female, and/or younger and b) get rid of their Republican employees. That ever-increasingly rendered worthless a) my job-related bachelor’s degree, b) my three job-related master’s degrees, c) my six job-related professional certifications, and d) my job-related professional license.
https://fortune.com/2026/05/22/beyond-the-diploma-skills-that-actually-get-graduates-hired/
MONEYWISE
— Office jobs ‘are over’ as AI-fluent workers earn 25% more and get promoted 3.5x faster. Do you have an office job? Did you have an office job? I had office jobs working for IRS 1971-1980 and for GAO 1980-1997.
https://moneywise.com/managing-money/employment/office-jobs-over-randstad-ceo-ai-skilled-trades
BUSINESS INSIDER
— Noncitizens. DD: Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly make America more dependent on foreign countries and their citizens. All my employers would have hired noncitizens if they could have. My critics/opponents cannot say that because they had wealthy parents.
https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-react-donald-trump-new-immigration-policy-green-card-applications-2026-5
HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR
— Entry-level jobs are disappearing. DD: What was your entry-level job? When I earned a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU when I was 21 in 1970, I had to have a job. Consequently, I accepted the only job offer that I got. It was from Firestone Stores for a sales job that did not really require a college degree. My Chicago Heights store boss would never had hired me, but his boss had assigned me to him. He did not have a college degree. He refused to let me start until after I passed a probationary period in Indiana. He disapproved of my avoiding the Vietnam War draft. He disapproved of my being Protestant, my being German American, my having ancestors who had been in America since 1844, and my living in Crete. Under him, I saw that my Firestone career was bleak, if not nonexistent. Consequently, I accepted a job offer from Oldsmobile in early 1971. But Oldsmobile withdrew that offer saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. My Firestone Store boss rudely, if not violently, fired me because I had accepted that offer. I had to have a job. So I accepted the only job offer that I got. It was to be an IRS Revenue Officer.
https://www.hcamag.com/au/specialisation/hr-technology/the-entry-level-job-is-disappearing/575695
NPR
— Noncitizens. DD: Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly make America more dependent on foreign countries and their citizens. All my employers would have hired noncitizens if they could have. My critics/opponents cannot say that because they had wealthy parents.
https://www.npr.org/sections/planet-money/2026/05/12/g-s1-121493/the-economic-chilling-effect-of-trumps-immigration-crackdown
FEDERAL NEWS NETWORK
— Federal job applicants can’t skip ‘loyalty question.’ DD: My critics/opponents demand blind loyalty. They have their operatives and their dupes destroy those like me a) who they cannot manipulate/dominate b) who refuse to glorify and praise them, c) who refuse to pander to them, d) who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, e) who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or f) who refuse to give them money.
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/hiring-retention/2026/04/federal-job-applicants-cant-skip-loyalty-question-that-opm-says-is-optional-court-filings-claim/
DAILY KOS
— DD: To get more votes from Black women, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly shout at them that Republicans cause all their problems.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/5/23/800043877/community/the-extermination/
FROM OTHER SOURCES
CONSUMER REPORTS
— 6 Best Whole-House Generators of 2026, Lab-Tested and Reviewed. Home standby generators from companies like Champion, Generac, and Kohler are pricey, but they provide immediate backup power during outages. DD: Sadly, the motor in my 2011 20KW unit failed in late 2024, and recently, the motor in my 2024 24KW unit also failed. While Generac has provided me with a 17KW loaner, I am anxiously awaiting either a replacement of the whole 24KW unit or replacement of its motor.
https://www.consumerreports.org/home-garden/generators/best-home-standby-generators-consumer-reports-tests-a5942327707/
May 23, 2026
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
NBC5
— How Chicago police, activists are aiming to curb teen takeovers. DD: Anticipate/expect that sooner or later, Democrat teens will takeover your downtown.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/video/news/local/how-chicago-police-activists-are-aiming-to-curb-teen-takeovers/3939154/
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/threat-from-dhs-could-impact-flights-at-chicagos-ohare-airport-over-sanctuary-city-status/3939312/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DD: Queen Thigpen puts me to shame. My ACT score was only 24. I only just barely made it into the upper 20% of my class. I got no scholarships. I got no student loans. I did not earn a bachelor’s degree until I was 21. In my defense, I had to work my way through college. That harmed my GPA. Instead of studying, I spent far too many hours doing yard work, delivering newspapers, washing dishes, cleaning golf shoes, chipping slag, pumping gasoline, delivering mail, and working on an automotive assemble line.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/21/rich-township-district-227-dual-graduate/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: To get more votes from non-Whites, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly shout at non-Whites that Republicans cause all the problems that non-Whites have.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2026/05/23/george-floyd-murder-racial-injustice-civil-rights-black-brown-zindy-marquez
BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— DD: Democrat leaders use Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://pantagraph.com/news/local/video_5091e182-6be3-5781-9a42-8f70ea26598e.html
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/10-provisions-in-the-latest-illinois-cannabis-omnibus-bill/
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly diminish parental control.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/junk-fee-ban-heads-to-pritzker-as-senate-oks-bill-allowing-minors-to-consent-to-birth-control/
NPR ILLINOIS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more abortion.
https://www.nprillinois.org/illinois/2026-05-22/abortion-advocates-urge-additional-reproductive-health-support-from-illinois
CHICAGO MAROON
— Here’s Where the Class of 2026 Is Headed After Graduation. DD: When you earned your bachelor’s degree, how many job offers did you get? I took the only offer that I got and it was for a job that did not really require a bachelor’s degree. Potential employers saw me as being draft bait. They did not believe that my application for a financial hardship draft deferment would be approved. Further, my GPA was not that great because I had spent far too many hours working instead of studying. Further, I had the stigma of having been a federal employee for almost 3 years.
https://chicagomaroon.com/52662/news/heres-where-the-class-of-2026-is-headed-after-graduation/
ELMHURST UNIVERSITY
— Career Benefits to Completing Your Degree. DD: If I had not earned a bachelor’s degree in business, Firestone Stores would not have hired me in 1970. If I had not passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination, the Democrats who ran IRS would not have hired me in 1971. If I have not been taking graduate evening business courses at Loyola, my Democrat IRS superiors would not have promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. If I had not earned an MBA from Loyola and passed the CPA examination on my first attempt, the Democrats who ran GAO would not have hired me in 1980.
https://www.elmhurst.edu/blog/four-career-benefits-to-completing-your-degree/
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/05/22/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-531/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Anticipate/expect that to get elected and to get reelected, Democrats will ever-increasingly a) give more preference to voters who are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, poor, LGBTQ, unmarried, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, and/or noncitizen and b) promote more dependency on government and charity, LGBTQ, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, vice, diminishment of Second Amendment rights, and Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination.
— Since the 1960s, employers have been under ever-increasing pressure to hire, to retain, and to promote those who are minority, female, and/or younger. For those who are White, male, and/or older, to get hired, retained, and/or promoted, they ever-increasing have to show employers that they can and that they will advance their subordinates who are minority, female, and/or younger. All those who my Democrat IRS and GAO superiors assigned me to supervise were Democrats who were minority, female, younger, veteran, unmarried, disabled, and/or had performance problems. I did everything that I could to advance them, but that was not enough for my Democrat superiors. When I was 49 in 1997, to punished me and to make an example out of me, they forced me to retire and they gave my job and my preferred corner office to my Black subordinate who had less education than I had, who had less work experience than I had, had one professional certification while I had six, and had no professional license like the one I had. Previously, my Democrat GAO superiors had a) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, b) delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, and c) forced me to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. My Democrat IRS superiors a) never promoted me beyond GS-12, b) disallowed my education deductions in 1978, and c) disallowed my travel vouchers in 1974. They ever-increasingly ignored/dismissed/belittled a) my 1970 job-related bachelor’s degree, b) my 1976, 1980, and 1997 job-related master’s degrees, c) my 1979, 1981, 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1997 job-related professional certifications, and d) my 1981 job-related professional license. They would not have done any of the aforesaid if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, or veteran. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— To get more votes from those whose demographics are in the minority, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout at those whose demographics are in the minority that their problems are caused my those whose demographics are in the majority. That is, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout at those who are non-White, female, younger, poor, LGBTQ, non-Protestant, and/or non-German American that those who are White, male, older, non-poor, heterosexual, Protestant, and/or German American cause all their problems. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump continues attacks on GOP, turns ire on retiring Sen. Thom Tillis
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/22/trump-continues-attacks-gop-turns-ire-retiring-sen-thom-tillis/
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) introduces legislation to make the Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2026 permanent and required for all U.S. employers, regardless of business size. DD: Who leads the fight for mandatory E-Verify in Illinois and in your county, township, and school district?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/sen-katie-britt-drops-e-verify-bill-to-stomp-out-hiring-of-illegal-workers/ar-AA23IKiS
1819 NEWS
— Mandatory E-Verify legislation – Ensure jobs go to Americans, not illegal aliens. DD: Who leads the fight for mandatory E-Verify in Illinois and in your county, township, and school district?
https://1819news.com/news/item/britt-leads-charge-on-mandatory-e-verify-legislation-ensure-jobs-go-to-americans-not-illegal-aliens
BIZ PAC REVIEW
— Illegal alien truck driver causes multiple casualties in pile-up on California highway
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2026/05/22/illegal-alien-truck-driver-causes-multiple-casualties-in-pile-up-on-cali-highway-1641188/
BREITBART
— Trump’s deputies are closing the hidden process used by former presidents to covertly legalize or amnesty millions of economic migrants during the last few decades. DD: All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have.
https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2026/05/22/trump-deputies-shut-legalization-pathway-for-millions-of-migrants/amp/
— DD: Under Democrat elected officials, criminals commit a lot more crime because Democrats are soft on crime. Criminals vote for Democrats.
https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2026/05/22/kash-patel-fbis-preliminary-crime-data-show-single-largest-decreases-in-violent-crime-and-murder-since-1937/
CAMPUS REFORM
— University of Illinois medical school pushes ‘equitable assessments’ for professors. DD: My Democrat superiors and supervisors in the federal government use the subjectivity in their performance appraisal systems a) to promote their Democrat subordinates who were minority, female, younger, and/or veteran and b) to get rid of their Republican subordinates who were White, male, older, and/or non-veteran.
https://www.campusreform.org/article/university-illinois-medical-school-pushes-equitable-assessments-professors/29910
— Wisconsin voters to decide constitutional amendment banning DEI discrimination. DD: Democrats and RINOs use Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of Republicans who are conservative, White, male, older, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.campusreform.org/article/wisconsin-voters-decide-constitutional-amendment-banning-dei-discrimination/29918
DAILY SIGNAL
— The ‘No Agenda’ Democrats. What Democrats Could Say, but Aren’t. What They Are Saying, but Shouldn’t. The midterm elections are about five months away, and we’re having here in California a hotly contested governor’s race. And of course, everybody’s heard about the mayor’s race. They all have something in common if we examine them. There is no Democratic agenda. There’s no antithetical agenda to the Republicans.
https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/05/22/what-democrats-could-say/
EPOCH TIMES
— DNC Chair Ken Martin Faces Calls to Resign. DD: Serving as the chairman of a political organization is a thankless job; they are always blamed for their party’s losses. I survived for 7 years as the chairman of TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois 2005-2012. During that time, I invited speakers for all 78 of the organization’s monthly meetings, August picnics, and December Christmas parties. I should list all those who spoke at those events and what they emphasized. My critics/opponents always demonized, denigrated, and condemned those speakers and what they emphasized. To end my TAPROOT chairmanship and to destroy TAPROOT in 2012, my critics/opponents had their TAPROOT officers and their TAPROOT directors charge me with gross incompetence. They argued/shouted that anyone could do a better job of heading TAPROOT than I did. Previously, I survived for 4 years as a member of the Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) Steering Committee (SC) 2003-2007. My critics/opponents had my fellow ICRC SC members end my ICRC SC membership and destroy ICRC in 2007. In 2006, they unsuccessfully tried to get ICRC to censure me for my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on IRP SCC members since 1999.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/dnc-chair-ken-martin-faces-calls-to-resign-from-some-democrats-after-autopsy-release-6036449
LEGAL INSURRECTION
— Woke is Not Dead – Especially in Higher Education. “Though woke concepts such as systemic racism, critical race theory and gender fluidity aren’t as visible in corporate boardrooms and the federal government, they remain a powerful force”
https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/05/woke-is-not-dead-especially-in-higher-education/
— U. Minnesota Med School Offers ‘Child & Adolescent’ Gender-Affirming Care
https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/05/u-minnesota-med-school-offers-child-adolescent-gender-affirming-care/amp/
NATIONAL REVIEW
— CBS and Its Colbert Apocalypse
https://www.nationalreview.com/2026/05/cbs-and-its-colbert-apocalypse/
TOWNHALL
— Equal Protection Means What It Says. DD: Because Democrats run the federal government, federal employees who are the following have no Civil Service protections: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://townhall.com/columnists/jay-rogers/2026/05/23/equal-protection-means-what-it-says-n2676495
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— DD: Anticipate/expect that Democrats and RINOs will ever-increasingly use AI to get rid of Republicans who are conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/opinion-poll-government-ai-jobs/
CNN
— Reparations. DD: Affirmative Action (AA) and DEI are reparations. The more of the following that you are, the more credit that you should be given for having paid the price of AA and DEI: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. Since the 1960s, because I am all of the aforesaid, those above be had made me pay the price of AA and DEI big time. If I had not been the aforesaid, my Democrat superiors in the federal government would have promoted me into their Senior Executive Service long before I was 40 years old. I earned three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license.
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/18/politics/video/cornel-west-dojs-usd1-8b-fund-should-pay-reparations-for-slavery
MSN
— Trump under fire for remarks seen as threat to reporter’s fiancé. DD: My critics/opponents demand blind loyalty. They have their operatives and their dupes destroy those like me a) who they cannot manipulate/dominate b) who refuse to glorify and praise them, c) who refuse to pander to them, d) who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, e) who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or f) who refuse to give them money.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/trump-faces-backlash-over-threat-to-reporter-s-fianc%C3%A9/gm-GM3A03153E
— Trump defends Chinese farmland buys as $17B ag deal stirs debate
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/trump-defends-chinese-farmland-buys-as-17b-ag-deal-stirs-debate/gm-GM3F15F7DC
— Blanche said anyone who believes they were a victim of political ‘weaponization’ can apply for $1.8B fund payouts. DD: Just kidding, but should I apply? Democrat leaders in Illinois had my Democrat GAO, IRS, and Post Office superiors waste my career and take many big adverse actions against me. My Democrat GAO superiors a) forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997, b) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, c) delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, and d) forced me to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. My Democrat IRS superiors a) never promoted me beyond GS-12, b) disallowed my education deductions in 1978, and c) disallowed my travel vouchers in 1974. My Democrat Post Office superiors a) forced me to resign in 1969 and b) disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/blanche-won-t-rule-out-jan-6-rioters-for-1-8b-fund-payouts/gm-GMD9D29559
NEW YORK TIMES
— Has Trump Gone Full ‘Mob Boss’? The president’s $1.8 billion slush fund is causing further cracks in the Republican Party. DD: Just kidding, but should I apply? Democrat leaders in Illinois had my Democrat GAO, IRS, and Post Office superiors waste my career and take many big adverse actions against me. My Democrat GAO superiors a) forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997, b) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, c) delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, and d) forced me to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. My Democrat IRS superiors a) never promoted me beyond GS-12, b) disallowed my education deductions in 1978, and c) disallowed my travel vouchers in 1974. My Democrat Post Office superiors a) forced me to resign in 1969 and b) disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/23/opinion/trump-slush-fund-republicans.html
WASHINGTON POST
— New rule requires most green-card applicants to apply from outside U.S. Immigration lawyers say the change could affect a wide swath of people and marks an escalation in the administration’s efforts to curtail legal migration. DD: All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/05/22/new-rule-requires-most-green-card-applicants-apply-outside-us/
LOS ANGELES TIMES
— The GOP is collapsing under Trump’s loyalty tests. DD: My critics/opponents demand blind loyalty. They have their operatives and their dupes destroy those like me a) who they cannot manipulate/dominate b) who refuse to glorify and praise them, c) who refuse to pander to them, d) who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, e) who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or f) who refuse to give them money.
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2026-05-22/trump-republican-loyalty-tests-massie
USA TODAY
— DHS again raises possibility of halting processing at major airports. Travel groups warn a reported DHS proposal could disrupt international travel and cargo operations. DD: Anticipate/expect that Democrat leaders will ever-increasingly a) flood America with those who have demographics that vote for Democrats and b) get rid of those who have demographics that vote for Republicans.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2026/05/22/sanctuary-city-airports-customs/90215950007/
WSJ
— Trump Has Lost the Governing Plot. His personal obsessions and campaign of retribution are damaging his Presidency and his party.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trump-has-lost-the-governing-plot-4879dd64
— Privilege Shapes Progressive Education Choice. Black Americans are far more supportive of school choice than affirmative action.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/privilege-shapes-progressive-education-choice-12160176
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote LGBTQ, that is, they ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/free-expression/falling-birth-rates-are-a-mystery-fa8aebb8
— A Wealthy New Yorker’s Case for the Pied-à-Terre Tax. DD: To paint me as being grossly overpaid, Money Magazine, in its 4-page February 1978 article on me, called my Outer Drive East (ODE) condo in downtown Chicago a pied-a-terre because I also owned a townhome in University Park that I bought in 1972. But Money Magazine knew full-well that I owned that townhome because I could not sell it unless I took a big loss and that I was renting it out. Money Magazine also knew full-well that I bought the ODE condo so that I could walk to work and to graduate evening business and accounting classes at Loyola and DePaul.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/a-wealthy-new-yorkers-case-for-the-pied-a-terre-tax-bebf58af
— New College Grads Confront a Tight Job Market but Still Have an Edge. Employment prospects are even worse for anyone with just a high-school diploma or an associate degree. DD: If I had not earned a bachelor’s degree in business and passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination, the Democrats who ran IRS would not have hired me in 1971. If I have not been taking graduate evening business courses at Loyola, my Democrat IRS superiors would not have promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. If I had not earned an MBA from Loyola and passed the CPA examination on my first attempt, the Democrats who ran GAO would not have hired me in 1980.
https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/young-college-graduate-job-market-dd0f8d6e
— You’ve Landed Your First Job. Now Don’t Sink Your Career Before It Starts. Your first job holds promise and peril. Here’s how to protect your future self. DD: When I earned a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU when I was 21 in 1970, I had to have a job. Consequently, I accepted the only job offer that I got. It was from Firestone Stores for a sales job that did not really require a college degree. My Chicago Heights store boss would never had hired me, but his boss had assigned me to him. He did not have a college degree. He refused to let me start until after I passed a probationary period in Indiana. He disapproved of my avoiding the Vietnam War draft. He disapproved of my being Protestant, my being German American, my having ancestors who had been in America since 1844, and my living in Crete. Under him, I saw that my Firestone career was bleak, if not nonexistent. Consequently, I accepted a job offer from Oldsmobile in early 1971. But Oldsmobile withdrew that offer saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. My Firestone Store boss rudely, if not violently, fired me because I had accepted that offer. I had to have a job. So I accepted the only job offer that I got. It was to be an IRS Revenue Officer.
https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/youve-landed-your-first-job-now-dont-sink-your-career-before-it-starts-96a3ad5b
USA FACTS
— DD: Anticipate/expect that Democrat leaders will ever-increasingly a) flood America with those who have demographics that vote for Democrats and b) get rid of those who have demographics that vote for Republicans.
https://usafacts.org/answers/how-many-people-live-in-the-us/country/united-states/
STATISTA
— DD: What religion are you? Protestants vote for Republicans. The share of Americans who are Protestant has fallen from 69% in 1948 when I was born to 33% in 2023. Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) flood America with those who have demographics that vote for Democrats and b) get rid of those who have demographics that vote for Republicans.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/245478/self-described-religious-identification-of-americans/
IMMIGRATION POLICY INSTITITE
— DD: What national origin are you? All my ancestors immigrated from what is now Germany during the 1840s and 1850s.
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states#size-origins
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/data-hub/charts/largest-immigrant-groups-over-time
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Significant immigration from Latin America and Asia in recent decades represents a sharp turnaround from the mid-1900s, when immigrants came overwhelmingly from Europe. In the 1960s, no single country accounted for more than 15 percent of the U.S. immigrant population; Italians were the top origin group, making up 13 percent of the foreign born in 1960, followed by Germans and Canadians (about 10 percent each). Immigrants from Mexico have comprised the largest group since 1980, but the composition of new arrivals has changed since the 2007-09 recession. By 2013, India and China had displaced Mexico as the top origins for new arrivals, however Mexico regained its position as the top origin of new arrivals in 2021, amid COVID-19 pandemic-related mobility restrictions and increased regional movement. As of 2024, the top origins for immigrants arriving within the last year were Mexico, India, and Venezuela. From 2010 through 2024, the immigrant population from India increased by nearly 1.4 million and the population from China rose by 815,000. Although the number of Mexican immigrants increased slightly between 2023 and 2024 (from 10.9 million to 11.1 million), this population declined by almost 567,000 between 2010 and 2024, representing the largest absolute decline of any immigrant group during the period. The number of immigrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Guatemala, Colombia, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, the Philippines, El Salvador, Nigeria, and Haiti each increased by at least 250,000 from 2010 to 2024. Among the groups numbering at least 100,000 in 2024, the Venezuelan immigrant population increased the fastest, by 437 percent since 2010, followed by immigrants from Afghanistan (330 percent), Nepal (200 percent), Nigeria (143 percent), Bangladesh (130 percent), and Brazil (114 percent). In comparison, the total foreign-born population grew by 26 percent in this period.)
— What are the largest diaspora groups? Four of the five largest U.S. groups tracing their origin or ancestry to a particular country are European, reflecting a centuries-long history of immigration from Europe. Germany is the largest diaspora, with more than 40.7 million U.S. residents—spanning both immigrants and their descendants—who traced their origin or ancestry there as of 2024. The Mexican diaspora ranked second, with approximately 40.5 million people. The United Kingdom came third, with more than 38.8 million, followed by Ireland, with close to 35 million, and Italy, with 16.3 million. The overwhelming majority of diaspora members are people born in the United States whose ancestors had previously immigrated.
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states#size-origins
POLITICAL INSIDER
— Texas AG Sues Houston Birth Tourism Center Over 1,000 Alleged Chinese-Born American Citizens. DD: All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have.
https://pjnewsletter.com/birth-tour-china/
MCKINSEY & COMPANY
— DD: Since the 1960s, employers have been under ever-increasing pressure to hire, to retain, and to promote those who are minority, female, and/or younger. That ever-increasingly rendered worthless my 1970 job-related bachelor’s degree, my 1976, 1980, and 1997 job-related master’s degrees, my 1979, 1981, 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1997 job-related professional certifications, and my 1981 job-related professional license.
https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/women-in-the-workplace
FEDERAL NEWS NETWORK
— The Foreign Service operates under an “up-or-out” promotion system. DD: How has age discrimination impacted you? Ever-increasingly, starting when I was 25 years old in 1974, my Democrat superiors in the federal government used my age against me. They used “up-or-out” to get rid of me because they had not promoted me to GS-13 by the time was 25. I finally made GS-13 at GAO when I was 38. But I would not have been able to do that if I had not a) earned an MBA when I was 27, b) passed the CPA examination on my first attempt when I was 30, c) earned a master’s degree in accounting when I was 31, d) passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and became a licensed CPA when I was 32, and e) if the GAO manager who had arranged my transfer from IRS had not finally gotten back into power and promoted me when I was 38.
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2026/05/state-dept-directs-managers-to-revise-and-recalibrate-scores-for-employee-evaluations-theyve-already-submitted/
May 20, 2026
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
FOX32
— DuPage County Bensenville residents say rat infestation is taking over neighborhood: ‘We’re freaking out’
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/dupage-county-residents-say-rat-infestation-is-taking-over-neighborhood-were-freaking-out.amp
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-vt8is1p09b9vq1wu
WTTW
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly shout at those who are the following that Democrat leaders protect them from Republicans: liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, poor, LGBTQ, unmarried, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time.
https://news.wttw.com/2026/05/19/final-vote-set-scaled-back-effort-honor-rev-jesse-jackson-new-push-protect-voting-rights
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/real-estate/2026/05/20/latinos-homeless-chicago-illinois-greg-abbott-texas-busing-migrants
DAILY HERALD
— Fumbled rollout: Inclusion of controversial flyer overshadows redesign of Kane County’s tax bill
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260519/editorials/daily-herald-opinion-fumbled-rollout-inclusion-of-controversial-flyer-overshadows-redesign-of-coun/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH PHOTO: US government agrees to drop tax claims against Trump in broadening of IRS lawsuit settlement. DD: To get rid of me, my Democrat IRS superiors disallowed my education deductions when I was 29 years old in 1978. I had deducted graduate evening business courses (Loyola 1972-1976) and accounting courses (DePaul 1976-1978). They outrageously, disgustingly, falsely, and unethically argued in tax court a) that the courses I deducted did not relate to my job duties, b) that the courses did not maintain or improve my job skills, c) that I took the courses to get a job in the private sector, and d) that I took the courses to qualify myself for a new trade or business. They outrageously, disgustingly, falsely, and unethically ignored the fact that a) my IRS employee manual encouraged me to take the courses, b) the content of my position descriptions, and c) that I stated in my applications that I wanted to take the courses to maintain and improve my IRS job skills. They would not have done that a) if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, younger, or veteran and/or b) if I had not complained about IRS’s political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260519/nation-and-world-politics/us-government-agrees-to-drop-tax-claims-against-trump-in-broadening-of-irs-lawsuit-settlement/
STATELINE
— Universal health care proposal in Illinois Senate would eliminate private insurance, cover undocumented migrants
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/universal-health-care-proposal-in-illinois-senate-would-eliminate-private-insurance-cover-undocumented-migrants/
25 NEWS NOW
— Former state GOP chair Pat Brady sees key decisions ahead after party leaders oust Salvi. (FROM THE ARTICLE: the party chair is frequently the target of “everyone’s anger and frustrations.”)
https://www.25newsnow.com/2026/05/20/former-state-gop-chair-brady-sees-key-decisions-ahead-after-party-leaders-oust-salvi/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A Bloomington native who used to lead Illinois Republicans said he knows from experience that the party chair is frequently the target of “everyone’s anger and frustrations.” Monday, the Illinois Republican Party’s State Central Committee replaced incumbent Chair Kathy Salvi with former DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan. Salvi became chair less than two years ago, just in time for the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Two years earlier, Salvi was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, losing to Democrat Tammy Duckworth. Salvi did a “nice job” raising money for the party, said Pat Brady, an attorney raised in Bloomington who served as state Republican chair from 2009 to 2013. During Brady’s term, social conservatives were angry with his stance favoring same-sex marriage. Brady is not sure why party leaders chose Grogan over Salvi this time around. “People were upset for whatever reason and they wanted a change,” said Brady. Now a Republican strategist with Mercury Public Affairs, Brady believes Illinois Republicans have a key decision to make. If they align themselves with the pro-Trump MAGA movement, Brady said “we’ll never be more than a downstate party.” Brady would like to see a more moderate brand, returning to the days when voters chose Republicans like Mark Kirk as U.S. senator and Jim Edgar as governor. Meantime, Grogan, Republican candidate for Governor Darren Bailey, and Senate candidate all praised Salvi’s work as chair. Grogan released the following statement: . . . )
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Chicago Schools elections get ugly
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2026/05/20/chicago-schools-elections-get-ugly-00929035
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2026/05/20/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-741/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
BOB BERLIN
— Bob Berlin, Duo Dog Crew, and Assistant State’s Attorneys Attend Furever Friends Gala
https://www.bobberlin.com/news/bob-berlin-duo-dog-crew-and-assistant-states-attorneys-attend-furever-friends-gala
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Illinois FOID Card Mandate Challenged in Federal Court
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/20/illinois-foid-card-mandate-challenged-in-federal-court/
— Melania Trump’s Fostering the Future Initiative Passes House
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/20/melania-trumps-fostering-the-future-initiative-passes-house/
— McLaughlin Holding Fundraiser
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/20/mclaughlin-holding-fundraiser-2/
— Ness Passes Bill To Make Savings Easier for People Who Have Disabilities
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/20/ness-passes-bill-to-make-savings-easier-for-people-who-have-disabilities/
— Trump Gets Blame for High Gas Prices, Ignoring High Illinois Motor Fuel Tax
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/category/uncategorized/
— Latest Spencer Pratt Video is Musical Take Off “Fresh Prince of Belair”
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/19/latest-spencer-pratt-video-is-musical-take-off-fresh-prince-of-belair/
— Rep. Weber Criticizes Bill That Would Require Women’s Port-a-Potties at Construction Sites
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/19/rep-weber-criticizes-bill-that-would-require-womens-port-a-potties-at-construction-sites/
— Illinois Family Institute Targets Bills for Defeat
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/19/illinois-family-institute-targets-bills-for-defeat/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— The ‘pro-Palestinian’ Left isn’t really about Gaza. Its real target is America
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/patriotism-unity/4572918/pro-palestinian-left-isnt-about-gaza-real-target-is-america/
BIZ PAC REVIEW
— Illegal immigration data sparks new push for mass deportations
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2026/05/19/illegal-immigration-data-sparks-new-push-for-mass-deportations-1640233/
CENTER SQUARE
— DD: All those who were promoted over me hinted/implied/argued/shouted that they were yes-men or yes-women. They all had less education than I had, had less work experience than I had, had no professional certification or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had. They all were minority, younger, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_0bddedae-73db-469b-82c0-e219cf59bd99.html
COLLEGE FIX
— Progressive nonprofit launches left-wing competitor to Turning Point USA. Group’s true agenda is the redistribution of wealth.
https://www.thecollegefix.com/progressive-nonprofit-launches-left-wing-competitor-to-turning-point-usa/
— Just 10 percent of professors want to leave Republican-led states
https://www.thecollegefix.com/just-10-percent-of-professors-want-to-leave-republican-led-states/
FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM
— If You Cheated to Become American, You Were Never American
https://www.fairus.org/opinion/if-you-cheated-become-american-you-were-never-american
LEGAL INSURRECTION
— Civil Liberty Group Sues Illinois Over License Required to Buy Guns, Ammunition. DD: I have had a FOID card since I was 20 years old in 1968.
https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/05/civil-liberty-group-sues-illinois-over-license-required-to-buy-guns-ammunition/
PJ MEDIA
— Woke May Have Passed Its Peak, But What’s Coming Next From the Left Is Scary Bad
https://pjmedia.com/rick-moran/2026/05/19/woke-may-have-passed-its-peak-but-whats-coming-next-from-the-left-is-scary-bad-n4953011
REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— Thousands of Illegal Aliens Live in Taxpayer-Funded Housing. Trump Is Ending it.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2026/05/19/thousands_of_illegal_aliens_live_in_taxpayer-funded_housing_trump_is_ending_it_154133.html
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
MSN
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/more-gen-z-adults-say-life-can-be-fulfilling-without-marriage-children-study/ar-AA22ks9J
NEW YORK TIMES
— G.O.P. Supporters Back Trump, but a Third Seek a New Direction for the Party
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/us/politics/poll-trump-republicans.html
— I.R.S. to Drop Audits of Trump and Family. DD: To get rid of me, my Democrat IRS superiors disallowed my education deductions when I was 29 years old in 1978. I had deducted graduate evening business courses (Loyola 1972-1976) and accounting courses (DePaul 1976-1978). They outrageously, disgustingly, falsely, and unethically argued in tax court a) that the courses I deducted did not relate to my job duties, b) that the courses did not maintain or improve my job skills, c) that I took the courses to get a job in the private sector, and d) that I took the courses to qualify myself for a new trade or business. They outrageously, disgustingly, falsely, and unethically ignored the fact that a) my IRS employee manual encouraged me to take the courses, b) the content of my position descriptions, and c) that I stated in my applications that I wanted to take the courses to maintain and improve my IRS job skills. They would not have done that a) if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, younger, or veteran and/or b) if I had not complained about IRS’s political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/us/politics/trump-irs-doj-lawsuit-audit.html
USA TODAY
— Nearly 4 in 10 Americans surveyed by Lending Tree, or 39%, said a car is a luxury they cannot afford. DD: Back in the good old days, in 1964, I was able to buy a 1958 Chevrolet BelAir with money I had earned doing yard work and delivering newspapers 1962-1964. In 1966, I was able to buy a new 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint with money I had earned delivering newspapers and washing dishes 1964-1966. In 1967, I was able to buy a new 1968 Oldsmobile 442 with money I had earned delivering mail 1966-1967. In 1968, I was able to buy a new 1969 Dodge Charger SE with money I had earned delivering mail 1967-1968.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2026/05/18/car-ownership-affordability-costs/90049044007/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— FRONT PAGE: Young buyers tap bank of mom & dad in tight home market. DD: When I was 24 in 1972, HUD made the new townhome that I bought in University Park ( https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/774-Sunset-Ct-5-University-Park-IL-60484/5451474_zpid/ ) affordable. I could not have afforded to buy that townhome if it had cost more. In today’s dollars, I paid about $180,000 for it. In today’s dollars, my IRS Revenue Officer salary had increased from $56,409/year to $68,999/year. The down payment came from what I had earned working for IRS for 15 months and for a Firestone Store part-time for 18 months and full-time for 7 months before that. According to Zillow, the townhome is currently worth $84,500. That says worlds about real estate values in University Park.
https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/these-parents-are-buying-homes-for-their-kidswith-strings-attached-aa3da6d2
FORBES
— DD: My critics/opponents reject meritocracy. They applaud that all those who were promoted over me had less education than I had, had less work experience than I had, had no professional certification or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had. They applaud that all those who were promoted over me were minority, female, younger, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimelsesser/2026/05/19/the-myth-of-meritocracy-and-other-outdated-beliefs-women-are-told-at-work/
BLOOMBERG
— Behind the Decline in Right-Wing Media Traffic. DD: I should write about those who have done the most since 2000 a) to stop me from sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters and b) to stop everyone from reading them. I would focus on past and present a) leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party, b) Republican leaders of Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois, c) Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct, d) Republican political consultants, fundraisers, major doners, pollsters, campaign managers, campaign staff members, and campaign volunteers, e) conservative leaders, and f) religious leaders.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-07-15/federalist-breitbart-daily-caller-see-decline-in-right-wing-media-traffic
JD SUPRA
— EEOC Files Suit Against The New York Times, Alleging that the Times Discriminated Against a White, Male Employee. DD: How has EEOC impacted you? I would not have become an IRS employee in 1971 if my Firestone Store boss had not fired me because I had accepted a job offer from Oldsmobile, an offer that Oldsmobile withdrew saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint.
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/eeoc-files-suit-against-the-new-york-1243494/
HR BREW
— DD: My Democrat superiors in the federal government always crowed about their success in promoting their Democrat employees who were minority, female, and/or younger, that is, they always crowed about their success in discriminating against their Republican employees who were White, male, and/or older.
https://www.hr-brew.com/stories/eeoc-moves-to-end-eeo-1-reporting-on-race-and-gender
May 19, 2026 Evening Edition
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
NBC5
— Trump asked about potential Darren Bailey endorsement. Trump endorsed Bailey in the 2022 gubernatorial race, but did not when Bailey ran for Congress in 2024.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/donald-trump-darren-bailey-endorsement-question/3938017/
(FROM THE ATICLE: Will President Donald Trump endorse Darren Bailey in his bid to unseat Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker? Trump did back Bailey during the 2022 election, which the former state senator lost to Pritzker, and he was asked whether he would do so again this time around. The president did not confirm whether he’d offer Bailey his endorsement, but did say he liked him while also criticizing Pritzker. “I like Darren Bailey,” Trump said at the White House. “JB Pritzker is a slob of a governor. He could call me and I’d send in the National Guard and Chicago would have no crime.” While Trump did endorse Bailey in the 2022 race, he notably did not when he tried to unseat Rep. Mike Bost in a Congressional primary. Bost won that race and ultimately kept his seat in the House. In this election cycle, Bailey has at times criticized Trump, including when the president blasted Pope Leo XIV in social media posts and in interviews. “I’m a Christian and I’m an Illinoisan. President Trump mocking a Chicago-born Pope and posting himself as Jesus Christ is wrong. I don’t care whose name is attached to it—I’ll always call it like I see it,” Bailey said in a post after Trump had posted an image depicting himself as Jesus. Bailey has also softened his rhetoric when it comes to Chicago, which he famously called “a hellhole” during his 2022 campaign. “Being a farmer, being a former state legislature, you learn from your mistakes. And as we started this journey, moved through the primary, I wanted to make sure that people understood that I learned, you know, what I did wrong the last time,” he said. “And I want to represent all of Illinois. And in order to represent all of Illinois, I’ve got to be heard. I’ve got to watch what I say. I got to bring unity, not just to my party, but to all of Illinois and that’s exactly what I intend on doing. Even with Bailey seeking to forge a new path in the 2026 race, Pritzker’s campaign has repeatedly continued to tie his opponent to the Trump administration, which has seen its polling numbers dropping amid rising gas prices and the ongoing conflict in Iran. “Don’t be fooled. My opponent, Darren Bailey, wants to be the Donald Trump of Illinois,” he said in a social media post last week.)
— Could Illinois split in two? A deeper look at the movement to divide the state. DD: Under the Democrats, Cook and the collar counties ever-increasingly move further to the left.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/could-illinois-split-in-two-a-deeper-look-at-the-movement-to-divide-the-state/3937683/
— Teens face a cold summer job market; How can they improve their hiring chances? “Especially if you have no experience in any industry, it will be really tough this year.” DD: I did yard work the summers of 1962, 1963, and 1964. I delivered newspapers 1962-1966. I washed dishes 1964-1966. I cleaned golf shoes, chipped slag, and pumped gasoline the summer of 1966. I delivered mail the summers of 1967, 1968, and 1969.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/teens-face-a-cold-summer-job-market-how-can-they-improve-their-chances/3938095/
CBS2
— Chicago Muslims say unchecked Islamophobia creates conditions for attacks like San Diego shooting.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-muslims-islamophobia-san-diego-shooting/
WGN9
— Flamethrower used during street takeover in Virginia
https://wgntv.com/news/watch-flamethrower-used-during-street-takeover-in-virginia/
FOX32
— Trump backs Darren Bailey for Illinois governor. President Trump made his support for GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey very clear on Tuesday and threw another jab at incumbent Gov. JB Pritzker.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-fb0tlfwz2xwk3m7m
— House proposal would charge EV owners $130 yearly for road repairs
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/house-proposal-ev-owners-fee-road-repairs
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— New head of Black Lives Matter Lake County outlines goals: ‘It feels good to come home and make a difference’
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/18/lake-county-black-lives-matter/
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/19/chicago-public-schools-student-mother-ice-detention/
— DD: For Democrats, voting exists to use government to take money away from Republicans and to give that money to Democrats.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/19/aldermen-chicago-voting-access-ordinance-rev-jesse-jackson/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/05/19/liliana-ricardo-navarette-mather-immigration-custody-release
— Former high-ranking Chicago cop sues city, claims he was wrongfully placed on ‘don’t hire’ list. DD: The following adverse actions that my Democrat superiors in the federal government took against me put me on do not hire lists: My Democrat GAO superiors a) forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997, b) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, c) delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, and d) forced me to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. My Democrat IRS superiors a) never promoted me beyond GS-12, b) disallowed my education deductions in 1978, and c) disallowed my travel vouchers in 1974. My Democrat Post Office superiors a) forced me to resign in 1969 and b) disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968. They ever-increasingly ignored/dismissed/belittled a) my 1970 job-related bachelor’s degree, b) my 1976, 1980, and 1997 job-related master’s degrees, c) my 1979, 1981, 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1997 job-related professional certifications, and d) my 1981 job-related professional license. They would not have done any of the aforesaid if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, or veteran.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/police-reform/2026/05/19/police-michael-barz-larry-snelling-chicago-cpd-do-not-hire
— DD: The Democrat Party is ever-increasingly anti-Christian.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2026/05/19/national-mall-prayer-session-christian-nation-donald-trump
DAILY HERALD
— Backpacker, accountant, ‘civil right’ member: New GOP chair steps up to lead fractious team
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260519/illinois-state-politics/backpacker-accountant-civil-right-member-new-gop-chair-steps-up-to-lead-fractious-team/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: CPA Bob Grogan’s resume includes walking precincts, serving on the powerful Republican State Central Committee and three terms as DuPage County auditor. His latest job is herding elephants as the new Illinois Republican Party chair, the state GOP’s third chief in five years. “This is not something that I necessarily sought,” the Downers Grove resident said Tuesday. “It was my peers and people in the Republican Party that asked me to do it. And sometimes when people ask, and you feel that you can actually contribute, you step into the breach.” Illinois Republicans face an uphill midterm election fight in a blue state where President Donald Trump’s poll numbers are shaky amid the Iran war and high gas prices. But, “I do believe in the average common sense of the Illinois voter,” Grogan said. “At some point, one by one, discussion by discussion, door knock by door knock, Facebook post by Facebook post … they do see that Republicans’ answers to some of these everyday life problems are better. “We need to speak a little bit more loudly and a little bit clearly, and I think that’s how you overcome all the structural disadvantages that the Democrats have dealt us.” On the Republican spectrum, Grogan said he’s hard to label. “I consider myself a member of the ‘civil right.’ Which means I consider myself conservative, however, I believe in deliberate, peaceful discussion. I don’t believe in calling people names,” he said. His takeaway is “it’s either the conservative, moderate coalition that runs the state or the liberal, moderate coalition that runs the state. If (Republicans) have any interest in advancing our agenda, we have to embrace both conservatives and moderates. We cannot purge our way to 51%.” State Central Committee members picked Grogan over incumbent Chair Kathy Salvi of Mundelein at a meeting Monday. Salvi stepped in as chair in July 2024, just before the Republican National Convention, when her predecessor Don Tracy resigned citing party dissension after three years in office. Illinois Democrats claimed on Tuesday that Salvi was GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey’s preferred choice and her departure signaled defeat for the former state senator from downstate Xenia. Bailey thanked Salvi for her leadership and “unwavering commitment to supporting candidates up and down the ticket” in a statement Monday. He congratulated Grogan, saying “we look forward to working with Bob to win the support of Illinois voters and take back our state in November.” Grogan credited Salvi for her “incredible job making sure that our finances are strong,” and offer of continued help. “Kathy and I, we were friends before and we were friends after,” he added. “There was a vote, and it was not unanimous for me, which is totally fine. It was just a matter of emphasis. Kathy has skills that exceed mine, and I have some skills that exceed hers, and folks just wanted to look at which ones are appropriate for right now.” Grogan, who is a certified fraud examiner, served for three terms as DuPage auditor before losing by 75 votes to Democratic challenger Bill White in 2020. He conducted his interviews for the GOP job virtually over the weekend while attending two separate out-of-town college graduations for his son and daughter. “My family is fortunately tolerant,” Grogan said. On his leadership style — “I’m kind of a no-nonsense person. I’m trustworthy in that regard. When you’re an auditor, (people) have to trust that you’re calling balls and strikes. I guess that’s what the party needed at this time, and that’s why I was asked and elected.”)
— DD: What harms your municipality’s best place to live ranking?
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260519/news/buffalo-grove-ranked-best-place-to-live-in-illinois-by-u-s-news-world-report/
CANTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/more-than-100000-children-separated-from-parents-during-trump-immigration-crackdown-report/
WROK
— Children Mistake THC Gummies For Candy At Illinois School
https://1440wrok.com/ixp/722/p/cannabis-edibles-illinois-schools/
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Illinois county clerks are preparing for mail voting amid continued attacks, changes
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/illinois-county-clerks-are-preparing-for-mail-voting-amid-continued-attacks-changes/
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/05/19/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-528/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Pritzker touts EV plant in Normal, Bailey says taxpayers bear the burden
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_e4f2d532-9d53-40fe-aac1-97071f7d8355.html
DON TRACY
— Don Tracy Congratulates New Illinois Republican Party Chairman
https://mailchi.mp/460acf05aca0/illinois-leads-nation-in-lost-income-as-families-flee-strattons-blueprint-1001
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
FOX NEWS
— The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) filed a lawsuit against Illinois officials Tuesday over the state’s Firearm Owners Identification Act, also known as the FOID Card Act, a state law that requires Illinois residents to apply for and carry an identification card at all times to possess any firearm or ammunition. DD: I have had a FOID card since I was 20 years old in 1968.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/civil-liberty-lawsuit-illinois-state-police-foid-gun-law.amp
NEW AMERICAN
— Major Victory Against Child Transgenderism
https://thenewamerican.com/us/culture/woke-doctors-paying-the-price-major-victory-against-child-transgenderism/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— No More Tax Audits for Trump. Plus, mediators see little progress in U.S.-Iran talks, and branded condos rock Miami
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/government-deal-with-trump-expands-to-end-tax-audits-aad8f2bc
https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/no-more-tax-audits-for-trump-d4c961b8
FORTUNE
— DD: Democrats and RINOs use Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://fortune.com/2026/05/19/dei-experts-diversity-equity-inclusion-fortune-workplace-innovation-summit/
FORBES
— Pritzker Rips Trump’s ‘BFF’ Darren Bailey—Says Bailey Is ‘Unable’ To Criticize Iran War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9AsCJ5U8E8
POLITICO
— Trump endorses Paxton over Cornyn for Texas Senate. DD: Which of the Republican candidates on the November 3, 2026 ballot in your precinct a) are seeking Trump’s endorsement and b) have gotten his endorsement?
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/19/trump-endorses-ken-paxton-texas-senate-00927811
May 19, 2026
WGN9
— Kathy Salvi ousted as Illinois GOP chair, Bob Grogan takes over
https://wgntv.com/news/illinois/kathy-salvi-ousted-as-illinois-gop-chair-bob-grogan-takes-over/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Kathy Salvi is out as Illinois Republican Party chair less than two years after being elected by the State Central Committee. In a Monday release, the Illinois Republican Party announced the election of Bob Grogan, effective immediately. A native of DuPage County, Grogan previously served as county auditor from 2008 to 2020. “I am honored and humbled to be elected as the next Chair of the Illinois Republican Party. I’m grateful to my good friend, Chair Salvi, for her dedication to the party and her work to build a brighter future for Illinois families. Illinois Republicans are united and I’m excited to get to work electing Republicans up and down the ballot in November,” Grogan said in a statement. Darren Bailey, the former state senator set for a gubernatorial rematch with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker in November, and Lt. Gov. candidate Aaron Del Mar thanked Salvi for her unwavering commitment to supporting GOP candidates and also hailed Grogan’s appointment. “We look forward to working with Bob to win the support of Illinois voters and take back our state in November!” read Bailey’s statement. Salvi, a lawyer and former Lake County assistant public defender, took over as Illinois GOP chair on July 19, 2024, succeeding Don Tracy, who had announced his decision to step down.)
DAILY HERALD
— State Republicans choose suburbanite Grogan to lead the party
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260518/illinois-state-politics/state-republicans-choose-suburbanite-grogan-to-lead-the-party/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: For the third time in five years, Illinois Republican Party officials on Monday picked a new leader to navigate the choppy waters of Prairie State politics. Downers Grove resident Bob Grogan, whose experience includes serving as former DuPage County auditor, grass-roots organizer and State Central Committee member, is the new GOP chair. “I am honored and humbled to be elected as the next chair of the Illinois Republican Party. Illinois Republicans are united and I’m excited to get to work electing Republicans up and down the ballot in November,” Grogan said in a statement. He recognized outgoing Chair Kathy Salvi, who had sought reelection. “I’m grateful to my good friend, Chair Salvi, for her dedication to the party and her work to build a brighter future for Illinois families,” Grogan said. Mundelein attorney Salvi took over the leadership of the party in July 2024 just before the Republican National Convention convened in Milwaukee. “When you cross the border into Illinois, don’t you sorta feel a blue funk sometimes?” Salvi told state delegates at a RNC gathering July 17, 2024 . “Well I’ll tell ya, that blue funk is over.” She succeeded Springfield attorney Don Tracy, who was selected in February 2021 and resigned in June 2024, blaming infighting in the ranks. “Unfortunately, however, I have had to spend far too much time dealing with intraparty power struggles, and local intraparty animosities that continued after primaries and county chair elections,” Tracy said at the time. Tracy and Democratic Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton are running for the U.S. Senate seat held by outgoing Sen. Dick Durbin in the November election. Inspiring Republicans and raising funds in a blue state is a challenge, however party officials say Grogan is up to the task. As DuPage auditor, “Grogan focused on transparency, radically transforming the office to make the county checkbook publicly available, create a transparency portal and create a fraud hotline,” the Illinois Republican Party said in a statement. “His work rooted out waste, fraud and abuse, saving Illinois taxpayers millions of dollars.”)
CAPITOL CITY NOW
— Salvi out as Illinois GOP leader. No reason was given for the change.
https://capitolcitynow.com/news/248842-salvi-out-as-illinois-gop-leader/
THOMAS DEVORE
— The Illinois GOP Just Voted to Lose
https://www.facebook.com/
(FROM THE POSTING: If you want to understand why the Illinois Republican Party cannot win in Illinois, look no further than the weighted vote tally that just installed Bob Grogan, Part-Time Plummer’s boy, as Chairman of the Illinois Republican State Central Committee. The chart is below. Seventeen members. Seventeen votes, weighted by district. And by a margin of 61.1 to 38.9 percent, the same establishment faction that has presided over a generation of statewide defeat has handed itself the keys to the party once again. The result was not earned on the merits. It was assembled, district by district, deal by deal, by people whose only common thread is their contempt for the grassroots conservatives who keep showing up despite them. Start with Grogan. He did not arrive on the State Central Committee through anything resembling a clean process. Grassroots Republicans in DuPage County have, almost without exception, described the contest that put him there as rigged from the start. He got the seat anyway. Now he gets the gavel. And now he gets to spend the next four years steering the apparatus on behalf of the same circle of self-styled “reformers” who keep losing. Look at the slate that delivered him the chairmanship — and what each of them walked away with. Zach Emberton (District 15) controls the largest single weighted vote on the committee — 16.5 percent. He voted Grogan. He is now Vice Chair. Emberton does not move without Tony McCombie’s permission, and through him, she now has her hand on the wheel of the state party. Rhonda Belford (District 12) — 15.9 percent, the second largest weighted vote on the committee — voted Grogan. She supplied the margin and it is yet to be seen what she gets out of the deal. Keith Brin (District 10) voted Grogan. He is now Secretary. Cindy Lamar (District 13) voted Grogan. She is now Treasurer. Cindy replaced Miles Nelson and votes, on every consequential question, the way Miles would have. Add in the votes of Bunting, Flynn, and Boulton, and the deeply disappointing vote from Beth Findley-Smith (District 14) — who has spent years presenting herself as a grassroots conservative and then cast her 5.5 percent share for the very people who exist to suffocate the grassroots, and you have your majority. This is not a coincidence. It is a coalition. It is the same coalition we have seen for years: the Jason Plummer, Jeanne Ives, Dan Proft, Ted Dabrowski axis of the party. The people who lose every competitive race they touch and whose answer to losing has always been to purge the people who told them why. They lost a primary to Darren Bailey that they thought they owned. They have been trying to settle that score ever since. This vote was the next installment. Here is what it means for November. Darren Bailey is running. Aaron Del Mar, himself a member of this State Central Committee from District 5, is running. The party they belong to is now controlled by people whose explicit political project is to ensure that neither of them succeeds, because the success of either one would discredit the entire faction that just took power. These officers will not raise the money. They will not coordinate the field. They will not show up for our candidates in any meaningful way. They will smile for the cameras at the State Fair, issue the obligatory press releases, and quietly do everything in their power to keep state party resources away from any campaign that has not been blessed by the inner circle. I know how this reads. It reads like sour grapes from a side that lost a vote. It is not. Look at the names. Look at the percentages. Look at the alignments. Then ask yourself one question: in the last decade, has a single Illinois Republican from this Grogan, Plummer, Proft, Ives axis won a competitive statewide race? The answer is no. They lose, they blame the grassroots, and they consolidate. Grassroots Republicans across this state need to recognize what just happened and respond accordingly. Stop sending money to Springfield. Stop trusting state party leadership to do the right thing. Start building independent infrastructure, county by county, precinct by precinct, that does not need the State Central Committee’s blessing to function. We are going to lose in November. The people who just took control of this party are prepared to lose, they want to lose, because a loss is the cleanest argument for keeping their grip on the apparatus that produced it. Don’t give them the satisfaction of pretending otherwise.)
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— I am one of those who are reluctant to blame Salvi for Republican losses. Fioretti, Harris, and Solomon have stressed her accomplishments. Serving as the chairman of a political organization is a thankless job; they are always blamed for their party’s losses. I survived for 7 years as the chairman of TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois 2005-2012. During that time, I invited speakers for all 78 of the organization’s monthly meetings, August picnics, and December Christmas parties. I should list all those who spoke at those events; my critics/opponents always demonized, denigrated, and condemned them. To end my TAPROOT chairmanship and to destroy TAPROOT in 2012, my critics/opponents had their TAPROOT officers and their TAPROOT directors charge me with gross incompetence. They argued/shouted that anyone could do a better job of heading TAPROOT than I did. Previously, I survived for 4 years as a member of the Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) Steering Committee (SC) 2003-2007. My critics/opponents had my fellow ICRC SC members end my ICRC SC membership and destroy ICRC in 2007. In 2006, they unsuccessfully tried to get ICRC to censure me for my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on IRP SCC members since 1999.
http://www.gopilinois.com
— INITIAL QUESTIONS FOR IRP CHAIRMAN GROGAN: What are you going to do differently than Salvi? What is your response be to Thomas DeVore’s criticisms? Who do you want to replace you as the IRP SCC District 6 member? With the IRP’s Executive Director resignation, who do you want to serve as the IRP Executive Director? What are you going to do to improve IRP communication with Illinois Republican Precinct Committeemen? What do you say to those who want the IRP to be the “Democrat Lite Party?” What is your position on direct election of IRP SCC members? What is your position on Dave Diersen and his GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters? What is your position on Diersen being thrown off the 2024 IRP State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What do your critics/opponents want you to do? My critics/opponents want me to stop sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters. Failing that, they want to stop everyone from reading my newsletters. Failing that, they want to stop me from promoting conservative principles in my newsletters. Failing that, they want me to stop promoting the planks in the Republican Party platform that they reject in my newsletters. Most commonly, they reject the personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Ever since my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997, to discourage/stop me from running for a government office or for a political office, my critics/opponents in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois have done everything that they could to destroy me. They most feared that I would run for DuPage County Auditor a) because I had worked for GAO as an Analyst for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 levels, currently $118,984-$154,682/year, b) because I had worked for IRS for almost 9 years before that, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $100,059-$113,402/year, c) because had I passed the CPA examination and the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt, d) because I had become a licensed CPA, e) because I had become a certified fraud examiner, government financial manager, financial services auditor, and forensic accountant, and f) because I had master’s degrees in business, accounting, and finance. I should write about my critics/opponents in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois and the many big adverse actions that have had their operatives and their dupes take against me. Of course, they ignore/dismiss/belittle/badmouth what I did to help elect and to help reelect Jim Rasins and Bob Grogan as DuPage County Auditors. They always stressed that Grogan got better scores on the CPA examination than I did and that he became a Certified Fraud Examiner by passing an examination while I grandfathered in. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Bob Grogan Elected to Head Illinois State Republican Party (FROM THE ARTICLE: The Executive Director of the Illinois Republican Party is stepping down for health reasons.)
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/19/bob-grogan-elected-to-head-illinois-state-republican-party/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: From a Friend of McHenry County Blog: Grogan Beats and Replaces Salvi The Chairman race was won by district 6 SCC member Bob Grogan who defeated incumbent Kathy Salvi. The vote was 9-8 for Grogan, however, that doesn’t matter since weighted vote is used. Grogan received 61.1% of the weighted vote. The State Central Committee met on Monday, May 18 to pick its executive committee. The Secretary race was won by Keith Brin who serves as the 10th district SCC member. The Treasurer race was won by Cindy Lamar who is the 13th district SCC member. The Vice Chairman race was won by Zach Emberton who represents the 15th district on the SCC. Deputy SCC members were also approved. The Illinois Republican Party, according to its bylaws, requires that deputies be the opposite gender of the SCC member, so if the SCC member is a male he has to pick a female and vice versa. For McHenry County, I am told that former Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger will be the deputy in the 10th district serving with Keith Brin, that former congressional candidate Susan Altman will be the deputy in the 11th district with Chris Yaeger, and that Jan Klaas will be the deputy in the 16th district with Jim Rule. I did not get a deputy name for the 9th district which is also in McHenry County, and I was told that some SCC members did not nominate deputies. Joan LaSonde is the SCC member in the 9th district. Matt Janes, the Executive Director of the Illinois Republican Party, is stepping down for health reasons. McHenry County Blog contributors and readers will put Matt Janes in our prayers.)
— Illinois Unemployment Up to 5%, Trump Blamed
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/19/illinois-unemployment-up-to-5-trump-blamed/
— Wilcox Outlines What Will Happen in Last Two Weeks in Springfield
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/18/wilcox-outlines-what-will-happen-in-last-two-weeks-in-springfield/
— DeWitte Outlines Last Two Weeks of Legislative Session
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/18/dewitte-outlines-last-two-weeks-of-legislative-session/
— Algonquin Raises Comprehensive Alarm About Pritzker’s Grab of Local Zoning Power
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/18/algonquin-raises-alarm-about-pritzkers-grab-of-local-zoning-power/
— Crystal Lake Park Board Set to Sell $2 Million in Non-Referendum Bonds
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/18/crystal-lake-park-board-set-to-sell-2-million-in-non-referendum-bonds/
— Collin Corbett Collects Some Money, Has Website and Schedules Announcement Party
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/18/collin-corbett-collects-some-money-has-website-and-schedules-announcement-party/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURSES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DD: For Democrat leaders, education exists to crank out good little Democrats.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/19/university-of-chicago-laboratory-schools-university-of-chicago-chicago-statement-free-expression-free-speech-first-amendment/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Justice Department announces a $1.7B fund to compensate Trump allies in a deal to drop IRS suit. DD: My critics/opponents have always stressed that in Diersen v. GAO, not only Bush’s DOJ sided with my Democrat GAO superiors against me, but that no Republican elected officials in Illinois came to my defense, that is, they sided with my Democrat GAO superiors against me. To side with my Democrat GAO superiors, is to promote Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, to promote race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/18/justice-department-irs/
— DD: Democrats always want a) Democrats to pay less taxes and b) Republicans to pay more taxes.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/19/opinion-illinois-budget-trump-tax-cuts/
WSIU
— DOJ creates an ‘anti-weaponization fund’ as part of Trump IRS settlement. DD: My critics/opponents have always stressed that in Diersen v. GAO, not only Bush’s DOJ sided with my Democrat GAO superiors against me, but that no Republican federal elected officials in Illinois came to my defense, that is, they sided with my Democrat GAO superiors against me. To side with my Democrat GAO superiors, is to promote Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination.
https://www.wsiu.org/2026-05-19/doj-creates-an-anti-weaponization-fund-as-part-of-trump-irs-settlement
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Pritzker returns swinging at City Hall
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2026/05/19/pritzker-returns-swinging-at-city-hall-00927376
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2026/05/19/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-740/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— Illinois Should Stop Passing 3,000-Page Budgets Sight Unseen
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2026/05/19/illinois_should_stop_passing_3000-page_budgets_sight_unseen_154134.html
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
DAILY SIGNAL
— California School District Spends $300K to Partner With LGBTQ Center
https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/05/18/california-school-district-lgbtq/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
MSN
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/relationships/11-reasons-why-more-women-are-walking-away-from-men-and-marriage/ss-AA1YvbfS
NEW YORK TIMES
— FRONT PASGE TOP OF FOLD: DD: The Democrat Party and its mainstream news media exist to drive Trump’s approval ratings down.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/us/politics/poll-trump-republicans-midterms-iran.html
WASHINGTON POST
— Trump’s deal to drop suit against IRS creates $1.8B ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund.’ DD: My critics/opponents have always stressed that in Diersen v. GAO, not only Bush’s DOJ sided with my Democrat GAO superiors against me, but that no Republican elected officials in Illinois came to my defense, that is, they sided with my Democrat GAO superiors against me. To side with my Democrat GAO superiors, is to promote Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, to promote race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/05/18/trump-will-end-10-billion-lawsuit-against-irs-over-leaked-tax-records/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— A Master’s Degree Isn’t the Job Guarantee It Used to Be. New data shows the unemployment rate for professionals under 35 with advanced degrees has rarely been higher in the past 20 years. DD: I spent lots of my time and my money earning three master’s degrees: 16 courses for an MBA from Loyola in 1976, 12 courses for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, and 14 courses for a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997.
https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/a-masters-degree-isnt-the-job-guarantee-it-used-to-be-53e237aa
— FRONT PAGE: Parents Are Fuming About Other Peoples’ Kids Getting Extra Time on the SAT. Special accommodations for irritable bowel syndrome? Families are getting creative, and spending big, in pursuit of an edge.
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/parents-are-fuming-about-other-peoples-kids-getting-extra-time-on-the-sat-2daeea8c
WEEK
— DD: Democrats and RINOs have always, are now, and will always use Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://theweek.com/articles/462937/origins-affirmative-action
INSIDE HIGHER EDUCATION
— DD: Democrats and RINOs have always, are now, and will always use Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2026/05/19/after-dei-backlash-what-can-individuals-do-opinion
May 18, 2026
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Republican Precinct Committeemen (RPC) elect Illinois Republican Party (IRP) State Central Committee (SCC) members who elect IRP chairmen. I have been a RPC since 1999. QUESTION: What information should each of the 17 IRP SCC members have provided directly to each of the RPCs in their congressional district by now concerning their electing the next IRP chairman? ANSWER: The date, time, and location of the election. Who the candidates are. The candidates’ letter/document outlining their vision for the IRP, a list of the those who submitted letters of recommendations for them, and their biography and/or professional resume. The weighted vote that each IRP SCC member has. Who each candidate intends to pick for vice chairman, secretary, and treasurer. Most importantly, which candidate the IRP SCC member intends to vote for and why. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— I hope that by close of business today, all the RPCs in Illinois will receive an email from the IRP concerning the IRP chairman election that includes a) the name of winning candidate, b) how the weighted voting played out, c) a statement from the winning candidate, c) any statements from the losing candidates, and d) who the winning candidate wants to serve as vice chairman, secretary, and treasurer. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— QUESTIONS TO ASK THE IRP CHAIRMAN CANDIDATES: What would you do to improve IRP communication with RPCs? What do you say to those who want the IRP to be the “Democrat Lite Party?” What is your position on direct election of IRP SCC members? What is your position on Dave Diersen and his GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters? What is your position on Diersen being thrown off the 2024 IRP State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN PARTY
— Thomas DeVore May 14, 2026 Posting
https://www.facebook.com/
(THE POSTING: In my opinion, what is happening inside the Illinois Republican Party right now is nothing short of an establishment takeover by a bunch of bad actors who hate grassroots conservatism. Behind the public statements and polished talking points, there is a coordinated effort underway by entrenched insiders, political operatives, donors, and career party figures to consolidate power, crush the grassroots movement, and sideline the conservatives who could actually build the energy behind the modern Illinois GOP. And at the center of this fight is the party chair vote. You must stop pretending this is some open, organic process driven purely by ideas and debate. Most grassroots Republicans already believe the outcome is being engineered behind closed doors by the same network of establishment figures who always seem to end up protecting each other while the base gets ignored. It is well accepted inside political circles that Rhonda Belford is all but certain to support Bob Grogan, not because grassroots conservatives in the 12th Congressional District demanded it, but because the pressure and influence surrounding this vote are being leveled on Belford. Remember that one of Belford’s four titles is the Illinois RNC committee member. She’s in Florida right now on a trip that costs thousands. The reality nobody wants to say out loud is that national party politics are expensive. RNC involvement requires travel, appearances, conferences, donor events, dinners, and constant participation in a political world built around money and access. That system naturally creates dependency on the people willing and able to finance it and when a person like Belford who naturally can’t afford it, it opens the door for donor influence. And within Illinois Republican circles, Eloise Gerson is widely viewed as one of the people eager to wield financial influence on anyone she can rope in. That matters because when political survival and continued access depend on wealthy benefactors, independence becomes very difficult. People can dance around that fact all they want, but grassroots Republicans are not stupid. They understand how influence works. They understand how loyalty is cultivated. And they understand why certain votes suddenly become “inevitable” long before they ever happen publicly. I believe Rhonda Belford knows exactly where the power structure wants her vote to go, and I believe defying that structure would come with political consequences she has no interest in facing. An unhappy Eloise Gerson could spell financial problems for a modest Belford who doesn’t have an extra $30-$40K a year to travel the nation and attending events with national political figures. You picking up what I’m laying down here? But this is bigger than Rhonda Belford. The real issue is the growing establishment machine forming around Bob Grogan, Jeanne Ives, Jason Plummer, Tony McCombie, and the network of insiders who appear determined to regain total control over the Illinois Republican Party apparatus. Grassroots conservatives should not ignore what is happening here. This is not merely a disagreement over leadership style. This is a battle over whether the Illinois GOP will belong to Republican voters or to a handful of connected insiders, donors, consultants, and power brokers who believe they are entitled to run the party from the top down. The Bailey-DeMar movement terrified the establishment because it proved the grassroots could organize outside the control of the traditional power structure. Ever since Dabrowski lost, there has been a clear effort to neutralize, isolate, and marginalize conservative grassroots wing of the party while reasserting establishment dominance. Maybe the establishment succeeds. Maybe Grogan gets the votes. Maybe the insiders lock down the machinery once again. But if that happens, grassroots Republicans should at least understand exactly what they are watching: not a movement driven by principle, but a consolidation of power driven by influence, access, and political self-preservation. This will all but guarantee more Republican losses and a continued path to political irrelevance!)
— Thomas DeVore May 14, 2026 Posting
(FROM THE POSTING: I’ve recently began warning people that State Senator Jason Plummer has been working behind the scenes to undermine the grassroots movement rising up inside Illinois Republican politics. And the deeper you look, the more obvious the network becomes. Take Bob Grogan. Plummer and Grogan have known each other for years. Plummer appointed Grogan to the board of Constitution Bank, Plummer’s bank, despite the fact that Grogan lives hours away in northern Illinois. People don’t drive across the state to sit on small-town bank boards unless there’s a close political and personal alliance involved. Then there’s the Dabrowski campaign. While Plummer served as chair, Bob Grogan was made treasurer; therefore, putting one of Plummer’s closest allies in charge of the campaign finances and infrastructure. Again, the same names. The same inner circle. The same power structure. Now suddenly Grogan is being positioned as a potential Illinois Republican Party chairman right after the establishment operation in DuPage County shoved its way through internal party politics and maneuvering. Republicans are supposed to believe this is all organic? Please. This looks like a coordinated effort by Plummer to consolidate influence over every layer of Republican politics in Illinois campaigns, party leadership, donor networks, and institutional power. The grassroots movement threatens the old insider system, and the insiders are responding exactly how political machines always respond: by tightening control and elevating loyalists. Republicans need to wake up to what’s happening here. This isn’t about reform. It isn’t about unity. It’s about power, who controls it, who keeps it, and who gets shut out. And from my perspective Jason Plummer appears to be right in the middle of it.)
— Illinois Freedom Caucus May 17, 2026 Posting
https://www.facebook.com/
(THE POSTING: Tomorrow, the State Central Committee will vote on who should be the Chair of the Illinois Republican Party. The grassroots deserve real Republicans. We’re not here to endorse a candidate – rather something much more important. We’re here to endorse ideals, principles and the Republican Party Platform. Whoever is going to lead the party must: – Believe, firmly, in the conservative principles and ideals that make us REPUBLICANS, – Be unafraid to call out leaders and elected representatives of the party when they sell out the good people of this state by voting for things such as tax increases, the green bad deal, woke education mandates and other items that violate Republican principles, – REJECT woke, immoral, blood money from organizations like the teachers unions that seek to indoctrinate and exploit our children. If someone cannot commit to these values, then they should not be chairing a party that represents the interests of working families, taxpayers, and small businesses.)
— Beth Findley Smith April 17 Posting
https://www.facebook.com/
(FROM THE POSTING: Recently, many people have asked me “what the heck is an SCC?” I thought I’d post some information to clarify the ILGOP structure. The Illinois Republican Party has a fairly structured, top-down leadership system—but it’s built on local participation at the base. Here’s a clear breakdown of how it works: Top Level: State Party Leadership State Party Chair Leads the ILGOP day-to-day Acts as the public face of the party Hires staff, coordinates statewide campaigns, and fundraising State Central Committee (SCC): Made up of one State Central Committeeman and Deputy (opposite sexes) from each of Illinois’ 17 congressional districts (34 total members). Elected at the County Convention 29 days after the Primary. The Deputy is appointed later. The SCC: Sets party direction and strategy Oversees operations and finances Elects the State Party Chair These are your direct link between: grassroots voters, county organizations, and the state party County Level Each county has its own Republican organization: Led by a County Chairman Governed by a County Central Committee Who makes up the County Central Committee? Precinct Committeepersons (PCs) These are elected (or sometimes appointed) at the precinct level (elected in the primary) They vote on: County leadership Local endorsements Filling vacancies for certain offices Precinct Level (The Grassroots) This is the foundation of everything: Precinct Committeepersons Represent voters in a small geographic area Recruit candidates and volunteers Get out the vote (GOTV) Communicate voter concerns upward If the grassroots are active, the whole party is stronger. If not, everything above gets disconnected. How It All Connects Think of it like a chain: Voters → Precinct Committeepersons → County Party → State Central Committee → State Party Leadership Ideally: Information flows UP (grassroots concerns) Support/resources flow DOWN (strategy, funding, messaging))
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/18/ice-detains-chicago-public-schools-senior/
DAILY HERALD
— Trump supporters gather for ‘silent majority’ rally in McHenry County
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260517/nation-and-world-politics/trump-supporters-gather-for-silent-majority-rally-in-mchenry-county/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Power Families of Chicago: Uihlein
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics-policy/ccb-most-powerful-families-uihlein-20260518/
— Chicago power families: Who holds influence now
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/nonprofits-philanthropy/ccb-most-powerful-families-intro-20260518/
NORTHWEST HERALD
— Trump supporters gather for ‘silent majority’ rally in McHenry. The rally coincided with the White House’s National Day of Prayer in D.C.
https://www.shawlocal.com/northwest-herald/2026/05/17/trump-supporters-gather-for-silent-majority-rally-in-mchenry/
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Black leaders and the redistricting divide
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2026/05/18/illinois-black-leaders-and-the-redistricting-divide-00925683
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
BREAKTHROUGH IDEAS
— Illinois Taxes Are Being Used to Celebrate Homosexuality
https://www.breakthrough-ideas.com/read/2026/05/12/illinois-taxes-are-being-used-to-celebrate-homosexuality
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— QUESTION: Why do pollical parities and their organizations exist? ANSWER: To help elect candidates who can and will defend and advance their platform. The Illinois Republican Party (IRP) exists to help elect candidates who can and will defend and advance its IRP platform. The platform is conservative. I served as the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman 2005-2012. During that time, I invited speakers for all 78 of the organization’s monthly meetings, August picnics, and December Christmas parties. I routinely took the chairman’s prerogative and asked candidates who spoke at those events the first question after they spoke. I asked them if it would be correct to say that if elected, they would defend and advance all the planks in the IRP platform. Of course, the more planks in the IRP platform that they rejected, the more furious that they were against me. The more planks in the IRP platform that Republican candidates, elected officials, and party leaders rejected, the more that they rejected my invitations to speak. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— QUESTION: Which planks in the Republican Party platform do RINOs most commonly reject? ANSWER: Personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving). – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— In Illinois, ever-increasingly, leaders make it clear that their top priority is advancing those who are liberal/moderate, Democrat, RINO, minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, unmarried, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time. To do that is to discriminate against those who are conservative, Republican, White, male, older, heterosexual, married, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. The aforesaid destroys meritocracy and destroys everything else. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Kathy Salvi, Bob Grogan, Scott Gryder, and Lawrence Stowe are candidates for IRP chairman. The 17 IRP State Central Committee (SCC) members will cast their weighted votes today, Monday, May 18, in Springfield. The three IRP SCC members with the greatest weighted vote are Zach Emberton (15th CD) with 16.5%, Rhonda Belford (12th CD) with 15.9%, and Jim Rule (16th CD) with 10.2%. Other IRP SCC members include Grogan (6th CD) with 5.9%, Aaron Del Mar (5th CD) with 3.3%, and Mike Flynn (3rd CD) with 2.7%. In 2005, as an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member, I organized a candidate forum in Springfield the evening before the day the IRP SCC elected Andy McKenna as the IRP chairman. Participants in that forum were John Cox, Stephen McGlynn, McKenna, and Jim Nalepa. Jim Oberweis wanted to participate, but could not. Back then, IRP SCC members let the candidates give their presentations in an open forum before they voted in a closed session. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Which of the four candidates for IRP chairman (Salvi, Grogan, Gryder, and Stowe) do you want your IRP SCC member to vote for and why? In my opinion, the IRP should publish on its website the candidates’ letter/document outlining their vision for the IRP, a list of the those who submitted letters of recommendation for them, and their biography and/or professional resume. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— How could a registered Republican voter in Illinois have input on the May 18 IRP SCC chairman election? One route would be providing input to their Republican Precinct Committeeman (RPC) who would provide that input it to his/her IRP SCC member. RPCs elect IRP SCC members. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— According to Google AI, serving as the chairman of a political organization is a thankless job. I survived for 7 years as the chairman of TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois 2005-2012. During that time, I invited speakers for all 78 of the organization’s monthly meetings, August picnics, and December Christmas parties. I should list all those who spoke at those events. My critics/opponents always demonized, denigrated, and condemned those who spoke at those events. To end my TAPROOT chairmanship and to destroy TAPROOT in 2012, my critics/opponents had their TAPROOT officers and their TAPROOT directors charge me with gross incompetence. They argued/shouted that anyone could do a better job of heading TAPROOT than I did. Previously, to end my membership on the Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) Steering Committee (SC) and to destroy ICRC in 2007, they almost got their ICRC SC members to get ICRC to censure me for my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters in 2006. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on IRP SCC members since 1999. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
AMERICAN THINKER
— Seattle contemplates a state of emergency because of red state LGBTQ migrants
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/05/seattle_contemplates_a_state_of_emergency_because_of_red_state_lgbtq_migrants.html
TOWNHALL
— The GOP’s Midterm Reversal of Fortune
https://townhall.com/columnists/kurtschlichter/2026/05/18/the-gops-midterm-reversal-of-fortune-n2676169
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
AOL
— DD: My critics/opponents demand blind loyalty. They have their operatives and their dupes destroy those like me a) who they cannot manipulate/dominate b) who refuse to glorify and praise them, c) who refuse to pander to them, d) who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, e) who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or f) who refuse to give them money.
https://www.aol.com/articles/fbi-veteran-claims-kash-patel-173044000.html
USA TODAY
— DD: My critics/opponents demand blind loyalty. They have their operatives and their dupes destroy those like me a) who they cannot manipulate/dominate b) who refuse to glorify and praise them, c) who refuse to pander to them, d) who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, e) who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or f) who refuse to give them money.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/05/18/trump-massie-revenge-republican-kentucky-primary/90058239007/
SEATTLE TIMES
— DD: My critics/opponents demand blind loyalty. They have their operatives and their dupes destroy those like me a) who they cannot manipulate/dominate b) who refuse to glorify and praise them, c) who refuse to pander to them, d) who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, e) who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or f) who refuse to give them money.
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/cassidy-tried-to-get-along-with-trump-after-his-impeachment-vote-retribution-came-anyway/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Career: You need sponsors more than mentors. DD: My Democrat IRS and GAO superiors got rid of my sponsors. My Democrat IRS superiors got rid of my IRS sponsor who promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. My Democrat GAO superiors got rid of my GAO sponsor who arranged for my transfer from IRS in 1980 and was finally able to assign me to audits of IRS in 1986 and to promote me in 1986.
https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/no-one-cares-about-your-gpa-and-more-career-advice-for-new-grads-2696c174
FROM THE ARTICLE: These terms sound similar, but “there’s a difference,” researcher Emily Riley told me when we discussed her study of women who have cracked the top 1% of U.S. earners. The distinction comes down to advocacy. Mentors dispense good advice. Sponsors lobby for you to get that stretch assignment or promotion. “Mentorship is valuable because you always want to learn, but sponsorship is really where the power lives,” Riley says.)
May 17, 2026
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DD: FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Democrat leaders and their mainstream news media demonize, denigrate, and condemn Grasso.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/15/restaurant-owner-indiana-gambling-case-outfit-beating-plot/
— DD: Democrat leaders and their mainstream news media demonize, denigrate, and condemn Republicans.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/17/donald-trump-conservatism-republican-party-future-thomas-massie-justin-amash-midterms/
— FRONT PAGE: Illinois passed a law to expose diversity gaps at top nonprofits. Almost none are complying. DD: Anticipate/expect that under the Democrats and under the RINOs, as time goes on, more and more and more leaders in Illinois will be: liberal/moderate, Democrat, RINO, minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, unmarried, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/17/illinois-nonprofits-diversity/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: As June 2024 came to a close, Gov. JB Pritzker was characteristically bullish while he marked the end of Pride Month by signing into law a requirement that Illinois’ largest nonprofit foundations disclose the demographic makeup of their boards of directors and officers. “Here in Illinois, we reject hate, bigotry, and discrimination and embrace the ethos of Pride through not only our laws but through our actions and shared values,” Pritzker said in a statement released after a bill signing event at the Fat Cat bar and restaurant in Uptown. He soon added that the disclosure requirement represented an expansion of his “administration’s work to better serve the LGBTQ+ community of Illinois. But nearly two years later, the measure has shed little light on who actually runs these organizations — and may never do so. As of mid-April, only three of the largest grantmaking foundations in Illinois had published the required demographic information on their websites as the law outlines — disclosing the makeup of their leadership across categories including LGBTQ+ identity, gender, race and ethnicity, disability status and military service: the MacArthur Foundation, the Polk Bros. Foundation and the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, according to a Tribune review. A fourth, the Chicago Community Trust, had some demographic information available on its website and added more data after being contacted by the Tribune.)
— Aurora residents push for way to recall a sitting mayor and at-large aldermen from office
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/17/aurora-residents-push-for-way-to-recall-a-sitting-mayor-and-at-large-aldermen-from-office/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: For Democrats, education exists to crank out good little Democrats.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2026/05/16/u-of-c-faculty-and-parents-protest-lab-school-policy-they-say-limits-classroom-discussion-inclusion
CBS2
— CPS high school under fire for slavery-themed play
https://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/video-shows-students-at-cps-high-school-reenacting-a-slave-auction/3936610/
SHAW LOCAL
— Wheaton: Single-family home sells for $2.5 million
https://www.shawlocal.com/real-estate/2026/05/16/wheaton-single-family-home-sells-for-25-million/
LEGAL NEWSLINE
— Lawsuit: D300 secretly gender transitioned student; Seeks to nix IL gender ‘guidance,’ too
https://www.legalnewsline.com/cook-county-record/lawsuit-d300-secretly-gender-transitioned-student-seeks-to-nix-il-gender-guidance-too/article_a3d9c85a-e5f5-40b8-baf9-a0ae24119471.html
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— QUESTION: Why do pollical parities and their organizations exist? ANSWER: To help elect candidates who can and will defend and advance their platform. The Illinois Republican Party (IRP) exists to help elect candidates who can and will defend and advance its IRP platform. The platform is conservative. I served as the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman 2005-2012. During that time, I invited speakers for all 78 of the organization’s monthly meetings, August picnics, and December Christmas parties. I routinely took the chairman’s prerogative and asked candidates who spoke at those events the first question after they spoke. I asked them if it would be correct to say that if elected, they would defend and advance all the planks in the IRP platform. Of course, the more planks in the IRP platform that they rejected, the more furious that they were against me. The more planks in the IRP platform that candidates rejected, the more that they rejected my invitations to speak. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— QUESTION: Which planks in the Republican Party platform do RINOs most commonly reject? ANSWER: Personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving). – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— In Illinois, ever-increasingly, leaders make it clear that their top priority is advancing those who are liberal/moderate, Democrat, RINO, minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, unmarried, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time. To do that is to discriminate against those who are conservative, Republican, White, male, older, heterosexual, married, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. The aforesaid destroys meritocracy and destroys everything else. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Kathy Salvi, Bob Grogan, Scott Gryder, and Lawrence Stowe are candidates for Illinois Republican Party (IRP) chairman. The 17 IRP State Central Committee (SCC) members will cast their weighted votes tomorrow, Monday, May 18, in Springfield. The three IRP SCC members with the greatest weighted vote are Zach Emberton (15th CD) with 16.5%, Rhonda Belford (12th CD) with 15.9%, and Jim Rule (16th CD) with 10.2%. Other IRP SCC members include Grogan (6th CD) with 5.9%, Aaron Del Mar (5th CD) with 3.3%, and Mike Flynn (3rd CD) with 2.7%. In 2005, as an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member, I organized a candidate forum in Springfield the evening before the day the IRP SCC elected Andy McKenna as the IRP chairman. Participants in that forum were John Cox, Stephen McGlynn, McKenna, and Jim Nalepa. Jim Oberweis wanted to participate, but could not. Back then, IRP SCC members let the candidates give their presentations in an open forum before they voted in a closed session. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Which of the four candidates for IRP chairman (Kathy Salvi, Bob Grogan, Scott Gryder, and Lawrence Stowe) do you want your IRP SCC to vote for and why? In my opinion, the IRP should publish on its website the candidates’ letter/document outlining their vision for the IRP, a list of the those who submitted letters of recommendation for them, and their biography and/or professional resume. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— How could a registered Republican voter in Illinois have input on the May 18 IRP SCC chairman election? One route would be providing input to their Republican Precinct Committeeman (RPC) who would provide that input it to his/her IRP SCC member. RPCs elect IRP SCC members. – Dave Diersen
— According to Google AI, serving as the chairman of a political organization is a thankless job. I survived for 7 years as the chairman of TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois 2005-2012. During that time, I invited speakers for all 78 of the organization’s monthly meetings, August picnics, and December Christmas parties. I should list all those who spoke at those events. My critics/opponents always demonized, denigrated, and condemned those who spoke at those events. To end my TAPROOT chairmanship and to destroy TAPROOT in 2012, my critics/opponents had their TAPROOT officers and their TAPROOT directors charge me with gross incompetence. They argued/shouted that anyone could do a better job of heading TAPROOT than I did. Previously, to end my membership on the Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) Steering Committee (SC) and to destroy ICRC in 2007, they almost got their ICRC SC members to get ICRC to censure me for my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters in 2006. I should write about my critics/opponents. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
JOHN KASS
— Are Boss Hog Democrats Pushing Vallas Into Next Year’s 2027 Chicago Mayoral Race?
https://johnkassnews.com/weasel-democrats-pushing-vallas-into-chicago-mayoral-race/
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— The Contest for State Republican Party Chairman (woman)
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/15/the-contest-for-state-republican-party-chairman-woman/
— “Spencer Pratt Is the Single Best Campaigner of His Generation and It’s Not Even Close”: Lego Movie Song Ridicule
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/17/spencer-pratt-is-the-single-best-campaigner-of-his-general-and-its-not-even-close/
— Want to See How a Republican Might Become Mayor in Los Angeles
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/14/want-to-see-how-a-more-or-less-conservative-might-become-mayor-in-los-angelos/
— Income Losses from People Moving Out of Illinois
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/17/income-losses-from-people-moving-out-of-illinois/
— We’re Number One in Another Tax Comparison Study – Taxes 17% of Income
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/16/were-number-one-in-another-tax-comparison-study-taxes-17-of-income/
— Comparing Inflation Under Trump and Biden
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/16/comparing-inflation-under-trump-and-biden/
— Corbett Releases Internet Ad Attacking Both Pritzker and Bailey
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/17/corbett-releases-internet-ad-attacking-both-pritzker-and-bailey/
— Trump Store Makes the Tribune Again
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/16/trump-store-makes-the-tribune-again/
— Chuck Percy’s Thoughtfulness
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/16/chuck-percys-thoughtfulness/
— Ready for a Four-Story Building Next to Your Lakefront Home or Anywhere in Town?
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/15/ready-for-a-four-story-building-next-to-your-lakefront-home/
— Citizens Urged to Contact Legislators to Stop State Government from Taking Control of Local Zoning
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/14/citizens-urged-to-contact-legislators-to-stop-state-government-from-taking-control-of-local-zoning/
— Democrat Congressional Map Challenged for Being Race Drawn
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/14/democrat-congressional-map-challenged-for-being-race-drawn/
— Teachers Union Exec Well Summarizes Problem of Megaproject PILOT Plot in Chicago Tribune
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/14/tribune-well-summarizes-problem-of-megaproject-pilot-plot/
— Steve Reick Returns with Analysis of Bears’ Bailout Bill
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/12/steve-reick-returns-with-analysis-of-bears-bailout-bill/
— Trump Wants To Dump 19 Cent Federal Gas Tax, But Illinois Still Charges 48.3 Cents a Gallon, Plus Sales Tax on the Gas Tax
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/11/trump-wants-to-dump-19-cent-federal-gas-tax-but-illinois-still-charges-48-3-cents-a-gallon-plus-sales-tax-on-the-gas-tax/
— Nick Shirley To Headline June 12th State GOP Fundraiser
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/11/nick-shirley-to-headline-june-12th-state-gop-fundraiser/
— Why Morton Salt Left Illinois for Kansas
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/10/why-morton-salt-left-illinois-for-kansas/
— Illinois Christian Congressional Rankings: From 2.3% to 92.3%
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/10/illinois-christian-congressional-rankings-from-2-3-to-92-3/
— Illegal Who Had Bonded Out of Kane County Jail Sentenced To a Year in Prison for Assaulting ICE Officers and Biting Kane County Deputy Sheriff
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/13/illegal-who-had-bonded-out-of-kane-county-jail-sentenced-to-a-year-in-prison-for-assaulting-ice-officers-and-kane-county-deputy-sheriff/
— Federal Court Ruling Could End Up Endangering Every County’s Taxpayers
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/13/federal-court-ruling-could-end-up-endangering-mchenry-county-taxpayers/
— In McHenry County Only Harvard and Crystal Lake High 155 Schools Completely Prohibit Home School Kids from Extracurricular Activities
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/05/12/only-harvard-and-crystal-lake-high-schools-prohibit-home-school-kids-from-extraocular-participation/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
NEW YORK POST
— Woke New School kept anti-Israel ‘ringleader’ on despite arrest
https://nypost.com/2026/05/16/us-news/new-school-quietly-hires-controversial-professor-who-led-anti-israel-campus-protests/
— ‘SNL’ can’t stop making fun of conservatives, Trump
https://nypost.com/2026/05/16/us-news/snl-cant-stop-making-fun-of-conservatives-trump-and-unbelievable-data-proves-it/
BIZ PAC REVIEW
— The Marxist playbook to change America
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2026/05/16/the-marxist-playbook-to-change-america-1639295/
CAMPUS REFORM
— Rutgers promotes month-long ‘GAYpril’ with drag shows, ‘queer’ films.
https://www.campusreform.org/article/rutgers-promotes-month-long-gaypril-drag-shows-queer-films/29858
CENTER FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM
— Asylum Applicants Are Skipping Immigration Court at Record Levels. DD: Democrat and RINO leaders have always outrageously, disgustingly, unethically, and treasonously hinted/implied/argued/shouted at citizens of foreign countries that they should falsely claim asylum in America.
https://cis.org/Arthur/DOJ-Asylum-Applicants-Are-Skipping-Immigration-Court-Record-Levels
FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM
— Anti-ICE ‘Protests’ are Propaganda Disguised as Citizen Activism
https://www.fairus.org/anti-ice-protests-are-propaganda-disguised-citizen-activism
LEGAL INSURRECTION
— Alma College Religious Studies Students Taught Lessons On Imperialism, ‘Queer/Trans Antagonism.’ Students in the program “reflect upon how systems of oppression — such as racism, colonialism, patriarchy and queer/trans antagonism.
https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/05/alma-college-religious-studies-students-taught-lessons-on-imperialism-queer-trans-antagonism/
LEWISTON TRIBUNE
— The left’s ‘war on poverty’ created the victims of victimhood. DD: According to Democrats and according to RINOs, if you have money problems, it is because those who are the following discriminate against you: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.lmtribune.com/opinion/the-lefts-war-on-poverty-created-the-victims-of-victimhood-95a641ef
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The left’s compassion has inflicted a terrible price on America’s poor. In 1964, former President Lyndon B. Johnson declared an “unconditional war on poverty.” He warned it “will not be a short or easy struggle,” but that “the richest Nation on earth can afford to win it.” He was right that it wouldn’t be a short or easy struggle. Johnson and Congress created a host of new federal programs, including the Job Corps, Head Start and the Office of Economic Opportunity. His “Great Society” programs included Medicare and Medicaid. In 1965, he signed a housing bill that included rent subsidies. It’s grown from there. In 2022, the Cato Institute reported, “the federal government funds more than 100 separate anti-poverty programs.” But Johnson was wrong about two things. First, the U.S. couldn’t afford it. Government, at the federal, state and local levels, has spent more than $30 trillion fighting poverty. For context, the national debt is more than $39 trillion. Second, the U.S. didn’t defeat poverty, which was already falling when he announced this effort. In 1960, the poverty rate was 22.2%. In 1964, it had dropped to 19%. By 1968, it was at 12.8%. For the next few decades, the rate was always within 3 percentage points, up or down, of 13%. In 2024, the poverty rate was 10.6%. It is possible to defeat poverty. The key isn’t government money, but better individual choices.)
NEW AMERICAN
— Wokeness Is Dead? Think Again: The Statue Serial Killers Are Still at It. San Francisco’s Pioneer Monument is now being targeted as part of the Left’s ongoing effort to “deconstruct our history.”
https://thenewamerican.com/us/culture/wokeness-is-dead-think-again-the-statue-serial-killers-are-still-at-it/
TOWNHALL
— RINO Sen. Bill Cassidy Loses Historic Louisiana Senate Primary Race
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/josephchalfant/2026/05/16/rino-sen-bill-cassidy-loses-historic-senate-primary-race-n2676213
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
NEW YORK TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders and their mainstream news media demonize, denigrate, and condemn Republicans.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/us/politics/trump-flexes-hold-on-gop-even-as-it-braces-for-midterm-backlash.html
USA TODAY
— DD: To get more votes from women, Democrat and RINO candidates ever-increasingly shout at women that men cause all the problems that women have.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/diversity-is-down-across-the-boardroom-it-s-bad-news-for-women/ar-AA23cUnX
CBS NEWS
— Tens of thousands of demonstrators descended on central London on Saturday for a rally organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, with supporters framing the event as a protest against the erosion of British identity. Police estimated that around 60,000 people attended the “Unite the Kingdom” march, making it one of the largest right-wing mobilizations seen in Britain in recent years
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/london-unite-the-kingdom-march-tommy-robinson/
CBS LOS ANGELES
— Dodgers to unveil permanent display honoring LGBTQ players Billy Bean, Glenn Burke on Pride Night
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/dodgers-to-unveil-permanent-display-honoring-lgbtq-players-billy-bean-glenn-burke-on-pride-night/ar-AA233D7D
MSN
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/relationships/11-reasons-why-more-women-are-walking-away-from-men-and-marriage/ss-AA1YvbfS
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— DD: My critics/opponents want Pritzker to build public housing in my precinct.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/yimby-has-arrived-in-illinois-and-some-cities-dont-like-it-1d21f742
FROM FOREIGN SOURCES
INDEPENDENT
— Trump rants about Republican enemy Bill Cassidy before Louisiana election loss: ‘Sleazebag, terrible guy, disloyal disaster.’ DD: My critics/opponents demand blind loyalty. They have their operatives and their dupes destroy those like me a) who they cannot manipulate/dominate b) who refuse to glorify and praise them, c) who refuse to pander to them, d) who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, e) who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or f) who refuse to give them money.
https://www.aol.co.uk/articles/trump-rants-republican-enemy-amid-173701670.html
May 16, 2026
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— DD: According to the Illinois Freedom Caucus, “Jim Durkin’s strategy of offering voters a ‘Democrat Lite’ agenda has been a colossal failure.” Anticipate/expect that the more that the Illinois Republican Party moves to the left, the more that it will do a) to stop me from sending out my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters and b) to stop everyone from reading them. That is, the more that it will do to officially strike the following planks in the IRP platform: personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving). That is, the more that those who are the following will leave Illinois: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. Democrats defend/advance the Democrat Party platform. RINOs fail/refuse to defend/advance the Republican Party platform. Far too many of them are really Democrats and Libertarians or function and operatives and dupes for the Democrat and Libertarian Parties.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/jim-durkin-illinois-house-republican-resigning/12678017/
— Some suburban mayors push back on Pritzker’s affordable housing initiative
https://abc7chicago.com/post/suburban-mayors-push-back-gov-jb-pritzker-build-initiative-focused-affordable-housing/19108253/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Trump Truth Store is reopening
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/15/trump-truth-store-reopens-crystal-lake/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/15/daca-delays-trump-immigration/
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/14/chicago-dreamers-say-theyre-fearful-of-job-loss-deportations/
— FRONT PAGE WITH PICTURE: At 15, Romeoville teen makes Lewis University history as youngest student ever to receive master’s degree. DD: How old were you when you earned your master’s degree? I did not earn an MBA from Loyola until I was 27 in 1976. By then, it was far too late, I was viewed as being far too old. But my taking graduate evening business courses one at a time helped me get promoted in 1972, 1973, and 1974. If I had taken two courses at a time instead of one, I would have earned that MBA in 1973. But I had to pay for the courses because my employer, IRS, did not reimburse tuition or books. Further, my focus was my IRS job, not completing courses as fast as I could.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/16/benyamin-bamburac-lewis-university-graduate/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2026/05/12/willie-horton-black-brown-immigrants-crime-second-chances-ben-jealous
DAILY HERALD
— Diverse interest groups — from public school activists and downstate voters to state officials and school boards — have pushed Gov. JB Pritzker to finally make a decision about the Trump administration’s Education Freedom Tax Credit.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260515/education/school-choice-option-languishes-as-illinois-lawmakers-weigh-benefits-political-fallout/
— DD: To get more votes from non-Whites, Democrat leaders racially gerrymander.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260515/nation-and-world-politics/supreme-court-voting-rights-ruling-fuels-a-new-push-to-defend-black-representation/
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL
— What Wisconsin Democrats’ leftward shift means for midterms. DD: Ever since Big Jim Thompson got elected in 1976, the Illinois Republican Party, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Milton Township Republican Organization have moved further to the left. That is, unofficially, if not officially, they have dumped conservatives like me.
https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/analysis/2026/05/15/what-wisconsin-democrats-leftward-shift-means-for-midterms-gilbert/90050933007/
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/local/2026/05/15/pridefest-to-include-parade-entertainment-and-more-in-springfield/89952499007/
WGLT
— GOP state lawmakers want to reform property taxes by increasing taxes on wind and solar
https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2026-05-13/gop-state-lawmakers-want-to-reform-property-taxes-by-increasing-taxes-on-wind-and-solar
— This Republican voted to convict Trump. Now he’s up for reelection. Can he survive?
https://www.wglt.org/2026-05-16/this-republican-voted-to-convict-trump-now-hes-up-for-reelection-can-he-survive
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— More than 1,500 first-time homebuyers benefit from state’s ‘Access Home’ program.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/more-than-1500-first-time-homebuyers-benefit-from-states-access-home-program/
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/05/15/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-526/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
ILLINOIS FAMILY ACTION
— Why Are Noncitizens Receiving Voter Registration Forms?
https://illinoisfamilyaction.org/2026/05/why-are-noncitizens-receiving-voter-registration-forms/
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Republicans create prosperity and safety. Democrats create poverty and crime. The big problem with voting with your feet, that is, with leaving states, counties, townships, municipalities, school districts, and precincts that Democrats have taken over to escape the poverty and crime that Democrat leadership brings is that sooner or later, Democrats will follow you and destroy the Republican state, county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct that you move to. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Debate grows over bill on gender, abortion care access in child placement. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ and abortion.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_41837b39-7b64-49c4-b4c3-5aae0cf5c7f0.html
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— U.S. student test scores in a generation-long decline. DD: Democrats run education in America.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/15/editorial-us-student-test-scores-generation-long-decline/
— A marriage crisis? Stunning stats raise concerns. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote LGBTQ, that is, they ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/15/marriage-crisis-stunning-stats-raise-concerns-hopes/
— Immigration law is made in Washington. New York’s governor is creating a constitutional crisis.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/14/editorial-immigration-law-made-washington/
NEW YORK POST
— Higher education still playing race games
https://nypost.com/2026/05/15/opinion/higher-education-still-playing-race-games-ai-sucks-at-poetry-and-other-commentary/
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE
— Why Democrats Don’t Cry ‘DINO.’ DD: Democrats defend/advance the Democrat Party platform. RINOs fail/refuse to defend/advance the Republican Party platform. Far too many of them are really Democrats and Libertarians or function and operatives and dupes for the Democrat and Libertarian Parties.
https://www.aei.org/op-eds/why-democrats-dont-cry-dino/
AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Replacement Migration and the Slow Death of Illinois. Illinois can’t tax or subsidize its way out of decline; the state’s survival depends on reversing mass immigration and restoring an American majority.
https://amgreatness.com/2026/05/16/replacement-migration-and-the-slow-death-of-illinois-2-2/
AMERICAN THINKER
— Fake asylum claims go ‘poof’ as illegals skip their asylum hearings in droves. Suddenly, they aren’t so terrified of returning to their home countries anymore. And they are skipping their bogus asylum hearing cases left and right.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/05/fake_asylum_claims_go_poof_as_illegals_skip_their_asylum_hearings_in_droves.html
COLLEGE FIX
— Concordia U. scholars: Racism a ‘multi-sensory experience’ that ‘transforms’ how minorities act
https://www.thecollegefix.com/concordia-u-scholars-racism-a-multi-sensory-experience-that-transforms-how-minorities-act/
FEDERALIST
— Democrats Keep Protecting Illegal Alien Murderers
https://thefederalist.com/2026/05/15/worst-prosecutor-in-america-struggles-to-explain-why-democrats-keep-protecting-illegal-alien-murderers/
FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION
— Equality of Opportunity, Not Outcome, Is What Made America Great. DD: My parents and teachers promoted personal responsibility. That put me on track to earn a) a job-related bachelor’s degree, b) three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and c) a job-related professional license. But according to my critics/opponents, I was able to accomplish the aforesaid because I benefitted from discrimination against those who are liberal/moderate, Democrat, RINO, minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, unmarried, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time.
https://fee.org/articles/equality-of-opportunity-not-outcome-is-what-made-america-awesome/
JONATHAN TURLEY
— “Teach Through the Lens of Enslavement and Racism”: Penn State’s Anti-Racism Course Draws Criticism
https://jonathanturley.org/2026/05/16/teach-through-the-lens-of-enslavement-and-racism-penn-states-anti-racism-course-draws-criticism/
NEWS BUSTERS
— Penn State Professors Caught Using Mandatory Class to Vilify Whites, Police, Males
https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/cnsnews/craig-bannister/2026/05/15/penn-state-profs-use-mandatory-class-vilify-whites-police
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— Fetterman frustrates Democrats with pro-Trump remarks
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5880487-john-fetterman-democrat-controversy/
— The damaging effects of shifting from equal opportunity to ‘equal outcomes.’ DD: My parents and teachers promoted personal responsibility. That put me on track to earn a) a job-related bachelor’s degree, b) three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and c) a job-related professional license. But according to my critics/opponents, I was able to accomplish the aforesaid because I benefitted from discrimination against those who are liberal/moderate, Democrat, RINO, minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, unmarried, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time.
https://thehill.com/opinion/education/529262-the-damaging-effects-of-shifting-from-equal-opportunity-to-equal-outcomes/
REUTERS
— American Bar Association votes to eliminate DEI rule for law schools. DD: Democrats and RINOs use Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/american-bar-association-votes-eliminate-dei-rule-law-schools-2026-05-15/
MSN
— DD: Democrat and RINO leaders fail/refuse to promote personal responsibility. They blame conservatives like me for all the problems that those who are the following have: liberal/moderate, Democrat, RINO, minority, female, younger, poor, LGBTQ, unmarried, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, and/or are noncitizen.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/conservatives-must-embrace-personal-responsibility-and-reject-victimhood/ar-AA231zZA
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careersandeducation/i-m-sick-and-tired-of-hearing-my-grandkids-whine-about-how-the-system-isn-t-fair-whatever-happened-to-taking-personal-responsibility/ss-AA1XEFuS
— DD: Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote LGBTQ, that is, they ever-increasingly destroy traditional marriage and family.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/relationships/11-reasons-why-more-women-are-walking-away-from-men-and-marriage/ss-AA1YvbfS
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/why-many-young-people-no-longer-believe-in-marriage-or-long-term-commitment/ss-AA22NmTN
— DD: To get more votes from those who are the following, Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly shout at them that Republicans cause all their problems: liberal/moderate, Democrat, RINO, minority, female, younger, poor, LGBTQ, unmarried, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who had not been in America for a long time, and/or noncitizen.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/photos-of-all-male-delegations-in-beijing-trigger-claims-of-end-of-meritocracy/ar-AA23g8TN
NEW YORK TIMES
— Trump Administration Pushes I.R.S. to Identify Undocumented Immigrants. The deliberations are a sign that the Trump administration may once again try to harness the power of the I.R.S. to advance its immigration agenda.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/us/politics/trump-irs-undocumented-immigrants.html
Cassidy Fights for Political Future
— With Loyalty to Trump Under Debate, Cassidy Is Fighting for His Political Life. Senator Bill Cassidy, Louisiana, is targeted by President Trump and walking a political tightrope as he battles other Republicans for the chance to seek a third term.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/us/politics/senator-bill-cassidy-louisiana-primary.html
— Why U.S. Test Scores Are in a ‘Generation-Long Decline.’ The drops go beyond the pandemic and cut across income, geographic and racial divides, new data shows. DD: Democrats run education in America.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/upshot/test-scores-school-districts-us.html
CALIFORNIA GLOBE
— Vote With Your Feet. DD: Republicans create prosperity and safety. Democrats create poverty and crime. The big problem with voting with your feet, that is, with leaving states, counties, townships, municipalities, school districts, and precincts that Democrats have taken over to escape the poverty and crime that Democrat leadership brings is that sooner or later, Democrats will follow you and destroy the Republican state, county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct that you move to.
https://californiaglobe.com/fr/americans-vote-with-their-feet-away-from-california/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Inside Trump’s Midterm Strategy: a Mountain of Cash to Stem GOP Losses. Redistricting battle provides glimmer of hope for Republicans in November.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/trump-republican-midterm-election-strategy-81278c65
— FRONT PAGE: Southern Poverty Law Center Got Rich Opposing Trump. Now He’s Trying to Crush It. SPLC faces federal charges and has come under fire for accumulating a nearly $800 million war chest.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/southern-poverty-law-center-trump-587424b5
— Mifepristone as a Tool of Coercion. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled May 14, 2026, that abortion drug Mifepristone can continue to be accessed via mail, without an in-person visit to the doctor—even as women across the country claim relatives or boyfriends forced or deceived them into taking it.
https://www.wsj.com/video/wsj-opinion-mifepristone-as-a-tool-of-coercion/63960770-96B3-47E1-BFC4-0D2F5D802295
ABA
— ABA Legal Ed council votes to repeal diversity and inclusion standard. DD: Democrats and RINOs use Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.abajournal.com/web/article/aba-legal-ed-council-votes-to-repeal-diversity-and-inclusion-standard
BLOOMBERG LAW
— Trump Pressure Forces ABA Weakening of Law School DEI Standard. DD: Democrats and RINOs use Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/trump-pressure-forces-aba-weakening-of-law-school-dei-standard
PRINCETON ALUMNI WEEKLY
— How Is the Class of 1966 Doing? Reunion Leaders Asked Them. In a 60th reunion book, class members shared how they feel about the country and the world. DD: If those who you graduated with responded to a similar survey, how would they respond? I graduated from Crete-Monee High School in 1966, Loyola in 1976, DePaul in 1980, and IIT in 1997.
https://paw.princeton.edu/article/how-class-1966-doing-reunion-leaders-asked-them
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Number of class members who responded to the survey: 236 (41.4%), Living with a spouse or partner: 86.4%, Widowed: 7.7%, Average number of children: 2.3, Average number of grandchildren: 3.5, Had a joint replacement: 29.4%, Average number of pills taken per day: 6 or more, Physical condition negatively interferes with life: 24.6%, Cognitive decline negatively interferes with life: 6%, Enjoy “some sort” of sex life: 46.4%, Do not fear death: 62.1%, Own a gun: 20.3%, Political affiliation: Democrat: 53%, Independent: 22.4%, Republican: 11.6%, Democratic Socialist: 5.2%, MAGA Republican: 3.4%, Feelings about current political issues (1 = strongly oppose, 5 = strongly support): Abortion rights (pro-choice): 4.46, Affirmative action: 3.64, Climate change action: 4.22, Deportation of undocumented immigrants: 2.3, Enhanced border security: 3.36, More legal immigration: 3.96, Same-sex marriage: 4.18, Tighter regulation of AI: 3.77, Transgender rights: 3.71, Feelings about the University’s current direction: 3.82, Happy they attended Princeton: 92.3%)
SALON
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly make it clear that they hate America, and that they hate Americans, and especially Americans who are conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.salon.com/2026/05/15/the-christian-right-hijacks-americas-250th/
FROM FOREIGN SOURCES
GUARDIAN
— Can a Republican defy Donald Trump and survive? Kentucky voters will decide. Congressman Thomas Massie, chastised by the US president as a ‘lowlife’, will soon face the ballot box – setting up a crucial test of Trump’s political strength.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/16/kentucky-republican-primary-election-massie-gallrein