Tag: gun

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT LEANING SOURCES

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/04/20/after-25-years-of-selling-tamales-in-chicago-a-mother-in-us-illegally-returns-to-mexico-without-her-family/
— Illinois Senate is foolish to advance medical debt legislation – Steven Gruenwald, Schaumburg
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/04/21/letters-illinois-senate-is-foolish-to-advance-medical-debt-legislation/
— A small step toward reversing the decades-long community harm of Chicago’s expressways – Clarence Page: (COMMENT: Were it not for the Dan Ryan expressway, I would not have been able to be a UIC student 1966-1968 by commuting to/from UIC on the Dan Ryan and my parents’ home in Crete and my part-time job at the Park Forest Post Office.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/04/21/clarence-page-expressways-urban-renewal-biden-administration/
— Wind and solar in limbo: Long waitlists to get on the grid are a ‘leading barrier’ – Nara Schoenberg
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/wind-and-solar-in-limbo-long-waitlists-to-get-on-the-grid-are-a-leading-barrier/ar-AA1no0xh

DAILY HERALD
— Dan Ugaste, Republican state representative from Geneva, targets protesters blocking traffic – Charles Keeshan and Susan Sarkauskas
https://www.dailyherald.com/20240419/news/lives-are-at-stake-suburban-lawmaker-targets-protesters-blocking-traffic/
— Democrats ever-increasingly crow about their success in using reports of gun crimes to get high school students to hate Republicans.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20240419/news/hundreds-of-students-at-batavia-high-school-walk-out-of-class-to-protest-gun-violence/
— Because of the tremendous amount of hatred against Trump that hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters have successfully promoted against Trump, Trump cannot get a fair trial.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20240420/editorials/and-now-the-jury/

ABC7
— Illinois US House Representatives reveal how they voted on $95 billion foreign aid package
https://abc7chicago.com/us-house-aid-package-vote-illinois-representatives-reveal-how-they-voted/14703607/
— Chicago student fights off armed suspect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP_B2DVTBfA

NBC5
— Chicago school target of HATEFUL vandalism amid “record levels” of antisemitism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4VePBpItuk

WLS
— Chicago university beefs up security amid rise in armed robberies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBXqHx81FI4

WGN9
— 11% of felony defendants charged with new crime are on pre-trial release – Ben Bradley
https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/11-of-felony-defendants-charged-with-new-crime-on-pre-trial-release-data-shows/

WGN RADIO
— Can you sue protestors for disrupting your commute? – Iridian Fierro
https://wgnradio.com/lets-get-legal/can-you-sue-protestors-for-disrupting-your-commute/

WTTW
— Latest report shows storefront vacancies at record-high in Loop – Brandon Ison
https://www.audacy.com/wbbm780/news/local/latest-report-shows-storefront-vacancies-to-be-record-high-in-loop-but-some-new-businesses-also-popping-up

WTTW & BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— Pritzker Says State ‘Obviously’ Needs to Change 2010 Law That Shrunk Pension Benefits. – Hannah Meisel (COMMENT: Are you earning credits toward a pension? Are you getting a pension? I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years. I started earning credits toward a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) pension when I was 18 in 1966. I have been getting a CSRS pension (currently $65,165/year) since I was 49 in 1997. I should write a book about my critics/opponents who continue to hold that against me the most. In my defense, I paid 7% of my federal salary into the CSRS.)
https://news.wttw.com/2024/04/20/pritzker-says-state-obviously-needs-change-2010-law-shrunk-pension-benefits
— Pritzker: Illinois ‘obviously’ needs to change 2010 law that shrunk pension benefits – HANNAH MEISEL
https://pantagraph.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/pritzker-says-illinois-should-change-pension-law-tier-2/article_0eaa06cc-ff2a-11ee-8862-b71d8af0ddb4.html

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH & ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH & QUAD CITY TIMES
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://pantagraph.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/illinois-cannabis-sales-grow-but-so-does-competition/article_5d0cebe4-fdc8-11ee-92e4-0f128a8c89d9.html
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/marijuana/illinois-cannabis-sales-grow-but-so-does-competition-from-missouri-elsewhere/article_6fbefdec-c96a-571f-bc32-2f09f1b5fc15.html
https://qctimes.com/news/state-regional/business/illinois-cannabis-sales-grow-but-so-does-competition/article_e5c6d112-eb19-5f88-aa20-1b9d1d157c63.html

ILLINOIS VALLEY
— La Salle County Republican Party reelects Larry Smith as chairman
https://www.shawlocal.com/illinois-valley/2024/04/20/la-salle-county-republican-party-reelects-larry-smith-as-chairman/

MISSOURI SPRINGFIELD NEWS LEADER
— Republican vetting process sets stage for lawsuits, leaves MO primary ballots uncertain – Marta Mieze and Kelly Dereuck (COMMENT: In Illinois, far too many candidates who run as Republicans not only paint themselves as being “Democrat Lite,” not only paint themselves as being “anti-conservative,” not only paint themselves as being “anti-Republican,” not only reject many planks in the Republican Party platform, but work against those who support those planks. Political parties exist to help elect candidates who can and will defend and advance their platform. The Republican Party platform is conservative. Democrat Lite, anti-conservative, and anti-Republican Republican candidates most commonly reject the personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, illegal drugs, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. I should write a book about the aforesaid candidates on ballots in my precinct.)
https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/04/21/missouri-republican-candidates-vetting-process-sets-stage-lawsuits-uncertainty/73146073007/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Late last year, Republican central committees across Missouri chose to adopt a vetting process for candidates who choose to file as Republicans in county races. But their goal of keeping those off the ballot who either do not go through vetting or fail the vetting process is proving more challenging than expected. Almost 300 candidates in Missouri for county, state and federal seats have been vetted. Despite this, in Christian County, two Republican county candidates currently remain on the ballot ahead of the August primary election despite one failing the vetting process and the other not taking part in the process. In Vernon County, a lawsuit has been filed against the county clerk for allowing Republican candidates who have been denied by the central committee onto the ballot. The vetting process was developed by the Republican Association of Central Committees for Missouri, or REPACCMO. The nonprofit organization was created in October by Cyndia Haggard, the chair of the Vernon County Republican Central Committee, who now leads the organization. The goal of the vetting process is to ensure those running as Republicans will govern in line with party principles. The REPACCMO website lists numerous county candidates who have passed vetting and statewide and federal candidates who have volunteered to be vetted and have passed. The vetting process is proctored and includes an “objective review” of each candidate’s background, a 25-question multiple choice “values survey” based on the state and national party platform and requires candidates to sign a statement pledging their allegiance to both the state and federal Republican Party platforms and constitutions. Incumbents and those who have held office in the past have their voting records reviewed. Survey questions are not shared with central committees that are considering or have already adopted the vetting process. Local Republicans raise concerns about the vetting process. Don Carriker, chairman of the Christian County Republican Central Committee and REPACCMO survey administrator, said most people who have gone through the process have successfully passed — meaning they received at least 70% on the values survey. He said the results fall on a bell-curve, with no one scoring a 100% and the mean falling at 84%. He said only about five, of the roughly 300, have failed to meet the 70% threshold. Carriker says the vetting process is essential to ensure candidates are genuine in their values and not simply running as Republicans to garner votes in red counties. With the vetting process, the candidate simply must be a majority Republican and pass the test with 70%, even if there are some issues or topics where their thoughts may differ from the Republican platform. He said central committee members and candidates should also be vetted, though there are not enforcement “teeth” to that practice as filing for those seats do not require fees. “That’s all we’re trying to do is just keep out the few rats that are trying to get into the tent that don’t belong in the tent,” he said. “That’s the most important thing to understand is that this isn’t playing favorites.” Some Republicans have raised concerns about the vetting process because they feel that the party platform in its current state is imperfect. Rep. Darin Chappell, R-Rogersville, agrees with the premise of vetting and passed the vetting process himself, but disagrees with pledging loyalty to an ever-changing party platform, when alterations are sure to be made in future election cycles. “Where I get wound up a little bit is when they want to say that you have to sign a pledge to the platform or that you have to agree that if you don’t legislate according to the platform, then you’re not eligible to run as a Republican the next time around,” Chappell said. The party platform is subject to review every four years, meaning that even if a candidate agreed with the platform when first elected, it wouldn’t necessarily be the same platform if they ran for office again. “I’m fine with vetting. I think it should happen, I really do,” Chappell said. “The problem comes when they want to insert into the platform itself, not just guidelines, but expectations and corresponding punishments if those expectations are not met.” During the Greene County Republican caucus in March, local Republicans proposed amendments to the party platform. The only amendment to be struck down was one that would have required candidates to be vetted in order to run as a Republican. Danette Proctor, chair of the Greene County Republican Central Committee, said that voters have different needs in diverse areas across the state, and even across Greene County, which includes both urban and rural districts. “How you could pick one small committee to vet for people in all those areas, that’s not possible,” she said. “My position is vetting should be left up to the people, and we have the vetting date in the August primary.” Proctor went on to say that the voters should be informed about the candidates on the ballot, but that their decisions shouldn’t be limited by the arbitrary choices of a vetting process designed by people who don’t live in their voting area and understand their unique needs. “Now everyone needs to study those candidates and find out, ‘Hey, do they represent the area? Are they voting like I want them to vote or can I feel comfortable if they’re brand new that they’ll vote the way we want them in our district?” Proctor said. Appealing vetting results. Those who fail the vetting process can go through an appeal and interview with the central committee to clarify some of their answers to the questions, which could then approve them to run as Republicans through a secret ballot vote in closed session. Although one candidate failed both the initial vetting process and the interview follow-up, he is still listed on the Christian County Clerk’s list of candidates on the Aug. 6 primary ballot. Brent Young, Republican candidate for Christian County West Commissioner, has spent 32 years working at the county, and the past few years working directly under the current commission. A Christian County native, Young said he has gotten to know the west side of the county over the years and has been asked several times to run for the seat. He said the vetting process being overseen by Carriker, who has ties to the county, was a conflict of interest. After being told he did not pass the vetting survey, he said he was not allowed to see his score or the questions he got wrong, though Carriker said they went over the questions verbally to allow Young to explain his answers. “I’ve got a list of people I have campaigned for in the past and supported, that’s all Republican,” Young said. “I’ve got nothing to prove, I’m nothing but Republican, so that’s what’s puzzling.” At the appeal hearing, he brought with him a former Republican commissioner who vouched for him and explained his previous ties with several Republican candidates, including volunteering with the Christian County central committee in the past. Yet, the central committee asked questions about what he’d do as a commissioner and ultimately did not let him through as vetted. “The original purpose of this, what I was told, was to keep Democrats from running,” Young said. “As it’s going along … it’s not that you’re a Democrat. It’s not that you’re a Republican, but you got to be Republican enough.” He said the questions were based on the party platform and the answers, five options per question, were written similarly, in a way that was confusing and could be misleading. Carriker noted each choice is given one to five points depending on how closely it aligns with the platform. Although Young said he understands the intentions of the process, he said any person could study the state platform and take the survey and pass it. Chappell raised similar concerns that, even though some lawmakers may pass the vetting process initially, their actions once elected may not reflect conservative beliefs. Candidates who have not previously held office don’t have a voting record to take into consideration, which is a factor considered in vetting candidates running for reelection. “There are people who come up here (to Jefferson City) who have been labeled as conservative through this lackluster vetting process, and they get up here and, shazam, they’re not conservative at all,” Chappell said. State Sen. Bill Eigel, a gubernatorial candidate who has been an outspoken supporter of the vetting process, feels that candidate vetting is important for sorting out true Republicans from those just looking to win elections in a state with a pervasive Republican supermajority. “We’ve seen a lot of Republicans deviating from what they said they would do in campaign season once they got down to Jefferson City, and so the idea of a vetting process, regardless of where it’s coming from, is actually a very natural continuation of the discussion of a party that’s been in power for a period of time and now is looking for purity,” Eigel said. While Young said he appreciates the goal of the vetting process, he also noted that it makes more sense for state-level candidates rather than county candidates who are bound by actions set by state statute and where party affiliations can only do so much. In his eyes, it could also be improved if any conflicts of interests, whether perceived or real, are avoided. “I would like to see the committee focus on state level that actually creates laws and creates policies and bills, if they want to do something really helpful,” he said. “The intention is good, I understand that. I just don’t know if they’re going about it the right way to be effective.” County clerks face uncertainty, legal challenges. Christian County Clerk Paula Brumfield said she, and other clerks in similar positions around the state, accepted the filing fees for candidates regardless of whether they were vetted or not, because of their interpretation of state statute. “I still do the same process, I follow the state statute of the law when it comes to candidate filing,” she said. “But the vetting is not a requirement to sign up for a position.” The state statute in question is RSMo. 115.357, which sets guidelines for filing fees. It states, “each candidate for federal, state or county office shall, before filing his or her declaration of candidacy, pay to the treasurer of the state or county committee of the political party upon whose ticket he or she seeks nomination.” It also notes that these fees may be submitted to the official accepting declarations of candidacy, in this case the county clerk, who then forwards the fees to the political party county committee. Central committees that have adopted the vetting process have noted that they will not accept the filing fees from unvetted candidates or those who did not pass the vetting process. Brumfield said she had forwarded the filing fees to the Christian County Republican Central Committee and was awaiting return of those from candidates who did not vet. Carriker said those fees were never accepted. “We’re still in limbo at the moment,” Brumfield said. “It’s all new … It’s a learning experience, because it’s never happened before.” Similarly, this is what the lawsuit filed against Vernon County Clerk Adrienne Lee is also trying to establish, where those filing fees were returned to the clerk for unvetted candidates. The petition was filed in Vernon County Circuit Court in March. The central committee is being represented by Mark McCloskey, an attorney who attracted national attention after he and his wife pointed guns at protestors from the front yard of their home in St. Louis in 2020. Vernon County Circuit Judge Gayle Crane issued a preliminary order in mandamus Monday, April 8, asking Lee to remove eight of the total 14 Republican candidates from the ballot whose fees were not accepted by the central committee. The county has until April 23 to file a response. If the judge’s decision stands and the clerk removes the eight candidates, two county seats will not have any candidates on the ballot and leave the sheriff, assessor and southern commissioner ballots with only one candidate each. Four of the people subject to removal are incumbents. Proctor, the chair of the Greene County Republican Central Committee, is concerned about the long-term implications that removing these unvetted candidates from the ballot could have on the future of the Republican party. “It could destroy our party. It literally could. I mean, (the judge) is pulling incumbents off, and then she’s pulling new people off,” Proctor said. “Our party is full of all types of different people representing different areas, and it’s dangerous to me, vetting is.” Carriker said Christian County may also file suit but will wait to see the result of the situation in Vernon County. Could vetting keep out members of hate groups? Some proponents of candidate vetting argue that the process would have prevented Darrell Leon McClanahan III from filing to run for Missouri governor this year. The Missouri Republican Party filed a lawsuit in March to remove McClanahan from the ballot after his ties to the Ku Klux Klan were revealed on social media. McClanahan, who ran for U.S. Senate in 2022, was seen in photographs with KKK members performing a Nazi salute in front of a burning cross. He was offered an “honorary one-year membership” with the group, according to court documents referenced in USA Today reporting, although further documents state that he pursued no further role or activities with the group. State Sen. Eigel feels that instituting candidate vetting in order to run as a Republican would have prevented McClanahan from appearing on the ballot for Missouri governor. “I think that this vetting process absolutely could have avoided the situation where we have an individual that doesn’t represent the Republican brand at all, at the top of the ballot for the gubernatorial primary election,” Eigel said. “I think that’s a real black eye for the Republican Party.” He went on to say that vetting might have thinned the candidate list in several Republican primary elections. “Not only do I think that Mr. McClanahan would not qualify under the vetting process, I know for a fact that several of the Republicans running for statewide election right now would not qualify,” Eigel said. But Carriker wasn’t so sure that vetting would’ve kept McClanahan out. He said, as long as a candidate is “majority Republican,” they would pass the vetting process which currently does not account for group affiliations or social media activity, because the goal was to make it as objective as possible with the first time around of vetting. “They’re denying this person from running as a Republican even though his beliefs may be totally in line with the Republican Party except for he’s racist,” Carriker said, noting that the state party’s denial of McClanahan was them vetting “willy nilly” while REPACCMO takes an objective approach to vetting. While REPACCMO would like to see the vetting process adopted state-wide, the Missouri Republican Party has been critical of the practice, warning of legality questions and the potential for lawsuits. Carriker noted candidates would not be kept off the ballot, they would simply not be allowed to run as Republicans, but could still file as Democrats or independents. “I feel it’s a very dangerous precedent that you’re setting by saying, ‘Well, we just don’t like this part about you, so we’re not gonna let you run,'” Carriker said. “That’s where we are different than what the party is doing outright subjectively. They’re saying, we are subjectively looking at this person saying, we don’t want to associate with you, and yet they’re getting mad at us.” He said he believes just as the state party has the right to not allow candidates to associate with them, the county committees have the right to do the same through the vetting process.)

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Crush of lawsuits over voting in multiple states creates a shadow war for the 2024 election – AP
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-crush-of-lawsuits-over-voting-in-multiple-states-creates-a-shadow-war-for-the-2024-election/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT LEANING SOURCES

DOUG IBENDAHL
— OCTOBER 1, 2023 FLASHBACK: Trump Republicans must take the reins of the Illinois GOP
https://dougelstonibendahl.substack.com/p/trump-republicans-must-take-the-reins

JOHN KASS
— NPR: Our Federal Tax Dollars for Marxist News, Partisan Censorship and Pan Flutes?
https://johnkassnews.com/npr-federal-taxes-for-pan-flutes-and-marxist-news-bias/

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— With Lots of Reporters Being Laid Off, Ex-Rockford TV Guy Wants State Scholarships to Train More (COMMENT: I do not have a degree in journalism. I should write a book about my critics/opponents who continue to hold that against me the most. I 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 $115,438-$150,075/year. Much of what GAO Analysts do and what journalists do is very similar. I have been the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000.)
https://mchenrycountyblog.com/2024/04/20/with-lots-of-reporters-being-laid-off-ex-rockford-tv-guy-wants-state-scholarships-to-train-more/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT LEANING SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Conservatives dangle threat of ousting Speaker Johnson after foreign aid vote. – Alex Miller
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/apr/20/conservatives-dangle-threat-ousting-speaker-johnso/
— Graduation 2024 is going to be all about Israel-Gaza war – Archie Gottesman
https://nypost.com/2024/04/20/opinion/graduation-2024-is-going-to-be-all-about-israel-gaza-war/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— It’s time to stop celebrating April 20 as a day for marijuana – Christopher Tremoglie
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/beltway-confidential/2973171/its-time-to-stop-celebrating-april-20-as-a-day-for-marijuana/
— This April 20 is high time to stigmatize public marijuana smoking like cigarettes – Tiana Lowe Doescher
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/beltway-confidential/2973244/this-april-20-is-high-time-to-stigmatize-public-marijuana-smoking-like-cigarettes/
— The next GOP president should defund woke public broadcasting – Mike Gonzalez
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/courage-strength-optimism/2972468/next-gop-president-defund-woke-public-broadcasting/

NEW YORK POST
— NPR just keeps on sliding more and more to the left as it unfolds into a complete crap show – Charles Gasparino
https://nypost.com/2024/04/20/business/npr-just-keeps-on-sliding-more-and-more-to-the-left-as-it-unfolds-into-a-complete-crap-show/
— Still too woke: Google can’t stop at canning subversives. – William A. Jacobson and Kemberlee Kaye (COMMENT: Ever-increasingly, Google exists to elect and to reelect Democrats.)
https://nypost.com/2024/04/20/opinion/still-too-woke-google-cant-stop-at-canning-subversives/

AMERICAN THINKER
— Illegal aliens understand that none of the rules apply to them – Andrea Widburg
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/04/illegal_aliens_understand_that_none_of_the_rules_apply_to_them.html

BREIBART
— Ultra Woke Google Claims Company Is Not Place to ‘Debate Politics’ After Firing Anti-Israel Radicals – LUCAS NOLAN (COMMENT: Ever-increasingly, Google exists to elect and to reelect Democrats.)
https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2024/04/20/ultra-woke-google-claims-company-is-not-place-to-debate-politics-after-firing-anti-israel-radicals/
— Betrayal Complete: Mike Johnson Passes $61 Billion Ukraine Aid, Violates Hastert Rule Again – BRADLEY JAYE (COMMENT: The Hastert rule says that the speaker will not schedule a floor vote on any bill that does not have majority support within their party—even if the majority of the members of the House would vote to pass it. What percent of the Republican Precinct Committeemen (RPC) in your township/ward and in your county are conservative? Conservative RPCs like me have been in the shrinking minority in the Milton Township Republican Organization and in the DuPage County Republican Central Committee at least since 1999.)
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/20/betrayal-complete-mike-johnson-passes-61-billion-ukraine-aid-violates-hastert-rule-again/

CENTER SQUARE
— Lawmakers decry U.S. Military’s drift to DEI culture – Casey Harper
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_6859c948-fe83-11ee-b467-abde41894f2e.html

FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM
— Foreign-Born Population Booming – Michael Capuano (COMMENT: What percent of them are in America illegally?)
https://www.fairus.org/misc/latest-census-data-shows-foreign-born-population-booming
— North Carolina High Schooler Suspended for Using the Term “Illegal Alien” – Hannah Davis (COMMENT: How soon, if not already, will students in your school district be suspended for using the term “illegal alien?”)
https://www.fairus.org/state-immigration-legislation-policies/north-carolina-high-schooler-suspended-using-term-illegal

FOX NEWS
— ‘Nothing more backwards’ than US funding Ukraine border security but not our own, conservatives say. House Freedom Caucus takes issue with foreign aid package for not addressing southern border. – Greg Wehner
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/nothing-more-backwards-than-us-funding-ukraine-border-security-but-not-our-own-conservatives-say
— Planned Parenthood refuses to hand over records of transgender procedures on children. Missouri AG says PP should hand over docs showing whether kids were ‘experimented on without parental consent’ – Jamie Joseph
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/planned-parenthood-refuses-hand-over-records-transgender-procedures-children
— Black parents tell Dr. Phil they’re angry with government for funding illegal migrants as taxpayers struggle. – Alexander Hall
https://www.foxnews.com/media/black-parents-tell-dr-phil-angry-government-funding-illegal-migrants-taxpayers-struggle

HOT AIR
— Denver Illegal Migrants: Six Months Free Rent is ‘Insufficient’
https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2024/04/20/denver-illegal-migrants-six-months-free-rent-is-insufficient-n3786880

LEGAL INSURRECTION
— Google Employee Anti-Israel Insurrection Should Be A Wake Up Call To Ditch Woke Corporate Culture. Our column in the NY Post: Firing anti-Israel subversives is a good start, but Google’s Sundar Pichai has a long way to go. – William A. Jacobson (COMMENT: Ever-increasingly, Google exists to elect and to reelect Democrats.)
https://legalinsurrection.com/2024/04/google-employee-anti-israel-insurrection-should-be-a-wake-up-call-to-ditch-woke-corporate-culture/

TOWNHALL
— Maine Democrats Want the State to Be a ‘Sanctuary’ for Kids to Access Abortions, Transgender Surgeries – Madeline Leesman (COMMENT: When you were young, how much pressure did Democrat teachers put on you to be a sexually active LGBTQer? I was under no such pressure because my parents sent me to a) Trinity Lutheran Grade School in Crete 1953-1961, b) Hope Lutheran Grade School in Park Forest 1961-1962, and c) Crete-Monee High School 1962-1966.)
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2024/04/20/maine-to-be-sanctuary-for-kids-wanting-abortions-gender-changes-n2638046
— Dem Official Says It’s ‘Not a News Story’ Would-Be School Shooter Identifies As Trans – Mia Cathell
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/miacathell/2024/04/20/marc-elrich-snaps-transgender-question-n2638032

WESTERN JOURNAL
— “Abhorrent’: Welcome to California’s Orwellian Paradise – Ranking of Citizens’ DNA and Heritage – Mike Landry (COMMENT: How bad are your demographics, that is, how many of your demographics are despised/hated by Democrats and by RINOs? My demographics are terrible. I am conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-poor, married, draft avoider, gun owner, Protestant, German American, and my ancestors have been in America since 1844.)
https://www.westernjournal.com/abhorrent-welcome-californias-orwellian-paradise-ranking-citizens-dna-heritage/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT LEANING SOURCES

THE HILL
— GOP vice presidential hopefuls look for Trump’s golden ticket – BRETT SAMUELS
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4606184-gop-vice-presidential-hopefuls-look-for-trumps-golden-ticket/
— Republican states urge Congress to reject DEI legislation – CHEYANNE M. DANIELS (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO leaders continue to use DEI to get rid of conservative Republicans like me. I should write a book about past and present Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party RINO leaders who have used DEI the most to get rid of me.)
https://www.aol.com/news/republican-states-urge-congress-reject-200740299.html
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.aol.com/permits-grow-undocumented-immigrants-left-100000909.html
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more abortion.
https://www.aol.com/white-house-urges-passage-abortion-145620794.html

NBC NEWS
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more abortion.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/bidens-roe-v-wade-abortion-rcna147021

CNN
— Duke University’s move to end full ride scholarship for Black students gets mixed reaction from former scholars – Nicquel Terry Ellis and Kaylin C. (COMMENT: What if Affirmative Action had only been for those whose parents did not have college degrees? Neither of my parents attended college. My father was only the first of my ancestors to earn a high school diploma. My mother never attended high school.)
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/20/us/duke-universitys-move-to-end-full-ride-scholarship-for-black-students-gets-mixed-reaction-from-former-scholars/index.html
— Promises Donald Trump has made so far in his campaign for a second term. – Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Abby Turner, Will Mullery and Kenneth Uzquiano (COMMENT: What changes to the Republican Party platform do Trump want?)
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2024/04/politics/trump-campaign-promises-dg/

MSN
— Woke Americans bringing in illegal immigrants to stay in their homes (COMMENT: How many illegals are being housed in private homes in your county, township, municipality, and school district?)
https://www.msn.com/en-sg/entertainment/news/woke-americans-bringing-in-illegal-immigrants-to-stay-in-their-homes-conservatives-fear-this-new-norm/ar-BB1i9KNk
— Trans teen allegedly plotted mass shootings at two schools in twisted plot to become ‘famous’ – Yaron Steinbuch
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/trans-teen-allegedly-plotted-mass-shootings-at-two-schools-in-twisted-plot-to-become-famous/ar-AA1nixjM

YAHOO
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ in St. Louis.
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/transgender-social-media-influencer-talk-140000619.html

NEW YORK TIMES
— Donald Trump Has Betrayed the Pro-Life Movement – Mike Pence
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/20/opinion/donald-trump-abortion.html
— Ukraine Aid Divides Republicans, After Trump Tones Down His Resistance – Jonathan Weisman and Michael Gold
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/20/us/politics/trump-ukraine-house-vote.html
— Lawsuit Puts Fresh Focus on Eric Hovde’s Comments About Older Voters. Pressed on his claims of 2020 election irregularities, the Republican candidate for Senate in Wisconsin has questioned the mental capacity of nursing home residents to vote. – Jonathan Weisman (COMMENT: What demonstrates your mental capacity? For me, it is my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/20/us/politics/california-lawsuit-wisconsin-senate-race.html
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly crow about their success in using courts to destroy Trump. To destroy me, my Democrat IRS superiors disallowed my travel vouchers in 1974 and my education deductions in 1978. To destroy me, my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to suffer a $22,996/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980, delayed my promotions and never promoted me to GS-14, always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, and forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/21/us/politics/trump-trial-analysis.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/17/opinion/donald-trump-trial.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/19/nyregion/trump-prison-stormy-daniels-trial.html
— How New Wars Have Brought Back Old American Divisions – Ross Douthat (COMMENT: I am 100% German national origin. I have always stressed to my critics/opponents that my grandfather on my father’s side fought the Germans in WWI, that my uncles on my mother’s side fought the Germans in WWII, and that my father would have fought the Germans in WWII if he had not been 4-F.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/20/opinion/republicans-democrats-ukraine-israel.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters crow about their success in promoting hatred against Trump.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/21/trump-trial-jury-political-opinions/
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly replace employees who are citizens of America with illegals. I was able to get jobs when I was young in 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, but if there had been as many illegals back then as there are now, I doubt that I would have, and if I had, my wages would have been lower because illegals drive wages down.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/04/20/migrants-asylum-heartland-development/
— Democrat and RINO leaders continue to use DEI to get rid of conservative Republicans like me. I should write a book about past and present Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party RINO leaders who have used DEI the most to get rid of me.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/dei-lives-supreme-court-ruling-153757072.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Meet the 12 New Yorkers Who Will Decide Donald Trump’s Fate in Hush-Money Trial. – Erin Mulvaney, Corinne Ramey, James Fanelli (COMMENT: Because of the tremendous amount of hatred against Trump that hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters have successfully promoted against Trump, Trump cannot get a fair trial. I should write a book about the tremendous amount of hatred against me that hate-filled Diersen-hating Diersen-haters have successfully promoted against me. In my book, I would name names, report what they said, and who they said it to. I would focus on hatred promoted against me at Milton Township Republican Organization, Illinois Center Right Coalition, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, and TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois meetings.)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/meet-the-12-new-yorkers-who-will-decide-donald-trump-s-fate-in-hush-money-trial/ar-AA1nnK6E

INC.
— All the women who my Democrat superiors in the federal government promoted over me were Democrats a) who had less job-related work experience than I had, b) who had less job-related education than I had, c) who had no professional certifications or fewer than I had, and/or d) who had no job-related professional license like the one I had.
https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/3-reasons-women-are-being-left-behind-at-work.html

MICHIGAN ADVANCE
— Pritzker ever-increasingly pushes more pot.
https://michiganadvance.com/2024/04/21/pritzker-touts-marijuana-legalization-on-4-20-while-campaigning-for-biden-in-grand-rapids/

OREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING
— Chaos and division erupt at Washington Republican convention in Spokane – Scott Greenstone and Catharine Smith (FROM THE ARTICLE: The event is designed to develop the party’s platform.)
https://www.opb.org/article/2024/04/20/chaos-erupts-at-washington-gop-convention-in-spokane/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: On Friday, the Washington State Republican Party’s convention in Spokane erupted with moments of booing, chanting obscenities, and people turning their backs to the party’s own candidates. Lorraine Blacklock, a precinct committee officer from King County, told the convention she’d never seen anything like this in her 30 years of involvement in the Republican Party. “Civility has kind of disappeared,” she said. “Even in our party, and that’s sad.” The convention drew delegates, precinct committee officers, and grassroots activists from across Washington for the weekend. The event is designed to develop the party’s platform, choose the party’s local leadership, and nominate candidates for statewide offices. The most divisive question facing more than 1,800 Republican delegates from around the state: Who to endorse for governor? Former Congressman Dave Reichert is far ahead in polls and fundraising, but the delegates in Spokane seem more supportive of former Richland school board member Semi Bird. On Wednesday, The Seattle Times published an article in which Bird admitted to committing financial crimes 30 years ago. He did not disclose them to the party when he applied for the nomination. The report details a 1993 federal conviction for lying on a credit application with the “intent to steal,” according to court documents. The party’s candidate committee announced Bird was disqualified from the endorsement process Friday — prompting the room to roar with boos and cries of “bullshit.” The delegates then voted to overturn the committee’s disqualification. “I take full ownership of who I am in my past,” Bird told reporters afterward. “But what about human decency and civility, to say that a man can fall and falter and still get back up — still stand up? Are we not allowed to try anymore?” In the midst of the chaos, Reichert announced he would withdraw his name from consideration for the endorsement, commenting that his party is in “disarray.” He added that he intends to continue campaigning for governor. The gubernatorial endorsement is expected to come over the weekend. All candidates seeking endorsements were asked to sign pledges that they would drop out if they didn’t get endorsed. Reichert did not sign, however, according to sources in party leadership. Division among the state’s Republican Party was evident earlier in the day, when Jaime Herrera Beutler spoke as a candidate for public lands commissioner, a position that runs Washington’s Department of Natural Resources. Members of the crowd booed the candidate. Some stood up and turned their backs on her. A former representative for Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, Herrera Beutler notably voted to impeach President Donald Trump. It was a move that split GOP voters in her district. She lost the following primary in 2022, and in turn, her elected position in Congress. Within hours of the events unfolding in Spokane Friday, Washington State Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad issued a statement: “After January 6, we saw that GOP leaders didn’t care about the will of the people in our democracy. In Spokane this weekend we are seeing in real time that the GOP leaders in Washington don’t even care about the will of their own convention delegates. The GOP Convention chaos proves these are not serious people and they cannot be trusted to lead our state. Whichever candidate receives the GOP endorsement for Governor will still be a Mega MAGA, anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQIA+ zealot who has no place in our state government. Washingtonians can rest assured that Democrats will be working around the clock to ensure our progress on equal rights, healthcare, and the environment aren’t rolled back by this clown show.”)

CITY WATCH
— My critics/opponents promote wokeism big time. I should write a book about them. To promote wokeism is to promote more hatred against those like me 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.
https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/28770-has-backlash-against-wokeism-begun

KRDO
— Colorado schools receive $24 million in funding to educate undocumented immigrant students
https://krdo.com/news/2024/04/20/colorado-schools-receive-24-million-in-funding-to-educate-undocumented-immigrant-students/

HOOVER INSTITUTION
— Does Merit Still Matter? Hoover senior fellow Thomas Sowell expounds on a familiar theme: society’s never-ending delusion that equality can advance at the expense of merit. – Peter Robinson (COMMENT: According to my critics/opponents, I owe all my successes in life to my benefitting unfairly and tremendously from discrimination against those who are minority, female, younger, veteran, unmarried, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or those whose ancestors have not been in America for a long time. In my defense, neither of my parents attended college. My father was only the first of my ancestors to earn a high school diploma. My mother never attended high school. I had to work my way through college.)
https://www.hoover.org/research/does-merit-still-matter

NEWSWEEK & PEOPLE
— I have always promoted the traditional marriage and family plank in the Republican Party platform. Those Republicans who reject that plank and promote LGBTQ have always worked the hardest against me. I should write a book about them.
https://www.newsweek.com/melania-trump-fundraiser-mar-lago-gay-organization-log-cabin-republicans-everything-we-know-1892476
https://people.com/melania-trump-returns-campaign-trail-log-cabin-fundraiser-8634885