February 20, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Republicans shocked by Gov. Pritzker’s attacks on Trump administration, Nazi Germany references
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jts1KaE_rj0

WTTW
— Pritzker Compares Trump Administration’s Approach to Nazi Germany During State Budget Address
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/19/pritzker-compares-trump-administration-s-approach-nazi-germany-during-state-budget

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— What Central Illinois lawmakers liked, and didn’t like, in Pritzker budget plan (FROM THE ARTICLE: Multiple Republicans walked out of the joint session in the House chamber.”)
https://pantagraph.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/what-central-illinois-lawmakers-liked-and-didnt-like-in-pritzker-budget-plan/article_a48aeb5e-ef23-11ef-b7ba-2f418a049d96.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Near the end of his address, Pritzker compared the actions taken by the Trump Administration in recent weeks to the rise of Nazi Germany in the 1930s. “The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here,” Pritzker said. “They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems.” What comes next, he asked, “after we’ve discriminated against, deported or disparaged all the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women and the minorities, once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends after that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face — what comes next?’” Before Pritzker could finish making his point, multiple Republicans walked out of the joint session in the House chamber, including state Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville. “That rhetoric was out of place, and (did) not need to be talked and spoken,” Halbrook, a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, said. “It was completely wrong.” Fellow caucus member Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Teutopolis, had more heated criticism. “Parts of the governor’s own party want to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth,” Niemerg said. “And to call Trump and Republicans Nazis is dangerous political grandstanding and will only incite the violence he claims to condemn. But this is about JB Pritzker’s misguided aspirations to be the next president.”)

WAND TV
— GOP criticize Governor for ‘Nazi comparison’ (COMMENT: To harm me, my critics/opponents, including those who are Protestant and/or German American, have always stressed that I am Protestant and German American. I should write about my critics/opponents who are Protestant and/or German American and who have taken the biggest/most adverse actions against me to curry favor with non-Protestants and/or with non-German Americans.)
https://www.wandtv.com/news/statehouse/il-democrats-celebrate-pritzkers-budget-gop-criticize-governor-for-nazi-comparison/article_7b08d028-ef16-11ef-ba5b-efc1d3148209.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Pritzker ended his speech by criticizing the Trump administration and comparing it to when the Nazis attacked marginalized communities. “To sit there and basically be called Nazis, not only Trump but the Republican party, it was disgusting,” House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) said.)

NBC5
— To get more votes from Blacks, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote reparations. Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout at Blacks that Republicans cause all the problems that Blacks have.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/top-videos-home/former-educator-historian-makes-push-for-reparations/3678446/
— President Trump signs executive order to make IVF more affordable (COMMENT: During the 1980s, my Democrat GAO superiors used against me big time my and my wife giving up trying to have children without trying IVF even though they knew full-well that both of us had big fertility problems and that because of that, our doctor had advised against trying IVF. They stressed that IVF was covered by our health insurance and they punished me big time for our not trying IVF. They hinted/implied/argued/shouted that if my wife and I had children, I would not have been able to pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, earn a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, or pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and became a licensed CPA in 1981. I should write about my Democrat GAO superiors. I would focus on those who complained the most about the time and money they spent raising their children.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/top-videos-home/president-trump-signs-executive-order-to-make-ivf-more-affordable/3678347/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— City Council proposal would return Columbus statues to Grant, Arrigo parks. Condemning what he calls “selective censorship,” Ald. Anthony Napolitano also is criticizing the city’s refusal to remove from the city-owned Cultural Center a puppet display titled “U.S.-Israel War Machine.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2025/02/19/columbus-statues-grant-arrigo-park-cultural-center-public-art-gaza-monuments-project-report
— When politics seep into schools, learning becomes harder (COMMENT: Democrat teachers focus on turning their students into good little Democrats.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/02/20/schools-politics-culture-wars-learning-becomes-harder-students-want-comfort-jerald-mcnair

WBEZ
— Chicago’s most marginalized students have almost no shot of getting into CPS’ elite schools (COMMENT: According to Democrat and RINO leaders, a) the more of the following that you are, the more marginalized that you are: liberal/moderate, Democrat, minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, unmarried, poor, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or if your ancestors have not been in America for a long time and b) the more of the following that you are, the more of an oppressor that you are: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, heterosexual, married, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.wbez.org/education/2024/07/09/chicagos-most-marginalized-students-have-almost-no-shot-of-getting-into-cps-elite-schools

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Anticipate/expect that Democrat leaders will ever-increasingly blame Trump for everything that is bad. My critics/opponents ever-increasingly blame me for all of their problems, your problems, my problems, and everyone’s problems. They mainly blame me for all the losses that Republican candidate candidates on ballots in my precinct have suffered. I should write about my critics/opponents and those candidates and the many big adverse actions that they have had their operatives and dupes take against me.
thing that is bad.
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/politics/pritzker-calls-55-2b-budget-responsible-and-balanced-warns-trump-policies-could-upend-it/article_3415cc6c-ef33-11ef-ab69-bf48b8db64d3.html

STATELINE
— IRS plans to lay off 7,000 probationary workers beginning Thursday (COMMENT: I worked for IRS 1971-1980.)
https://www.mystateline.com/news/national/ap-irs-plans-to-lay-off-7000-probationary-workers-beginning-thursday-ap-source-says/

WSIL TV
— Democrats ever-increasingly crow about their success in making children and everyone else sexually active LGBTQers. How much success have Democrats had doing that in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?
https://www.wsiltv.com/news/health/population-identifying-as-lgbtq-in-the-us-has-nearly-doubled-since-2020-poll-finds/article_db540a40-8c28-5949-a7a8-4a96dd9d4432.html

FOX ILLINOIS
— Senate Republicans voice rare dissent after Trump blames Ukraine for Russia’s invasion
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/senate-republicans-voice-rare-dissent-after-trump-blames-ukraine-for-russias-invasion-zelenskyy-american-russian-officials-putin-bipartisan-backlast-chuck-schumer-war

CHICAGO DEFENDER
— Pritzker ‘proud’ to join lawsuit against Trump over federal spending freezes (COMMENT: To get more votes from those who need/want/demand government assistance, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use government to give them more money. How dependent on government spending are those in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?)
https://chicagocrusader.com/pritzker-proud-to-join-lawsuit-against-trump-over-federal-spending-freezes/

BARRINGTON HILLS OBSERVER
— Do Over Scheduled for Meeting to Replace State Senator Dan McConchie
https://barringtonhillsobserver.com/2025/02/20/do-over-scheduled-for-meeting-to-replace-state-senator-dan-mcconchie/

NORTHERN STAR
— Democrats run Illinois. They ever-increasingly use the power that they have to drive Republicans out of Illinois who are conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://northernstar.info/123108/news/pritzker-talks-budget-rise-of-american-authoritarianism-at-state-of-the-state-address/

BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
— City Crews Tear Down Tents At Gompers Park Encampment On One Of Coldest Mornings Of The Year. The Park District said the city was removing “smoke stack components and propane tanks used to heat five, illegal structures” in the park. The rest of the encampment would be spared, they said.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/02/19/city-crews-tear-down-tents-at-gompers-park-encampment-on-one-of-the-coldest-mornings-of-the-year/

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Democrats love Pritzker’s promotion of hate against Trump, that is, Democrats hate Trump. How much success has Pritzker had promoting hate against Trump in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/20/pritzker-packs-a-punch-00205092
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Pritzker used the word “idiot” to describe Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk, and he compared the actions unfolding in Washington to Nazi Germany. The governor isn’t apologizing: He had a whole passage about the Nazis trying to march in Skokie. “I do not invoke the specter of Nazis lightly.” Pritzker said in his speech in the Illinois House chamber, adding he’s “watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now.” In a powerful passage, Pritzker added: “After we’ve discriminated against, deported or disparaged all the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women and the minorities — once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends — After that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face — what comes next?” The whole speech is here. Critics see Pritzker’s address as an effort to fuel his political aspirations, though the governor has denied that even saying so in his speech: “I am not speaking up in service to my ambitions — but in deference to my obligations.” Simply put, the governor told reporters later, he is “passionate” about his belief in the Constitution and sees the Trump administration’s efforts to sidestep that as an attack on Democracy. He’s not going to keep quiet about Trump. . .Latino Caucus lawmakers felt stung learning Pritzker wants to eliminate a healthcare benefit for noncitizen immigrants younger than 65. It’s a program that had huge support from Democrats when it was passed. And members of the Black Caucus wished they had heard the governor mention Black History Month or the importance of the Black community in his speech, noting the governor’s sweeping mention of diversity and equity was fine but not enough.)

CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/20/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-459/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WIREPOINTS
— Pritzker says he is fighting against Nazis in astounding speech
https://wirepoints.org/jb-pritzker-says-he-is-fighting-against-nazis-in-astounding-speech-wirepoints/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: It was supposed to be the annual State of the State and Budget Address, but the most notable segment by far in Gov. J.B Pritzker’s Wednesday speech was what he said about Americans he opposes. That message was deliberate and unequivocal: “I do not invoke the specter of Nazis lightly,” he said after talking about his work building the Holocaust Museum and an earlier Nazi march. “I’m watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now,” Pritzker said, citing President Trump blaming a recent plane crash on diversity hiring and the Missouri Attorney General’s reverse discrimination lawsuit against Starbucks. “The authoritarian playbook is laid bare,” he said. “They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems.” Pritzker continued. “I just have one question. What comes next? All the atrocities of human history lurk in the answer to that question. And if we don’t want to repeat history – then for God’s sake in this moment we better be strong enough to learn from it…. If you think I’m overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this: It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic.” Note that Pritzker’s words weren’t only about Donald Trump. The looming and sinister “they” are the Nazi threat, Pritzker said. The Missouri attorney general is an example. It’s not the first time Pritzker has made such an astonishing charge about so many Americans. Last year, he said all Republican Trump supporters are fascist. “Illinois Democrats have done more in the last five years to push back on the wave of authoritarian, anti-democratic MAGA Republican nonsense than in any other place in the country,” Pritzker said. “Leave it to us to raise the tallest flag in the fight against modern American fascism.” The full text of the relevant part of Pritzker’s speech is below. It’s difficult to imagine words more inflammatory and irresponsible than Pritzker’s. “Nazi” is perhaps the worst conceivable insult, they being tyrannical monsters who slaughtered some 20 million people during World War II and its run-up. How are Pritzker’s words not incitement to violence? To those convinced by Pritzker’s words, would it not be morally right, or even morally imperative, to use violence or even kill those who are bringing Nazism to America? Pritzker’s accusation applies to around half of America, with support growing. A recent CBS poll, for example, found Trump’s job approval rating at 53%. Support is much stronger, as that poll showed, for Trump policies to which Pritzker is most hostile, namely, those  on illegal immigration, deportations and DEI policies (diversity, equity and inclusion). Among other consequences of words as outrageous as Pritzker’s is his loss of credibility on matters that Trump can be reasonably criticized for. There’s no shortage of those. Most Americans, for example, don’t like Trump’s tariff policies, and even Trump’s Republican base doesn’t like his idea for America taking ownership of Gaza. On those and many other matters, Pritzker’s bombast about Nazism dooms him to irrelevance. All hope of constructive input is forfeited. The Trump Administration will laugh him off or perhaps impose reprisals on Illinois. Finally, does Pritzker not know that invoking the Holocaust and comparisons to Nazism must be used sparingly to preserve their impact when true risks arise? Who does Pritzker think benefits from insults like the ones he made? Presumably, he thinks it will help him in the next presidential race, but good luck with that. His speech will help nobody. Not him, his faction of the Democratic Party, the State of Illinois or the United States. Hatred and division help nobody. They are Nazis, he told us.)
— This wasn’t the budget speech that ordinary Illinoisans want to hear. They want tax relief, not more spending.
https://wirepoints.org/this-wasnt-the-budget-speech-that-ordinary-illinoisans-want-to-hear-they-want-tax-relief-not-more-spending-wirepoints-on-the-illinois-radio-network/
— Pritzker declares Lake Michigan is now “Lake Illinois.” The responses are perfect.
https://wirepoints.org/gov-pritzker-declares-lake-michigan-is-now-lake-illinois-the-responses-are-perfect-not-the-bee/

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— State Election Board Vindicates Illinois Review in 6-0 Vote as Mayor Pekau Allies Fail to Silence Conservative Voice
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2025/02/state-election-board-vindicates-illinois-review-in-6-0-vote-as-mayor-pekau-allies-fail-to-silence-conservative-voice.html

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Pritzker’s magic beans: Growing a record-setting $55B Illinois budget
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/pritzkers-magic-beans-growing-a-record-setting-55b-illinois-budget/

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— How much success has Pritzker had promoting hatred against Trump in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct? I anticipate/expect to get a measure of Pritzker’s success when I hand-deliver Republican campaign literature and sample ballots to the 400 residences in my precinct that have at least one Republican or Independent voter for the April 1 election. Anticipate/expect that ever-increasingly, the more demographics that you share with Trump, the more that Pritzker will do to destroy you. Trump is conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, married, Protestant, German American, and his ancestors have been in America for a long time. Anticipate/expect that Pritzker will ever-increasingly focus on destroying those who do not share his demographics with Trump, especially those who are Protestant and/or German American. It is called religious discrimination and national origin discrimination. Are you Protestant? I am. I was baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran. Are you German American? I am. If you are, what do you stress in defense of your national origin? I stress 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. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Are you Protestant? Are you German American? To harm me, my critics/opponents, including those who are Protestant and/or German American, have always stressed that I am Protestant and German American. I should write about my critics/opponents who are Protestant and/or German American and who have taken the biggest/most adverse actions against me to curry favor with non-Protestants and/or with non-German Americans. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What is your position on IVF? During the 1980s, my Democrat GAO superiors used against me big time my and my wife giving up trying to have children without trying IVF even though they knew full-well that both of us had big fertility problems and that because of that, our doctor had advised against trying IVF. They stressed that IVF was covered by our health insurance and they punished me big time for our not trying IVF. They hinted/implied/argued/shouted that if my wife and I had children, I would not have been able to pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, earn a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, or pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and became a licensed CPA in 1981. I should write about my Democrat GAO superiors. I would focus on those who complained the most about the time and money they spent raising their children. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Anticipate/expect that Democrat leaders will ever-increasingly blame Trump for everything that is bad. My critics/opponents ever-increasingly blame me for all of their problems, your problems, my problems, and everyone’s problems. They mainly blame me for all the losses that Republican candidate candidates on ballots in my precinct have suffered. I should write about my critics/opponents and those candidates and the many big adverse actions that they have had their operatives and dupes take against me. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— To get more votes from those who need/want/demand government assistance, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use government to give them more money. How dependent on government spending are those in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Democrats run Illinois. They ever-increasingly use the power that they have to drive Republicans out of Illinois who are conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. – Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Democrat leaders like Duckworth ever-increasingly do everything that they can to turn veterans against Republicans. While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, many, most, and at times, virtually all of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrat veterans. To turn them against me, my Democrat superiors stressed to them that I avoided the Vietnam War draft. They hinted/implied/argued/shouted that if had not avoided the Vietnam War draft, I would not have been able to a) earn a bachelor’s degree in management when I was 21, a master’s degree in business when I was 27, pass the CPA examination on my first attempt when I was 30, earn a master’s degree in accounting when I was 31, and pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt when I was 32; b) buy new cars when I was 19, 20, 23, 25, and 29; c) buy real estate when I was 24, 25, 27, 29, and 35; and d) get married when I was 29. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Did you enlist? I did not. Worse yet, I avoided the Vietnam War draft. Since 1966, my critics/opponents have used that against me. They stress a) that I am a conservative Republican, b) that I was 1-A for the draft, and c) I would not have been sent into combat anyway because I could not run because I had a bone disease, my vision could not be corrected to 20/20, and I had partial red/green color blindness. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What is your position on age discrimination? My Democrat IRS and GAO superiors used up-or-out, that is, they used age discrimination big time to get rid of their Republican employees. They wrote off their Republican employees as being too old to be promoted if they had not made GS-13 (currently $117,807/year) by age 25, GS-14 ($139,211/year) by age 30, GS-15 ($163,749/year) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service ($195,200/year) by age 40. Extremely few federal employees make the aforesaid promotion deadlines. I should write about that. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What are your demographics? According to Democrat and RINO leaders, a) the more of the following that you are, the more marginalized that you are: liberal/moderate, Democrat, minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, unmarried, poor, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or if your ancestors have not been in America for a long time and b) the more of the following that you are, the more of an oppressor that you are: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, heterosexual, married, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— CPAC attendees ecstatic about conservatives’ big wins in the new Trump-era
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/20/cpac-attendees-ecstatic-conservatives-big-wins-new-trump-era/

EPOOCH TIMES
— Trump Loves Idea of Sending Taxpayers Checks Funded by DOGE Savings. The proposal was first floated by businessman James Fishback, who called it a ‘DOGE dividend.’ (COMMENT: To justify its budget requests, GAO always stresses that its audits save the federal government far more tax dollars than its budget requests. SEE: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-107438 )
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-considers-returning-20-percent-of-doge-related-savings-to-americans-5813167
(FROM GAO’s FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET REQUEST: In fiscal year 2023, GAO’s work yielded $70.4 billion in financial benefits. Our average return on investment for the past 6 years is $133 for every $1 invested in GAO. In this testimony before the House Subcommittee on Legislative Branch Appropriations, U.S. Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro discusses GAO’s FY 2025 budget request. Our budget request will enable GAO to continue to meet key areas of importance to the nation and Congress including national security, fraud prevention, science and technology, cybersecurity, and health care costs. These resources will also support GAO’s IT modernization and space optimization efforts.)

FOX NEWS
— Trump signs executive order ending use of taxpayer money to ‘incentivize or support’ illegal immigration. A White House fact sheet said the executive order is to ensure taxes are used to ‘protect the interests of American citizens, not illegal aliens.’
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-signs-executive-order-ending-use-taxpayer-money-incentivize-support-illegal-immigration?lid=q4376bhn4ot7

NEWSMAX
— Democrats Criticize Trump IVF Order as ‘PR Stunt’ (COMMENT: During the 1980s, my Democrat GAO superiors used against me big time my and my wife giving up trying to have children without trying IVF even though they knew full-well that both of us had big fertility problems and that because of that, our doctor had advised against trying IVF. They stressed that IVF was covered by our health insurance and they punished me big time for our not trying IVF. They hinted/implied/argued/shouted that if my wife and I had children, I would not have been able to pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, earn a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, or pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and became a licensed CPA in 1981. I should write about my Democrat GAO superiors. I would focus on those who complained the most about the time and money they spent raising their children.
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/trump-ivf-pr/2025/02/19/id/1199750/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ASSOCIATED PRESS
— To these Black retirees, the federal civil service now under attack was a path to the middle class (COMMENT: According to my critics/opponents, all the federal jobs and promotions that I got should have been given to Blacks instead of me. The Post Office hired me when I was 18 years old in 1966. IRS hired me in 1971 and promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. GAO hired me in 1980 and promoted me in 1986. GAO forced me to retire in 1997 and gave my job and my preferred corner office to my Black subordinate. He had less work experience than I had, less education than I had, one professional certification while I had six, and had no professional license like the one I had.)
https://apnews.com/article/trump-doge-civil-service-race-black-americans-64980891924f179c7395ed7443107ce5

USA TODAY
— Are you a fired federal employee? Here are resources to help you get back on your feet. (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors not only wasted my career, took many adverse actions against me, and forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, they did everything that they could to stop me from getting a job appropriate for my work experience, professional certifications, and professional license. Their success in doing that drove me into Republican politics. I became a Republican Precinct Committeeman in 1999, the GOPUSA Illinois Editor in 2000, an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member in 2001, an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member in 2003, the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman in 2005, the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and fireworks in 2005, etc.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2025/02/17/what-to-do-lost-federal-government-job-resources/78976164007/

SACRAMENTO BEE
— Number of studio apartments has doubled in Sacramento region in last decade. ‘We do sacrifice’ (COMMENT: I bought a studio condo in the Outer Drive East building when I was 25 years old in 1974. I lived in it weekdays until 1976 when I traded it in to the building’s developer for a one bedroom condo. During that time, I waked to/from my IRS job in Loop and graduate evening business courses at Loyola. I spent weekends in my townhome in University Park that I had bought in 1972.)
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article298981875.html

STARS AND STRIPES
— ‘On the backs of veterans’: Senators rail against federal workforce purge as vets hit hard by cuts (COMMENT: While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, many, most, and at times, virtually all of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrat veterans. To turn them against me, my Democrat superiors stressed to them that I avoided the Vietnam War draft. They hinted/implied/argued/shouted that if had not avoided the Vietnam War draft, I would not have been able to a) earn a bachelor’s degree in management when I was 21, a master’s degree in business when I was 27, pass the CPA examination on my first attempt when I was 30, earn a master’s degree in accounting when I was 31, and pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt when I was 32; b) buy new cars when I was 19, 20, 23, 25, and 29; c) buy real estate when I was 24, 25, 27, 29, and 35; and d) get married when I was 29.)
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2025-02-19/veterans-federal-firings-trump-musk-16888063.html

C-SPAN
— VP Vance & Republicans Deliver Remarks at CPAC
https://www.c-span.org/event/public-affairs-event/vp-vance-republicans-deliver-remarks-at-cpac/431061
— Democrats run Illinois. They ever-increasingly use the power that they have to drive Republicans out of Illinois who are conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.c-span.org/clip/state-legislature/illinois-governor-pritzker-warns-against-threats-to-american-democracy-in-state-of-the-state-address/5154061

NBC NEWS
— Democrats run Illinois. They ever-increasingly use the power that they have to drive Republicans out of Illinois who are conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.nbcnews.com/video/illinois-gov-jb-pritzker-warns-against-authoritarianism-in-address-232454725674

BARRON’S
— CPAC: American Conservatives Gather To Savor Trump’s Triumph
https://www.barrons.com/news/american-conservatives-gather-to-savor-trump-s-triumph-468d4b89

360 LAW
— Chicago’s Art Institute School Hit With Age Bias Claims (COMMENT: My Democrat IRS and GAO superiors used up-or-out, that is, they used age discrimination big time to get rid of their Republican employees. They wrote off their Republican employees as being too old to be promoted if they had not made GS-13 (currently $117,807/year) by age 25, GS-14 ($139,211/year) by age 30, GS-15 ($163,749/year) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service ($195,200/year) by age 40. Extremely few federal employees make the aforesaid promotion deadlines. I should write about that.)
https://www.law360.com/employment-authority/wage-hour/articles/2299888/chicago-s-art-institute-school-hit-with-age-bias-claims

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
— Amnesty International sides with countries that send their citizens into America to destroy America.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/02/the-right-to-seek-asylum-does-not-exist-at-u-s-mexico-border/

COMPASS
— FOR SALE: 1000 Delles Road, Wheaton – $889,000
https://www.compass.com/listing/1000-delles-road-wheaton-il-60189/1776211843058275473/
— FOR SALE: 1044 Golf Lane, Wheaton – $1.075,000
https://www.compass.com/listing/1044-golf-lane-wheaton-il-60189/1258102091755862113/
— FOR SALE: 1011 Penny Lane, Wheaton – $1,139,000
https://www.compass.com/listing/1011-penny-lane-wheaton-il-60189/1779055728122503841/

February 14, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Trump administration begins mass layoffs across multiple federal agencies (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, the agency ever-increasingly shrank because of Republican-led budget cuts. My Democrat GAO superiors ever-increasingly punished me for that. I was one of the last Republicans who GAO hired. GAO audits IRS. The Democrats who ran GAO in 1980 let me transfer from IRS when I was 31 years old, but only if I took a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars. They could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, younger person, or veteran who would take the job. My qualifications included having a) passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, b) almost completed the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul, c) earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976, and d) worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year. To further punish me for Republican-led budget cuts, my Democrat GAO superiors a) delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, and forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/trump-administration-begins-mass-layoffs-multiple-federal-agencies-sources/15903559/

NBC5
— Local businesses concerned about DEI rollbacks as Illinois AG releases guidance (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO employers use DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/top-videos-home/local-businesses-concerned-about-dei-rollbacks-as-illinois-ag-releases-guidance/3674153/

FOX32
— Trump’s Illinois approval rating: New poll sheds light on president’s favorability (COMMENT: How strongly do the following approve of Trump: a) the leaders of the Illinois Republican Party and your Republican county, township, and ward party organizations, b) the Republican leaders of your county, township, municipality, and school district, c) the Republican candidates on the April 1 ballot in your precinct, and d) your Republican Precinct Committeeman?)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/trump-illinois-approval-rating-new-poll
(FROM THE ARTICLE: President Donald Trump’s approval rating in Illinois stands at 45%, slightly higher than his election day numbers. Trump’s support grew in suburban Cook County and the collar counties but remained steady in Chicago. The poll highlights a gender gap and varied opinions on Trump’s early policy moves.)
— Durbin slams RFK Jr. as ‘unqualified, unfit, and dangerous’ after health secretary confirmation
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-senator-slams-rfk-jr-unqualified-unfit-dangerous-health-secretary

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Brandon Johnson, brooking no diversity of opinion, summons his inner Donald Trump. Chicago’s mayor is taking precisely the wrong lessons from his administrative failures
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/14/editorial-brandon-johnson-donald-trump-loyalty/
— Democrats ever-increasingly use DEI to get rid of Republicans
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/14/opinion-dei-trump-administration-free-speech/
— Reader: Illinois should follow President Donald Trump’s example and cut the waste (COMMENT: Democrats and RINOs oppose cutting government waste because Democrats and RINOs benefit from government waste. Democrats and RINOs do not want Republicans like me to fight government waste. GAO fights government waste. I would not have survived as a GAO Analyst for almost 18 years 1980-1997 if I had not a) earned master’s degrees in business in 1976, in accounting in 1980, and in finance in 1997, b) passed on my first attempt the CPA examination in 1979 and the Certified Internal Auditor examination in 1981, c) became a licensed CPA in 1981, d) became a Certified Fraud Examiner in 1990, Government Financial Manager in 1994, Financial Services Auditor in 1996, and Forensic Accountant in 1997, and e) worked for IRS for almost 9 years 1971-1980, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/13/letters-021325/
— Mayor Johnson’s public food market idea leaves us hungry for details
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/13/editorial-mayor-johnsons-public-market-idea-leaves-us-hungry-for-details/
— What to know about the federal workforce under President Trump (COMMENT: GAO did not unionize until 2007. If GAO had been unionized in 1997, I might still be a GAO employee.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/13/president-trump-federal-workforce-explainer/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The civilian federal workforce, not including military personnel and postal workers, comprises about 2.4 million people. While a chunk of federal workers, about 20%, are in Washington, D.C., and the neighboring states of Maryland and Virginia, more than 80% are distributed outside the region. . .Civil servants are the vast majority of federal workers. They’re generally hired through an application process and have strong protections once in their positions. Political appointees, who number roughly 4,000, serve at the discretion of the president and can be dismissed at will by the chief executive. . .“Civil servants tend to be in their jobs as careers, some of them for decades,” said Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who worked in President Bill Clinton’s Democratic administration when about 426,000 federal jobs were cut over more than eight years in a deliberative effort aimed at reinventing government. . .It’s not easy to fire the vast majority of federal workers — they have considerable job security with a long legal history. Federal employees who are not political appointees have strong protections designed to prevent political whims from clearing out the workforce. The protections have grown over time, under leadership of both major political parties. “The president definitely has his work cut out for him,” said Donald Kettl, a professor emeritus and former dean of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. Federal workers are entitled to due process, which means they can challenge disciplinary actions through a formal process. They have to be notified of the allegations against them and allowed to respond and present their side. “You have to build a record to fire somebody, and that doesn’t often happen,” Kamarck said. . .Federal workers have union representation, but, unlike those of many industries, they do not have the power to strike. Federal workers also can’t bargain over pay, because salaries are set in law. Federal unions can bargain over working conditions and basic protections for their members. Recently, unions have battled over remote working conditions, which they’ve successfully bargained for in the past and Trump is working to sharply reduce. “There also are some limits about what they can bargain over, so, for example, they can’t bargain over what the policy of their agency is,” Super said. “That’s a matter for the political process to work out, but they can bargain for things that affect workers on their jobs and their well-being.”)
— Trump administration begins sweeping layoffs with probationary workers, warns of larger cuts to come (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors and supervisors were furious that they could not use probationary employee procedures to get rid of me because I had already survived my probationary period when I worked for IRS.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/13/trump-administration-lays-off-probationary-workers/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump, pensions, health care among pressure points as Gov. JB Pritzker crafts state budget. Uncertainty in federal funding under President Donald Trump’s administration has made a tough state budget season even more difficult for Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois Democrats who control Springfield.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/springfield/2025/02/14/jb-pritzker-budget-proposal-donald-trump
— Aviation, COPA chiefs out after Johnson vows to purge disloyal staff (COMMENT: My critics/opponents demand blind loyalty and destroy those like me who they cannot manipulate or dominate, who refuse to glorify and praise them, who refuse to pander to them, who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, who refuse to coverup their wrongdoing, and/or who refuse to give them money.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2025/02/13/aviation-commissioner-retiring-jamie-rhee-ohare-midway-mayor-brandon-johnson-clean-house

DAILY HERALD
— EDITORIAL: Removing Henry Hyde’s name from Wheaton courthouse feels petty. Because it is.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250213/editorials/daily-herald-opinion-removing-henry-hydes-name-from-wheaton-courthouse-feels-petty-because-it-is/
— Elgin moves to ban sale of THC products (COMMENT: Money spent on THC products, booze, gambling, prostitution, and other vices is money not spent on pot.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250213/news/elgin-moves-to-ban-sale-of-thc-products/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use illegals and students to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250213/news/this-is-a-safe-environment-amid-fears-of-deportation-sweeps-schools-work-to-protect-students/

CARROLL COUNTY NEWS
— Early voting begins for April 1 election (COMMENT: What offices are on the April 1 ballot in your precinct? Who are the candidates? Which ones are Republican?)
https://www.mycarrollcountynews.com/news/article_b1cc4bac-ea21-11ef-a282-2ff1c3444292.html

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— The more demographics that voters have who vote for Republicans, the more that Democrats and RINOs discriminate against those voters. Demographics that vote for Republicans include: conservative, White, male, older, Protestant, German American, and have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-given-christianitys-dominance-in-us-trump-raises-eyebrows-with-anti-christian-bias-initiative/

NPR ILLINOIS
— Trump administration was set to purchase $400 million worth of armored Teslas
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-12/trump-administration-was-set-to-purchase-400-million-worth-of-armored-teslas
— Trump hired Musk as a special federal employee. Here is what that means. (COMMENT: I was just a regular federal employee. But notwithstanding tremendous efforts by my Democrat superiors to waste my career and to get rid of me, I survived for almost 18 years and got promoted to GS-13 Step 10, currently $153,151 year.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-13/trump-hired-musk-as-a-special-government-employee-heres-what-that-means
— Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, homelessness will ever-increasingly increase.
https://www.nprillinois.org/illinois/2025-02-13/statewide-counting-the-unhoused
— A federal worker tried to take Trump’s ‘Fork’ resignation offer. Here’s what happened
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-14/a-federal-worker-tried-to-take-trumps-fork-resignation-offer-heres-what-happened
— Immigration poll shows growing support for restrictions, but deep divisions remain (COMMENT: Democrats want immigrants because immigrants vote for Democrats. RINOs want immigrants because RINOs want cheap labor.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-14/immigration-poll-shows-growing-support-for-restrictions-but-deep-divisions-remain

NPR ILLINOIS & WEEK
— As Chicago strengthens immigrant protections, downstate officials split on sanctuary laws (COMMENT: Ever-increasingly, according to Democrat leaders, those who are the following are discriminated against by Republicans and protected by Democrats: liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, unmarried, LGBTQ, non-rich, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, in America illegally, boozers, gamblers, stoners, criminals, etc.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/illinois/2025-02-13/as-chicago-strengthens-immigrant-protections-downstate-officials-split-on-sanctuary-laws
https://www.25newsnow.com/2025/02/13/chicago-strengthens-immigrant-protections-downstate-officials-split-sanctuary-laws/

WAND TV
— Attorney General Raoul joins coalition proving DEI guidance for businesses (COMMENT: To promote DEI is to promote discrimination.)
https://www.wandtv.com/news/attorney-general-raoul-joins-coalition-proving-guidance-for-businesses-on-diversity-and-inclusion/article_7d3937ce-ea3f-11ef-8955-0341fccb6b8c.html

RUSS STEWART
— DEMOCRATS BESEECH SEN. DURBIN: TIME TO STEP ASIDE IN 2026
http://www.russstewart.com/articles/2025/01-29-25.html

CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/14/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-456/
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/13/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-248/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Ever-increasing, when push comes to shove, Democrats and RINOs make it clear that they are anti-conservative, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-Protestant, anti-German American, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

WIREPOINTS
— Chicago Public Schools is so corrupted, both morally and financially, that it begs for an intervention like DOGE
https://wirepoints.org/chicago-public-schools-is-so-corrupted-both-morally-and-financially-that-it-begs-for-an-intervention-like-doge-wirepoints-on-wls-ramblin-ray-show/

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Illinois State Corporate Tax Rate Second Highest in the Nation, How the Personal Property Tax Made It So and How It Could Have Been (and Still Could Be) Different?
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/13/illinois-state-corporate-tax-rate-second-highest-in-the-nation-how-the-personal-property-tax-made-it-so-and-how-it-could-have-been-and-still-could-be-different/
— Crystal Lake Grade School District Follows Cary’s Lead on Possible Contacts with ICE
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/13/crystal-lake-grade-school-district-follows-carys-lead-on-possible-contacts-with-ice/
— DuPage Appearance of Lara Trump Sponsored by McHenry County GOPAC
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/13/dupage-appearance-of-lara-trump-sponsored-by-mchenry-county-gopac/
— Movie Tentatively Titled “The Lottery” Being Shot in McHenry County
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/13/movie-tentatively-titled-the-lottery-being-shot-in-mchenry-county/
— Reick Explains Attack on Home Schooling, Plus Private Schools
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/13/reick-explains-attack-on-home-schooling-plus-private-schools/
— Salvi Name Still Potent in Northwest Suburbs, But Joe Salvi No Longer Seeking the Senate Appointment
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/13/salvi-name-still-potent-in-northwest-suburbs/
— Madigan Loses $13,170 Monthly Pension
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/13/madigan-loses-13170-monthly-pension/
— Three McHenry County Nursing Homes Fined by Illinois Public Health Department
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/13/three-mchenry-county-nursing-homes-fined-by-illinois-public-health-department/
— Chinese Companies Indicted for Trade Secret Theft from Aurora Company
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/13/chinese-companies-indicted-for-trade-secret-theft-from-aurora/
— $1.5 Million Food Stamp, that is, SNAP Fraud
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/13/1-5-million-food-stamp-that-is-snap-fraud/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump’s spending pause exposes extreme reach of federal government. Uncle Sam pays for up to 40% of states’ expenses. (COMMENT: To what extent are those in the following dependent on government spending: your county, your township, your municipality, your school district, and your precinct?)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/13/trump-spending-pause-exposes-extreme-reach-federal/

NEW YOR POST
— AOC shares tips on how illegal immigrants can evade ICE: ‘Do not open your door’
https://nypost.com/2025/02/13/us-news/aoc-shares-tips-on-how-illegal-immigrants-can-evade-ice-do-not-open-your-door/

BREITBART
— Former GAO Head David Walker: What DOGE Is Doing ‘Needs to Be Done,’ But Needs More Transparency (COMMENT: Who does Trump want the next head of GAO to be? Walker headed GAO 1998-2008. Walker could have, but he did not a) rescind GAO’s forcing me to retire in 1997 or b) settle Diersen v. GAO. Therefore, Walker further promoted patronage, political affiliation, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination in GAO.)
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2025/02/12/fmr-gao-head-what-doge-is-doing-needs-to-be-done-but-needs-more-transparency/
— New York ‘Doing Everything They Should Do’ by Tipping Off Illegals
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2025/02/13/hispanic-caucus-chair-new-york-doing-everything-they-should-do-by-tipping-off-illegals/
— New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D): ‘We Need’ Illegals Who Haven’t Committed Further Crimes, ‘That Is Part of Who We Are’ (COMMENT: To come into a country illegally and/or to stay in a country illegally is to demonstrate gross disrespect for the rule of law and for that country. Of course, illegals say that under Biden’s policies, they came into America “legally” and/or that they are staying in America “legally.”)
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2025/02/14/adams-we-need-illegals-who-havent-committed-further-crimes-that-is-part-of-who-we-are/
— Hegseth: Woke Generals ‘Will Have a Different Job in Due Time’
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/13/exclusive-defense-secretary-pete-hegseth-woke-generals-have-different-job/

EPOCH TIMES
— IRS to Be Audited by DOGE. IRS collects trillions in taxes. (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO leaders do not want Republicans to audit IRS. I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO on audits of the Democrats who ran IRS for 3 years 1986-1988 while I was at the GS-13 Step 1-3 Levels, currently $117,807-$125,661/year. I had worked for the Democrats who ran IRS for almost 9 years 1971-1980, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year. I agreed to take a $23,472/year pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer, that is, a downgrade from GS-12 Step 5 to GS-9 Step 10, because the Republican GAO Staff Manager (Bill) who had arranged the transfer promised me that he would assign me to audits of IRS and that he would rapidly promote me back to GS-12 Step 5 and then to GS-13. But my Democrat GAO superiors immediately replaced Bill with a nasty/vicious Democrat Staff Manager (Dave) who despised Republicans and especially Republicans who shared my demographics. Dave kept me off audits of IRS, gave me bad job assignments and unfair performance expectations and appraisals, and delayed my promotions back to GS-12 Step 5. But then, in 1985, Dave had to have major heart surgery and go on extended sick leave because of his heavy drinking. That enabled Bill to assign me to audits of IRS and to promote me to GS-13 in 1986. But then, Dave came back from sick leave and a) forced Bill to retire in 1987, b) threw me off audits of IRS in late 1988, c) gave me an extremely bad job assignment and unfair performance expectations and appraisal in 1989, and d) ranked me at the bottom of my coworkers for pay-for-performance (PFP) purposes in 1989. But thankfully,  Dave’s efforts to get rid of me moderated because my Congressman Henry Hyde came to my defense. But Dave nevertheless succeeded in a) keeping me off audits of IRS for the rest of my GAO career, b) always ranking me in the bottom of my coworkers for PFP, and c) forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. If Dave had not taken the aforesaid adverse actions against me that he did, I would have always been assigned to audits of IRS and I would have been promoted to GS-13 sooner and then to GS-14, currently $139,211-$180,974/year, and then to GS-15, currently $163,749-$195,200/year, and then to Senior Executive Service, currently $195,200/year.)
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/irs-to-be-audited-by-doge-trump-says-5809719
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The IRS will be audited by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), President Donald Trump said on Feb. 13. “The Internal Revenue Service will be looked at like everybody else,” Trump told reporters at the White House in Washington. He said that just about every federal agency will be examined by DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk. “They’re doing a hell of a job. It’s an amazing job they’re doing,” Trump said. “I call it the force of super-geniuses, but it’s building, and you know they go up, and they talk to some of the people about certain deals, and they get all tongue-tied because these people get it. They’re very smart people. We need smart people.” The IRS declined to comment on the remarks. Trump was responding to a question about how DOGE reportedly arrived at the IRS on Thursday and whether he wanted to close the IRS. Trump said he did not expect the IRS, which is currently processing 2024 taxes, to be shuttered. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said on social media platform X, owned by Musk, that his office has heard that DOGE is at the IRS. “That means Musk’s henchmen are in a position to dig through a trove of data about every taxpayer in America. And if your refund is delayed, they could very well be the reason,” Wyden said. After DOGE accessed U.S. Department of Treasury payment systems earlier in the year, a group of Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives wrote to the acting IRS commissioner asking what confidential information DOGE had requested from the IRS and how many taxpayers had had their confidential information accessed by DOGE. Separately on Thursday, senior IRS executives were instructed to identify all contracts that were nonessential for termination, according to an internal email. The email said that the General Services Administration (GSA), which manages most government contracts, is demanding they review consulting contracts under their purview and determine whether they can be justified. The GSA deems a contract nonessential if it “merely generates a report, research, coaching, or an artifact,” the email says. “Consistent with the goals and directives of the Trump administration to eliminate waste, reduce spending, and increase efficiency, GSA has taken the first steps in a government-wide initiative to eliminate non-essential consulting contracts.” The GSA did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.)

FEDERALIST
— Advocating For Asylum Seekers Made Me Less Sympathetic To Illegal Migrants
https://thefederalist.com/2025/02/14/advocating-for-asylum-seekers-made-me-less-sympathetic-to-illegal-migrants/

NATIONAL REVIEW
— AOC Webinar Teaches Illegal Immigrants How to Avoid ICE Deportation
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/aoc-webinar-teaches-illegal-immigrants-how-to-avoid-ice-deportation/

REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— Homan: “AOC Is Going To Be In Trouble Now” For Delivering Webinar On How Illegals Can Evade ICE Apprehension
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/02/13/tom_homan_aoc_is_going_to_be_in_trouble_now_for_delivering_webinar_on_how_illegals_can_evade_ice_apprehension.html

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CNN
— RAHM EMANUEL JOINS CNN
https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2025/02/13/rahm-emanuel-joins-cnn-as-senior-political-and-global-affairs-commentator/

REUTERS
— Thousands fired in US government as Trump, Musk purge federal workers (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, the agency ever-increasingly shrank because of Republican-led budget cuts. My Democrat GAO superiors ever-increasingly punished me for that. I was one of the last Republicans who GAO hired. GAO audits IRS. The Democrats who ran GAO in 1980 let me transfer from IRS when I was 31 years old, but only if I took a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars. They could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, younger person, or veteran who would take the job. My qualifications included having a) passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, b) almost completed the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul, c) earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976, and d) worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year. To further punish me for Republican-led budget cuts, my Democrat GAO superiors a) delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, and forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.)
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/mass-firings-federal-workers-begin-trump-musk-purge-us-government-2025-02-13/

CBS NEWS
— U.S. is deporting African and Asian migrants to Panama in diplomatic breakthrough
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-deportations-panama-african-asian-migrants/

NEW YORK TMES
— Democrats say “Trump Wants to Destroy All Academia, Not Just the Woke Parts.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/opinion/trump-college-academia-woke.html

USA TODAY
— Musk, Trump degrade federal workers as they put them out of work. It’s sadistic. (COMMENT: What is your opinion of federal employees? From what I see, employers and just about everyone else have a negative opinion of past, present, and future federal employees. I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/02/12/elon-musk-donald-trump-federal-workers-jobs-cruelty/78428472007/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Trump’s EEOC Firing Will Likely Prevail in Court. The justices’ precedents imply that he has the power to dismiss officials of ‘independent’ agencies. (COMMENT: How has EEOC impacted you? I became an IRS Revenue Officer when I was 22 years old in 1971 because my Firestone Store boss had rudely fired me. He did that because I had told him that I had accepted a job offer from Oldsmobile. But Oldsmobile withdrew that job offer saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint.)
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/youre-fired-trump-says-the-justices-will-likely-agree-officials-dismissed-supreme-court-precedent-9b40b529
— Trump Layoffs Push Federal Workers Into Tough Job Hunt. Companies have pulled back on white-collar hiring, limiting options for government workers. (COMMENT: What is your opinion of federal employees? From what I see, employers and just about everyone else have a negative opinion of past, present, and future federal employees. I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years.)
https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/federal-workers-jobs-doge-37b761cd
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Trump administration’s effort to slash the federal workforce is pushing employees into a challenging job market, where their age and lack of corporate experience can hold them back. Federal workers are also facing an environment where hiring for white-collar jobs has slowed. Despite the availability of state and local government jobs, many of these positions take place outside offices and aren’t a good match for federal workers’ experience.)

FORBES
— Jamie Dimon Reportedly Says He’ll Cut Some ‘Stupid’ DEI Costs At JPMorgan Chase (COMMENT: If Affirmative Action and DEI had been implemented earlier/faster, Dimon would have made to where he is now.)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/02/13/jamie-dimon-reportedly-says-hell-cut-some-stupid-dei-costs-at-jpmorgan-chase-here-are-all-the-companies-rolling-back-dei/

FORTUNE
— Democrat and RINO employers use DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://fortune.com/2025/02/14/companies-rolling-back-changing-dei-meta-target-fortune-500-diversity-equity-inclusion-policies/

HUFFINGTON POST
— Ever-increasingly, since the 1960s, the Democrats who run the federal government have used Affirmative Action and DEI a) to hire, retain, and promote Democrats who are minority, female, and/or younger and b) to get rid of their Republican employees who are White, male, and/or older.
https://www.aol.com/trump-trying-federal-workforce-whiter-003612069.html

ECONOMIC TIMES & NDTV
— “Will Take Back Verified Illegals”: PM Modi On Illegal Immigrants | PM Modi’s US Visit (COMMENT: How many of those who are in America illegally share you national origin?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqg2zhKkSUo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSm7bjhqMMA

INDIA TODAY
— Impact of US immigration raids on Indians: What visa applicants need to know. Many Indians planning to relocate to the United States have been left anxious after Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegals. As deportation of undocumented immigrants continues, here’s how people applying for work visas can avoid complications.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/impact-of-us-immigration-raids-on-indians-what-visa-applicants-need-to-know-2679998-2025-02-14

GUARDIAN
— Trump administration sparks outcry as it continues to gut federal workforce. Major union as well as federal worker advocacy group condemn moves to fire probationary employees as thousands told to leave.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/feb/14/trump-musk-federal-government-layoffs-jd-vance-ukraine-latest

February 12, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Mike Madigan found guilty on 10 counts in partial verdict, not guilty on 7 counts. Republicans, Democrats denounce corruption that brought Madigan down.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/mike-madigan-news-jury-illinois-house-speaker-corruption-trial-reaches-consensus-17-charges-deadlocked-6-others/15897869/
— Senate confirms Gabbard as Trump’s director of national intelligence after Republicans fall in line
https://abc7chicago.com/post/tulsi-gabbard-senate-votes-nomination-trumps-director-national-intelligence/15897871/

FOX32
— Pat Brady reacts to Madigan’s guilty verdict
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1592230

WTTW
— Judge Clears Way for Donald Trump’s Plan to Downsize Federal Workforce With Deferred Resignation Program
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/12/judge-clears-way-donald-trump-s-plan-downsize-federal-workforce-deferred-resignation

WBEZ
— PBS shutters DEI office. The public broadcaster says it is closing its Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) office to comply with a recent executive order from President Donald Trump.
https://www.wbez.org/media/2025/02/12/pbs-shutters-dei-office

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Reader: Removing late Rep. Henry Hyde’s name from DuPage courthouse is ‘terrible and petty’
https://chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-the-editor/2025/02/12/removing-henry-hyde-name-dupage-courthouse-wrong-blagojevich-donald-trump-suenos-ymca

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Michael Madigan guilty of bribery conspiracy, wire fraud
https://chicago.suntimes.com/madigan-trial-news/2025/02/12/mike-madigan-trial-jury-deliberation-write-through

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Madigan jury sends a message — to all of America
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/michael-madigan-jury-sends-message-ethics-greg-hinz

KWQC
— Illinois GOP leader McCombie said Madigan’s guilty verdict ‘sober day’ for state
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx98bYXzi4A

NPR ILLINOIS
— Pritzker emerging as one of Trump’s most vocal Democratic critics
https://www.nprillinois.org/illinois/2025-02-12/pritzker-emerging-as-one-of-trumps-most-vocal-democratic-critics

FOX ILLINOIS
— White House ‘not satisfied’ with number of ICE arrests
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/white-house-not-satisfied-with-number-of-ice-arrests-illegal-immigration-customs-enforcement-migrants-president-donald-trump-sanctuary-cities-white-house-border-czar-tom-homan-sex-trafficking-ring-gang-tren-de-aragua-gangs

CAPITOL FAX
— Roundup: Madigan, McClain trial verdict
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/12/roundup-madigan-mcclain-trial-verdict/
— Madigan/McClain verdict react (Updated)
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/12/madigan-verdict-react/
— Madigan/McClain trial verdict cheat sheet
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/12/madiganmcclain-trial-verdict-cheat-sheet/
— Madigan jury has come to a unanimous decision on 17 counts, deadlocked on 12 counts
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/12/madigan-jury-has-come-to-a-unanimous-decision-on-17-counts-impasse-on-12-counts/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WHEATON RECORD
— Alumni Sign Letter of Complaint After Vought Controversy. Social media posts congratulating Russell Vought on his new position with the Trump administration sparked controversy.
https://thewheatonrecord.com/2025/02/12/alumni-vought-controversy/

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Illinois House GOP demands ethics reforms after Madigan guilty verdicts
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_201ead3e-e97d-11ef-a7f8-3b73f27018ea.html

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— My Wife Bought Champagne When Investigation of Madigan Began Pledging Not to Open It Until He Was Convicted, Now’s the Time
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/my-wife-bought-champagne-when-investigation-of-madigan-began-pledging-not-to-open-it-until-he-was-convicted/
— Press Release from U.S. Attorney on Mike Madigan Conviction
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/press-release-from-u-s-attorney-on-mike-madigan-conviction/
— House Republicans Point to Suzanne Ness’ Huge Contributions from Mike Madigan
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/house-republicans-point-to-suzanne-ness-huge-contributions-from-mike-madigan/
— Schakowsky Outlines District Impact of Social Security Expansion Law Giving Higher Retirement Benefits to Government Employees
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/schakowsky-outlines-impact-of-social-security-expansion-law-giving-higher-retirement-benefits-to-government-employees/
— Election Cartoon
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/election-cartoon/
— February 21st Is Day Lara Trump Speaking at McHenry County GOPAC Event
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/february-21st-is-day-lara-trump-speaking-at-mchenry-county-gopac-event/
— About the Proposed Commuter Service to Rockford through Huntley
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/about-the-proposed-commuter-service-to-rockford-through-huntley/
— LaHood Criticizes Blagojevich Pardon
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/lahood-criticizes-blagojevich-pardon/
— Wilcox Files Domestic Abuse Bill
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/wilcox-files-domestic-abuse-bill/
— Trump Pardon of Blagojevich Minimizes Problem with Illinois Corruption
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/trump-pardon-of-blagojevich-minimizes-problem-with-illinois-corruption/
— Challenges to FOID Card Requirement’s Constitutionality Continue
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/challenges-to-foid-card-requirements-constitutionality-continue/
— Schakowsky Demonstrates at Treasury Department
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/schakowsky-demonstrates-at-treasury-department/
— Former State Rep. DeLoris Doederlein Honored by Kane County Republicans
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/10/former-state-rep-deloris-doederlein-honored-by-kane-county-republicans/
— DeWitte Outlines Latest on Illegal Aliens
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/10/dewitte-outlines-latest-on-illegal-aliens/
— Schakowsky Defends Federal Employees
www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/10/schakowsky-defends-federal-employees/
— Illinois Compared to Indiana
https://https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/09/illinois-compared-to-indiana/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— The Associated Press exposes its hate for Trump … again
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/12/associated-press-exposes-hate-trump/
— U.S. government employees overwhelmingly back Democrats. In politics, nothing indicates loyalty more than where people put their money. (COMMENT: While I was a federal employee for almost 30 years, virtually all my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/11/u-government-employees-overwhelmingly-back-democra/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The federal workforce has become an integral part of the Democratic Party power structure, rivaling the liberal mainstream media, billionaire donors and the activist nonprofits they fund as its most important political ally. This is why Democrats are proclaiming a guerrilla street revolution. They want to stop President Trump and point man Elon Musk from downsizing their army and from surgically removing liberal agenda offices, agencies and leaders — a force it took Democrats years to put into place. Mr. Musk immediately targeted the U.S. Agency for International Development and its exporting of woke ideologies. Federal election records show that USAID personnel contributed $240,000 to the Kamala Harris campaign in the 2024 election cycle and just $999 to Mr. Trump. Of USAID’s top 20 funded candidates, just one was a Republican. President Biden used executive orders to open the southern border to drug cartel-smuggled migrants, to rewrite Title IX for men in women’s sports and to repay students’ delinquent loans without congressional approval. Democrats cheered. They warn Mr. Trump not to downsize the U.S. government, as our national debt reaches $36 trillion, or we’ll impeach him again. OpenSecrets.org, which tracks campaign donations, shows that government workers bankroll Democrats in large ratios. In politics, nothing indicates loyalty more than where people put their money. Employees in the government’s 15 Cabinet-level departments, such as Defense, State and Justice, contributed over $9 million to candidate Harris compared with $1.6 million to Mr. Trump. Looking at federal employees collectively would put them in the top 12 of Harris donors. “One of the reasons the left gravitates to the bureaucracies is because they know it allows them to exercise unaccountable power,” Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, told me. His group has uncovered government misconduct by aggressively pursuing Freedom of Information Act lawsuits. Mr. Fitton added, “History shows effective conservative government reformers will be targeted, isolated, harassed, smeared and destroyed. And public employee unions necessarily have an interest in bigger government, which means they are allied with and support leftist and Democratic Party politicians.” For example, when IRS whistleblowers came forward to testify about Mr. Biden’s family corruption, agency higher-ups smashed them. Special Agents Joe Ziegler and Gary Shapley testified to the House Ways and Means Committee in 2023 that the Justice Department blocked their probe of Hunter Biden into income tax fraud. In December, the Office of Special Counsel, an independent agency that protects against whistleblower reprisals, concluded that the two were the victims of illegal gag orders and workplace retaliations by top IRS officials. IRS employees donated $644,000 to Democrats and $135,000 to Republicans in the 2024 election cycle.)
— ‘Reverse flow’: Illegal immigrants streaming back home after being blocked by Trump’s border
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/12/reverse-flow-illegal-immigrants-streaming-back-hom/

NEW YORK POST
— Trump says he wants ‘con job’ Education Department closed ‘immediately’
https://nypost.com/2025/02/12/us-news/trump-says-he-would-like-education-department-closed-immediately-but-needs-buy-in-from-congress-unions/
— DOJ announces lawsuit against New York, Hochul and state AG James over ‘sanctuary’ status
https://nypost.com/2025/02/12/us-news/attorney-general-pam-bondi-announces-doj-lawsuit-against-new-york-hochul-and-state-ag-james-over-sanctuary-status/
— Federal judge allows Trump to push forward with buyouts for government workers after 65K accept offers
https://nypost.com/2025/02/12/us-news/federal-judge-allows-trump-to-push-forward-with-buyouts-for-government-workers/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CBS NEWS
— Attorney General Pam Bondi announces lawsuit against New York over immigration enforcement
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/attorney-general-pam-bondi-immigration-enforcement/
— Judge allows Trump’s deferred resignations plan for federal workers to proceed
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/judge-allows-trumps-deferred-resignations-plan-federal-workers-to-proceed/

CNN
— Government watchdogs fired by Trump sue to get their jobs back
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/12/politics/inspector-general-lawsuit-fired-trump
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Eight inspectors general whom Donald Trump fired from their federal agency watchdog posts are suing for their jobs back, adding to the legal scrutiny over Trump’s first weeks of decisions in the White House and raising questions about his political intentions. They say that Trump shouldn’t have been able to fire them in late January without first notifying Congress and that the White House ignored regulations around their removal that existed to protect them from political interference and retribution. The administration’s “actions have inflicted substantial damage on the critical oversight ethos of transparency, truth-telling without fear or favor, and respect for the rule of law,” the lawsuit, filed in Washington, DC’s federal court on Wednesday, states. The lawsuit is the latest among more than four dozen filed in federal courts to challenge swift, early executive actions by the Trump administration. Many of the lawsuits, like Wednesday’s, allege that Trump’s White House is depriving Congress of some of its power. The IG’s case adds to a pile of challenges from government workers the Trump administration has removed from various posts — especially those in independent or non-political roles. The dismissals also raise questions over Trump and temporary government adviser Elon Musk’s adversarial approach to existing, long-established federal corruption watchdogs, at a time Trump and Musk are dismantling parts of the government, citing in part a desire to root out corruption. Trump’s dismissal of 18 IGs happened in the first week of his second term, when the watchdogs each received two-sentence emails titled “White House Notification” from the Office of Presidential Personnel. The reason they were given was “changing priorities,” which is not a sufficient reason under the law, their lawsuit claims. Soon after, the IG’s government email access was shut off, and they couldn’t return to their office buildings. “Their purported removals were legal nullities, and so they remain the duly appointed IGs of their respective agencies, unless and until the President lawfully removes them in compliance,” attorneys for the eight IGs wrote. “Plaintiffs’ integrity has been baselessly maligned publicly, with the abrupt and unlawful nature of their purported removals incorrectly implying that plaintiffs have done something wrong when in fact they have each done nothing but uphold the values of their positions and the IG community,” the suit adds. The IGs allege Trump has told Congress – as is required by law – nothing. The lawsuit instead points out the president commented to the press some IGs “were not doing their job.” Trump fired a 19th inspector general, the USAID’s watchdog, this week. The inspectors general, in positions across many government agencies, work to find and prevent waste, fraud and abuse within federal departments. The IGs say their work is non-partisan and ultimately saves taxpayers billions of dollars, protects vulnerable Americans’ rights and safeguards national security, according to the complaint. Those whom Trump fired include IGs at crucial departments including Defense, Health and Human Services, State and Veterans Affairs who say their work has saved the agencies millions of dollars. One of the IGs who is suing, Phyllis Fong, had been in her position at the Department of Agriculture for more than 20 years. After Fong was told she was fired, she continued to go to work, “recognizing that her termination was not effective because it failed to comply with the IG Act’s requirements,” her attorneys wrote, until her federal badge was deactivated and her computer and phone were taken back by the Department of Agriculture. Several of those who are suing had worked under Trump during his first term in the presidency, and one, Hannibal “Mike” Ware of the Small Business Administration, had been Trump’s nominee for the post in 2018. The other IGs who are suing are: Robert Storch of the Defense Department; Michael Missal of Veterans Affairs; Christi Grimm of Health and Human Services; Cardell Richardson of the State Department; Sandra Bruce of the Education Department; and Larry Turner of the Department of Labor.)

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Are Trump’s Attempts to Overhaul the Federal Workforce Legal?  Personnel moves will face a range of tests in court.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/are-trumps-attempts-to-overhaul-the-federal-workforce-legal-f36cb5c0

RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— Birthright Citizenship: Majority Want Limits
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/birthright_citizenship_majority_want_limits

February 8, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Aurora mayoral candidates share their views on city issues at forum (COMMENT: What are the issues in your township, municipality, and school district?)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/08/aurora-mayoral-candidates-share-their-views-on-city-issues-at-forum/
— Donald Trump orders freeze of aid to South Africa citing country’s land expropriation law
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/07/trump-freeze-aid-south-africa/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/08/community-leaders-speak-out-under-little-village-arch-hundreds-rally-for-day-of-love-and-resistance/
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/08/nonprofit-warns-of-vigilantism-against-migrants-after-skokie-family-receives-deportation-threats/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/02/07/trump-immigration-executive-order-refugees-resettlement-united-nations-stop-work-order
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly demonize, denigrate, and condemn Republicans.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2025/02/07/illinois-jb-pritzker-revenue-squeeze-trump-congressional-gop-cut-medicaid-expansion-rich-miller

DAILY HEARLD
— Democrats far outspent GOP rivals in suburban U.S. House races — none more than Raja Krishnamoorthi (COMMENT: What discourages you from giving money to Republican candidates? For me, it includes my having less money. In today’s dollars, my federal pension a) is only 44% of what my GAO salary was in 1997 and b) less than what my IRS salary was in 1972. Further, my Social Security is dramatically less because I get a federal pension. Further, far too many unsuccessful Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct since 2000 who I did much to help elect blame me and blame my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters for their defeats.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250208/us-congress-politics/democrats-far-outspent-gop-rivals-in-suburban-u-s-house-races-none-more-than-raja-krishnamoorthi/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Republican candidates in northeast Illinois struggle to compete financially with their rivals across the aisle. Of the eight Republican congressional candidates who ran in the suburbs last year, the 10th District’s Jim Carris of Lake Forest spent the most — nearly $681,000. The campaign spending totals for four others — Rice in the 8th District plus James Marter in the 14th, Jerry Evans in the 11th and Niki Conforti in the 6th — were lower in the six-figure range. Ramirez’s GOP challenger in the 3rd District, John Booras, spent less than $40,000 on his campaign; the 9th District’s Seth Cohen spent less than $8,000 on his race. Postelection and year-end reports weren’t available for 5th District GOP candidate Tommy Hanson.)
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250208/editorials/daily-herald-opinion-in-defense-of-dei-the-phrase-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-may-sound-unga/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250207/nation-and-world-politics/latino-evangelical-churches-gear-up-to-face-possible-immigration-enforcement-in-churches/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Illinois revs up more EV incentives amid uncertain fate of federal rebates
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/illinois-revs-more-ev-incentives-amid-federal-uncertainties
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more gambling.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/economy/illinois-generates-17-billion-casino-tax-revenue

ABC7
— Trump announces plans to gut the Kennedy Center board, appoint himself chairman
https://abc7chicago.com/post/kennedy-center-president-donald-trump-says-hes-firing-board-trustees-members-naming-himself-chairman/15882171/
— Trump official’s directive tying transportation grants to birth rates could hinder blue states
https://abc7chicago.com/post/us-birth-rates-state-donald-trump-transportation-secretary-sean-duffy-circulates-memo-tying-grants-marriage/15881663/
— Chicago Auto Show 2025: Doors open for Day 1 at McCormick Place
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-auto-show-2025-doors-open-saturday-morning-mccormick-place/15881013/

WGN TV
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/little-village-protest-trump-deportations/
— Illinois faces funding cut-off for electric vehicle charging stations; Pritzker vows to fight back
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/illinois-ev-funding-cuts/

FOX32
— Time magazine cover puts Elon Musk behind Trump’s desk
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/time-magazine-elon-musk-trump-desk

WTTW
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/06/illinois-farm-workers-consumers-alert-amid-mass-deportation-threats

WBEZ
— Lurie Children’s Hospital pauses gender care surgeries for those younger than 19. The move comes after President Donald Trump’s executive order that said the federal government would not support these procedures.
https://www.wbez.org/2025/02/07/lurie-childrens-hospital-pauses-gender-care-surgeries-for-those-younger-than-19

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/nation-world/trump-policies-on-gender-affirming-care-and-passports-for-transgender-people-challenged-in-court/article_a7b7c426-ae4e-58d7-934b-d7c89861987a.html

SOUTHERN
— Here are all the agencies that Elon Musk and DOGE have been trying to dismantle so far
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/08/here-are-all-the-agencies-that-elon-musk-and-doge-have-been-trying-to-dismantle-so-far/

EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump
https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/donald-trump-protest-edwardsville-il-20154122.php

WIFR
— Democrat leaders get high school students to promote more illegal immigration
https://www.wifr.com/gallery/2025/02/08/jefferson-high-schoolers-protest-trumps-immigration-policies/

EFFINGHAM RADIO
— IL House Leader McCombie Demands Transparency And Accountability On Immigration
https://www.effinghamradio.com/2025/02/08/il-house-leader-mccombie-demands-transparency-and-accountability-on-immigration/

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/07/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-245/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Anticipate/expect that ever-increasingly, Democrat leaders will use their mainstream news media a)  to promote the Democrat Party platform, that is, to promote dependency on government and charity, LGBTQ, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, diminishment of Second Amendment rights, and Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, race and gender based preference giving, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination, b) to demonize, denigrate, and condemn the Republican Party platform, c) to elect Democrat candidates, and d) to defeat Republican candidates. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Crystal Laker Trevor Keegan in Super Bowl
mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/08/crystal-laker-trevor-keegan-in-super-bowl/
— Blago Being Talked about as Trump Pick for Ambassador to Serbia
https://wwwhttps://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/07/blago-being-talked-about-as-trump-pick-for-ambassador-to-serbia/
— Lakemoor Refuses Comment on $40 Million Illegal Search and Seizure Hemp Suit
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/07/lakemoor-refuses-comment-on-40-million-illegal-search-and-seizure-hemp-suit/
— Pritzker Flips on No New Taxes
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/07/pritzker-flips-on-no-new-taxes/
— Tariffs and How Value Added Taxes Are “Backdoor Tariffs”
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/07/tariffs-and-how-value-added-taxes-are-backdoor-tariffs/
— Correcting County Administrator Pete Austin’s Salary Information — Seeking 5.3% Raise
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/07/correcting-county-administrator-pete-austins-salary-information/
— Major “Sin” Tax Brings in $1.5 Billion
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/07/major-sin-tax-brings-in-1-5-billion/
— Schakowsky on Trump’s Early Days as President
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/08/schakowsky-on-trumps-early-days-as-president/
— Pritzker Purports to Re-Name Lake Michigan “Lake Illinois”
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/08/pritzker-purports-to-re-name-lake-michigan-lake-illinois/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump says DOGE will look into more federal agencies (COMMENTL Will DOGE look into GAO?
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/7/trump-says-doge-look-federal-agencies/
— Alaska lawmakers officially oppose Trump’s push to change Denali to Mount McKinley
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/8/alaska-lawmakers-officially-oppose-trump-push-chan/
— Russia is using Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to create a migration crisis. The axis of evil is sending masses of illegal immigrants to flood the southwest border.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/6/russia-using-cuba-nicaragua-venezuela-create-migra/

NEW YORK POST
— Trump ordered Secret Service to provide ‘every bit of information’ on would-be assassins
https://nypost.com/2025/02/08/us-news/trump-ordered-secret-service-to-provide-every-bit-of-information-on-would-be-assassins/

BAPTIST NEWS
— Remember that time Wheaton College congratulated Russell Vought?
https://baptistnews.com/article/remember-that-time-wheaton-college-congratulated-russell-vought/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Want to know how controversial it was for Russell Vought to be confirmed by the Senate as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget? Just ask Wheaton College, where Vought earned a bachelor’s degree. On Friday, Feb. 7, the Christian college posted a note on its Facebook page with Vought’s photo saying, “Wheaton College congratulates and prays for 1998 graduate Russell Vought regarding his senatorial confirmation to serve as the White House Director of the Office of Management and Budget!” Then the alumni base of the Illinois school began to vent their disdain for Vought and their disbelief that their alma mater would highlight someone responsible for creating Project 2025 and saying he wants to make federal employees so miserable they all quit — among other things. By Saturday morning, the post was removed from Facebook.)

DAILY WIRE
— Wheaton College Caves to Woke Mob, Apologizes For Congratulating Alum In Trump Admin. Wheaton College posted, and then retracted, a message congratulating Russ Vought on his confirmation to lead the Office of Management and Budget.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/christian-college-caves-to-woke-mob-apologizes-for-congratulating-alum-in-trump-admin

FOX NEWS
— Hegseth to look into ‘what went wrong’ in Afghanistan and pledges accountability, slams diversity motto. ‘We will find strength in unity,’ not diversity, Hegseth says.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hegseth-look-what-went-wrong-afghanistan-pledges-accountability-slams-diversity-motto
— Teachers express fears as Trump strips federal funding for schools teaching CRT. ‘Every teacher I’ve talked to is completely freaked out by it,’ one retired teacher told The Boston Globe.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/teachers-express-fears-trump-strips-federal-funding-schools-teaching-crt

NEWSMAX
— Time for Homan to Decisively Act on Defiant Illegals
https://www.newsmax.com/reagan/homan-cbs-ice/2025/02/08/id/1198327/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CBS NEWS
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transgender-rights-lawsuits-challenge-trump-policies/

WASHINGTON POST
— Attacks on Catholics, Lutherans suggest new Trump approach on religion. Allies of the president are leveling attacks on religious groups, including Catholics and Lutherans, and questioning their efforts to help migrants.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/02/08/catholic-lutheran-vance-flynn-musk-trump/
— Trump says some white South Africans are oppressed, could be resettled in the US. They say no thanks. Groups representing some of South Africa’s white minority have responded to a plan by U.S. President Donald Trump to offer them refugee status and resettlement in the United States by saying: thanks, but no thanks.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/02/08/trump-south-africa-afrikaners/ac037124-e633-11ef-ab83-bb30e4340014_story.html

REASON
— America’s enemies want mass immigration.
https://reason.com/volokh/2025/02/08/trumps-cruel-assault-on-legal-immigration/

February 8, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Pritzker responds to ‘garbage’ DOJ lawsuit over sanctuary city policies
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-governor-jb-pritzker-responds-garbage-doj-lawsuit-sanctuary-city-policies/15877508/
— Blagojevich may take role as U.S. ambassador to Serbia
https://abc7chicago.com/post/former-illinois-governor-rod-blagojevich-may-take-role-trump-administration-us-ambassador-serbia-politico-report/15879085/

FOX32
— Blagojevich may be considered for Trump Administration role
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/rod-blagojevich-may-be-considered-trump-administration-role-report-says

WTTW
— ‘Get out of the way’: Salvi calls on Pritzker to work with Trump administration
https://www.audacy.com/wbbm780/news/local/illinois-gop-chair-salvi-tells-pritzker-to-work-with-trump

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/08/a-chicagoans-journey-through-incarceration-deportation-and-the-fight-for-a-new-path/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Pritzker trolls Trump with faux Illinois annexation of Green Bay, renaming of Lake Michigan. Pritzker took Trump’s stated desire to take over Greenland as a cue to sarcastically announce “Illinois will now be annexing Green Bay to protect itself against enemies, foreign and domestic.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2025/02/07/pritzker-lake-illinois-green-bay-video-trump
— Trump says he’s firing Kennedy Center board members, naming himself chairman. Trump also indicated he would be dictating programming at one of the nation’s premier cultural institutions, writing on his social media website that the current board members “do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/donald-trump/2025/02/07/trump-firing-kennedy-center-board-trustees-members-naming-himself-chairman
— ALL OF THE FRONT PAGE: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/02/05/chicago-immigration-lyons-elgin-trump-ice-raids-border-wall-immigration-know-your-rights

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250207/news/conant-high-students-walk-out-to-protest-deportations/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Pritzker takes aim at Team Trump over immigration — and Lake Illinois
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/pritzker-goes-trump-bondi-over-immigration-lawsuit

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Pritzker pokes fun at Trump, jokes he’s renaming Lake Michigan
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/state/2025/02/07/poking-fun-at-trump-pritzker-moves-to-annex-green-bay/78340045007/

STATELINE
— Illinois bill would remove student performance from teacher reviews (COMMENT: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly attract marginalized students to Illinois.)
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/illinois-bill-would-remove-how-students-perform-from-teacher-reviews/

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Trump is signing up local law officers to help with immigration enforcement (COMMENT: Hopefully, the leaders of your county and municipal law enforcement agencies have signed up to help with immigration enforcement.)
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-trump-is-signing-up-local-law-officers-to-help-with-immigration-enforcement/

WAND TV
— Trump is signing up local law officers to help with immigration enforcement. Republican lawmakers in about dozen states are advancing proposals that could aid President Donald Trump’s deportation efforts.
https://www.wandtv.com/news/national/trump-is-signing-up-local-law-officers-to-help-with-immigration-enforcement/article_a672a2e8-4544-5594-835c-92b4afc3ee43.html

NPR ILLINOIS
— Trump supporters welcome the first steps in his immigration crackdown
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-07/trump-supporters-welcome-the-first-steps-in-his-immigration-crackdown

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/07/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-245/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WIREPOINTS
— Update on discrimination lawsuits against Bally’s Chicago and City of Chicago
https://wirepoints.org/update-on-discrimination-lawsuits-against-ballys-chicago-and-city-of-chicago-wirepoints/

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Advocate warns ‘lack of community care’ around Obama library in Chicago
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_50582248-e327-11ef-a170-33f03845bdc0.html

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Answers Sought for Northeastern Illinois Transportation Survey
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/07/answers-sought-for-transportation-survey/
— Campaign Committees with State Board of Elections Fines Preventing Candidates from Running for Office Until Payment Made
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/07/campaign-committees-with-state-board-of-elections-fines-preventing-candidates-from-running-for-office-until-payment-made/
— Two Running Write-In Campaigns for Marengo Township Trustee
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/07/two-running-write-in-campaigns-for-marengo-township-trustee/
— Pritzker Celebrates Pot Sales
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/06/pritzker-celebrates-pot-sales/
— McLaughlin Seeks to Emulate Other State’s Emulation of Trump’s DOGE
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/06/mclaughlin-seeks-to-emulate-other-states-emulation-of-trumps-doge/

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— From what I see, to win elections going forward, Democrat leaders have decided to double down on promoting a) hatred against Trump and b) dependency on government and charity, LGBTQ, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, diminishment of Second Amendment rights, and Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, race and gender based preference giving, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— According to the White House, 65,000 federal employees have accepted buyout offers. What is your position on buyouts and early retirement offers? In 1993, when I was 45 years old, the Democrats who ran GAO “offered” $25,000 buyouts and early retirement to get rid of their older White male non-veteran employees who they had not promoted to GS-15, currently $163,749-$180,974/year. I was eligible because I had 25 years of federal service – 13 with GAO, 9 with IRS, and 3 with the Post Office. They succeeded in forcing me to retire in 1997 just before their “offer” expired. If I had not succumbed, I would not have been eligible for regular retirement until 2003. Things that I did that helped me survive 1993-1997 include a) earning a master’s degree in financial markets and trading in 1997, b) becoming a Certified Forensic Accountant in 1997, Financial Services Auditor in 1996, Government Financial Manager in 1994, Fraud Examiner in 1990, Internal Auditor and licensed CPA in 1981, and CPA in 1979, and c) earning master’s degrees in accounting from DePaul in 1980 and in business from Loyola in 1976. If I was still working for GAO, that is, if my Democrat GAO superiors had not forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997, a) I would not have gotten $1.8 million in Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) pension payments since 1997 in today’s dollars and b) I would have paid into the CSRS $286,262 (7% of my salary) in today’s dollar.)
— Trump has pledged to remove corrupt FBI agents. To remove me, my Democrat GAO superiors did not hint/imply/argue/shout that I was corrupt. But constructively, they hinted/implied/argued/shouted that because I opposed their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination, I was a White supremacist, Nazi, KKK member, hater, racist, sexist, bigot, and even worse things. They had trouble hinting/implying/arguing/shouting that I was incompetent because I had a) become a licensed CPA, b) passed the CPA and Certified Internal Auditor examinations on my first attempt, c) earned four more job-related professional certifications, and d) earned three job-related master’s degrees. I should write about the aforesaid. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— David Hogg has become the Democratic National Committee’s First Gen Z Vice Chair. If the following would establish a Vice Chair position for Baby Boomers, I would apply for it: Illinois Republican Party, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Milton Township Republican Organization. I would also apply for Vice Chair positions for conservatives, Whites, males, Protestants, German Americans, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Are you or someone who you know interested in buying our Iron Gate Motor Condo in Naperville? If so, please let me know. My wife and I are considering buying a more expensive unit there. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump calls for ‘balanced budget’ after proposing tax cuts costing at least $5 trillion
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/7/donald-trump-calls-balanced-budget-proposing-tax-c/
— Immigrants took nearly 90% of new jobs since 2020 (COMMENT: If there had been as many immigrants when I was young as there are now, they would have gotten the jobs that I got.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/7/immigrants-took-nearly-90-new-jobs-since-2020/
— Breaking free from the addiction to government schools. The state has only its best interests at heart.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/6/breaking-free-addiction-government-schools/
— Trump says he will name himself Kennedy Center board chair and impose programming changes
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/7/trump-says-name-kennedy-center-board-chair-impose-/
— Justice Department takes fight to sanctuary cities
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/7/trump-launches-multi-front-attack-sanctuary-polici/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Radical LGBT activists lash out over Trump protecting women’s sports
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/fairness-justice/3314702/lgbt-activists-lash-out-trump-women-sports/

WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
— Top Biden EV Bus Maker Nears Bankruptcy, Leaving School Districts and Tens of Millions of Taxpayer Dollars in Limbo. EPA administrator Lee Zeldin tells the Free Beacon he is ‘committed to delivering’ answers on green spending.
https://freebeacon.com/energy/bidens-favorite-ev-bus-maker-is-nearing-bankruptcy-and-producing-no-buses-leaving-tens-of-millions-of-taxpayer-dollars-in-limbo/

NEW YORK POST
— Trump appoints himself Kennedy Center chair, fires board members and blasts past drag shows ‘targeting’ children
https://nypost.com/2025/02/07/us-news/trump-to-purge-kennedy-center-board-of-trustees-and-make-himself-chairman/
— Here’s what’s really driving Donald Trump’s tariff threats
https://nypost.com/2025/02/07/opinion/heres-whats-really-driving-donald-trumps-tariff-threats/

BREITBART
— Newsom Signs $50 Million to Fight Trump — After Asking for Federal Aid for Fires
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/07/newsom-signs-50-million-to-fight-trump-after-asking-for-federal-aid-for-fires/

DAILY WIRE
— ICE Arrests 11,000 Illegal Aliens In First 18 Days Of Trump Administration. The Trump administration is working to expand ICE’s detention capacity.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/ice-arrests-11000-illegal-aliens-in-first-18-days-of-trump-administration

EPOCH TIMES
— Trump Revokes Biden’s Security Clearance, Bars Him From Intelligence Briefings. Biden had previously revoked Trump’s access to intelligence briefings after he took office, following the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-revokes-joe-bidens-security-clearance-bars-him-from-receiving-intelligence-briefings-5806401

FOX NEWS
— Frustrated Chicagoans back ICE deportations, applaud DOJ lawsuit targeting sanctuary policies. Vashon Tuncle tells ‘Ingraham Angle’ Trump, Homan have growing support from residents to crack down on migrants.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/frustrated-chicagoans-back-ice-deportations-applaud-doj-lawsuit-targeting-sanctuary-policies
— How Trump is uprooting radical ’60s foundations of poisonous DEI and CRT programs. There had been America haters in the past, but the ’60s was the decade when these ideas took root. (COMMENT: Since the 1960s, my critics/opponents have used Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of me.)
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/how-trump-uprooting-radical-60s-foundations-poisonous-dei-crt-programs
— Bondi sends warning to sanctuary cities: ‘Comply or you’re next’
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6368429031112

MRC TV
— Woke Bishop Who Lectured Trump Got Tens of Millions of Taxpayers Dollars to ‘Resettle’ Migrants
https://www.mrctv.org/blog/nick-kangadis/woke-bishop-who-lectured-trump-got-tens-millions-taxpayers-dollars-resettle

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CNN
— Trump’s administration is switching positions in a major Supreme Court case on transgender rights, backing away from the Biden administration’s opposition to Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. (COMMENT: Under Bush, his DOJ backed the Democrats who ran GAO in Diersen v. GAO, that is, Bush backed political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination. The Democrats who ran GAO would not have and could not have forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997 if I had been a Democrat, minority, and/or female.)
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/07/politics/supreme-court-lgbtq-skrmetti-switch/index.html

REUTERS
— Trump administration for now not naming January 6 FBI agents, president wants some fired  (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors fired me, that is, they forced me to retire, when I was 49 years old in 1997. My critics/opponents have always sided with my Democrat GAO superiors.)
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-justice-department-receives-names-january-6-fbi-agents-2025-02-07/

NBC NEWS
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use courts to block Trump’s agenda
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-sweeping-agenda-hitting-legal-roadblocks-rcna191081
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/democratic-states-sue-trump-administration-order-halt-funding-gender-a-rcna191257

CBS NEWS
— Trolling Trump, Pritzker jokingly renames Lake Michigan, annexes Green Bay
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/jb-pritzker-donald-trump-joke-lake-michigan-lake-illinois-annex-green-bay/

NEW YORK TIMES
— Will Trump Be the President of Vice? (COMMENT: My critics/opponents promote vices big time. They are beyond furious that I stopped video gambling and the sale of pot in Wheaton.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/04/opinion/donald-trump-vice-voters.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: While never a traditional Republican, Mr. Trump, in a second term, looks likely to go further than in his first in dumping many traditional Republican policies. In particular, Mr. Trump seems willing, even eager, to embrace vice. In his recent campaign, Mr. Trump embraced a strategy of social moderation. Not only did he loudly signal his opposition to hard-line anti-abortion policies, but he also endorsed marijuana legalization in Florida and was aligned with the Biden administration’s move to give pot a less restrictive legal status. And he embraced the crypto craze, starting his own cryptocurrency company. Mr. Trump’s moderation on pot, crypto — which some social conservatives see as closer to gambling than a serious investment — and other vices appears to have been part of a calculated effort to turn out young men, who, surveys suggest, helped propel him to victory. Pushing forward with liberalization in these areas could help establish vice voters as part of the new, post-Trump Republican coalition. But it would also have dangerous social consequences — consequences that could help fuel an already growing backlash against both Mr. Trump and addictive, harmful goods of all kinds. Mr. Trump’s cabinet picks indicate he could give these voters what they want. Take the issue of drugs. Mr. Kennedy, chosen to be the nation’s top health official, has supported federally legalizing marijuana. So has Matt Gaetz, Mr. Trump’s first, failed pick to be attorney general — and even with Mr. Gaetz’s name withdrawn, it signaled something striking, given that the attorney general can, after consulting with the health and human services secretary, reclassify controlled substances.)
— As Ground Shifts, ‘Flailing’ Democrats Struggle to Find Footing in Diversity Fight. President Trump’s aggressive moves against transgender rights and diversity, equity and inclusion programs have left the Democratic Party casting about for a strategy for how to respond.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/us/politics/democrats-dei-trump.html
— Trump’s New Line of Attack Against the Media Gains Momentum. First Amendment experts say Mr. Trump’s lawsuits, based on an unproven legal theory, lack merit. But more could be on the way.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/business/media/trump-media-lawsuits.html
— Beyond overwhelmingly, mainstream journalists and reporters are Democrats who a) promote the Democrat Party platform and help elect Democrat candidates and b) demonize, denigrate, and condemn the Republican Party platform and do everything they can to defeat Republican candidates.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/business/media/trump-musk-attack-journalists.html
— Hegseth Uses His First Town Hall to Attack Diversity (COMMENT: To promote diversity is to promote discrimination against, if not hatred against, those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, Protestant, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/us/politics/hegseth-pentagon-town-hall.html
— Democrats ever-increasingly reject a) Trump’s election, b) the rule of law, and c) America.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/opinion/trump-power-surrender.html
— Musk Wields Scythe on Federal Work Force, With Trump’s Full Blessing. The president defended Elon Musk’s role in seeking to slash budgets and cut payrolls as the young aides burrowing into federal agencies came under scrutiny. (COMMENT: My critics/opponents had no problem with my Democrat superiors wasting my career and forcing me to retire when I was 49 in 1997. In fact, they were and continue be overjoyed about it.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/us/politics/trump-musk-doge-pentagon.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/02/07/trump-transgender-care-lawsuit/
— Democrat and RINO leaders use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/07/trump-dei-federal-government-discrimination/

USA TODAY
— Federal employees on Trump’s buyout offer: ‘The bridge is burned.’ (COMMENT: I succumbed to my Democrat GAO superiors’ threats and took their early retirement “offer” when I was 49 years old in 1997. If I had not done that, I would not have been eligible for regular retirement for 6 years. They made it all too clear to me that if I tried to work for those 6 years, they would make my life a living hell. The least of which would be demotions and adverse transfers,)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/08/why-federal-employees-accept-trumps-buyout/78295456007/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Secession From Illinois Is in the Air. Multiple counties want to leave, and Indiana says come on over.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/illinois-counties-secession-vote-indiana-j-b-pritzker-todd-huston-5a93d624
— Politico Draws DOGE’s Ire, Signaling a Shakeout for Media with Major Government Customers. Elon Musk’s cost-cutting project flags more than $8 million in spending on the political publication. (COMMENT: GOPUSA ILLINOIS subscriptions are worth at least $5,000/year. But I send GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters to anyone who wants them free of charge, without any advertising, and with no donation requests.)
https://www.wsj.com/business/media/politico-draws-doges-ire-signaling-a-shakeout-for-media-with-major-government-customers-8b4db480

FORTUNE
— America’s enemies ever-increasingly use Affirmative Action and DEI to destroy America’s military.
https://fortune.com/well/2025/02/08/american-troops-fear-anxiety-trump-transgender-military-ban/

FORBES
— Bondi Targets DEI At Private Companies And Universities On Day One (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO employers use DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/02/06/ag-pam-bondi-targets-dei-at-private-companies-and-universities-on-day-one/
— Black History Month 2025: Moving Forward With Purpose And Impact (COMMENT: Democrat leaders promote Black History Month. My subordinate who my Democrat GAO superiors replaced me with was Black and had always led the office’s Black History Month events. 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.forbes.com/sites/simonemorris/2025/02/07/black-history-month-2025-moving-forward-with-purpose-and-impact/

CLUB ALFA
— Dodge Charger Daytona wins 2025 MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Award (COMMENT: I have ordered a 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T EV.)
https://www.clubalfa.it/en/dodge-charger-daytona-and-ram-1500-win-the-2025-motorweek-drivers-choice-awards-16296
(FROM THE ARTICLE: John Davis, creator and host of MotorWeek, emphasized the uniqueness of the Charger Daytona: “This is the first time an all-electric model has won the Best Sport Coupe award. Dodge has kept its promise: buyers don’t have to compromise just because the classic HEMI V-8 has been replaced by electric propulsion.” Davis then added: “From the external design to the interior layout, to the virtual sounds that perfectly accompany its extraordinary acceleration, it almost feels like you can still hear the pushrod rhythm under the long, flat ’60s-style hood. The Charger Daytona is first and foremost an all-wheel-drive muscle car, and then an EV.”)

STELLANTIS
— All-new Dodge Charger Daytona Claims 2025 MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Award
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/all-new-dodge-charger-daytona-ram-1500-claim-2025-motorweek-drivers-choice-awards-302369687.html
(FROM THE PRESS RELEASE: The all-new Dodge Charger Daytona, the next generation of Dodge muscle, is available now at dealerships and represents the start of a multi-energy Dodge Charger lineup. . .”The Dodge Charger Daytona is our choice as Best Sport Coupe of the year, the first time an all-electric model has risen to that honor,” said John Davis, creator and host, MotorWeek. “From the outset, Dodge promised that buyers would not have to accept any compromises just because their hallmark muscle car traded in its classic HEMI® V-8 for electric propulsion. Indeed, from its exterior styling and interior layout, to its amazingly fitting virtual sounds audibly underscoring its rocket-like acceleration, you would be hard pressed not to think there was a chorus of pushrods still pulsating under the Charger’s long, wide, flat, ’60s era hood. When all is said and done, the Dodge Charger Daytona is an all-wheel-drive muscle car first and an EV second.)

RESTAURANT BUSINESS
— How restaurants are pushing back on Trump deportation sweeps (COMMENT: What percent of restaurant employees are illegals?)
https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/workforce/how-restaurants-are-pushing-back-trump-deportation-sweeps

WBZA
— Millions of retirees celebrated after former President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law. This new legislation aims to increase Social Security benefits for over 3.2 million retirees and spouses by eliminating two controversial provisions. However, retirees expecting an immediate financial boost just learned there’s an unexpected delay in receiving their benefits. (COMMENT: My Social Security is dramatically less because I get a Civil Service Retirement System pension.)
https://wbza.co.in/new-social-security-law-increases-benefits-for-3-2-million-retirees/#google_vignette

CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CACUS
— Congressional Equality Caucus, Democratic Women’s Caucus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congressional Black Caucus charge Trump with undermining civil rights protections and enforcement for workers (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors would not have and could not have forced me to retire when I was 49 year old in 1997 if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, veteran, and/or union member.)
https://cbc.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2774

HUFFINGTON POST
— David Hogg Becomes Democratic National Committee’s First Gen Z Vice Chair (COMMENT: If the following would establish a Vice Chair position for Baby Boomers, I would apply for it: Illinois Republican Party, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Milton Township Republican Organization. I would also apply for Vice Chair positions for conservatives, Whites, males, Protestants, German Americans, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.aol.com/david-hogg-becomes-democratic-national-223229994.html

PBS
— Trump says he’ll fire some FBI agents ‘very surgically’ (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors fired me, that is, they forced me to retire, when I was 49 years old in 1997. My critics/opponents have always sided with my Democrat GAO superiors.)
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-says-hell-fire-some-fbi-agents-very-surgically

NEW YORKER
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/immigration-enforcement-and-the-fears-of-the-undocumented-in-chicago
— Democrats and RINOs use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/trumps-boogeyman-dei

NEW YORK MAGAZINE
— Trump Joins a Global War on ‘Gender Ideology’
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/magazine/gender-ideology-trump-orban.html

WORLD SOCIALIST WEB SITE
— White House claims 65,000 federal workers have accepted buyout offers. (COMMENT: What is your position on buyouts and early retirement offers? In 1993, when I was 45 years old, the Democrats who ran GAO “offered” $25,000 buyouts and early retirement to get rid of their older White male non-veteran employees who they had not promoted to GS-15, currently $163,749-$180,974/year. I was eligible because I had 25 years of federal service – 13 with GAO, 9 with IRS, and 3 with the Post Office. They succeeded in forcing me to retire in 1997 just before their “offer” expired. If I had not succumbed, I would not have been eligible for regular retirement until 2003. Things that I did that helped me survive 1993-1997 include a) earning a master’s degree in financial markets and trading in 1997, b) becoming a Certified Forensic Accountant in 1997, Financial Services Auditor in 1996, Government Financial Manager in 1994, Fraud Examiner in 1990, Internal Auditor and licensed CPA in 1981, and CPA in 1979, and c) earning master’s degrees in accounting from DePaul in 1980 and in business from Loyola in 1976. If I was still working for GAO, that is, if my Democrat GAO superiors had not forced me to retire when I was 49 in 1997, a) I would not have gotten $1.8 million in Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) pension payments since 1997 in today’s dollars and b) I would have paid into the CSRS $286,262 (7% of my salary) in today’s dollar.)
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/02/08/hutq-f08.html

INDEPENDENT
— ‘We love Japan:’ Watch Trump welcome Japanese prime minister to White House
https://www.aol.com/love-japan-watch-trump-welcome-175225618.html

DAILY MAIL
— Trump pledges to ‘surgically’ remove ‘corrupt’ FBI agents including those on January 6 investigations (COMMENT: To remove me, my Democrat GAO superiors did not hint/imply/argue/shout that I was corrupt. But constructively, they hinted/implied/argued/shouted that because I opposed their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination, I was a White supremacist, Nazi, KKK member, hater, racist, sexist, bigot, and even worse things. They had trouble hinting/implying/arguing/shouting that I was incompetent because I had a) become a licensed CPA, b) passed the CPA and Certified Internal Auditor examinations on my first attempt, c) earned four more job-related professional certifications, and d) earned three job-related master’s degrees. I should write about the aforesaid.)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14374021/donald-trump-fbi-agents-january-6.html

February 5, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Trump planning to attend Super Bowl in New Orleans
https://abc7chicago.com/post/trump-planning-attend-super-bowl-new-orleans-sources/15864809/
— USPS temporarily suspends package service from China, Hong Kong as Trump’s tariffs kick in
https://abc7chicago.com/post/usps-china-suspends-service-packages-hong-kong-donald-trumps-tariffs-kick/15866614/
— Democrat leaders promote Black History Month. My subordinate who my Democrat GAO superiors replaced me with was Black and always led the office’s Black History Month events. He 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://abc7chicago.com/post/what-is-black-history-month/15865426/

NBC5
— Trump says U.S. will ‘take over’ Gaza to develop it, and Palestinians should leave
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/business/money-report/trump-says-u-s-will-own-and-develop-gaza-strip/3665651/

WGN9
— Mayor Johnson slams Trump’s education policy as ‘reckless,’ pledges to protect Chicago’s future
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh6R6enuBy8

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Trump says he’s exploring option to send jailed US criminals to other countries
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/04/marco-rubio-el-salvador/
— Trump won’t rule out deploying US troops to support rebuilding Gaza, sees ‘long-term’ US ownership
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/04/trump-netanyahu-gaza/
— Pritzker stresses importance of federal education funding amid latest threats from Trump
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/04/gov-jb-pritzker-stresses-importance-of-federal-education-funding-amid-latest-threats-from-trump/
— Virtually all federal employees are Democrats. They give preference to those who are Democrat, that is, they discriminate against those who are Republican.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/05/opinion-defend-civil-service-federal-worker-cuts-donald-trump/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump wants US to own, develop Gaza after Palestinians resettled elsewhere. Trump added the U.S. would level destroyed buildings and “create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/nation-world/2025/02/04/trump-gaza-united-states-own-develop-palestinians-displaced-netanyahu
— Federal transit dollars for Chicago, Illinois could be jeopardized via Trump administration directive. The order, issued in a U.S. Department of Transportation memo late last week, calls on the department to “give preference to communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/transportation/2025/02/04/donald-trump-federal-funding-mass-transit-cta-rta-executive-order

DAILY EGYPTIAN
— Carbondale promotes DEI, that is, Carbondale promotes discrimination against those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://dailyegyptian.com/120234/news/national-dei-changes-lead-carbondale-to-monitor-inclusion-goals/

WAND TV
— Moms could receive paid break time to breastfeed their children in set of Illinois Democrat bills (COMMENT: During the 1990s, GAO’s Chicago office gutted its smoking room and turned it into a lactation room.)
https://www.wandtv.com/community/moms-could-receive-paid-break-time-to-breastfeed-their-children-in-set-of-illinois-democrat/article_9c811f84-e33c-11ef-84cd-1352da872df0.html

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Fearing that DeSantis will run for U.S. President in 2028, Democrat leaders do everything that they can to destroy him. Fearing that I would run for DuPage County Auditor, DuPage County RINOs did everything that they could to destroy me notwithstanding the fact that I never said or did anything that indicated that I might run for DuPage County Auditor. In fact, I did everything that I could to help elect a) Jim Rasins in 2000 and 2004 and b) Bob Grogan in 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024. To destroy me, they have ignored, dismissed, belittled, and badmouthed my qualifications. I worked for GAO 1980-1997, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117-807-$153,151/year: I worked for IRS 1971-1980, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year. I became a licensed CPA in 1981. I passed the Certified Internal Auditor Examination on my first attempt in 1981. I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979. I became a Certified Fraud Examiner in 1990, Government Financial Manager in 1994, Financial Services Auditor in 1996, and Forensic Accountant in 1997. I earned master’s degrees in business in 1976, accounting in 1980, and finance in 1997. I should write about DuPage County RINOs. I would focus on those who have taken the most/biggest adverse actions against me.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-desantis-goes-to-battle-with-florida-republicans-in-trying-to-get-closer-to-trump/
— Trump says he’s given advisers instructions for Iran to be ‘obliterated’ if it assassinates him
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-trump-says-hes-given-advisers-instructions-for-iran-to-be-obliterated-if-it-assassinates-him/

WIFR
— Democrat leaders get Rockford students to promote illegal immigration
https://www.wifr.com/2025/02/05/east-students-walk-out-protest-trumps-immigration-policies/

WGLT
— U.S. cannabis shoppers face a market flush with illegal weed
https://www.wglt.org/2025-02-05/u-s-cannabis-shoppers-face-a-market-flush-with-illegal-weed

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WIREPOINTS
— Mayor Johnson has lost his credibility and the ability to govern Chicago. The only question is, who will replace him?
https://wirepoints.org/mayor-johnson-has-lost-his-credibility-and-the-ability-to-govern-chicago-the-only-question-is-who-will-replace-him-wirepoints-on-am-560-chicagos-morning-answer/

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Have you been offered a buyout? In 1993, when I was 45 years old, the Democrats who ran GAO “offered” $25,000 buyouts and early retirement to get rid of its older White male non-veteran employees who they had not promoted to GS-15, currently $163,749-$180,974/year. I was eligible because I had 25 years of federal service – 13 with GAO, 9 with IRS, and 3 with the Post Office. They succeeded in forcing me to retire in 1997 just before their “offer” expired. If I had not succumbed, I would not have been eligible for regular retirement until 2003. Things that I did that helped me survive 1993-1997 include a) earning a master’s degree in financial markets and trading in 1997, b) becoming a Certified Forensic Accountant in 1997, Financial Services Auditor in 1996, Government Financial Manager in 1994, Fraud Examiner in 1990, Internal Auditor and licensed CPA in 1981, and CPA in 1979, and c) earning master’s degrees in accounting from DePaul in 1980 and in business from Loyola in 1976. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Venezuelan gang members become first migrants shipped to Guantanamo Bay
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/4/tren-de-aragua-gang-members-shipped-guantanamo-bay/
— USAID spent funds on DEI, transgender initiatives, terrorist groups
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/4/usaid-spent-funds-dei-transgender-initiatives-terr/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Trump executive order ends travel stipends for female troops getting abortions
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3309749/travel-stipends-abortions/

BREITBART
— Wokism Became a ‘Bastardized’ Religion Praying to the ‘Great God of Equality’
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2025/02/04/comedian-bryan-callen-wokism-became-a-bastardized-religion-praying-to-the-great-god-of-equality/

CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES
— A Proposal for a Better H-1B Guest Worker Program. ‘H1B Refreshed’ would train an American for each visa issued (COMMENT: Employers want cheap labor. If the employers that hired me could have hired citizens of foreign countries instead of me, they would have. What did you do to get hired and/or to stay employed? I earned a job-related bachelor’s degree in 1970. I earned job-related master’s degrees in 1976, 1980, and 1997. I earned job-related professional certifications in 1979, 1981, 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1997. I earned a job-related professional license in 1981.)
https://cis.org/Lundgren/Proposal-Better-H1B-Guest-Worker-Program

FOX NEWS
— Unions sue Trump administration over ‘arbitrary and capricious’ federal employee buyout offers. American Federation of Government Employees warns workers to not be ‘misled by slick talk from unelected billionaires’
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/unions-sue-trump-administration-arbitrary-capricious-employee-buyout-offers
— Sen. Kaine claims Trump will ‘stiff’ federal employees who take buyout offer: ‘Do not be fooled’
https://www.aol.com/news/sen-kaine-claims-trump-stiff-182414416.html
— Sanctuary cities that refuse ICE removal requests could be punished under state, federal legislation. Opponents of sanctuary cities say their policies harbor criminals, including violent gang members.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/sanctuary-cities-refuse-ice-removal-requests-could-punished-under-state-federal-legislation

NATIONAL REVIEW
— Homan Suggests Prosecuting New Jersey Governor for Sheltering Illegal Immigrant
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/border-czar-tom-homan-suggests-prosecuting-new-jersey-governor-for-sheltering-illegal-immigrant/

NEWSMAX
— Harboring Illegals Against the Law
https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/nancy-mace-illegal-immigrants/2025/02/04/id/1197847/

ONE AMERICA NEWS
— DHS, Border Patrol, Marines Battle To Deport 100k Illegal Aliens From San Diego
https://www.oann.com/video/pearsonsharpreports/dhs-border-patrol-marines-battle-to-deport-100k-illegal-aliens-from-san-diego/

PJ MEDIA
— Trump ‘Welcomes’ New ‘Members’ to Club GITMO
https://pjmedia.com/victoria-taft/2025/02/04/club-gitmo-welcomes-new-guests-n4936672#google_vignette

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

THE HILL
— Democrats call for GAO investigation into Musk access of Treasury payment systems (COMMENT: I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO for almost 18 years.)
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5126204-democrats-call-for-investigation-into-musk-access-of-treasury-payment-systems/
— Union sues over Trump buyout offer
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5126770-federal-workers-union-sues-trump-buyouts/

ROLL CALL
— White House opens funding spigot for DOGE expenses. Budget-slashing group is given nearly $7 million in a week as Musk gets access to sensitive government data
https://rollcall.com/2025/02/04/white-house-opens-funding-spigot-for-doge-expenses/

NEWSWEEK
— Democrat leaders promote their 50 State Anti-Trump Protest
https://www.newsweek.com/50-states-anti-trump-protest-nationwide-50501-explainer-2026115
— Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett slammed “mediocre white boys” complaining about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, telling them: “If you are competent, you are not concerned.” (COMMENT: My critics/opponents hint/imply/argue/shout that I must be incompetent and even worse things because IRS never promoted me beyond GS-12 and GAO never promoted me beyond GS-13 even though I a) earned job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) earned job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) earned a job-related professional certification when I was 32.)
https://www.newsweek.com/jasmine-crockett-dei-donald-trump-politics-2025745

MSN
— Trump Targets ‘Woke’ Biden Appointees With Termination (COMMENT: All my critics/opponents are woke and the all promote wokeness/wokeism.)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-targets-woke-biden-appointees-with-termination/ss-AA1ylGs3?ocid=iehp

NEW YORK TIMES
— U.S. Begins Flying Migrants to Guantánamo. The decision to send migrants from the United States to Guantánamo Bay is a change in how the country handles people it deports.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/04/us/politics/migrants-guantanamo-trump.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Democrat leaders say that Musk flouts accountability in his drive to slash budgets and oust workers. What about the Government Accountability Office that I worked for almost 18 years?
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/us/politics/musk-federal-government.html
— To promote DEI is to promote discrimination against those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/us/politics/trump-diversity-racism.html
— Many Americans Say the Democratic Party Does Not Share Their Priorities. A poll from The New York Times and Ipsos found that Americans believe abortion, L.G.B.T.Q. issues and climate change concern Democrats more than the cost of living.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/us/democrats-ipsos-poll-abortion-lgbt.html

WASHINGTON POST
— USPS suspends package service from China as Trump’s tariffs kick in. The U.S. Postal Service’s decision may block or delay parcels from retailers including Amazon, Shein and Temu from entering the country.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/04/usps-suspends-china-packages-shein-temu/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly encourage citizens of foreign countries to claim asylum in America.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/02/04/amnesty-migrants-border-trump-europe/
— At Guantánamo Bay detention camp, tents go up and troops await detainees. As immigration officials run out of detention space for migrants who might be deported, the Trump administration plans to send thousands to the U.S. naval base in Cuba.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/02/04/guantanamo-bay-immigrants-deportation-flights/
— Key functions of the Education Department, which Trump is moving to dismantle. Trump is preparing an executive order aimed at shrinking the department as he looks to fulfill his campaign promise to shut it down. (COMMENT: I should write about how Republicans shrank GAO from more than 6,000 employees in 1980 to less than 3,000 in 1997.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/02/04/department-of-education-explained-trump/

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— Lawsuit accuses UC of illegally giving admissions preference to Black and Latino students
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-02-05/lawsuit-accuses-uc-racial-preference-in-admissions

MIAMIA HERALD
— To promote DEI is to promote discrimination against those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.aol.com/florida-showed-trump-demonize-dei-225956004.html

USA TODAY
— Trump’s right to slim federal workforce (COMMENT: Virtually all federal employees are Democrats. Democrats run the federal government. When they have to get rid of employees, they first get rid of those very few who are Republican and then those who they have not promoted to GS-15 ($!63,749-$195,200/year) and  are White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/02/03/trump-federal-employee-cuts-buyout-deficit/78026673007/
— ‘We would call it a coup’: Watchdogs and Dems attack Elon Musk Treasury Department takeover
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/03/dems-elon-musk-doge-takeover-treasury/78187978007/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— The CIA Is About to Get a Trump Makeover. Spy agency’s workforce receives buyout-style offer.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/the-cia-is-about-to-get-a-trump-makeover-16fc0cbf
— Why Trump’s Tariff Idol, McKinley, Abandoned His Own Tariff Policy. President Donald Trump often cites the 25th President, William McKinley, as an inspiration. The ‘McKinley Tariffs’ were some of the largest hikes in U.S. history, but in his second term, McKinley changed his mind, and argued for more free trade. (COMMENT: How much have you benefitted from free trade, that is, how much have you benefitted from cheap foreign labor? Ever-increasingly, virtually everything that America needs is made in foreign countries. Ever-increasingly, America is dependent on countries that want to conquer America if not destroy America.)
https://www.wsj.com/video/series/news-explainers/why-trumps-tariff-idol-mckinley-abandoned-his-own-tariff-policy/38A9364C-142B-4656-AFE3-B6F7F4F504E2

FORBES
— How Many Federal Workers Accepted Trump’s Buyout Offer To Resign So Far?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/terinaallen/2025/02/05/how-many-federal-workers-accepted-trumps-buyout-offer-to-resign-so-far/

POLITICO
— 37 ways Project 2025 has shown up in Trump’s executive orders
https://www.politico.com/interactives/2025/trump-executive-orders-project-2025/
— Why some centrist Dems fear David Hogg could ‘do more harm than good.’  The activist’s election as vice chair of the Democratic National Committee was pilloried in conservative media. (COMMENT: According to my critics/opponents, I am “too conservative.”)
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/04/david-hogg-dnc-election-00202496

NPR
— Venezuelans illegally accepted Biden’s illegal invitation to illegally come illegally to America illegally. Now those Venezuelans hate Trump for ending that.
https://www.npr.org/2025/02/04/nx-s1-5285470/venezuelans-florida-tps-immigration-trump
— Anticipate/expect that Democrat leaders will ever-increasingly encourage illegals to hide out in schools, churches, hospitals, etc.
https://www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5277170

WASHINGTON MONTHLY
— To promote DEI is to promote discrimination against those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/02/05/trumps-blunderbuss-war-on-diversity-equity-and-inclusion/

INSIDE HIGHER ED
— Hegseth Moves to End Race-Based Admissions at Military Academies
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/02/05/hegseth-orders-military-academies-end-affirmative-action

AUTO EVOLUTION
— Owner of a Dodge Charger EV Just Had His Car Delivered, This Is What He Likes and Dislikes (COMMENT: I have ordered a red 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T. If you share my interest in the car, please let me know.)
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/owner-of-a-dodge-charger-ev-just-had-his-car-delivered-this-is-what-he-likes-and-dislikes-246564.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Now that we have that out of the way, we can go right back to Paul Mangelsdorf’s brand-new non-muscle-car Dodge Charger Daytona R/T. Paul mostly uses the Auto driving mode. He has three more available: Eco, Sport, and Wet/Snow. There are also three regenerative braking levels. Right now, Paul uses the second of the three. He finds the third too aggressive, and the first one not quite enough. The R/T starts at $61,590. Paul’s car is painted in a gorgeous After Dark paint, which is a $795 option. The car rides on the 20-inch Blacknoise aluminum wheels. Paul likes the steering wheel, the seating position, and the fact that he has everything at hand. It is, he says, a step up from the Challenger. In terms of engagement, though… “It’s not lifeless, it’s got some character and feel to it,” he says. He enjoys the way the suspension handles the road imperfections. It is stable at high speeds and handles corners with much agility while remaining composed. Paul will, however, change the stock tires for grippier ones to get some extra traction. His car is equipped with the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust, which he finds to be a lot of fun around the city, but he prefers to turn it off on the highway because he doesn’t need the drama and the heads turning. The fake V8 sound mimics the growls and roars of a real engine, but it can’t fool a petrolhead. Dodge confirmed that the R/T and the Scat Pack have the same motors and battery but are tuned differently. So, the output gap between them might only be software-based. Now, Paul is considering tuning up the power in his R/T if that’s possible.)

LEE ERNST REALTY
— FOR SALE: Iron Gate Motor Condo at 2216 Ferry Road # 109, Naperville – $675,000
https://leeernst.exprealty.com/holp/listing/103/12283041

BUSINESS TODAY
— From ‘Illegals’ To Tariffs, A Look At The Thorny US-India Bilateral Issues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tsd86LPuwc

INDEPENDENT
— Bernie Sanders accuses Musk of seeking cheaper, not brainier, immigrant labor with H-1B visas
https://www.aol.com/news/bernie-sanders-accuses-musk-seeking-013103992.html

DAILY MAIL
— CIA offers buyouts to entire staff in effort to slash spending and ensure agency aligns with MAGA agenda
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14361785/CIA-offers-buyouts-entire-staff-trump-federal-purge.html
— ICE reveals 6,000 illegal migrants deported in Trump’s first two weeks including rapists, murderers
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14360521/ice-illegal-migrants-deported-donald-trump-rapists-murderers.html

February 4, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Senate confirms Pam Bondi as US attorney general
https://abc7chicago.com/post/senate-confirms-pam-bondi-us-attorney-general-putting-trump-ally-justice-departments-helm/15866274/
— Musk is serving as a ‘special government employee,’ White House says. That designation means Musk is not a volunteer but also not a full-time federal employee.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/elon-musk-is-officially-serving-president-donald-trump-special-government-employee-white-house-says/15864075/
— Senate Republicans insist Elon Musk isn’t in charge after whirlwind actions
https://abc7chicago.com/post/senate-republicans-insist-elon-musk-isnt-charge-whirlwind-actions/15865279/
— Trump says US will take ‘take over’ Gaza: ‘We’ll own it’  He said the U.S. would “level the site” and create “an economic development.”
https://abc7chicago.com/post/donald-trump-benjamin-netanyahu-hold-talks-us-president-warns-no-guarantees-fragile-peace-gaza-will/15863738/
— Chicago US Attorneys Office at critical juncture with caseload pile-up, new Trump directives
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-us-attorneys-office-critical-juncture-caseload-pile-trump-administration-chaos/15866230/
— First military flight to send migrants to Guantanamo Bay is set to depart
https://abc7chicago.com/post/guantanamo-bay-first-military-flight-send-migrants-is-set-depart-official-says/15865004/

WTTW
— El Salvador Offers to Accept Deportees From US of Any Nationality, Including American Citizens
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/04/el-salvador-offers-accept-deportees-us-any-nationality-including-american-citizens

WGN RADIO
— 18 House GOP lawmakers back Trump’s birthright citizenship order in court
https://wgnradio.com/news/18-house-gop-lawmakers-back-trumps-birthright-citizenship-order-in-court/

WBBM
— Illinois Republicans say illegal immigration remains a crisis, point the finger at Democrats
https://www.audacy.com/wbbm780/news/local/illinois-republicans-say-illegal-immigration-remains-crisis

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Marco Rubio says El Salvador’s offer to jail violent American criminals faces ‘legalities’
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/04/marco-rubio-el-salvador/
— Alderman told to leave City Council meeting after he appeared to call colleague a white supremacist
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/04/alderman-told-to-leave-city-council-meeting-white-supremacist/
— Once-obscure Bolingbrook company WeatherTech has wild ride with its 13th Super Bowl ad
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/04/weathertech-super-bowl-ad/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— ‘White supremacist’ remark sparks City Council member’s ouster from hearing on public art dubbed antisemitic. Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez was ejected from the meeting of the Special Events Committee by the normally affable chair, Ald. Nick Sposato: “You can’t call anybody a white supremacist. You gotta go,” Sposato said. “We’re not gonna take that.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2025/02/04/city-council-public-artwork-committee-hearing-cultural-center-conway-sigcho-lopez
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly encourage citizens of foreign countries to seek refugee status in America.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/02/04/trump-targeting-legal-refugees-political-persecution-state-rep-hoan-huynh

DAILY HERALD
— Democrats confront limits of their power in bid to stop Trump and Musk
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250204/nation-and-world-politics/democrats-confront-limits-of-their-power-in-bid-to-stop-trump-and-musk/

SOUTHERN
— Why shutting down USAID could have major impacts on Gaza aid
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/04/why-shutting-down-usaid-could-have-major-impacts-on-gaza-aid/

RIVER BENDER & WSIU
— Pritzker and Illinois Department of Revenue Encourage Taxpayers to Take Advantage of Tax Credits (COMMENT: My father never earned more than $50,000/years in today’s dollars.)
https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/governor-pritzker-and-illinois-department-of-revenue-encourage-taxpayers-to-take-advantage-of-tax-credits-79395.cfm?
https://www.wsiu.org/community-updates/2025-02-04/governor-pritzker-and-illinois-department-of-revenue-encourage-taxpayers-to-take-advantage-of-tax-credits
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)  is a benefit for working people with low to moderate income. To claim an Illinois EITC for tax year 2024 (tax returns due in 2025), taxpayers must file an Illinois income tax return, even if they do not owe any tax and are not required to file and: have worked and earned income under $66,819)

WAND TV
—  Illinois House Republicans demand Pritzker cut migrant services
https://www.wandtv.com/community/illinois-house-republicans-demand-pritzker-cut-migrant-services/article_5b09c71a-e330-11ef-a749-8bd800e65ff7.html

NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO
— How much do Illinois school districts rely on federal funding?
https://www.northernpublicradio.org/wnij-news/2025-02-04/how-much-do-illinois-school-districts-rely-on-federal-funding
— Musk and Trump aim to shut down USAID, leaving humanitarian work in doubt
https://www.northernpublicradio.org/2025-02-03/musk-and-trump-aim-to-shut-down-usaid-leaving-humanitarian-work-in-doubt

FOX ILLINOIS
— Border Patrol agents warned cartels might attack with weaponized drones
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/border-patrol-agents-warned-cartels-might-attack-with-weaponized-drones-reports-southern-border-security-cbp-arizona-mexican-drug-cartels-trump-illegal-immigration-crackdown

NPR ILLINOIS
— Trump administration adds fine print to ‘Fork’ resignation offer, deepening confusion
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-04/trump-administration-adds-fine-print-to-fork-resignation-offer-deepening-confusion

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Will Trump’s federal hiring freeze affect IRS tax returns? (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, the agency was almost always under Republican-imposed hiring freezes and/or promotion freezes. My Democrat superiors punished me big time for that.)
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/will-trumps-federal-hiring-freeze-affect-irs-tax-returns/

NAPERVILLE PATCH
— OUTRAGEOUS, DISGUSTING: Democrats push pot in Warrenville
https://patch.com/illinois/naperville/prairie-cannabis-host-grand-opening-naperville-warrenville-area

ELMHURST PATCH
— Elmhurst D205 Hopeful Opposes DEI; Others Back It. Critical race theory also becomes a topic during an Elmhurst election forum.  (COMMENT: To promote DEI is to promote discrimination against those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. I am all of the aforesaid. My critics/opponents promote DEI.)
https://patch.com/illinois/elmhurst/elmhurst-d205-hopeful-opposes-dei-others-back-it

IPM NEWS
— Dozens protest on the streets of Champaign for the rights of transgender people
https://ipmnewsroom.org/dozens-protest-on-the-streets-of-champaign-for-the-rights-of-transgender-people/

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— New bills would ban school fines, provide working moms paid time to breastfeed (COMMENT: During the 1990s, GAO’s Chicago office gutted its smoking room and turned it into a lactation room.)
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/new-bills-would-ban-school-fines-provide-working-moms-paid-time-to-breastfeed/

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/04/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-242/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— House Republicans say immigration affecting Illinoisans’ finances, safety
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_2d613c70-e336-11ef-a1a2-cb40670ac798.html

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Sosnowski Takes on Teeny-Tiny Township Governments
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/04/sosnowski-takes-on-teeny-tiny-township-governments/
— Nunda Township Road Commissioner Mike Lesperance Issues Press Release on Charges from Opponent Ron Parish
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/04/nunda-township-road-commissioner-mike-lesperance-issues-press-release-on-charges-from-opponent-ron-parish/
— County Administrator Peter Austin Set for Contract Extension into 2029, Salary Up $39,000 to $250,000
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/04/county-administrator-peter-austin-set-for-contract-extension-into-2029-salary-up-39000-to-250000/
— Ness Proposes Legislation to Allowed Those Unrelated to Live Together, Overriding Local Zoning Ordinances
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/04/ness-proposes-legislation-to-allowed-those-unrelates-to-live-together-overriding-local-zoning-ordinances/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— More than 20,000 federal workers accept Trump’s buyout offer, with ‘largest spike’ yet to come
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/4/20-000-federal-workers-accept-trump-buyout-offer-l/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: More than 20,000 workers would amount to roughly 1% of the two million federal workers. That remains below the 5% to 10% of federal workers the White House initially estimated would resign.  The White House says the buyout offer would save the government $100 billion.)
— Illegal immigrant used stolen ID to vote, buy guns while hiding in Florida
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/4/illegal-immigrant-voted-owned-guns-feds/

BIZ PAC REVIEW
— Harboring illegals could mean decades in jail; Homan responds to blue state dem’s ‘come and get her’ challenge (COMMENT: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly analogize illegals to fugitive slaves.)
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/02/04/harboring-illegals-could-mean-decades-in-jail-homan-responds-to-blue-state-dems-come-and-get-her-challenge-1520551/

BREITBART
— Trump: U.S. Will Take Over Gaza, ‘We Will Own It’
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/04/trump-u-s-will-take-over-gaza-we-will-own-it/

DAILY SIGNAL
— Democrats Love Illegal Aliens, No Matter How Vicious
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/04/democrats-love-illegal-aliens-no-matter-how-vicious/

EPOCH TIMES
— More Than 20,000 Federal Workers Have Taken Buyout Offer, Surge Expected Before Friday Deadline. Nobody knows now how many employees will ultimately accept Trump’s terms for leaving the government.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/more-than-20000-federal-workers-have-taken-buyout-offer-surge-expected-before-friday-deadline-says-official-5804094

FOX NEWS
— Dozens of illegals arrested in Trump’s home county in Florida. Officials arrested 32 criminal illegal aliens through ‘targeted immigration enforcement operations’ in Palm Beach County.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dozens-illegals-arrested-trumps-home-county-florida

HOT AIR
— Illegals Throwing Anti-ICE Temper Tantrums, Blocking Freeways
https://hotair.com/tree-hugging-sister/2025/02/04/illegals-throwing-anti-ice-temper-tantrums-blocking-freeways-making-friends-n3799466

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CNN
— FBI turns over names of 5,000 employees who worked on January 6 cases to Trump Justice Department, as agents sue
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/04/politics/fbi-employees-tuesday

NEW YORK TIMES
— Bondi Confirmed as Attorney General
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/04/us/politics/pam-bondi-attorney-general-confirmation.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Trump Order Set to Ban Transgender Girls and Women From Female School Sports. The NCAA has indicated it will move rapidly to change its rules in the face of such an order. (COMMENT: Transgender athletes should only be allowed to compete against other transgender athletes.)
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/transgender-athletes-women-sports-executive-order-6223e414

REAL NEWS
— ‘Don’t open the door’: how Chicago is frustrating ICE’s campaign of fear. Months of know-your-rights work has Trump’s border czar complaining.
https://therealnews.com/dont-open-the-door-how-chicago-is-frustrating-ices-campaign-of-fear

INC
— Companies Are Avoiding the ‘DEI’ Acronym–Even If They’re Not Pulling Back on Diversity Initiatives  The White House is wiping diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from the federal government. It’s prompting a shift in the communication used by business leaders who still believe in the concept.
https://www.inc.com/sam-blum/rebranding-dei-companies-tread-carefully-in-the-era-of-woke-politics/91141932

NPR
— Rubio says El Salvador will house deportees from U.S., including Americans
https://www.npr.org/2025/02/04/g-s1-46352/rubio-el-salvador-deportees-americans

POLITICO
— Trump says US will ‘take over the Gaza Strip’  He provided no details on how this was possible.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/04/trump-says-us-will-take-over-the-gaza-strip-00202508

LGBTQ NATION
— Pete Buttigieg’s replacement bans diversity celebrations at Department of Transportation. New Secretary Sean Duffy calls them a “distraction”.
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/02/pete-buttigiegs-replacement-bans-diversity-celebrations-at-department-of-transportation/

February 3, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Chicago businesses to close for ‘Day Without Immigrants’ protest: ‘Show how strong we are’ (COMMENT: To promote their illegals, Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly lump illegal immigrants in with legal immigrants. Republicans oppose illegal immigration, but promote legal immigration.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/day-immigrants-protest-chicago-business-owners-close-shops-monday-social-media-campaign-calls-shopping-strike/15858588/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote Durbin
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/us-sen-dick-durbins-latest-role-leading-democrats-on-judging-president-trumps-top-nominees/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly demonize, denigrate, and condemn school choice.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/opinion-school-choice-drains-public-resources-illinios/
— Do Chicago voters know there are 1,900 places to buy hemp and get high?
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/editorial-hemp-brandon-johnson-regulation/
— Heading into budget season, Gov. JB Pritzker faces major challenge to show ‘Illinois can govern itself’
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/heading-into-budget-season-gov-jb-pritzker-faces-major-challenge-to-show-illinois-can-govern-itself/

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: The Chicago Auto Show is back Saturday
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250202/transportation/start-your-engines-jeep-is-back-and-hybrids-are-hot-at-the-chicago-auto-show/

JOURNAL COURIER
— Hysterical rhetoric on Trump’s funding pause obscures historically important issue
https://www.myjournalcourier.com/opinion/article/hysterical-rhetoric-obscures-important-issue-20096012.php

NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO
— Democrats promote more illegal immigration in Elgin
https://www.northernpublicradio.org/illinois/2025-02-02/hundreds-gather-in-elgin-to-rally-against-mass-deportations

NPR ILLINOIS
— How safe is your weed? Patchy regulations may leave contaminants in the weed supply.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-03/how-safe-is-your-weed-patchy-regulations-may-leave-contaminants-in-the-weed-supply

ADVANTAGE NEWS
— State Rep. David Friess, R-Red Bud, responds to Kinzinger’s criticism of reimbursing military members dismissed over COVID vaccine refusal (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors dismissed me when I was 49 years old in 1997 because in 1988 I became an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation. Because of that, I should get reimbursed. I suggest $2.4 million, that is $4.2 million in backpay in today’s dollars minus the $1.8 million in pension payments that I have received in today’s dollars.)
https://www.advantagenews.com/news/local/lawmaker-responds-to-kinzinger-s-criticism-of-reimbursing-military-members-dismissed-over-covid-vaccine-refusal/article_3bd2ba94-dfea-11ef-a28e-d3e4e54c1fc9.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Friess, a veteran, agrees that servicemen should be reinstated and questioned the necessity of healthy servicemen needing to get the COVID vaccine. . .Friess confirmed service members do have to make sure that their shots are up to date before they deploy. . .Friess said there might be some resentment from military members who were forced to get the COVID vaccine. “What are the other military members going to say? How are they going to feel about it? And, and I think it’s going to be mixed. I think you’re going to have some people say, ‘yeah, [this was the] way to go,’ and people that might be resentful,” said Friess. Friess pointed out that during government shutdowns, non-essential federal employees go home and that they don’t get paid during the shutdown, but always receive back pay. “Now they don’t get paid during that government shutdown, but they always get back pay. They get compensated because it’s no fault of their own. So, is that [giving them back pay] right? Probably not. There’s a bright line on this,” said Friess. About 8,000 troops were booted from the military for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations. The order, signed by Trump, paves the way for them to be reinstated in the military with back pay.)

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/03/trumps-trans-military-ban-sparks-alarm-00202050

CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/03/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-448/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WIRE POINTS
— No matter what Pritzker or the Tribune says, Illinois’ NAEP education results are abysmal
https://wirepoints.org/no-matter-what-pritzker-or-the-tribune-says-illinois-naep-education-results-are-abysmal-wirepoints/
— Trump is showing he cares more about safe streets in Illinois than Gov. Pritzker does
https://wirepoints.org/trumps-showing-he-cares-more-about-safe-streets-in-illinois-than-gov-pritzker-does-wirepoints-on-with-jeff-daly-of-wzus-decatur-radio/

MCHENRY CUNTY BLOG
— Legislators at County Board Meeting
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/02/legislators-at-county-board-meeting/
— Does DEI -> National Idiocy?
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/02/does-dei-national-idiocy/

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— What are the main things that distinguish you from your critics/opponents? Overwhelmingly, my critics/opponents had parents who had way more money than my parents had. They did not have to work their way through college like I had to. Their parents bought them cars and paid for their college expenses. Further, they benefitted from Affirmative Action (AA) and DEI or want to benefit from AA and DEI. Further, they look down on if not despise if not hate Protestants, German Americans, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors. I should write about my critics/opponents and the pretexts they used to take big adverse actions against me. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— If Trump had been elected earlier, how would that have impacted your career? Democrats run the federal government. Democrats hate Trump. Because of my demographics, if Trump had been elected before 1980, the Democrats who ran GAO back then would not have hired me in 1980, and if they had, they would not have promoted me in 1986 and they would have forced me to retire much sooner. If Trump had been elected before 1971, the Democrats who ran IRS back then would not have hired me in 1971, and if they had, they would not have promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1975. If Trump had been elected before 1966, the Democrats who ran the Post Office back then would not have hired me in 1966, and if they had, they would have forced me to resign much sooner. However, if Trump had been elected before 1971, EEOC would not have forced Oldsmobile to stop hiring Whites and Oldsmobile would not have withdrawn the job offer that I had accepted. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Consolidation of Marengo FPD, Rescue District, and Union Fire Protection District Being Given Serious Consideration
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/03/consolidation-of-marengo-fpd-rescue-district-and-union-fire-protection-district-being-given-serious-consideration/
— McHenry County College Awarded $118,788 for Mental Health Support
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/03/mchenry-county-college-awarded-118788-for-mental-health-support/
— Consolidation of Marengo FPD, Rescue District, and Union Fire Protection District Being Given Serious Consideration
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/03/consolidation-of-marengo-fpd-rescue-district-and-union-fire-protection-district-being-given-serious-consideration/
— Woodstock Willie Makes Front Page of Chicago Tribune, TV, Even Pittsburgh Paper
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/03/woodstock-willie-makes-front-page-of-chicago-tribune/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Crying and coping: Left struggles with Trump’s aggressiveness
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/2/crying-coping-left-struggles-donald-trump-aggressi/

NEW YORK POST
— Thousands protest against Trump’s immigration crackdown, blocking traffic on Los Angeles freeway (COMMENT: Los Angeles today, your municipality tomorrow.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/02/us-news/protesters-against-trumps-immigration-crackdown-block-los-angeles-freeway/
— The left’s lies just keep growing — even as each of them gets debunked
https://nypost.com/2025/02/02/opinion/the-lefts-lies-keep-just-growing-even-as-each-of-them-gets-debunked/

AMERICAN REATNESS
— Ten Problems with DEI That Frighten the Public. DEI policies are facing scrutiny amid recent disasters, raising concerns about their impact on competence, meritocracy, and public safety.
https://amgreatness.com/2025/02/03/the-problems-with-dei-that-frighten-the-public/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The first issue is whether hiring, retention, and promotion in the airline industry or the military is not fully meritocratic. That is, were personnel hired on the basis of their exhibited superior education, practical experience, and superb scores on relevant examinations in matters relating to air travel? Or were they instead passed over because of their race, gender, or sexual orientation? Was the shortage of controllers a direct result not of an unqualified pool of applicants but rather because of racial restrictions place upon it to reduce its size? Second, were the promoters of DEI confident that they could argue that “diversity, equity, and inclusion” were as important criteria for the operation of a complex aircraft system as the past traditional criteria that had qualified air traffic controllers, pilots, and administrators? Not only did DEI considerations often supersede past traditional meritocratic requirements for employment, but DEI champions had also argued that “diversity” was either as important to, or more important than, traditional hiring and retention evaluations. The answers to these first two questions make it incumbent to ask further whether DEI played a role in the Washington, D.C., crash, similar to how it may have in the Los Angeles wildfires. It is not racist, sexist, or homophobic to ask such legitimate questions, especially because advocates themselves so often give more attention and emphasis to their race, gender, and sexual orientation than their assumed impressive expertise, proven experience, and superior education. In other words, had one’s race, sex, or orientation been incidental to employment rather than essential, such questions from the public might never have arisen. Finally, what are the problems with DEI that have not just lost its support but put fear into the public that, like the Russian commissar system of old, it has the potential to undermine the very sinews of a sophisticated, complex society? . .In sum, because of these inconsistencies, Donald Trump may well be able to end DEI with a wave of an executive order—simply because its foundations were always built of sand and thus any bold push would knock over the entire shaky edifice.)

BACON’S REBELLION
— Four Anti-School Choice Myths Exploded (COMMENT: Since 1953 when my parents sent me to Trinity Lutheran Grade School in Crete, my critics/opponents have used that against me. They have outrageously/disgustingly/falsely used that to hint/imply/argue/shout that my parents could do that because they were filthy rich. My father never earned more than $50,000/year in today’s dollars and during the 1950s, it was less. He almost always worked second jobs to pay the family’s bills. My mother never attended high school. I had to work my way through college.)
https://www.baconsrebellion.com/four-anti-school-choice-myths-explored-exploded/

BREITBART
— Lady Gaga Preaches Politics at Grammys: ‘Trans People Are Not Invisible’
https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2025/02/02/lady-gaga-at-grammys-trans-people-are-not-invisible-queer-community-deserves-to-be-lifted-up/
— Wall St. Journal Scoffs as ‘Dumb’ Trump Uses Tariffs to Reduce American Drug-Deaths
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/02/02/wall-st-journal-sneers-at-trump-using-tariffs-to-reduce-opioid-deaths/

COLLEGE FIX
— Florida State University to remove general education designation from hundreds of CRT-infused courses (COMMENT: Back in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1990s, I took many courses to earn a bachelor’s degree and three master’s degrees. But because virtually all of those courses were in business, accounting, and finance, few pushed the Democrat Party platform.)
https://www.thecollegefix.com/florida-state-u-to-remove-general-education-designation-from-hundreds-of-crt-infused-courses/

EPOCH TIMES
— Panama Says It Will Not Renew ‘Belt and Road’ Agreement With China After Rubio Visit
https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/panama-says-it-will-not-renew-belt-and-road-agreement-with-china-5803181

FEDERALIST
— 5 Shocking Reasons Trump Should Exit The U.N. Now
https://thefederalist.com/2025/02/03/5-shocking-reasons-trump-should-exit-the-u-n-now/

FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM
— H-1B Visas: Cheap Foreign Labor Versus the American Worker (COMMENT: If there had been as many immigrants when I was young as there are today, they would have gotten the jobs that I got, and if not that, my wages would have been lower because immigrants drive wages down. My critics/opponents cannot say that because they did not have to work their way through college because their parents were wealthy.)
https://www.fairus.org/issue/h-1b-visas-cheap-foreign-labor-versus-american-worker

FOX NEWS
— Trump order restricting sex-change procedures for minors in line with ‘do no harm,’ doctor says. ‘This fight only ends when children are no longer being abused on our soil. Ever,’ detransitioner Chloe Cole said.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/trump-order-restricting-sex-change-procedures-minors-line-do-no-harm-doctor-says
— Trump defends tariffs, accuses Canada of being ‘very abusive of the United States’: Trump authorized his tariffs against China, Canada and Mexico on Saturday.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-defends-tariffs-accuses-canada-being-very-abusive-united-states-video
— Musk rips ‘fraudulent’ Treasury handouts as reports mount DOGE has access to federal payment system
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/musk-rips-fraudulent-treasury-payments-reports-mount-doge-has-access-federal-payment-system

TUBERVILLE
— Tuberville moves to prioritize American workers over ‘cheap’ foreign labor (COMMENT: If there had been as many immigrants when I was young as there are today, they would have gotten the jobs that I got, and if not that, my wages would have been lower because immigrants drive wages down. My critics/opponents cannot say that because they did not have to work their way through college because their parents were wealthy.)
https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/tuberville-moves-to-prioritize-american-workers-over-cheap-foreign-labor-combat-job-outsourcing/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

NBC NEWS
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use the Constitution’s “equal protection” guarantee a) to give more preference to Democrats and b) to destroy Republicans.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-conservatives-reignite-battle-race-constitution-rcna189842

CNN
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://www.wfft.com/news/national/this-family-of-ten-trekked-from-venezuela-in-hopes-of-asylum-in-america-now-they/article_36b1c546-9826-52b8-8c62-a9bf81b1eb3d.html

ASSOCIATED PRESS
— American dream out of reach (COMMENT: I was able to buy new cars when I was 17, 19, 20, 23, 25, 29, etc. and real estate when I was 24, 25, 27, 29, and 35. But I doubt that I would be able to do that today at those ages.)
https://www.gjsentinel.com/with-home-prices-and-mortgage-rates-high-many-families-find-the-american-dream-out-of/article_6bc4119e-f033-51a4-aedb-66006acfee6d.html

MSN
— Secret Service Faces Lawsuit Over DEI Standards
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/secret-service-faces-lawsuit-over-dei-standards/ss-AA1rAqbc?ocid=st2

NEW YORK TIMES
— Many Americans Say the Democratic Party Does Not Share Their Priorities. A poll from The New York Times and Ipsos found that Americans believe abortion, L.G.B.T.Q. issues and climate change concern Democrats more than the cost of living.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/us/democrats-ipsos-poll-abortion-lgbt.html
— To achieve Affirmative Action (AA) and DEI quotas, goals, and targets, Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly lower standards big time. Democrat and RINO leaders use AA and DEI to get rid of Republicans. That rendered worthless my job-related bachelor’s degree, my three job-related master’s degrees, my six job-related professional certifications, and my job-related professional license. All my coworkers who my Democrat superiors in the federal government promoted over me were Democrats who a) 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 and/or b) were minority, female, and/or younger. I should write about that.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/us/politics/trump-diversity-racism.html
— NASA Astronaut Recruitment Faces Trump’s Moves Against D.E.I.  The government space agency has vocally promoted diversity and inclusion for decades, even during the first Trump administration. (COMMENT: To promote diversity is to discriminate against those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male. older, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/science/nasa-astronauts-dei-trump.html
— The more of the following that you are, the faster that Democrat leaders get rid of you: conservative, Republican, American, White, male. older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. Because I am all of the aforesaid, I would not have survived for almost 9 years working for the Democrats who ran IRS 1971-1980 if I had not a) earned an MBA in 1976, b) passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, and c) almost completed the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting. Because I am all of the aforesaid, I would not have survived for almost 18 years working for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997 if I had not a) earned a master’s degree in accounting in 1980, b) passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and became a licensed CPA in 1981, c) earned four more job-related professional certifications in 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1997, and d) earned a master’s degree in financial markets and trading in 1997.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/opinion/transgender-military-ban-trump.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use religious leaders to promote more hatred against Trump
https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2025/02/02/bishop-budde-national-cathedral-trump/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasing promote more illegal immigration and LGBTQ.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/02/03/trump-immigrant-children-transgender/

USA TODAY
— Transgender care on kids is dangerous. Trump was right to block it.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/02/03/trump-bans-funding-gender-surgery-transitioning-kids/78051941007/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Democratic States Are Wards of Washington. There’s a reason for the panic over the Trump White House’s temporary federal spending pause. (COMMENT: Ever-increasingly, Democrats take money away from Republicans and give it to Democrats.)
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/democratic-states-are-wards-of-washington-federal-spending-dollars-states-cities-92ace121
— Democrats Have a New Leader Ken Martin, but Haven’t Come to Grips With Failure. Cracks emerge as party confronts deep unpopularity; ‘we utilize identity to break ourselves apart.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/democrats-have-a-new-leader-but-havent-come-to-grips-with-failure-ee77234c
— Rich Countries Are Becoming Addicted to Cheap Labor (COMMENT: If there had been as many immigrants when I was young as there are today, they would have gotten the jobs that I got, and if not that, my wages would have been lower because immigrants drive wages down. My critics/opponents cannot say that because they did not have to work their way through college because their parents were wealthy.)
https://www.wsj.com/economy/business-immigrant-low-skilled-labor-addiction-bf009a83

FORTUNE
— Tesla Accused of Using Cheap Foreign Labor in Silicon Valley (COMMENT: If there had been as many immigrants when I was young as there are today, they would have gotten the jobs that I got, and if not that, my wages would have been lower because immigrants drive wages down. My critics/opponents cannot say that because they did not have to work their way through college because their parents were wealthy.)
https://fortune.com/2016/05/16/tesla-cheap-labor/

FORBES
— Why Job Benefits Are Disappearing From 2025 Hiring Posts (COMMENT: The federal government does not reimburse its employees’ tuition expenses for job-related graduate courses except for small token amounts in some cases. My Democrat IRS superiors used that to outrageously/disgustingly/falsely                                                          hint/imply/argue/shout that the graduate business and accounting courses that I deducted a) did not relate to my job duties, b) did not maintain or improve my job skills, c) were taken my me to get a job in the private sector, and d) qualified me for a new trade or business. They outrageously/disgustingly/falsely did that knowing full-well that their employee manual encouraged me to take those courses and ignoring my position descriptions and graduate school applications.)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/cynthiapong/2025/01/19/why-job-benefits-are-disappearing-from-2025-hiring-posts/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: By proactively detailing what makes a role worthwhile—whether that’s flexible scheduling, mental health support, or tuition reimbursement—employers can still differentiate themselves without overwhelming applicants with a laundry list of minor perks.)
— How many marginalized groups are you a member of? My critics/opponents stress that I am not a member of any marginalized group. I am not liberal, Democrat, minority, female, younger, poor, unmarried, LGBTQ, disabled, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, or citizen of a foreign country. According to my critics/opponents, because I am not a member of any marginalized group, I should pay the price of Affirmative Action and DEI big time.)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/genacox/2025/02/02/4-ways-respect-powers-thriving-teams-leadership-and-business-success/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliekratz/2025/02/02/tired-of-performative-allyship-10-phrases-inclusive-leaders-use/

BLOOMBERG
— Cheap Foreign Labor Soars in Canada as Young Workers Are Left Jobless (COMMENT: Canada today, America tomorrow. If there had been as many immigrants when I was young as there are today, they would have gotten the jobs that I got, and if not that, my wages would have been lower because immigrants drive wages down. My critics/opponents cannot say that because they did not have to work their way through college because their parents were wealthy.)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-12/cheap-foreign-labor-soars-in-canada-as-young-workers-are-left-jobless
— Canada Must End Reliance on Cheap Foreign Labor, Minister Says (COMMENT: Canada today, America tomorrow. If there had been as many immigrants when I was young as there are today, they would have gotten the jobs that I got, and if not that, my wages would have been lower because immigrants drive wages down. My critics/opponents cannot say that because they did not have to work their way through college because their parents were wealthy.)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-06/canada-must-end-reliance-on-cheap-foreign-labor-minister-says
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/2024/08/06/canada-moves-to-shrink-low-wage-foreign-worker-program-after-explosive-growth/

BLOOMBERG LAW
— Trump’s Deportation Plans Get Boost From Actions in Red States (COMMENT: Trump’s deportation plans are obstructed in blue states.)
https://news.bgov.com/bloomberg-government-news/trumps-deportation-plans-get-boost-from-actions-in-red-states

WIRED
— The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk’s Government Takeover. Engineers between 19 and 24, most linked to Musk’s companies, are playing a key role as he seizes control of federal infrastructure. (COMMENT: Just kidding, but will Musk ask for my advice on anything? GAO fights fraud, waste, and abuse in the federal government. I worked for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year. I have three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. Further, I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year.)
https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-government-young-engineers/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: WIRED has identified six young men—all apparently between the ages of 19 and 24, according to public databases, their online presences, and other records—who have little to no government experience and are now playing critical roles in Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project, tasked by executive order with “modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.” The engineers all hold nebulous job titles within DOGE, and at least one appears to be working as a volunteer.)

SCHOLARSHIPS
— Did you get scholarships? I did not. My critics/opponents have always used that to hint/imply/argue/shout a) that I am academically deficient and b) that my parents were filthy rich. In my defense, I worked my way through college and then earned three master’s degrees, six professional certifications, and a professional license.
https://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarships-by-type/full-tuition-scholarships

NATIONAL POST
— Fines issued for abusing Canada’s temporary foreign worker program rise 36% (COMMENT: Canada today, America tomorrow. If there had been as many immigrants when I was young as there are today, they would have gotten the jobs that I got, and if not that, my wages would have been lower because immigrants drive wages down. My critics/opponents cannot say that because they did not have to work their way through college because their parents were wealthy.)
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/fines-issued-for-abusing-canadas-temporary-foreign-worker-program-rise-36

GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE
— Trump to again freeze federal hiring. The new president will allow some exceptions, but says the freeze is necessary to root out “useless and overpaid” activists from federal rolls. (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats that ran GAO 1980-1997, the agency was almost always under Republican-caused hiring and promotion freezes. My Democrat GAO superiors punished me severely for that. Who does Trump want the next Comptroller General to be, that is, who does Trump want the next head of GAO to be?)
https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/01/trump-again-freeze-federal-hiring/402335/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Government Accountability Office raised concerns about the impact of Trump’s and previous hiring freezes, saying they were not effective and exacerbate existing workforce problems. Such freezes, GAO said, cause agencies to hire contractors and temporary staff. “If you want to reduce the workforce, you have to reduce the functions they’re doing,” GAO chief Gene Dodaro told Congress in 2017. “And you have to be able to realign the workforce.” GAO also found that agencies with exceptions, such as the Veterans Affairs Department that allowed the hiring of doctors and nurses to continue, still experienced fallout as they suffered from a lack of support staff.  When Trump ended the freeze, he tasked agencies to create plans to reshape themselves. Few of those plans were ever brought into effect as they ran headlong into congressional resistance. White House officials later refuted that the overall plans were intended to reduce federal workforce personnel. Some federal agencies have already implemented hiring restrictions due to budget caps and the short-term funding mechanism under which they are currently operating.)

TIMES
— US social mobility is overhyped (COMMENT: I was able to earn three master’s degrees, six professional certifications, and a professional license even though a) neither of my parents attended college, b) my father was only the first of my ancestors to earn a high school diploma, c) my mother never attended high school, d) my ACT score was only 24, e) I only just barely made it into the upper 20% of high school class, and f) I had to work my way through college.)
https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/article/brutal-truth-us-social-mobility-is-overhyped-xg3dqvg7k

January 31, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Federal appeals court strikes down ban on handgun sales to teens. The repealed regulation keeping teens from buying guns originated in 1968.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/gun-laws-fifth-circuit-court-appeals-rules-allow-18-year-olds-buy-handguns-strikes-down-landmark-control-regulation/15850192/
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters promote Durbin
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-senator-dick-durbin-weighs-president-trumps-2nd-week-office-executive-orders-dc-plane-crash-ice-raids-more/15852460/

NBC5
— Real ID appointments filling up ‘fast.’ Tip to know if you want to secure your spot. Appointments to get a Real ID are filling up fast, the Illinois Secretary of State’s office says.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/real-id-appointments-filling-up-fast-tip-to-know-if-you-want-to-secure-your-spot/3661786/

CBS2
— Pritzker bans convicted Jan. 6 participants from consideration for state jobs (COMMENT: After my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, they did everything that they could to ban me from getting employment appropriate for my work experience, education, professional certifications, and professional license.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/pritzker-bans-convicted-jan-6-participants-state-jobs/
— Veteran whose 30-year-old car couldn’t pass emissions test gets part he needed from Good Samaritan (COMMENT: A big reason why I traded in my 2003 Chevy Caviler LS in 2021 was that car mechanics could not get its check engine light to go off.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/carol-stream-veteran-car-emissions-test-repair-good-samaritan/
— Surveillance video shows Secret Service agents being turned away from Chicago school (COMMENT: One of my best friends during the 1960s and 1970s was a Secret Service Agent. Democrats ever-increasing put their hatred against Trump above everything else.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/hamline-elementary-surveillance-video-secret-service-agents/


FOX32
— Illinois AG joins coalition condemning Trump’s anti-DEI actions.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined 11 other AGs condemning President Trump. (COMMENT: Democrats use DEI to get rid of Republicans.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1586168
— Dolton, Thornton Township leaders call on Pritzker and others to remove Tiffany Henyard
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/dolton-thornton-township-leaders-pritzker-remove-tiffany-henyard
— Bipartisan lawmakers call for more air traffic controllers in wake of D.C. tragedy (COMMENT: Air traffic control staffing was involved in an audit of FAA that I worked on for GAO in the early 1980s.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/bipartisan-lawmakers-air-traffic-controllers-dc-tragedy
— Duckworth criticizes Sen. Tommy Tuberville over military promotion holds (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO for almost 30 years, the agency was almost always under Republican-led hiring freezes and/or promotion freezes.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1586063

WGN9
— Air traffic controllers union responds to Trump’s DEI attacks (COMMENT: Air traffic control staffing was involved in an audit of FAA that I worked on for GAO in the early 1980s.)
https://wgntv.com/news/national/air-traffic-controllers-union-responds-to-trumps-dei-attacks/

WTTW
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://news.wttw.com/2025/01/31/chicago-immigrant-advocates-push-increased-protections-trump-administration-targets-city
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump.
https://news.wttw.com/2025/01/31/week-review-trump-funding-freeze-sows-confusion-ice-raids-begin

WGN RADIO
— Illinois State Representative Nicole La Ha (82nd District) joins Lisa Dent to discuss the property tax relief bill she has introduced which aims to cap property tax bills for any property receiving the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption. (COMMENT: In today’s dollars, my Civil Service Retirement System pension is only 44% of what my salary was in 1997 and it is less than what my salary was in 1972.)
https://wgnradio.com/lisa-dent/state-representative-nicole-la-ha-introducing-property-tax-relief-bill-for-seniors/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Aurora police not enforcing federal immigration laws, mayor says
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/31/afternoon-briefing-aurora-police-not-enforcing-federal-immigration-laws-mayor-says/
— Pritzker wants those involved in Jan. 6 Capitol riot blocked from state employment (COMMENT: After my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, they did everything that they could to block me from getting employment appropriate for my work experience, education, professional certifications, and professional license.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/31/gov-jb-pritzker-wants-those-involved-in-jan-6-capitol-riot-blocked-from-state-employment/
— Naperville City Council candidate questionnaire responses for the April 1, 2025, election
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/31/naperville-council-candidate-questionnaire-april-2025-election/
— Pentagon prepares to deploy 1,000 more troops to bolster Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/31/pentagon-deploy-troops-trump-immigration-crackdown/
— Trump White House marks Black History Month while Defense Department declares ‘identity months dead’ (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO’s Chicago office for almost 18 years, they ever-increasingly required the office to celebrate groups each month, but they never celebrated Whites, males, or older people.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/31/trump-white-house-black-history-month/
— Health data, entire pages wiped from federal websites as Donald Trump officials target ‘gender ideology’
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/31/federal-agencies-remove-gender-ideology/
— Teacher’s comment about deportations at Dixmoor school sparks fear as threat of ICE raids loom
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/30/teachers-comment-deportations-dixmoor/
— A Will County judge Thursday reversed his December ruling that would have appointed a special prosecutor to represent 10 Will County Board Republicans in a road widening dispute with County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/30/will-county-special-prosecutor-veto-lawsuit/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Ever-increasingly, the mainstream news media exists to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2025/01/31/gene-lyons-president-donald-trump-will-ruin-american-experiment-last-column
— America’s enemies use birthright citizenship to destroy America.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2025/01/31/wannabe-king-donald-trump-birthright-citizenship-14th-amendment-constitution-mona-charen
— I became a licensed CPA when I was 32 years old in 1981. Back then, very few women were licensed CPAs and extremely few minorities were licensed CPAs. Anticipate/expect that Democrats will ever-increasingly lower CPA licensing requirements so that more women and more minorities can become licensed CPAs.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/01/31/illinois-licensing-reforms-address-racial-inequality-illinois-policy-institute-joshua-bandoch

DAILY HERALD
— Internship program helps students make post-high school plans (COMMENT: One of my roommates at NIU 1969-1970 was a summer intern at a big CPA firm. That helped him a) to be immediately hired by that firm when he graduated in June of 1970, b) to soon pass the CPA examination on his first attempt, and c) to soon become a partner at that firm. By way of contrast, a) I delivered mail during the summer of 1969, b) I did not start taking graduate accounting courses until 6 years after I graduated from NIU in August of 1970, c) I did not take and pass the CPA examination until 9 years after I graduated from NIU, d) I did not earn a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul until 10 years after I graduated from NIU, and e) I did not take and pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination and become a licensed CPA until 11 years after I graduated from NIU. By then, the accounting profession viewed me as being far too old to have a successful career in accounting.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250131/news/we-really-are-changing-lives-internship-program-helps-students-make-post-high-school-plans/
— Applications open for 26th Senate District seat
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250131/illinois-state-politics/applications-open-for-26th-senate-district-seat/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Trump tariffs on Canada and Mexico could hit Illinois hard
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-will-hit-illinois-economy
— McDonald’s settles Hispanic student scholarship lawsuit filed by anti-DEI activist (COMMENT: Democrats use DEI to get rid of Republicans.)
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/restaurants/mcdonalds-settles-hispanic-student-scholarship-lawsuit

SOUTHERN
— Federal employees told to remove pronouns from email signatures by end of day
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/01/31/federal-employees-told-to-remove-pronouns-from-email-signatures-by-end-of-day/
— Some government employees dismayed after Musk jokes about buyout offer
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/01/30/some-government-employees-dismayed-after-musk-jokes-about-buyout-offer/

STATELINE
— To get more votes from Blacks, Democrat leaders promise to give them reparations.
https://www.mystateline.com/news/illinois-residents-could-get-reparations-if-a-new-bill-is-passed/

FOX ILLINOIS
— ICE rounds up alleged kidnapper, rapist, robber and more in immigration crackdown
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/ice-rounds-up-alleged-kidnapper-rapist-robber-and-more-in-immigration-crackdown-ice-agents-continue-stepped-up-immigration-enforcement-efforts-focused-on-illegal-immigrants-accused-of-crimes

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Pentagon strips travel reimbursement for troops seeking abortions, fertility treatment
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/health-news/ap-pentagon-strips-travel-reimbursement-for-troops-seeking-abortions-fertility-treatment/

BLACK ENTERPRISE
— The Chicago Treasurer’s Office gives preference to Blacks
https://www.blackenterprise.com/chicago-treasurers-office-black-financial-resources/

ELMHURST PATCH
— Democrats want to push pot in Elmhurst.
https://patch.com/illinois/elmhurst/marijuana-sales-elmhurst-hopefuls-weigh

BLOCK CLUB CHIAGO
— Black West Side Leaders Blast Trump’s Move To Restrict Diversity, Inclusion Policies: ‘We Are Not Going Back’  U.S. Rep. Danny Davis and other officials spoke out against President Donald Trump’s crackdown on DEI policies and his bid to freeze federal funding, saying they’re prepared to “fight tooth and nail.” (COMMENT: Democrats use DEI to get rid of Republicans.)
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/01/31/black-west-side-leaders-blast-trumps-move-to-restrict-diversity-inclusion-policies-we-are-not-going-back/

CAPITOL FAX
— HGOPs demand Dems hold Statehouse hearings if Mayor Johnson won’t testify to Congress
https://capitolfax.com/2025/01/31/hgops-demand-dems-hold-statehouse-hearings-if-mayor-johnson-wont-testify-to-congress/
— Illinois-related executive directives, orders and lawsuits
https://capitolfax.com/2025/01/31/more-illinois-related-executive-directives-orders-and-lawsuits/
— Pritzker blocks pardoned Jan 6 rioters from state jobs
https://capitolfax.com/2025/01/31/pritzker-blocks-pardoned-jan-6-rioters-from-state-jobs/
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/01/31/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-240/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Illinois GOP conservatives call for new party leadership
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_034f21e0-e020-11ef-8f17-93ad5efc4141.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A conservative branch of Illinois Republicans is calling out the party’s House leader.  The Illinois Freedom Caucus, made up of six state representatives and one senator, is accusing House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, of playing “silly games” after she denied several services at the Capitol for not voting for her as leader. Some of the services the group said they are being denied include access to their state websites, emails, and email newsletter services, access to communications staffers including access to social media sites, audio and visual services and press release services, and all outreach assistance services. “At the end of the day, what she’s doing here is she is punishing tax paying voters,” said Vice Chairman Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City. This comes after Aaron Del Mar, the co-chair of the Illinois Republican Party, abruptly resigned, saying Republican principles of transparency and integrity are being compromised. Del Mar did not offer specifics. Wilhour said it is time for new party leadership. “I think the only way to unify the caucus at this point is for her to step aside,” said Wilhour. A request for comment from McCombie’s office was not returned. The Illinois Freedom Caucus issued a statement after they learned the Statehouse services were being denied. “Minority Leader Tony McCombie has officially declared war on conservatives. She seems to be more interested in going after conservative members of her own caucus than she is in taking on the Democrats who control every level of government in our state and who have run our state into the ground,” the statement read.)

SOUTHLAND JOURNAL
— Jim Marter Issues Statement on Lauren Underwood’s Failing Record on Women’s Safety
https://thesouthlandjournal.com/jim-marter-issues-statement-on-lauren-underwoods-failing-record-on-womens-safety/

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Study Finds Political Corruption in Illinois Results in Average of More than One Conviction Every Week between 1983 and 2023
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/01/31/study-finds-political-corruption-in-illinois-results-in-average-of-more-than-one-conviction-every-week-between-1983-and-2023/
— On Providing Rail Service to Rockford
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/01/31/on-providing-rail-service-to-rockford/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Democrats declare political open season on Trump, MAGA
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jan/30/democrats-declare-political-open-season-donald-tru/
— Federal websites shut down temporarily as Trump administration scrubs DEI content
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jan/31/federal-websites-shut-temporarily-trump-administra/
— FBI purge: 20+ top officials ousted in sweeping shake-up
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jan/31/top-fbi-officials-terminated-forced-quit/
— While rescuers searched for air crash victims in the Potomac, partisans rushed to blame Trump. Media and Democrats couldn’t wait to score political points with lies.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jan/30/rescuers-searched-air-crash-victims-potomac-partis/
— Trump’s firing of inspectors general sets up battle over government control
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jan/30/editorial-trump-firing-inspectors-general-sets-bat/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Choosing new leaders, Democrats are still in denial
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/daily-memo/3307091/choosing-new-dnc-leaders-democrats-in-denial/

WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
— De-Wokeifying Government Is Easier Said Than Done
https://freebeacon.com/columns/de-wokeifying-government-is-easier-said-than-done/

NEW YORK POST
— If you really support immigration, stop excusing border chaos
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/3305430/if-you-really-support-immigration-stop-excusing-border-chaos/
— FAA embroiled in lawsuit alleging it turned away 1,000 applicants based on race — that contributed to staffing woes
https://nypost.com/2025/01/31/us-news/faa-embroiled-in-lawsuit-alleging-it-turned-away-1000-applicants-based-on-race/

BREITBART
— Guantanamo Bay Will Be Opened to “Full Capacity” to Detain “High-Priority Criminal Illegals”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq94ZipfrRY
— FBI’s 55 Field Offices ‘Working Really Hard’ to Help Target Criminal Illegals Across U.S.
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/01/31/report-fbis-55-field-offices-working-really-hard-to-help-target-criminal-illegals/

DAILY CALLER
— ‘Bowing To Wokeness Since 2010’: Fmr Air Traffic Controller Says Short Staffing Is ‘Attributable To Obama Admin’
https://dailycaller.com/2025/01/30/michael-pearson-obama-admin-short-staffing/

EPOPCH TIMES
— US to Impose Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, on China on Feb. 1. The US will impose 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada, and 10 percent on China, the White House said.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/us-to-impose-25-percent-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-10-percent-on-china-on-feb-1-post-5802206

FOX NEWS
— ICE getting ‘no cooperation’ from sanctuary cities on criminal migrants
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6368045648112
— Democrats rally around lightning rod issue during unruly DNC debate despite voter backlash in 2024. A wave of left-wing protesters repeatedly interrupted the final DNC chair debate ahead of Saturday’s election.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrats-rally-around-lightning-rod-issue-during-unruly-dnc-debate-despite-voter-backlash-2024
— Why do Democrats defend violent, criminal illegal immigrants against Trump raids?  Democrats would rather score political points than keep Americans safe.
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/why-do-democrats-defend-violent-criminal-illegal-immigrants-against-trump-raids
— Trump’s migrant DHS FBI crackdown leaves killers, rapists nowhere to run. FBI’s 55 field offices around country supporting DHS operations.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/trumps-migrant-dhs-fbi-crackdown-leaves-killers-rapists-nowhere-run

JONATHAN TURLEY
— “Center of the Action”: Bally’s Chicago Casino Sued for Discrimination Against White Investors
https://jonathanturley.org/2025/01/31/center-of-the-action-ballys-chicago-casino-sued-for-discrimination-against-white-investors/

NEWSMAX
— Colombia Pres. Asks Illegals to Return
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/colombia-immigration-deportation/2025/01/31/id/1197293/

OSV NEWS
— Illinois state lawmakers file bills to legalize physician assisted-suicide
https://www.osvnews.com/illinois-state-lawmakers-file-bills-to-legalize-physician-assisted-suicide/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

REUTERS
— Musk aides lock government workers out of computer systems at US agency
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/musk-aides-lock-government-workers-out-computer-systems-us-agency-sources-say-2025-01-31/

ABC7
— WH sidesteps question on hiring disabled federal workers (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO’s Chicago office 1980-1997, they assigned me to supervise all their disabled employees.)
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/trump-2nd-term-live-updates-executive-action-plans/?id=117934786

NBC NEWS
— Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker blocks Jan. 6 rioters from state jobs after Trump pardons
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/illinois-gov-jb-pritzker-blocks-jan-6-rioters-state-jobs-trump-pardons-rcna190101

CBS NEWS
— CDC purges STD and vaccine recommendations after Trump gender order (COMMENT: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-std-vaccine-gender-trump/
— Agencies asked to scrub federal government websites to remove diversity-related content
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-officials-pausing-most-federal-government-websites-friday/
— Trump officials make plans to revoke legal status of migrants welcomed under Biden
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-officials-make-plans-to-revoke-legal-status-of-migrants-welcomed-under-biden/

NEW YORK TIMES
— Trump Administration Shocks Senior F.B.I. Ranks by Moving to Replace Them (COMMENT: All during the almost 18 years that I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO, the more of the following that their employees were, the more that they did to replace them: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or had ancestors who had been in America for a long time. They focused on replacing the aforesaid who they had not promoted to GS-13 (currently $117,807/year) by age 25, GS-14 ($139,211) by age 30, GS-15 ($163,749) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service ($195,200) by age 40.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/us/politics/trump-fbi-firing.html
— Trump Raises New Threat to Sanctuary Cities: Blocking Transportation Dollars. A new order revives an old battle about how much an administration is allowed to coerce cities and states by withholding money.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/31/upshot/sanctuary-cities-trump-transportation-funds.html

NEW YORKER
— Democrats and RINOs use DEI to get rid of Republicans
https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/the-daily/the-real-reason-behind-trumps-war-on-dei

CATO
— Democrats and RINOs use wokeness/wokeism to get rid of Republicans
https://www.cato.org/blog/here-comes-legal-campaign-against-woke-employers

JD SUPRA
— Will Trump Administration End Women and Minority-Owned Business Set Asides? (COMMENT: The Democrats who run the federal government set aside promotions for their Democrat employees who are minority, female, younger, and/or veteran.)
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/will-trump-administration-end-women-and-9111036/
— States Continue to Enforce Their Affirmative Action Requirements
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/states-continue-to-enforce-their-3899035/

SPLC
— Democrats and RINOs use DEI to get rid of Republicans
https://www.splcenter.org/resources/stories/why-wrong-teach-students-about-dei/

January 28, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Mayor reaffirms Chicago’s welcoming city status amid ICE raids; at least 100 arrested in area. Unclear if mayor will go to Washington to testify next month.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/ice-chicago-immigration-raids-today-arrests-continue-mayor-brandon-johnson-called-testify-sanctuary-city-policy/15843173/
— Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump administration freeze on federal grants and loans
https://abc7chicago.com/post/federal-grants-loan-disbursement-paused-white-house/15843367/
— Firings, freezes and layoffs: A list of Trump’s moves against federal employees and programs (COMMENT: Democrats run the federal government. Since the 1960s, they have ever-increasingly used Affirmative Action and DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/trump-federal-funding-actions-list-summary-trumps-moves-employees-programs/15844281/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Diversity, equity and inclusion  On his second day back at the White House, Trump moved to end affirmative action in federal contracting and directed that all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on paid leave and eventually be laid off. That move followed an executive order Trump signed on his first day ordering a dismantling of the federal government’s diversity and inclusion programs that could touch on everything from anti-bias training to funding for minority farmers and homeowners, programs Trump has called “discrimination.” That action revokes an order issued by President Lyndon Johnson, and curtails DEI programs by federal contractors and grant recipients. It’s using one of the key tools utilized by the Biden administration to promote DEI programs across the private sector – pushing their use by federal contractors – to now eradicate them. While many changes may take months or even years to implement, prominent companies from Walmart to Facebook have already scaled back or ended some of their diversity practices in response to Trump’s election and conservative-backed lawsuits against them. By Friday, federal agencies are expected to develop a plan to execute a “reduction-in-force action” against federal DEI workers in their employ as of Election Day.)
— Trump signs executive order aimed at curtailing gender transitions for everyone under 19 (COMMENT: How much success have Democrats had promoting LGBTQ in your school district?)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/trump-signs-executive-order-aimed-curtailing-gender-transitions-everyone-19/15844501/
— IL House lawmakers file almost 1,800 new bills only 2 weeks into legislative session (COMMENT: What bills have your Republican lawmakers filed to defend and advance the Republican Party platform?)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/il-house-lawmakers-file-almost-1800-new-bills-2-weeks-legislative-session-including-single-use-plastic-foodware-ban/15844418/

NBC5
— Pritzker calls Trump funding freeze ‘illegal’ after judge blocks order. Pritzker addressed media on Tuesday afternoon amid continuing fallout over the freeze order.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/pritzker-blasts-trump-funding-freeze-medicaid-other-programs/3658478/
— Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., on Tuesday defended the impacts of the White House’s federal aid freeze on school lunch programs by suggesting that some children should be working instead of receiving free lunch. (COMMENT: During my freshman and sophomore years in high school, I did yard work. During my freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years in high school, I delivered newspapers. During my junior and senior years, I washed dishes. At the start of my junior year in 1964, I bought a 1958 Chevy Bel Air with the money that I had earned. At the end of my senior year, I bought a new 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint with the money that I had earned that I used it to commute to/from classes at UIC and my parents’ home in Crete. Because I worked so many hours instead of studying, I only just barely made it into the upper 20% of my class and my ACT score was only 24. Because of heavy traffic on the Dan Ryan, commuting was difficult.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/republican-congressman-children-free-school-lunches-mcdonalds/3658368/

CBS2
— Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul calls Trump’s federal funding freeze unconstitutional
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/illinois-attorney-general-kwame-raoul-president-trump-freeze-federal-funding/
— Democratic states plan to sue over Trump’s federal grant funding freeze
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/trump-funding-freeze-lawsuit-democratic-attorneys-general/
— Medicaid, Head Start, health centers say they’re locked out of federal funding website (COMMENT: To what extent are those in Illinois, your county, your township, your municipality, your school district, and your precinct dependent on a) federal aid, b) state aid, c) township aid, d) municipal aid, and e) school district aid?)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/medicaid-head-start-health-centers-trump-funding-freeze/

WGN9
— President Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown continues
https://wgntv.com/news/washington-dc-bureau/president-trumps-sweeping-immigration-crackdown-continues/

FOX32
— Illinois GOP bill would require law enforcement to coordinate with ICE
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-ice-cooperation-trust-act
— Elgin man arrested by ICE, family says
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1584187

WBEZ
— Immigration arrests have quieted Chicago’s Latino neighborhoods. In East Chicago, a neighborhood that is about 80% Mexican, the typically bustling commercial corridor was eerily still on Monday.
https://www.wbez.org/immigration/2025/01/28/immigration-arrests-have-quieted-chicagos-latino-neighborhoods
— Health care providers in Illinois could lose millions in funding under Trump order. Some providers say an order freezing federal financial help could mean cuts in services within days or months. A judge temporarily blocked the order.
https://www.wbez.org/health-medicine/2025/01/28/health-care-providers-in-illinois-could-lose-millions-in-funding-under-trump-order
— Johnson, other ‘sanctuary’ mayors called to testify on ‘obstructionist policies,’ but he’s not sure he’ll show up. On Tuesday, Johnson referred the question to his Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry, who said the “invitation” from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is “under legal review.” Johnson and the mayors of Boston, Denver and New York also were asked to hand over all documents related to their cities’ sanctuary status.
https://www.wbez.org/immigration/2025/01/28/mayor-brandon-johnson-house-oversight-committee-sanctuary-city-immigration-deportation
— Chicago’s immigration sweeps have restaurant and food industry employers feeling anxious. Chicago-based American Business Immigration Coalition warns of major economic consequences of mass deportations. (COMMENT: I washed dishes for the minimum wage in Chicago Heights during my junior and senior years in high school and the summer in between. If there had been as many illegals back then as there are now, one of them would have gotten that job. That job enabled me to earn and save enough money to buy a new car before I graduated, a car that I used to commute to/from classes at UIC and my parents’ home in Crete.)
https://www.wbez.org/immigration/2025/01/28/chicago-immigration-sweeps-restaurant-food-industry-employers-feeling-anxious

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— President Trump’s federal funding freeze hits Medicaid in Illinois, slated to disrupt vast array of programs. The temporary federal freeze has shut Illinois out of Medicaid, according to Gov. JB Pritzker’s office. The government-funded health insurance program covered about 3.9 million people in Illinois in 2023, including low-income adults, children, pregnant women and people with disabilities.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/donald-trump/2025/01/28/illinois-medicaid-federal-funding-freeze-trump-administration
— Mayor Brandon Johnson reaffirms Chicago’s welcoming city status amid ICE raids. CPD says more than 100 have been detained from Chicago area.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/ice-chicago-immigration-raids-today-arrests-continue-mayor-brandon-johnson-called-testify-sanctuary-city-policy/15843173/
— Trump offers all federal workers a buyout with 7 months’ pay in effort to shrink size of government
Federal employees who don’t want to return to the office can apply for a buyout. Those workers who accept the buyout will need to resign by Feb. 6 and would receive severance paid through Sept. 30. (COMMENT: In 1993, when I was 45 years old, the Democrats who ran GAO “offered” $25,000 buyouts and early retirement to get rid of its older White male non-veteran employees who they had not promoted to GS-15, currently $163,749-$180,974/year in today’s dollars. I was eligible because I had 25 years of federal service – 13 with GAO, 9 with IRS, and 3 with the Post Office. They succeeded in forcing me to retire in 1997 just before their “offer” expired. If I had not succumbed, I would not have been eligible for regular retirement until 2003. Things that I did that helped me survive 1993-1997 include my a) earning a master’s degree in financial markets and trading in 1997, b) my becoming a Certified Forensic Accountant in 1997, Financial Services Auditor in 1996, Government Financial Manager in 1994, Fraud Examiner in 1990, Internal Auditor and licensed CPA in 1981, and CPA in 1979, and c) my earning master’s degrees in accounting from DePaul in 1980 and in business from Loyola in 1976.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/washington/2025/01/28/trump-offers-all-federal-workers-a-buyout-with-7-months-pay-in-effort-to-shrink-size-of-government
— Dr. Phil had no business taking part in ICE immigration raids in Chicago, Durbin says. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., on Tuesday slammed the decision to grant TV host Dr. Phil McGraw, a psychologist, access to the raids Sunday in Chicago, which McGraw streamed on his channel.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/washington/2025/01/28/durbin-senate-floor-comments-chicago-immigration-raids-ice-dr-phil-mcgraw-homeland-security
— Trump’s moves on electric vehicles will hurt industry and our climate. President Donald Trump’s executive orders target the electric vehicle industry, while Europe and China forge ahead. (COMMENT: Will Democrats say that I am helping the electric vehicle industry and climate with my buying an electric 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T?)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/editorials/2025/01/28/evs-electric-vehicles-donald-trump-environment-editorial

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Trump administration’s surprise federal funding freeze hits Medicaid while raising havoc and sowing confusion across Illinois
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/28/mayor-brandon-johnson-trump-federal-funds-cut/
— Illinois unable to access Medicaid systems hours before President Trump’s freeze on grants was supposed to take effect
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/28/mayor-brandon-johnson-trump-federal-funds-cut/
— Democrat leaders crow about their manipulation/domination of religious leaders.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/27/evanston-church-offers-sanctuary-to-immigrants/
— Trump offers all federal workers a buyout with 7 months’ pay in effort to shrink size of government (COMMENT: In 1993, when I was 45 years old, the Democrats who ran GAO “offered” $25,000 buyouts and early retirement to get rid of its older White male non-veteran employees who they had not promoted to GS-15, currently $163,749-$180,974/year in today’s dollars. I was eligible because I had 25 years of federal service – 13 with GAO, 9 with IRS, and 3 with the Post Office. They succeeded in forcing me to retire in 1997 just before their “offer” expired. If I had not succumbed, I would not have been eligible for regular retirement until 2003. Things that I did that helped me survive 1993-1997 include my a) earning a master’s degree in financial markets and trading in 1997, b) my becoming a Certified Forensic Accountant in 1997, Financial Services Auditor in 1996, Government Financial Manager in 1994, Fraud Examiner in 1990, Internal Auditor and licensed CPA in 1981, and CPA in 1979, and c) my earning master’s degrees in accounting from DePaul in 1980 and in business from Loyola in 1976.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/28/trump-federal-workers-buyout/
— CNN’s Jim Acosta, an irritant to Trump, says he’s quitting rather than take a late-night time slot (COMMENT: In 1997, my Democrat GAO superiors succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer.” They hinted that they might let me work another 6 years when I would be eligible for regular retirement if I happily agreed to be downgraded and transferred to a different audit group. I had been assigned to their group that audited federal financial regulators since 1990. I had become a Certified Fraud Examiner in 1990, Government Financial Manager in 1994, Financial Services Auditor in 1996, and Forensic Accountant in 1997. I had earned a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/28/cnns-jim-acosta-quits/
— If you’re arrested by ICE in Illinois, what happens next? Legal experts explain the process
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/28/ice-immigration-trump-deportation-know-your-rights/
— Illinois GOP sues over Democratic legislative remap, calling it ‘not just a little corrupt’
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/28/gop-remap-lawsuit/

DAILY HERALD
— Confusion reigns after feds pull plug on aid; Illinois sues and Pritzker blasts White House
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250128/nation-and-world-politics/illinois-joins-5-other-states-seeking-to-block-trump-pulling-plug-on-federal-aid/
— West Chicago mayor candidate wants lottery to determine ballot placement
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250127/local-politics/west-chicago-mayor-candidate-wants-lottery-to-determine-ballot-placement/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Trump’s federal spending freeze has local recipients reeling
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/uchicago-pauses-research-spending-after-trump-funding-freeze
— Before federal funding freeze, Illinois reports issues accessing Medicaid
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/health-care/after-trump-funding-freeze-illinois-reports-issues-accessing-medicaid

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Illinois lawmakers file bill to repeal ‘Trust Act,’ require police to work with ICE
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/state/2025/01/28/illinois-lawmakers-want-law-enforcement-to-work-with-ice/78000550007/

WSIL TV
— More frequent use of marijuana damages the brain’s working memory, which could lead to issues with safety, communications and work success. (COMMENT: I have never used marijuana and I never will. That helped me a) earn a bachelor’s degree when I was 21, b) earn master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, c) earn professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 46, and 48, and d) earn a professional license when I was 32.)
https://www.wsiltv.com/news/health/more-frequent-marijuana-use-may-damage-an-important-memory-skill/article_d87a02d9-db7c-5ef4-af93-a9fe4151f824.html

DUPAGE COUNTY ELECTION DIVISION
— Unofficial Candidate Listings
https://cms5.revize.com/revize/dupage/Election/Documents/Candidate%20Information/Candidate%20Listings/2025CE/2025CE-0%20Full%20Candidate%20List.pdf

CAPITOL FAX
— Pritzker directs state agencies to report potential impacts of federal funding cuts
https://capitolfax.com/2025/01/28/pritzker-directs-state-agencies-to-report-potential-impacts-of-federal-funding-cuts/
— Trump administration starts at least a partial walk-back after furor – Judge pauses – State has access to Medicaid portal – Pritzker: ‘What Donald Trump tried to do in the last 24 hours is illegal’ – Medicaid shutdown ‘not an accident’ – Federal agencies ordered not to speak with states – AG lawsuit posted
https://capitolfax.com/2025/01/28/trump-administration-starts-at-least-a-partial-walk-back-after-furor/
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/01/28/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-237/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

ILLINOIS GOP
— America First Means No More Open Borders and Dangerous Criminals
https://illinois.gop/category/news/
(PRESS RELEASE: ICE Raids targeting criminals and gang members have arrived in Chicago. While many Democrats across the country have embraced and even supported President Trump’s targeting of criminal illegal migrants, JB Pritzker and Brandon Johnson continue to grandstand side by side prioritizing protecting criminals over the safety of Illinois families. Here’s some of the people that they are protecting: Nine Tren de Aragua terrorists; Seven sexual predators who committed crimes against children; and Two murderers. Tom Homan said it himself – “everybody we arrested in Chicago yesterday was a significant public safety threat.” “The Trump Administration is making our communities safe again and placing the lives and wellbeing of Americans first. I am a proud supporter of the new Administration’s efforts to step up and take the action that Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson are too cowardly to take themselves,” said Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi. “This is a nation of laws, laws that Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson are fine ignoring for the sake of their own radical agenda. President Trump is doing exactly what the American people elected him to do, and we stand ready to assist him in his efforts to secure our border and keep our streets safe.”)

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— McConchie Recommends Joe Salvi as Replacement in State Senate
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/01/28/mcconchie-recommends-joe-salvi-as-replacement-in-state-senate/
— McLaughlin Seeks to Succeed McConchie in Senate
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/01/28/mclaughlin-seeks-to-succeed-mcconchie-as-in-senate/
— More Bias in Illegal Alien Removal Reporting
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/01/28/more-bias-in-illegal-alien-removal-reporting/
— Chicago Papers Emphasize Human Interest Angles of Illegal Alien Removals
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/01/28/chicago-papers-emphasize-human-interest-angles-of-illegal-alien-removals/
— Rep. Sosnowski Takes on Pritzker about Illegal Alien Deportation
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/01/28/rep-sosnowski-takes-on-pritzker-about-illegal-alien-deportation/
— Algonquin Township Road Commissioner Holding Fundraiser Wednesday
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/01/28/algonquin-township-road-commissioner-holding-fundraiser-wednesday/

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— 7 steps to improve Illinois’ social mobility rating
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/press-releases/7-steps-to-improve-illinois-social-mobility-rating/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Promote and encourage the “success sequence.” Research has shown progressing from getting an education, finding full-time work, getting married and then having children is a proven path to improve social mobility and strengthen families. American adults who follow this model have a poverty rate of only 2%, and about 75% joined the middle class.)

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

BLAZE
— Trump to freeze federal funds as admin weeds out ‘wokeness’ in budget
https://www.theblaze.com/news/trump-to-freeze-federal-funds-as-admin-weeds-out-wokeness-in-budget

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

THE HILL
— Trump provokes firestorm with federal freeze
https://thehill.com/newsletters/evening-report/5111767-trump-federal-freeze-johnson-miami-leavitt-peters-medicaid/

CNN
— Trump administration denies it is pausing all federal grants after sweeping memo to government agencies
https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/27/politics/white-house-pauses-federal-grants-loan-disbursement/index.html

NBC NEWS
— Trump’s funding freeze creates widespread confusion. A White House memo set off a flurry of panic across nonprofit groups, who said they were unable to access federal government systems used to withdraw funds.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-federal-funding-freeze-widespread-confusion-rcna189581

CBS NEWS
— Trump administration offering buyouts to government workers unwilling to return to office (COMMENT: In 1993, when I was 45 years old, the Democrats who ran GAO “offered” $25,000 buyouts and early retirement to get rid of its older White male non-veteran employees who they had not promoted to GS-15, currently $163,749-$180,974/year in today’s dollars. I was eligible because I had 25 years of federal service – 13 with GAO, 9 with IRS, and 3 with the Post Office. They succeeded in forcing me to retire in 1997 just before their “offer” expired. If I had not succumbed, I would not have been eligible for regular retirement until 2003. Things that I did that helped me survive 1993-1997 include my a) earning a master’s degree in financial markets and trading in 1997, b) my becoming a Certified Forensic Accountant in 1997, Financial Services Auditor in 1996, Government Financial Manager in 1994, Fraud Examiner in 1990, Internal Auditor and licensed CPA in 1981, and CPA in 1979, and c) my earning master’s degrees in accounting from DePaul in 1980 and in business from Loyola in 1976.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-offering-buyouts-to-government-workers-unwilling-to-return-to-office/

NEW YORK TIMES
— Trump’s Spending Freeze Sows Confusion and Fear
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/28/us/trump-news-executive-orders

PBS
— Trump orders temporary funding freeze that could affect trillions of dollars
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-orders-temporary-funding-freeze-that-could-affect-trillions-of-dollars