DAILY HERALD
— President Donald Trump on Sunday appeared to threaten to target millions of people living in the country illegally if he doesn’t get funding for his border wall. – AP https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20190120/news/301209963/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats use Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion a) to not hire Republicans, b) to not retain Republicans, c) to not promote Republicans, and d) to get rid of Republicans, and especially Republicans who are White, male, older, and/or non-veteran. https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20190120/editorial-honoring-the-dream-of-martin-luther-king-jr
— Are we missing a bet on older workers? – Jim Kendall (DIERSEN: You are an “older worker” a) if you are Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran, b) if you work for the federal government, and c) if you did not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40. Extremely few federal employees make the aforesaid promotion deadlines.) https://www.dailyherald.com/business/20190120/are-we-missing-a-bet-on-older-workers
BLOOMBERG
— Employees Use Workplace as Source of Trust as Pessimism Persists – Benedikt Kammel (DIERSEN: Who have you had been reluctant to trust? While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, I was reluctant to trust any of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates because I knew that they were under tremendous pressure from Democrat politicians to get rid of those who shared my demographics: a) Republican, b) White, c) male, d) non-veteran, and e) an employee who had not made GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40.) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-20/employees-use-workplace-as-source-of-trust-as-pessimism-persists
NIU
— Prepare to Earn the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) Credential with NIU. (DIERSEN: I passed the CIA examination on my first attempt in 1981 when I was 32 years old and a) after I had earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976, b) after I had passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, c) after I had worked for IRS for almost 9 years, d) after I had earned a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, and e) after I had worked for GAO for just over 1 year. I worked for GAO 1980-1997. I do not recall that any of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, or subordinates took the examination, let alone passed it on their first attempt. They demonized, denigrated, and condemned the certification as being worthless and not job-related. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, a minority, a female, and/or a veteran.) https://niu.edu/continuing-professional-education/professionals/internal-audit/index.shtml
(FROM THE POSTING: A Small Investment Yields Big Rewards when it comes to Your Internal Audit Career! Earning your Certified Internal Auditor® credentials can pay big dividends. It’s amazing what those 3 little letters CIA says about your expertise and professionalism! As the only globally recognized internal audit certification, becoming a Certified Internal Auditor® (CIA®) is the optimum way to communicate knowledge, skills, and competencies to effectively carry out professional responsibilities for any audit, anywhere. Candidates complete the program enriched with educational experience, information, and business tools that can applied immediately in any organization and business environment. According to the IIA’s 2017 Compensation Study, internal audit professionals holding the CIA credential earn an average of $38,000 more annually than those without a credential. About the CIA® Credential The internal audit function is an effective assurance and consulting function designed to evaluate and improve effective risk management, control and governance processes. Candidates seeking to earn the CIA credential must meet the eligibility requirements established by the Institute of Internal Auditors www.theiia.org/certification and pass an exam for each part of the program.)
LISLE TOWNSHIP REPUBLICAN ORGANIZATION
— The Lisle Township Republican Organization is outraged by recent comments made by our newly elected State Representative Anne Stava-Murray. Impugning the residents of Naperville who have worked tirelessly to make Naperville a great place to live for people of all races and religions is reprehensible. Rep. Anne Stava-Murray’s baseless attacks on Naperville highlight her lack of interest in serving her constituents. She has stated that she is already running for another office even before she begins her term in the General Assembly. If she is so disinterested in serving and holds her constituents in such disdain she should resign and let someone who wants to work for all the residents be the State Representative from the 81st District. On behalf of her constituents and all the residents of the City of Naperville, we demand an apology from Rep. Stava-Murray and call on her colleagues in the General Assembly to publicly
censure her extremist attacks. – Jay Fisher, Chairman, LTRO https://lislegop.org/
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Springfield police set to start camera program with public – Crystal Thomas https://www.sj-r.com/news/20190119/springfield-police-set-to-start-camera-program-with-public (FROM THE ARTICLE: Springfield will soon join several Illinois cities that have a voluntary program in which residents can register their private cameras to help out police. Police Chief Kenny Winslow told the City Council this past week that the registration will be available through the Springfield Police Department’s website in February. Residents who own private exterior cameras would enter information, like their address and a way to contact them, into a portal on the website. That information would be uploaded into a spreadsheet, which would plot all of the registered private security cameras on a map. Police officers would have access to this information and would be able to contact camera owners afterward if a crime occurred nearby. “We can send an alert via email or have detectives just call,” Winslow said. Winslow said the camera owners would be able to send in the footage through evidence.com, which is an encrypted hosting site that the city already uses. Or, a police officer could review the footage with the homeowner. Winslow said police are more likely to apprehend a suspect if they get information quickly after a crime. Plus, Winslow said the camera network could act as a deterrent to crime happening in the first place. “It will hopefully lead to more investigatory leads on crimes, or hopefully a better apprehension rate or maybe even a reduction (in crime),” Winslow said. “We just have to figure it out how to better market it to have good participation.”)
FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE
— PELOSI AND THE DEMS CAN’T COMPROMISE ON PATHWAY TO DEMOGRAPHIC MAJORITY – Daniel Greenfield (DIERSEN: Because immigrants overwhelmingly vote for Democrats, to get in power and to stay in power, Democrats want to flood America with immigrants. Democrats shout at immigrants that Republicans are White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse thing who should gotten rid of once and for all.) https://www.frontpagemag.com/point/272606/pelosi-and-dems-cant-compromise-pathway-daniel-greenfield
NEW YORK TIMES
— Trump Offers Temporary Protections for ‘Dreamers’ in Exchange for Wall Funding – Annie Karni and Sheryl Gay Stolberg https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/19/us/politics/trump-proposal-daca-wall.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, to be a Democrat is to be a man-hater. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/19/opinion/sunday/trump-ocasio-cortez-dowd.html (FROM THE ARTICLE: After I’d been writing a column for a few years, a male boss gave me a T-shirt depicting the Furies swooping. He didn’t mean it as a compliment. The three sisters, the “infernal goddesses” of ancient mythology born from the blood shed by Uranus when he was castrated by his son, were known for relentlessly hounding men. But the Furies took vengeance on wicked men who hurt women and swore false oaths. So I took it as a compliment. The capital has suddenly been infused with the spirit of the Furies. After many false springs and discouraging backlashes, we are finally experiencing a revolutionary assertion of women’s power that is transforming Congress. “Kill Bill”-style, the fiery Democratic women keep coming, driven by vengeance against the wicked man in the White House with the history of hurting women and swearing false oaths.)
— In Iowa, Gillibrand Uses Small-Town Roots to Sell Electability – Shane Goldmacher (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes in Wheaton and Glen Ellyn have made it very clear that if I ever sought a government office or a political office, they would shout from their rooftops that that my hometown Crete was full of German Lutherans who were White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, and bigots while I lived there 1948-1972. Should I sue my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes?) https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/19/us/politics/kirsten-gillibrand-iowa-president.html
— Crazy Rich Progressives Elizabeth Warren’s brushback pitch was aimed at candidates rich enough to self-fund their campaigns. But this kind of binary thinking is a slight to history. – Timothy Egan https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/18/opinion/crazy-rich-progressives.html
— Why Do People Fall for Fake News? Are they blinded by their political passions? Or are they just intellectually lazy? – Gordon Pennycook and David Rand (DIERSEN: According to my critics/opponents, all news and commentary is fake except for the news and commentary that they put out or bless. They do not want me to bring any news or any commentary to anyone’s attention, including the news and commentary that they put out or bless. They want to be the sole source of news and commentary for everyone.) https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/19/opinion/sunday/fake-news.html
DENVER POST
— Womxn’s March in Denver draws an estimated 80,000 protesters Last year, about 100,000 people attended the march – JESSICA SEAMAN (DIERSEN: To participate in a women’s march is to shout that you are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.) https://www.denverpost.com/2019/01/19/womxns-march-denver-2019/
GAINESVILLE TIMES
— How younger generations get their news and why that matters – Shannon Casas (DIERSEN: Facebook is a Democrat/Libertarian/Green/RINO website. Those who run Facebook want those who are religious, conservative, and/or Republican to lose. Nevertheless, ever-increasingly, and outrageously, religious, conservative, and Republican activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc. rely on Facebook to communicate. Ever-increasingly, they erroneously assume that if they post something on Facebook, everyone will see it. Ever-increasingly, they stop publishing websites, stop updating their websites, and stop sending out emails. That is exactly what Democrats, Libertarians, Greens, and RINOs want them to do.) https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/columnists/shannon-casas-how-younger-generations-get-their-news-and-why-matters/ (FROM THE ARTICLE: A little more than 10 years ago, distributing news by way of Facebook, Snapchat or any other social media was unheard of; it’s one of the most transformational shifts in the way we consume news. And it’s a driving force in how vastly different news consumption habits are and will be for millennials and younger. Older generations seek out news, for example setting aside time to read the morning paper, while millennials’ are more likely to bump into a story on social media. They don’t necessarily spend less time reading news. Some 85 percent of them report that keeping up with news is at least somewhat important to them and 69 percent get news daily, according to the American Press Institute. But they consume that news throughout their day across multiple platforms — a click on a Facebook link here, viewing an Instagram post there, watching a video on YouTube their friend shared, and so forth. And the large majority of it is done on their cellphones. I’ll point out here that much of this column was tapped out on my phone. “News and information are woven into an often continuous but mindful way that Millennials connect to the world generally, which mixes news with social connection, problem solving, social action, and entertainment,” according to the American Press Institute research. This trend continues with the next generation, those born after 1995: “Media consumption for Gen Z’s is embedded in their daily lives so they are not even consciously making a decision to consume content,” according to a Forbes article.)
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT GAZETTE
— Age discrimination: a moral embarrassment – HELAINE OLEN (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Republicans, Whites, men, and non-veterans should be advised that they will be flushed down the toilet if they are not earning at least $100,000/year by age 25, $200,000/year by age 30, $300,000/year by age 35, $400,000/year by age 40, $500,000/year by age 45, $600,000/year by age 50, $700,000/year by age 55, $800,000/year by age 60, $900,000/year by age 65, and $1,000,000 year by age 70.) https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2019/jan/20/age-discrimination-a-moral-embarassment/ (FROM THE ARTICLE: When you dive into popular literature on retirement, you could be forgiven for thinking there are hordes of Americans in their late 50s or early 60s desperate to leave the paid workforce as soon as they can. Blog posts and academic studies beg people to hold off on collecting Social Security until the age of 70 so they can maximize their benefits. There is Bloomberg Businessweek’s article “Not prepared for retirement? Here’s a solution. Don’t retire.” And Inc.’s “Want to Retire Early? Here are 3 Reasons You Probably Shouldn’t.” Few listen. The most common age to file for Social Security is 62. Why? Well, many of these people are not downscaling their professional lives or exiting the workforce entirely because they want to do so. They are likely victims of age discrimination. That’s the searing conclusion that can be drawn from a recently released joint Urban Institute-ProPublica analysis of data from the Social Security Administration and National Institute on Aging’s joint longitudinal Health and Retirement Study. The researchers behind the report found a majority of workers over the age of 50 are likely at some point to be shoved out of their jobs, either via an overt firing or resignation under pressure of demotions, loss of future benefits or deteriorating work conditions. The damage to their bottom line is often permanent. When many find new positions, they are often jobs that are significantly below both their skill levels and previous pay grades, such as the former corporate executive ProPublica discovered working at a print shop, as a bartender, and staffing the front desk at a local gym. Making matters worse: The retirement prospects for many younger baby boomers and members of Generation X look dismal as the shift from workplace pensions to the do-it-yourself 401(k) has left millions of people without the resources to maintain even a semblance of their current lifestyle in retirement. As a result, surveys say a majority of Americans plan to work well past the traditional retirement age, with many claiming they will collect a paycheck till they drop.)
DAILY BEAST
— Trump’s Federal Financial Regulators Expensed $2,500 for Booze (DIERSEN: GAO works for Congress. Will Trump ask GAO for help? I worked for GAO on audits of federal financial industry regulators for almost 9 years, the last almost 8 years of which at the GS-13 Step 4-10 levels, currently $106,044-$125,325/year. During the last 5 of those years, I earned a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT and I became a Certified Financial Services Auditor.) https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-federal-finance-regulators-expensed-dollar2500-for-booze-report
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— State Rep. Stava-Murray stands by comment that Naperville has ‘white supremacist policies’ – Erin Hegarty (DIERSEN: Politics is nasty. I should write a book about those in Wheaton and in Glen Ellyn who hint/imply/argue/shout that my hometown Crete was full of German Lutherans who were White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, and bigots while I lived there 1948-1972. Better yet, I should sue them.) https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-stava-murray-white-supremacist-claims-st-0120-story.html (FROM THE ARTICLE: City officials reacted strongly to Stava-Murray’s claims about Naperville’s policies. “I don’t think that the city can be fairly characterized in that way. In fact, it’s very much the opposite,” Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico said. “It’s a very loving city and a very welcoming city.” Naperville City Councilman Kevin Coyne said the community celebrates diversity and welcomes people of all ethnicities. “Rep. Stava-Murray’s comments were reckless and unfounded,” Coyne said. “She should apologize to her constituents in Naperville who she has embarrassed with these disparaging and patently false comments.” Stava-Murray said Friday she is glad her comment, which was posted about two weeks ago, is getting attention. “I think this is a very necessary conversation people need to be having in Naperville and the Chicago area because we are still so segregated,” she said. “There are many schools in Naperville that have almost no black students in them and many schools where there is not a single black teacher teaching.” She also said Naperville makes no effort to educate residents on the city’s history as it relates race disparities and the city’s lack of a race-based bullying policy is “one of the areas where a lack of policy is a white supremacist policy.” Her preference for Oak Park is based on the fact that “they actually have a history of actively working to desegregate their area,” she said. “This reaction of caring more about appearance than reducing the negative impact on white active denial of white supremacy, that’s what made me want to move to Oak Park in the first place,” she said. Chirico said that while he understands some opinions can be based on experiences, he doesn’t see how a blanket statement regarding white supremacy could be applied to Naperville. “I certainly don’t think there’s any government policy that could even be interpreted that way,” Chirico said.)
— Patti Blagojevich ‘speechless’ Van Dyke sentence is shorter than her husband’s — and sends up flare to Trump on social media – Lisa Donovan https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-patti-blagojevich-van-dyke-reaction-20190119-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Members of the following groups march in Chicago: anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-womens-march-coverage-20190119-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Members of the following groups march in Geneva: anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-geneva-womens-march-st-0120-story.html
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Members of the following groups march in Chicago: anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/chicago-young-womens-march-rally-activists-snow/
— Shutdown leads to delays in lawsuits against government – AP (DIERSEN: Have you sued the federal government? I have. SEE: https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf I should write a book about the lawsuit.) https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/shutdown-leads-to-delays-in-lawsuits-against-government/
DAILY HERALD
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Members of the following groups march in Geneva: anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190119/committed-to-a-cause-weather-no-match-for-fox-valley-womens-march
NEW YORK TIMES
— U.N.C. Admissions Lawsuit Brings Another Attack on Affirmative Action – Anemona Hartocollis (DIERSEN: How bad are your demographics? UIC admitted me in 1966, NIU in 1969, Loyola in 1972, DePaul in 1976, and IIT in 1992, but I doubt that they would admit me today. My demographics are terrible in their eyes. I am a Trump supporter, Protestant (Baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran), conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, old (born in 1948), non-poor, gun owner, draft avoider, 100% German American, my ancestors have been in America since 1844, etc.) https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/18/us/unc-affirmative-action-lawsuit.html (FROM THE ARTICLE: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill weighs race so heavily in its admissions process that it is the predominant factor in determining whether many black and Hispanic students get in, according to court papers filed on Friday by an anti-affirmative action group that is also suing Harvard. The group, Students for Fair Admissions, says the university is excluding white and Asian applicants in favor of less qualified black and Hispanic students. The plaintiffs accuse U.N.C., a public flagship university, of using race “at every stage” of the admissions process, in violation of the law, “even when the application gives no indication that race affected the student’s life in any way.”)
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-men promote anti-men. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/19/world/europe/womens-march-europe.html
FORBES
— ‘I Work; You Pay Me’: Repercussions Of The U.S. Government Breaking The First Rule Of Employment – Rodd Wagner https://www.forbes.com/sites/roddwagner/2019/01/19/i-work-you-pay-me-repercussions-of-the-u-s-government-breaking-the-first-rule-of-employment/#7c18ff27632d
— Stop Hiring: Self-Selection Is Better – Diane Bogino (DIERSEN: Potential federal employees who are Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran should be advised a) that they will be gotten rid of if they do not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40 and b) that extremely few federal employees make the aforesaid promotion deadlines.) https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/01/15/stop-hiring-self-selection-is-better/#a78b4a94a5e6 (FROM THE ARTICLE: “Self-selection” is a relatively new phrase on the hiring scene. According to Personnel Today, “Self-selection is the process where a job seeker is given information about the negative aspects of a vacancy and employer as well as the good points, to better enable them to make an informed decision about whether to apply for a job.” Its transparency gives candidates the option upfront to withdraw themselves from being considered for a position, for whatever reason. However, self-selection has a longer history than one might imagine; and like every story, self-selection has two sides. The dark side of self-selection was in full bloom just a few decades ago. I’ve been on the planet long enough to remember help wanted ads that simply advised people of different races, nationalities or genders not to apply. None of those criteria determine anyone’s ability, talents, or attributes. Let’s not go back to the old days of discrimination — that’s never a good goal for your business, brand or candidates.)
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: How long have your ancestors been in America? Ever-increasingly, Democrats hint/imply/argue/shout that if you are a Republican, the longer that your ancestors have been in America, the more that you have benefitted from their discrimination against minorities and against women, and the more that you should pay the price of Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion.) https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/Pitts-The-enduring-problem-of-race-in-America-13545887.php
GOVERNING
— A State-Run Bank for Marijuana Money? Not So Fast. The idea is gaining popularity as a way to get around federal laws that ban banks from handling cannabis businesses’ money. But a new report pans the idea. – LIZ FARMER http://www.governing.com/week-in-finance/gov-state-run-cannabis-bank.html
ABC7
— Pritzker signs gun dealer licensing bill into law – Craig Wall https://abc7chicago.com/politics/governor-jb-pritzker-signs-gun-dealer-licensing-bill-into-law/5092894/ (FROM THE ARTICLE: Supporters of the bill say federal regulators are stretched too thin, but opponents say the new licensing is expensive, and could force small dealers out of business. The Illinois Rifle Association released a statement Thursday saying, “The state licenses for gun dealers measure was passed in the previous General Assembly but was never sent to Governor Rauner because 2nd Amendment rights opponents knew he would veto it. Political gamesmanship like this is just a typical day in Illinois politics. The Illinois State Rifle Association is deeply disappointed in the action taken today, but is certainly not surprised. The federal government already licenses gun dealers. There is no need to add yet another layer of bureaucracy on gun dealers. The only thing this measure is going to do is make it cost more money for gun dealers to do business in Illinois, which is going to hurt the smaller dealers. The action taken today is another assault on our 2nd Amendment rights. Nothing in this bill is going to enhance public safety in Illinois. The only thing that is being accomplished here is the creation of a bureaucratic nightmare for gun dealers. Rest assured, we will be challenging this new law in court.”)
— Smoking in car with kids could carry $1,000 fine in Indiana soon (DIERSEN: What about smoking pot in a car with kids?) https://abc7chicago.com/politics/$1000-fine-proposed-for-smoking-with-kids-in-car/5093429/
NBC5
— Pritzker Orders Worker-Training Investment Review (DIERSEN: How much of your time and your money have you invested in job-related education? I invested lots of my time and my money earning a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32.) https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/pritzker-orders-worker-training-investment-review-504478272.html
CBS2
— Governor JB Pritzker Signs Gun Dealer Licensing Law – Mike Puccinelli Governor JB Pritzker Signs Gun Dealer Licensing Law (FROM THE ARTICLE: Supporters have called it commonsense legislation, but opponents have said it’s classic government overreach. Gun rights advocates said the measure would run small dealers out of business due to the cost of the new regulations.)
FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— Pritzker signs bill allowing Illinois to license gun dealers – AP http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/crime/new-gov-pritzker-signs-oft-rejected-gun-dealer-licensing (FROM THE ARTICLE: The law affects about 2,400 firearms dealers and its provisions take effect in six months. Each must show it is licensed with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and purchase a five-year state permit — $1,500 for retail shops and $300 for independent dealers. Each must install videotaping in retail sections of the store, maintain an electronic inventory and require annual employee training in spotting so-called straw purchases. The Illinois State Rifle Association promised a lawsuit challenging the plan. “The federal government already licenses gun dealers. There is no need to add yet another layer of bureaucracy on gun dealers,” executive director Richard Pearson said in a statement. “The only thing this measure is going to do is make it cost more money for gun dealers to do business in Illinois, which is going to hurt the smaller dealers. “The action taken today is another assault on our 2nd Amendment rights.” Pritzker, who already this week reversed course on GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner’s policies toward labor with pro-union action, said gun-rights organizations are “just wrong” in their criticism of the licensing bill. He added, “I’m going to continue to make sure that we’re standing up to the voices like the Illinois State Rifle Association and the National Rifle Association to protect our families and our children.”)
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Anti-abortion activist Matthew Wiersema, 26, of Wheaton, says Melrose Park cop chastised and left him in Maywood – Mitch Dudek https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/anti-abortion-activist-says-melrose-park-cop-chastised-dropped-off-maywood/ (FROM THE ARTICLE: Wiersema told the Chicago Sun-Times Thursday that he was handcuffed, put in a police car and driven to nearby Maywood, where police released him but kept his camera. “This isn’t an arrest, so shut up with your bull—- and go show this garbage to somebody in f—— Wheaton,” a voice can be heard saying on Wiersema’s video. Hours later, Wiersema returned to the Melrose Park police station to file a complaint and retrieve his camera. He later posted the video online.)
— Pritzker signs ‘long overdue’ gun dealer licensing bill, vows ‘more work to do’ – Tina Sfondeles (DIERSEN: ‘More work to do’ is code for abolishing the Second Amendment and confiscating all firearms from non-Democrats.) https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/pritzker-signs-gun-dealer-licensing-measure/ (FROM THE ARTICLE: The Illinois State Rifle Association said in a statement that the law will hurt small dealers by making them pay more. And they called it “another assault on our 2nd Amendment rights.” “Nothing in this bill is going to enhance public safety in Illinois,” the group said in a statement. “The only thing that is being accomplished here is the creation of a bureaucratic nightmare for gun dealers. Rest assured, we will be challenging this new law in court.”)
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A Trump-hater asks “Two years in: Is American great again yet?” https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/steinberg-trump-administration-two-year-anniversary-reelection/
— The dubious attack of psychologists on ‘traditional masculinity’ – Gene Lyons https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/the-dubious-attack-of-psychologists-on-traditional-masculinity/
CHICAGO CRUSADER
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A Trump-hater says “Face it America, racism is the trump card of the current presidency.” Typically, Trump-haters also hate individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, draft avoiders, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. https://chicagocrusader.com/face-it-america-racism-is-the-trump-card-of-the-current-presidency/
EAGLE FORUM
— Feminism Destroys Lives (DIERSEN: What do you say to men who pander to feminists? I should write a book about men in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois who pander to feminists.) https://eagleforum.org/publications/efr/jan19.html
GOPUSA
— NAACP, Maxine Waters and Ocasio-Cortez go after CBS for lack of black reporters; CBS caved (DIERSEN: How has EEOC impacted you? What did you want when you were young? I wanted a successful career in the automotive industry. EEOC ended all that in 1971 when I was 22 when Oldsmobile withdrew a job offer that I had accepted saying that it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. That made me unemployed because Firestone had fired me for accepting that offer. I had to get a job fast because I had a financial hardship draft deferment to help support my mother and brother. Because of the aforesaid, I accepted a job offer from IRS.) http://www.gopusa.com/?p=63488
— Ed Case, Hawaii Democrat, claims he’s ‘an Asian trapped in a white body’ (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Whites act like they are minorities trapped in White bodies, men act like they are females trapped in male bodies, older people like they are younger people trapped in older people bodies, German Americans act like they are non-German Americans trapped in German American bodies, and Whites act like they are Democrats trapped in Republican bodies. Ever-increasingly, in America, it is unpopular to be White, male, older, German American, and Republican.) http://www.gopusa.com/?p=63588
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, bringing ‘gangster’ to government http://www.gopusa.com/?p=63457
— Harry Reid hits Ocasio-Cortez’s 70% tax hike, warns Democrats not to push ‘radical change’ http://www.gopusa.com/?p=63510
CAMPUS SAFETY
— GAO Report: Gov’t Must Do More to Combat Hunger on College Campuses A new report from the GAO found in 2016, two million college students who qualified for food assistance did not receive the benefits. – Amy Rock (DIERSEN: My outstanding parents provided me with room and board in their home in Crete while I attended UIC 1966-1968, weekends during my first semester at NIU in 1969, and the summer of 1969.) https://www.campussafetymagazine.com/university/gao-hunger-on-college-campuses/
INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY
— Government Shutdown: Pampered Federal Workers Don’t Deserve Anyone’s Pity – Editorial (DIERSEN: Should I write a book about those who have demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me the most since 1966 when I was 18 years old a) for my being a federal employee for almost 30 years and b) for my being a federal retiree for more than 21 years?) https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/federal-workers-government-shutdown/
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: The worst thing about the government shutdown isn’t the — minimal — harm it’s causing. It’s all the misplaced hand-wringing about federal workers, most of whom are overpaid and underworked, and all whom will get their back pay once government reopens. As the shutdown goes on, news accounts of the alleged suffering of federal workers mount. They’re lining up at food banks! They’re forced to take odd jobs, or rent rooms out on Airbnb! They need help! This week, Kraft Foods announced that it was opening a “pop-up” store in Washington, D.C. to provide free food to federal workers so that none of them “have to worry about putting dinner on the table because they aren’t receiving a paycheck.” Whole Foods hosted a free spaghetti dinner at select stores. Other companies are chipping in. Keep in mind that the 800,000 federal workers affected by the shutdown have so far missed a grand total of one paycheck, which would have arrived five days ago. There’s no doubt that this is challenging for many workers, particularly those who don’t budget their money well. But Congress has already guaranteed they will be made whole once the shutdown ends. This is an inconvenience, not a hardship. In the meantime, let’s remember who we are talking about here. While there are certainly plenty of hardworking, dedicated federal workers, they are, for the most part, incredibly pampered. They get better pay and more generous benefits than private sector workers doing the same things. They work fewer hours. And they have far greater job security. Better Pay and Benefits An analysis of federal pay by the Congressional Budget Office found that when you combine pay and benefits, federal workers make as much as 52% more than their private sector counterparts, depending on their education level. It also found that this gap has widened in recent years, because even when the economy was in a recession, federal workers kept getting annual pay hikes. A more recent analysis by the Cato Institute found that federal employees make 76% more than private sector workers. Using data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Cato report found that the average federal employee pulls down $123,160 a year in pay and benefits, compared with $69,901 in the private sector. It also found that this gap had increased since the 1990s, when it was 39%. They also get generous amounts of paid time off, including nearly two weeks of paid sick leave, 10 federal holidays and at least two weeks paid vacation. Less Productive Not only do federal workers make more, they work less than those in the private sector. A Heritage Foundation analysis found that federal employees put in an average 38.7 hours a week, compared with 41.4 in the private sector. Other reports show that government workers are 38% more likely to take time off work for illness or personal reasons, and miss 50% more hours than private sector workers. Here’s one case in point. After the Obama administration eliminated the International Labor Comparisons office, which employed 16 economists, the private sector Conference Board took on the work. But instead of 16 workers, the Conference Board needed only three to do the work. Project Veritas recently produced a series of undercover videos, in which federal workers bragged about how little they work, or how much time they spend at work on outside projects. Is it any surprise that the quit rate among federal workers is one-quarter the quit rate in the private sector? Unmatched Job Security What’s more, it is almost impossible to fire a federal worker. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the rate of layoffs and discharges among federal workers is one sixth the rate of the private sector. A Government Accountability audit found that it can take between five months to more than a year to fire a poor performing worker. Another GAO audit found that managers routinely hand out top performance ratings to federal workers. In fact, 99.5% got a “fully successful” rating or above. More than a third earned the highest rating of “outstanding.” At the other end of the spectrum, just 0.4% of federal workers got “minimally successful” and 0.1% “unacceptable” ratings. Worse still, federal workers who do cause serious problems at work often get put on paid administrative leave as punishment. Yet another GAO audit found that the government spent more than $3 billion in just two years for what amounted to paid vacations. Hundreds of federal workers had received a year or more of paid administrative leave. One Quarter Are ‘Non-Essential’ As we noted in this space earlier, government agencies affected by the shutdown furloughed about 400,000 workers. (The other 400,000 “essential workers” are at their jobs, but not currently getting paychecks.) Excluding the military (which is unaffected by the shutdown) and the Postal Service (which is self-financed), that means 25% of the total federal work force of just over 3 million is “nonessential.” At several agencies, the vast majority of workers are “nonessential.” Here’s a sampling compiled by Government Executive of the share of workers furloughed during the shutdown. NASA: 95.4% Housing and Urban Development: 95.4% Securities and Exchange Commission: 93.5% Commerce Department: 86% Federal Trade Commission 76.7% Department of the Interior: 76% Department of Agriculture: 66.5%. Collectively, just this sampling of government agencies spent more than $244 billion of taxpayer money last year. If nothing else, the shutdown has highlighted how bloated the federal workforce has become. Many Threatened To Quit Anyway Lastly, more than a quarter of the federal workforce threatened to quit if President Donald Trump got elected. A survey of federal employees by the Government Business Council and GovExec.com found that 14% said they would “definitely” consider quitting their jobs and another 13% said they might consider it. Just 65% said they’d stay on at their jobs no matter who wins. The shutdown provides these workers a perfect opportunity to live up to their promise. And the booming labor market means that there are plenty of jobs in the private sector. (Of course, that would mean giving up their cushy federal jobs.) The government will eventually reopen. All of these workers will be back on the job. And they’ll all get paid for the days they stayed home. So please, spare us the crocodile tears.)
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— State agencies can no longer ask job candidates for salary history, and employers across Illinois are probably next – Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz (DIERSEN: One reason to not become or stay a government employee is that your salary and benefits are public record. Government employees are viciously demonized, viciously denigrated, and viciously condemned as being lazy, stupid, and grossly overpaid.) https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-pritzker-illinois-no-salary-history-20190116-story.html
— Free City Colleges tuition, free CTA rides and more backed by five Chicago mayoral candidates at packed West Side forum – Bill Ruthhart (DIERSEN: When you were young, what did you do to get to/from school and work? I bought a 1958 Chevy BelAir when I was 16 in 1964, a new 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint in 1966, a new 1968 Oldsmobile 442 in 1967, a new 1969 Dodge Charger SE in 1968 and a 1962 Chevy BelAir in 1971. I paid for those cars and my college expenses with money that I earned delivering newspapers 1962-1964; washing dishes 1964-1966; cleaning golf shoes, chipping slag, and pumping gasoline in 1966; delivering mail 1966-1969; working on an automobile assembly line and as a security guard in 1970; selling tires, automotive services, and major appliances 1970-1971; pumping gasoline in 1971; and collected delinquent taxes in 1971.) https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-chicago-mayor-west-side-candidate-forum-20190116-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: If you demonize, denigrate, and condemn men, those who are anti-men glorify and praise you. https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/stevens/ct-life-stevens-tuesday-gillette-me-too-ad-0115-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A Trump-hater says “End the shutdown; give Trump his wall. We need a monument to American stupidity.” https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/huppke/ct-met-shutdown-trump-wall-democrats-huppke-20190116-story.html
PEKIN DAILY TIMES
— Can the Illinois GOP still be effective as a superminority? – Chris Kaergard (DIERSEN: The Democrats who run Illinois now have even more power to drive out of Illinois individuals, organizations, and companies that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. Will they work even harder with the Democrat plants and the RINOs in your Republican township/ward and county party organizations and in the Illinois Republican Party to drive out of Illinois the remaining individuals, organizations, and companies that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time?) http://www.pekintimes.com/news/20190116/can-illinois-gop-still-be-effective-as-superminority
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Beto O’Rourke questions relevance of Constitution, principles ‘set down 230-plus years ago’ – Jessica Chasmar (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrats paint themselves as being anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.) https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/jan/16/beto-orourke-questions-relevance-constitution-prin/
LUTHERAN CHURCH CHARITIES
— Be Grateful for God’s Grace – Tim Hetzner (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those who have viciously demonized me, viciously denigrated me, and viciously condemned me the most for my not being grateful enough. They are cruel, nasty, and vicious and have lots of religious, government, political, and/or financial clout in Wheaton, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, and in Illinois. They stress that they have graciously let me serve as a Republican Precinct Committeeman since 1999 and as the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000. They stress that they graciously let me serve as a TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman 2005-2012, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 3003-2007, and American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member 2001-2004.) http://devotions.lccharities.org/2019/01/17/be-grateful-for-gods-grace/
THE HILL
— Ocasio-Cortez, freshmen poised to take on Wall Street – SYLVAN LANE (DIERSEN: Will Ocasio-Cortez ask GAO to help her take on Wall Street? I worked for GAO on audits of federal financial industry regulators for almost 9 years, the last almost 8 years of which at the GS-13 Step 4-10 levels, currently $106,044-$125,325/year.) https://thehill.com/homenews/house/425764-ocasio-cortez-freshmen-poised-to-take-on-wall-street
HUFFINGTON POST
— Many Federal Employees Can’t Afford Diapers Due To Trump’s Government Shutdown A pantry dedicated to Coast Guard families in need went through three months’ worth of diapers in two weeks. – Eleanor Goldberg https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/federal-employees-diapers-government-shutdown_us_5c3f6714e4b0a8dbe16ce0dc
— Ex-RNC Chair Puts Trump-Supporting Senators On Notice: ‘It’s All Collusion’ Michael Steele calls out GOP lawmakers for giving “cover to this president.” – Ed Mazza (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those past and present Milton Township Republican Central Committee (MTRCC), DuPage County Republican Central Committee, Illinois Republican Party (IRP), TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Center Right Coalition, American Association of Political Consultants, City of Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and State of Illinois leaders, members, and employees who collude to get rid of individuals, organizations, companies, and governments that a) support the traditional family, right to life, immigration, Second Amendment, and other planks in the IRP platform, b) support the illegal drugs, equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving), and other planks in the Republican Party platform, and/or c) support the MTRCC resolution against video gambling.) https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/michael-steele-collusion_us_5c4003f1e4b0a8dbe16d9402
(FROM THE ARTICLE: On the internet, conspiracy theories, propaganda and plain old inaccuracies can stump even the most thoughtful readers, spreading faster than you can say “fake news.” A small start-up, NewsGuard, says it may have a solution. The effort is led by a pair of veteran news executives — Steven Brill, an author and the founder of the magazine The American Lawyer, and Gordon Crovitz, a former publisher of The Wall Street Journal. On Wednesday the company announced that it had signed Microsoft as its first major client. NewsGuard has created the equivalent of nutrition labels for news organizations, rating more than 2,000 news and information sites with tags: red for unreliable, green for trustworthy. A team of roughly 50 journalists and analysts is making the evaluations. NewsGuard has given its stamp of approval to established publications like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, as well as later entrants like BuzzFeed and Newsmax. FoxNews.com, The Hill, The Daily Beast and HuffPost have also gotten green lights. Sites to watch out for, according to NewsGuard, include Infowars and Breitbart on the right, and Daily Kos on the left. Media Matters, a left-leaning advocacy organization with a prolific media-watchdog blog, has received a green rating, but scores negatively on four of the nine criteria used by NewsGuard. The start-up hopes to become a regular part of the reading experience on the web. Its premise is that it is more efficient to rate news organizations than the endless stream of articles rolled out each hour. The service, free to readers, offers a browser extension that shows a news operation’s rating when a reader lands on its site. The NewsGuard tag also appears in search results next to article links for those who have the extension.)
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG COLOR PICTURE: Government Shutdown Shakes Stability of Jobs That Are Often the Best Around – Natalie Kitroeff and Robert Gebeloff (DIERSEN: Many millions have not and will not seek a job with the federal government a) because the pay and benefits are terrible, b) because the advancement opportunities are terrible, c) because they lack required education, work experience, professional certifications, and/or professional licenses, d) because they cannot pass an employment examination, e) because they cannot pass a background investigation, f) because they cannot pass a physical examination, g) because they cannot take the demonization, denigration, and condemnation that comes with being a federal employee or federal retiree, and/or h) because they are Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran and they know that the federal government discriminates against the aforesaid.) https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/16/business/economy/federal-workers-shutdown.html
WASHINGTON POST
— House Democratic leaders bottle up effort to censure Iowa Rep. Steve King – Mike DeBonis (DIERSEN: Who has tried to censure you and why? I should write a book about those who tried to get the Illinois Center Right Coalition to censure me in 2006 because of my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. They a) reject planks in the Republican Party platform and/or the Illinois Republican Party platform and work against those like me who support those planks, b) reject the 2009 Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling and work against those like me who support that resolution, c) focus on destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate, d) were defendants in lawsuits that I have filed, and/or e) are operatives or dupes for the aforesaid.) https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/house-democratic-leaders-try-to-avert-censure-vote-on-rep-steve-king/2019/01/16/22c7a6ce-19b5-11e9-9ebf-c5fed1b7a081_story.html
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— The Shutdown and the Next Election Both parties need to think bigger than this fight—they should be thinking of 2020. – Karl Rove https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-shutdown-and-the-next-election-11547682985
— Masculinity Isn’t a Sickness A denial of biology in the American Psychological Association’s new report on men and boys. – Erica Komisar (DIERSEN: Who focuses/focused on getting rid of men a) where you work/worked and b) in the organizations that you are/were a member of? I should write a book about those man-haters.) https://www.wsj.com/articles/masculinity-isnt-a-sickness-11547682809
— Fed Says Student Debt Has Hurt the U.S. Housing Market Student loans prevented 400,000 young Americans from buying homes, Fed says in paper covering 2005 to 2014 – Josh Mitchell and Laura Kusisto (DIERSEN: Where did the money come from for you to buy your first home? I graduated debt-free from NIU in 1970. I bought a new town home in University Park in 1972. The money came from what I earned a) working full-time for the Firestone Store in Chicago Heights, b) working part-time for that store 1971-1972, and c) working full-time for IRS 1971-1972 in Chicago and Harvey.) https://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-says-student-debt-is-u-s-hurting-housing-market-11547657473
YAHOO FINANCE
— ‘Blue flu’: TSA agents are no-show amid shutdown because they ‘cannot afford to work for free’ – Yahoo Finance (DIERSEN: While I worked part-time for the Park Forest Post Office 1966-1969, I worked many more hours because my coworkers had called in sick. In 1970, Chrysler hired me to work Mondays because many Chrysler employees called in sick on Mondays.) https://finance.yahoo.com/news/blue-flu-tsa-agents-skip-cannot-afford-work-free-212415393.html
DESMOINES REGISTER
— Is shutdown merely a ploy to make the federal government smaller? – Steffen Schmidt (DIERSEN: During the 1980s and 1990s, Republicans did everything that they could to make GAO smaller. Of course, the Democrats who ran GAO were beyond furious and took their anger out on GAO employees like me who were Republican. They especially took their anger out on Republican GAO employees like me who were White, male, older, and non-veteran.) https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2019/01/16/shutdown-ploy-make-federal-government-smaller/2597259002/
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
— A wall won’t do what E-Verify can to reduce illegal border crossings – Editorial (DIERSEN: Who has called for making E-Verify mandatory in Illinois, in your county, in your township/ward, and in your municipality? Democrats and Democrat plants, Libertarians and Libertarian plants, Greens and Green plants, and RINOs a) stress that illegals are minorities, are female, are younger, lack education, lack job skills, have dependents, have financial problems, have health problems, and/or have other problems and b) viciously demonize, viciously denigrate, and viciously condemn those who call for making E-Verity mandatory as being White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things.) https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/A-wall-won-t-do-what-E-Verify-can-to-reduce-13539080.php
SEATTLE TIMES
— Now a 2020 candidate, Gillibrand builds campaign on gender (DIERSEN: Ever-increasing, candidates build their campaigns on their being anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.) https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/now-a-2020-candidate-gillibrand-builds-campaign-on-gender/
SKYLINE VIEW
— The Unfortunate Truth of College Graduates – Kendrick A. Rojas (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted a) that instead of me, the Post Office should have hired a non-White in 1966, b) that the Post Office should gotten rid of me much sooner than it did so that a non-White could have my job, c) that instead of me, IRS should have hired a non-White in 1971, d) that instead of me, IRS should have promoted non-Whites in 1972, 1973, and 1974, e) that instead of me, GAO should have hired a non-White in 1980, f) that instead of me, GAO should have promoted a non-White in 1986, and g) that GAO should have gotten rid of me much sooner than it did so that a non-White could have my job and my preferred corner office.)
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Many college attendees struggle to find jobs which are both fitting for their careers and also have a respective income. Money magazine took the findings of labor economist Stephen Rose, who uncovered discoveries in his new analysis regarding the overqualification that has burdened college graduates entering the workforce. Money writer Kaitlin Mulhere deduced from Rose’s findings that “…no matter how the economy is faring, the overqualification rate is disproportionately high for workers who are just out of college and in their early 20s”. This means that many employers have handed down less-than-exemplary jobs, making it so that college graduates must crawl their way to the top regardless of their degree. Is this the kind of treatment that is deserved by hardworking students, spending countless hours educating themselves through the means of their own will? It should also be noted that the percentage of overqualification rates for Hispanics and African Americans increased by “…7 and 10 percentage points, respectively, than the rate for white college-educated workers”. This not only highlights the inconsideration of the educated workforce but also reveals the effects of racism that still segregate several demographics from gaining equal pay. Not only are college graduates being short-cut of their pay, but if you are part of a non-white racial group, then the likelihood that your efforts will be overlooked increase.)
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
— Illinois Governor Orders Worker-Training Investment Review – AP (DIERSEN: Between 1992 and 1997, I paid for my own “retraining.” In 1989, the Democrats who ran GAO’s Chicago office a) made it clear that they would never again assign me to audits of IRS and b) assigned me to audits of federal financial industry regulators. Between 1992 and 1997, I took graduate finance courses at IIT, and in 1997 earned a master’s degree in financial markets and trading.) https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/illinois/articles/2019-01-17/illinois-governor-orders-worker-training-investment-review
NEWS GUARD
— Criteria for and Explanation of Ratings (DIERSEN: Needless-to-say, www.gopillinois.com should get a green rating.) https://www.newsguardtech.com/ratings/criteria-for-and-explanation-of-ratings/
(FROM THE POSTING: THE 9 FACTORS Here are the 9 criteria that NewsGuard uses in determining if a provider is rated red. A site that fails to adhere to a preponderance of these criteria, as described in the weighted criteria definitions below, are rated red. No site must adhere to all of the criteria to be rated green. In every case the NewsGuard Nutrition Labels that are provided for each site (by clicking on the rating) spell out the site’s adherence to each of the 9 criteria that yielded that source’s particular rating. The 9 criteria below are listed in order of their importance in determining a red rating. For example, failure to adhere to the first criteria—publishing false content—will be more influential in determining a red rating than failure to reveal information about content creators.
Credibility
Does not repeatedly publish false content: In the last three years the site has not produced multiple stories that have been found—either by journalists at NewsGuard or elsewhere—to be clearly false, and which have not been quickly and prominently corrected. (22 Points. A label with a score lower than 60 points gets a red rating.)
Gathers and presents information responsibly: Content on the site is created by reporters, writers, videographers, researchers, or other information providers who generally seek to be accurate and fair in gathering, reporting, and interpreting information, even if they approach their work from a strong point of view. They do this by referencing multiple sources, preferably those that present direct, firsthand information on a subject or event. (18 Points)
Regularly corrects or clarifies errors: The site makes clear how to contact those in charge and has effective practices for publishing clarifications and corrections. (12.5 Points)
Handles the difference between news and opinion responsibly: Content providers who convey the impression that they report news or a mix of news and opinion distinguish opinion from news reporting, and when reporting news, they do not regularly or egregiously misstate, distort, or cherry pick facts, or egregiously cherry pick stories, to advance opinions. Content providers whose clearly expressed purpose is to advance a particular point of view do not regularly and egregiously misstate or distort facts to make their case. (12.5 Points)
Avoids deceptive headlines: The site generally does not publish headlines that include false information, significantly sensationalize, or otherwise do not reflect what is actually in the story. (10 Points)
Transparency
Website discloses ownership and financing: The site discloses its ownership and/or financing, as well as any notable ideological or political positions held by those with a significant financial interest in the site, in a user-friendly manner. (7.5 Points)
Clearly labels advertising: The site makes clear which content is paid for and which is not. (7.5 Points)
Reveals who’s in charge, including any possible conflicts of interest: Information about those in charge of the content is made accessible on the site, including any possible conflicts of interest. (5 Points)
Site provides the names of content creators, along with either contact information or biographical information: Information about those producing the content is made accessible on the site. (5 Points)
CHICAGO MAGAZINE
— Shutting Down Lincoln Yards Was Aldermanic Privilege at its Finest And the Burke scandal, the unwritten rule at its worst. – EDWARD MCCLELLAND (DIERSEN: What do you say to those who seek/get government/political offices so that they can use the power of those offices a) to reward those who glorify and praise them, pander to them, give them money, and/or serve as their operatives/dues and b) to punish those who do NOT glorify and praise them, pander to them, give them money, and/or serve as their operatives/dues?) http://www.chicagomag.com/city-life/January-2019/Shutting-Down-Lincoln-Yards-Was-Aldermanic-Privilege-at-its-Finest/
CAPITOL FAX
— Pritzker signs EO on pay bias and theft, signs prevailing wage bill, starts process to reinstate step increases (DIERSEN: Have you gotten step increases? I got many step increases while I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years. Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always been furious about that. Step increases recognize the experience that you gain and the additional responsibilities that you are given. Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always demonized, denigrated, and condemned the experience that I gained and the additional responsibilities that I was given during the almost 30 years that I worked for the federal government.) https://capitolfax.com/2019/01/15/pritzker-signs-eo-on-pay-bias-and-theft-sings-prevailing-wage-bill-starts-process-to-reinstate-step-increases/ (FROM THE ARTICLE: Steps: Today, the state will initiate a process to bring state employees to their appropriate salary step level. Under this measure, union employees, many of whom have not received step increases since 2015, will be placed at their appropriate step for purposes of their pay going forward. This action does not address significant outstanding issues, including backpay. The administration will continue to work toward solutions to manage taxpayer resources effectively and compensate state employees fairly.)
GOPUSA
— Razor Burn: Gillette lectures on ‘toxic masculinity’ in new ‘We Believe’ ad http://www.gopusa.com/?p=63440
— Iowa’s Steve King accused of racism, stripped of committee assignments http://www.gopusa.com/?p=63430
— Unaccompanied child immigration loophole releases MS-13 gang members http://www.gopusa.com/?p=63328
— New milestone in King County: Immigrant population tops 500,000 (DIERSEN: How soon will immigrants be the majority in America, in Illinois, in your county, in your township/ward, in your municipality, in your precinct, and in your neighborhood? Democrats shout at immigrants that Republicans are White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, and bigots who should be gotten rid of once and for all.) http://www.gopusa.com/new-milestone-in-king-county-immigrant-population-tops-500000/
ROLL CALL
— House moves to protect federal interns from harassment and discrimination (DIERSEN: Were you an intern? GAO audits IRS. When I transferred from IRS to GAO in 1980 when I was 31 years old, my Democrat GAO superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinated did not want me to transfer, but failing that, they wanted me to transfer as a GS-4 Step 1 (currently $32,978/year) intern, that is, to suffer a $58,902/year (64%) pay cut in today’s dollars. They painted what GAO Analysts do as being a unique “trade or occupation.” They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, or veteran. They viciously demonized, denigrated, and condemned the fact a) that I had worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $81,071-$91,880/year, b) that much of what IRS Revenue Officers do is similar to what GAO Analysts do, c) that I had passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, d) that I had earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976, and e) that I had almost completed the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul. They were furious that I transferred with me almost 12 years of federal seniority, 30 days of unused vacation days, and 130 unused sick days.)
https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/house-moves-protect-federal-interns-harassment-discrimination (FROM THE ARTICLE: The measure defines “intern” as an individual who performs uncompensated voluntary service in an agency to earn credit awarded by an educational institution or to learn a trade or occupation.)
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Pot, minimum wage, child care: What are Pritzker’s first priorities? The new governor lays out some of his agenda: He suggests a capital bill will be linked to his first budget and he won’t commit to a Chicago casino. – GREG HINZ (DIERSEN: Each and every candidate, elected official, and party leader in Illinois should be asked: “If pot is legalized for recreational use in Illinois, will you use it and why or why not?”) https://www.chicagobusiness.com/greg-hinz-politics/pot-minimum-wage-child-care-what-are-pritzkers-first-priorities
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Hundreds of state jobs that once were exempt from Rutan anti-patronage protections have been reclassified to remove them from political influence during the four years of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration. In an interview with The State Journal-Register, Joe Hartzler of Chatham, who was special counsel to Rauner, said that most of his time with the administration was spent on eliminating patronage positions. “The thing that I spent most of my time on, you can call it employment reform or hiring reform to reduce the number of patronage-eligible positions,” Hartzler said. “It is a radical change.” Hartzler said that “we knocked out like 2,500 patronage positions.” “More importantly, we drew a very bright line between people who could be appointed with political considerations versus those people who are, let’s just call them protected employees,” he said. “No administration can any longer hire its political people and saddle the next administration with them.” The U.S. Supreme Court’s 1990 Rutan decision essentially said that patronage or political affiliations should not play a role in most hiring, firing and other personnel decisions in government jobs. There are exemptions, however, for some policy-making positions and other key jobs where political considerations could play a role in who was hired or fired. At one point, several thousand state jobs were considered Rutan-exempt and subject to patronage considerations. Hartzler said the number is now below 1,500.)
— J.B. Pritzker seeks stability and growth for Illinois – Bernard Schoenburg https://www.sj-r.com/news/20190113/jb-pritzker-seeks-stability-and-growth-for-illinois
RIVER CITY READER
— Pritzker Inspiring Optimism and Excitement … on Both Sides – Rich Miller (DIERSEN: From what I see, in Illinois, only those who are members of the following groups are optimistic and excited: anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.) https://www.rcreader.com/commentary/pritzker-inspiring-optimism-both-sides
DAILY CALLER
— TRUMP PREDICTS DACA WILL BRING HISPANIC VOTERS ‘OVER TO THE REPUBLICAN SIDE’ AMID SHUTDOWN STALEMATE – Evie Fordham (DIERSEN: Democrats shout at Hispanics that Republicans have caused, are causing, and will forever cause all the problems that Hispanics have had, are having, and will have.) https://dailycaller.com/2019/01/13/trump-daca-wall-deal/
GOPUSA
— ‘New party, who dis?’ 29-year-old Ocasio-Cortez mocks aging Joe Lieberman, 76, for hoping ‘she’s not the future’ (DIERSEN: What are the demographics of those who will lead the organizations that you are a member of? From what I see, those who will lead the Milton Township Republican Central Committee, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and the Illinois Republican Party will be younger, minority, and/or female. Democrats, Libertarians, Greens, and RINOs want those future leaders to get rid of Republicans like me who are older, White, and/or male.) http://www.gopusa.com/?p=62377
— Ocasio-Cortez sparks debate with talk of 70 percent marginal rate – NAOMI JAGODA AND JULIEGRACE BRUFKE (DIERSEN: Have you paid your “fair share?” My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that I have not. They stress that I avoided the draft, I worked for the IRS, I married someone who has always had income, we gave up trying to have children, we did not adopt, and we did not become foster parents. They shout that the federal government grossly overpaid me and that my retirement benefits are much too generous.) https://thehill.com/policy/finance/425008-ocasio-cortez-sparks-debate-with-talk-of-70-percent-marginal-rate (FROM THE ARTICLE: Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said she thinks “the fact that people are not paying their fair share is a problem and the millionaires and billionaires are the ones where that has to rest.”)
CATO
— FROM THE ARTICLE: “Japan is refreshing its labor force from three often-neglected pools: the elderly, women and foreigners.” (DIERSEN: The federal government is America’s largest employer. It keeps its workforce “fresh” by getting rid of its employees who are Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who do not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40.) https://www.cato.org/blog/immigration-aging-populations
BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
— Illinois event to simulate homelessness, raise awareness – AP (DIERSEN: Overwhelmingly, people who have financial, health, and other problems vote for Democrats. Democrats promote patronage big time. Democrats have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted a) that instead of me, the Post Office should have hired a poor person in 1966, b) that the Post Office should gotten rid of me much sooner than it did so that a poor person could have my job, c) that instead of me, IRS should have hired a poor person in 1971, d) that instead of me, IRS should have promoted poor people in 1972, 1973, and 1974, e) that instead of me, GAO should have hired a poor person in 1980, f) that instead of me, GAO should have promoted a poor person in 1986, and g) that GAO should have gotten rid of me much sooner than it did so that a poor person could have my job and my preferred corner office.) https://www.bnd.com/news/state/illinois/article224342775.html
FOX ILLINOIS
— GoFundMe will refund over $20M in donations made to border wall campaign – Alyssa Roberts https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/gofundme-will-refund-all-donations-made-to-veterans-border-wall-campaign (FROM THE ARTICLE: Since the goal has not been met, it appears Kolfage is changing tactics, and a GoFundMe spokesperson says the company will refund all donations to the campaign, INSIDER reports. On the campaign’s page, Kolfage wrote that he, and a team of advisers, had decided instead to form a 501(c)(4) nonprofit to raise money for a border wall instead.)
LUTHERAN CHURCH CHARITIES
— Seek to Glorify God – Tim Hetzner (DIERSEN: What do you say to those who hint/imply/argue/shout that to glorify God, you should promote welfare, dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, retaliation, and even worse things?) http://devotions.lccharities.org/2019/01/11/seek-to-glorify-god-part-1/ http://devotions.lccharities.org/2019/01/12/seek-to-glorify-god-part-2/
NEW YORK TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are members of the following groups say that there is no border crisis: anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/01/11/us/politics/trump-border-crisis-reality.html
— ‘Deciding How to Decide’: Even the Rich Need Advice on Budgeting – Paul Sullivan https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/your-money/budgeting-for-wealthy-rich.html
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Opportunity in Cities Falls to the Educated – Emily Badger and Quoctrung Bui (DIERSEN: What did you do to qualify yourself for better paying jobs? I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32.) https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/upshot/big-cities-low-skilled-workers-wages.html
BLOOMBERG
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Bloomberg wants Trump “to represent entire country,” that is, to represent a) those who are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time and b) those who hint/imply/argue/shout that Trump and his supporters are White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things who should be gotten rid of once and for all. https://thesouthern.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/bloomberg-trump-supposed-to-represent-entire-country/video_7c3f3d9f-f62a-5637-8e19-060e53b8ffed.html
MONEY MAGAZINE
— People Can’t Pay Their Medical Bills Because of the Government Shutdown – JULIA GLUM (DIERSEN: What about those who viciously demonize, viciously denigrate, and viciously condemn government employees as being lazy, stupid, and grossly overpaid?) http://time.com/money/5499602/government-shutdown-medical-bills/
