Tag: marijuana

ABC7
— Ill. lawmakers probe Legionnaires’ outbreak at Quincy veterans home – Jessica D’Onofrio
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/il-lawmakers-probe-legionnaires-outbreak-at-quincy-veterans-home/2917455/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Illinois lawmakers to hear about veterans home with deadly water problems today – Kim Geiger (DIERSEN: What do your critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes blame you for? My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes a) blame me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails for all of their problems, for all of your problems, for all of my problems, and for all of everyone’s problems and b) blame me and my emails for all the losses that Republicans have suffered in Illinois since 2000.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-quincy-veterans-home-hearing-20180109-story.html
— Durbin, Duckworth file brief in sanctuary case – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-quincy-veterans-home-hearing-20180109-story.html
— College Democrats form PAC – Rick Pearson (DIERSEN: If I had been active in Republican politics when I attended high school 1962-1966, the Post Office would not have offered me a job in 1966. If I had been active in Republican politics when I attended UIC 1966-1968 or NIU 1969-1970, IRS would not have offered me a job in 1971. If I had been active in Republican politics when I attended Loyola 1972-1976 or DePaul 1976-1980, GAO would not have offered me a job in 1980.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-quincy-veterans-home-hearing-20180109-story.html
— Pot vote put off? (DIERSEN: Republicans oppose pot. Democrats and Democrat plants, Libertarians and Libertarian plants, Greens and Green plants, and RINOs promote pot. If a candidate does not oppose pot, that is, if a candidate does not promise to vote against pot, that candidate should run as a Democrat, as a Libertarian, or as a Green, but NOT as a Republican.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-quincy-veterans-home-hearing-20180109-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A trio of state lawmakers pushing to legalize marijuana for recreational use in Illinois suggested 2018 might not be the year to ask for a vote. State Sen. Heather Steans told the Chicago Tribune editorial board on Monday that supporters hope to unveil a new version of their legalization legislation by early February. The Chicago Democrat said backers will assess how much support they have among lawmakers, but she noted that legalizing marijuana might be a vote some want to avoid in an election year. “We really suspect that it’s not this session we’ll take a vote, we’re really just going to have a new bill that we think is closer,” Steans said. She made the pitch alongside Democratic Rep. Kelly Cassidy of Chicago and Republican Rep. Jason Barickman of Bloomington, saying the state should tax and regulate weed because many thousands of Illinoisans are already using it illegally.)
— Trump is right to bully America’s enemies – Gary Abernathy
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-bully-trump-north-korea-tough-0109-20180108-story.html
— The future of pumping gas and other make-work jobs – Noah Smith (DIERSEN: I pumped gasoline in 1966 and 1970-1972.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-gaspump-oregon-make-work-jobs-0109-20180108-story.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Rauner vows fairness in school funding veto, but lawmaker sees ‘absolute chaos’ – Tina Sfondeles
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/rauner-vows-fairness-in-school-funding-veto-but-lawmaker-sees-absolute-chaos/
— Aldermen, do your job and ask the hard questions – Madeleine Doubek (DIERSEN: Members of the following groups do not want me to ask any questions: anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/doubek-alderman-do-your-job-and-ask-the-hard-questions/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps put citizens of foreign countries ahead of citizens of America.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/brown-then-trump-came-for-the-salvadorans/

DAILY HERALD
— The importance of persistence in government consolidation – Editorial (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those individuals, organizations, companies, and governments that punish me a) because they believe that I promote government consolidation or b) because they believe that I oppose government consolidation.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20180109/editorial-the-importance-of-persistence-in-government-consolidation
— An anti-Trump says “The increasing signs that president isn’t up to the job.”
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20180109/the-increasing-signs-that-president-isnt-up-to-the-job
— Few shelters from cold for intoxicated homeless in suburbs – Elena Ferrarin (DIERSEN: What do you say to my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes a) who drink lots of booze, b) who want to drink lots of booze, and/or c) who encourage others to drink lots of booze?)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180109/few-shelters-from-cold-for-intoxicated-homeless-in-suburbs

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Google eyes adding thousands of jobs in new Chicago office – GREG HINZ (DIERSEN: What would discourage Google from offering you a job? The following would discourage Google from offering me a job: I am American, White, male, old (69), conservative, patriotic, Republican, Trump supporter, gun owner, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, 100% German American, my ancestors have been in America since the 1840s, former union member, federal retiree, married, childless, pet-less, and I have only owned American nameplate cars.)
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180109/BLOGS02/180109919
— Swedish cozies up to its heritage – KRISTEN SCHORSCH (DIERSEN: What if from the beginning I had pretended to be Swedish-American? While all my ancestors immigrated from what is now Germany to northeast Illinois during the 1840s and 1850s, according to DNA Ancestry at http://dna.ancestry.com, my ancestry is 33% Europe West, 28% Scandinavia, 24% Great Britain, 11% Ireland, 2% Europe East, 1% Finland/Northwest Russia, and 1% Italy/Greece. My grandfather on my father’s side fought the Germans in WWI. My uncles on my mother’s side fought the Germans in WWII. My father would have fought the Germans in WWII if he had not been 4-F.)
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180105/ISSUE01/180109946

WGN TV
— Response to Legionnaires at Quincy Veterans Home met with controversy – TAHMAN BRADLEY
http://wgntv.com/2018/01/08/response-to-legionnaires-at-quincy-veterans-home-met-with-controversy/
— ‘It’s a mess’: DACA negotiations hit a snag ahead of White House meeting – CNN
http://wgntv.com/2018/01/09/its-a-mess-daca-negotiations-hit-a-snag-ahead-of-white-house-meeting/

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Politicians’ SALT-iness over tax law steeped in irony – Jim Dey (DIERSEN: Have you itemized your deductions or have you taken the standard deduction? Democrats and Democrat plants, Libertarians and Libertarian plants, Greens and Green plants, RINOs, renters, those who have little or no medical or dental expenses, those who pay little or no state income tax, those who give little or nothing to 501 (c)(3) organizations, those who pay little or nothing for job-related education, and/or others demonize, denigrate, and condemn those who itemize their deductions as being undeservedly filthy rich. I itemized my deductions 1972-1977 and my wife and I have itemized our deductions since we got married in 1978.)
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2018-01-09/jim-dey-politicians-salt-iness-over-tax-law-steeped-irony.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Whatever the number turns out to be, it’s the taxpayers, not the states where they live, who will pay. Taxpayers still will owe the same amount of money to state and local governments. But because of the limit on the SALT deduction, they will owe more money to the federal government. In other words, it’s a tax on the “millionaire and billionaires” so many populist politicians rail against. The greater their incomes, the more money the SALT-deduction limitation will cost them. Affected taxpayers have noted the new rules and acted accordingly. Many prepaid in 2017 the property taxes they would have paid in 2018 so they can get the full benefit of the SALT deduction before it’s limited. The savings could be significant. For a taxpayer in the 35 percent tax bracket, a fully deductible $20,000 local property-tax bill would generate $7,000 in federal tax savings. Now that higher-income taxpayer who pays $20,000 in property taxes and another $20,000 in state income taxes will see what would have been a $40,000 deduction, worth $14,000 in federal tax savings, limited to $10,000, worth $3,500 in federal tax savings. So why are the governors in high-tax states crying over the rich? Actually, they’re not. They’re crying for themselves because the new $10,000 SALT-deduction limitation will make it more difficult politically to raise taxes on upper-income families. Higher-income earners are already paying a disproportionate share of federal and state income taxes, and they won’t be happy if they’re asked to pay even more in state and local taxes on top of the higher federal taxes they’ll be required to pay.)

TIMES
— 128 signatures ‘not genuine’ on DeBates petitions – David Giuliani
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/local/signatures-not-genuine-on-debates-petitions/article_a3a8cbe6-cf53-5e16-9e33-aece2b6243b7.html

SAUK VALLEY
— Illinois Dems running for Atty. General vow to fight Trump policies – AP
http://www.saukvalley.com/2018/01/09/illinois-dems-running-for-atty-general-vow-to-fight-trump-policies/anjgqtm/

WGLT
— Chuck Erickson Won’t Seek Re-Election As McLean County Republican Party Chairman – RYAN DENHAM
http://wglt.org/post/chuck-erickson-wont-seek-re-election-republican-party-chairman#stream/0

PEORIA PUBLIC RADIO
— Illinois Higher Ed Enrollment Continues to Decline – DUSTY RHODES
http://peoriapublicradio.org/post/illinois-higher-ed-enrollment-continues-decline#stream/0

POLITICO
— MAZESKI CASH HAUL – Natasha Korecki (DIERSEN: Of course, those who want Roskam to lose advise him a) to pander to 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, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and b) to dump those who are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/01/09/veterans-home-hearing-today-durkin-to-attend-rauners-school-funding-bill-veto-judge-orders-dorothy-brown-to-exit-stone-age-235598
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Kelly Mazeski, among a cadre of Democrats running in the 6th district primary to compete against U.S. Rep. Republican Peter Roskam, expects to report raising $680,000 to date and more than $510,000 cash on hand, her campaign tells POLITICO. Mazeski has received the backing of EMILY’s List, U.S. Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Cheri Bustos as well as the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association, Feminist Majority PAC, and two dozen environmental and community leaders.)

DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— Khouri receives endorsements from GOP state lawmakers – Angela Underwood
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511312215-khouri-receives-endorsements-from-gop-state-lawmakers

MCHENRY TIMES
— Dundee Township resident backing Ives, urges GOP to do same – Glenn Minnis
https://mchenrytimes.com/stories/511308536-dundee-township-resident-backing-ives-urges-gop-to-do-same

LAKE COUNTY GAZETTE
— Fremont Township GOP backing Ives’ governor bid – Glenn Minnis
https://lakecountygazette.com/stories/511308738-fremont-township-gop-backing-ives-governor-bid

ILLINOIS HOMEPAGE
— Candidates for governor linked to oil and gas companies – Raquel Martin
http://www.illinoishomepage.net/news/local-news/candidates-for-governor-linked-to-oil-and-gas-companies/907270004

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Not much happening in high-tax Illinois in reaction to federal tax reform – Greg Bishop (DIERSEN: Have you itemized your deductions or have you taken the standard deduction? Democrats and Democrat plants, Libertarians and Libertarian plants, Greens and Green plants, RINOs, renters, those who have little or no medical or dental expenses, those who pay little or no state income tax, those who give little or nothing to 501 (c)(3) organizations, those who pay little or nothing for job-related education, and/or others demonize, denigrated, and condemn those who itemize their deductions as being undeservedly filthy rich. I itemized my deductions 1972-1977 and my wife and I have itemized our deductions since we got married in 1978.)
https://www.ilnews.org/news/statewide/not-much-happening-in-high-tax-illinois-in-reaction-to/article_451cf994-f4af-11e7-92be-a723dde73e32.html

DAILY CALLER
— LEAKED MEMO: DREAMers Are ‘Critical’ To Dems ‘Future Electoral Success’ – Michael Bastasch (DIERSEN: Democrats shout at everyone, but especially at illegals, that Republicans are White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things. Democrats want illegals to become citizens so that they can help Democrats get rid of Republicans once and for all.)
http://dailycaller.com/2018/01/08/leaked-memo-dreamers-are-critical-to-dems-future-electoral-success/
— Trump Took The Field For The National Anthem — But This Special Moment Makes The Audience Roar – Benny Johnson
http://dailycaller.com/2018/01/08/trump-took-the-field-for-the-national-anthem-but-this-special-moment-makes-the-audience-roar/

BREITBART
— President Trump Invites 23 Hill Leaders To Argue Amnesty on Tuesday – NEIL MUNRO (DIERSEN: Democrats shout at everyone, but especially at illegals, that Republicans are White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things. Democrats want illegals to become citizens so that they can help Democrats get rid of Republicans once and for all.)
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/01/08/trump-invites-23-hill-leaders-to-argue-amnesty-at-the-white-house/

NEWSMAX
— Republicans Looking at Justice Department Officials’ Contacts With Reporters – Jeffrey Rodack (DIERSEN: What do you say to “Republican” activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc. in Illinois a) who pander to Rich Miller and to the rest of the Democrat news media in Illinois, b) who refuse to keep diersen@aol.com on their press advisory and press release lists, c) who do not want Diersen to know about their events or other activities, d) who do not want Diersen to promote their events or other activities, e) who do not want Diersen to attend their events, and f) who do not want Diersen to report on their events or other activities?)
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/republican-lawmakers-justice-department-fbi/2018/01/09/id/835959/

CONSERVATIVE HQ
— No Mr. President We Don’t ‘Hope’ To Work Out A Deal With Democrats – George Rasley
http://www.conservativehq.com/node/27150

LUTHERAN CHURCH CHARITIES
— The Golden Rule – Tim Hetzner (DIERSEN: Do you retaliate against  your critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes?  My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes know that I do not. They talk and act like they reject the golden rule a) because they blame me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails for all their problems, b) because they demonize, denigrate, and condemn me and my emails, c) because they ascribe bad judgment and evil motive to everything that I do or do not do, d) because they do everything that they can to stop me from putting the emails together and sending them out, and e) because the do everything that they can to stop everyone from reading the emails. Previously, they ended my TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee membership, Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster service, Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee membership, American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board membership, GAO employment, etc.)
http://devotions.lccharities.org/2018/01/09/golden-rule-part-1/

NATIONAL REVIEW
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Pot pushers promote medical pot to promote recreational pot. If you promote pot, you promote destruction.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/455249/attorney-general-jeff-sessions-medical-marijuana-medical-cannabis-cancer-patients

FOX BUSINESS
— Six-figure construction jobs are going unfilled – Brittany De Lea
http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2018/01/05/six-figure-construction-jobs-are-going-unfilled.html

NEW YORK TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Trump Overstates Size of Tax Cuts in Speech to Farmers.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/08/us/politics/trump-tax-cuts-farmers-speech.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “To Pay for Wall, Trump Would Cut Proven Border Security Measures.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/08/us/politics/trump-border-wall-funding-surveillance.html
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: At Chinese Border, No Visas Needed, No Beards Allowed – Andrew Higgins
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/08/world/asia/kazakhstan-china-border.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: He Sought Dirt, Then Spotlight Shone on Him – Matt Flegenheimer (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents have lots of skeletons in their closets and they do not want me or anyone else to shine light on those skeletons. Therefore, my critics/opponents focus on a) stopping me from putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS together and sending them out and b) stopping everyone from reading those emails.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/08/us/politics/fusion-gps-glenn-simpson.html

WASHINGTON POST
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “The White House struggles to silence talk of Trump’s mental fitness.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-white-house-struggles-to-silence-talk-of-trumps-mental-fitness/2018/01/08/2a7d4092-f493-11e7-a9e3-ab18ce41436a_story.html
— Trump greeted by cheers, some boos and protests at college football’s biggest game – Sonam Vashi and Marwa Eltagouri
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2018/01/08/protesters-prepare-for-trumps-arrival-at-college-football-championship-game/

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Americans say “Political agenda keeps Trump and Congress apart on a fix for immigrant Dreamers.”
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-congress-immigration-dreamers-20180109-story.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— GOP Tax Reformers Are Lousy Salesmen – Matt Salisbury
https://www.wsj.com/articles/gop-tax-reformers-are-lousy-salesmen-1515457871
— Make It Easier to Work Without a License – Alexander Acosta and Dennis Daugaard (DIERSEN: I became a licensed CPA in 1981 when I was 32 years old based on my a) having passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, b) having worked for GAO for more than a year, c) having worked for IRS for almost 9 years, d) having passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981, e) having earned a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, f) having earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976, and g) having earned a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU in 1970.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/make-it-easier-to-work-without-a-license-1515457813

USA TODAY
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are members of the following groups do not want the census to ask about citizenship: anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/01/08/census-2020-no-citizenship-question-editorials-debates/1007921001/

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
— Democrats Ask GAO to Review New IRS Tax Guidelines – Reuters (DIERSEN: I worked for GAO on audits of IRS for 3 years at the GS-13 Step 1-3 levels, currently $96,403-$102,830. I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $81,071-$91,880. If my Democrat GAO superiors had not wasted my GAO career, had not wasted my knowledge of IRS, and had not forced me to take their early retirement offer in 1997 when I was 49 years old, I might still be working for GAO on audits of IRS.)
https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2018-01-08/democrats-ask-watchdog-to-review-new-irs-tax-guidelines
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Two U.S. Democratic politicians asked a government watchdog on Monday to scrutinize implementation of President Donald Trump’s tax law, warning that the administration could use new tax guidelines to create the appearance of a large middle-class tax cut ahead of the 2018 mid-term elections. In a letter to U.S. Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, Democratic Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Richard Neal said they were concerned that the U.S. Treasury could be pressured to adopt tax withholding tables that take too little federal tax out of employee paychecks to make good on White House predictions of a middle-class windfall. Such a move would inflate after-tax pay this year but leave workers to pay sizeable tax bills in 2019 when they file their 2018 federal tax returns, the lawmakers said. Wyden and Neal, the top Democrats on the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee and House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, asked that the watchdog Government Accountability Office review new Internal Revenue Service withholding tables to “assure Congress and the American public that there is no political influence.” Treasury, IRS and GAO officials had no immediate comment.)

GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE
— Pentagon IG Offers Details of Biggest Audit Ever – Charles S. Clark (DIERSEN: I worked on GAO’s audit of DOD’s fiscal year 1990 ammunition budget. SEE: https://www.gao.gov/products/NSIAD-90-23)
http://www.govexec.com/management/2018/01/pentagon-ig-offers-details-biggest-audit-ever/145045/

FED SMITH
— Happy 20th Anniversary Roth IRA! – Carol Schmidlin (DIERSEN: Of course, during the last 20 years, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have been furious that my wife and I have always contributed the maximum to Roth IRAs.)
https://www.fedsmith.com/2018/01/08/happy-20th-anniversary-roth-ira/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Investing in a Roth allows you to pay tax on the seed (the smaller, contribution amount) and reap the bounties of the harvest (the contributions plus earnings) tax free! Hoorays for the Roth IRA Earnings come out tax free as long as five years have passed since you opened your Roth IRA and you are 59½ or older. Contributions to a Roth IRA can be withdrawn anytime, for any reason, tax-free and penalty free. In contrast, all withdrawals from a traditional IRA are subject to income tax and generally subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty if taken before age 59½. There is no age limit on making contributions to Roth IRA’s, while one can no longer contribute to a traditional IRA upon reaching the year in which one turns age 70½. You can contribute the maximum to a Roth employer plan and the maximum to a Roth IRA, as long as you are under the income limits in the chart below. You are not required to take a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from a Roth IRA.
Contribution limits for 2018 are $5,500 ($6,500 age 50 or over), however there are income restrictions that may not permit you to contribute to a Roth IRA.)