Tag: marriage

ABC7
— Democrats, GOP try to dodge blame for shuttered government; Senate to vote early Monday – AP
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/democrats-gop-try-to-dodge-blame-for-shuttered-government;-senate-to-vote-early-monday/2972164/

NBC5
— Duckworth Slams Trump as ‘5-Deferment Draft Dodger’ in Fiery Speech on Shutdown The Illinois Democrat said Trump’s accusation was “just the latest in a string of recent comments where he accuses Democrats like me of not caring about our military” – Shelby Bremer (DIERSEN: Like Trump, I am a “5-Deferment Draft Dodger.” Should draft dodgers like Trump and I be barred from seeking/holding government/political offices? To be considered a draft dodger today, you have to be someone a) who was subject to the draft, b) sought or obtained one or more draft deferment, c) fled the United States, d) etc.  If you sought or obtained a draft deferment, by definition, you are, like Trump and me, a) a citizen of the United States, b) male, and c) old. In 2006, in Wheaton, Duckworth had one of her thugs throw me out of one of her public events.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/duckworth-trump-cadet-bone-spurs-federal-shutdown-470417973.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Shutdown extends into workweek, as Senate talks continue  A vote to break a Democratic filibuster on a short-term funding bill is scheduled for noon Monday. – AP
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/senate-moderates-to-pitch-leaders-on-plan-to-end-shutdown/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: 4 Cook County Board members missed 25% or more meetings in past 5 years (DIERSEN: Since 1999, I have best record by far for attending Milton Township Republican Central Committee meetings.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/4-cook-county-board-members-missed-25-or-more-meetings-in-past-5-years-survey/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Senate talks fall short, shutdown extends into workweek – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-bc-us–budget-battle-20180122-story.html
— Shutdown to extend into workweek as Senate fails to reach deal – Robert Costa, Erica Werner, Mike Debonis and Sean Sullivan
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-government-shutdown-20180121-story.html
— Is a Medicaid work requirement fair? – Editorial
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-medicaid-rauner-work-trump-20180116-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Earlier this month, Kentucky made Medicaid history: It will now require some of its Medicaid recipients to work or risk losing benefits. Critics say this 20-hours-per-week rule is a draconian plan to toss people off the rolls. Let’s talk about that. Kentucky’s plan is flexible: Recipients could meet the requirement through volunteer work, job training, searching for a job, taking classes, or caring for someone elderly or disabled. Pregnant women, full-time students, the medically frail, the homeless and people who aren’t healthy enough to work will be exempt. . .Illinois, like almost every state, struggles to control rising Medicaid costs. You’ll remember that Obamacare not only offered a way for the uninsured to buy coverage, but also hugely expanded Medicaid beyond its traditional role of helping the neediest Americans afford health care. Illinois added hundreds of thousands of people to the rolls, many of them able-bodied adults — and Washington, not Illinois taxpayers — paid almost all of the new costs. As a result, 1 in 4 Illinoisans now is a Medicaid beneficiary.)
— Pence accuses Congress of playing politics with military pay – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-bc-ml–budget-battle-pence-20180121-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps promote anti-Trump marchers.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-bc-us–womens-marches-20180121-story.html
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-bc-us–womens-marches-20180120-story.html
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Several state legislative committees will have a joint hearing at the Bilandic Building to talk about legal marijuana, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is planning to testify.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-chicago-riverwalk-noise-proposal-20180122-story.html
— Rauner’s new take on federal tax overhaul – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-chicago-riverwalk-noise-proposal-20180122-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Earlier this year, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner appeared on a Joliet radio station and said the GOP-led tax overhaul in Washington was “punishing” to the middle class for capping the deduction of state and local taxes at $10,000. But late last week, the governor unveiled a new “point of view” blog on the state website. He lauded the new federal tax law and said it means “tax relief is coming for the vast majority of Illinois families and businesses starting in 2018.” It’s the latest of shifting positions Rauner has had on Republican efforts in Washington. The governor previously declined to discuss his thoughts on changes to the tax code, saying he had “no obligation to comment on every possible policy change in Washington.” In his new blog post, Rauner said: “Members of Illinois’ middle class will keep more of their hard-earned dollars as a result of the federal tax changes.” Rauner said seven out of 10 federal tax returns in Illinois do not itemize deductions and will be able to take advantage of a doubled standard deduction and lower tax rates. He said “most families who itemize their returns will also see lower taxes,” even with the cap on state and local tax deductions and a $750,000 limit on mortgage interest for new home sales. If anything, Rauner said he sees the new federal tax law as sending “a clear message to the Illinois General Assembly: Get busy reducing state and local taxes.” Rauner has long been rebuffed in calling for freezing and making it easier for citizens to reduce local property taxes. And he’s also called for a rollback of the state income tax hike enacted last year.)
— If Chicago lands Amazon’s HQ2, will scores of residents be priced out of their neighborhoods? – Bob Goldsborough (DIERSEN: People want to live where those who share their demographics are the majority. From what I see, ever-increasingly, tragically, people want to live in neighborhoods where the following are the majority: 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 longer than their ancestors.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/ct-re-amazon-hq2-housing-20180120-story.html
— Mistakes to avoid when looking for a mentor – John DiScala (DIERSEN: What happened to your mentors? In 1975, my Democrat IRS superiors got rid of my mentor who had promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. In 1987, my Democrat GAO superiors got rid of my mentor who had hired me in 1980, got me assigned to audits of IRS in 1986, and promoted me in 1986.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/success/inc/tca-mistakes-to-avoid-when-looking-for-a-mentor-20180117-story.html
— Do millennials really have it tough? – Gene Marks (DIERSEN: Did you have it tough? Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes hint/imply/argue/shout that if I was a millennial, I never would have been able to do what I did before I was 33. I bought new cars when I was 17, 19, 20, 23, and 29. I bought a new town home when I was 24, a studio condo when I was 25, and 27. My wife and I bought a home when I was 29. I earned a bachelor’s degree when I was 21, an MBA when I was 27, and a master’s degree in accounting when I was 31. I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt when I was 30. I passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt when I was 32. In today’s dollars, I was earning $81,071/year when I was 25 and $91,880/year when I was 30.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/success/inc/tca-do-millennials-really-have-it-tough-20180116-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Hobbes cited the spiraling costs of health care, housing and education that affect his generation. He drew attention to stagnating wages, the rise of lower-quality contracting work that has replaced jobs with real benefits, the expensive real estate and cost of living required to live in the highest growth cities like San Francisco, Seattle and New York, and the right-leaning attitude toward more personal responsibility that has shifted significantly over the past two decades. In addition, Motley Fool points out that millennials are delaying life events such as marriage and home ownership because of money uncertainty. When adjusting for inflation, the average worker in the 24-36 age group earns $10,000 less than their parents’ generation did at the same age, which is roughly 20 percent less purchasing power. Many younger workers (66 percent) are contributing to an employer-sponsored retirement plan, but at lower rates than older generations, and that’s largely because of limited earnings and student debt, Motley Fool reports. The average student debt for a millennial is double that of the previous generation, Motley Fool notes. And, according to a T. Rowe Price study, nearly half of millennials expect to work at least part-time in retirement.)
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps demonize, denigrate, and condemn Trump.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/glanton/ct-met-donald-trump-racism-dahleen-glanton-20180119-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: MANY BIG PICTURES: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps glorify and praise those who come to America illegally, who stay in America illegally, and who bring others to America illegally.
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20180122/281792809447921
— Gauging when to retire Financial, psychological triggers that come into play – Janet Bodnar (DIERSEN: I should write a book about being forced to take early retirement.)
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20180122/281887298728433

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— New session will bring new efforts at pension reform – Doug Finke (DIERSEN: To “reform” pensions is to a) make employees pay more for their pensions and/or b) cut employee pensions. Ever-increasingly, you are demonized, denigrated, and condemned a) if you are in line to get a pension or b) if you are getting a pension. The bigger the pension that you are in line to get or you are getting, the more that you are demonized, denigrated, and condemned as being someone who is getting something that they did not really earn and that they do not disserve. How do people react when they are demonized, denigrated, and condemned?)
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20180121/new-session-will-bring-new-efforts-at-pension-reform
— Is civics still taught in our schools? – Peoria Journal Star (DIERSEN: For Democtrats, to teach civics is to teach how to get rid of Republicans.)
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20180121/their-view-is-civics-still-taught-in-our-schools
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: During the last national election we experienced a level of civics illiteracy — locally and nationally, across the age spectrum — that was both astounding and appalling. So glaring was it — about the most basic elements of government, from its three branches to the separation of powers to the Bill of Rights — that we wondered if civics is even being taught anymore in America’s schools. If so, those lessons were lost in Louisiana.)

TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Automatic voter registration ‘smooth sailing’ so far.”
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/local/automatic-voter-registration-smooth-sailing-so-far/article_85953458-9b67-5ae8-8604-4c3da9862c9a.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps promote anti-Trump marches. Anti-Trumps are 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.
http://www.mywebtimes.com/news/local/thousands-protest-trump-at-illinois-women-s-marches/article_35ad82d9-a217-5b0c-88cb-41a8cb3aa33e.html

EFFINGHAM DAILY NEWS
— Democratic candidates for U.S. Congressional seat speak at forum – Keith Stewart (DIERSEN: If I was still the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman, the organization would be hosting candidate forums for a) Rauner v. Ives, b) Sanguinetti v. Morthland, c) Harold v. Grasso, d) Diganvker v. Jhingan, e) Stella v. Vlakancic, f) Minor v. Grant v. Byrne, g) Kinzler v. Orozco, h) Zito v. Khouri, i) Mendrick v. Bibbiano, j) Tornatore v. DeMichele v. Gavanes, k) Hart v. Abbott v. Tully, l) McGowen v. Almiron v. Eckhoff v. Zaruba v. Tatro v. Chinchilla, m) Wiley v. Zay v. McQuade, n) Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee candidates, o) etc.)
http://www.effinghamdailynews.com/news/local_news/democratic-candidates-for-u-s-congressional-seat-speak-at-forum/article_3ba24ee1-97e8-5f64-83f1-17dfbcb97a41.html

HIGHLAND PARK LANDMARK
— Properly representing 10th district, immigration hot issues for Republican candidates – Xavier Ward (DIERSEN: If I was still the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman, the organization would be hosting candidate forums for a) Rauner v. Ives, b) Sanguinetti v. Morthland, c) Harold v. Grasso, d) Diganvker v. Jhingan, e) Stella v. Vlakancic, f) Minor v. Grant v. Byrne, g) Kinzler v. Orozco, h) Zito v. Khouri, i) Mendrick v. Bibbiano, j) Tornatore v. DeMichele v. Gavanes, k) Hart v. Abbott v. Tully, l) McGowen v. Almiron v. Eckhoff v. Zaruba v. Tatro v. Chinchilla, m) Wiley v. Zay v. McQuade, n) Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee candidates, o) etc.)
http://www.hplandmark.com/properly-representing-10th-district-immigration-hot-issues-republican-candidates

NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO
— Davis-LaHood Blame Durbin-Duckworth For Government Shutdown – CHARLIE SCHLENKER
http://northernpublicradio.org/post/davis-lahood-blame-durbin-duckworth-government-shutdown

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Lawmakers head back to Springfield to resolve SB 444 – Brooke Brighton
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/lawmakers-head-back-to-springfield-to-resolve-sb-444/930526184

BGA
— FACT CHECK: CHICAGO’S PRIVATE-SECTOR EMPLOYMENT: REALLY THE HIGHEST IN CITY HISTORY? – Kiannah Sepeda-Miller (DIERSEN: When did you work in the private sector? I did yard work and delivered newspapers 1962-1964; washed dishes 1964-1966; cleaned golf shoes, chipped slag, and pumped gasoline in 1966; worked on an automobile assembly line and as a security guard in 1970; sold tires, automotive services, and major appliances 1970-1971; and pumped gasoline 1971-1972.)
https://www.bettergov.org/news/fact-check-chicagos-private-sector-employment-really-the-highest-in-city-history

CAPITOL FAX
— Today’s number: 11 Illinois women in 200 years (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Democrats hint/imply/argue/shout that if you are a Republican, the longer your ancestors have been in America, the more that you have benefited from their discrimination against minorities and against women and the more that you should pay the price of Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion.)
https://capitolfax.com/2018/01/22/todays-number-11-illinois-women-in-200-years/

AMERICAN THINKER
— It’s not ‘the Wall’ Democrats Fear – Mike Ford
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/01/its_not_the_wall_democrats_fear.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In his immigration speeches, President Trump always says, “Build The Wall!” Lately, he’s also added Chain Migration and the Visa Lottery along with E-Verify, to his list of immigration fixes. Of all those immigration reforms, the loss of Chain Migration and the Visa Lottery would do the most damage to the Democrat voter import machine. Both of those programs are responsible for a large number of unsuitable foreign arrivals who end up on public assistance or in prison and eventually as Democrat voters, legally or sometimes not.)

ROLL CALL
— House GOP to Senate: You Can’t Bind Us House conservatives unlikely to sign on to any Senate immigration deal – Lindsey McPherson
https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/house-gop-senate-cant-bind-us
— Senate Adjourns, Ensures Government Shutdown on Monday McConnell offers some concessions, but no deal yet – Niels Lesniewski
https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/senate-adjourns-ensures-government-shutdown-monday

POLITICO
— Senate to vote Monday on plan to reopen government But Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says there’s no deal yet. – BURGESS EVERETT, HEATHER CAYGLE and ELANA SCHOR
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/21/government-shutdown-2018-trump-senate-354113
— ‘Washington Was About to Explode’: The Clinton Scandal, 20 Years Later In 1998, news broke that upended politics and sent a presidency hurtling toward impeachment. Twenty years later, an all-star panel tries to make sense of that moment—and what it tells us about our own. – JOHN F. HARRIS (DIERSEN: What did you focus on during 1998? During the first of the year, I focused on finding a job that would be appropriate for someone with my work experience, education, professional certifications, and professional license. During the second part of the year, I focused on helping my attorney pursue Diersen v. GAO. During the summer, I rode my bike over 2,000 miles.)
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/01/21/clinton-lewinsky-scandal-20-years-later-me-too-216484

CNN
— Senate vote scheduled for Monday to potentially end shutdown – Eli Watkins, Daniella Diaz and Ted Barrett
http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/21/politics/donald-trump-mick-mulvaney-filibuster/index.html

NEW YORK TIMES
— Shutdown Goes Into Monday as Senate Inches Toward Deal – Nicholas Fandos and Thomas Kaplan
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/21/us/politics/congress-government-shutdown.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Senate adjourns without deal to end government shutdown; vote postponed until noon Monday – Robert Costa, Erica Werner, Mike DeBonis and Sean Sullivan
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/trump-launches-new-round-of-partisan-attacks-as-government-shutdown-hits-day-2/2018/01/21/0560aece-fe35-11e7-a46b-a3614530bd87_story.html
— President Trump’s claim that ‘nearly 3 in 4’ convicted of terrorism are foreign-born – Salvador Rizzo
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2018/01/22/president-trumps-claim-that-nearly-3-in-4-convicted-of-terrorism-are-foreign-born/
— Women and independents drive advantage for Democrats ahead of midterm elections, Post-ABC poll finds – Scott Clement (DIERSEN: Democrats want everyone to be 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 longer than their ancestors.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/women-and-independents-drive-advantage-for-democrats-ahead-of-midterms-elections-post-abc-poll-finds/2018/01/21/6d7081a6-fef8-11e7-8acf-ad2991367d9d_story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps crow that “Government shutdown foreshadows a 2018 of inaction and gridlock.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2018/01/22/daily-202-government-shutdown-foreshadows-a-2018-of-inaction-and-gridlock/5a65417230fb0469e88402a8/

USA TODAY
— Senate adjourns without deal to end shutdown; Monday vote scheduled – Erin Kelly
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/01/21/senate-fund-government/1052512001/
— Vast majority of new wealth last year went to top 1% – Kim Hjelmgaard
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/01/22/vast-majority-new-wealth-last-year-went-top-1/1051947001/
— Number of international visitors to the USA declines – Nancy Trejos (DIERSEN: Democrats shout at the world that those in the USA who voted for Trump are White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/roadwarriorvoices/2018/01/19/number-international-visitors-usa-declines/1047492001/
— First year of Trump-Pence brings bountiful blessings, religious conservatives say – Maureen Groppe
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/01/19/first-year-trump-pence-brings-bountiful-blessings-religious-conservatives-say/1044308001/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH 5 PICTURES: A year of chaos and change 1968 WAS A VIOLENT VOLCANO THAT NEVER STOPPED ERUPTING IN RECRIMINATIONS AND ASSASSINATIONS, DAILY CASUALTY COUNTS AND DEMONSTRATIONS, AND NIGHTLY TELEVISED VIOLENCE AND UNREST. – David Waters (DIERSEN: What did you do in 1968? I worked as a part-time mailman for the Democrats who ran the Park Forest Post Office. I was a full-time student at UIC. I lived with my parents and brother in Crete. I sold my 1968 Oldsmobile 442 and bought a 1969 Dodge Charger SE. I saved money for college expenses.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnists/otis-sanford/2018/01/22/year-chaos-and-change/1025117001/

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps glorify and praise those who come to America illegally, who stay in America illegally, and who bring others to America illegally.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-tps-20180119-story.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Senate Fails to End Government Shutdown, Plans Vote on Three-Week Spending Bill Shutdown will stretch into a third day as negotiations over immigration continue to roil Capitol Hill – Kristina Peterson, Natalie Andrews and Siobhan Hughes
https://www.wsj.com/articles/lawmakers-struggle-to-seek-compromise-as-government-shutdown-continues-1516545587
— An inside look at three factors fueling the free-speech debate on American college campuses. – Jason Bellini (DIERSEN: Who wants to limit your speech, that is, who wants to control/dictate what you say and write? Since 2000, my crtics/opponents have worked very hard to control/dictate what I put in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. They succeeded in ending my TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship in 2012, my Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee membership in 2011, my Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster service in 2010 and 2004, my Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee membership in 2007, my American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board membership in 2004, etc.)
https://www.wsj.com/video/series/moving-upstream/free-speech-colleges-in-the-crossfire-moving-upstream/184D881F-893D-4AE3-8CA3-0480E2B215AB

BBC
— ‘World’s richest 1% get 82% of the wealth’, says Oxfam – Katie Hope
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-42745853