February 16, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season (COMMENT: I was involved in IRS’s 1974 tax season big time. Have you ever phoned IRS with a tax question? If you did during the 1974 filing season, the IRS employee who answered your call was one of my subordinates. Back then, as a 25-year-old GS-11 (currently $82,655/year) IRS Revenue Officer, I supervised all of the IRS employees, which included a rotating staff of about 90 IRS Revenue Agent trainees, in IRS’s new downtown Chicago office who answered taxpayer questions using IRS’s new tollfree CentiPhone system. Because of my job performance, the IRS manager who had given me that developmental opportunity and who had promoted me in 1972 and 1973 promoted me to GS-12 (currently $99,069/year) in 1974.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/what-are-propationary-employees-irs-is-set-lay-off-thousands-middle-2025-tax-season-many-await-refunds/15915432/?cmp=emc-wls-news-headlines-2/16/2025

NBC5
— Mexico’s President Sheinbaum offers sarcastic response to Trump’s ‘Gulf of America’ comment
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/mexicos-president-sheinbaum-offers-sarcastic-response-to-trumps-gulf-of-america-comment/3641113/
— Sikh communities fear immigration raids as Trump ends sanctuary for temples
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/sikh-communities-fear-immigration-raids-trump-ends-sanctuary/3675500/
— AP reporter, photographer barred after ‘Gulf of Mexico’ dispute
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/trump-denies-media-access-gulf-of-mexico-first-amendement/3675490/

CBS2
— Trump administration face criticism from European allies after Vance speech
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/trump-administration-face-criticism-from-european-allies-after-vance-speech/

FOX32
— Poll: Increasing number of Democrats say party should become more moderate
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/democrats-moderation-gallup-poll-2025

WGN9
— Here are the agencies purging federal employees (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, because of Republican imposed budget cuts, they ever-increasingly purged their employees starting with those who were Republican and then those who were White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or had ancestors who had been in America for a long time.)
https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/here-are-the-agencies-purging-federal-workers/

WGN RADIO
— Should the IRS be abolished? (COMMENT: I worked for GAO on audits of IRS for 3 years while I was at the GS-13 Step 1-3 Levels, currently $117,807-$125,661/year. I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year.)
https://wgnradio.com/lets-get-legal/should-the-irs-be-abolished/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season (COMMENT: During the 1974 tax season, I was responsible for assuring that all the phone calls that came into IRS’s new tollfree number in the Loop were answered promptly and correctly.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/15/irs-probationary-workers-tax-season/
— The US auto industry will fall behind if it retreats from electric vehicles (COMMENT: I have ordered a 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T EV.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/14/editorial-the-us-auto-industry-will-fall-behind-if-it-retreats-from-electric-vehicles/
— Zelenskyy calls for ‘armed forces of Europe’ as EU leaders bristle at new US policies on Ukraine
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/15/ukraine-armed-forced-of-europe/
— Trump’s reciprocal tariffs will overturn decades of trade policy
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/15/trump-reciprocal-tariffs-2/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: ‘Whole different level.’ The Illinois-Indiana political divide widens amid Trump 2.0, from immigration to DEI to LGBTQ rights.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/16/illinois-indiana-political-divide-widens-trump-immigration-dei-lgbtq-rights/
— Federal plan to reduce government office space could be a blow to Chicago, where selling properties wouldn’t be easy (COMMENT: I worked in the Kluczynski building 1973-1980 for IRS and then for GAO 1980-1981.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/16/federal-office-space-chicago/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE IN THE NAPERVILLE SUN: Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, homelessness will ever-increasingly increase.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/14/dupage-naperville-homeless-winter-emergency-shelter/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/lgbtq/2025/02/15/hundreds-gather-outside-lurie-childrens-hospital-to-protest-youth-gender-care-change-i-want-my-healthcare

ST. LOUIS TODAY
— White South Africans gather in support of Trump and his claims that they are victims of racism
https://www.stltoday.com/news/article_419396d2-eb99-11ef-a041-830ca4999d70.html

BELOIT DAILY NEWS
— Trump tours Boeing plane to highlight aircraft maker’s delay in delivering a new Air Force One
https://www.beloitdailynews.com/news/illinois-news/trump-tours-boeing-plane-to-highlight-aircraft-makers-delay-in-delivering-a-new-air-force/article_789b296d-0e0d-5460-8c0f-19d1085a855c.html

NPR ILLINOIS
— Anticipate/expect that ever-increasingly, Democrat and RINO leaders will negatively analogize Trump to Nixon.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-15/after-watergate-congress-curbed-the-presidency-now-trump-is-testing-those-limits

WAND TV
— Trump tours Boeing plane to check out features that would be on overdue new Air Force One aircraft
https://www.wandtv.com/news/national/trump-tours-boeing-plane-to-check-out-features-that-would-be-on-overdue-new-air/article_6c73d2e6-5d71-581e-8683-60dbf3479e7f.html

NEWS CHANNEL 20
— Springfield sees rise in gambling addiction amid booming video gaming revenue
https://newschannel20.com/news/local/springfield-sees-rise-in-gambling-addiction-amid-booming-video-gaming-revenue#

FOX ILLINOIS
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use health care professionals to demonize, denigrate, and condemn Trump. Sooner or later, if not already, everyone in health care will be Democrat, citizens of foreign countries, minority, female, younger, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time,
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/health-care-professionals-warn-trump-medical-research-cuts-could-impact-lifesaving-efforts
— Student who moved to DC for internship finds out Trump’s federal freeze canceled it. (COMMENT: EEOC cancelled my career in the automotive industry. In 1971, when I was 22 years old, my Firestone Store boss rudely fired me when I told him that I had accepted a job offer from Oldsmobile. But Oldsmobile withdrew that job offer saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. That directly resulted in my accepting a job offer from IRS. I had passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination in 1970 and I had to have a job to help support my mother and brother. My father had died suddenly in 1969.)
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/student-who-moved-to-dc-for-internship-finds-out-trumps-federal-freeze-canceled-it-doge-elon-musk-department-of-transportation-donald-trump-federal-government-internships-university-of-cincinnati-graduate-school

WSIL TV
— IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season. The IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season, according to two sources familiar with the agency’s plans, and cuts could come as soon as next week. (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors and supervisors were furious that they could not use probationary employee procedures to get rid of me in 1980 because I had already survived my probationary period when I worked for IRS.)
https://www.wsiltv.com/news/national/irs-will-lay-off-thousands-of-probationary-workers-in-the-middle-of-tax-season/article_97d05354-732c-5dd5-8b09-a7be5df80852.html

WGLT
— EEOC seeks to drop discrimination case after Trump executive order (COMMENT: If Trump had been President in 1971, my entire life since then would have been completely different. EEOC cancelled my career in the automotive industry. In 1971, when I was 22 years old, my Firestone Store boss rudely fired me when I told him that I had accepted a job offer from Oldsmobile. But Oldsmobile withdrew that job offer saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. That directly resulted in my accepting a job offer from IRS. I had passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination in 1970 and I had to have a job to help support my mother and brother. My father had died suddenly in 1969.)
https://www.wglt.org/2025-02-15/eeoc-seeks-to-drop-gender-discrimination-case-after-trump-executive-order

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Democrat and RINO leaders use DEI is to replace Republicans like me who are conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time with Democrats and RINOs who are not the aforesaid. So far, Democrat and RINO leaders have used DEI to a) waste my federal career and force me to retire early, b) end my service as the Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO) webmaster in 2004 and 2010, c) end my bid to serve as the MTRO treasurer in 2004, d) end my American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board membership in 2004, e) almost get the Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) to censure me for my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters in 2006, f) end my ICRC Steering Committee membership in 2007, g) end my Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee membership in 2011, h) end my TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship in 2012, i) gerrymander my precinct in 2015, j) end my service as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and fireworks in 2021, and k) end my service on the Illinois Republican Party State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee in 2024. I should write about the Democrat and RINO leaders who had their operatives and their dupes take the aforesaid adverse actions against me. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Far too many say that they are religious, conservative, and/or Republican, but do little or nothing to defend or advance religious, conservative, and/or Republican principles. What do you say to the aforesaid who work against those like me who defend and advance religious, conservative, and/or Republican principles? Should I write about them? Should I focus on those who read my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters to get information to use against me? Should I focus on those who have taken the most/biggest adverse actions against me? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What quotas/goals/targets do Democrats have for turning students in your school district into sexually active LGBTQers at each grade level?
http://www.gopillinois.com

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Senate Republican warns that Trump’s downsizing of federal workforce will do ‘more harm than good’ (COMMENT: Downsizing GAO did more harm than good.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/15/senate-republican-warns-trump-downsizing-federal-w/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— What would a Harris-Walz administration be doing right now?
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/in_focus/3320673/what-would-a-harris-walz-administration-be-doing-right-now/

NEW YORK POST
— Corporate America’s lame attempts to dress up DEI is plainly laughable (COMMENT: To promote DEI is to get rid of Republicans who are conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/15/business/corporate-americas-lame-attempts-to-dress-up-dei-is-plainly-laughable/

AMERICAN THINKER
— Political backlash and public outcry have prompted a compromise between Florida governor Ron DeSantis and the state’s Republican legislators on Florida’s immigration policy, following a prolonged dispute over how to handle illegal aliens.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/02/the_trump_act_the_worst_named_legislation_ever.html
— No More Mr. Nice Guy
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/02/no_more_mr_nice_guy.html
— False claims: universities can’t make them anymore
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/false_claims_universities_can_t_make_them_anymore.html

BIZ PAC REVIEW
— Finger-wagging NY AG Letitia James rages about ‘unelected’ Elon Musk
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/02/15/finger-wagging-ny-ag-letitia-james-rages-about-unelected-elon-musk-1522939/

BREITBART
— Much of Illinois Chafes Under Chicago’s, Governor’s Support for Migrants (COMMENT: Sooner or later, the lower that the income is in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct and the closer that you are to Chicago, the greater that the negative impact of illegal immigration will be.)
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/02/15/much-of-illinois-chafes-under-chicagos-governors-support-for-migrants/
— Fire-Ravaged California Spending Nearly $10 Billion on Health Care for Illegal Aliens
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/15/fire-ravaged-california-spending-nearly-10-billion-on-health-care-for-illegal-aliens/
— NYC to Sue Trump Administration over $80 Million in Funding Revoked for Migrant Shelters
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/02/15/report-nyc-to-sue-trump-administration-over-80-million-in-funding-revoked-for-migrant-shelters/

FOX NEWS
— Florida Speaker Daniel Perez: We stand with President Trump on illegal immigration crackdown. Illegal alien criminals will find no sanctuary in the Sunshine State.
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/florida-speaker-daniel-perez-we-stand-president-trump-illegal-immigration-crackdown
— At 50, SNL should drop the woke, get back to the joke. The show can once again be funny, if only it will stop preaching at us.
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/david-marcus-50-snl-should-drop-woke-get-back-joke
— Department of Education warns that public schools must remove DEI policies or lose federal funding. ‘Institutions that fail to comply with federal civil rights law may, consistent with applicable law, face potential loss of federal funding,’ the letter reads.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/department-education-warns-public-schools-must-remove-dei-policies-lose-federal-funding

NATIONAL REVIEW
— Wheaton College Is Abandoning Its Conservative Alumni
https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/02/wheaton-college-is-abandoning-its-conservative-alumni/

NEW AMERICAN
— Universities Get Rich Off Illegal Migrants; 408,000 Currently Enrolled (COMMENT: UIC accepted me in 1966, NIU in 1969, Loyola in 1972, DePaul in 1976, and IIT in 1992, but from what I see, if there had been as many illegals back then as there are now, they would have been accepted instead of me.)
https://thenewamerican.com/us/universities-get-rich-off-illegal-migrants-408000-currently-enrolled/

NEWS BUSTERS
— CNN Lets Pro-Gay Activist Complain About Trump on Transgenders
https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/brad-wilmouth/2025/02/15/trying-erase-cnn-lets-pro-gay-activist-complain-about-trump

NEWSMAX
— Dems Tie the Hands of Law Enforcement
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/law-enforcement-dems/2025/02/15/id/1199228/

TOWNHALL
— Here Are the Top DOGE Takedowns So Far  (COMMENT: By far, Newt Gingrich’s biggest takedown was GAO. I was collateral damage.)
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2025/02/15/doge-week-round-up-n2652105#google_vignette

TRUMP VANCE
— Should I authorize Elon Musk & D.O.G.E. to audit the IRS? (COMMENT: I worked for GAO on audits of IRS for 3 years while I was at the GS-13 Step 1-3 Levels, currently $117,807-$125,661/year. I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year.)
https://secure.winred.com/trump-national-committee-jfc/lp-hf-email-presidential-poll-v6

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

YAHOO
— Wall Street’s diversity dilemma deepens as JPMorgan’s Dimon sounds off on ‘stupid’ DEI expenses
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/wall-streets-diversity-dilemma-deepens-as-jpmorgans-dimon-sounds-off-on-stupid-dei-expenses-143000294.html

ASSOCIATED PRESS
— White South Africans gather in support of Trump and his claims that they are victims of racism  (COMMENT: Anticipate/expect that Democrat leaders will come down on Americans whose ancestors homesteaded. My ancestors on my father’s side homesteaded a 240-acre farm in southeast Crete Township in 1854.)
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/world/2025/02/15/south-africa-trump-supporters/78739407007/

CBS NEWS
— Trump tours updated Boeing plane to highlight delay in delivery of new Air Force One
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-air-force-one-tour-boeing/

NEW YORK TIMES
— Charlie Kirk
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/10/magazine/charlie-kirk-american-right.html
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly crow about their manipulation and domination of religious leaders.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/us/trump-usaid-christian-aid.html

WASHINGTON POST
— ICE struggles to boost arrest numbers despite infusion of resources. Trump has ordered a wartime effort to increase deportations, but ICE statistics show arrests have dipped so far this month.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/02/15/ice-arrests-immigration-deportations/
— Scholz blasts Vance’s support for Germany’s far right. Some see the Trump administration actively promoting political extremism in the West. (COMMENT: Ever-increasingly, since 1999, RINO leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party have demonized me, denigrated, and condemned me as being far-right, as being an extremist.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/02/15/vance-germany-afd-scholz-weidel-far-right/

USA TODAY
— Fired federal workers say ‘cold and cruel’ cuts upended their lives (COMMENT: My cold/cruel/nasty/vicious Democrat GAO superiors forced me retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. Before that, they always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, and forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS. Before that, my cold/cruel/nasty/vicious Democrat IRS superiors never promoted me beyond GS-12, disallowed my education deductions, and disallowed my travel vouchers. Before that, my cold/cruel/nasty/vicious Democrat Post Office superiors forced me to resign and before that, disallowed my sick leave requests.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/16/federal-workers-trump-musk-firings/78728081007/

WEST ORLANDO NEWS
— Florida Senator Rick Scott and Republicans Introduce Dismantle DEI Act (COMMENT: What are the Republican elected officials who represent you in your county, township, municipality, and school district doing to fight DEI?)
https://westorlandonews.com/florida-senator-rick-scott-and-republicans-introduce-dismantle-dei-act/

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS
— Musk’s DOGE pays visit to IRS as millions file tax returns (COMMENT: I worked for GAO on audits of IRS for 3 years while I was at the GS-13 Step1-3 Levels, currently $117,807-$125,661/year. I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year.)
https://san.com/cc/elon-musks-doge-pays-visit-to-irs-as-millions-file-tax-returns/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Musk’s cost-cutting agency is reviewing the IRS’s operations. DOGE is focusing on reducing non-essential contracts and scrutinizing the agency’s expanded workforce. Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Ron Wyden, have criticized Musk’s efforts.)

FORBES
— ‘It Can’t Be America Alone’: Hegseth Touts Work With Allies To Counter ‘Ascendant Chinese Threat’ (COMMENT: In WWIII, which countries will side with China against America? They will include those countries that are a) sending their citizens into America illegally and/or b) are keeping their citizens in America illegally.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLpL4__2Ql8

FINANCIAL REVIEW
— As Trump tries to kill DEI, Labor moves to lock it in
https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/as-trump-tries-to-kill-dei-labor-moves-to-lock-it-in-20250212-p5lblw

INDIA TODAY
— Return Of ‘DUNKIS’: Two Flights With Deported Indian Illegals From US To Land In Amritsar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te8bJPi9mH4
— Legs chained, hands cuffed: Indian deportee on 2nd US flight recounts ordeal
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/us-migrant-flight-illegal-indian-immigrants-deportee-claims-legs-chained-hands-cuffed-military-plane-amrtisar-2680787-2025-02-16

TIMES OF INDIA
— Trump Blasts ‘Woke’ U.S. Media In Rare Joint Interview With Elon Musk
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/international/theyve-failed-trump-blasts-woke-u-s-media-in-rare-joint-interview-with-elon-musk/videoshow/118286894.cms

SKY NEWS
— Democrats used to promote integration, but now they promote segregation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txOCBET5Ij4

February 14, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Ex-Speaker Michael Madigan’s conviction could give Illinois GOP a path to relevancy, but it’s still strewn with obstacles
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/14/michael-madigan-conviction-illinois-gop/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://chicago.suntimes.com/la-voz/chicago-sanctuary-laws-immigrants-immigration
— Democrats ever-increasingly use Trump’s tariffs to raise alarms
https://chicago.suntimes.com/money/2025/02/14/trump-tariffs-becoming-concern-illinois-farm-agriculture-industry

DAILY HERALD
— What to know about the federal workforce under Trump (COMMENT: While I was a federal employee for almost 30 years, virtually all my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats, and many if not most were minority, female, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German America, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time. Virtually all of my coworkers had less work experience than I had, had less education than I had, had no professional certifications or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250214/nation-and-world-politics/what-to-know-about-the-federal-workforce-under-trump/

NBC5
— To promote DEI is to give preference to those who are minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, disabled, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, those whose ancestors have not been in America for a long time, etc. )
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/business/money-report/as-target-and-other-retailers-drop-dei-programs-black-founders-could-face-tougher-battle-to-get-and-stay-on-shelves/3674503/

WGN9
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://wgntv.com/migrants-in-chicago/dont-want-to-go-back-asylum-seekers-face-deportation-anxiety-in-chicago/

WTTW
— Democrats demonize, denigrate, and condemn Trump’s Secretary of Education. They blast a job that she had in the past. My critics/opponents blast my having been a federal employee for almost 30 years. They especially blast my having been an IRS Revenue Office for almost 9 years.
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/13/ctu-sounds-alarm-chicago-students-donald-trump-s-education-secretary-pick-set-be

WBEZ
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://www.wbez.org/immigration/2025/02/14/what-immigrants-should-know-about-law-enforcement-amid-increased-immigration-raids

WEDNESDAY JOURNAL
— In tense national moment, Oak Park leaders stand up for DEI, progressive values. In show of solidarity, range of leaders gather at Unity Temple. (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO leaders use DEI to discriminate against Republicans.)
https://www.oakpark.com/2025/02/11/oak-park-leaders-stand-up-dei-progressive-values/

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Trump’s pick for education chief sketches a roadmap for dismantling the department
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-trumps-pick-for-education-chief-seeks-approval-to-lead-an-agency-she-would-be-asked-to-tear-down/
— DOGE gets mixed reviews from conservatives who have long wanted major budget cuts
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-doge-gets-mixed-reviews-from-conservatives-who-have-long-wanted-major-budget-cuts/

NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://www.northernpublicradio.org/illinois/2025-02-14/pres-trumps-mass-deportation-plan-spur-strong-reactions-from-dekalb-march-organizers

WMBD
— IRS prepares to lay off thousands of workers (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors and supervisors were furious that they could not use probationary employee procedures to get rid of me because I had already survived my probationary period when I worked for IRS.)
https://wmbdradio.com/2025/02/14/us-irs-prepares-to-lay-off-thousands-of-workers-source-says/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The U.S. Internal Revenue Service is preparing to fire thousands of workers next week, a move that could squeeze resources at the tax-collecting agency during the critical tax-filing season, a person familiar with the matter said. Officials from the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees federal hiring, ordered all agencies on Thursday to dismiss their probationary employees, who are newer to their positions and do not enjoy full civil service job protections.)

WCIA
— US deports 119 migrants from a variety of nations to Panama
https://www.wcia.com/news/international/ap-us-deports-119-migrants-from-a-variety-of-nations-to-panama/

DAILY ILLINI
— Lawsuit targets Illinois teacher scholarship amid wider DEI rollbacks (COMMENT: My critics/opponents have always used my not getting any scholarships against me.)
https://dailyillini.com/news-stories/world-news/state-news/2025/02/14/lawsuit-illinois-teacher-scholarship-dei-rollbacks/

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Pritzker must address multi-billion-dollar deficit amid federal funding uncertainty. Annual budget address will be among toughest in governor’s two terms.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/pritzker-must-address-multi-billion-dollar-deficit-amid-federal-funding-uncertainty/

CHICAGO READER
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://chicagoreader.com/columns-opinion/opinion/migrant-crime-wave/

AXIOS CHICAGO
— Illinois is one of only 13 U.S. states that sends more money to federal government coffers than it receives (COMMENT: Does your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct send more money to Illinois and to the federal government than they receive?)
https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/02/14/illinois-federal-money-budget-spending

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/14/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-249/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Anticipate/expect that Democrat and RINO leaders will ever-increasingly paint negatively everything that Trump says and does.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_26d55070-eb0c-11ef-a8f8-ef0141b9447f.html

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Crystal Lake Grade School District Tells Employees New Contract Led to Notifying Thirty Employees of Staff Reductions, Comparison of Tax to Salary Hikes
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/14/crystal-lake-grade-school-district-tells-employees-new-contract-led-to-notifying-thirty-employees-of-staff-reductions/
— The Velvet Hammer Hammered Cartoon
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/14/the-velvet-hammer-hammered/
— Thanks, Pat Quinn, for Making Mike Madigan More Powerful
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/14/thanks-pat-quinn-for-making-mike-madigan-more-powerful/
— Reick Announces Committee Assignments
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/14/reick-announces-committee-assignments/

— Darby Hills Selected to Succeed Dan McConchie in the State Senate

— Reader Questions House GOP Leader Tony McCombie’s Priorities

— McHenry County GOP Sends Invitation to Lincoln Day Dinner


ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Spend $93K per student and what happens? None can read at grade level. (COMMENT: How much money does your school district spend per student? What percent of its students read at grade level?)
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/spend-93k-per-student-and-what-happens-none-can-read-at-grade-level/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump cans thousands of ‘probationary’ federal employees (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors and supervisors were furious that they could not use probationary employee procedures to get rid of me because I had already survived my probationary period when I worked for IRS.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/14/donald-trump-cans-thousands-probationary-federal-w/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— On illegal immigration, it’s Trump filing the lawsuits
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/daily-memo/3321217/on-illegal-immigration-trump-filing-lawsuits/

FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM
— Vice President Vance Warns European Leaders that Mass Migration is the Most “Pressing Challenge”
https://www.fairus.org/blog/2025/02/14/vice-president-vance-warns-european-leaders-mass-migration-most-pressing-challenge

NEW YORK POST
— Yes: Obama, Biden endangered flights by rejecting whites for air-traffic controller jobs
https://nypost.com/2025/02/14/opinion/obama-biden-endangered-flights-by-nixing-whites-as-air-traffic-controllers/
— Pull the plug on EV subsidies — a government racket that dooms the auto industry
https://nypost.com/2025/02/13/opinion/pull-the-plug-on-ev-subsidies-a-costly-government-racket/

REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— Homan on Criminal Migrants: “I’ve Made It Clear, I Want Everybody,” “I Don’t Care If It’s For Shoplifting”
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/02/14/tom_homan_on_criminal_migrants_ive_made_it_clear_i_want_everybody_i_dont_care_if_its_for_shoplifting.html

TOWNHALL
— Ilhan Omar Isn’t the Only ‘Squad’ Member Helping Illegals Avoid Deportation
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2025/02/14/aoc-advises-constituents-on-how-to-avoid-being-deported-n2652194

WESTERN JOURNAL
— Sanctuary No More: NYC Mayor Ushers in Homan to Root Out Seriously Criminal Illegals
https://www.westernjournal.com/sanctuary-no-nyc-mayor-ushers-homan-root-seriously-criminal-illegals/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CBS NEWS
— U.S. Army bars transgender people from enlisting, ends gender-affirming care services
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-army-bars-transgender-people-enlisting-trump-executive-action/

NEWSWEEK
— Border Czar Says NYC Mayor ‘Can’t Back Away’ on Immigration Enforcement
https://www.newsweek.com/tom-homan-eric-adams-immigration-enforcement-sanctuary-city-2031402

REUTERS
— Putin welcomes Russians freed in prisoner swap as heroes loyal to the Motherland (COMMENT: Will deported illegals be welcomed in their motherlands?)
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-greets-russians-returning-moscow-after-prisoner-swap-news-agencies-say-2024-08-01/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.wsj.com/economy/ice-raids-send-chill-through-migrant-workforces-cddf7537

BLOOMBERG
— Russia Has Sent Around 10,000 Immigrants to Ukraine Front (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War on Republicans. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrat Army.)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-27/russia-has-sent-around-10-000-immigrants-to-front-in-ukraine

DAILY TROJAN
— An identity crisis for children of immigrants (COMMENT: All my ancestors immigrated from what is now Germany during the 1840s and 1950s. While they never returned to German to visit or for any other reason, they were slow to stop speaking German. My grandparents spoke German ad that held them back. Neither of my parents attended college. My father was only the first of my ancestors to earn a high school diploma. My mother never attended high school.)
https://dailytrojan.com/2023/01/26/an-identity-crisis-for-children-of-immigrants/

JD SUPRA
— Anticipate/expect that Democrat and RINO employers will continue to use DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/what-employers-should-know-about-3894669/

RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— Trump’s Leadership Scores Higher in Second Term
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/trump_s_leadership_scores_higher_in_second_term

AUTO WEEK
— Could All EV Sales Be Hit With $1,000 Tax?  GOP senators back bills to dramatically redraw EV credit landscape, shifting those incentives in the opposite direction. (COMMENT: I have ordered a 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T EV.)
https://www.autoweek.com/news/a63798825/ev-credit-repeal-gop-senate-bill/

INDIA WEST JOURNAL
— US Sends Out Two More Planes With Illegals To India
https://indiawest.com/us-sends-out-two-more-planes-with-illegals-to-india/

AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION
— These immigrants are leaving Australia because of the high cost of living
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-08/why-these-immigrants-are-deciding-to-return-to-their-motherland/103912586

February 12, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Trump signs executive order to continue downsizing federal workforce (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, Republicans downsized it from more than 6,000 employees to less than 3,000 employees. My Democrat GAO superiors punished me severely for that. They would have gotten rid of me much sooner if I had not a) earned job-related professional certifications in 1997 (forensic accounting), 1996 (financial services auditing), 1994 (government financial management), 1990 (fraud examination), 1981 (internal auditing), and 1979 (accounting); b) earned a job-related professional license in 1981 (CPA); and c) earned job-related master’s degrees in 1997 (financial markets and trading), 1980 (accounting), and 1976 (business).)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/trump-prepares-executive-order-continue-downsizing-federal-workforce/15894367/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: President Donald Trump made a rare appearance with Elon Musk, his most powerful adviser, in the Oval Office on Tuesday before signing an executive order to continue downsizing the federal workforce. The Associated Press reviewed a White House fact sheet on the order, which is intended to advance Musk’s work slashing spending with his Department of Government Efficiency. Musk said there are some good people in the federal bureaucracy but they need to be accountable and called it an “unelected” fourth branch. “The people voted for major government reform and that’s what the people are going to get,” he said. “That’s what democracy is all about.” It was Musk’s first time taking questions from reporters since he joined the Trump administration as a special government employee with sprawling influence over federal agencies. He’s also the world’s richest person and the owner of X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Despite concerns that he’s amassing unaccountable power with little transparency, Musk described himself as an open book. He joked that the scrutiny was like a “daily proctology exam.” The White House fact sheet said that “agencies will undertake plans for large-scale reductions in force and determine which agency components (or agencies themselves) may be eliminated or combined because their functions aren’t required by law.” It also said that agencies should “hire no more than one employee for every four employees that depart from federal service.” There are plans for exceptions when it comes to immigration, law enforcement and public safety. Trump and Musk are pushing federal workers to resign in return for financial incentives, although their plan is currently on hold while a judge reviews its legality. The deferred resignation program, commonly described as a buyout, would allow employees to quit and still get paid until Sept. 30. Administration officials said more than 65,000 workers have taken the offer. Hundreds of people gathered for a rally Tuesday across the street from the U.S. Capitol in support of federal workers.)

FOX32
— Krishnamoorth blasts Trump plan to slash federal funding (COMMENT: How dependent on federal funding are those in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct?)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1591558
— Trump admin asks NCAA, high schools to erase records set by transgender athletes (COMMENT: Transgender athletes should only be allowed to compete against other transgender athletes.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/trump-ncaa-transgender-sports

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— White House bars AP reporter from Oval Office because of AP style policy on ‘Gulf of America’ (COMMENT: I have been the GOPUSA Illinois Reporter since 2000. I should write about the candidate press conferences and other political events that I have been barred from since 2000 and those who have barred me. Those who have barred me a) have/had lots of religious, government, political, and/or financial clout in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois, b) have/had their operatives and their dupes take big adverse actions against me, and c) destroy those like me who they cannot manipulate or dominate, who refuse to glorify and praise them, who refuse to pander to them, who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, who refuse to coverup their wrongdoing, and/or who refuse to give them money.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/11/ap-reporter-barred-gulf-of-america/
— Democrat and RINO leaders glorify and praise their illegals.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/07/column-social-workers-in-aurora-can-feel-the-anxiety-of-the-immigrant-community-the-level-of-fear-is-heartbreaking/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— ALL OF THE FRONT PAGE: Johnson warns of City Hall house-cleaning triggered by disloyalty: ‘If you ain’t with us, you gotta go’  Johnson’s ominous warning before a church audience Monday night has fueled speculation about a high-level political purge as the struggling rookie mayor approaches the midterm mark. (COMMENT: My critics/opponents demand blind loyalty and destroy those like me who they cannot manipulate or dominate, who refuse to glorify and praise them, who refuse to pander to them, who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, who refuse to coverup their wrongdoing, and/or who refuse to give them money.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2025/02/11/mayor-brandon-johnson-warns-staff-shakeup-coming-clean-house-administration-holdovers-lightfoot-guidice
— Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, soon, if not already, everyone in America will be a) handing out welfare and/or b) receiving welfare. Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, fewer and fewer and fewer of those in America are productive members of society.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/health/2025/02/11/heartland-alliance-health-shuts-down-clinics-food-pantries

DAILY HERALD
— Judge tells agencies to restore webpages and data removed after Trump’s executive order (COMMENT: I should write about a) what was removed from the websites that I have published since 2000 and served as the webmaster for, b) those did the removing, and c) why they did that.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250211/nation-and-world-politics/judge-tells-agencies-to-restore-webpages-and-data-removed-after-trumps-executive-order/

CHAMPAIG/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Pritzker pursues public profile as Trump’s No. 1 political foe
https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/columns/jim-dey-pritzker-pursues-public-profile-as-trumps-no-1-political-foe/article_4b592eca-e572-11ef-89ee-378b71641aa8.html

NPR ILLINOIS
— Trump official targeting Jan. 6 investigators worked on those cases himself (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, a) all my subordinates were some, many, most, if not virtually all of the following and b) I gave them all tremendous preference: Democrat, minority, female, veteran, disabled, problematic, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time. My defense is that I was required to do that by my Democrat GAO superiors and subordinates.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-12/trump-official-targeting-jan-6-investigators-worked-on-those-cases-himself
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly blame Republicans for everything that is bad including bad weather.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-12/trump-funding-freeze-could-leave-communities-on-their-own-as-climate-threats-grow
— Republicans split on best path to advance Trump’s agenda in Congress
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-12/republicans-split-on-best-path-to-advance-trumps-agenda-in-congress

WIFR
— Protestors condemn Trump, Musk ‘coup’ in protest at Rep. Darin LaHood’s office
https://www.wifr.com/2025/02/12/protestors-condemn-trump-musk-coup-protest-rep-darin-lahoods-office/

WSIL TV
— Democrats ever-increasingly push pot on children
https://www.wsiltv.com/news/health/marijuana-ads-on-social-media-bypass-laws-and-endanger-children-experts-say/article_e6564b45-1f7d-5cbf-a885-6b503c89c9e0.html

WCIA
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more abortion. Why are there so many unwanted pregnancies?
https://www.wcia.com/health/ap-health/ap-what-to-know-about-proposals-to-ban-abortion-pills-and-punish-women-who-seek-abortion/

WGLT
— Public schools promote liberal principles. Lutheran schools promote conservative principles. If I had attended Crete Elementary in Crete 1953-1962 instead of Trinity Lutheran Grade School in Crete 1953-1961 and Hope Lutheran Grade School in Park Forest 1961-1962, I doubt that I would have a) gotten an ACT score of 24, b) graduated in the upper 20% of my Crete-Monee High School class, and c) gotten accepted by UIC in 1966. Conservative principles steered me toward personal responsibility and away from vices.)
https://www.wglt.org/illinois/2025-02-11/how-trumps-education-plans-might-affect-illinois-schools

CHICAGO MAGAZINE
— The more demographics that you have that vote for Republicans, the more reparations that Democrats want you to pay.
https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/march-2025/where-does-chicagos-push-for-reparations-stand/

LOYOLA PHOENIX
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Republicans
https://loyolaphoenix.com/2025/02/loyola-hosts-speaker-on-racial-justice-in-honor-of-black-history-month/

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Illinois Democrat leaders say that they are finding their voice, that is, that they will ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/12/illinois-dems-finding-their-voice-00203773

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WIREPOINTS
— If I was in charge of an Illinois DOGE, the first thing I’d look at is the state’s ballooning budgets
https://wirepoints.org/if-i-was-in-charge-of-an-illinois-doge-the-first-thing-id-look-at-is-gov-pritzkers-ballooning-budgets-wirepoints-joins-tom-miller-of-wjpf-carbondale/
— With $36 trillion in debts, along with massive Social Security and Medicare debts, our nation needs to watch its spending
https://wirepoints.org/with-36-trillion-in-debts-along-with-massive-social-security-and-medicaid-debts-our-nation-needs-to-watch-our-spending-wirepoints-on-chicago-tonight/
— Illinois committed temporary covid aid toward long-term spending on Human Services. Now it’s trapped. (COMMENT: I worked for GAO an entire year on an audit of improper spending of federal funds by Illinois.)
https://wirepoints.org/gov-pritzker-committed-temporary-covid-aid-toward-long-term-spending-on-human-services-now-hes-trapped-wirepoints-on-am-560-chicagos-morning-answer/

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Greater Chicago hit hard as Illinois sees 2,342 mass layoffs in January
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/greater-chicago-hit-hard-as-illinois-sees-2342-mass-layoffs-in-january/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

NEW YORK POST
— Trump admin resumes deportation flights to Venezuela, booting illegal migrants, gangbangers back home — with lots to go
https://nypost.com/2025/02/11/us-news/us-resumes-deportation-flights-to-venezuela-booting-illegal-migrants-gangbangers-back-home-with-lots-to-go/

BLAZE
— While other sports bow to wokeism, NASCAR keeps it patriotic
https://www.theblaze.com/columns/opinion/while-other-sports-bow-to-wokeism-nascar-keeps-it-patriotic

BREITBART
— Democrats Release ‘Target Map’ of State Legislatures in Effort to Fight ‘MAGA Extremism of Donald Trump’  (COMMENT: Democrats and RINOs call Republicans extremists.)
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/11/democrats-release-target-map-of-state-legislatures-in-effort-to-fight-maga-extremism-of-donald-trump/

CHRISTIAN POST
— Wheaton College rebuked for removing post congratulating alum in Trump admin: ‘Caving to the mob’
https://www.christianpost.com/news/wheaton-college-rebuked-for-removing-russ-vought-post.html

CHRISTIANITY TODAY
— Wheaton College Tangled in Online Spat Over Trump Appointee. The college said “unchristian comments” led it to delete a message congratulating alumnus Russell Vought.
https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/02/russell-vought-wheaton-college-x-omb-confirmation/

DAILY SIGNAL
— Here’s Why Obama Created DEI (COMMENT: Democrats and RINOs use DEI to get rid of Republicans.)
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/11/enough-people-were-marginalized-obama-created-dei/
— Immigration Industrial Complex Struggling to ‘Keep Their Lights on’ After Trump Decree
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/11/immigration-industrial-complex-struggling-keep-lights-trump-order/
— Pentagon Schools Defy Hegseth by Renaming DEI Efforts
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/11/no-exceptions-pentagon-schools-defy-hegseth-renaming-dei-effort/

FEDERALIST
— Wheaton College’s Cowardice In The Face Of Russ Vought Attacks Is Emblematic Of Its Leftward Lurch
https://thefederalist.com/2025/02/11/wheatons-cowardice-in-the-face-of-russ-vought-attacks-is-emblematic-of-its-leftward-lurch/

FOX NEWS
— University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) sued after professor alleges he was fired for objecting to race-based hiring policies. Lawsuit filed against University of Illinois Chicago comes as Trump admin cracks down on DEI. (COMMENT: I attended UIC 1966-1968.)
https://www.foxnews.com/media/illinois-university-sued-after-professor-alleges-he-fired-objecting-race-based-hiring-policies

HERITAGE FOUNDATION
— How Trump Is Uprooting Radical ’60s Foundations of Poisonous DEI and CRT Programs (OMMENT: Since the 1960s, Democrats and RINOs have used DEI to get rid of me.)
https://www.heritage.org/progressivism/commentary/how-trump-uprooting-radical-60s-foundations-poisonous-dei-and-crt-programs

NEWSMAX
— DEI Divides the Country
https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/tommy-tuberville-dei-social-justice/2025/02/11/id/1198704/

TOWNHALL
— Birthright Citizenship Excluded Illegals From Day One
https://townhall.com/columnists/betsymccaughey/2025/02/12/birthright-citizenship-excluded-illegals-from-day-one-n2652055

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

THE HILL
— Democrat and RINO employers reject meritocracy because meritocracy frustrates their using Affirmative Action and DEI to hire, to retain, and to promote more young minorities and young females.
https://www.aol.com/news/opinion-trump-crony-meritocracy-could-133000383.html

NBC NEWS
— Immigration Industrial Complex Struggling to ‘Keep Their Lights on’ After Trump Decree
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/trump-hits-delete-race-lgbtq-climate-data-rcna191652

CBS NEWS
— Musk defends DOGE as Trump orders agencies to comply with cuts
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elon-musk-trump-doge-cuts/

MSN
— Bondi Doubles Down on Second Amendment Rights with New ATF Policy
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/bondi-doubles-down-on-second-amendment-rights-with-new-atf-policy/ss-AA1yLNlk

NEW YORK TIMES
— Fearing Trump, Wall Street Sounds a Retreat on Diversity Efforts (COMMENT: Since the 1960s, employers have been under ever-increasing tremendous pressure to hire, hire, retain, and promote young minorities and young females. That killed my job search after my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. That rendered worthless a) my almost 18 years of experience working for GAO, the last 8 years of which auditing federal financial industry regulators at the GS-13 Step 4-10 Levels, currently $129,588-$153,151/year in today’s dollars, b) my almost 9 years of experience working for IRS, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year, c) my professional certifications in forensic accounting, financial services auditing, government financial management, internal auditing, and accounting, d) my CPA license, and e) my master’s degrees in financial markets and trading, accounting, and business.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/11/business/trump-dei-wall-street.html
— Those who have demographics that vote for Democrats despise/hate those who have demographics that vote for Republicans.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/11/opinion/trump-real-americans-diversity.html
— Accuses F.B.I. Nominee of Covertly Directing Dismissals (COMMENT: My critics/opponents have their operative and their dupes do their dirty work. I should write about my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/11/us/politics/kash-patel-fbi-durbin.html

TAMPA BAY 10
— Everyone has always known all along that Biden’s parole program was illegal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqxkMh2SSIM

WYPR
— Citing ‘wokeness,’ Trump says he’s firing boards at Naval Academy, other military colleges
https://www.wypr.org/the-baltimore-banner/2025-02-12/citing-wokeness-trump-says-hes-firing-boards-at-naval-academy-other-military-colleges

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Democrats in Disarray as Trump Pushes Through Agenda. After decisive losses in November, party has found little consensus on message or direction.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/democrats-response-trump-agenda-12be960f

EDUCATION WEEK
— What Trump’s Trans Athlete Ban Means for Schools and States (COMMENT: Transgender athletes should only be allowed to compete against other transgender athletes.)
https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/what-trumps-trans-athlete-ban-means-for-schools-and-states/2025/02

FED SMITH
— Seeking Government Efficiency Through RIFs, Hiring Restrictions, Employee Suitability Criteria (COMMENT: Democrats run the federal government. They seek efficiency by first getting rid of their employees who are Republican and then getting rid of those who are White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.fedsmith.com/2025/02/12/executive-order-government-efficiency-workforce-optimization/

GOVERNING
— Democrats and RINOs use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.governing.com/workforce/making-the-case-for-deis-continuing-value

GUARDIAN
— Democrats and RINOs use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audio/2025/feb/11/how-trump-made-diversity-a-dirty-word-full-story-podcast

February 10, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Why Henry Hyde’s name should stay on the DuPage County courthouse. The GOP powerhouse stood for far more than his famous eponymous abortion amendment.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/10/editorial-henry-hyde-dupage-county-courthouse/
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: History often is complex and resistant to simple narratives. So are people. So it is a needlessly divisive mistake for DuPage County Board Chair Deborah Conroy to push for her fellow board members to remove the name of the late Henry J. Hyde, longtime Republican congressman, from the county courthouse. The board is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the issue. Hyde represented DuPage, which until recent years was a Republican power center, in Washington for more than three decades, retiring in 2007. During that time, Hyde wasn’t some low-profile lifer in Congress. He was one of the House’s most prominent members, even when he was serving in the minority, which is to say most of his career there. Conroy’s rationale for removing Hyde’s name from the court building is that the staunchly anti-abortion politician was responsible for the Hyde Amendment, the provision in federal law that for decades barred spending federal taxpayer money on abortions with exceptions for rape, incest or endangerment to the life of the mother. “It’s strictly because of the Hyde Amendment, and it’s very difficult for so many women to walk into the courthouse and see (his name),” she told the Tribune. Abortion rights is an issue that only has grown more intense since Hyde died 10 months after his retirement. We understand the symbolic argument. But to strip his name from the building would be akin to removing Richard J. Daley’s name from the courthouse in the heart of the Loop over a single issue — say, the police beating of protesters at the 1968 Democratic convention on his orders, the culture of corruption that the Daley machine fostered or his brutal segregationist policies. Even many ardent Daley critics wouldn’t suggest doing so. Why is that? Because Daley is a singularly important figure in the history of Chicago and to rename the Daley Center or Daley Plaza would be to try to negate that history. Like Daley, Hyde was a complicated figure and far more than the name adorning a famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) piece of legislation. Memories are short, of course, but for most of his career Hyde was an intellectual heavyweight on the Republican side of the aisle. Agree or disagree, but when Hyde took the floor to speak, people listened. And for good reason. He was a thoughtful conservative. Consider this: Hyde stepped down in 1981 from the advisory board of the National Pro-Life Political Action Committee after Executive Director Peter Gemma Jr. identified incumbent lawmakers the group planned to work to defeat. Hyde objected to targeting officeholders over a single issue. Much the way the DuPage board is considering doing Tuesday. Would the Democratic majority on the DuPage board consider themselves in favor of reasonable gun regulation? If so, against the consensus of his party, Hyde in 1994 voted for President Bill Clinton’s ban on assault weapons, demonstrating that he could be persuaded to change his mind on a monumental issue of the day. Just three years earlier, he had voted against the same ban. Hyde reversed himself after reading detailed accounts of gun victims in Chicago, provided by Democratic Sen. Paul Simon of Illinois. “At the end of reading this list of bloody crimes, I had to conclude these guns have no purpose but to kill a lot of people very rapidly,” Hyde said. “It wasn’t like falling off a horse on the road to Damascus. But like many things complicated and emotional, you don’t dwell on them unless forced to.” Hyde’s change of heart induced Illinois Rep. Bob Michel, then GOP minority leader, and dozens more Republicans to vote for the ban. Such political courage is almost impossible to imagine on today’s Capitol Hill. Of course, four years later Hyde led Clinton’s impeachment proceedings on behalf of the House before the Senate, leading critics to disclose Hyde’s yearslong extramarital affair decades earlier and accusing him of hypocrisy. Hyde admitted to cheating on his wife but claimed Clinton’s alleged wrongdoing was about Clinton’s cover-up attempts rather than his actual affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The public didn’t buy it, and Hyde paid a reputational price in the process. All of this is to say that Henry Hyde was complicated. Just like most people. But what is indisputable is that he was one of the most important political figures to emerge from DuPage County. Ever. His name should stay on that courthouse.)

ABC7
— DuPage County Democrats push to rename courthouse over late Congressman’s abortion views
https://abc7chicago.com/post/local-democrats-push-rename-dupage-county-courthouse-late-congressman-henry-hydes-abortion-views/15890259/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “He had a lot of support, a lot of friends on the other side of the aisle. He strikes me as a kind of official that we should be looking to model ourselves after, not disrespect,” said DuPage County GOP Chair Kevin Coyne. While he was bipartisan on certain issues such as gun control and the Family and Medical Leave Act, Hyde was one of Congress’ biggest opponents of abortion. He authored the Hyde Amendment, which denied abortion access to poor women on Medicaid. . .The board will vote on the resolution to remove Hyde’s name on Tuesday. With a Democratic majority, Conroy says, the proposal will pass. “To cherry-pick this one issue and hold it against a man that was such a big part of our history, to me, is just wrong. It’s short sighted,” Coyne said. Coyne says the decision to remove Hyde’s name may ruin the bipartisanship Conroy says she has proudly created while serving as chair.)
— President Trump pardons ex-Illinois Gov. Blagojevich 5 years after commuting his sentence
https://abc7chicago.com/post/president-donald-trump-expected-pardon-ex-illinois-gov-rod-blagojevich-5-years-commuting-sentence-reports/15889540/

FOX32
— ICE operations intensify across U.S. sanctuary cities
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1591008

DAILY HERALD
— Residents protest proposed cuts to Medicaid at DuPage County rally
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250210/news/residents-protest-proposed-cuts-to-medicaid-at-dupage-county-rally/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Blagojevich pardoned on corruption conviction by Trump
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/trump-pardons-rod-blagojevich-corruption-conviction

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Del Mar teases run for ‘higher office,’ sparking 2026 Illinois governor speculation
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_69d594d6-e7c2-11ef-b535-b39343671dce.html

CITIES 92.9
— Illinois circuit judge finds FOID for firearms in home unconstitutional (COMMENT: I have had a FOID card since I was 20 years old in 1968.)
https://www.cities929.com/2025/02/10/illinois-circuit-judge-finds-foid-for-firearms-in-home-unconstitutional/

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/10/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-246/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

ILLINOIS STATE RIFLE ASSOCIATION
— FOID Card Found to be Unconstitutional Yet Again
https://isra.org/foid-card-found-to-be-unconstitutional-yet-again/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

NEW YORK POST
— Migrants turning around and heading back home in ‘new trend’ under Trump border crackdown
https://nypost.com/2025/02/10/us-news/new-trend-of-migrants-turning-around-and-heading-back-toward-home-under-trump-border-crackdown/

DAILY SIGNAL
— ‘BETRAYAL’: Lawmaker Responds to FEMA Diverting $59M to House Illegal Aliens
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/10/fema-using-59-million-house-illegal-aliens-is-betrayal-highest-order-congressman-says/

DAILY WIRE
— Musk Says FEMA Spent $60M Housing Illegal Immigrants In ‘Luxury Hotels’ Last Week. The payments were suspended by acting FEMA Director Cameron Hamilton after Musk’s announcement.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/musks-says-fema-spent-60m-housing-illegal-immigrants-in-luxury-hotels-last-week
— 27% Of National Science Foundation Grants Went To DEI Projects, Study Finds. ‘Congress must end the politicization of NSF funding and restore integrity to scientific research,’ Sen. Ted Cruz says.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/27-of-national-science-foundation-grants-went-to-dei-projects-study-finds

EPOCH TIMES
— Musk Says FEMA Spent $59 Million on Housing Illegal Immigrants in NYC Hotels. ‘This stops now,’ said acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton, announcing that all such payments from FEMA were suspended on Feb. 9.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/musk-says-fema-spent-59-million-on-housing-illegal-immigrants-in-nyc-hotels-5807322

FOX NEWS
— Trump expected to pardon former Illinois Gov Rod Blagojevich. Trump previously commuted Blagojevich’s sentence in 2020.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-expected-pardon-former-illinois-gov-rod-blagojevich

MRC TV
— Illegal Alien Crossings Have Plummeted 90% Under Trump
https://www.mrctv.org/blog/brittany-m-hughes/border-agent-illegal-alien-crossings-have-plummeted-90-under-trump

TOWNHALL
— Trump Ramps Up Purge of ‘Woke’ Ideology in the Military
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeff-charles/2025/02/10/trump-liquidates-woke-board-of-visitors-for-military-branches-n2651967

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

THE HILL
— Trump says ‘too early’ to name Vance as successor
https://www.aol.com/trump-says-too-early-name-215711428.html

CNN
— Trump imposes 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/10/politics/tariffs-steel-aluminum-trump/index.html

CBS NEWS
— Increasing numbers of Democrats want their party to oppose Trump
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/democrats-want-party-oppose-trump-poll-analysis/
— Trump ousts director of Office of Government Ethics
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-office-of-government-ethics-director/

WEEK
— DeSantis signs agreement with ICE to have Florida state troopers detain illegal immigrants
https://www.25newsnow.com/2025/02/10/desantis-signs-agreement-with-ice-have-florida-state-troopers-detain-illegal-immigrants/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— DHS Seeks to Deputize IRS Officers to Help With Deportation Effort. Tax-collecting agency has thousands of special agents in its criminal-investigation division. (COMMENT: I worked for GAO on audits of IRS’s Criminal Investigation Division at the GS-13 Step 1-3 Levels, currently $117,807-$125,661/year, for 3 years.)
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-irs-officers-ice-deportations-ed87c4b5

AUTO GUIDE
— Why Is General Motors Getting Rid Of Key Corvette Personnel?
https://www.autoguide.com/auto/manufacturers/chevrolet/why-is-general-motors-getting-rid-of-key-corvette-personnel-44616109

February 9, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Enjoy Black History Month — while you still can  (COMMENT:  Democrat leaders promote Black History Month. My subordinate who my Democrat GAO superiors replaced me with was Black and had always led the office’s Black History Month events. He had less work experience than I had. He had less education than I had. He had one professional certification while I had six. He had no professional license like the one I had.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/09/column-black-history-month-dei-donald-trump-page/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly crow about their getting Democrats to protest Trump
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/02/08/immigration-advocates-rally-in-little-village-in-response-to-trump-administration-sweeps

ABC7
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ
https://abc7chicago.com/post/equality-illinois-holds-annual-gala-hilton-chicago-lgbtq-group-honors-jim-obergefell-scotus-case-legalized-same-sex-marriage/15882412/

FOX32
— Democrat leaders crow about their success in getting Democrats to protest against Trump’s immigration policies
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1590368
— Chicago Auto Show begins amid Trump’s push to end federal support for EVs
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-auto-show-begins-amid-trumps-push-to-end-federal-support-for-evs
— Pritzker, Duckworth blast Trump administration over Head Start funding freeze (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, Republicans deleted half of the agency’s positions. The agency was almost always under hiring and/or promotion freezes. Democrats did little to stop that. My Democrat GAO superiors used Affirmative Action, DEI, and up-or-out to punish me severely for that. They forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO. They delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13. The kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 years. They always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes. They forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/pritzker-duckworth-blast-trump-administration-over-head-start-funding-freeze

NPR ILLINOIS
— EEOC exists to fight discrimination. Fired official fears a hobbling under Trump  (COMMENT: How has EEOC impacted you? I became an IRS Revenue Officer when I was 22 years old in 1971 because my Firestone Store boss had rudely fired me. He did that because I had told him that I had accepted a job offer from Oldsmobile. But Oldsmobile withdrew that job offer saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-09/the-eeoc-exists-to-fight-discrimination-fired-official-fears-a-hobbling-under-trump

WCIA
— Trump says he won’t deport Prince Harry: ‘He’s got enough problems with his wife’
https://www.wcia.com/news/national/trump-says-he-wont-deport-prince-harry-hes-got-enough-problems-with-his-wife/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— GAO fights government waste. But the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997 used Affirmative Action, DEI, up-or-out, and Republican-led budget cuts to waste my career and to force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, younger, or veteran. They wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year, b) working for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5/12 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year, c) earning a job-relate professional license (CPA), d) earning six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting), and e) earning three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance). – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

NEW YORK POST
— DOGE must keep moving fast — despite Democrats’ sound, fury and lawsuits
https://nypost.com/2025/02/08/opinion/democrats-fight-doge-with-lawsuits-since-losing-the-election/
— The Democrats abandoned the working class to create a ‘Grievance Olympics’ obsessed with identity politics
https://nypost.com/2025/02/08/opinion/the-democrats-abandoned-the-working-class-to-create-a-grievance-olympics-obsessed-with-identity-politics/

AMERICAN THINKER
— High time for the posse to round up the bad guys
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/high_time_for_the_posse_to_round_up_the_bad_guys.html

BREITBART
— L.A. Mayor Bass Hires Illinois Consulting Firm Hagerty Consulting Led by Far-Left Politician to Support Fire ‘Recovery Process’ (COMMENT: If I had ran for a government office, my critics/opponents would have stressed that during the 1850s, on my father’s side, my ancestors homesteaded a 240-acre farm in southeast Crete Township, and on my mother’s side, they sharecropped a 180-acre farm in Grant Park along the Indiana border.)
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/08/la-mayor-bass-hires-illinois-consulting-firm-led-by-far-left-politician-to-support-fire-recovery-process/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: He also signed legislation that recognizes that the city of Evanston sits on land that “originally belonged to the Potawatomi Tribes until their forceful and violent relocation at the hands of white colonizers.”)

DAILY SIGNAL
— When the FAA and DEI Don’t Mix
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/04/when-faa-dei-dont-mix/
— The American People Are Shocked to See What USAID Was Funding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTK82S–3Ww
(FROM THE ARTICLE: From transgender operas to DEI in workplaces in foreign countries, the U.S. Agency for International Development has funded the same woke priorities as George Soros’ Open Society Foundations. Tyler O’Neil joins John Solomon and Amanda Head to talk about the latest news and his new book “The Woketopus: The Dark Money Cabal Manipulating the Federal Government.”)

NATIONAL REVIEW
— If Wokeism Dies, What Cause Will the Left Embrace Next?
https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/02/if-wokeism-dies-what-cause-will-the-left-embrace-next/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

THE HILL
— Want to cut government waste? Pay congressional staffers more. (COMMENT: GAO fights government waste. But the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997 used Affirmative Action, DEI, up-or-out, and Republican-led budget cuts to waste my career and to force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, younger, or veteran. They wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year, b) working for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5/12 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year, c) earning a job-relate professional license (CPA), d) earning six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting), and e) earning three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance).)
https://www.aol.com/opinion-want-cut-government-waste-190000965.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: There are analysts at the Government Accountability Office who audit said agencies in response to the directives of Congress. But insofar as Congress is limited in its possession of the necessary “intelligence,” it has a correspondingly inadequate ability to specify the investigations and evaluations that GAO should conduct. Congressional limitations are the central problem here. The ability of our elected representatives to make optimally informed decisions about programs and budgets is constrained by the limited capabilities and numbers of congressional staff.

MSN
— Trump Accuses South Africa of Discriminating Against Whites, Freezes Foreign Aid Until It Reforms Law
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/trump-accuses-south-africa-of-discriminating-against-whites-freezes-foreign-aid-until-it-reforms-law/ar-AA1yFvVW
— Trump admin freezes EV charging program that gave Tesla millions
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-admin-freezes-ev-charging-program-that-gave-tesla-millions/ar-AA1yCKcS
— Multiple Democrats Fired Under Trump’s Anti-DEI Agenda (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly use DEI to get rid of Republicans.)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/multiple-democrats-fired-under-trump-s-anti-dei-agenda/ss-AA1yyMwU
— Another IRS Program ‘Deleted’ by Musk (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, Republicans deleted half of the agency’s positions. The agency was almost always under hiring and/or promotion freezes. My Democrat GAO superiors used Affirmative Action, DEI, and up-or-out to punish me severely for that. They forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO. They delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13. The kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 years. They always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes. They forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/another-irs-program-deleted-by-musk/ss-AA1yEJWx
(COMMENT: Elon Musk recently announced the elimination of the General Services Administration’s (GSA) tech arm, 18F, which helped develop the IRS Direct File program. The program, championed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), faced criticism from conservatives as a form of government overreach. Musk confirmed on X that 18F was disbanded, claiming the move was part of his efforts to eliminate inefficiencies and reduce government expenses. Musk said, “That group has been deleted.”

NEW YORK TIMES
— Democrat leaders side with South Africa against Afrikaners
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/world/africa/afrikaners-trump-south-africa.html
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more dependency on government and charity
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/health/trump-usaid-health-aid.html

USA TODAY
— Democrat leaders promote Black History Month. My subordinate who my Democrat GAO superiors replaced me with was Black and had always led the office’s Black History Month events. He had less work experience than I had. He had less education than I had. He had one professional certification while I had six. He had no professional license like the one I had.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/02/07/black-history-month-trump-dei-attacks/78183174007/

BOSTON GAZETTE
— Uncertain about future of same-sex marriage under Trump, couple decides to exchange vows
https://www.gastongazette.com/picture-gallery/news/2025/02/07/lgbtq-community-in-gastonia-nc-fears-future-as-trump-takes-office/78299539007/

FORBES
— How DOGE Is Reshaping Government (COMMENT: GAO audits the federal government. I worked for GAO as an Analyst for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year. I working for IRS as a Revenue Officer for almost 9 years, the last 5/12 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year. I earned a job-relate professional license (CPA). I earned six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting). I earning three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance).)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/amysterling/2025/02/08/from-meme-to-machine-how-doge-is-reshaping-government/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Auditing a $3 trillion mega economy sounds like the embodiment of easier said than done. A government is wise to periodically audit itself. And there is an agency for that, the GAO, Government Accountability Office, which on Feb 5th released a government 2025 Fiscal Health Report. The report finds that “the federal government is on an unsustainable fiscal path that poses serious economic, security, and social challenges.” Recommending “Congress and the administration will need to make difficult budgetary and policy decisions to address the key drivers of federal debt and change the government’s fiscal trajectory.”)

BUSINESS INSIDER
— Elizabeth Warren tells Elon Musk she’s ‘happy’ to work with him on DOGE’s goals to slash government waste. She has 30 recommendations. (COMMENT: GAO fights government waste. But the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997 used Affirmative Action, DEI, up-or-out, and Republican-led budget cuts to waste my career and to force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, younger, or veteran. They wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year, b) working for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5/12 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year, c) earning a job-relate professional license (CPA), d) earning six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting), and e) earning three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance).)
https://www.aol.com/elizabeth-warren-tells-elon-musk-161736484.html
— Elon Musk is hiring for DOGE. Here’s what he’s looking for. (COMMENT: Should I apply?  GAO fights government waste. I worked for GAO as an Analyst for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year. I working for IRS as a Revenue Officer for almost 9 years, the last 5/12 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year. I earned a job-relate professional license (CPA). I earned six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting). I earning three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance).)
https://www.aol.com/elon-musk-hiring-doge-heres-181742212.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency says it’s looking for the “top 1%” of people. DOGE says it’ll expect its staff to work 80-plus-hour weeks — a common request of Musk’s employees. Musk has had aggressive work expectations for staff at his companies like Tesla and X. Elon Musk wants you to help root out government waste — but only if you’re really smart and willing to work 80 hours a week. Musk, who’s standing up the Department of Government Efficiency — or DOGE, named after a cryptocurrency he’s linked to — is looking for the top 1% of people interested in joining.
A post on the department’s newly created X account on Thursday said: “We don’t need more part-time idea generators. We need super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting. “If that’s you, DM this account with your CV. Elon & Vivek will review the top 1% of applicants,” it continued, referring to the businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who is set to lead the department alongside Musk.)

GAO
— America’s Fiscal Future.  GAO takes a big-picture look at the nation’s fiscal condition and offers resources to help policymakers get the nation on a more sustainable fiscal path.
https://www.gao.gov/americas-fiscal-future

INDEPENDENT
— Elizabeth Warren pens Fox News op-ed revealing she agrees with Trump and Musk on one thing
https://www.aol.com/news/elizabeth-warren-pens-fox-news-141529465.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has written an op-ed for Fox News about one “important” thing she agrees with President Donald Trump and Elon Musk on. Warren shared that she agrees with the cost-cutting aims of the Department of Government Efficiency — but not the government programs Musk and Republicans are eyeing as potential targets. The Massachusetts senator said she is “ready to work with Musk” to make the government “more efficient” while saving the taxpayer money. “Here’s something President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and I agree on: the federal government throws away trillions of dollars on wasteful spending,” she wrote in the op-ed. “I have spent years trying to squeeze government waste out of our budget.”)

February 8, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

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

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

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

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

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

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

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

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

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

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

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

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

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

February 6, 2025

Anticipate/expect that Democrat leaders will ever-increasingly organize, promote, and report on more demonstrations against Trump. How successful have Democrat leaders been organizing, promoting, and reporting on protests against Trump in your county, township, municipality, and school district?

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Chicago-area experts question US right to make Gaza Strip ‘Riviera of the Middle East’
https://abc7chicago.com/post/trump-gaza-news-heading-springfield-advocate-palestinians-pres-says-he-wants-turn-strip-riviera/15869210/

NBC5
— Rallies against Trump administration held in Chicago, numerous other cities
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EE5dLjYfZA
— Google scraps diversity ‘aspirations,’ citing role as federal contractor (COMMENT: Google has always steered everyone to websites a) that promote the Democrat Party platform and b) that demonize, denigrate, and condemn the Republican Party platform.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/business/money-report/google-scraps-diversity-aspirations-citing-role-as-federal-contractor/3666768/

CBS2
— Palestinian Americans in Chicago area decry Trump’s plan for U.S. to “take over the Gaza Strip”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/palestinian-americans-in-chicago-area-decry-trump-s-plan-for-u-s-to-take-over-the-gaza-strip/ar-AA1yucJ8
— Palestinian Americans in Chicago not pleased with President Trump’s Gaza takeover plan
https://www.yahoo.com/news/palestinian-americans-chicago-not-pleased-013600282.html

WGN9
— Hundreds rally against Trump administration’s Middle East, immigration policies
https://www.aol.com/hundreds-rally-against-trump-administration-225347771.html

FOX32
— Trump tariffs could hit Illinois hard, state treasurer warns
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/trump-tariffs-illinois

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Hundreds of patients skip appointments at Chicago health clinic amid deportation fears. At CommunityHealth, which serves a large immigrant population, prescriptions for diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions have been left on shelves since President Donald Trump took office.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2025/02/05/chicago-health-clinic-patient-deportation-fear

DAILY HERALD
— Salvi: JB Pritzker’s ego could cost Illinois
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250206/columns/jb-pritzkers-ego-could-cost-illinois/

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Photos of Illinois protestors against actions of President Trump, Elon Musk
https://www.sj-r.com/picture-gallery/news/2025/02/05/hundreds-of-protestors-rally-at-illinois-capitol-against-trump-musk-see-photos/78260501007/

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— Protestors demonstrate against Trump policies outside Illinois Capitol
https://pantagraph.com/news/local/protestors-demonstrate-against-trump-policies-outside-illinois-capitol/video_241eda7c-9746-51d7-be96-80a0d75c5146.html
— Fear, anger, hope shown at ICE protest by students on ISU campus
https://pantagraph.com/news/local/government-politics/protest-isu-immigration-ice-students-bloomington-normal/article_a5c3fb6a-e3fb-11ef-919b-6b706dd71e8a.html

STATELINE
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use their illegals to promote more hatred against Republicans. Democrat leaders have declared a Second Civil War against Republicans. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrat Army.
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/illinois-schools-communities-on-edge-with-rumors-of-ice-raids/

WAND TV
— State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid (D-Berwyn) said President Donald Trump is enacting an ethnic cleansing after Trump called all Palestinians to leave Gaza. “Let’s call that what it is, ethnic cleansing,” Rashid said.
https://www.wandtv.com/community/donald-trump-is-calling-for-ethnic-cleansing-says-illinois-house-democrat/article_7629d996-e406-11ef-bf60-3f2a156d1588.html

WCIA
— Protesters converge on Illinois Capitol as tensions over Trump actions rise in the chamber
https://www.wcia.com/news/protesters-converge-on-illinois-capitol-as-tensions-over-trump-actions-rise-in-the-chamber/

WGLT
— Advocates ask Illinois lawmakers to increase funding for the unhoused in new budget (COMMENT: Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, homelessness will ever-increasingly increase.)
https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2025-02-04/advocates-ask-illinois-lawmakers-to-increase-funding-for-the-unhoused-in-new-budget

NPR ILLINOIS
— New attorney general moves to align DOJ with Trump’s priorities. (COMMENT: In Diersen v. GAO, Bush’s DOJ was aligned with GAO’s priorities of using Affirmative Action, DEI, up-or-out, and budget cuts to waste the careers of and to get rid of its Republican employees like me who were White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or had ancestors who had been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-05/new-attorney-general-moves-to-align-justice-department-with-trumps-priorities
— While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, they always glorified and praised those inside and outside of the federal government who promoted the Democrat Party platform.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-05/nsa-museum-covered-plaques-honoring-women-and-people-of-color-provoking-an-uproar

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Rand Paul knocks Trump Gaza takeover plan
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/hill-politics/rand-paul-knocks-trump-gaza-takeover-plan-i-thought-we-voted-for-america-first/

CWB CHICAGO
— Bystanders slam gate on cops, cheerlead suspects during cross-town chase
https://cwbchicago.com/2025/02/bystanders-slam-gate-cops-cheerlead-suspects-during-cross-town-chase-video.html

CHALKBEAT CHICAGO
— Illinois lawmakers advance measure to untangle student test scores from teacher evaluations (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors assigned me to supervise all their most problematic employees.)
https://www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2025/02/05/illinois-lawmakers-propose-change-to-teacher-evaluation-requirements/

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Battle lines in Springfield over Trump
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/06/battle-lines-in-springfield-over-trump-00202827

CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/06/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-451/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Chicago violent crime numbers up, arrests down across city
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_a5a16d6c-e3d7-11ef-aa02-4b09cee8328e.html

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— If Trump had been elected earlier with his new priorities, how might that have impacted you? If Trump had been elected earlier with his new priorities, my critics/opponents in the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party (IRP) might not have been able to a) remove me from the IRP State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee in 2024, b) end my service as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and fireworks in 2021, and c) take other adverse actions against me. If Trump had been elected earlier with his new priorities, my Democrat GAO superiors might not have been able to a) force me to take their early retirement “offer” when I was 49 years old in 1997, b) always rank me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay for performance purposes, c) not promote me beyond GS-13 and delay my promotions, d) keep me off audits of IRS, and e) force me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. If Trump had been elected earlier with his new priorities, my Democrat IRS superiors might not have been able to a) not promote me beyond GS-12, b) disallow my education deductions in 1978, and c) disallow my travel vouchers in 1974. If Trump had been elected earlier with his new priorities, my Democrat Post Office superiors might not have been able to a) force me to resign in 1969 and b) disallow my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Non-Parental Relatives Caring for Children to Receive Same State Benefits as Foster Parents
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/05/non-parental-relatives-caring-for-children-to-receive-same-state-benefits-as-foster-parents/
— County Offers Paperless Permit Application
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/05/county-offers-paperless-permit-application/
— McHenry County Republicans Announce Darin Bailey as Lincoln Day Speaker on April 5th
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/05/mchenry-county-republicans-announce-darin-bailey-as-lincoln-day-speaker-on-april-5th/

ILLINOIS POLCY INSTITUTE
— Illinois 10th worst state for getting ahead. (COMMENT: Back in the good old days, I was able earn a bachelor’s degree, three master’s degrees, six professional certifications, and a professional license even though neither of my parents attended college, my father was only the first of my ancestors to earn a high school diploma, and my mother never attended high school.)
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/ranking-illinois-10th-worst-state-for-getting-ahead/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Tom Cotton credits bump in Army recruits to ‘Trump effect’
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/3311440/tom-cotton-credits-bump-army-recruits-trump-effect/

AMERICAN THINKER
— Colombia’s President Petro calls cocaine no different from whiskey, claims only gringo prejudice gives it a bad rap
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/colombia_s_president_petro_calls_cocaine_no_different_from_whiskey_claims_only_gringo_prejudice_gives_it_a_bad_rap.html

FOX NEWS
— Detaining illegal immigrants at Guantanamo could result in legal challenges, slow deportations, experts say. The Trump administration this week began flying illegal immigrants to a military installation on the island.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/detaining-illegal-immigrants-guantanamo-result-legal-challenges-slow-deportations-experts-say

TOWNHALL
— Mexico Begins Sending Troops to Southern Border After Trump Threatens Tariffs
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeff-charles/2025/02/05/mexico-begins-sending-troops-to-southern-border-n2651711
— DEI Woke Uniparty Deep State Collusion
https://townhall.com/columnists/alanjosephbauer/2025/02/06/dei-woke-uniparty-deep-state-collusion-n2651705#google_vignette

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CBS NEWS
— ICE releases some migrant detainees as its detention facilities reach 109% capacity
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-releases-some-migrant-detainees-detention-facilities-reach-109-percent-capacity/

ASSOCIATED PRESS
— Opposition lawmakers protest alleged mistreatment of Indian deportees by US
https://apnews.com/article/indian-illegal-immigration-protest-parliament-deportation-trump-90ae7999040196e3ce25dd3fa8e29137

NEWSWEEK
— 50501 Movement Fuels Anti-Trump Rallies Across the US
https://www.newsweek.com/anti-donald-trump-protests-50501-project-2025-live-updates-2026503

CNBC
— Have taken a pay cut? GAO audits IRS. In 1980, when I was 31 years old, my GAO superiors forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO, that is, I had to take a downgrade from GS-12 Step 5 to GS-9 Step 10. They used that to shout at everyone that GAO considered the following to be worthless my having: a) worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently$99,069-$112,280/year, b) passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, c) almost completed the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul, and d) earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/14/one-third-of-job-switchers-took-a-pay-cut-for-better-work-life-balance.html

NEW YORK TIMES
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/us/politics/trump-trans-athletes-executive-order.html
— Right-Wing Group Publishes ‘D.E.I. Watch List’ Targeting Federal Workers. The American Accountability Foundation list included names and photos of more than 50 people, many in programs aimed at improving the health of people of color. (COMMENT: Because of my bad demographics and because I complained about political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination, my Democrat superiors in the federal government always had me on their purge lists.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/us/politics/dei-watchlist-federal-health-workers-cdc-nih.html
— As Trump Attacks D.E.I., Some on the Left Approve
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/business/economy/trump-dei-democrats-left-unions.html
— The Trump Crisis Deepens
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/opinion/trump-power-constitution.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/02/05/transgender-students-trump-executive-order/

USA TODAY
— ‘People are feeling galvanized’: Anti-Trump protesters rally in cities across US
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/02/05/anti-trump-protests-50-states-updates/78239472007/
— Fear and uncertainty in federal workforce as Trump deadline arrives
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/06/trump-federal-workforce-fork-buyout-deadline-musk/78057990007/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: Disabled federal workers fear for their jobs after Trump remarks (COMMENT: Their employees who my Democrat GAO superiors assigned me to supervise were Democrats and were many, most, if not virtually all of the following: minority, female, veteran, disabled, and/or had performance problems.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/02/05/disabled-federal-employees-dei-trump/77976332007/

THE SUN
— What were you doing 50 years ago? I was working for IRS in the Loop, taking graduate evening business courses at Loyola, living in my studio condo in downtown Chicago weekdays, living in my town home in University Park weekends, and owning a 1972 Corvette and a 1962 Chevy Bel Air.
https://news.thesunontheweb.com/articles/50-years-ago-220/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— DEI and Disparate Impact. The next step in restoring meritocracy is to reject the theory that proportionate outcomes equal fairness.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/dei-and-disparate-impact-next-step-toward-meritocracy-is-rejecting-this-theory-b65485ed
— Trump Considers Labeling Migrants a Measles, Tuberculosis Risk. Advisers have searched for disease threats that would merit emergency health law invoked during Trump’s first term for Covid-19 risk.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-asylum-seekers-measles-tuberculosis-risk-0e71a539

KIPLINGER
— Social Security Fairness Act Checklist: Six Things to Know. This Social Security Fairness Act checklist explains what public sector retirees can expect from SSFA, including how much more money they might receive. (COMMENT: The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) has dramatically reduced my Social Security since 2010.)
https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/social-security/social-security-fairness-act-checklist

PLAN ADVISER
— Potential Implementation Delays Face Social Security Fairness Act. Under the SSA’s current budget, the agency expects it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits. (COMMENT: The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) has dramatically reduced my Social Security since 2010.)
https://www.planadviser.com/potential-implementation-delays-face-social-security-fairness-act/

NATIONAL LAW REVIEW
— Democrat and RINO employers use Affirmative Action and DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://natlawreview.com/article/employment-law-week-how-will-trumps-federal-changes-impact-employers-podcast-video

LEXOLOGY
— Requirements of the New Illinois Pay Transparency Amendment (COMMENT: Federal salaries have always been extremely transparent. GAO audits IRS. In 1980, when I was 31 years old, my IRS and GAO superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates shouted at everyone that GAO had forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO, that is, that I had to take a downgrade from GS-12 Step 5 to GS-9 Step 10. They used that to shout at everyone that GAO considered the following to be worthless: a) my having worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year, b) my having passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, c) my having almost completed the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul, and d) my having earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976.)
https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=2cd9088a-1c7c-45d4-adec-57a619e1b71b

NPR
— Democrat leaders charge ICE with arresting “scores of migrants in the U.S. who have no criminal records.”
https://www.npr.org/2025/02/04/nx-s1-5282379/trumps-mass-deportation-arrests-of-non-criminal-immigrants-no-criminal-record

POLITICO
— Musk aims to hobble federal workers ahead of ‘buyout’ deadline. Countless staffers in the government are now grappling with what to do. (COMMENT: I was a federal worker for almost 30 years.)
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/06/federal-workers-musk-buyout-fears-00202768

AXIOS
— Thousands across the U.S. protest Trump and Musk’s policies
https://www.axios.com/2025/02/05/photos-protest-trump-admin-50501

CANADIAN PRESS
— Protests against Trump and Project 2025 are planned in cities across the US
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/protesters-in-cities-across-the-us-rally-against-trump-s-policies-project-2025-and-elon-musk/ar-AA1yr7tC

DAILY MAIL
— Anti-Donald Trump and Elon Musk protests pop up across the country
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/anti-donald-trump-and-elon-musk-protests-pop-up-across-the-country/vi-AA1yu5Nv

GUARDIAN
— US military aircraft transports 104 deported people to India. Plane departed Texas and landed in Amritsar as Washington prepares to welcome Indian PM Narendra Modi.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/05/military-flight-india-immigration
— JANUARY 30, 2019 FLASKBACK: ‘How do they expect to run without us?’ Tesla accused of axing key staff to cut costs. Electric car firm slashed 7% of workforce this month and ex-employees say more experienced staff were targeted. (COMMEMT: When the Democrats who ran GAO in 1997 forced me to retire, they flushed down their toilets the experience that I had gained a) working for GAO since 1980, b) working for IRS 1971-1980, c) earning master’s degrees in 1997 (finance), 1980 (accounting), and 1976 (business), d) earning job-related professional certifications in 1997 (forensic accounting), 1996 (financial services auditing), 1994 (government financial management), 1990 (fraud examination), 1981 (internal auditing), and 1979 (accounting), and e) earning a job-related professional license in 1981 (CPA).)
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jan/30/tesla-factory-elon-musk-layoffs-company

ECONOMIC TIMES
— ‘Deport Elon, DOGE is not legit’: Protests erupt across US against Trump, Tesla CEO and Project 2025
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/global-trends/us-news-protests-against-trump-elon-musk-deport-elon-doge-is-not-legit-protests-erupt-across-us-against-trump-tesla-ceo-and-project-2025-usaid/articleshow/117978132.cms

BUSINESS STANDARD
— ‘Stop attack on democracy’: Protesters rally against Trump, Musk across US
https://www.business-standard.com/world-news/us-protests-against-trump-immigration-rights-transgender-gaza-2025-125020600688_1.html

TIMES OF INDIA
— Why the rich risk being illegals in America
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-edit-page/why-the-rich-risk-being-illegals-in-america/

February 5, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Protestors gather outside Illinois Capitol, call for Trump’s impeachment. ‘50501’ demonstration part of a nationwide event calling for protests at state capitols.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/protestors-gather-outside-illinois-capitol-call-trumps-impeachment-part-national-demonstrations/15870195/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Mayor Brandon Johnson accepts GOP congressman’s invitation to testify on sanctuary city protections
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/05/mayor-brandon-johnson-to-testify-congressional-committee/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/05/illinois-gender-affirming-care-trump-order/
— Will County clerk removes four from ballot for violations of campaign law
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/05/will-county-clerk-removes-four-from-ballot-for-violations-of-campaign-law/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrat and RINO leaders to get rid of Republicans
https://chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-the-editor/2025/02/05/black-history-month-dei-racism-bigotry-trump-lashawn-ford-reversing-river-science
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly demonize, denigrate, and condemn Trump’s cabinet picks
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2025/02/05/donald-trump-cabinet-clown-posse-tulsi-gabbard-robert-kennedy-kash-patel-senate-confirmation-se-cupp
— Virtually all federal employees are Democrats who want Trump to fail
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/02/05/trump-attacks-federal-workers-democracy-omar-noureldin-mikael-rojas-center-effective-government
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/02/05/chicago-sanctuary-for-dispossessed-revolution-violence-famine-dominic-pacyga
— What’s true and what’s ‘fake news’? Developing media literacy skills is critical. National News Literacy Week kicked off Monday. Especially for youth, critical thinking skills to analyze what’s read, seen and heard are vital. (COMMENT: I have put GOPUSA ILLINOS newsletters together and sent them out since 2000.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/02/05/news-literacy-skills-critical-thinking-fake-news-sharon-peshkin-yonty-friesem

DAILY HERALD
— Protesters gather outside Illinois Capitol, call for Trump’s impeachment
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250205/news/protestors-gather-outside-illinois-capitol-call-for-trumps-impeachment/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSWINESS
— Johnson to testify at Congressional probe of sanctuary cities
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/brandon-johnson-testify-congress-sanctuary-cities
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/health-care/illinois-will-protect-gender-affirming-care-despite-trump-raoul

WBEZ
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ
https://www.wbez.org/lgbtq/2025/02/05/illinois-attorney-general-kwame-raoul-gender-affirming-care-donald-trump-executive-order
— Trump’s immigration arrests in Chicago raise questions about 4th Amendment violations. President Donald Trump has said his administration is targeting dangerous criminals for immigration arrests, but attorneys working with those detained in Chicago say many do not have criminal records.
https://www.wbez.org/immigration/2025/02/05/chicago-immigration-lyons-elgin-trump-ice-raids-border-wall-immigration-know-your-rights

MUDDY RIVER NEWS
— Illinois Senate Republicans launch legislation; say they want more transparency in state spending for non-citizens
https://muddyrivernews.com/politics/illinois-senate-republicans-launch-legislation-say-they-want-more-transparency-in-state-spending-for-non-citizens/20250205160226/

RIVER BENDER
— Duckworth, Durbin Condemn DoD Decision to End Policy Allowing U.S. Servicemembers to Access Non-Covered Reproductive Health Care Services
https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/duckworth-durbin-condemn-dod-decision-to-end-policy-allowing-us-servicemembers-to-access-noncovered-reproductive-health-care-services-79436.cfm?

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Illinois protestors among those nationwide against actions of President Trump, Elon Musk
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/local/2025/02/05/hundreds-of-protestors-rally-at-illinois-capitol-against-trump-musk/78209028007/

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— Protestors demonstrate against Trump policies outside Illinois Capitol
https://pantagraph.com/news/local/protestors-demonstrate-against-trump-policies-outside-illinois-capitol/video_241eda7c-9746-51d7-be96-80a0d75c5146.html

SOUTHERN
— 1st migrant flight lands at Guantanamo Bay, carrying ‘worst of the worst’
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/05/1st-migrant-flight-lands-at-guantanamo-bay-carrying-worst-of-the-worst/
— West Point disbands student clubs related to gender and race
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/05/west-point-disbands-student-clubs-related-to-gender-and-race/

EFFINGHAM DAILY NEWS
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://www.effinghamdailynews.com/news/illinois-attorney-helps-immigrant-families-prepare-for-crackdown/article_255152ac-e400-11ef-92d8-c3c330c04c96.html

WAND TV
— Protesters in Springfield join national groups against Trump policies
https://www.wandtv.com/news/protesters-in-springfield-join-national-groups-against-trump-policies/article_71847afc-e408-11ef-8fb5-1b11f6dc7358.html

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Trump’s demand that US aid workers return home sparks outrage in Washington and anxiety overseas
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/world/ap-usaid-workers-scramble-for-answers-after-trump-pulls-almost-all-of-them-off-the-job-worldwide/
— IRS workers involved in 2025 tax season can’t take buyout until after the taxpayer filing deadline (COMMENT: I was involved in IRS’s 1974 tax season big time.)
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-irs-workers-involved-in-2025-tax-season-cant-take-buyout-offer-until-may/

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Protestors gather outside Illinois Capitol, call for Trump’s impeachment. ‘50501’ demonstration part of a nationwide event calling for protests at state capitols.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/protestors-gather-outside-illinois-capitol-call-for-trumps-impeachment/

CAPITOL FAX
— House Republicans walk out of chamber as J6/Trump resolutions begin
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/05/house-republicans-walk-out-of-chamber-as-j6trump-resolutions-begin/
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/05/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-243/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— ‘No threat to public safety’: Federal agents being wasted on arresting illegal immigrants, Dems say
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/5/democrats-say-federal-agents-wasted-arresting-ille/
— Biden pumped $100M into transgender projects like pricey bathrooms for trans federal workers
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/5/biden-pumped-100m-transgender-projects-like-pricey/
— Senate Banking Committee seeks ways to reduce politicized debanking of Americans
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/5/senate-banking-committee-seeks-ways-reduce-politic/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday took on the trend of major financial institutions “debanking” customers because of their politics. At a hearing exploring the trend, senators said new evidence suggested government regulators had leaned on financial institutions to cut off services to digital asset firms, political figures, conservative-aligned businesses and individuals. Committee Chairman Tim Scott called it “alarming and disheartening.”)
— Trump administration axes $8 million in Politico subscriptions paid by taxpayers  (COMMENT: GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletter subscriptions are worth at least $5,000/year. But I send the newsletters out free of charge, without any advertising, and without any donation requests.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/5/trump-administration-axes-8-million-politico-subsc/
— House Democrat revives push to impeach Trump
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/5/rep-al-green-revives-push-impeach-donald-trump/
— Trump’s march through Senate an awesome display of raw political power. Aggressive tactics and institutional changes could reshape federal power for decades.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/5/trump-march-senate-awesome-display-raw-political-p/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Mexico’s 10,000 troops begin to arrive at US border
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/world/3311216/mexico-10000-troops-border-trump-tariffs/
— Los Angeles is already tolerating crimes at anti-Trump protests
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/3311717/los-angeles-is-already-tolerating-crimes-at-anti-trump-protests/

BREITBART
— AG Pam Bondi Orders DOJ to Pause Federal Funding to Sanctuary Cities
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/02/05/report-ag-pam-bondi-orders-doj-to-pause-federal-funding-to-sanctuary-cities/

DAILY WIRE
— Attorney General Pam Bondi Directs DOJ To Halt Federal Funding For Sanctuary Cities. The move is part of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s day-one directives, which also address cartels and the weaponization of the DOJ.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/attorney-general-pam-bondi-directs-doj-to-halt-federal-funding-for-sanctuary-cities

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CBS NEWS
— Local law enforcement officials across U.S. say they lack resources needed to help detain illegals
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/local-law-enforcement-detain-migrants-trump-administration/
— Attorney General Pam Bondi orders review of Trump prosecutions, focuses on “sanctuary” cities
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/attorney-general-pam-bondi-review-trump-prosecutions-sanctuary-cities/

WASHINGTON POST
— Google will end a core DEI program and evaluate others, company says. The change comes after President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive orders and a broader DEI pullback at other big companies.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/02/05/google-end-dei-program/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Google Kills Diversity Hiring Targets. Search giant is eliminating goals to hire more minority employees and reviewing DEI programs, part of a pullback across Silicon Valley.
https://www.wsj.com/tech/google-kills-diversity-hiring-targets-04433d7c
— Trump’s Lightning-Speed Rollback of Transgender Rights Sparks Lawsuits. New stances on military service, medical care and school sports teams set up court battles.
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/trumps-lightning-speed-rollback-of-transgender-rights-sparks-lawsuits-53f116a5

BLOOMBERG
— Pritzker Warns Federal Workers in Illinois Against Musk Buyout
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-05/pritzker-warns-federal-workers-in-illinois-against-musk-buyout

February 4, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Businesses across Chicago area close, some CPS students stay home for ‘a day without immigrants’  The national movement encouraged participants to skip work, school and refrain from shopping for one day. The initiative spread across social media in response to President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. (COMMENT: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly reject Trump’s election, that is, they ever-increasingly reject the rule of law.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/02/03/businesses-across-chicago-area-close-some-cps-students-stay-home-for-a-day-without-immigrants

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Hoping to ‘Trump proof’ students’ rights, Illinois lawmakers aim to end police ticketing at school (COMMENT: Democrat leaders ever-increasing destroy education.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/04/illinois-school-ticketing-bill/
— The more hatred that you promote against Trump, the more that hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-hates promote you.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/04/opinion-congress-powers-donald-trump/
— Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, homelessness will ever-increasingly increase.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/lake-county-volunteers-search-deep-into-the-night-for-the-homeless-they-left-their-warm-homes-to-seek-out-our-unhoused-neighbors/
— Democrats promote illegal immigration in Lake County
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/hundreds-rally-in-waukegan-for-immigrants-rights-we-will-not-let-trumps-war-on-immigrants-go-uncontested/

ABC7
— Chicago Teachers Union holding ‘walk-ins’ amid concerns over Trump policies
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-teachers-union-holding-walk-ins-amid-concerns-president-donald-trumps-policies/15863535/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47uvgPvocjo
— Rubio says El Salvador offers to accept deportees from US of any nationality, including Americans
https://abc7chicago.com/post/marco-rubio-says-el-salvador-offers-accept-deportees-us-any-nationality-including-americans/15862619/
— Northwestern University among 5 colleges in Trump probe by Education Dept. over alleged antisemitism
https://abc7chicago.com/post/department-education-investigate-antisemitism-5-colleges-including-northwestern-university-trump-order/15862361/

CBS2
— Trump administration investigates Northwestern University claiming antisemitism
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/trump-administration-investigates-northwestern-university-claiming-antisemitism/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/chicago-woman-worries-about-trump-administration-ending-temporary-immigration-program/

WGN9
— What is your connections with slavery? Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) blame Republicans for all the problems that Blacks have, b) remind Blacks about past discrimination against them, c) urge Blacks to forever demand Affirmative Action (AA), DEI, and reparations, and d) promise to give Blacks the aforesaid. Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout that the longer that your ancestors have been in America and the more of the following that you are, the more that you have benefitted from slavery and from past discrimination against Blacks: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, and/or German American. Because I am all of the aforesaid, Democrats have always made me pay the price of AA and DEI big time. My critics/opponents have always stressed my bad demographics and that all my ancestors immigrated to Illinois during the 1840s and 1850s. They have also stressed that in 1853, Illinois passed a so called “Black Law” also known as a “Black Code.” At the time, it was the harshest restriction of Black people in the country and that it was not repealed until 1865. They have also stressed that none of my ancestors served in the Union Army. During the Civil War, on my father’s side, they raised and sold horses in Crete. Before that, they homesteaded a farm in southeast Crete Township. Before that, they worked in a brick factory in Chicago. On my mother’s side, they sharecropped a farm in Grant Park along the Indiana border. My Democrat GAO superiors hinted/implied that I discriminated against my Black subordinates. I should sue my Democrat GAO superiors.
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/historic-meeting-in-illinois-paved-the-way-for-black-citizens-rights/

FOX32
— New poll shows Chicagoans losing confidence in Johnson, CTU: ‘Politically toxic’
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/new-poll-chicago-mayor-ctu

ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
— 2 Illinois legislators support ban on abortion
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/rockford-register-star/20250204/281500756946373

INDIANAPOLIS STAR
— Indiana shouldn’t want Illinois’ poor counties  (COMMENT: Since the 1850s, on my father’s side, my ancestors lived in northeast Will County. On my mother’s side, they lived in northeast Kankakee County. From what I see, if they had lived in DuPage County, they would have done much better financially. Neither of my parents attended college. My father was only the first of my ancestors to earn a high school diploma. My mother never attended high school.)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/indiana-shouldnt-want-illinois-welfare-103038149.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The “secessionist” counties in Illinois are in the southern part of the state, with many bordering Indiana. This one-third of counties comprise only 6.6% of the Illinois population, and only 4% of the state’s economy. Per capita income in the secessionist counties is $54,381. If it were a separate state, it would be the second-poorest state in the union, sliding right in between Mississippi and West Virginia. The remaining counties in Illinois have a per capita income of $73,228. Adding the secessionist counties to Indiana would cut our per capita income enough for us to move from 14th to 11th place from the bottom. Only 18.6% of adults in these counties have completed college, while the Illinois total is 36.7%. This new post-secession Indiana would instantly be the least well-educated state, and would be right about where the U.S. as a whole was in the late 1980s. Economic growth in the secessionist counties has been at about half the rate of the rest of Illinois so far this century. And, while the rest of Illinois has experienced very modest population growth of about 1.4%, these secessionist counties have lost a whopping 5.2% of their population. If the secessionist parts of Illinois were their own state, they’d have the worst 25 years of population loss of any state in U.S. history. So, it’s pretty easy to see why these counties might be unhappy about their economic conditions. They are truly dismal. But how much of this is the fault of Illinois state government? After all, the other Illinois counties are doing much better. That includes Chicago, where the economy continues to be robust, even as population growth has stalled. Is it possible that these counties are somehow being robbed of economic opportunity by Illinois? Nope. As it turns out, these counties are essentially welfare queens of the state of Illinois. . .As it turns out, residents in these secessionist counties pay about $2,986 per person each year in state taxes. That would make them the fourth lowest-taxed residents in the nation. But here’s the rub: They receive $5,430 per person each year in support from residents of the other 69 Illinois counties. In contrast, the rest of the state collects $4,485 in state taxes each year and gets back $4,217 per person in state spending. So, each resident of the secessionist counties gets $2,444 more state dollars spent in their county each year than they pay in taxes. On top of that, they pay only 66.6 cents for every dollar of taxes residents in the other 69 Illinois counties pay. Federal taxes and spending tell a similar story. A recent study of mine calculated the share of taxes and transfer payments made at the county level to the federal government. You guessed it, the secessionist counties pay a lower federal tax rate, but receive more in Social Security payments and in other types of transfers (TANF, SNAP, etc.) than the counties that did not vote to secede from Illinois. Rural voters are failing themselves There are some useful lessons here. First, the secessionist counties of Illinois pay low state taxes but are beneficiaries of enormous transfers from the rest of Illinois. It is hard to pinpoint just what these Illinois secessionist counties are angry about. Most likely it is bad vibes borne of ignorance. There’s compelling evidence of that. If they do come to Indiana, Hoosier taxpayers will need to pony up almost $2 billion more per year to match the fiscal largesse those secessionist counties receive from the rest of Illinois. It is worth noting that those taxes are going to come primarily from urban areas, like Fishers, Carmel and Indianapolis. So, no, we don’t really want them — though it is easy to see why Illinois might not want them either. Second, neither the red state and blue state models of rural development have worked. The secessionist counties of Illinois look just like 40 or 50 declining rural counties in Indiana. Both Illinois and Indiana policymakers are failing their rural counties, though most of the blame for economic decline belongs squarely with the voters of those rural counties. Finally, the real political divisions in America are geographic. So far this century, a whopping half of all the population growth this century has occurred in just 75 out of 3,143 U.S. counties, or 2.3%. Fully 45% of U.S. counties have lost population this century. This deep economic divergence has gripped the U.S. for four decades. It is not between red or blue states, or places with high taxes or woke policies. It is primarily between urban and non-urban counties, and reflects the desire of most Americans to live in places with strong local public services — great schools, low crime and businesses that offer a mix of goods and services. Places that offer these do well; those that do not will look more and more like rural Illinois.)

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Groups demand release of after-school program funding. Programs close, staff laid off while $50M in funding remains unspent. (COMMENT. While I was a high school student, I did yard work, delivered newspapers, and washed dishes. That enabled me to buy a 1958 Chevy Bel Air at the start on my junior year in 1964 and to buy a new 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint at the end of my senior year in 1966. I used that car to get to/from my parents’ home in Crete and a) summer jobs cleaning golf shoes, chipping slag, and pumping gasoline in 1966, b) UIC classes in 1966 and 1967, and c) my Park Forest Post Office job 1966-1967. I sold the car to one of my coworkers in late 1967 and bought a new 1968 Oldsmobile 442.)
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/groups-demand-release-of-after-school-program-funding/

CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/04/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-449/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WIREPOINTS
— Bally’s and the city of Chicago are engaging in illegal discrimination, plain and simple.
https://wirepoints.org/ballys-and-the-city-of-chicago-are-engaging-in-illegal-discrimination-plain-and-simple-wirepoints-on-wls-ramblin-ray-show/

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— To get more votes from voters who have problems, Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly a) shout at voters who have problems that Republicans cause all the problems that voters have and b) focus on voters who have bigger problems and are minority, female, younger, unmarried, LGBTQ, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time. How successful have Democrat and RINO leaders been doing that blaming in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct? If voters in the aforesaid who have big problems were surveyed, on who/what would they blame their problems on? What big problems did you have? Mine included having to work my way through college. I did not blame my parents for not having more money. I blamed myself. I could not get any scholarships because I only just barely made it into the top 20% of my high school class and my ACT score was only 24. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
—  The liberal Democrats who run Google continue to refuse to treat www.gopillinois.com as being a legitimate news website. They continue to refuse to treat me as being a legitimate political and government news and commentary aggregator, journalist, and reporter. They continue to hint/imply/argue/shout that I cannot be legitimate because I state that and I am conservative and Republican. I should write about the websites that Google treats as being legitimate news websites. I would focus on those a) that promote the Democrat Party platform and/or b) demonize, denigrate, and condemn the Republican Party platform. I would focus on those that promote the most hatred a) against Trump and b) against those who share Trump’s demographics: conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Challenger Richard Tado Takes on Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk on YouTube
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/03/challenger-richard-tado-takes-on-algonquin-township-supervisor-randy-funk-on-youtube/
— Taking Down Pritzker’s Bragging about School Success
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/03/3521/
— Reick Reprises Animal Farm
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/03/reick-reprises-animal-farm/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Enforcing the law breaks the law: Chicago’s ICE lawsuit. The legal equivalent of a toddler throwing a temper tantrum.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/3/enforcing-law-breaks-law-chicago-ice-lawsuit/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A coalition of anti-border organizations in Chicago has just filed what may be the dumbest lawsuit in the history of jurisprudence. In essence, it claims that enforcement of the Immigration and Nationality Act — the statute that dictates how and when foreign nationals may lawfully enter the United States — interferes with the First Amendment rights of sanctuary city advocates. Frankly, it’s hard to overstate just how moronic Organized Communities Against Deportation, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council and Raise the Floor Alliance v. Trump are.)
— China angrily retaliates against Trump’s new 10% tariff
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/4/china-angrily-retaliates-donald-trump-new-10-tarif/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Trump can help prevent aviation disasters
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/3309085/trump-can-help-prevent-aviation-disasters/

BREITBART
— Democratic Party Unfavorable Rating Hits 16-Year High
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/03/nolte-democratic-party-unfavorable-rating-hits-16-year-high/
— California Democrats Pass $50 Million to Fight Trump, Defend Illegal Alien Criminals; Seek Billions in Fire Aid
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/04/california-democrats-pass-50-million-to-fight-trump-defend-illegal-alien-criminals-seek-billions-in-fire-aid/
— Martha’s Vineyard Residents Defend Illegal Aliens After Previously Shipping Them Off Island
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/02/03/marthas-vineyard-residents-defend-illegal-aliens-previously-shipping-off-island/

FEDERALIST
— Why It’s Absolutely Christian To Swiftly Deport All Illegal Migrants
https://thefederalist.com/2025/02/04/why-its-absolutely-christian-to-swiftly-deport-all-illegal-migrants/

FOX NEWS
— Chicago alderman accuses Mayor Johnson of only listening to ‘hyper-liberal White progressives’ on immigration. ‘He’s not concerned with African-Americans nor Latinos,’ Alderman Ray Lopez told Fox News Digital
https://www.foxnews.com/media/chicago-alderman-accuses-mayor-johnson-only-listening-hyper-white-liberal-progressives-immigration
— Guantanamo Bay for illegals doesn’t tug at heartstrings (COMMENT: To come into a country illegally and/or to stay in a country illegally demonstrates gross disrespect for the rule of law and for that country. Democrat leaders ever-increasingly paint illegals as being fugitive slaves. But unlike illegals, slaves were brought into America against their will.)
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6368228766112

NEWSMAX
— Bill Would Allow Lawsuits Against Sanctuary Cities
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/thom-tillis-senate-bill/2025/02/03/id/1197687/

NATIONAL REVIEW
— Trump Wages a Needless War. The trade fight with our neighbors is mostly costs and very little in the way of benefits.
https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/02/trump-wages-a-needless-war/

TOWNHALL
— Securing the Border: Trump Actions Prove It Doesn’t Require New Laws
https://townhall.com/columnists/jennybethmartin/2025/02/04/securing-the-border-trump-actions-prove-it-doesnt-require-new-laws-n2651575#google_vignette

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

REUTERS
— Trump administration to take steps to defund Education Department
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-advisers-weigh-plan-dismantle-department-education-wsj-reports-2025-02-03/

ABC NEWS
— To get more votes from non-Whites, Democrats ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise non-Whites and b) demonize, denigrate, and condemn Whites.
https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/video/american-monuments-perpetuate-white-supremacy-myths-118423608

NEW YORK TIMES
— China Swiftly Counters Trump’s Tariffs With a Flurry of Trade Curbs. After a 10 percent tariff on Chinese products took effect on Tuesday, China announced retaliatory measures, including tariffs and an investigation of Google.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/04/business/economy/trump-tariffs-china.html
— House Democratic Super PAC Creates $50 Million Fund Targeting Working Class (COMMENT: My critics/opponents despise/hate a) the working class, that is, wage earners and b) unions and union members. I was a wage earned for 33 years and I was a union member for 12 of those years.  According to my critics/opponents, a) all the jobs that I had were bad jobs that they would never stoop to take and b) I was grossly overpaid and my benefits were far too generous. In my defense, I earned a job-related bachelor’s degree, three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/us/politics/democrats-house-super-pac.html
— IRS Expands Its Free Tax Filing Option (COMMENT: I use TurboTax. One could compare and contrast your balance due/refund between TurboTax and IRS’s Direct File.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/24/your-money/irs-tax-filing-free-online.html
— Anticipate/expect that the more demographics that you share with Trump, the more that hate-filled, Trump-hating Trump-haters will call you a racist and even worse things.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/us/politics/trump-diversity-racism.html
— Thousands of U.S. Government Web Pages Have Been Taken Down Since Friday. Federal agencies moved to satisfy Trump’s orders to remove topics like diversity initiatives and “gender ideology.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/upshot/trump-government-websites-missing-pages.html
— E.V. Owners Don’t Pay Gas Taxes. So, Many States Are Charging Them Fees. States are using higher registration fees for electric cars to make up for declining fuel taxes, but some are punitive, environmentalists say. A federal tax could be coming. (COMMENT: What about extremely low mileage EVs like mine is going to be? How about a per-miles driven tax?)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/business/ev-fees-gas-tax.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Trump Can Ban Transgender Birth Certificates. Most states allow natives to alter their recorded sex, an affront against science and a danger to women.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trump-can-ban-transgender-birth-certificates-policy-protect-womens-spaces-d726a9fe
—  Tips to Cutting Back on Your Drinking (COMMENT: Most of my superiors in the federal government who were Democrat, older, White, and male were big drinkers. They did not approve of my not being a drinker.)
https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/part-time-sober-how-you-can-join-the-ranks-f973250b
— Trump Advisers Weigh Plan to Dismantle Education Department. Administration officials are discussing executive order that could shut down key functions of the agency. (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, Republicans cut the agency’s budget. When I started, GAO had more than 6,000 employees. By the time my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire, it had less than 3,000 employees.)
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/education-department-trump-executive-order-eeaf1cb6
— ‘We’re Taking It Back’: Trump Renews Threat to Seize Panama Canal
https://www.wsj.com/video/were-taking-it-back-trump-renews-threat-to-seize-panama-canal/54B3FD62-0EDD-43A9-8F06-5E59EE7167D2

NPR
— Even where weed is legal, product safety isn’t guaranteed
https://www.wvik.org/2025-02-04/even-where-weed-is-legal-product-safety-isnt-guaranteed

WION
— Donald Trump Begins Deporting Indian Migrants, 205 Illegals ‘Kicked Out’
https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DFFSRZNDk6YM

WIRED
— A 25-Year-Old With Elon Musk Ties Has Direct Access to the Federal Payment System. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service is a sleepy part of the Treasury Department. It’s also where, sources say, a 25-year-old engineer tied to Elon Musk has admin privileges over the code that controls Social Security payments, tax returns, and more.
https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-associate-bfs-federal-payment-system/

VOA NEWS
— Trump administration moves to end deportation protections for 348,000 Venezuelans
https://www.voanews.com/a/trump-administration-moves-to-end-deportation-protections-for-348-000-venezuelans-/7961630.html

VOX
— Why some immigrants want fewer immigrants (COMMENT: Immigrants drive wages down for low-wage workers.
https://www.vox.com/immigration/397835/immigrants-less-immigration-trump-democrats-laken-riley-cesar-chavez

ABS-CBN
— Illegals unite near Trump Tower in Chicago and a) glorify and praise illegals and b) demonize, denigrate, and condemn Americans.
https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/2/4/immigrants-built-america-protesters-unite-near-trump-tower-in-chicago-1123

BUSINESS TODAY
— Trump administration begins deporting illegal migrants to India. India is the furthest destination for US military flights deporting illegals, with over 5,000 migrants being sent from El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California.
https://www.businesstoday.in/world/us/story/trump-administration-begins-deporting-illegal-migrants-to-india-after-guatemala-report-463278-2025-02-04

BUSINESS STANDARD
— 18,000 Indians identified as illegal immigrants in US; 205 deported so far
https://www.business-standard.com/finance/personal-finance/18-000-indians-identified-as-illegal-immigrants-in-us-205-deported-so-far-125020400247_1.html

February 3, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Trump agrees to pause tariffs on Mexico, Canada for a month
https://abc7chicago.com/post/us-tariffs-mexico-paused-month-mexican-president-says/15860417/
— ‘A Day Without Immigrants’ protests and business closures in Chicago in opposition to Trump policies (COMMENT: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration. I washed dishes for 18 months while I was in high school. If there had been as many illegals back then as there are now, they would have gotten that job.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/day-immigrants-chicago-business-owners-city-close-monday-protest-president-trumps-immigration-policies/15859639/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump threatens to fire more than 100 Chicago EPA workers. An email tells new employees that the agency can “immediately terminate you.” (COMMENT: I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980. Because I had served my federal probationary period by working for IRS for almost 9 years, my Democrat GAO superiors were furious that they could not just fire me. However, they did force the GAO manager to retire who had arranged my transfer.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/environment/2025/02/03/trump-threatens-to-fire-100-chicago-epa-workers-environmental-protection-agency
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The warnings came in an email sent last week to most-recently hired workers who have not yet put in enough time to enjoy more job-protection benefits. “As a probationary/trial period employee, the agency has the right to immediately terminate you,” the email said. “The process for probationary removal is that you receive a notice of termination, and your employment is ended immediately.”)

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Musk tightens grip on federal government as Democrats raise alarms
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/elon-musk-federal-government/
— Some Chicago businesses close their doors to protest immigration crackdown (COMMENT: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration. I washed dishes for 18 months while I was in high school. If there had been as many illegals back then as there are now, they would have gotten that job.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/chicago-has-always-been-a-city-of-immigrant-workers-some-chicago-businesses-close-their-doors-to-protest-immigration-crackdown/
— South suburban business advocates warn targeting of DEI will hurt small businesses and the economy (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO employers use DEI a) to not hire Republicans like me and b) to get rid of their Republican employees like I was.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/south-suburban-business-advocates-dei-economy/

DAILY HERALD
— ‘We’re all humans’: Immigrant advocates rally in West Chicago to protest mass deportations (COMMENT: To come into a country illegally and/or to stay in a country illegally is to demonstrate gross disrespect for the rule of law and for that country.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250203/nation-and-world-politics/were-all-humans-immigrant-advocates-rally-in-west-chicago-to-protest-mass-deportations/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Carrying signs with slogans including “FIGHT IGNORANCE NOT IMMIGRATION,” a crowd of more than 150 people gathered in West Chicago to protest mass deportations Monday, saying the policy unfairly targets Latino residents. “We’re all humans at the end of the day. No one is illegal,” West Chicagoan Jessica Garnica said. “This is a new civil rights movement,” Casa DuPage Workers Center Executive Organizer Cristobal Cavazos said. He helped organize the Day Without Immigrants March and Rally, intended to demonstrate the importance of the Chicago area’s Latino community. Multiple Latinos are “not going to work, not going to school, not buying anything. The majority of people (at the rally) are essential workers in the factories, in the warehouses, in the restaurants,” Cavazos said. Drivers in passing cars and semitrucks honked as participants gathered at Route 59 near Route 38 before marching to the West Chicago City Hall. Mexican immigrants “bring a lot of diversity and culture to the U.S.” but are often treated with disrespect, university student Ajimelec Garcia of West Chicago said. As well as in Chicago, ICE actions have been reported in Deer Park, Elgin, Palatine, Round Lake, Waukegan and West Chicago as part of President Donald Trump’s deportation ramp-up. Federal authorities said their priority is arresting criminals but protesters feared longtime residents with jobs and families will be swept up. “A lot of people are worried,” Garcia said. “I feel they don’t really honestly care if you have papers, in a way. As long as you’re Mexican they don’t want you here.” On Fox News Sunday, Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan cited a 93% decrease in illegal border crossings. “We can’t have strong national security if we don’t have border security. We need to know who’s coming in, what’s coming in, where it’s coming in and why it’s coming in.” About 5,000 arrests were made in the first week, with the majority being criminals, Homan said. He added “noncriminals are (being) arrested in sanctuary cities because you force us into the community rather than arresting the bad guy in jail. And, when we find that criminal, he’s most likely with others, and they’re going to go, too. “If you want to be a sanctuary city, you’re going to get exactly what you don’t want — more agents in the city and more noncriminals arrested,” Homan said. Marcher Alejandra Jacobo of West Chicago said she’s concerned about loved ones. “They’ve worked so hard, most of the time for minimum wage,” Jacobo said. “I know they’re (ICE) doing their jobs, but do not take our good people. Just take the bad ones. These are the ones you should be chasing after.” Handmade signs sported slogans including “MEXICANS MAKE AMERICA GR8,” MY PARENTS ARE NOT CRIMINALS FOR WANTING A BETTER LIFE,” AND “AMERICA WE ARE YOUR PEOPLE.” Marchers included seniors, teens and kids in strollers. “We’re staying strong as a community,” Garnica said. “When you believe in God, he’s the one who’s going to guide us through.” The rally was organized by the Casa DuPage Workers Center and DuPage Immigrant Solidarity.)
— Canada Follows Mexico in Reaching Deal to Delay Trump Tariffs. The leaders of Mexico and Canada each said they had struck agreements to pause tariffs for 30 days, but levies on products from China were still set to take effect just after midnight. (COMMENT: I have ordered a 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T that will be built in Canada.)
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02/03/us/trump-tariffs
— DuPage County keeps federal lobbyist
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250203/news/dupage-county-keeps-federal-lobbyist/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— How are Chicago schools responding to increased immigration enforcement? Here are five examples. (COMMENT: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.)
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/education/how-chicago-schools-are-responding-immigration-enforcement

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL EWGISTER
— Pritzker calls Trump ‘incompetent’, says Illinois families will feel impact of new tariffs
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/state/2025/02/03/gov-pritzker-is-vocal-about-pres-trump-calls-him-incompetent/78181424007/

FOX ILLINOIS
— Restaurants shutter nationwide for ‘Day Without Immigrants’ protests (COMMENT: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration. I washed dishes for 18 months while I was in high school. If there had been as many illegals back then as there are now, they would have gotten that job.)
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/restaurants-shutter-nationwide-for-day-without-immigrants-protests-trump-mass-deporations-immigration-policies-washington-dc-utah-florida-california

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/03/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-241/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— From what I see, Democrats have decided to not only reject Trump’s presidency, but to end it. Democrats have declared a Second Civil War on Republicans. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrat Party Army. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— McCombie urges cohesion amid party in fighting
http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/illinois-quick-hits-mccombie-urges-cohesion-amid-party-in-fighting-conservation-group-raises-bird-flu-concerns/ar-AA1yl60B
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The head of Illinois House Republicans is responding to calls for her to step down from her leadership role. The Illinois Freedom Caucus, made up of six state representatives and one senator, is accusing House Minority Leader Tony McCombie of playing “silly games” after she denied several services at the Capitol for not voting for her as leader. McCombie said the suspension of certain caucus-specific services does not affect any legislator’s ability to serve constituents, and the focus should be on “fighting Democrat policies that are failing Illinois families, not each other.”)

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Mexico’s president blames U.S. for arming cartels (COMMENT: From what I see, Mexico will side with America’s enemies in WWIII.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/3/mexico-president-claudia-sheinbaum-blames-u-arming/

NEW YORK POST
— NJ Gov. Phil Murphy reveals he’s housing a migrant at his residence — and tells feds ‘good luck’ trying to get her. (COMMENT: Murphy wants to be a modern day George Wallace.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/03/us-news/nj-gov-phil-murphy-reveals-hes-housing-a-migrant-at-his-residence-and-tells-feds-good-luck-trying-to-get-her/

FEDERALIST
— Former Mexican Consulate Lawyer Coaches Illegals To Lie To ICE (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://thefederalist.com/2025/02/03/report-former-mexican-consulate-lawyer-coaches-illegals-to-lie-to-ice/

CAMPUS REFORM
— University of Minnesota charges up to $1,575 for online DEI certificate (COMMENT: I should add up all the money that I paid for tuition and books to earn a) a bachelor’s degree (NIU-management-1970), b) three master’s degrees (Loyola- business-1976, DePaul-accounting 1980, and IIT-finance-1997), and two professional certifications CPA-1979 and Certified Internal Auditor-1981) and adjust that money to today’s dollars.)
https://www.campusreform.org/article/university-minnesota-charges-1575-online-dei-certificate/27386

WESTERN JOURNAL
— Celebrities Put on a Parade of Wokeness at Grammys, Proving They Didn’t Learn Their Lesson in 2024 (COMMENT: From what I see, Democrats have decided to not only reject Trump’s presidency, but to end it. Democrats have declared a Second Civil War on Republicans. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrat Party Army.)
https://www.westernjournal.com/celebrities-put-parade-wokeness-grammys-proving-didnt-learn-lesson-2024/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CBS NEWS
— Education Dept. to probe antisemitism at 5 universities, including Columbia, Northwestern, Berkeley
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/education-dept-antisemitism-universities-columbia-northwestern-berkeley/

NEWSWEEK
— National ’50 States’ Anti-Trump Protest Planned for Feb 5: What to Know (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://www.newsweek.com/50-states-anti-trump-protest-nationwide-february-5-details-2025300

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
— ACLU Sues Over Trump Ban on Asylum at U.S.-Mexico Border (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-02-03/aclu-sues-over-trump-ban-on-asylum-at-u-s-mexico-border

WASHINGTON POST
— Immigrant advocates file lawsuit challenging Trump asylum shutdown. The Trump administration has claimed there is an “invasion” on the U.S.-Mexico border to justify summarily expelling migrants without giving them a chance to apply for asylum. (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/02/03/aclu-lawsuit-asylum-border/
— Here’s who’s been ousted from FBI, Justice Dept. so far. Will it stand? (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors ousted me, that is, they forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. My critics/opponents have no problem with that. Actually, they are furious that I have gotten a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) pension since then. Currently it is $66,680/year. So far, in today’s dollars, CSRS has paid me $1.8 million.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/03/fbi-justice-firings-removals-due-process/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Another Thing Musk Hates About Germany: Absentee Workers at His Tesla Plant (COMMENT: While I was a student at NIU in 1970, Chrysler hired me to work in its Belvidere plant on Mondays because that was when absenteeism was highest.)
https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/elon-musk-german-tesla-factory-workers-0317574f
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Elon Musk was taken aback last fall by reports of high absenteeism at Tesla’s TSLA -5.17%decrease; red down pointing triangle factory near Berlin. “This sounds crazy. Looking into it,” the company’s workaholic chief executive wrote last September on X, the social-media platform he owns, responding to a tweet citing a sickness rate above 15%. The number of workers calling in sick has long been a flashpoint at the facility, where managers are battling to preserve the freewheeling spirit of an American tech company amid union pressure to hew closer to more worker-friendly European practices. The culture clash offers corporate context for Musk’s increasingly frequent interjections on European politics, including his recent endorsement of the far-right Alternative for Germany party.)

ACLU
— Immigrants’ Rights Advocates Sue Trump Administration Over Efforts to Completely Shut Down Asylum at the Border (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/immigrants-rights-advocates-sue-trump-administration-over-efforts-to-completely-shut-down-asylum-at-the-border

ACCOUNTNG TODAY
— Illinois lawmakers propose alternative paths to CPA license (COMMENT: Because my becoming a licensed CPA when I was 32 years old in 1981 was my biggest professional accomplishment, my critics/opponents have ignored/dismissed/belittled that the most. None of my GAO Chicago office superiors, supervisors, coworkers, or subordinates were licensed CPAs.)
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/illinois-lawmakers-propose-alternative-paths-to-cpa-license

RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— 77% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that requiring photo ID to vote is a reasonable measure to protect the integrity of elections – up from 74% in 2021. Just 17% disagree.
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/election_integrity_77_favor_voter_id