Tag: pension

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/ice-agents-detain-5-men-work-du-quoin-sawmill-1-first-reported-mass-immigration-actions-far-south-il/18597868/

NBC5
— DD: Democrat leaders have their students walk out from class to protest Trump policies
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-and-suburban-students-walk-out-from-class-to-protest-trump-policies/3892757/

CBS2
— Partial government shutdown underway
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/partial-government-shutdown-underway/

FOX32
— Illinois GOP governor primary debate: Submit your questions for candidates
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-governor-gop-primary-debate-2026
— The typical American worker has just $955 saved for retirement. DD: I started earning credits toward a Civil Service Retirement System pension when I was 18 in 1966. My critics/opponents have always been furious about that. They got more furious when my Democrat GAO superiors “offered” me early retirement when I was 45 in 1993 and that I took it when I was 49 in 1997.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/typical-american-worker-just-955-saved-retirement-study

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly crow about their success in getting high school students to walk out. Walkout students know that their walking out will forever be on their records and that their walking out will help them get accepted by Democrat colleges and help them get hired by Democrat employers. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a Crete-Monee High School student 1962-1966, the Democrats who ran the Park Forest Post Office would not have hired me in 1966. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a UIC student 1966-1968 and 1971 and/or a NIU student 1969-1970, the Democrats who ran IRS would not have hired me in 1971. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a part-time Loyola student 1972-1976, the Democrats who ran IRS would not have promoted me in 1972, 1973, or 1974. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a part-time DePaul student 1976-1980, the Democrats who ran GAO would not have hired me in 1980 or promoted me in 1986.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/chicago-students-school-walkout/
— Trump administration cuts more than $100 million in Illinois transportation dollars
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/trump-administration-transportation-grant-cuts/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly crow about their success in getting high school students to walk out. Walkout students know that their walking out will forever be on their records and that their walking out will help them get accepted by Democrat colleges and help them get hired by Democrat employers. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a Crete-Monee High School student 1962-1966, the Democrats who ran the Park Forest Post Office would not have hired me in 1966. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a UIC student 1966-1968 and 1971 and/or a NIU student 1969-1970, the Democrats who ran IRS would not have hired me in 1971. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a part-time Loyola student 1972-1976, the Democrats who ran IRS would not have promoted me in 1972, 1973, or 1974. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a part-time DePaul student 1976-1980, the Democrats who ran GAO would not have hired me in 1980 or promoted me in 1986.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/02/13/immigration-ice-trump-administration-protest-students-walkouts
— Illinois after-school programs in limbo as lawsuits challenge Trump administration cuts. DD: When you were in high school, what did you do after class and/or Saturdays? I did yard work in Crete during my freshman and sophomore years. I delivered newspapers in Crete during all 4 years. I washed dishes for the minimum wage in the basement of the SS Kresge in Chicago Heights during my junior and senior years.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2026/02/13/illinois-after-school-programs-parent-services-trump-administration-cuts-grants
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly blame Trump for inflation.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2026/02/13/grocery-prices-chicago-climbed-inflation-trump-cpi-food
— DD: What limited your sports activities in grade school, high school, and college? For me it was my inability to run because I had an inherited bone disease. Also, my eyesight could not be corrected to 20/20 and I had partial red/green color blindness.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/books/2026/02/13/heated-rivalry-book-tv-steamy-sports-romance-chicago-authors-independent-bookstores

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH FOUR PHOTOS: GOP candidate wins appeal and slot on 11th Congressional District ballots; DuPage halts early voting as result
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260213/us-congress-politics/gop-candidate-wins-appeal-and-slot-on-11th-congressional-district-ballots/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Daley, LaHood put ‘fair maps’ campaign on hold
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/daley-lahood-suspend-fair-maps-illinois-campaign

SOUTHERN
— State races gain visibility as early voting continues
https://thesouthern.com/news/state-races-gain-visibility-as-early-voting-continues/article_dc6a781d-3e39-5587-b6b5-883f280cb87e.html

FOX ILLINOIS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) use their teachers to fight their deportation.
https://www.foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/teachers-describe-immigration-enforcements-impact-on-classrooms-in-challenge-of-trump-policy/article_3b326ae8-2d0f-5bc9-8401-97cfd3e3066c.html

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/13/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-468/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WEST SUBURBAN FOUNDATION FOR DISABLED VETERANS
— Gary Sinise & The Lt. Dan Band are returning for another unforgettable ROCKIN’ FOR OUR VETS concert at Cantigny July 11!
https://www.wsfdv.org/

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Illinois election-integrity advocates are pushing the U.S. Senate to agree with a recent House move and pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility America Act. They say it will strengthen federal election safeguards by requiring proof of citizenship and improving voter-roll maintenance.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_1d69088b-9e85-4041-9e71-b194dc64dc2c.html

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Needless-to-say, you define yourself by who you take adverse actions against. I should write about my critics/opponents who have had their operatives and their dupes take adverse actions against me including a) barring me from attending in my role as the GOPUSA Illinois Editor the DuPage County Republican Central Committee Lincoln Day Dinner on February 27, b) ending my membership on the Illinois Republican Party State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee in 2024, c) ending my service as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton’s Independence Day parades and fireworks in 2021, d) ending my TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship in 2012, e) almost getting the Illinois Center Right Coalition to censure me for my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters in 2006 and ending my membership on its Steering Committee in 2007, and f) firing me as the Milton Township Republican Organization webmaster in 2004 and 2010 and rejecting my bid to serve as its treasurer in 2004. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Who wants you to pay reparations and why, that is, who wants you to pay the price of Affirmative Action and DEI and why? My critics/opponents have always used against me the fact that all my ancestors immigrated during the 1840s and 1850s. In their defense, I have always stressed that they always lived in northeast Illinois. My critics/opponents have also always used against me the fact that a) my ancestors on my father’s side homesteaded a 240-acre farm in southeast Crete township in 1854 and b) my ancestors on my mother’s side became owners of a 180-acre farm in Grant Park along the Indiana border after they sharecropped it. According to my critics/opponents, 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 therefore the more reparations you should pay, that is, the more that you should pay the price of Affirmative Action and DEI: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, and/or German American. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What career setbacks have you suffered? My Democrat Post Office superiors forced me to resign when I was 20 years old in 1969. My Democrat Firestone Store boss fired me when I was 22. My Democrat IRS superiors a) disallowed my travel vouchers when I was 25, b) disallowed my education deductions when I was 29, and c) never promoted me beyond GS-12. My Democrat GAO superiors a) forced me to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS when I was 31, b) delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, c) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, and d) forced me to retire when I was 49. They would not have taken the aforesaid adverse actions against me if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, and/or veteran. What political setbacks have you suffered? The Milton Township Republican Organization fired me as its webmaster in 2004 and 2010 and rejected my bid to serve as its treasurer in 2004, b) the Illinois Center Right Coalition almost censured me for my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters in 2006 and ended my membership on its Steering Committee in 2007, c) TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois ended my chairmanship in 2012, d) Wheaton ended my service as the Republican fundraiser for its Independence Day parades and fireworks in 2021, e) the Illinois Republican Party ended my membership on its State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee in 2024, f) the DuPage County Republican Central Committee (DCRCC) has barred me from attending in my role as the GOPUSA Illinois Editor the DCRCC Lincoln Day Dinner on February 27, g) etc. They would not have taken the aforesaid adverse actions against me if I had been a RINO, minority, female, younger, and/or veteran. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What do your critics/opponents do? My critics/opponents use their operatives and their dupes to destroy people 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 cover up their wrong doing, and/or who refuse to give them money. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What do you predict that your critics/opponents will eventually do? I predict that my “Republican” critics/opponents will eventually switch parties and announce that they always really were Democrats. I wonder how many of them will officially take credit for their having their operatives and their dupes a) bar me from attending in my role as the GOPUSA Illinois Editor the DuPage County Republican Central Committee Lincoln Day Dinner on February 27, b) end my membership on the Illinois Republican Party State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee in 2024, c) end my service as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton’s Independence Day parades and fireworks in 2021, d) end my TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship in 2012, e) almost get the Illinois Center Right Coalition to censure me for my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters in 2006 and end my membership on its Steering Committee in 2007, and f) fire me as the Milton Township Republican Organization webmaster in 2004 and 2010 and reject my bid to serve as its treasurer in 2004. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Roadmap to stop looming $21B in deficits
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/press-releases/illinois-policy-institute-roadmap-to-stop-looming-21b-in-deficits/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Judge rules ICE can’t make warrantless arrests at some churches. DD: Anticipate/expect that Democrat leaders will ever-increasingly fill their churches with their illegals.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/13/judge-rules-ice-cant-make-warrantless-arrests-churches/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Duffy cracks down on trucking carriers and ‘sham school’ linked to Indiana crash caused by illegal immigrant.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/immigration/4458233/duffy-trucking-carriers-sham-indiana-illegal-immigrant/

NEW YORK POST
— Floodgates closed: 4 out of 5 asylum seekers now booted by judges as Trump restores borders
https://nypost.com/2026/02/14/us-news/eight-of-10-asylum-seekers-now-booted-by-judges-as-trump-restores-borders/
— Transportation chief Sean Duffy mandates merit-based hiring of US airline pilots. DD: All during the almost 30 years that I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government, they lowered their hiring, retention, and promotion standards to hire, retain, and promote more Democrats who were minority, female, younger, and/or veteran. That ever-increasingly rendered worthless my job-related bachelor’s degree, my three job-related master’s degrees, my six job-related professional certifications, and my job-related professional license.
https://nypost.com/2026/02/13/us-news/transportation-secretary-sean-duffy-orders-merit-based-airline-pilot-hiring/

AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Abraham Lincoln: There Is No Inherited White Guilt for the Sin of Slavery. On his birthday, Abraham Lincoln still rebukes inherited guilt, reminding Americans that moral responsibility and dignity rest with individuals, not races. DD: My critics/opponents have always used against me the fact that all my ancestors immigrated during the 1840s and 1850s. In their defense, I have always stressed that they always lived in northeast Illinois. My critics/opponents have also always used against me the fact that a) my ancestors on my father’s side homesteaded a 240-acre farm in southeast Crete township in 1854 and b) my ancestors on my mother’s side became owners of a 180-acre farm in Grant Park along the Indiana border after they sharecropped it. According to my critics/opponents, 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 the more reparations that you should pay, that is, the more that you should pay the price of Affirmative Action and DEI: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, and/or German American.
https://amgreatness.com/2026/02/14/abraham-lincoln-there-is-no-inherited-white-guilt-for-the-sin-of-slavery/

AMERICAN THINKER
— The real solution to America’s fertility woes. It’s not Stanford’s suggestion that more parents work from home. It’s not Trump’s pay-to-birth government checks, either. It’s this. DD: Do you know anyone with fertility problems who could have tried IVF but did not? My Democrat GAO superiors knew full-well that my wife’s healthcare insurance covered IVF, but that we nevertheless gave up trying to have children without trying IVF. They knew full-well, but ignored/dismissed/belittled, the fact that our doctors had advised against us trying it. They knew full-well that I had big problems with my sperm and that my wife had big problems with her eggs. They knew full-well that we did not adopt or become foster parents. They viciously used the aforesaid to demonize, denigrate, and condemn us being selfish filthy rich DINKS. They constantly complained about the tremendous amount of time and money that they spent raising their children and decried their spouses having little or no income. According to them, if we had children, I would not have been able to a) pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, b) afford to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980, c) earn a master’s degree in accounting in 1980, d) pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981, e) become a licensed CPA in 1981, f) get promoted in 1986, g) etc. According to them, if we had children, we would not have been able to a) buy a home in Wheaton and two new cars in 1978, b) have a home built in Wheaton in 1984, c) go on four vacations a year after my wife’s business trips to luxury resorts across America 1978-1992, d) buy collector cars in 1989 and 1994, e) etc. They would not have used our not having children against me if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, and/or veteran.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/the_real_solution_to_america_s_fertility_woes.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: This isn’t a rant against avocado toast or elaborate lattes.  Rather, look at the most expensive line items in childrearing: daycare, education, food.  These are all solvable, but parents have to plan their lives around solving them. Daycare is free if parents raise their own babies.  I say “parents” and not just “mothers” on purpose.  Dads who like having children and prioritize supporting their postpartum wives are a necessary part of the equation. Educating children at home is radically cheaper than private school tuition.  Sure, there’s public school, but I assume most parents would prefer that their kids can read.  As a bonus, homeschooling is one of the best ways to embrace the vocation as parent. Feeding kids is a challenge, especially as they grow.  But there are many hacks for this, from wholesaler memberships to bulk-buying meat from a local farm to raising kids not to be picky eaters.  Smart meal prep is a skill that must be learned.  And RFK Jr. is on to something: Even if it’s nominally more expensive, natural food more effectively fills stomachs, so you buy less of it.  It also promotes health and thus lowers doctor bills.)

BLAZE
— Democrats condemn SAVE Act even though most of their constituents support it
https://www.theblaze.com/shows/sara-gonzales-unfiltered/racist-misogynistic-trash-democrats-condemn-save-act
— Noem urges swift passage of SAVE Act to prevent illegal aliens from disenfranchising American voters
https://www.theblaze.com/news/noem-urges-swift-passage-of-save-act-to-prevent-illegal-aliens-from-disenfranchising-american-voters

BREITBART
— Record Number of Illegal Aliens Self-Deporting U.S. Under Trump
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/02/13/report-record-number-of-illegal-aliens-self-deporting-u-s-under-trump/
— Americans Should Compensate Minnesota Companies that Hired Illegal Migrants. DD: All my employers would have hired noncitizens instead of me if they could have.
https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2026/02/13/tim-walz-americans-should-compensate-companies-that-hired-illegal-migrants/

CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES
— Fifth Circuit Greenlights Mandatory Detention for All Illegal Entrants. Ignore the thousands of habeas claims — this issue is bound for SCOTUS.
https://cis.org/Arthur/Fifth-Circuit-Greenlights-Mandatory-Detention-All-Illegal-Entrants

DAILY SIGNAL
— Trump, Beware—These ‘Unforced Errors’ Could Hand Democrats a Midterm Win
https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/02/13/trump-beware-these-unforced-errors-could-hand-democrats-a-midterm-win/

EPOCH TIMES
— Trump Says He Will Sign Orders to Require Voter ID for Midterms. Republican Sen. Susan Collins became the latest to support the SAVE Act.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-says-he-will-require-voter-id-for-midterms-5985515

NEW AMERICAN
— DD: From what I see, virtually all illegals want/need/demand massive government assistance, lack education and/or job skills, and/or have health and/or other problems.
https://thenewamerican.com/us/immigration/report-most-immigrants-get-some-form-of-welfare-61-percent-of-illegal-aliens-do/
— Happily Handicapped Nation: Almost 4 in 10 Stanford Students Claim “Disability.” DD: What percent of the students in your school district are disabled? While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, they assigned me to supervise all their disabled employees.
https://thenewamerican.com/us/education/happily-handicapped-nation-almost-4-in-10-stanford-students-claim-disability/

REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— In the Midwest, Anti-ICE Democrats Are Failing America
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2026/02/13/in_the_midwest_anti-ice_democrats_are_failing_america_153835.html

TOWNHALL
— The Illinois SAFE-T Act Set Violent Illegal Immigrant Loose. Thankfully ICE Has Arrested Him.
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/amy-curtis/2026/02/13/chicago-migrant-safe-t-act-ankle-monitor-n2671271

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

THE HILL
— Texans must prove legal status to register vehicles after new DMV rule
https://thehill.com/homenews/5738300-texans-must-prove-legal-status-to-register-vehicles-after-new-dmv-rule/
— DHS funding lapses as Democrats demand ICE reforms
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5738280-dhs-funding-shutdown-democrats-ice/

REUTERS
— FAA: US airlines must certify use of merit-based hiring for pilots. DD: All during the almost 30 years that I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government, they lowered their hiring, retention, and promotion standards to hire, retain, and promote more Democrats who were minority, female, younger, and/or veteran. That ever-increasingly rendered worthless my job-related bachelor’s degree, my three job-related master’s degrees, my six job-related professional certifications, and my job-related professional license.
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/us-airlines-must-certify-use-merit-based-hiring-pilots-faa-says-2026-02-13/

CBS NEWS
— Trump vows to require voter ID in midterms “whether approved by Congress or not”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-vows-to-require-voter-id-in-midterms-whether-approved-by-congress-or-not/

NEW YORK TIMES
— Flexibility and Rising Costs Are Keeping Mothers at Work. Labor force participation for women with small children continues to float above prepandemic levels, thanks to flexible work setups — and rising costs. DD: One reason why my mother stayed home and raised my brother and I was her limited earning potential because she never attended high school.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/business/economy/mothers-labor-force-participation.html
— DD: Democrat leaders use what Trump said about elections against him.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/opinion/trump-cancel-elections-voting.html
— ‘Tax the Rich’ Rally Is Expected to Draw a Big Crowd. DD: According to my critics/opponents, my wife and I can and should pay way more taxes a) because we never had dependents, b) because we have no debts, c) because we have substantial retirement savings, d) because we inherited some money, e) because they believe that the federal government grossly overpaid me, f) because they believe that my $68,640/year Civil Service Retirement System pension is much too generous, g) because they believe that my $18,711.60/year Social Security is much too generous, h) because the federal government pays $21,000/year (72%) of our $30,000/year healthcare insurance premiums because I am a federal retiree, and i) because I avoided the Vietnam War draft. According to my critics/opponents, those who share our demographics and can pay more taxes should pay more taxes. According to them, we have what we have because we benefitted tremendously from discrimination against those who do not share our demographics. Comments?
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/nyregion/mamdani-tax-rich-rally-dsa.html

WASHINGTON POST
— DD: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, virtually all my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats. They all knew that to keep their jobs and to get promoted, they had to not only be Democrats, but they had to help get rid of Republican employees. It is called political affiliation discrimination.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/13/trump-rally-gop-fort-bragg/

NBC BOSTON & MSN & BUZZFEED & BOSTON GLOBE
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use the Olympics to promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.nbcboston.com/uncovering-the-news/lgbtq-olympians-2/3897270/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/texas-olympic-figure-skater-received-threats-for-lgbtq-advocacy/ar-AA1VWxoR
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl/team-usa-figure-skater-amber-glenn-speaks-up-for-lgbtq-community-amid-trump-administration/ar-AA1VVRAv
https://www.buzzfeed.com/spenceralthouse/hottest-male-olympic-athletes-team-usa-2026
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/13/opinion/olympics-patriotism-athletes/

ORLANDO SENTINEL
— Scholarships unlock opportunities for college hopefuls. DD: Did you get any scholarships? I did not. My critics/opponents have always used that against me. My ACT score was only 24. I only just barely made it into the upper 20% of my class. I had to work my way through college. I spent far too many hours washing dishes and delivering mail instead of studying. That harmed my GPA and my job search.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2026/02/14/commentary-scholarships-unlock-opportunities-for-college-hopefuls/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— America Fell Out of Love With the Sedan. Detroit Wants to Bring It Back. With drivers looking for more affordable options, U.S. automakers are having second thoughts about abandoning the mass-market sedan. DD: My wife and I have always preferred sedans for daily driving. That is a big reason why we bought a used 2018 Chevrolet Cruze LT ( https://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/cruze/2018/st-401717636/features-specs/ ) and a new 2021 Chevrolet Malibu Premier ( https://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/malibu/2021/st-401861363/features-specs/ )
https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/sedans-cars-trucks-detroit-afb034ee

SIRM
— Transforming Career Setbacks Into Career Success. DD: What career setbacks have you suffered? My Democrat Post Office superiors forced me to resign when I was 20 years old in 1969. My Democrat Firestone Store boss fired me when I was 22. My Democrat IRS superiors a) disallowed my travel vouchers when I was 25, b) disallowed my education deductions when I was 29, and c) never promoted me beyond GS-12. My Democrat GAO superiors a) forced me to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS when I was 31, b) delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, c) always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, and d) forced me to retire when I was 49. They would not have taken the aforesaid adverse actions against me if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, and/or veteran. What political setbacks have you suffered? The Milton Township Republican Organization fired me as its webmaster in 2004 and 2010 and rejected my bid to serve as its treasurer in 2004, b) the Illinois Center Right Coalition almost censured me for my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters in 2006 and ended my membership on its Steering Committee in 2007, c) TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois ended my chairmanship in 2012, d) Wheaton ended my service as the Republican fundraiser for its Independence Day parades and fireworks in 2021, e) the Illinois Republican Party ended my membership on its State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee in 2024, f) the DuPage County Republican Central Committee (DCRCC) has barred me from attending in my role as the GOPUSA Illinois Editor the DCRCC Lincoln Day Dinner on February 27, g) etc. They would not have taken the aforesaid adverse actions against me if I had been a RINO, minority, female, younger, and/or veteran.
https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/hr-quarterly/transforming-career-setbacks-into-career-success

POLITICO
— ICE says federal agents appear to have lied about confrontation that led to shooting. Officers claimed they were attacked, prompting one to open fire.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/13/ice-minneapolis-shooting-assault-00780839

ATLANTIC
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) paint today’s Republicans as having been the Confederates in the Civil War and b) paint today’s Democrats as having been the Union Army in the Civil War.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/02/slavery-matt-walsh-1619-project/685982/

FROM FOREIGN SOURCES

UNION OF CATHOLIC ASIAN NEWS
— Conversion, marriage do not alter caste status, rules Indian court. DD: What caste were you born into? Neither of my parents attended college. My father was only the first of my ancestors to earn a high school diploma. He never made more than $50,000/year in today’s dollars  He almost always worked second jobs to pay the family’s bills. He died suddenly when he was 47 and I was 21. My mother never attended high school.  Because that dramatically lowered her earning potential, she stayed home and raised me and my brother.
https://www.ucanews.com/news/conversion-marriage-do-not-alter-caste-status-rules-indian-court/111904

SUN
— Luxury car drivers are blasted by neighbors for adding ‘obnoxious’ eyesore to their homes – it’s part of annoying trend. One homeowner’s dream garage is another’s backyard nightmare. DD: I have owned 2 or more cars since I was 23 in 1971. I owned 3 cars for 6 months when I was 25. I have owned 3 or more cars since I was 29. I have owned 4 or more cars since I was 41. Storing those cars in garages has always been a problem. Because of car storage limitations, regret that I sold my 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS in 2005, my 1968 Dodge Charger R/T in 2005, my 2016 Ford Mustang in 2023, etc. Currently, my wife and I store 4 cars in our 3-car garage home and 5 cars in our Iron Gate Motor Condo in Naperville. Were it not for inheritances, we would not own so many cars or the condo.
https://www.the-sun.com/motors/13720067/luxury-car-drivers-neighbors-garage-eyesore-row/