FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Mayor Brandon Johnson’s upcoming testimony before Congress will unfold in an arena of political risk — and theater
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/02/mayor-brandon-johnsons-upcoming-testimony-before-congress-will-unfold-in-an-arena-of-political-risk-and-theater/
— Democrat leaders organize a protest against Trump.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/01/at-rally-in-st-charles-protestors-decry-trump-policies-show-support-for-ukraine/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/01/judge-blocks-trump-trans-youth-care-order/
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly use DEI to get rid of Republicans who are conservative, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America fora long time.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/02/column-reverse-discrimination-marlean-ames-page/
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/21/heidi-stevens-banning-dei-and-race-based-programs-in-schools-chips-away-at-the-very-mission-of-education/
NBC5
— Pentagon sending about 3,000 more active-duty troops to the US-Mexico border. Already, about 9,200 U.S. troops in total are at the southern border, including 4,200 deployed under federal orders and about 5,000 National Guard troops under the control of governors.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/pentagon-sending-3000-active-duty-troops-us-mexico-border/3686444/
— Zelenskyy’s fiery White House visit gets ‘SNL’ cold open treatment. The sketch featured comedian Mike Myers as billionaire Elon Musk.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/zelenskyys-white-house-visit-snl-cold-open/3686448/
— To get more votes from Blacks, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote reparations. To promote reparations, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout at Blacks that all the problems that Blacks have are caused by 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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkEr7AI_JBg
— Trump objected to Zelenskyy’s tone and body language in Oval Office clash, White House says
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/business/money-report/trump-objected-to-zelenskyys-tone-and-body-language-in-oval-office-clash-white-house-says/3686305/
CBS2
— Democrat leaders organize a protest against Trump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZx_r7TE9NY
— Judge rules head of federal watchdog agency fired by Trump must keep job. A judge has ruled the head of a federal watchdog agency must stay in his job, saying President Trump’s bid to remove the special counsel was unlawful. (COMMENT: While I was a federal employee for almost 30 years, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel had no problem with my Democrat GAO, IRS, and Post Office superiors taking big adverse actions against me a) because I complained about their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination or b) because I became an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged my Democrat GAO superiors with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/judge-rules-head-of-federal-watchdog-agency-fired-by-trump-must-keep-job/
WGN9
— Democrat leaders organize a protest against Trump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz0EBtMaqng
FOX32
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-sanctuary-city-explainer
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Multiple Republicans contemplate challenging Pritzker in 2026 (COMMENT: Aaron Del Mar is mentioned.)
https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/columns/jim-dey-multiple-republicans-contemplate-challenging-pritzker-in-2026/article_dc32bae0-f546-11ef-ab51-779479fadd55.html
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— The head of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel must remain in his job, a judge in Washington ruled on Saturday, saying Trump’s bid to remove him was unlawful. (COMMENT: While I was a federal employee for almost 30 years, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel had no problem with my Democrat GAO, IRS, and Post Office superiors taking big adverse actions against me a) because I complained about their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination or b) because I became an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged my Democrat GAO superiors with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation.)
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-judge-rules-head-of-watchdog-agency-must-keep-his-job-says-trumps-bid-to-oust-him-was-unlawful/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson sided with Hampton Dellinger, who leads the Office of Special Counsel, in a legal battle over the president’s authority to oust the head of the independent agency that’s likely headed back to the U.S. Supreme Court. Dellinger sued Trump last month after he was fired, even though the law says special counsels can be removed by the president “only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” Jackson, who was nominated to the bench by Democratic president Barack Obama, quickly reinstated Dellinger in the job while he pursued his case. Jackson rejected the Trump administration’s claims that the special counsel’s removal protections are unconstitutional because they prevent the president from rightfully installing his preferred agency head. The judge said allowing the president to remove the special counsel at will would have a chilling effect on his crucial duties, which include guarding the federal workforce from illegal personnel actions, such as retaliation for whistleblowing. “The Special Counsel is supposed to withstand the winds of political change and help ensure that no government servant of either party becomes the subject of prohibited employment practices or faces reprisals for calling out wrongdoing — by holdovers from a previous administration or by officials of the new one,” Jackson wrote in her decision.)
DAILY ILLINI
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly organize protests against Trump’s deportation policies. What if Republican leaders had organized protests against Biden’s invasion policies?
https://dailyillini.com/news-stories/university-news/protests-strikes/2025/03/01/psl-rally-trumps-deportation-policies/
WHEATON RECORD
— Democrat leaders organize a Wheaton College student protest against Trump
https://thewheatonrecord.com/2025/03/01/wheaton-prayer-demonstration-trump-tower/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— What is your Republican Precinct Committeeman/Captain going to do to help elect Republican candidates on the April 1, 2025 ballot in your precinct? In my DuPage County Milton Township Precinct 59 in Wheaton, I am going to hand-deliver campaign literature from Republican candidates and a marked copy of the sample ballot to the 400 residences in my precinct that have at least one Republican or Independent registered voter. I will use 800 mailing labels to do that. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— The more of the following that you are, the more that your critics/opponents use DEI against you: conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time. I am all of the aforesaid. I should write about the following who have used DEI against me the most: past and present a) leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party, b) Republican leaders of Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois, c) conservative leaders and activists, and d) religious leaders and activists. Of course, because political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination are illegal, the aforesaid use pretexts. I would focus on the pretexts that they have used to justify their adverse actions against me. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What do you say to those who work against those who share their demographics to curry favor with those who do not share their demographics? What do you say to those who falsely claim to religious, conservative, and/or Republican to give themselves standing to destroy those who are religious, conservative, and/or Republican? I should write about my critics/opponents who do the aforesaid. I would focus on those who have lots of religious, government, political, and/or financial clout in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois. I would focus on those who have had their operatives and their dupes take the biggest adverse actions against me lately. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— To harm you, what do your critics/opponents stress about you? My critics/opponents stress a) that I was a federal employee for almost 30 years, including almost 9 years for IRS, b) that my superiors took many big adverse actions against me and never promoted me beyond GS-13 even though I had 3 job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license, c) that my GAO superiors forced me to take their early retirement “offer” and that I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years, d) that so far, in today’s dollars, the Civil Service Retirement System has paid me more than $1.8 million dollars, e) that the federal government continues to pay 72% of my and my wife’s health care insurance premiums, f) that the Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO), let alone the DuPage County Republican Central Committee (DCRCC) and Illinois Republican Party (IRP) have never asked me to serve as an officer, g) that MTRO, DCRCC, and IRP leaders have taken many big adverse actions against me, h) that Republican leaders of Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois have taken many big adverse actions against me, i) that many religious and conservative leaders have taken many big adverse actions against me, j) that Illinois Center Right Coalition and TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois took big adverse actions against me, k) that many Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct blame me and blame my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters for their defeats, and l) that my demographics are terrible. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
JOHN KASS
— Zelensky the Fool
https://johnkassnews.com/zelensky-the-fool/
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Darin LaHood Interviewed on WGN Radio, Blames Putin for Starting the War
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/01/darin-lahood-interviewed-on-wgn-radio-blames-putin-for-starting-the-way/
— Evidence of Campaign Against Democrats’ Sales Tax in Kane County
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/01/evidence-of-campaign-against-democrats-sales-tax-in-kane-county/
— A Story about Lobbyists That You Won’t Read in Illinois
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/01/a-story-about-lobbyists-that-you-wont-read-in-illinois/
— Bribery Makes the Comics
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/01/bribery-makes-the-comics/
— Minutes from Administrative Services Committee Meeting on Increasing Peter Austin’s Salary to $250,000
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/01/minutes-from-administrative-services-committee-meeting-on-increasing-peter-austins-salary-to-250000/
— Schakowsky Joins Protest in Chicago
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/01/schakowsky-joins-protest-in-chicago/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— ICE has not yet arrested children in school under Trump
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/education/3333502/ice-no-children-arrested-school-education-leaders-trump/
NEW YORK POST
— Jamie Dimon’s woke demons won’t halt JPMorgan’s DEI
https://nypost.com/2025/03/02/business/jamie-dimons-woke-demons-wont-halt-jpmorgans-dei/
AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Donald Trump and the American Cultural Renaissance
https://amgreatness.com/2025/03/02/donald-trump-and-the-american-cultural-renaissance/
AMERICAN THINKER
— DEI Universities Defy Trump
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/03/dei_universities_defy_trump.html
BREITBART
— Rahm Emanuel on Chicago: We Have ‘Disaster’ on Crime in Some Dem Cities Due to Permissiveness
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2025/03/01/rahm-emanuel-on-chicago-we-have-disaster-on-crime-in-some-dem-cities-due-to-permissiveness/
ONE AMERICA NEWS
— Trump Administration Orders Military To Remove All DEI Content (COMMENT: How has DEI impacted you? My Democrat superiors in the federal government used DEI big time to waste my career and to get rid of me. My RINO superiors in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois continue to use DEI big time to get rid of me. I should write about that.)
https://www.oann.com/newsroom/trump-admin-orders-military-to-remove-all-dei-content/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
THE HILL
— Ever-increasingly, the mainstream news media acts like Democrat leaders pay it to do what it does, namely, demonize, denigrate, and condemn Republicans.
https://www.aol.com/news/trump-claims-media-paid-write-152811489.html
ASSOCIATED PRESS
— Protests erupt at Tesla stores nationwide over Musk’s role in Trump spending cuts
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/03/02/protests-erupt-at-tesla-stores-nationwide-over-musks-role-in-trump-spending-cuts/
REUTERS
— Anti-Musk protesters arrested outside New York Tesla dealership
https://www.reuters.com/video/watch/idRW556002032025RP1/
MSN
— Hollywood is run by Democrats who promote the Democrat Party platform
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/donald-trump-has-demonized-dei-practices-across-the-us-but-hollywood-will-fight-back-says-sitcom-alum/ar-AA1A3Pso
— Nine arrested at New York Tesla dealership as anti-Musk protests break out
https://www.msn.com/en-ae/money/news/nine-arrested-at-new-york-tesla-dealership-as-anti-musk-protests-break-out/ar-AA1A52H4
NBC NEWS
— ‘SNL’ recreates Trump-Zelenskyy clash, with appearance by Mike Myers as Musk
https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/snl-recreates-trump-zelenskyy-clash-appearance-mike-myers-musk-rcna194376
— ACLU sues Trump administration to halt immigrant transfers to Guantanamo
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/aclu-sues-trump-administration-halt-immigrant-transfers-guantanamo-rcna194358
CBS NEWS
— In the room where it happened: Trump advisers recall what led up to Oval Office confrontation
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-advisers-recall-what-led-up-to-oval-office-confrontation-volodymyr-zelenskyy/
NEW YORK TIMES
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: How Elon Musk Executed His Takeover of the Federal Bureaucracy. The operation was driven with a frenetic focus by the billionaire, who channeled his resentment of regulatory oversight into a drastic overhaul of government agencies. (COMMENT: There would be no need for DOGE if Gingrich had reformed and expanded GAO instead of gutting it.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/us/politics/musk-federal-bureaucracy-takeover.html
WASHINGTON POST
— Democrats say “How the Trump-Zelensky Oval Office meeting spiraled into chaos.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/01/how-trump-zelensky-oval-office-meeting-spiraled-into-chaos/
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly force everyone in America to speak, read, and write Spanish. They want to make it illegal to employ anyone who does not speak, read, and write Spanish.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/03/01/trump-english-official-language-explainer/
USA TODAY
— Peter Navarro: Trump tariffs will save American jobs and level the playing field. Trump’s tariffs on aluminum imports is about far more than a trade battle. It’s a fight for the survival of an essential American industry. (COMMENT: My brother lost manufacturing jobs because of unfair foreign competition.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2025/02/28/trump-tariffs-aluminum-steel-canada-mexico-economy/80694166007/
— ‘Illegal actions’? Trump tried to remove officials who could save federal workers’ jobs (COMMENT: While I was a federal employee for almost 30 years, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel had no problem with my Democrat GAO, IRS, and Post Office superiors taking big adverse actions against me a) because I complained about their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination or b) because I became an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged my Democrat GAO superiors with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/28/trump-firing-federal-employees-labor-board/79339420007/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The fired officials, all nominated by Democrat Joe Biden and confirmed to fixed terms by the Senate, have sued Trump and his administration in an effort to be reinstated, saying their firings are illegal. Judges have temporarily reinstated two of them. The officials run independent agencies that were designed by Congress to be the only place that federal workers can go to challenge a firing. The firings came right before Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency fired thousands of probationary, early-hire status employees. . .The law created the Office of Special Counsel as an independent agency whose head, the Special Counsel, is nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate to serve a set term but cannot be removed on a whim. The office is designed to be a first stop for federal employees who think they’ve been unlawfully fired, especially as a result of whistleblowing. The Special Counsel can make requests on employees’ behalf to the Merit Systems Protection Board, the same way a prosecutor would make a case to a judge. The three-member board can then decide on whether a firing was wrongful. Presidents nominate board members to terms, and the Senate confirms them, in a similar system designed to be insulated from politics. Permanent workers can also go directly to the Merit Systems Protection Board in order to get a decision on a wrongful firing, but probationary employees can only get there if the Office of Special Counsel represents them.)
— ‘Inseminated person’ vs. ‘mother’? Dems keep proving they’ve lost common sense
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/02/28/inseminated-person-wisconsin-evers/80491973007/
— Trump’s federal workforce cuts: A timeline of firings and court reversals (COMMENT: I should write about Republican GAO workforce cuts 1980-1997.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/03/01/key-dates-trump-federal-workers-firings/80835324007/
— I’m a veteran and I worked with USAID. It is essential to our national security. Trump and Musk are destroying a vital tool of American soft power – a tool that protects US interests at home and abroad.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2025/03/01/cutting-usaid-trump-musk-demonizing-patriots/80259032007/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Executive Orders Put Trump’s Opponents on Back Foot. Most of president’s efforts remain standing, after advisers rewrote 2017 playbook.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/all-gas-executive-orders-put-trumps-opponents-on-back-foot-ddae594b
INDIA TODAY
— Trump touts ‘record-low’ illegal immigration numbers: Invasion of US is over
https://www.indiatoday.in/world/us-news/story/trump-touts-record-low-illegal-immigration-numbers-invasion-of-us-is-over-2687666-2025-03-02
Tag: Republican
March 1, 2025 Evening Edition
WHITE HOUSE
— Designating English as the Official Language of The United States
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/designating-english-as-the-official-language-of-the-united-states/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Proposed Medicaid cuts could put nearly 1M Illinois residents at risk of losing coverage. A Humboldt Park Health official said people can expect much longer wait times in the emergency room if the cuts are approved.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/medicaid-illinois-chicago-protest-today-proposed-cuts-held-humboldt-park-health/15966039/
WGN9
— How many federal employees are there in Illinois? (COMMENT: I was a federal employee in Illinois for almost 30 years.)
https://wgntv.com/news/illinois/how-many-federal-employees-are-there-in-missouri-and-illinois/
FOX32
— From Trump’s electoral win to now: Chicago’s sanctuary city status tested amid ICE arrests
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-ice-raids-impact-brandon-johnson-sanctuary-city-donald-trump
WGN RADIO
— Tax attorney on the firing of over 6,000 IRS employees
https://wgnradio.com/home-sweet-home-chicago/tax-attorney-on-the-firing-of-over-6000-irs-employees/
DAILY HERALD
— As the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget Director Alexis Sturm warned a House committee that uncertainty about President Donald Trump’s economic and administrative policies could affect Illinois revenue, the president announced new tariffs will take effect Tuesday on imports from some of Illinois’ top trading partners.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250301/news/as-the-governors-office-of-management-and-budget-director-alexis-sturm-warned-a-house-committee-tha/
GENESCO REPUBLIC
— U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-17, to bring Illinois veteran James Diaz who lost his job in DOGE cuts to State of the Union (COMMENT: I lost my GAO job when I was 49 years old in 1997 because of Republican budget cuts. While both Diaz and I are Republicans and former IRS employees, Diaz is Hispanic, disabled, and a veteran.)
https://www.geneseorepublic.com/story/news/2025/02/28/illinois-veteran-victim-of-doge-cuts-to-attend-state-of-the-union/80871431007/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: James Diaz, a disabled veteran, will attend the State of the Union as a guest of Rep. Eric Sorensen to raise awareness about job cuts.
Diaz was laid off from his IRS job after serving in the military and working in the private sector. Sorensen believes Diaz’s story highlights the negative impact of budget cuts on hardworking Americans and veterans.)
NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO
— Trump is a professional wrestling fan. Here’s how his politics echo the sport
https://www.northernpublicradio.org/2025-03-01/trump-is-a-professional-wrestling-fan-heres-how-his-politics-echo-the-sport
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Musk defends DOGE, blasts Social Security in marathon Rogan appearance
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/1/elon-musk-defends-doge-blasts-social-security-marathon-rogan/
WAHINGTON EXAMINER
— Trump signs executive order establishing English as the US’s official language
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/3334514/trump-executive-order-establishing-english-us-official-language/
— Pentagon surging more soldiers, combat vehicles to the southern border
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/immigration/3334491/pentagon-surging-more-soldiers-combat-vehicles-to-the-southern-border/
BREITBART
— Donald Trump Declares Victory Over Biden’s Migrant Flood
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/03/01/donald-trump-declares-victory-over-bidens-migrant-flood/
DAILY WIRE
— ‘Invasion Of Our Country Is Over’: U.S. Sees Record Low Number Of Illegal Entries In February. Defense Secretary Hegseth said that the U.S. would gain “100% operational control” over the border.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/invasion-of-our-country-is-over-u-s-records-record-low-number-of-illegal-entries-in-february
EPOCH TIMES
— Federal Employees et 2nd Round of ‘Pulse Check’ Emails Requesting List of Accomplishments. Roughly 1 million of the 2.3 million federal employees responded to the first email. (COMMENT: I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. To get rid of me, my Democrat superiors ever-increasingly under-employed me, that is, they ever-increasingly gave me job assignments with lesser and lesser and lesser responsibilities, that is, they ever-increasingly demoted me. My Democrat GAO superiors were beyond furious when the manager who had arranged my transfer from IRS in 1980 and who was finally able to assign me to audits of IRS, promoted me when I was 38 years old in 1986. They forced him to retire in 1987, they threw me off audits of IRS in late 1988, and they gave me an extremely inappropriate and bad job assignment and unfair performance expectations and appraisal in 1989. They would not have been able to do the aforesaid if GAO had been unionized. They somewhat backed off on their efforts to get rid of me after my Congressman Henry Hyde came to my defense later in 1989.)
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/federal-workers-get-2nd-round-of-pulse-check-emails-requesting-list-of-accomplishments-5818411
FOX NEWS
— Some of Illinois Wants to Join Indiana
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6369498112112
LEGAL INSURRECTION
— Prof Sues University of Illinois Chicago, Alleging it Discriminated Against Him as a ‘White Male.’ “It was very clear that he was not welcome there because of the color of his skin and the fact that he was a white male.”
https://legalinsurrection.com/2025/03/prof-sues-u-illinois-chicago-alleging-it-discriminated-against-him-as-a-white-male/
PJ MEDIA
— Trump’s Border Success, Other Wins Put Dems to Shame
https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2025/03/01/trumps-border-success-puts-dems-to-shame-n4937461
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Amid Trump crackdown, illegal border crossings plunge to levels not seen in decades
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/illegal-crossings-plunge-to-levels-not-seen-in-decades-amid-trump-crackdown/
NEW YORK TIMES
— Employment is a zero sum-game. For every employee who gets a promotion, there is one who does not. I should write about all my coworkers who my Democrat GAO, IRS, and Post Office superiors promoted over me. They all were Democrats who 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. They all were Democrats who were minority, female, younger, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/world/asia/trump-zero-sum-world.html
February 27, 2025 Evening Edition
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— DuPage Co. Sheriff James Mendrick to run for governor of Illinois
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-elections-2026-dupage-county-sheriff-james-mendrick-announces-candidacy-governor/15959495/
— Audit finds Illinois’ noncitizen health care programs far outstripped original cost estimates
https://abc7chicago.com/post/audit-finds-illinois-migrant-health-care-programs-far-outstripped-original-cost-estimates-pritzker-has-proposed-cutting-1/15959981/
NBC5
— DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick announces run for Illinois governor. Mendrick is the first candidate to officially declare his candidacy in the 2026 race.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/dupage-county-sheriff-james-mendrick-announces-run-for-illinois-governor/3685170/
— Chicago mayor among those quoted in video ahead of hearing on sanctuary city status. Johnson preparing to testify about sanctuary city status.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-mayor-among-those-quoted-in-video-ahead-of-hearing-on-sanctuary-city-status/3685037/
FOX32
— DuPage County sheriff announces run for Illinois Governor
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/dupage-county-sheriff-james-mendrick-illinois-governor
— Duckworth lays into Trump over veteran layoffs: ‘middle finger to our heroes’
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/duckworth-trump-veteran-layoffs
WGN9
— Musk dominates, disparages federal workers at first Trump Cabinet meeting (COMMENT: What is your attitude toward federal employees and retirees? I was a federal employee for almost 30 years and I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years.)
https://wgntv.com/news/musk-dominates-disparages-federal-workers-at-first-trump-cabinet-meeting/
— This salary is needed to be ‘upper-middle class’ in Illinois, study says
https://wgntv.com/news/illinois/this-salary-is-needed-to-be-upper-middle-class-in-illinois-study-says/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: According to GoBankingRates, an individual living in Illinois needs to make a salary of at least “$127,092” to be considered upper middle class. The study determined the state’s middle-class income range to be $54,468 to $163,404. Anything lower is presumably considered working-class, while anything higher is presumably considered upper-class.
WTTW
— Audit Finds Illinois’ Noncitizen Health Care Programs Far Outstripped Original Cost Estimates
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/27/audit-finds-illinois-noncitizen-health-care-programs-far-outstripped-original-cost
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick seeking GOP bid for Illinois governor in 2026
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/27/dupage-county-sheriff-james-mendrick-running-for-governor/
— As Trump’s deadline to eliminate DEI nears, few schools openly rush to make changes
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/27/trump-dei-schools/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Mendrick made the announcement early Thursday morning via social media. He added he will not run for his third term as DuPage County sheriff next year. “We need a secure future for our state and we will make Chicago and Illinois safe again,” he said on social media. The next Illinois gubernatorial election will be held in November 2026.)
— Chicago faith and civic leaders encourage people to participate in nationwide ‘Blackout Friday’
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/27/chicago-faith-leaders-blackout-friday/
DAILY HERALD
— DuPage sheriff James Mendrick announces he will run for governor in 2026
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250227/illinois-state-politics/dupage-sheriff-announces-he-will-run-for-governor-in-2026/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Prompted by what he calls “radical” changes in Illinois’ criminal justice system, DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick is skipping a potential third term as the county’s top cop and setting his sights instead on the governor’s mansion. Mendrick, a Republican from Woodridge, announced Thursday he will run for Illinois governor in the 2026 election. He’s the first candidate to formally declare for the race. In a phone interview Thursday, Mendrick said he’s been thinking about running for about two years, as he’s watched legislation like the state’s SAFE-T Act — which eliminated the cash bail system in Illinois — have what he sees as negative impacts on law and order. “It’s been very frustrating to me to see how many people (charged with a crime) are being let go, and the judges are saying they can’t do anything about it because of the law,” he said. “I’ve been in law enforcement 29 years — it will be 30 when I end my term as sheriff — and I’ve seen a lot of changes, but nothing as radical as the last four years.” Besides putting potentially dangerous people back on the streets, Mendrick said the law deprives defendants of opportunities to take part in his jail’s rehabilitation efforts, such as a gang tattoo removal program that’s received national acclaim. Mendrick first announced his intentions Thursday in an interview on WLS-AM’s Ray Stevens show and a Facebook post. He took aim at Gov. JB Pritzker in the latter, accusing the two-term Democrat of imposing policies that conflict with federal law and make communities less safe. “My family and I have decided that we want our State back,” he wrote. “We don’t like being fearful of crime that is randomly occurring now in our streets, homes and our retail stores due to soft on crime legislation. We don’t want to move out of Illinois like so much of our population. “Our culture is being eliminated by senseless laws created by our current government that persecutes cops and empowers criminals,” he added. “I’m here to stop the bleed.” Pritzker has not said whether he will run again in 2026. With a growing national profile as an outspoken opponent of President Donald Trump, his name also has been floated as a possible Democratic nominee for president in 2028. Press secretary Alex Gough said via email Thursday that nothing has changed regarding Pritzker’s reelection plans, and declined to comment on Mendrick’s announcement. Mendrick acknowledges that running for governor is a costly proposition, especially if he ultimately faces off with a self-funded billionaire like Pritzker. Even so, he said he didn’t make much effort to contact Republican leadership to line up support and fundraising before Thursday. “I think my message is strong enough that it will draw support,” he said, adding that he’s already been inundated with calls and messages from people offering support. “It’s overwhelming, but overwhelming in a good way.” DuPage GOP leaders said they’re excited about Mendick’s campaign and optimistic about its prospects. “It will be exciting to have one of our own from DuPage County on the top of the ticket,” said Kevin Coyne, chair of the DuPage County Republicans. “Crime is a top concern for Illinois voters, and no one can speak to that better than Sheriff Mendrick,” he added. “I think he has the ability to make it a competitive race.” Jim Zay, a longtime DuPage County Board member and former chairman of the DuPage GOP, said the decision to run for governor is something that Mendrick is “not taking lightly.” “I know Jim and many of us have been frustrated with the direction of Illinois for a while,” said Zay, a Carol Stream Republican. “He felt strongly enough with his views that he can make a difference and change the direction in which the state’s going. With his plans to leave the sheriff’s office next year, Mendrick said he will support Undersheriff Eddie Moore as his successor. “He has no equal in a race for DuPage County Sheriff,” he wrote on Facebook.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250227/illinois-state-politics/dupage-sheriff-announces-he-will-run-for-governor-in-2026/
SOUTHERN
— DHS registry for migrants in US illegally raises alarm from immigration advocates (COMMENT: Democrats and RINOs are illegal immigration advocates.)
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/27/dhs-registry-for-migrants-in-us-illegally-raises-alarm-from-immigration-advocates/
— Economists say Trump tariff threats, DOGE job cuts are ‘chilling’ the economy
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/27/economists-say-trump-tariff-threats-doge-job-cuts-are-chilling-the-economy/
JOURNAL COURIER
— Lawsuit threatens Illinois minority teachers scholarship (COMMENT: My critics/opponents have always used my not getting any scholarships against me.)
https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/pritzker-minority-teacher-scholarship-lawsuit-20189556.php
NEWS CHANNEL 20
— Illinois lawmakers debate gun insurance requirement
https://newschannel20.com/news/local/illinois-lawmakers-debate-gun-insurance-requirement
CAPITOL FAX
— DuPage County sheriff says he’s running for governor
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/27/dupage-county-sheriff-says-hes-running-for-governor/
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/27/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-257/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
JOIHN BIVER
— Searching for Willie Brown
https://johnbiver.com/searching-for-willie-brown/
ILLINOIS REVIEW
— Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill that would decriminalize prostitution
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2025/02/illinois-lawmakers-consider-bill-to-legalize-adult-services-industry.html
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump endorses DOGE, email as Musk dominates Cabinet meeting
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/26/donald-trump-defends-elon-musk-email-doge-cabinet-meeting/
WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
— Americans Overwhelmingly Support Israel’s Right to Defend Itself, Poll Finds. Eighty-two percent of U.S. adults also believe that Hamas should be removed from power.
https://freebeacon.com/israel/americans-overwhelmingly-support-israels-right-to-defend-itself-poll-finds/
DAILY SIGNAL
— 71% of Americans Favor Removing Illegals From Medicaid, Adding Work Requirements
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/27/71-americans-favor-removing-illegals-medicaid-adding-work-requirements/
HOT AIR
— Trump Ending Benefits to Illegals Is a Game Changer
https://hotair.com/headlines/2025/02/27/trump-ending-benefits-to-illegals-is-a-game-changer-n3800234
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
YAHOO NEWS
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly promote Duckworth.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/sen-tammy-duckworths-lived-experience-142350169.html
FLORIDA POLITICS
— Who will run for Byron Donalds’ seat in Congress?
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/723169-who-will-run-for-byron-donalds-seat-in-congress/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Former Illinois state Sen. Jim Oberweis could also jump in. The investment manager and frequent CNBC guest now lives in Southwest Florida and could bring an opportunity to self-fund. Catalina Lauf, another former Illinois congressional candidate who worked in the Commerce Department under Trump, has also moved to Florida and been suggested as a possible candidate.)
February 25, 2025 Evening Edition
WHITE HOUSE
— Sick Politicians Want Killers, Rapists Roaming Our Streets
https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/02/sick-politicians-want-killers-rapists-roaming-our-streets/
— Statement on Trump White House Victory Against the Associated Press
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/02/statement-on-trump-white-house-victory-against-the-associated-press/
— New Poll Shows Massive Support for President Trump and His Agenda
https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/02/new-poll-shows-massive-support-for-president-trump-and-his-agenda/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Federal employees may get more demands to justify their work at Elon Musk’s direction
https://abc7chicago.com/post/president-donald-trump-backs-musk-he-roils-federal-workforce-demands-threats/15953583/
— Is Mayor Brandon Johnson is ready to defend Chicago’s sanctuary city law to Congress?
https://abc7chicago.com/post/ex-congressman-luis-guttierez-questions-chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-is-ready-defend-sanctuary-city-law-congress/15954965/
— Rudy Giuliani satisfies Fulton County election workers’ $148 million defamation case
https://abc7chicago.com/post/rudy-giuliani-satisfies-fulton-county-election-workers-148-million-defamation-case/15952884/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Search for next US attorney in Chicago underway, again, in dramatically changed landscape (COMMENT: My critics/opponents have always stressed that my Republican U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald appointed U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald who sided with my Democrat GAO superiors in Diersen v. GAO. Previously, Peter Fitzgerald also appointed Amy St. Eve to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois who also sided with my Democrat GAO superiors. To side with my Democrat GAO superiors is to promote Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, to promote race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/25/search-for-next-us-attorney-in-chicago-underway-again-in-dramatically-changed-landscape/
— Democrat leaders always hint/imply/argue/shout that Republicans are responsible for racist graffiti
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/25/officials-promise-immediate-consequences-after-racist-graffiti-found-at-oak-park-and-river-forest-high-school/
— Social Security says higher payments are on the way for millions of former public workers
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/25/social-security-payments/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: More than 3.2 million Social Security recipients who received pensions from their time as teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public service jobs will soon see a boost in their benefits. Most people will receive their one-time retroactive payment by the end of March, and new monthly payments will begin in April, the agency says. The Social Security Administration announced it would immediately begin processing retroactive payments and will send increased monthly payments to people affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, which were rescinded in the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act that former President Joe Biden signed into law last year. The Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset limited Social Security benefits for recipients if they got retirement payments from other sources, including public retirement programs from a state or local government. Advocates say the Social Security Fairness Act rights a decades-old disparity, though it also puts a strain on Social Security Trust Funds, which face a looming insolvency crisis.)
— Apple shareholders reject proposal to scrap company’s diversity programs
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/25/apple-diversity-programs-2/
— Federal employees may get more demands to justify their work at Elon Musk’s direction
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/25/federal-employees-elon-musk/
— Elon Musk renews threat to fire federal workers despite pushback from various agencies
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/25/elon-musk-federal-workers/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Rep. LaHood calls Trump policies a ‘priority’ as he opens search for new top federal prosecutor. The Peoria Republican also noted that the Northern District of Illinois has gone more than 22 months without a confirmed U.S. attorney.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2025/02/25/lahood-opens-u-s-attorney-search-by-calling-trump-policies
— Anticipate/expect that hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters will ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout that rump is a Nazi. To hint/imply/argue/shout that someone is a Nazi in America today is like hinting/implying/arguing/shouting that someone is a Jew in Germany in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-the-editor/2025/02/25/pritzker-trump-comparison-nazi-hitler-academic-commentary
— With intensifying assaults on the press, is it time for a ‘NATO for news’? To protect the free press in America, we need to agree that “an attack on one is an attack on all.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/02/24/president-donald-trump-assault-press-news-media-associated-press-ap-nato-news-jim-friedlich
DAILY HERALD
— Wheaton College in political, religious crosshairs over congratulating Trump appointee
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250225/news/wheaton-college-in-political-religious-crosshairs-over-congratulating-trump-appointee/
— Some GOP lawmakers start to call out DOGE — carefully
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250225/nation-and-world-politics/some-gop-lawmakers-start-to-call-out-doge-carefully/
— College of DuPage to host College Poll Worker Recruitment Summit April 11
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250224/submitted-content/college-of-dupage-to-host-college-poll-worker-recruitment-summit-april-11/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Who will be Chicago’s next U.S. attorney? Rep. LaHood is taking applications.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/darin-lahood-kicks-search-chicagos-us-attorney
SHAW LOCAL
— White House says it ‘will decide’ which news outlets cover Trump, rotating some traditional ones
https://www.shawlocal.com/news/2025/02/25/white-house-says-it-will-decide-which-news-outlets-cover-trump-rotating-some-traditional-ones/
ALTON TELEGRAPH
— Apple shareholders reject proposal to scrap company’s diversity programs
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/politics/article/alert-apple-shareholders-reject-proposal-to-20186932.php
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— DeSantis talks up his wife as next Florida governor. Here’s what to know about Casey.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-as-desantis-talks-up-his-wife-as-next-florida-governor-heres-what-to-know-about-casey/
NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO
— Rollback of diversity efforts leaves teachers wondering about effects on Black History Month
https://www.northernpublicradio.org/2025-02-25/rollback-of-diversity-efforts-leaves-teachers-wondering-about-effects-on-black-history-month
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Pritzker positions himself at forefront of Trump opposition by invoking Nazis’ rise to power
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/pritzker-positions-himself-at-forefront-of-trump-opposition-by-invoking-nazis-rise-to-power/
— Lawsuit threatens Illinois minority teachers scholarship. Conservative group seeks to overturn race-based financial aid. (COMMENT: My critics/opponents have always used my not getting any scholarships against me.)
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/lawsuit-threatens-illinois-minority-teachers-scholarship/
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Edgar disses Trump
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/25/edgar-battles-cancer-disses-trump-00205911
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/25/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-255/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Milena McConchie, Wife of Recently Resigned State Senator Dan McConchie Succumbs to Cancer from Chernobyl Radiation, R.I.P.
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/25/milena-mcconchie-wife-of-recently-resigned-state-senator-dan-mcconchie-succumbs-to-cancer-from-chernobyl-radiation-r-i-p/
— Carbondale Retreats To Keep Sidewalk Counseling Case Out of U.S. Supreme Court
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/25/carbondale-retreats-to-keep-sidewalk-counseling-case-out-of-u-s-supreme-court/
— Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy “My Way or the Highway” Funk Mails Out Newsletter Right Before Election Day
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/25/algonquin-township-supervisor-randy-my-way-or-the-highway-funk-mails-out-newsletter-right-before-election-day/
— Schakowsky Continues Picketing Agencies Musk Targets
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/25/schakowsky-continues-picketing-agencies-musk-targets/
— Federal Gun Dealer Takedown
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/25/federal-gun-dealer-takedown/
— State Reps Reick and Keicher Set Tele-Town Hall Meeting February 26th
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/25/state-reps-reick-and-keicher-set-tele-town-hall-meeting-february-26th/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— DHS warns illegal immigrants to self-deport
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/25/dhs-warns-illegal-immigrants-self-deport/
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Chicago keeps electing Democrats to disastrous results
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/beltway-confidential/3329826/chicago-keeps-electing-democrats-disastrous-results/
— Hospitals conducting transgender procedures on children supported by billions in taxpayer dollars
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3329731/hospitals-transgender-procedures-children-billions-taxpayer-dollars/
NEW YORK POST
— Trump administration ends use of controversial app to allow migrants to fly without ID
https://nypost.com/2025/02/25/us-news/trump-administration-ends-use-of-app-to-allow-migrants-to-board-flights-without-id/
CITY JOURNAL
— How Universities Get Away With Hiring Radicals. Fellow-to-faculty programs have seeded academia with activists.
https://www.city-journal.org/article/universities-fellow-to-faculty-programs-activists
DAILY WIRE
— Nearly 100 Illegals Captured In Colony Ridge Deportation Raids. Border Czar Tom Homan said “several child sexual predators” were arrested in the Texas development.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/nearly-100-illegals-captured-in-colony-ridge-deportation-raids
NATIONAL REVIEW
— Homan Wants to Double ICE Footprint in Sanctuary Cities. Musk Is Helping Him Get There.
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/tom-homan-wants-to-double-ice-footprint-in-sanctuary-cities-elon-musk-is-helping-him-get-there/
NEWS BUSTERS
— The View Celebrates Black History Month By Promoting Discredited 1619 Project
https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2025/02/25/view-celebrates-black-history-month-promoting-discredited
ONE AMERICA NEWS
— DHS Secretary Noem Says She Discovered Some Officials ‘Tipping Off’ Illegals About Deportation Plans: ‘They Will Be Fired’
https://www.oann.com/newsroom/dhs-secretary-noem-says-she-discovered-some-officials-tipping-off-illegals-about-deportation-plans-they-will-be-fired/
WESTERN JOURNAL
— Poetic Justice: Obama Library Delayed – Discrimination Lawsuits, Environmental Injunctions, Enrichment Allegations
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/poetic-justice-obama-library-delayed-discrimination-lawsuits-environmental-injunctions-enrichment-allegations/ar-AA1zCG31
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Federal workers urge congressional lawmakers to reverse job cuts
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-workers-urge-congressional-lawmakers-to-reverse-job-cuts/
— Case surge from fired federal workers jams federal board
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/case-surge-from-fired-federal-workers-jams-merit-systems-protection-board/
NTD
— House Hearing on ‘The Government Accountability Office’s 2025 High-Risk List’
https://www.ntd.com/live-1-pm-et-house-hearing-on-the-government-accountability-offices-2025-high-risk-list_1049779.html
WASHINGTON POST
— What has Trump done today?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2025/trump-administration-actions/
USA TODAY
— Trump pitches $5 million gold card path to citizenship for foreign investors
https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/politics/2025/02/25/trump-pitches-gold-card-path-to-citizenship-for-foreign-investors/80355877007/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Trump Proposes Fines, Prison Time for Migrants Who Don’t Join Registry. Administration plans to establish registration website as soon as this week.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-immigration-migrant-registry-jail-time-95c405a7
POLITICO
— White House says it will determine which reporters have access to the president
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/trump-white-house-press-pool-access-00206001
PBS
— Elon Musk may direct more demands on federal employees to justify their work
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/elon-musk-may-direct-more-demands-on-federal-employees-to-justify-their-work
RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— Is Trump Acting Like a Dictator? 74% of Democrats Say So
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/is_trump_acting_like_a_dictator_74_of_democrats_say_so
February 25, 2025
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Federal employees in Chicago react to confusion over ‘disrespectful’ Musk email request. Trump administration also looking to sell off a number of government-owned buildings, including a couple in Chicago. (COMMENT: I worked in the Kluczynski building 1973-1980 for IRS and then for GAO 1980-1981. If I was still working for GAO, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates would have killed me by now figuratively if not literally.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/federal-employees-chicago-react-confusion-disrespectful-president-donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-email-request/15952453/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Some people working in the Kluczynski federal building were walking on eggshells Monday morning. One 40-year Treasury Department veteran did not want to go on camera, but called the current climate “overwhelming and mentally distressing.”)
FOX32
— USPS rallies against Trump’s possible agency takeover. “Fight like hell” is what USPS workers are saying in response to President Donald Trump’s proposal to take over the agency. (COMMENT: I worked for the Democrats who ran the Post Office 1966-1969.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1598376
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly crow about their success in manipulating and in dominating religious leaders.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1598601
WGN RADIO
— OPM tells HR leaders that response to Musk is ‘voluntary’
https://wgnradio.com/news/opm-tells-hr-leaders-that-response-to-musk-is-voluntary/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— US refuses to blame Russia for Ukraine war, splitting with European allies in UN votes
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/24/us-russia-ukraine-war/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Former two-term Gov. Jim Edgar diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/24/former-gov-jim-edgar-pancreatic-cancer/
CHICAGO SUN-TMES
— ALL OF THE FRONT PAGE: Trump’s cozying up to Russia comes as ‘slap in the face’ to Ukrainian Americans in Chicago. “It’s a betrayal of that ideal that I believe made America what it is — a place in the world where those that don’t have hope can look forward to hope,” said Walter Tun, whose Ukrainian parents immigrated to the U.S. after World War II.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/ukraine/2025/02/24/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-russia-ukraine-war-third-anniversary-chicago-ukrainians
— Passengers at O’Hare know flying is safe, but some have concerns after plane crashes (COMMENT: I often flew out of O’Hare a) as a GAO employee 1980-1997 and b) with my wife on her business trips to luxury resorts 1978-1992.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/transportation/2025/02/24/air-travel-safety-anxiety-transportation
DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE: Sooner or later, if not already, under the Democrats and under the RINOs, everyone in America will a) be handing out welfare and/or b) receiving welfare.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250224/news/new-building-expands-peoples-resource-centers-capacity/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly spin everything negatively against Trump.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/crains-forum-whats-ahead-medicaid/medicaid-funding-cuts-could-hit-illinois-hard
SOUTHERN
— Democrats outline playbook to target House Republicans on Medicaid, budget and DOGE
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/25/democrats-outline-playbook-to-target-house-republicans-on-medicaid-budget-and-doge/
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— New bill would raise age in which Illinois seniors need to take a driving test
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/state/2025/02/25/new-bill-would-raise-age-illinois-seniors-need-to-take-driving-test/79226496007/
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Did Pritzker’s ‘Nazi’ ploy have intended effect for 2028?
https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/columns/jim-dey-did-pritzkers-nazi-ploy-have-intended-effect-for-2028/article_ec56f494-f2e5-11ef-9823-e7e608d77383.html
STATELINE
— No property tax on new homes? Rockford considers extending 3-year program (COMMENT: My wife and I had a home built in Wheaton in 1984. I should write about our fight to get its assessed valuation lowered because of construction defects and unrecorded easements. SEE: https://casetext.com/case/diersen-v-joe-keim-builders-inc )
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/no-property-tax-on-new-homes-rockford-considers-extending-3-year-program/
NPR ILLINOIS
— U.S. Office of Special Counsel asks for stay of terminations of six probationary federal employees fired over the past two weeks. (COMMENT: When I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980, my Democrat GAO superiors were furious that could not just fire me because I had served my probationary period working for IRS.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-24/federal-watchdog-agency-intervenes-in-trumps-purge-of-probationary-employees
AXIOS
— Illinois schools will teach LGBTQ+ history despite federal pushback
https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/02/25/illinois-schools-transgender-history-curriculum
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/25/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-461/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Pritzker’s budget proposal maintains spending levels on abortions (COMMENT: To vote for Democrats is to promote abortion.)
https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/extra/news/pritzker-s-budget-proposal-maintains-spending-levels-on-abortions/article_f47e1142-8cb7-547c-90c3-911d68a72187.html
WIREPOINTS
— Beyond the Nazi accusations. What you should know about Gov. Pritzker’s budget address
https://wirepoints.org/beyond-the-nazi-accusations-the-many-deflections-in-gov-pritzkers-2026-budget-address-wirepoints/
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Lakewood Set to Give Golf Discounts to All Sorts of Insiders
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/25/lakewood-set-to-give-golf-discounts-to-all-sorts-of-insiders/
— Fourth Mailing by Algonquin Township Road Commissioner Danijela Sandberg
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/25/fourth-mailing-by-algonquin-township-road-commissioner-danijela-sandberg/
— Politico Covers McHenry County GOPAC Fundraiser Featuring Lara Trump
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/25/politico-covers-mchenry-county-gopac-fundraiser-featuring-lara-trump/
— McLaughlin Calls Out Democrats for Again Seeking to End Flat Rate Income Tax
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/24/mclaughlin-calls-out-democrats-for-again-seeking-to-end-flat-rate-income-tax/
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— I am a platform Republican. To run for an office as a Republican is to obligate yourself to defend and advance the Republican Party platform if elected. I help elect Republican candidates because if they are elected, they are obligated to defend and advance the Republican Party platform. But sadly, if not outrageously, if not disgustingly, if not tragically, after they are elected as Republicans, far too many fail/refuse to defend/advance the Republican Party platform. But nevertheless, I continue to help elect them because Democrat elected officials are much worse. There are many RINOs, but there are virtually no DINOs. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What if you were ordered to report what you accomplished during the last 7 days? I put GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters together and sent them out. Between Tuesday, February 18, and Monday, February 24, they included links to 522 articles. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump and against those who share Trump’s demographics: conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, married, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America foe a long time. More than 77 million voted for Trump. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— GAO is supposed to be doing what DOGE does, plus much more. Bur GAO is just a shell of what it once was. That is because Gingrich gutted GAO instead of reforming it. Because of that, my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to 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, 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 them, and forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS in 1980. GAO did not unionize until 2007. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— The federal government is not nonpartisan. Virtually all federal employees are Democrats who despise/hate Republicans. For Democrats, the federal government exists to hire, to retain, and to promote Democrats. I should write about that. I would use as examples the three federal agencies that I worked for: GAO 1980-1997, IRS 1971-1980, and Post Office 1966-1969. I would use as examples the adverse actions that the aforesaid took against me to waste my career and to get rid of me because I was a Republican who complained about their use of budget cuts, up-or-out, subjectivity in job assignment and performance appraisal systems, 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 to not hire Republicans, to not retain Republicans, to not promote Republicans, and to get rid of Republicans. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Have you been collateral damage? I want to believe that my big GAO employment problems 1980-1997 were simply collateral damage caused by Republican budget cuts. But Hastert and my Republican U.S. Senators and Representatives not coming to my defense in Diersen v. GAO argues against that. It argues that they did not really oppose GAO’s political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination. It argues that they rejected the equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) plank in the Republican Party platform. According to my critics/opponents, they did not come to my defense because they believed that I was a bad employee. In my defense, while I worked for GAO, I earned two job-related master’s degrees, five job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. Previously, while I worked for IRS, I earned a job related master’s degree and a job-related professional certification. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— How much religious, political, government, and/or financial clout do your critics/opponents have. My critics/opponents have tremendous religious, political, government, and/or financial clout in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois. Because of that, virtually no one has come to my defense since I moved to Wheaton in 1978. Everyone especially fears my critics/opponents who I have sued and their lawyers. They are especially wealthy, vicious, and vindictive. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Musk forges ahead with DOGE demand for list of federal workers’ tasks. Says failure to respond a second time could result in firing.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/25/elon-musk-forges-ahead-doge-demand-list-federal-workers-tasks/
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Defunding the teacher trainers
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/equality-not-elitism/3328504/defunding-teacher-trainers/
AMERICAN CONSERVAIVE
— The Distraction of Mexico’s 10,000 Troops. The Mexican president must disband her country’s network of NGOs that bring millions of illegals to the U.S. border. (COMMENT: To send people into a country illegally is an act of war.)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-distraction-of-mexicos-10000-troops/
BREITBART
— Governors Ask President Trump to Let Them Import Foreign Workers
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/02/24/governors-ask-president-trump-to-let-them-import-foreign-workers/
— Survey Reveals Trump’s Mass Deportation Policy Has 62% Approval
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/02/24/nolte-survey-reveals-trumps-mass-deportation-policy-has-62-approval/
DAILY CALLER
— GOP Senator Suffers Brain Bleed After Slipping On Ice (COMMENT: Brain bleeds are very serious. The one that I suffered slipping on ice picking up newspapers on my driveway stopped me from putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters together and sending them out for a while. I still have not fully recovered and I probably never will.)
https://dailycaller.com/2025/02/25/gop-senator-suffers-brain-bleed-after-slipping-on-ice/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Republican North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer suffered a brain injury Sunday afternoon after slipping on ice in the backyard of his North Dakota home. Cramer, 64, said he was hospitalized and diagnosed with a “severe concussion, a seizure and a slight brain bleed” in a statement posted to Facebook Monday evening. He said he did not know when he plans to return to Washington, D.C., but that he could return quickly for a critical vote if necessary.
DAILY SIGNAL
— DOGE Follows GAO in ‘Identifying Trillions of Dollars Lost’ (COMMENT: I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997.)
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/24/comer-doge-follows-gao-identifying-trillions-dollars-lost/
EPOCH TIMES
— US Votes Against Ukraine-Drafted UN Resolution Seeking Full Russian Withdrawal (COMMENT: What does the Republican Party platform say about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?)
https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/us-votes-against-ukraine-drafted-un-resolution-seeking-full-russian-withdrawal-5815380
— Afrikaners Stand in Line for Trump’s Refugee Offer. Tens of thousands of white Afrikaners want to move to the United States to escape alleged racial persecution in South Africa. (COMMENT: But if a Democrat or RINO is elected U.S. President in 2028, America will immediately go back to discriminating against Whites, that is, America will immediately reinstate Affirmative Action and DEI.)
https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/afrikaners-stand-in-line-for-trumps-refugee-offer-5813397
FOX NEWS
— Noem ends Biden-era use of controversial app to allow migrants to board flights, except to self-deport. Trump ordered the shutdown of the CBP One app to parole migrants last month.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/noem-ends-biden-era-use-controversial-app-allow-migrants-board-flights-except-self-deport
— Woke actors have toxic empathy
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6369283984112
NATIONAL REVIEW
— Trump Agency Heads Ignore Musk’s Ultimatum to Federal Employees, in Farcical Episode
https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/02/trump-agency-heads-ignore-musks-ultimatum-to-federal-employees-in-farcical-episode/
TOWNHALL
— ‘Did Not Know It Was Even Possible to Go That Low’: You Won’t Believe Chicago Mayor’s Favorable Ratings
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/rebeccadowns/2025/02/24/did-not-know-it-was-even-possible-to-go-that-low-you-wont-believe-chicago-mayors-approval-rating-n2652711
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— The federal government is not nonpartisan. Virtually all federal employees are Democrats who despise/hate Republicans. For Democrats, the federal government exists to hire, to retain, and to promote Democrats. I should write about that. I would use as examples the three federal agencies that I worked for: GAO 1980-1997, IRS 1971-1980, and Post Office 1966-1969. I would use as examples the adverse actions that the aforesaid took against me to waste my career and to get rid of me because I was a Republican who complained about their use of budget cuts, up-or-out, subjectivity in job assignment and performance appraisal systems, 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 to not hire Republicans, to not retain Republicans, to not promote Republicans, and to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/opinion-america-s-civil-service-must-remain-nonpartisan/ar-AA1thDR8
CBS NEWS
— Trump praises Musk for email threatening termination to federal workers (COMMENT: Of course, my critics/opponents would stress to Trump a) that I was a federal employee for almost 30 years and that I was a union member for almost 12 of those years, b) that I never made GS-14 and that I was forced to retire early even though I had three job-related master’s degrees, six job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license, and c) that I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years.)
https://www.cbs19.tv/video/news/local/president-donald-trump-praises-elon-musk-for-email-threatening-termination-to-federal-workers/501-1e6be9de-a762-47cb-9db2-38ebc643c5e8
MSN
— Trump Didn’t Campaign on Decimating the Federal Government (COMMENT: Trump got elected by promising to defend and advance the Republican Party platform.)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/trump-didn-t-campaign-on-decimating-the-federal-government/ar-AA1zHNDh
— 10 Fast Cars From The ’60s That No One Talks About (COMMENT: The list includes 1962 Chevy Impala SS. I owned one 1989-2005. My Democrat GAO superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were furious that I bought and owned that collector car.)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/other/10-fast-cars-from-the-60s-that-no-one-talks-about/ar-AA1zB6kv
ASSOCIATED PRESS
— Ex-Secret Service agent and conservative media personality Dan Bongino picked as FBI deputy director (COMMENT: One of my close friends during the 1960s and 1970s was a Secret Service Agent.)
https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-bongino-patel-cad5f4ea22ada9768ea90a08168568d1
NEW YORK TIMES
— Musk deepened the confusion and alarm of workers across the federal government Saturday by ordering them to summarize their accomplishments for the week, warning that a failure to do so would be taken as a resignation. (COMMENT: What did your accomplish during the last week? I put GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters together and sent them out. Since Tuesday, February 18, 2025, they included links to 522 article.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/22/us/politics/elon-musk-email-federal-employees.html
— America and Russia Are on the Same Side Now
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/opinion/russia-europe-trump-vance.html
DALLAS NEWS
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly analogize illegals to runaway slaves.
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2025/02/25/why-are-christians-fleeing-persecution-among-trumps-deportees/
ORLANDO SENTINEL
— DeSantis creates a Florida DOGE to audit universities, local governments (COMMENT: GAO is supposed to be doing what DOGE does, plus much more. Bur GAO is just a shell of what it once was. That is because Gingrich gutted GAO instead of reforming it. Because of that, my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to 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, 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 them, and forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS in 1980. GAO did not unionize until 2007.)
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/02/24/desantis-to-create-a-florida-doge-to-audit-universities-local-governments/
KXLY
— USPS workers rally against Trump (COMMENT: I worked for the Democrats who ran the Post Office 1966-1969.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC18AT46N70
KGET
— Federal employee unions expand lawsuit to Musk firing threat if they don’t justify work (COMMENT: I was a union member while I worked for the Post Office 1966-1969 and for IRS 1971-1980. If GAO had been unionized when I worked for it 1980-1997, I might still be a GAO employee.)
https://www.kget.com/video/federal-employee-unions-expand-lawsuit-to-musk-firing-threat-if-they-don%e2%80%99t-justify-work/10484134/
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL
— Analyzing DOGE actions one month into Trump’s second administration (COMMENT: I want to believe that my big GAO employment problems 1980-1997 were simply collateral damage caused by Republican budget cuts. But Hastert and my Republican U.S. Senators and Representatives not coming to my defense in Diersen v. GAO argues against that. It argues that they did not really oppose GAO’s political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination. It argues that they rejected the equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) plank in the Republican Party platform. According to my critics/opponents, they did not come to my defense because they believed that I was a bad employee. In my defense, while I worked for GAO, I earned two job-related master’s degrees, five job-related professional certifications, and a job-related professional license. Previously, while I worked for IRS, I earned a job related master’s degree and a job-related professional certification.)
https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty-research/policy-topics/democracy-governance/analyzing-doge-actions-one-month-trumps-second
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Even if legal and institutional safeguards eventually rein in some of the collateral damage, it will take years for government to recover from the shocks of his tenure.)
FAST COMPANY
— Democrat and RINO employers use DEI a) to not hire Republicans and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://www.fastcompany.com/91282124/a-practical-guide-to-doing-dei-work-in-a-hostile-era
NPR
— U.S. votes against a U.N. resolution urging Russia’s withdrawal from Ukraine (COMMENT: According to Democrat and RINO leaders, if you support Trump, you support Putin. But what does the Republican Party platform say about this? Trump got elected by promising to defend and advance the Republican Party platform.)
https://www.npr.org/2025/02/24/g-s1-50473/un-ukraine-resolution-russia
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In a win for Ukraine on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, the U.N. General Assembly on Monday adopted two resolutions calling for an end to the war, while rejecting a U.S. draft that never mentioned Moscow’s aggression. Instead, both resolutions make clear Russia was the aggressor. The United States, reflecting the extraordinary turnaround under President Donald Trump, joined Russia in voting against a Europe-backed Ukrainian resolution. The U.S. then abstained from voting on its own resolution after Europeans succeeded in amending it. It was a setback for the Trump administration in the 193-member world body, whose resolutions are not legally binding but are seen as a barometer of world opinion.)
NEW YORK MAGAZINE
— Trump Didn’t Campaign on Decimating the Federal Government
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/trump-didnt-campaign-on-decimating-the-federal-government.html
ACLU
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump and against those who share Trump’s demographics: conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, married, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America foe a long time. More than 77 million voted for Trump.
https://www.aclu.org/news/civil-liberties/state-and-local-governments-are-saying-no-to-trumps-radical-agenda
WORKERS WORLD
— Black History Month, every day!
https://www.workers.org/2025/02/84011/
ECONOMIC TIMES
— IRS will lay off roughly 7,000 employees amid tax filing season in Trump downsizing spree (COMMENT: I worked for the Democrats who ran IRS 1971-1980.)
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/global-trends/us-news-irs-layoffs-will-lay-off-roughly-7000-employees-amid-tax-filing-season-in-trump-downsizing-spree-10-point-explainer/articleshow/118448606.cms
February 24, 2025 Evening Edition
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— The few Republicans who still oppose Trump, including former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, gather in search of a path to oppose him. (COMMENT: To what extent do Republican leaders in your area oppose Trump? What are they doing to oppose Trump? Why do they oppose Trump?)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/24/republicans-oppose-trump/
ABC7
— Pfleger church flying American flag upside-down: ‘America is under distress’ (COMMENT: Democrat leaders crow about their success in getting religious leaders to do their bidding.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/father-michael-pfleger-flies-american-flag-upside-down-outside-saint-sabina-church-gresham-chicago/15952293/
FOX32
— Pfleger protests Trump administration with upside-down American flag (COMMENT: Democrat leaders crow about their success in getting religious leaders to do their bidding.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-pastor-protests-trump-administration-upside-down-american-flag
— To get more votes from Blacks, Democrat leaders push for reparations. Anticipate/expect that to get more votes from voters who are the following, Democrat leaders will push for reparations for them: other minorities, females, young people, LGBTQers, those who have less money than others, non-Protestants, non-German Americans, and those whose ancestors have not been in America for a long time.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1598130
WBEZ
— Trump’s cozying up to Russia comes as ‘slap in the face’ to Ukrainian Americans in Chicago
https://www.wbez.org/nation-world/2025/02/24/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-russia-ukraine-war-third-anniversary-chicago-ukrainians
WGN RADIO
— DeSantis talks up his wife as next Florida governor and takes a shot at Trump’s pick
https://wgnradio.com/news/political-news/ap-desantis-promotes-his-wife-as-next-florida-governor-and-takes-a-shot-at-trumps-pick/
OUR QUAD CITIES
— Pritzker’s proposal to fund resources for the homeless in Illinois (COMMENT: Under Illinois Democrats and under Illinois RINOs, homelessness will ever-increasingly increase in Illinois.)
https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/local-news/gov-pritzkers-proposal-to-fund-resources-for-the-homeless-in-illinois/
WSIU
— Democrat leaders have protesters call on LaHood to oppose Trump’s cuts to health care, food assistance
https://www.wsiu.org/state-of-illinois/2025-02-24/protesters-call-on-lahood-to-oppose-trump-cuts-to-healthcare-food-assistance
NPR ILLINOIS
— Trump administration backs off requiring response to “What did you do last week?” email
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-24/trump-administration-backs-off-requiring-response-to-what-did-you-do-last-week-email
— Federal agencies still can’t agree on ‘What did you do last week?’ email
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-24/federal-agencies-still-cant-agree-on-what-did-you-do-last-week-email
WAND TV
— Judge rejects immediately restoring AP’s access to White House but urges government to reconsider. A federal judge on had refused to immediately order the White House to restore The Associated Press’ access to presidential events, saying the news organization had not shown it had suffered irreparable harm in the matter. (COMMENT: AP treats Trump unfairly. But I have never treated Republican candidates, elected officials, or party leaders unfairly.)
https://www.wandtv.com/news/national/judge-rejects-immediately-restoring-aps-access-to-white-house-but-urges-government-to-reconsider/article_a64e49e8-c5db-55f0-8948-b150240eb30b.html
ILLINOIS PATCH
— Pritzker Refuses To ‘Bend The Knee’ As Trump Says ‘Long Live The King’ The Illinois governor also drew parallels between Nazi Germany and the modern political climate. (COMMENT: To be America’s next president, Pritzker ever-increasingly promotes more hatred against Trump, that is, to be America’s next president, Pritzker ever-increasingly promotes more hatred against those who voted for Trump including the 2.4 million in Illinois.)
https://patch.com/illinois/across-il/pritzker-compares-trump-king-says-he-wont-bend-knee
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/24/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-254/
— Poll: Mayor Johnson’s re-elect in crowded field is 8 percent; Just 7 percent view him favorably, 80 percent unfavorably
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/24/poll-mayor-johnsons-re-elect-in-crowded-field-is-8-percent-just-7-percent-view-him-favorably-80-percent-unfavorably/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Immigration group received over $63 million in Illinois taxpayer funds in 7 months
https://www.aol.com/news/immigration-group-received-over-63-150000603.html
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Echoing My Continuing Concern that Data Centers Will Endanger Electric Supply to Homeowners and Businesses
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/24/echoing-my-continuing-concern-that-data-centers-will-endanger-electric-supply-to-homeowners-and-businesses/
— Time to Build Another Nuclear Power Plant in Illinois
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/24/time-to-build-another-nuclear-power-plant-in-illinois/
— The Censures of Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk – Part 8
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/24/the-censures-of-algonquin-township-supervisor-randy-funk-part-8/
— Marengo Set To Impose Grocery Sales Tax
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/24/marengo-set-to-impose-grocery-sales-tax/
— Fox River Grove Moving Ahead with Downtown Development
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/24/fox-river-grove-moving-ahead-with-downtown-development/
— Third Mailer from Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner Danijela Sandberg
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/24/third-mailer-from-algonquin-township-highway-commissioner-danijela-sandberg/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
AMERICAN GREATNESS
— New York City’s Roosevelt Hotel to Clear Out Illegal Aliens
https://amgreatness.com/2025/02/24/new-york-citys-roosevelt-hotel-to-clear-out-illegal-aliens/
BREITBART
— Poll: Support for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Totally Collapses
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/24/poll-support-for-chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-totally-collapses/
— Houston 15-Year-Old Shoots Mom, Sister After Eating ‘Bunch’ of Marijuana Edibles
https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2025/02/23/police-houston-15-year-old-shoots-mom-sister-marijuana-edibles/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Federal agencies can ignore “What did you do last week?” email, Trump administration says
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elon-musk-doge-email-federal-employees-opm-directive-accomplishments/
CNN
— Musk’s new message: Elon Musk said tonight that federal workers who do not respond to a weekend email asking them to justify their jobs will be given another opportunity “subject to the discretion of the President” and warned that they would still be fired if they didn’t reply a second time. Hours earlier, the Office of Personnel Management notified government agencies that responding to Musk’s email, which President Donald Trump praised as “pretty ingenious,” was voluntary.
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-administration-news-02-24-25/index.html
— Setback for AP: A federal judge declined today to temporarily restore the Associated Press’ access to some of Trump’s events, the Oval Office and Air Force One.
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-administration-news-02-24-25/index.html
WASHJINGTON POST
— What has Trump done today?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2025/trump-administration-actions/
— Trump administration tells agencies they can ignore Musk order on email reply. The Office of Personnel Management told HR officials that employees wouldn’t be let go for not replying to an email asking what they did last week.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/02/24/musk-email-government-confusion/
DENVER POST
— SBA administrator orders regional offices to exit “sanctuary cities” like Denver
https://www.denverpost.com/2025/02/24/sba-administrator-regional-headquarters-exit-denver/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Trump Backs Musk’s Email Asking Federal Workers to List Accomplishments. Agencies issue conflicting guidance on whether to comply with the request.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-says-workers-who-dont-respond-to-musks-email-risk-being-fired-27c2e9e4
BARRON’S
— Illegals who were invited in by Democrat and RINO leaders return home.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/their-dreams-dashed-by-trump-migrants-make-return-journey-home-8c6ff17b
PBS
— Federal workers sue over Elon Musk’s threat to fire them if they don’t explain their accomplishments (COMMENT: I sued my Democrat GAO superiors over their threats if I did not take their early retirement “offer” when I was 49 years old in 1997. SEE: https://gopillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/DiersenGAOFifthAmendedComplaint.pdf They made it clear to me that if I did not take their “offer,” they would make my next 6 years until I would be eligible for regular retirement a living hell for me. The least of which they would do would be to demote me and to give me adverse transfers. Previously, they had always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance, 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 them, and forced to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut to transfer from IRS. GAO was not unionized; it did not unionize until 2007.)
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/federal-workers-sue-over-elon-musks-threat-to-fire-them-if-they-dont-explain-their-accomplishments
February 22, 2025 Evening Edition
ABC7
— Chicago inspector general alleges obstruction by city’s law department
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-inspector-general-deborah-witzburg-alleges-obstruction-citys-law-department-seeks-protection-city-council/15938401/
CBS2
— DOGE’s Elon Musk says federal employees must document their work or resign
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elon-musk-doge-federal-employees-document-work-resign/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Three years after Russian invasion of Ukraine, hundreds rally for continued U.S. support
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/22/three-years-after-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-hundreds-rally-for-continued-u-s-support/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/22/transgender-trump-executive-order-chicago-impact/
DAILY HERALD
— Trump revels in mass federal firings and jeers at Biden before adoring conservative crowd
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250222/nation-and-world-politics/trump-revels-in-mass-federal-firings-and-jeers-at-biden-before-adoring-conservative-crowd/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Chicago school district’s Black Student Success Plan faces a legal challenge
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/education/chicago-public-schools-black-student-success-plan-faces-lawsuit
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— The Associated Press is suing three Trump administration officials over access to presidential events
https://www.news-gazette.com/ap-sues-3-trump-administration-officials-citing-freedom-of-speech/article_8d2d6220-7ea4-52b2-b621-7a5de38b92ac.html
NEWS & TRIBUNE
— Instead of secession threat, Indiana and Illinois should collaborate
https://www.newsandtribune.com/indiana/opinion/tribune-star-editorial-instead-of-secession-threat-indiana-and-illinois-should-collaborate/article_470ed51c-7c65-5695-bbcc-43bc751fa3f5.html
WCIA
— Trump suggests Musk needs to be ‘more aggressive’
https://www.wcia.com/news/national/trump-suggests-musk-needs-to-be-more-aggressive/
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Trump revels in mass federal firings and jeers at Biden before adoring conservative crowd
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-trump-revels-in-mass-federal-firings-and-jeers-at-biden-before-adoring-conservative-crowd/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Lara Trump Packs Them in at McHenry County GOPAC/Joe Tirio Fundraiser
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/22/lara-trump-packs-them-in-at-mchenry-county-gopac-joe-tirio-fundraiser/
— Jeff Keicher Outraged at Pritzker’s Smearing “Republicans and Republican Voters as Nazis”
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/22/jeff-keicher-outraged-at-pritzkers-smearing-republicans-and-republican-voters-as-nazis/
— The Censures of Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk – Part 6
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/22/the-censures-of-algonquin-township-supervisor-randy-funk-part-6/
— Sheriff Seeking Communicators – Pay $30 per Hour
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/22/sheriff-seeking-communicators-pay-30-per-hour/
— Trouble at Lake in the Hills Hannah Martin Grade School
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/22/trouble-at-lake-in-the-hills-hannah-martin-grade-school/
— Shorten Offers Coffee and Donuts to Township Voters
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/22/shorten-offers-coffee-and-donuts-to-township-voters/
— University of Illinois Announces Book Prize in the Field of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/22/university-of-illinois-announces-book-prize-in-the-field-of-womens-gender-and-sexuality-studies/
— LaHood Seeks Extension of Indictments of Unemployment Comp Fraudsters
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/22/lahood-seeks-extension-of-indictments-of-unemployment-comp-fraudsters/
— Drain Replies to Shorten
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/21/drain-replies-to-shorten/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump marks first month in office with victory lap at CPAC
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/22/trump-marks-first-month-office-victory-lap-cpac/
— Elon Musk demands federal workers answer email with what work they performed, or be fired
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/22/elon-musk-demands-federal-workers-answer-email-work-performed-fired/
— Trump wants Musk to be ‘more aggressive’
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/22/trump-wants-musk-aggressive/
— It’s time to get tough on anti-American media
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/21/mmga-time-get-tough-anti-american-media/
NEW YORK POST
— AG Pam Bondi issues stark warning for Illinois, NY governors to ‘comply’ with federal law
https://nypost.com/2025/02/22/us-news/ag-pam-bondi-issues-stark-warning-for-illinois-ny-governors-to-comply-with-federal-law/
— Trump triumphantly returns to CPAC as president, touts GOP as ‘proud voice’ of Americans: ‘We are the party of common sense’
https://nypost.com/2025/02/22/us-news/trump-returns-to-cpac-as-president-touts-gop-as-proud-voice-of-americans/
DAILY SIGNAL
— Trump Vows to Deport Illegal Aliens at Unprecedented Scale in Speech to Conservatives
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/22/trump-touts-largest-deportation-effort-history-speech-conservatives/
FOX NEWS
— Attorney General Bondi issues stark warning for Illinois and NY governors to ‘comply’ with federal law. ‘We are sick and tired of Americans being murdered, and these states protecting illegal aliens,’ Bondi said.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/attorney-general-bondi-issues-stark-warning-illinois-new-york-governors-comply-federal-law
— CPAC straw poll reveals who conservatives believe will be 2028 presidential nominee
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6369195325112
NEWSMAX
— Kari Lake to Newsmax: Slams Gov. Pritzker’s Illinois as ‘So Far Gone’
https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/lake-pritzker-illinois/2025/02/22/id/1200088/
— Homan: Security Should Be Nonpartisan Issue
https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/homan-border-nonpartisan/2025/02/22/id/1200098/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CNN
— Federal employees told to justify jobs in email or Musk says they face dismissal
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/22/politics/elon-musk-employees-emails/index.html
WASHINGTON POST
— Latest Trump guidance on race has schools scrambling amid ‘intense fear’ An Education Department letter says even race-neutral policies aimed at diversity could result in schools and colleges losing federal funding.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/02/22/trump-schools-federal-funding-dei-race/
— With Pentagon purge, Trump thrusts military into uncharted territory. The abrupt removal of six top officers has deepened concern among the president’s critics, who fear he intends to impose his political will on the nonpartisan institution.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/22/trump-pentagon-purge-charles-q-brown/
— As Trump pursues his policies, Democratic states block his path. Attorneys general have worked for months to craft legal opposition to the president’s agenda. Now they’re putting it into practice.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/02/22/trump-lawsuits-democratic-attorney-generals/
POLITICO
— Musk says all federal employees need to explain their work immediately — or be let go. Federal employees received an email Saturday afternoon, and gave them a deadline of Monday night.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/22/musk-federal-employees-explanation-dismissal-00205613
C-SPAN
— Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders & Republicans Deliver Remarks at CPAC
https://www.c-span.org/event/public-affairs-event/gov-sarah-huckabee-sanders-republicans-deliver-remarks-at-cpac/431059
February 19, 2025 Evening Edition
Anticipate/expect that ever-increasingly, the more demographics that you share with Trump, the more that Pritzker will do to destroy you. Trump is conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, married, Protestant, German American, and his ancestors have been in America for a long time. 2.4 million voted for Trump in Illinois.
Are you German American? I am. If you are, what do you stress in defense of your national origin? I stress that my grandfather on my father’s side fought the Germans in WWI, that my uncles on my mother’s side fought the Germans in WWII, and that my father would have fought the Germans in WWII if he had not been 4-F.
FOX32
— Pritzker compares Trump Administration to Nazi regime during budget address
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/pritzker-compares-trump-administration-nazi-regime-during-budget-address
— Trump designates some cartels as ‘foreign terrorist organizations’
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1596064
NBC5
— Pritzker delivers stern message on state of country. Pritzker, who has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump over the years, specifically cited actions taken by Trump and Elon Musk, and in some cases referenced the Holocaust.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/what-comes-next-illinois-governor-delivers-stern-message-on-state-of-country/3678083/
— Government officials charge taxpayers millions to try to keep secrets from public. NBC 5 Investigates has found that it has cost Chicago-area taxpayers more than $13.4 million over the past 12 years for officials to try to keep clearly-public documents secret.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/government-officials-charge-taxpayers-millions-to-try-to-keep-secrets-from-public/3677223/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Pritzker proposes belt-tightening budget with no new taxes, invokes Nazism in bashing Trump
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/19/gov-j-b-pritzker-likens-trump-administration-actions-to-nazi-germany-what-comes-next/
— Trump and Zelenskyy trade barbs as US-Ukraine relations sour over the war with Russia
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/19/ukraine-zelenskyy-trump-russia/
— Indiana House passes Illinois secession bill on first reading, but amendments keep session lively
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/19/indiana-house-passes-illinois-secession-bill-on-first-reading-but-amendments-keep-session-lively/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Pritzker unveils $55.2 billion budget with no new taxes, compares Trump playbook to the Nazi movement. The Democratic governor also peppered his seventh budget blueprint — which Republicans derided as the largest in state history — with key policy proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2025/02/19/jb-pritzker-budget-address-state-of-the-state
— Federal worker firings by Trump, Musk are chaos, not cost-cutting
https://chicago.suntimes.com/editorials/2025/02/19/president-trump-elon-musk-doge-layoffs-firings-civil-servants-endanger-america-bird-flu-nuclear
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Pritzker remarks on the Holocaust — and on Trump
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/jb-pritzker-remarks-holocaust-and-donald-trump
ADVANTAGE NEWS
— Pritzker calls to tighten Illinois’ belt, repeatedly invokes Nazis in attack on Trump
https://www.advantagenews.com/news/local/pritzker-calls-to-tighten-illinois-belt-repeatedly-invokes-nazis-in-attack-on-trump/article_d1537bae-eefd-11ef-ad36-1bda87f7591b.html
STATELINE
— Pritzker invokes specter of Nazi Germany in rebuke of Trump administration
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/pritzker-invokes-specter-of-nazi-germany-in-rebuke-of-trump-administration/
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Republicans decry, Pritzker defends ‘Nazi’ references during budget speech. Pritzker refers to Nazis six times in criticism of Trump.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_edb79bb8-ef16-11ef-8c25-474e08243540.html
— Pritzker calls to tighten belt, repeatedly invokes Nazis in attack on Trump. Governor makes no calls for ethics reforms despite Madigan conviction.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_92dde236-eefa-11ef-9497-332440818a6d.html
— Republicans criticize Pritzker after budget address
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_b405d33a-ef11-11ef-9a1a-73cef9f3019e.html
ST.LOUIS TODAY
— Pritzker likens Trump administration actions to Nazi Germany
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/illinois/illinois-gov-j-b-pritzker-likens-trump-administration-actions-to-nazi-germany/article_cd5a1a2e-ef18-11ef-b4c3-83559ec34cbe.html
UNION BULLETIN
— Pritzker likens Trump administration actions to Nazi Germany: ‘What comes next?’
https://www.union-bulletin.com/news/national/gov-j-b-pritzker-likens-trump-administration-actions-to-nazi-germany-what-comes-next/article_7a81f5f3-2f15-59c1-b3d6-b304a0f0e406.html
CITIES 92.9
— Republicans decry, Pritzker defends ‘Nazi’ references during budget speech
https://www.cities929.com/2025/02/19/watch-republicans-decry-pritzker-defends-nazi-references-during-budget-speech/
ABC7
— Pritzker proposes $2B in spending growth without new income or service taxes in budget. Budgeting office says global outlook has changed since previous $3.2B deficit estimate.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-governor-jb-pritzker-deliver-budget-address-wednesday/15930773/
— Democrat leaders crow about their getting Democrats to protest.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/university-illinois-chicago-uic-educators-researchers-students-protest-nih-funding-cuts-proposed-trump-admin/15933853/
— Federal workers in Chicago left confused by mass firings, sudden rehiring
https://abc7chicago.com/post/federal-workers-chicago-left-confused-sudden-rehiring-following-mass-firings-trump-administrations-doge/15934016/
CBS2
— Homeless encampment residents in Chicago’s Gompers Park take issue with city “cleanup”
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/homeless-encampment-residents-chicago-gompers-park-cleanup/
DAILY HERALD
— Restraining order sought to block 26th Senate appointment amid legal fight
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250219/illinois-state-politics/restraining-order-sought-to-block-26th-senate-appointment-amid-legal-fight/
WGN RADIO
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://wgnradio.com/news/asylum-seekers-the-american-dream-is-over/
WBEZ
— Lawmakers promised cannabis funds would right many wrongs, but results are mixed. In 2020, Illinois legalized recreational marijuana. But experts say the boon won’t last forever, and policymakers should re-examine how the funds are spent.
https://www.wbez.org/curious-city/2025/02/19/lawmakers-promised-cannabis-funds-would-right-many-wrongs-but-results-are-mixed
— Pritzker’s $55.2 billion budget has no new taxes, cuts health care for adults lacking legal status. The Democratic governor also peppered his seventh budget blueprint — which Republicans derided as the largest in state history — with key policy proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.
https://www.wbez.org/springfield/2025/02/19/jb-pritzker-budget-address-state-of-the-state
RIVER BENDER
— State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton), House Republican Caucus Deputy Budgeteer, Issues Statement On Gov. Pritzker’s Budget Address
https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/rep-elik-issues-statement-on-gov-pritzkers-budget-address-79845.cfm
BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
— Families Experiencing Homelessness Can Apply For Up To $6,500 — With No Limit On How It’s Spent. Families of Chicago Public Schools students who lack stable housing may be eligible for a one-time payment through a state guaranteed income program.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/02/18/families-experiencing-homelessness-can-apply-for-up-to-6500-with-no-limit-on-how-its-spent/
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/19/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-251/
— Black Caucus angrily responds to Pritzker’s budget proposals: ‘An insult to this entire Black community’
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/19/black-caucus-angrily-responds-to-pritzkers-budget-proposals-an-insult-to-this-entire-black-community/
— Pritzker zeroes out health plan for undocumented immigrants – Slashes welcoming center funding
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/19/pritzker-zeroes-out-health-plan-for-undocumented-immigrants-slashes-welcoming-center-funding/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Irony Concerning ComEd Profit and Mike Madigan’s Conviction
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/irony-concerning-comed-profit-and-mike-madigans-conviction/
— Robotic House Building Inaugurated in Southwest Florida
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/robotic-house-building-inaugurated-in-southwest-florida/
— Pritzker Proposes Easier Township Government Consolidation, Plus Abolition of Township Assessors in Townships Under 5,000 Population
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/pritzker-proposes-easier-township-government-consolidation-plus-abolition-of-township-assessors-in-townships-under-5000-population/
— Reactions to Governor’s Budget Talk
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/reactions-to-governors-budget-talk/
— Algonquin Township Integrity Trustee Team Mail
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/algonquin-township-integrity-trustee-team-mail/
— The Censures of Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk – Part 3
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/the-censures-of-randy-funk-part-3/
JOHN BIVER
— Looking for solutions in all the wrong places
https://johnbiver.com/looking-for-solutions-in-all-the-wrong-places/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump Education Department cancels $226 million in ‘divisive’ diversity grants
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/19/trump-education-department-cancels-226-million-divisive-diversity-gran/
— Trump to sign executive order ending benefits for illegal immigrants
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/19/trump-executive-order-end-benefits-illegal-immigrants/
NEW YORK POST
— McDonald’s to let white students apply for Latino scholarships after DEI lawsuit (COMMENT: My critics/opponents have always used my not getting any scholarships against me.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/19/business/mcdonalds-to-let-white-students-to-apply-for-latino-scholarships/
AMERICAN THINKER
— DOGE takes on the Social Security monster
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/doge_takes_on_the_social_security_monster.html
BREITBART
— President Trump Blasts Zelensky: ‘A Dictator Without Elections’
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2025/02/19/president-trump-blasts-zelensky-a-dictator-without-elections/
TOWNHALL
— ‘Game On’ for Democrats in ICE’s Way, Homan Says
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeremyfrankel/2025/02/19/tom-homan-to-dems-obstructing-ice-game-on-n2652484
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Pritzker takes jabs at Trump tariffs
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/illinois-governor-jb-pritzker-takes-jabs-trump-tariffs/
FORTUNE
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use DEI to promote more hatred against Republicans.
https://fortune.com/2025/02/19/trump-anti-dei-campaign-hits-universities/
C-SPAN
— Illinois State of the State Address
https://www.c-span.org/program/state-legislature/illinois-state-of-the-state-address/655949
February 19, 2025
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
NBC5
— Fired federal workers protest Trump administration cuts as others speak out in support (COMMENT: If you were me, what position would you take on federal employees. While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years (Post Office-3, IRS-9, and GAO-18), virtually all my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats. Extremely few sided with me. Virtually none came to my defense. Many helped my Democrat superiors waste my career and take adverse actions against me including forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. Overwhelmingly, they promoted Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, they promoted race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and/or national origin discrimination.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SsrWEuGTRs
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Libertyville Township has unrelated O’Connors facing off for supervisor; ‘We were just blessed with the same last name’ (COMMENT: What offices are on the April 1 ballot in your precinct? Who are the candidates? How much do you know about them? How have those candidates treated your Republican Precinct Committeeman?)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/18/libertyville-township-has-unrelated-oconnors-facing-off-for-supervisor-we-were-just-blessed-with-the-same-last-name/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump’s Friday firings leave EPA Chicago office down dozens of scientists, staff (COMMENT: Republican-led budget cuts during the 1980s and 1990s left GAO’s Chicago office down dozens of auditors. I was one of those auditors that my Democrat GAO superiors forced into early retirement.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/environment/2025/02/18/trump-fires-epa-chicago-scientists-staff-environmental-protection-agency
— Democrats oppose anything and everything that discourages voter fraud.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/02/18/safeguard-american-voter-eligibility-illinois-citizenship-passport-birth-certificate-becky-simon
NPR ILLINOIS
— She worked for years to get a federal job. Within a month, she was fired (COMMENT: The Democrats who ran GAO in 1980, IRS in 1971, and the Post Office in 1966 hired me because they could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, younger person, or veteran who would take the job. My passing the postal employment examination and earning a high school diploma qualified me for the Post Office job. My passing the Federal Service Entrance Examination and earning a bachelor’s degree in management qualified me the IRS job. My earning an MBA, passing the CPA examination on my first attempt, and almost completing the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting qualified me for the GAO job.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-19/she-worked-for-years-to-get-a-federal-job-within-a-month-she-was-fired
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A dream job. Rose is the daughter of immigrants and grew up on the East Coast. For her entire professional life, she had wanted to work in the government. She’d done a few internships around Washington, D.C., before taking a job as a consultant. In that role, she’d worked alongside federal workers on environmental cleanup and clean energy projects. Working with those federal employees inspired her to pursue a job as a civil servant. But, she says, she soon learned that “getting a job in the federal government is a science in itself.” Initially, she was rejected from several positions. Undaunted, Rose steeped herself in the language of the U.S. government. She taught herself an endless list of acronyms and bought a book on how to build a résumé that would make her more attractive to federal work. Then late last year, she got what she thought was going to be her big break. She had interviewed at the Department of Energy for a job helping to oversee a portfolio of renewable energy projects. She says the hiring process was a monthslong ordeal, during which, she jokes, she told them everything except “what my blood type is.” In December, she got the call from human resources telling her she’d landed the role. “I was with a friend at the time,” she says. “And I just kept saying over and over, ‘I got the job! I got the job!'” It was going to be a turning point in her life: “It really felt like … my career is beginning, because this is the job I want,” she recalls.)
WOKV
— ‘Now I have a voice’: Jacksonville sheriff joins statewide illegal immigration crackdown
https://www.wokv.com/news/local/now-i-have-voice-jacksonville-sheriff-joins-statewide-illegal-immigration-crackdown/AGNOWOCVPNBXHMIWPMNIJGNBRQ/
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Trump imposes his vision on America
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-trump-imposes-his-vision-on-america-in-departure-from-first-term-stumbles/
WAND TV
— Rep. Will Davis (D- East Hazel Crest), who chairs the House Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education Committee, calls for more Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, for more race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination. Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout that all the problems that minorities and females have are caused by Republicans.
https://www.wandtv.com/news/statehouse/rep-blaine-wilhour-argues-illinois-should-stop-focusing-on-equity-in-education-funding/article_b0c6b2da-ee4d-11ef-ade8-67c4623f0b02.html
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Anticipate/expect that ever-increasingly, hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters will blame for everything that is bad.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/19/pritzkers-budget-reveal-00204837
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/19/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-458/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WIREPOINTS
— Illinois has spent billions and billions on illegal immigrants…and that’s just the money we can see publicly
https://wirepoints.org/illinois-has-spent-billions-and-billions-on-illegal-immigrants-and-thats-just-the-money-we-can-see-publicly-wirepoints-on-am-560-chicagos-morning-answer/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Morning Greatness: Most Americans Say Foreign Aid Is Wasted on Corruption
https://amgreatness.com/2025/02/18/morning-greatness-most-americans-say-foreign-aid-is-wasted-on-corruption/
— Support for President Trump’s Tariffs on China: A Strategic Move Towards Equitable Global Relations. Trump’s tariffs on China target fentanyl, economic espionage, and human rights abuses, signaling a hardline stance on trade and national security.
https://amgreatness.com/2025/02/19/support-for-president-trumps-tariffs-on-china-a-strategic-move-towards-equitable-global-relations/
BREITBART
— Fmr. GAO Head David Walker: DOGE Opponents Aren’t ‘Providing Any Support’ for Claims It’s Breaking Law
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2025/02/19/fmr-gao-head-doge-opponents-arent-providing-any-support-for-claims-its-breaking-law/
CENTER SQUARE
— IRS tax gap grows to $600 billion as DOGE looks for savings (COMMENT: I worked for GAO for 3 years on audits of IRS’s efforts to close the tax gap.)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_ecd0de72-ee0c-11ef-848d-ebb54839938d.html
CHRISTIAN POST
— Wheaton College alumni flood petition for leadership change amid ‘pernicious drift’
https://www.christianpost.com/news/wheaton-college-alumni-flood-petition-to-change-leadership.html
COLLEGE FIX
— Trump finds nearly $1 billion in Education Department waste
https://www.thecollegefix.com/trump-finds-nearly-1-billion-in-education-department-waste/
DAVID ARMANO
— These federal employees have no idea how private sector workers view them. Wow, they live in a world of their own with guaranteed job security, unions and legal armies ready to do battle on their behalf. A completely different set of rules. (COMMENT: If you were me, what position would you take on federal employees. While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years (Post Office-3, IRS-9, and GAO-18), virtually all my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats. Extremely few sided with me. Virtually none came to my defense. Many helped my Democrat superiors waste my career and take adverse actions against me including forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. Overwhelmingly, they promoted Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, they promoted race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and/or national origin discrimination.)
https://x.com/armano/status/1892047499755409808?mx=2
EPOCH TIMES
— Trump Terminates Biden-Era US Attorneys in DOJ Overhaul. The president stated that the move was necessary to restore a ‘fair justice system’ in the country. (COMMENT: My critics/opponents have always stressed that my Republican U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald appointed U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald who sided with my Democrat GAO superiors in Diersen v. GAO. To side with my Democrat GAO superiors is to promote Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, to promote race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination.)
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-terminates-biden-era-us-attorneys-in-doj-overhaul-5812443
FOX NEWS
— Deportation flights are ‘the most profoundly impactful tactic’ to deter illegal immigration (COMMENT: Anticipate/expect that many, most, if not virtually all of those who are deported will return.)
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6369027551112
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CNN
— Trump administration terminates privacy officials at agency overseeing government hiring and firing
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/18/politics/opm-privacy-team-fired/index.html
NEWSWEEK
— Musk Says Some DOGE Workers Are Federal Employees
https://www.newsweek.com/elon-musk-doge-employees-hannity-interview-2033017
NBC NEWS
— Despite DOGE, Trump’s agenda calls for adding trillions of dollars to U.S debt. Budget experts say Trump’s tax and spending priorities would increase red ink, even as he boasts of balancing the budget. “I don’t think their rhetoric matches reality,” says one.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/doge-trumps-agenda-calls-adding-trillions-dollars-us-debt-rcna191665
CBS NEWS
— Tension between sanctuary cities and federal immigration crackdown
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/tension-between-sanctuary-cities-and-federal-immigration-crackdown/
MSN
— Boeing’s new Air Force One delayed until 2029 or later
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/boeing-s-new-air-force-one-delayed-until-2029-or-later-official-says/ar-AA1zeNrN
WASHINGTON POST
— U.S. Catholic bishops sue Trump administration over blocked refugee funds. The suit says the impact of the administration’s action is “devastating” for the Church and the refugees it serves. (COMMENT: According to Democrat leaders, sooner or later, everyone outside of America who is one of the following a) is a refugee, b) will be a refugee, and c) should be admitted as a refugee: minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, disabled, poor, non-Protestant, non-German American.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/02/18/catholic-bishops-sue-trump-refugee-funds/
— FEMA is losing scores of employees. What does that mean for disaster recovery? Cuts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency could affect people across the country who are struggling to rebuild and prepare for disasters. (COMMENT: I should write about the tremendous negative impacts of Republican gutting of GAO during the 1980s and 1990s.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/02/18/fema-layoffs-disaster-response/
— Trump and Musk praise each other, promise ‘hundreds of billions’ in cuts during Fox interview
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/18/trump-presidency-news/
— Youngkin promises help for federal workers but defends Trump job cuts. In his first extended remarks on the Trump cuts, Youngkin acknowledges many are anxious but says the process is needed and that state help is coming. (COMMENT: In Diersen v. GAO, virtually everyone sided with the Democrats who ran GAO. Those who sided with GAO were many, most, if not virtually all of the following: liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, poor, LGBTQ, veteran, disabled, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/02/18/virginia-youngkin-trump-federal-jobs/
— Why people aren’t having kids (COMMENT: My Democrat IRS and GAO superiors used my and my wife’s giving up trying to have children to justify the big adverse actions that they took against me. They hinted/implied/argued/shouted that I had lied about our efforts to have children. They stressed that we did not try IVF knowing full-well that our doctors said it would not be successful. They shouted that we could have adopted or become foster parents but did not.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/02/18/fertility-decline-women-kids-claudia-goldin/
USA TODAY
— Trump’s mass firing of probationary employees illegal, not performance-based, lawyers say (COMMENT: After I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980, my Democrat GAO superiors were furious that they could not use their probationary procedures to fire me because I had served my probationary period while I worked for IRS.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/18/trump-mass-firings-federal-workers-illegal/79070972007/
— Barron Trump is ‘future of conservative movement’ say College Republicans
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/19/barron-trump-nyu-conservative-republican/79104907007/
— Trump said he was the ‘father of IVF.’ After his executive order, these voters are rejoicing.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2025/02/19/ivf-trump-insurance-executive-order-reactions/78405547007/
UNION JOURNAL
— Trump Has Used $10.7 Million in Taxpayer Funds for Golf Expenses
https://www.theunionjournal.com/donald-trump-has-used-10-7-million-in-taxpayer-funds-for-golf-expenses/
BLOOMBERG
— Trump Accelerates Mass Firing of Federal Workers
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-02-18/trump-accelerates-mass-firing-of-federal-workers-evening-briefing
FAST COMPANY
— How federal workers are mobilizing against Trump, Musk, and DOGE. In response to sudden firings, government workers from across departments are starting a protest movement to fight back—and are targeting Tesla dealerships.
https://www.fastcompany.com/91280631/how-federal-workers-are-mobilizing-against-trump-musk-and-doge
WORLD AND WAY
— Wheaton College Clash Over Russell Vought Escalates, Exposing Evangelical Fault Lines
https://wordandway.org/2025/02/19/wheaton-college-clash-over-russell-vought-escalates-exposing-evangelical-fault-lines/
INSIDE HIGHER EDUCATION
— Democrat and RINO leaders use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/02/19/higher-ed-groups-push-back-trumps-dei-threats
GOVERNMENT EXCUTIVE
— Thousands join class actions as fired feds weigh options to challenge Trump’s moves. Former federal probationary employees are hopeful they can prove their dismissals were not actually performance based, as their agencies claim. (COMMENT: After I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980, my Democrat GAO superiors were furious that they could not use their probationary procedures to fire me because I had served my probationary period while I worked for IRS.)
https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/02/thousands-join-class-actions-fired-feds-weigh-options-challenge-trumps-moves/403087/
FED MANAGER
— Federal Agencies Start Mass Layoffs, Probationary Employees Targeted (COMMENT: After I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980, my Democrat GAO superiors were furious that they could not use their probationary procedures to fire me because I had served my probationary period while I worked for IRS.)
https://www.fedmanager.com/news/federal-agencies-start-mass-layoffs-probationary-employees-targeted
FEDERAL NEWS NETWORK
— Fired probationary employees bring class-wide complaint to OSC (COMMENT: After I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980, my Democrat GAO superiors were furious that they could not use their probationary procedures to fire me because I had served my probationary period while I worked for IRS.)
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce-rightsgovernance/2025/02/fired-probationary-employees-bring-class-wide-complaint-to-osc/
FED WEEK
— Federal Workplace Likely to Be Topic in Hearing on New GAO High-Risk List (COMMENT: At that hearing, Republicans should stress that GAO wasted my career and forced me to retire when I was 49 years old. My Democrat GAO superiors wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years and for IRS for almost 9 years before that, b) earning six job-related professional certifications, c) earning a job-related professional license, and d) earning three job-related master’s degrees. Who does Trump want the next head of GAO to be, that is, who does Trump want the next Comptroller General to be?)
https://www.fedweek.com/fedweek/federal-workplace-likely-to-be-topic-in-hearing-on-new-gao-high-risk-list/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Democrats likely will use the hearing to point out that among GAO’s concerns in all such reports since they started in 2001 is what GAO calls “strategic management of human capital.” Main issues cited have included persistent shortages of federal employees with needed skills in areas such as cybersecurity and other IT functions, the STEM fields in general, acquisition, HR, and others—along with the need for better planning and building up capacity for the workforce of the future. The prior report said that shortages of employees were “undermining agencies’ abilities to meet their missions.” Closing those gaps “will require demonstrated improvements in agencies’ capacity to perform workforce planning, foster employee engagement, train staff effectively, and recruit and retain the appropriate number of staff with the necessary skills,” it said.)
AFGE
— AFGE Condemns Trump’s Mass Firing of Federal Employees
https://www.afge.org/article/afge-condemns-trumps-mass-firing-of-federal-employees/
NARFE
— NARFE Members Denounce Fed Firings During Nationwide Protests. Act Now: Protect Federal Earned Federal Retirement and Health Benefits from Budget Cuts. Urge Congress to Stand Up for Public Servants, Rule of Law. (COMMENT: I have been a NARFE member since I was 40 years old in 1988.)
https://www.narfe.org/advocacy/legislative-action-center/?_zs=NUifm&_zl=k7OF3
REDDIT
— Some federal workers are ‘getting wealthy at taxpayer expense,’ says Elon Musk, whose companies have received at least $20 billion from the government. (COMMENT: I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. My critic/opponents have always demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me as being overpaid.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/50501/comments/1isvn9q/some_federal_workers_are_getting_wealthy_at/?rdt=63007
INSTAGRAM
— 3rd of federal workers are veterans. The federal government is largely a jobs program for them.(COMMENT: My Democrat superiors who took adverse actions against me were veterans and/or used their subordinates who were veterans to do that. I should write about that. Of course, they stressed that I avoided the Vietnam War draft.)
https://www.instagram.com/thetnholler/p/DGPScQstOrO/
February 18, 2025 Evening Edition
WHITE HOUSE
— EXPANDING ACCESS TO IN VITRO FERTILIZATION; ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ALL AGENCIES
https://www.whitehouse.gov/news/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— ‘We are the patriots’: Chicago federal employees protest mass firings in Federal Plaza (COMMENT: I have always been a Republican. Virtually all federal employees are Democrats. I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. I share many demographics with Trump. If I was still a federal employee, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates would have killed me by now figuratively if not literally.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/18/federal-employees-protest-mass-firings/
— Trump administration gives schools a deadline to end DEI programs or risk losing federal money
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/18/trump-schools-end-dei-programs/
— Trump signs order to study how to expand IVF and calls for ‘radical transparency’ from government
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/18/trump-will-sign-new-executive-orders-while-his-first-joint-tv-interview-with-musk-airs-in-prime-time/
— Soon, if not already, under the Democrats and under the RINOs, everyone in America will be a) handing out welfare and/or b) receiving welfare.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/14/dupage-naperville-homeless-winter-emergency-shelter/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/la-voz/chicago-immigration-resource-guide
— Trump’s Friday firings leave EPA Chicago office with fewer scientists, staff. Dozens of probationary employees were cut because they didn’t have job protections.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/environment/2025/02/18/trump-fires-epa-chicago-scientists-staff-environmental-protection-agency
DAILY HERALD
— Suit asks court to block appointment of McConchie successor in Senate
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250218/illinois-state-politics/suit-asks-court-to-block-appointment-of-mcconchie-successor-in-senate/
— College of DuPage board names top pick for president
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250218/news/college-of-dupage-board-names-top-pick-for-president/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: COD Trustee Andrew Manno, who co-chairs the presidential search committee, told the board last month that it had selected about a dozen or so candidates to appear before the committee for interviews. The committee held those interviews over a span of two days — “over long, long hours” — and was able to narrow the search down to four candidates, Manno said in January. Both the board and the committee agreed to follow a “hybrid confidential approach” to “ensure that COD has the best quality candidates that the country has to offer,” Manno said previously.)
ABC7
— Judge declines to immediately block Elon Musk or DOGE from federal data or layoffs
https://abc7chicago.com/post/white-house-claims-elon-musk-does-not-run-doge-new-filing/15925645/
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-leaders-speak-undocumented-business-owners-deportations-illinois-hispanic-chamber-commerce-offers-legal-adivce/15926782/
NBC5
— Republicans consider cuts, work requirements for Medicaid. Eighty million U.S. adults and children are currently enrolled in the nearly-free health care coverage offered to the poorest Americans.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/health/republicans-consider-cuts-work-requirements-medicaid/3677068/
CBS2
— Mentoring program helping Black high school students prepare for college success (COMMENT: To get rid of me, my Democrat IRS superiors got rid of my IRS mentor who promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. To get rid of me, my Democrat GAO superiors got rid of my GAO mentor who arranged for my transfer from IRS in 1980 and was finally able to assign me to audits of IRS and to promote me in 1986.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/onegoal-mentoring-program-black-high-school-students-college/
FOX32
— Illinois federal employees protest against Trump’s layoffs. Federal workers held a rally at Federal Plaza in Chicago, protesting planned layoffs under President Donald Trump. The Trump administration offered buyouts to nearly 2 million federal employees, leading to 75,000 resignations. Thousands of probationary workers, including EPA employees, were fired without warning, sparking outrage. (COMMENT: I have always been a Republican. Virtually all federal employees are Democrats. I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. I share many demographics with Trump. If I was still a federal employee, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates would have killed me by now figuratively if not literally.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-federal-employees-protest-against-trumps-layoffs
WTTW
— Are You a Federal Worker in Illinois? We Want to Hear From You. (COMMENT: Would WTTW be interested in hearing about how my Democrat GAO superiors used Republican-led budget cuts to waste my career and to force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997?)
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/17/are-you-federal-worker-illinois-we-want-hear-you
— Fired EPA Workers in Chicago Rally Against Trump’s Mass Government Layoffs
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/18/fired-epa-workers-chicago-rally-against-trump-s-mass-government-layoffs
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/18/committee-advances-bill-ban-vehicle-searches-based-smell-cannabis
VERMILION COUNTY FIRST
— Chief Budgeteer Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) joined Illinois Senate Republican Leader Senator John Curran (R-Downers Grove) and Deputy Leader Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris) to call on Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to commit to transparent accounting of taxpayer spending and to deliver a budget that does not include tax increases on Illinois families and businesses in tomorrow’s address.
https://vermilioncountyfirst.com/2025/02/18/illinois-senate-republicans-call-for-no-new-taxes-transparent-accounting-in-budget/
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Illinois Republican Senate members say Democrats state budget is flawed
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/watch-live-illinois-republican-senate-members-discuss-budget/
— Florida is rushing to enforce new immigration laws.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-florida-is-rushing-to-enforce-new-immigration-laws-heres-what-to-know/
FOX ILLINOIS
— Trump’s border czar says ICE arrests way up, illegal border crossings way down
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/trump-effect-has-migrants-thinking-twice-about-crossing-the-border-white-house-says-illegal-immigration-border-security-politics-ice-arrests-public-safety
WQAD
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more abortion
https://www.wqad.com/video/news/politics/illinois-politics/planned-parenthood-of-illinois-offering-medication-abortion-pills-through-app/526-3295b9a7-c293-4033-9d3d-4a4e89a2c287
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://www.wqad.com/video/news/politics/illinois-politics/illinois-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-vehicle-searches-based-on-smell-of-cannabis/526-3f033835-2d5d-4df9-b093-e19bb4879010
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Eliminating immigrant spending, boosting education funding top Senate Republican budget priorities. Gov. JB Pritzker set to give budget address Wednesday.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/eliminating-immigrant-spending-boosting-education-funding-top-senate-republican-budget-priorities/
BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
— Residents, Advocates Fear An Encampment Clearing As Tensions At Gompers Park Rise. Though the city said a planned March 5 moving event doesn’t mean the encampment will be cleared, similar events have led to the dismantling of tent cities, advocates said.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/02/18/residents-advocates-fear-an-encampment-clearing-as-tensions-at-gompers-park-rise/
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/18/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-250/
— Poll unsurprisingly finds Trump/Musk and their actions unpopular in Illinois, except for a close division on immigration (COMMENT: 2.4 million in Illinois voted for Trump/Vance.)
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/18/poll-unsurprisingly-finds-trumpmusk-and-their-actions-unpopular-in-illinois-except-for-a-close-division-on-immigration/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Bill would eliminate property taxes for Illinois homeowners after 30 years of residency (COMMENT: I have lived in Illinois for more than 76 years and in Wheaton for almost 47 years. I have paid real estate taxes for more than 52 years.)
https://www.aol.com/bill-eliminate-property-taxes-illinois-213600444.html
— Pritzker to deliver proposed Illinois budget amid mounting spending pressures
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_d154e64e-ee38-11ef-ad97-eb573b7a9e65.html
— Government efficiency caucus formed
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_1951acf4-ee41-11ef-8dfc-47160dadc270.html
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Because Secret Service Clearance Is Required Wednesday Deadline to Buy Tickets to See Lara Trump at McHenry County/Joe Tirio Fundraiser
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/because-secret-service-clearance-is-required-wednesday-deadline-to-buy-tickets-to-see-lara-trump/
— Algonquin Township Road Commissioner Danijela Sandberg’s Opponent Prematurely Declares Victory
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/algonquin-township-road-commissioner-danijela-sandbergs-opponent-prematurely-declares-victory/
— Illinois Policy Institute Tees Up Opposition to Progressive Income Tax Proposals by Democrats
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/illinois-policy-institute-tees-up-opposition-to-progressive-income-tax-proposals-by-democrats/
— Looks Like I Was Wrong on Netflix Subject for “Monsters – Season 3”
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/looks-like-i-was-wrong-on-netflix-subject-for-monsters-season-3/
— Grafton Township Republican Party Issues Endorsements for Township Trustee
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/grafton-township-republican-party-issues-endorsements-for-township-trustee/
— Another View of the Replacement Process for State Senator Dan McConchie
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/another-view-of-the-replacement-process-for-state-senator-dan-mcconchie/
— The Censures of Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk – Part 2
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/the-censures-of-randy-funk-part-2/
— McHenry County Administrator Peter Austin Gets 5.3% Raise
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/mchenry-county-administrator-peter-austin-gets-5-3-raise/
ILLINOIS RECORD
— A leaked Video shows the Illinois GOP seemingly lying about their 2024 election get out the vote impact
https://www.illinoisrecord.com/p/a-leaked-video-shows-the-illinois
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Illegal immigrants now paying up to $30,000 as cartels raise prices under Trump
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/18/illegal-immigrants-paying-30-000-cartels-raise-pri/
WASHINGTON EXAMINAR
— CPAC theme: ‘America is back on track’
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/washington-secrets/3322407/cpac-theme-america-back-on-track/
AMERICAN WIRE
— Biden admin doled out 10 BILLION to illegals in just one year, shocking probe finds
https://americanwirenews.com/biden-admin-doled-out-10-billion-to-illegals-in-just-one-year-shocking-probe-finds/
CENTER SQUARE
— New guidance seeks to end use of ‘race preferences, stereotypes’ in school admissions
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_127ef2e4-ee26-11ef-a6c4-878910db08f2.html
— IRS tax gap grows to $600 billion as DOGE looks for savings (COMMENT: I worked for GAO for 3 years 1986-1988 on audits of IRS Criminal Investigation Division efforts to close the tax gap.)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_ecd0de72-ee0c-11ef-848d-ebb54839938d.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: As billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency take a look at one of the federal government’s most-disliked agencies, the Internal Revenue Service, some point to a persistent problem: the tax gap. The tax gap is the difference between what taxpayers pay the IRS voluntarily and on time and what they actually owe the IRS. The projected annual gross tax gap for tax year 2022 was $696 billion, with about $90 billion of that paid late or through IRS enforcement, according to the IRS.)
DAILY WIRE
— Education Dept Slashes $600 Million In Grants Promoting ‘Divisive’ Ideologies. Grants had been training teachers in CRT and gender ideology.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/education-dept-slashes-600-million-in-grants-promoting-divisive-ideologies
FEDERALIST
— United States Should Encourage Less Migration, More Stability
https://thefederalist.com/2025/02/18/former-refugee-the-united-states-should-encourage-less-migration-more-stability/
FOX NEWS
— Vance to speak at CPAC’s opening day. CPAC, which dates back to 1974, is the nation’s oldest and largest annual gathering of conservative leaders and activists.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/vice-president-jd-vance-speak-cpacs-opening-day
NEW AMERICAN
— Noem to Illegal Aliens and Would-be Illegals: Get Out, Stay Out, and Don’t Cross the Border
https://thenewamerican.com/us/immigration/noem-to-illegal-aliens-and-would-be-illegals-get-out-stay-out-and-dont-cross-the-border/
NEWSMAX
— If you have a criminal record, you can’t stay here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt8YhNBsLVc
OPEN THE BOOKS
— CASH FOR MIGRANTS: FEMA NOT THE ONLY AGENCY SPENDING BIG. The Office of Refugee Resettlement has faced questions over transparency, conflict of interest.
https://openthebooks.substack.com/p/5f0bfa8c-91b1-4477-baa5-b98ecf340a76?lid=q5u4w2bhnmbt
TOWNHALL
— Homan Has the Perfect Response to AOC ‘Educating’ Illegals on How to Evade ICE
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2025/02/18/tom-homan-aoc-update-n2652391
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Trump says he may impose auto tariffs of around 25%
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-auto-tariffs-25-percent/
NEWSWEEK
— Inside the Five-Star Hotel Where Deported Migrants Are Awaiting Their Fate
https://www.newsweek.com/inside-five-star-hotel-where-deported-migrants-are-awaiting-their-fate-2032899
USA TODAY
— Student asks Supreme Court to say he can wear T-shirt saying ‘There are only two genders.’ In past decisions, the Supreme Court has allowed students to wear arm bands in protest of the Vietnam War but not to hold up a “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” banner.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/16/supreme-court-student-two-genders-t-shirt-free-speech/78390509007/
LEADER
— IRS tax gap grows to $600 billion as DOGE looks for savings (COMMENT: I worked for GAO for 3 years 1986-1988 on audits of IRS Criminal Investigation Division efforts to close the tax gap.)
https://www.myleaderpaper.com/news/national/irs-tax-gap-grows-to-600-billion-as-doge-looks-for-savings/article_e3f7dd85-5ace-5b39-a934-9d543adda481.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: As billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency take a look at one of the federal government’s most-disliked agencies, the Internal Revenue Service, some point to a persistent problem: the tax gap. The tax gap is the difference between what taxpayers pay the IRS voluntarily and on time and what they actually owe the IRS. The projected annual gross tax gap for tax year 2022 was $696 billion, with about $90 billion of that paid late or through IRS enforcement, according to the IRS. The problem has been around for decades and is growing. From 2014 to 2016, the IRS estimated the tax gap was about $496 billion each year, according to a 2024 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.)
ABP
— How Big A Problem Are Illegal Indians For US? 11 Insights From Johns Hopkins Study.
https://news.abplive.com/news/world/how-big-problem-illegal-indians-us-11-insights-johns-hopkins-study-1752190