FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Volunteer work is the best remedy for our anxious times (COMMENT: What volunteer work do you do? I spend 15+ hours each and every day and thousands of dollars every year putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters together and sending them out every day. Those newsletters promote the Republican Party platform. What motivates you to do the volunteer work that you do? For me, it is filling the tremendous void in communication from the Illinois Republican Party (IRP), DuPage County Republican Central Committee (DCRCC), and Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO). The IRP should be doing what I do for Illinois Republicans daily. The DCRCC and MTRO should be doing what I do for DuPage County and Milton Township Republicans at least weekly. Political organizations exist to help elect candidates in their jurisdictions who can and will defend and advance their platform. Democrat organizations do not have to do what I do because the mainstream news media promotes the Democrat Party platform.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/03/07/volunteer-work-kindness-best-remedy-anxiety-polarizing-times-culture-wars-happiness-carol-larson
DAILY HERALD
— DuPage County unveils plans to replace Heritage Gallery in Wheaton (COMMENT: The Democrats who have invaded and conquered DuPage County despise/hate Republicans. They want drive all Republicans out of DuPage County.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250307/news/dupage-county-unveils-plans-to-replace-heritage-gallery-in-wheaton/
— Hundreds rallied Thursday at the Capitol in Springfield to voice their opposition to a bill that would require oversight of families who home-school their children (COMMENT: Democrats hate home schooling because Democrats use education to make students good little Democrats.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250308/news/l/
ABC7
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly demonize, denigrate, and condemn Trump budget cuts.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/stand-science-rally-thousands-federal-plaza-chicago-oppose-trump-administration-research-funding-cuts/15989395/
WGN9
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly demonize, denigrate, and condemn Trump budget cuts.
https://wgntv.com/news/illinois/illinois-farmers-food-pantries-hit-hard-by-trumps-budget-cuts/
FOX32
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly demonize, denigrate, and condemn Trump budget cuts.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1604992
WTTW
— Illinois Joins Lawsuit Seeking to Halt ‘Illegal’ Mass Firings of Federal Workers and Thrust Into Unemployment, Axed Federal Workers Face Relatives Who Celebrate Their Firing (COMMENT: My critics/opponents stress that virtually no one came to my defense when my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. My critics/opponents hinted/implied/argued/shouted that I was grossly overpaid ($153,151/year in today’s dollars) and that I must be an extremely bad employee because I was forced to retire even though I had three job-related master’s degrees (1997, 1980, and 1976), six job-related professional certifications (1997, 1996, 1994, 1990, 1981, and 1979), and a job-related professional license (1981).)
https://news.wttw.com/2025/03/07/illinois-joins-lawsuit-seeking-halt-illegal-mass-firings-federal-workers
https://news.wttw.com/2025/03/07/thrust-unemployment-axed-federal-workers-face-relatives-who-celebrate-their-firing
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Elon Musk’s DOGE cuts to the IRS threaten to cost more than DOGE will ever save (COMMENT: I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112.280/year. My Democrat IRS superiors took adverse actions against me and wasted my career. GAO audits IRS. I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980. To waste my GAO career and to get rid of me, my Democrat GAO superiors succeeded in keeping me off audits of IRS for the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, except for 3 years 1986-1988.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2025/03/07/doges-cuts-irs-threaten-cost-more-than-doge-saves
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Trump wants to gut HUD. Illinois can’t afford to lose it. (COMMENT: If Gingrich had reformed GAO during the 1990s instead of gutting it, there would no need for DOGE today.)
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opinion/illinois-cant-afford-lose-hud-under-trump-opinion
FOX ILLINOIS
— DOGE’s power curbed amid reports of tension within Trump Administration
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/doges-power-curbed-amid-reports-of-tension-within-trump-administration-elon-musk-marco-rubio-sean-duffy-cabinet-trump-agency-democrats-finances
NPR ILLINOIS
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-03-07/trump-freeze-on-resettlement-funding-leaves-new-refugees-scrambling-to-adjust-in-u-s
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/07/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-263/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— To end Affirmative Action and DEI is to end a) race and gender based preference giving, b) patronage, c) political affiliation discrimination, d) reverse discrimination, e) age discrimination, f) religious discrimination, and g) and national origin discrimination. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— How would your life been different if Democrats had not had Affirmative Action and DEI to use against Republicans? For me, the federal government would have promoted me into its Senior Executive Service, currently $195,200/year, long before I was 40 years old. I had three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance), six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting), and a job-related professional license (CPA). None of my coworkers who my Democrat superiors promoted over me had anything close to that. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What is your attitude toward fired federal employees? My critics/opponents stress that virtually no one came to my defense when my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. My critics/opponents hinted/implied/argued/shouted that I was grossly overpaid ($153,151/year in today’s dollars) and that I must be an extremely bad employee because I was forced to retire even though I had three job-related master’s degrees (1997, 1980, and 1976), six job-related professional certifications (1997, 1996, 1994, 1990, 1981, and 1979), and a job-related professional license (1981). – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— A big reason why I got virtually no sympathy when my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997 was that that I immediately started getting a Civil Service Retirement System pension of $66,780/year in today’s dollars and that the federal government continues to pay 72% of my and my wife’s health care premiums. But in today’s dollars, my GAO salary was $153,151, and therefore, I suffered a $86,371/year or 56% loss of income. But virtually everyone accepted back then and continues to accept the hinting/implying/arguing/shouting from my critics/opponents that I was grossly overpaid. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— According to my critics/opponents, all the jobs that I had were bad jobs that they would never stoop to take. If you accept that, you can understand why my employers had such a hard time recruiting and retaining women for those jobs and why they gave the women who they did hire so much preference over men. With Affirmative Action and DEI, the women who they hired could always get better jobs elsewhere. All the women who my employers promoted over me a) had less work experience than I had b) had less education than I had, c) had no professional certifications or fewer than I had, and/or d) had no professional license like the one that I had. They were all Democrat, minority, younger than me, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— If Republicans had reformed GAO instead of gutting it while I worked for it 1980-1997, I would have been promoted into its Senior Executive Service, currently $195,200/year. But instead, the Democrats who ran GAO wasted my career and got rid of me. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— RINOs want Trump to fail, that is, RINOs want America to fail. RINOs are anti-conservative, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-those who have more money than they have, anti-Protestant, anti-German American, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors. I should write about the biggest RINOs in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois. I would focus on those who have had their operatives and their dupes take the most/biggest adverse actions against me. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Astounding Social Security Bonus! (COMMENT: My Social Security ($3,000/year) is only about a third of what it should be ($9,000/year) because I get a Civil Service Retirement System pension ($67,000/year). Because Biden signed a law that ended that reduction, I will get about $6,000 for 2024 and $750/month instead of $250/month starting this year.)
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/07/astounding-social-security-bonus/
— Congressman Darin LaHood Questions Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/07/congressman-darin-lahood-questions-chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson/
— Opioid Deaths Up in McHenry County, While State Sees Downturn
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/07/opioid-deaths-up-in-mchenry-county-while-state-sees-downturn/
— Oakland Hills Dares Hold an “EASTER” Egg Hunt
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/07/oakland-hills-dares-hold-an-easter-egg-hunt/
— New State Senator Darby Hills Sends First Newsletter
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/07/new-state-senator-darby-hills-sends-first-newsletter/
— More Concern for Data Centers Electric Use
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/07/more-concern-for-data-centers-electric-use/
WIREPOINTS
— Emanuel shouldn’t get a pass just because Lightfoot was bad and Johnson is even worse.
https://wirepoints.org/rahm-emanuel-shouldnt-get-a-pass-just-because-lightfoot-was-bad-and-mayor-johnson-is-even-worse-wirepoints-on-wls-ramblin-ray-show/
ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Illinoisans pay nation’s highest combined state, local taxes
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/report-illinoisans-pay-nations-highest-combined-state-local-taxes/
ILLINOIS REVIEW
— HB2827 Threatens Homeschool Freedom—Fight Back Before It’s Too Late!
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2025/03/hb2827-threatens-homeschool-freedom-fight-back-before-its-too-late.html
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— DEI and deviancy: Wealth doesn’t always buy protection.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/premium/3311108/dei-and-deviancy-wealth-doesnt-always-buy-protection/
BIZ PAC REVIEW
— Three FEMA supervisors fired after probe of directive to skip homes with Trump signs
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/03/08/three-fema-supervisors-fired-after-probe-of-directive-to-skip-homes-with-trump-signs-1527711/
DAILY SIGNAL
— Education Department Launches ‘End DEI’ Portal for K-12 Discrimination Reporting (COMMENT: To end DEI is to end a) race and gender based preference giving, b) patronage, c) political affiliation discrimination, d) reverse discrimination, e) age discrimination, f) religious discrimination, and g) and national origin discrimination.)
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/03/06/education-department-launches-end-dei-portal-for-k-12-discrimination-reporting/
EPOCH TIMES
— US Stopping All Federal Funding to South Africa (COMMENT: As discrimination against Whites in America diminishes because of Trump, more White South Africans may want to immigrate to America.)
https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/us-stopping-all-federal-funding-to-south-africa-trump-5821808
FOX NEWS
— Obama Presidential Center: DEI-linked firm’s racial lawsuit blasted as baseless ‘smears’ Engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti was accused of racially discriminating against a Black-owned subcontractor after criticizing their work.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/obama-presidential-center-dei-linked-firms-racial-lawsuit-blasted-baseless-smears
NATIONAL REVIEW
— DEI Meets an IED (COMMENT: Anticipate/expect that Democrat and RINO leaders will ever-increasingly do everything that they can to keep DEI, that is, to keep a) race and gender based preference giving, b) patronage, c) political affiliation discrimination, d) reverse discrimination, e) age discrimination, f) religious discrimination, and g) and national origin discrimination.)
https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2025/04/dei-meets-an-ied/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
MSNBC
— Trump’s outreach to white South Africans isn’t (just) about Elon Musk. The president’s offer for white farmers to leave post-apartheid South Africa and gain U.S. citizenship says a lot about how he views America. (COMMENT: As discrimination against Whites in America diminishes because of Trump, more White South Africans may want to immigrate to America.)
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-elon-musk-south-africa-rcna195340
MSN
— IRS worker laid off by DOGE had received just 1 paycheck before getting fired (COMMENT: A big reason why I got virtually no sympathy when my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997 was that that I immediately started getting a Civil Service Retirement System pension of $66,780/year in today’s dollars and that the federal government continues to pay 72% of my and my wife’s health care premiums. But in today’s dollars, my GAO salary was $153,151, and therefore, I suffered a $86,371/year or 56% loss of income. But virtually everyone accepted back then and continues to accept the hinting/implying/arguing/shouting from my critics/opponents that I was grossly overpaid.)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/taxes/we-are-the-easy-targets-irs-worker-laid-off-by-doge-had-received-just-1-paycheck-before-getting-fired/ar-AA1At9AV
CBS NEWS
— Some migrants hoping to cross U.S. border consider turning back due to Trump crackdown
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-mexico-border-migrants-trump-crackdown/
NEW YORK TIMES
— I’m a Rust Belt Democrat From a Swing District. Anti-Tariff Absolutism Is a Mistake.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/opinion/tariffs-democrats-mexico.html
— Asked if U.S. Needs Education Department, Its Head Says ‘No’ (COMMENT: For Democrats, the Department of Education exists to crank out good little Democrats.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/us/politics/education-department-mcmahon-trump.html
WASHINGTON POST
— The 10 Republicans who could be Trump’s heir apparent in 2028. Vice President JD Vance is the obvious and prohibitive frontrunner, but here’s who else could be in the mix.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/08/10-republicans-who-could-be-trumps-heir-apparent-2028/
— For some federal workers, Trump and Musk offer a career springboard (COMMENT: If Republicans had reformed GAO instead of gutting it while I worked for it 1980-1997, I would have been promoted into its Senior Executive Service, currently $195,200/year. But instead, the Democrats who ran GAO wasted my career and got rid of me.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/03/08/trump-musk-doge-workforce/
USA TODAY
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly use Trump’s tariffs against him.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/03/07/canada-tariffs-affect-us-goods/81799529007/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Democrats Are Busy Fighting Over What to Fight Over. Progressives want confrontation while moderates fear that will turn off the centrist voters who can put them back in power.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/democrat-party-strategy-progressive-moderates-13e8df10
— RINOs want Trump to fail, that is, RINOs want America to fail. RINOs are anti-conservative, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-those who have more money than they have, anti-Protestant, anti-German American, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors. I should write about the biggest RINOs in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois. I would focus on those who have had their operatives and their dupes take the most/biggest adverse actions against me.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/snap-out-of-it-democrats-trump-congressional-address-showed-they-wont-win-for-a-long-time-1757d3c4
— Trump Is Overturning the World Order That America Built. As the president embraces Putin, longtime allies are starting to view the U.S. not just as unreliable but as a possible threat to their own security.
https://www.wsj.com/world/trump-is-overturning-the-world-order-that-america-built-10981637?page=1
FORBES
— Democrat and RNO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andyjsemotiuk/2025/03/07/trump-immigration-policy-ending–protection-for-18-million-immigrants/
WRAL
— Dismantling modern DEI policies will hurt women in corporate culture, especially in heavily male-centric organizations, experts warn. (COMMENT: According to my critics/opponents, all the jobs that I had were bad jobs that they would never stoop to take. If you accept that, you can understand why my employers had such a hard time recruiting and retaining women for those jobs and why they gave the women who they did hire so much preference over men. With Affirmative Action and DEI, the women who they hired could always get better jobs elsewhere. All the women who my employers promoted over me a) had less work experience than I had b) had less education than I had, c) had no professional certifications or fewer than I had, and/or d) had no professional license like the one that I had. They were all Democrat, minority, younger than me, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time.)
https://www.wral.com/business/women-workforce-dei-policies-change-corporate-america-march-2025/
Tag: retirement
March 4, 2025
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
NBC5
— Pritzker SLAMS Trump, drops hints for 2028 run as Democrats look for leadership (COMMENT: Pritzker is far to the left of Harris.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRRuZ2qaXtA
— Census Bureau under Trump seeks permission to delete questions about gender identity. Trump has targeted transgender and nonbinary people with a series of executive orders since he returned to office.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/census-bureau-under-trump-seeks-permission-delete-questions-gender-identity/3687917/
— Stocks tank as Trump says tariffs will start Tuesday
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/business/money-report/daily-open-stocks-tank-as-trump-says-tariffs-will-start-tuesday/3687825/
— Trump dashes hopes for last-minute Canada and Mexico deal ahead of 25% tariffs
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/business/money-report/trump-dashes-hope-for-last-minute-canada-and-mexico-deal-ahead-of-25-tariffs/3687449/
— Trump promises ‘big’ impacts ahead of joint address to Congress. The president took to Truth Social to offer a preview of the speech, which will take place Tuesday.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/trump-joint-address-to-congress-president-offers-preview/3687572/
WGN9
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote concerns about tariffs
https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/chicago-small-business-owners-concerned-over-trumps-tariffs-on-mexican-imports/
WTTW
— Chicago’s Sanctuary City Protections Face Crucible Moment as Mayor Brandon Johnson Set to Testify Before Congress
https://news.wttw.com/2025/03/04/chicago-s-sanctuary-city-protections-face-crucible-moment-mayor-brandon-johnson-set
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Here are some goods in the crosshairs of Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/03/tariff-goods-mexico-canada-china-2/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, ever-increasingly, more and more and more people will be on Medicaid. Beyond overwhelmingly, those on Medicaid vote for Democrats.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/editorials/2025/03/03/medicaid-cuts-republicans-health-care-doom-millions-illinois-pritzker
DAILY HERALD
— Des Plaines council cutting city clerk’s oversight of staff
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250303/local-politics/des-plaines-council-cutting-city-clerks-oversight-of-staff/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— As Trump tariffs move from threat to reality, these Chicago industries brace for the impact
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/trump-tariffs-hit-chicago-manufacturing-pharma-tech
SOUTHERN
— Trump will face dozens of fired bureaucrats at joint address Tuesday (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors fired me in 1997, that is, they forced me to retire. What if my U.S. Congressman Henry Hyde and my U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald had invited me to Congressional addresses? My critics/opponents have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that Hyde, Fitzgerald, and Hastert sided with GAO against me.)
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/03/04/trump-will-face-dozens-of-fired-bureaucrats-at-joint-address-tuesday/
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Democrats bringing fired federal workers to Trump speech
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/hill-politics/democrats-bringing-fired-federal-workers-to-trump-speech/
WGLT
— Musk moves to cancel leases for federal offices across Illinois (COMMENT: Outstandingly, the last 8 years that I worked for GAO 1990-1997 were in new space in the new 200 West Adams building in the Loop.)
https://www.wglt.org/illinois/2025-03-03/elon-musks-doge-moves-to-cancel-leases-for-federal-offices-across-illinois
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/04/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-466/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WIREPOINTS
— The cost of illegal migrant healthcare… it’s billions instead of millions. But that’s typical of Illinois budgeting.
https://wirepoints.org/the-cost-of-illegal-migrant-healthcare-its-billions-instead-of-millions-but-thats-typical-of-illinois-budgeting-wirepoints-joins-tom-miller-of-wjpf-carbondale/
— Mayor Emanuel suddenly cares about Chicago’s “streets, schools and finances?” Here’s his record.
https://wirepoints.org/mayor-emanuel-suddenly-cares-about-chicagos-streets-schools-and-finances-heres-his-record-wirepoints/
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Trump got elected by promising to defend and advance the Republican Party platform if elected. What does that platform say about Ukraine, about tariffs, about spending cuts, about firing federal employees, about Canada, about Greenland, about etc.? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— If I had sought to be on Musk’s DOGE team, I would have stressed that a) I worked for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year, b) I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year, c) I earned master’s degrees in business, accounting, and finance, d) I earned professional certifications in accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting, and e) I became a licensed CPA when I was 32 years old. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, many of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrat veterans, and at times, most, if not virtually all of them were. My Democrat superiors stressed to them that I avoided the Vietnam War draft. They stressed to them if I had not avoided the Vietnam War draft, I would not have been able to a) buy new cars when I was 19, 20, 23, 25, and 29. b) buy real estate when I was 24, 25, 27, 29, and 35, c) earn a bachelor’s degree when I was 21 and master’s degrees when I was 27 and 31, d) pass on my first attempt the CPA examination when I was 30 and the Certified Internal Auditor examination when I was 32, e) become a licensed CPA when I was 32, or f) get married when I was 29. My Democrat superiors succeeded in getting my Democrat superiors and supervisors to who were veterans to take many big adverse actions against me. I should write about that. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Why did America lose the Vietnam War? SEE: https://www.google.com/search?q=%22lost+the+Vietnam+war%22 According to my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates in the federal government, America lost the Vietnam War because far too many Republicans like me who not only did not enlist, but who avoided the draft. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— My Democrat GAO superiors fired me in 1997, that is, they forced me to retire. What if my U.S. Congressman Henry Hyde and my U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald had invited me to Congressional addresses? My critics/opponents have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that Hyde, Fitzgerald, and Hastert sided with GAO against me. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— If you work for the federal government, your superiors and supervisors know everything about you, including your and your spouse’s income, assets, liabilities, dependents, etc. While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates always painted themselves as be grossly underpaid and suffering tremendous financial hardships. Most commonly, they stressed the tremendous cost of raising their children. They were filled with envy and they were furious that my wife had a good job and that we gave up trying to have children, that we did not adopt, and that we did not become foster parents. I should write about that. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Overwhelmingly, Republicans view federal employees negatively. Why is that? Virtually all federal employees are Democrats, and many of them are minority, female, and/or veteran. I am Republican, White, male, and non-veteran, but nevertheless, I survived as a federal employee for almost 30 years and I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years. To demonize me, denigrate me, and condemn me, my Republican critics/opponents stress that I was a federal employee 1966-1969 and 1971-1997 and that I have been a federal retiree since 1997. They especially stress that I was an IRS employee 1971-1980. I should write about why Republicans view federal employees negatively. I would stress how my Democrat superiors treated me. I would stress the many big adverse actions that my Democrat superiors took against me that they never would never had taken against me if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, and or veteran. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— According to my critics/opponents who are not past, present, or future government employees, government is the employer of last resort, that is, government employees are those who are so bad that they cannot get a job in the private sector. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on those who could not get a government job if they tried to because they lack qualifications, because they cannot pass a background investigation, or because of even worse things. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Refocusing U.S. military: Why identity politics has no place in national defense. Defending our nation is not meant to be a social club.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/3/refocusing-us-military-identity-politics-place-national-defense/
AMERICAN THINKER
— Why Illinois and the U.S. are broke
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/03/why_illinois_and_the_u_s_are_broke.html
BREITBART
— Trump Warns U.S. Against Becoming ‘Like Europe’ With Mass Migration (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO leaders are ever-increasingly replacing those in America who vote for Republicans with those who vote for Democrats.)
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2025/03/03/trump-warns-u-s-against-becoming-like-europe-with-mass-migration/
FEDERALIST
— Trump’s Success Proves Democrats And Weak Republicans Were Holding Border Security Hostage
https://thefederalist.com/2025/03/03/trumps-success-proves-democrats-and-weak-republicans-were-holding-border-security-hostage/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
AOL
— Many federal employees are veterans. They’re terrified. (COMMENT: While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, many of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrat veterans, and at times, most, if not virtually all of them were. My Democrat superiors stressed to them that I avoided the Vietnam War draft. They stressed to them if I had not avoided the Vietnam War draft, I would not have been able to a) buy new cars when I was 19, 20, 23, 25, and 29. b) buy real estate when I was 24, 25, 27, 29, and 35, c) earn a bachelor’s degree when I was 21 and master’s degrees when I was 27 and 31, d) pass on my first attempt the CPA examination when I was 30 and the Certified Internal Auditor examination when I was 32, e) become a licensed CPA when I was 32, or f) get married when I was 29. My Democrat superiors succeeded in getting my Democrat superiors and supervisors to who were veterans to take many big adverse actions against me. I should write about that.)
https://www.aol.com/trumps-sweeping-doge-driven-cuts-093002133.html
— Musk Claims To Know The Net Worths Of Federal Employees – But How? (COMMENT: If you work for the federal government, your superiors and supervisors know everything about you, including your and your spouse’s income, assets, liabilities, dependents, etc. While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates always painted themselves as be grossly underpaid and suffering tremendous financial hardships. Most commonly, they stressed the tremendous cost of raising their children. They were filled with envy and they were furious that my wife had a good job and that we gave up trying to have children, that we did not adopt, and that we did not become foster parents.)
https://www.aol.com/musk-claims-know-net-worths-223621481.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “We do find it sort of rather odd that, you know, there are quite a few people in the bureaucracy who have, ostensibly, a salary of a few hundred thousand dollars but somehow managed to accrue tens of millions of dollars in net worth,” he said. In reality, only 3% of the 2.4 million federal employees make more than $200,000 a year, while half make between $50,000 and $110,000 a year, according to government figures. Further, workers who have made six figures for a number of years could easily be worth seven figures, particularly those in their 50s or 60s who have been saving for retirement for decades and have considerable equity in their homes. But Musk’s assertion raises the more fundamental question about how he would know the financial situations of federal employees.)
NEW YORK TIMES
— China Retaliates Against Trump Tariffs With Levies on U.S. Food
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/03/04/us/tariffs-us-canada-mexico-china
— The People Carrying Out Musk’s Plans at DOGE (COMMENT: If I had sought to be on Musk’s DOGE team, I would have stressed that a) I worked for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year, b) I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year, c) I earned master’s degrees in business, accounting, and finance, d) I earned professional certifications in accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting, and e) I became a licensed CPA when I was 32 years old.)
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/02/27/us/politics/doge-staff-list.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The New York Times identified more than 50 people within the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, a group formed by Elon Musk that in a short few weeks has radically upended federal agencies. Few members have formal Washington experience. Many are software engineers. All seem to have a clear mandate: Shrink and disrupt the federal government. Mr. Musk’s team has taken aim at more than 20 agencies while gaining access to sensitive government data systems. But the full extent of its reach or ambitions is unclear. Much of the team’s operations are opaque, and most of its personnel have not been disclosed by the Trump administration, and it is unclear exactly how large the operation is. Through executive order, President Trump moved the team from the Office of Management and Budget, where it had been housed as the United States Digital Service since its founding, into the White House — a transition that effectively shielded its work from open records laws that could give the public insight into its operations. The list below includes some of Mr. Musk’s allies; engineers — many of whom are young men — with backgrounds in artificial intelligence; former employees; and others who have helped the operation. Several have recently deleted their social media accounts after their names appeared in news reports.)
— Departures Are Draining Agencies of Expertise. Trump’s effort to remake the government is a direct challenge to a decades-long effort to build a civil service stocked with experts. Critics say it will backfire. (COMMENT: My coworkers who my Democrat GAO superiors did not force to retire were Democrats who a) had less work experience than I had, b) had less education than I had, c) had no professional certifications or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had and/or were a) minority, female, younger, and/or veteran.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/us/politics/federal-workers-scientists-firings-trump.html
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly discourage assimilation.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/us/politics/trump-english-official-language.html
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ in the military.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/us/transgender-military-ban-trump-hegseth.html
— Struggling With Errors, DOGE Deletes Billions More From List of Savings. For the second time in a week, Elon Musk’s government overhaul effort updated its “wall of receipts” to remove mistakes that inflated its success.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/us/politics/doge-musk-contracts-wall.html
WASHINGTON POST
— Trump’s speech to Congress has the ingredients for an explosive event. The president addresses restless lawmakers Tuesday after six weeks of working aggressively to slash their power.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/04/trump-speech-second-term-congress/
— No one knows what will finally stop Trump. So Black leaders are trying everything. Resistance to the president should include lawsuits, boycotts, marches — and not forgetting history.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/03/03/trump-opposition-black-leaders/
USA TODAY
— How DOGE’s email to federal employees was ripped from private sector playbook
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/02/24/musk-doge-federal-layoffs-private-sector-inspiration/79075752007/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Trump’s Tariffs on Canada and Mexico Take Effect, With Added Duties on China. Beijing hits back with retaliatory tariffs and other measures after U.S. imposes additional 10% duties on China.
https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-stock-market-today-03-04-2025
— Trump Takes the Dumbest Tariff Plunge. He says the 25% levies on Mexico and Canada will begin Tuesday. Stocks fall.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trump-takes-the-dumbest-tariff-plunge-5da57946
— Just When We Need Them, the Media’s Credibility Hits Bottom. Journalists harrumph at Trump’s actions, but no one cares anymore. I say that with no satisfaction.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/just-when-we-need-them-the-medias-credibility-hits-bottom-79b11b8f
BARRON’S
— Trump’s Tariffs Will Send Inflation Higher, Hurt Exporters
https://www.barrons.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-030425/card/trump-s-tariffs-will-send-inflation-higher-hurt-exporters-e4sxiO7RcFzoVmD88EBN
TIME
— These Are the Guests Democrats and Republicans Are Bringing to Trump’s Speech Tonight (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors fired me in 1997, that is, they forced me to retire. What if my U.S. Congressman Henry Hyde and my U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald had invited me to Congressional addresses? My critics/opponents have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that Hyde, Fitzgerald, and Hastert sided with GAO against me.)
https://time.com/7264128/trump-joint-session-congress-2025-guests-democrats-republicans-schumer-johnson/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Fired federal workers. Medicaid recipients who could lose their healthcare under proposed budget cuts. A small business owner who may be affected by new tariffs. These are some of the people who will attend President Donald Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday night, brought as guests by Democratic lawmakers seeking to highlight the human cost of the administration’s sweeping policy changes. For decades, lawmakers have used invited guests to put a human face on policy debates, underscoring the real-world consequences of decisions made in Washington. This year, as Trump touts what he calls a “historic transformation” of the federal government, Democrats are countering with stories of disruption and hardship—stories they hope will resonate beyond the chamber’s walls.)
NATION
— Your Government Owes You a Job. The federal government can easily afford a job guarantee program, becoming our employer of last resort. (COMMENT: According to my critics/opponents who are not past, present, or future government employees, government is the employer of last resort, that is, government employees are those who are so bad that they cannot get a job in the private sector. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on those who could not get a government job if they tried to because they lack qualifications, because they cannot pass a background investigation, or because of even worse things.)
https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/your-government-owes-you-job/
HUFFINGTON POST
— Ever-increasingly, since 1965, Democrats and RINOs have ever-increasingly used Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.aol.com/trump-revokes-workplace-discrimination-rules-203613130.html
AXIOS
— Some Dems plot to disrupt Trump’s speech to Congress
https://www.axios.com/2025/03/04/trump-congress-address-democrats-disrupt-plan
GOOGLE AI
— Why did America lose the Vietnam War? According to my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates in the federal government, America lost the Vietnam War because far too many Republicans like me who not only did not enlist, but who avoided the draft.
https://www.google.com/search?q=%22lost+the+Vietnam+war%22
INDEPENDENT
— U.S. forecast to enter recession after Trump crashes markets with tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-news-tariffs-canada-mexico-zelensky-musk-updates-b2708278.html
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 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 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 13, 2025
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Sanctuary cities pose an unacceptable risk to public safety
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/13/opinion-sanctuary-cities-public-safety/
— Democrats try to move on after ex-Speaker Michael Madigan’s conviction as GOP calls for greater state ethics reforms
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/12/democrats-try-to-move-on-after-ex-speaker-michael-madigans-conviction-as-gop-calls-for-greater-state-ethics-reforms/
DAILY HERALD
— Hayes endorses Tinaglia to succeed him as Arlington Heights mayor (COMMENT: Since 2004, my critics/opponents have stressed that Jim Rasins did not endorse me for Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO) Treasurer when he did not run again in 2004. They stressed that I had known Rasins since the 1980s and that I had worked hard to help elect him DuPage County Auditor in 2000 and to help reelect him in 2004. They knew that I had recruited Rasins to speak at an Association of Government Accountants (AGA) Chicago Chapter event in the 1990s. They ignored, dismissed, belittled, and badmouthed my qualifications. I had served as the AGA Chicago Chapter Treasurer 1983-1986. I had served as the Illinois Center Right Coalition Treasurer since 2003. I had worked for GAO 1980-1997, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117-807-$153,151/year: I had worked for IRS 1971-1980, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year. I had passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979. I had earned a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul. I had passed the Certified Internal Auditor Examination on my first attempt and became a licensed CPA in 1981. I had become a Certified Fraud Examiner in 1990, Government Financial Manager in 1994, Financial Services Auditor in 1996, and Forensic Accountant in 1997. Since 2004, my MTRO critics/opponents have stressed that I got only 13 votes in that MTRO Treasurer election while my opponent got 69 votes. They I should write about my MTRO critics/opponents. I would focus on those who have taken the most/biggest adverse actions against me.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250212/news/hayes-endorses-tinaglia-to-succeed-him-as-arlington-heights-mayor/
ABC7
— Some new-arrival Venezuelan migrants in Chicago face threat of deportation. President Trump moves up timeline to April to revoke temporary protected status.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-immigration-news-new-arrival-venezuelan-migrants-face-threat-deportation-no-temporary-protected-status/15899205/
NBC5
— Trump administration considering using defense funding to ramp up deportations. The administration has been unhappy with the current pace of immigrant arrests and deportations, and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement budget has been a factor.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/trump-administration-considering-using-defense-funding-to-ramp-up-deportations/3672999/?os=io..ref%3Dapp&ref=app
WGN9
— Durkin talks Madigan verdict
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elsCv9KLiF4
WTTW
— Trump Says He Wants the Department of Education Closed ‘Immediately.’ What That Could Mean for Illinois
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/12/trump-says-he-wants-department-education-closed-immediately-what-could-mean-illinois
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— What to know about the federal workforce under Trump. Since President Donald Trump began his second term last month, he has focused on dramatically reducing the federal workforce at a breakneck pace.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/business/ap-what-to-know-about-the-federal-workforce-under-trump/
— Democrats and RINOs use Affirmative Action and DEI to discriminate against Christians, and especially against Christians who are Protestant.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-given-christianitys-dominance-in-us-trump-raises-eyebrows-with-anti-christian-bias-initiative/
WAND TV
— Migrants with work permits could become firefighters under new plan in Illinois
https://www.wandtv.com/community/migrants-with-work-permits-could-become-firefighters-under-new-plan-in-illinois/article_bd88074c-e97c-11ef-b76b-d77fe5a5d046.html
CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/13/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-455/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
— At the University of Michigan, DEI Now Hides in Office of ‘Community Culture’
https://freebeacon.com/campus/exclusive-at-the-university-of-michigan-dei-now-hides-in-office-of-community-culture/
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE
— Trump Should Cancel the Diversity Visa Program. Ending the green card lottery needs to be a top immigration priority for the president.
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/trump-should-cancel-the-diversity-visa-program/
BLAZE
— Trump tears down the woke iron curtain.
https://www.theblaze.com/columns/opinion/trump-tears-down-the-woke-iron-curtain
BREITBART
— Former GAO Head David Walker: DOGE Should Look at COVID Payments, Wouldn’t Surprise Me if There Was a Trillion in Fraud, Abuse
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2025/02/12/fmr-gao-head-doge-should-look-at-covid-payments-wouldnt-surprise-me-if-there-was-a-trillion-in-fraud-abuse/
— New York isn’t alone when it comes to granting driver’s licenses to immigrants without legal status (COMMENT: The list includes Illinois.)
https://www.breitbart.com/news/new-york-isnt-alone-when-it-comes-to-granting-drivers-licenses-to-immigrants-without-legal-status/
EPOCH TIMES
— Trump Says Putin Agreed to Start Negotiations to End Ukraine War. Trump also discussed the plans with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy is due to meet with Vice President Vance on Feb. 14.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/trump-announces-productive-call-with-putin-on-russia-ukraine-peace-talks-5808724
MEGYN KELLY
— Massachusetts City Flouts Trump Executive Orders, Votes to Become a ‘Sanctuary City’ for Trans People
https://www.megynkelly.com/2025/02/12/worcester-massachusetts-votes-to-become-sanctuary-city-for-trans-people/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— Democrats and RINOs use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5141877-trump-musk-advocacy-campaign/
REUTERS
— US judge clears the way for tens of thousands of federal workers to take Trump buyout
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-judge-allows-trump-proceed-with-government-employee-buyout-2025-02-12/
MSNBC
— Trump and Musk were wrong about government employees – they actually want to work (COMMENT: I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980 because GAO’s mission is to fight fraud, waste, and abuse in the federal government. The importance of that mission a) enabled me to withstand for almost 18 years tremendous efforts by my Democrat GAO superiors to waste my career and to get rid of me and b) motivated me to complete the requirements for master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination in my first attempt in 1981, become a licensed CPA in 1981, become a Certified Fraud Examiner in 1990, Government Financial Manager in 1994, Financial Services Auditor in 1996, and Forensic Accountant in 1997 and to earn a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997.)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-and-musk-were-wrong-about-government-employees-they-actually-want-to-work/vi-AA1yWCyV
NEW YORK TIMES
— The federal employees Trump has purged, so far (COMMENT: The Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997 gave purge lists to all of their new managers of their Chicago office. Of course, I was at the top of all of those lists because I am conservative, Republican, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and my ancestors had been in America since 1844.)
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/02/11/us/politics/trump-musk-doge-federal-workers.html
— Democrat teachers promote DEI
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/nyregion/trump-dei-executive-orders-schools.html
WASHINGTON POST
— Trump closes down federal worker buyout offer after judge lifts hold (COMMENT: What is your position on buyouts and early retirement offers? In 1993, the Democrats who ran GAO “offered” $25,000 buyouts and early retirement to get rid of their employees who were Republican, older, White, male, non-veteran, GS-13, and/or had 25 years or more of federal service. I was “eligible,” that is, I was “targeted” because I was all of the aforesaid. They succeeded in forcing me to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old just before their “offer” expired. If I had not succumbed, I would not have been eligible for regular retirement until 2003. Their forcing me to retire wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for 18 years and for IRS for 9 years, b) earning three job-related master’s degrees (finance-1997, accounting-1980, and business-1976), c) six job-related professional certifications (forensic accounting-1997, financial services auditing-1996, government financial management-1994, fraud examination-1990, internal auditing-1981, and accounting-1979) and d) earning a job-related professional license (CPA-1981).)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/02/12/trump-federal-worker-buyout-court-hearing/
— Trump wants to substantially cut the federal workforce. Here’s what it looks like. While federal hiring has increased in recent years, federal workers, as a share of all Americans workers, remains at a historic low.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/12/federal-workers-trump-doge-cuts/
FORBES
— Democrats and RINOs use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/aparnarae/2025/02/13/the-state-of-dei-practitioners-navigate-a-shifting-landscape/
NPR
— Trump ignites political firestorm in South Africa over Afrikaner asylum status offer (COMMENT: Because Democrats and RINOs use Affirmative Action and DEI to discriminate against Whites in America big time, it makes no sense for Whites to immigrate to America.)
https://www.npr.org/2025/02/13/nx-s1-5294345/trump-ignites-political-firestorm-in-south-africa-over-afrikaner-asylum-status-offer
HUFFINGTON POST
— Trump Ordered A Federal Hiring Freeze. Previous Ones Backfired. GAO found that earlier hiring freezes actually made government services less efficient. (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO for almost 18 years, the agency was almost always under Republican-imposed hiring freezes and/or promotion freezes.)
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-federal-hiring-freeze_n_678fe14de4b02903dff7d61f
GAO
— U.S. Comptroller General (COMMENT: Who does Trump want the next U.S. Comptroller General to be and why?)
https://www.gao.gov/about/comptroller-general
(FROM THE POSTING: Gene L. Dodaro became the eighth Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on December 22, 2010, when he was confirmed by the United States Senate. He was nominated by President Obama in September of 2010 from a list of candidates selected by a bipartisan, bicameral congressional commission. He had been serving as Acting Comptroller General since March of 2008. . . The Comptroller General of the United States heads the Government Accountability Office (GAO), an agency within the legislative branch of the federal government. The Comptroller General is appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the Senate. When a vacancy occurs in the office of the Comptroller General, the Congress establishes a bipartisan, bicameral commission to recommend individuals to the President. The Comptroller General’s term of office is set statutorily at 15 years and they are not eligible for reappointment.)
INDIA TODAY
— Indians seeking asylum in US grew 470% in 5 years
https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/indians-seeking-asylum-in-us-grew-470-in-5-years-study/ar-AA1yU0hE
February 12, 2025 Evening Edition
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Mike Madigan found guilty on 10 counts in partial verdict, not guilty on 7 counts. Republicans, Democrats denounce corruption that brought Madigan down.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/mike-madigan-news-jury-illinois-house-speaker-corruption-trial-reaches-consensus-17-charges-deadlocked-6-others/15897869/
— Senate confirms Gabbard as Trump’s director of national intelligence after Republicans fall in line
https://abc7chicago.com/post/tulsi-gabbard-senate-votes-nomination-trumps-director-national-intelligence/15897871/
FOX32
— Pat Brady reacts to Madigan’s guilty verdict
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1592230
WTTW
— Judge Clears Way for Donald Trump’s Plan to Downsize Federal Workforce With Deferred Resignation Program
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/12/judge-clears-way-donald-trump-s-plan-downsize-federal-workforce-deferred-resignation
WBEZ
— PBS shutters DEI office. The public broadcaster says it is closing its Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) office to comply with a recent executive order from President Donald Trump.
https://www.wbez.org/media/2025/02/12/pbs-shutters-dei-office
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Reader: Removing late Rep. Henry Hyde’s name from DuPage courthouse is ‘terrible and petty’
https://chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-the-editor/2025/02/12/removing-henry-hyde-name-dupage-courthouse-wrong-blagojevich-donald-trump-suenos-ymca
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Michael Madigan guilty of bribery conspiracy, wire fraud
https://chicago.suntimes.com/madigan-trial-news/2025/02/12/mike-madigan-trial-jury-deliberation-write-through
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Madigan jury sends a message — to all of America
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/michael-madigan-jury-sends-message-ethics-greg-hinz
KWQC
— Illinois GOP leader McCombie said Madigan’s guilty verdict ‘sober day’ for state
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx98bYXzi4A
NPR ILLINOIS
— Pritzker emerging as one of Trump’s most vocal Democratic critics
https://www.nprillinois.org/illinois/2025-02-12/pritzker-emerging-as-one-of-trumps-most-vocal-democratic-critics
FOX ILLINOIS
— White House ‘not satisfied’ with number of ICE arrests
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/white-house-not-satisfied-with-number-of-ice-arrests-illegal-immigration-customs-enforcement-migrants-president-donald-trump-sanctuary-cities-white-house-border-czar-tom-homan-sex-trafficking-ring-gang-tren-de-aragua-gangs
CAPITOL FAX
— Roundup: Madigan, McClain trial verdict
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/12/roundup-madigan-mcclain-trial-verdict/
— Madigan/McClain verdict react (Updated)
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/12/madigan-verdict-react/
— Madigan/McClain trial verdict cheat sheet
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/12/madiganmcclain-trial-verdict-cheat-sheet/
— Madigan jury has come to a unanimous decision on 17 counts, deadlocked on 12 counts
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/12/madigan-jury-has-come-to-a-unanimous-decision-on-17-counts-impasse-on-12-counts/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WHEATON RECORD
— Alumni Sign Letter of Complaint After Vought Controversy. Social media posts congratulating Russell Vought on his new position with the Trump administration sparked controversy.
https://thewheatonrecord.com/2025/02/12/alumni-vought-controversy/
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Illinois House GOP demands ethics reforms after Madigan guilty verdicts
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_201ead3e-e97d-11ef-a7f8-3b73f27018ea.html
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— My Wife Bought Champagne When Investigation of Madigan Began Pledging Not to Open It Until He Was Convicted, Now’s the Time
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/my-wife-bought-champagne-when-investigation-of-madigan-began-pledging-not-to-open-it-until-he-was-convicted/
— Press Release from U.S. Attorney on Mike Madigan Conviction
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/press-release-from-u-s-attorney-on-mike-madigan-conviction/
— House Republicans Point to Suzanne Ness’ Huge Contributions from Mike Madigan
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/house-republicans-point-to-suzanne-ness-huge-contributions-from-mike-madigan/
— Schakowsky Outlines District Impact of Social Security Expansion Law Giving Higher Retirement Benefits to Government Employees
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/schakowsky-outlines-impact-of-social-security-expansion-law-giving-higher-retirement-benefits-to-government-employees/
— Election Cartoon
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/election-cartoon/
— February 21st Is Day Lara Trump Speaking at McHenry County GOPAC Event
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/february-21st-is-day-lara-trump-speaking-at-mchenry-county-gopac-event/
— About the Proposed Commuter Service to Rockford through Huntley
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/about-the-proposed-commuter-service-to-rockford-through-huntley/
— LaHood Criticizes Blagojevich Pardon
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/lahood-criticizes-blagojevich-pardon/
— Wilcox Files Domestic Abuse Bill
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/wilcox-files-domestic-abuse-bill/
— Trump Pardon of Blagojevich Minimizes Problem with Illinois Corruption
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/trump-pardon-of-blagojevich-minimizes-problem-with-illinois-corruption/
— Challenges to FOID Card Requirement’s Constitutionality Continue
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/challenges-to-foid-card-requirements-constitutionality-continue/
— Schakowsky Demonstrates at Treasury Department
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/schakowsky-demonstrates-at-treasury-department/
— Former State Rep. DeLoris Doederlein Honored by Kane County Republicans
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/10/former-state-rep-deloris-doederlein-honored-by-kane-county-republicans/
— DeWitte Outlines Latest on Illegal Aliens
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/10/dewitte-outlines-latest-on-illegal-aliens/
— Schakowsky Defends Federal Employees
www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/10/schakowsky-defends-federal-employees/
— Illinois Compared to Indiana
https://https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/09/illinois-compared-to-indiana/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— The Associated Press exposes its hate for Trump … again
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/12/associated-press-exposes-hate-trump/
— U.S. government employees overwhelmingly back Democrats. In politics, nothing indicates loyalty more than where people put their money. (COMMENT: While I was a federal employee for almost 30 years, virtually all my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/11/u-government-employees-overwhelmingly-back-democra/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The federal workforce has become an integral part of the Democratic Party power structure, rivaling the liberal mainstream media, billionaire donors and the activist nonprofits they fund as its most important political ally. This is why Democrats are proclaiming a guerrilla street revolution. They want to stop President Trump and point man Elon Musk from downsizing their army and from surgically removing liberal agenda offices, agencies and leaders — a force it took Democrats years to put into place. Mr. Musk immediately targeted the U.S. Agency for International Development and its exporting of woke ideologies. Federal election records show that USAID personnel contributed $240,000 to the Kamala Harris campaign in the 2024 election cycle and just $999 to Mr. Trump. Of USAID’s top 20 funded candidates, just one was a Republican. President Biden used executive orders to open the southern border to drug cartel-smuggled migrants, to rewrite Title IX for men in women’s sports and to repay students’ delinquent loans without congressional approval. Democrats cheered. They warn Mr. Trump not to downsize the U.S. government, as our national debt reaches $36 trillion, or we’ll impeach him again. OpenSecrets.org, which tracks campaign donations, shows that government workers bankroll Democrats in large ratios. In politics, nothing indicates loyalty more than where people put their money. Employees in the government’s 15 Cabinet-level departments, such as Defense, State and Justice, contributed over $9 million to candidate Harris compared with $1.6 million to Mr. Trump. Looking at federal employees collectively would put them in the top 12 of Harris donors. “One of the reasons the left gravitates to the bureaucracies is because they know it allows them to exercise unaccountable power,” Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, told me. His group has uncovered government misconduct by aggressively pursuing Freedom of Information Act lawsuits. Mr. Fitton added, “History shows effective conservative government reformers will be targeted, isolated, harassed, smeared and destroyed. And public employee unions necessarily have an interest in bigger government, which means they are allied with and support leftist and Democratic Party politicians.” For example, when IRS whistleblowers came forward to testify about Mr. Biden’s family corruption, agency higher-ups smashed them. Special Agents Joe Ziegler and Gary Shapley testified to the House Ways and Means Committee in 2023 that the Justice Department blocked their probe of Hunter Biden into income tax fraud. In December, the Office of Special Counsel, an independent agency that protects against whistleblower reprisals, concluded that the two were the victims of illegal gag orders and workplace retaliations by top IRS officials. IRS employees donated $644,000 to Democrats and $135,000 to Republicans in the 2024 election cycle.)
— ‘Reverse flow’: Illegal immigrants streaming back home after being blocked by Trump’s border
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/12/reverse-flow-illegal-immigrants-streaming-back-hom/
NEW YORK POST
— Trump says he wants ‘con job’ Education Department closed ‘immediately’
https://nypost.com/2025/02/12/us-news/trump-says-he-would-like-education-department-closed-immediately-but-needs-buy-in-from-congress-unions/
— DOJ announces lawsuit against New York, Hochul and state AG James over ‘sanctuary’ status
https://nypost.com/2025/02/12/us-news/attorney-general-pam-bondi-announces-doj-lawsuit-against-new-york-hochul-and-state-ag-james-over-sanctuary-status/
— Federal judge allows Trump to push forward with buyouts for government workers after 65K accept offers
https://nypost.com/2025/02/12/us-news/federal-judge-allows-trump-to-push-forward-with-buyouts-for-government-workers/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Attorney General Pam Bondi announces lawsuit against New York over immigration enforcement
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/attorney-general-pam-bondi-immigration-enforcement/
— Judge allows Trump’s deferred resignations plan for federal workers to proceed
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/judge-allows-trumps-deferred-resignations-plan-federal-workers-to-proceed/
CNN
— Government watchdogs fired by Trump sue to get their jobs back
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/12/politics/inspector-general-lawsuit-fired-trump
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Eight inspectors general whom Donald Trump fired from their federal agency watchdog posts are suing for their jobs back, adding to the legal scrutiny over Trump’s first weeks of decisions in the White House and raising questions about his political intentions. They say that Trump shouldn’t have been able to fire them in late January without first notifying Congress and that the White House ignored regulations around their removal that existed to protect them from political interference and retribution. The administration’s “actions have inflicted substantial damage on the critical oversight ethos of transparency, truth-telling without fear or favor, and respect for the rule of law,” the lawsuit, filed in Washington, DC’s federal court on Wednesday, states. The lawsuit is the latest among more than four dozen filed in federal courts to challenge swift, early executive actions by the Trump administration. Many of the lawsuits, like Wednesday’s, allege that Trump’s White House is depriving Congress of some of its power. The IG’s case adds to a pile of challenges from government workers the Trump administration has removed from various posts — especially those in independent or non-political roles. The dismissals also raise questions over Trump and temporary government adviser Elon Musk’s adversarial approach to existing, long-established federal corruption watchdogs, at a time Trump and Musk are dismantling parts of the government, citing in part a desire to root out corruption. Trump’s dismissal of 18 IGs happened in the first week of his second term, when the watchdogs each received two-sentence emails titled “White House Notification” from the Office of Presidential Personnel. The reason they were given was “changing priorities,” which is not a sufficient reason under the law, their lawsuit claims. Soon after, the IG’s government email access was shut off, and they couldn’t return to their office buildings. “Their purported removals were legal nullities, and so they remain the duly appointed IGs of their respective agencies, unless and until the President lawfully removes them in compliance,” attorneys for the eight IGs wrote. “Plaintiffs’ integrity has been baselessly maligned publicly, with the abrupt and unlawful nature of their purported removals incorrectly implying that plaintiffs have done something wrong when in fact they have each done nothing but uphold the values of their positions and the IG community,” the suit adds. The IGs allege Trump has told Congress – as is required by law – nothing. The lawsuit instead points out the president commented to the press some IGs “were not doing their job.” Trump fired a 19th inspector general, the USAID’s watchdog, this week. The inspectors general, in positions across many government agencies, work to find and prevent waste, fraud and abuse within federal departments. The IGs say their work is non-partisan and ultimately saves taxpayers billions of dollars, protects vulnerable Americans’ rights and safeguards national security, according to the complaint. Those whom Trump fired include IGs at crucial departments including Defense, Health and Human Services, State and Veterans Affairs who say their work has saved the agencies millions of dollars. One of the IGs who is suing, Phyllis Fong, had been in her position at the Department of Agriculture for more than 20 years. After Fong was told she was fired, she continued to go to work, “recognizing that her termination was not effective because it failed to comply with the IG Act’s requirements,” her attorneys wrote, until her federal badge was deactivated and her computer and phone were taken back by the Department of Agriculture. Several of those who are suing had worked under Trump during his first term in the presidency, and one, Hannibal “Mike” Ware of the Small Business Administration, had been Trump’s nominee for the post in 2018. The other IGs who are suing are: Robert Storch of the Defense Department; Michael Missal of Veterans Affairs; Christi Grimm of Health and Human Services; Cardell Richardson of the State Department; Sandra Bruce of the Education Department; and Larry Turner of the Department of Labor.)
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Are Trump’s Attempts to Overhaul the Federal Workforce Legal? Personnel moves will face a range of tests in court.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/are-trumps-attempts-to-overhaul-the-federal-workforce-legal-f36cb5c0
RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— Birthright Citizenship: Majority Want Limits
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/birthright_citizenship_majority_want_limits
February 10, 2025 Evening Edition
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Why Henry Hyde’s name should stay on the DuPage County courthouse. The GOP powerhouse stood for far more than his famous eponymous abortion amendment.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/10/editorial-henry-hyde-dupage-county-courthouse/
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: History often is complex and resistant to simple narratives. So are people. So it is a needlessly divisive mistake for DuPage County Board Chair Deborah Conroy to push for her fellow board members to remove the name of the late Henry J. Hyde, longtime Republican congressman, from the county courthouse. The board is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the issue. Hyde represented DuPage, which until recent years was a Republican power center, in Washington for more than three decades, retiring in 2007. During that time, Hyde wasn’t some low-profile lifer in Congress. He was one of the House’s most prominent members, even when he was serving in the minority, which is to say most of his career there. Conroy’s rationale for removing Hyde’s name from the court building is that the staunchly anti-abortion politician was responsible for the Hyde Amendment, the provision in federal law that for decades barred spending federal taxpayer money on abortions with exceptions for rape, incest or endangerment to the life of the mother. “It’s strictly because of the Hyde Amendment, and it’s very difficult for so many women to walk into the courthouse and see (his name),” she told the Tribune. Abortion rights is an issue that only has grown more intense since Hyde died 10 months after his retirement. We understand the symbolic argument. But to strip his name from the building would be akin to removing Richard J. Daley’s name from the courthouse in the heart of the Loop over a single issue — say, the police beating of protesters at the 1968 Democratic convention on his orders, the culture of corruption that the Daley machine fostered or his brutal segregationist policies. Even many ardent Daley critics wouldn’t suggest doing so. Why is that? Because Daley is a singularly important figure in the history of Chicago and to rename the Daley Center or Daley Plaza would be to try to negate that history. Like Daley, Hyde was a complicated figure and far more than the name adorning a famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) piece of legislation. Memories are short, of course, but for most of his career Hyde was an intellectual heavyweight on the Republican side of the aisle. Agree or disagree, but when Hyde took the floor to speak, people listened. And for good reason. He was a thoughtful conservative. Consider this: Hyde stepped down in 1981 from the advisory board of the National Pro-Life Political Action Committee after Executive Director Peter Gemma Jr. identified incumbent lawmakers the group planned to work to defeat. Hyde objected to targeting officeholders over a single issue. Much the way the DuPage board is considering doing Tuesday. Would the Democratic majority on the DuPage board consider themselves in favor of reasonable gun regulation? If so, against the consensus of his party, Hyde in 1994 voted for President Bill Clinton’s ban on assault weapons, demonstrating that he could be persuaded to change his mind on a monumental issue of the day. Just three years earlier, he had voted against the same ban. Hyde reversed himself after reading detailed accounts of gun victims in Chicago, provided by Democratic Sen. Paul Simon of Illinois. “At the end of reading this list of bloody crimes, I had to conclude these guns have no purpose but to kill a lot of people very rapidly,” Hyde said. “It wasn’t like falling off a horse on the road to Damascus. But like many things complicated and emotional, you don’t dwell on them unless forced to.” Hyde’s change of heart induced Illinois Rep. Bob Michel, then GOP minority leader, and dozens more Republicans to vote for the ban. Such political courage is almost impossible to imagine on today’s Capitol Hill. Of course, four years later Hyde led Clinton’s impeachment proceedings on behalf of the House before the Senate, leading critics to disclose Hyde’s yearslong extramarital affair decades earlier and accusing him of hypocrisy. Hyde admitted to cheating on his wife but claimed Clinton’s alleged wrongdoing was about Clinton’s cover-up attempts rather than his actual affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The public didn’t buy it, and Hyde paid a reputational price in the process. All of this is to say that Henry Hyde was complicated. Just like most people. But what is indisputable is that he was one of the most important political figures to emerge from DuPage County. Ever. His name should stay on that courthouse.)
ABC7
— DuPage County Democrats push to rename courthouse over late Congressman’s abortion views
https://abc7chicago.com/post/local-democrats-push-rename-dupage-county-courthouse-late-congressman-henry-hydes-abortion-views/15890259/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “He had a lot of support, a lot of friends on the other side of the aisle. He strikes me as a kind of official that we should be looking to model ourselves after, not disrespect,” said DuPage County GOP Chair Kevin Coyne. While he was bipartisan on certain issues such as gun control and the Family and Medical Leave Act, Hyde was one of Congress’ biggest opponents of abortion. He authored the Hyde Amendment, which denied abortion access to poor women on Medicaid. . .The board will vote on the resolution to remove Hyde’s name on Tuesday. With a Democratic majority, Conroy says, the proposal will pass. “To cherry-pick this one issue and hold it against a man that was such a big part of our history, to me, is just wrong. It’s short sighted,” Coyne said. Coyne says the decision to remove Hyde’s name may ruin the bipartisanship Conroy says she has proudly created while serving as chair.)
— President Trump pardons ex-Illinois Gov. Blagojevich 5 years after commuting his sentence
https://abc7chicago.com/post/president-donald-trump-expected-pardon-ex-illinois-gov-rod-blagojevich-5-years-commuting-sentence-reports/15889540/
FOX32
— ICE operations intensify across U.S. sanctuary cities
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1591008
DAILY HERALD
— Residents protest proposed cuts to Medicaid at DuPage County rally
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250210/news/residents-protest-proposed-cuts-to-medicaid-at-dupage-county-rally/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Blagojevich pardoned on corruption conviction by Trump
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/trump-pardons-rod-blagojevich-corruption-conviction
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Del Mar teases run for ‘higher office,’ sparking 2026 Illinois governor speculation
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_69d594d6-e7c2-11ef-b535-b39343671dce.html
CITIES 92.9
— Illinois circuit judge finds FOID for firearms in home unconstitutional (COMMENT: I have had a FOID card since I was 20 years old in 1968.)
https://www.cities929.com/2025/02/10/illinois-circuit-judge-finds-foid-for-firearms-in-home-unconstitutional/
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/10/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-246/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
ILLINOIS STATE RIFLE ASSOCIATION
— FOID Card Found to be Unconstitutional Yet Again
https://isra.org/foid-card-found-to-be-unconstitutional-yet-again/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
NEW YORK POST
— Migrants turning around and heading back home in ‘new trend’ under Trump border crackdown
https://nypost.com/2025/02/10/us-news/new-trend-of-migrants-turning-around-and-heading-back-toward-home-under-trump-border-crackdown/
DAILY SIGNAL
— ‘BETRAYAL’: Lawmaker Responds to FEMA Diverting $59M to House Illegal Aliens
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/10/fema-using-59-million-house-illegal-aliens-is-betrayal-highest-order-congressman-says/
DAILY WIRE
— Musk Says FEMA Spent $60M Housing Illegal Immigrants In ‘Luxury Hotels’ Last Week. The payments were suspended by acting FEMA Director Cameron Hamilton after Musk’s announcement.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/musks-says-fema-spent-60m-housing-illegal-immigrants-in-luxury-hotels-last-week
— 27% Of National Science Foundation Grants Went To DEI Projects, Study Finds. ‘Congress must end the politicization of NSF funding and restore integrity to scientific research,’ Sen. Ted Cruz says.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/27-of-national-science-foundation-grants-went-to-dei-projects-study-finds
EPOCH TIMES
— Musk Says FEMA Spent $59 Million on Housing Illegal Immigrants in NYC Hotels. ‘This stops now,’ said acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton, announcing that all such payments from FEMA were suspended on Feb. 9.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/musk-says-fema-spent-59-million-on-housing-illegal-immigrants-in-nyc-hotels-5807322
FOX NEWS
— Trump expected to pardon former Illinois Gov Rod Blagojevich. Trump previously commuted Blagojevich’s sentence in 2020.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-expected-pardon-former-illinois-gov-rod-blagojevich
MRC TV
— Illegal Alien Crossings Have Plummeted 90% Under Trump
https://www.mrctv.org/blog/brittany-m-hughes/border-agent-illegal-alien-crossings-have-plummeted-90-under-trump
TOWNHALL
— Trump Ramps Up Purge of ‘Woke’ Ideology in the Military
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeff-charles/2025/02/10/trump-liquidates-woke-board-of-visitors-for-military-branches-n2651967
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— Trump says ‘too early’ to name Vance as successor
https://www.aol.com/trump-says-too-early-name-215711428.html
CNN
— Trump imposes 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/10/politics/tariffs-steel-aluminum-trump/index.html
CBS NEWS
— Increasing numbers of Democrats want their party to oppose Trump
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/democrats-want-party-oppose-trump-poll-analysis/
— Trump ousts director of Office of Government Ethics
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-office-of-government-ethics-director/
WEEK
— DeSantis signs agreement with ICE to have Florida state troopers detain illegal immigrants
https://www.25newsnow.com/2025/02/10/desantis-signs-agreement-with-ice-have-florida-state-troopers-detain-illegal-immigrants/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— DHS Seeks to Deputize IRS Officers to Help With Deportation Effort. Tax-collecting agency has thousands of special agents in its criminal-investigation division. (COMMENT: I worked for GAO on audits of IRS’s Criminal Investigation Division at the GS-13 Step 1-3 Levels, currently $117,807-$125,661/year, for 3 years.)
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-irs-officers-ice-deportations-ed87c4b5
AUTO GUIDE
— Why Is General Motors Getting Rid Of Key Corvette Personnel?
https://www.autoguide.com/auto/manufacturers/chevrolet/why-is-general-motors-getting-rid-of-key-corvette-personnel-44616109
February 3, 2025 Evening Edition
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Trump agrees to pause tariffs on Mexico, Canada for a month
https://abc7chicago.com/post/us-tariffs-mexico-paused-month-mexican-president-says/15860417/
— ‘A Day Without Immigrants’ protests and business closures in Chicago in opposition to Trump policies (COMMENT: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration. I washed dishes for 18 months while I was in high school. If there had been as many illegals back then as there are now, they would have gotten that job.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/day-immigrants-chicago-business-owners-city-close-monday-protest-president-trumps-immigration-policies/15859639/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump threatens to fire more than 100 Chicago EPA workers. An email tells new employees that the agency can “immediately terminate you.” (COMMENT: I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980. Because I had served my federal probationary period by working for IRS for almost 9 years, my Democrat GAO superiors were furious that they could not just fire me. However, they did force the GAO manager to retire who had arranged my transfer.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/environment/2025/02/03/trump-threatens-to-fire-100-chicago-epa-workers-environmental-protection-agency
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The warnings came in an email sent last week to most-recently hired workers who have not yet put in enough time to enjoy more job-protection benefits. “As a probationary/trial period employee, the agency has the right to immediately terminate you,” the email said. “The process for probationary removal is that you receive a notice of termination, and your employment is ended immediately.”)
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Musk tightens grip on federal government as Democrats raise alarms
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/elon-musk-federal-government/
— Some Chicago businesses close their doors to protest immigration crackdown (COMMENT: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration. I washed dishes for 18 months while I was in high school. If there had been as many illegals back then as there are now, they would have gotten that job.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/chicago-has-always-been-a-city-of-immigrant-workers-some-chicago-businesses-close-their-doors-to-protest-immigration-crackdown/
— South suburban business advocates warn targeting of DEI will hurt small businesses and the economy (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO employers use DEI a) to not hire Republicans like me and b) to get rid of their Republican employees like I was.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/south-suburban-business-advocates-dei-economy/
DAILY HERALD
— ‘We’re all humans’: Immigrant advocates rally in West Chicago to protest mass deportations (COMMENT: To come into a country illegally and/or to stay in a country illegally is to demonstrate gross disrespect for the rule of law and for that country.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250203/nation-and-world-politics/were-all-humans-immigrant-advocates-rally-in-west-chicago-to-protest-mass-deportations/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Carrying signs with slogans including “FIGHT IGNORANCE NOT IMMIGRATION,” a crowd of more than 150 people gathered in West Chicago to protest mass deportations Monday, saying the policy unfairly targets Latino residents. “We’re all humans at the end of the day. No one is illegal,” West Chicagoan Jessica Garnica said. “This is a new civil rights movement,” Casa DuPage Workers Center Executive Organizer Cristobal Cavazos said. He helped organize the Day Without Immigrants March and Rally, intended to demonstrate the importance of the Chicago area’s Latino community. Multiple Latinos are “not going to work, not going to school, not buying anything. The majority of people (at the rally) are essential workers in the factories, in the warehouses, in the restaurants,” Cavazos said. Drivers in passing cars and semitrucks honked as participants gathered at Route 59 near Route 38 before marching to the West Chicago City Hall. Mexican immigrants “bring a lot of diversity and culture to the U.S.” but are often treated with disrespect, university student Ajimelec Garcia of West Chicago said. As well as in Chicago, ICE actions have been reported in Deer Park, Elgin, Palatine, Round Lake, Waukegan and West Chicago as part of President Donald Trump’s deportation ramp-up. Federal authorities said their priority is arresting criminals but protesters feared longtime residents with jobs and families will be swept up. “A lot of people are worried,” Garcia said. “I feel they don’t really honestly care if you have papers, in a way. As long as you’re Mexican they don’t want you here.” On Fox News Sunday, Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan cited a 93% decrease in illegal border crossings. “We can’t have strong national security if we don’t have border security. We need to know who’s coming in, what’s coming in, where it’s coming in and why it’s coming in.” About 5,000 arrests were made in the first week, with the majority being criminals, Homan said. He added “noncriminals are (being) arrested in sanctuary cities because you force us into the community rather than arresting the bad guy in jail. And, when we find that criminal, he’s most likely with others, and they’re going to go, too. “If you want to be a sanctuary city, you’re going to get exactly what you don’t want — more agents in the city and more noncriminals arrested,” Homan said. Marcher Alejandra Jacobo of West Chicago said she’s concerned about loved ones. “They’ve worked so hard, most of the time for minimum wage,” Jacobo said. “I know they’re (ICE) doing their jobs, but do not take our good people. Just take the bad ones. These are the ones you should be chasing after.” Handmade signs sported slogans including “MEXICANS MAKE AMERICA GR8,” MY PARENTS ARE NOT CRIMINALS FOR WANTING A BETTER LIFE,” AND “AMERICA WE ARE YOUR PEOPLE.” Marchers included seniors, teens and kids in strollers. “We’re staying strong as a community,” Garnica said. “When you believe in God, he’s the one who’s going to guide us through.” The rally was organized by the Casa DuPage Workers Center and DuPage Immigrant Solidarity.)
— Canada Follows Mexico in Reaching Deal to Delay Trump Tariffs. The leaders of Mexico and Canada each said they had struck agreements to pause tariffs for 30 days, but levies on products from China were still set to take effect just after midnight. (COMMENT: I have ordered a 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T that will be built in Canada.)
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02/03/us/trump-tariffs
— DuPage County keeps federal lobbyist
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250203/news/dupage-county-keeps-federal-lobbyist/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— How are Chicago schools responding to increased immigration enforcement? Here are five examples. (COMMENT: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.)
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/education/how-chicago-schools-are-responding-immigration-enforcement
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL EWGISTER
— Pritzker calls Trump ‘incompetent’, says Illinois families will feel impact of new tariffs
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/state/2025/02/03/gov-pritzker-is-vocal-about-pres-trump-calls-him-incompetent/78181424007/
FOX ILLINOIS
— Restaurants shutter nationwide for ‘Day Without Immigrants’ protests (COMMENT: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration. I washed dishes for 18 months while I was in high school. If there had been as many illegals back then as there are now, they would have gotten that job.)
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/restaurants-shutter-nationwide-for-day-without-immigrants-protests-trump-mass-deporations-immigration-policies-washington-dc-utah-florida-california
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/03/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-241/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— From what I see, Democrats have decided to not only reject Trump’s presidency, but to end it. Democrats have declared a Second Civil War on Republicans. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrat Party Army. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— McCombie urges cohesion amid party in fighting
http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/illinois-quick-hits-mccombie-urges-cohesion-amid-party-in-fighting-conservation-group-raises-bird-flu-concerns/ar-AA1yl60B
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The head of Illinois House Republicans is responding to calls for her to step down from her leadership role. The Illinois Freedom Caucus, made up of six state representatives and one senator, is accusing House Minority Leader Tony McCombie of playing “silly games” after she denied several services at the Capitol for not voting for her as leader. McCombie said the suspension of certain caucus-specific services does not affect any legislator’s ability to serve constituents, and the focus should be on “fighting Democrat policies that are failing Illinois families, not each other.”)
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Mexico’s president blames U.S. for arming cartels (COMMENT: From what I see, Mexico will side with America’s enemies in WWIII.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/3/mexico-president-claudia-sheinbaum-blames-u-arming/
NEW YORK POST
— NJ Gov. Phil Murphy reveals he’s housing a migrant at his residence — and tells feds ‘good luck’ trying to get her. (COMMENT: Murphy wants to be a modern day George Wallace.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/03/us-news/nj-gov-phil-murphy-reveals-hes-housing-a-migrant-at-his-residence-and-tells-feds-good-luck-trying-to-get-her/
FEDERALIST
— Former Mexican Consulate Lawyer Coaches Illegals To Lie To ICE (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://thefederalist.com/2025/02/03/report-former-mexican-consulate-lawyer-coaches-illegals-to-lie-to-ice/
CAMPUS REFORM
— University of Minnesota charges up to $1,575 for online DEI certificate (COMMENT: I should add up all the money that I paid for tuition and books to earn a) a bachelor’s degree (NIU-management-1970), b) three master’s degrees (Loyola- business-1976, DePaul-accounting 1980, and IIT-finance-1997), and two professional certifications CPA-1979 and Certified Internal Auditor-1981) and adjust that money to today’s dollars.)
https://www.campusreform.org/article/university-minnesota-charges-1575-online-dei-certificate/27386
WESTERN JOURNAL
— Celebrities Put on a Parade of Wokeness at Grammys, Proving They Didn’t Learn Their Lesson in 2024 (COMMENT: From what I see, Democrats have decided to not only reject Trump’s presidency, but to end it. Democrats have declared a Second Civil War on Republicans. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrat Party Army.)
https://www.westernjournal.com/celebrities-put-parade-wokeness-grammys-proving-didnt-learn-lesson-2024/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Education Dept. to probe antisemitism at 5 universities, including Columbia, Northwestern, Berkeley
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/education-dept-antisemitism-universities-columbia-northwestern-berkeley/
NEWSWEEK
— National ’50 States’ Anti-Trump Protest Planned for Feb 5: What to Know (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://www.newsweek.com/50-states-anti-trump-protest-nationwide-february-5-details-2025300
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
— ACLU Sues Over Trump Ban on Asylum at U.S.-Mexico Border (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-02-03/aclu-sues-over-trump-ban-on-asylum-at-u-s-mexico-border
WASHINGTON POST
— Immigrant advocates file lawsuit challenging Trump asylum shutdown. The Trump administration has claimed there is an “invasion” on the U.S.-Mexico border to justify summarily expelling migrants without giving them a chance to apply for asylum. (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/02/03/aclu-lawsuit-asylum-border/
— Here’s who’s been ousted from FBI, Justice Dept. so far. Will it stand? (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors ousted me, that is, they forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. My critics/opponents have no problem with that. Actually, they are furious that I have gotten a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) pension since then. Currently it is $66,680/year. So far, in today’s dollars, CSRS has paid me $1.8 million.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/03/fbi-justice-firings-removals-due-process/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Another Thing Musk Hates About Germany: Absentee Workers at His Tesla Plant (COMMENT: While I was a student at NIU in 1970, Chrysler hired me to work in its Belvidere plant on Mondays because that was when absenteeism was highest.)
https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/elon-musk-german-tesla-factory-workers-0317574f
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Elon Musk was taken aback last fall by reports of high absenteeism at Tesla’s TSLA -5.17%decrease; red down pointing triangle factory near Berlin. “This sounds crazy. Looking into it,” the company’s workaholic chief executive wrote last September on X, the social-media platform he owns, responding to a tweet citing a sickness rate above 15%. The number of workers calling in sick has long been a flashpoint at the facility, where managers are battling to preserve the freewheeling spirit of an American tech company amid union pressure to hew closer to more worker-friendly European practices. The culture clash offers corporate context for Musk’s increasingly frequent interjections on European politics, including his recent endorsement of the far-right Alternative for Germany party.)
ACLU
— Immigrants’ Rights Advocates Sue Trump Administration Over Efforts to Completely Shut Down Asylum at the Border (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/immigrants-rights-advocates-sue-trump-administration-over-efforts-to-completely-shut-down-asylum-at-the-border
ACCOUNTNG TODAY
— Illinois lawmakers propose alternative paths to CPA license (COMMENT: Because my becoming a licensed CPA when I was 32 years old in 1981 was my biggest professional accomplishment, my critics/opponents have ignored/dismissed/belittled that the most. None of my GAO Chicago office superiors, supervisors, coworkers, or subordinates were licensed CPAs.)
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/illinois-lawmakers-propose-alternative-paths-to-cpa-license
RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— 77% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that requiring photo ID to vote is a reasonable measure to protect the integrity of elections – up from 74% in 2021. Just 17% disagree.
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/election_integrity_77_favor_voter_id
January 24, 2025 Evening Edition
POST MILLENNIAL
— Pete Hegseth CONFIRMED by Senate as defense secretary. Vice President JD Vance was called up to cast the tie-breaking vote.
https://thepostmillennial.com/pete-hegseth-confirmed-senate
TOWNHALL
— Pete Hegseth Confirmed as Secretary of Defense
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2025/01/24/hegseth-confirmed-n2650817
WHITE HOUSE
— ENFORCING THE HYDE AMENDMENT
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/enforcing-the-hyde-amendment/
— I hereby revoke the Presidential Memorandum of January 28, 2021 . . . and reinstate the Presidential Memorandum of January 23, 2017 . . . (The Mexico City Policy). I direct the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the extent allowable by law, to implement a plan to extend the requirements of the reinstated Memorandum to global health assistance furnished by all departments or agencies. I further direct the Secretary of State to take all necessary actions, to the extent permitted by law, to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund organizations or programs that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/memorandum-for-the-secretary-of-state-the-secretary-of-defense-the-secretary-of-health-and-human-services-the-administrator-of-the-united-states-for-international-development/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Evanston investigating photo of firefighters wearing Trump masks at work (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors were furious that I attended a Bob Dole rally in Wheaton in 1996.)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/illinois-city-evanston-investigating-photo-202200410.html
— A reported sighting of immigration agents attempting to enter an elementary school on Chicago’s Southwest Side on Friday was actually U.S. Secret Service agents investigating a threat.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/24/immigration-enforcement-hamline-elementary/
— Illinois State Senator Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) asks prison workers to contact her about undocumented immigrants: ‘I won’t rat you out’
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/24/state-senator-asks-prison-workers-to-contact-her-about-undocumented-immigrants-i-wont-rat-you-out/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Homeless tent camp on track to be removed from Gompers Park on Northwest Side. Ald. Samantha Nugent says the city promised to begin a process next month to help move unhoused people from the park into shelters. (COMMENT: Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, anticipate/expect homeless tent camps in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2025/01/24/chicago-homeless-tent-camp-removed-gompers-park-northwest-side-samantha-nugent-brandon-johnson
ABC7
— Target is ending its diversity goals as a strong DEI opponent occupies the White House
https://abc7chicago.com/post/target-is-ending-diversity-goals-strong-dei-opponent-occupies-white-house/15834406/
— Illinois Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/mass-deportations-school-attendance-declines-parts-illinois-amid-fears-trump-immigration-raids-gov-pritzker-speaks/15834048/
— US Secret Service approached South Side school, not ICE agents. Chicago Public Schools officials initially claimed they denied ICE entry to Hamline Elementary Friday morning.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/us-immigration-customs-enforcement-agents-denied-entry-hamline-elementary-school-back-yards-cps-officials/15833738/
— Illinois Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/mass-deportations-school-attendance-declines-parts-illinois-amid-fears-trump-immigration-raids-gov-pritzker-speaks/15834048/
— Illinois authorities divided on TRUST Act forbidding federal immigration enforcement collaboration
https://abc7chicago.com/post/trust-act-controversy-illinois-authorities-divided-law-forbidding-collaboration-federal-immigration-enforcement-raids/15834612/
— Trump vows to fight for abortion restrictions in March for Life remarks
https://abc7chicago.com/live-updates/donald-trump-2nd-term-live-updates-more-executive-action-planned-amid-day-1-fallout/15820865/
— Trump says military planes will deport migrants every day
https://abc7chicago.com/post/trump-border-czar-tells-abc-military-planes-will-deport-migrants-every-day/15834350/
NBC5
— CPS says ICE agents ‘showed up’ at Chicago school, Secret Service says it was them. A spokesperson for ICE, however, said “this was not an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement encounter,” however.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/ice-agents-showed-up-at-chicago-school-amid-heightened-concerns-of-raids/3655459/
— Target announces major company changes following Trump’s diversity orders. Target, which operates nearly 2,000 stores nationwide, explained it already had planned to end the racial program this year.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/target-announces-major-company-changes-following-trumps-diversity-orders/3655681/
— Judge finds Dolton mayor in ‘indirect criminal contempt’ in liquor license case
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/judge-finds-dolton-mayor-in-indirect-criminal-contempt-in-liquor-license-case/3655764/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/voters-unhappy-both-parties/3646584/
CBS2
— Illinois Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-public-schools-martinez-cupich-immigration-raid-worries/
— Illinois Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use poor people to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/northern-illinois-food-bank-immigration-policy-concerns/
— Chicago Democrats reject Trump’s election and the rule of law.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-mayor-johnson-immigration-rights-announcement/
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Trump and Vance join March for Life anti-abortion activists in celebrating the movement’s gains. President Donald Trump and his vice president, JD Vance, are celebrating gains in the anti-abortion movement with activists in the annual March for Life/
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/nation-world/trump-and-vance-join-march-for-life-anti-abortion-activists-in-celebrating-the-movements-gains/article_c22d1d39-93fc-54d5-827b-67e023017820.html
SOUTHERN
— Illinois Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://thesouthern.com/news/illinois-schools-prepare-for-immigration-enforcement-state-board-issues-guidance-after-trump-rescinds-biden-era/article_47c02031-d3c1-5998-a107-91095f03946d.html
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Federal agencies begin removing DEI guidance from websites in Trump crackdown
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-federal-agencies-begin-removing-dei-guidance-from-websites-in-trump-crackdown/
NPR ILLINOIS
— Local governments across U.S. signal they won’t aid Trump migrant crackdown (COMMENT: To what extent do those who run your county, township, municipality, and school district reject Trump’s election, that is, to what extent do they reject the rule of law?)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-01-24/local-governments-across-u-s-signal-they-wont-aid-trump-migrant-crackdown
— U.S. puts virtually all foreign aid on 90-day hold
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-01-24/u-s-puts-virtually-all-foreign-aid-on-90-day-hold-issues-stop-work-order
WREX
— Federal agencies told to move to eliminate DEI offices and positions within 60 days (COMMENT: What if Trump had been elected earlier, much earlier? In Diersen v. GAO, to justify its forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, GAO argued that it was just following orders. GAO used Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of its Republican employees, and especially those who were conservative, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran. I was all of the aforesaid.)
https://www.wrex.com/news/politics/federal-agencies-told-to-move-to-eliminate-dei-offices-and-positions-within-60-days/article_1c625fdb-9e6e-58db-9fd1-a3c70ed32bc2.html
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/01/24/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-235/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— What if Trump had been elected earlier, much earlier? In Diersen v. GAO, to justify its forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, GAO argued that it was just following orders. GAO used Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of its Republican employees, and especially those who were conservative, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran. I was all of the aforesaid. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump is finally firing people (COMMENT: If was still working for the Democrats who run GAO, they would kill me figuratively if not literally.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jan/24/trump-finally-firing-people/
— Repealing the climate hoax
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jan/24/editorial-repealing-climate-hoax/
NEW YORK POST
— Mexico refuses to accept US deportation flight as Trump’s immigration overhaul gets into full swing
https://nypost.com/2025/01/24/us-news/mexico-refuses-to-accept-us-deportation-flight-as-trumps-immigration-overhaul-gets-into-full-swing/
— Trump’s Education Department sacks ‘book ban coordinator,’ tosses complaints over removal of ‘sexually explicit’ material
https://nypost.com/2025/01/24/us-news/trumps-education-department-eliminates-book-ban-coordinator/
CENTER FOR FAMILY & HUMAN RIGHTS
— Trump Eradicates Gender Ideology on Week One
https://c-fam.org/friday_fax/trump-eradicates-gender-ideology-on-week-one/
DAILY CALLER
— Illegal Aliens ‘Endanger Our Own People’: Democratic Alderman Raymond Lopez of Chicago Lays Into Governor Pritzker Seeking To Block ICE Raids
https://dailycaller.com/2025/01/24/chicago-dem-pritzker-trump-block-ice-raids/
GINGRICH
— President Trump Acts Decisively on Illegal Immigration (COMMENT: If Gingrich had reformed GAO instead of gutting it, I might still be working for GAO.)
https://gingrich360.com/2025/01/24/president-trump-acts-decisively-on-illegal-immigration/
TOWNHALL
— Senate Republican Announces Bill to Finish Building Donald Trump’s Border Wall
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeff-charles/2025/01/24/house-republican-to-reintroduce-bill-to-finish-building-trumps-wall-n2651080
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Interior Department says Gulf of Mexico now renamed to Gulf of America, Denali to Mount McKinley
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/interior-department-gulf-of-mexico-america/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students and religious people to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/ice-activity-new-york-new-jersey-schools-places-of-worship/
REUTERS
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/some-migrants-turn-pricey-smugglers-or-riskier-routes-after-trump-clampdown-2025-01-24/
NEWSWEEK
— Chicago Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump and against those who voted for Trump.
https://www.newsweek.com/chicago-immigrants-fearing-trump-ice-deportation-raids-stay-home-2019296
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-01-24/some-migrants-turn-to-pricey-smugglers-or-riskier-routes-after-trump-clampdown
NEW YORK TIMES
— At Trump Luncheon, Billionaires Cozy Up to Policymakers
https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000009942342/at-trump-luncheon-billionaires-cozy-up-to-policymakers.html
WASHINGTON POST
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/01/24/immigration-mexico-trump/eab0c612-da10-11ef-85a9-331436ec61e9_story.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/01/24/immigration-raids-deportations-trump-ice/
— Democrats and RINOs use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/01/24/trump-dei-rollback-inequality/
USA TODAY
— Democrat and RINO employers use DEI a) to not hire Republican and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2025/01/24/health-wildfire-los-angeles-madison-keys-trump-dei/77922903007/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— A ‘Pay Penalty’ Is Keeping Men Out of Classrooms. Male teachers can help struggling boys, but few men choose to go into teaching.
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/education-low-pay-male-teachers-8c3bfa30
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The typical college-educated man made $95,000 in 2023, compared with $65,000 for male teachers—a $30,000 pay gap, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of census data stored at the University of Minnesota. The comparable gap for women was $12,000.)
FORTUNE
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://fortune.com/2025/01/24/migrants-us-asylum-appointments-canceled-trump-crossing-border/
BARRON’S
— America’s enemies ever-increasingly send their citizens to America illegally.
https://www.barrons.com/news/asylum-access-universally-recognised-right-un-says-after-trump-halts-arrivals-9c5a8983
INC.
— Since the 1960s, Democrats have ever-increasingly used their anti-discrimination laws to discriminate against Republicans who are White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.inc.com/kit-eaton/trump-federal-contracting-order-reverses-60-years-of-anti-discrimination-progress/91130572
AARP
— 10 Sneaky Retirement Expenses You May Not See Coming (COMMENT: The list includes: Health care/wellness, Home maintenance and modifications, Home and car insurance, Utilities, Taxes, and Staying connected. In today’s dollars, my Civil Service Retirement System pension is a) only 44% of what my salary was when I was 49 in 1997 and b) less than what my salary was when I was 23 in 1972.)
https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2023/most-common-underestimated-expenses.html
NATIONAL LAW REVIEW
— What’s Next for OFCCP? Agency Issues First Statement After President Trump’s Revocation of EO 11246
https://natlawreview.com/article/whats-next-ofccp-agency-issues-first-statement-after-president-trumps-revocation-eo
AMERICAN LAWYER
— The Justice Department rescinded job offers to dozens of law school students who were set to join the agency this year, while attorneys already in the government are worried about the risk of losing their jobs. (COMMENT: When I was 22 years old in 1971, Oldsmobile rescinded a job offer that I had accepted saying that it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. That had a tremendous impact on the rest of my life.)
https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2025/01/24/government-attorneys-face-reassignment-rescinded-job-offers-in-first-days-of-trump-administration/
LAW 360
— Convenience store chain Circle K requires store managers to make trips to other locations to pick up out-of-stock items but doesn’t reimburse them for the costs associated with this travel. (COMMENT: Prior to Diersen v. IRS ( SEE: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-180010.11 ) IRS used a purposely vague definition of “commuting area” to reward and to punish its employees.)
https://www.law360.com/employment-authority/wage-hour/articles/2288288/circle-k-fails-to-pay-for-travel-costs-manager-says
RASMUSSON REPORTS
— 45% View China as Enemy of U.S.
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/45_view_china_as_enemy_of_u_s