FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Trump administration names Andrew Boutros as interim US Attorney for Northern District of Illinois. The U.S. Attorney in Diersen v. GAO sided with GAO, that is, he sided with what my Democrat GAO superiors used to force me to retire, that is, he sided with Affirmative Action, DEI, race and gender based preference giving, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination (up-or-out), religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/president-donald-trump-administration-names-andrew-boutros-interim-us-attorney-northern-district-illinois-team/16098899/
— Winnetka signs agreement to augment police force with private security. Winnetka today, your municipality tomorrow as crime ever-increasingly increases under the Democrats and under the RINOs.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/village-winnetka-signs-agreement-augment-police-force-4-security-solutions/16099301/
NBC5
— Videos show large teen gatherings in downtown Chicago. How soon, if not already, will there be large teen gatherings in your municipality?
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/videos-show-large-teen-gatherings-in-downtown-chicago/3709040/
WGN 9
— Illinois Democrat leaders to defy Trump voter order for April election
https://wgntv.com/news/politics/illinois-trump-voter-order-april-election/
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8zI0oEsCKc
FOX32
— Illinois elections heat up: High-stakes races in Orland Park, Aurora
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-election-orland-park-aurora-arlington-heights
— Chicago lawyer appointed interim U.S. Attorney for Northern District of Illinois
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-lawyer-appointed-interim-us-attorney-northern-district-illinois
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Andrew Boutros officially announced as interim U.S. Attorney in Chicago
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/28/andrew-boutros-officially-announced-as-interim-u-s-attorney-in-chicago/
— Vance accuses Denmark of uninvesting in Greenland as Trump presses for US takeover of the island
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/28/jd-vance-greenland/
— Hegseth tells Philippines the Trump administration will ramp up deterrence against China threat
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/28/hegseth-philippines-trump-china/
— Democrat leaders crow that a federal judge temporarily blocks parts of Trump’s anti-DEI executive orders
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/28/trump-dei-orders/
CHICAGO SUIN-TIMES
— Illinois Elections Board, that is, the Democrats who run Illinois, reject Trump’s executive order.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2025/03/28/illinois-elections-board-trump-executive-order-april-1-elections
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly side the Tren de Aragua gang
https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2025/03/28/tren-de-aragua-venezuela-gang-trump-tom-homan-terrorism-violence-crime-chicago-colombia-honduras-ecuador-nicolas-maduro-salvador
— From repairs to insurance, President Donald Trump’s auto tariffs could make owning a car more expensive
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/28/trump-auto-tariffs/
— Former prosecutor Andrew Boutros named Chicago’s interim U.S. Attorney
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2025/03/28/former-prosecutor-andrew-boutros-named-chicagos-interim-u-s-attorney
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2025/03/28/trump-administration-lies-truth-alternative-facts-robert-kennedy-vaccines-mona-charen
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/03/21/trump-american-exceptionalism-dangerous-wars-america-james-huffman
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2025/03/29/usaid-agency-international-development-humanitarian-death-disease-trump-musk-amy-yee
— Chicago-area Vietnam War veterans commemorate 50 years since war’s end. I should write about my critics/opponents who have used against me my avoiding the Vietnam War draft the most. I would focus on my Democrat superiors in the federal government.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2025/03/28/chicago-area-vietnam-war-veterans-commemorate-50-years-since-wars-end-that-was-a-brotherhood
DAILY HERALD
— Internal White House document details layoff plans across U.S. agencies. While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, the agency was almost always under hiring freezes and/or promotion freezes because of Gingrich budget cuts. Of course, my Democrat GAO superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were furious about that. To punish Gingrich, my Democrat GAO superiors and supervisors took many big adverse actions against me.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250327/nation-and-world-politics/internal-white-house-document-details-layoff-plans-across-u-s-agencies/
— Democrats argue Republicans waited too long to file latest redistricting lawsuit
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250329/news/democrats-argue-republicans-waited-too-long-to-file-latest-redistricting-lawsuit/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— GOP leaders target Northwestern law school in growing antisemitism probe
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/education/gop-leaders-target-northwesterns-pritzker-school-law
DAILY NORTHWESTERN
— Pritzker under fire from House Committee on Education for providing free legal representation to pro-Palestinian protestors
https://dailynorthwestern.com/2025/03/28/campus/pritzker-under-fire-from-house-committee-on-education-for-providing-free-legal-representation-to-pro-palestinian-protestors/
ALTON TELEGRAPH
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/illinois-public-health-funding-cuts-20244050.php
WAND TV
— US Naval Academy ends affirmative action in admissions. The U.S. Naval Academy will no longer consider race, ethnicity or sex as a factor for admission to the service academy.
https://www.wandtv.com/news/national/us-naval-academy-ends-affirmative-action-in-admissions/article_3cbd91b0-229c-52db-988c-149ff322c28e.html
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump
https://www.wandtv.com/news/trump-admin-cuts-idph-funding-puts-communities-at-risk/article_95271225-6394-4dc8-b135-68390d5f7a20.html
CITIES 92.9
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more homelessness and blame it on Republicans. While Jews in Israel are overwhelming conservative, that is, pro-Republican, Jews in America are overwhelmingly liberal, that is pro-Democrat.
https://www.cities929.com/2025/03/28/illinois-bill-to-protect-homeless-from-fines-faces-law-enforcement-backlash/
IPM NEWSROOM
— Congressional committee asks University of Illinois for information on Chinese international students
https://ipmnewsroom.org/congressional-committee-asks-university-of-illinois-for-information-on-chinese-international-students/
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/28/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-278/
— Trump targeted Chicago’s Jenner & Block, now they’re suing him. My Democrat superiors in the federal government targeted me big time. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, and/or veteran. They especially targeted me because I complained about their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination (up-or-out), religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination. They even more especially targeted me after 1988 when I became an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation.
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/28/trump-targeted-chicago%e2%80%99s-jenner-block-now-they%e2%80%99re-suing-him/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
ILLINOIS CENTER SQUARE
— Illinois GOP chair calls Governor’s trade mission ‘irresponsible’
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_cece7299-39d0-4dc8-b197-d86ed4215e47.html
WHEATON RECORD
— Wheaton Professor Prays with Pro-Israel Demonstrators
https://thewheatonrecord.com/2025/03/28/pro-israel-demonstrators/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Democrats and media allies play politics with organized agitation in GOP town halls. Planned disruptions reveal the left’s inability to cope with 2024 defeat.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/27/democrats-media-allies-play-politics-organized-agitation-gop-town/
— How major American law firms became a tool of the left
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/26/major-american-law-firms-became-tool-left/
NEW YORK POST
— Musk on why being in the government is ‘disadvantageous’ — as he blasts ‘jerk’ Tim Walz for mocking Tesla’s falling stock. I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. I have been a federal retiree for more than 27 years. I should write about my critics/opponents who despise/hate federal employees and federal retirees the most. I would focus on those who have lots of religious, government, political, and/or financial clout in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois who have had their operatives and their dupes take the most/biggest adverse actions against me lately.
https://nypost.com/2025/03/28/us-news/elon-musk-blasts-jerk-tim-walz-for-mocking-teslas-falling-stock/
— Democrats’ response to losing? Profanity chic and terrorist porn.
https://nypost.com/2025/03/28/opinion/democrats-response-to-losing-profanity-chic-and-terrorist-porn/
— How the Trump Smithsonian order is fighting another bulwark of woke insanity
https://nypost.com/2025/03/28/opinion/how-the-trump-smithsonian-order-is-fighting-another-bulwark-of-woke-insanity/
DAILY WIRE
— Democrats Reveal How They Will Change The Rules To Take Back Power
https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1565-democrats-reveal-how-they-will-change-the-rules-to-take-back-power
EPOCH TIMES
— University of Michigan Guts DEI Programs. The university was estimated to have spent $250 million on DEI programs since 2016. UIC admitted me in 1966, NIU in 1969, Loyola in 1972, DePaul in 1976, and IIT in 1992. But because of terrible demographics, I doubt that they would today.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/university-of-michigan-guts-dei-programs-5833032
FOX NEWS
— Chicago dubbed America’s murder capital as Democrat leaders ‘demonize’ police, splurge on migrants: alderman. Alderman Anthony Napolitano criticized sanctuary city leaders’ priorities as Chicago hit 573 homicides last year.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/chicago-dubbed-americas-murder-capital-democrat-leaders-demonize-police-splurge-migrants-alderman
NEWSMAX
— DHS Puts Funds for Sanctuary Cities on Chopping Block
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/dhs-kristi-noem-fema/2025/03/28/id/1204841/
TOWNHALL
— Trump Signs Executive Order to Eliminate ‘Divisive, Race-Centered Ideology’
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/saraharnold/2025/03/28/trump-signs-executive-order-to-eliminate-divisive-race-centered-ideology-from-smithsonian-museums-n2654652
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— Musk tries to rehab DOGE after backlash, mistakes. If Gingrich had reformed GAO instead of gutting it in the 1980s and 1990s, DOGE would not be needed today and I might still be a GAO employee. If Gingrich had formed a team to reform GAO, I would have volunteered to be a member of that team. I would have stressed a) that I had worked for GAO since 1980 and the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year, b) that I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, c) that I passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and became a licensed CPA in1981, d) that I became a Certified Fraud Examiner in 1990, Government Financial Manager in 1994, Financial Services Auditor in 1996, and Forensic Accountant in 1997, and e) that I earned an MBA in 1976, a master’s degree in accounting in 1980, and a master’s degree in finance in 1997.
https://thehill.com/business/5220638-elon-musk-improving-government-efficiency-image/
ASSOCIATED PRESS
— IRS Criminal Investigation Division (CID) announces modernization program as financial crimes use more tech. GAO audits IRS. I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO on audits of IRS’s CID 1986-1988 at the GS-13 Step 1-3 Levels, currently $117,807-$125,661/year. My Democrat GAO superiors wasted what I had learned about CID doing that. They also wasted what I had learned about IRS’s Collection Division. I worked for that Division 1971-1980, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/irs-crime-fighting-arm-announces-modernization-20245906.php
MSN
— Black Americans describe how being a federal worker was their path to the middle class — and the heartbreak of losing it. According to my critics/opponents, the jobs that I got in 1964 (washing dishes), 1966 (cleaning golf shoes, chipping slag, and pumping gasoline), 1970 (working on an automobile assembly line and selling tires, automotive services, and major appliances), 1971 (pumping gasoline and collecting delinquent taxes), and 1980 (auditing federal agencies) and the promotions that I got in 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1986 should have been given to Blacks. They were overjoyed when my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years in 1997 and gave my job and my preferred corner office to my Black subordinate. He had less work experience than I had. He had less education than I had. He had one professional certification while I had six. He had no professional license like the one I had.
https://www.msn.com/en-ie/money/markets/black-americans-describe-how-being-a-federal-worker-was-their-path-to-the-middle-class-and-the-heartbreak-of-losing-it/ar-AA1BTjBR
AOL
— The ‘Meritocracy’ Lie. The judges in Diersen v. GAO rejected meritocracy and promoted Affirmative Action and DEI, that is, they promoted race and gender based preference giving, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination (up-or-out), religious discrimination, and national origin discrimination. I should write about Diersen v. GAO.
https://www.aol.com/news/meritocracy-lie-144541218.html
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Inside the New Texas College Offering ‘Anti-Woke’ Education. To promote DEI is to promote hatred against Republicans.
https://www.wsj.com/video/series/in-depth-features/inside-the-new-texas-college-offering-anti-woke-education/8CC358EA-E4E6-47FB-AF98-9F60CD84F686
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters side with Canada against Trump.
https://www.wsj.com/video/carney-says-canada-will-respond-to-trumps-tariffs-we-wont-back-down/2C8A6B67-6BC9-4D2F-9DC8-4950309F51B6
— ‘Lincoln’s Peace’ Review: The War That Wouldn’t Die. The Civil War was Democrats against Republicans. Democrats started the war and they have never surrendered
WIREPOINTS
— Why is Chicago the nation’s homicide capital? Bad guys know the chance of getting punished here is near-zero.
https://wirepoints.org/why-is-chicago-the-nations-homicide-capital-bad-guys-know-the-chance-of-getting-punished-here-is-near-zero-wirepoints-on-fox-news/. Democrats ever-increasingly destroy Republicans.
https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/lincolns-peace-review-the-war-that-wouldnt-die-90e7cb9c
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly destroy municipalities, especially big municipalities.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/new-yorks-top-cop-has-what-democrats-need-policing-public-safety-crime-edf10604
FOIRBES
— ‘We Want Our Service Academies To Focus On War Fighting, Lethality, Patriotism’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uoxWziscJ8
FAST COMPANY
— Trump wants to destroy unions. A general strike is the only way to fight back. I was a union member for almost 12 years 1966-1969 and 1971-1980. I should write about my critics/opponents who have used that against me the most.
https://www.fastcompany.com/91308349/trump-wants-to-destroy-unions-a-general-strike-is-the-only-way-to-fight-back
FIERSE HEALTHCARE
— Federal union draws up lawsuit over Trump EO as RFK Jr. readies 10,000 HHS cuts. GAO did not unionize until 2007. If GAO had been unionized while I worked for it 1980-1997, the union would have sued Gingrich over his GAO budget cuts. If Gingrich had reformed GAO instead of gutting it, there would be no need for DOGE and I might still be a GAO employee.
https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/rfk-jr-prepares-10000-job-cuts-across-hhs-new-wave-worker-reductions
Tag: white
March 6, 2025 Evening Edition
WHITE HOUSE
— Women’s History Month
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/03/womens-history-month-2025/
— Irish-American Heritage Month
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/03/irish-american-heritage-month-2025/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
NBC5
— Voters ‘overwhelmingly’ choose this design in Illinois flag contest
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/voters-overwhelmingly-choose-this-design-in-illinois-flag-contest/3690327/
CBS2
— How could Trump’s plans to dismantle U.S. Department of Education affect Chicago area schools?
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/president-trump-executive-order-education-deparment-impact-chicago-schools/
FOX32
— Social Security employees banned from reading news websites at work
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/social-security-workforce-layoffs-employees-banned-news-websites
— Could President Trump dismantle the Dept. of Education?
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1604319
WGN RADIO
— Does being a sanctuary city make it a safer city? (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://wgnradio.com/john-williams/does-being-a-sanctuary-city-make-it-a-safer-city/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Head of Small Business Administration closing Chicago office, citing ‘sanctuary city’ status
https://chicago.suntimes.com/small-business/2025/03/06/small-business-administration-loeffler-offices-chicago-sanctuary-city
— What percent of those in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct are on Medicaid?
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2025/03/06/trump-musk-federal-budget-cuts-health-care-medicare-medicaid-social-security-prescriptions-paxlovid
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2025/03/06/trump-vance-zelenskyy-lindsey-graham-rubio-spineless-mona-charen
DAILY HERALD
— Kane County Chair makes pitch for $51 million sales tax referendum
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250306/business/kane-county-chair-makes-pitch-for-51-million-sales-tax-referendum/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— What companies are saying — and not saying — about DEI and ESG now
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/dei-and-esg-downplayed-chicago-area-corporate-10ks
— Small Business Administration closing Chicago office over sanctuary city law
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/sba-closing-chicago-office-over-sanctuary-city-law
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— How Trump justifies his tariffs — from budget balancing to protecting ‘the soul’ of America
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-how-trump-justifies-his-tariffs-from-budget-balancing-to-protecting-the-soul-of-america/
NPR ILLINOIS
— How does the U.S. federal workforce compare with those in other countries? (COMMENT: Virtually all federal employees are Democrats.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-03-06/how-does-the-u-s-federal-workforce-compare-with-those-in-other-countries
KSDK
— Illinois recruits laid-off federal workers for state jobs amid cuts
https://www.ksdk.com/article/money/economy/illinois-hiring-fired-federal-workers-trump-administrations/63-47271700-b021-4186-94a4-bbc06b976b03
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/06/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-262/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly have the mainstream news media spin against Trump everything that he says or does. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
JOHN BIVER
— The Reality of the 2026 Illinois Elections
https://johnbiver.com/the-reality-of-the-2026-illinois-elections/
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Des Plaines Man–John Goodman–Announces Candidacy for GOP Nomination for U.S. Senate
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/06/des-plaines-man-john-goodman-announces-candidacy-for-gop-nomination-for-u-s-senate/
— Buehler and Other Local Officials Attend Meeting with U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/06/buehler-attends-meeting-with-u-s-senators-dick-durbin-and-tammy-duckworth/
— Woodstock Manufacturer of Strong Paper Straws Costing Two Cents Apiece Fears Bankruptcy Because of Trump Executive Order
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/06/woodstock-manufacturer-of-strong-paper-straws-costing-two-cents-apiece-fears-bankruptcy/
— Comparing Counterfeiting Now and in the Late 1960’s
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/06/comparing-counterfeiting-now-and-in-the-late-1960s/
— Retaining Current State Flag Wins Contest
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/03/06/retaining-current-state-flag-wins-contest/
BREAKTHROUGH IDEAS
— IL Dems Overreach Again – Want to Require Private Schools to Register with the State
https://www.breakthrough-ideas.com/read/2025/03/05/il-dems-overreach-again-want-to-require-private-schools-to-register-with-the-state
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump must stand strong against the left’s rage
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/6/trump-must-stand-strong-lefts-rage/
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Trump’s Russia prostration is a great global gift to China
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/beltway-confidential/3339920/trump-russia-prostration-great-global-gift-china/
NEW YORK POST
— Trump says he’s ‘looking at’ revoking visas for thousands of Ukrainians: ‘Not looking to hurt them’
https://nypost.com/2025/03/06/us-news/trump-to-revoke-legal-status-for-240000-ukrainians-as-us-steps-up-deportations/
FOX NEWS
— GOP rep says she’ll refer sanctuary city mayors for criminal prosecution
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-rep-says-shell-refer-sanctuary-city-mayors-criminal-prosecution
— The Small Business Administration announced a series of reforms on Thursday aimed at ensuring illegal immigrants don’t receive taxpayer benefits and removing offices from sanctuary cities.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-trump-agency-flips-script-biden-admin-awarding-illegals-taxpayer-benefits
— ‘Squad’ Democrat ‘wanted to be thrown out’ of sanctuary city hearing
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6369681649112
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
NEWSWEEK
— Elon Musk’s DOGE Cancels Lease at Obama Library Site
https://www.newsweek.com/doge-barack-obama-library-lease-canceled-2040816
CNN
— 10 Democrats join with Republicans to censure Rep. Al Green for Trump speech protest
https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/06/politics/al-green-censure-trump-protest-house
— Trump says he will convene biweekly Cabinet sessions with Musk to make cuts more precise
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-administration-presidency-news-03-06-25#cm7xrjj9k00003b6m2wwe9e8l
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Democrats’ Sanctuary City Choice. Mayors say they won’t change despite worries about migrant crime.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/sanctuary-cities-democrats-migrants-crime-michelle-wu-boston-denver-chicago-d9a877e8
— How Sanctuary Cities Are Fighting Trump’s Mass Deportations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6DsBVgBero
LAW
— Trump Order Calls For DEI Policy Review of ‘Leading Law Firms’
https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2025/03/06/trump-order-calls-for-dei-policy-review-of-leading-law-firms/
PSYCHOLOGY TODAY
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout at non-Whites that Republicans cause all the problems that non-Whites have.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/well-read/202503/how-systemic-racism-impacts-student-mental-health
March 4, 2025 Evening Edition
WHITE HOUSE
— Excerpts from President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress
https://www.whitehouse.gov/news/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Hundreds gather in Daley Plaza Tuesday to protest Trump in ‘pro-democracy’ rally
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/04/hundreds-gather-daley-plaza-protest/
— Effort to house Gompers Park homeless moving forward
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/04/gompers-park-homeless-mayor-brandon-johnson/
— Trudeau slams Trump’s tariffs, says US is appeasing Putin while launching a trade war against Canada
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/04/trudeau-trump-tariffs-putin/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump administration puts several major Chicago federal buildings up for sale. The properties listed for sale Tuesday include two iconic high-rise towers in the Loop: the Kluczynski and Metcalfe federal buildings.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/donald-trump/2025/03/04/donald-trump-general-services-administration-sale-chicago-federal-buildings
— Lead Madigan prosecutor leaving U.S. attorney’s office after more than two decades. It’s unclear what prompted the departure of Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu. The news comes in the early days of President Donald Trump’s new administration, but also less than three weeks after a jury found Madigan guilty of a bribery conspiracy and other crimes.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-corruption-trials/2025/03/04/lead-madigan-prosecutor-leaving-u-s-attorney-office
DAILY HERALD
— Demonstrators across 50 states look to unify a disparate opposition to Trump and his sweeping agenda
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250304/nation-and-world-politics/demonstrators-across-50-states-look-to-unify-a-disparate-opposition-to-trump-and-his-sweeping-agenda/
— Trump’s trade war draws swift retaliation as Mexico, Canada and China impose tariffs on the US
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250304/business/us-tariffs-take-effect-mexico-canada-and-china-retaliate-with-their-own-tariffs-on-the-us/
NBC5
— After taking down Mike Madigan, top Chicago prosecutor is taking Trump buyout. Amar Bhachu is considered a tough-as-nails questioner and an advocate for ethics, justice and cleaning up Chicago’s halls of power.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/after-taking-down-mike-madigan-top-chicago-prosecutor-is-taking-trump-buyout/3688730/
CBS2
— Questions remain about immigration enforcement in Chicago
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/trump-speech-congress-immigration-enforcement-chicago/
WGN9
— Chicago’s history as a sanctuary city spans 40 years, 7 presidents and 5 mayors
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/chicagos-history-as-a-sanctuary-city-spans-40-years-7-presidents-and-5-mayors/
— Quigley, Schakowsky, Casten did not attend President Trump’s joint address to Congress Tuesday evening.
https://wgntv.com/news/illinois/illinois-representatives-to-skip-president-trumps-address-to-congress/
FOX32
— IRS could cut up to half of its 90,000-person workforce
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/irs-workforce-cuts-trump-administration
— ACLU of Illinois: Hearing on sanctuary cities is about ‘much more than immigration policy’
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/aclu-illinois-hearing-sanctuary-cities-is-about-much-more-than-immigration-policy
— LaHood: Congress will vote on DOGE cuts
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-republican-doge-cuts
WBEZ
— Venezuelans in Chicago face Trump’s decision to end protected status. Many intend to stay in the U.S. But uncertainty from losing the status is putting pressure on business owners and straining relationships.
https://www.wbez.org/immigration/2025/03/04/venezuelans-in-chicago-face-trumps-decision-to-end-protected-status
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Trump seeks to put 443 federal properties up for sale — including 11 in Chicago
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/trump-seeks-put-443-federal-properties-sale
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— The IRS is drafting plans to cut as much as half of its 90,000-person workforce
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-the-irs-is-drafting-plans-to-cut-as-much-as-half-of-its-90000-person-workforce-ap-sources-say/
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Trump administration ends reimbursements for Illinois food programs. USDA funds are part of nearly $2 billion being withheld from Illinois, Pritzker says. (COMMENT: To what extent are those in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct dependent on food programs?)
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/trump-administration-ends-reimbursements-for-illinois-food-programs/
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/04/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-260/
— A month later, ICE still won’t reveal who it arrested in Chicago
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/04/a-month-later-ice-still-won%e2%80%99t-reveal-who-it-arrested-in-chicago/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Illinois legislators differ on Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canada, Mexico
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_e0dba010-f939-11ef-b6d1-e365c30349d5.html
— Illinois Republicans pleased redistricting lawsuit moving forward
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_5ff3f8f4-f93d-11ef-a1ed-532e1f5769a9.html
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Republicans cheer, Democrats stand still as Trump walks in for joint address to Congress
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/4/republicans-cheer-democrats-stand-still-trump-walks-joint-address/
— White House says fired veterans among federal workers are ‘perhaps’ not fit for the jobs (COMMENT: If I was still working for the federal government, my many superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates who were veterans would be beyond furious. They would kill me figuratively if not literally.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/4/white-house-says-fired-veterans-among-federal-workers-perhaps-fit/
— Trump’s personnel office walks back order to fire probationary employees
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/4/trumps-personnel-office-walks-back-order-fire-probationary-employees/
NEW YORK POST
— United Auto Workers union praises Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico
https://nypost.com/2025/03/04/us-news/united-auto-workers-union-praises-trumps-tariffs-on-canada-and-mexico/
FOX NEWS
— Illinois educators turn our kids into political pawns in war against Trump. Rooftop Revelations: It was no surprise when I learned that the Illinois State Superintendent told districts to defy Trump’s orders to dismantle DEI.
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/illinois-educators-turn-our-kids-political-pawns-war-against-trump
— Activist gives illegal migrants heads up about ICE raids
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6369572924112
NATIONAL REVIEW
— Trump’s Early Success at the Border Exposes Biden Lies
https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/03/trumps-early-success-at-the-border-exposes-biden-lies/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ASSOCIATED P{RESS
— Trump touts Elon Musk and DOGE in joint address to Congress
https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-address-congress-updates
ABC NEWS
— Republicans target 4 ‘sanctuary’ cities as Trump pushes mass deportations (COMMENT: The list includes Chicago.)
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/republicans-target-4-sanctuary-cities-trump-pushes-mass-119421896
NBC NEWS
— Trump addresses Congress as his policy overhaul tests the economy and key alliances. The Russia-Ukraine war and U.S. tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China are likely to be among the focuses of President Donald Trump’s speech, which began at 9:20 p.m. ET.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/live-blog/trump-administration-speech-congress-live-updates-rcna194006
NBC WASHINGTON
— Democrat and RINO leaders stress difficulties in deporting their illegals.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/immigration-courts-clogged-for-years-as-trump-vows-to-deport-millions-more/3858328/
NEW YORK TIMES
— Chinese Company to Single Workers: Get Married or Get Out (COMMENT: According to my Democrat GAO superiors, if my wife and I had children, I would not have been able to a) pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, b) earn a master’s degree in accounting in 1980, c) pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and become a licensed CPA in 1981, d) earn additional job-related professional certifications in 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1997, and e) earn a master’s degree in finance in 1997. None of my Democrat GAO superiors had anything close to the number of job-related degrees, professional certifications, and professional license that I had. They all decried the time and money needed to raise children. According to them, my not having children gave me a tremendous unfair advantage over them.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/world/asia/china-marriage-companies-childbirth.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The ideal worker at the Chinese chemical manufacturer, according to the internal memo, is hardworking, virtuous and loyal. And — perhaps most important — willing to have children for the good of the country. That was the message that the company, Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group, sent to unmarried employees recently, in a notice that spread widely on social media. It instructed them to start families by Sept. 30, or else. “If you cannot get married and start a family within three quarters, the company will terminate your labor contract,” the memo said.)
KHOU
— Congressman Al Green from Houston removed from Trump’s speech to joint session of Congress. The president was addressing Congress when Green disrupted the speech.
https://www.khou.com/article/news/politics/al-green-trump-speech-removed/285-5ef5f2c9-76e7-471d-adcf-2db10c1041ef
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Trump Addresses Joint Session of Congress. The president sets his agenda for Ukraine, inflation, deportations and other issues, including the shrinking of the federal government.
https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/trump-speech-congress-joint-session
March 3, 2025 Evening Edition
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— How will Canadian and Mexican tariffs impact Chicago-area businesses and consumers?
https://abc7chicago.com/post/how-will-trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-impact-businesses-consumers-little-village-chicago-beyond/15974088/
— Dow drops nearly 650 points after Trump announces Canadian and Mexican tariffs
https://abc7chicago.com/post/trump-says-tariffs-mexico-canada-will-start-tuesday/15973614/
NBC5
— Shocking video shows speeding car crash into suburban home, burst into flames. Two people inside the vehicle were pronounced dead on the scene, Woodridge officials said
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/shocking-video-shows-speeding-car-crash-into-suburban-home-burst-into-flames/3687294/
FOX32
— Debate over Chicago’s sanctuary policies intensifies as federal lawmakers seek answers from Mayor Johnson
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/debate-chicago-sanctuary-policies-federal-lawmakers-seek-answers-mayor-johnson
WTTW
— Illinois Bill Aims to Add More Oversight of Homeschooling
https://news.wttw.com/2025/03/03/illinois-bill-aims-add-more-oversight-homeschooling
WBEZ
— Elon Musk’s DOGE moves to cancel leases for federal offices across Illinois. The Trump administration is aiming to unload half the buildings the government owns and cancel 50% of leases for offices across the country. (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.wbez.org/politics/2025/03/03/musks-doge-moves-to-cancel-leases-for-federal-offices-across-illinois
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Elon Musk’s DOGE moves to cancel leases for federal offices across Illinois. The Trump administration is aiming to unload half the buildings the government owns and cancel 50% of leases for offices across the country. (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://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2025/03/03/elon-musk-doge-leases-federal-offices-illinois
DAILY HERALD
— Legislation aims to help first-time homebuyers (COMMENT: Back in the good old days, I was able to save enough for a down payment for a new town home in University Park when I was 24years old in 1972. The money came from what I had earned a) working for IRS in Chicago and then Harvey for the previous 15 months, b) working part-time for the Firestone Store in Chicago Heights for the previous 18 months, and c) working for that store full-time for the 7 months before that. During that time, I also earned enough to a) help support my mother and brother, b) buy a new 1972 Corvette, and c) pay for tuition and books for graduate evening business courses at Loyola.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250303/real-estate/legislation-aims-to-help-first-time-homebuyers/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— GSA moves to close some SEC regional offices, including Chicago’s
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/gsa-moves-close-chicago-sec-office?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter-BreakingNews-20250303
KANE COUNTY CHRONICLE
— Focused on Trump, Pritzker blasts administration’s actions in Kane County speech. Stars of Illinois Democratic Party speak at Kane County Democrats fundraising dinner.
https://www.shawlocal.com/kane-county-chronicle/2025/03/03/focused-on-trump-pritzker-blasts-administrations-actions-in-kane-county-speech/
STATELINE
— Rep. McCombie reintroduces bill to repeal Illinois pro-abortion laws, faces activists in Pecatonica
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/rep-tony-mccombie-abortion-bill-protests/
WCIA
— IL Republican lawmakers file batch of bills to boost relief for families
https://www.wcia.com/news/capitol-news/il-republican-lawmakers-file-batch-of-bills-to-boost-relief-for-families/
ST. LOUIS TODAY
— Illinois congresswoman aims bills to help farmers, unions, federal workers
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/column/joe-holleman/article_6fbfdf96-f7df-11ef-ad7d-833ad2b84dcc.html
CHICAGO MAROON
— Democrats and RINOs ever-increasingly use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://chicagomaroon.com/45816/news/2025-aaac-social-justice-talk-examines-challenges-to-racial-social-and-cultural-equity/
CWB CHICAGO
— At illegal street takeover, bystander tosses explosive into passing motorist’s car
https://cwbchicago.com/2025/03/at-illegal-street-takeover-bystander-tosses-explosive-into-passing-motorists-car.html
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/03/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-259/
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/03/isabel%e2%80%99s-morning-briefing-465/
— Do you support or oppose allowing community colleges, with some restrictions, to offer four-year degrees? (COMMENT: According to my critics/opponents, degrees from non-Ivy League colleges are worthless.)
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/03/question-of-the-day-3720/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— The Democrats boycotting Trump’s presidential address to Congress
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/3335952/democrats-boycotting-trump-presidential-address-congress/
DAILY WIRE
— AOC Admits She Was Openly Advising Illegals On How To Avoid Law Enforcement. AOC faced considerable heat online over her remarks.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/aoc-admits-she-was-openly-advising-illegals-on-how-to-avoid-law-enforcement
EPOCH TIMES
— Trump Admin Pauses Aid to Ukraine. The news follows a tense exchange between Trump and the Ukrainian president at the Oval Office last week.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-admin-pauses-aid-to-ukraine-5819502
FOX NEWS
— Rooftop Revelations: Illinois state superintendent prizing ‘diversity over education’ reflects ‘failure’ Pastor and Project H.O.O.D. founder Corey Brooks calls out Illinois state superintendent for telling school districts to defy the Trump’s administration’ abolishment of DEI.
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6369562475112
NEWSMAX
— Affirmative Action Calif.-Style Discriminates Against Minorities
https://www.newsmax.com/michaeldorstewitz/students-fair-admissions/2025/03/03/id/1201133/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In the summer of 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ended the practice of affirmative action, or race-based admission practices in its decision in a pair of cases brought by Students for Fair Admissions. But California is not only still driving race-based admissions practices, it’s shifted the policy into overdrive, and the California university system is now the target of a lawsuit because of it. Weirder yet, the person who filed the lawsuit is himself a member of a minority group, but he’s a member of the wrong one — he’s Asian, and his credentials are amazing.)
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— A hate-filled conservative-hating conservative-hater says “Trump is the right’s tool to dismantle a century of progress.”
https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/5169412-elon-musk-cpac-maga-movement-fascism/
MSN
— Trump Halts Military Aid To Ukraine, Wants Kyiv To Accept Peace Negotiations With Russia
https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/us-president-trump-halts-military-aid-to-ukraine-wants-kyiv-to-accept-peace-negotiations-with-russia/ar-AA1AbohU
— Trump halts all military aid to Ukraine after White House clash with Zelensky
https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/trump-halts-all-military-aid-to-ukraine-after-white-house-clash-with-zelensky/ar-AA1AbfMf
REUTERS
— Trump locks in Canada, Mexico tariffs to launch on Tuesday; stocks tumble
https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/trump-decide-us-tariff-levels-mexico-canada-tuesday-deadline-approaches-2025-03-03/
CBS NEWS
— Democrats invite fired federal workers to Trump’s address to Congress (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 and Fitzgerald sided with GAO against me.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/democrats-invite-fired-federal-workers-trump-address-congress/
NEW YORK TIMES
— U.S. Suspends All Military Aid to Ukraine, Trump Official Says
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/03/03/us/trump-news-congress
WASHINGTON POST
— Would Americans accept Trump’s concessions to Russia? It’s clear that President Donald Trump is pressuring Ukraine to make concessions. But Americans aren’t sold on giving up territory, and many are concerned about Russia’s threat.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/03/trump-concessions-russia-polling/
ATLANTIC
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly glorify and praise their illegals.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/03/chicago-immigrants-ice-raids/681855/
March 1, 2025 Evening Edition
WHITE HOUSE
— Designating English as the Official Language of The United States
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/designating-english-as-the-official-language-of-the-united-states/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Proposed Medicaid cuts could put nearly 1M Illinois residents at risk of losing coverage. A Humboldt Park Health official said people can expect much longer wait times in the emergency room if the cuts are approved.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/medicaid-illinois-chicago-protest-today-proposed-cuts-held-humboldt-park-health/15966039/
WGN9
— How many federal employees are there in Illinois? (COMMENT: I was a federal employee in Illinois for almost 30 years.)
https://wgntv.com/news/illinois/how-many-federal-employees-are-there-in-missouri-and-illinois/
FOX32
— From Trump’s electoral win to now: Chicago’s sanctuary city status tested amid ICE arrests
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-ice-raids-impact-brandon-johnson-sanctuary-city-donald-trump
WGN RADIO
— Tax attorney on the firing of over 6,000 IRS employees
https://wgnradio.com/home-sweet-home-chicago/tax-attorney-on-the-firing-of-over-6000-irs-employees/
DAILY HERALD
— As the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget Director Alexis Sturm warned a House committee that uncertainty about President Donald Trump’s economic and administrative policies could affect Illinois revenue, the president announced new tariffs will take effect Tuesday on imports from some of Illinois’ top trading partners.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250301/news/as-the-governors-office-of-management-and-budget-director-alexis-sturm-warned-a-house-committee-tha/
GENESCO REPUBLIC
— U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-17, to bring Illinois veteran James Diaz who lost his job in DOGE cuts to State of the Union (COMMENT: I lost my GAO job when I was 49 years old in 1997 because of Republican budget cuts. While both Diaz and I are Republicans and former IRS employees, Diaz is Hispanic, disabled, and a veteran.)
https://www.geneseorepublic.com/story/news/2025/02/28/illinois-veteran-victim-of-doge-cuts-to-attend-state-of-the-union/80871431007/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: James Diaz, a disabled veteran, will attend the State of the Union as a guest of Rep. Eric Sorensen to raise awareness about job cuts.
Diaz was laid off from his IRS job after serving in the military and working in the private sector. Sorensen believes Diaz’s story highlights the negative impact of budget cuts on hardworking Americans and veterans.)
NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO
— Trump is a professional wrestling fan. Here’s how his politics echo the sport
https://www.northernpublicradio.org/2025-03-01/trump-is-a-professional-wrestling-fan-heres-how-his-politics-echo-the-sport
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Musk defends DOGE, blasts Social Security in marathon Rogan appearance
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/1/elon-musk-defends-doge-blasts-social-security-marathon-rogan/
WAHINGTON EXAMINER
— Trump signs executive order establishing English as the US’s official language
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/3334514/trump-executive-order-establishing-english-us-official-language/
— Pentagon surging more soldiers, combat vehicles to the southern border
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/immigration/3334491/pentagon-surging-more-soldiers-combat-vehicles-to-the-southern-border/
BREITBART
— Donald Trump Declares Victory Over Biden’s Migrant Flood
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/03/01/donald-trump-declares-victory-over-bidens-migrant-flood/
DAILY WIRE
— ‘Invasion Of Our Country Is Over’: U.S. Sees Record Low Number Of Illegal Entries In February. Defense Secretary Hegseth said that the U.S. would gain “100% operational control” over the border.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/invasion-of-our-country-is-over-u-s-records-record-low-number-of-illegal-entries-in-february
EPOCH TIMES
— Federal Employees et 2nd Round of ‘Pulse Check’ Emails Requesting List of Accomplishments. Roughly 1 million of the 2.3 million federal employees responded to the first email. (COMMENT: I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. To get rid of me, my Democrat superiors ever-increasingly under-employed me, that is, they ever-increasingly gave me job assignments with lesser and lesser and lesser responsibilities, that is, they ever-increasingly demoted me. My Democrat GAO superiors were beyond furious when the manager who had arranged my transfer from IRS in 1980 and who was finally able to assign me to audits of IRS, promoted me when I was 38 years old in 1986. They forced him to retire in 1987, they threw me off audits of IRS in late 1988, and they gave me an extremely inappropriate and bad job assignment and unfair performance expectations and appraisal in 1989. They would not have been able to do the aforesaid if GAO had been unionized. They somewhat backed off on their efforts to get rid of me after my Congressman Henry Hyde came to my defense later in 1989.)
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/federal-workers-get-2nd-round-of-pulse-check-emails-requesting-list-of-accomplishments-5818411
FOX NEWS
— Some of Illinois Wants to Join Indiana
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6369498112112
LEGAL INSURRECTION
— Prof Sues University of Illinois Chicago, Alleging it Discriminated Against Him as a ‘White Male.’ “It was very clear that he was not welcome there because of the color of his skin and the fact that he was a white male.”
https://legalinsurrection.com/2025/03/prof-sues-u-illinois-chicago-alleging-it-discriminated-against-him-as-a-white-male/
PJ MEDIA
— Trump’s Border Success, Other Wins Put Dems to Shame
https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2025/03/01/trumps-border-success-puts-dems-to-shame-n4937461
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Amid Trump crackdown, illegal border crossings plunge to levels not seen in decades
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/illegal-crossings-plunge-to-levels-not-seen-in-decades-amid-trump-crackdown/
NEW YORK TIMES
— Employment is a zero sum-game. For every employee who gets a promotion, there is one who does not. I should write about all my coworkers who my Democrat GAO, IRS, and Post Office superiors promoted over me. They all were Democrats who had less work experience than I had, had less education than I had, had no professional certifications or fewer than I had, and/or had no professional license like the one I had. They all were Democrats who were minority, female, younger, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/world/asia/trump-zero-sum-world.html
February 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 Evening Edition
Anticipate/expect that ever-increasingly, the more demographics that you share with Trump, the more that Pritzker will do to destroy you. Trump is conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, married, Protestant, German American, and his ancestors have been in America for a long time. 2.4 million voted for Trump in Illinois.
Are you German American? I am. If you are, what do you stress in defense of your national origin? I stress that my grandfather on my father’s side fought the Germans in WWI, that my uncles on my mother’s side fought the Germans in WWII, and that my father would have fought the Germans in WWII if he had not been 4-F.
FOX32
— Pritzker compares Trump Administration to Nazi regime during budget address
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/pritzker-compares-trump-administration-nazi-regime-during-budget-address
— Trump designates some cartels as ‘foreign terrorist organizations’
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1596064
NBC5
— Pritzker delivers stern message on state of country. Pritzker, who has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump over the years, specifically cited actions taken by Trump and Elon Musk, and in some cases referenced the Holocaust.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/what-comes-next-illinois-governor-delivers-stern-message-on-state-of-country/3678083/
— Government officials charge taxpayers millions to try to keep secrets from public. NBC 5 Investigates has found that it has cost Chicago-area taxpayers more than $13.4 million over the past 12 years for officials to try to keep clearly-public documents secret.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/government-officials-charge-taxpayers-millions-to-try-to-keep-secrets-from-public/3677223/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Pritzker proposes belt-tightening budget with no new taxes, invokes Nazism in bashing Trump
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/19/gov-j-b-pritzker-likens-trump-administration-actions-to-nazi-germany-what-comes-next/
— Trump and Zelenskyy trade barbs as US-Ukraine relations sour over the war with Russia
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/19/ukraine-zelenskyy-trump-russia/
— Indiana House passes Illinois secession bill on first reading, but amendments keep session lively
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/19/indiana-house-passes-illinois-secession-bill-on-first-reading-but-amendments-keep-session-lively/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Pritzker unveils $55.2 billion budget with no new taxes, compares Trump playbook to the Nazi movement. The Democratic governor also peppered his seventh budget blueprint — which Republicans derided as the largest in state history — with key policy proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2025/02/19/jb-pritzker-budget-address-state-of-the-state
— Federal worker firings by Trump, Musk are chaos, not cost-cutting
https://chicago.suntimes.com/editorials/2025/02/19/president-trump-elon-musk-doge-layoffs-firings-civil-servants-endanger-america-bird-flu-nuclear
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Pritzker remarks on the Holocaust — and on Trump
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/jb-pritzker-remarks-holocaust-and-donald-trump
ADVANTAGE NEWS
— Pritzker calls to tighten Illinois’ belt, repeatedly invokes Nazis in attack on Trump
https://www.advantagenews.com/news/local/pritzker-calls-to-tighten-illinois-belt-repeatedly-invokes-nazis-in-attack-on-trump/article_d1537bae-eefd-11ef-ad36-1bda87f7591b.html
STATELINE
— Pritzker invokes specter of Nazi Germany in rebuke of Trump administration
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/pritzker-invokes-specter-of-nazi-germany-in-rebuke-of-trump-administration/
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Republicans decry, Pritzker defends ‘Nazi’ references during budget speech. Pritzker refers to Nazis six times in criticism of Trump.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_edb79bb8-ef16-11ef-8c25-474e08243540.html
— Pritzker calls to tighten belt, repeatedly invokes Nazis in attack on Trump. Governor makes no calls for ethics reforms despite Madigan conviction.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_92dde236-eefa-11ef-9497-332440818a6d.html
— Republicans criticize Pritzker after budget address
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_b405d33a-ef11-11ef-9a1a-73cef9f3019e.html
ST.LOUIS TODAY
— Pritzker likens Trump administration actions to Nazi Germany
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/illinois/illinois-gov-j-b-pritzker-likens-trump-administration-actions-to-nazi-germany/article_cd5a1a2e-ef18-11ef-b4c3-83559ec34cbe.html
UNION BULLETIN
— Pritzker likens Trump administration actions to Nazi Germany: ‘What comes next?’
https://www.union-bulletin.com/news/national/gov-j-b-pritzker-likens-trump-administration-actions-to-nazi-germany-what-comes-next/article_7a81f5f3-2f15-59c1-b3d6-b304a0f0e406.html
CITIES 92.9
— Republicans decry, Pritzker defends ‘Nazi’ references during budget speech
https://www.cities929.com/2025/02/19/watch-republicans-decry-pritzker-defends-nazi-references-during-budget-speech/
ABC7
— Pritzker proposes $2B in spending growth without new income or service taxes in budget. Budgeting office says global outlook has changed since previous $3.2B deficit estimate.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-governor-jb-pritzker-deliver-budget-address-wednesday/15930773/
— Democrat leaders crow about their getting Democrats to protest.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/university-illinois-chicago-uic-educators-researchers-students-protest-nih-funding-cuts-proposed-trump-admin/15933853/
— Federal workers in Chicago left confused by mass firings, sudden rehiring
https://abc7chicago.com/post/federal-workers-chicago-left-confused-sudden-rehiring-following-mass-firings-trump-administrations-doge/15934016/
CBS2
— Homeless encampment residents in Chicago’s Gompers Park take issue with city “cleanup”
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/homeless-encampment-residents-chicago-gompers-park-cleanup/
DAILY HERALD
— Restraining order sought to block 26th Senate appointment amid legal fight
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250219/illinois-state-politics/restraining-order-sought-to-block-26th-senate-appointment-amid-legal-fight/
WGN RADIO
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://wgnradio.com/news/asylum-seekers-the-american-dream-is-over/
WBEZ
— Lawmakers promised cannabis funds would right many wrongs, but results are mixed. In 2020, Illinois legalized recreational marijuana. But experts say the boon won’t last forever, and policymakers should re-examine how the funds are spent.
https://www.wbez.org/curious-city/2025/02/19/lawmakers-promised-cannabis-funds-would-right-many-wrongs-but-results-are-mixed
— Pritzker’s $55.2 billion budget has no new taxes, cuts health care for adults lacking legal status. The Democratic governor also peppered his seventh budget blueprint — which Republicans derided as the largest in state history — with key policy proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.
https://www.wbez.org/springfield/2025/02/19/jb-pritzker-budget-address-state-of-the-state
RIVER BENDER
— State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton), House Republican Caucus Deputy Budgeteer, Issues Statement On Gov. Pritzker’s Budget Address
https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/rep-elik-issues-statement-on-gov-pritzkers-budget-address-79845.cfm
BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
— Families Experiencing Homelessness Can Apply For Up To $6,500 — With No Limit On How It’s Spent. Families of Chicago Public Schools students who lack stable housing may be eligible for a one-time payment through a state guaranteed income program.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/02/18/families-experiencing-homelessness-can-apply-for-up-to-6500-with-no-limit-on-how-its-spent/
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/19/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-251/
— Black Caucus angrily responds to Pritzker’s budget proposals: ‘An insult to this entire Black community’
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/19/black-caucus-angrily-responds-to-pritzkers-budget-proposals-an-insult-to-this-entire-black-community/
— Pritzker zeroes out health plan for undocumented immigrants – Slashes welcoming center funding
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/19/pritzker-zeroes-out-health-plan-for-undocumented-immigrants-slashes-welcoming-center-funding/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Irony Concerning ComEd Profit and Mike Madigan’s Conviction
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/irony-concerning-comed-profit-and-mike-madigans-conviction/
— Robotic House Building Inaugurated in Southwest Florida
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/robotic-house-building-inaugurated-in-southwest-florida/
— Pritzker Proposes Easier Township Government Consolidation, Plus Abolition of Township Assessors in Townships Under 5,000 Population
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/pritzker-proposes-easier-township-government-consolidation-plus-abolition-of-township-assessors-in-townships-under-5000-population/
— Reactions to Governor’s Budget Talk
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/reactions-to-governors-budget-talk/
— Algonquin Township Integrity Trustee Team Mail
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/algonquin-township-integrity-trustee-team-mail/
— The Censures of Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk – Part 3
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/19/the-censures-of-randy-funk-part-3/
JOHN BIVER
— Looking for solutions in all the wrong places
https://johnbiver.com/looking-for-solutions-in-all-the-wrong-places/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump Education Department cancels $226 million in ‘divisive’ diversity grants
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/19/trump-education-department-cancels-226-million-divisive-diversity-gran/
— Trump to sign executive order ending benefits for illegal immigrants
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/19/trump-executive-order-end-benefits-illegal-immigrants/
NEW YORK POST
— McDonald’s to let white students apply for Latino scholarships after DEI lawsuit (COMMENT: My critics/opponents have always used my not getting any scholarships against me.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/19/business/mcdonalds-to-let-white-students-to-apply-for-latino-scholarships/
AMERICAN THINKER
— DOGE takes on the Social Security monster
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/doge_takes_on_the_social_security_monster.html
BREITBART
— President Trump Blasts Zelensky: ‘A Dictator Without Elections’
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2025/02/19/president-trump-blasts-zelensky-a-dictator-without-elections/
TOWNHALL
— ‘Game On’ for Democrats in ICE’s Way, Homan Says
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeremyfrankel/2025/02/19/tom-homan-to-dems-obstructing-ice-game-on-n2652484
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Pritzker takes jabs at Trump tariffs
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/illinois-governor-jb-pritzker-takes-jabs-trump-tariffs/
FORTUNE
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use DEI to promote more hatred against Republicans.
https://fortune.com/2025/02/19/trump-anti-dei-campaign-hits-universities/
C-SPAN
— Illinois State of the State Address
https://www.c-span.org/program/state-legislature/illinois-state-of-the-state-address/655949
February 18, 2025 Evening Edition
WHITE HOUSE
— EXPANDING ACCESS TO IN VITRO FERTILIZATION; ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ALL AGENCIES
https://www.whitehouse.gov/news/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— ‘We are the patriots’: Chicago federal employees protest mass firings in Federal Plaza (COMMENT: I have always been a Republican. Virtually all federal employees are Democrats. I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. I share many demographics with Trump. If I was still a federal employee, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates would have killed me by now figuratively if not literally.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/18/federal-employees-protest-mass-firings/
— Trump administration gives schools a deadline to end DEI programs or risk losing federal money
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/18/trump-schools-end-dei-programs/
— Trump signs order to study how to expand IVF and calls for ‘radical transparency’ from government
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/18/trump-will-sign-new-executive-orders-while-his-first-joint-tv-interview-with-musk-airs-in-prime-time/
— Soon, if not already, under the Democrats and under the RINOs, everyone in America will be a) handing out welfare and/or b) receiving welfare.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/14/dupage-naperville-homeless-winter-emergency-shelter/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/la-voz/chicago-immigration-resource-guide
— Trump’s Friday firings leave EPA Chicago office with fewer scientists, staff. Dozens of probationary employees were cut because they didn’t have job protections.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/environment/2025/02/18/trump-fires-epa-chicago-scientists-staff-environmental-protection-agency
DAILY HERALD
— Suit asks court to block appointment of McConchie successor in Senate
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250218/illinois-state-politics/suit-asks-court-to-block-appointment-of-mcconchie-successor-in-senate/
— College of DuPage board names top pick for president
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250218/news/college-of-dupage-board-names-top-pick-for-president/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: COD Trustee Andrew Manno, who co-chairs the presidential search committee, told the board last month that it had selected about a dozen or so candidates to appear before the committee for interviews. The committee held those interviews over a span of two days — “over long, long hours” — and was able to narrow the search down to four candidates, Manno said in January. Both the board and the committee agreed to follow a “hybrid confidential approach” to “ensure that COD has the best quality candidates that the country has to offer,” Manno said previously.)
ABC7
— Judge declines to immediately block Elon Musk or DOGE from federal data or layoffs
https://abc7chicago.com/post/white-house-claims-elon-musk-does-not-run-doge-new-filing/15925645/
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-leaders-speak-undocumented-business-owners-deportations-illinois-hispanic-chamber-commerce-offers-legal-adivce/15926782/
NBC5
— Republicans consider cuts, work requirements for Medicaid. Eighty million U.S. adults and children are currently enrolled in the nearly-free health care coverage offered to the poorest Americans.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/health/republicans-consider-cuts-work-requirements-medicaid/3677068/
CBS2
— Mentoring program helping Black high school students prepare for college success (COMMENT: To get rid of me, my Democrat IRS superiors got rid of my IRS mentor who promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974. To get rid of me, my Democrat GAO superiors got rid of my GAO mentor who arranged for my transfer from IRS in 1980 and was finally able to assign me to audits of IRS and to promote me in 1986.)
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/onegoal-mentoring-program-black-high-school-students-college/
FOX32
— Illinois federal employees protest against Trump’s layoffs. Federal workers held a rally at Federal Plaza in Chicago, protesting planned layoffs under President Donald Trump. The Trump administration offered buyouts to nearly 2 million federal employees, leading to 75,000 resignations. Thousands of probationary workers, including EPA employees, were fired without warning, sparking outrage. (COMMENT: I have always been a Republican. Virtually all federal employees are Democrats. I was a federal employee for almost 30 years. I share many demographics with Trump. If I was still a federal employee, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates would have killed me by now figuratively if not literally.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-federal-employees-protest-against-trumps-layoffs
WTTW
— Are You a Federal Worker in Illinois? We Want to Hear From You. (COMMENT: Would WTTW be interested in hearing about how my Democrat GAO superiors used Republican-led budget cuts to waste my career and to force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997?)
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/17/are-you-federal-worker-illinois-we-want-hear-you
— Fired EPA Workers in Chicago Rally Against Trump’s Mass Government Layoffs
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/18/fired-epa-workers-chicago-rally-against-trump-s-mass-government-layoffs
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/18/committee-advances-bill-ban-vehicle-searches-based-smell-cannabis
VERMILION COUNTY FIRST
— Chief Budgeteer Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) joined Illinois Senate Republican Leader Senator John Curran (R-Downers Grove) and Deputy Leader Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris) to call on Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to commit to transparent accounting of taxpayer spending and to deliver a budget that does not include tax increases on Illinois families and businesses in tomorrow’s address.
https://vermilioncountyfirst.com/2025/02/18/illinois-senate-republicans-call-for-no-new-taxes-transparent-accounting-in-budget/
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Illinois Republican Senate members say Democrats state budget is flawed
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/watch-live-illinois-republican-senate-members-discuss-budget/
— Florida is rushing to enforce new immigration laws.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-florida-is-rushing-to-enforce-new-immigration-laws-heres-what-to-know/
FOX ILLINOIS
— Trump’s border czar says ICE arrests way up, illegal border crossings way down
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/trump-effect-has-migrants-thinking-twice-about-crossing-the-border-white-house-says-illegal-immigration-border-security-politics-ice-arrests-public-safety
WQAD
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more abortion
https://www.wqad.com/video/news/politics/illinois-politics/planned-parenthood-of-illinois-offering-medication-abortion-pills-through-app/526-3295b9a7-c293-4033-9d3d-4a4e89a2c287
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://www.wqad.com/video/news/politics/illinois-politics/illinois-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-vehicle-searches-based-on-smell-of-cannabis/526-3f033835-2d5d-4df9-b093-e19bb4879010
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Eliminating immigrant spending, boosting education funding top Senate Republican budget priorities. Gov. JB Pritzker set to give budget address Wednesday.
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/eliminating-immigrant-spending-boosting-education-funding-top-senate-republican-budget-priorities/
BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
— Residents, Advocates Fear An Encampment Clearing As Tensions At Gompers Park Rise. Though the city said a planned March 5 moving event doesn’t mean the encampment will be cleared, similar events have led to the dismantling of tent cities, advocates said.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/02/18/residents-advocates-fear-an-encampment-clearing-as-tensions-at-gompers-park-rise/
CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/18/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-250/
— Poll unsurprisingly finds Trump/Musk and their actions unpopular in Illinois, except for a close division on immigration (COMMENT: 2.4 million in Illinois voted for Trump/Vance.)
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/18/poll-unsurprisingly-finds-trumpmusk-and-their-actions-unpopular-in-illinois-except-for-a-close-division-on-immigration/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Bill would eliminate property taxes for Illinois homeowners after 30 years of residency (COMMENT: I have lived in Illinois for more than 76 years and in Wheaton for almost 47 years. I have paid real estate taxes for more than 52 years.)
https://www.aol.com/bill-eliminate-property-taxes-illinois-213600444.html
— Pritzker to deliver proposed Illinois budget amid mounting spending pressures
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_d154e64e-ee38-11ef-ad97-eb573b7a9e65.html
— Government efficiency caucus formed
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_1951acf4-ee41-11ef-8dfc-47160dadc270.html
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Because Secret Service Clearance Is Required Wednesday Deadline to Buy Tickets to See Lara Trump at McHenry County/Joe Tirio Fundraiser
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/because-secret-service-clearance-is-required-wednesday-deadline-to-buy-tickets-to-see-lara-trump/
— Algonquin Township Road Commissioner Danijela Sandberg’s Opponent Prematurely Declares Victory
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/algonquin-township-road-commissioner-danijela-sandbergs-opponent-prematurely-declares-victory/
— Illinois Policy Institute Tees Up Opposition to Progressive Income Tax Proposals by Democrats
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/illinois-policy-institute-tees-up-opposition-to-progressive-income-tax-proposals-by-democrats/
— Looks Like I Was Wrong on Netflix Subject for “Monsters – Season 3”
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/looks-like-i-was-wrong-on-netflix-subject-for-monsters-season-3/
— Grafton Township Republican Party Issues Endorsements for Township Trustee
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/grafton-township-republican-party-issues-endorsements-for-township-trustee/
— Another View of the Replacement Process for State Senator Dan McConchie
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/another-view-of-the-replacement-process-for-state-senator-dan-mcconchie/
— The Censures of Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk – Part 2
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/the-censures-of-randy-funk-part-2/
— McHenry County Administrator Peter Austin Gets 5.3% Raise
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/18/mchenry-county-administrator-peter-austin-gets-5-3-raise/
ILLINOIS RECORD
— A leaked Video shows the Illinois GOP seemingly lying about their 2024 election get out the vote impact
https://www.illinoisrecord.com/p/a-leaked-video-shows-the-illinois
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Illegal immigrants now paying up to $30,000 as cartels raise prices under Trump
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/18/illegal-immigrants-paying-30-000-cartels-raise-pri/
WASHINGTON EXAMINAR
— CPAC theme: ‘America is back on track’
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/washington-secrets/3322407/cpac-theme-america-back-on-track/
AMERICAN WIRE
— Biden admin doled out 10 BILLION to illegals in just one year, shocking probe finds
https://americanwirenews.com/biden-admin-doled-out-10-billion-to-illegals-in-just-one-year-shocking-probe-finds/
CENTER SQUARE
— New guidance seeks to end use of ‘race preferences, stereotypes’ in school admissions
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_127ef2e4-ee26-11ef-a6c4-878910db08f2.html
— IRS tax gap grows to $600 billion as DOGE looks for savings (COMMENT: I worked for GAO for 3 years 1986-1988 on audits of IRS Criminal Investigation Division efforts to close the tax gap.)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_ecd0de72-ee0c-11ef-848d-ebb54839938d.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: As billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency take a look at one of the federal government’s most-disliked agencies, the Internal Revenue Service, some point to a persistent problem: the tax gap. The tax gap is the difference between what taxpayers pay the IRS voluntarily and on time and what they actually owe the IRS. The projected annual gross tax gap for tax year 2022 was $696 billion, with about $90 billion of that paid late or through IRS enforcement, according to the IRS.)
DAILY WIRE
— Education Dept Slashes $600 Million In Grants Promoting ‘Divisive’ Ideologies. Grants had been training teachers in CRT and gender ideology.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/education-dept-slashes-600-million-in-grants-promoting-divisive-ideologies
FEDERALIST
— United States Should Encourage Less Migration, More Stability
https://thefederalist.com/2025/02/18/former-refugee-the-united-states-should-encourage-less-migration-more-stability/
FOX NEWS
— Vance to speak at CPAC’s opening day. CPAC, which dates back to 1974, is the nation’s oldest and largest annual gathering of conservative leaders and activists.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/vice-president-jd-vance-speak-cpacs-opening-day
NEW AMERICAN
— Noem to Illegal Aliens and Would-be Illegals: Get Out, Stay Out, and Don’t Cross the Border
https://thenewamerican.com/us/immigration/noem-to-illegal-aliens-and-would-be-illegals-get-out-stay-out-and-dont-cross-the-border/
NEWSMAX
— If you have a criminal record, you can’t stay here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt8YhNBsLVc
OPEN THE BOOKS
— CASH FOR MIGRANTS: FEMA NOT THE ONLY AGENCY SPENDING BIG. The Office of Refugee Resettlement has faced questions over transparency, conflict of interest.
https://openthebooks.substack.com/p/5f0bfa8c-91b1-4477-baa5-b98ecf340a76?lid=q5u4w2bhnmbt
TOWNHALL
— Homan Has the Perfect Response to AOC ‘Educating’ Illegals on How to Evade ICE
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2025/02/18/tom-homan-aoc-update-n2652391
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Trump says he may impose auto tariffs of around 25%
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-auto-tariffs-25-percent/
NEWSWEEK
— Inside the Five-Star Hotel Where Deported Migrants Are Awaiting Their Fate
https://www.newsweek.com/inside-five-star-hotel-where-deported-migrants-are-awaiting-their-fate-2032899
USA TODAY
— Student asks Supreme Court to say he can wear T-shirt saying ‘There are only two genders.’ In past decisions, the Supreme Court has allowed students to wear arm bands in protest of the Vietnam War but not to hold up a “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” banner.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/16/supreme-court-student-two-genders-t-shirt-free-speech/78390509007/
LEADER
— IRS tax gap grows to $600 billion as DOGE looks for savings (COMMENT: I worked for GAO for 3 years 1986-1988 on audits of IRS Criminal Investigation Division efforts to close the tax gap.)
https://www.myleaderpaper.com/news/national/irs-tax-gap-grows-to-600-billion-as-doge-looks-for-savings/article_e3f7dd85-5ace-5b39-a934-9d543adda481.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: As billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency take a look at one of the federal government’s most-disliked agencies, the Internal Revenue Service, some point to a persistent problem: the tax gap. The tax gap is the difference between what taxpayers pay the IRS voluntarily and on time and what they actually owe the IRS. The projected annual gross tax gap for tax year 2022 was $696 billion, with about $90 billion of that paid late or through IRS enforcement, according to the IRS. The problem has been around for decades and is growing. From 2014 to 2016, the IRS estimated the tax gap was about $496 billion each year, according to a 2024 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.)
ABP
— How Big A Problem Are Illegal Indians For US? 11 Insights From Johns Hopkins Study.
https://news.abplive.com/news/world/how-big-problem-illegal-indians-us-11-insights-johns-hopkins-study-1752190
February 17, 2025 Evening Edition
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Durbin, others in Chicago push back on proposed federal budget cuts to Medicaid. Illinois Democratic Congressional Delegation promise to stand up to Trump administration.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/sen-dick-durbin-joins-citizen-action-aids-foundation-chicago-push-back-proposed-federal-budget-cuts-medicaid/15921887/
— Mexico threatens to sue Google over Gulf of Mexico name change
https://abc7chicago.com/post/mexico-threatens-sue-google-company-continues-label-us-maps-gulf-america-entire-body-water/15921876/
WGN9
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luDPZki4H5Q
FOX32
— Democratic Illinois members of Congress blast Trump budget cuts
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1594551
WTTW
— Illinois Legislative, Labor Leaders Speak Out Against Trump Budget Cuts
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/17/illinois-legislative-labor-leaders-speak-out-against-trump-budget-cuts
— Durbin, University Leaders Push Back on Trump’s Efforts to Cut Medical Research Funding
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/17/sen-dick-durbin-university-leaders-push-back-trump-s-efforts-cut-medical-research
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— ‘No kings on Presidents Day’ rings out from protests against Trump and Musk
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/17/trump-musk-protests/
— Illinois secession bill passes out of Indiana committee, but even supporters aren’t totally on board
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/17/illinois-secession-bill-passes-out-of-indiana-committee-but-even-supporters-arent-totally-on-board/
— Mexico awaits new response from Google on dispute over Gulf of Mexico name before filing lawsuit
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/17/mexico-google-gulf-of-mexico/
DAILY HERALD
— Musk’s DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250217/nation-and-world-politics/musks-doge-seeks-access-to-personal-taxpayer-data-raising-alarm-at-irs/
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise illegals and b) demonize, denigrate, and condemn Republicans.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250217/letters-to-the-editor/save-immigrants-who-are-kind-hard-working/
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER & OUR QUAD CITIES & DAILY EGYPTIAN
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote their protests against Trump
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/state/2025/02/17/illinois-protestors-rally-at-state-capitol-against-president-trump/78992981007/
https://www.sj-r.com/picture-gallery/news/2025/02/17/protestors-rally-against-president-trump-for-second-time-in-illinois/78997988007/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/illinois-protestors-rally-state-capitol-230718017.html
https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/local-news/illinois-advocates-speak-out-against-federal-cuts/
https://dailyegyptian.com/120456/news/carbondale-endures-cold-to-protest-trump-musk-on-presidents-day/
SOUTHERN
— Trump is the only person who can force Putin to the table
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/17/gop-sen-mullin-trump-is-the-only-person-who-can-force-putin-to-the-table/
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Don’t believe ‘incredible’ claims about Illinois schools
https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/mark-glennon-dont-believe-incredible-claims-about-illinois-schools/article_ea37a3f4-ea14-11ef-9b08-173768ebbab5.html
STATELINE
— Indiana bill to ‘adopt’ Illinois counties advances in House
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/indiana-bill-to-adopt-illinois-counties-advances-in-house/
STATELINE & ADVANTAGE NEWS & WQRF
— 2.4 million voted for Trump in Illinois
https://www.mystateline.com/news/pritzker-majority-of-illinois-residents-dont-support-trump/
https://www.advantagenews.com/news/local/pritzker-says-trump-may-be-popular-nationwide-but-not-in-illinois/article_8724d48c-eb11-11ef-a176-efe4e140ec9e.html
https://www.yahoo.com/news/jb-pritzker-says-donald-trump-201600367.html
NPR ILLINOIS
— GAO official says fraud does exist, but it’s not widespread
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-16/government-accountability-official-says-fraud-does-exist-but-its-not-widespread
WAND TV
— Durbin, Kelly join Citizen Action Illinois in fight against Trump budget cuts to Medicaid, SNAP
https://www.wandtv.com/news/statehouse/durbin-kelly-join-citizen-action-illinois-in-fight-against-trump-budget-cuts-to-medicaid-snap/article_fa0cd2ec-ed78-11ef-b7d9-477fd3841f09.html
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Second ‘50501’ protest held outside Illinois Capitol. Protestors take aim at Trump, call for “No Kings on President’s Day.”
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/second-50501-protest-held-outside-illinois-capitol/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WIREPOINTS
— With the border closed, will Illinois finally cut spending on illegal immigrants?
https://wirepoints.org/with-the-border-finally-closed-when-will-illinois-stop-spending-on-illegal-immigrants-wirepoints-quickpoint/
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Integrity Team Seeks to Defeat Algonquin Township Supervisor Randy Funk’s Slate
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/integrity-team-seeks-to-defeat-algonquin-township-supervisor-randy-funks-slate/
— Former Co-Chair of Republican National Committee Headlining Joe Tirio Fundraiser on February 21st
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/former-co-chair-of-republican-national-committee-headlining-joe-tirio-fundraiser-on-february-21st/
— Resident Criticizes McHenry Mayor Wayne Jett’s Stewardship
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/17/resident-criticizes-mchenry-mayor-wayne-jetts-stewardship/
— Is McHenry County Administrator’s Pending 5.3% Raise a Signal That All Non-Union Employees Will Receive the Same?
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/16/is-mchenry-county-administrators-pending-5-3-raise-a-signal-that-all-non-union-employees-will-receive-the-same/
ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Bill introduced to again try for progressive income tax in Illinois
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/bill-introduced-to-again-try-for-progressive-income-tax-in-illinois/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Democrats protest as Trump’s DOGE squad exposes federal waste. Discoveries of misspent millions reveal a pattern of unauthorized funding to partisan causes.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/democrats-protest-trump-doge-squad-exposes-federal/
— DOGE seeks access to IRS system with taxpayers’ financial data
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/doge-seeks-access-irs-system-taxpayers-financial-d/
— White House hits back on Democrats’ criticism of DOGE actions
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/white-house-hits-back-democrats-criticism-doge-act/
— FAA’s new air traffic control towers go ‘green’ instead of the latest safe tech
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/faa-new-air-traffic-control-towers-go-green-instea/
— Vance calls for U.S. and its allies to reject Germany’s ‘Orwellian’ speech laws (COMMENT: My critics/opponents hate the First Amendment. They want to stop me from sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters. Failing that, they want to stop everyone from reading them. Failing that, they have their operatives and their dupes take big adverse actions against me. I should write about my critics/opponents.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/j-d-vance-calls-u-allies-reject-germany-orwellian-/
— Trump’s immigration crackdown protects Hispanic communities
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/17/trump-immigration-crackdown-protects-hispanic-comm/
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Everything you need to know about this year’s CPAC
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3319947/everything-you-need-to-know-about-cpac-this-year/
— Losing the race: Crass identity politics isn’t what it used to be for Democrats
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/premium/3311358/losing-race-crass-identity-politics-not-what-it-used-to-be-democrats/
NEW YORK POST
— Homan vows to ‘eradicate’ every criminal migrant from US — as he touts staggering drop in daily encounters
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/us-news/border-czar-tom-homan-vows-to-eradicate-every-criminal-migrant-from-us/
— Wall Street banks scrub DEI language from websites in latest retreat from corporate wokeness
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/business/wall-street-banks-scrub-dei-language-in-retreat-from-wokeness/
— DOGE discovers $4.7 trillion in Treasury payments were missing critical code: ‘Traceability almost impossible’
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/us-news/doge-discovers-4-7-trillion-in-treasury-payments-were-missing-critical-code/
— Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says Biden’s IRS targeted him for an audit (DIERSEN: I should write about my Democrat IRS superiors who disallowed my education deductions in 1978.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/us-news/defense-secretary-pete-hegseth-says-bidens-irs-targeted-him-for-an-audit/
— Riots and hijackings — why ICE cuffs and shackles some deportees
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/opinion/riots-and-hijackings-why-ice-cuffs-and-shackles-some-deportees/
— Dems far outnumber conservatives in government — here’s what department is the worst (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, virtually all my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats. I should write about Democrat superiors and supervisors who hated Republicans the most.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/17/opinion/dems-far-outnumber-conservatives-in-government-heres-what-department-is-the-worst/
AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Pete Hegseth Says Biden’s IRS Targeted Him With ‘Sham’ Audit on Their Way Out the Door (DIERSEN: I should write about my Democrat IRS superiors who disallowed my education deductions in 1978.)
https://amgreatness.com/2025/02/17/pete-hegseth-says-bidens-irs-targeted-him-with-sham-audit-on-their-way-out-the-door/
AMERICAN THINKER
— Memo suggests the City of San Diego’s government is loaded with illegals
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/memo_suggests_the_city_of_san_diego_s_government_is_loaded_with_illegals.html
BREITBART
— Homan Says Illegal Daily Encounters Down to 229 from 11,000
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/02/17/nolte-border-czar-tom-homan-says-illegal-daily-encounters-down-to-229-from-11000/
CHRISTIAN POST
— Lesbian pastor blasphemes Jesus as drag queen at council meeting
https://www.christianpost.com/news/lesbian-pastor-blasphemes-jesus-as-drag-queen-at-council-meeting.html
FOX NEWS
— Obama library, begun with lofty DEI goals, now plagued by $40M racially charged suit, ballooning costs. The Black-owned firm claims it was accused of underperforming in the project because of race.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/obama-center-subcontractor-hired-under-dei-initiative-now-suing-40m-racial-discrimination-lawsuit
NATIONAL REVIEW
— Education Department Ends $600 Million in Grants for DEI, Critical Race Theory Trainings
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/education-department-ends-600-million-in-grants-for-dei-critical-race-theory-trainings/
NEWSMAX
— Big Banks Cutting DEI to Avoid Federal Scrutiny
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/dei-division-inequity/2025/02/17/id/1199374/
— GOP Rep Introduces Proposal to End Asylum for Criminals
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/illegal-alien-criminals/2025/02/17/id/1199423/
TOWNHALL
— Illinois state Rep. John Cabello (R) Wants to Create a DOGE for His State
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2025/02/17/a-republican-lawmaker-in-illinois-wants-to-create-a-state-doge-agency-n2652334
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
THE HILL
— DOGE sets up IRS, SEC accounts on X
https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5149582-doeg-irs-sec-x-accounts/
— Musk divides GOP
https://thehill.com/newsletters/technology/5149945-musk-divides-gop/
— Musk is coming for your Social Security
https://thehill.com/opinion/5148448-elon-musk-targeting-social-security/
MSN
— NAACP spending guide urges Black Americans to avoid companies that dumped DEI
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/naacp-spending-guide-urges-black-americans-to-avoid-companies-that-dumped-dei/ar-AA1zdVIs
CBS NEWS
— Trump’s firings of independent agency heads put 90-year-old Supreme Court precedent in crosshairs
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-firings-agencies-boards-supreme-court-precedent/
NEW YORK TIMES
— Education Dept. Gives Schools Two Weeks to Eliminate Race-Based Programs. The department’s Office for Civil Rights warned that it would penalize schools that consider race in scholarships, hiring and an array of other activities.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/us/politics/education-dept-race-based-programs.html
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