April 15 Morning Edition

ABC7
— Social distancing measures may be necessary until 2022 to contain coronavirus pandemic, study shows
https://abc7chicago.com/health/study-social-distancing-practices-may-last-until-2022/6104716/
— Cook County Jail detainee attacks guard with soap bars in sock, steals keys and releases others in maximum security block
https://abc7chicago.com/cook-co-jail-detainee-attacks-guard-steals-keys-releases-others-in-maximum-security-block/6103951/?cmp=emc-wls-news-headlines-4/15/2020
— China didn’t warn public of likely coronavirus pandemic for 6 key days
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/china-didnt-warn-public-of-likely-pandemic-for-6-key-days/6104719/?cmp=emc-wls-news-headlines-4/15/2020

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— SBA approves 44,453 emergency COVID-19 loans to Illinois employers totaling $12.5 billion The loan leader under this new program is Texas, with 88,434 loans totaling $21.7 billion, according to the Small Business Administration. – Lynn Sweet 
https://chicago.suntimes.com/business/2020/4/14/21221559/sba-approves-44453-covid-19-loans-to-illinois-for-12-5-billion-small-business-administration
— Pritzker gives up on COVID-19 help from Trump: ‘I don’t expect it anymore’ The Democratic governor also warned that fans shouldn’t get their hopes up for major league sports to resume in the state until the outbreak is more under control. – Tina Sfondeles 
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2020/4/14/21221561/pritzker-covid-19-help-trump-coronavirus-ppe-ventilators-testing-coronavirus
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: ‘Cooked With Cannabis’ takes pot-infused cuisine to new highs – Richard Roeper
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/4/13/21216507/cooked-with-cannabis-review-kelis-leather-storrs-netflix

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Gov. Pritzker spending $1.7 million on two flights to bring masks, gloves back from China – JAMIE MUNKS and DAN PETRELLA
https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-illinois-costs-20200414-u75kxw3o35bynnsdkepwchdyja-story.html
— Trump halts US payments to World Health Organization pending a review of its coronavirus warnings – DARLENE SUPERVILLE
https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-nw-who-world-health-organization-coronavirus-warnings-20200414-icrj6ddfrbe47obaliwri3wuhy-story.html
— Obama swipes Trump while endorsing Biden; ‘Captain’ Trump vs. ‘Democrat governors’; Zeke Emanuel suggests reopening economy in June – Lisa Donovan
https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-obama-criticizes-trump-biden-endorse-authoritiy-zeke-emanuel-spin-20200414-sp3cikdqzzabnpleth76opxxxu-story.html
— Hell freezes over in coronavirus pandemic: Washington media embraces federalism – John Kass
https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/john-kass/ct-coronavirus-constitution-kass-20200415-cwhivfjf45etlewjndvzusrsju-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A Trump-hater says “Trump’s coronavirus failure has Illinois governor flying masks from China. We should be outraged.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/rex-huppke/ct-coronavirus-pandemic-trump-governor-pritzker-masks-testing-huppke-20200415-47kyrli73rfjxp23yx3w7ftdny-story.html

DAILY HERALD
— DuPage County moves to cut costs because of COVID-19 – Robert Sanchez
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20200414/dupage-county-moves-to-cut-costs-because-of-covid-19
— What community colleges are doing with millions in federal COVID-19 relief funds – Madhu Krishnamurthy and Doug T. Graham
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20200414/what-community-colleges-are-doing-with-millions-in-federal-covid-19-relief-funds

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— McDonald’s workers file federal complaint over COVID conditions Employees at a downtown franchise say a worker contracted the virus but managers there are not doing enough to protect workers during the pandemic. – DALTON BARKER 
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/restaurants/mcdonalds-workers-file-federal-complaint-over-covid-conditions

WBEZ
— As Illinois Pays Big For Some Ventilators, One Supplier Says Disruption Is To Blame For High Prices – Dave McKinney, Tony Arnold
https://www.wbez.org/stories/are-illinois-officials-paying-hugely-inflated-prices-for-medical-supplies/64a5614b-8903-4711-8f36-e1d18a749383

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— Peoria faces possible $50 million budget deficit because of coronavirus – Andy Kravetz
https://www.pjstar.com/news/20200414/peoria-faces-possible-50-million-budget-deficit-because-of-coronavirus

SUBURBAN LIFE
— Six more COVID-19 deaths, 89 new cases, reported in DuPage County Total reported cases stands at 1,313, including 60 deaths
https://www.mysuburbanlife.com/2020/04/14/six-more-covid-19-deaths-89-new-cases-reported-in-dupage-county/a3qkngv/
— DuPage County Board approves funding for homeless shelters
https://www.mysuburbanlife.com/2020/04/14/dupage-county-board-approves-funding-for-homeless-shelters/a4vvkol/
— DuPage County collects 165,000 pieces of PPE in two weeks
https://www.mysuburbanlife.com/2020/04/14/dupage-county-collects-165-000-pieces-of-ppe-in-two-weeks/ag4aki2/

ALTON TELEGRAPH
— E-mail spying by Madison County officials for political gain alleged in documents – Sanford J. Schmidt
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/E-mail-spying-by-Madison-County-officials-for-15197458.php

FOX ILLINOIS
— Major airlines line up to split $25 billion in payroll aid – AP
https://foxillinois.com/news/coronavirus/treasury-major-airlines-will-take-aid-to-meet-payrolls-04-14-2020
— Trump: ‘Mutiny every now and then is an exciting and invigorating thing to watch’ – SCOTT THUMAN
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/trump-mutiny-every-now-and-then-is-an-exciting-and-invigorating-thing-to-watch

NPR ILLINOIS
— WHO Sets 6 Conditions For Ending A Coronavirus Lockdown – BILL CHAPPELL 
https://www.nprillinois.org/post/who-sets-6-conditions-ending-coronavirus-lockdown#stream/0

MEDILL
— GAO READY TO COMBAT FRAUD IN DISBURSEMENT OF AID PACKAGE – Jack Kelly 
https://dc.medill.northwestern.edu/blog/2020/04/14/oversight-agency-ready-to-combat-fraud-in-disbursement-of-aid-package/

POSITIVELY NAPERVILLE
— April 14, 2020: Daily COVID-19 Case Counts* for DuPage County
https://www.positivelynaperville.com/2020/04/14/april-14-2020-daily-covid-19-case-counts-for-dupage-county-and-beyond/112008

WIREPOINTS
— Illinois’ COVID-19 crisis: Daily data update for April 15th, 2020 – Wirepoints
https://wirepoints.org/illinois-covid-19-crisis-daily-data-update-wirepoints/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Sen. Lindsey Graham: ‘Effort to destroy Trump’ is ‘pissing a lot of people off’ – Andrew Mark Miller (DIERSEN: What do you say to those who paint themselves as being religious, conservative, and/or Republican, but who do nothing to stop the destruction of religious, conservative, and/or Republican organizations?) 
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/graham-effort-to-destroy-trump-is-pissing-a-lot-of-people-off
— Chinese inroads into Africa jeopardized over charges of racist coronavirus response – Joel Gehrke (DIERSEN: What about Communist Chinese inroads into America, into Illinois, into your county, into your township, and into your municipality?)
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/chinese-inroads-into-africa-jeopardized-over-charges-of-racist-coronavirus-response

FOX NEWS
— Trump takes new swipe at push to expand voting by mail amid coronavirus crisis – Paul Steinhause
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-push-to-expand-voting-by-mail-amid-coronavirus-crisis

AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Coronavirus Racial Disparities Miss the Bigger Picture Playing the race card during a pandemic is not just politically corrosive, it is medically unsound. – Heather Mac Donald
https://amgreatness.com/2020/04/14/coronavirus-racial-disparities-miss-the-bigger-picture/

BREITBART
— Mark Levin Mocks Media, Democrats for Newfound ‘Federalism’ – JOEL B. POLLAK
https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2020/04/14/mark-levin-mocks-media-democrats-for-newfound-federalism/

NEWSMAX
— West Coast, East Coast, Midwest: More Governors Consider Charting Their Own Path Through the Pandemic
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/states-governors/2020/04/14/id/962876/

JUDICIAL WATCH
— OUR LIBERTIES ARE BEING SUPPRESSED, ECONOMY IS BEING DESTROYED OVER #CORONAVIRUS – Tom Fitton
https://www.judicialwatch.org/videos/tom-fitton-our-liberties-are-being-suppressed-economy-is-being-destroyed-over-coronavirus/
— WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO OPPOSE VOTER ID & CITIZENSHIP VERIFICATION FOR ELECTIONS? – TOM FITTON
https://www.judicialwatch.org/videos/tom-fitton-why-would-anyone-want-to-oppose-voter-id-citizenship-verification-for-elections/
— TOM FITTON WARNS MAIL-IN VOTING IS ‘OPEN INVITATION FOR VOTER FRAUD’
https://www.judicialwatch.org/videos/tom-fitton-warns-mail-in-voting-is-open-invitation-for-voter-fraud/

THE HILL
— Unparalleled crisis leads to unprecedented federal spending – NIV ELIS 
https://thehill.com/policy/finance/492833-unparalleled-crisis-leads-to-huge-spike-in-fed-spending

ABC NEWS
— IMF predicts the worst recession since the Great Depression – Catherine Thorbecke
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/coronavirus-economic-updates-imf-predicts-worst-recession-great/story?id=70138583

NBC NEWS
— Hardest-hit states don’t plan to follow Trump’s national guidance on reopening
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/hardest-hit-states-don-t-plan-follow-trump-s-national-n1183671

REUTERS
— Amazon.com Inc said on Tuesday it had fired three critics of the company’s pandemic response for workplace violations, dismissals that drew sharp words from U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and a labor coalition. – Aakriti Bhalla, Jeffrey Dastin (DIERSEN: There were no sharp words from Republican U.S. Senators and Republican U.S. Representatives when my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old. I was critical of GAO’s political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation for opposing the aforesaid.) 
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-amazon-com-warehou/amazon-fires-two-employees-critical-of-warehouse-working-conditions-idUSKCN21W0UI

NEW YORK TIMES
— Trump Stops U.S. Funding of W.H.O.; U.K. Coronavirus Deaths May Be Higher Than Official Toll Confirmed infections neared 2 million, with more than 120,000 dead, and the I.M.F. predicted the worst global downturn since the Great Depression. New York City passed 10,000 fatalities.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/world/coronavirus-news-world-global-live.html
— For Black Men, Fear That Masks Will Invite Racial Profiling African-American men worry that following the C.D.C. recommendation to cover their faces in public could expose them to harassment from the police. – Derrick Bryson Taylor
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/us/coronavirus-masks-racism-african-americans.html
— What’s an Essential Service in a Pandemic? The Post Office From the census to the November election, the Postal Service is critical to American democracy. – Editorial
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/opinion/usps-coronavirus.html
— Democrats Bet on Biden to Beat Trump. Then Came the Coronavirus. The pandemic has upended the 2020 election. Can Joe Biden adapt? – Spencer Bokat-Lindell
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/opinion/biden-coronavirus-trump.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: White-haters use coronavirus to promote hatred of Whites. 
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/15/opinion/coronavirus-african-americans-inequality.html
— Democratic Victory in Wisconsin Looms as ‘Clarion Call’ for Trump – Reid J. Epstein and Adam Nagourney
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/us/politics/trump-wisconsin-2020-election.html
— I.M.F. Predicts Worst Downturn Since the Great Depression The global economy is expected to contract by 3 percent this year as quarantines and lockdowns cripple output. – Alan Rappeport and Jeanna Smialek
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/us/politics/coronavirus-economy-recession-depression.html
— U.S. Retail Sales Suffer Biggest Plunge on Record:  The Commerce Department’s preliminary report showed retail sales in March dropped 8.7 percent.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/15/business/stock-market-covid-coronavirus.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Covid-19 checkpoints targeting out-of-state residents draw complaints and legal scrutiny – Luz Lazo and Katherine Shaver
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/covid-19-checkpoints-targeting-out-of-state-residents-draw-complaints-and-legal-scrutiny/2020/04/14/3fc0ed42-774e-11ea-b6ff-597f170df8f8_story.html
— The Postal Service needs a bailout. Congress is partly to blame. A 2006 law set the stage to burden the agency with $160 billion in debt – Jacob Bogage
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/04/15/postal-service-bailout-congress/
— Vacancies have hindered the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus – Joe Davidson
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/vacancies-have-hindered-the-trump-administrations-response-to-the-coronavirus/2020/04/14/8c412180-7e94-11ea-8de7-9fdff6d5d83e_story.html
— Will the coronavirus make conservatives love government spending? People with conservative personalities are more open to such intervention than you might think. – Christopher Federico (DIERSEN: RINOs claim to be Republicans.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/04/15/will-coronavirus-make-conservatives-love-government-spending/
— Retail sales plummeted 8.7 percent in March as coronavirus guts consumer spending American consumers prop up about 70 percent of the country’s economy, but spending at restaurants, retail stores, malls and the like has essentially hollowed out – Rachel Siegel 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/04/15/retail-figures-coronavirus-march/

NEW YORK POST
— Coronavirus may lead to worst global recession since Great Depression: IMF – Noah Manskar
https://nypost.com/2020/04/14/coronavirus-may-lead-to-worst-recession-since-great-depression-imf/

UNION LEADER
— What price victory in the Coronavirus War? – Patrick J. Buchanan
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/columnists/patrick-j-buchanan-what-price-victory-in-the-coronavirus-war/article_d64f2de9-3ed2-57d4-ab07-894f967032c7.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— FRONT PAGE: A Second Round of Coronavirus Layoffs Has Begun. Few Are Safe. People who thought their jobs were secure, including white-collar professionals, increasingly face unemployment – Eric Morath, Harriet Torry and Gwynn Guilford
https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-second-round-of-coronavirus-layoffs-has-begun-no-one-is-safe-11586872387
— Coronavirus Ravages the Lungs. It Also Affects the Brain. As Covid-19 cases mount, doctors are seeing patients who are experiencing symptoms like seizures, hallucinations and loss of smell and taste – Daniela Hernandez
https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-ravages-the-lungs-it-also-affects-the-brain-11586896119
— Lack of Savings Worsens the Pain of Coronavirus Downturn Many of the millions of restaurant, hotel and store workers affected by shutdowns are expected to fall behind on rent and other bills – David Harrison
https://www.wsj.com/articles/lack-ofsavingsworsens-the-pain-of-coronavirus-downturn-11586943001
— Fired Amazon Warehouse Workers Accuse Company of Retaliation, Which It Denies Employees say they were targeted for organizing; tech giant defends firings, safety measures at facilities – Sebastian Herrera
https://www.wsj.com/articles/fired-amazon-warehouse-workers-accuse-company-of-retaliation-which-it-denies-11586891334
— The Students Left Behind When College Campuses Empty Out Due to Coronavirus Fears Some who can’t go home find themselves alone in their dorms, on quiet campus lawns and standing six feet from anyone else they can find – Melissa Korn 
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-students-left-behind-when-college-campuses-empty-out-due-to-coronavirus-fears-11586943002

BLOOMBERG
— U.S. Economy Put in Self-Induced Coma to Fight Virus
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2020-04-15/u-s-economy-put-in-self-induced-coma-to-fight-virus-epoch-s-priest-video
— Some Economists Say Jobless Rate Could Soar To At Least 20%
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-14/worst-case-fears-of-20-30-u-s-jobless-rate-are-now-realistic

USA TODAY
— Coronavirus live updates: 80M Americans to receive stimulus checks after deadliest day in US – John Bacon and Jessica Flores
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/04/15/coronavirus-live-updates-stimulus-checks-us-deaths-donald-trump/2990712001/

NEWSWEEK
— NINE EVANGELICAL LEADERS CALL ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO RELEASE MIGRANTS FROM DETENTION FACILITIES AMID CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC – JEFFERY MARTIN (DIERSEN: Democrats and RINOs see illegals as being their foot soldiers in their war against Republicans.) 
https://www.newsweek.com/nine-evangelical-leaders-call-trump-administration-release-migrants-detention-facilities-amid-1497891
— AS BIDEN PROMISED US THE PAST, BERNIE OFFERED US THE FUTURE. WHY DID HE FAIL—AND WHAT DID WE FORFEIT? – MOSHIK TEMKIN
https://www.newsweek.com/sanders-biden-obama-promise-future-past-lose-1497854

POST JOURNAL
— New York: Bill Would Criminalize Intentionally Spreading Disease – Eric Tichy
https://www.post-journal.com/news/page-one/2020/04/bill-would-criminalize-intentionally-spreading-disease/

CCN
— Dow Futures Plunge after CDC’s Chilling New Coronavirus Warning CDC Director Dr Robert Redfield says a coronavirus second wave is “definitely” coming while experts predict rolling lockdowns until 2021. – Ben Brown 
https://www.ccn.com/dow-futures-plunge-after-cdcs-chilling-new-coronavirus-warning/

Author: David Diersen

The opinions that I express in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails are based on experience that I have gained doing many things since 1948. I base my opinions on what I learned a) working for the federal government for almost 30 years -- Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997, serving on the Executive Committee of the Association of Government Accountants Chicago Chapter 1983-1996, and being a union member while I worked for the Post Office and IRS; b) earning an MBA from Loyola in 1976, a masters degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, and a masters degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997; c) passing the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979 and passing the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981; c) serving as a Republican Precinct Committeeman since 1999, the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000, the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois Chairman 2005-2012, a member of the 2008 Illinois Republican Party (IRP) Platform and Resolutions Committee, a Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, the Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007, and an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member 2001-2004; d) attending the 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 IRP State Conventions as a delegate; e) being the subject of a nasty 4-page article in the February 1978 issue of Money Magazine; f) pursing litigation including Diersen v. GAO and Diersen v. Chicago Car Exchange; g) being married since 1978; h) living in Crete 1948-1972, in University Park 1972-1976, in Chicago 1976-1978, and in DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton since 1978; and i) being baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran.