April 20 Morning Edition

ABC7
— Springfield protest calls for state to reopen economy amid COVID-19 pandemic – Diane Pathieu
https://abc7chicago.com/society/springfield-protest-calls-for-reopening-illinois-economy/6116673/
— Springfield protesters join nationwide call to reopen economies during COVID-19 pandemic – Cate Cauguiran
https://abc7chicago.com/coronavirus-illinois-chicago-update-cases/6116035/
— 33 shot, 4 fatally, in Chicago weekend shootings
https://abc7chicago.com/33-shot-4-fatally-in-chicago-weekend-shootings/6115537/

NBC5
— Illinois Officials Detail Measures to Contain Spread of Coronavirus in Nursing Homes
https://www.nbcchicago.com/top-videos-home/illinois-officials-detail-measures-to-contain-spread-of-coronavirus-in-nursing-homes/2258523/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Trump-haters say “Trump Falsely Blames Governors for Virus Test.”
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/president-trump/fact-check-trump-falsely-blames-governors-for-virus-test/2258427/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Second- and third-wave layoffs coming from COVID-19 After starting in retail and hospitality, the virus’ effects are spreading to other sectors, including public workers. – David Roeder (DIERSEN: As more and more and more individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries are destroyed by shutdowns, more will call for reopening.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/4/20/21225224/coronavirus-layoffs-spreading-white-collar-public-sector-workers

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG COLOR PICTURE: Illinois school districts were urged to prepare e-learning plans for students in case of emergency. Most didn’t do it. – JODI S. COHEN and JENNIFER SMITH RICHARDS
https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-illinois-schools-elearning-20200420-klfsji4jfzdafdpylvkcffx3sq-story.html
— Bleak Predictions For Economy Stacking Up – Jill Schlesinger
https://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/bleak-predictions-for-economy-stacking-up#.Xp2a8chKiM8
— For those addicted to illegal drugs, sales are an essential business — and the coronavirus is making things more dangerous for them – MADELINE BUCKLEY
https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-impact-drugs-20200416-y2df2neuczgjnobenkfimutwbu-story.html
— Governors plot reopening the economy but say they still lack tests – RICK ROJAS
https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-nw-nyt-coronavirus-governors-trump-testing-20200420-vcadyw7hfnh6ngl3u37wmgbc6a-story.html

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— An all-mail-in November election: What might that look like? It’d cost tens of millions and be a “security nightmare,” state elections officials say. Even a good-government type isn’t all in. – A.D. QUIG 
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/government/all-mail-november-election-what-might-look

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— COVID-19 has ‘slowed tremendously’ in Illinois
https://www.pjstar.com/news/20200419/covid-19-has-slowed-tremendously-in-illinois

JOURNAL GAZETTE TIMES COURIER
— Protesters to Pritzker: ‘Open our state’ – Patrick M. O’Connell and Jamie Munks
https://jg-tc.com/news/state-and-regional/protesters-to-pritzker-open-our-state/article_e489ee72-ac3e-52ad-ae46-a05992111b5a.html

ALTON DAILY NEWS
— Illinois Could Run Out of Unemployment Funds – Scot Bertram 
http://altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=302577#.Xp2pKshKiM8

OAK LAWN PATCH
— Mayor Sandra Bury Will Sign Order Requiring Face Masks To Combat Coronavirus The order requires Oak Lawn residents and essential workers to wear facial coverings in public places to reduce spread of coronavirus. – Lorraine Swanson
https://patch.com/illinois/oaklawn/oak-lawn-mayor-will-sign-executive-order-requiring-face-masks

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— COVID-19 Sunday Update: 31 more fatalities reported; Pritzker salutes National Guard
https://www.capitolnewsillinois.com/NEWS/covid-19-sunday-update-31-more-fatalities-reported-pritzker-salutes-national-guard

WIREPOINTS
— Illinois enacting a progressive tax hike is like Sears attempting a turnaround by hiking prices. COVID-19 only makes it more absurd. – Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
https://wirepoints.org/illinois-enacting-a-progressive-tax-hike-is-like-sears-attempting-a-turnaround-by-hiking-prices-covid-19-only-makes-it-more-absurd-wirepoints/
— Illinois’ COVID-19 crisis: Daily data update for April 20th, 2020
https://wirepoints.org/illinois-covid-19-crisis-daily-data-update-wirepoints/

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— AMY GRANT: REPUBLICANS FORCE GOV. PRITZKER TO ADDRESS HIS FAILED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS PROGRAM
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2020/04/grant-republicans-force-gov-pritzker-to-address-his-failed-unemployment-benefits-program.html
— DESPITE MASSIVE PRIVATE SECTOR LAYOFFS, ILLINOIS STILL SCHEDULED TO GIVE $261M PAY RAISES TO GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2020/04/despite-massive-private-sector-layoffs-illinois-still-scheduled-to-give-261m-pay-raises-to-governmen.html
— STATE SEN. OBERWEIS OFFERS TO SEND SPEAKER PELOSI ICE CREAM IF SHE GOES TO WASHINGTON D.C. TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2020/04/state-sen-oberweis-offers-to-send-speaker-pelosi-ice-cream-if-she-goes-to-washington-dc-to-help-smal.html

NEWS BUSTERS
— Trump’s White Male ‘Lower-Educated’ Base Just Too Dumb – Mark Finkelstein
https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/mark-finkelstein/2020/04/19/joy-reid-guest-trumps-lower-educated-base-doesnt-realize-its

NATIONAL REVIEW
— Stop Dancing on the Graves of Trump Supporters Who Die of the Virus – DAN MCLAUGHLIN
https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/04/coronavirus-media-stop-dancing-on-the-graves-of-trump-supporters-who-die-of-the-virus/

CAMPUS REFORM
— Kansas State prof: GOP is ‘death cult,’ Republicans are ‘plague spreaders’ – Leo Thuman
https://campusreform.org/?id=14736

THE HILL
— Governors headed for messy fight over coronavirus restrictions – JOHN KRUZEL 
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/493420-governors-headed-for-messy-fight-over-coronavirus-restrictions

HUFFINGTON POST
— Trump Defends Right-Wing Protesters Fighting Coronavirus Restrictions: ‘These Are Great People’ The president’s enabling response to the anti-safety protesters echoed his handling of the 2017 violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. – Sanjana Karanth
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-defends-right-wing-protesters-fighting-coronavirus-restrictions-great-people_n_5e9d0ceec5b635d25d6efeb2

POLITICO
— Trump money machine overcomes coronavirus in March The RNC raised a March record $24 million last month, despite the coronavirus pandemic shuttering large parts of the economy. – ALEX ISENSTADT
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/20/trump-money-machine-overcomes-coronavirus-march-195270
— GAO: A watchdog out of Trump’s grasp unleashes wave of coronavirus audits The Government Accountability Office is moving quickly to conduct oversight — and it’s got more protection than other Trump targets. – KYLE CHENEY (DIERSEN: While I worked for GAO 1980-1997, the Democrats who ran the agency focused on using Republican-driven budget cuts to get rid of its employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who they had not promoted to GS-13 (currently $101,176) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $119,559) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $140,634) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $170,800) by age 40.)
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/20/watchdog-trump-coronavirus-audits-192272
(FROM THE ARTICLE: And even as Trump has gone to war against internal watchdogs in his administration, the Government Accountability Office remains largely out of the president’s grasp because of its home in the legislative branch. The GAO has quickly taken advantage of its perch, exploring the early missteps inherent in launching a multitrillion-dollar law that touches every facet of American life. By the end of April, at least 30 CARES Act reviews and audits — “engagements,” per GAO lingo — are expected be underway, according to interviews with senior investigators. Topics will range from the government’s handling of coronavirus testing to its distribution of medical equipment, and from the nation’s food supply to nursing home infections and any missteps in distributing the emergency cash payments that began landing in millions of Americans’ bank accounts this week. The office’s top fraud investigator said it’s already received a complaint about a check landing in the account of a deceased person. “We’re moving forward very quickly,” said Angela Nicole Clowers, chief of the GAO’s health care unit. “We’re an existing institution and have a lot of institutional knowledge about all these programs. It gives us sort of a leg up.”)
— Cash-rich Democrats tighten grip on House majority – ALLY MUTNICK (DIERSEN: What discourages you from contributing money to candidates? For me, the reasons include a) my being treated rudely by them, by their staff members, by their volunteers, and/or by their supporters; b) my concluding that if elected, they would not defend or advance the traditional family, right to life, immigration, illegal drugs, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks in the Republican Party platform; c) my concluding that if elected, they might very well promote dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and/or retaliation for opposing the aforesaid; d) my concluding that they are running as an anti-Trump candidate, will run as an anti-Trump candidate, or would be an anti-Trump elected official if elected; and/or e) their having said and/or done things that show that they are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-non poor people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.) 
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/19/house-elections-cash-rich-democrats-tighten-grip-194570

CNBC
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: U.S. cannabis CEOs say coronavirus crisis will speed up legalization: ‘We have been deemed essential’ – Frank Holland
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/19/how-the-covid-19-crisis-may-impact-cannabis-legalization.html

NEW YORK TIMES
— Stock Markets Waver on Renewed Pessimism
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/20/business/stock-market-today-coronavirus.html
— Trump, Facing Criticism, Says He Will Increase Swab Production Governors say reopening their economies must be linked with wider testing for the virus but they continue to face shortages of supplies and testing kits.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/19/us/coronavirus-updates.html
— American journalists were showing the world the devastating effects of China’s botched response to the coronavirus. Now, many have been kicked out – Ben Smith (DIERSEN: Who has kicked you out? I should write a book about activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc. who have kicked me out. I would focus on those in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois who have lots of religious, government, political, and/or financial clout and who paint themselves as being religious, conservative, and/or Republican. I would focus on those who pander to the Democrat news media.) 
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/19/business/media/coronavirus-us-china-journalists.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Bernie Sanders uses coronavirus to call for getting rid of individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/19/opinion/coronavirus-inequality-bernie-sanders.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A Trump-hater says “Impeachment Taught Trump All the Wrong Lessons. He thinks he can get away with anything.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/19/opinion/trump-impeachment-coronavirus.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats use coronavirus to promote “social justice,” that is, to rid of individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/19/us/coronavirus-civil-rights.html

NEW YORK POST
— Coronavirus tests must be done ‘community by community’ before easing lockdown: Birx – Mark Moore
https://nypost.com/2020/04/19/coronavirus-tests-must-be-done-community-by-community-birx/

WASHINGTON POST
— Coronavirus restrictions trigger stirrings of political, social unrest around the world; Trump defends U.S. protesters
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/04/20/coronavirus-latest-news/
— Is the president on protesters’ side? – David Weigel
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/paloma/the-trailer/2020/04/19/the-trailer-is-the-president-on-protesters-side-they-re-on-his/5e9a4642602ff10d49ae7dfb/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Coronavirus Crisis Prompts Call to Suspend Lottery Gambling Antigambling group asks states to suspend lotteries until 30 days after stimulus payments – Katherine Sayre (DIERSEN: What percent of stimulus payment will be wasted on booze, gambling, pot, and other vices?)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-crisis-prompts-call-to-suspend-lottery-gambling-11587376800
— Is 100 the New Life Expectancy for People Born in the 21st Century? – Anne Tergesen (DIERSEN: The Civil Service Retirement System should sue my Democrat GAO superiors for forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old. Do you agree? My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes side with my Democrat GAO superiors.) 
https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-100-the-new-life-expectancy-for-people-born-in-the-21st-century-11587041951
— In Quarantine, a Glimpse of What Retirement Might Look Like – Glenn Ruffenach
https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-quarantine-a-glimpse-of-what-retirement-might-look-like-11587135637
— The Democrats’ 2020 Coronavirus Hindsight A review of this year’s debates shows they were less concerned than Trump about the pandemic. – Dave Seminara
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-democrats-2020-coronavirus-hindsight-11587317439
— More Americans Fear Lifting Coronavirus Restrictions Too Soon, WSJ/NBC Poll Says Nearly 60% of respondents worry that lifting stay-at-home orders quickly will fuel the pandemic – Catherine Lucey
https://www.wsj.com/articles/more-americans-fear-lifting-coronavirus-restrictions-too-soon-wsj-nbc-poll-says-11587301203

BARRONS
— How Capitalism Must Change to Survive the Pandemic – Alex Friedman and Larry Hatheway
https://www.barrons.com/articles/the-coronavirus-recession-should-be-the-end-of-shareholder-capitalism-51587377316

USA TODAY
— When will a second wave of the coronavirus hit, and what will it look like? – Elizabeth Weise
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/04/19/coronavirus-herd-immunity-vaccines-determine-covid-second-wave/5151957002/
— Need a hug during the coronavirus pandemic? Facebook has a new feel-good reaction for that – Jessica Guynn (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes hint/imply/argue/shout at everyone a) that everyone should spend all their time looking at the pictures that they post on Facebook and reading everything that they post on Facebook and b) that no one should read GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. I should write a book about my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/04/17/facebook-messenger-coronavirus-new-hug-emoji-reaction-support-family-friends/5147510002/
— Latinos disproportionately dying, losing jobs because of the coronavirus: ‘Something has to change’ – Marco della Cava (DIERSEN: In Illinois, Democrats determine who loses their jobs.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/04/18/coronavirus-latinos-disproportionately-dying-losing-jobs/5149044002/

REASON
— Celebrities and the Media Shouldn’t Sneer at Coronavirus Lockdown Protesters The gatherings are ill-advised but understandable given the harms of government-enforced shutdowns. – ROBBY SOAVE (DIERSEN: Who sneers at you? My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes sneer at not only me, but at all those who they cannot manipulate/dominate.)
https://reason.com/2020/04/19/coronavirus-lockdown-protests-shutdown-media-covid-19/

FORD AUTHORITY
— Ford Puts Its Name On List Of Supporters For Expanding LGBTQ Protections – Shane McGlaun (DIERSEN: From what I see, ever-increasingly, you are discriminated against if you do not promote LGBTQ activity.)
https://fordauthority.com/2020/04/ford-puts-its-name-on-list-of-supporters-for-expanding-lgbtq-protections/

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.