April 6 Morning Edition

ABC7
— Surgeon general urges Americans to carry opioid overdose antidote (DIERSEN: Of course, those who make money selling naloxone and opioid are overjoyed.)
http://abc7chicago.com/health/surgeon-general-urges-americans-to-carry-opioid-overdose-antidote/3305186/

 

NBC5
— Group Attacks 2 People in Violent Robberies – Sandra Torres
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/robberies-south-loop-river-north-chicago-478958013.html

 

CBS2
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats crow about their success in getting eight graders to serve as their operatives and as their dupes.
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2018/04/05/local-student-activists-want-their-voices-heard/

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Unity, or a lack thereof (18 comments as of 9:45 AM) (DIERSEN: What are the leaders of the Illinois Republican Party, your Republican county party organization, and your Republican township/ward party organization doing to unite the aforesaid organizations? What are the aforesaid leaders doing to unite the winning and losing primary candidates and their supporters to defeat the Democrats on November 6, 2018?)
https://capitolfax.com/2018/04/06/unity-or-a-lack-thereof/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The best thing about a March primary is that there’s plenty of time to heal wounds by the November general. But these are obviously gonna fester a while longer. Dan Proft, by the way, just had the Libertarian Party’s candidate on his radio show for a friendly interview. The candidate went out of his way to praise Jeanne Ives’ campaign.)
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: What percent of those in Illinois are “in severe pain” or will be “in severe pain” sooner or later – 98%, 99%, 100%?)
https://capitolfax.com/2018/04/06/more-problems-at-idph/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Conservative Illinois publications blur lines between journalism, politics – Joe Mahr (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. Journalism is nasty. According to my critics/opponents, all news is fake except for the news that they put out or bless. My critics/opponents focus on destroying individuals, organizations, companies, governments, etc. that they cannot manipulate/dominate. My critics/opponents are “rule-or-ruin” types. My critics/opponents blame me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails for their problems, for your problems, for my problems, and for everyone’s problems. They blame me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails for all defeats that Republicans have suffered in Illinois since 2000. Since 2000, my critics/opponents have unsuccessfully focused on stopping me from putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails and sending them out. Failing that, they successfully focused on ending my TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee membership, Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster service, Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee membership, and American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board membership.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-illinois-conservative-news-20180327-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A copy of the East Central Reporter landed in select mailboxes in 2016 with the look of a typical local newspaper. It had a community calendar. It listed high school sports statistics. And it contained an article about a statehouse candidate’s pitch to voters. But was that story news? Or was it a novel form of political advertising? Recently obtained documents and interviews show that an organization called Think Freely Media helped fund the operation that produced the article for the East Central Reporter’s website. As a nonprofit, Think Freely is forbidden by federal law from engaging in politics, and it has described the articles it funded as news. But State Board of Elections records also show a political committee, Liberty Principles, paid the same private company to publish the story in a print newspaper and mail it. That group, which state law says must spend its money on politicking, has labeled such content political ads. What these organizations have in common is one of the state’s most visible and controversial political figures, Dan Proft. Though Proft is known for backing conservative candidates for office through Liberty Principles, recent tax, business and campaign filings illuminate how other organizations with ties to Proft helped spread his political views through publications that showcase candidates he supports. It’s a situation that encompasses not only ethical questions about a modern tool of Illinois political warfare but also the national discussion over what constitutes “fake news.” Since 2015, thousands of articles have been published in more than two dozen print and online publications tied to Proft, who in addition to heading Liberty Principles has served as a consultant to Think Freely Media. The first articles were produced by a firm run by media entrepreneur Brian Timpone, a longtime friend of Proft’s who has frequently discussed Illinois politics as a guest on Proft’s morning radio show. Timpone’s firm, called Newsinator, also has a history of doing paid political work and offers marketing services to companies under the name Interactive Content Services. After Proft’s political committee paid Newsinator in 2016 to mail print versions of some publications to voters, the state elections board ordered Liberty Principles to identify such materials as political advertising more clearly in the future. But regulators did not impose fines, and since then, records and interviews show, Proft has doubled down on his media venture by teaming with Timpone to start a new private company, Local Government Information Services, that now runs the websites and publications created by Newsinator. (GRAPHIC) The new firm lists 29 websites it controls and 11 print publications, with names ranging from the Grundy Reporter to the North Cook News. The sites typically mix community calendars and local sports coverage, largely computer-generated, with articles that range from statistical dives into local government spending to stories that feature candidates whom Proft’s political committee has supported. The publications’ emergence over the past three years has drawn a range of critics, including Proft’s political opponents in both parties as well as journalists who have worked for traditional news organizations. Among them is Charlie Wheeler, a former longtime Chicago Sun-Times reporter who now directs the public affairs reporting program at the University of Illinois at Springfield. “They purport to be newspapers, but in my judgment they don’t subscribe to the tenets of traditional journalism. They do not provide balanced coverage,” Wheeler said. . .Different views of news. . .Funding a network. . .An ‘electioneering’ paper. . .New company takes over)
— Jeb Bush comes to Rauner’s defense; Pritzker aide responds: ‘Please clap’ – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-jb-pritzker-20180406-story.html
— Walker to fundraise for Rauner – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-jb-pritzker-20180406-story.html
— Growing brain drain: University of Alabama’s gain in drawing Illinois students is a loss for Illinois schools – Dawn Rhodes (DIERSEN: Did you have the option to attend an out-of-state college? I did not. Then again, I did not want that option.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-illinois-students-brain-drain-20180405-story.html
— Why I won’t go to college in Illinois – Abbie Lukas, Mundelein (DIERSEN: Did you have the option to attend an out-of-state college? I did not. Then again, I did not want that option.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/ct-illinois-college-tuition-leaving-taxes-20180404-story.html
— In Illinois, my Social Security benefits barely pay for my property taxes – Robert Martier, Glenview
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/ct-social-security-illinois-property-taxes-unaffordable-20180405-story.html
— ‘Trump effect’: GOP should be freaking out – Ed Rogers (DIERSEN: How much hatred is there in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois against individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time?)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-panic-gop-wisconsin-supreme-court-midterms-red-states-trump-effect-0406-story.html
— Why so many veterans commit suicide – Thomas E. Ricks (DIERSEN: Since 1966 when I was 18 years old, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have hinted/implied/argued/shouted that if I had not avoided the draft, a) I would have been severely injured physically and/or mentally in Vietnam, if not killed in Vietnam and b) I would never had been able to get any kind of job, earn any college degree, buy any new car, buy any real estate, earn any professional certification, earn any professional license, get married, save for retirement, etc.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-military-veterans-suicide-0406-story.html
— India introduces, then quickly cancels, a plan to blacklist reporters for spreading ‘fake news’ – Shashank Bengali and Parth M.N. (DIERSEN: Should I publish a list of individuals, organizations, companies, and governments that blacklist me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails?)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-fg-india-fake-news-20180403-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— Demonstration of fake news’ impact is important, but consider it carefully – Editorial (DIERSEN: The Daily Herald should write an article about my critics/opponents. According to my critics/opponents, all news is fake except for the news that they put out or bless.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20180405/editorial-demonstration-of-fake-news-impact-is-important-but-consider-it-carefully
— 111-year-old’s lessons for a life well lived – Editorial (DIERSEN: What do your critics/opponents want you to do to live longer? My critics/opponents want me to stop putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails together and sending them out. What does that say about my critics/opponents?)
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20180404/editorial-111-year-olds-lessons-for-a-life-well-lived
— Why suburban school districts will be getting $395 million more in funding – Madhu Krishnamurthy
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180405/why-suburban-school-districts-will-be-getting-395-million-more-in-funding

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Lower property taxes? Pretty much everywhere else. – DENNIS RODKIN
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180406/CRED0701/180409929
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Homeowners in the Chicago area are paying higher property tax bills, on average, than 93 percent of the country, according to a new report. The average 2017 tax bill on a single-family home in Lake County was higher than nearly 99 percent of the 1,414 U.S. counties covered by the report, released April 5 by Attom Data Solutions. The region’s other counties aren’t far behind. The average bill in DuPage County is higher than nearly 98 percent, followed by Kane County and McHenry County (both 96 percent), Cook County (94 percent) and Will County (93 percent). The report covers only counties where there are 10,000 single-family homes or more. In all, the nation has 3,144 counties, or more than twice the number in Attom’s study. Attom’s report includes a county-by-county map of the average property tax bill for single-family homes.)

 

QUINCY HERALD WHIG
— Rauner lives in a warped, make-believe land – Jim Young, Mount Sterling
http://www.whig.com/20180406/rauner-lives-in-a-warped-make-believe-land#//

 

FOX ILLINOIS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Illinois farmers could take a big hit if China imposes pork and soybean tariffs.”
http://foxillinois.com/features/on-the-farm/illinois-farmers-could-take-a-big-hit-if-china-imposes-pork-and-soybean-tariffs

 

GAZETTE CHICAGO
— In the aftermath of the March Primary, it’s a tale of two parties – Editorial
http://www.gazettechicago.com/index/2018/04/in-the-aftermath-of-the-march-primary-its-a-tale-of-two-parties/
— New faces, close races highlight results of March 20 primary elections – William S. Bike
http://www.gazettechicago.com/index/2018/04/new-faces-close-races-highlight-results-of-march-20-primary-elections/

 

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Taking apart PROFT’s publications – Natasha Korecki
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/04/06/taking-apart-profts-publications-scott-walker-boosts-rauner-special-view-from-top-of-the-willis-tower-263030

 

SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS NEWS
— Bailey sees Pritzker tax plan as prescription for ‘doom and gloom’ – Glenn Minnis
https://seillinoisnews.com/stories/511383367-bailey-sees-pritzker-tax-plan-as-prescription-for-doom-and-gloom

 

PRO LIFE ACTION
— Protest Pro-Abortion Gov. Bruce Rauner (DIERSEN: Of course, Rauner will use such protests to get votes from pro-abortion voters.)
https://prolifeaction.org/event/protestrauner/

 

GOPUSA
— IRS smackdown, as judge OKs $3.5 million to tea partyers
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=43148

 

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Border Patrol mismanages manpower with agents stuck on desk duty Just 12 percent of agents actually patrolled border in key Texas sector – Stephen Dinan
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/apr/5/border-patrol-agents-stuck-desk-duty-amid-trump-ca/

 

BLAZE
— Another city strikes back against California ‘sanctuary’ laws for illegals – here’s how – Carlos Garcia (DIERSEN: When will your municipality, your township/ward, and your county strike back against Illinois sanctuary laws for illegals?)
https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/04/06/another-city-joins-trump-lawsuit-against-california-sanctuary-laws-after-fiery-debate
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Escondido City Council voted four to one to join the lawsuit challenging the legality of California’s policies meant to undermine the enforcement of federal immigration law. The decision was made after hours of angry public comment, including outbursts and testy recriminations.)

 

POLITICO
— Trump plans to again skip the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/06/trump-plans-to-again-skip-the-white-house-correspondents-dinner-505507
— Trump’s Man on Campus Turning Point USA has a rising-star founder, close ties to Trumpworld, and a roster of wealthy conservative donors. What are they really paying for? – JOSEPH GUINTO
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/04/06/trump-young-conservatives-college-charlie-kirk-turning-point-usa-217829

 

AOL NEWS
— Target settles claims it screened blacks, Hispanics out of jobs – JONATHAN STEMPEL
https://www.aol.com/article/finance/2018/04/05/target-settles-lawsuit-claims-screened-blacks-hispanics-out-of-jobs/23404165/

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Officials at E.P.A. raised concerns and were ousted – Eric Lipton, Kenneth P. Vogel and Lisa Friedman (DIERSEN: Have you raised concerns? I have. All during the almost 30 years that I worked for the federal government, I raised concerns about my superiors using Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion to waste the careers of and to get rid of their employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who they had not promoted to GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40. Consequently, my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old, gave me unfair performance expectations and appraisals, always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, did not promote me beyond GS-13, got rid of my mentor in 1987, kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, and forced me to take an $19,203 pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. My Democrat IRS superiors did not promote me beyond GS-12, disallowed my education deductions in 1978, got rid of my mentor in 1975, and disallowed my partial day per diem claims in 1974. My Democrat Post Office superiors forced me resign in 1969 and disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/05/business/epa-officials-questioned-scott-pruitt.html
— The True Damage of Trump’s ‘Fake News’ – Editorial (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. Journalism is nasty. According to my critics/opponents, all news is fake except for the news that they put out or bless. My critics/opponents focus on destroying individuals, organizations, companies, governments, etc. that they cannot manipulate/dominate. My critics/opponents are “rule-or-ruin” types. My critics/opponents blame me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails for their problems, for your problems, for my problems, and for everyone’s problems. They blame me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails for all defeats that Republicans have suffered in Illinois since 2000. Since 2000, my critics/opponents have unsuccessfully focused on stopping me from putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails and sending them out. Failing that, they successfully focused on ending my TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee membership, Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster service, Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee membership, and American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board membership.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/04/opinion/trump-washington-post-amazon.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Constructively, MADELEINE ALBRIGHT calls for Trump’s assassination.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/06/opinion/sunday/trump-fascism-madeleine-albright.html
— Consumer Bureau’s Chief Gives Big Raises, Even as He Criticizes Spending – Stacy Cowley (DIERSEN: In 1980, my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to take a $19,203/year (26%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO, a downgrade from GS-12 Step 5 to GS-9 Step 10. If I had been a Democrat, a minority, a female, and/or a veteran, GAO would have offered me a $4,523/year (5%) pay increase in today’s dollars to transfer, that is, a promotion from GS-12 Step 5 ($91,880) to GS-13 Step 1 ($96,403). GAO audits IRS. I had worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1 (currently $81,071/year) – GS-12 Step 5 (currently $91,880) levels. I had passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979. I had earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976. I had almost completed the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/05/business/cfpb-mick-mulvaney-pay-raises.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Mr. Mulvaney appointed two senior staff members who are paid salaries of more than $230,000, amounts that are far above what they had been earning in their previous government jobs in Washington, according to agency documents obtained by The New York Times through a public records request. The consumer bureau, as well as fellow financial regulators like the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, is allowed under federal law to pay employees significantly more than other government agencies can pay. The rationale is that the higher salaries are necessary to recruit skilled employees who otherwise might land jobs on Wall Street. As a result, the C.F.P.B. is stocked with employees who earn more than the average Washington bureaucrat. Of the agency’s 1,600 employees, 219 make more than $200,000, according to the records reviewed by The Times.)
— Civil society groups in Myanmar on Thursday criticized Facebook’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, arguing that he mischaracterized his company’s effectiveness at detecting and quashing messages encouraging violence in the country. – Paul Mozur (DIERSEN: Facebook is a Democrat website. Needless-to-say, Democrats and Democrat plants, Libertarians and Libertarian plants, Greens and Green plants, and RINOs want Facebook to quash Dave Diersen and his GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/05/technology/zuckerberg-facebook-myanmar.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— OPM to federal agencies: Tell job applicants where they stand – Eric Yoder
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/04/05/opm-to-federal-agencies-tell-job-applicants-where-they-stand/

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps make it clear that they are anti-American.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-vanishing-caravan-1522970881

 

USA TODAY
— Facebook a big contributor to the committees in Congress that will question Mark Zuckerberg – Herb Jackson
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/04/04/facebook-gave-most-contributions-house-committee-question-zuckerberg-also-got-most-contributions-fac/486313002/

 

TIME
— It’s Time to Tell Your Kids It Doesn’t Matter Where They Go To College – WILLIAM STIXRUD (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes dismiss/belittle/badmouth the four universities that I have degrees from – NIU, Loyola, DePaul, and IIT.)
http://time.com/5210848/prestigious-college-doesnt-matter/

 

DAILY KOS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: I would be greatly honored if Daily Kos named me its 667th “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day.”
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/4/6/1754866/-Crazy-Stupid-Republican-of-the-Day-Jeanne-Ives

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.