August 17 Evening Edition

ABC7
— Chicago mask mandate reinstated as COVID cases rise
https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-face-masks-mask-mandate-chicaog/10957531/
— As Taliban promises women’s rights in Afghanistan, many remain skeptical – Ravi Baichwal
https://abc7chicago.com/taliban-women-press-conference-afghanistan-news-today-sharia-law/10957771/

NBC5
— Indoor Mask Mandate Issued in City of Chicago, Regardless of Vaccination Status
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/coronavirus/indoor-mask-mandate-issued-in-city-of-chicago-regardless-of-vaccination-status/2592375/
— 640 Afghans Crowd Inside US Military Cargo Plane to Flee Kabul Amid Taliban Takeover. After pulling themselves onto the aircraft as the ramp was closing, “the crew made the decision to go,” instead of trying to force the refugees off.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/640-afghans-crowd-inside-us-military-cargo-plane-to-flee-kabul-amid-taliban-takeover/2592230/

FOX32
— Chicago re-implementing indoor mask mandate, health officials announce
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-re-implementing-indoor-mask-mandate-health-officials-announce

WGN9
— DISGUSTING, OUTRAGEOUS, TRAGIC: Largest cannabis cultivation facility in Illinois coming to Matteson – Julian Crews
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/largest-cannabis-cultivation-facility-in-illinois-coming-to-matteson/

WGN RADIO
— ‘Pathway to citizenship’ in Senate reconciliation package – Alexandra Limon
https://wgnradio.com/news/pathway-to-citizenship-in-senate-reconciliation-package/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Chicago mandates masks indoors as new COVID-19 cases top 400 a day – ALICE YIN and DAN PETRELLA
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-covid-chicago-400-cases-schools-fall-20210817-shqab4jfeva6haxuhorenipurq-story.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Taliban allowing ‘safe passage’ Kabul airlift: White House. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan acknowledged reports that some civilians were encountering resistance — “being turned away or pushed back or even beaten” — as they tried to reach the Kabul international airport. But he said “very large numbers” were reaching the airport. – AP
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2021/8/17/22628955/taliban-allowing-safe-passage-kabul-airlift-white-house
— DISGUSTING, OUTRAGEOUS, TRAGIC: New pot greenhouse touted during ground-breaking in Matteson – Tom Schuba
https://chicago.suntimes.com/cannabis/2021/8/17/22629184/marijuana-pot-greenhouse-cultivation-matteson-groundbreaking-4front-ventures-illinois-grown-medicine

DAILY HERALD
— Chicago reinstituting mask requirement as 3,639 new COVID-19 cases logged statewide – Jake Griffin
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20210817/chicago-reinstituting-mask-requirement-as-3639-new-covid-19-cases-logged-statewide-

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Get set to mask up again, Chicago The city says everyone in public indoor settings has to wear a face covering, starting Friday, as daily case counts top 400. – ALLY MAROTTI, STEPHANIE GOLDBERG, GREG HINZ, A.D. QUIG
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/health-care/get-set-mask-again-chicago

FOX ILLINOIS
— Taliban allowed on Twitter, as social media debates role in Afghanistan crisis – LEANDRA BERNSTEIN
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/taliban-allowed-on-twitter-as-social-media-debates-role-in-afghanistan-crisis

CITIES 92.9
— DuPage is the Best County to Live in Illinois – Samuel Stebbins
https://www.cities929.com/2021/08/17/this-is-the-best-county-to-live-in-illinois/

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— GOP analysis shows Democrats’ statehouse map deviates up to 30%. After Census release, Illinois Republicans call for mapmaking commission. – Greg Bishop
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/gop-analysis-shows-democrats-statehouse-map-deviates-up-to-30/article_b41b3ef2-fec7-11eb-a9a2-0f9772102537.html

CAPITOL FAX
— Durkin appoints inspector general who quit in disgust to search committee for her own replacement
https://capitolfax.com/2021/08/17/durkin-appoints-inspector-general-who-quit-in-disgust-to-search-committee-for-her-own-replacement/
— WGN Chicago poll: Lightfoot and Foxx under water, crime top issue, positive opinion of CPD at 70 percent and rising
https://capitolfax.com/2021/08/17/wgn-chicago-poll-lightfoot-and-foxx-under-water-crime-top-issue-positive-opinion-of-cpd-at-70-percent-and-rising/
— Campaign roundup: DPI meeting; Governor’s Day speakers; Demmer’s digital ad; Bailey’s new $$$; Giannoulias’ new backers; Another Supreme Court candidate
https://capitolfax.com/2021/08/17/campaign-roundup-dpi-meeting-governors-day-speakers-demmers-digital-ad-baileys-new-giannoulias-new-backers-another-supreme-court-candidate/
— COVID-19 roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2021/08/17/covid-19-roundup-91/
— Downstate population loss makes it much easier for Democrats to reduce Republican congressional presence here
https://capitolfax.com/2021/08/17/downstate-population-loss-makes-it-much-easier-for-democrats-to-reduce-republican-congressional-presence-here/
— Remap problem coverage roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2021/08/17/remap-problem-coverage-roundup/

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Fall of Kabul is crowning achievement of Biden’s political career – Charles Hurt
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/aug/16/fall-of-kabul-is-crowning-achievement-of-joe-biden/

FOX NEWS
— College releases ‘1776 Curriculum’ to fight back against critical race theory. Curriculum offers nearly 2,500 pages of materials broken down into grade-specific lessons. – Michael Lee
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/college-releases-1776-curriculum-to-fight-back-against-critical-race-theory

GOPUSA
— Veterans: Biden’s Afghanistan Catastrophe Proves He Does Not Deserve Title Of ‘Commander In Chief’
https://www.gopusa.com/veterans-bidens-afghanistan-catastrophe-proves-he-does-not-deserve-title-of-commander-in-chief/
— Food Stamp Benefits In U.S. To Permanently Increase By 25% In October
https://www.gopusa.com/food-stamp-benefits-in-u-s-to-permanently-increase-by-25-in-october/
— Biden Sidesteps Responsibility For The Mess In Afghanistan Even As He Claims To Own It
https://www.gopusa.com/biden-sidesteps-responsibility-for-the-mess-in-afghanistan-even-as-he-claims-to-own-it/
— Identity Socialism
https://www.gopusa.com/identity-socialism/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The new form of socialism is not about class differences. Instead, it is about race, gender, and transgender. Reassignment of the classic divisive Socialist roles of “oppressed working class” and “capitalist oppressor” were the foundation of the leftist movements such as “me too”, “Black Lives Matter”, and “Transgender boys competing against girls.” The new oppressed versus oppressor paradigms are people-of-color versus whites, women versus men, alternative lifestyles versus men & heterosexuals, and illegals versus citizens. Undoubtedly, to generate more “oppressed” and “oppressor” pairs only requires assignment. As an example, in my house, canines oppress felines.)
— Hamas Congratulates Taliban For ‘Defeating’ US
https://www.gopusa.com/hamas-congratulates-taliban-for-defeating-us/
— Forced Out Of Hiding? Taliban Takes Afghanistan As Joe Biden Vacations
(COMMENT: I took no vacation days at all during the first 18 months that I worked for IRS 1971-1972.)
https://www.gopusa.com/forced-out-of-hiding-taliban-takes-afghanistan-as-joe-biden-vacations/
— South Carolina County GOP Censures Lindsey Graham For Infrastructure Vote
(COMMENT: I should write a book about the many votes that Republicans who have represented my precinct since 2000 have cast against the Republican Party platform.)
https://www.gopusa.com/south-carolina-county-gop-censures-lindsey-graham-for-infrastructure-vote/
— Taliban Affirms Women In Afghanistan Will Be Subject To Sharia Law
https://www.gopusa.com/taliban-affirms-women-in-afghanistan-will-be-subject-to-sharia-law/
— Taxpayers Are Getting Ripped Off And Congress Does Nothing – Stephen Moore
https://www.gopusa.com/taxpayers-are-getting-ripped-off-and-congress-does-nothing/

DAILY CALLER
— Republican Rep. Says ‘Groups’ Like Al-Qaida Can ‘Grow Again And Metastasize’ After Taliban Takeover – NICOLE SILVERIO
https://dailycaller.com/2021/08/17/john-katko-terrorism-grow-metastasize-taliban/
— Kinzinger: What If We Had Not Shut Down Bagram Air Force Base? – JORDAN LANCASTER
https://dailycaller.com/2021/08/17/adam-kinzinger-shut-down-bagram-air-force-base/

DAILY WIRE
— ‘Counting Their Final Hours’: Taliban Conducting ‘Door To Door’ Searches For U.S. Allies, Journalists – Tim Pearce
https://www.dailywire.com/news/counting-their-final-hours-taliban-conducting-door-to-door-searches-for-u-s-allies-journalists-reports-say

TOWNHALL
— Report Reveals Just How Much Biden Lied to Us on Afghanistan – Spensor Brown
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/spencerbrown/2021/08/17/dod-ig-report-on-afghanistan-n2594272

BIZ PAC REVIEW
— Endless wars equals endless refugees – Michelle Malkin
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/08/17/michelle-malkin-endless-wars-equals-endless-refugees-1120383/

EPOCH TIMES
— Taliban Warning: US Must Fully Withdraw American Troops by Sept. 11 – JACK PHILLIPS
https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_breakingnews/taliban-warning-us-must-fully-withdraw-american-troops-by-sept-11_3952767.htm
— Around 11,000 Americans Remain in Taliban-Held Afghanistan: White House – ZACHARY STIEBER
https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_breakingnews/5000-to-10000-americans-remain-in-taliban-held-afghanistan-pentagon_3952778.html
— Taliban Spokesman: No Groups Will Be Allowed to Use Afghanistan for Terrorist Attacks – JACK PHILLIPS
https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_breakingnews/taliban-spokesman-no-groups-will-be-allowed-to-use-afghanistan-for-terrorist-attacks_3952857.html

THE HILL
— School districts impose mask mandates, defying GOP governors – REID WILSON
(COMMENT: Expect that Democrats, Libertarians, Greens, Independents, and RINOs will impose ever stricter mask and vaccination mandates.)
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/568233-school-districts-impose-mask-mandates-defying-gop-governors
— September unemployment cliff looms for 7 million Americans – SYLVAN LANE
(COMMENT: If you have never collected unemployment, what are the reasons? For me, they include my taking BAD JOBS that my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes would never stoop to take. I did yard work and delivered newspapers 1962-1964; washed dishes 1964-1966; cleaned golf shoes, chipped slag, and pumped gasoline in 1966; delivered mail 1966-1969; worked on an automobile assembly line and as a security guard in 1970; sold tires, automotive services, and major appliances 1970-1971; pumped gasoline 1971-1972; collected delinquent taxes 1971-1980; and audited federal agencies 1980-1997.)
https://thehill.com/policy/finance/568110-september-unemployment-cliff-looms-for-7-million-americans

YAHOO
— Where Did All the White People Go? Ranking the Blackest and Whitest Places in America, According to the New Census Data – Michael Harriot
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/where-did-white-people-ranking-130000747.html

NEW YORK TIMES
— Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas tested positive for the coronavirus. – Dan Levin
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/17/us/greg-abbott-texas-covid-positive.html
— Chicago imposes an indoor mask mandate in hopes of reining in rising virus cases. – Daniel E. Slotnik
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/17/us/chicago-new-mexico-mask-mandate.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Florida to punish two school districts in first sanctions under DeSantis mask mandate restrictions – Derek Hawkins, Adela Suliman, Bryan Pietsch, Lateshia Beachum, and Meryl Kornfield
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/08/17/covid-delta-variant-live-updates/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Taliban Consolidate Control in Afghanistan’s Capital as Thousands Remain Stranded. A leader of the Islamist movement returns to the country, while U.S. says insurgents will let fleeing Afghans into airport. – Yaroslav Trofimov, Saeed Shah and Andrew Restuccia
https://www.wsj.com/articles/taliban-consolidate-control-in-afghanistans-capital-thousands-remain-stranded-11629195393
— Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan Celebrated by Extremists on Social Media. Terrorist groups could seek a return to Afghanistan, though al Qaeda is weakened and Islamic State has clashed with Taliban. – Warren P. Strobel and Dustin Volz
https://www.wsj.com/articles/extremists-celebrate-taliban-takeover-of-afghanistan-on-social-media-11629192600

NPR
— NOVEMBER 20, 2006 FLASHBACK: GOP Candidate for Iowa House Reflects on Defeat
(COMMENT: I should write a book about Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct and in Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO) caucuses since 2000 who have made it the most clear that they do not want me to help elect them or to help reelect them. My critics/opponents, their operatives, their operatives can stress that none of the following came to my defense this year when Wheaton stopped me from raising funds from Republicans so that they could help sponsor Wheaton’s Independence Day parade and fireworks: a) the aforesaid candidates, b) the leaders of MTRO, DuPage County Republican Central Committee (DCRCC), and Illinois Republican Party (IRP); c) the Republican leaders of the Wheaton Park District (WPD), Wheaton Chamber of Commerce (WCC), Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois; d) conservative leaders; and e) religious leaders. They can stress that a leader of both MTRO and Milton Township spoke in favor of the WPD official who took the lead in stopping me this year from raising funds from Republicans so that they could help sponsor Wheaton’s Independence Day parade and fireworks. They can stress the many adverse actions that the following have taken against me since 2000: a) the aforesaid candidates, their political consultants, their major donors, their fundraisers, their campaign managers, their campaign staff members, and their volunteers, b) MTRO, c) DCRCC, d) IRP, c) WPD, d) WCC, e) Wheaton, f) Milton Township, g) DuPage County, h) Illinois i) conservative leaders, j) religious leaders, and k) those who I have sued.)
https://www.npr.org/transcripts/6505343
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Can you, as a candidate, tell your party, hey, don’t do this, I don’t want your help?)

MORNING CONSULT
— Democrats’ Drive to the Left Threatens Their Grip on Power. Voters see both parties polarizing, but it’s only the Democrats they increasingly say are too extreme. – CAMERON EASLEY & MORGAN HALVORSEN
(COMMENT: I should write a book about those who have demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me the most as being too conservative. I would focus on a) Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct and in Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO) caucuses since 2000, their political consultants, their major donors, their fundraisers, their campaign managers, their campaign staff members, and their volunteers; b) the leaders of MTRO, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party; c) the Republican leaders of the Wheaton Park District, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois; d) conservative leaders; and e) religious leaders.)
https://morningconsult.com/2021/07/26/state-of-the-parties-ideology-extremes/

FIVE THIRTY EIGHT
— COMMENT: Ever-increasingly, Democrats, Libertarians, Greens, Independents, and RINOs illegally encourage citizens of foreign countries to illegally come to America illegally and to illegally stay in America illegally.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/republican-views-on-immigration-are-shifting-even-further-to-the-right-under-biden/

RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— 70% of Voters Say Crime Is ‘Out of Control’
(COMMENT: The more votes that Democrats get, the more that crime and poverty increase.)
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/partner_surveys/70_of_voters_say_crime_is_out_of_control
— US Embraces a Diversity China Fears – Patrick J. Buchanan
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_pat_buchanan/us_embraces_a_diversity_china_fears

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.