August 28 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: POT PUSHERS ARE OVERJOYED: Rauner set to sign medical marijuana expansion bill allowing drug as painkiller alternative – Robert McCoppin
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-medical-marijuana-opioids-illinois-expansion-20180827-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In general, Rauner has opposed expanding the medical marijuana program, but a recent poll showing Pritzker with a large lead may have put pressure on him to support the politically popular measure. In addition, Rauner recently approved other measures requiring insurance coverage for opioid abuse and continuing education for doctors about opioid prescriptions. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, opposes the expansion of medical marijuana, warning that it could lead to more addiction, more drivers who are under the influence and more users suffering from the drug’s harmful effects on attention, memory, decision-making and brain development. “From a scientific perspective, it makes no sense,” Sabet said. “The most comprehensive study on the issue was just published in The Lancet and found marijuana didn’t help with pain, nor did it reduce opioid use. “From a political perspective,” Sabet added, “it likely signals he feels pressure from J.B. Pritzker, who has welcomed pot with open arms.” But in states that have legalized medical marijuana, some studies have shown a decrease in opioid prescriptions and in opioid-related overdose deaths. Cannabis remains illegal under federal law.)
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Anti-Rauners say “High cancer risk in southeast DuPage County linked to company co-owned by Rauner’s former firm.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-dupage-cancer-pollution-rauner-20180827-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Republicans paint McCain as being the only Republican who is not racist.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/glanton/ct-met-dahleen-glanton-john-mccain-respect-20180827-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— Tollway board sees nothing wrong with dubious hiring – Editorial (DIERSEN: Does the Daily Herald see reasons for skepticism a) after 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; b) after 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; and c) after my Democrat Post Office superiors forced me resign in 1969 and disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968? Because I have always been a Republican, were it not for federal civil service protections, a) the Post Office would NOT have hired me in 1966 or let me work there for almost 3 years, b) IRS would NOT have hired me in 1971 or let me work there for almost 9 years, c) IRS would NOT have promoted me in 1972, 1973, or 1974, d) GAO would NOT have hired me in 1980 or let me work there for almost 18 years, and e) GAO would NOT have promoted me in 1986. I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 32.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20180828/editorial-tollway-board-sees-nothing-wrong-with-dubious-hiring
(FROM THE ARTICLE: For something is surely amiss somewhere when the tollway cannot see the reasons for skepticism after it selects a person with no engineering experience who has not worked since her job as an office-furniture sales associate 18 years ago but does have a family relationship to a top state political figure ahead of other candidates for a job overseeing engineering contracts.)
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says there is a cancer on the presidency.
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20180828/gerson-there-is-again-a-cancer-on-the-presidency

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Can Emanuel’s bad pension borrowing be made good? As the mayor prepares to borrow $10 billion to pay pension debt and keep tax hikes down, paying off that debt somewhat sooner could save taxpayers far times more in the future. – GREG HINZ
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/greg-hinz-politics/can-emanuels-bad-pension-borrowing-be-made-good

 

WGN RADIO
— General John Borling reflects on the life and legacy of his friend Senator John McCain – PETER ZIMMERMAN (DIERSEN: In 2004, Borling was a candidate for U.S. Senate in Illinois.)
https://wgnradio.com/2018/08/27/general-john-borling-reflects-on-the-life-and-legacy-of-his-friend-senator-john-mccain/

 

WTTW
— The Battle for Union Members Begins – Amanda Vinicky (DIERSEN: If GAO had been unionized in 1997, I might still be a GAO employee. If GAO had been unionized in 1980, my Democrat GAO superiors a) would not have forced me to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old, b) would not have given me unfair performance expectations and appraisals, c) would not have always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, d) would have promoted me beyond GS-13, e) would not have gotten rid of my mentor in 1987, f) would not have kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, and g) would not have forced me to take an $19,203 pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980.)
https://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2018/08/27/battle-union-members-begins#new_tab

 

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— Man robbed his grandmother at knife point to steal her medical marijuana
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20180827/police-sheffield-man-with-knife-robbed-grandmother-of-medical-marijuana

 

ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
— Pensions account for 67 percent of city property tax revenue
http://www.galesburg.com/news/20180826/pensions-account-for-67-percent-of-city-property-tax-revenue#new_tab

 

  1. LOUIS TODAY
    — Trump’s self-interest vs. the public interest – Jonah Goldberg (DIERSEN: Tragically, most, if not virtually all individuals, organizations, companies, and governments are involved in politics to advance their self-interest instead of the public interest. Democrats shout at members of the following groups to vote for candidates who will advance their self-interest: anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich 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.stltoday.com/opinion/columnists/national/jonah-goldberg-trump-s-self-interest-vs-the-public-interest/article_47a66e72-2d8c-5ffa-9994-8aac87ae86e5.html

 

PEORIA PUBLIC RADIO
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats say “Congressmen Davis, Hultgren Have Tough Races Ahead.”
http://www.peoriapublicradio.org/post/political-ratings-show-congressmen-davis-hultgren-have-tough-races-ahead#stream/0

 

ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY
— Queer Ed Birds aims to prepare teachers for student LGBTQ issues – Rachel Hatch (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, if you have a degree from a university in Illinois, it is assumed that you promote LGBTQ activity.)
https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2018/08/queer-ed-birds-aims-to-prepare-teachers-for-student-lgbtq-issues/

 

DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin anticipates property tax advisory question results – Karen Kidd
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511545017-dupage-county-board-chairman-dan-cronin-anticipates-property-tax-advisory-question-results
— DuPage County board member Elizabeth Chaplin wants to see more county-specific advisory questions on ballot – Karen Kidd
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511545034-dupage-county-board-member-wants-to-see-more-county-specific-advisory-questions-on-ballot

 

CAPITOL FAX
— Worst Rauner headline ever?
https://capitolfax.com/2018/08/28/worst-rauner-headline-ever/

 

WESTERN JOURNALISM
— Best Conservative Conferences To Attend in 2019 – Cillian Zeal (DIERSEN: When Libertarians host “conservative” conferences and summits, those conferences and summits have little or nothing about the traditional family, right to life, immigration, Second Amendment, illegal drugs, gambling, or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving planks in the Republican Party platform. While the Libertarians who host such “conservative” conferences and summits might want me to promote them, they certainly do not want me to have anything to do with planning them. There are tremendous conflicts between the Libertarian Party platform and the Republican Party platform.)
https://www.westernjournal.com/best-conservative-conferences-to-attend-in-2019/

 

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Census: There are no jobs Americans won’t do, poor citizens hurt by illegal immigration – Paul Bedard (DIERSEN: If legal immigration and/or illegal immigration had been greater in the past, I doubt that I would have gotten the jobs that I did. 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://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/census-there-are-no-jobs-americans-wont-do-poor-citizens-hurt-by-illegal-immigration

 

FOX NEWS
— ‘Abolish ICE’ sees little support among Democrats despite left-wing push, poll finds – Frank Miles
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/08/27/abolish-ice-sees-little-support-among-democrats-despite-left-wing-push-poll-finds.html

 

BREITBART
— Pelosi: Trump, GOP ‘So Afraid’ of ‘Women, People of Color, LGBTQ’ Winning in 2018 – Pam Key
https://www.breitbart.com/video/2018/08/27/pelosi-trump-gop-so-afraid-of-women-people-of-color-lgbtq-winning-in-2018/

 

DAILY CALLER
— CLAIMS THAT IMMIGRANTS ARE NEEDED TO DO THE JOBS AMERICANS WON’T DOESN’T HOLD UP – Neetu Chandak (DIERSEN: If legal immigration and/or illegal immigration had been greater in the past, I doubt that I would have gotten the jobs that I did. 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://dailycaller.com/2018/08/27/immigrants-jobs-americans
— ENTITLED PROFESSOR PUNISHES STUDENTS FOR BELIEVING IN 2ND AMENDMENT – Anders Hagstrom
https://dailycaller.com/2018/08/27/professor-students-second-amendment-utah/
— TWITTER REVERSES RULING AFTER BACKLASH, CONCEDES IT’S AGAINST THE RULES TO WISH DEATH UPON DANA LOESCH’S CHILDREN – Peter Hasson
https://dailycaller.com/2018/08/27/dana-loesch-twitter-death-threats-reversed/

 

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
— Who made you an expert? Is America’s distrust of ‘elites’ becoming more toxic? WHY WE WROTE THIS America’s willingness to overlook credentials – to think anyone can do anything – has been a unique element of its exceptional success. But political polarization is turning it into something toxic. – Harry Bruinius (DIERSEN: What credentials do you have? I became a Forensic Accountant in 1997, a Certified Financial Services Auditor in 1996, a Certified Government Financial Manager in 1994, a Certified Fraud Examiner in 1990, a licensed CPA in 1981, a Certified Internal Auditor in 1981, and a CPA in 1979.)
https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2018/0827/Who-made-you-an-expert-Is-America-s-distrust-of-elites-becoming-more-toxic

 

THE HILL
— States consider investigations into Catholic Church abuse – REID WILSON
http://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/403806-states-consider-investigations-into-catholic-church-abuse
— Stop illegal immigration to keep Americans safe – REP. MARSHA BLACKBURN (R-TENN.)
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/homeland-security/403887-stop-illegal-immigration-to-keep-americans-safe
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: 7th Circuit ruling promotes LGBTQ activity.
http://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/403862-appeals-court-allows-lesbian-resident-to-suit-against-senior-living

 

CBS NEWS
— Democrats are getting ready for impeachment, even if they say they’re not – MICHAEL GRAHAM
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/commentary-democrats-are-getting-ready-for-impeachment-even-if-they-say-theyre-not/

 

NBC NEWS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “Trump era is igniting a new wave of Muslim-American candidates In places like Dearborn, Michigan, a political awakening is growing.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/trump-era-igniting-new-wave-muslim-american-candidates-n903641
— “Search is not used to set a political agenda and we don’t bias our results toward any political ideology … we never rank search results to manipulate political sentiment,” Google says in response to Pres. Trump’s conspiracy theory about search results & news reports.
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1034447904042352640

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Giuliani: Trump’s “Jury Is The Public” – Dan Barry, Benjamin Weiser and Alan Feuer (DIERSEN: Who is your jury? According to my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes, my jury consists of the members of the following: TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce (WCC), Milton Township Republican Central Committee (MTRCC), Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC), American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) Midwest Chapter (MC), GAO, IRS, and Post Office. They stress that I am no longer a TAPROOT chairman, WCC Government Affairs Committee member, MTRCC webmaster, ICRC Steering Committee member, AAPC MC board member, GAO employee, IRS employee, or Post Office employee. They hint/imply/argue/shout that the overwhelming majority of the aforesaid view me extremely negatively and want to get rid of me. They stress those who could have come to my defense, but did not.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/27/nyregion/trump-giuliani-lawyer-mueller.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Those who promote LGBTQ activity want the Catholic Church to promote LGBTQ activity.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/27/opinion/pope-francis-catholic-church-letter.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Trump’s economic adviser: ‘We’re taking a look’ at whether Google searches should be regulated – Isaac Stanley-Becker
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/08/28/trump-wakes-up-googles-himself-and-doesnt-like-what-he-sees-illegal/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump says “President non grata: Trump often unwelcome and unwilling to perform basic rituals of the office.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/president-non-grata-trump-often-unwelcome-and-unwilling-to-perform-basic-rituals-of-the-office/2018/08/28/302b60ee-aa16-11e8-a8d7-0f63ab8b1370_story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-conservatives, anti-Republicans, and anti-Trumps paint McCain as being anti-conservative, anti-Republican, and anti-Trump.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/president-trump-will-not-attend-john-mccains-funeral-family-spokesman-says/2018/08/27/ac778dd8-aa1d-11e8-8a0c-70b618c98d3c_story.html

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— FRONT PAGE: ‘It Is the Era of Trump’: How the President Is Remaking the Republican Party President Trump’s critics are leaving the scene, and his successful primary endorsements are bringing in a new crowd – Janet Hook
https://www.wsj.com/articles/it-is-the-era-of-trump-how-the-president-is-remaking-the-republican-party-1535380861
— Pope Faces Crisis of Credibility Over Coverup Accusations Pope Francis was accused of knowing about past sexual misconduct by a cardinal and rehabilitating him despite the previous pope’s sanctions – Francis X. Rocca
https://www.wsj.com/articles/pope-faces-crisis-of-credibility-over-coverup-accusations-1535378536

 

LOS ANGELES TIMES & NEW YORK POST
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Members of the following groups boycott Trump: anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-pariah-20180827-story.html
https://nypost.com/2018/08/27/trump-wont-attend-funerals-memorials-for-john-mccain/

 

USA TODAY
— New IRS rule limiting tax deductions condemned by charities, blue-state governors – Herb Jackson and James Nash (DIERSEN: Roskam should increase the $10,000 SALT cap to $20,000 for married filing jointly.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2018/08/27/salt-deduction/1108484002/
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Is a college degree really needed for advancement? – Johnny Taylor (DIERSEN: If I had not earned a job-related bachelor’s degree in 1970, a) Firestone Stores would not have offered me a job in 1970 and b) Oldsmobile and IRS would not have offered me jobs in 1971. If I had not earned job-related master’s degrees in 1976 and 1980, a) IRS might not have promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974, b) GAO would not have offered me a job in 1980, and c) GAO might not have promoted me in 1986. If I had not earned a job-related master degree in 1997, GAO would have forced me to take its early retirement “offer” sooner than it did.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/careers/professional-development/2018/08/21/ask-hr-can-company-require-college-degree-advance-management/1040256002/
— Social Security recipients could see their biggest raise in years – Dan Caplinger
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/retirement/2018/08/28/social-security-recipients-could-see-big-raise-cola/37544173/
— Shocking trend: Pet owners abuse their own animals to get drugs – Beth Warren
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/08/27/opioid-crisis-pet-owners-abuse-animals-drugs/1110178002/

 

BOSTON GLOBE
— Few Democrats favor abolishing ICE, poll finds – AP
https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2018/08/27/few-democrats-favor-abolishing-ice-poll-finds/yz6spbXfJgnZJcSJaHcDUP/story.html

 

COURIER & PRESS
— Troublemakers ‘not welcome’ at anti-Trump rally Thursday in Evansville – Thomas B. Langhorne
https://www.courierpress.com/story/news/2018/08/27/troublemakers-not-welcome-anti-trump-rally-thursday-evansville/1110256002/

 

WILX
— AARP survey shows Americans want to keep working later in life (DIERSEN: All my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always promoted age discrimination a) to get rid of those who are older than they are and/or b) to curry favor with those who promote age discrimination. I should write a book about those who promote age discrimination. They stress a) that I am almost 70 years old, b) that my GAO superiors forced me to take their early retirement “offer” when I was 49 years old in 1997, and c) that while I was a federal employee, I did not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, or Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40.)
http://www.wilx.com/content/news/Survey-shows-Americans-want-to-keep-working-later-in-life-491853611.html

 

NEWSWEEK
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps harass Trump about McCain.
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-refusing-mccain-questions-all-day-1091830

 

DAILY BEAST
— Trump Threatens Google Over ‘Rigged’ News Search Results
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-threatens-google-over-rigged-news-search-results

 

WINDY CITY TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Rauner signs bill that promotes LGBTQ activity.
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Illinois-Legislation-Aims-to-Improve-Enforcement-Against-Discrimination/63879.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: 7th Circuit ruling promotes LGBTQ activity.
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/7th-Circuit-Holds-Housing-Providers-May-Be-Liable-for-Anti-LGBT-Abuse-of-Residents/63880.html

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.