August 4 Evening Edition

ABC7
— Saturday marks first-ever Barack Obama Day in Illinois
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/saturday-marks-first-ever-barack-obama-day-in-illinois/3881887/
— Chicago police fatally shoot pit bull that killed woman in South Deering
http://abc7chicago.com/chicago-police-fatally-shoot-pit-bull-that-killed-woman-in-south-deering/3883822/

 

NBC5
— Officers Fatally Shoot Pit Bull That Killed Woman in South Deering The dog bit her neck and body, police said
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Officers-fatally-shoot-pit-bull-that-killed-woman-in-South-Deering-490074521.html

 

CBS2
— South Side Woman Killed By Pit Bull
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2018/08/04/south-side-woman-killed-pit-bull/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Groups banned by Facebook had strong similarities to Twitter accounts linked to Russia 6 weeks ago – Elizabeth Dwoskin, Tony Romm and Craig Timberg (DIERSEN: I should write a book about voters in my precinct who talk and act like they are members of a well-organized shadowy anti-Trump group.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-facebook-twitter-russians-banned-20180803-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Security researchers argued that Facebook should have been able to move much faster because there were clear signs that the accounts were part of a coordinated campaign. One of the accounts, called “Resisters” on Facebook and Twitter, billed itself on both platforms as a feminist page that emphasized themes of gender equality and female empowerment – with a clear opposition to President Donald Trump’s agenda. . .But Facebook offered little information to explain why it drew that conclusion – besides that the Resisters group briefly had a known account administrator from the Internet Research Agency. On Twitter, the “resisters” account was spelled as “@resistersunion,” but included the name “resisters” in its profile. Facebook’s equivalent, which organized a June protest outside the headquarters of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Washington via its Facebook page, was “Resisters.” The “Resisters” Facebook page had the same profile image as the Twitter account – a red feminist symbol with the letters RS inside it.)
— Michael Jordan, Melania Trump praise LeBron James after Donald Trump insults him on Twitter – AP (DIERSEN: If someone blasted you, who would come to your defense?)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/ct-trump-lebron-20180804-story.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— First lady parts with Trump, praises LeBron James’ efforts with kids – AP (DIERSEN: If someone blasted you, who would come to your defense?)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/melania-first-lady-parts-trump-praises-lebron-james-efforts-i-promise-kids/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps use everything that they can to demonize, denigrate, and condemn Trump.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/mexican-journalists-case-shows-the-cruelty-of-trumps-immigrant-crackdown/
— To keep kids safe, tighten CPS rules on background checks – Editorial
https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/chicago-public-schools-sex-abuse-background-checks/


DAILY HERALD
— Facebook’s solution to Facebook addiction – Geoffrey A. Fowler (DIERSEN: Facebook is a Democrat website.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/business/20180804/analysis-facebooks-solution-to-facebook-and-instagram-addiction

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Turning Point USA head disappointed in some Rauner actions – Bernard Schoenburg
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20180804/bernard-schoenburg-turning-point-usa-head-disappointed-in-some-rauner-actions

 

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats paint Republican Rep. Nick Sauer of Lake Barrington as being a typical Republican. Who promoted Sauer? Someone should write a book about those who promoted Sauer, Sandack, and others who have brought disgrace to the Illinois Republican Party.
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20180804/statehouse-insider-metoo-comes-to-gop

 

ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
— Rockford lags U.S. in black employment gains – Corina Curry (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted a) that instead of me, the Post Office should have hired a Black in 1966, b) that the Post Office should gotten rid of me much sooner than it did so that a Black could have my job, c) that instead of me, IRS should have hired a Black in 1971, d) that instead of me, IRS should have promoted Blacks in 1972, 1973, and 1974, e) that instead of me, GAO should have hired a Black in 1980, f) that instead of me, GAO should have promoted a Black in 1986, and g) that GAO should have gotten rid of me much sooner than it did so that a Black could have my job and my preferred corner office.)
http://www.rrstar.com/news/20180803/rockford-lags-us-in-black-employment-gains

 

WJBC
— GOP attorney general hopeful Erika Harold declares independence from Rauner – Howard Packowitz (DIERSEN: How many who smoke pot, who want to smoke pot legally, who want to make money selling pot legally, who want government to get revenues from taxing pot, and/or want to legitimize their smoking pot in the past are going to vote for Herold? To promote pot is to declare yourself to be a Libertarian.)
http://www.wjbc.com/2018/08/04/gop-attorney-general-hopeful-declares-independence-from-rauner/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Visiting the McLean County Fair Friday night, Erika Harold said she has many disagreements with the Republican governor, including his signing into a law a bill expanding taxpayer support for abortions to include women on Medicaid and state employee insurance. “I support legalizing marijuana for adult recreational use. There are a host of other things that we disagree upon,” Harold said. “For example, he’s talked about wanting to bring back the death penalty. I strongly disagree with that,” she added.)

 

NORTHWEST INDIANA TIMES
— 160th Illinois State Fair: Old standbys, $30M for new look – AP
https://www.nwitimes.com/entertainment/th-illinois-state-fair-old-standbys-m-for-new-look/article_7622ddc3-b071-502b-8080-61b39cc0f46e.html

 

FOX ILLINOIS
— U.S. cities suing President Trump over Affordable Care Act
https://foxillinois.com/news/local/us-cities-suing-president-trump-over-affordable-care-act

 

MCHENRY TIMES
— Wilcox blasts tax hike, calls for constitutional amendment tying spending with economic growth – Glenn Minnis
https://mchenrytimes.com/stories/511512571-wilcox-blasts-tax-hike-calls-for-constitutional-amendment-tying-spending-with-economic-growth

 

WEEKLY STANDARD
— Kid Trump – ADAM RUBENSTEIN (DIERSEN: Were you active in Republican politics when you were young? I was not. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was at student at Crete-Monee High School 1962-1966, the Park Forest Post Office would not have offered me a job in 1966. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was at student at UIC 1966-1968 or at NIU 1969-1970, the Post Office would have forced me to resign much sooner than it did and IRS would not have offered me a job in 1971. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was at student at Loyola 1972-1976 or DePaul 1976-1980, IRS would not have promoted me in 1972, 1973, or 1974 and GAO would not have offered me a job in 1980. If I had been active in Republican politics when I was a student at IIT 1992-1997, GAO would have forced me to take its early retirement offer much sooner than it did.)
https://www.weeklystandard.com/adam-rubenstein/kid-trump
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, has made it his business to ‘own the libs,’ and business is booming. On July 23, hundreds of students gathered at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., for Turning Point USA’s fourth annual High School Leadership Summit. The four-day event was a sequence of workshops on campus activism and student leadership punctuated by speeches by prominent conservatives, from House whip Steve Scalise and Education secretary Betsy DeVos to rabble-rousers like Sebastian Gorka and Anthony Scaramucci. Backstage at TPUSA events you’ll find facsimiles of both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Placed on a table with cellophane overlays, the pages aren’t just symbols—and they aren’t there for reference. TPUSA’s speakers and celebrity guests are asked to sign the documents. Scan the pages and you’ll see the John Hancocks of Ann Coulter, Judge Jeanine Pirro, Donald Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow, ex-Fox News star Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr., and Lara Trump right on top of the Founders’ words. You’ll find the scribbled signatures of Gateway Pundit’s Jim Hoft, Ohio congressman Jim Jordan, Brexit evangelist Nigel Farage, and the NRA’s Dana Loesch. Ginni Thomas, the wife of Clarence Thomas, wrote “TPUSA ROCKS” above her name. RNC spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany printed a Bible verse below hers and added “MAGA.” The documents are a memento of TPUSA events but also a who’s who of the powerbrokers of conservatism in the age of Trump. Charlie Kirk, TPUSA’s founder, calls himself “the luckiest 24-year-old ever to exist.” He started the group six years ago instead of going to college and now has 130,000 high school students, undergrads, and recent college graduates on board in what he calls the fight “to save Western civilization.” He sees himself as a general in the “culture war” and TPUSA’s members as “culture warriors”—effective “disrupters” of the left on campus and eventually across America. Kirk travels nonstop; he spent more than 300 days last year on the road giving speeches and meeting with donors, students, and politicians. Everywhere he goes he spreads the message that “Big Government Sucks” and “Socialism Sucks.” This fall he’s thinking of selling a T-shirt that says, “Bring Back ISIS, Vote Democrat 2018.”)

 

MEDIA RESEARCH CENTER
— Brinkley: Trump ‘Acting Like a Despot,’ ‘Trying to Incite’ Anti-Reporter Violence – Brad Wilmouth (DIERSEN: While my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have not yet incited violence against me, they have come close. They include activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc. who falsely claim to be religious, conservative, and/or Republican. They blame me for their problems, for your problems, for my problems, and for everyone’s problems. They blame me for all the losses, and near losses, that Republicans have suffered in Illinois, in DuPage County, in Milton Township, and in Wheaton since 2000. Should I write a book about them? I could title the book “The Blamers.”)
https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/2018/08/04/brinkley-trump-acting-despot-trying-incite-anti-reporter-violence

 

GOPUSA
— Shut ‘er down, Trump, shut ‘er down!
http://www.gopusa.com/shut-er-down-trump-shut-er-down/
— CNN’s Jim Acosta goes after Sean Hannity on Twitter (DIERSEN: I should write a book about Democrat plants, Libertarian plants, and RINOs who have “gone after me” at Milton Township Republican Central Committee meetings, TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois meetings, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce meetings, Illinois Center Right Coalition meetings, etc.)
http://www.gopusa.com/cnns-jim-acosta-goes-after-sean-hannity-on-twitter/
— With the economy humming, Americans want security at the border
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=51644

 

FOX NEWS CHANNEL
— Illinois celebrates first official ‘Barack Obama Day’ – Robert Gearty
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/08/04/illinois-celebrates-first-official-barack-obama-day.html

 

AMERICAN THINKER
— CNN bears a lot of blame – Silvio Canto, Jr. (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes blame me for their problems, for your problems, for my problems, and for everyone’s problems. They include activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc. who falsely claim to be religious, conservative, and/or Republican. They blame me for all the losses, and near losses, that Republicans have suffered in Illinois, in DuPage County, in Milton Township, and in Wheaton since 2000. Should I write a book about them? I could title the book “The Blamers.”)
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/08/cnn_has_a_lot_of_blame.html

 

THE HILL
— Shadowy Facebook account led to real-life Trump protests – ALI BRELAND (DIERSEN: I should write a book about voters in my precinct who talk and act like they are members of a well-organized shadowy anti-Trump group.)
http://thehill.com/policy/technology/400010-shadowy-facebook-activities-led-to-real-life-trump-protests
(FROM THE ARTICLE: At least three of the events co-organized on Facebook by a group the company now thinks was part of a coordinated disinformation network appear to have been held, and to have been attended by hundreds of people. The events, in New York City and Springfield, Mo., were all co-hosted on Facebook by a group called the Resisters. All three events were critical of President Trump. . .All three events were hosted by what appear to be legitimate groups in addition to the Resisters. Facebook on Tuesday said “inauthentic” groups, including Resisters, created roughly 30 events. Facebook in a call with reporters highlighted fake pages set up by the groups, but said it had no evidence on whether the events actually took place. There is some evidence that the events set up by Resisters were meant to piggy-back on existing, legitimate events by opponents of Trump. Indivisible St. Louis told The Hill that its Springfield event was already being organized when Resisters contacted them on Facebook. They also said that they did not encounter any representatives from Resisters at the protest.)
— Illinois celebrates first annual Barack Obama Day – AVERY ANAPOL
http://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/400374-illinois-celebrates-first-annual-barack-obama-day

 

ABC NEWS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Republicans say requiring voters to present photo ID is “unnecessary and damaging.”
https://abcnews.go.com/News/trump-called-voters-present-photo-id-rule-critics/story?id=57009415

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— A ‘Rainbow Wave’? 2018 Has More L.G.B.T. Candidates Than Ever A record number of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender candidates are running for office in November, as the Trump administration and state-level politicians have moved to roll back some legal protections. – Liam Stack and Catie Edmondson
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/04/us/politics/gay-candidates-midterms.html
— Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee, returned to Ken Starr’s side in 1998 for the Monica Lewinsky investigation. He has some regrets. – Michael D. Shear and Adam Liptak (DIERSEN: Lewinsky was a federal employee and the affair was in the White House.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/04/us/politics/brett-kavanaugh-clinton-impeachment.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: For nearly seven months, Mr. Kavanaugh, now President Trump’s nominee to replace Justice Kennedy on the Supreme Court, worked for Mr. Starr once again, despite his objections, helping to assemble the case that the president had an affair with Monica Lewinsky and obstructed justice by trying to cover it up. It was Mr. Kavanaugh who pressed Mr. Starr to aggressively question Mr. Clinton on the details of his sexual relationship with Ms. Lewinsky and who drafted the section of Mr. Starr’s report to the House that laid out 11 possible grounds for Mr. Clinton’s impeachment. Mr. Kavanaugh’s decision to return to Mr. Starr’s side plunged him into an immersion course in the brutal ways of Washington combat, forever connecting him to an investigation that Democrats called a partisan witch hunt, foreshadowing the epithet that Republicans now use to describe the efforts of the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III.)

 

USA TODAY
— Barack Obama Day: Former president’s political home state of Illinois kicks off holiday – Erin Kelly
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/08/04/barack-obama-birthday-becomes-illinois-holiday-starting-saturday/900905002/

 

ALABAMA
— JULY 16, 2018 FLASHBACK: Crossover voting ban: What to know before Tuesday’s primary runoff – Leada Gore (DIERSEN: How many crossover voters, that is, voters who cast Republican primary ballots, but vote for Democrats in general elections, that is, voters who are Democrat plants, Libertarian plants, Green plats, or RINOs, are there in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, in Illinois, and in America? I believe there are about 30 in my DuPage County Milton Township Precinct 9 in Wheaton and they are well-organized. Of course, they do not display yard signs for Republican candidates in general elections. Far too many of them treat me very rudely.)
https://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2018/07/crossover_voting_ban_what_to_k.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Tuesday’s primary runoff will be another test for Alabama’s crossover voting ban. The Alabama Legislature passed a law in 2017 banning crossover voting. The law specifically prohibits voters from casting a ballot for one party in a primary and then switching to the other party to cast a ballot in the runoff. Simply put: If you voted on the Democratic ballot in the primary, you can only vote in the Democratic runoff. If you voted a Republican ballot in the primary, you can only vote in the Republican runoff. If you didn’t vote in the primary, you are free to cast a ballot in whichever party runoff you choose. No matter what your vote, there are no restrictions on the Nov. 6 general election, where you can choose whichever candidate you prefer. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the crossover voting ban law in 2017. At the time, Sen. Tom Whatley, R-Auburn, said the bill “helps the Democrats choose Democratic candidate” and helps “Republicans choose Republican candidates.” Enforcing the ban In the October special U.S. Senate election to replace Jeff Sessions, Secretary of State John Merrill said his office had identified 674 cases in which people voted in the Democratic primary election on Aug. 15, 2017 and then crossed over to vote in the Republican runoff election on Sept. 26, 2017. A later review found most of the voters in question were on the wrong list. One-hundred-forty instances of crossover voting were confirmed but none were deemed necessary by local probate judges to investigate further or pursue prosecution, Merrill’s office said. Merrill has been mum on if crossover violators will be prosecuted this time, however. In an update from his office, Merrill only reminded voters of the rules and encouraged people to get out and vote. “Some candidates for both parties have already been selected, but voters are encouraged to return to the polls to make the final selections for their party representatives,” Merrill said.)

 

STATEMAN
— `The blue wave has a physics all its own.’ On electoralizing the Indivisible resistance. – Jonathan Tilove
http://politics.blog.mystatesman.com/2018/07/30/the-blue-wave-has-a-physics-all-its-own-on-electoralizing-the-indivisible-resistance/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, the married couple, co-founders and co-executive directors of Indivisible, the network of grassroots organization founded to resist the Trump presidency in the immediate aftermath of his election as president,…)

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— FROM THE ARTICLE: “How many more people are waiting to reappear in the labor force?” Are you out of the labor force? Are going to reappear? What is the prevailing wage for those who have education, work experience, professional certifications, and professional licenses comparable to what you have? In today’s dollars, in 1997, when I was 49 years old, GAO paid me $125,325/year or $60.25/hour. I had almost 18 years of experience working for GAO and almost 9 years of experience working for IRS. I had 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 (CPA), 32 (Certified Internal Auditor), 41 (Certified Fraud Examiner), 45 (Certified Government Financial Manager), 47 (Certified Financial Services Auditor), and 48 (Forensic Accountant), and c) a job-related professional license (licensed CPA) when I was 32.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/we-cant-make-unemployment-great-again-1533310542

 

INTUIT
— IRS Announces They Are Working on a New 1040 Tax Form: Intuit TurboTax Has Got You Covered
https://blog.turbotax.intuit.com/tax-reform/irs-announces-they-are-working-on-a-new-1040-tax-form-intuit-turbotax-has-got-you-covered-41221/?cid=em_38923_6001_005_2017

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.