December 14 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Sensing re-election loss, Gov. Bruce Rauner looked to replace himself on Nov. 6 ballot – Mike Riopell and Rick Pearson (DIERSEN: According to Greg Bishop, Ives “said there’s no doubt in her mind GOP leadership in Illinois knew about this and ‘let this go on.’ She demanded top leadership step down.” One could ask Illinois Republican Party (IRP) Chairman Tim Schneider and each of the IRP State Central Committee members when did they first learn of this?)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-pritzker-trump-governors-meeting-20181213-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Former Republican state Sen. Karen McConnaughay of St. Charles acknowledged to the Tribune that she was recruited by Rauner in mid-April, about a month after he defeated GOP primary challenger state Rep. Jeanne Ives of Wheaton by just 3 percentage points. Sources said Rauner’s recruitment effort also included Todd Ricketts, a member of the family that owns the Chicago Cubs who is now finance chairman of the Republican National Committee; and Erika Harold, an Urbana attorney who at the time was the GOP nominee for attorney general. She ultimately lost to Democratic state Sen. Kwame Raoul. A source close to Harold said Rauner contacted her about replacing him on the ticket in August, mere months before the general election.)
— 3 DuPage County Board members want to end prayer at start of meetings – Suzanne Baker
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-dupage-county-board-prayer-st-1214-story.html
— Former Kane County sheriff left office with $309K deficit and stopped reporting finances in August, new sheriff says – Gloria Casas
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/elgin-courier-news/news/ct-ecn-kane-sheriff-budget-deficit-st-1214-story.html

 

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Rauner tells Chicago TV he sought others to run in his place, blames Trump for re-election loss – Greg Bishop
https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/rauner-tells-chicago-tv-he-sought-others-to-run-in/article_69735202-ffa3-11e8-b4d4-23a2c5afe9f5.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Ives said she was not one of the four asked. “It was obvious from the beginning that he was not serious about winning the race so he destroyed Republicans up and down the ticket by not bowing out politely and letting someone else take the lead,” Ives said. She said there’s no doubt in her mind GOP leadership in Illinois knew about this and “let this go on.” She demanded top leadership step down. “It’s really unfortunate for everybody involved in politics who now completely understand that [Rauner] essentially bought his race and then lied down to the Democrats and was never going to be the watchdog that we need in the face of Pritzker’s tax increase and increased spending that will drive Illinois to the brink of disaster,” Ives said.)
— Highest-in-the-nation cellphone taxes disproportionately hurt poor Illinoisans – Greg Bishop
https://www.ilnews.org/news/economy/report-highest-in-the-nation-cellphone-taxes-disproportionately-hurt-poor/article_db1d345e-fee0-11e8-91d5-33331895be0d.html
— Not all suburban mayors on board with Emanuel’s state gas tax hike proposal – Cole Lauterbach
https://www.ilnews.org/news/statewide/not-all-suburban-mayors-on-board-with-emanuel-s-state/article_f8318532-ff0c-11e8-90a7-475dafe33ac2.html

 

BREITBART
— Bruce Rauner Reveals He Tried to Recruit Other Candidates to Run for Governor of Illinois – Joel B. Pollak
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/14/bruce-rauner-reveals-he-tried-to-recruit-other-candidates-to-run-for-governor-of-illinois/
— Sarah Sanders: ‘Democrats Have to Decide if They Love Our Country More Than They Hate This President’ – Pam Key
https://www.breitbart.com/video/2018/12/13/sarah-sanders-democrats-have-to-decide-if-they-love-our-country-more-than-they-hate-this-president/
— Facebook’s ‘Fact Checkers’ Increasingly Alienated — ‘They Threw Us Under the Bus,’ Used Us for ‘Crisis PR’ – Charlie Nash (DIERSEN: What are your qualifications to be a fact checker? While I worked for GAO 1980-1997, the last 11 years of which at GS-13 Step 1-10 levels, currently $96,403-$125,325, I increasingly worked as a referencer, that is, as a fact checker. That work required assuring the accuracy and support for each and every word, number, table, graph, chart, conclusion, opinion, and recommendation in GAO reports. I worked for IRS 1971-1980, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $81,071-$91,880. My other fact checking qualifications include my becoming a Forensic Accountant in 1997, a Certified Fraud Examiner in 1990, a licensed CPA in 1981, a Certified Internal Auditor in 1981, and a CPA in 1979.)
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/13/report-facebooks-fact-checkers-increasingly-alienated-they-threw-us-under-the-bus-used-us-for-crisis-pr/

 

NBC5
— JB Pritzker Joins Fellow Governors in Meeting With President Trump
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/jb-pritzker-joins-fellow-governors-meets-president-donald-trump-502748281.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Pragmatic Pritzker, a Trump basher, meets with president at the White House – Lynn Sweet
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/pragmatic-jb-pritzker-donald-trump-basher-meets-president-white-house/

 

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Chicago doesn’t need to gamble on pension bonds Selling debt is a short-term fix that could exacerbate a challenging long-term problem. – BRIAN CHAPPATTA
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opinion/chicago-doesnt-need-gamble-pension-bonds

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Sensing re-election loss, Rauner looked to replace himself on Nov. 6 ballot – Mike Riopell and Rick Pearson
https://www.sj-r.com/news/20181213/sensing-re-election-loss-rauner-looked-to-replace-himself-on-nov-6-ballot

(FROM THE ARTICLE: Former Republican state Sen. Karen McConnaughay of St. Charles acknowledged to the Tribune that she was recruited by Rauner in mid-April, about a month after he defeated GOP primary challenger state Rep. Jeanne Ives of Wheaton by just 3 percentage points. Sources said Rauner’s recruitment effort also included Todd Ricketts, a member of the family that owns the Chicago Cubs who is now finance chairman of the Republican National Committee; and Erika Harold, an Urbana attorney who at the time was the GOP nominee for attorney general. She ultimately lost to Democratic state Sen. Kwame Raoul. A source close to Harold said Rauner contacted her about replacing him on the ticket in August, mere months before the general election.)

 

CHICAGO NOW
— AS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY’S STRANGLEHOLD ON ILLINOIS, ON COOK COUNTY, AND ON CHICAGO TIGHTENS: Why The Outlook Is So Poor For The Chicago Area Real Estate Market – Gary Lucido (DIERSEN: How soon will the Democrats and RINOs in Lake County, in McHenry County, in Kane County, in DuPage County, and in Will County have enough votes to “consolidate” the aforesaid counties into Cook County? How soon will the Democrats and RINOs in Cook County have enough votes to “consolidate” Cook County municipalities into Chicago?)
http://www.chicagonow.com/getting-real/2018/12/why-the-outlook-is-so-poor-for-the-chicago-real-estate-market/

 

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— The governor-elect — who referred to Trump as “racist and a xenophobe and a misogynist and a homophobe” during the campaign — took the high road in the White House. – Shia Kapos (DIERSEN: Of course, sooner or later, if not already, because Pritzker has called Trump a “racist and a xenophobe and a misogynist and a homophobe,” if you are a Trump supporter, those in your neighborhood, in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois will call you a “racist and a xenophobe and a misogynist and a homophobe.” How should Trump supporters react to that?)
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/12/14/new-pac-targets-lipinski-land-pritzkers-trumpy-day-another-fed-raid-on-burke-363555

 

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— THORNER: DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS MUST NOT TRIUMPH
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2018/12/thorner-death-by-a-thousand-cuts-must-not-triumph.html
— WHO ARE THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN AMERICA? (DIERSEN: Who has the most religious, government, political, and/or financial clout in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois? Of course, individuals, organizations, and companies that the powerful a) approve of move up the ladder and b) disapprove of move down the ladder. Are you moving up the ladder or down the ladder?)
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2018/12/who-are-the-most-powerful-people-in-america.html

 

CONSERVATIVE REVIEW
— Border reality: A caravan crosses every day – Daniel Horowitz
https://www.conservativereview.com/news/border-reality-a-caravan-crosses-every-day/

 

CONSERVATIVE HQ
— GOP Leadership Crumbling On Wall Funding – George Rasley
http://www.conservativehq.com/node/29312

 

GOPUSA
— Pelosi tells leftist media not to cover the president’s criminal probes ‘morning, noon and night’ (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents want to dictate the content of GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails, but failing that, they want the Illinois Republican Party, the DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and the Milton Township Republican Central Committee to dictate the content of GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. According to my critics/opponents, all news and commentary is fake except for the news and commentary that they put out or bless.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=61060


— New president of Mexico offers Trump ambitious plan to address migration issue (DIERSEN: Countries commit acts of war when they a) illegally send many millions of their citizens into another country illegally, b) illegally keep many millions of their citizens in another country illegally, and c) send many mountains of illegal drugs illegally into another country illegally. Not only constructively, but actually, Mexico has declared war on America.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=61057

 

AMERICAN THINKER
— Democrats can’t stand the thought of protecting Americans – J. Marsolo
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/12/democrats_cant_stand_the_thought_of_protecting_americans.html
— The GOP Needs to Stop Being the Stupid Party – Apolo Villalobos
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/12/the_gop_needs_to_stop_being_the_stupid_party.html
— Calling their bluff – Anna L. Stark
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/12/calling_their_bluff.html
— When Does Trump Say, ‘Enough Is Enough!’? – Brian C. Joondeph
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/12/when_does_trump_say_enough_is_enough.html

 

ONE NEWS NOW
— $5B for wall way less than illegals’ $155B annual burden – Michael F. Haverluck
https://onenewsnow.com/national-security/2018/12/13/5b-for-wall-way-less-than-illegals-155b-annual-burden

 

TOWNHALL
— Pelosi and Schumer Show Their Colors – David Limbaugh
https://townhall.com/columnists/davidlimbaugh/2018/12/14/pelosi-and-schumer-show-their-colors-n2537458

 

LIFE NEWS
— Barack Obama, The Abortion President, Receives Human Rights Award – MICAIAH BILGER
https://www.lifenews.com/2018/12/13/barack-obama-the-abortion-president-receives-human-rights-award/

 

THE HILL
— Some reporters after White House cancels press holiday party: We wouldn’t have gone anyway – ARIS FOLLEY (DIERSEN: Needless-to-say, anti-conservative governments, political organizations, and politicians have never invited me to parties that they have thrown for the press. They pander to and curry favor with the anti-conservative new media by a) failing/refusing to keep diersen@aol.com on their press advisory lists, b) barring me from their press conferences, c) telling me to not speak with anyone at their press conferences, d) telling me to not ask any questions at their press conferences, e) telling me to not report anything about their press conferences, f) throwing me out of their press conferences, and g) having their operatives and their dupes leave threatening messages on my phone answering machine.)
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/421345-reporters-after-white-house-cancels-press-holiday-party-we-wouldnt-have-gone

 

REUTERS
— Trump says GM shift to electric vehicles is ‘not going to work’ – David Shepardson, Lisa Lambert
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-gm-interview/trump-says-gm-shift-to-electric-vehicles-is-not-going-to-work-fox-idUSKBN1OC2KT

 

CBS NEWS
— Half of America hasn’t recovered from the recession – IRINA IVANOVA
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/half-of-america-hasnt-recovered-from-the-recession/

 

ORLANDO SENTINEL
— Marco Rubio seeks protected status for Venezuelan immigrants – Steven Lemongello (DIERSEN: My Republican U.S. Senators and my Republican U.S. Representatives should have sought protected status for federal employees like me who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran and a) who complained about political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and/or retaliation and b) who 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, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40. But that would have meant siding with Rutan in Rutan v. Illinois Republican Party (http://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/13/us/seeking-return-to-ways-of-patronage-in-politics.html).
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/political-pulse/os-ne-rubio-venezuelans-protected-status-20181213-story.html

 

EDITOR & PUBLISHER
— How the Media Encourages—and Sustains—Political Warfare – Kyle Jensen and Jack Selzer
https://www.editorandpublisher.com/columns/shoptalk-how-the-media-encourages-and-sustains-political-warfare/

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.