ABC7
— New Laws 2019: Illinois laws that take effect January 1
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/new-laws-2019-illinois-laws-that-start-january-1/4918510/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— New Senator Yadav “Nick” Nathwani seeks input from residents
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/elmhurst/community/chi-ugc-article-new-senator-seeks-input-from-residents-2018-12-17-story.html
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Pot pushers push pot.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/opinion/ct-lns-selle-marijuana-st-1218-story.html
— Paging all prosecutors to Chicago’s 13th Ward – Editorial
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-madigan-quinn-chicago-alderman-13th-ward-corrupt-20181217-story.html
DAILY HERALD
— Take commuter tax off the table – Editorial
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20181218/editorial-take-commuter-tax-off-the-table
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Pot pushers push pot.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/manufacturing/when-baggie-just-wont-do-packaging-age-legal-pot
NEWS CHANNEL 20
— Illinois among the most financially unprepared states in U.S. – Rachel Droze (DIERSEN: Should all candidates for government and political offices be required to prove that they are financially prepared for their retirement? According to some financial advisors, if you are not on track to have at least $1,000,000 when you retire, you are not financially prepared. SEE: https://www.fool.com/retirement/2018/10/14/why-1-million-may-not-be-enough-to-retire-comforta.aspx)
https://newschannel20.com/news/local/report-illinois-among-the-most-financially-unprepared-states-in-us
WGEM
— Quincy aldermen vote to raise property taxes
https://wgem.com/2018/12/17/quincy-aldermen-vote-to-raise-property-taxes/
WREX
— Rockford approves new commission to battle discrimination (DIERSEN: The more of the following demographics that you have, the more that Democrats demonize you, denigrate you, and condemn you as being a discriminator: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, draft avoider, and if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://wrex.com/category/2018/12/17/rockford-approves-new-commission-to-battle-discrimination/
KANE COUNTY CONNECTS
— REFERENDUMS, MAYORAL, SCHOOL BOARD CONTESTS TAKE SHAPE FOR APRIL 2 ELECTION
http://kanecountyconnects.com/2018/12/referendums-mayoral-school-board-contests-take-shape-for-april-2-election/
ONE ILLINOIS
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: DIERSEN HEADLINE: Pot pushers push pot.
https://www.oneillinois.com/stories/2018/12/17/legal-cannabis
CITY CLUB OF CHICAGO
— VIDEO: Christmas with Rich Miller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE7-GzPEW4Q
POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Jeanne Ives is back. The conservative state lawmaker who lost the 2018 primary race to Gov. Bruce Rauner, is now championing David Krupa—the kid candidate in the 13th Ward aldermanic race. That’s right. Ives has emailed supporters asking that they donate to the 19-year-old running against veteran alderman Marty Quinn, a friend and ally of House Speaker Mike Madigan. Ives sees this as a David v. Goliath race after learning Quinn supporters filed some 3,000 affidavits to revoke signatures for Krupa—even though he only collected 1,700 names. “I am sending this to my entire statewide email list and beyond. And I am asking all of you to send this guy $10 to keep his fight going against the Madigan Machine,” Ives says in her email. She links to stories in the Tribune, which feature Krupa as a little guy trying to beat the establishment. Ives’ email doesn’t mention yesterday’s POLITICO story detailing Krupa’s backstory. A year ago, he had an order of protection against him to stay away from his former girlfriend. – SHIA KAPOS and ADRIENNE HURST
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/12/18/mendozas-plan-for-underused-schools-ives-rallies-for-kid-candidate-preckwinkle-to-donate-burke-monies-366110
WIREPOINTS
— Flashback to 1994 reveals Edgar’s ramp up of Illinois pension crisis – Ted Dabrowski
https://www.wirepoints.com/flashback-to-1994-reveals-ramp-up-of-illinois-pension-crisis/
— “Illinois true retirement costs would consume 50% of the budget. In most states, it’s 15%” – Ted Dabrowski
https://www.wirepoints.com/illinois-true-retirement-costs-would-consume-50-of-the-budget-in-most-states-its-15-ted-on-wjpf/
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Treasurer of McHenry County Republican Party Resigns
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/17/treasurer-of-mchenry-county-republican-party-resigns/
— Pam Althoff Wins Township Officials of Illinois President’s Award
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/16/pam-althoff-wins-township-officials-of-illinois-presidents-award/
ILLINOIS CONSERVATIVE UNION
— Conservatives Letter to Santa
http://www.ilpac.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/121618-Release_Santa-Letter.pdf
WASHINGTON TIMES
— Judge’s ruling could make government shutdown even more costly – Stephen Dinan and David Sherfinski (DIERSEN: Of course, since 1966 when I was 18 years old and became a federal employee, I have been demonized, denigrated, and condemned as being a nonessential, worthless, and overpaid federal employee. In my defense, 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.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/dec/17/government-shutdown-threatens-federal-employees-ho/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: More than 400,000 essential government employees could be forced to stay on the job throughout a government shutdown — even if they’d already planned to take holiday vacations. A quirk of federal law says paid leave is considered government spending, and since no unauthorized spending can happen during a funding lapse, no one can take vacation. The silver lining, though, is that government workers could be eligible for double pay should the shutdown last long enough to make them miss a paycheck, thanks to a federal judge’s ruling earlier this decade. Those are just some of the factors in what could be one of the weirder government shutdowns in memory.)
BREITBART
— Democrat Reps., Lawyers Escort Caravan Migrants Across the Border – Neil Munro
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/18/democrat-reps-lawyers-escort-migrants-across-the-border/
— Democrats Funded ‘Wall’ Under Bush, Obama–Refuse Same Barrier to Trump – John Binder
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/17/democrats-funded-wall-under-bush-obama-refuse-same-barrier-to-trump/
— Business Group: Labor Shortages in Trump’s Economy Boost Blue-Collar Voters – Neil Munro
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/17/business-group-labor-shortages-in-trumps-economy-boost-blue-collar-voters/
TOWNHALL
— Mexico Has a Plan to Deter Illegal Aliens From Flocking to the United States. Here’s What It Entails. – Beth Baumann
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/bethbaumann/2018/12/17/mexico-has-a-plan-to-deter-illegal-aliens-from-flocking-to-the-united-states-her-n2537660
FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE
— VISA/MASTERCARD AND THE ASSAULT ON CIVIL RIGHTS – Wallace Nunn
https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/272269/visamastercard-and-assault-civil-rights-wallace-nunn
CNS NEWS
— ICE: 158,581 Illegals Arrested in FY2018; Those Arrested Had 1,641 Homicide Convictions, 1,294 Kidnap Convictions – Michael W. Chapman
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/michael-w-chapman/ice-2018-158581-illegal-aliens-arrested-including-1294-kidnappers
ACCURACY IN ACADEMIA
— OUTRAGEOUS: University of Illinois Department Calls Abolishing ICE – Malcolm A. Kline
https://www.academia.org/university-of-illinois-department-calls-abolishing-ice/
WORLD NET DAILY
— 10 REASONS OBAMA WAS THE WORST PRESIDENT — EVER – Larry Tomczak
https://www.wnd.com/2018/12/10-reasons-obama-was-the-worst-president-ever/
— NEW YORK AG HOPES TO DESTROY TRUMP Mychal Massie claims Letitia James doing the bidding of her ‘white handlers’
https://www.wnd.com/2018/12/new-york-ag-hopes-to-destroy-trump/
COLLEGE FIX
— University of Southern California trustees bless decision to dump business dean for ‘lack of diversity’ – GREG PIPER (DIERSEN: While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, my superiors were always in danger of being dumped a) if they did not hire, retain, and promote enough young Democrat minorities and young Democrat females and b) if they did not get rid of enough of their employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran 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.)
https://www.thecollegefix.com/usc-trustees-bless-decision-to-dump-business-dean-for-lack-of-diversity/
ASSOCIATED PRESS
— Inmate says his religion entitles him to smoke marijuana in prison
https://fox17.com/news/nation-world/inmate-says-his-religion-entitles-him-to-smoke-marijuana-in-prison
CBS NEWS
— How I tried and failed to quit Google – DAN PATTERSON
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-i-tried-and-failed-to-quit-google/
CNN
— The real problem with the American auto industry – Chris Isidore
https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/17/economy/us-auto-plant-glut/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: SUVs are suddenly popular Consumers’ changing tastes have also contributed to the supply glut. The relatively sudden shift in car buyers’ preferences from traditional sedans to SUVs and trucks has left some of the plants building cars with way more capacity than they need to satisfy demand. Some SUV plants are actually straining for capacity. Some auto plants have changed from cars to SUVs or trucks. Ford took a plant that had made the Ford Focus and put it to use building the new Ranger pickup. Ford is also is cutting 1,150 jobs at some underutilized plants and shifting most of the workers to plants building SUVs. Chrysler is reportedly planning to take a closed engine plant in Detroit and reopen it to build the Jeep Cherokee. But shifting a plant from cars to trucks is an expensive process. The growing popularity of SUVs isn’t enough to fill all of the unused capacity at car-making plants. And it will take some time for electric cars and self-driving vehicles to pick up the slack. That’s why GM is planning to close plants and Ford is cutting shifts and jobs at one of its few remaining American plants that makes cars.)
NEW YORK TIMES
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Russian 2016 Influence Operation Targeted African-Americans on Social Media – Scott Shane and Sheera Frenkel
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/17/us/politics/russia-2016-influence-campaign.html
— Facebook Blocks Netanyahu’s Son, Saying His Posts ‘Included Hate Speech’ – Isabel Kershner
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/17/world/middleeast/yair-netanyahu-facebook-hate-speech.html
— Voter Suppression and Racial Targeting: In Facebook’s and Twitter’s Words – Tiffany Hsu
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/17/business/russia-voter-suppression-facebook-twitter.html
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Study Shows Big Rise in Teen Vaping This Year – Jan Hoffman
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/17/health/ecigarettes-teens-nicotine-.html
USA TODAY
— More teens vape, but binge drinking and opioid use are down – Ken Alltucker
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2018/12/17/teen-vaping-rises-drug-use-drinking-and-opioid-use-all-decline/2301914002/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— De Blasio Sees Too Many Asians A lawsuit accuses New York’s mayor of using racial discrimination to promote ‘diversity.’ – William McGurn
https://www.wsj.com/articles/de-blasio-sees-too-many-asians-11545090940
FORTUNE
— NAACP Joins Growing List of Civil Rights Groups Criticizing Facebook – Bloomberg
http://fortune.com/2018/12/18/facebook-naacp-russian-hacking/
NEW YORK POST
— Behind Andrew Cuomo’s sharp left turn – Editorial
https://nypost.com/2018/12/17/behind-andrew-cuomos-sharp-left-turn/
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— The Benefits (and Risks) of the Mental-Health Day More workplaces are allowing time off for employees facing stress, anxiety or depression, but not all bosses are understanding of their workers’ needs – Sue Shellenbarger (DIERSEN: Of course, to get rid of me, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates did everything that they could to promote stress, anxiety, depression, lack of self-confidence, etc. in me. I should write a book about them. At GAO, they succeeded in forcing me to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old, giving me unfair performance expectations and appraisals, always ranking me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, not promoting me beyond GS-13, getting rid of my mentor in 1987, keeping me off audits of IRS for all but 3 of the almost 18 years that I worked for GAO, and forcing me to take a $19,203 (26%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. At IRS, they succeeded in not promoting me beyond GS-12, disallowing my education deductions in 1978, getting rid of my mentor in 1975, and disallowing my partial day per diem claims in 1974. At the Post Office, they succeeded in forcing me resign in 1969 and disallowing my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-benefits-and-risks-of-the-mental-health-day-11545060850
INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY
— California Companies Flee Business-Hostile State In Droves – Editorial
https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/california-companies-leave-taxes/
FED SMITH
— Best Places to Work: What the Partnership’s New Rankings Tell Us – Jeff Neal (DIERSEN: One would expect that the federal government would be ranked very highly by its employees who are Democrat, minority, female, younger, and/or veteran because the federal government gets rid of its employees who are Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who do 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.)
https://www.fedsmith.com/2018/12/17/best-places-work-partnerships-new-rankings-tell-us/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Best Places to Work Index is based on the percentage of positive responses to three questions that address workplace satisfaction: 1) I recommend my organization as a good place to work. 2) Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your job? 3) Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your organization?)
INDEPENDENT
— TWITTER IS ‘TOXIC PLACE’ FOR WOMEN, FINDS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT A study by Amnesty International found black women were 84 per cent more likely to be mentioned in an abusive tweet than white women – Katie O’Malley
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/women/twitter-women-sexist-amnesty-international-diane-abbott-report-a8688426.html
