CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— If Gov. Pritzker had raised taxes in 2019, our budget problems in 2020 wouldn’t be so bad If the governor had raised the flat tax hike to balance the budget when he had an almost infinitely deep well of goodwill in the legislature, we wouldn’t be in nearly this mess right now. – Rich Miller
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2020/12/18/22189689/illinois-budget-governor-pritzker-flat-tax-rich-miller
— 108 more Illinois coronavirus deaths, 7,562 new cases The state is stuck in an unprecedented 12-day streak of reporting 100 or more deaths, the worst stretch of the pandemic. – Mitchell Armentrout
https://chicago.suntimes.com/coronavirus/2020/12/19/22190607/illinois-coronavirus-vaccine-pritzker-mitigation-covid-19-dec
— Vaccinations resume at Condell Medical Center after pause following negative reactions. Vaccinations will resume Sunday at the medical center “following a thorough internal review — including infectious disease and clinical experts across our system,” Advocate Aurora Health officials said in a statement.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/coronavirus/2020/12/19/22190985/vaccinations-resume-advocate-condell-medical-center-after-pause-following-negative-reactions
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Fury as some politicians ignore their own virus rules: ‘The lack of self-awareness in American politics is just something else’ – AP
https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-nw-politicians-breaking-covid-19-rules-20201219-jwju7aocgnddbckyxjzaibfrmi-story.html
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Zen Leaf recreational marijuana dispensary opens in Naperville, Sunnyside to follow on Wednesday – RAFAEL GUERRERO
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/ct-nvs-zen-leaf-naperville-pot-dispensary-st-1220-20201219-uwu6zs7odzdz5nwerapmztr2zi-story.html
DAILY HERALD
— 12 suburban Democrats vow to oppose Madigan speakership, but others won’t say – Russell Lissau
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20201219/12-suburban-democrats-vow-to-oppose-madigan-speakership-but-others-wont-say
CBS2
— Coyotes Attack, Kill Dog In Palatine
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/12/19/coyotes-attack-kill-dog-in-palatine/
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Bar, restaurant owners, employees protest outside Governor’s Mansion – Brenden Moore
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2020/12/19/bar-restaurant-owners-employees-protest-outside-governors-mansion/3978317001/
KANKAKEE DAILY JOURNAL
— Recall would empower citizens to check corruption – Jason Barickman and Mark Batinick
https://www.daily-journal.com/opinion/recall-would-empower-citizens-to-check-corruption/article_0e58f5f6-40b6-11eb-bcbb-77b43be7a53f.html
DAILY ILLINI
— Don’t let Trump’s defeat perpetuate divisiveness – NICK JOHNSON (DIERSEN: Democrats are extremely divisive. They divide a) minorities against Whites, b) women against men, c) younger people against older people, d) those who have less money against those who have more money, e) non-Christians against Christians, f) non-Protestants against Protestants, g) non-German Americans against German Americans, h) non-Italian Americans against Italian Americans, i) veterans against non-veterans, j) moderates and liberals against conservatives, k) LGBTQers against heterosexuals, l) non-married people against married people, m) Democrats, Libertarians, Greens, Independents, and RINOs against Republicans, n) non-patriotic people against patriotic people, o) citizens of foreign countries against citizens of America, p) those whose ancestors have not been in America for a long time against those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time, q) non-gun owners against gun owners, r) drinkers against non-drinkers, s) gamblers against non-gamblers, t) pot users against non-pot users, u) etc. against etc.)
https://dailyillini.com/opinions/2020/12/19/opinion-dont-let-trumps-defeat-perpetuate-divisiveness/
ILLINOIS LEAKS
— Protest and Rally at Champaign County Public Health District – JOHN KRAFT & KIRK ALLEN
https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2020/12/video-protest-and-rally-at-champaign-county-public-health-district/
— Bailey v. Pritzker update with Tom DeVore – JOHN KRAFT & KIRK ALLEN
https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2020/12/video-bailey-v-pritzker-update-with-tom-devore/
THE HILL
— When disinformation becomes a political strategy, who holds the line? – OUMOU LY (DIERSEN: According to my critics/opponents, all government and political news and commentary is disinformation except for the government and political news and commentary that they put out or bless.)
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/530777-when-disinformation-becomes-a-political-strategy-who-holds-the-line
ABC NEWS
— Do as I say’: Anger as some politicians ignore virus rules. Several American political leaders have been caught preaching one thing on the coronavirus and doing another.
https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/wireStory/anger-politicians-ignore-virus-rules-74819755
CNN
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-hater says “Arizona Republicans worry party infighting could harm them in future elections.”
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/19/politics/arizona-republican-party/index.html
YAHOO NEWS
— AOC calls Amazon jobs a ‘scam’ because more than 4,000 of its employees are on food stamps – Kevin Shalvey
https://news.yahoo.com/aoc-calls-amazon-jobs-scam-095052407.html
WASHINGTON POST
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump haters say “The inside story of how Trump’s denial, mismanagement and magical thinking led to the pandemic’s dark winter.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/politics/trump-covid-pandemic-dark-winter/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump haters say “Even as Trump vows to keep fighting, his aides are quietly starting to move on.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-aides-new-jobs/2020/12/18/157a02e6-3fd8-11eb-a402-fba110db3b42_story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-hater promotes countries that hat America.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/americas-image-has-tumbled-during-trumps-presidency-can-biden-turn-it-around/2020/12/19/f16654c2-420c-11eb-8bc0-ae155bee4aff_story.html
— There’s little love lost among the Hill’s top leaders. Can Biden get them to work together? – Paul Kane
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/pelosi-schumer-mccarthy-mcconnell/2020/12/19/328c9df6-416f-11eb-8db8-395dedaaa036_story.html
SACRAMENTO BEE
— More violence, arrests during another weekend of protests over election in Sacramento – VINCENT MOLESKI
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article247978075.html
BUSINESS WEEK
— The internet’s invisible hands: 11 experts explain how our digital world is fueling polarization – Tyler Sonnemaker (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents a) want you to know only what they tell you and no more and no less and b) do everything that they can to destroy me and to my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. I should write a book about them. I would focus on those who have lots of religious, government, political, and/or financial clout in Wheaton’s West District, Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County’s 4th district, DuPage County, and Illinois. I would focus on those who have been Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct since 2000, their major donors, their political consultants, their campaign managers, their campaign staff, and their campaign volunteers. I would focus on past and present leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, Illinois Republican Party, Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, Illinois, TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Center Right Coalition, American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter, etc.)
https://www.businessinsider.com/how-internet-social-media-fuel-polarization-america-facebook-twitter-youtube-2020-12
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Americans are becoming increasingly intolerant of those with opposing views, and our increasingly digital lives are part of the problem. Between 1975 and 2017, animosity between Democrats and Republicans nearly doubled, according to researchers from Stanford University. And that survey was conducted before most of Donald Trump’s presidency, before the COVID-19 pandemic, before George Floyd’s death, and before the 2020 US presidential election. But polarization is a complicated topic, and the ways that technology influences our politics and democracy aren’t as simple as we’re often led to believe. There are multiple ways to measure polarization, for example, with each explaining a different way we’re divided. And “filter bubbles” vastly oversimplify the forces that shape how we interact online.)
NEWSWEEK
— Trump ‘Is the Republican Party,’ Pollster Says – DARRAGH ROCHE (DIERSEN: Who “Is the Republican Party” in Illinois, in your congressional district, in your state senate district, in your state house district, in your county, in your county district, in your township, in your municipality, in your municipal district, and in your precinct?)
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-republican-party-pollster-says-president-hoards-campaign-donations-1556128
— Trump Encourages ‘Wild’ Protests in D.C. on Date of Electoral College Vote Count – BENJAMIN FEARNOW
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-encourages-wild-protests-dc-date-electoral-college-vote-count-1556153
NEW YORKER
— The Changing Meaning of the American Flag Under Trump – Paige Williams (DIERSEN: An American Flag has flown continuously at my home in Wheaton since September 11, 2001. A 12’X18′ Horizontal Auditorium American Flag will hang 20′ high on back wall of the 20’X40′ Iron Gate Motor Condo in Naperville that I bought Friday.)
https://www.newyorker.com/news/us-journal/the-changing-meaning-of-the-american-flag-under-trump
SUN
— ‘DON THE CON’ Fury as shocking billboard shows Trump in orange prison jumpsuit behind bars – Samantha Lock
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/13522077/billboard-trump-orange-prison-jumpsuit-behind-bars-phoenix/
LGBTQ NATION
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, those who promote LGBTQ promote hatred against Republicans, and especially against Republicans who are law enforcement officers, Trump supporters, conservative, patriotic, White, male, older, heterosexual, married, non-poor, gun owners, Christian, Protestant, Italian American, German American, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2020/12/voters-georgia-already-turning-droves-senate-races/
