December 19 Morning Edition

ABC7
— COVID-19 vaccine side effects prompt Advocate Condell Medical Center to temporarily pause vaccinations – Jesse Kirsch
https://abc7chicago.com/health/condell-pauses-covid-19-vaccinations-after-adverse-effects-reported-/8892188/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Illinois surpasses 15,000 COVID-19 deaths | City won’t seek sanctions against Anjanette Young or her lawyer | Federal government shutdown looms over pandemic relief
https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-the-spin-lightfoot-pitches-joliet-20201219-dbelgjl7ebhejeq7mpu2oaeiye-story.html

WBEZ
— Chicago-Area Transit Agencies Face ‘Drastic’ Service Cuts As Pandemic Ridership Plummets – Claudia Morell, Michael Puente
https://www.wbez.org/stories/chicago-area-transit-agencies-face-drastic-service-cuts-as-pandemic-ridership-plummets/eee8850e-73af-4443-be32-c3f996169117

SUBURBAN LIFE
— Bill White hits the ‘trifecta’ with return to public office as DuPage County auditor. Former Downers Grove commissioner, school board member looks to bring his perspective to office. – Megann Horstead (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. If you sought a government office or a political office, what experience would you stress? I would stress the experience that I gained a) working for GAO 1980-1997 as an Analyst, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 levels, currently $101,176-131,532/year; b) working for IRS 1971-1980 as a Revenue Officer, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $85,084-$96,431/year; c) becoming a licensed CPA in 1981; d) passing the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981; e) passing the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979; f) becoming a Forensic Accountant in 1997, Certified Financial Services Auditor in 1996, Certified Government Financial Manager in 1994, and Certified Fraud Examiner in 1990; g) serving on the Association of Government Accountants Chicago Chapter Executive Committee 1983-1996; h) earning a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997, a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, an MBA from Loyola in 1976, and a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU in 1970; i) serving as a Republican Precinct Committeeman since 1999; j) serving as the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000; and k) serving as a TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman 2005-2012, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, Milton Township Republican Organization webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007, and American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member 2001-2004.)
https://www.shawlocal.com/my-suburban-life/news/downers-grove/2020/12/18/bill-white-hits-the-trifecta-with-return-to-public-office-as-dupage-county-auditor/

NPR ILLINOIS
— Black Lives Matter Movement Is Fracturing As It Grows In Power (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. How many of those who lead your municipality, your township, and your county promote BLM? To promote BLM is to get rid of those who are law enforcement officers, Trump supporters, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, heterosexual, married, non-poor, gun owners, Christian, Protestant, Italian American, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/post/black-lives-matter-movement-fracturing-it-grows-power#stream/0

EVANSTON ROUNDTABLE
— Council Discusses Home Ownership and Improvements As First Focus of City’s Reparations Program for Black Residents – Bob Seidenberg (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. Of those who lead your municipality and of those who seek to lead your municipality, which ones hold you and those who share your demographics the most responsible for the problems that Blacks have?)
https://evanstonroundtable.com/Content/City-News/City-News/Article/Council-Discusses-Home-Ownership-and-Improvements-As-First-Focus-of-City-s-Reparations-Program-for-Black-Residents-/15/26/19105

HOMEWOOD FLOSSMOOR PATCH
— See Candidate Filings For Homewood-Flossmoor School Boards 532 candidates filed to run for suburban Cook County school boards, including boards in Homewood and Flossmoor. – Yasmeen Sheikah (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. Which offices will be on the April 6, 2021 ballot in your precinct? Which potential candidates have circulated nominating petitions? Which candidates have filed?)
https://patch.com/illinois/homewood-flossmoor/see-candidate-filings-homewood-flossmoor-school-boards

ELMHURST PATCH
— Suspended Burr Ridge Official Noted For Budget Award. Trustee says the village should let finance director return to work. – David Giulian (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. My Democrat GAO superiors never alleged that performance problems justified the following adverse actions that they took against me: forcing me to retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old, 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 $20,157 (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. In Diersen v. GAO, I entered into the court record all the performance appraisals that GAO gave me 1980-1997.)
https://patch.com/illinois/elmhurst/suspended-burr-ridge-official-noted-budget-award
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In his November email, Sapp said Grasso told him over the summer that the board no longer wanted him in his position after 24 years. . .Mottl has suggested before that age discrimination may be at play in the situations involving Sapp and Pollock. In different contexts, Grasso and Walter have mentioned age as it relates to hiring.)

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— ILLINOIS LOSES 27,400 HOSPITALITY SECTOR JOBS IN NOVEMBER AMID INDOOR DINING BAN – Bryce Hill
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-loses-27400-hospitality-sector-jobs-in-november-amid-indoor-dining-ban/

ILLINOIS FAMILY ACTION
— Religious Liberty is not for Churches, says Biden’s Proposed HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra – Greg Burt
https://illinoisfamilyaction.org/2020/12/religious-liberty-is-not-for-churches-says-bidens-proposed-hhs-secretary-xavier-becerra/
— Biden’s Cabinet Picks Avoid Left-Wing Loons But Show What He Means By ‘Unity’ – Robert Knight
https://illinoisfamilyaction.org/2020/12/bidens-cabinet-picks-avoid-left-wing-loons-but-show-what-he-means-by-unity/

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Central Illinois charities taking money hit due to COVID-19 (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes shout at people who paint themselves as being religious that I am not a member of a church, that I do not attend church services, and that I do not give money to a church. I should write a book about people who paint themselves as being religious and who treat me like I am a White supremacist, Nazi, KKK member, hater, racist, sexist, bigot, and even worse things who should be gotten rid of once and for all. 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.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/dec/19/central-illinois-charities-taking-money-hit-due-to/

FOX NEWS
— Bill de Blasio says mission is to ‘redistribute wealth’ – Brie Stimson (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. Who wants to redistribute your wealth? My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always wanted to redistribute my wealth. They were furious a) when I got a Post Office job in 1966, Firestone Stores job in 1970, Oldsmobile job offer and IRS job in 1971, and GAO job in 1980; b) when IRS promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974 and when GAO promoted me in 1986; c) when I bought new cars in 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, etc., and collector cars in 1989 and 1994; d) when I bought real estate in 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, and 1984; e) when I got married in 1978; f) when I earned a bachelor’s degree from NIU in 1970, MBA from Loyola in 1976, master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, and master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997; g) when I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979 and passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981; and h) when I became a licensed CPA in 1981.)
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bill-de-blasio-says-mission-is-to-redistribute-wealth-in-nyc-school-system
— Strzok said Steele dossier ‘intended to influence’ as well as inform, declassified texts reveal – Brie Stimson (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. What do your critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes stress about you? Mine stress that I am no longer a TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member, Milton Township Republican Organization webmaster, Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member, or American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member. Mine stress the adverse actions that my Democrat superiors in the federal government took against me. 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 a $20,157 (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980. 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. My Democrat Post Office superiors forced me resign in 1969 and disallowed my sick leave requests in 1969 and 1968.)
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/strzok-said-steele-dossier-intended-to-influence-as-well-as-inform-declassified-texts-reveal

BREITBART
— Joe Biden Considers Nominating Establishment Republican for Commerce Secretary – KYLE MORRIS (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. How do the Establishment Republican leaders, otherwise known as RINOs, treat those who are the following in your municipality, in your township, and in your county: those who are, Trump supporters, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, heterosexual, married, non-poor, gun owners, Protestant, German American, draft avoiders, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time? I should write a book about how they have treated me.)
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/12/16/joe-biden-considers-nominating-establishment-republican-commerce-secretary/

BLAZE
— NYC Mayor de Blasio: ‘I like to say very bluntly, our mission is to redistribute wealth’ – Breck Dumas (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. Who wants to redistribute your wealth? My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always wanted to redistribute my wealth. They were furious a) when I got a Post Office job in 1966, Firestone Stores job in 1970, Oldsmobile job offer and IRS job in 1971, and GAO job in 1980; b) when IRS promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974 and when GAO promoted me in 1986; c) when I bought new cars in 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, etc., and collector cars in 1989 and 1994; d) when I bought real estate in 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, and 1984; e) when I got married in 1978; f) when I earned a bachelor’s degree from NIU in 1970, MBA from Loyola in 1976, master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, and master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997; g) when I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979 and passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981; and h) when I became a licensed CPA in 1981.)
https://www.theblaze.com/news/nyc-mayor-de-blasio-i-like-to-say-very-bluntly-our-mission-is-to-redistribute-wealth
— Expert tells NY Times: Elderly white people shouldn’t get coronavirus vaccine priority in order to ‘level playing field’ with minorities The experts also said teachers shouldn’t get vaccine priority because they’re white – Paul Sacca (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. One could argue that because of past, present, and future discrimination, those who are members of Group A should let members of Group B get vaccinated first. Members of Group A are law enforcement officers, Trump supporters, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, heterosexual, married, non-poor, gun owners, Christian, Protestant, Italian American, German American, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. Members of Group B are anti-law enforcement, anti-Trump, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-heterosexuals, anti-married people, anti-non-poor people, anti-gun owners, anti-Christian, anti-Protestant, anti-Italian American, anti-German American, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.theblaze.com/news/coronavirus-priority-list-nyt-white

DAILY CALLER
— The Media Is Pushing Fluff Pieces For Biden’s Democratic Cabinet Picks — After Attacking Trump’s Republican Choices – SHELBY TALCOTT
https://dailycaller.com/2020/12/18/media-fluff-pieces-joe-biden-democratic-picks/
— Georgia Has Registered 76,000 New Voters Ahead Of Senate Runoffs – ANDREW TRUNSKY
https://dailycaller.com/2020/12/18/georgia-registered-76000-voters-senate-runoffs/

DAILY SIGNAL
— Trump Announces Members of Commission Focused on Teaching Youth About America’s Founding – Virginia Allen
https://www.dailysignal.com/2020/12/18/trump-announces-members-of-commission-focused-on-teaching-youth-about-americas-founding/

TOWNHALL
— Andrew Yang Has a Really Scary Idea for Showing Proof of Coronavirus Vaccinations – Bronson Stocking (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. What do those who have power over you want you to do to show proof that you were vaccinated? Those who have power over you include the leaders of your municipality, your township, your county, Illinois, America, and the world. If you are employed, your employer has power over you. If you are self-employed, your customers/clients have power of you. If you are a member of an organization, those who run that organization have power over you.)
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/bronsonstocking/2020/12/18/yangs-call-for-proofofvaccination-barcodes-should-worry-all-freedom-loving-americans-n2581837

OPEN THE BOOKS
— AMERICA NEEDS A WAR ON WASTE – Adam Andrzejewski (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. GAO is supposed to fight government waste. But the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997 wasted my career and got rid of me.)
https://mailchi.mp/72be180d901b/35b-from-us-taxpayers-funded-world-health-organization-57962

REUTERS
— Google rolls out free, weekly at-home COVID-19 testing for all U.S. employees
https://www.yahoo.com/news/google-rolls-free-weekly-home-001852526.html

NEW YORK TIMES
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Trump Claims Credit for Vaccines. Some of His Backers Don’t Want to Take Them. A deep distrust of the government is fueling vaccine hesitancy among Republicans, who are more likely than Democrats to resist being inoculated against Covid-19. – Sheryl Gay Stolberg (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. What position have those who run your municipality, your township, your county, Illinois, America, the organizations that you are a member of, your employer if you are employed, etc. taken on forcing you to be vaccinated?)
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/18/us/politics/trump-vaccine-skeptics.html
— A Worrisome Drop in College Aid Applications The pandemic has already led to one “lost class” of freshmen. The low rate of completing the financial aid form may signal another. – Ann Carrns (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. According to my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes, degrees from non-Ivy League colleges are worthless. I earned a bachelor’s degree in management in 1970, an MBA from Loyola in 1976, a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980 and a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/18/your-money/college-financial-aid-covid.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Why Are Americans So Distrustful of Each Other? The U.S. is the only established democracy where the level of social trust is falling instead of rising. Our political leaders can help turn the tide. – Kevin Vallier (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. Who focuses on making others distrust you? I should write a book about those who focus on making others distrust me. I would focus on those who have worked the hardest since 2000 to make others distrust me because I included links in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails to articles that they do not like. 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.wsj.com/articles/why-are-americans-so-distrustful-of-each-other-11608217988
— APRIL 12, 2020 FLASHBACK: When News Suppression Hits Home – Tunku Varadarajan (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. I should write a book about news suppression. I would focus on those who have worked the hardest since 2000 to destroy me because I included links in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails to articles that they do not like. 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.wsj.com/articles/when-news-suppression-hits-home-11586717386
— A California Plan to Chase Away the Rich, Then Keep Stalking Them. A proposed wealth tax would apply for a decade to anyone who spends 60 days in the state in a single year. – Hank Adler (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. Who wants to redistribute your wealth? My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always wanted to redistribute my wealth. They were furious a) when I got a Post Office job in 1966, Firestone Stores job in 1970, Oldsmobile job offer and IRS job in 1971, and GAO job in 1980; b) when IRS promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974 and when GAO promoted me in 1986; c) when I bought new cars in 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, etc., and collector cars in 1989 and 1994; d) when I bought real estate in 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, and 1984; e) when I got married in 1978; f) when I earned a bachelor’s degree from NIU in 1970, MBA from Loyola in 1976, master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, and master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997; g) when I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979 and passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981; and h) when I became a licensed CPA in 1981.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-california-plan-to-chase-away-the-rich-then-keep-stalking-them-11608331448
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Assembly Bill 2088 proposes calculating the wealth tax based on current world-wide net worth each Dec. 31. For part-year and temporary residents, the tax would be proportionate based on their number of days in California. The annual tax would be on current net worth and therefore would include wealth earned, inherited or obtained through gifts or estates long before and long after leaving the state.)
— Ivy League Colleges Report Dramatic Growth In Early-Admission Applicant Pools – Melissa Korn (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. According to my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes, degrees from non-Ivy League colleges are worthless. I earned a bachelor’s degree in management in 1970, an MBA from Loyola in 1976, a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980 and a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/ivy-league-colleges-report-dramatic-growth-in-early-admission-applicant-pools-11608308681
— FRONT PAGE WITH COLOR PICTURE: A Church Navigates America’s Divisions – Janet Adamy (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. Ever-increasingly, churches talk and act like they are arms of the Democrat, Libertarian, and/or Green parties. My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes shout at people who paint themselves as being religious that I am not a member of a church, that I do not attend church services, and that I do not give money to a church. I should write a book about people who paint themselves as being religious and who treat me like I am a White supremacist, Nazi, KKK member, hater, racist, sexist, bigot, and even worse things who should be gotten rid of once and for all. 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.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/abortion-guns-and-trump-a-church-group-tries-to-navigate-americas-divisions-11608298552

THE UNION
— Shifting demographics hurt local GOP registration – John Orona (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. What makes it hard for you to be optimistic about the future? For me, it is the ever-increasing invasion of hypocritical hate-filled Republican-hating Republican-haters who hypocritically move in to DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton to hypocritically take advantage of the prosperity and safety that Republicans created there. I should write a book about such hypocritical hate-filled Republican-hating hypocritical home buyers in DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton.)
https://www.theunion.com/news/shifting-demographics-hurt-local-gop-registration/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “The biggest demographic factor is that people from the Bay Area and other coastal counties are purchasing primary or secondary homes in Nevada County, and they take their political identity with them when they vote here,” Hren said in an email. According to Department of Finance data, between 2014 and 2018 more Nevada County residents moved to Sacramento and El Dorado counties, while the most transplants to Nevada County came from Placer and Alameda counties. “These people realize that their vote in the Bay Area will not make a difference, as most local Democrats there win their races,” Hren said. “Here it’s a different story.”)

STAR NEWS
— Boater admits he knew body was in a barrel before ocean dump – Neal Putnam (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. Who has dumped you? I should write a book about those who have dumped me. 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. I would focus on the aforesaid who crow about their success in dumping me.)
https://www.thestarnews.com/boater-admits-he-knew-body-was-in-a-barrel-before-ocean-dump/

NATION
— Wresting Our Country Back – Katrina vanden Heuvel (DIERSEN: How strongly are Democrats and Democrat plants, Libertarians and Libertarian plants, Greens and Green plants, Independents and Independent plants, and RINOs working to get rid of those who voted for Trump in your precinct, in your municipal district, in your municipality, in your township, in your county district, in your county, and in Illinois? 157 voted for Trump in my precinct. 20,080 in voted for Trump in Milton Township. 193,611 voted for Trump in DuPage County. 2,446,891 voted for Trump in Illinois.)
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/progressive-fundraising-hope-2020/

GOING CONCERN
— Get Sensitive or Else: How to Keep Talent When the World’s Gone Crazy (DIERSEN: Government is nasty. Politics is nasty. To keep their employees who were Democrat, minority, female, and/or younger, my Democrat superiors in the federal government wasted the careers of and got rid of their employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who they had not promoted to GS-13 (currently $101,176) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $119,559) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $140,634) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $170,800) by age 40. Extremely few federal employees make the aforesaid promotion deadlines.)
https://www.goingconcern.com/sensitive-keeping-talent-crazy-world-dayshape-sponcon/

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.