December 26 Evening Edition

ABC7
— Illinois legal weed poses challenge for companies with zero tolerance policies – Sarah Schulte (DIERSEN: I would not want to work for an employer that did not have a zero tolerance policy.)
https://abc7chicago.com/business/legal-weed-poses-challenge-for-companies-with-zero-tolerance-policies/5789356/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Recreational pot’s impact on Illinois: ‘No big deal’ or an ‘unfortunate, reckless experiment’? – Robert McCoppin
https://www.chicagotribune.com/marijuana/illinois/ct-illinois-marijuana-economic-social-effects-20191226-dandhav6uzfllaeroph7bqowe4-story.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A Trump-hater says “Donald Trump is a miserable fit for Evangelical Christians What would Jesus do? First, Jesus would not use Twitter to serve up daily doses of crude comments and hate-filled attacks on private citizens and public figures.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2019/12/26/21037287/donald-trump-religions-evangelical-christians-sun-times-letters
— Here are some of the new state laws taking effect in 2020 Hundreds of new laws or changes in existing laws were passed during a busy legislative session that adjourned in early June. – Jerry Nowicki 
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2019/12/26/21038077/illinois-new-laws-take-effect-2020-minimum-wage-marijuana-infrastructure

DAILY HERALD
— Local mayors in DuPage County to deliver State of the City addresses
https://www.dailyherald.com/submitted/20191220/local-mayors-in-dupage-county-to-deliver-state-of-the-city-addresses
— Dan Cronin to speak at ‘State of County’ luncheon Jan. 8
https://www.dailyherald.com/submitted/20191226/dan-cronin-to-speak-at-state-of-county-luncheon-jan-8

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood of Peoria, who was also a member of Congress representing central Illinois, will be the featured speaker at the annual Abraham Lincoln Association Birthday Banquet Feb. 12 in Springfield. – Bernard Schoenburg
https://www.sj-r.com/news/20191226/ray-lahood-to-headline-lincoln-association-dinner

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— Business as usual at the Illinois Tollway Authority – Editorial
https://www.pjstar.com/opinion/20191226/editorial-business-as-usual-at-illinois-tollway-authority

HERALD & REVIEW
— Illinois party leaders, political observers assess past year, look ahead to 2020
https://herald-review.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/illinois-party-leaders-political-observers-assess-past-year-look-ahead/article_a44a2ca8-d8a0-5229-a17a-de3f848bba95.html

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Comparison of Chicago Teachers’ Contract with Wisconsin’s Scott Walker’s
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/12/26/comparison-of-chicago-teachers-contract-with-wisconsins-scott-walkers/ 
— IL-14: Discernment on Underwood’s EHR Legislation Now Law
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/12/26/il-14-discernment-on-underwoods-ehr-legislation-now-law/ 
— U.S. Senate/IL-06/IL-14: Ted Cruz Blasts FY2020 Appropriations Legislation
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/12/26/u-s-senate-il-06-il-14-ted-cruz-blasts-fy2020-appropriations-legislation/ 
— KICKOFF 2020 Support President Trump Rally in Algonquin *UPDATE: News-Sun Underwood Impeachment Column*
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/12/26/kickoff-2020-support-president-trump-rally-in-algonquin/ 
— IL-14: McHenry County Republicans Hosting Candidates Forum
IL-14: James Marter Opposed to H.R. 3 Legislation to Lower Prescription Prices
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/12/26/il-14-mchenry-county-republicans-hosting-candidates-form/ 
— Christmas Day Teaching About Voting
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/12/25/christmas-day-teaching-about-voting/ 
— IL-14: James Marter Opposed to H.R. 3 Legislation to Lower Prescription Prices
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/12/26/il-14-james-marter-opposed-to-h-r-3-legislation-to-lower-prescription-prices/

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Half of trains in Mexico found carrying migrants – AP
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/dec/26/half-of-trains-in-mexico-found-carrying-migrants/
— Conservatives losing ground in cities across globe – Ethan Epstein 
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/dec/8/conservatives-losing-ground-in-cities-across-globe/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— ‘Furious’: Elizabeth Warren’s brother rips senator for calling their father a janitor – Spencer Neale
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/furious-elizabeth-warrens-brother-rips-senator-for-calling-their-father-a-janitor

GOPUSA
— Pollsters adjust 2020 methodologies after 2016 failure
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=81785

AMERICAN THINKER
— Deplorables Versus the Ruling Class: A Global Struggle – Chet Richards
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2019/12/deplorables_versus_the_ruling_class_a_global_struggle.html
— Elizabeth Warren, makin’ it up again, this time about bein’ too poor to go to college – Monica Showalter
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/12/elizabeth_warren_makin_it_up_again_this_time_about_bein_too_poor_to_go_to_college.html

BREITBART
— Pete Buttigieg Calls Jesus Christ an Impoverished ‘Refugee’ in Christmas Message – JOHN BINDER
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/12/26/pete-buttigieg-calls-jesus-christ-an-impoverished-refugee-in-christmas-message/

NEWSMAX
— It’s Prosperity, Stupid: 10 Ways Trump Bolsters Economy – George Mentz 
https://www.newsmax.com/finance/georgementz/trump-economy-talking-points/2019/12/26/id/947384/
— CNN: Plan to Commute Blagojevich Sentence in Doubt – Jeffrey Rodack
https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/bosnia-explosion/2019/12/26/id/928509/
— 15 GOP Govs Request Refugee Resettlement in Their States – Theodore Bunker 
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/governors-gop-refugee-resettlement/2019/12/26/id/947426/
— Senate Ditches Pot-Related Items in Spending Bill – Solange Reyner
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/senate-legalize-it-banking-cannibas/2019/12/25/id/947298/

TOWNHALL
— Was 2019 the Year of Peak Entitlement Mentality? – Veronique de Rugy
https://townhall.com/columnists/veroniquederugy/2019/12/26/was-2019-the-year-of-peak-entitlement-mentality-n2558508

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Candidates React to Obama’s ‘Old Men’ Comment Democratic candidates responded to former President Obama’s recent comment about it usually being “old men” who are responsible for the world’s problems. 
https://www.wsj.com/video/candidates-react-to-obamas-old-men-comment/0F7BA6D3-3421-4BE5-A262-E25105233154.html
— Equal Opportunity Discrimination Oracle is fighting back against a dubious Obama-era complaint. – Editorial
https://www.wsj.com/articles/equal-opportunity-discrimination-11577404381

BOND BUYER
— Oak Lawn cut to junk over pension woes – Yvette Shields
https://www.bondbuyer.com/news/chicago-suburb-cut-to-junk-over-pension-woes

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.