December 4 Evening Edition - GOPUSA Illinois

CBS2
— State Rep. Jeanne Ives To Challenge Rauner In Republican Primary – Rob Hart
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/04/jeanne-ives-running-for-illinois-governor/
— Tax Reform Bills’ Impact On Homeowners – Dorothy Tucker
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/04/tax-reform-bills-impact-on-homeowners/

NBC5
— Trump Heartily Endorses Moore as GOP Comes to Grips With Him Trump for weeks was silent after the allegations against Moore surfaced, and the White House has said he had no plans to make campaign appearances before the Dec. 12 election – Jill Colvin and Steve Peoples
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/Roy-Moore-Alabama-Donald-Trump-Full-Support-461809593.html
— Biss Questions Pritzker’s Income Tax After Candidate’s Recent Release – Mary Ann Ahern
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Biss-Questions-Pritzkers-Income-Tax-After-Last-Weeks-Release-461813873.html

ABC7
— Gov. Rauner, facing primary challenge, reacts to criticism by blaming Madigan – Craig Wall
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/rauner-facing-primary-challenge-reacts-to-criticism-by-blaming-madigan/2737830/
— Supreme Court allows full enforcement of Trump travel ban – AP
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/supreme-court-allows-full-enforcement-of-trump-travel-ban/2737280/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Gov. Rauner: ‘I am not in charge’ — Madigan ‘has rigged the system’ – Tina Sfondeles
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/gov-rauner-i-am-not-in-charge-madigan-has-rigged-the-system/
— GOP senator says ‘booze or women’ comments misinterpreted – AP
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/gop-senator-wealthy-invest-others-spend-on-booze-or-women/
— The American plutocracy gets its immoral tax bill – Jesse Jackson
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/jackson-the-american-plutocracy-gets-its-immoral-tax-bill/

DAILY HERALD
— Republicans, Democrats both face primaries for DuPage County Board – Robert Sanchez
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171204/republicans-democrats-both-face-primaries-for-dupage-county-board
— With filing over, candidates vie to kick one another off ballot – Marni Pyke
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171204/with-filing-over-candidates-vie-to-kick-one-another-off-ballot
— Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa on why people don’t invest: Spending every penny on ‘Booze or women or movies’ – Kyle Swenson (DIERSEN: While I was a “working American” 1964-1997 and since 1997, I have always a) spent far less on immediate pleasures than my peers and b) saved far more than my peers. In today’s dollars, since 1997, I have had $1,454,723 less to spend and/or save because my Democrat GAO superiors succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement offer. In today’s dollars, my salary was $122,991/year, but my Civil Service Retirement System pension is only $50,856/year.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171204/grassley-on-why-people-dont-invest-spending-every-penny-on-booze-or-women-or-movies
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The suggestion – that anyone not socking away their savings in the bank or investments must be profligately throwing their money away – played directly into the critique that Republicans are disconnected from the majority of working Americans.)
— Those tax breaks in the GOP plan? Enjoy them while they last – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20171204/business/312049919/
— Lake County Board races shape up for March primary – Russell Lissau
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171204/lake-county-board-races-shape-up-for-march-primary

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Rauner vs. Ives: A nasty war for control of the Illinois GOP – GREG HINZ
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171204/BLOGS02/171209960/illinois-republican-governor-race-war-for-control-of-the-party
(FROM THE ARTICLE: She described him as a man who “sold out” to Chicago Democrats, not only allowing a tax hike to pass but also signing laws making Illinois a haven for illegal immigrants and allowing taxpayer funds to pay for abortion. He laughed the charges off as “baloney”—then said in so many words that he, and not she, is the person who can keep state government on the path of honesty and stop it from totally being turned over to the control of Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. There wasn’t much subtlety today as—with everybody’s nominating petitions finally filed—the GOP primary race for governor started off with a bang. Incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner and challenger state Rep. Jeanne Ives of Wheaton are ready to rumble. Ives, a West Point graduate who has become a champion of fiscal and economic conservatives, started off the exchange with an internet video post in which she labeled the incumbent “Benedict Rauner,” echoing a line first used by Illinois Policy Institute chief John Tillman. It’s a clear sign that, in the era of Donald Trump, Ives intends to tap into the same sort of populist fervor against “the ruling class” that made him president. Ives said she believed Rauner four years ago when he promised to shake up the state. But she added: “The tough-talking dude on a Harley with no agenda turned out to be an empty Carhartt jacket. We were promised a conservative reform governor. Instead we got an Ivy League gender studies professor.” In a later news conference, Ives toned it down a few notches, but argued that Illinois needs a chief executive to keep a lid on taxes in a way that Rauner has not. The first three items on her agenda: lowering property taxes, attracting more jobs and going after corruption at every level of government. Rauner allies argue he has tried to do all of those things, only to be blocked by large Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, and by some Republicans who broke party ranks to back the increase in the state income tax. Rauner himself, meeting with reporters shortly after Ives, shrugged off her attacks, as well as a nasty article last week in the National Review, a leading conservative publication, declaring him the worst GOP governor in the country. Regardless of what that “political hit piece” said, Rauner contends, the truth is that it was Madigan who blocked the kind of reforms he wants. And, he continued, he is better positioned to hold off the speaker and whomever turns out to be the Democratic nominee for governor. His message to GOP primary voters: “I will win the general election. I will win it, and if we don’t win it, nothing else matters.” He was referring to upcoming reapportionment after the 2020 census, and Democratic talk about implementing a graduated income tax the governor said would hit many middle-class families. Asked if he was saying Ives is too conservative to win a general election, Rauner gave the same answer—”I will win”—eventually adding, “I have the best chance of anybody in the state to win the general election.” He then went on to rip Madigan, saying the speaker “has become a millionaire” by preserving a “rigged” property tax system that benefits Madigan’s property tax appeals law firm. On paper, Illinois history would suggest that while firebrand conservatives such as Ives draw a lot of attention, in the end, relative moderates prevail in what never has been a leading conservative state. That certainly was the case with prior Govs. Jim Thompson and Jim Edgar, who fought off conservatives. Beyond that, Rauner has the financial resources to spend whatever it takes. Ives has collected around $300,000 so far with contributions from investor Peter Huizenga, railroad asset lessor Vince Kolber, Chicago Bears owner Virginia McCaskey and others. Rauner had $65.5 million in his main campaign fund as of Sept. 30. She could even that up somewhat if wealthy conservative businessman Richard Uihlein switches sides and supports her; Ives said today she’d accept funds from him, despite his financial role in backing Alabama Senate hopeful Roy Moore. But it’s far from clear that will happen. On the other hand, as Trump has shown, many of the old political rules are in question now. The state’s GOP establishment is not what it was, with some congressmen and other leaders so far sitting out the race. Will Rauner go negative in a big way if polling shows Ives is pulling ahead? It’s too soon to tell in what’s shaping up as a lively, perhaps all-out battle for control of the Illinois Republican Party.)

WTTW
— Gov. Rauner Seeking Re-election: ‘I Am Not in Charge’ – Amanda Vinicky
http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2017/12/04/gov-rauner-seeking-re-election-i-am-not-charge
— How Will GOP Tax Plan Affect the Economy and Americans’ Wallets? – Evan Garcia
http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2017/12/04/how-will-gop-tax-plan-affect-economy-and-americans-wallets

WLS AM
— Rauner fires back – Bill Cameron
http://www.wlsam.com/2017/12/04/rauner-fires-back/
— Ives makes it official, she is challenging Rauner for Governor – John Dempsey
http://www.wlsam.com/2017/12/04/ives-makes-it-official-she-is-challenging-rauner-for-governor/

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— McCann won’t seek GOP nomination for new Senate term – Bernard Schoenburg
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171204/mccann-wont-seek-gop-nomination-for-new-senate-term

OUR QUAD CITIES
— County board member’s hat in ring for lt. governor Rich Morthland is gubernatorial candidate Jeanne Ives’ running mate – Ginger Arnold
http://www.ourquadcities.com/election/yleh-qc/county-board-members-hat-in-ring-for-lt-governor/874945852

MORNING ANSWER CHICAGO
— Rep. Jeanne Ives Talks About Her Primary Run Against Bruce Rauner
http://morninganswerchicago.com/2017/12/04/rep-jeanne-ives-talks-primary-run-bruce-rauner/

WILLIAM J. KELLY
— Kelly announces independent bid for Governor against Rauner
http://www.williamjkelly.org/news/kelly-announces-independent-bid-for-governor-against-rauner
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18q9mvABlcs

NORTH COOK NEWS
— Roskam may withhold support for Rauner re-election – Caitlin Nordahl
https://northcooknews.com/stories/511280697-roskam-may-withhold-support-for-rauner-re-election

MCHENRY TIMES
— County chairperson bill ignores wishes of McHenry County voters, says Reick – Sean Fowler
https://mchenrytimes.com/stories/511282712-county-chairperson-bill-ignores-wishes-of-mchenry-county-voters-says-reick

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Taxpayers spend tens of thousands on Illinois municipal conference – Greg Bishop, Dan McCaleb and Cole Lauterbach
https://www.ilnews.org/news/statewide/taxpayers-spend-tens-of-thousands-on-illinois-municipal-conference/article_0a0cd47c-d6d3-11e7-b2b7-573d1a925545.html

ILLINOIS FAMILY INSTITUTE
— Why the Masterpiece Cake Case Matters to All Americans – Dr. Michael L. Brown
https://illinoisfamily.org/religious/masterpiece-cake-case-matters-americans/

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— IVES OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES BID FOR GOVERNOR (FROM THE ARTICLE: State Rep. Jeanne Ives announced officially Sunday night in an invitation-only gathering in her home district that she would be a candidate for governor in the March 2018 Illinois Republican Party primary.) (DIERSEN: Who was invited? Who was not invited? I was not invited. I should write an article about the many campaign announcements in DuPage County that I have been invited to attend since 2000.)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/ives-officially-announces-bid-for-governor.html
— SENATOR MCCANN NOT TO SEEK RE-ELECTION; DISSES IL GOP IN ANNOUNCEMENT
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/mccann-not-to-run-for-re-election-disses-il-gop-in-announcement.html
— ILLINOIS LIBERTARIANS TO HOST GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE FORUM TUESDAY NIGHT IN CHAMPAIGN (DIERSEN: There tremendous conflicts between the Libertarian Party platform and the Republican Party platform.)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/illinois-libertarians-to-host-gubernatorial-debate-forum-tuesday-night-in-champaign.html

CAPITOL FAX
— Rauner repeatedly lashes out at reporters over Madigan: “You’re playing games and you’re not reporting the truth to the people of Illinois”
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/04/rauner-repeatedly-lashes-out-at-reporters-over-madigan-youre-playing-games-and-youre-not-reporting-the-truth-to-the-people-of-illinois/
— Rauner on Dems: “They will sock the middle class with a tax hike that Madigan and his puppets want and it will destroy Illinois”
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/04/rauner-on-dems-they-will-sock-the-middle-class-with-a-tax-hike-that-madigan-and-his-puppets-want-and-it-will-destroy-illinois/
— Rauner says National Review article a “hit piece,” won’t commit to debating “fringe” Ives
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/04/rauner-says-national-review-article-a-hit-piece-wont-commit-to-debating-fringe-ives/
— Pritzker, Proft, Ives ridicule Rauner for “I am not in charge” claim
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/04/pritzker-ridicules-rauner-for-%e2%80%9ci-am-not-in-charge%e2%80%9d-claim/
— Rauner campaign, ILGOP respond *** A matter of trusts
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/04/a-matter-of-trusts/
— Recreational cannabis sponsors offer to educate Rauner “when he is ready to deal in facts, not scare tactics” (DIERSEN: If you promote pot, you promote destruction.)
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/04/recreational-cannabis-sponsors-offer-to-educate-rauner-when-he-is-ready-to-deal-in-facts-not-scare-tactics/

BREITBART
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC, IF NOT CRIMINAL: Amnesty Is Good for Business, Says GOP Gov. Snyder In Michigan – NEIL MUNRO (DIERSEN: Snyder talks like he is a paid agent for countries that want to destroy America.)
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/04/gov-snyder-michigan-praises-amnesty-good-for-business/

DAILY SIGNAL
— The Differences House, Senate Will Have to Resolve to Advance Tax Reform Bill – Rachel del Guidice
http://dailysignal.com/2017/12/04/the-differences-house-senate-will-have-to-resolve-to-advance-tax-reform-bill/

DAILY CALLER
— TIME Just Released Its Finalists For Person Of The Year — You’ll Notice A Disturbing Trend – Benny Johnson
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/04/time-just-released-its-finalists-for-person-of-the-year-youll-notice-a-disturbing-trend/

TOWNHALL
— Busted: Dick Durbin Exposed As Hypocrite For Railing Against Handwritten Changes to Legislation – Guy Benson
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2017/12/04/durbin-busted-for-hypocrisy-on-handwritten-changes-to-legislation-n2417559

THE HILL
— Lawmakers seek end to taxpayer-backed sexual harassment settlements – CRISTINA MARCOS
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/362864-lawmakers-seek-end-to-taxpayer-backed-sexual-harassment-settlements

WARWICK
— Cannabis linked to bipolar symptoms in young adults
https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/cannabis_linked_to/

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. View all posts by David Diersen