CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Rauner stands by ‘I am not in charge’ comment
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-michael-madigan-20171206-story.html
— Sexual harassment training? Let’s start with a trip back to kindergarten – Donna Vickroy
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-vickroy-sexual-harassment-training-st-1119-20171201-story.html
DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH FOUR COLOR PICTURES: HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: On Your Dime Here’s how elected officials and staffs from 50 suburbs examined by the Daily Herald spent $119,431.64 attending the 2017 Illinois Municipal League conference in downtown Chicago – Jake Griffin (DIERSEN: If I ran for a government office or for a political office, would the Daily Herald get copies of and examine all my expense vouchers while I worked for GAO 1980-1997, IRS 1971-1980, and Post Office 1966-1969? Information on partial-day per diem claims that I submitted 1973-1974 is available at http://www.gao.gov/products/463866.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171206/1325-dinner-for-11-taxpayers-cover-hotels-dining-booze-at-conference
— TRAGIC: Lake Zurich approves video gambling at BBQ’d Productions – Doug T. Graham
http://www.dailyherald.com/business/20171205/lake-zurich-approves-video-gambling-at-bbqd-productions
— The GOP tax plan is Robin Hood in reverse – Frank Manzo IV
http://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20171206/the-gop-tax-plan-is-robin-hood-in-reverse
— Time’s Person of Year: ‘Silence Breakers’ who spoke out about sexual harassment – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20171206/times-person-of-year-silence-breakers-who-spoke-out-about-sexual-harassment
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Invoking the specter of Nazi Germany, Obama warns against complacency – GREG HINZ (DIERSEN: The more of the following that you are, the more that anti-Trumps hint/imply/argue/shout that you are a Nazi and even worse things: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171206/BLOGS02/171209933
WBEZ
— Gov. Rauner Defends Statement He Made Saying He’s Not In Charge Of State Government – Quinn Myers
https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-updates/gov-rauner-defends-statement-he-made-saying-hes-not-in-charge-of-state-government/e73b10ed-05fe-4a03-a96a-737ceb6cfaa1
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Do Pritzker and Kennedy have a tax transparency gap? – BGA (DIERSEN: It would be great if operatives and dupes who work for my critics/opponents were required to disclose the sources and amounts of all their income. Are they being paid at least $15/hour?)
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171205/fact-check-do-pritzker-and-kennedy-have-tax-transparency-gap
— State officer voids $13 million no-bid Medicaid consulting contract – Doug Finke
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171205/state-officer-voids-13-million-no-bid-medicaid-consulting-contract
— Statehouse evacuated for three hours after bomb threat – AP
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20171204/statehouse-evacuated-for-three-hours-after-bomb-threat
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— 40 years is enough for Urbana GOP committeeman – Tom Kacich (DIERSEN: Who is your Republican Precinct Committeeman/Captain? What has he/she done to help elect Republicans who can and will defend and advance the Illinois Republican Party platform?)
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-12-06/tom-kacich-40-years-enough-urbana-gop-committeeman.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: His friendly foe in Urbana’s Cunningham 10 precinct retired in 2016, and now Jan Miller — the Republican precinct committeeman in what is generally regarded as the most Democratic precinct in Champaign County — is stepping down after 40 years. Back in 2009, then-County Clerk Mark Shelden said that Miller and his Democratic counterpart, Bernadine Stake, had set the county record for most consecutive two-year terms (16) as committeemen in the same precinct. Miller has been a GOP committeeman since 1978. Stake had served for Democrats from 1980 to 2016. “We’re still super active, but 40 years, that’s enough,” Miller said of the work he and his wife, Karen, have done for the party in the precinct centered around Carle Park in Urbana. “It was really more than 40.” Before he became committeeman in Cunningham 10, Miller said, he was the GOP committeeman in a Coles County precinct near Eastern Illinois University, while he was a student there. That’s where he met former Gov. Jim Edgar, who had lived in Charleston, attended EIU and later represented the area in the Illinois House. “I got to know him really well. I have a picture of my 1965 Chevrolet with a giant Edgar roof sign on it,” said Miller. “We used to go out and take groups of kids down to Paris and other towns to work for him. We had a lot of fun, and I made a lot of good friends.”)
HERALD NEWS
— Constituents stage sit-in at Lipinski’s Lockport office over DACA – ALEX ORTIZ
http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/12/05/constituents-stage-sit-in-at-lipinskis-lockport-office-over-daca/am9cjl9/
SOUTHERN
— A 27-year-old Libertarian former model from Benton is challenging Bost in the 12th District GOP primary – ISAAC SMITH (DIERSEN: There are tremendous conflicts between the Republican Party platform and the Libertarian Party platform.)
http://thesouthern.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/a–year-old-libertarian-former-model-from-benton-is/article_03564f04-9007-5ec5-af33-c46e648a79cc.html
QUAD CITY TIMES
— Even Rauner knows he’s failed – Editorial (DIERSEN: Those who want Rauner to fail vote for Democrats.)
http://qctimes.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-even-rauner-knows-he-s-failed/article_04a19889-73c9-51a5-ace6-c7926d0025a0.html
QUAD CITIES ONLINE
— Illinois procurement chief cancels Rauner consulting pact – AP
http://qconline.com/illinois/illinois-procurement-chief-cancels-rauner-consulting-pact/article_5404a1f2-912c-5c8d-80ef-4cadc0f48c1e.html
CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Bannon rallies Republicans for Roy Moore in Alabama Bannon goes after Romney, Sen. Flake – ERIC BRADNER
http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/bannon-rallies-republicans-for-roy-moore-in-alabama/875767946
WJPF
— Newsradio WJPF interview with Jeanne Ives
http://www.wjpf.com/episode/newsradio-wjpf-interview-with-jeanne-ives-2/
IN THESE TIMES
— In the Face of the GOP’s Class-War Tax Bill, Chicago Activists Voice Outrage in the Streets – TIMNA AXEL
http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/20733/in_the_face_of_the_gops_class_war_tax_bill_chicago_activists_voice_outrage
CHICAGO OBSERVER
— Rauner, Republicanism and Resignation – RUSS STEWART
http://www.cdobs.com/archive/featured/rauner-republicanism-and-resignation/
ILLINOIS CHRONICLE
— Rauner endorses plan to balloon the federal deficit, like he did in Illinois
https://theillinoischronicle.com/chronicle-rauner-endorses-plan-to-balloon-the-federal-deficit-like-he-did-in-illinois/
ILLINOIS LEAKS
— Disgraced Former Planning Director Amy Connolly Loses Immunity Claim and Must Answer Tinley Park Lawsuit – KEVIN DUJAN (DIERSEN: What would your critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes stress to hint/imply/argue/shout that you are disgraced? Mine would stress that I am no longer a TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member, Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster, Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) Steering Committee member, American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member, GAO employee, etc. They would stress that they almost got ICRC to censure me at the start of ICRC’s 2006 Annual Convention. They would stress their success in keeping off their press advisory lists and their press release lists. They would stress their success in barring me from their events and in throwing me out of their events.)
http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2017/12/disgraced-former-planning-director-amy-connolly-loses-immunity-claim-and-must-answer-tinley-park-lawsuit/
ILLINOIS FAMILY ACTION
— Islam in America
https://illinoisfamilyaction.org/podcast/islam-in-america-illinois-family-spotlight-071/
ILLINOIS REVIEW
— VOTERS REJECT SANCTUARY POLICIES NATIONWIDE; REMAINS TOUCHY ISSUE IN ILLINOIS
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/voters-reject-sanctuary-policies-nationwide-remains-touchy-issue-in-illinois.html
— BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: IL CONGRESSMEN DAVIS, KINZINGER JOIN 32 GOPERS CALLING FOR DACA AMNESTY
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/12/il-congressmen-davis-kinzinger-join-32-gopers-calling-for-daca-amnesty-.html
REAL GOP ILLINOIS
— McCann independent bid could spell doom for Rauner
https://realgopillinois.com/2017/12/05/mccann-independent-bid-spell-doom-rauner/
CAPITOL FAX
— Attacking Pritzker (and Madigan) instead of Ives
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/06/attacking-pritzker-instead-of-ives/
— GOP Sen. Barickman says legalizing marijuana is “inevitable,” calls on Rauner to change his mind (DIERSEN: If you promote pot, you promote destruction.)
https://capitolfax.com/2017/12/06/gop-sen-barickman-says-legalizing-marijuana-is-inevitable-calls-on-rauner-to-change-his-mind/
GOPUSA
— Mueller’s credibility plunging as leftist staff exposed (DIERSEN: What do you say those who say that they are conservative and/or Republican, but who surround themselves with Democrat plants, Libertarian plants, Green plants, and RINOs?)
http://www.gopusa.com/muellers-credibility-plunging-as-leftist-staff-exposed/
DAILY CALLER
— Federal Grand Jury Indicts Steinle Killer – Alex Pfeiffer
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/05/federal-grand-jury-indicts-steinle-killer/
THE HILL
— GOP and Dems bitterly divided by immigration – ALEXANDER BOLTON (DIERSEN: Democrats shout at immigrants that Republicans are White supremacists, Nazis, KKK members, haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things.)
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/363447-gop-and-dems-bitterly-divided-by-immigration
HUFFINGTON POST
— Everyone Should Serve – William Becker (DIERSEN: I served 1966-1969 and 1971-1997.)
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/everyone-should-serve_us_5a26c751e4b0e383e63c3ce0
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Every few years, someone promotes the idea of mandatory national service for young Americans. Just as regularly, the idea fades away. But for a variety of reasons right now, this would be a great time for Congress to put finally put obligatory national service in place. The latest call for this comes from Isabel Sawhill of Brookings. As she points out, mandatory national service has been supported in the past by leaders such as Sen. John McCain, Presidents George H.W. and George W. Bush, Gov. John Kasich and Mitt Romney. Why is this a good idea? One year or more of national service gives young adults a valuable dose of reality before they enter college. It gives them greater perspective to choose what they really want to study.)
REUTERS
— Cuts to homeowner tax breaks could cost Republicans in 2018 races – Sharon Bernstein, Howard Schneider (DIERSEN: Are you a homeowner? I have been a homeowner since 1972 and my wife and I since 1978.)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trump-effect-red-states/cuts-to-homeowner-tax-breaks-could-cost-republicans-in-2018-races-idUSKBN1E01BP
AOL NEWS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “31 percent of Republicans want a different presidential nominee in 2020.”
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/12/05/poll-31-of-republicans-want-a-different-presidential-nominee-i/23297873/
NEW YORK TIMES
— Among the Tax Bill’s Biggest Losers: High-Income, Blue State Taxpayers – ALICIA PARLAPIANO and K.K. REBECCA LAI (DIERSEN: According to this article, the average SALT deduction is $7,243 for AGI of $75,000-$100,000 and $11,099 for AGI of $100,$200,000. But the Diersens’ 2016 SALT deduction was $14,303 – $12,835 real estate tax and $1,468 state income tax.)
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/05/us/politics/tax-bill-salt.html
— Conservative Groups Seeking Support for Tax Cuts Find It a Hard Sell – Jeremy W. Peters
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/us/politics/tax-cuts-public-opinion-koch-brothers.html
— How Effective Is Your School District? A New Measure Shows Where Students Learn the Most – EMILY BADGER and KEVIN QUEALY
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/05/upshot/a-better-way-to-compare-public-schools.html
— Tax Plan Aims to Slay a Reagan Target: The Government Beast – Eduardo Porter
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/business/economy/tax-plan-reagan.html
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: What Colleges Want – Rebecca Zwick (DIERSEN: From what I see, colleges want to crank out “good little Democrats.” Colleges want people who they can make even more anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/opinion/college-applications-stress.html
— As Harassment Accusations Multiply, a Question: Who Stays and Who Goes? – Sheryl Gay Stolberg (DIERSEN: From What I see, the more of the following that you are, the sooner that you go: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/us/politics/sexual-harassment-congress-resignation-pressure.html
WASHINGTON POST
— Bannon rails against Romney in Alabama speech: ‘You hid behind your religion’ to avoid Vietnam – David Weigel (DIERSEN: If you avoided the draft, you should expect that your critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes will use that against you. I sought and obtained a) student draft deferments 1966-1070 and b) a financial draft deferment 1970-1971. But what if I had been 4-F? My eyesight could not be corrected to 20/20, I had partial red/green color blindness, and I had Osgood-Schlatter disease (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osgood%E2%80%93Schlatter_disease).)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/12/05/bannon-rails-at-romney-in-alabama-speech-you-hid-behind-your-religion-to-avoid-vietnam/
— Once a populist, Trump governs like a conservative Republican – John Wagner and Juliet Eilperin
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/once-a-populist-trump-governs-like-a-conservative-republican/2017/12/05/e73c6106-d902-11e7-b1a8-62589434a581_story.html
— Despite Trump, federal employee morale improves under Trump – Joe Davidson (DIERSEN: Democrats have run the federal government. Democrats are running the federal government. Democrats will continue to run the federal government.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/12/06/despite-trump-federal-employee-morale-improves-under-trump/?utm_term=.d7fe684b6109
(FROM THE ARTICLE: If the top office on my job was unexpectedly filled with a racist, Islamophobe caught boasting about groping women, it would hurt my morale. Not so, apparently, with many federal employees. Although President Trump has repeatedly disgraced the nation, not to mention proposing cuts to federal employees’ retirement and their workplaces, the morale of federal workers has gone up on his watch. So say the data. The Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings released Wednesday by the Partnership for Public Service and the Deloitte consulting firm, indicate, with notable exceptions, the federal government is a better place to work since Trump took office. Overall, there was a 2.1 point increase in 2017 employee engagement over 2016. The 61.5/100 score is the highest since 2011. The rankings are based largely on the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey that was conducted in May and June by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). That survey, released in October, also indicated the highest level of employee engagement since 2011, predicting the Best Places findings. But the data’s big picture conflict with the workplace image drawn by many federal employees who have expressed disgust and anxiety over the Trump administration. This year’s increase is part of a three-year upward trend that began under former president Barack Obama. The scores are based on questions from the survey.)
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Judging Roy Moore A GOP victory in Alabama may be more costly than a defeat. – Editorial (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, the more of the following that you are, the more that you are presumed to be guilty as charged: Trump supporter, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owner, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time. Ever-increasingly, the more of the aforesaid that you are, the more that you are blacklisted.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/judging-roy-moore-1512519609
— This Tax Plan Puts Another Knife Into American Democracy – Tom Steyer
https://www.wsj.com/articles/this-tax-plan-puts-another-knife-into-american-democracy-1512519822
— Federal Charges Laid Against Illegal Immigrant Acquitted of Murder Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, who was found not guilty of murder in San Francisco woman’s killing, was indicted by a federal grand jury – Alicia A. Caldwell
https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-charges-laid-against-illegal-immigrant-acquitted-of-murder-1512535885
— San Francisco Wasn’t a Sanctuary for Kate Steinle Did the jurors acquit her killer to send a message of disapproval to President Trump? – Jason L. Riley
https://www.wsj.com/articles/san-francisco-wasnt-a-sanctuary-for-kate-steinle-1512519875
— California Republicans Push to Preserve Income-Tax Deduction Deduction was repealed by Senate and House in the bills they passed; income taxes are bigger issue in California than property taxes – Richard Rubin and Siobhan Hughes
https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-republicans-push-to-preserve-income-tax-deduction-1512517910
— GOP Tax Plan Calculator Calculate your taxes and discover the potential effect of the House plan – Dylan Moriarty and Taylor Umlauf
https://www.wsj.com/graphics/republican-tax-plan-calculator/
— North Koreans Get Smartphones, and the Regime Keeps Tabs Dictatorship allows wider use of mobile devices and embeds technology to limit and monitor their use – Timothy W. Martin and Warangkana Chomchuen (DIERSEN: In many ways, my critics/opponents are like those who run North Korea.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-koreans-get-smartphones-and-the-regime-keeps-tabs-1512556200
— After Push on Taxes, Republicans Line Up Welfare Revamp Next Trump and GOP lawmakers ready to kick off fight to overhaul social programs – Louise Radnofsky (DIERSEN: Everyone could ask themselves, how much welfare would it take for them “go on the dole?” – $15,000/year, $20,000/year, $25,000/year, $30,000/year, $35,000/year, $40,000/year, $45,000/year, $50,000+/year?)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/after-push-on-taxes-republicans-line-up-welfare-revamp-next-1512469801
NEWSWEEK
— BARACK OBAMA THANKS HIMSELF FOR SUCCESS OF AMERICAN ECONOMY SINCE DONALD TRUMP BECAME PRESIDENT – GRAHAM LANKTREE
http://www.newsweek.com/barack-obama-thanks-himself-american-economys-success-739598
GOVERNING
– Don’t Rush New Sexual Harassment Policies, Some Women Lawmakers Warn The Illinois legislature was one of the first in the country to confront the fallout of the #metoo movement. Lawmakers there worry that going too fast could result in faulty policies. – DANIEL C. VOCK
http://www.governing.com/topics/politics/gov-metoo-sexual-harassment-state-capitols.html
FED SMITH
— Is Your Agency Among the ‘Best Places to Work’ in Government? – Ian Smith (DIERSEN: GAO is ranked second among mid-sized agencies. Democrats would stress that they had great success during the 1980s and 1990s getting rid of the agency’s employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who had not made GS-13 (currently $94,610) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $111,801) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $131,508) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $161,900) by age 40.)
https://www.fedsmith.com/2017/12/06/agency-among-best-places-work-government/
RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— Voters Reject Steinle Verdict, Favor Punishing ‘Sanctuary’ Lawmakers
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/december_2017/voters_reject_steinle_verdict_favor_punishing_sanctuary_lawmakers
