December 7 Evening Edition

ABC7
— Illinois COVID-19 Update: IL reports 8,691 cases, 90 coronavirus deaths. LaSalle Veterans Home administrator fired amid COVID-19 outbreak investigation. – Eric Horng
https://abc7chicago.com/health/il-reports-8691-new-covid-19-cases-90-deaths/8583717/

CBS2
— While Calling For Injunction That Could Delay CPS Reopening Plan, Chicago Teachers Union Says Strike Is Not Off Table – Dana Kozlov
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/12/07/while-calling-for-injunction-that-could-delay-cps-reopening-plan-chicago-teachers-union-says-strike-is-not-off-table/

WGN TV
— GOP searching for new leader in Illinois as party sets sights on governor’s race in 2022 – Tahman Bradley
https://wgntv.com/news/politics/gop-searching-for-new-leader-in-illinois-as-party-sets-sights-on-governors-race-in-2022/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Sources said the early top contender is Mark Shaw of Lake County, who two years ago wanted to take on Schneider but backed down when offered a new position as co-chairman for Conservative and Grassroots Outreach. “I think it would be somebody who has good communication skills, first of all. But also a strong track record of fundraising for political activities as well as experience running campaigns,” said Richard Porter, a member of the Republican National Committee representing Illinois. Schneider’s departure caught some party insiders like House GOP leader Jim Durkin by surprise. “I think that there was a conflict – as there always is – between the chairman and party but I think Tim made a decision on his own,” Durkin said. The state party is touting success in last month’s election, Governor JB Pritzker’s graduated income tax was defeated, a Democratic Supreme Court justice lost his retention contest and the party picked up a House seat. “We have to get a new chairman in, one who’s going to be a person that appeals to not only conservatives but moderates, independents and also disenfranchised Democrats,” Durkin said.)

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— Trump plans to outshine Biden on Inauguration Day with opposing rally: report – Yael Halon
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/trump-plans-to-outshine-biden-on-inauguration-day-with-opposing-rally-report

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— CTU files challenge to delay CPS reopening next month. If the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board agrees with the union, CPS’ planned return to in-person learning could go on hold for weeks as the two sides work through their differences. – Nader Issa
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2020/12/7/22158727/ctu-teachers-union-cps-reopening-public-schools
— With holidays looming, Pritzker says Illinois has ‘a long way to go to move away from … the danger zone’ of COVID-19. “These next four weeks may be the most crucial month of this entire pandemic,” the governor said. “We quite literally have very limited leeway in our hospital systems to manage another surge.” – Rachel Hinton
https://chicago.suntimes.com/coronavirus/2020/12/7/22159336/illinois-coronavirus-update-cases-patients-deaths-covid-19-dec-7
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: AS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY’S STRANGLEHOLD ON CHICAGO TIGHTENS: Ever-increasingly, since the Civil War, Democrats blame Republicans for the problems that Blacks have.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/12/7/22160123/kim-foxx-institutional-racism-system-racism-chicago-violence-states-attorneys-office

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Even before COVID-19, more than 100 people a day were leaving Chicago – ALEX TANZI AND WEI LU
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-covid-19-census-people-move-out-chicago-20201207-p74fobuowbf5zjxnfgebozc5ea-story.html
— Millions of hungry Americans turn to food banks for the 1st time: ‘This is a hard thing to accept that you have to do this’
https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-nw-america-food-banks-20201207-yhub3w5xxvbbplt3bni4evqgyq-story.html
— New Will County Board seated, elects Mimi Cowan to continue as speaker – JEFF VORVA
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/ct-sta-will-county-board-organizes-st-1208-20201207-a3rylokcpzf7npg4wrohjgsohe-story.html
— Education was a key dividing line as a clearer picture of the presidential results confirms a few patterns in the 2020 vote – JED KOLKO AND TONI MONKOVIC (DIERSEN: While I have four college degrees, but they are in management (2), accounting, and finance.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-nw-nyt-2020-election-swings-20201207-fkugcls5rnc6vcczblux4rgty4-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Education  Among metropolitan areas with a population over 250,000, three Colorado metros — fast-growing Colorado Springs, Denver and Fort Collins — topped the list for swings against Trump in two-party vote share. Colorado has one of the nation’s highest rates of people with a four-year college degree, and this year it solidified its status as a blue state. Colorado’s shift against Trump was 8.6 points, second only to Vermont’s 9 points. A part of conservative-leaning Kentucky posted one of the bigger anti-Trump shifts. The Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky, metropolitan area, which flipped from red to blue and is home to the University of Kentucky, has the highest percentage of college graduates in the region and is in the top fifth of metros for college attainment. And what about the big swing in the Huntsville area in deep-red Alabama? Fast-growing places with brighter economic prospects — correlated with a higher number of people with college degrees and more jobs in professional, tech and creative fields — moved toward Biden. A highly educated workforce in Huntsville, first put to use in industries like aerospace, has become attractive to other businesses in recent years. Suburban areas in Nebraska swung significantly toward Biden. Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes well-educated Omaha, contributed one electoral vote to Biden’s tally. It “swung against Trump more than any swing state,” according to Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report. The swing was 8.8 points, as the district flipped from red to blue.)

DAILY HERALD
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Downers Grove poised to lift ban and allow marijuana sales – Scott C. Morgan
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20201206/downers-grove-poised-to-lift-ban-and-allow-marijuana-sales
— Lake County Board’s Democratic leadership gets two more years – Mick Zawislak
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20201207/lake-county-boards-democratic-leadership-gets-two-more-years
— Lawmakers who met with Giuliani scramble after COVID news – AP
https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20201207/news/312079881/
— COVID-19 cases tied to Hugo’s Frog Bar in Naperville
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20201207/covid-19-cases-tied-to-hugos-frog-bar-in-naperville

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Madigan comments complicate tax hike plan. GOP Leader Durkin rips the speaker’s vow to help Pritzker pass an income tax increase if the governor decides one is needed. – GREG HINZ
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/greg-hinz-politics/madigan-comments-complicate-tax-hike-plan
— Chicago Auto Show on hold One of the biggest industry gatherings in North America is another event knocked out by COVID. When will it take place? – JACK WALSWORTH
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/news/chicago-auto-show-hold

WJOL
— Illinois Republican Lawmakers Want Answers About Unemployment Fraud
https://www.wjol.com/illinois-republican-lawmakers-want-answers-about-unemployment-fraud/

MDJ ONLINE
— Illinois lawmaker defends holiday party as right to peaceably assemble
https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/extra/news/illinois-lawmaker-defends-holiday-party-as-right-to-peaceably-assemble/video_40134002-e690-518b-b61e-f19428656935.html

DUPAGE COUNTY
— PRESS RELEASE: DuPage County Officials Take Oath of Office
https://www.dupageco.org/Content.aspx?id=63957

WILLIAM J KELLY
— Why I’m Running for IL GOP Party Chairman
https://www.williamjkelly.org/news/#kelly-why-im-running-for-il-gop-party-chairman

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— ILLINOIS SCHOOL STANDARDS PROPOSAL PUSHES ‘PROGRESSIVE VALUES’ OVER DIVERSE VIEWS, CRITICS SAY – Ben Szalinski
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-school-standards-proposal-pushes-progressive-values-over-diverse-views-critics-say/

ILLINOIS LEAKS
— DuPage Trustee Maripat Oliver’s continued micro racism during public meetings – JOHN M KRAFT
https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2020/12/dupage-trustee-maripat-olivers-continued-micro-racism-during-public-meetings/

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— IL GOP BATTLES HEAT UP OVER ELECTION RESULTS
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2020/12/il-gop-battles-heats-up-over-election-results-.html

CAPITOL FAX
— Durkin slams Madigan for offering to pass an income tax hike
https://capitolfax.com/2020/12/07/durkin-slams-madigan-for-offering-to-pass-an-income-tax-hike/
— 8,691 new confirmed and probable cases; 90 additional deaths; 5,190 hospitalized; 1,123 in the ICU; 10.3 percent case positivity rate; 11.9 percent test positivity rate
https://capitolfax.com/2020/12/07/8691-new-confirmed-and-probable-cases-90-additional-deaths-5190-hospitalized-1123-in-the-icu-103-percent-case-positivity-rate-119-percent-test-positivity-rate/
— COVID-19 roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2020/12/07/covid-19-roundup-63/

GOPUSA
— Democrats With Political Power Cancel Christmas
https://www.gopusa.com/?p=98777

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.