February 16, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season (COMMENT: I was involved in IRS’s 1974 tax season big time. Have you ever phoned IRS with a tax question? If you did during the 1974 filing season, the IRS employee who answered your call was one of my subordinates. Back then, as a 25-year-old GS-11 (currently $82,655/year) IRS Revenue Officer, I supervised all of the IRS employees, which included a rotating staff of about 90 IRS Revenue Agent trainees, in IRS’s new downtown Chicago office who answered taxpayer questions using IRS’s new tollfree CentiPhone system. Because of my job performance, the IRS manager who had given me that developmental opportunity and who had promoted me in 1972 and 1973 promoted me to GS-12 (currently $99,069/year) in 1974.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/what-are-propationary-employees-irs-is-set-lay-off-thousands-middle-2025-tax-season-many-await-refunds/15915432/?cmp=emc-wls-news-headlines-2/16/2025

NBC5
— Mexico’s President Sheinbaum offers sarcastic response to Trump’s ‘Gulf of America’ comment
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/mexicos-president-sheinbaum-offers-sarcastic-response-to-trumps-gulf-of-america-comment/3641113/
— Sikh communities fear immigration raids as Trump ends sanctuary for temples
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/sikh-communities-fear-immigration-raids-trump-ends-sanctuary/3675500/
— AP reporter, photographer barred after ‘Gulf of Mexico’ dispute
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/trump-denies-media-access-gulf-of-mexico-first-amendement/3675490/

CBS2
— Trump administration face criticism from European allies after Vance speech
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/trump-administration-face-criticism-from-european-allies-after-vance-speech/

FOX32
— Poll: Increasing number of Democrats say party should become more moderate
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/democrats-moderation-gallup-poll-2025

WGN9
— Here are the agencies purging federal employees (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, because of Republican imposed budget cuts, they ever-increasingly purged their employees starting with those who were Republican and then those who were White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or had ancestors who had been in America for a long time.)
https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/here-are-the-agencies-purging-federal-workers/

WGN RADIO
— Should the IRS be abolished? (COMMENT: I worked for GAO on audits of IRS for 3 years while I was at the GS-13 Step 1-3 Levels, currently $117,807-$125,661/year. I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year.)
https://wgnradio.com/lets-get-legal/should-the-irs-be-abolished/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season (COMMENT: During the 1974 tax season, I was responsible for assuring that all the phone calls that came into IRS’s new tollfree number in the Loop were answered promptly and correctly.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/15/irs-probationary-workers-tax-season/
— The US auto industry will fall behind if it retreats from electric vehicles (COMMENT: I have ordered a 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T EV.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/14/editorial-the-us-auto-industry-will-fall-behind-if-it-retreats-from-electric-vehicles/
— Zelenskyy calls for ‘armed forces of Europe’ as EU leaders bristle at new US policies on Ukraine
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/15/ukraine-armed-forced-of-europe/
— Trump’s reciprocal tariffs will overturn decades of trade policy
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/15/trump-reciprocal-tariffs-2/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: ‘Whole different level.’ The Illinois-Indiana political divide widens amid Trump 2.0, from immigration to DEI to LGBTQ rights.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/16/illinois-indiana-political-divide-widens-trump-immigration-dei-lgbtq-rights/
— Federal plan to reduce government office space could be a blow to Chicago, where selling properties wouldn’t be easy (COMMENT: I worked in the Kluczynski building 1973-1980 for IRS and then for GAO 1980-1981.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/16/federal-office-space-chicago/
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE IN THE NAPERVILLE SUN: Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, homelessness will ever-increasingly increase.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/14/dupage-naperville-homeless-winter-emergency-shelter/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/lgbtq/2025/02/15/hundreds-gather-outside-lurie-childrens-hospital-to-protest-youth-gender-care-change-i-want-my-healthcare

ST. LOUIS TODAY
— White South Africans gather in support of Trump and his claims that they are victims of racism
https://www.stltoday.com/news/article_419396d2-eb99-11ef-a041-830ca4999d70.html

BELOIT DAILY NEWS
— Trump tours Boeing plane to highlight aircraft maker’s delay in delivering a new Air Force One
https://www.beloitdailynews.com/news/illinois-news/trump-tours-boeing-plane-to-highlight-aircraft-makers-delay-in-delivering-a-new-air-force/article_789b296d-0e0d-5460-8c0f-19d1085a855c.html

NPR ILLINOIS
— Anticipate/expect that ever-increasingly, Democrat and RINO leaders will negatively analogize Trump to Nixon.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-15/after-watergate-congress-curbed-the-presidency-now-trump-is-testing-those-limits

WAND TV
— Trump tours Boeing plane to check out features that would be on overdue new Air Force One aircraft
https://www.wandtv.com/news/national/trump-tours-boeing-plane-to-check-out-features-that-would-be-on-overdue-new-air/article_6c73d2e6-5d71-581e-8683-60dbf3479e7f.html

NEWS CHANNEL 20
— Springfield sees rise in gambling addiction amid booming video gaming revenue
https://newschannel20.com/news/local/springfield-sees-rise-in-gambling-addiction-amid-booming-video-gaming-revenue#

FOX ILLINOIS
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use health care professionals to demonize, denigrate, and condemn Trump. Sooner or later, if not already, everyone in health care will be Democrat, citizens of foreign countries, minority, female, younger, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time,
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/health-care-professionals-warn-trump-medical-research-cuts-could-impact-lifesaving-efforts
— Student who moved to DC for internship finds out Trump’s federal freeze canceled it. (COMMENT: EEOC cancelled my career in the automotive industry. In 1971, when I was 22 years old, my Firestone Store boss rudely fired me when I told him that I had accepted a job offer from Oldsmobile. But Oldsmobile withdrew that job offer saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. That directly resulted in my accepting a job offer from IRS. I had passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination in 1970 and I had to have a job to help support my mother and brother. My father had died suddenly in 1969.)
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/student-who-moved-to-dc-for-internship-finds-out-trumps-federal-freeze-canceled-it-doge-elon-musk-department-of-transportation-donald-trump-federal-government-internships-university-of-cincinnati-graduate-school

WSIL TV
— IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season. The IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season, according to two sources familiar with the agency’s plans, and cuts could come as soon as next week. (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors and supervisors were furious that they could not use probationary employee procedures to get rid of me in 1980 because I had already survived my probationary period when I worked for IRS.)
https://www.wsiltv.com/news/national/irs-will-lay-off-thousands-of-probationary-workers-in-the-middle-of-tax-season/article_97d05354-732c-5dd5-8b09-a7be5df80852.html

WGLT
— EEOC seeks to drop discrimination case after Trump executive order (COMMENT: If Trump had been President in 1971, my entire life since then would have been completely different. EEOC cancelled my career in the automotive industry. In 1971, when I was 22 years old, my Firestone Store boss rudely fired me when I told him that I had accepted a job offer from Oldsmobile. But Oldsmobile withdrew that job offer saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. That directly resulted in my accepting a job offer from IRS. I had passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination in 1970 and I had to have a job to help support my mother and brother. My father had died suddenly in 1969.)
https://www.wglt.org/2025-02-15/eeoc-seeks-to-drop-gender-discrimination-case-after-trump-executive-order

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Democrat and RINO leaders use DEI is to replace Republicans like me who are conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time with Democrats and RINOs who are not the aforesaid. So far, Democrat and RINO leaders have used DEI to a) waste my federal career and force me to retire early, b) end my service as the Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO) webmaster in 2004 and 2010, c) end my bid to serve as the MTRO treasurer in 2004, d) end my American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board membership in 2004, e) almost get the Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) to censure me for my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters in 2006, f) end my ICRC Steering Committee membership in 2007, g) end my Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee membership in 2011, h) end my TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship in 2012, i) gerrymander my precinct in 2015, j) end my service as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and fireworks in 2021, and k) end my service on the Illinois Republican Party State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee in 2024. I should write about the Democrat and RINO leaders who had their operatives and their dupes take the aforesaid adverse actions against me. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Far too many say that they are religious, conservative, and/or Republican, but do little or nothing to defend or advance religious, conservative, and/or Republican principles. What do you say to the aforesaid who work against those like me who defend and advance religious, conservative, and/or Republican principles? Should I write about them? Should I focus on those who read my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters to get information to use against me? Should I focus on those who have taken the most/biggest adverse actions against me? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What quotas/goals/targets do Democrats have for turning students in your school district into sexually active LGBTQers at each grade level?
http://www.gopillinois.com

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Senate Republican warns that Trump’s downsizing of federal workforce will do ‘more harm than good’ (COMMENT: Downsizing GAO did more harm than good.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/15/senate-republican-warns-trump-downsizing-federal-w/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— What would a Harris-Walz administration be doing right now?
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/in_focus/3320673/what-would-a-harris-walz-administration-be-doing-right-now/

NEW YORK POST
— Corporate America’s lame attempts to dress up DEI is plainly laughable (COMMENT: To promote DEI is to get rid of Republicans who are conservative, White, male, older, non-poor, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/15/business/corporate-americas-lame-attempts-to-dress-up-dei-is-plainly-laughable/

AMERICAN THINKER
— Political backlash and public outcry have prompted a compromise between Florida governor Ron DeSantis and the state’s Republican legislators on Florida’s immigration policy, following a prolonged dispute over how to handle illegal aliens.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/02/the_trump_act_the_worst_named_legislation_ever.html
— No More Mr. Nice Guy
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/02/no_more_mr_nice_guy.html
— False claims: universities can’t make them anymore
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/false_claims_universities_can_t_make_them_anymore.html

BIZ PAC REVIEW
— Finger-wagging NY AG Letitia James rages about ‘unelected’ Elon Musk
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/02/15/finger-wagging-ny-ag-letitia-james-rages-about-unelected-elon-musk-1522939/

BREITBART
— Much of Illinois Chafes Under Chicago’s, Governor’s Support for Migrants (COMMENT: Sooner or later, the lower that the income is in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct and the closer that you are to Chicago, the greater that the negative impact of illegal immigration will be.)
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/02/15/much-of-illinois-chafes-under-chicagos-governors-support-for-migrants/
— Fire-Ravaged California Spending Nearly $10 Billion on Health Care for Illegal Aliens
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/15/fire-ravaged-california-spending-nearly-10-billion-on-health-care-for-illegal-aliens/
— NYC to Sue Trump Administration over $80 Million in Funding Revoked for Migrant Shelters
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2025/02/15/report-nyc-to-sue-trump-administration-over-80-million-in-funding-revoked-for-migrant-shelters/

FOX NEWS
— Florida Speaker Daniel Perez: We stand with President Trump on illegal immigration crackdown. Illegal alien criminals will find no sanctuary in the Sunshine State.
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/florida-speaker-daniel-perez-we-stand-president-trump-illegal-immigration-crackdown
— At 50, SNL should drop the woke, get back to the joke. The show can once again be funny, if only it will stop preaching at us.
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/david-marcus-50-snl-should-drop-woke-get-back-joke
— Department of Education warns that public schools must remove DEI policies or lose federal funding. ‘Institutions that fail to comply with federal civil rights law may, consistent with applicable law, face potential loss of federal funding,’ the letter reads.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/department-education-warns-public-schools-must-remove-dei-policies-lose-federal-funding

NATIONAL REVIEW
— Wheaton College Is Abandoning Its Conservative Alumni
https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/02/wheaton-college-is-abandoning-its-conservative-alumni/

NEW AMERICAN
— Universities Get Rich Off Illegal Migrants; 408,000 Currently Enrolled (COMMENT: UIC accepted me in 1966, NIU in 1969, Loyola in 1972, DePaul in 1976, and IIT in 1992, but from what I see, if there had been as many illegals back then as there are now, they would have been accepted instead of me.)
https://thenewamerican.com/us/universities-get-rich-off-illegal-migrants-408000-currently-enrolled/

NEWS BUSTERS
— CNN Lets Pro-Gay Activist Complain About Trump on Transgenders
https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/brad-wilmouth/2025/02/15/trying-erase-cnn-lets-pro-gay-activist-complain-about-trump

NEWSMAX
— Dems Tie the Hands of Law Enforcement
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/law-enforcement-dems/2025/02/15/id/1199228/

TOWNHALL
— Here Are the Top DOGE Takedowns So Far  (COMMENT: By far, Newt Gingrich’s biggest takedown was GAO. I was collateral damage.)
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2025/02/15/doge-week-round-up-n2652105#google_vignette

TRUMP VANCE
— Should I authorize Elon Musk & D.O.G.E. to audit the IRS? (COMMENT: I worked for GAO on audits of IRS for 3 years while I was at the GS-13 Step 1-3 Levels, currently $117,807-$125,661/year. I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year.)
https://secure.winred.com/trump-national-committee-jfc/lp-hf-email-presidential-poll-v6

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

YAHOO
— Wall Street’s diversity dilemma deepens as JPMorgan’s Dimon sounds off on ‘stupid’ DEI expenses
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/wall-streets-diversity-dilemma-deepens-as-jpmorgans-dimon-sounds-off-on-stupid-dei-expenses-143000294.html

ASSOCIATED PRESS
— White South Africans gather in support of Trump and his claims that they are victims of racism  (COMMENT: Anticipate/expect that Democrat leaders will come down on Americans whose ancestors homesteaded. My ancestors on my father’s side homesteaded a 240-acre farm in southeast Crete Township in 1854.)
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/world/2025/02/15/south-africa-trump-supporters/78739407007/

CBS NEWS
— Trump tours updated Boeing plane to highlight delay in delivery of new Air Force One
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-air-force-one-tour-boeing/

NEW YORK TIMES
— Charlie Kirk
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/10/magazine/charlie-kirk-american-right.html
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly crow about their manipulation and domination of religious leaders.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/us/trump-usaid-christian-aid.html

WASHINGTON POST
— ICE struggles to boost arrest numbers despite infusion of resources. Trump has ordered a wartime effort to increase deportations, but ICE statistics show arrests have dipped so far this month.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/02/15/ice-arrests-immigration-deportations/
— Scholz blasts Vance’s support for Germany’s far right. Some see the Trump administration actively promoting political extremism in the West. (COMMENT: Ever-increasingly, since 1999, RINO leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party have demonized me, denigrated, and condemned me as being far-right, as being an extremist.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/02/15/vance-germany-afd-scholz-weidel-far-right/

USA TODAY
— Fired federal workers say ‘cold and cruel’ cuts upended their lives (COMMENT: My cold/cruel/nasty/vicious Democrat GAO superiors forced me retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. Before that, they always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes, delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13, 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 $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS. Before that, my cold/cruel/nasty/vicious Democrat IRS superiors never promoted me beyond GS-12, disallowed my education deductions, and disallowed my travel vouchers. Before that, my cold/cruel/nasty/vicious Democrat Post Office superiors forced me to resign and before that, disallowed my sick leave requests.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/16/federal-workers-trump-musk-firings/78728081007/

WEST ORLANDO NEWS
— Florida Senator Rick Scott and Republicans Introduce Dismantle DEI Act (COMMENT: What are the Republican elected officials who represent you in your county, township, municipality, and school district doing to fight DEI?)
https://westorlandonews.com/florida-senator-rick-scott-and-republicans-introduce-dismantle-dei-act/

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS
— Musk’s DOGE pays visit to IRS as millions file tax returns (COMMENT: I worked for GAO on audits of IRS for 3 years while I was at the GS-13 Step1-3 Levels, currently $117,807-$125,661/year. I worked for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year.)
https://san.com/cc/elon-musks-doge-pays-visit-to-irs-as-millions-file-tax-returns/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Musk’s cost-cutting agency is reviewing the IRS’s operations. DOGE is focusing on reducing non-essential contracts and scrutinizing the agency’s expanded workforce. Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Ron Wyden, have criticized Musk’s efforts.)

FORBES
— ‘It Can’t Be America Alone’: Hegseth Touts Work With Allies To Counter ‘Ascendant Chinese Threat’ (COMMENT: In WWIII, which countries will side with China against America? They will include those countries that are a) sending their citizens into America illegally and/or b) are keeping their citizens in America illegally.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLpL4__2Ql8

FINANCIAL REVIEW
— As Trump tries to kill DEI, Labor moves to lock it in
https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/as-trump-tries-to-kill-dei-labor-moves-to-lock-it-in-20250212-p5lblw

INDIA TODAY
— Return Of ‘DUNKIS’: Two Flights With Deported Indian Illegals From US To Land In Amritsar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te8bJPi9mH4
— Legs chained, hands cuffed: Indian deportee on 2nd US flight recounts ordeal
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/us-migrant-flight-illegal-indian-immigrants-deportee-claims-legs-chained-hands-cuffed-military-plane-amrtisar-2680787-2025-02-16

TIMES OF INDIA
— Trump Blasts ‘Woke’ U.S. Media In Rare Joint Interview With Elon Musk
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/international/theyve-failed-trump-blasts-woke-u-s-media-in-rare-joint-interview-with-elon-musk/videoshow/118286894.cms

SKY NEWS
— Democrats used to promote integration, but now they promote segregation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txOCBET5Ij4

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.