CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Endorsement: For the Republicans, Bruce Rauner
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-rauner-republican-governor-endorsement-0218-story.html
(FROM THE ENDORSEMENT: We see the appeal of Rauner’s primary opponent, state Rep. Jeanne Ives of Wheaton. She is disciplined. She is fierce. And she is angry. Rauner’s signature on the bills that infuriated conservatives drew her into this race. Critics describe one bill as a sanctuary state act. Another makes it easier for transgender people to change the gender designation on their birth certificates. And a third bill, which Rauner had said he would veto, expanded taxpayer funding for abortions. Unfortunately, Ives’ cumulative rhetoric on social issues — describing gay relationships as “disordered” and unleashing an attack ad that ridiculed people who are different from her — has been mocking, mean-spirited and often inaccurate. There is a way to be a compassionate conservative. And there is her way.)
— Another Legionnaires’ case at veterans home plagued by deadly water problems – Bill Lukitsch
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-legionnaires-20180216-story.html
— Madigan ally ousted after harassment complaint accused of violating protective order in different case – Ray Long
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-quinn-harassment-arrest-20180215-story.html
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Must love dogs? Canine-friendly environments test our limits – Virginia Postrel (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes demonize, denigrate, and condemn those who do not own dogs.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-pets-work-employers-support-animals-0216-20180215-story.html
— The White House’s promised Spanish website? Nada de nada – AP (DIERSEN: If China was sending many millions of its citizens into America illegally like Mexico is doing, if China was keeping many millions of its citizens in America like Mexico is doing, if China was sending mountains of illegal drugs into America like Mexico is doing, anti-Americans would demand that the White House have a Mandarin website.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-bc-us–white-house-spanish-20180210-story.html
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Top black politicians who back Pritzker condemn ‘racist’ Chicago Reader cover – Mitchell Armentrout
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/top-black-politicians-condemn-racist-chicago-reader-cover/
— Lawyer: Madigan ally looked for ‘dirt’ on woman who accused aide of harassment – Mitchell Armentrout
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/lawyer-madigan-ally-looked-for-dirt-on-woman-who-accused-aide-of-harassment/
NBC5
— Woman Who Accused Ex-Madigan Aide of Harassment Says She’s Being Targeted in Retaliation – Mary Ann Ahern (DIERSEN: My Democrat GAO superiors were proud of the retaliation that they took against me. Because I became an active member in a class action lawsuit in 1988 that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation, they threw me off audits of IRS, gave me unfair performance expectations, gave me unfair performance appraisals, always ranked me in the lower half of my coworkers for their pay-for-performance system, and forced me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old. They sent a clear message to everyone a) that GAO gives preference to its employees who are minority, female, and/or young and b) that GAO gets rid of its non-veteran White male employees who do not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40. By their actions in Diersen v. GAO, U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald, U.S. District Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, and Judge Amy St. Eve all made it clear to everyone that they side with my Democrat GAO superiors, that is, that they favor reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/alaina-hampton-mike-madigan-kevin-quinn-harassment-474243493.html
DAILY HERALD
— Study: Cook County assessments shift wealth from poor to rich – Bob Susnjara (DIERSEN: Who wants you to pay more real estate tax and why? Since 1972, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always wanted me to pay more real estate tax. They hint/imply/argue/shout that I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, that I have always been privileged, that the federal government grossly overpaid me, that my retirement benefits are much too generous, and that I have always been undeservedly filthy rich. They stress a) that my parents sent me to Trinity Lutheran Grade School in Crete 1953-1961 and then to Hope Lutheran Grade School in Park Forest 1961-1962 to stay with the Missouri Synod, b) that I bought many new cars and two collector cars, c) that I avoided the draft, d) that I bought a new town home in 1972, a studio condo in 1974, and a one bedroom condo in 1976, e) that my wife and I bought 1017 East Harrison in Wheaton in 1978 and we had 915 Cove Court built in Wheaton in 1984, f) that I spent lots of money for tuition and review courses to earn a bachelor’s degree, three master’s degrees, and two professional certifications, g) that my wife and I gave up trying to have children, we did not adopt, and we did not become foster parents, and h) that my wife and saved lots of money for our retirement.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180215/study-cook-county-assessments-shift-wealth-from-poor-to-rich
— Illinois schools say pension shift would be financial burden – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20180215/news/302159893
PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— IRS increases Caterpillar tax penalty to $2.3 billion – Matt Buedel
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20180215/irs-increases-caterpillar-tax-penalty-to-23-billion
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Superintendents worried about Rauner’s pension shift proposal – AP
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20180216/superintendents-worried-about-rauners-pension-shift-proposal
PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— Rauner meets a simulation manikin and touts his education plan during visit – Leslie Renken
http://www.pjstar.com/entertainmentlife/20180215/rauner-meets-simulation-manikin-and-touts-his-education-plan-during-visit
BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— Quinn promotes AG credentials at ISU – Derek Beigh (DIERSEN: Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes, many of whom have few or no credentials, treat me like I have no credentials. They treat me like I have no college degrees, even though I have four. They treat me like I have no professional certifications, even though I have six. They treat me like I do not have a professional license, even though I have one. They treat me like I have no government work experience, even though I worked for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 levels, currently $96,403-$125,325 and 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 $81,071-$91,880. They treat me like I have no political experience, even though I have been the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000, a Republican Precinct Committeeman since 1999, and I was a TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman 2005-2012, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007, and American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member 2001-2003.)
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois/government-and-politics/elections/quinn-promotes-ag-credentials-at-isu/article_e0f5ff32-bbbc-55dc-a279-6195d1f861a2.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Quinn, 69, of Chicago hopes to fill that job, continuing a political career that includes five years as governor, six years as lieutenant governor and four years as state treasurer. He last ran in 2014, when he, the incumbent, lost the governor’s mansion to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.)
HERALD & REVIEW
— Illinois lawmakers: Mental health is key issue in mass shootings – EDITH BRADY-LUNNY
http://herald-review.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/illinois-lawmakers-mental-health-is-key-issue-in-mass-shootings/article_8f6cd833-4f83-5742-bf62-d723c56813e1.html
NPR ILLINOIS
— Rauner Budget Doesn’t Use ‘Pixie Dust,’ But It’s Fanciful Nonetheless – CHARLES N. WHEELER III
http://nprillinois.org/post/rauner-budget-doesn-t-use-pixie-dust-it-s-fanciful-nonetheless#stream/0
ILLINOIS TIMES
— Candidates for governor address seniors’ concerns – Megan Swett (DIERSEN: My aunt is spending $239 a day out of her life savings to live in an assisted living facility.)
http://illinoistimes.com/article-19704-candidates-for-governor-address-seniors%E2%80%99-concerns.html
DAILY NORTHWESTERN
— Northwestern professor (Michael Scudder), alumnus (Amy St. Eve) nominated to circuit court presiding over Illinois – Alan Perez
https://dailynorthwestern.com/2018/02/15/campus/northwestern-professor-alumnus-nominated-circuit-court-presiding-illinois/
REGIONAL NEWS
— Muslim activists ramp up monthly protests at Palos Township board meetings – Anthony Caciopo
http://www.theregionalnews.com/index.php/newsx/159-local-news/top-news-story/35928-activists-ramp-up-monthly-protests-at-township-board-meetings
NORTH COOK NEWS
— Wayne Township GOP chairman Jerry Marchese says straw poll shows Ives is what the state needs – Glenn Minnis
https://northcooknews.com/stories/511345617-wayne-township-gop-chairman-says-straw-poll-shows-ives-is-what-the-state-needs
BREITBART
— White House: Democrats’ ‘Open Border Fringe’ Blocks Immigration Reform – NEIL MUNRO
http://www.breitbart.com/2018-elections/2018/02/15/white-house-democrats-open-border-fringe-blocks-immigration-reform/
— Cruz: Trump’s Immigration Pillars ‘Dramatically to the Left of Where Barack Obama Was’ – IAN HANCHETT
http://www.breitbart.com/video/2018/02/15/cruz-trumps-immigration-pillars-dramatically-left-barack-obama/
FOX BUSINESS
— Fox News Poll: More Republicans feeling the jitters – Dana Blanton
http://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/2018/
TOWNHALL
— Trump’s Deficit-ridden Budget Plan Is Filled With Wasteful Spending – Donald Lambro
https://townhall.com/columnists/donaldlambro/2018/02/16/trumps-deficitridden-budget-plan-is-filled-with-wasteful-spending-n2449808
ROLL CALL
— Rep. Rodney Davis Recalls Lessons From His Staffer Days Illinois Republican was longtime projects director for Rep. John Shimkus – Alex Gangitano (DIERSEN: I should write a book about what I learned working for GAO for almost 18 years 1980-1997, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 levels, currently $96,403-$125,325. I should write a book about what I learned working for IRS for almost 9 years 1971-1980, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 levels, currently $81,071-$91,880.)
http://www.rollcall.com/news/hoh/rep-rodney-davis-learned
POLITICO
— AS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY’S STRANGLEHOLD ON EDUCATION IN AMERICA TIGHTENS: U.S. averages a school shooting every 2.5 days in 2018 – JAKE SHERMAN
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2018/02/15/school-shootings-2018-average-248207
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— FRONT PAGE WITH COLOR PICTURE: Tech Luminary Peter Thiel Parts Ways With Silicon Valley Billionaire investor frustrated with what he sees as intolerance of conservatism in tech industry; has discussed resigning from Facebook – Douglas MacMillan, Keach Hagey and Deepa Seetharaman (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, businesses paint themselves as being 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 for a long time.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/tech-luminary-peter-thiel-parts-ways-with-silicon-valley-1518696120
— Peter Thiel’s Warning to the Valley Hostility to half of America isn’t good business—or politics. – Editorial (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, businesses paint themselves as being 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 for a long time.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/peter-thiels-warning-to-the-valley-1518740558
— Tax Reform and IRS Resistance Getting it through Congress was the easy part. Now come the regulations. – Kimberley A. Strassel
https://www.wsj.com/articles/tax-reform-and-irs-resistance-1518739818
— Did My Mom Have ‘White Privilege’? She arrived from Italy in 1911 and then at age 14 went to work in a Chicago factory sewing ladies’ coats. – Angela Rocco DeCarlo (DIERSEN: Did your mother have White privilege? My outstanding mother was born in 1924 and raised on a farm in Grant Park. She never attended high school. She married my outstanding father in 1945. They lived in an apartment above my grandfather’s hardware store in Crete 1945-1954 and then in a home that my grandfather had built in Crete in 1926. She stayed home and raised my brother and I. After her husband, my father, died suddenly in 1969, she earned a GED and got job in a dental office in Crete and worked there until she retired.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/did-my-mom-have-white-privilege-1518739479
USA TODAY
— Repeal gun-free zones – Erich Pratt
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/02/15/repeal-gun-free-zones-erich-pratt-editorials-debates/110464412/
NEW YORKER
— Donald Trump, a Playboy Model, and a System for Concealing Infidelity One woman’s account of clandestine meetings, financial transactions, and legal pacts designed to hide an extramarital affair. – Ronan Farrow (DIERSEN: Needless-to-say, if you have ever had an extramarital affair, you should not seek or hold any kind of government or political office.)
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/donald-trump-a-playboy-model-and-a-system-for-concealing-infidelity-national-enquirer-karen-mcdougal
