ABC7
— TSA officer sells ‘Shutdown Sweets’ to make ends meet – Will Jones
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/government-shutdown-2019-tsa-officer-sells-shutdown-sweets-to-make-ends-meet/5053288/
NBC5
— Pritzker to Use Own Money to Increase Staff Pay Pritzker’s chief of staff, three deputy governors and their special assistants, deputy chiefs of staff and other high-level employees will receive the double salaries (DIERSEN: To get a government job, how big of a pay cut would you suffer? In 1980, to get a job working for GAO, I suffered a $19,203/year (26%) pay cut in today’s dollars. I had 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/year. I had passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979. I had almost completed the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul. I had earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976. I had earned a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU in 1970.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Pritzker-to-Use-Own-Money-to-Increase-Staff-Pay-504224021.html
CBS2
— Chicago Candidate For Alderman Claims Incumbent Is Stealing Campaign Signs – Charlie De Mar
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/01/10/chicago-alderman-campaign-signs-stealing/
— Harris Named First Gay Illinois State House Majority Leader
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/01/11/harris-named-first-gay-illinois-state-house-majority-leader/
FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Pot pushers push pot.
http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/editorial-and-opinion/dennis-welsh-that-s-how-i-see-it/dennis-welsh-editorial-legal-weed-in-illinois-get-it-right-
WLS AM
— Connected to Chicago Special Guest Jim Durkin
http://www.wlsam.com/2019/01/11/connected-to-chicago-01-13-2019-special-guest-jim-durkin/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Illinois Democrats now have it all, except excuses – Eric Zorn
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/zorn/ct-perspec-zorn-pritzker-democrats-super-majorities-no-excuses-0113-20190110-story.html
— What will J.B. Pritzker do with his clout? – Editorial (DIERSEN: He will a) reward those who serve as his operatives and as his dupes and b) get rid of those who do not.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-pritzker-rauner-illinois-exodus-budget-20181228-story.html
— Rauner’s kinda sorta endorsement of Vallas for mayor – Eric Zorn
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/zorn/ct-audio-rauner-s-kinda-sorta-endorsement-of-vallas-for-mayor-20190111-story.html
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Ever-increasingly, Democrats encourage children to engage in LGBTQ activity.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/stevens/ct-life-stevens-friday-suburban-teen-pride-parade-0111-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Trump-haters focus on uniting members of the following groups against Trump: 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, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/page/ct-perspec-page-border-wall-trump-hispanics-blacks-immigrants-0113-20190111-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A Trump-hater says “Declaring an emergency might backfire on Trump.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chapman/ct-perspec-chapman-trump-national-emergency-wall-20190111-story.html
— ‘Make Chicago safe again.’ Garry McCarthy talks up policing chops in 2 new campaign ads – Bill Ruthhart
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-garry-mccarthy-tv-ads-chicago-mayor-20190111-story.html
— DuPage County Board chairman, county clerk at odds over election commission merger occurring before or after April election – Alicia Fabbre
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-dupage-clerk-election-commission-st-0113-story.html
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Pritzker’s notable visit to a Republican gathering – Rich Miller
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/pritzker-republican-gathering-springfield-impromtu-speech/
— Illinois residents will receive SNAP benefits despite government shutdown – Manny Ramos
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/illinois-february-snap-benefits-food-stamps/
— Taxpayers covered millions in park gym costs Jesse White promised to pay for – BGA
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/jesse-white-tumblers-foundation-secretary-state-chicago-park-district-recreation-center-funding-bga/
— Billionaire J.B. Pritzker to double key staff salaries out of his own pocket – Tina Sfondeles (DIERSEN: To get a government job, how big of a pay cut would you suffer? In 1980, to get a job working for GAO, I suffered a $19,203/year (26%) pay cut in today’s dollars. I had 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/year. I had passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979. I had almost completed the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul. I had earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976. I had earned a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU in 1970.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/j-b-pritzker-increasing-staff-salaries/
— Food pantry offering free groceries to furloughed government workers – Stefano Esposito (DIERSEN: What about those who viciously demonize, viciously denigrate, and viciously condemn government employees as being lazy, stupid, and grossly overpaid?)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/lakeview-pantry-groceries-federal-workers-partial-government-shutdown/
DAILY HERALD
— Vote to dissolve DuPage’s election commission set for Tuesday, but clerk says it’s too soon – Robert Sanchez
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190111/vote-to-dissolve-dupages-election-commission-set-for-tuesday-but-clerk-says-its-too-soon
— DuPage clerk: Dissolve election commission after April election – Robert Sanchez
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190111/dupage-clerk-dissolve-election-commission-after-april-election
— Removing old tollway board is just the first step Job won’t be complete if new board simply reflects a change in allegiances – Editorial (DIERSEN: GAO hired me in 1980 because it could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, younger person, or veteran who would take the job. IRS hired me in 1971 because it could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, or veteran who would take the job. The Post Office hired me in 1966 because it could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, or veteran who would take the job.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20190111/editorial-removing-old-tollway-board-is-just-the-first-step
— DuPage board member Tim Elliott seeking to end health insurance perk – Robert Sanchez
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190111/dupage-board-member-seeking-to-end-health-insurance-perk
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Why U of I is insuring itself—literally—against a drop in Chinese students Proving you can insure just about anything, the University of Illinois has taken out a policy to mitigate the risk of a decline in Chinese student enrollment. – LYNNE MAREK
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/education/why-u-i-insuring-itself-literally-against-drop-chinese-students
NORTHWEST HERALD
— Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoes McHenry County township consolidation bill – ED KOMENDA
https://www.nwherald.com/2019/01/11/breaking-gov-bruce-rauner-vetoes-mchenry-county-township-consolidation-bill/ag89tsq/
SOUTHERN
— Trump’s administration is riddled with vacancies
https://thesouthern.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/trump-s-administration-is-riddled-with-vacancies/video_b0d53749-3984-5c72-9076-7433e11fdb6b.html
FOX ILLINOIS
— Opioid town hall: Stopping the opioid crisis at the southern border – Leandra Bernstein
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/opioid-town-hall-stopping-the-opioid-crisis-at-the-southern-border
— Nevada’s Reid calls Trump ‘amoral,’ wants a Romney 2020 run – AP
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/nevadas-reid-calls-trump-amoral-wants-a-romney-2020-run
— Sen. Duckworth issues statement on Trump border wall threat
https://foxillinois.com/news/local/sen-duckworth-issues-statement-on-trump-border-wall-threat
WSPY
— Oberweis ‘Seriously Considering’ Run for 14th Congressional Seat in 2020 – Tyler Bachman
http://www.wspynews.com/news/local/oberweis-seriously-considering-run-for-th-congressional-seat-in/article_36cc382a-15db-11e9-88e2-33f9dde76567.html
CHICAGO NOW
— Bleep ‘My way or the highway’ – Dennis Byrne
http://www.chicagonow.com/dennis-byrnes-barbershop/2019/01/bleep-my-way-or-the-highway/
NAPERVILLE COMMUNITY TV
— State of DuPage County 2019 – Casey Krajewski
https://www.nctv17.com/news/state-of-dupage-county-2019/
ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN PARTY
— Vision 2020 Survey Deadline EXTENDED to January 20, 2019
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LBGPSVC
DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— DuPage GOP slates Lincoln Day Dinner for Feb. 22 – Glenn Minnis
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511719314-dupage-gop-slates-lincoln-day-dinner-for-feb-22
PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— Outgoing Ives worries about transparency in school board-teacher negotiations – W.J. Kennedy
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/511719232-outgoing-ives-worries-about-transparency-in-school-board-teacher-negotiations
ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Pritzker’s move to match state salary for top staff with his own money raises eyebrows, ethical questions – Greg Bishop
https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/pritzker-s-move-to-match-state-salary-for-top-staff/article_ac1fd942-15f4-11e9-8087-a30d61ffec34.html
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Lawmakers work on plans to legalize recreational cannabis and sports betting – Greg Bishop
https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/lawmakers-work-on-plans-to-legalize-recreational-cannabis-and-sports/article_01b0ff56-1502-11e9-b5ac-1f9e3fa420a5.html
— Illinois Democrat wants to close Congressional sauna, other perks during shutdown – Cole Lauterbach
https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/illinois-democrat-wants-to-close-congressional-sauna-other-perks-during/article_94725092-150c-11e9-a44b-27292eb16ec0.html
— Corruption charges prompt fresh debate in Springfield about conflicts of interest – Greg Bishop
https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/burke-s-charges-bring-fresh-debate-in-springfield-about-conflicts/article_d5b430a4-150f-11e9-a492-2f27b792394a.html
ILLINOIS REVIEW
— ILLINOIS RANKS 46TH IN FEDERAL DOLLARS RETURN. SO BLAME THE REPUBLICANS.
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2019/01/illinois-ranks-46th-in-federal-dollars-return-so-blame-the-republicans.html
— MADIGAN TAPS OPENLY GAY STATE REP FOR NEW MAJORITY LEADER
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2019/01/madigan-taps-openly-gay-state-rep-for-new-majority-leader-.html
— FORMER IL LAWMAKER FACES 12-COUNT FELONY INDICTMENT FOR POSTING NUDE IMAGES
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2019/01/former-il-lawmaker-faces-12-count-felony-indictment-for-posting-nude-images.html
— MORE US VOTERS SAY TOO LITTLE BEING DONE TO STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2019/01/more-us-voters-say-too-little-being-done-to-stop-illegal-immigration.html
— THORNER: FOOLISH ILLINOIS LAWMAKERS BOOSTED EARLY EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2019/01/thorner-foolish-illinois-lawmakers-boosted-early-efforts-to-eliminate-electoral-college.html
— REP. STEVE REICK LAUNCHES COFFEE & CONVERSATION TOUR
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2019/01/rep-steve-reick-launches-coffee-conversation-tour.html
CAPITOL FAX
— State Sen. Oberweis giving “serious thought” to challenging US Rep. Underwood
https://capitolfax.com/2019/01/11/state-sen-oberweis-giving-serious-thought-to-challenging-us-rep-underwood/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Republicans are lining up to challenge Underwood. Matt Quigley, a 32-year-old Navy veteran and Republican from Naperville, already has announced his intention to run in 2020. State Sen. Jim Oberweis, a Sugar Grove Republican who has run for Congress, Senate and governor before, also is considering a bid. He said, “We’re giving it serious thought, yes.” “I don’t believe that Underwood represents the views of the majority of the people in the 14th Congressional District,” said the dairy magnate, who said he would make a decision in 30 to 60 days. “I believe I would be much closer to those views.” Underwood beat a sitting Republican congressman by 5 points last November. She’s no slouch. And Oberweis will be a 74-year-old “career politician” (or, at least, “career candidate”) by 2020 with a whole lot of votes under his belt. Even so, Gov. Bruce Rauner won the 14th CD by almost 8 points. The only statewide Democrats who won it were Jesse White (+23) and Susana Mendoza (+2). Other possibles include state Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee), which could be why he’s been holding so many press conferences lately. Plenty of rumors about a few others.)
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Rauner vetoes McHenry County township consolidation bill.
https://capitolfax.com/2019/01/11/rauner-is-rauner-to-the-end/
— Pritzker to double top staff pay out of his own pocket (DIERSEN: To get a government job, how big of a pay cut would you suffer? In 1980, to get a job working for GAO, I suffered a $19,203/year (26%) pay cut in today’s dollars. I had 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/year. I had passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979. I had almost completed the requirements for a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul. I had earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976. I had earned a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU in 1970.)
https://capitolfax.com/2019/01/11/pritzker-to-double-top-staff-pay-out-of-his-own-pocket/
GOPUSA
— Memo to Trump: Declare an Emergency – Patrick J. Buchanan
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=62297
— Psychedelic mushrooms next in already mile high Denver?
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=62181
— Army struggles to reach generation of snowflakes
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=62336
HERITAGE FOUNDATION
— Daily Signal raises alarm over anti-conservative House rules – Dustin Howard
https://www.myheritage.org/news/daily-signal-raises-alarm-over-anti-conservative-house-rules/
NEWSMAX
— Calif. Liberalism Takes America if Trump Loses on Wall – Michael Reagan
https://www.newsmax.com/reagan/cbs-cnn-msnbc-npr/2019/01/11/id/897830/
BREITBART
— San Diego-Based KUSI: CNN Disinvited Our Journalist Because We Reported Border Wall ‘Does Work’ – Robert Kraychik (DIERSEN: I should write a book about all those who have disinvited me a) because I support the Illinois Republican Party platform, Republican Party platform, and Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling, b) because I refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, c) because I refuse to pander to them, d) because I refuse to give them money, and/or e) because I have sued them.)
https://www.breitbart.com/border/2019/01/11/kusi-cnn-disinvited-journalist-because-reported-wall-does-work/
— Flashback: Establishment Spent $1 Billion on ‘Virtual Fence’ to Avoid Building Border Fence – Neil Munro
https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2019/01/10/flashback-establishment-spent-1-billion-virtual-fence-avoid-building-border-fence/
— Michelle Malkin: ‘So-Called Worker Shortage’ Is a ‘Manufactured Crisis’ – Robert Kraychik
https://www.breitbart.com/radio/2019/01/11/michelle-malkin-so-called-worker-shortage-manufactured-crisis/
ONE NEWS NOW
— Dems losing border wall battle to Trump – Chad Groening
https://onenewsnow.com/politics-govt/2019/01/11/opinion-dems-losing-border-wall-battle-to-trump
WASHINGTON POST
— Congress approves back pay — eventually — for furloughed federal employees – Eric Yoder
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/11/congress-approves-back-pay-eventually-for-furloughed-federal-employees/
— Why is Congress so dumb? We lawmakers dumped our in-house experts. Now lobbyists do the thinking for us. – Bill Pascrell Jr.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2019/01/11/feature/why-is-congress-so-dumb/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Our decay as an institution began in 1995, when conservatives, led by Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), carried out a full-scale war on government. Gingrich began by slashing the congressional workforce by one-third. He aimed particular ire at Congress’s brain, firing 1 of every 3 staffers at the Government Accountability Office, the Congressional Research Service and the Congressional Budget Office. He defunded the Office of Technology Assessment, a tech-focused think tank. Social scientists have called those moves Congress’s self-lobotomy, and the cuts remain largely unreversed.)
— Now on Craigslist, Facebook: Household items from furloughed workers trying to make ends meet – Taylor Telford
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/01/10/now-craigslist-facebook-household-items-furloughed-workers-trying-make-ends-meet/
LOS ANGELES TIMES
— Illinois’ incoming governor will use own wealth to double some staff salaries – MIKE RIOPELL
https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-illinois-governor-staff-salaries-20190111-story.html
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Criminal Records for Obsolete Crimes When pot is made legal, old convictions should be expunged. – Ted Rall (DIERSEN: If you do/did sell pot or smoke pot illegally, you do not respect the rule of law.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/criminal-records-for-obsolete-crimes-11547078695
ALLENTOWN MORNING CALL
— Shutdown is reminding everyone of the good things government does – Paul Waldman
https://www.mcall.com/opinion/mc-opi-shutdown-government-good-workers-20190111-story.html
WEALTHY RETIREMENT
— Retire Early: One of the Worst Financial Decisions You Can Make – Steve McDonald (DIERSEN: In 1997, when I was 49 years old, my Democrat GAO superiors made it very clear to me that if I did not take their early retirement “offer,” they would get rid of me long before I would be eligible for regular retirement 6 years later in 2003.)
https://wealthyretirement.com/slap-in-the-face/drawbacks-financial-independence-retire-early-thinking/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: What in the name of God are you supposed to do for the next 50 or 60 years if you retire in your 30s? I’m ahead of myself here, but this just sounds so incredibly immature and badly thought out that I kind of lost control for a second. Let’s skip over the fact that living a life of “carefree bliss” – that’s what one successful FIRE advocate called it – is absurd. I say that because every person I have ever known who left the real world too early – either because of an inheritance or because they built the resources on their own to allow them to do that – went back to work out of self-preservation or looked like hell a few years into their “bliss.” For the vast majority, it doesn’t work. People need a challenge. They need structure. They need a reason to get up in the morning other than kayaking and rock climbing.)
ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION
— ‘There’s all this stress.’ Federal workers navigate longest shutdown ‘I still really love being a federal employee,’ one furloughed metro Atlantan says – Jennifer Brett Kelly Yamanouchi,
https://www.ajc.com/news/all-this-stress-federal-workers-navigate-longest-ever-shutdown/QV2otyqJSUZkU5IFoslweI/
GUARDIAN
— ‘Barely above water’: US shutdown hits black federal workers hardest – Jamiles Lartey (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted a) that instead of me, the Post Office should have hired a Black in 1966, b) that the Post Office should gotten rid of me much sooner than it did so that a Blavk could have my job, c) that instead of me, IRS should have hired a Black in 1971, d) that instead of me, IRS should have promoted Blacks in 1972, 1973, and 1974, e) that instead of me, GAO should have hired a Black in 1980, f) that instead of me, GAO should have promoted a Black in 1986, and g) that GAO should have gotten rid of me much sooner than it did so that a Black could have my job and my preferred corner office.)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/11/governmnet-shutdown-black-federal-workers-trump-border-wall
