January 24 Evening Edition - GOPUSA Illinois

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Rauner, Emanuel disagree sharply on State of State – Tina Sfondeles
http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/rauner-to-voice-optimism-in-state-of-state-address/

— Senate ‘grand bargain’ hits speed bump – Tina Sfondeles
http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/senate-grand-bargain-hits-speed-bump/
— Playing the Trump card in Bolingbrook mayoral race – Mark Brown (DIERSEN: Who are anti-Trumps punishing the most in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois?)
http://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/brown-playing-the-trump-card-in-bolingbrook-mayoral-race/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Longtime Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar hosted a big fundraiser for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump last fall at the fancy village-owned golf clubhouse known locally as the “Rog Mahal.” Barely a month later, residents of the southwest suburban village voted 66 percent for Hillary Clinton to 27 percent for Trump. Will County board member Jackie Traynere, a Democrat, hopes to use that apparent political disconnect between Claar and his constituents to bring an end to his sometimes controversial 30 years in office. Since announcing her intention to run against Claar in the April 4 municipal elections, Traynere has sought to make the race in part a referendum on Claar’s support for the new president. “Trump isn’t the reason Roger should go. It really is his management of the village,” Traynere, 54, told me recently in a phone interview from Leavenworth, Kansas, where she was traveling on business in her role as a union organizer for the American Federation of Government Employees. But she adds: “The Trump support really pushed people over the edge.” Claar, just back from Trump’s inauguration, argued Tuesday that traditional party politics don’t belong in municipal elections and that he will gladly run on the record that has made him one of the longest serving mayors in the Chicago area. “I think people are generally pretty happy with what’s going on in Bolingbrook,” said the 71-year-old Claar, who aggressively steered the village’s growth from a population of about 33,000 when he took over to more than 75,000 today. Indeed, it’s a tricky business to inject national politics into a municipal election. Candidates don’t even run under party labels. And voter turnout is usually only a small fraction of what it is in a presidential election. But the fact is that Bolingbrook, an increasingly diverse community in every sense of the word, has been trending Democratic in statewide and national elections for the past decade. That suggests an opening for a Democrat mounting a serious campaign, and Traynere seems to be doing just that. She has hired a professional campaign manager and claims the endorsements of Sen. Dick Durbin and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle among others. Traynere was just re-elected to her third term on the Will County Board and served last year as a Bernie Sanders delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Claar starts the election season with a campaign fund of more than $500,000, barely half of what he once kept on hand, but says he has what he needs. “This whole thing is about power. They see this as an opportunity to take over. They want to be in charge of Bolingbrook,” said Claar, who vowed that he will not seek endorsements from any Republicans, including Trump. That doesn’t mean Claar is backing down from his support for Trump, whom he describes as a “breath of fresh air” on the political scene. “He called it like it is. That’s kind of the way I operate,” said Claar. Claar operates as a full-time mayor and pays himself commensurately with a salary of $140,102, not including a $6,000 car allowance. He emphasizes that’s less than Bolingbrook paid the village administrator whose job he eliminated. Claar also is collecting two public pensions: $55,757 from his previous life as a school administrator and $4,532 from his tenure on the Illinois Tollway Authority. His total annual taxpayer compensation of $200,000 looms as a potential campaign issue. Claar resigned from the tollway board in 2000 after the Sun-Times reported he was raising campaign funds from tollway vendors. That was just one of many minor scandals that have dogged Claar through the years, but nothing that has turned the voters of Bolingbrook against him. “I have been vetted on numerous occasions over false accusations,” Claar declared. He predicts Traynere’s emphasis on Trump could backfire. I predict it will make for a more interesting than usual municipal election season.)

DAILY HERALD
— U-46 board member: New curriculum ‘glorifies communism,’ presents ‘pseudoscience’ – Madhu Krishnamurthy
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170124/news/170129496/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A proposal for new digital literacy curriculum and resources has one Elgin school board member concerned about students being indoctrinated. The Elgin Area School District U-46 school board Monday night voted 5-2 to approve curriculum for prekindergarten through 12th grades. One school board member voting against, Jeanette Ward, objected to some of the materials that are part of the digital curriculum. “I will be voting ‘no’ on any curriculum proposal that relies on any text or resource that glorifies communism and denigrates capitalism, deliberately misrepresents Israel’s history and right to live in its own land, presents the pseudoscience of climate change as established scientific fact, or celebrates Planned Parenthood Founder Margaret Sanger as a champion for women when, in fact, she was a racist who believed in eugenics, more specifically in killing as many unborn African-American babies as possible,” Ward said.)
— Parents pack meeting to protest school board member’s misogynistic tweets – Chacour Koop and Doug Graham
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170123/news/170129614/
— Trump expands anti-abortion ban to all US global health aid – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170124/news/301249822/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— New, wider tax plan rolls out in Springfield – GREG HINZ
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170124/BLOGS02/170129931/new-wider-tax-plan-rolls-out-in-springfield
– Springfield budget deal hits a bump – GREG HINZ
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170124/BLOGS02/170129931/springfield-budget-deal-hits-a-bump
— How are home values doing where you live? – DENNIS RODKIN (DIERSEN: What drives home values up/down in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois?)
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20170124/CRED0701/170129937/how-are-home-values-doing-where-you-live
— Survey: Are you on a path to promotion? (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always promoted patronage. They continue to be furious a) that IRS promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974 and b) that GAO promoted me in 1986.)
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GVYHZXZ

ABC7
— TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ORDERS EPA MEDIA BLACKOUT, CONTRACT FREEZE
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/trump-admin-orders-epa-media-blackout-contract-freeze/1719161/

NBC5
— What You Need to Know About the Senate Budget Plan The plan, which was devised by Senate President John Cullerton and Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, is comprised of 13 interdependent bills. – Tom Schuba
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/What-You-Need-to-Know-About-the-Senate-Budget-Plan-411668155.html
— Sen. Duckworth Meets with Cubs Co-Owner Todd Ricketts The senator said she had a “good conversation” with Ricketts Tuesday about supporting small businesses and creating good-paying jobs in Illinois. – Tom Schuba
http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Duckworth-Meets-with-Cubs-Co-Owner-Todd-Ricketts-411702915.html

CBS2
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Lindsey Graham hints/implies/argues/shouts that few if any illegals voted for Clinton.
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/01/24/lindsey-graham-calls-trumps-voter-fraud-claims-inappropriate/
— Latest Target Of Mean Tweeting: Donald Trump’s 10-Year-Old Son – Mai Martinez
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/01/23/latest-target-of-mean-tweeting-donald-trumps-10-year-old-son/

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— Critics of Senate budget plan multiply; skepticism grows – AP
http://www.fox32chicago.com/home/231331665-story

WTTW
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps promote environmentalists
http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2017/01/24/chicago-activists-prepare-defend-environment-under-trump

FOX ILLINOIS
— Some Illinois Senate Members Not Ready To Vote On Budget – AP
http://foxillinois.com/news/local/some-illinois-senate-members-not-ready-to-vote-on-budget

MADISON RECORD
— ‘Independent’ legislators toe the Madigan line – Editorial (DIERSEN: Many, if not most, if not virtually all individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that claim to be independent are NOT independent.)
http://madisonrecord.com/stories/511076305-independent-legislators-toe-the-madigan-line

KANE COUNTY CHRONICLE
— Andersson speaks about Illinois budget woes – BRENDA SCHORY
http://www.kcchronicle.com/2017/01/23/andersson-speaks-about-illinois-budget-woes/ajan89j/

BUREAU COUNTY REPUBLICAN
— A new role for a qualified public servant We congratulate former state Rep. Don Moffitt in his new position as assistant director of the state Agriculture Department
http://www.bcrnews.com/2017/01/23/a-new-role-for-a-qualified-public-servant/akn2dy2/

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Who said rules should be fair? – Editorial
http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2017-01-24/who-said-rules-should-be-fair.html
— Farm Bureau sees bright future ahead – Tim Mitchell (DIERSEN: What are your demographics? How bright is your future?)
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-01-24/farm-bureau-sees-bright-future-ahead.html

JOURNAL COURIER
— Some say budget being rushed, lacks spending controls
http://myjournalcourier.com/news/104926/some-say-budget-being-rushed-lacks-spending-controls

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— Illinois Senate plans to plow ahead with its own budget plan – AP (DIERSEN: What are you going to plow ahead with? For me, its putting together and sending out a GOPUSA ILLINOIS email each and every morning and each and every evening, raising money to support Wheaton’s Independence Day Parades, etc.)
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20170124/illinois-senate-plans-to-plow-ahead-with-its-own-budget-plan

WAND
— Service tax and higher income tax considered – AP
http://www.wandtv.com/story/34337032/the-latest-budget-opposition-arises-senate-still-pushing

WSIL TV
— U.S. Senate Democrats propose $1 trillion infrastructure plan – AP
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/34329512/senate-democrats-propose-1-trillion-infrastructure-plan

ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps promote diversity and social justice
https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2017/01/on-common-grounds-dialogues-on-diversity-and-social-justice/

CONGRESSMAN HULTGREN
— Americans should not have to pay for abortions through Obamacare
http://hultgren.house.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/americans-should-not-have-to-pay-for-abortions-through-obamacare

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— Rauner to deliver his third State of the State Address
https://ilnews.org/11850/rauner-deliver-third-state-state-address/

ILLINOIS FAMILY INSTITUTE
— Abortion Rate Decreases! Next: Defund Planned Parenthood – Chris Iverson
https://illinoisfamily.org/life/abortion-rate-decreases-next-defund-planned-parenthood/

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— ILLINOIS TAXPAYERS PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE 40 PERCENT STATE INCOME TAX HIKE
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/01/springfield-weary-taxpayers-are-tired-of-working-hard-to-pay-taxes-when-at-the-state-level-both-republican-and-democrat.html
— THORNER: LAKE FOREST/LAKE BLUFF WOMEN’S REPUBLICAN CLUB SPONSORS TRUMP INAUGURATION PARTY
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/01/thorner-lake-forestlake-bluff-womens-republican-club-sponsors-trump-inauguration-party.html
— SKILLICORN FILES BILL TO ALLOW DEBT-RIDDEN MUNICIPALITIES TO SEEK BANKRUPTCY
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/01/skillicorn-files-legislation-to-protect-taxpayers-by-allowing-debt-ridden-municipalities-to-seek-bankruptcy.html

GOPUSA
— Texas governor threatens funding cut over sanctuary cities (DIERSEN: When will Rauner do that? Illinois could easily balance its budget if it cut off funding for its sanctuary cities. Sanctuary cites drag Illinois down.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=19678
— Pope Francis warns against Hitler-like populism (DIERSEN: The Democrat Party platform is extremely anti-Catholic. When will the Pope warn about that?)
http://www.gopusa.com/pope-francis-warns-against-hitler-like-populism/
— Pro-Sharia law middle school worksheet angers parents
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=19596
— Chicago: 29 people shot in about 24 hours
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=19646
— Trump: America for the Americans! – Patrick J. Buchanan (DIERSEN: Anti-Republicans hint/imply/argue/shout that America belongs to foreign countries and to the citizens of foreign countries.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=19693

BREITBART
— Idaho Dems Exec Director: DNC Should Train People In ‘How to Shut Their Mouths If They’re White’ – IAN HANCHETT
http://www.breitbart.com/video/2017/01/23/idaho-dems-exec-director-dnc-should-train-people-in-how-to-shut-their-mouths-if-theyre-white/
— Sen. Liz Warren Refuses to Disavow Madonna’s Wish to ‘Blow Up the White House’ – NEIL W. MCCABE
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/23/sen-liz-warren-refuses-to-disavow-madonnas-wish-to-blow-up-the-white-house/

THE BLAZE
— Governor Greg Abbott hammers a Texas sheriff after she refuses to comply with immigration laws – Brandon Morse (DIERSEN: When will Rauner do that? How many illegals are there in Cook County? How many illegals are there in your county?)
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/01/23/governor-greg-abbott-hammers-a-texas-sheriff-after-she-refuses-to-comply-with-immigration-laws/

DAILY CALLER
— Secret Service Agent: I Wouldn’t Take A Bullet For Trump – Peter Hasson
http://dailycaller.com/2017/01/24/secret-service-agent-i-wouldnt-take-a-bullet-for-trump/
— That DC Limo Trump Protesters Torched Belonged To A Muslim Immigrant – Rachel Stoltzfoos
http://dailycaller.com/2017/01/24/that-dc-limo-trump-protesters-torched-belonged-to-a-muslim-immigrant/
— Dems Force Trump’s Ed. Nominee To Answer 1,397 Questions In Writing — Obama’s TWO Had 109, Combined – Christian Datoc
http://dailycaller.com/2017/01/24/dems-force-trumps-ed-nominee-to-answer-1397-questions-in-writing-obamas-two-had-109-combined/
— Spicer Calls On A Conservative Outlet First And Pisses Off Reporters Yet Again – Alex Pfeiffer (DIERSEN: www.gopillinois.com is a “conservative outlet.”)
http://dailycaller.com/2017/01/24/spicer-calls-on-a-conservative-outlet-first-and-pisses-off-reporters-yet-again/

DAILY SIGNAL
— How Many Will Be Affected by Trump’s Government Hiring Freeze – Rachel Greszler (DIERSEN: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, the agency was almost always under Republican-led hiring freezes and/or promotion freezes.)
http://dailysignal.com/2017/01/24/how-many-will-be-affected-by-trumps-government-hiring-freeze/

NATIONAL REVIEW
— America’s Second Civil War – DENNIS PRAGER
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/444160/american-culture-new-civil-war
— Government Accountability Starts with Local Action – AUSTIN YACK (DIERSEN: What have you done to promote government accountability? I worked for the U.S. Government Accountability Office for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 levels, currently $94,610-$122,991. I worked on audits of federal financial industry regulators for almost 9 years, on audits of IRS for 3 years, and on audits of many other federal agencies for almost 6 years. While I worked for GAO, I earned a master’s degree accounting from DePaul; I passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt; I became a licensed CPA; I became a Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Government Financial Manager, Certified Financial Services Manager, and Forensic Accountant; and I earned a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT.)
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/444148/government-accountability-local-watchdogs-citizen-action-makes-big-difference
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The experience inspired Allen to co-found the Edgar County Watchdogs along with fellow Edgar County resident John Kraft, who was also frustrated with government officials. Since the small-town Illinoisans founded their group, they have forced out 185 public officials in the state, all of whom resigned or chose not to seek reelection. More impressive still, the pair has accomplished all of this without any funding, through the use of FOIA requests, pro se litigation, and comments at public government meetings. Due to their exemplary achievements, Allen and Kraft won the State Policy Network’s 2016 Unsung Hero Award, a cash prize of $25,000 that is sponsored by the Vernon K. Krieble Foundation. The award is part of the foundation’s citizenship program, “Lens of Liberty,” which encourages citizens to defend their rights and freedom.)

THE HILL
— Trump clamps down on federal agencies – JORDAN FABIAN (DIERSEN: During the 1980s and 1990s, Newt Gingrich clamped down viciously on GAO and on other legislative branch agencies. If Gingrich had not done that, the Democrats who ran GAO in 1997 would not have forced me to retire on September 30, 1997 when I was 49 years old, and they would not have taken other adverse actions against me before that.)
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/315989-trump-clamps-down-on-federal-agencies
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Don’t let Trump roll back gains for workers.” Are/were you a worker, that is, paid for what you do/did? I was 1964-1997. One could argue that my Civil Service Retirement System pension continues to pay me for my federal employment 1966-1969 and 1971-1997.)
http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/labor/315742-dont-let-trump-repeal-union-gains

POLITICO
— Immigration hardliners angered by Trump’s softer tone on ‘Dreamers’ They worry he’s backtracking on a central campaign promise to reverse Barack Obama’s policy. – SEUNG MIN KIM
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-immigration-dreamers-234126

WASHINGTON POST
— Donald Trump tells Detroit auto CEOs that environmental regulations are ‘out of control’ – Steven Overly
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2017/01/24/donald-trump-tells-detroit-auto-ceos-environmental-regulations-are-out-of-control/

NEW YORK POST
— Conway gets Secret Service protection due to death threats – Daniel Halper
http://nypost.com/2017/01/24/conway-gets-secret-service-protection-due-to-death-threats/

FORTUNE
— Marijuana and Labor Shortages Are Giving the Wine Industry a Headache – John Kell
http://fortune.com/2017/01/24/wine-industry-marijuana-labor/

FEDERAL TIMES
— Senators pepper OMB nominee on Trump hiring freeze – Carten Cordell (DIERSEN: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, the agency was almost always under Republican-led hiring freezes and/or promotion freezes.)
http://www.federaltimes.com/articles/senators-pepper-omb-nominee-on-trump-hiring-freeze

FED SMITH
— Federal Hiring Freeze: Some Questions, Some Answers – Jeff Neal (DIERSEN: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, frequent and lengthy hiring freezes frustrated their efforts to replace me with a Democrat, minority, female, and/or younger person because those freezes stopped them from hiring someone to replace me.)
http://www.fedsmith.com/2017/01/24/federal-hiring-freeze-some-questions-some-answers/

NEW REPUBLIC
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: QUESTION: Which individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries are mad/furious that Trump won? ANSWER: Those that are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, 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 longer than their ancestors.
https://newrepublic.com/article/140070/case-unity
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: The Democrat Party uses women as cannon fodder.
https://newrepublic.com/article/140065/myth-well-behaved-womens-march

RASMUSSEN REORTS
— Voters Strongly Share Trump’s Criticism of D.C. Establishment (DIERSEN: What does The Establishment, that is, individuals, organizations, companies, governments, countries, etc. that have lots of religious, government, political, and/or financial clout, think of you? The Establishment wants to get rid of me because it cannot manipulate/dominate me. Operatives and dupes for The Establishment have succeeded in ending my TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee membership, Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster service, Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee membership, American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board membership, GAO employment, etc.)
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/january_2017/voters_strongly_share_trump_s_criticism_of_d_c_establishment

PEOPLE
— Get a First Look at the Palm Springs Home Where the Obamas Vacationed After Leaving Office – STEELE MARCOUX
http://people.com/home/president-obama-in-palm-springs-house/

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. View all posts by David Diersen