March 13, 2026

NOTE: This newsletter and yesterday’s newsletters have fewer links to articles in them because my very expensive home delivery subscriptions to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Herald, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Naperville Sun newspapers suddenly stopped. I am paying $100/month for doorstep delivery.

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

NBC5
— Hundreds of workers across Illinois to be laid off in coming months, WARN Act shows
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/hundreds-of-workers-across-illinois-to-be-laid-off-in-coming-months-warn-act-shows/3906996/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— The Chicago Teachers Union’s May 1 walkout puts politics ahead of education
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/13/chicago-teachers-union-activism-chicago-public-schools-strike-chicago-education/
— Muslim-run food pantry in Glendale Heights helps neighbors but faces halal meat shortage during Ramadan
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/13/food-pantry-ramadan/
— DuPage board may give $2.5 million to Loaves & Fishes hub expansion. DD: Soon, under the Democrats, everyone in Illinois will be a) handing out welfare and/or b) receiving welfare.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/12/dupage-board-loaves-hub-expansion-naperville-aurora/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Chicago police, other agencies take in millions by seizing cars, cash even without an arrest or conviction. DD: To collect delinquent federal taxes, as an IRS Revenue Officer 1971-1980, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $100,059-$113,402/year, I had the power and I used that power to seize wages, bank accounts, paychecks, vehicles, real estate, receivables, business equipment, etc. See Google AI at: https://www.google.com/search?q=IRS+%22revenue+officer%22+powers
https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2026/03/13/civil-asset-forfeiture-chicago-police-department-cook-county-property-seizures
— DD: Democrat leaders exist to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2026/03/13/trump-economy-jobs-doge-layoffs-wages-tariffs-immigration-marc-morial

DAILY HERALD
— Election fatigue? It’s real, but tuning out is not the answer. DD: My critics/opponents do not want anyone to read my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters. They want everyone to read only what they put out. They destroy those like me a) who they cannot manipulate/dominate b) who refuse to glorify and praise them, c) who refuse to pander to them, d) who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, e) who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or f) who refuse to give them money.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260313/editorials/daily-herald-opinion-election-fatigue-its-real-but-tuning-out-is-not-the-answer/
— Service to unincorporated areas an issue in Democratic primary for Kane County sheriff
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260312/local-politics/service-to-unincorporated-areas-an-issue-democratic-primary-for-kane-county-sheriff/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— City Council budget coalition blocks local video gambling bans. DD: In 2009, I led the successful effort to ban video gambling in Wheaton.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics-policy/ccb-ballys-brandon-johnson-2026-budget-20260312/

POLITICO ILLINOIS
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2026/03/13/its-a-3-way-senate-headache-00827611

CAPITOL FAX
— Morning briefing
https://capitolfax.com/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— In Illinois, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) demonize, denigrate, and condemn everything that Trump says or does and b) shout at Illinois voters that if you do not like what Trump says or does, cast a Democrat primary ballot, but if not that, do not vote at all.  – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What motivates you to help elect candidates? For me, it is their promise, their demonstrated ability, and their track record to defend and advance the Republican Party platform, including its personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. From what I see, what motivates far too many to help elect candidates is their promise, their demonstrated ability, and their track record to use government to give more preference to those who share their demographics. Democrat elected officials ever-increasingly use government to give more preference to those who are liberal/moderate, minority, female, younger, non-rich, non-married, LGBTQ, non-Protestant, non-German American, have ancestors who have not been in America for a long time, and/or noncitizen. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— How many candidates on the Republican primary ballot in your precinct are going to lose March 17? In my precinct, three of the four governor candidates will lose. Five of the six U.S. Senate candidates will lose. One of the two Secretary of State candidates will lose. One of the two DuPage County Sheriff candidates will lose. If the future repeats the past, my critics/opponents will hint/imply/argue/shout at the losing candidates that me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters caused them to lose. Further, my critics/opponents will hint/imply/argue/shout at the winning candidates that if they lose on November 3, it will be because of me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters. Should I name my critics/opponents? Should I list the adverse actions that they have had their operatives and their dupes take against me to stop me from sending out my newsletter and to stop everyone from reading my newsletters? My critics/opponents destroy those like me a) who they cannot manipulate/dominate b) who refuse to glorify and praise them, c) who refuse to pander to them, d) who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, e) who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or f) who refuse to give them money. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— On March 3, 2026  DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek issued a news release titled “ICE Go Away, Do Not Even Try. You Will Fail!”  SEE:  https://www.dupagecounty.gov/county_clerk/ice_go_away__do_not_even_try__you_will_fail__1655.php  What is the status? What exactly will happen if someone dials 630-407-5634? Kaczmarek demonizes, denigrates, and condemns ICE, military, and federal agents. But to do that is demonize, denigrate, and condemn not only Trump, but to demonize, denigrate, and condemn all Republicans. In the interest of full disclosure, I am a registered Republican voter, I am an elected Republican Precinct Committeeman, I am the GOPUSA Illinois Editor, and my wife is an election judge. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What has your Republican Precinct Committeeman done to increase the number of Republican ballots cast in your precinct in the March 17 primary? I spent many hours a) putting 800 mailing labels and 400 return address labels on 400 DuPage County GOP envelopes, b) putting them into walk order, c) stuffing them with an unmarked sample ballot, a Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO) Voter Guide, and campaign literature the five candidates who provided MTRO with their literature, d) dividing them into 5 batches, and e) hand-delivering them. I used my photocopier, paper, and ink to copy the unmarked sample ballot 400 times 2-sided back-to-back. If I spent 6 minutes getting each envelope ready, that would be 40 hours. I spent about 15 hours hand-delivering the envelopes, or about 3 hours per batch. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Illinois’ open U.S. Senate race tests Gov. Pritzker’s influence ahead of possible presidential bid
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/mar/12/illinois-open-us-senate-race-tests-jb-pritzkers-influence-ahead/

FEDERALIST
— Senate RINOs Are Squandering Golden Opportunity To Fix Cracked Election System
https://thefederalist.com/2026/03/13/senate-rinos-are-squandering-golden-opportunity-to-fix-cracked-election-system/

FOX NEWS
— Trump-backed affordable housing overhaul clears Senate, while House GOP raises red flags. DD: I was able to buy a new townhome when I was 24 in 1972 because it was affordable. SEE: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/774-Sunset-Ct-5-University-Park-IL-60484/5451474_zpid/  According to Zillow, it is worth only $87,100 today.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-backed-affordable-housing-overhaul-clears-senate-while-house-gop-raises-red-flags

NEW AMERICA
— Rural Residents Turn to Community Colleges for Bachelor’s Degrees. DD: When I was in high school, my being able to commute from my parent’s home in Crete to classes at UIC motivated to earn enough money washing dishes to buy a new car to do that in. In May of 1966, I bought a new 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint ( https://over-drive-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/1965-12-CD-1966-Pontiac-Tempest-Sprint-Test-1-4.pdf ), a poor man’s GTO.
https://www.newamerica.org/insights/rural-residents-turn-to-community-colleges-for-bachelors-degrees/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CNN
— Largest housing affordability package in a generation passes in the Senate. DD: I was able to buy a new townhome when I was 24 in 1972 because it was affordable. SEE: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/774-Sunset-Ct-5-University-Park-IL-60484/5451474_zpid/  According to Zillow, it is worth only $87,100 today.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/12/business/housing-affordability-bill-senate

NEW YORK TIMES
— What Can’t You Afford That You Believe You Should Be Able To? DD: My retirement income and savings are dramatically less because my Democrat superiors in the federal government wasted my career and forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/opinion/middle-class-americans-affordable-finances.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Rep. Clyburn, 85, to seek reelection amid Democrats’ generational debate. The announcement from Clyburn, who turns 86 in July, comes as younger Democrats are challenging the old guard in primaries throughout the country. DD: When I was 25 years old in 1974, my Democrat IRS superiors wrote me as being too old to be promoted to GS-13. I finally did make GS-13 when I was 38, but not until after I a) earned an MBA when I was 27, b) passed the CPA examination on my first attempt when I was 30, c) transferred to GAO and earned a master’s degree in accounting when I was 31, and d) passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and became a licensed CPA when I was 32.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/03/12/jim-clyburn-reelection-decision/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— JB Pritzker’s Political Brand Is at Stake—in a Race He’s Not Even Running In. Illinois’s governor has given at least $5 million to a group. backing his lieutenant governor and upsetting the Congressional Black Caucus
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/illinois-senate-primary-jb-pritzker-de0600ce
— The Forgotten 444 Days in Tehran. In 1979 Iranians held 52 Americans hostage for more than a year.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-forgotten-444-days-in-tehran-f3ec0360
— New York City’s $30 Minimum-Wage Proposal Rattles Small Businesses. DD: I did not start earning $27/hour in today’s dollars until 10 months after I had earned a bachelor’s degree in business from NIU in 1970.
https://www.wsj.com/business/hospitality/new-york-city-minimum-wage-800eb107

NATIONAL TODAY
— Illinois Gubernatorial Candidate Targets High School Superintendent Salaries. Ted Dabrowski calls for consolidating school districts to reduce administrative costs and improve education outcomes.
https://nationaltoday.com/us/il/dalton-city/news/2026/03/13/illinois-gubernatorial-candidate-targets-high-school-superintendent-salaries/

COLLEGE RECRUITER
— Is the federal hiring freeze really over? DD: The Democrats who ran GAO in 1980, IRS in 1971, and the Post Office in 1966 hired me because they could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, younger person, or veteran who would take the job. I qualified myself for the Post Office job by earning a high school diploma and passing the postal employment test. I qualified myself for the IRS job by earning a job-related bachelor’s degree and passing the Federal Service Entrance Examination. I qualified myself for the GAO job by earning an MBA and passing the CPA examination on my first attempt.
https://www.collegerecruiter.com/blog/2026/03/12/is-the-federal-hiring-freeze-really-over-5-signs-your-agency-is-opening-up

INSIDE HIGHER EDUCATION
— Most Low-Income Students Find Bachelor’s Degrees Unaffordable. DD: Back in the good old days, back in 1970, I was able to earn enough money to graduate debt-free from NIU with a bachelor’s degree in management and owning a 1969 Dodge Charger SE. I worked part-time for the Park Forest Post Office for 25 months and full-time for 9 months. In today’s dollars, my salary increased from $19.57/hour to $20.87/hour.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/college-experience/2025/09/23/bachelors-degrees-unaffordable-most-low-income

POLITICO
— Democrats are trouncing Republicans in state elections since Trump took office. Voter turnout in state elections over the last 14 months has Republicans concerned as the midterms approach.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/12/dems-flip-28-state-legislature-seats-in-trump-2-0-00827125

WARDS AUTO
— New-car affordability challenges may drive used-vehicle demand. DD: Back in the good old days, I was able to buy a new 1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint ( https://over-drive-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/1965-12-CD-1966-Pontiac-Tempest-Sprint-Test-1-4.pdf ), a poor man’s GTO, with money I earned washing dishes for the minimum wage part-time for 15 months and full-time for 3 months.
https://www.wardsauto.com/news/new-car-affordability-challenges-may-drive-used-vehicle-demand/814450/

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.