March 4, 2025 Evening Edition

WHITE HOUSE
— Excerpts from President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress
https://www.whitehouse.gov/news/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Hundreds gather in Daley Plaza Tuesday to protest Trump in ‘pro-democracy’ rally
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/04/hundreds-gather-daley-plaza-protest/
— Effort to house Gompers Park homeless moving forward
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/04/gompers-park-homeless-mayor-brandon-johnson/
— Trudeau slams Trump’s tariffs, says US is appeasing Putin while launching a trade war against Canada
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/04/trudeau-trump-tariffs-putin/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump administration puts several major Chicago federal buildings up for sale. The properties listed for sale Tuesday include two iconic high-rise towers in the Loop: the Kluczynski and Metcalfe federal buildings.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/donald-trump/2025/03/04/donald-trump-general-services-administration-sale-chicago-federal-buildings
— Lead Madigan prosecutor leaving U.S. attorney’s office after more than two decades. It’s unclear what prompted the departure of Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu. The news comes in the early days of President Donald Trump’s new administration, but also less than three weeks after a jury found Madigan guilty of a bribery conspiracy and other crimes.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-corruption-trials/2025/03/04/lead-madigan-prosecutor-leaving-u-s-attorney-office

DAILY HERALD
— Demonstrators across 50 states look to unify a disparate opposition to Trump and his sweeping agenda
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250304/nation-and-world-politics/demonstrators-across-50-states-look-to-unify-a-disparate-opposition-to-trump-and-his-sweeping-agenda/
— Trump’s trade war draws swift retaliation as Mexico, Canada and China impose tariffs on the US
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250304/business/us-tariffs-take-effect-mexico-canada-and-china-retaliate-with-their-own-tariffs-on-the-us/

NBC5
— After taking down Mike Madigan, top Chicago prosecutor is taking Trump buyout. Amar Bhachu is considered a tough-as-nails questioner and an advocate for ethics, justice and cleaning up Chicago’s halls of power.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/after-taking-down-mike-madigan-top-chicago-prosecutor-is-taking-trump-buyout/3688730/

CBS2
— Questions remain about immigration enforcement in Chicago
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/trump-speech-congress-immigration-enforcement-chicago/

WGN9
— Chicago’s history as a sanctuary city spans 40 years, 7 presidents and 5 mayors
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/chicagos-history-as-a-sanctuary-city-spans-40-years-7-presidents-and-5-mayors/
—  Quigley, Schakowsky, Casten did not attend President Trump’s joint address to Congress Tuesday evening.
https://wgntv.com/news/illinois/illinois-representatives-to-skip-president-trumps-address-to-congress/

FOX32
— IRS could cut up to half of its 90,000-person workforce
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/irs-workforce-cuts-trump-administration
— ACLU of Illinois: Hearing on sanctuary cities is about ‘much more than immigration policy’
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/aclu-illinois-hearing-sanctuary-cities-is-about-much-more-than-immigration-policy
— LaHood: Congress will vote on DOGE cuts
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-republican-doge-cuts

WBEZ
— Venezuelans in Chicago face Trump’s decision to end protected status. Many intend to stay in the U.S. But uncertainty from losing the status is putting pressure on business owners and straining relationships.
https://www.wbez.org/immigration/2025/03/04/venezuelans-in-chicago-face-trumps-decision-to-end-protected-status

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Trump seeks to put 443 federal properties up for sale — including 11 in Chicago
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/trump-seeks-put-443-federal-properties-sale

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— The IRS is drafting plans to cut as much as half of its 90,000-person workforce
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/ap-the-irs-is-drafting-plans-to-cut-as-much-as-half-of-its-90000-person-workforce-ap-sources-say/

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Trump administration ends reimbursements for Illinois food programs. USDA funds are part of nearly $2 billion being withheld from Illinois, Pritzker says. (COMMENT: To what extent are those in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct dependent on food programs?)
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/trump-administration-ends-reimbursements-for-illinois-food-programs/

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/04/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-260/
— A month later, ICE still won’t reveal who it arrested in Chicago
https://capitolfax.com/2025/03/04/a-month-later-ice-still-won%e2%80%99t-reveal-who-it-arrested-in-chicago/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Illinois legislators differ on Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canada, Mexico
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_e0dba010-f939-11ef-b6d1-e365c30349d5.html
— Illinois Republicans pleased redistricting lawsuit moving forward
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_5ff3f8f4-f93d-11ef-a1ed-532e1f5769a9.html

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Republicans cheer, Democrats stand still as Trump walks in for joint address to Congress
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/4/republicans-cheer-democrats-stand-still-trump-walks-joint-address/
— White House says fired veterans among federal workers are ‘perhaps’ not fit for the jobs (COMMENT: If I was still working for the federal government, my many superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates who were veterans would be beyond furious. They would kill me figuratively if not literally.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/4/white-house-says-fired-veterans-among-federal-workers-perhaps-fit/
— Trump’s personnel office walks back order to fire probationary employees
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/mar/4/trumps-personnel-office-walks-back-order-fire-probationary-employees/

NEW YORK POST
— United Auto Workers union praises Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico
https://nypost.com/2025/03/04/us-news/united-auto-workers-union-praises-trumps-tariffs-on-canada-and-mexico/

FOX NEWS
— Illinois educators turn our kids into political pawns in war against Trump. Rooftop Revelations: It was no surprise when I learned that the Illinois State Superintendent told districts to defy Trump’s orders to dismantle DEI.
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/illinois-educators-turn-our-kids-political-pawns-war-against-trump
— Activist gives illegal migrants heads up about ICE raids
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6369572924112

NATIONAL REVIEW
— Trump’s Early Success at the Border Exposes Biden Lies
https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/03/trumps-early-success-at-the-border-exposes-biden-lies/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ASSOCIATED P{RESS
— Trump touts Elon Musk and DOGE in joint address to Congress
https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-address-congress-updates

ABC NEWS
— Republicans target 4 ‘sanctuary’ cities as Trump pushes mass deportations (COMMENT: The list includes Chicago.)
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/republicans-target-4-sanctuary-cities-trump-pushes-mass-119421896

NBC NEWS
— Trump addresses Congress as his policy overhaul tests the economy and key alliances. The Russia-Ukraine war and U.S. tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China are likely to be among the focuses of President Donald Trump’s speech, which began at 9:20 p.m. ET.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/live-blog/trump-administration-speech-congress-live-updates-rcna194006

NBC WASHINGTON
— Democrat and RINO leaders stress difficulties in deporting their illegals.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/immigration-courts-clogged-for-years-as-trump-vows-to-deport-millions-more/3858328/

NEW YORK TIMES
— Chinese Company to Single Workers: Get Married or Get Out (COMMENT: According to my Democrat GAO superiors, if my wife and I had children, I would not have been able to a) pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, b) earn a master’s degree in accounting in 1980, c) pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt and become a licensed CPA in 1981, d) earn additional job-related professional certifications in 1990, 1994, 1996, and 1997, and e) earn a master’s degree in finance in 1997. None of my Democrat GAO superiors had anything close to the number of job-related degrees, professional certifications, and professional license that I had. They all decried the time and money needed to raise children. According to them, my not having children gave me a tremendous unfair advantage over them.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/world/asia/china-marriage-companies-childbirth.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The ideal worker at the Chinese chemical manufacturer, according to the internal memo, is hardworking, virtuous and loyal. And — perhaps most important — willing to have children for the good of the country. That was the message that the company, Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group, sent to unmarried employees recently, in a notice that spread widely on social media. It instructed them to start families by Sept. 30, or else. “If you cannot get married and start a family within three quarters, the company will terminate your labor contract,” the memo said.)

KHOU
— Congressman Al Green from Houston removed from Trump’s speech to joint session of Congress. The president was addressing Congress when Green disrupted the speech.
https://www.khou.com/article/news/politics/al-green-trump-speech-removed/285-5ef5f2c9-76e7-471d-adcf-2db10c1041ef

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Trump Addresses Joint Session of Congress. The president sets his agenda for Ukraine, inflation, deportations and other issues, including the shrinking of the federal government.
https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/trump-speech-congress-joint-session

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.