November 25, 2016 Morning Edition

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump’s team to raise millions for inauguration events – AP
http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/donald-trump-team-raising-money-inauguration-events/

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— The double standard imposed on Rauner – Kristen McQueary
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-rauner-balanced-budget-democrats-perspec-1125-20161123-story.html
— Democrats need to find the road back from tribalism – Charles Krauthammer  (DIERSEN: Democrats are members of one or more of the following tribes: those who are 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.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-democrats-tribalism-obama-krauthammer-perspec-1125-md-20161124-column.html
— Journalists, don’t let Donald Trump use you as props – Margaret Sullivan  (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes want me to serve as one of their props.  Because I refuse to do that, they focus on a) stopping me from sending GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails out and b) stopping everyone from reading those emails.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-trump-media-commentary-20161122-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Russian propaganda effort helped spread ‘fake news’ during election.”  Russians have a much higher opinion of members of the following groups than Democrats do: Protestant, conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-russian-propaganda-fake-news-election-experts-20161124-story.html
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: Words matter: How to twist language for political gain – Victor Davis Hanson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/sns-201611230900–tms–vdhansonctnvh-a20161124-20161124-column.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, Democrats demonize, denigrate, and condemn Republicans as being racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chicagoinc/ct-womans-museum-clinton-1125-chicago-inc-20161124-story.html
— FRONT PAGE WITH COLOR PICTURE: Anti-Trumps say “How Trump could use the presidency to help his own business interests.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-presidency-business-interests-20161124-story.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Suburbs, Illinois bucking national hate crime trends – Charles Keeshan and Susan Sarkauskas  (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps demonize, denigrate, and condemn members of the following groups as being haters, racists, sexists, bigots, and even worse things: those who are Protestant, conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20161125/news/161129370/

 

NBC5
— Trump’s Stock in Oil Pipeline Company Raises Concern  Trump’s 2016 federal disclosure forms show he owned between $15,000 and $50,000 in stock in Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners – Matthew Daly
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/Trump-Stock-Oil-Pipeline-Company-Raises-Concern–402970596.html

 

QUAD CITY TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Trump is not becoming any more presidential.”
http://qctimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/ruth-marcus/trump-is-not-becoming-any-more-presidential/article_646042bf-f64b-5608-bac7-5dceb231e2ca.html

 

ALTON DAILY NEWS
— Illinois Ranked First in Volunteering – Greg Bishop  (DIERSEN: How many hours have you volunteered during the last day, last week, last month, last year, and last decade?  I volunteered 10+ hours yesterday, 70+ hours last week, 300+ hours last month, 3,650+ last year, and 36,500+ hours last decade.)
http://altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=230255#.WDgbAuYrKM8

 

SAUK VALLEY
— Back to the same old, same old in Illinois  Election hasn’t changed much among bigwigs – Doug Finke
http://www.saukvalley.com/2016/11/22/doug-finke-back-to-the-same-old-same-old-in-illinos/clk2h3n/

 

  1. LOUIS POST DISPATCH
    — DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Trump needs to disown his white nationalist hangers-on.” When will Clinton disown her supporters, all of whom are 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?
    http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/dana-milbank/dana-milbank-trump-needs-to-disown-his-white-nationalist-hangers/article_d72ee180-ea16-5519-af1b-d6b475f7d230.html
    — GAO: Outdated 401(k) rules are shortchanging Americans – Bloomberg  (DIERSEN: I began earning credits toward my Civil Service Retirement System pension in 1966 when I was 18 years old when I started working part-time for the Park Forest Post Office.)
    http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/gao-outdated-k-rules-are-shortchanging-americans/article_391c2b87-8fe6-5d72-9001-58d875e551bc.html
    (FROM THE ARTICLE: Among the arguably outmoded practices: a requirement at some plans that workers be 21 before becoming eligible to join a 401(k), that employees finish one year of service before being eligible to join a plan and then wait another year to be eligible for company matching funds, and that employees wait up to six years before laying claim to all those contributions.)

 

DES MOINES REGISTER
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Where is Donald Trump’s apology to those he offended?” Where is Hillary Clinton’s apology to those she offended — those who are Protestant, conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time?
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/readers/2016/11/25/where-donald-trumps-apology-those-he-offended/94306604/

 

WASHINGTON TIMES
— The agony of watching the transition – Wesley Pruden
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/nov/24/the-agony-of-watching-the-trump-transition/

 

BREITBART
— SPLC Should Lose Non-Profit Tax Status, Says Immigration Reform Group – NEIL MUNRO
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/11/23/immigration-reform-group-sues-splc/

 

THE BLAZE
— Ex-Bernie Sanders spokeswoman: ‘We don’t need white people’ to lead DNC – Jon Street
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2016/11/24/ex-bernie-sanders-spokeswoman-we-dont-need-white-people-to-lead-dnc/
— Vassar College president uses Thanksgiving message to denounce Trump – Jon Street
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2016/11/24/college-president-uses-thanksgiving-message-to-denounce-trump/

 

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE
— THE RETURN OF ASSASSINATION FASCINATION  The left lets the mask slip. – Michelle Malkin
http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/264947/return-assassination-fascination-michelle-malkin

 

NATIONAL REVIEW
— Dear Media: Please Stop Normalizing the Alt-Right – DAVID HARSANYI
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/442464/alt-right-mainstream-news-coverage-raising-its-profile

 

AMERICAN THINKER
— Trump Derangement Syndrome Is Here – James G. Wiles
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2016/11/trump_derangement_syndrome_is_here.html
— Our Betters: Trump Must Now Exercise ‘Magnanimity’ toward Democrats – Peter Nichols  (DIERSEN: In your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois, what attitude do those who voted for Clinton have toward those who voted for Trump? How hard will those who voted for Clinton work to punish if not to destroy those who voted for Trump?  What protection will the Trump Administration give those who voted for Trump?  One could argue that the bigger the margin that Clinton won in a precinct, municipality, a township/ward, a county, and a state, the more protection that Trump voters should get from the Trump Administration.)
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2016/11/our_betters_trump_must_now_exercise_magnanimity_toward_democrats.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The South capitulated at the end of the Civil War.  Have the Democrats capitulated?  Do they show any signs of moderating their hatred of the president-elect or of conservatives like Senator Sessions, whose nomination to the office of attorney general they vow to derail?  Do we discern any lessening in their contempt for the Constitution itself, as demands to abolish the Electoral College or even to corrupt its imminent vote abound?)
— Mr. Trump: Get rid of the Department of Education! – M. Catharine Evans
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/11/mr_trump_get_rid_of_the_department_of_education.html
— Trump’s Chance to Fix American Higher Education – Bonnie K. Snyder
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2016/11/trumps_chance_to_fix_american_higher_education.html

 

THE HILL
— Trump’s media feud enters new era – JONATHAN EASLEY
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/307413-trumps-media-feud-enters-new-era

 

POLITICO
— Christian leaders see influence growing under Trump  ‘If he fulfills the promises he’s made, he could be the most pro-life president since Reagan,’ one social conservative said of Trump. – KATIE GLUECK  (DIERSEN: Virtually all of my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes promote abortion.)
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/christian-evangelicals-donald-trump-influence-231810
— How Trump, With No Mandate, Could Change Washington More Than Reagan Did  He lost the popular vote and his unfavorables are still high, but conditions are right for a lasting legacy – JEFF GREENFIELD
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/11/how-trump-can-change-washington-214475

 

NBC NEWS
— Trump Invites Anti-Migrant Hungarian PM Orban to Washington – CHLOE HUBBARD  (DIERSEN: Virtually all of my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes a) glorify and praise immigrants and b) demonize, denigrate, and condemn those who are Protestant, conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and/or those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors.)
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/trump-invites-anti-migrant-hungarian-pm-orban-washington-report-n688251

 

CNBC
— George Soros targeted by Trump supporters over protests – Dawn Chmielewski
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/25/george-soros-targeted-by-trump-supporters-over-protests.html
— Melania Trump is set to be a long-distance first lady – AP
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/25/melania-trump-is-set-to-be-a-long-distance-first-lady.html

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— Donald Trump’s Early Backers in State Government May See Rewards – MONICA DAVEY  (DIERSEN: Who were Trump’s early backers in Illinois, in your county, in your township/ward, in your municipality, and in your precinct?)
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/23/us/politics/donald-trumps-early-backers-in-state-government-may-see-rewards.html
— Donald Trump and the Lawsuit Presidency – Editorial  (DIERSEN: Should I write a book about the lawsuits that I have filed and the defendants in those lawsuits?  The defendants in those lawsuits, their operatives, and their dupes continue to do everything that they can to destroy me and to destroy anyone who might support me.  The defendants in those lawsuits have lots of religious, government, political, and/or financial clout in Wheaton, in Glen Ellyn, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, Illinois, and America.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/opinion/donald-trump-and-the-lawsuit-presidency.html
— How Trump Won the Troops  The regions and classes that send their children off to war were the same ones that voted for the president-elect.- J. D. VANCE
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/opinion/how-trump-won-the-troops.html
— In Scotland, Trump Built a Wall. Then He Sent Residents the Bill. – KATRIN BENNHOLD
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/world/europe/donald-trump-scotland-wall.html
— OUTRAGEOUS: Wells Fargo Asks Court to Force Customers to Arbitration in Fake Accounts Cases – Reuters
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/24/business/wells-fargo-asks-court-to-force-customers-to-arbitration-in-fake-accounts-cases.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, those who want destroy America push pot in America.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/business/energy-environment/marijuana-legal-environment-lights.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/opinion/race-and-marijuana-arrests.html
— The Populism Perplex  What does the white working class want? – Paul Krugman  (DIERSEN: ANSWER: End bad trade deals, end mass/illegal immigration, end race based preference giving, end gender based preference giving, and end age discrimination.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/opinion/the-populism-perplex.html
— White-Collar Supremacy  There’s nothing new about the alt-right’s intellectual aspirations.- KELLY J. BAKER  (DIERSEN: Are/were you blue-collar?  I was 1964-1971.  My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes look down on blue-collar people.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/opinion/white-collar-supremacy.html

 

WASHINGTON POST
— Readers weigh in on boycotting Trump products – Michelle Singletary  (DIERSEN: Who/what boycotts you? The following individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries boycott me: those that a) reject planks in the Republican Party platform and work against those like me who support those planks, b) reject planks in the Illinois Republican Party platform and work against those like me who support those planks, c) reject the Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling and work against those like me who support that resolution, d) focus on destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate, e) were defendants in lawsuits that I have filed, f) are operatives for the aforesaid, and/or g) are dupes for the aforesaid and those that are: 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://www.washingtonpost.com/business/get-there/readers-weigh-in-on-boycotting-trump-products/2016/11/24/26146bfc-b1cd-11e6-8616-52b15787add0_story.html
— Limits on cash awards to federal employees loosened – Eric Yoder  (DIERSEN: Of course, obviously, needless-to-say, and without question, virtually all cash awards are given to federal employees who are Democrat, minority, female, younger, and/or veteran.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/11/25/limits-on-cash-awards-to-federal-employees-loosened/

 

NEW YORK POST
— Few takers for Trump inauguration tickets from New York city representatives – Marisa Schultz and Danika Fears  (DIERSEN: What percent of inauguration tickets will Democrat and RINO representatives give to protestors, that is, to those who are 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?)
http://nypost.com/2016/11/25/few-takers-for-trump-inauguration-tickets-from-city-representatives/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: At least two Clinton backers still want their tickets “because they wanted to protest during the inauguration,” said a Serrano staffer. . .Another congressional office in the city said it has had “zero requests” for tickets since Trump won and has not decided whether to dole them out to protesters or share them with GOP colleagues. . .“I am not going to be handing out any tickets to protesters,” Maloney said. “I believe it’s a great tradition we have in our country of the peaceful transfer of power.”)

 

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps blame Trump for everything that is bad.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-new-york-swastikas-20161121-story.html

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Where Republicans Go From Here  To start, we should back a constitutional convention to pass term limits and a balanced budget clause. – JEB BUSH
http://www.wsj.com/articles/where-republicans-go-from-here-1480023537
— How Democrats Can Win Again  Develop a new vision now, and inspiring leaders to implement it will come later. – TED VAN DYK  (DIERSEN: Democrats might win again if they stop being 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.)
http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-democrats-can-win-again-1480023710
— Thinking About Charity on Black Friday  Generosity is at the heart of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. – PETER J. RUBINSTEIN  (DIERSEN: How many hours have you volunteered during the last day, last week, last month, last year, and last decade?  I volunteered 10+ hours yesterday, 70+ hours last week, 300+ hours last month, 3,650+ last year, and 36,500+ hours last decade.)
http://www.wsj.com/articles/thinking-about-charity-on-black-friday-1480022811

 

BOSTON HERALD
— President-elect Trump works to keep factory in Indiana  Trump claims Carrier progress – O’Ryan Johnson
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/national/2016/11/president_elect_trump_works_to_keep_factory_in_indiana

 

DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE
— Megyn Kelly’s memoir revisits controversies with Roger Ailes and Donald Trump – Lorraine Ali
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/features/pursuits/4165761-megyn-kellys-memoir-revisits-controversies-roger-ailes-and-donald-trump

 

ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, Democrats and RINOs side with foreign countries and their citizens, and especially with Mexico and its citizens, AGAINST AMERICA AND AGAINST ITS CITIZENS.
https://www.abqjournal.com/895765/immigrant-student-we-are-here-to-stay.html

 

NEW JERSEY HERALD
— Sexism did not defeat Clinton – Jay Ambrose
http://www.njherald.com/20161125/sexism-did-not-defeat-clinton#

 

WNAX
— Should I stay or should I go? U.S. civil servants gird for Trump – Andy Sullivan
http://wnax.com/news/030030-should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-u-s-civil-servants-gird-for-trump/

 

FORTUNE
— Fiat Chrysler’s CEO Thinks Donald Trump Will Be An Auto Industry ‘Game Changer’ – Dominique Rowe  (DIERSEN: Overwhelmingly, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes despise if not hate a) General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, b) those who work for General Motors, Ford, or Chrysler, and c) those who own General Motors, Ford, or Chrysler vehicles.  I own three General Motors vehicles (2005 Chevy Corvette, 2003 Chevy Caviler LS, and 1972 Corvette), two For vehicles (2016 Ford Mustang and 1996 Ford Thunderbird LX), and one Chrysler vehicle (2013 Dodge Charger R/T Max). Overwhelmingly, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes despise if not hate unions and despise if not hate union members.  I was a union member for almost 12 years.)
http://fortune.com/2016/11/25/fiat-chrysler-donald-trump-auto-industry/

 

BLOOMBERG
— Gasoline Demand Past Its Peak – Javier Blas and Laura Blewitt
http://www.vnews.com/The-Tesla-shock-global-gasoline-demand-has-all-but-peaked-6324419

 

GUARDIAN
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps say “Doctors see a new condition among immigrant children: fear of Trump  Pediatricians serving undocumented immigrants report a spike in anxiety and panic attacks after the US election, as children live with threat of deportation.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/25/donald-trump-immigration-deportation-children-doctors

 

WORLD SOCIALIST WEB SITE
— Incoming Trump administration prepares assault on federal workers – Nick Barrickman  (DIERSEN: Because I was a federal employee for almost 30 years, my critics/opponent, their operatives, and their dupes have always foisted negative federal employee stereotypes on me. In my defense, I earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30, 32, 41, 45, 47, and 48, and c) a job-related professional license when I was 33.)
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2016/11/25/trum-n25.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The incoming Trump administration has singled out civilian federal employees for attacks on jobs, employment security and pensions. According to the Washington Post, “President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress are drawing up plans to take on the government bureaucracy they have long railed against, by eroding job protections and grinding down benefits that federal workers have received for a generation.”  The federal civil service, which consists of over 2.75 million workers, excluding members of the armed forces, the judiciary and elected officials, has come under relentless attack from the political right for decades. Right-wing propaganda depicts federal workers as overpaid and privileged drones in an attempt to divide the working class and divert anger over declining living standards and growing inequality against a section of the working class itself. The aim is to dismantle whatever remains of job protections and benefits that are based on civil service laws and contracts with federal employee unions. This is despite the best efforts of the unions over many years to help impose job cuts and wage and benefit concessions. In 2012, House Republicans proposed a 10 percent federal workforce reduction as part of their fiscal budget for that year. According to the Post, the incoming administration will implement “[h]iring freezes, an end to automatic raises, a green light to fire poor performers, a ban on union business on the government’s dime and less generous pensions.” In addition, the Trump White House will seek “guidance” from the Republican governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker, who in 2011 provoked mass protests at the state capital by shredding public employee rights and imposing sweeping concessions on public workers. The new administration will also follow the example of Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who, as governor of Indiana, tied state worker pay to performance ratings. According to Jason Chaffetz, Republican congressman from Utah and chairman of the House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform, the plan to slash federal employee pensions will be modeled on his home state, which recently replaced defined benefit pensions with market-based defined contribution plans such as 401(k)s. The switch from traditional pensions will initially affect newly hired workers, according to press reports. The assault on federal workers is based on the ten-point “Contract with the American Voter” released by Donald Trump in late October. The statement declared that within its first 100 days in office, the Trump administration would enact “a hiring freeze on all federal employees to reduce the federal workforce through attrition (exempting military, public safety, and public health).” The Post quotes former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a member of Trump’s transition team, as saying that Stephen Bannon, Trump’s chief White House strategist, will lead the attack on federal workers. Until signing on as the head of Trump’s presidential campaign last August, Bannon headed the Breitbart News web site, a platform for the fascistic alt-right that regularly rails against the so-called “privileged class” of government workers in Washington. Contrary to the myth of a ballooning “big government” promoted by the right wing, the US civil service has undergone numerous cutbacks in its workforce under both Republican and Democratic presidents. As a result, the number of federal employees today is consistent with the number employed in the 1960s, despite a near-doubling of the US population since then. A likely precedent for Trump’s plan to slash workers’ pay and job protections is the 2014 Veterans’ Choice Act, signed into law by President Obama. Passed during the scandal at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) that year, the law facilitates the firing of VA workers while giving employees less than a week to appeal their dismissal. Prior to the Veterans’ Choice Act, workers had the option of appealing their dismissal to the Merit Systems Protection Board, established as part of the civil service system to prevent politically motivated firings. Under a Trump administration, such firings are likely to become the rule. During the presidential campaign, Trump regularly declared that if elected he would shut down government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Education. At the same time, Trump is pledging a massive increase in military spending and packing his administration-in-waiting with military figures. The planned assault on federal workers exposes the cynicism behind repeated statements by Democratic Party leaders—from Obama and incoming Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer to Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren—suggesting that Trump may enact measures to improve the lot of workers and pledging their readiness to collaborate with him. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest federal employee union, has remained silent on Trump’s agenda. On November 9, the day after the election, AFGE President J. David Cox Sr. released a brief press statement declaring, “We ?will work with the Trump administration on areas of common ground, as we have with every administration for generations.”)

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.