September 7 Morning Edition

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE: Workers at Lincoln Park seniors home stole $600,000 from 97-year-old resident with dementia, public guardian’s suit alleges – Elyssa Cherney and Christy Gutowski (DIERSEN: Since 2009, I have had power of attorney for property and for health for my outstanding aunt who will soon be 88 years old and has a debilitating diagnosis of dementia. She never attended college, she never married, she worked as a low-paid keypunch operator, she lived frugally, and she saved about $600,000 for her retirement. Since 2010, she has lived in an assisted living facility that is currently charging her $239 a day or $87,235 a year. She still has about $470,000 of the about $600,000 that she saved. I can account for all of her income and for all of her expenses since 2009. Of course, I have not charged her anything for the many hours that I have spent managing her financial and health matters. She was one of those who taught me how to drive a car.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-symphony-nursing-home-lawsuit-20180906-story.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: With no living relatives and a debilitating diagnosis of dementia, Grace Watanabe had nowhere else to turn. The 97-year-old needed help with her finances and looked for guidance at Symphony Residences of Lincoln Park, a senior facility where she had been staying since 2010. Watanabe, who was forced to live at a Japanese internment camp during World War II, had built up a life savings of $600,000 over a lengthy career as a federal government employee. But instead of helping Watanabe, a group of workers at the home are accused of draining her assets in a yearlong scheme that included cashing checks, making ATM withdrawals and transferring money online without her consent, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by acting Cook County Public Guardian Charles Golbert. Virtually all of her life savings are gone, the lawsuit said. “I’ve never seen this level of corruption from the very highest levels to the very lowest levels,” Golbert said. “These Symphony employees were paid to assist the residents with the care they needed. Instead, they took advantage of Ms. Watanabe’s vulnerabilities to access her money.”)
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: DISGUSTING: TRAGIC: Pot pushers push pot.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/highland-park/news/ct-hpn-medical-pot-sellers-laud-new-rules-tl-0913-story,amp.html

 

DAILY HERALD
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG COLOR PICTURE: How U-46’s new commissary feeds thousands of hungry students – Madhu Krishnamurthy (DIERSEN: Who pays for all this food?)
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180907/how-u-46s-new-commissary-feeds-thousands-of-hungry-students
— ACLU challenges panhandling rules in Elgin, Aurora – Elena Ferrarin
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180907/aclu-challenges-panhandling-rules-in-elgin-aurora
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps side with Google.
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20180907/google-remarks-a-threat-against-free-speech

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Lawsuit alleges worker not paid prevailing wage on city job – Crystal Thomas (DIERSEN: What is your prevailing wage, that is, how much money should you be paid per hour based on your education, your work experience, your professional certifications, your professional licenses, etc.? In today’s dollars, in 1997, when I was 49 years old, GAO paid me $125,325/year or $60.25/hour. I had almost 18 years of experience working for GAO and almost 9 years of experience working for IRS. I had earned a) a job-related bachelor’s degree when I was 21 in 1970 and job-related master’s degrees when I was 27, 31, and 48, b) job-related professional certifications when I was 30 (CPA), 32 (Certified Internal Auditor), 41 (Certified Fraud Examiner), 45 (Certified Government Financial Manager), 47 (Certified Financial Services Auditor), and 48 (Forensic Accountant), and c) a job-related professional license (licensed CPA) when I was 32.)
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20180906/lawsuit-alleges-worker-not-paid-prevailing-wage-on-city-job

 

BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
— Chicago gets most of the state money, right? Think again, according to new study – JOSEPH BUSTOS (DIERSEN: Republicans run DuPage County. Were it not for DuPage County’s prosperity, Illinois would have filed for bankruptcy decades ago.)
https://www.bnd.com/news/local/article217665185.html

 

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— Trumpism is taking a toll on Republican races in Illinois, though GOP leaders are optimistic the president’s behavior won’t hurt candidates too much. “His behavior hurts Republicans. You can’t engage in that kind of conduct, those kinds of tweets, and come to a conclusion that it doesn’t hurt Republicans,” said Pat Brady, the former state GOP chair. “But people have been able to differentiate between Trump’s persona and his policies” of tax cuts and deregulation. “People make the distinction.” Recent polls may be showing otherwise. Last night, the New York Times conducted a so-called live poll in suburban Chicago’s 6th Congressional District. Incumbent Rep. Peter Roskam (R) took 45 percent to Sean Casten (D)’s 44 percent—with 11 percent undecided. Respondents also were asked whether they approve or disapprove of Trump’s job performance—57 percent disapproved, compared to 36 percent who approved. That’s quite a drag on Roskam. It’s one of the reasons that, earlier this week, POLITICO’s inaugural congressional race ratings categorized Roskam v. Casten as “lean Republican,” a designation suggesting the incumbent only has a narrow edge. Three other Republican-controlled Illinois House races showed up on the list as “lean Republican”: Rep. Mike Bost (R) v. Brendan Kelly (D) in the 12th District; Rep. Rodney Davis (R) v. Betsy Dirksen Londrigan (D) in the 13th District; and Rep. Randy Hultgren (R) v. Lauren Underwood (D) in the 14th District. – Shia Kapos
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/09/07/3-questions-in-the-mayors-race-trumpism-in-illinois-laraviere-says-hed-fire-cps-chief-jackson-302601

 

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— ILLINOIS PUBLIC SCHOOL PRINCIPAL TURNS $358,000 INTO $7.1 MILLION (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes could argue that so far, I have turned the $70,932 that I paid into the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) (in 1966-1969 and 1971-1997 dollars) into $1,076,178 in today’s dollars ($4,322 X 249 months). However, they should acknowledge that if I was still working for GAO at the GS-13 Step 10 level, I would have paid $182,039 more into the CSRS in today’s dollars and the CSRS would have paid me nothing.)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/09/illinois-public-school-principal-turns-358000-into-71-million.html
— BRINKMAN REVIEWS: JONAH GOLDBERG’S SUICIDE OF THE WEST
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/09/brinkman-reviews-jonah-goldbergs-suicide-of-the-west.html
— APPLE, GOOGLE, ET AL. STRIKE A BLOW AGAINST THE COLLEGE CARTEL (DIERSEN: Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes hint/imply/argue/shout that for all the jobs that I had, none of them really required work experience, a grade school diploma, a high school diploma, a bachelor’s degree, a graduate degree, a professional certification, or a professional license.)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/09/apple-google-et-al-strike-a-blow-against-the-college-cartel.html

 

CAPITOL FAX
— NYT polling: GOP incumbents Roskam, Bost both lead by just a point
https://capitolfax.com/2018/09/07/nyt-polling-gop-incumbents-roskam-bost-both-lead-by-just-a-point/
— Workers on strike at 26 Chicago hotels, including two owned by the Pritzker family
https://capitolfax.com/2018/09/07/workers-on-strike-at-26-chicago-hotels-including-two-owned-by-the-pritzker-family/
— Just 25 percent of local election commissions have fully signed on to state anti-hacking program
https://capitolfax.com/2018/09/07/just-25-percent-of-local-election-commissions-have-fully-signed-on-to-state-anti-hacking-program/

 

GOPUSA
–Social Networks Shutting Out Conservatives (DIERSEN: Who takes the lead in shutting out conservatives in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois? Who takes the lead in shutting out conservatives in your Republican township/ward party organization, in your Republican county party organization, and in the Illinois Republican Party? I should write a book about “Republicans” who have taken the lead and who are taking the lead in shutting out conservatives in my precinct, in Wheaton, in Milton Township, in DuPage County, in Illinois, in the Milton Township Republican Central Committee, in the DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and in the Illinois Republican Party.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=54100
— Unsourced oped leads Elizabeth Warren to call for Donald Trump’s removal from office under 25th Amendment
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=54107

 

WASHINGTON TIMES
— New York Times v. Trump: A betrayal of honor – Editorial
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/sep/6/editorial-the-new-york-times-abets-nothing-less-th/
— Making ‘the wall’ work – Gary Anderson
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/sep/6/why-the-trump-wall-should-be-privatized/

 

BREITBART
— Lamar Smith: ‘It’s Going to Be Amnesty’ for Illegals If Democrats Win Midterms – John Binder
https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/09/06/llamar-smith-its-going-to-be-amnesty-for-illegals-if-democrats-win-midterms/

 

DAILY CALLER
— ANN COULTER TO THOSE WHO SAY TRUMP LACKS AUTHORITY TO BUILD WALL — ‘PULL OUT YOUR POCKET CONSTITUTION’ – Scott Morefield
https://dailycaller.com/2018/09/06/ann-coulter-trump-border-wall-authority/
— FIVE KEY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NEW YORK TIMES’ ANONYMOUS ‘SENIOR OFFICIAL’ – Peter Hasson
https://dailycaller.com/2018/09/06/nyt-anonymous-senior-official-identity-questions/
— TRUMP CALLS FOR NEW YORK TIMES REPORTERS TO INVESTIGATE ANONYMOUS OP-ED WRITER – Scott Morefield
https://dailycaller.com/2018/09/06/trump-nyt-advice-op-ed/
— WYOMING GOP OFFICE SET ON FIRE LESS THAN TWO DAYS AFTER OPENING — POLICE SAY IT WAS INTENTIONAL – Peter Hasson
https://dailycaller.com/2018/09/06/wyoming-gop-office-fire/

 

REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— Social Networks Shutting Out Conservatives – Adriana Cohen
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/09/07/social_networks_shutting_out_conservatives_138008.html

 

NEWSMAX
— Deportations Increasing But Not Up to Obama Peak – Cathy Burke
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/deportations-criminal-aliens-illegals-border-security/2018/09/06/id/880608/

 

DAILY WIRE
— India Supreme Court Overturns 157-Year-Old Law Banning Homosexual Acts – PAUL BOIS
https://www.dailywire.com/news/35542/india-supreme-court-overturns-157-year-law-banning-paul-bois

 

NEW AMERICAN
— Killing the Family: New Calif. Law Would Enforce Corporate “Gender” Quotas – Selwyn Duke
https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/29998-killing-the-family-new-calif-law-would-enforce-corporate-gender-quotas

 

POLITICO
— ‘It will make him crazy’: Anonymous anti-Trump screed backfires Republicans say the New York Times op-ed will amp up the president’s paranoia, not rein him in. – BURGESS EVERETT and ELIANA JOHNSON (DIERSEN: Who wants you to fail? Obviously, the person who wrote the screed and the New York Times want Trump to fail. I should write a book about past and present people, organizations, companies, and governments that want me to fail.)
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/06/republicans-trump-oped-backfire-809427

 

THE HILL
— Democrats vow to grab Trump tax returns upon taking majority – MIKE LILLIS DIERSEN: Democrats run the federal government. If you are a Republican who works for the federal government, you should assume that your Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates know what is on your tax returns.)
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/405463-dems-vow-to-grab-trump-tax-returns-upon-taking-majority

 

CNN
— Trump: ‘Deep state’ is a threat to democracy (DIERSEN: Democrats run the federal government. All during the almost 30 years that I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government, my Democrat superiors, my Democrat supervisors, my Democrat coworkers, and my Democrat subordinates treated me like I was a member of the Republican deep state. They blamed me for all the troubles that they had a) meeting their Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion quotas, goals, and targets, b) hiring, retaining, and promoting young Democrat minorities and young Democrat females, and c) getting rid of federal employees who were Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who they had not promoted to GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40.)
https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/09/07/donald-trump-deep-state-montana-rally-sot-vpx.cnn

 

CNBC
— Older job seekers should watch out for these age discrimination red flags – Christina Medici Scolaro (DIERSEN: All those who have worked against me, are working against me, and will work against me promote age discrimination a) to get rid of those who are older than they are and/or b) to curry favor with those who promote age discrimination. I should write a book about those who have worked against me, are working against me, and will work against me.)
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/06/older-job-seekers-should-watch-out-for-age-discrimination-red-flags-.html

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps demonize, denigrate, and condemn Trump.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/06/opinion/trump-illegal-protests-justice.html
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Twitter Bars Alex Jones and Infowars, Citing Harassing Messages – Kate Conger and Jack Nicas
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/06/technology/twitter-alex-jones-infowars.html
— Who Is a Senior Administration Official? It Depends – Matt Flegenheimer
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/06/us/politics/senior-administration-official-trump-new-york-times.html
— Women and people of color in the legal profession continue to face barriers in hiring, promotions, assignments and compensation, according to a study released Thursday by the American Bar Association. – Karen Zraick (DIERSEN: The federal government wants to be a model employer. It gives preference to Democrats who are female, minority, and/or younger, that is, it discriminates against Republicans who are male, White, and/or older.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/06/us/lawyers-bias-racial-gender.html
— HARDCOPY ARTICLE TITLE: A Tech Dialogue, Minus Apologies and Grandstanding – Farhad Manjoo
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/06/technology/jack-dorsey-sheryl-sandberg-congress-hearings.html

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— The Anonymous Resistance The writer who dares not speak his own name is no hero. – Editorial (DIERSEN: I should write a book about my critics/opponents who a) want to remain anonymous and b) have their operatives and their dupes do their dirty work for them. They a) reject planks in the Republican Party platform and/or the Illinois Republican Party platform and work against those like me who support those planks, b) reject the Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling and work against those like me who support that resolution, c) focus on destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate, d) were defendants in lawsuits that I have filed, and/or e) are operatives or dupes for the aforesaid.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-anonymous-resistance-1536276239
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Senior White House Officials Deny Writing Anonymous Op-Ed Piece Vice president and others disavow column describing an internal effort to contain President Trump; aides say they are unlikely to root out the writer – Michael C. Bender and Vivian Salama
https://www.wsj.com/articles/senior-trump-officials-deny-writing-anonymous-critical-piece-1536237773
— Publishing Anonymous Column Is Rare, Editors Say New York Times says it weighed official’s position, arguments in piece and its own past practices in decision to publish – Lukas I. Alpert
https://www.wsj.com/articles/publishing-anonymous-column-is-rare-editors-say-1536269520
— Generation Z Is Coming to Your Office. Get Ready to Adapt. The generation now entering the workforce is sober, industrious and driven by money. They are also socially awkward and timid about taking the reins. – Janet Adamy
https://www.wsj.com/graphics/genz-is-coming-to-your-office/

 

FORBES
— What To Do When You Experience Age Discrimination And Are Feeling Defeated – Jack Kelly Scolaro (DIERSEN: All those who have worked against me, are working against me, and will work against me promote age discrimination a) to get rid of those who are older than they are and/or b) to curry favor with those who promote age discrimination. I should write a book about those who have worked against me, are working against me, and will work against me.)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2018/09/06/what-to-do-when-you-experience-age-discrimination-and-are-feeling-defeated/#18d3cdc81597

 

BLOOMBERG
— Exit by Trump Foe Emanuel Raises Concerns for Corporate Chicago – Elizabeth Campbell and John McCormick (DIERSEN: Who are the biggest Trump foes in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois? What do they do to drive Trump supporters out of your precinct, out of your municipality, out of your township/ward, out of your county, and out of Illinois?)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-05/exit-by-trump-foe-emanuel-raises-concerns-for-corporate-chicago

 

WHEATON BUSINESS JOURNAL
— Poll: Two-Thirds of Republicans See Liberal Bias in Internet Searches
https://wheatonbusinessjournal.com/poll-two-thirds-of-republicans-see-liberal-bias-in-internet-searches/20159/

 

USA TODAY
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: In a front page top of fold editorial unethically made to look like a news article, USA TODAY demonizes, denigrates, and condemns Trump.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/09/06/analysis-trump-faces-gathering-storm-presidency-possible-consitutional-crises/1210194002/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, anti-Trumps discourage immigrants from speaking, reading, and writing English.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2018/08/30/google-assistant-goes-bilingual-answer-languages-you-use/1143214002/

 

FED SMITH
— Would You Recommend the Government as an Employer? – Jeff Neal (DIERSEN: Overwhelmingly, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes demonize, denigrate, and condemn past, present, and future federal employees. Many millions have not and will not seek a job with the federal government a) because the pay and benefits are terrible compared to big private sector employers, b) because the advancement opportunities are terrible compared to big private sector employers, c) because they lack required education, work experience, professional certifications, and/or professional licenses, d) because they cannot pass an employment examination, e) because they cannot pass a background investigation, f) because they cannot pass a physical examination, g) because they cannot take the demonization, denigration, and condemnation that comes with being a federal employee or federal retiree, and/or h) because they are Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran and they know that the federal government discriminates against the aforesaid. Non-veteran White males who are seeking a job with the federal government should be advised that with only rare exceptions, a) the longer that you are a federal employee, the less likely that private sector employers will hire you, b) your career will be wasted and you will be gotten rid of if you do not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40, c) you will be expected to help your superiors and supervisors get rid of their employees who are Republican, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran, and d) virtually everyone despises if not hates federal employees, former federal employees, and federal retirees.)
https://www.fedsmith.com/2018/09/06/recommend-government-employer/

(FROM THE ARTICLE: Why the Government is Not a Good Employer Bureaucracy There are rules for the rules. Bureaucratic hurdles can be maddening to folks who are trying to get work done. While there may be good reasons for some of the red tape, much of it is the variety that no one in the private sector would impose. Inflexible Pay About three quarters of the workforce is covered by the General Schedule or a GS-derived pay plan. Once an employee is hired, pay raises follow rigid rules that do not take into account how well or poorly the employee performs. Entry level pay for high demand jobs may not be competitive, and bonuses for most workers are insignificant. There are no stock options or other pay incentives, and an employee who saves millions of dollars may get a bonus that is trivial. Slow Promotions Great employees whose performance is exceptional can typically be promoted no more than once per year. That unnecessary restriction can drive great employees away, or cause great candidates to decline a federal job. Politics The biggest problem may be our toxic political system. Federal workers have been the targets of opportunistic politicians for years. A great example is those on the right and left calling federal law enforcement officers “jackbooted thugs” at different times in the past 20 years and more recent complaints about Transportation Security Officers calling them “government gropers.” Internal Revenue Service employees are criticized for doing their jobs, and every ten years Census Bureau enumerators are physically attacked while they are carry out a constitutional duty. Then there are the complaints about government workers calling them lazy, incompetent or unable to find “real jobs.”)

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.