Diersen’s News Clips and Upcoming Events; March 3, 2010

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
March 3, 2010

Fellow Republicans:

News clips and upcoming event information:
GOPUSA ILLINOIS
– Sadly, it is getting even more difficult to be optimistic about the future of the Republican Party in Illinois – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
– Far too few reports of conservatives, that is, platform Republicans, being elected to township party leadership positions or appointed to township party committee chairmanship positions
– Far too few reports of SB600 supporters being elected to township party leadership positions or appointed to township party committee chairmanship positions
– Far too many reports of self-professed yes-men and yes-women being elected to township party leadership positions and appointed to township party committee chairmanship positions
– Far too few indications that conservatives, that is, platform Republicans, will be elected or appointed to county party leadership positions this evening
– Far too few indications that SB600 supporters will be elected to or appointed to county party leadership positions this evening
– Far too many indications that self-professed yes-men and yes-women will be elected to or appointed to county party leadership positions this evening
– Far too few indications that conservatives, that is, platform Republicans, will be elected to Illinois Republican Party (IRP) State Central Committee (SCC) positions this evening
– Far too few indications that SB600 supporters will be elected to IRP SCC positions this evening
– Far too many indications that self-professed yes-men and yes-women will be elected to IRP SCC positions this evening
– Far too few indications that newly elected IRP SCC members will do anything to take control the IRP away from the Combine and give control back to conservatives, that is, to platform Republicans, that is, to the base of the IRP
– Far too many indications that rather than have a conservative, that is, a platform Republican, in the governor’s mansion (Brady or Dillard), RINO party leaders would rather have someone who they can “work with” (Quinn)
– The less that party leaders do to help elect Brady or Dillard and help elect other Republicans, the louder that they are shouting that they are RINOs if not Democrats

CHAMPION NEWS

• Right politics, wrong politics, and Illinois GOP State Central Committee elections – John Biver ¹

(FROM THE ARTICLE: Anyone familiar with the news we’ve been reporting on this website for the past few years already understands how corrupt and dysfunctional the Illinois Republican Party has been and continues to be. I admit it’s a bit of inside baseball regarding state law and Republican Party “rules,” but it’s a revealing episode. When even some of the “good guys” can’t abide by a simple fact of state law you know the problems are pretty severe. To make matters worse about this issue of county chairmen voting the empty precincts in the State Central Committeeman elections is that some of the dumbest people I know in politics are actually calling on certain county chairmen to obey the law so that a lowlife will be elevated to the SCC post. In most cases, those ignoring the law are looking to reelect one of the corrupt or useless incumbents. There are instances, however, where the wrong candidate will be elected by following the law. I won’t name names – and I apologize to anyone offended by my use of the word “dumbest” and “lowlife.” It’s Monday and I’d rather not dig out my thesaurus this afternoon. Hey TEA partiers – I hope you’re paying attention to this episode. The party that has the best prospects for electing good political leaders at the state and federal level is the Republican Party. And right now that party is dominated by individuals with terrible judgment and for the most part, corrupt motives. The GOP needs new blood desperately. It needs mature, ethical people who understand that politics isn’t supposed to be about improving personal financial bottom lines or imagined power bases. It’s about getting good government. Americans don’t have good government because of this broken political and party process. We’ll never see policy reform without political reform – and we won’t see political reform without new people stepping up and getting serious about saving their country from the idiots dominating both parties.)

• 12 Pension Questions for the Next Governor – Bill Zettler ²
• When The Pension Deficit Hits $100 Billion in 2014, what is Plan B? – Bill Zettler ³

REPUBLICANS FOR FAMILY VALUES

• Peter LaBarbera for State Central Committeeman for the 13th Congressional District ⁴⁵⁶

(FROM THE ARTICLE: Let’s return integrity to the Illinois Republican Party My name is Peter LaBarbera. I am a 47-year-old, happily married father of five living in Naperville, and I am asking for your vote to serve as Republican State Central Committeeman for the 13 Congressional District of Illinois. I entered this race as a strong fiscal and social conservative in the model of Illinois’ own Ronald Reagan. I believe that the IL-GOP is badly in need of reform and that we can be better served than by our current leaders – including my opponent, Roger Claar – who have put power over principle and lost sight of the greatness that a conservative Republican Party can achieve. As a Reagan Republican, my dream for the Illinois Republican Party is that it would return to the standards of conservatism, decency, integrity and high principle of the man who grew up here, in Dixon, and who as President restored American greatness and accomplished what many said was impossible: to force the demise of Soviet Communism, an “Evil Empire” (as Reagan called it) and the most murderous political system ever created. Like Ronald Reagan, I am a committed to certain core principles, from which I will never waver; most are enumerated in the Republican Party Platform: The right to life: the GOP is the party of life, a value our public servants should not run from but rather embrace, as Reagan did. As one who has a younger brother with Down Syndrome, I cherish this value, understanding that a society that allows “imperfect” or “inconvenient” lives to be discarded in the name of “choice” erodes the value of life for every American. Let the Democrats be the party of abortion-on-demand; we Republicans must celebrate life, a gift from God, with its endless potential for good; Revitalized GOP through competition: Unlike my opponent, I enthusiastically support SB600 as a means of strengthening the conservative grassroots of the IL-GOP. A party leadership that fears and the grassroots is one destined to produce failure and stagnation. IL-GOP big-shots oppose SB600 because it threatens their hold on the party. They selfishly put their narrow interests above the Party’s. SB600 will open up and reinvigorate the IL-GOP through competition at the local level. Conservative ideas championed by faithful, empowered Republicans across Illinois will rise to the surface and grow the Party. Small government: our hope is in the entrepreneurial engine of private business and the ingenuity of industrious Americans – not in government. Public service is not intended to enrich and empower our leaders through “pay-to-play” politics and other schemes; nor is it meant to build political war-chests, but rather to enable everyday Illinois citizens to live their life and their American dream to the fullest – with common-sense government and limited interference from the state; Low taxes: we are already overtaxed in Illinois. Rather than consider new taxes, we must lower taxes and the financial burden on families, which will ignite economic growth and draw people to our state rather than drive them away – as the current Democrat tax-and-spend policies have done; Conservative and Constitutional values: we must distinguish ourselves from the Democrats and give voters a real choice by remaining faithful to conservative, pro-family principles. “Gay marriage” is not a Republican value. Nor is unbridled gambling justified as a revenue stream for bloated government. We cannot hope to win TEA Party votes if we scorn TEA Party values. Our liberties – including the right to life – come from God and we must remain the party that preserves freedom and opportunity through economic growth. Truth over Political Correctness: my whole professional life has been about commitment to Truth over political correct trends – including my current profession at Americans For Truth opposing the powerful Homosexual Lobby. As Republicans, we must stop “settling,” and remember that commitment to Truth and Principle – embodied by solid conservative values – is our highest calling. Corruption and Politics-for-Personal-Enrichment should have no place in the GOP. A Nation Under God: America is truly, as Reagan believed, a Nation Under God, and we must reject secular ideologies that arrogantly assume that we can remain great even as we reject timeless moral values and our Judeo-Christian heritage. Ultimately, as a nation and individually, we answer to a holy and just God.)

DAILY HERALD

• THE DAILY HERALD MAKES IT CLEAR THAT ITS POLICY IS TO COVER UP MAJOR NEGATIVES ABOUT REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES DURING PRIMARY ELECTIONS SO IT CAN PROMOTE THOSE MAJOR NEGATIVES DURING GENERAL ELECTIONS: FRONT PAGE WITH COLOR PHOTO: Joe Walsh lost condo to foreclosure – Russell Lissau ⁷
• Rove admits to error on Iraq as Bush strategist – AP ⁸

(DIERSEN: As everyone knows, if Bush had not rejected many important planks in the Republican Party platform, Republicans would still control the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House, and the White House. To what extent does Rove admit advising Bush to reject important planks in the Republican Party platform?)

• DuPage gets $250,000 grant to create 8,100-square foot green roof – Jake Griffin ⁹

(DIERSEN: What is next? A $1 million grant for a statute of Obama?)

• Ethics tussle prompts re-examination of reform fight – John Patterson ¹⁰
• Schillerstrom vetoes DuPage Airport budget over tech park funding – Jake Griffin ¹¹
• Prayers to continue: Wheaton’s long-standing tradition of offering religious invocations before city council meetings will continue under a new set of guidelines meant to bring the city into compliance with federal law. The guidelines, formally adopted this week, were drafted after a national group urged the council to discontinue the practice. Wheaton’s attorney said having an invocation doesn’t violate the First Amendment as long as it doesn’t exclude any faiths. As part of the new guidelines, religious leaders from throughout the area could provide an invocation. No one attending a city council meeting will be required to participate in any prayer that is offered. ¹²
• Wheaton considering utility tax increases to address budget woes – Robert Sanchez ¹³
• Solve the coyote problem now – George Foxe, Carol Stream ¹⁴
• DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Naperville encourages people to drink too much in its downtown bars on Friday and Saturday evenings. ¹⁵

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

• Senate’s cap on scholarships leaves loopholes Measure would not have prevented recent questionable grants – Stacy St. Clair and Jodi S. Cohen ¹⁶

(FROM THE ARTICLE: DuPage County Board member J. R. McBride said those news accounts prompted him to rethink his stance on the scholarships, which two of his three college-age children have received – one from Sen. Dan Cronin (R-Elmhurst) and one from Rep. Sandra Pihos (R-Glen Ellyn). As a father of five, he considers the scholarships – worth about $20,000 combined – a welcomed way to help pay for college. But as a GOP official, he acknowledges there could be a perception of special treatment. McBride insists he did not involve himself in the selection process. Both legislators have stated they use independent committees to select the winners. Still, the Glen Ellyn Republican now says he would support broad restrictions, including a ban on giving them to immediate family members of other elected officials.)

• Chicago man faces federal gambling and tax fraud charges ¹⁷
• Dozens seek to replace Scott Lee Cohen as lieutenant governor nominee Those answering Democrat Party’s casting call are mostly unknowns – Rick Pearson and Monique Garcia ^{18
  19}
• Blagojevich’s ethics lecture full of laughs — for audience ²⁰
• FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Illinois schools chiefs’ supersized salaries Officials cut budgets, but pay keeps rising – Stephanie Banchero and Duaa Eldeib ²¹
• 5-day mail delivery? Anti-American – Rex Huppke ²²
• Some Republicans dismiss Pentagon study on gays as biased – Anne Flaherty ²³

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

• Giannoulias campaign Illinois Senate polling memo – Lynn Sweet ²⁴
• (DEMOCRAT) Giannoulias to face (DEMOCRAT) Sun-Times, (DEMOCRAT) Tribune edit boards Wednesday to discuss Broadway Bank – Lynn Sweet ²⁵
• State may ban credit checks on applicants by employers – Steve Contorno ²⁶

(DIERSEN: What next would employers be banned from checking — illegal drug use, citizenship, criminal record, employment history, education, etc.?)

• DIERSEN HEADLINE: The anti-Second Amendment Chicago Sun-Times again argues against the Second Amendment ²⁷
• Another strike vs. video poker – Editorial ²⁸
• Gun ban dominoes poised for big fall – Jacob Sullum ²⁹
• Laughs, boos for Blago at NU Never cheated on his tests, former gov assures attendees of ethics address – Natasha Korecki ³⁰
• Chicago up 2 among ‘most wired’ ³¹
• DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: When it comes to the Second Amendment, Steinberg sides with the Nazis ³²

HERALD REVIEW

• Downstate legislators again push for concealed weapons law – Chris Essig ³³

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR

• Peoria concealed-carry proposal on hold – John Sharp ³⁴

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER

• State Capitol Q&A: Legislators again grappling with malpractice awards – Brian Feldt ³⁵

NBC5

• Ten Most Ridiculous Lt. Gov. Applications ³⁶
• Joke’s on Blago at NU Ethics Discussion Ousted governor doesn’t like playing the clown – Andrew Greiner ³⁷
• Blago Draws Laughs in NU Appearance ³⁸

CBS2

• Blagojevich Talks Ethics At Northwestern Deposed Governor Pleads His Case Again Before Students ³⁹
• Illinois Capital Construction Plan Gets Slow Start – Mike Flannery ⁴⁰

WSILTV

• Illinois Concealed Carry Advocates Watch Supreme Court ⁴¹

WAND

• Illinois Senate Democrats to dissect Brady’s budget – AP ⁴²

(THE REPORT: One skirmish in the battle for Illinois governor will take place in a state Senate committee. Democrats plan a hearing Wednesday on budget ideas they say are backed by Republican candidate for governor Bill Brady. They include 10 percent across-the-board cuts. The Democrats are likely to focus on the service cuts that would be required, part of an effort to portray Brady as too extreme and to build support for other budget ideas. Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn wants to cut spending but also raise income taxes.)

SUBURBAN LIFE

• AS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY’S STRANGLEHOLD ON ILLINOIS AND ON AMERICA TIGHTENS: Are we doing enough to help homeless people in suburbs? – Jerry Moore ⁴³

(DIERSEN: Who is the “we” that Moore refers to? Poor Democrats like Moore constantly shout that Democrats like Moore are “poor” and that Republicans like Diersen are “rich.” No one, not even poor people like Moore, expects poor people to do more to help poor Democrat “homeless people in suburbs.” So of course, “poor” Democrats like Moore want “rich” Republicans like Diersen to do more to help Democrat “homeless people in suburbs.” While I worked for GAO’s Chicago office between 1980 and 1997, my liberal Democrat superiors, coworkers, and subordinates, all of whom had some type of serious health, financial, and/or other problem, constantly demonized and denigrated me as being “rich.”)

SUBURBAN CHICAGO NEWS

• GOP women plan tour Republican women from across Illinois will converge on the Capitol on March 17 to see legislators at work as part of the IFRW 2010 Legislation Day. Organized by the Illinois Federation of Republican Women, the event begins with women meeting at the State Capitol rotunda closest to the House side at 10:30 a.m. From there, they will head to the House and the Senate to observe legislators as they hold session. Following session, the group will meet in House Minority Leader Tom Cross’ office for lunch, then trek over to Senate Minority Leader Christine Rodogno’s office for dessert. The day’s events end with a tour of the Abraham Lincoln Museum, at 212 N. Sixth St. The tour is $5.50. To confirm attendance, e-mail Carol Hornickle at carol.h@ifrw.org. Indicate if attendance will include the museum tour. RSVPs needed by March 15. ⁴⁴

JOURNAL GAZETTE TIMES COURIER & BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT

• Democrats taking applications for Illinois Lieutenant Governor – Karen Hawkins ^{45 46}

ST. LOUIS TODAY

• Conceal-carry measure makes gains in Illinois – Kevin McDermott ⁴⁷

ILLINOIS REVIEW

• The long long long count: Light at the end of the tunnel? – Mark Rhoads ⁴⁸

BLOOMBERG

• Indicted Blagojevich Lectures on Government Ethics in Illinois – John McCormick ⁴⁹

(DIERSEN: Those who dominate the Illinois Republican Party have made it clear that as a soon as George Ryan is available, they want him to lecture against SB600, against conservatives, and against Republicans.)

BUSINESS WEEK

• Indicted Blagojevich Lectures on Ethics, ‘Testicular Virility’ – John McCormick⁵⁰

(DIERSEN: There are tremendous similarities between “Democrats” who promote Blagojevich and “Republicans” who promote George Ryan. Both bring disgrace to their party.)

WASHINGTON TIMES

• Party time at Veterans Affairs Bureaucrats live it up while taxpayers foot the bill – Editorial ⁵¹

(DIERSEN: What percent of VA employees are Democrats — 100%? One argument that Democrats used to defeat Bush was that Bush did not do enough to help veterans.)

WALL STREET JOURNAL

• Doing Bad by Doing Good – Jeffrey Zaslow ⁵²

(FROM THE ARTICLE: In Chicago’s City Hall, waterless urinals in a men’s room were touted for saving 50,000 gallons of water a year per urinal. But without enough water per flush, the copper pipes got corroded and urine collected in the restroom wall. The smell of urine spread through City Council chambers. Last month, amid snickering, the well-meaning conservation effort was abandoned, and regular urinals were reinstalled.)

MERCURY NEWS

• No chance of immigration reform this year – Thomas Elias ⁵³

(DIERSEN: By sending many millions of its citizens into America illegally, Mexico has constructively declared war on America. Everyone knows that most if not all Mexican citizens vehemently despise America and vehemently despise Americans. In 1941, America declared war on Germany even though Germany had not sent its citizens into America illegally. 16.7% of Illinois voters are of German ancestry. If there were many millions of German citizens in America illegally now, Illinois voters of German ancestry, of which I am one, would be calling for those illegal Germans to go back to Germany immediately. We would not be demanding amnesty like sadly, many voters of Mexican ancestry are doing. In 1941, when Germany formally declared war on America, what if Mexico had done the same? My father was 4-F because he had full blown diabetes from age 14, but my two uncles fought the Germans in Italy. In 1941, if Mexico had joined Germany in formally declaring war on America, maybe my uncles would have fought the Germans in Mexico.)

(FROM THE ARTICLE: Noting that 10 million Hispanic voters turned out in 2008, the vast majority going for Obama, amnesty advocate Frank Sharry, head of a group called America’s Voice, threatens that “a lot of those voters won’t turn out in the mid-term elections” in swing states like Colorado, Nevada and Florida unless there is an amnesty of some kind. That vague threat carries less clout with most members of Congress than the letters they get from angry constituents – and two polls late last year found that about 60 percent of U.S. citizens oppose any form of legalization for illegal immigrants.)

WEEKLY STANDARD

• Rebels on the Right The GOP establishment feels the heat. – Fred Barnes ⁵⁴

(FROM THE ARTICLE: In his race for Congress from a suburban Chicago district, Ethan Hastert figured to benefit from terrific family connections in the Republican party. His father, Denny, once held the seat and was speaker of the House for eight years. Hastert, 31, raised more campaign money than his opponent in the recent Republican primary, state legislator Randy Hultgren, and at one point had a double-digit lead in polls. Yet he lost. So did Elizabeth Coulson, a state legislator for 13 years who was favored to win the Republican primary for another suburban House seat outside Chicago. She lost to businessman Robert Dold, 40, who operates a pest control business and was running for office for the first time. In still another district near Chicago, venture capitalist Joe Walsh, 48, moved back to his hometown of Barrington to run for Congress. Republican party leaders believed Walsh would finish third in the primary to two candidates better known in the district. Walsh won. In these three primary elections on February 2, we saw something new. The conservative, anti-Washington, antispending backlash against President Obama and congressional Democrats had spread. It affected the outcome of Republican races. And this phenomenon has become a major factor in other Republican contests.)

AMERICAN THINKER

• Why English Is Not the “Official Language” of the United States – Bernie Reeves ⁵⁵

UPCOMING EVENTS: FOR EVENT DETAILS, VISIT THE EVENTS PAGES AT: www.illinoisreview.com, www.weareillinois.org, and/or www.dupagegop.com
3/3 Events: County Party Conventions
3/5 Event: Coburn to speak at RNC fundraiser in Chicago
3/5 Event: Wheaton Women’s Republican Club chili dinner and legislative update
3/5 Event: Senator Tom Coburn to attend 42nd Ward fundraiser
3/6 Event: ICRC meeting in Plainfield
3/8 Event: Legislative forum in Wheaton on autism
3/8 Event: Republican State Senate Campaign Committee Reception in Springfield
3/9 Event: Fort Dearborn Group meeting in Chicago
3/9 Event: DeMonte to speak at Lake County Young Republican meeting
3/10 Event: Caprio and Robling to speak at Townhall meeting in Chicago
3/10 Event: Pro-life lobbying day in Springfield
3/10 Event: Gun Owners Lobby Day in Springfield
3/11 Event: Zediker to speak at NARWO meeting
3/12 Event: Senator Cronin’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner at Diplomat West Banquets, Elmhurst
3/13 Event: St. Patrick’s Day parade in Naperville
3/14 Event: Addison Township GOP Annual Brunch
3/15 Event: Keats to speak at City Club of Chicago luncheon
3/17 Event: Republican Women Legislative Day in Springfield
3/19 Event: Rove to speak at DuPage GOP Lincoln Day Dinner
3/28 Event: Illinois Forum meeting in Brookfield
3/31 Event: Grogan to speak at DuPage County Young Republicans Party in Wheaton
4/9 Event: NTRO Annual Pizza Party
4/14 Event: Milton Township GOP meeting
4/15 Event: Andrzejewski to speak at TEA rally in Palatine
4/16 Event: Pawlenty to keynote Lake County Republican Federation gala
4/26 Event: Dillard fundraiser in Downers Grove
4/26 Event: Radogno to speak at City Club of Chicago luncheon
5/5 Event: Cinco de Mayo RNHA fundraiser in Aurora
7/4 Event: Wheaton & Glenn Elyn Indepence Day parades
7/17 Event: Operation Support Our Troops concert in Wheaton
9/9 Event: RNHA of Illinois Meet the Candidates event
9/18 Event: Glenn Beck to speak at URF event in Chicago area
11/2 Event: General election
Each and every morning, I send a GOPUSA ILLINOIS email to each and every GOPUSA ILLINOIS subscriber. If the email does not appear in your inbox, to view a copy of it, please visit: http://www.gopillinois.com. Also each and every morning, I post a link to that copy on the Illinoize page at http://www.capitalfax.blogspot.com. Since January 1, 2005, GOPUSA ILLINOIS has brought to your attention 60,575 internet postings and information on many upcoming events free of charge and without any advertising. GOPUSA ILLINOIS asks that its subscribers use the information in the emails to help elect and reelect Republicans who can and will defend and advance the Illinois Republican Party platform.

Thanks,
Dave Diersen
Phone: 630-653-0462
Fax: 630-653-9665

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