Diersen’s News Clips & Upcoming Events; 7-6-2013

GOPUSA ILLINOIS

July 6, 2013

Fellow Republicans:

News clips and upcoming event information:

SAUK VALLEY

• DIERSEN HEADLINE: Quinn acknowledges the evils of alcohol¹

HERALD REVIEW

• Who defines ‘journalist’? Not Dick Durbin, that’s for certain – Tim Cain²

(DIERSEN: To serve their purposes, my critics a) say that I am not a journalist and/or b) say that I am a journalist. Some organizers of Republican events have said to me, “This event is closed to the media, but I can’t stop you from going in if you buy a ticket.”)

(FROM THE ARTICLE: In what may be an earnest and sincere attempt to do the right thing, Sen. Dick Durbin seems to be making a whole lot of people angry. In a guest editorial last week in the Chicago Sun Times, Durbin proposed extension of qualified privilege for journalists. Almost every state in the country has some sort of protection for journalists who protect sources. Durbin’s piece suggests a legal clarification of “journalist” for the purposes of a national media shield law. And then he sticks his foot in it by trying to define what a “real” journalist is by what he calls a broad definition. Only thing is, he’s so painfully wrong in his definition, it almost physically hurts me to complete this cut-and-paste from his piece. But here goes: “A journalist gathers information for a media outlet that disseminates the information through a broadly defined “medium” – including newspaper, nonfiction book, wire service, magazine, news website, television, radio or motion picture – for public use. This broad definition covers every form of legitimate journalism.” Well, seven words in that paragraph are correct. “A journalist gathers information” “for public use.” Spot on, Senator. But every other thought in that paragraph exhibits a tragically poor grasp of the Constitution, the “media” and his constituency. If you use Facebook or Twitter or a blog (politicians seem particularly horrified of that word and the existence of that part of the Internet) to disseminate information, you are a journalist. You are the media. The same rights AND – this is the really important part – the same responsibilities apply to all. Otherwise, you cannot use guarantees granted to journalists. Because you are something, but you are not a journalist. Here’s the thing that aggravates so many folks about bloggers: They make stuff up, then try to fall back on the First Amendment to protect themselves from being held accountable and being punished for their lies. And here’s the thing bloggers and other obnoxious don’t-know-enoughs on social media don’t like to hear: The First Amendment protects your speech rights, but does not mean you can say anything you want at any location you desire. Ultimately, journalism is a search for the truth. It’s not an absolute truth, and it’s not a complete truth, and it’s a truth that can change tomorrow, depending on any number of elements – who decides to talk, what is discovered today that wasn’t known yesterday, better understanding in general of what’s going on. Not everyone who blogs or uses social media – heck, not even every professional newspaper person – truly understands the responsibilities and commitments that come with choosing journalism as a profession. But that doesn’t allow anyone – not Durbin, not any legal entity, not even the best of professionals in the field – to determine what a “journalist” is in the sense that Durbin is attempting. As a journalist, I can say with certainty that I have no desire to allow Dick Durbin or any politician define for me what journalism is. I would rather we struggle on without a national shield law than to allow that determination from people who (for example) feel it’s their duty to tell you how much soda you can acquire on a visit to a store.)

ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR

• ‘Journalist’ needs no definition, Sen. Dick Durbin – Chuck Sweeny³

(FROM THE ARTICLE: We’ve got a shield law. It’s the First Amendment to the Constitution. Let’s review it: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” That’s our shield law. Now let’s go back to 1787 when the founding fathers wrote those words and see what journalism was like in those days. There was no Associated Press. No radio, no TV. The Internet wouldn’t appear for 200 years. Journalists were not accredited or defined. However, journalists were vital to spreading the word about the rebellion that would become a revolution. Many were advocates for various causes. Some printed newspapers. But the most popular medium was the “broadside.” Says the Massachusetts Historical Society: “Broadsides, single sheets printed on one side, served as public announcements or advertisements from the beginning of printing in America through the early 20th century. Generally posted or read aloud, broadsides provided news of battles, deaths, executions and other current events; official notices of laws and regulations; and an inexpensive method for selling poetry, songs and satires. They were the popular ‘broadcasts’ of their day, bringing news of current events to the public quickly and often disappearing just as quickly.” One insurrectionary broadside of that day began: “In Congress, July 4, 1776, by the Representatives of the United States of America, in general Congress assembled.” It’s the Declaration of Independence.)

ILLINOIS VALLEY NEWS TRIBUNE

• Lt. Gov. Simon seeks clemency for 1840s abolitionists⁴

(DIERSEN: What were your ancestors doing during the 1840s? My ancestors were immigrating legally to America from what is now Germany. What do you say to anti-Whites, anti-men, anti-conservatives, anti-Republicans, and anti-Americans who argue that if you are a Republican, and especially if you are a conservative White male Republican like me, the longer that your ancestors have been in America, the more that you have benefited from their discrimination against minorities and against women and the more that you should pay the price of Affirmative Action and of Diversity? Have your critics ever shown that your ancestors discriminated against minorities and/or against women? My critics have not.)

CHAMPION NEWS

• Who will Face Tammy Duckworth in the 8th Congressional District? David Harris? Andrew Palomo? – Lennie Jarratt⁵
• Who Will Replace Tom Cross as Minority Leader? – Lennie Jarratt⁶

ILLINOIS REVIEW

• How should Traditional Marriage Supporters be treated?⁷

(DIERSEN: Obviously, the following want to dump voters like me who support the traditional family plank in the Illinois Republican Party platform: Democrat plant, Libertarian plant, Green plant, and RINO activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, their operatives, and their dupes in Illinois, DuPage County, Milton Township, Wheaton, etc.)

• Sandack, Sullivan receive $5,000 from Equality Illinois after gay marriage flips⁸

(DIERSEN: In Illinois, if you got elected as a Republican, if you are not going to defend and advance the Illinois Republican Party platform, you should resign.)

• Thomas More Society celebrates 15 years fighting for First Amendment rights⁹
• Tough Secretary of State race not inviting for Republicans in 2014¹⁰
• Will Anyone Notice? Pro-Abortion Texas Feminists Threaten Sex Strike¹¹

CHICAGO NOW

• 2014 Democratic Primary Gov candidate Bill Daley to Gov. Quinn: It’s leadership, stupid. – Jeff Berkowitz¹²

VISION TO AMERICA

• 1775: Seventy-two killed resisting gun confiscation in Boston!¹³

FOX NEWS CHANNEL

• Illinois towns reject call to pass assault weapons bans – AP¹⁴

DAILY CALLER

• ‘Americans deserve the IRS’ – Walter E. Williams¹⁵

(DIERSEN: Williams argues that IRS is just an instrument of Congress, which is fulfilling the wishes of the people it represents. He says “The IRS agents – they’re just following orders from the United States Congress.” I worked for IRS 1971-1980 and I worked for GAO on audits of IRS 1986-1988.)

(FROM THE ARTICLE: It’s been often said that in a democracy people get the government they deserve. Conservative economist Walter E. Williams said in his May 29 column that Americans deserve the scandal-ridden Internal Revenue Service, and he elaborated on that point on Wednesday’s broadcast of Andrea Tantaros’ radio show. Williams explained that the IRS was just an instrument of Congress, which is fulfilling the wishes of the people it represents. “In my column that came out this week, I say that Americans deserve the IRS,” Williams said. “And at the end of the column, I say why. Now the bottom line is that the Congress needs a ruthless agency like the IRS. Why? Because we Americans want Congress to do certain things and we want what the IRS does – mainly to take the earnings of one American so that Congress can create a benefit for some other American.” Williams went on to point out that the founding fathers never intended to create a government that functioned this way. But now that 50 percent of gross domestic product is connected with government spending of some sort, he said, the IRS is filling a required role. “The IRS agents – they’re just following orders from the United States Congress,” he said. “This scandal is very, very important, but there’s even more fundamental issues. Look, from 1791 when our Constitution was ratified until 1930, federal spending was no more than 5 percent of the GDP. Today federal spending is 25 percent of the GDP. State and local government spend 15 percent of the GDP and if you include regulations, which are a devious form of taxation, we’re talking about the government taking slightly over 50 percent of what we produce. Now in order to get 50 percent of what Americans produce, you need an agency that is capable of putting the fear of God into the American citizen. And the IRS is that agency.” Williams cited the Ten Commandments, pointing out that “thou shalt not steal” is problematic even when authorized by Congress. “Once legalized theft begins, it pays for everybody to participate,” he added. “I think all of your listeners must recognize that when God gave Moses the commandment ‘Thou shalt not steal,’ he did not mean ‘thou shalt not steal unless you got a majority vote in Congress.’”)

GOPUSA ILLINOIS

• Consensus on Race in the High Court – Linda Chavez¹⁶

(DIERSEN: All during the almost 30 years that I worked for the federal government, my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were under tremendous pressure from Congress a) to hire, retain, and promote young minorities and young women and b) to make way for them by getting rid of the agency’s older non-veteran White male employees. My Democrat superiors and supervisors especially targeted the agency’s few remaining older non-veteran White male employees who were Republican to pay the price of Affirmative Action and Diversity.)

• Immigration reform plan is cynical ploy¹⁷

NEWSMAX

• AS THE DEMOCRAT PARTY’S STRANGLEHOLD ON AMERICA TIGHTENS: ‘American Dream’ Is Becoming an Illusion – Michael Kling¹⁸

(DIERSEN: In 1966, the Democrats who run the Post Office offered me a job only because they could not find a qualified Democrat who would take it. In 1971, the Democrats who run IRS offered me a job only because they could not find a qualified Democrat who would take it. In 1980, the Democrats who run GAO offered me a job only because they could not find a qualified Democrat who would take it.)

(FROM THE ARTICLE: The American Dream of homeownership and economic advancement may be under threat from stagnating wages and a weak economic recovery. “If there aren’t enough jobs in general, then we have a systemic problem that threatens the American Dream,” said Steven Fazzari, an economics professor at Washington University in St. Louis, according to CNBC. The American Dream holds that you’ll be better off than your parents if you just get an education and work hard.)

HERITAGE FOUNDATION

• $150,000 in the Bank and Drawing Income from Social Security’s SSI – Romina Boccia and Danny Huizinga¹⁹

(FROM THE ARTICLE: An individual with $150,000 in the bank received Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a program intended for blind, disabled, or elderly individuals with limited financial resources, revealed the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in a recent report. SSI, though administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), is funded by general tax revenue. It is intended to support basic survival needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. Many retirees on Social Security with benefits below the poverty level receive SSI. In fiscal year (FY) 2011, SSI benefits totaling about $46 billion were paid to approximately 9 million people. In 2013, an income over $1,505 per month ($2,217 for couples) generally disqualified individuals from receiving SSI payments. Recipients must also have had less than $2,000 ($3,000 for couples) in assets, including additional residential properties and retirement accounts. In order to verify that those receiving benefits are truly eligible, the SSA occasionally conducts “redeterminations” in which it attempts to verify a recipient’s income and assets. The SSA conducted 2.4 million redeterminations in FY 2011, resulting in a savings of $3.2 billion. In conducting these redeterminations, the SSA has taken advantage of a new tool called Access to Financial Institutions (AFI). AFI allows the SSA to access records of financial institutions to discover hidden bank accounts. The tool more than pays for itself with a return on investment of $9 to $1 spent, according to the GAO. One example of AFI in action: In January 2012, for example, SSA reported using AFI to identify where a recipient had 6 unreported financial institution accounts that each had balances of nearly $25,000. The recipient, however, reported having only one financial institution account that was under the resource limit. Someone with nearly $150,000 should not be receiving SSI payments intended for people in great financial need. More tools like AFI are needed to help crack down on waste, fraud, and abuse across all federal programs.)

THE HILL

• George W. Bush expected to offer defense of immigration reform – Daniel Strauss²⁰

(DIERSEN: Bush has always rejected a) the immigration plank in the Republican Party platform and b) America’s immigration laws. Has Mexico asked Bush to serve as its President? Will Mexico ask Bush to serve as its President?)

• Poll: Most don’t want their children to choose politics as a career – Cameron Joseph²¹

(FROM THE ARTICLE: Nearly two-thirds of people don’t want their kids to grow up to be politicians, according to a new poll from Gallup. The poll, released Friday, found 64 percent of people say they don’t want their children to go into politics as a career. Thirty-one percent said they would like their children to consider a career in politics. While that’s a low mark, it hasn’t changed much over the years. Gallup has been polling a similar question since before World War II, and in every poll, a strong majority of Americans didn’t want to see their son or daughter get into politics. A Gallup poll in June found that 10 percent of people have confidence in Congress. A separate YouGov poll for The Economist found only 9 percent of people approve of Congress’s performance. The Gallup poll of 2,048 adult Americans was conducted from June 20-24 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.)

NEW YORK POST

• My old Army wound – Editorial²²

(DIERSEN: Are you a non-veteran White male who is considering running as a conservative Republican for a government office or a political office? Sooner or later, the Democrats will use the fact that you are not a veteran against you. They will paint you as being a hypocrite if not being a coward for not enlisting. They will especially go after you if you sought draft deferments.)

GM AUTHORITY

• National Corvette Museum’s Motorsports Park Groundbreaking Ceremony – Alex Loft²³

AUTOWEEK

• Lambrecht Chevrolet auction: The lowest-mileage cars and trucks 48 vehicles with less than 20 miles on the odometer – Graham Kozak²⁴

(DIERSEN: I have always argued that cars are worth more if they have been drive fewer miles and that cars are worth less if they have been driven more miles. My 2005 Corvette has 420 miles on it. It had 4 miles on it when I bought it on August 20, 2005. I drove it 34 miles in 2005, 83 in 2006, 73 in 2007, 50 in 2008, 50 in 2009, 37 in 2010, 32 in 2011, and 17 in 2012. Yesterday, I put 40 miles on it — all because of emissions testing. I put 20 miles on it going to and from the emissions testing facility in Naperville. But then, outrageously, I had to put another 20 miles on it going back there because a) the Illinois Air Team (IAT) erroneously put in its “Vehicle Inspection Report and Certificate” that the car had 3,000 miles on it, b) I did not catch IAT’s error until I got home, and c) an IAT supervisor told me by phone that IAT would correct the error ONLY if I brought the car back to the facility which I did. That IAT supervisor said that if I did not bring the car back to the facility by the end of July, IAT would report to CarFax (http://www.carfax.com/) that the car had 3,000 miles on it.)

UPCOMING EVENTS: FOR EVENT DETAILS, VISIT THE EVENTS PAGES AT:
www.illinoisreview.com, www.weareillinois.org, and/or www.dupagegop.com

• 7/9 Event: Fort Dearborn Group meeting in Chicago
• 7/11 Event: Dillard fundraiser in Elmhurst
• 7/13 Event: Andre Queen to speak at West Suburban Patriots meeting in Wheaton
• 7/16 Event: Berlin golf outing in Wheaton
• 7/17 Event: Bloomingdale Township GOP Golf Outing
• 7/20 Event: Rockin’ for the Troops concert at Cantigny Park in Wheaton
• 7/24-28 Event: Republican booth at the DuPage County Fair
• 7/25 Event: Ives Townhall meeting in Wheaton
• 7/30 Event: Family-Pac Boat Cruise
• 8/3 Event: Rauner and Walsh at Palatine Township GOP meeting
• 8/7 Event: DuPage Young Republicans meeting in Wheaton
• 8/8 Event: Wayne Township GOP meeting
• 8/9 Event: Chicago Young Republicans golf outing in Algonquin
• 8/10 Event: 19th Annual Lauzen Porky Picnic in Aurora
• 8/24 Event: Naperville Township GOP meeting
• 8/24 Event: Illinois Forum Luncheon
• 8/29-31: Black Conservative Summit in St. Charles
• 9/4 Event: DuPage Young Republican meeting in Wheaton
• 9/7 Event: Dillard at Palatine Township GOP meeting
• 9/11 Event: Milton Township GAO meeting
• 9/12 Event: Wayne Township GAO meeting
• 9/17 Event: York Township GOP meeting
• 9/18-19 Event: Republican State Senate Campaign Committee fundraiser in Whittington
• 9/28 Event: CPAC in St. Louis
• 9/28 Event: Naperville Township GOP meeting
• 9/29 Event: Zaruba Brunch at Drury Lane
• 9/29 Event: NTRO GOP Meeting
• 10/2 Event: DuPage Young Republican meeting in Wheaton
• 10/4 Event: Dr. Benjamin Carson at Illinois Family Institute Banquet
• 10/4 Event: Milton Township GOP Oktoberfest
• 10/4 Event: Illinois Family Institute Fall Banquet in Northlake
• 10/5 Event: Rutherford at Palatine Township GOP meeting
• 10/9 Event: Milton Township GAO meeting
• 10/10 Event: Wayne Township GOP meeting
• 10/15 Event: York Township GOP meeting
• 10/17 Event: Downers Grove Township GOP Annual Fundraiser at Ashyana Banquet Hall
• 10/23 Event: Defend Marriage Lobby Day in Springfield
• 10/26 Event: NTRO GOP Meeting
• 11/26 Event: NTRO GOP Meeting
• 2/8 Event: McLean County Lincoln Day Dinner in Bloomington
• 3/1 Event: NTRO March Madness Pizza Party
• 3/10 Event: William J. Kelly St. Patrick’s Day birthday fundraiser
• 3/18 Event: Primary Election
• 3/18 Event: William J. Kelly Victory Party at the Chicago Hilton
• 11/4 Event: General Election

The opinions that I express in this email are based on experience that I have gained doing many things during the last 64 years. Please visit the Bio page at www.gopillinois.com.

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 and at www.facebook.com. Since January 1, 2005, GOPUSA ILLINOIS has brought to your attention 138,334 internet postings and information on many upcoming events free of charge and without any adverting. 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

1. http://www.saukvalley.com/2013/07/06/quinn-guns-in-bars-prescription-for-violence/a9nl1na/
2. http://herald-review.com/blogs/tim_cain/who-defines-journalist-not-dick-durbin-that-s-for-certain/article_a1e8aacc-e354-11e2-ab0b-0019bb2963f4.html
3. http://www.rrstar.com/insight/x946748234/Chuck-Sweeny-Journalist-needs-no-definition-Sen-Dick-Durbin#axzz2YFhyiGnT
4. http://newstrib.com/Main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=27&ArticleID=29982
5. http://www.championnews.net/blog/2013/07/03/who-will-face-tammy-duckworth-in-the-8th-congressional-district-david-harris-andrew-palomo/
6. http://www.championnews.net/blog/2013/07/05/who-will-replace-tom-cross-as-minority-leader/
7. http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/07/how-should-traditional-marriage-supporters-be-treated.html
8. http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/07/sandack-sullivan-receive-5000-from-equality-illinois-for-flipping-on-gay-marriage.html
9. http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/07/thomas-more-society-celebrates-15-years-fighting-for-first-amendment-rights.html
10. http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/07/tough-secretary-of-state-race-not-inviting-for-republicans-in-2014.html
11. http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/07/one-thing-that-has-always-struck-me-as-a-tad-ironic-is-the-obsession-that-so-many-feminists-have-with-ensuring-that-there-are.html
12. http://www.chicagonow.com/public-affairs-with-jeff-berkowitz/2013/07/2014-democratic-primary-gov-candidate-bill-daley-to-gov-quinn-its-leadership-stupid/
13. http://visiontoamerica.com/15379/seventy-two-killed-resisting-gun-confiscation-in-boston/
14. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/06/few-ill-towns-opting-for-assault-weapons-bans/
15. http://dailycaller.com/2013/05/29/walter-williams-americans-deserve-the-irs/
16. http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/2013/07/05/chavez-consensus-on-race-in-the-high-court/
17. http://www.gopusa.com/freshink/2013/07/06/immigration-reform-plan-is-cynical-ploy/
18. http://www.moneynews.com/Economy/American-Dream-home-Pew/2013/07/05/id/513467
19. http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/05/150000-in-the-bank-and-drawing-income-from-social-securitys-ssi/
20. http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/309359-george-w-bush-expected-to-discuss-benefits-of-immigration-reform-during-keynote-speech
21. http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/309345-poll-most-dont-want-their-kids-to-be-politicians
22. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/editorials/my_old_army_wound_nZzdvRBtNM27afSLMI2h4N
23. http://gmauthority.com/blog/2013/07/national-corvette-museum-motorsports-park-groundbreaking-ceremony-recap-video-stream/
24. http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130627/CARNEWS01/130629862