Give the Gift of Common Sense: A Yearly Subscription to JohnKassNews.com

By John Kass | Sunday December 21, 2025

See that devilishly handsome geezer in his red leather “man chair” in his study holding his No Chumbolone Zone cup with the fireplace going?

Yeah, that’s me.

And from that chair, I ask a question: I’m asking you to pour yourself a good cup of Midwestern common sense and get a year’s subscription to JohnKassNews.com

And while you’re at it, get one for yourself, your dad, your mom, your brother or sister.

It’s only $50 a year. And with that yearly subscription, you get two months free.

That figures out to  less than one dollar a week.

And for that yearly subscription price, what do you get?

You receive two original columns a week written by me and my Chicago Way podcast direct to your email inbox.

And there’s more each week too.

Wisdom and great guest columns by great writers, including Steve Huntley, Dan Proft, James Banakis, Steve the Pilot, Dr. Greg Ganske, David Bittinger, Dr. Cory Franklin, Marie Sullivan, Patrick Hickey and more.

Why?

Because it’s Christmas. Because you’re looking for a distinctive gift that won’t make you fat. Because you know in your heart that JohnKassNews.com is worth it.

And because it’s time. Most of the other media—the left leaning legacy corporate media–has gone bat (bleep) crazy.

For example, the Chicago Sun Times just celebrated a demon from hell for Christmas. The headline:

“Here comes Krampus: How the half-goat, half-demon became a cultural phenomenon”

Merry Christmas all you kids out there learning all about demonic Krampus. Pleasant dreams.

What’s next, shrunken heads stuffed into the Christmas stockings?

At JohnKassNews we don’t worry about fake demons. We think on the real ones and ways to stop them. The woman burners let out of jail by political bosses who play race politics. The political activists glorifying the torture of children as they call it “gender affirming.”

And the Deep State devils who manipulate The Constitution and smile at you and speak in reasonable tones while they’re shoveling dung down the throats of your kids and countrymen.

I’ve been fighting against that for decades and decades. And many of you have been with me in the fight to save our country from the insidious left.

And the woke and broke Tribune? I really don’t know or care. I use a mirror to look at my back to notice the scars of the puncture wounds. You were there. You helped heal me.

What I do know and care about is what we do, our country and our culture.

The late American conservative journalist Andrew Breitbart, the founder of Breitbart News had a mantra.

“Politics is downstream from culture.”

Of course, but just consider the culture we’re drowning in. I just recently scanned some recent columns to get a sense of it. Consider:

Illinois Gov. Pritzker spending $2 billion in tax dollars on the illegal migrants and taking care of his CTU shock troops while ignoring the legitimate needs of the native born dreaming of good public education for their own children.

Boss Toni Preckwinkle using stooges (judges) to shrink the jail so repeat violent offenders walk the street and burn that girl alive on the CTA?

And the constant and growing political corruption bleeding our country dry.

The old media is dead, strangled by the Jacobins of the left. And those who strangled it have billions behind them to twist the words of those of us who oppose them. You know this. You want to be informed, but you hear the requiem mass for the newspapers of your youth.

The news is slanted so far to the left, so solicitous of the Deep State, they’ll never tell you how bad it’s become or how much of your freedom has been taken.

But I don’t give two figs for the Deep State rats or their political enablers and their conspiracies against America.

Will the broken mainstream media tell you what the weasels have done?

No. But I will.  You know that too.

Let’s stand together. I need all of you at JohnKassNews.com. May God keep you and bless you. Merry Christmas to you and your family.


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About the author: John Kass spent decades as a political writer and news columnist in Chicago working at a major metropolitan newspaper. He is co-host of The Chicago Way podcast. And he just loves his “No Chumbolone” hat, because johnkassnews.com is a “No Chumbolone” Zone where you can always get a cup of common sense.

Merchandise Now Available: If you’re looking for a gift for that hard-to-buy for special someone who has everything, just click on the link to the johnkassnews.com store.

Where else would you find a No Chumbolone™ cap or a Chicago Way™ coffee cup?

Because I know this about you: You’re not a Chumbolone.

Comments 37

  1. Merry Christmas!!!!!! Get your Very Happy New Year here with a subscription to real news and honest (unbribed) opinion – the only source for such in the great Midwest.

  5. Merry Christmas John:

    So grateful that you’re here. I remember getting a subscription to the Trib, just to read your column. Then, all of a sudden I didn’t see you any more. It was like pulling teeth to get that Trib subscription cancelled.

    Recently , I’ve learned how important history is. I suppose some of us are proud. Maybe, some have to live with it but proud nonetheless . I can see how your family history may have shaped you. Thank you for sharing the Palikari Project. That was a great story. Gathering strength from heroes.

  6. Merry Christmas to you John and Betty and all your family. As always, eager to read your Christmas Eve column – it has become a much anticipated event every year.

  9. Γιάννη,
    Thankyou for all your wisdom and common sense! It’s the only way I got through these past years! Να σε καλα, και σου εύχομαι Καλά Χριστούγεννα και Ευτυχισμένος ο καινούργιος χρόνος!!

  10. Merry Christmas to you and your Family Mr. Kass. I just got the e-mail notice that my subscription is about to renew and I am happy to renew my subscription, as I am not a Chumbolone.

    You keep making your Greek ancestors proud by writing the truths that so many of the (sic) “media” ignore or attempt to modify to suit their needs. The collection of associates that you have writing with you all bring their own spin on things, which is always entertaining and informative. Please keep up the great work, as we desperately need it.

    Hope your health continues to improve. Great photo, by the way!

    1. Ditto to all that Dan says, especially how good you look in the above photo! And though we share a love for the way Chicago used to be, I’m thankful that Indiana has not followed too closely.
      Merry Christmas from Crown Point!

  12. JK
    1. You promised to always mention the judge’s name regarding the perpetrator setting that beautiful young woman on fire. Who was it again?
    2. Both the left and right printed press is/are dying not bcuz of any political group but bcuz ADVERTISING moved to the internet. Papers lost their golden goose to internet. And for every left wing site on the net there is a right wing site. BUT THERE FEW IF ANY COMMON SENSE SITES. WE LIVE IN AN ID CENTRIC SOCIETY. As far as the young leaning left, I have a question. WHO RAISED THEM? DONT TELL ME ITS EDUCATORS. ITS THE PARENTS. WE MADE THIS MESS.

  15. Merry Christmas to you and your family, John! And to all johnkassnews readers as well! You are the first thing I look for when I turn on the PC in the morning.Gods blessings to you and your family and good wishes for your health and happiness.

  16. I am a loyal subscriber, always look foreward to reading your comments and your contributors. Thank you for always making sense. Merry Christmas to you and your family, John! May you all have a healthy and a happy New Year 2026! Kala Christouyena!

  17. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you John, your family and all subscribers to this valued portal of of Midwest integrity.
    Annual subscription is gladly renewed.
    Keep on truckin’ and carry on!

  19. Here’s a true tale of the meaningful gift-giving associated with Christmas.

    When the Lefty Hedge Fund Tribune launched Kass, McQueary and journalistic integrity, there was no chance for a Chicago expatriate to keep placing his op-eds there (or at the other newspapers that had turned all-left-all-the-time). That writer gave up writing — until his daughter bought him a website as a Christmas gift.

    Then when Kass moved on to establish his own site (initially free), that writer sent Kass enthusiastic encouragement and repeatedly asked when he would start charging for his great columns, so important to a good-sized, savvy audience. Then that writer began submitting columns to JKN and the shrewd writer/editor kept picking out the better ones, eleven to date.

    So one lucky guy had his writing saved by two Christmas-worthy gifts, first one from his daughter Holly (actual name), then one from Kass. And to all a good night!

  20. Merry Christmas, John …to you, Betty and the boys! I’m going to give my boys (26 and 22) a subscription to johnkassnews.com as both a stocking and common-sense stuffer.

    Enjoy the holiday season!

  22. As a loyal reader, conservative, and 45 year resident of Chicago before moving to Tennessee in 2022, I want to express my thanks for all the wonderful work you have done, Mr. Kass, over the many years that I have followed you. Your picture at the top of this column reflects a good recovery from the awful medical problems you encountered a couple years ago. Hopefully you’ll be able to once again go fishing and hunting. Merry Christmas to you and Betty and your children! I look forward to reading your columns and viewing your podcasts in 2026 in order to continue getting some perspective on the horrible things that are happening in our country now. I think you may play a role in restoring some sanity in our world.

  24. By not calling for reform and blaming all societal ills on Democrats, you tacitly condone forever wars, the murder of non combatants, extra judicial killings, money laundering, blackmail, rape of under age girls, fraud of epic proportions. ICE hassling, detaining AMERICANS!

    Obama did it. Biden crime family, the LLC’s, the Chinese money. Phone and a pen. Let’s say it’s true, it is. NGO’s endless scams, the “Patriot Act”. All garbage. The FISA court they used to go after Trump? Still there.

    The emoluments clause? Anyone?

    Is there anything you would ask our Congress to reform? Is there anything they can do besides send our money to Ukraine and Israel. They did the DOGE, good. They money has been spent, not saved, and the deficit keeps getting bigger.

    But the Democrats! Hey, it’s the same argument they use, but in reverse! Two cheeks of the same backside!

    So yes, bash the “left”, even though we don’t know where ANTIFA is, who their leader is, or how many are in it, the “hard left” has dragged us into some pretty horrific policy.

    But the “hard left” and “hard right” are funded by the same class, and even some of the same people.

    2/3 of the public, at least, are too busy working and paying bills to want tampons in the boys room or the Ten Commandments posted in classrooms. It’s the same people pushing this stuff to keep us arguing so we don’t rise up and demand better.

    Perfection can never be attained, but we can get better.

    Why do you want to live under the yoke of rapacious oligarchs who pit us against each other so can can continue to steal from us with impunity.

    How many Republicans are retiring from Congress this year?

    Why do we let ANY nation tell us what to do?

    1. Always good to get words of good tidings and cheer for the holidays from Mr. Maitino! If it wasn’t for John giving guys like this a forum to rant on, no one would pay attention to him crying and mumbling into his drink all by himself at the end of the bar. Then again, maybe the same is true for most of us posting on this forum. Through your essays you’ve let us know that we’re NOT all alone sitting at the end of the bar crying into our drinks. Thanks for keeping at it and finding the right people to help with their writings on your site. Best wishes and good health to you and your family. As they say on the South Side…” you do YOU..”. We’ll stay with you if you stay with us. As long as it takes.

  25. Make stock, take stock
    Thank you John for this new Christmas tradition. And the beef from Joseph’s!

    And for this site that is true freedom of speech.

  26. Merry Christmas John Kass and to all the commenters here. The comments are almost as interesting as the articles. We have a small online community here. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll meet one or more of y’all.

    I’ll keep subscribing. I haven’t been able to convince any classic liberal family members to subscribe, but I’ll keep trying.

  27. Merry Christmas to John, Betty and boys. Your columns are always the best. I am a subscriber from the beginning. My husband is the bill payer so I always remind him to PAY the JohnKass bill.

  28. I, too, have been with you from the beginning and love reading your columns. But, after looking at your photo to today’s column, I must say, you are very handsome and Betty is certainly a lucky girl. But, I’m sure she already knows that.
    Merry Christmas, John to you, Betty and two wonderful sons and their beautiful girlfriends.

  29. Hi John-Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours. Just say No to Chicago Bears in Indiana! Put it on the old South Works site. Chicago Skway tolls will increase. I94 and Indiana toll road are way too crowded as is. Chicago and Illinois Democrats coming to visit Indiana will see how good we have it and will want to move here.

  31. Merry Christmas, John, to you, Betty and the boys. I’m guessing that you and Betty have a great menu planned for the holiday dinner. Glad to see you looking so healthy. Keep writing. We need you!

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