thedailycaller--2020-08-15--Postal Service Proposes Removing Some Letter Sorting Machines, Democrats Cry Foul

• The United States Postal Service proposed a 15 % reduction in its letter sorting machine infrastructure in May , according to a Motherboard report .
• All 47 Senate Democrats signed a letter Wednesday decrying several recent USPS policy changes , which they said are delaying mail delivery and could potentially affect the upcoming presidential election .
• Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told The New York Times the policy changes were intended to “ improve operational efficiency ” in the agency that has an “ unsustainable “ financial position , according to the Government Accountability Office .
The United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its machines that sort letters , according to a May document titled “ equipment reduction.
” The postal service called the change “ necessary , ” while Democrats in Congress sounded the alarm .
The proposal is just the latest USPS internal policy change revealed amid projections that the upcoming November election will see a record number of votes by mail .
A total of 502 sorting machines were proposed to be decommissioned , according to Motherboard , which obtained the May 15 document .
Anonymous sources told Motherboard they ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postal workers and union officials said machine removals are still occurring in multiple states .
“ The Postal Service routinely moves equipment around its network as necessary to match changing mail and package volumes , ” USPS spokesperson Marti Johnson told The Daily Caller News Foundation in a statement .
“ Package volume is up , but mail volume continues to decline.
” The May document laid out a plan to eliminate the machines by the end of July , but that timeline wasn ’ t met , Motherboard reported .
( RELATED @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Run Up To Expected Election Mail-In Ballot Surge ) Meanwhile , all 47 Senate Democrats signed a letter written to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy Wednesday expressing “ significant concern ” over several recent postal service policy changes , which have all reportedly delayed mail processing .
“ Since you assumed the role of Postmaster General , there have been disturbing reports regarding changes at USPS that are causing significant delays in the delivery of mail , ” the letter said .
“ Under normal circumstances , delayed mail is a major problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a presidential election , it is catastrophic , ” it continued .
DeJoy , a former logistics company executive , was selected to be the postmaster general by the postal service ’ s board of governors in May .
DeJoy has also faced criticism for other internal policy changes he ’ s spearheaded , which were laid out in a July memo sent to managers across the country and obtained by the DCNF .
The memo laid out new policies like cutting back on overtime and ending the practice of postal workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shift to grab more mail to deliver .
“ One aspect of these changes that may be difficult for employees is that – temporarily – we may see mail left behind or mail on the workroom floor or docks , ” the memo said .
DeJoy said the changes outlined in the memo were intended to “ improve operational efficiency ” in a statement to The New York Times .
( RELATED : US Postal Service Warns 46 States About Large-Scale Disenfranchisement ) Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanded an end to the new policies , Schumer tweeted .
“ A fully functioning postal service is essential to ensuring every mail-in ballot is counted ” Schumer said .
President Donald Trump has opposed mail-in voting and has said that the election will be more susceptible to fraud .
He floated the idea of delaying the election , but later backtracked .
“ The idea that the postmaster general could somehow make changes that only impact one segment of the population is just not possible based on how their operation works , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Vote At Home Institute told the DCNF .
“ If there is a negative impact to the post office , it impacts voters of all political persuasions and political stripes regardless.
” The USPS lost $ 69 billion between 2007 and 2018 , according to a Government Accountability Office ( GAO ) report that called the postal service ’ s financial position “ unsustainable.
” The postal service reported a $ 2.2 billion loss last quarter .
“ Our financial position is dire , stemming from substantial declines in mail volume , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategy that has not adequately addressed these issues , ” DeJoy said in his opening remarks at the USPS board of governors ’ Aug. 7 open session .
The USPS ’ s financial troubles are threefold , according to a May GAO report : declining mail volumes , increased compensation and benefit costs and increased unfunded liabilities and debt .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please @ @ @ @ @

The United States Postal Service proposed a 15% reduction in its letter sorting machine infrastructure in May, according to a Motherboard report.
All 47 Senate Democrats signed a letter Wednesday decrying several recent USPS policy changes, which they said are delaying mail delivery and could potentially affect the upcoming presidential election.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told The New York Times the policy changes were intended to “improve operational efficiency” in the agency that has an “unsustainable “financial position, according to the Government Accountability Office.
The United States Postal Service proposed removing 15% of its machines that sort letters, according to a May document titled “equipment reduction.”
The postal service called the change “necessary,” while Democrats in Congress sounded the alarm. The proposal is just the latest USPS internal policy change revealed amid projections that the upcoming November election will see a record number of votes by mail.
A total of 502 sorting machines were proposed to be decommissioned, according to Motherboard, which obtained the May 15 document. Anonymous sources told Motherboard they’ve witnessed the machines being destroyed and anonymous postal workers and union officials said machine removals are still occurring in multiple states.
“The Postal Service routinely moves equipment around its network as necessary to match changing mail and package volumes,” USPS spokesperson Marti Johnson told The Daily Caller News Foundation in a statement. “Package volume is up, but mail volume continues to decline.”
The May document laid out a plan to eliminate the machines by the end of July, but that timeline wasn’t met, Motherboard reported. (RELATED: USPS Faces Financial, Logistical Hurdles In Run Up To Expected Election Mail-In Ballot Surge)
Meanwhile, all 47 Senate Democrats signed a letter written to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy Wednesday expressing “significant concern” over several recent postal service policy changes, which have all reportedly delayed mail processing.
“Since you assumed the role of Postmaster General, there have been disturbing reports regarding changes at USPS that are causing significant delays in the delivery of mail,” the letter said.
“Under normal circumstances, delayed mail is a major problem – during a pandemic in the middle of a presidential election, it is catastrophic,” it continued.
DeJoy, a former logistics company executive, was selected to be the postmaster general by the postal service’s board of governors in May.
DeJoy has also faced criticism for other internal policy changes he’s spearheaded, which were laid out in a July memo sent to managers across the country and obtained by the DCNF. The memo laid out new policies like cutting back on overtime and ending the practice of postal workers returning to the post office during their shift to grab more mail to deliver.
“One aspect of these changes that may be difficult for employees is that – temporarily – we may see mail left behind or mail on the workroom floor or docks,” the memo said.
DeJoy said the changes outlined in the memo were intended to “improve operational efficiency” in a statement to The New York Times. (RELATED: US Postal Service Warns 46 States About Large-Scale Disenfranchisement)
Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with DeJoy on Aug. 5 and demanded an end to the new policies, Schumer tweeted.
“A fully functioning postal service is essential to ensuring every mail-in ballot is counted” Schumer said.
President Donald Trump has opposed mail-in voting and has said that the election will be more susceptible to fraud. He floated the idea of delaying the election, but later backtracked.
“The idea that the postmaster general could somehow make changes that only impact one segment of the population is just not possible based on how their operation works,” Amber McReynolds, CEO of The National Vote At Home Institute told the DCNF. “If there is a negative impact to the post office, it impacts voters of all political persuasions and political stripes regardless.”
The USPS lost $69 billion between 2007 and 2018, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that called the postal service’s financial position “unsustainable.” The postal service reported a $2.2 billion loss last quarter.
“Our financial position is dire, stemming from substantial declines in mail volume, a broken business model and a management strategy that has not adequately addressed these issues,” DeJoy said in his opening remarks at the USPS board of governors’ Aug. 7 open session.
The USPS’s financial troubles are threefold, according to a May GAO report: declining mail volumes, increased compensation and benefit costs and increased unfunded liabilities and debt.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


thedailycaller--2020-08-15--‘Loser Has To Fund The Post Office’: Ocasio-Cortez Challenges Trump To A Battle Of The College Trans

‘Loser Has To Fund The Post Office’: Ocasio-Cortez Challenges Trump To A Battle Of The College Transcripts

Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez challenged President Donald Trump to a battle of the college transcripts Thursday .
Declaring that the loser would have to “ fund the Post Office , ” Ocasio-Cortez called on Trump to release his college transcripts and promised to release hers as well .
( RELATED : Here ’ s How Everyone Is Spinning Tulsa Trump Rally ’ s Lower-Than-Expected Turnout ) Ocasio-Cortez was responding to comments the president made about her during a recent Fox Business interview with host Maria Bartiromo .
“ AOC was a poor student … I won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it doesn ’ t matter , ” Trump said .
“ This is not even a smart person , other than she ’ s got a good line of stuff .
I mean , she goes out and she yaps.
” “ Let ’ s make a deal , Mr. President : You release your college transcript , I ’ ll release mine , and we ’ ll see who was the better student , ” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted in response .
“ Loser has to fund the Post Office.
” Funding for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partisan contention as Democrats push for broader access to voting by mail , which Trump opposes outside of the already established absentee balloting system .

Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez challenged President Donald Trump to a battle of the college transcripts Thursday.
Declaring that the loser would have to “fund the Post Office,” Ocasio-Cortez called on Trump to release his college transcripts and promised to release hers as well. (RELATED: Here’s How Everyone Is Spinning Tulsa Trump Rally’s Lower-Than-Expected Turnout)
Let’s make a deal, Mr. President: You release your college transcript, I’ll release mine, and we’ll see who was the better student. Loser has to fund the Post Office. https://t.co/OXnmJxufIw — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 13, 2020
Ocasio-Cortez was responding to comments the president made about her during a recent Fox Business interview with host Maria Bartiromo.
“AOC was a poor student … I won’t say where she went to school, it doesn’t matter,” Trump said. “This is not even a smart person, other than she’s got a good line of stuff. I mean, she goes out and she yaps.”
“Let’s make a deal, Mr. President: You release your college transcript, I’ll release mine, and we’ll see who was the better student,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted in response. “Loser has to fund the Post Office.”
Funding for the Post Office has been a point of partisan contention as Democrats push for broader access to voting by mail, which Trump opposes outside of the already established absentee balloting system.


thedailycaller--2020-08-16--‘We Wouldn’t Have A Courthouse Anymore’: Cuccinelli Hits Back At ‘Myths’ Claiming Federal Officers A

‘We Wouldn’t Have A Courthouse Anymore’: Cuccinelli Hits Back At ‘Myths’ Claiming Federal Officers Are Causing Unrest In Portland

The Daily Caller spoke to Ken Cuccinelli , acting director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services , about ongoing violence in Portland , Oregon and what ’ s next for Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) officers stationed there .
Cuccinelli also weighed in on the Government Accountability Office ’ s ( GAO ) report which claimed that he is serving in an illegal capacity .
Cuccinelli said the DHS is “ drawing a lot of fire because ” the department has “ accomplished an awful lot of this president ’ s [ Donald Trump ] agenda.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is Fighting Congressional Watchdog ’ s Claim Acting Secretary Chad Wolf And Deputy Ken Cuccinelli Are Serving In An Illegal Capacity ) The acting director denied claims that the presence of federal officers in Portland has caused unrest in the city , telling the Caller that there has only been “ one entire night in a row without violence.
” Cuccinelli cited multiple nights where local law enforcement had declared riots as evidence against the idea that ongoing violence is because of the federal government being on the ground .
He said these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that DHS officers are still in Portland “ to protect the federal facilities.
” “ The law charges us with protecting these facilities , ” Cuccinelli explained .
“ And that is a mission we have successfully fulfilled up to this point .
If we hadn ’ t , we wouldn ’ t have a courthouse anymore in Portland , not functionally .
It ’ d have been burned down or damaged so badly it that it couldn ’ t be used.
” Check out TheDC ’ s fantastic videos and subscribe to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on any future interviews and shows .
NOW CHECK OUT some more of The Daily Caller ’ s most recent videos : What ’ s More Embarrassing : Fauci ’ s First Pitch Or GOP Coronavirus Stimulus ?
| WALL STREET MEETS WASHINGTON EP .
16 STIMULUS WAR : How The New Working Class Can Save Trump From COVID | WALL STREET MEETS WASHINGTON EP .
15

The Daily Caller spoke to Ken Cuccinelli, acting director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, about ongoing violence in Portland, Oregon and what’s next for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers stationed there.
Cuccinelli also weighed in on the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) report which claimed that he is serving in an illegal capacity. Cuccinelli said the DHS is “drawing a lot of fire because” the department has “accomplished an awful lot of this president’s [Donald Trump] agenda.” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: DHS Is Fighting Congressional Watchdog’s Claim Acting Secretary Chad Wolf And Deputy Ken Cuccinelli Are Serving In An Illegal Capacity)
WATCH:
The acting director denied claims that the presence of federal officers in Portland has caused unrest in the city, telling the Caller that there has only been “one entire night in a row without violence.”
Cuccinelli cited multiple nights where local law enforcement had declared riots as evidence against the idea that ongoing violence is because of the federal government being on the ground. He said these narratives are “myths” and noted that DHS officers are still in Portland “to protect the federal facilities.”
“The law charges us with protecting these facilities,” Cuccinelli explained. “And that is a mission we have successfully fulfilled up to this point. If we hadn’t, we wouldn’t have a courthouse anymore in Portland, not functionally. It’d have been burned down or damaged so badly it that it couldn’t be used.”
Check out TheDC’s fantastic videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel to avoid missing out on any future interviews and shows.
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EXCLUSIVE: Katrina Pierson’s Unfiltered Reaction To Biden’s Latest ‘African American’ Comments
What’s More Embarrassing: Fauci’s First Pitch Or GOP Coronavirus Stimulus? | WALL STREET MEETS WASHINGTON EP. 16
STIMULUS WAR: How The New Working Class Can Save Trump From COVID | WALL STREET MEETS WASHINGTON EP. 15


thedailycaller--2020-08-16--The Twilight Of Great American Cities Is Here. Can We Stop It?

The dreadful death of George Floyd lit a fire that threatens to burn down America ’ s cities .
Already losing population before the pandemic , our major urban centers have provided ideal kindling for conflagration with massive unemployment , closed businesses and already rising crime rates .
The forms of disintegration vary .
In overwhelmingly white cities like Portland , Seattle , San Francisco and Minneapolis , violence has featured white radicals endorsing the extreme agenda of the neo-Marxist Black Lives Matter .
In more diverse cities , such as Chicago and New York , protests have devolved into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curtailed and large portions of the prison population have been released .
The pandemic has shaken the once confident ranks of new urbanists .
At a time when even The New York Times is suggesting that density and packed transit lines worsened the contagion , some still embrace theology over data , with some advocating ever greater density , more crowding in cities , and mass transit .
Fortunately , people tend to be less theological about their locational choices .
According to The New York Times , 420,000 people left New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This nearly equals the city ’ s total population increase from 1950 to 2019 , according to demographer Wendell Cox .
The impact of dense conditions on the pandemic is clear .
Overall , high-density locations have suffered three times the COVID-19 fatality rate of less dense , generally suburban areas and eight times those of more rural environments .
Cities ’ vulnerability comes not simply by calculating people per square mile , but by “ exposure density ” brought on continued contact with people , particularly in crowded , unventilated places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and offices .
After all , the New York area , the epitome of dense , transit-oriented urbanization , still accounts for roughly one-third of all U.S. COVID-19 deaths .
( RELATED : One Nation , Under Lockdown , Divided By Pandemic ) Even as the pandemic has spread to other parts of the country — notably meat packing plants , border towns and Native American reservations — the correlation is simply impossible to ignore .
High rates of poverty and overcrowding , clearly factors in COVID-19 infections , can occur anywhere but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meets density .
The Brooklyn and Bronx boroughs , with higher rates of poverty than fashionable Manhattan have endured a fatality rate 7.5 times the national average .
Urban planners , real estate speculators and their flacks may ignore these numbers , but people take their own health , and that of their families , more seriously .
A recent Harris poll suggested that upwards of two in five urban residents are considering a move to less crowded places .
More people , notes the National Association of Realtors , are seeking out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even in New York , where suburban sales ( particularly to Connecticut ) are rising rapidly , Governor Andrew Cuomo has been reduced to begging wealthy Gothamites to not depart for less taxed states .
Some urban refugees are even looking beyond the suburbs to the countryside .
In New York , the rural counties north of the city have experienced a huge increases in demand even as demand for city apartments drops .
This pattern is also seen in other rural getaways such as Montana , rural Colorado , Oregon and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as we found in a recent study for Heartland Forward , have been heading to second- or third-tier metropolitan areas like Fargo , Des Moines , Fayetteville and Grand Rapids .
These areas are gaining migrants even as some big cities like New York , Los Angeles and Chicago have actually lost millennials over the past five years .
Over the past decade the mainstream media — proclaiming that millennials would continue pouring into cities — wore itself out promoting the economic future of big , dense cities .
Neil Irwin of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities ” like New York , San Francisco and Seattle will prevail since they had “ the best chance of recruiting superstar employees.
” In contrast , rural and interior regions would become home to “ the left behind , ” while others boldly predicted that suburbia would be “ the next slums.
” Little noted was the fact that , throughout the past decade , suburbs account for upwards of 80 % of metropolitan job growth .
This share has likely gotten bigger .
Since the pandemic , the fastest drops in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in the elite regions such as San Francisco , New York , Chicago , Boston and San Jose .
Similarly these same cities have all experienced strong declines in rents , even as more affordable , less politically correct cities like Cleveland , St. Petersburg , Indianapolis , Columbus , Reno and Chattanooga have seen healthy increases .
Perhaps nothing will amplify these trends more than the rise of telecommuting .
Some 60 % of current U.S. telecommuters , according to Gallup , wish to keep doing so for the foreseeable future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , once the pandemic ends , the online workforce will have increased from six percent before the pandemic to something closer to 20 % .
A University of Chicago study suggests this could grow to as much as one-third of the workforce , a finding also confirmed by a recent Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta report .
Ultimately people will determine the shape of cities .
Even when offices opened early this summer in New York , real estate brokers report , most workers refused to return .
This is not merely an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , noted Gallup , three times as many Americans expressed preference for rural or small town life as for the big city .
Critically , this includes knowledge workers : A recent survey of professionals found 70 % sought to move to a less dense area .
( RELATED : Uber Might Temporarily End Service In California Over Law Classifying Drivers As Employees , CEO Says ) Corporate executives have also been surprised by how seamless the shift to online work has been , reaping surprising ; most believe this trend will continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other major financial institutions — Barclay ’ s , Morgan Stanley , Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase — have decided to reduce their large office footprint .
The tech industry , often celebrated as the city savior , is particularly susceptible .
A June survey of venture-backed startups showed that three-quarters expect to remain fully or mostly remote ; barely five percent anticipate a total return to the office .
Concentrated in areas that already have the highest rates of telecommuting , many software jobs are intrinsically easy to do remotely .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter , Facebook and Salesforce , also predict that a large proportion of their workforce will work remotely after the pandemic .
With two out of three tech workers now willing to leave San Francisco , many , according to Redfin , are seeking more suburban locations , and even a shift to the countryside .
These shifts could have a severe financial fallout , with a potential haircut of $ 3.3 trillion in commercial mortgages .
Particularly vulnerable will be retail rents in places like New York , now plummeting , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hudson Yards , the proposed new massive development in Sunnyside , Queens and other similar efforts in Chicago .
Two largely Chinese-financed projects , one in already troubled downtown Los Angeles and another in San Francisco , may end up never being fully completed .
Just earlier this month , a Los Angeles high rise office tower sold for one third below its asking price a year before .
Rising disorder in our major cities — paced by a shocking rise in homicides in Los Angeles , Chicago and New York — represents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a now hot topic among corporate location executives , notes Jay Garner , head of the Site Selectors Guild .
Garner reports that barely 10 % of companies want to locate in big city while most prefer suburbs , smaller cities , or rural areas .
The top places cited by companies include such Boise , Colorado Springs , Columbus , Kansas City and Indianapolis .
Garner now wonders how attractive “ woke ” cities like Seattle or Portland or Minneapolis , with their debilitated law enforcement , may be for investors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago , where even a rumor concerning police can create protests accompanied by looting on the city ’ s fabled Magnificent Mile .
Rioting turns out not to be a good economic strategy .
As we saw in the 1960s and again after the Los Angeles riots in 1992 , which I personally witnessed , disorders first bring pledges from corporate elites and government , the pleasures of violence and political posturing do not improve conditions .
Yet decades of racial protest have engendered little prosperity : high-poverty urban areas doubled in population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ no justice , no peace ” rhetoric is unlikely to improve conditions in the inner city or encourage business to move to downtowns .
South Central Los Angeles , the site of two of the worst riots in American history , over the past 50 years has suffered a growing gap with the surrounding area in terms of homeownership , income and educational attainment .
( RELATED : Report : Murder Rate Spikes In 20 Major American Cities ) In the short run , at least , it seems likely that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to lose employers .
Amazon , for example , is gradually de-emphasizing Seattle , which seems determined to raise taxes on affluent employees and lessening police protection .
The mega-firm is moving more jobs to suburban Redmond and Bellevue .
Many long-time Bay Area and greater Los Angeles employers — Bechtel , McKesson , Parsons Engineering , Jacobs , Toyota , Nissan — have relocated predominately to sunbelt suburbs .
Besides concerns about taxes and policing , the looming threat of draconian climate policies , has had the effect of driving companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Republicans and President Donald Trump clearly see in the gross urban dysfunction a political opportunity .
Theirs would be a very persuasive argument if it came from a trustworthy source and was not so blatantly politically motivated .
Moderate Democrats and independents also need to make the argument that far-left politics , constant disorders and reducing police presence undermine urban prospects .
This is not a call for hardline conservatism , which enjoys only a limited constituency in urban areas .
Instead it is a plea to reverse an urban pattern that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study , has undermined their historic role as places for upward mobility .
As coastal people move into more conservative regions like Dallas-Ft. Worth , some suggest there will be a more liberal electorate , at least on social issues .
What is needed is a broad alliance among the remaining sane elements in cites , with a greater focus on protecting both job creators and strong neighborhoods .
The old policies of urban Democrats , focused on jobs , schools and infrastructure , would resonate nicely , particularly in working class communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partnership with these forces and cultivate support in working class neighborhoods , now threatened the most by urban decline , the pandemic and surge in lawlessness .
Such a political alliance will be necessary if we wish to salvage the heritage of our great cities .
Joel Kotkin is the Presidential Fellow in Urban Futures at Chapman University and executive director of the Urban Reform Institute .
His new book , The Coming of Neo-Feudalism , is now out from Encounter .
You can follow him on Twitter @ joelkotkin The views and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation .

The dreadful death of George Floyd lit a fire that threatens to burn down America’s cities. Already losing population before the pandemic, our major urban centers have provided ideal kindling for conflagration with massive unemployment, closed businesses and already rising crime rates.
The forms of disintegration vary. In overwhelmingly white cities like Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and Minneapolis, violence has featured white radicals endorsing the extreme agenda of the neo-Marxist Black Lives Matter. In more diverse cities, such as Chicago and New York, protests have devolved into basic thuggery as law enforcement has been curtailed and large portions of the prison population have been released.
The pandemic has shaken the once confident ranks of new urbanists. At a time when even The New York Times is suggesting that density and packed transit lines worsened the contagion, some still embrace theology over data, with some advocating ever greater density, more crowding in cities, and mass transit. Fortunately, people tend to be less theological about their locational choices. According to The New York Times, 420,000 people left New York City between March 1 and May 1. This nearly equals the city’s total population increase from 1950 to 2019, according to demographer Wendell Cox.
Pandemic Impacts
The impact of dense conditions on the pandemic is clear. Overall, high-density locations have suffered three times the COVID-19 fatality rate of less dense, generally suburban areas and eight times those of more rural environments. Cities’ vulnerability comes not simply by calculating people per square mile, but by “exposure density” brought on continued contact with people, particularly in crowded, unventilated places like subways, small apartments, elevators and offices. After all, the New York area, the epitome of dense, transit-oriented urbanization, still accounts for roughly one-third of all U.S. COVID-19 deaths. (RELATED: One Nation, Under Lockdown, Divided By Pandemic)
Even as the pandemic has spread to other parts of the country — notably meat packing plants, border towns and Native American reservations — the correlation is simply impossible to ignore. High rates of poverty and overcrowding, clearly factors in COVID-19 infections, can occur anywhere but seem most devastating in places where poverty meets density. The Brooklyn and Bronx boroughs, with higher rates of poverty than fashionable Manhattan , have endured a fatality rate 7.5 times the national average.
Urban planners, real estate speculators and their flacks may ignore these numbers, but people take their own health, and that of their families, more seriously. A recent Harris poll suggested that upwards of two in five urban residents are considering a move to less crowded places. More people, notes the National Association of Realtors, are seeking out single family houses with yards and workspaces. Even in New York, where suburban sales (particularly to Connecticut) are rising rapidly, Governor Andrew Cuomo has been reduced to begging wealthy Gothamites to not depart for less taxed states.
Some urban refugees are even looking beyond the suburbs to the countryside. In New York, the rural counties north of the city have experienced a huge increases in demand even as demand for city apartments drops. This pattern is also seen in other rural getaways such as Montana, rural Colorado, Oregon and Maine.
Even before COVID-19, millennials, as we found in a recent study for Heartland Forward, have been heading to second- or third-tier metropolitan areas like Fargo, Des Moines, Fayetteville and Grand Rapids. These areas are gaining migrants even as some big cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago have actually lost millennials over the past five years.
The Changing Economic Paradigm
Over the past decade the mainstream media — proclaiming that millennials would continue pouring into cities — wore itself out promoting the economic future of big, dense cities. Neil Irwin of The New York Times claimed “superstar cities” like New York, San Francisco and Seattle will prevail since they had “the best chance of recruiting superstar employees.” In contrast, rural and interior regions would become home to “the left behind,” while others boldly predicted that suburbia would be “the next slums.”
Little noted was the fact that, throughout the past decade, suburbs account for upwards of 80% of metropolitan job growth. This share has likely gotten bigger. Since the pandemic, the fastest drops in job postings have been, outside Hawaii, in the elite regions such as San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Boston and San Jose. Similarly these same cities have all experienced strong declines in rents, even as more affordable, less politically correct cities like Cleveland, St. Petersburg, Indianapolis, Columbus, Reno and Chattanooga have seen healthy increases.
Perhaps nothing will amplify these trends more than the rise of telecommuting. Some 60% of current U.S. telecommuters, according to Gallup, wish to keep doing so for the foreseeable future. Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom predicts that, once the pandemic ends, the online workforce will have increased from six percent before the pandemic to something closer to 20%. A University of Chicago study suggests this could grow to as much as one-third of the workforce, a finding also confirmed by a recent Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta report.
Ultimately people will determine the shape of cities. Even when offices opened early this summer in New York, real estate brokers report, most workers refused to return. This is not merely an expression of fear. Before the pandemic , noted Gallup, three times as many Americans expressed preference for rural or small town life as for the big city. Critically, this includes knowledge workers: A recent survey of professionals found 70% sought to move to a less dense area. (RELATED: Uber Might Temporarily End Service In California Over Law Classifying Drivers As Employees, CEO Says)
Corporate executives have also been surprised by how seamless the shift to online work has been, reaping surprising productivity gains ; most believe this trend will continue after the pandemic. Mortgage giant Nationwide and other major financial institutions — Barclay’s, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase — have decided to reduce their large office footprint.
The tech industry, often celebrated as the city savior, is particularly susceptible. A June survey of venture-backed startups showed that three-quarters expect to remain fully or mostly remote; barely five percent anticipate a total return to the office. Concentrated in areas that already have the highest rates of telecommuting, many software jobs are intrinsically easy to do remotely. Many tech companies, including Google, Twitter, Facebook and Salesforce, also predict that a large proportion of their workforce will work remotely after the pandemic. With two out of three tech workers now willing to leave San Francisco, many, according to Redfin, are seeking more suburban locations, and even a shift to the countryside.
These shifts could have a severe financial fallout, with a potential haircut of $3.3 trillion in commercial mortgages. Particularly vulnerable will be retail rents in places like New York, now plummeting, as well as financially dodgy mega-dense developments like Hudson Yards, the proposed new massive development in Sunnyside, Queens and other similar efforts in Chicago. Two largely Chinese-financed projects, one in already troubled downtown Los Angeles and another in San Francisco, may end up never being fully completed. Just earlier this month, a Los Angeles high rise office tower sold for one third below its asking price a year before.
The New Political Equation
Rising disorder in our major cities — paced by a shocking rise in homicides in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York — represents an arguably greater long-term threat. Security is a now hot topic among corporate location executives, notes Jay Garner, head of the Site Selectors Guild. Garner reports that barely 10% of companies want to locate in big city while most prefer suburbs, smaller cities, or rural areas. The top places cited by companies include such Boise, Colorado Springs, Columbus, Kansas City and Indianapolis.
Garner now wonders how attractive “woke” cities like Seattle or Portland or Minneapolis, with their debilitated law enforcement, may be for investors. Certainly they would be concerned about Chicago, where even a rumor concerning police can create protests accompanied by looting on the city’s fabled Magnificent Mile.
Rioting turns out not to be a good economic strategy. As we saw in the 1960s and again after the Los Angeles riots in 1992, which I personally witnessed, disorders first bring pledges from corporate elites and government, the pleasures of violence and political posturing do not improve conditions. Yet decades of racial protest have engendered little prosperity: high-poverty urban areas doubled in population between 1980 and 2018. The return of “no justice, no peace” rhetoric is unlikely to improve conditions in the inner city or encourage business to move to downtowns. South Central Los Angeles, the site of two of the worst riots in American history, over the past 50 years has suffered a growing gap with the surrounding area in terms of homeownership, income and educational attainment. (RELATED: Report: Murder Rate Spikes In 20 Major American Cities)
In the short run, at least, it seems likely that cities under “progressive” rule will continue to lose employers. Amazon, for example, is gradually de-emphasizing Seattle, which seems determined to raise taxes on affluent employees and lessening police protection. The mega-firm is moving more jobs to suburban Redmond and Bellevue. Many long-time Bay Area and greater Los Angeles employers — Bechtel, McKesson, Parsons Engineering, Jacobs, Toyota, Nissan — have relocated predominately to sunbelt suburbs. Besides concerns about taxes and policing, the looming threat of draconian climate policies, has had the effect of driving companies, particularly manufacturers, to other states.
Republicans and President Donald Trump clearly see in the gross urban dysfunction a political opportunity. Theirs would be a very persuasive argument if it came from a trustworthy source and was not so blatantly politically motivated. Moderate Democrats and independents also need to make the argument that far-left politics, constant disorders and reducing police presence undermine urban prospects.
This is not a call for hardline conservatism, which enjoys only a limited constituency in urban areas. Instead it is a plea to reverse an urban pattern that, as noted in a new MIT study, has undermined their historic role as places for upward mobility. As coastal people move into more conservative regions like Dallas-Ft. Worth, some suggest there will be a more liberal electorate, at least on social issues.
What is needed is a broad alliance among the remaining sane elements in cites, with a greater focus on protecting both job creators and strong neighborhoods. The old policies of urban Democrats, focused on jobs, schools and infrastructure, would resonate nicely, particularly in working class communities. Ultimately, conservatives should seek out partnership with these forces and cultivate support in working class neighborhoods, now threatened the most by urban decline, the pandemic and surge in lawlessness. Such a political alliance will be necessary if we wish to salvage the heritage of our great cities.
Joel Kotkin is the Presidential Fellow in Urban Futures at Chapman University and executive director of the Urban Reform Institute. His new book, The Coming of Neo-Feudalism, is now out from Encounter. You can follow him on Twitter @joelkotkin
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.


thedailycaller--2020-08-16--These Vulnerable Senators Risk Losing Their Seats, Costing The GOP The Majority. Here’s The Latest

• Senate elections have become much more competitive in recent months , as Democrats have recruited popular candidates in states where President Donald Trump ’ s popularity has suffered .
• Suburban voters in competitive states will likely decide which party has the majority come November , according to election analysts .
• Voting trends , fundraising and polls paint a picture as to what a blue wave in 2020 could look like .
Four GOP senators are facing tight elections against strong opponents .
If just three lose , it would cost Republicans the majority in the Senate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide unrest rage on is adding an additional challenge for these senators .
Democrats have recruited moderate , well-known and well-funded senatorial candidates to challenge several vulnerable Republican senators , according to Walter Olson , a senior fellow at the Cato Institute .
The candidates resonate with suburban voters who helped flip the House of Representatives in 2018 , giving Democrats a growing chance at taking the majority from Republicans in Congress ’ s upper chamber , he told the Daily Caller News Foundation .
These Democratic candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — in addition to the anti-Trump sentiment that many of them already feel — have made seats in Colorado , Arizona , Maine and North Carolina among the most competitive , according to the Cook Political Report .
As a result , the Democrats have a chance of flipping the Senate from its current 53-45 makeup .
( Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Maine Sen. Angus King are independents , but caucus with Democrats . )
In addition to a Senate outlook that looks increasingly bleak for the GOP , as recent polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain control of the House of Representatives .
Further , likely Democratic nominee Joe Biden has maintained a consistent lead against Trump in both national and swing-state polls .
( RELATED : FiveThirtyEight Gives Biden 71 % Chance At Victory ) Data published by the Brookings Institute shows how much suburbs have trended towards Democrats since 2016 .
The data show that suburbs across the country witnessed higher turnout in 2018 than in 2016 — despite midterms typically having lower turnouts — among black , Asian and young voters , which all historically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrats greatly in 2018 .
Anti-Trump voters came out in numbers , ” Olson told the DCNF .
“ This year , unlike then , Trump himself will be on the ballot.
” “ Will his supporters show up in numbers ?
” he continued .
“ If not , that ’ s one more big problem for Republican Senate candidates.
” Further complicating these down-ballot races , according to election forecasters , is Trump himself , whose approval rating is around 40 % .
Surveys have shown that voters overwhelmingly disapprove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and continuous protests over the death of George Floyd , have energized Democrats who were already eager to vote him out of office .
Republicans aren ’ t “ home free even if Trump supporters do come out , ” Olson said .
“ What if some check the presidential box and then skip the down-ticket races ?
What if they vote down-ticket based on something other than party allegiance ?
” “ Trump doesn ’ t behave like other candidates , and Trump voters may not behave like other voters either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( RELATED : Susan Rice Says Trump Supporters In The Senate Belong In ‘ Trash Heap Of History ’ ) In Colorado , a Democratic-leaning state that Hillary Clinton won by five points in 2016 , former Gov .
John Hickenlooper won his primary to face incumbent Sen. Cory Gardner .
Hickenlooper had consistent , strong support from suburban voters across the state in previous general elections , results show .
Gardner has slightly out-raised his opponent , bringing in nearly $ 17 million compared to Hickenlooper ’ s approximately $ 14 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But his fundraising has not translated to a boost in the polls .
Gardner has consistently trailed Hickenlooper by double-digit margins — the widest deficit for any Senate GOP incumbent — making him the most vulnerable incumbent senator in the country , Roll Call reported .
Additionally , Trump has trailed Biden in every Colorado poll .
Gardner ’ s voting record has closely aligned with the president ’ s agenda , according to FiveThirtyEight .
Sen. Martha McSally in Arizona is trailing Democrat Mark Kelly , who has vastly out-raised and outpolled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports from both campaigns and recent polls .
Kelly , a former astronaut , is married to former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords , who launched a national gun-control campaign after she was shot during a campaign stop in 2011 .
The 2018 midterm elections saw Democratic turnout increase in all but two counties in Arizona , giving Democrats an additional House seat and Sinema more total votes than 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton , final tallies show .
Polls also show Biden leading Trump and Kelly leading McSally by similar margins .
Meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 95 % of the time , according to FiveThirtyEight .
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report moved the race from “ toss up ” to “ lean Democrat ” in July as well , emphasizing Kelly ’ s polling advantage , prolific fundraising and favorable political environment .
In Maine , Sen. Susan Collins , cruised to reelection in 2008 and 2014 , winning by margins of 28 % and 37 % , respectively .
But in 2016 , Clinton defeated Trump in the state by about 3 % .
And in the 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suburban voters around Bangor flipped Maine ’ s 2nd Congressional District and the governorship , electing Democrat Janet Mills , exit polls showed .
The percentage of Democratic votes in the state rose in every single county in 2018 , according to the Brookings data , increasing the party ’ s overall turnout to levels just shy of 2016 , but in a midterm year .
Collins has faced repeated criticism over her swing vote to confirm now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh , who faced sexual assault allegations during his nomination process to the Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only pro-choice Republicans in Congress , both abortion advocates and sexual assault survivors viewed Collins ’ s vote as a betrayal .
Her vote drew criticism , alleging that she had put partisan politics above her own personal beliefs , which she had relied on throughout her career .
Collins ’ s vote to confirm a judge who refused to commit to protecting Roe v. Wade drew outrage from moderate , pro-choice Mainers who had supported her , and put her challenger , state House Speaker Sara Gideon , into the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out-raised Collins consistently , bringing in almost $ 6 million more than the incumbent in the second quarter of 2020 .
Gideon has polled ahead of Collins as well , beating her in every poll commissioned in 2020 except for one , according to FiveThirtyEight .
( RELATED : Crowdfunding Site For Susan Collins Challenger Got So Much Traffic It Crashed ) In North Carolina , Cal Cunningham clinched the Democratic senatorial nomination after Charlotte ’ s fast-growing , diverse suburbs aligned behind him , primary results showed .
Cunningham faces Sen. Thom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 49 % of the vote in 2016 .
Voters elected Roy Cooper , a Democrat , as governor that same year .
His approval rating is in the high 50s amid the coronavirus pandemic and is favored to win reelection , according to the Cook Political Report .
In 2018 , Republican Mark Harris withdrew his candidacy f0r the House of Representatives after a member of his campaign pleaded guilty to illegally casting absentee ballots for voters .
Last year , the North Carolina Supreme Court threw out the state ’ s congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gerrymandered in Republicans ’ favor .
And in June , the president and the Republican National Committee withdrew their party ’ s convention after Cooper refused to relax stringent public health guidelines due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Tillis trails in polls against Cunningham by 5.4 points , according to RealClearPolitics average .
Trump is dead even with Biden in the state .
Cunningham has also consistently out-raised Tillis .
Though PACs supporting Tillis have raised just over $ 42 million , PACs supporting Cunningham have raised nearly $ 48 million .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans ’ majority are solid Democrat candidates that have made races in traditionally conservative states competitive .
In Iowa , Sen. Joni Ernst faces Theresa Greenfield , a former Iowa businesswoman .
Greenfield has said Ernst , a Republican , failed to represent farmers in the state and accused her of favoring corporate interests over working Iowa families .
Her attacks against Ernst have been effective in the Republican-leaning state , where increased Democratic turnout in 2018 flipped two congressional districts blue , results reported from The New York Times show .
Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden in the state , Ernst has flip-flopped with Greenfield in recent polls .
In Montana , Republican Sen. Steve Daines is running against Democratic Gov .
Steve Bullock in a tight race .
Bullock , who won reelection in 2016 , despite Trump winning the state by 20 points , has a 52 % approval rating compared to Daines ’ 47 % , according to Morning Consult polls .
Though Bullock received 50.2 % of the vote , he was not far behind Trump , who received 55 % , results showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties in Montana saw increased Democratic turnout , according to Brookings .
GOP turnout fell by approximately 16 % , according to exit polls from 2016 and 2018 .
Meanwhile , Senate Republicans have looked to Alabama and Michigan to help hold their majority .
In Alabama , incumbent Democrat Sen. Doug Jones is viewed as an underdog against former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville , the GOP nominee .
Despite Jones ’ s widely-praised record , including the successful prosecution of the KKK members who bombed a Birmingham church in 1963 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2017 ’ s special election .
If Jones loses , Democrats will need to win four seats instead of three to flip the Senate .
In Michigan , Republican candidate John James is running against Democrat Sen. Gary Peters .
James , a retired military pilot and self-made businessman , came within seven points against Sen. Debbie Stabenow two years ago .
James has consistently out-raised Peters in the 2020 cycle .
But as Trump ’ s approval rating has slipped in the Great Lakes State , James ’ s has as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out-raise Peters , he will have to win without much outside help , as the National Republican Senatorial Committee has prioritized reelecting vulnerable incumbents instead of expanding their caucus , Politico reported .
Additionally , Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has encouraged vulnerable Republicans to distance themselves from the president if it will benefit their own races , CNN reported on July 31 .
Holding the Senate is a “ knife fight in an alley already , and we very much understand the Senate could go either way , ” McConnell told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , forces Republicans to walk across a political tightrope .
“ These vulnerable senators can ’ t afford to explicitly repudiate Trump , ” said a senior Republican on Capitol Hill , speaking anonymously to CNN .
“ They just need to show they are independent on issues important to their states.
” Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Senate elections have become much more competitive in recent months, as Democrats have recruited popular candidates in states where President Donald Trump’s popularity has suffered.
Suburban voters in competitive states will likely decide which party has the majority come November, according to election analysts.
Voting trends, fundraising and polls paint a picture as to what a blue wave in 2020 could look like.
Four GOP senators are facing tight elections against strong opponents. If just three lose, it would cost Republicans the majority in the Senate.
President Donald Trump’s suffering popularity as the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide unrest rage on is adding an additional challenge for these senators.
Democrats have recruited moderate, well-known and well-funded senatorial candidates to challenge several vulnerable Republican senators, according to Walter Olson, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. The candidates resonate with suburban voters who helped flip the House of Representatives in 2018, giving Democrats a growing chance at taking the majority from Republicans in Congress’s upper chamber, he told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
These Democratic candidates’ ability to appeal to swing voters — in addition to the anti-Trump sentiment that many of them already feel — have made seats in Colorado, Arizona, Maine and North Carolina among the most competitive, according to the Cook Political Report. As a result, the Democrats have a chance of flipping the Senate from its current 53-45 makeup. (Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Maine Sen. Angus King are independents, but caucus with Democrats.)
In addition to a Senate outlook that looks increasingly bleak for the GOP, as recent polls show, Democrats are effectively guaranteed to maintain control of the House of Representatives. Further, likely Democratic nominee Joe Biden has maintained a consistent lead against Trump in both national and swing-state polls. (RELATED: FiveThirtyEight Gives Biden 71% Chance At Victory)
Data published by the Brookings Institute shows how much suburbs have trended towards Democrats since 2016. The data show that suburbs across the country witnessed higher turnout in 2018 than in 2016 — despite midterms typically having lower turnouts — among black, Asian and young voters, which all historically favor liberal candidates.
“Turnout helped the Democrats greatly in 2018. Anti-Trump voters came out in numbers,” Olson told the DCNF. “This year, unlike then, Trump himself will be on the ballot.”
“Will his supporters show up in numbers?” he continued. “If not, that’s one more big problem for Republican Senate candidates.”
Further complicating these down-ballot races, according to election forecasters, is Trump himself, whose approval rating is around 40%. Surveys have shown that voters overwhelmingly disapprove of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and continuous protests over the death of George Floyd, have energized Democrats who were already eager to vote him out of office.
Republicans aren’t “home free even if Trump supporters do come out,” Olson said. “What if some check the presidential box and then skip the down-ticket races? What if they vote down-ticket based on something other than party allegiance?”
“Trump doesn’t behave like other candidates, and Trump voters may not behave like other voters either,” Olson told the DCNF. (RELATED: Susan Rice Says Trump Supporters In The Senate Belong In ‘Trash Heap Of History’)
Colorado
In Colorado, a Democratic-leaning state that Hillary Clinton won by five points in 2016, former Gov. John Hickenlooper won his primary to face incumbent Sen. Cory Gardner. Hickenlooper had consistent, strong support from suburban voters across the state in previous general elections, results show.
Gardner has slightly out-raised his opponent, bringing in nearly $17 million compared to Hickenlooper’s approximately $14 million, according to campaign finance reports.
But his fundraising has not translated to a boost in the polls.
Gardner has consistently trailed Hickenlooper by double-digit margins — the widest deficit for any Senate GOP incumbent — making him the most vulnerable incumbent senator in the country, Roll Call reported.
Additionally, Trump has trailed Biden in every Colorado poll. Gardner’s voting record has closely aligned with the president’s agenda, according to FiveThirtyEight.
Arizona
Sen. Martha McSally in Arizona is trailing Democrat Mark Kelly, who has vastly out-raised and outpolled his Republican rival, according to finance reports from both campaigns and recent polls. Kelly, a former astronaut, is married to former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords, who launched a national gun-control campaign after she was shot during a campaign stop in 2011.
The 2018 midterm elections saw Democratic turnout increase in all but two counties in Arizona, giving Democrats an additional House seat and Sinema more total votes than 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, final tallies show.
Polls also show Biden leading Trump and Kelly leading McSally by similar margins. Meanwhile, McSally votes in line with Trump 95% of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report moved the race from “toss up” to “lean Democrat” in July as well, emphasizing Kelly’s polling advantage, prolific fundraising and favorable political environment.
Maine
In Maine, Sen. Susan Collins, cruised to reelection in 2008 and 2014, winning by margins of 28% and 37%, respectively. But in 2016, Clinton defeated Trump in the state by about 3%.
And in the 2018 midterm elections, increased Democrat turnout among suburban voters around Bangor flipped Maine’s 2nd Congressional District and the governorship, electing Democrat Janet Mills, exit polls showed.
The percentage of Democratic votes in the state rose in every single county in 2018, according to the Brookings data, increasing the party’s overall turnout to levels just shy of 2016, but in a midterm year.
Collins has faced repeated criticism over her swing vote to confirm now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who faced sexual assault allegations during his nomination process to the Supreme Court in October 2018. One of the only pro-choice Republicans in Congress, both abortion advocates and sexual assault survivors viewed Collins’s vote as a betrayal.
Her vote drew criticism, alleging that she had put partisan politics above her own personal beliefs, which she had relied on throughout her career. Collins’s vote to confirm a judge who refused to commit to protecting Roe v. Wade drew outrage from moderate, pro-choice Mainers who had supported her, and put her challenger, state House Speaker Sara Gideon, into the national spotlight.
Since then, Gideon has out-raised Collins consistently, bringing in almost $6 million more than the incumbent in the second quarter of 2020. Gideon has polled ahead of Collins as well, beating her in every poll commissioned in 2020 except for one, according to FiveThirtyEight. (RELATED: Crowdfunding Site For Susan Collins Challenger Got So Much Traffic It Crashed)
North Carolina
In North Carolina, Cal Cunningham clinched the Democratic senatorial nomination after Charlotte’s fast-growing, diverse suburbs aligned behind him, primary results showed. Cunningham faces Sen. Thom Tillis in a state where Trump captured 49% of the vote in 2016.
Voters elected Roy Cooper, a Democrat, as governor that same year. His approval rating is in the high 50s amid the coronavirus pandemic and is favored to win reelection, according to the Cook Political Report.
Numerous political fiascos have also plagued North Carolina.
In 2018, Republican Mark Harris withdrew his candidacy f0r the House of Representatives after a member of his campaign pleaded guilty to illegally casting absentee ballots for voters.
Last year, the North Carolina Supreme Court threw out the state’s congressional map after deciding that the map was gerrymandered in Republicans’ favor.
And in June, the president and the Republican National Committee withdrew their party’s convention after Cooper refused to relax stringent public health guidelines due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Tillis trails in polls against Cunningham by 5.4 points, according to RealClearPolitics average. Trump is dead even with Biden in the state.
Cunningham has also consistently out-raised Tillis. Though PACs supporting Tillis have raised just over $42 million, PACs supporting Cunningham have raised nearly $48 million.
Other States Are Also In Play
Further endangering Republicans’ majority are solid Democrat candidates that have made races in traditionally conservative states competitive.
In Iowa, Sen. Joni Ernst faces Theresa Greenfield, a former Iowa businesswoman. Greenfield has said Ernst, a Republican, failed to represent farmers in the state and accused her of favoring corporate interests over working Iowa families.
Her attacks against Ernst have been effective in the Republican-leaning state, where increased Democratic turnout in 2018 flipped two congressional districts blue, results reported from The New York Times show. Even as Trump holds a small lead over Biden in the state, Ernst has flip-flopped with Greenfield in recent polls.
In Montana, Republican Sen. Steve Daines is running against Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock in a tight race. Bullock, who won reelection in 2016, despite Trump winning the state by 20 points, has a 52% approval rating compared to Daines’ 47%, according to Morning Consult polls.
Though Bullock received 50.2% of the vote, he was not far behind Trump, who received 55%, results showed.
In 2018, all but three counties in Montana saw increased Democratic turnout, according to Brookings. GOP turnout fell by approximately 16%, according to exit polls from 2016 and 2018.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans have looked to Alabama and Michigan to help hold their majority. In Alabama, incumbent Democrat Sen. Doug Jones is viewed as an underdog against former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville, the GOP nominee.
Despite Jones’s widely-praised record, including the successful prosecution of the KKK members who bombed a Birmingham church in 1963, he barely beat disgraced candidate Roy Moore in 2017’s special election.
If Jones loses, Democrats will need to win four seats instead of three to flip the Senate.
In Michigan, Republican candidate John James is running against Democrat Sen. Gary Peters. James, a retired military pilot and self-made businessman, came within seven points against Sen. Debbie Stabenow two years ago.
James has consistently out-raised Peters in the 2020 cycle. But as Trump’s approval rating has slipped in the Great Lakes State, James’s has as well.
Even if James continues to out-raise Peters, he will have to win without much outside help, as the National Republican Senatorial Committee has prioritized reelecting vulnerable incumbents instead of expanding their caucus, Politico reported.
Additionally, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has encouraged vulnerable Republicans to distance themselves from the president if it will benefit their own races, CNN reported on July 31.
Holding the Senate is a “knife fight in an alley already, and we very much understand the Senate could go either way,” McConnell told Martha McCallum in July.
Doing so, however, forces Republicans to walk across a political tightrope.
“These vulnerable senators can’t afford to explicitly repudiate Trump,” said a senior Republican on Capitol Hill, speaking anonymously to CNN. “They just need to show they are independent on issues important to their states.”
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


thedailycaller--2020-08-15--Trump Looking ‘Very Strongly’ At Pardon For Edward Snowden

President Donald Trump is looking “ very strongly ” at a potential pardon for former NSA contractor Edward Snowden , he said during a Saturday press briefing .
The statement came during the Q & A segment of a Trump briefing focused largely on the nation ’ s economic recovery from coronavirus .
Trump once deemed Snowden a “ traitor ” for leaking information regarding an NSA project that gathered telecommunications information from American citizens .
( RELATED : White House ‘ Strongly Supports ’ USA Freedom Act To Overhaul USA ) “ I ’ ve seen people that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree .
They agree both ways , ” Trump said in response to a question about pardoning Snowden .
“ I ’ m going to take a look at that very strongly , Edward Snowden.
” Saturday was the second time this week Trump has responded to questions about Snowden .
He told the New York Post on Thursday that he had polled his aides on the idea of a pardon and is open to it .
“ Snowden is one of the people they talk about .
They talk about numerous people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people that they do talk about , ” Trump said .
“ I guess the DOJ is looking to extradite him right now ?
… It ’ s certainly something I could look at .
Many people are on his side , I will say that .
I don ’ t know him , never met him .
But many people are on his side.
” Trump was extremely critical of Snowden prior to being elected president , going so far as to call for his execution on Twitter , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exile from the United States and was granted asylum in Russia .

President Donald Trump is looking “very strongly” at a potential pardon for former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, he said during a Saturday press briefing.
The statement came during the Q&A segment of a Trump briefing focused largely on the nation’s economic recovery from coronavirus. Trump once deemed Snowden a “traitor” for leaking information regarding an NSA project that gathered telecommunications information from American citizens. (RELATED: White House ‘Strongly Supports’ USA Freedom Act To Overhaul USA)
“I’ve seen people that are very conservative and very liberal and they agree. They agree both ways,” Trump said in response to a question about pardoning Snowden. “I’m going to take a look at that very strongly, Edward Snowden.”
Saturday was the second time this week Trump has responded to questions about Snowden. He told the New York Post on Thursday that he had polled his aides on the idea of a pardon and is open to it.
“Snowden is one of the people they talk about. They talk about numerous people, but he is certainly one of the people that they do talk about,” Trump said. “I guess the DOJ is looking to extradite him right now? … It’s certainly something I could look at. Many people are on his side, I will say that. I don’t know him, never met him. But many people are on his side.”
Trump was extremely critical of Snowden prior to being elected president, going so far as to call for his execution on Twitter, according to the Post.
Snowden is currently in exile from the United States and was granted asylum in Russia.


thedailycaller--2020-08-15--Four Years After ‘Lock Her Up’ Was Heavily Criticized, Calls For Prosecution Of Trump Gain Steam

The media and Democrats lambasted President Donald Trump for his supporters ’ chants of “ lock her up ” during the 2016 presidential election , but in 2020 it is Democrats who are warming to the idea of prosecuting Trump after the election .
While Biden himself told NPR that prosecuting Trump would be “ probably … not very good for Democracy , ” he said he would not interfere with the Justice Department ’ s judgement of whether a prosecution was necessary .
Other prominent Democrats — including Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris — have called for prosecuting Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The media reaction to these calls , however , bears no resemblance to the response to chants of “ lock her up ” in 2016 .
Biden ’ s newly-declared running mate said in June 2019 that she expected herself and any of her fellow candidates to prosecute Trump on charges of obstruction of justice in Special Counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation if elected .
“ I believe that [ my fellow candidates ] would have no choice and that they should , yes , ” Harris said at the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the president is not above the law.
” “ I do believe that we should believe Bob Mueller when he tells us essentially that the only reason an indictment was not returned is because of a memo in the Department of Justice that suggests you can not indict a sitting president .
But I ’ ve seen prosecution of cases on much less evidence , ” she added .
The Biden campaign did not respond to a request for comment on whether Harris still believes the DOJ should prosecute Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Trump Slams Biden And Harris For Nixing Questions — And Reporters For Letting Them ) Harris is not alone in thinking Trump should face charges , however .
Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for prosecuting not only Trump but his entire administration .
The campaign website for her now-defunct presidential campaign still calls for establishing “ a Justice Department Task Force to investigate corruption during the Trump administration and to hold government officials accountable for illegal activity.
” “ Donald Trump has run the most corrupt administration in history , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impeached for withholding foreign aid in an effort to try to benefit his re-election campaign .
He has enriched himself and his business through the power of his office .
And there are public reports of potentially illegal corruption in every corner of his administration.
” Eric Holder , the former attorney general under President Barack Obama , has also called for the next administration to prosecute members of Trump ’ s administration .
When a cable news personality asked on Twitter who would be prosecuting Postmaster General Louis DeJoy for allegedly “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next , real , Justice Department.
” House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi was more blunt in June 2019 : “ “ I don ’ t want to see him impeached ; I want to see him in prison , ” she told her follow Democrats in a Capitol Hill meeting , according to Politico .
In 2016 , calls among Trump supporters for prosecuting Hillary Clinton were met with heavy criticism .
CNN host Christiane Amanpour called the “ lock her up ” chant “ dangerous ” and “ hate speech ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ask ex-FBI Director James Comey whether he wished he ’ d taken action to censor the chants .
“ Of course , ‘ lock her up ’ was a feature of the 2016 Trump campaign , ” Amanpour said .
“ Do you in retrospect wish that people like yourself , the FBI , I mean , the people in charge of law and order , had shut down that language — that it was dangerous potentially , that it could ’ ve created violence , that it ’ s kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed ?
” New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg — who just published an op-ed calling for Trump to be prosecuted after the election — described “ lock her up ” chants as the “ baying bloodlust ” of Trump supporters in 2016 .
“ American presidential campaigns are not typically built around the dream of jailing the opposing candidate , ” she wrote at the time .
In her Thursday article calling for Trump to be jailed , she argued that “ Restoring the rule of law is not the same as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ After four years of ever-escalating corruption and abuses of power , the United States can not simply snap back to being the country it once was if Trump is forced to vacate the White House in January , ” she wrote .
“ If Biden is elected , Democrats must force a reckoning over what Trump has done to America .
”

The media and Democrats lambasted President Donald Trump for his supporters’ chants of “lock her up” during the 2016 presidential election, but in 2020 it is Democrats who are warming to the idea of prosecuting Trump after the election.
While Biden himself told NPR that prosecuting Trump would be “probably … not very good for Democracy,” he said he would not interfere with the Justice Department’s judgement of whether a prosecution was necessary.
Other prominent Democrats — including Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris — have called for prosecuting Trump after the election in no uncertain terms. The media reaction to these calls, however, bears no resemblance to the response to chants of “lock her up” in 2016.
Biden’s newly-declared running mate said in June 2019 that she expected herself and any of her fellow candidates to prosecute Trump on charges of obstruction of justice in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation if elected.
“I believe that [my fellow candidates] would have no choice and that they should, yes,” Harris said at the time. “Everyone should be held accountable, and the president is not above the law.”
“I do believe that we should believe Bob Mueller when he tells us essentially that the only reason an indictment was not returned is because of a memo in the Department of Justice that suggests you cannot indict a sitting president. But I’ve seen prosecution of cases on much less evidence,” she added.
The Biden campaign did not respond to a request for comment on whether Harris still believes the DOJ should prosecute Trump. (RELATED: ‘Very Strange’: Trump Slams Biden And Harris For Nixing Questions — And Reporters For Letting Them)
Harris is not alone in thinking Trump should face charges, however. Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for prosecuting not only Trump but his entire administration. The campaign website for her now-defunct presidential campaign still calls for establishing “a Justice Department Task Force to investigate corruption during the Trump administration and to hold government officials accountable for illegal activity.”
“Donald Trump has run the most corrupt administration in history,” the site reads. “He was impeached for withholding foreign aid in an effort to try to benefit his re-election campaign. He has enriched himself and his business through the power of his office. And there are public reports of potentially illegal corruption in every corner of his administration.”
Eric Holder, the former attorney general under President Barack Obama, has also called for the next administration to prosecute members of Trump’s administration. When a cable news personality asked on Twitter who would be prosecuting Postmaster General Louis DeJoy for allegedly “obstructing mail,” he responded “the next, real, Justice Department.”
The next, real, Justice Department. — Eric Holder (@EricHolder) August 15, 2020
House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi was more blunt in June 2019: ““I don’t want to see him impeached; I want to see him in prison,” she told her follow Democrats in a Capitol Hill meeting, according to Politico.
In 2016, calls among Trump supporters for prosecuting Hillary Clinton were met with heavy criticism. CNN host Christiane Amanpour called the “lock her up” chant “dangerous” and “hate speech” in 2019, going so far as to ask ex-FBI Director James Comey whether he wished he’d taken action to censor the chants.
“Of course, ‘lock her up’ was a feature of the 2016 Trump campaign,” Amanpour said. “Do you in retrospect wish that people like yourself, the FBI, I mean, the people in charge of law and order, had shut down that language — that it was dangerous potentially, that it could’ve created violence, that it’s kind of hate speech. Should that have been allowed?”
New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg — who just published an op-ed calling for Trump to be prosecuted after the election — described “lock her up” chants as the “baying bloodlust” of Trump supporters in 2016.
“American presidential campaigns are not typically built around the dream of jailing the opposing candidate,” she wrote at the time.
In her Thursday article calling for Trump to be jailed, she argued that “Restoring the rule of law is not the same as ‘lock her up.'”
“After four years of ever-escalating corruption and abuses of power, the United States cannot simply snap back to being the country it once was if Trump is forced to vacate the White House in January,” she wrote. “If Biden is elected, Democrats must force a reckoning over what Trump has done to America.”


thedailycaller--2020-08-15--Pompeo Signs Defense Agreement With Poland, Reorganizing US Troops In Europe

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo signed an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with Poland on Saturday , marking the moment at a ceremony in Poland with President Andrzej Duda .
Trump and Duda announced plans to sign the agreement in June , and it appears to be part of Trump ’ s larger strategy of getting NATO nations to contribute their full financial shares toward the region ’ s defense .
Thousands of additional U.S. troops will now be transferred to Poland , with most of them coming from Germany , a country Trump has criticized for not contributing its fair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Our alliance can not be at full strength without robust contributions from all allies , ” Pompeo said in a statement .
“ President Trump is grateful for Poland ’ s leadership in contributing its fair share to our common defense.
” ( RELATED : Joe Biden ’ s Cold War Criticisms Of NATO And Germany Sound A Lot Like Donald Trump ) Trump announced the withdrawal of 12,000 U.S. troops out of Germany on July 29 , more than half of whom came back to the United States .
Roughly 5,500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including in Poland .
“ We don ’ t want to be the suckers anymore , ” Trump told reporters at the time .
“ The United States has been taken advantage of for 25 years , both on trade and on the military .
We ’ re protecting Germany , so we ’ re reducing the force because they ’ re not paying the bills .
It ’ s very simple .
They ’ re delinquent .
So we ’ re reducing the force .
Now if they start paying their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While Duda has expressed gratitude to Trump for moving additional forces to Poland , he did express disappointment that troops were leaving Germany .
Under the new system , more U.S. troops are present in Poland , but fewer are in Europe as a whole .
“ I do not deny that I requested Mr. President that he would not withdraw U.S. forces from Europe because the security of Europe is very important to me , ” Duda said at the White House in June .

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo signed an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with Poland on Saturday, marking the moment at a ceremony in Poland with President Andrzej Duda.
Trump and Duda announced plans to sign the agreement in June, and it appears to be part of Trump’s larger strategy of getting NATO nations to contribute their full financial shares toward the region’s defense.
Thousands of additional U.S. troops will now be transferred to Poland, with most of them coming from Germany, a country Trump has criticized for not contributing its fair share to the NATO defense fund.
“Our alliance cannot be at full strength without robust contributions from all allies,” Pompeo said in a statement. “President Trump is grateful for Poland’s leadership in contributing its fair share to our common defense.” (RELATED: Joe Biden’s Cold War Criticisms Of NATO And Germany Sound A Lot Like Donald Trump)
Trump announced the withdrawal of 12,000 U.S. troops out of Germany on July 29, more than half of whom came back to the United States. Roughly 5,500 of the soldiers were re-deployed across Europe, including in Poland.
“We don’t want to be the suckers anymore,” Trump told reporters at the time. “The United States has been taken advantage of for 25 years, both on trade and on the military. We’re protecting Germany, so we’re reducing the force because they’re not paying the bills. It’s very simple. They’re delinquent. So we’re reducing the force. Now if they start paying their bills… I would think about it.”
While Duda has expressed gratitude to Trump for moving additional forces to Poland, he did express disappointment that troops were leaving Germany. Under the new system, more U.S. troops are present in Poland, but fewer are in Europe as a whole.
“I do not deny that I requested Mr. President that he would not withdraw U.S. forces from Europe because the security of Europe is very important to me,” Duda said at the White House in June.


thedailycaller--2020-08-15--CCW Weekend: +P Ammo Info For New Shooters

New gun owners and carriers have to get some carry ammo for their new carry pistol or home defense handgun , and might notice that the only stuff left on store shelves says that it ’ s “ +P.
” Or they might have been told by someone that +P ammo is what they should have to defend themselves .
If that ’ s you , we ’ ll go over what +P ammo is and whether or not it ’ s what you should get , or if you should avoid it .
The short answer is if it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s probably fine .
As far as what you might have heard about it well , sometimes it ’ s true and sometimes it isn ’ t .
We ’ ll go over that too .
So , what is +P ammo ?
The +P designation means “ overpressure , ” meaning the ammunition has a little bit more powder than the standard loading and therefore the projectile is ( in theory ! )
propelled to a faster velocity than the standard recipe for that caliber .
For instance , standard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to about 1150 feet per second , give or take about 30 fps because it varies with every shot fired .
The Sporting Arms And Manufacturer ’ s Institute ( SAAMI ) specifies that standard 9mm produce about 35,000 psi of chamber pressure .
Now , SAAMI allows for an extra 2,000 psi of chamber pressure for +P loadings .
9mm+P will typically propel a 115-gr projectile to around 1300 to 1350 fps , and produces chamber pressure of 37,000 psi .
For .45 ACP , standard 230-gr loads are booking it at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generating about 21,000 psi of chamber pressure .
230-gr .45 ACP+P loads increase that to just under 1,000 fps and 23,000 psi of chamber pressure .
You get the general idea .
Slightly more powder in the case , about a 10-ish percent increase in velocity and around a 10-ish percent increase in chamber pressure .
Or at least that ’ s what the manufacturers tell us ; whether that always bears out over a chronograph is another matter .
Is it okay for your gun ?
In limited quantities , meaning you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here and there it ’ s usually no big deal .
While not all pistols are rated for regular use of +P ammunition , a few here and there isn ’ t going to do much .
Make sure you look into your specific make and model of firearm and what the manufacturer recommends as far as +P ammunition .
Most will say to lay off , as it can ( and will ) lead to accelerated wear on the pistol .
If it ’ s the only carry ammo you can get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big deal if that ’ s what you load in your magazine or into your revolver ’ s cylinders .
It ’ s also probably not a big deal to fire a few rounds here and there .
Where it does , however , become a concern is with regular use .
So if you found , say , a box of NATO-spec 124-grain 9mm , which is a 124-grain full metal jacket projectile , loaded to 1200 fps and 36,500 psi , which is +P or perhaps a larger lot and figured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice ammo I can find right now.
” In that instance you might have a problem .
If you ’ re going to shoot very much +P ammunition , your gun is likely going to need a stiffer recoil spring , if not some additional springs as well .
You see , the faster the bullet leaves the barrel , the faster the slide gets sent backward and the harder it slams into the back of the frame rails .
This accelerates wear on the areas of contact between the slide and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you slow the slide down and therefore reduce the wear .
So the short answer is , again , a little bit is okay , but you need to do a few things if you ’ re going to shoot it regularly .
Now , why would a person need +P ammunition ?
Is so-and-so right when they say I need to have it ?
The short answer is that it ’ s complicated .
In the Rotten Hollow Point Era , overpressure ammunition produced more reliable expansion and penetration .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2020 ?
Not so much !
Bullet technology and metallurgy has advanced to the point where it ’ s not as necessary .
Granted , it gets a bit more complex when it comes to one specific caliber , namely .38 Special and especially snubnose .38 Special revolvers .
In that case +P is probably a good idea , but you should make sure you ’ re getting a short-barrel loading .
All expanding or fragmenting ammunition is , to some degree , velocity-based ; below a certain threshold of velocity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s supposed to do .
Older hollow point designs didn ’ t work very well at standard pressure velocities but did work once goosed with powder .
A similar trend occurred in hunting rifles in the late 50s and early 60s , which led to proliferation of medium-bore magnums .
The old rotten hunting bullets didn ’ t work well when fired at .30-06 or .270 Winchester velocities , but worked a lot better at .300 Win Mag or 7mm Rem Mag speeds .
Modern JHP+P ammunition has no advantage in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure loads .
In other words , modern standard pressure ammunition will stop a bad guy just as well as overpressure and vice versa ; the ammo matters less than the placement of the bullet .
Remember , all handguns do is poke holes in fleshy things when used in a defensive capacity .
The speed at which the bullet pokes said hole doesn ’ t make a heck of a lot of difference when it comes to handguns .
So , if +P is all you can get , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too much of it .
If you have a choice , standard pressure works just as well .
Click here to get your 1911 Pistol Shopping Guide .
Click here to get The Complete Concealed Carry Training Guide Sam Hoober is a Contributing Editor to AlienGearHolsters.com , a subsidiary of Hayden , ID , based Tedder Industries , where he writes about gun accessories , gun safety , open and concealed carry tips .
Click here to visit aliengearholsters.com .

By Sam Hoober, Alien Gear Holsters
New gun owners and carriers have to get some carry ammo for their new carry pistol or home defense handgun, and might notice that the only stuff left on store shelves says that it’s “+P.” Or they might have been told by someone that +P ammo is what they should have to defend themselves.
If that’s you, we’ll go over what +P ammo is and whether or not it’s what you should get, or if you should avoid it. The short answer is if it’s what you can get, it’s probably fine.
As far as what you might have heard about it well, sometimes it’s true and sometimes it isn’t. We’ll go over that too.
So, what is +P ammo?
The +P designation means “overpressure,” meaning the ammunition has a little bit more powder than the standard loading and therefore the projectile is (in theory!) propelled to a faster velocity than the standard recipe for that caliber.
For instance, standard 115-grain 9mm loads typically propel the projectile to about 1150 feet per second, give or take about 30 fps because it varies with every shot fired. The Sporting Arms And Manufacturer’s Institute (SAAMI) specifies that standard 9mm produce about 35,000 psi of chamber pressure.
Now, SAAMI allows for an extra 2,000 psi of chamber pressure for +P loadings.
9mm+P will typically propel a 115-gr projectile to around 1300 to 1350 fps, and produces chamber pressure of 37,000 psi.
For .45 ACP, standard 230-gr loads are booking it at about 850 fps from the muzzle and generating about 21,000 psi of chamber pressure. 230-gr .45 ACP+P loads increase that to just under 1,000 fps and 23,000 psi of chamber pressure.
You get the general idea. Slightly more powder in the case, about a 10-ish percent increase in velocity and around a 10-ish percent increase in chamber pressure. Or at least that’s what the manufacturers tell us; whether that always bears out over a chronograph is another matter.
Is it okay for your gun?
In limited quantities, meaning you’re just shooting a few rounds here and there it’s usually no big deal. While not all pistols are rated for regular use of +P ammunition, a few here and there isn’t going to do much.
Make sure you look into your specific make and model of firearm and what the manufacturer recommends as far as +P ammunition. Most will say to lay off, as it can (and will) lead to accelerated wear on the pistol.
If it’s the only carry ammo you can get, it is – again – no big deal if that’s what you load in your magazine or into your revolver’s cylinders. It’s also probably not a big deal to fire a few rounds here and there.
Where it does, however, become a concern is with regular use.
So if you found, say, a box of NATO-spec 124-grain 9mm, which is a 124-grain full metal jacket projectile, loaded to 1200 fps and 36,500 psi, which is +P or perhaps a larger lot and figured “well, it’s the practice ammo I can find right now.” In that instance you might have a problem.
If you’re going to shoot very much +P ammunition, your gun is likely going to need a stiffer recoil spring, if not some additional springs as well.
You see, the faster the bullet leaves the barrel, the faster the slide gets sent backward and the harder it slams into the back of the frame rails. This accelerates wear on the areas of contact between the slide and the frame.
By stiffening the recoil spring, you slow the slide down and therefore reduce the wear.
So the short answer is, again, a little bit is okay, but you need to do a few things if you’re going to shoot it regularly.
Now, why would a person need +P ammunition? Is so-and-so right when they say I need to have it?
The short answer is that it’s complicated.
In the Rotten Hollow Point Era, overpressure ammunition produced more reliable expansion and penetration. So in 1982, you needed it. In 2020? Not so much! Bullet technology and metallurgy has advanced to the point where it’s not as necessary.
Granted, it gets a bit more complex when it comes to one specific caliber, namely .38 Special and especially snubnose .38 Special revolvers. In that case +P is probably a good idea, but you should make sure you’re getting a short-barrel loading.
All expanding or fragmenting ammunition is, to some degree, velocity-based; below a certain threshold of velocity and the ammunition doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do. Older hollow point designs didn’t work very well at standard pressure velocities but did work once goosed with powder.
A similar trend occurred in hunting rifles in the late 50s and early 60s, which led to proliferation of medium-bore magnums. The old rotten hunting bullets didn’t work well when fired at .30-06 or .270 Winchester velocities, but worked a lot better at .300 Win Mag or 7mm Rem Mag speeds.
Modern JHP+P ammunition has no advantage in observed performance compared to modern JHP standard pressure loads. In other words, modern standard pressure ammunition will stop a bad guy just as well as overpressure and vice versa; the ammo matters less than the placement of the bullet.
Remember, all handguns do is poke holes in fleshy things when used in a defensive capacity. The speed at which the bullet pokes said hole doesn’t make a heck of a lot of difference when it comes to handguns.
So, if +P is all you can get, it’s fine. Just don’t shoot too much of it. If you have a choice, standard pressure works just as well.
Click here to get your 1911 Pistol Shopping Guide.
Click here to get The Complete Concealed Carry Training Guide
Sam Hoober is a Contributing Editor to AlienGearHolsters.com, a subsidiary of Hayden, ID, based Tedder Industries, where he writes about gun accessories, gun safety, open and concealed carry tips. Click here to visit aliengearholsters.com.


thedailycaller--2020-08-15--‘You Earned This Endorsement’: New York City Police Union Backs Trump

The New York City police union endorsed President Donald Trump ’ s reelection on Friday in what is believed to be the organization ’ s first presidential endorsement in its history .
The New York City Police Benevolent Association ( PBA ) is the largest police union in the United States .
Its president , Patrick Lynch , told Trump during the official announcement that the president had “ earned this endorsement and that Lynch was “ proud to give it.
” Lynch reminded the crowd that “ there ’ s an election that we ’ re in the midst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say this … I am 36 years in this job , 21 as the president of this fine organization , I can not remember when we ’ ve ever endorsed for the office of president of the United States until now : that ’ s how important this is.
” ( RELATED : ‘ Defunding … Means Defunding ’ : Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Not Satisfied With Cutting NYPD By $ 1B ) “ We need your strong voice across the country to say , ‘ We have the support of law enforcement across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The union president has been highly critical of local and state government and recently said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Democratic New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo have “ given the street back to the criminal ” while blasting the decision by de Blasio and the city council to cut $ 1 billion from the NYPD .
( RELATED : You Took My Son : Go To Hell : Father And Grandmother Of Slain 1-Year-Old Baby Speak Out Against Killers ) Trump tweeted his gratitude early Saturday , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pat Lynch & the @ NYCPBA .
I will never let you down !

The New York City police union endorsed President Donald Trump’s reelection on Friday in what is believed to be the organization’s first presidential endorsement in its history.
The New York City Police Benevolent Association (PBA) is the largest police union in the United States. Its president, Patrick Lynch, told Trump during the official announcement that the president had “earned this endorsement and that Lynch was “proud to give it.”
Lynch reminded the crowd that “there’s an election that we’re in the midst of — so I’m here to say this … I am 36 years in this job, 21 as the president of this fine organization, I cannot remember when we’ve ever endorsed for the office of president of the United States until now: that’s how important this is.” (RELATED: ‘Defunding … Means Defunding’: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Not Satisfied With Cutting NYPD By $1B)
“We need your strong voice across the country to say, ‘We have the support of law enforcement across this country,’” Lynch said.
The union president has been highly critical of local and state government and recently said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo have “given the street back to the criminal” while blasting the decision by de Blasio and the city council to cut $1 billion from the NYPD. (RELATED: You Took My Son: Go To Hell: Father And Grandmother Of Slain 1-Year-Old Baby Speak Out Against Killers)
Trump tweeted his gratitude early Saturday, saying, “Thank you to the great Pat Lynch & the @NYCPBA. I will never let you down!