csmonitor--2020-01-31--Suspense-free impeachment may yet reverberate for years to come

“ In democracy , you have to have some respect for the other side .
You have to have some forbearance and some respect for other points of view , and I think we ’ ve lost both , ” he says .
Yet the entire impeachment episode , the most partisan so far , is “ small potatoes ” compared with the tectonic plates of political tribalism that put it all in motion – and are threatening American democracy , says Patrick Griffin , former legislative director to President Bill Clinton , who was impeached and acquitted 20 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new precedent set by this trial and its likely acquittal will almost certainly increase the power of the presidency , while weakening congressional oversight – changes not always perceptible to the public but consequential nonetheless .
In the short term , the impeachment of President Donald Trump by the House – followed by a Senate trial that , as of this writing , appeared to be moving inexorably toward acquittal – may do little to change minds or politics in a divided nation .
The latest RealClearPolitics polling average on the question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an exact stalemate , with 47.8 % of Americans in favor and 47.8 % opposed .
During the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump , Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware would sometimes look up to the visitors gallery from his desk in the last row of the chamber .
He had offered tickets to constituents who wanted them , and hoped to see people from his nearby state in the evenings , when they could get there after work to witness this historic event in person .
But the auditorium seats in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coons attributed the disinterest in the proceedings – a ratings disaster for the networks that carried them live – to two things .
One was the lack of suspense .
Everyone , on both sides , assumed the trial would end in acquittal .
At the same time , to many Americans “ this all seems obscure , and partisan , and not relevant to their lives , ” the senator said in a lengthy interview midway through the marathon days .
This second factor , he added , is “ more concerning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ a lack of belief in the relevance of what we ’ re doing.
” That assessment aptly sums up the broader impact of the impeachment of the president by the House in December , followed by the January Senate trial , which as of this writing appeared to be moving inexorably toward acquittal .
On Friday night , a motion to call witnesses failed in a 51 to 49 vote , with a final vote on acquittal or conviction set for Wednesday .
In the short term , observers say it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a divided nation .
The latest RealClearPolitics polling average on the question of impeachment and removal from office shows an exact stalemate , with 47.8 % of Americans in favor and 47.8 % opposed .
Over the long term , the new precedent set by this trial and its likely acquittal will almost certainly increase the power of the presidency , while weakening congressional oversight – changes not always perceptible to the public but consequential nonetheless .
Yet the entire impeachment episode , the most partisan so far , is “ small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of political tribalism that put it all in motion – and are threatening American democracy , says Patrick Griffin , former legislative director to President Bill Clinton , who was impeached and acquitted 20 years ago .
“ In democracy , you have to have some respect for the other side .
You have to have some forbearance and some respect for other points of view , and I think we ’ ve lost both , ” he says .
Democrats should never have gone down this road , he says .
Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but “ the groundswell was overwhelming.
” At best , Democrats may have convinced a “ small segment ” of the population to abandon support for the president , but it ’ s too early to know that yet .
“ The politics of it are hit or miss.
” Led by Rep. Adam Schiff of California , Democrats have argued that President Trump tried to shake down a foreign leader for his personal benefit – asking the president of Ukraine in a July 25 phone call to investigate former Vice President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even as he withheld nearly $ 400 million in U.S. military aid to the country and put off the Ukrainian president ’ s request for a White House visit .
The call occurred after Mr. Biden announced his candidacy for president .
House Democrats began investigations last year after a whistleblower raised concerns about the phone call .
But the White House refused to provide documents and barred administration officials from testifying ( though some officials testified anyway ) .
After the House impeached the president for abuse of power and obstruction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerge .
The independent Government Accountability Office said it was illegal to withhold the congressionally approved aid .
Leaks to The New York Times from a forthcoming book by former National Security Adviser John Bolton describe the president directly telling Mr. Bolton that the military aid to Ukraine was contingent on that government assisting with investigations into Democrats , including the Bidens .
The president denied he said that .
The president ’ s attorneys maintained there was never a “ quid pro quo ” between the withheld aid and White House meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The president was only concerned about corruption and military burden-sharing , they maintained .
They described the House impeachment process as rushed , flawed , and highly partisan .
Indeed , no Republicans voted for impeachment .
The White House defense team also held that the standard for impeachment should be a crime , and argued no crime had been committed .
By that logic , even if Mr. Bolton ’ s allegation is true – and Democrats were pressing their colleagues to call him as a witness – it would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offense .
( The U.S Constitution is less clear-cut than the president ’ s lawyers , referring to “ treason , bribery , high crimes , and misdemeanors ” as potential misconduct that could cause the removal of a president . )
During the Clinton trial , Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina – then one of the Republican House managers leading the charge against the president – pointed out that “ reasonable people can disagree ” about whether the president ’ s actions were impeachable or not .
It was interpreted as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own party and indeed , five Republicans in the GOP-controlled Senate joined Democrats to acquit the president on both charges , while five more voted to acquit on the perjury charge .
Acquittal is expected to fall much more closely along party lines this time , with a key senator such as Tennessee Republican Lamar Alexander , who has a long history of working across the aisle , calling the president ’ s actions “ inappropriate ” but not impeachable .
Considered a possible swing vote on the issue of witnesses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would not call for witnesses because there is no need for evidence “ to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the United States Constitution ’ s high bar for an impeachable offense.
” With the Iowa caucus coming on Monday , it ’ s time to “ let the people decide , ” he said .
Democrats vigorously disagreed , saying the president was attempting to manipulate the 2020 elections by seeking help from a foreign leader and would likely continue to do so .
Failing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more as a monarch than a president , subject to checks and balances .
“ We are witnessing the coronation of Trump , with Mitch McConnell holding the crown , and the Republicans holding his train , ” said Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii to reporters on Thursday .
Politically , acquittal will change very little , says George Edwards , a presidential scholar at Texas A & M University in College Station , Texas .
The public will see the whole process as “ politics as usual.
” Gridlock in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to pass legislation in the House that goes nowhere in the Senate , while Senate Republicans focus mainly on confirming judges .
In a broader sense , the arguments made by the president ’ s team “ provide a basis for much less restriction on presidential power , ” he says , adding that the administration ’ s refusal to cooperate with documents and witnesses “ really has weakened congressional oversight.
” Mr. Griffin , however , says it ’ s not a given that this will translate into future abuses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the circumstances of the moment .
“ The balance of power has shifted dramatically to the president for the moment , ” he says .
“ But this is a dynamic that goes back and forth , and whether it ’ s irreversible , I ’ m not sure .
That depends on the next president , and the next president after that.
” Editor ’ s note : This article was updated at 6:15 p.m. with the results of the Senate vote .

“In democracy, you have to have some respect for the other side. You have to have some forbearance and some respect for other points of view, and I think we’ve lost both,” he says.
Yet the entire impeachment episode, the most partisan so far, is “small potatoes” compared with the tectonic plates of political tribalism that put it all in motion – and are threatening American democracy, says Patrick Griffin, former legislative director to President Bill Clinton, who was impeached and acquitted 20 years ago.
The nation’s partisan divisions appear as entrenched as ever as the Trump impeachment proceedings near an end. Over the long term, the power of the presidency may have gained a significant boost.
Over the long term, the new precedent set by this trial and its likely acquittal will almost certainly increase the power of the presidency, while weakening congressional oversight – changes not always perceptible to the public but consequential nonetheless.
In the short term, the impeachment of President Donald Trump by the House – followed by a Senate trial that, as of this writing, appeared to be moving inexorably toward acquittal – may do little to change minds or politics in a divided nation. The latest RealClearPolitics polling average on the question of impeachment and removal from office shows an exact stalemate, with 47.8% of Americans in favor and 47.8% opposed.
During the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware would sometimes look up to the visitors gallery from his desk in the last row of the chamber. He had offered tickets to constituents who wanted them, and hoped to see people from his nearby state in the evenings, when they could get there after work to witness this historic event in person.
But the auditorium seats in the gallery remained largely empty.
Senator Coons attributed the disinterest in the proceedings – a ratings disaster for the networks that carried them live – to two things. One was the lack of suspense. Everyone, on both sides, assumed the trial would end in acquittal.
Why We Wrote This The nation’s partisan divisions appear as entrenched as ever as the Trump impeachment proceedings near an end. Over the long term, the power of the presidency may have gained a significant boost.
At the same time, to many Americans “this all seems obscure, and partisan, and not relevant to their lives,” the senator said in a lengthy interview midway through the marathon days. This second factor, he added, is “more concerning” to him, because it suggests “a lack of belief in the relevance of what we’re doing.”
That assessment aptly sums up the broader impact of the impeachment of the president by the House in December, followed by the January Senate trial, which as of this writing appeared to be moving inexorably toward acquittal. On Friday night, a motion to call witnesses failed in a 51 to 49 vote, with a final vote on acquittal or conviction set for Wednesday.
In the short term, observers say it will do little to change minds or politics in a divided nation. The latest RealClearPolitics polling average on the question of impeachment and removal from office shows an exact stalemate, with 47.8% of Americans in favor and 47.8% opposed.
Over the long term, the new precedent set by this trial and its likely acquittal will almost certainly increase the power of the presidency, while weakening congressional oversight – changes not always perceptible to the public but consequential nonetheless.
Yet the entire impeachment episode, the most partisan so far, is “small potatoes” compared with the tectonic plates of political tribalism that put it all in motion – and are threatening American democracy, says Patrick Griffin, former legislative director to President Bill Clinton, who was impeached and acquitted 20 years ago.
“In democracy, you have to have some respect for the other side. You have to have some forbearance and some respect for other points of view, and I think we’ve lost both,” he says.
Democrats should never have gone down this road, he says. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi cautioned her caucus, but “the groundswell was overwhelming.” At best, Democrats may have convinced a “small segment” of the population to abandon support for the president, but it’s too early to know that yet. “The politics of it are hit or miss.”
Jacquelyn Martin/AP View caption Hide caption Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is surrounded by reporters as he arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 31, 2020, for the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Led by Rep. Adam Schiff of California, Democrats have argued that President Trump tried to shake down a foreign leader for his personal benefit – asking the president of Ukraine in a July 25 phone call to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, even as he withheld nearly $400 million in U.S. military aid to the country and put off the Ukrainian president’s request for a White House visit.
The call occurred after Mr. Biden announced his candidacy for president. House Democrats began investigations last year after a whistleblower raised concerns about the phone call. But the White House refused to provide documents and barred administration officials from testifying (though some officials testified anyway).
After the House impeached the president for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, additional information has continued to emerge. The independent Government Accountability Office said it was illegal to withhold the congressionally approved aid. Leaks to The New York Times from a forthcoming book by former National Security Adviser John Bolton describe the president directly telling Mr. Bolton that the military aid to Ukraine was contingent on that government assisting with investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens. The president denied he said that.
The president’s attorneys maintained there was never a “quid pro quo” between the withheld aid and White House meeting and the request to investigate the Bidens. The president was only concerned about corruption and military burden-sharing, they maintained. They described the House impeachment process as rushed, flawed, and highly partisan. Indeed, no Republicans voted for impeachment.
The White House defense team also held that the standard for impeachment should be a crime, and argued no crime had been committed. By that logic, even if Mr. Bolton’s allegation is true – and Democrats were pressing their colleagues to call him as a witness – it would not matter because it is not an impeachable offense. (The U.S Constitution is less clear-cut than the president’s lawyers, referring to “treason, bribery, high crimes, and misdemeanors” as potential misconduct that could cause the removal of a president.)
During the Clinton trial, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina – then one of the Republican House managers leading the charge against the president – pointed out that “reasonable people can disagree” about whether the president’s actions were impeachable or not. It was interpreted as an “out” for members of his own party and indeed, five Republicans in the GOP-controlled Senate joined Democrats to acquit the president on both charges, while five more voted to acquit on the perjury charge.
Acquittal is expected to fall much more closely along party lines this time, with a key senator such as Tennessee Republican Lamar Alexander, who has a long history of working across the aisle, calling the president’s actions “inappropriate” but not impeachable.
Considered a possible swing vote on the issue of witnesses, Senator Alexander announced late Thursday night he would not call for witnesses because there is no need for evidence “to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the United States Constitution’s high bar for an impeachable offense.” With the Iowa caucus coming on Monday, it’s time to “let the people decide,” he said.
Democrats vigorously disagreed, saying the president was attempting to manipulate the 2020 elections by seeking help from a foreign leader and would likely continue to do so. Failing to remove him leaves him free to act more as a monarch than a president, subject to checks and balances.
“We are witnessing the coronation of Trump, with Mitch McConnell holding the crown, and the Republicans holding his train,” said Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii to reporters on Thursday.
Politically, acquittal will change very little, says George Edwards, a presidential scholar at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. The public will see the whole process as “politics as usual.” Gridlock in a divided Washington will continue. Democrats will continue to pass legislation in the House that goes nowhere in the Senate, while Senate Republicans focus mainly on confirming judges.
In a broader sense, the arguments made by the president’s team “provide a basis for much less restriction on presidential power,” he says, adding that the administration’s refusal to cooperate with documents and witnesses “really has weakened congressional oversight.”
Mr. Griffin, however, says it’s not a given that this will translate into future abuses. That will depend on the people elected and the circumstances of the moment.
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“The balance of power has shifted dramatically to the president for the moment,” he says. “But this is a dynamic that goes back and forth, and whether it’s irreversible, I’m not sure. That depends on the next president, and the next president after that.”
Editor’s note: This article was updated at 6:15 p.m. with the results of the Senate vote.


csmonitor--2020-01-31--The Redirect: Why facts matter on both sides of abortion debate (video)

When Americans talk about abortion , they often do so in terms of binaries : “ pro-life ” versus “ pro-choice , ” “ anti-life ” versus “ anti-choice.
” It ’ s a framework that divides the public , elevates the most extreme voices , and creates an environment in which people are primed to believe only the side with which they agree .
Such a climate becomes a breeding ground for misinformation .
For example , although the partisan gap in views around legal abortion has widened in recent years , surveys over the past four decades show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the middle of the debate .
Despite all the fervor around the issue , the most recent studies have found that the number and rate of abortions are lower than at any time since 1973 , when the Supreme Court ’ s ruling on Roe v. Wade legalized the procedure nationwide .
Data show that it ’ s not because there are more laws restricting abortion – a growing reality in many states .
In fact , abortion rates are higher in countries where the practice is illegal .
And despite growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the final weeks of a pregnancy , all but 1.3 % occur before the 21st week .
Abortion is deeply tangled up in politics , personal beliefs , and individual experience .
But the key is to have every conversation , no matter how contentious , grounded in facts .

When Americans talk about abortion, they often do so in terms of binaries: “pro-life” versus “pro-choice,” “anti-life” versus “anti-choice.” It’s a framework that divides the public, elevates the most extreme voices, and creates an environment in which people are primed to believe only the side with which they agree.
Such a climate becomes a breeding ground for misinformation. For example, although the partisan gap in views around legal abortion has widened in recent years, surveys over the past four decades show that most Americans’ opinions fall somewhere in the middle of the debate. Despite all the fervor around the issue, the most recent studies have found that the number and rate of abortions are lower than at any time since 1973, when the Supreme Court’s ruling on Roe v. Wade legalized the procedure nationwide. Data show that it’s not because there are more laws restricting abortion – a growing reality in many states. In fact, abortion rates are higher in countries where the practice is illegal.
And despite growing concern that abortions are becoming more common in the final weeks of a pregnancy, all but 1.3% occur before the 21st week.
Abortion is deeply tangled up in politics, personal beliefs, and individual experience. But the key is to have every conversation, no matter how contentious, grounded in facts.


csmonitor--2020-01-31--'Satellite caucuses' will bring Iowans together around the globe

For Iowans , going to college out of state , studying abroad , or wintering in Arizona used to mean giving up quite a bit of power in picking presidents .
But this year , the Iowa caucuses wo n't all be in Iowa .
Nearly 1,300 Democrats temporarily away from home will still attend the crucial first-in-the-nation caucuses from Paris or Palm Springs or dozens of places in between .
It 's the first time the Iowa Democratic Party is holding `` satellite caucuses '' in far-flung locales to allow more people to participate in a process often derided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be added to the complex formula for divvying delegates among the Democratic candidates seeking their party 's nomination to take on President Donald Trump .
`` It 's nice to have that specific influence that you get for being an Iowa resident and being the first to vote '' despite being so far away , said Colyn Burbank , who expects about nine people to participate in a caucus he 's hosting at his flat in Glasgow , Scotland .
`` It 's a very special thing that Iowa has . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bernie Sanders along with several of his friends from Central College in Pella , Iowa , who are now studying or working in Scotland .
At least three other Iowa Democrats living in England plan to make the trip to Glasgow as well , he said .
`` I know it 's something that matters and a lot of Iowans take it really seriously , myself included .
I 'm excited , '' added his friend , Taylor VanderWell from Des Moines , who is living in Edinburgh , Scotland , and working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caucuses are the subject of quadrennial criticism for asking so much of their participants , who traditionally must show up to their neighborhood meeting and publicly support their chosen candidate at precisely 7 p.m. on a Monday .
That inevitably limits participation .
People who are working , traveling , attending college , or escaping a frigid winter are out of luck .
The elderly , people with disabilities , and others who have mobility challenges can struggle in snowy or icy weather , and it can be intimidating for those with limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa 's effort to be more inclusive .
They are a fallback option after the Democratic National Committee , citing security concerns , rejected a proposal by Iowa and Nevada to hold virtual caucuses in which people could participate by phone .
Nevada 's caucuses are all in the state .
`` We believe our party is stronger when more voices are being heard , and that 's what this process is doing , '' said Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Troy Price .
Lifelong Democratic activist Joan Koenigs has been attending caucuses since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but she had to let it go when she and her husband started spending winters in Arizona .
She jumped at the chance to organize a caucus in the backyard of her home in San Tan Valley for what she thought would be some two dozen Iowans living nearby on the outskirts of metro Phoenix .
There are enough Iowans in the neighborhood that they gather for a party at the clubhouse every winter .
The Koenigses ' caucus , the closest to the Phoenix area , proved so popular she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nearby movie theater large enough to house the more than 180 people who registered .
`` I 'm really quite passionate about participation in government , so I feel it 's our duty to do this , and I 'm thrilled , '' said Ms. Koenigs , a retired farmer and nurse who lives in St. Ansgar in northern Iowa .
Ms. Koenigs said she 'll back Pete Buttigieg , who impressed her during a campaign event in Iowa last fall .
There are three other caucuses in Arizona , all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats experimented with four satellite sites in the 2016 election , when about 150 people caucused at three large state government work sites and a nursing home in Iowa City – more convenient places than their assigned neighborhood meeting .
This year , satellite caucuses will be held in Iowa at assisted living centers , work sites , and college campuses .
Some also will be conducted in foreign languages .
Others will take place earlier in the day .
Sites outside Iowa include college campuses in Minnesota , Wisconsin , Virginia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Arizona , California , and New York ; churches in Illinois and Florida ; a community center in Tennessee ; and a hotel in Washington , D.C .
Altogether , there will be 92 satellite caucuses around the world , including 65 in Iowa and 24 spread across 13 states and the District of Columbia .
Three international caucuses will be held in Glasgow , Paris , and Tbilisi , Georgia .
All caucuses are open only to Democrats registered to vote in Iowa .
Out-of-state participants and those attending early in-state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so their registration could be verified .
Organizers were given virtual training on how to run a caucus .
The 1,288 people who have registered make up a sliver of those who will caucus on Feb. 3 .
About 171,000 Iowa Democrats caucused in 2016 and 240,000 in 2008 .
Being away from home means Iowans miss out on some of the one-on-one interactions with candidates holding intimate gatherings at small-town parks and pizza parlors .
But Austin Allaire of Huxley , a graduate student in London , said he 's keeping close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ podcasts on the Underground .
Still , it stings a bit when his mom sends pictures of candidates stopping near Iowa State University , where she 's a professor .
`` I always feel jealous of the front-row seat she 's having , '' said Mr. Allaire , who plans to caucus for Mr. Buttigieg in Paris , the closest caucus to London .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .

For Iowans, going to college out of state, studying abroad, or wintering in Arizona used to mean giving up quite a bit of power in picking presidents.
But this year, the Iowa caucuses won't all be in Iowa. Nearly 1,300 Democrats temporarily away from home will still attend the crucial first-in-the-nation caucuses from Paris or Palm Springs or dozens of places in between.
It's the first time the Iowa Democratic Party is holding "satellite caucuses" in far-flung locales to allow more people to participate in a process often derided as opaque and exclusionary. Their votes will be added to the complex formula for divvying delegates among the Democratic candidates seeking their party's nomination to take on President Donald Trump.
"It's nice to have that specific influence that you get for being an Iowa resident and being the first to vote" despite being so far away, said Colyn Burbank, who expects about nine people to participate in a caucus he's hosting at his flat in Glasgow, Scotland. "It's a very special thing that Iowa has."
Mr. Burbank from Des Moines is supporting Bernie Sanders along with several of his friends from Central College in Pella, Iowa, who are now studying or working in Scotland. At least three other Iowa Democrats living in England plan to make the trip to Glasgow as well, he said.
"I know it's something that matters and a lot of Iowans take it really seriously, myself included. I'm excited," added his friend, Taylor VanderWell from Des Moines, who is living in Edinburgh, Scotland, and working at a software firm.
The Iowa caucuses are the subject of quadrennial criticism for asking so much of their participants, who traditionally must show up to their neighborhood meeting and publicly support their chosen candidate at precisely 7 p.m. on a Monday.
That inevitably limits participation. People who are working, traveling, attending college, or escaping a frigid winter are out of luck. The elderly, people with disabilities, and others who have mobility challenges can struggle in snowy or icy weather, and it can be intimidating for those with limited English skills.
The satellite caucuses are Iowa's effort to be more inclusive. They are a fallback option after the Democratic National Committee, citing security concerns, rejected a proposal by Iowa and Nevada to hold virtual caucuses in which people could participate by phone. Nevada's caucuses are all in the state.
"We believe our party is stronger when more voices are being heard, and that's what this process is doing," said Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Troy Price.
Lifelong Democratic activist Joan Koenigs has been attending caucuses since before they were instrumental in presidential nominations, but she had to let it go when she and her husband started spending winters in Arizona.
She jumped at the chance to organize a caucus in the backyard of her home in San Tan Valley for what she thought would be some two dozen Iowans living nearby on the outskirts of metro Phoenix. There are enough Iowans in the neighborhood that they gather for a party at the clubhouse every winter.
The Koenigses' caucus, the closest to the Phoenix area, proved so popular she had to scramble to secure a room at the nearby movie theater large enough to house the more than 180 people who registered.
"I'm really quite passionate about participation in government, so I feel it's our duty to do this, and I'm thrilled," said Ms. Koenigs, a retired farmer and nurse who lives in St. Ansgar in northern Iowa.
Ms. Koenigs said she'll back Pete Buttigieg, who impressed her during a campaign event in Iowa last fall.
There are three other caucuses in Arizona, all of them in the Tucson area.
Iowa Democrats experimented with four satellite sites in the 2016 election, when about 150 people caucused at three large state government work sites and a nursing home in Iowa City – more convenient places than their assigned neighborhood meeting.
This year, satellite caucuses will be held in Iowa at assisted living centers, work sites, and college campuses. Some also will be conducted in foreign languages. Others will take place earlier in the day.
Sites outside Iowa include college campuses in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island; libraries in Arizona, California, and New York; churches in Illinois and Florida; a community center in Tennessee; and a hotel in Washington, D.C.
Altogether, there will be 92 satellite caucuses around the world, including 65 in Iowa and 24 spread across 13 states and the District of Columbia. Three international caucuses will be held in Glasgow, Paris, and Tbilisi, Georgia.
All caucuses are open only to Democrats registered to vote in Iowa. Out-of-state participants and those attending early in-state caucuses had to apply ahead of time so their registration could be verified. Organizers were given virtual training on how to run a caucus. The 1,288 people who have registered make up a sliver of those who will caucus on Feb. 3. About 171,000 Iowa Democrats caucused in 2016 and 240,000 in 2008.
Being away from home means Iowans miss out on some of the one-on-one interactions with candidates holding intimate gatherings at small-town parks and pizza parlors.
But Austin Allaire of Huxley, a graduate student in London, said he's keeping close tabs on the race by listening to podcasts on the Underground. Still, it stings a bit when his mom sends pictures of candidates stopping near Iowa State University, where she's a professor.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
"I always feel jealous of the front-row seat she's having," said Mr. Allaire, who plans to caucus for Mr. Buttigieg in Paris, the closest caucus to London.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-01-31--Key senator ends push for Bolton testimony in impeachment trial

Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee will oppose calling more witnesses in President Donald Trump 's impeachment trial , all but dashing Democratic efforts to hear more testimony and pushing the Senate toward a vote to acquit Mr. Trump as soon as Friday .
A vote on witnesses , expected Friday , could lead to an abrupt end and assured acquittal in only the third presidential impeachment trial in American history .
Mr. Trump was pressing for action in time for his State of the Union address , and that now seems likely .
As the Senate adjourned late Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night 's speech .
Despite the Democrats ' singular , sometimes-passionate focus on witnesses after revelations from John Bolton , the former national security adviser , the numbers are now falling short .
It would take four Republicans to break with the 53-seat majority and join with all Democrats to demand more testimony .
Chief Justice John Roberts , in the rare role presiding over the impeachment trial , could break a tie , but that seems unlikely .
Mr. Alexander said in a statement late Thursday there was `` no need for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team the likelihood of a Senate vote in its direction .
Mr. Trump was impeached by the House last month on charges that he abused his power like no other president , jeopardizing Ukraine and U.S.-Ukraine relations .
Democrats say Mr. Trump asked the vulnerable ally to investigate Joe Biden and debunked theories of 2016 election interference , temporarily halting American security aid to the country as it battled Russia at its border .
The second article of impeachment says Mr. Trump then obstructed the House probe in a way that threatened the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balances .
Before Mr. Alexander 's statement , Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said late Thursday she would vote to allow witnesses in the impeachment trial , briefly raising Democrats ' hopes for a breakthrough .
But Mr. Alexander minutes later said that `` there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the U.S. Constitution 's high bar for an impeachable offense . ''
`` It was inappropriate for the president to ask a foreign leader to investigate his political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to encourage that investigation , '' Mr. Alexander said .
But , he added , `` the Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year 's ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate . ''
Ms. Collins , Mr. Alexander , and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were playing an outsized role in the final hours of debate with pointed questions .
Another Republican senator , Mitt Romney of Utah , has made clear he will vote for witnesses .
Ms. Murkowksi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , ahead of voting .
Democrats built pressure on senators for testimony , but Mr. Trump 's lawyers argued it would take too long as they sped forward , even after Mr. Bolton 's potential eyewitness account to Mr. Trump 's actions detailed in a forthcoming book brought uncertainty .
Mr. Bolton 's forthcoming book contends he personally heard Mr. Trump say he wanted military aid withheld from Ukraine until it agreed to investigate the Bidens .
Mr. Trump denies saying such a thing .
Thursday 's testimony included soaring pleas to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's fate , to either stop a president who Democrats say has tried to cheat in the upcoming election and will again , or to shut down impeachment proceedings that Republicans insist were never more than a partisan attack .
`` Let 's give the country a trial they can be proud of , '' said Rep. Adam Schiff , the lead prosecutor for House Democrats .
He offered to take just one week for depositions of new witnesses , sparking new discussions .
Mr. Trump 's attorney Eric Herschmann declared the Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't beat him in 2020 .
`` We trust the American people to decide who should be our president , '' Mr. Herschmann said .
`` Enough is enough .
Stop all of this . ''
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was toiling to keep Friday 's vote on schedule even as the trial was unearthing fresh evidence from Mr. Bolton 's new book and raising alarms among Democrats and some Republicans about Mr. Trump 's attorney 's controversial defense .
In a day-after tweet , Trump attorney Alan Dershowitz , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night testimony when he said a president is essentially immune from impeachment if he believes his actions to be in the `` national interest . ''
That idea frustrated some inside the White House , who felt Mr. Dershowitz 's claim was unnecessary and inflammatory – irking senators with a controversial claim of vast executive powers .
But those officials left it to Mr. Dershowitz to back away , wary that any public White House retreat would be viewed poorly by the president .
`` I said nothing like that , '' the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday night : `` Every public official that I know believes that his election is in the public interest .
And if a president does something which he believes will help him get elected is in the public interest , that can not be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment . ''
The president has argued repeatedly that his dealings with Ukraine have been `` perfect . ''
Asked about it as one of the first questions Thursday , Democrat Schiff , said , `` Have we learned nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Schiff drew on the lessons of the Nixon era to warn of a `` normalization of lawlessness '' in the Trump presidency .
Republicans Ms. Collins , Mr. Romney , and Ms. Murkowski all have expressed interest in hearing from Mr. Bolton and the others in the trial and captivated attention during the final hours of questions .
Ms. Murkowski drew a reaction when she asked simply : `` Why should this body not call Ambassador Bolton ? ''
Mr. Alexander , who was influenced by the late Howard Baker – who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – also captured attention when he questioned partisanship in the proceedings thus far .
In response to Mr. Alexander and others , Democrat Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California , a congressional staffer during Watergate and now a House prosecutor , told the senators that the Nixon impeachment also started as a partisan inquiry before a bipartisan consensus emerged .
She told them while the House acted on party lines against Mr. Trump , the Senate – `` the greatest deliberative body on the planet '' – has a new opportunity .
Mr. Alexander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and after his question Thursday night he consulted with a key staff aide to the leader .
As the senators broke for dinner , Mr. Alexander and Ms. Murkowski met privately .
Senators dispatched more than 100 queries over two days .
The questions came from the parties ' leaders , the senators running for the Democratic nomination against Mr. Trump , and even bipartisan coalitions from both sides of the aisle .
Mr. Trump 's lawyers focused some of their time Thursday refloating allegations against Mr. Biden and his son , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board of a gas company in Ukraine while his father was vice president .
Rep. Val Demings , D-Fla. , one of the managers , said the Bidens have little to tell the Senate about Mr. Trump 's efforts to `` shake down '' Ukraine for his campaign .
The White House has blocked its officials from testifying in the proceedings and objected that there is `` significant amounts of classified information '' in the manuscript .
Mr. Bolton resigned last September – Mr. Trump says he was fired – and he and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not contain any classified information .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Alan Fram , Andrew Taylor , Matthew Daly , Laurie Kellman , and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report .

Lisa Mascaro, Eric Tucker, and Zeke Miller

Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee will oppose calling more witnesses in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, all but dashing Democratic efforts to hear more testimony and pushing the Senate toward a vote to acquit Mr. Trump as soon as Friday.
A vote on witnesses, expected Friday, could lead to an abrupt end and assured acquittal in only the third presidential impeachment trial in American history. Mr. Trump was pressing for action in time for his State of the Union address, and that now seems likely. As the Senate adjourned late Thursday, it set the date for Tuesday night's speech.
Despite the Democrats' singular, sometimes-passionate focus on witnesses after revelations from John Bolton, the former national security adviser, the numbers are now falling short. It would take four Republicans to break with the 53-seat majority and join with all Democrats to demand more testimony.
Chief Justice John Roberts, in the rare role presiding over the impeachment trial, could break a tie, but that seems unlikely.
Mr. Alexander said in a statement late Thursday there was "no need for more evidence," giving the Trump team the likelihood of a Senate vote in its direction.
Mr. Trump was impeached by the House last month on charges that he abused his power like no other president, jeopardizing Ukraine and U.S.-Ukraine relations. Democrats say Mr. Trump asked the vulnerable ally to investigate Joe Biden and debunked theories of 2016 election interference, temporarily halting American security aid to the country as it battled Russia at its border. The second article of impeachment says Mr. Trump then obstructed the House probe in a way that threatened the nation's three-branch system of checks and balances.
Before Mr. Alexander's statement, Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said late Thursday she would vote to allow witnesses in the impeachment trial, briefly raising Democrats' hopes for a breakthrough.
But Mr. Alexander minutes later said that "there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the U.S. Constitution's high bar for an impeachable offense."
"It was inappropriate for the president to ask a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent and to withhold United States aid to encourage that investigation," Mr. Alexander said. But, he added, "the Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year's ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate."
Ms. Collins, Mr. Alexander, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were playing an outsized role in the final hours of debate with pointed questions. Another Republican senator, Mitt Romney of Utah, has made clear he will vote for witnesses.
Ms. Murkowksi is expected to announce her decision on Friday, ahead of voting.
Democrats built pressure on senators for testimony, but Mr. Trump's lawyers argued it would take too long as they sped forward, even after Mr. Bolton's potential eyewitness account to Mr. Trump's actions detailed in a forthcoming book brought uncertainty.
Mr. Bolton's forthcoming book contends he personally heard Mr. Trump say he wanted military aid withheld from Ukraine until it agreed to investigate the Bidens. Mr. Trump denies saying such a thing.
Thursday's testimony included soaring pleas to the senators-as-jurors who will decide Mr. Trump's fate, to either stop a president who Democrats say has tried to cheat in the upcoming election and will again, or to shut down impeachment proceedings that Republicans insist were never more than a partisan attack.
"Let's give the country a trial they can be proud of," said Rep. Adam Schiff, the lead prosecutor for House Democrats. He offered to take just one week for depositions of new witnesses, sparking new discussions.
Mr. Trump's attorney Eric Herschmann declared the Democrats are only prosecuting the president because they can't beat him in 2020.
"We trust the American people to decide who should be our president," Mr. Herschmann said. "Enough is enough. Stop all of this."
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was toiling to keep Friday's vote on schedule even as the trial was unearthing fresh evidence from Mr. Bolton's new book and raising alarms among Democrats and some Republicans about Mr. Trump's attorney's controversial defense.
In a day-after tweet, Trump attorney Alan Dershowitz, complained about the portrayal of his Wednesday night testimony when he said a president is essentially immune from impeachment if he believes his actions to be in the "national interest."
That idea frustrated some inside the White House, who felt Mr. Dershowitz's claim was unnecessary and inflammatory – irking senators with a controversial claim of vast executive powers. But those officials left it to Mr. Dershowitz to back away, wary that any public White House retreat would be viewed poorly by the president.
"I said nothing like that," the retired professor tweeted Thursday.
His words Wednesday night: "Every public official that I know believes that his election is in the public interest. And if a president does something which he believes will help him get elected is in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment."
The president has argued repeatedly that his dealings with Ukraine have been "perfect."
Asked about it as one of the first questions Thursday, Democrat Schiff, said, "Have we learned nothing in the last half century?"
Mr. Schiff drew on the lessons of the Nixon era to warn of a "normalization of lawlessness" in the Trump presidency.
Republicans Ms. Collins, Mr. Romney, and Ms. Murkowski all have expressed interest in hearing from Mr. Bolton and the others in the trial and captivated attention during the final hours of questions.
Ms. Murkowski drew a reaction when she asked simply: "Why should this body not call Ambassador Bolton?"
Mr. Alexander, who was influenced by the late Howard Baker – who broke with his party over Richard Nixon – also captured attention when he questioned partisanship in the proceedings thus far.
In response to Mr. Alexander and others, Democrat Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California, a congressional staffer during Watergate and now a House prosecutor, told the senators that the Nixon impeachment also started as a partisan inquiry before a bipartisan consensus emerged. She told them while the House acted on party lines against Mr. Trump, the Senate – "the greatest deliberative body on the planet'' – has a new opportunity.
Mr. Alexander is also close allies with Mr. McConnell, and after his question Thursday night he consulted with a key staff aide to the leader. As the senators broke for dinner, Mr. Alexander and Ms. Murkowski met privately.
Senators dispatched more than 100 queries over two days. The questions came from the parties' leaders, the senators running for the Democratic nomination against Mr. Trump, and even bipartisan coalitions from both sides of the aisle.
Mr. Trump's lawyers focused some of their time Thursday refloating allegations against Mr. Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, who served on the board of a gas company in Ukraine while his father was vice president. Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., one of the managers, said the Bidens have little to tell the Senate about Mr. Trump's efforts to "shake down" Ukraine for his campaign.
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The White House has blocked its officials from testifying in the proceedings and objected that there is "significant amounts of classified information" in the manuscript. Mr. Bolton resigned last September – Mr. Trump says he was fired – and he and his attorney have insisted the book does not contain any classified information.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Alan Fram, Andrew Taylor, Matthew Daly, Laurie Kellman, and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report.


csmonitor--2020-02-03--Can Democrats win back Obama-Trump voters? Dubuque, Iowa, may offer a clue.

“ The story over and over in Iowa with Democrats losing is , we fail in the rural areas , ” says Nathan Thompson , the Democratic chair in nearby Winneshiek County .
“ The Warren and Buttigieg campaigns have made a real effort to … hit some of those rural doors.
” In Dubuque , the most populous county in northeastern Iowa that voted for Mr. Trump , more than five dozen interviews with residents suggest – for now – a resurgent support for Democrats .
At the very least , Dubuque offers a key test for Democratic candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar results in critical swing states like Wisconsin , Michigan , and Pennsylvania , where white working-class voters may make the difference .
Yet all the focus on “ Obama-Trump voters , ” and whether Democrats have lost them for good , tends to overlook other factors – including the lower turnout in 2016 .
While Mr. Trump got 7 % more votes in Iowa than Mitt Romney in 2012 , Hillary Clinton underperformed Mr. Obama ’ s vote tally by 22 % .
After twice voting for Barack Obama , Iowa was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump in 2016 .
Some Democratic strategists have lately suggested the party shouldn ’ t bother competing for its six electoral votes this November – viewing its rural , graying profile as a harder lift than , say , Sun Belt states with booming young and immigrant populations .
Cathy Mauk Dickens has lived in Iowa for more than four decades – but until last year she never really knew what a caucus was .
Now , she ’ s a precinct captain for former Vice President Joe Biden , preparing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election event she and other volunteers milling about the campaign field office see as crucial for American democracy .
Standing by a table of pizza and potluck dishes that have cooled off since Jill Biden arrived to address the crowd , Mrs. Dickens explains that she feels partially responsible for what happened in 2016 .
It was she who took her sister to a Trump rally as candidates made the rounds through Iowa , host of the first-in-the-nation caucuses .
Her sister became a devout follower – and still is , praising the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the military and law enforcement , stance against illegal immigration , and role in creating the lowest unemployment in decades .
It ’ s not until 15 minutes into the conversation that Mrs. Dickens quietly reveals that she , too , voted for Donald Trump after having twice supported Barack Obama – thinking a businessman could boost the economy .
“ He hadn ’ t shown his colors yet , ” she says .
“ Right away , when I saw the lying … I felt so bad.
” Thanks in part to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Dubuque County followed the rest of eastern Iowa in 2016 and swung red for President Trump after years of reliably voting Democratic .
Iowa as a whole also went for Mr. Trump , after twice awarding its electoral votes to President Obama .
Some Democratic strategists have lately suggested the party shouldn ’ t bother competing for Iowa ’ s six electoral votes in November – viewing its rural , graying profile as a harder lift than Sun Belt states with their booming young and immigrant populations .
Yet all the focus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether Democrats have lost them for good , tends to overshadow other key factors behind Iowa ’ s flip to the GOP – including far lower turnout in 2016 .
While Mr. Trump got 7 % more votes than Mitt Romney in 2012 , the bigger storyline for Democrats was that Hillary Clinton underperformed Mr. Obama ’ s vote tally by 22 % .
In other words , what appeared on blue- and red-checkered maps of Iowa as a dramatic shift toward Republican values may have been more based on personality than principle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the novelty of an anti-establishment candidate who wasn ’ t afraid to call it as he saw it .
“ Hillary was within walking distance of my house in 2016 , and I didn ’ t even bother going to see her , ” says Ed Gansemer , a lifelong Dubuquer and Democratic voter .
Although Mr. Gansemer , a retired electrician at the local John Deere plant , voted for Mrs. Clinton in the end , others couldn ’ t overcome their antipathy , casting their ballots for a third-party candidate or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozen interviews with residents here , conducted everywhere from Target to town halls , suggest – for now – a resurgent support for Democrats in Dubuque , the most populous county in northeastern Iowa that voted for Mr. Trump in 2016 and then for a young Democratic congresswoman in 2018 .
At the very least , Dubuque offers a key test for Democratic candidates – since electoral success here could portend similar results in critical swing states like Wisconsin , Michigan , and Pennsylvania , where white working-class voters may make the difference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Mr. Trump , they also raise questions about whether a candidate as liberal as Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren could win come November .
“ We ’ re afraid if Sanders gets it , ” says Linda , a middle-aged woman who declined to give her last name , at a Joe Biden town hall at Clarke University in Dubuque the day before the caucuses .
“ Republicans who I know who don ’ t like Trump any more – they wouldn ’ t vote for a socialist , ” agrees her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farmer who raises cattle , hogs , and grain outside Dubuque , is nearly certain the county will go blue in 2020 – unless the nominee is Senator Warren or Senator Sanders , whose proposals like “ Medicare for All ” and free college tuition may not resonate with the work ethic here .
“ It does scare me if we end up with one of these giveaway candidates , ” says Mr. Demmer , a former county supervisor attending Tom Steyer ’ s town hall in Dubuque on Friday .
“ People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for what they have .
And that ’ s the concept of all of rural America .
We live by the saying don ’ t give someone a fish , give them a fishing pole.
” Dubuque is not your stereotypical Midwestern Trump stronghold , a declining industrial city struggling to reinvent itself .
It already has .
It went from having the highest jobless rate in America ( 23 % ) in the early 1980s to just 1.9 % last year , though in poorer neighborhoods it ’ s twice that and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Today , the city of nearly 60,000 is growing , and its downtown – nestled at the base of bluffs along the ice-gray Mississippi – features breweries and boutique yarn shops , art galleries , and cafes selling avocado toast and almond milk lattes .
Down by the river , refurbished mill buildings now house condos and lofts , some with waiting lists .
The first city in Iowa to be settled , by an eponymous Quebecois explorer , Dubuque is also a Catholic stronghold that ’ s home to three colleges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its most famous residents Olympic medalists , the Hamilton of Booz Allen Hamilton , and a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy who surveyed the Amazon and helped capture Guam .
It is the county seat of one of 31 counties in Iowa that voted for Mr. Obama and then Mr. Trump , the most of any state in the country .
The president won Dubuque by just 1.2 % – becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to win over the county ’ s residents since Dwight Eisenhower .
In 2018 , Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a union welder , won them back in her bid for the U.S. House of Representatives .
Lindsay James , a Democratic state representative from Dubuque , says the main issues she hears about from constituents are health care , jobs , and good schools .
“ They ’ ll vote for whoever is speaking to those issues , regardless of party lines , ” says Ms. James , adding that she ’ s talked with numerous Republicans who are caucusing on Monday or planning to vote for the Democratic nominee in November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have spent considerable effort wooing these voters , making the trek out to this eastern outpost on the Mississippi , some three hours from Des Moines .
This past weekend marked the fourth trip to the city for both Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden , and Andrew Yang ’ s third in just six weeks .
“ I ’ ve never voted for a Democrat before .
Yang is the only one I ’ d vote for , ” says real estate agent Jay Schiesl at a Yang event last Thursday in Dubuque @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late arrivals had to stand in the back .
“ This is the first time I ’ ll ever caucus .
I have to put a ‘ D ’ next to my name to be able to caucus .
Do you know how hard that ’ s going to be ?
” Senator Sanders , Senator Warren , and Amy Klobuchar each made it three times before the impeachment proceedings constrained their ability to campaign in the final weeks before the caucus .
“ Contrast that with [ Julian ] Castro , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dubuque County Democratic Party , who liked the former Housing and Urban Development secretary ’ s positions but lamented that he – like others who have since been forced to drop out – didn ’ t recognize the importance of this part of the state .
“ He could not find his way out of central Iowa.
” Thanks in part to fresh faces like Mr. Yang , who appears to have attracted a lot of new folks beyond the usual core Democrats , engagement is way up this year , says Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cash reserves have more than doubled , and the email list has grown by close to 50 % .
“ My own brother , who is 46 years old , has never caucused and he ’ s going to caucus for the first time this year , ” he says .
Nathan Thompson , Democratic chair in Winneshiek County – the only other Trump county that Representative Finkenauer won back – echoes that .
Crowds at Democratic events have increased by about a third , and the county party ’ s financial situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he says .
Mr. Buttigieg drew nearly 1,000 people last summer .
“ The story over and over in Iowa with Democrats losing is , we fail in the rural areas , ” he says .
“ The Warren and Buttigieg campaigns have made a real effort to get outside of [ the county seat of ] Decorah and hit some of those rural doors.
” “ You can ’ t have missed how important this election is ” Emily and Rick Reeg are among the more than 700 people who turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dubuque this weekend , exceeding the expectations of the campaign , which ran out of stickers for attendees checking in .
Ms. Reeg , a first-grade teacher , is all in for Pete – a precinct leader who likes his “ honesty and integrity.
” Her husband , a former business owner who voted for Mitt Romney in 2012 , is more hesitant .
Having lost a cousin who was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq , he says his first priority is support for the military .
“ That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” says Mr. Reeg , who is deciding between Mr. Biden and Mr. Buttigieg , a Navy Reserves intelligence officer who served seven months in Afghanistan .
“ I like a lot of Trump ’ s policies , to be honest , especially with foreign policy , ” he says .
“ He ’ s willing to stay in communication with Putin and North Korea .
We can ’ t just box them out like Obama .
But Trump ’ s mouth , ” he adds , shaking his head .
A Buttigieg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and white notecards , asking attendees if they would like to submit a question for the candidate .
Mr. Reeg says yes , I ’ d like to ask him how he would respond to North Korea .
As the campaign worker transcribes Mr. Reeg ’ s question , he clarifies that he specifically wants to know whether a future President Buttigieg would engage in a dialogue with Kim Jong Un .
Waiting in line to get in , Greg Orwoll , who has voted Democratic since the 1990s but couldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hillary Clinton , is now repentant for having voted for a third-party candidate in 2016 ( Jill Stein , because her name was first on the list ) .
“ I thought [ Clinton ] was going to win .
I just didn ’ t want her to have such a huge majority , which she thought she ’ d have , ” he says .
His wife , Shirley , leans in and whispers , “ That ’ s why we lost !
” “ You ’ re right , I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
“ Personally , I ’ m supporting a ham sandwich on rye if it ’ s the Democrat.
” In 2016 , he says , people weren ’ t passionate about the Democratic ticket – not like some Trump voters , who would have driven through a snowstorm to vote for their candidate .
But this year , there ’ s passion on the Democratic side – and anger at Mr. Trump .
“ I think that ’ s going to be really powerful in November , ” says Mr. Orwoll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the snow .
“ Short of living under a rock , you can ’ t have missed how important this election is .
You just can ’ t have missed that .
”

“The story over and over in Iowa with Democrats losing is, we fail in the rural areas,” says Nathan Thompson, the Democratic chair in nearby Winneshiek County. “The Warren and Buttigieg campaigns have made a real effort to … hit some of those rural doors.”
In Dubuque, the most populous county in northeastern Iowa that voted for Mr. Trump, more than five dozen interviews with residents suggest – for now – a resurgent support for Democrats. At the very least, Dubuque offers a key test for Democratic candidates, since electoral success here could portend similar results in critical swing states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, where white working-class voters may make the difference.
As Iowans kick off the Democratic nomination contest, we take a closer look at a county that flipped from blue to red in 2016 – and ask if it marked a momentary burst of frustration or a long-term shift in political preferences.
Yet all the focus on “Obama-Trump voters,” and whether Democrats have lost them for good, tends to overlook other factors – including the lower turnout in 2016. While Mr. Trump got 7% more votes in Iowa than Mitt Romney in 2012, Hillary Clinton underperformed Mr. Obama’s vote tally by 22%.
After twice voting for Barack Obama, Iowa was one of six states that flipped to Donald Trump in 2016. Some Democratic strategists have lately suggested the party shouldn’t bother competing for its six electoral votes this November – viewing its rural, graying profile as a harder lift than, say, Sun Belt states with booming young and immigrant populations.
Cathy Mauk Dickens has lived in Iowa for more than four decades – but until last year she never really knew what a caucus was.
Now, she’s a precinct captain for former Vice President Joe Biden, preparing to participate for the first time in an election event she and other volunteers milling about the campaign field office see as crucial for American democracy.
Standing by a table of pizza and potluck dishes that have cooled off since Jill Biden arrived to address the crowd, Mrs. Dickens explains that she feels partially responsible for what happened in 2016.
Why We Wrote This As Iowans kick off the Democratic nomination contest, we take a closer look at a county that flipped from blue to red in 2016 – and ask if it marked a momentary burst of frustration or a long-term shift in political preferences.
It was she who took her sister to a Trump rally as candidates made the rounds through Iowa, host of the first-in-the-nation caucuses. Her sister became a devout follower – and still is, praising the president for his patriotism, support for the military and law enforcement, stance against illegal immigration, and role in creating the lowest unemployment in decades.
It’s not until 15 minutes into the conversation that Mrs. Dickens quietly reveals that she, too, voted for Donald Trump after having twice supported Barack Obama – thinking a businessman could boost the economy.
“He hadn’t shown his colors yet,” she says. “Right away, when I saw the lying … I felt so bad.”
Thanks in part to voters like Mrs. Dickens and her sister, Dubuque County followed the rest of eastern Iowa in 2016 and swung red for President Trump after years of reliably voting Democratic. Iowa as a whole also went for Mr. Trump, after twice awarding its electoral votes to President Obama.
Story Hinckley/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa, on Feb. 2, 2020, the day before the state's first-in-the-nation caucuses.
Some Democratic strategists have lately suggested the party shouldn’t bother competing for Iowa’s six electoral votes in November – viewing its rural, graying profile as a harder lift than Sun Belt states with their booming young and immigrant populations.
Yet all the focus on “Obama-Trump voters,” and whether Democrats have lost them for good, tends to overshadow other key factors behind Iowa’s flip to the GOP – including far lower turnout in 2016. While Mr. Trump got 7% more votes than Mitt Romney in 2012, the bigger storyline for Democrats was that Hillary Clinton underperformed Mr. Obama’s vote tally by 22%.
In other words, what appeared on blue- and red-checkered maps of Iowa as a dramatic shift toward Republican values may have been more based on personality than principle – including dislike of Mrs. Clinton and the novelty of an anti-establishment candidate who wasn’t afraid to call it as he saw it.
“Hillary was within walking distance of my house in 2016, and I didn’t even bother going to see her,” says Ed Gansemer, a lifelong Dubuquer and Democratic voter. Although Mr. Gansemer, a retired electrician at the local John Deere plant, voted for Mrs. Clinton in the end, others couldn’t overcome their antipathy, casting their ballots for a third-party candidate or staying home altogether.
More than five dozen interviews with residents here, conducted everywhere from Target to town halls, suggest – for now – a resurgent support for Democrats in Dubuque, the most populous county in northeastern Iowa that voted for Mr. Trump in 2016 and then for a young Democratic congresswoman in 2018. At the very least, Dubuque offers a key test for Democratic candidates – since electoral success here could portend similar results in critical swing states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, where white working-class voters may make the difference.
While many Democrats here express distaste for Mr. Trump, they also raise questions about whether a candidate as liberal as Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren could win come November.
“We’re afraid if Sanders gets it,” says Linda, a middle-aged woman who declined to give her last name, at a Joe Biden town hall at Clarke University in Dubuque the day before the caucuses.
“Republicans who I know who don’t like Trump any more – they wouldn’t vote for a socialist,” agrees her friend Mary.
Wayne Demmer, a farmer who raises cattle, hogs, and grain outside Dubuque, is nearly certain the county will go blue in 2020 – unless the nominee is Senator Warren or Senator Sanders, whose proposals like “Medicare for All” and free college tuition may not resonate with the work ethic here.
Story Hinckley/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer speaks to a crowd in Dubuque, Iowa, on Jan. 31, 2020.
“It does scare me if we end up with one of these giveaway candidates,” says Mr. Demmer, a former county supervisor attending Tom Steyer’s town hall in Dubuque on Friday. “People in Iowa still go out and work for what they have. And that’s the concept of all of rural America. We live by the saying don’t give someone a fish, give them a fishing pole.”
A turnaround story
Dubuque is not your stereotypical Midwestern Trump stronghold, a declining industrial city struggling to reinvent itself. It already has. It went from having the highest jobless rate in America (23%) in the early 1980s to just 1.9% last year, though in poorer neighborhoods it’s twice that and the poverty rate is nearly 12%.
Today, the city of nearly 60,000 is growing, and its downtown – nestled at the base of bluffs along the ice-gray Mississippi – features breweries and boutique yarn shops, art galleries, and cafes selling avocado toast and almond milk lattes. Down by the river, refurbished mill buildings now house condos and lofts, some with waiting lists.
The first city in Iowa to be settled, by an eponymous Quebecois explorer, Dubuque is also a Catholic stronghold that’s home to three colleges and several seminaries. It counts among its most famous residents Olympic medalists, the Hamilton of Booz Allen Hamilton, and a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy who surveyed the Amazon and helped capture Guam.
It is the county seat of one of 31 counties in Iowa that voted for Mr. Obama and then Mr. Trump, the most of any state in the country. The president won Dubuque by just 1.2% – becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to win over the county’s residents since Dwight Eisenhower. In 2018, Democrat Abby Finkenauer, the 29-year-old daughter of a union welder, won them back in her bid for the U.S. House of Representatives.
SOURCE: Ballotpedia, New York Times, Atlas of US Presidential Elections | Jacob Turcotte/Staff
Lindsay James, a Democratic state representative from Dubuque, says the main issues she hears about from constituents are health care, jobs, and good schools.
“They’ll vote for whoever is speaking to those issues, regardless of party lines,” says Ms. James, adding that she’s talked with numerous Republicans who are caucusing on Monday or planning to vote for the Democratic nominee in November.
The front-runners in the Democratic field have spent considerable effort wooing these voters, making the trek out to this eastern outpost on the Mississippi, some three hours from Des Moines. This past weekend marked the fourth trip to the city for both Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden, and Andrew Yang’s third in just six weeks.
“I’ve never voted for a Democrat before. Yang is the only one I’d vote for,” says real estate agent Jay Schiesl at a Yang event last Thursday in Dubuque, where every seat was claimed and late arrivals had to stand in the back. “This is the first time I’ll ever caucus. I have to put a ‘D’ next to my name to be able to caucus. Do you know how hard that’s going to be?”
Senator Sanders, Senator Warren, and Amy Klobuchar each made it three times before the impeachment proceedings constrained their ability to campaign in the final weeks before the caucus.
“Contrast that with [Julian] Castro,” says Steve Drahozal, chair of the Dubuque County Democratic Party, who liked the former Housing and Urban Development secretary’s positions but lamented that he – like others who have since been forced to drop out – didn’t recognize the importance of this part of the state. “He could not find his way out of central Iowa.”
Story Hinckley/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption A view of downtown Dubuque, Iowa, ahead of the state's caucus on February 3, 2020. Dubuque, as the most populous county in northeastern Iowa that voted for Mr. Trump and then supported a young Democratic congresswoman in 2018, offers a window into voters' considerations then and now.
Thanks in part to fresh faces like Mr. Yang, who appears to have attracted a lot of new folks beyond the usual core Democrats, engagement is way up this year, says Mr. Drahozal. The county party’s cash reserves have more than doubled, and the email list has grown by close to 50%.
“My own brother, who is 46 years old, has never caucused and he’s going to caucus for the first time this year,” he says.
Nathan Thompson, Democratic chair in Winneshiek County – the only other Trump county that Representative Finkenauer won back – echoes that. Crowds at Democratic events have increased by about a third, and the county party’s financial situation is about twice as good as before, he says. Mr. Buttigieg drew nearly 1,000 people last summer.
“The story over and over in Iowa with Democrats losing is, we fail in the rural areas,” he says. “The Warren and Buttigieg campaigns have made a real effort to get outside of [the county seat of] Decorah and hit some of those rural doors.”
“You can’t have missed how important this election is”
Emily and Rick Reeg are among the more than 700 people who turned out for a Buttigieg town hall in Dubuque this weekend, exceeding the expectations of the campaign, which ran out of stickers for attendees checking in.
Ms. Reeg, a first-grade teacher, is all in for Pete – a precinct leader who likes his “honesty and integrity.” Her husband, a former business owner who voted for Mitt Romney in 2012, is more hesitant. Having lost a cousin who was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq, he says his first priority is support for the military.
“That’s big for a lot of us,” says Mr. Reeg, who is deciding between Mr. Biden and Mr. Buttigieg, a Navy Reserves intelligence officer who served seven months in Afghanistan.
“I like a lot of Trump’s policies, to be honest, especially with foreign policy,” he says. “He’s willing to stay in communication with Putin and North Korea. We can’t just box them out like Obama. But Trump’s mouth,” he adds, shaking his head.
Story Hinckley/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Emily and Rick Reeg attend a town hall for Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg in Dubuque, Iowa, on Feb. 1, 2020. Ms. Reeg, a Buttigieg precinct leader, is all in for the former mayor. Her husband, a former business owner who voted for Republican candidate Mitt Romney in 2012, is more hesitant.
A Buttigieg campaign worker comes around with a fishbowl and white notecards, asking attendees if they would like to submit a question for the candidate. Mr. Reeg says yes, I’d like to ask him how he would respond to North Korea. As the campaign worker transcribes Mr. Reeg’s question, he clarifies that he specifically wants to know whether a future President Buttigieg would engage in a dialogue with Kim Jong Un.
Waiting in line to get in, Greg Orwoll, who has voted Democratic since the 1990s but couldn’t bring himself to cast a ballot for Hillary Clinton, is now repentant for having voted for a third-party candidate in 2016 (Jill Stein, because her name was first on the list).
“I thought [Clinton] was going to win. I just didn’t want her to have such a huge majority, which she thought she’d have,” he says. His wife, Shirley, leans in and whispers, “That’s why we lost!”
“You’re right, I know. Live and learn,” he says. “Personally, I’m supporting a ham sandwich on rye if it’s the Democrat.”
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In 2016, he says, people weren’t passionate about the Democratic ticket – not like some Trump voters, who would have driven through a snowstorm to vote for their candidate. But this year, there’s passion on the Democratic side – and anger at Mr. Trump.
“I think that’s going to be really powerful in November,” says Mr. Orwoll, squinting in the bright sunlight reflecting off the snow. “Short of living under a rock, you can’t have missed how important this election is. You just can’t have missed that.”


csmonitor--2020-02-03--Many voters still unsure of who to vote for in Iowa caucuses

On the eve of the Iowa caucuses , Democratic presidential candidates hustled across the state trying to fire up voters and make a last appeal to those struggling to make a final decision about their choice in the crowded field .
Speaking to several hundred supporters in Cedar Rapids on Sunday , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders declared `` we are the campaign of energy and excitement '' and said `` we are in a position to win tomorrow night . ''
Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , talked up his newcomer status , telling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have won the White House in the past , `` we have done it with someone who is new in national politics . ''
But former Vice President Joe Biden , emphasizing his decades of Washington experience , told voters there 's no time for `` on-the-job training . ''
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren pressed her supporters to `` fight back '' if they ever lose hope .
Underlying the bold pronouncements , campaigns and voters acknowledged a palpable sense of unpredictability and anxiety as Democrats begin selecting which candidate to send on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
The Democratic race is unusually large and jumbled heading into Monday 's caucus .
Four candidates were locked in a fight for victory in Iowa ; others were in position to pull off surprisingly strong finishes .
`` This is going to go right down to the last second , '' said Symone Sanders , a senior adviser to Mr. Biden 's campaign .
Polls show Mr. Biden in a close race in Iowa with Senator Sanders , Senator Warren , and Mr. Buttigieg .
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state .
Democrats ' deep disdain for Mr. Trump has put many in the party on edge about the decision .
A series of external forces has also heightened the sense of unpredictability in Iowa , including Mr. Trump 's impeachment trial in the Senate , which marooned Senator Warren , Senator Sanders , and Senator Klobuchar in Washington for much of the past week .
Many campaigns were looking to a final weekend poll to provide some measure of clarity .
But late Saturday night , CNN and The Des @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey because of worries the results may have been compromised .
New caucus rules have also left the campaigns working in overdrive to set expectations before the contest .
For the first time , the Iowa Democratic Party will release three sets of results : who voters align with at the start of the night ; who they pick after voters supporting nonviable candidates get to make a second choice ; and the number of state delegate equivalents each candidate gets .
The new rules were mandated by the Democratic National Committee as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Senator Sanders following his loss to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential primaries .
The revisions were designed to make the caucus system more transparent and to make sure that even the lowest-performing candidates get credit for all the votes they receive .
But party officials in Iowa and at the DNC have privately expressed concerns in recent weeks that not just Senator Sanders but multiple campaigns will spin the results in their favor , potentially creating chaos on caucus night .
The Associated Press will declare a winner in Iowa based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate wins .
The AP will also report all three results .
Mr. Biden 's campaign appeared to be trying to lower Iowa expectations , cautioning against reading too much into Monday 's results .
Mr. Biden is hoping to sustain enough enthusiasm and money coming out of Iowa to make it to more diverse states where he hopes to draw strong support from black voters .
His campaign is particularly focused on South Carolina , the fourth state on the primary schedule .
`` We view Iowa as the beginning , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Biden 's senior adviser , said at a Bloomberg News breakfast .
`` It would be a gross mistake on the part of reporters , voters , or anyone else to view whatever happens on Monday – we think it 's going to be close , but view whatever happens – as the end and not give credence and space for New Hampshire , Nevada , and South Carolina . ''
Senator Sanders , Senator Warren , and Senator Klobuchar fanned out across the state , trying to make up ground after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of campaigning due to the Senate impeachment trial .
In a conference room in Cedar Rapids , Senator Klobuchar appealed to caucus-goers by asking them to think about the voters who wo n't be caucusing – moderate Republicans , voters who swung from Barack Obama to Mr. Trump , and voters who stayed home in 2016 .
`` They 're watching all of this right now , '' Senator Klobuchar said .
`` We have people who want to come with us .
And we need a candidate who is going to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out . ''
Senator Klobuchar retold her joke about slowly winning over former Cedar Rapids Mayor Kay Halloran , who once told Senator Klobuchar that she was `` 78 percent with you . ''
`` We do n't have time for that ! ''
Senator Klobuchar said .
`` She got to 100 percent and so can you . ''
But many voters , too , are still making last-minute moves .
According to a Monmouth University poll in Iowa in late January , 45 % of all likely Democratic caucus-goers named a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the possibility of supporting another candidate , and another 5 % did not indicate a first choice .
Indeed , talking to Iowa Democrats can be dizzying .
Many can quickly run through what they like – and what worries them – about the candidates in rapid fire , talking themselves in and out of their choices in a matter of minutes .
`` There are just so many candidates , '' said John Kauffman , who works in marketing in Marion .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .

On the eve of the Iowa caucuses, Democratic presidential candidates hustled across the state trying to fire up voters and make a last appeal to those struggling to make a final decision about their choice in the crowded field.
Speaking to several hundred supporters in Cedar Rapids on Sunday, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders declared "we are the campaign of energy and excitement" and said "we are in a position to win tomorrow night."
Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, talked up his newcomer status, telling a rally in Coralville that when Democrats have won the White House in the past, "we have done it with someone who is new in national politics."
But former Vice President Joe Biden, emphasizing his decades of Washington experience, told voters there's no time for "on-the-job training." Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren pressed her supporters to "fight back" if they ever lose hope.
Underlying the bold pronouncements, campaigns and voters acknowledged a palpable sense of unpredictability and anxiety as Democrats begin selecting which candidate to send on to a November face-off with President Donald Trump. The Democratic race is unusually large and jumbled heading into Monday's caucus. Four candidates were locked in a fight for victory in Iowa; others were in position to pull off surprisingly strong finishes.
"This is going to go right down to the last second," said Symone Sanders, a senior adviser to Mr. Biden's campaign.
Polls show Mr. Biden in a close race in Iowa with Senator Sanders, Senator Warren, and Mr. Buttigieg. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang are also competing aggressively in the state.
Democrats' deep disdain for Mr. Trump has put many in the party on edge about the decision. A series of external forces has also heightened the sense of unpredictability in Iowa, including Mr. Trump's impeachment trial in the Senate, which marooned Senator Warren, Senator Sanders, and Senator Klobuchar in Washington for much of the past week.
Many campaigns were looking to a final weekend poll to provide some measure of clarity. But late Saturday night, CNN and The Des Moines Register opted not to release the survey because of worries the results may have been compromised.
New caucus rules have also left the campaigns working in overdrive to set expectations before the contest. For the first time, the Iowa Democratic Party will release three sets of results: who voters align with at the start of the night; who they pick after voters supporting nonviable candidates get to make a second choice; and the number of state delegate equivalents each candidate gets.
The new rules were mandated by the Democratic National Committee as part of a package of changes sought by Senator Sanders following his loss to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential primaries. The revisions were designed to make the caucus system more transparent and to make sure that even the lowest-performing candidates get credit for all the votes they receive. But party officials in Iowa and at the DNC have privately expressed concerns in recent weeks that not just Senator Sanders but multiple campaigns will spin the results in their favor, potentially creating chaos on caucus night.
The Associated Press will declare a winner in Iowa based on the number of state delegates each candidate wins. The AP will also report all three results.
Mr. Biden's campaign appeared to be trying to lower Iowa expectations, cautioning against reading too much into Monday's results.
Mr. Biden is hoping to sustain enough enthusiasm and money coming out of Iowa to make it to more diverse states where he hopes to draw strong support from black voters. His campaign is particularly focused on South Carolina, the fourth state on the primary schedule.
"We view Iowa as the beginning, not the end," Symone Sanders, Mr. Biden's senior adviser, said at a Bloomberg News breakfast. "It would be a gross mistake on the part of reporters, voters, or anyone else to view whatever happens on Monday – we think it's going to be close, but view whatever happens – as the end and not give credence and space for New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina."
Senator Sanders, Senator Warren, and Senator Klobuchar fanned out across the state, trying to make up ground after missing most of the last two weeks of campaigning due to the Senate impeachment trial.
In a conference room in Cedar Rapids, Senator Klobuchar appealed to caucus-goers by asking them to think about the voters who won't be caucusing – moderate Republicans, voters who swung from Barack Obama to Mr. Trump, and voters who stayed home in 2016.
"They're watching all of this right now," Senator Klobuchar said. "We have people who want to come with us. And we need a candidate who is going to bring them with us instead of shutting them out."
Senator Klobuchar retold her joke about slowly winning over former Cedar Rapids Mayor Kay Halloran, who once told Senator Klobuchar that she was "78 percent with you."
"We don't have time for that!" Senator Klobuchar said. "She got to 100 percent and so can you."
But many voters, too, are still making last-minute moves. According to a Monmouth University poll in Iowa in late January, 45% of all likely Democratic caucus-goers named a first choice but said they were open to the possibility of supporting another candidate, and another 5% did not indicate a first choice.
Indeed, talking to Iowa Democrats can be dizzying. Many can quickly run through what they like – and what worries them – about the candidates in rapid fire, talking themselves in and out of their choices in a matter of minutes.
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"There are just so many candidates," said John Kauffman, who works in marketing in Marion.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-03-31--Trump administration rolls back vehicle mileage standards

The Trump administration rolled back ambitious Obama-era vehicle mileage standards Tuesday , raising the ceiling on damaging fossil fuel emissions for years to come and gutting one of the United States ' biggest efforts against climate change .
The Trump administration released a final rule Tuesday on mileage standards through 2026 .
The change – after two years of President Donald Trump threatening and fighting states and a faction of automakers that opposed the move – waters down a tough Obama mileage standard that would have encouraged automakers to ramp up production of electric vehicles and more fuel-efficient gas and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on President Trump ’ s promise to correct the current fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards , ” Andrew Wheeler , head of the Environmental Protection Agency , said in a statement Tuesday marking the release .
He said the final rule “ puts in place a sensible ” national program that `` strikes the right regulatory balance that protects our environment , and sets reasonable targets for the auto industry .
This rule supports our economy , and the safety of American families.
” Opponents contend the change – gutting his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fuel emissions – appears driven by Mr. Trump 's push to undo regulatory initiatives of former President Barack Obama and say even the administration has had difficulty pointing to the kind of specific , demonstrable benefits to drivers , public health , and safety or the economy that normally accompany standards changes .
The Trump administration says the looser mileage standards will allow consumers to keep buying the less fuel-efficient SUVs that U.S. drivers have favored for years .
Opponents say it will kill several hundred more Americans a year through dirtier air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even `` given the catastrophe they 're in with the coronavirus , they 're pursuing a policy that 's going to hurt public health and kill people , '' said Chet France , a former 39-year veteran of the EPA , where he served as a senior official over emissions and mileage standards .
`` This is first time that an administration has pursued a policy that will net negative benefit for society and reduce fuel savings , '' Mr. France said .
Delaware Sen. Tom Carper , the senior Democrat on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called it `` the height of irresponsibility for this administration to finalize a rollback that will lead to dirtier air while our country is working around the clock to respond to a respiratory pandemic whose effects may be exacerbated by air pollution .
`` We should be enacting forward-looking environmental policy , not tying our country 's future to the dirty vehicles of the past , '' Mr. Carper said .
Mr. Trump 's Cabinet heads have continued a push to roll back public health and environment regulations despite the coronavirus outbreak riveting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – like others before it – is facing procedural rules that will make changes adopted before the last six months of Mr. Trump 's current term tougher to throw out , even if the White House changes occupants .
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , which has been the main agency drawing up the new rules , did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday .
The standards have split the auto industry with Ford , BMW , Honda , and Volkswagen siding with California and agreeing to higher standards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standards were enacted hastily and will be impossible to meet because consumers have shifted dramatically away from efficient cars to SUVs and trucks .
California and about a dozen other states say they will continue resisting the Trump mileage standards in court .
Last year , 72 % of the new vehicles purchased by U.S. consumers were trucks or SUVS .
It was 51 % when the current standards went into effect in 2012 .
The Obama administration mandated 5 % annual increases in fuel economy .
Leaked versions of the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annual increase , backing off from its initial proposal simply to stop mandating increases in fuel efficiency after 2020 .
The transportation sector is the nation 's largest source of climate-changing emissions .
John Bozzella , CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation , a trade group representing automakers , said the industry still wants middle ground between the two standards , and it supports year-over-year mileage increases .
But he says the Obama-era standards are outdated due to the drastic shift to trucks and SUVs .
The Trump administration standards are likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because , with legal challenges expected , automakers wo n't know which standards they will have to obey .
`` It will be extraordinarily disruptive , '' said Richard J .
Pierce Jr. , a law professor at the George Washington University who specializes in government regulations .
States and environmental groups will challenge the Trump rules , and a U.S. District Court likely will issue a temporary order shelving them until it decides whether they are legal .
The temporary order likely will be challenged with the Supreme Court , which in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District judge ca n't issue such a nationwide order , Mr. Pierce said .
But the nation 's highest court could also keep the order in effect if it determines the groups challenging the Trump standards are likely to win .
`` We 're talking quite a long time , one to three years anyway , before we can expect to get a final decision on the merits , '' Mr. Pierce said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Mr. Krisher reported from Detroit .
Editor ’ s note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

The Trump administration rolled back ambitious Obama-era vehicle mileage standards Tuesday, raising the ceiling on damaging fossil fuel emissions for years to come and gutting one of the United States' biggest efforts against climate change.
The Trump administration released a final rule Tuesday on mileage standards through 2026. The change – after two years of President Donald Trump threatening and fighting states and a faction of automakers that opposed the move – waters down a tough Obama mileage standard that would have encouraged automakers to ramp up production of electric vehicles and more fuel-efficient gas and diesel vehicles.
"We are delivering on President Trump’s promise to correct the current fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards,” Andrew Wheeler, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, said in a statement Tuesday marking the release.
He said the final rule “puts in place a sensible” national program that "strikes the right regulatory balance that protects our environment, and sets reasonable targets for the auto industry. This rule supports our economy, and the safety of American families.”
Opponents contend the change – gutting his predecessor's legacy effort against climate-changing fossil fuel emissions – appears driven by Mr. Trump's push to undo regulatory initiatives of former President Barack Obama and say even the administration has had difficulty pointing to the kind of specific, demonstrable benefits to drivers, public health, and safety or the economy that normally accompany standards changes.
The Trump administration says the looser mileage standards will allow consumers to keep buying the less fuel-efficient SUVs that U.S. drivers have favored for years. Opponents say it will kill several hundred more Americans a year through dirtier air, compared to the Obama standards.
Even "given the catastrophe they're in with the coronavirus, they're pursuing a policy that's going to hurt public health and kill people," said Chet France, a former 39-year veteran of the EPA, where he served as a senior official over emissions and mileage standards.
"This is first time that an administration has pursued a policy that will net negative benefit for society and reduce fuel savings," Mr. France said.
Delaware Sen. Tom Carper, the senior Democrat on the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee, called it "the height of irresponsibility for this administration to finalize a rollback that will lead to dirtier air while our country is working around the clock to respond to a respiratory pandemic whose effects may be exacerbated by air pollution.
"We should be enacting forward-looking environmental policy, not tying our country's future to the dirty vehicles of the past," Mr. Carper said.
Mr. Trump's Cabinet heads have continued a push to roll back public health and environment regulations despite the coronavirus outbreak riveting the world's attention. The administration – like others before it – is facing procedural rules that will make changes adopted before the last six months of Mr. Trump's current term tougher to throw out, even if the White House changes occupants.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has been the main agency drawing up the new rules, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
The standards have split the auto industry with Ford, BMW, Honda, and Volkswagen siding with California and agreeing to higher standards. Most other automakers contend the Obama-era standards were enacted hastily and will be impossible to meet because consumers have shifted dramatically away from efficient cars to SUVs and trucks.
California and about a dozen other states say they will continue resisting the Trump mileage standards in court.
Last year, 72% of the new vehicles purchased by U.S. consumers were trucks or SUVS. It was 51% when the current standards went into effect in 2012.
The Obama administration mandated 5% annual increases in fuel economy. Leaked versions of the Trump administration's latest proposal show a 1.5% annual increase, backing off from its initial proposal simply to stop mandating increases in fuel efficiency after 2020.
The transportation sector is the nation's largest source of climate-changing emissions.
John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group representing automakers, said the industry still wants middle ground between the two standards, and it supports year-over-year mileage increases. But he says the Obama-era standards are outdated due to the drastic shift to trucks and SUVs.
The Trump administration standards are likely to cause havoc in the auto industry because, with legal challenges expected, automakers won't know which standards they will have to obey.
"It will be extraordinarily disruptive," said Richard J. Pierce Jr., a law professor at the George Washington University who specializes in government regulations.
States and environmental groups will challenge the Trump rules, and a U.S. District Court likely will issue a temporary order shelving them until it decides whether they are legal. The temporary order likely will be challenged with the Supreme Court, which in recent cases has voted 5-4 that a District judge can't issue such a nationwide order, Mr. Pierce said. But the nation's highest court could also keep the order in effect if it determines the groups challenging the Trump standards are likely to win.
"We're talking quite a long time, one to three years anyway, before we can expect to get a final decision on the merits," Mr. Pierce said.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. Mr. Krisher reported from Detroit.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.