bonginoreport--2020-02-17--Sanders Campaign Heading Into Nevada Caucus With 7-Point Lead

On Friday , a new poll from Las Vegas Review-Journal and AARP Nevada was released showing Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-VT ) in the lead .
The poll , which was conducted between February 11 – 13 by WPA Intelligence and has a margin of error of +/- 4.8 % , asked “ 413 likely caucus attendees ” the following question : “ If the Democratic caucuses for nomination for U.S. president were held today , for whom would you vote ?
” 25 % of respondents said that they would vote for Sanders .
In second place with 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden .
Third place went to Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-MA ) with 13 % .
Rounding out the top six were billionaire Tom Steyer with 11 % , and Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-MN ) tied with 10 % each .
It should be noted that 13 % of those surveyed were “ undecided ” or for “ other ” candidates .
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal , WPA research director Trevor Smith said that the debate on Wednesday might have some impact , but possibly nothing significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The progressive block is pretty locked up , according to Smith .
“ He noted that Sanders had a firm grip on voters who identified as very liberal ( 33 percent for Sanders ) and somewhat liberal ( 31 percent ) , ” reports the Las Vegas Review-Journal .
“ Warren is competing for the very liberal with 32 percent of their support , but not anywhere else.
” As for Buttigieg , though he is polling at just 10 % , his “ support in the poll was evenly split among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ somewhat liberal ( 9 percent ) and moderate ( 11 percent ) voters , ” showing a cross-ideology appeal .
Perhaps the most interesting part of the poll was that for 56 % of respondents , stopping President Trump was priority number one , while Medicare for All was in second with just 9 % .
Sanders has been able to ride a wave of Democratic voter enthusiasm despite the Iowa Caucus debacle , which initially looked like it could have sucked the oxygen from his campaign .
In Iowa , Buttigieg narrowly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26.2 % to 26.1 % ) , and was awarded 13 delegates to Sanders ’ 12 delegates , according to the Associated Press , despite Sanders appearing to win the popular vote .
Sanders went on to win the New Hampshire primary with 25.7 % of the vote to second place Pete Buttigieg ’ s 24.4 % and third place Amy Klubuchar ’ s 19.8 % .
Prior to this latest Nevada poll ( as well as one taken in January ) , surveys showed Joe Biden with a commanding lead dating back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the RealClearPolitics average , Sanders sits atop the field by a margin of 3 % .
In South Carolina , where Biden needs to do well in order to continue in the Democratic race , new polls show the former vice president falling , with Sanders and Steyer rising .
South Carolinians go to the polls on February 29 .
Following South Carolina is Super Tuesday , where 14 states and one territory will hold their primaries and caucuses .
As of publication ( and the polling in many of these states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leads in California , Utah , and Colorado .
Biden leads in Texas , North Carolina , Virginia , and Oklahoma .
The results in Nevada and South Carolina will certainly have an impact on those numbers moving forward .

On Friday, a new poll from Las Vegas Review-Journal and AARP Nevada was released showing Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in the lead.
The poll, which was conducted between February 11 – 13 by WPA Intelligence and has a margin of error of +/- 4.8%, asked “413 likely caucus attendees” the following question: “If the Democratic caucuses for nomination for U.S. president were held today, for whom would you vote?”
25% of respondents said that they would vote for Sanders. In second place with 18% support was former Vice President Joe Biden. Third place went to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) with 13%. Rounding out the top six were billionaire Tom Steyer with 11%, and Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) tied with 10% each.
It should be noted that 13% of those surveyed were “undecided” or for “other” candidates.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, WPA research director Trevor Smith said that the debate on Wednesday might have some impact, but possibly nothing significant, given the timing and early voting.
The progressive block is pretty locked up, according to Smith.
“He noted that Sanders had a firm grip on voters who identified as very liberal (33 percent for Sanders) and somewhat liberal (31 percent),” reports the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Warren is competing for the very liberal with 32 percent of their support, but not anywhere else.”
As for Buttigieg, though he is polling at just 10%, his “support in the poll was evenly split among very liberal (14 percent), somewhat liberal (9 percent) and moderate (11 percent) voters,” showing a cross-ideology appeal.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the poll was that for 56% of respondents, stopping President Trump was priority number one, while Medicare for All was in second with just 9%.
Sanders has been able to ride a wave of Democratic voter enthusiasm despite the Iowa Caucus debacle, which initially looked like it could have sucked the oxygen from his campaign.
In Iowa, Buttigieg narrowly beat out Sanders by 0.1% (26.2% to 26.1%), and was awarded 13 delegates to Sanders’ 12 delegates, according to the Associated Press, despite Sanders appearing to win the popular vote.
Sanders went on to win the New Hampshire primary with 25.7% of the vote to second place Pete Buttigieg’s 24.4% and third place Amy Klubuchar’s 19.8%.
Prior to this latest Nevada poll (as well as one taken in January), surveys showed Joe Biden with a commanding lead dating back to August 2019. Now, according to the RealClearPolitics average, Sanders sits atop the field by a margin of 3%.
In South Carolina, where Biden needs to do well in order to continue in the Democratic race, new polls show the former vice president falling, with Sanders and Steyer rising. South Carolinians go to the polls on February 29.
Following South Carolina is Super Tuesday, where 14 states and one territory will hold their primaries and caucuses. As of publication (and the polling in many of these states isn’t fresh), Sanders leads in California, Utah, and Colorado. Biden leads in Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, and Oklahoma.
The results in Nevada and South Carolina will certainly have an impact on those numbers moving forward.


bonginoreport--2020-02-17--John Durham Investigating if Intel Agencies Manipulated Evidence of Russian Interference

Federal prosecutor John Durham is scrutinizing the intelligence community ’ s interagency turf war over viewing secretive foreign intelligence and the government restricting access to President Barack Obama 's emails that were hacked by Russians but obtained by a foreign ally , sources claimed .
Durham , selected by Attorney General William Barr last year to lead the Justice Department ’ s inquiry into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation and the conduct of the U.S. government in dealing with the Kremlin ’ s interference , apparently is focused on at least two clashes over sensitive information , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The first internal Obama administration squabble , described by the article in vague terms , related to restrictions placed upon yet-unknown foreign intelligence by one intelligence agency , speculated to be the CIA directed by John Brennan .
Other agencies , speculated to include the National Security Agency , wanted access to the material .
One source suggested that the CIA wanted to mask American identities in the data set before allowing the NSA to view it .
The second squabble was about the White House preventing the FBI from viewing U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , copied , and given to the United States by an unnamed foreign intelligence service .
The Russians had hacked the Obama White House and State Department — as well as Congress — in 2014 , and the FBI wanted to examine the reproduced emails to understand the Russian active measures campaign in 2016 .
“ But an index of the messages compiled by the unnamed foreign ally showed that they included emails from President Barack Obama as well as members of Congress , ” the New York Times reported .
“ Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , W. Neil Eggleston , decided that investigators should not open the drives , citing executive privilege and the possibility of a separation-of-powers uproar if the FBI sifted through lawmakers ’ private messages.
” “ The analysts could have been engaged in standard bureaucratic behavior like obeying the filtering process or hoarding sensitive information .
Or perhaps they were trying to cover something up , ” the New York Times wrote .
The hack was carried out by a Russian group known as Cozy Bear — the same group that analysts believe hacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Washington Post reported in 2017 that “ the NSA was alerted to the compromises by a Western intelligence agency ” and that “ the ally had managed to hack not only the Russians ’ computers , but also the surveillance cameras inside their workspace , according to the former officials.
” The officials said the foreign ally “ monitored the hackers as they maneuvered inside the U.S. systems and as they walked in and out of the workspace , and were able to see faces.
” The foreign intelligence now being scrutinized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An article by the Telegraph in 2018 detailed how the Dutch “ penetrated the systems of the Russian cyber unit known as Cozy Bear in mid-2014 and monitored them for at least a year ” and “ informed the CIA and helped remove Cozy Bear from U.S. State Department computers they had hacked into in late 2014 ” while they “ also monitored the Russian hackers as they tried to undermine unclassified computer systems in Congress and the White House.
” A piece by Dutch outlet de Volkskrant claimed in 2018 that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian hackers harassing and penetrating the leaders of the Democratic Party , transferring thousands of emails and documents ” and “ provided crucial evidence of the Russian involvement in the hacking of the Democratic Party.
” The outlet claimed the Dutch information was “ also grounds for the FBI to start an investigation into the influence of the Russian interference on the election.
” Durham “ asked questions that appear aimed at understanding how analysts reached their conclusion and who drove that process … and whether and how information from foreign governments or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspicions at the FBI about Trump campaign links to Russia , ” sources cited by the New York Times said .
The Senate Intelligence Committee ’ s recent report on the Obama administration ’ s slow response to Russian meddling “ found that the U.S. government was not well-postured to counter Russian election interference activity with a full range of readily-available policy options.
” The report concluded that Obama ’ s policymakers “ were not concerned with Russian electoral interference directly targeting the United States ” until they were told about still-classified information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate report ’ s section on “ The U.S. Intelligence Community 's Awareness , '' including when and how the CIA may have first learned about Russia 's election interference efforts , is almost entirely redacted .
Durham , who is scrutinizing this as well as Brennan ’ s other actions in 2016 , may wrap up his investigation by the spring or summer .

Federal prosecutor John Durham is scrutinizing the intelligence community’s interagency turf war over viewing secretive foreign intelligence and the government restricting access to President Barack Obama's emails that were hacked by Russians but obtained by a foreign ally, sources claimed.
Durham, selected by Attorney General William Barr last year to lead the Justice Department’s inquiry into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation and the conduct of the U.S. government in dealing with the Kremlin’s interference, apparently is focused on at least two clashes over sensitive information, according to sources cited by the New York Times.
The first internal Obama administration squabble, described by the article in vague terms, related to restrictions placed upon yet-unknown foreign intelligence by one intelligence agency, speculated to be the CIA directed by John Brennan. Other agencies, speculated to include the National Security Agency, wanted access to the material. One source suggested that the CIA wanted to mask American identities in the data set before allowing the NSA to view it.
The second squabble was about the White House preventing the FBI from viewing U.S. emails hacked by the Russians but obtained, copied, and given to the United States by an unnamed foreign intelligence service. The Russians had hacked the Obama White House and State Department — as well as Congress — in 2014, and the FBI wanted to examine the reproduced emails to understand the Russian active measures campaign in 2016.
“But an index of the messages compiled by the unnamed foreign ally showed that they included emails from President Barack Obama as well as members of Congress,” the New York Times reported. “Mr. Obama’s White House counsel, W. Neil Eggleston, decided that investigators should not open the drives, citing executive privilege and the possibility of a separation-of-powers uproar if the FBI sifted through lawmakers’ private messages.”
“The analysts could have been engaged in standard bureaucratic behavior like obeying the filtering process or hoarding sensitive information. Or perhaps they were trying to cover something up,” the New York Times wrote.
The hack was carried out by a Russian group known as Cozy Bear — the same group that analysts believe hacked the Democratic National Committee as well.
The Washington Post reported in 2017 that “the NSA was alerted to the compromises by a Western intelligence agency” and that “the ally had managed to hack not only the Russians’ computers, but also the surveillance cameras inside their workspace, according to the former officials.” The officials said the foreign ally “monitored the hackers as they maneuvered inside the U.S. systems and as they walked in and out of the workspace, and were able to see faces.”
The foreign intelligence now being scrutinized by Durham likely came from the Netherlands.
An article by the Telegraph in 2018 detailed how the Dutch “penetrated the systems of the Russian cyber unit known as Cozy Bear in mid-2014 and monitored them for at least a year” and “informed the CIA and helped remove Cozy Bear from U.S. State Department computers they had hacked into in late 2014” while they “also monitored the Russian hackers as they tried to undermine unclassified computer systems in Congress and the White House.”
A piece by Dutch outlet de Volkskrant claimed in 2018 that Dutch intelligence “became witness to the Russian hackers harassing and penetrating the leaders of the Democratic Party, transferring thousands of emails and documents” and “provided crucial evidence of the Russian involvement in the hacking of the Democratic Party.” The outlet claimed the Dutch information was “also grounds for the FBI to start an investigation into the influence of the Russian interference on the election.”
Durham “asked questions that appear aimed at understanding how analysts reached their conclusion and who drove that process … and whether and how information from foreign governments or the CIA played any role in stoking suspicions at the FBI about Trump campaign links to Russia,” sources cited by the New York Times said.
The Senate Intelligence Committee’s recent report on the Obama administration’s slow response to Russian meddling “found that the U.S. government was not well-postured to counter Russian election interference activity with a full range of readily-available policy options.” The report concluded that Obama’s policymakers “were not concerned with Russian electoral interference directly targeting the United States” until they were told about still-classified information from Brennan and the CIA.
The Senate report’s section on “The U.S. Intelligence Community's Awareness," including when and how the CIA may have first learned about Russia's election interference efforts, is almost entirely redacted.
Durham, who is scrutinizing this as well as Brennan’s other actions in 2016, may wrap up his investigation by the spring or summer.


bonginoreport--2020-02-18--Denny Hamlin Wins Daytona 500 for Third Time

DAYTONA BEACH , Fla. — Ryan Newman flipped across the finish line , his Ford planted upside down and on fire , a grim reminder of a sport steeped in danger that has stretched nearly two decades without a fatality .
At the finish line , Denny Hamlin made history with a second straight Daytona 500 victory in an overtime photo finish over Ryan Blaney , a celebration that quickly became muted as drivers awaited an update on Newman 's condition .
“ I think we take for granted sometimes how safe the cars are , ” Hamlin said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ praying for Ryan.
” Roughly two hours after the crash , NASCAR read a statement from Roush Fenway Racing that said Newman is in “ serious condition , but doctors have indicated his injuries are not life threatening.
” During the long wait for an update , President Donald Trump took to Twitter to express his concern .
Trump a day earlier attended the race as the grand marshal , gave the command for drivers to start their engines and made a ceremonial pace lap around Daytona International Speedway before rain washed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newman , a great and brave @ NASCAR driver !
# PrayingForRyan , ” Trump tweeted .
Newman was one of several NASCAR drivers who attended a 2016 rally for Trump in Georgia when he was a presidential candidate .
Mark Rushbrook , global director of Ford Performance Motorsports , acknowledged the excruciating delay for information on Newman .
“ To hear some positive news tonight is a relief , ” Rushbrook said .
“ He is so respected for being a great competitor by everyone in the sport.
” NASCAR scrapped the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third Daytona 500 victory , rocked by Newman 's accident 19 years after Dale Earnhardt was killed on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 .
Earnhardt was the last driver killed in a NASCAR Cup Series race .
Newman had surged into the lead on the final lap when Blaney ’ s bumper caught the back of his Ford and sent Newman hard right into the wall .
His car flipped , rolled , was hit on the driver ’ s side by another car , and finally skidded across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several minutes for his car to be rolled back onto its wheels .
Medical personnel used solid black barriers to block the view as the 2008 Daytona 500 winner was placed in a waiting ambulance and taken to a hospital .
The damage to his Mustang was extensive — it appeared the entire roll cage designed to protect his head had caved — and officials would not allow his team near the accident site .
Drivers were stricken with concern , including a rattled Corey LaJoie , the driver who hit Newman 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dang I hope Newman is ok , ” he posted on Twitter .
“ That is worst case scenerio and I had nowhere to go but ( into ) smoke.
” Hamlin is the first driver since Sterling Marlin in 1995 to win consecutive Daytona 500 's , but his celebration in victory lane was subdued .
Buescher , the Prosper native entering his fifth full-time Cup season , had a chance to take home the top spot beginning the race ’ s two overtime restarts in second and third place behind Hamlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Racing started the Daytona 500 on Sunday in 19th place .
Hamlin said he was unaware of Newman 's situation when he initially began his celebration .
It was n't until Fox Sports told him it would not interview him on the frontstretch after his burnouts that Hamlin learned the accident was bad .
“ It 's a weird balance of excitement and happiness for yourself , but someone 's health and their family is bigger than any win in any sport , '' he said .
`` We are just hoping for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apologized after the race for the winning team celebration .
“ We did n't know until victory lane , ” Gibbs said .
“ I know that for a lot of us , participating in sports and being in things where there are some risks , in a way , that 's what they get excited about .
Racing , we know what can happen , we just dream it does n't happen .
We are all just praying now for the outcome on this.
” Runner-up Blaney said the way the final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead of Hamlin , that Blaney got a push from Hamlin that locked him in behind Newman in a move of brand alliance for Ford .
“ We pushed Newman there to the lead and then we got a push from the 11 ...
I was committed to just pushing him to the win and having a Ford win it and got the bumpers hooked up wrong , ” he said .
Hamlin had eight Ford drivers lined up behind him as the leader on the second overtime shootout without a single fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
It allowed Newman to get past him for the lead , but the bumping in the pack led to Newman 's hard turn into the wall , followed by multiple rolls and a long skid across the finish line .
Hamlin ’ s win last year was a 1-2-3 sweep for Joe Gibbs Racing and kicked off a yearlong company celebration in which Gibbs drivers won a record 19 races and the Cup championship .
Now his third Daytona 500 win puts him alongside six Hall of Fame drivers as winners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He tied Dale Jarrett — who gave JGR its first Daytona 500 win in 1993 — Jeff Gordon and Bobby Allison .
Hamlin trails Cale Yarborough ’ s four wins and the record seven by Richard Petty .
This victory came after just the second rain postponement in 62 years , a visit from Trump , a pair of red flag stoppages and two overtimes .
The 0.014 margin of victory was the second closest in race history , and Hamlin ’ s win over Martin Truex Jr. in 2016 was the closest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of victory was 0.01 seconds .
The win in “ The Great American Race ” is the third for Toyota , all won by Hamlin .
Gibbs has four Daytona 500 victories as an owner .
“ I just feel like I ’ m a student to the game .
I never stop learning and trying to figure out where I need to put myself at the right time , ” Hamlin said .
“ It doesn ’ t always work .
We ’ ve defied odds here in the last eight years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but just trust my instincts , and so far they ’ ve been good for me .
”

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Ryan Newman flipped across the finish line, his Ford planted upside down and on fire, a grim reminder of a sport steeped in danger that has stretched nearly two decades without a fatality.
At the finish line, Denny Hamlin made history with a second straight Daytona 500 victory in an overtime photo finish over Ryan Blaney, a celebration that quickly became muted as drivers awaited an update on Newman's condition.
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“I think we take for granted sometimes how safe the cars are,” Hamlin said. “But number one, we are praying for Ryan.”
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Roughly two hours after the crash, NASCAR read a statement from Roush Fenway Racing that said Newman is in “serious condition, but doctors have indicated his injuries are not life threatening.”
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Scary finish at #DAYTONA500 when leader Ryan Newman flipped right before the finish. Denny Hamlin wins but all thoughts on Newman right now. pic.twitter.com/Fltj5w5d2g — Troy Hirsch (@troyhirschfox5) February 18, 2020
During the long wait for an update, President Donald Trump took to Twitter to express his concern. Trump a day earlier attended the race as the grand marshal, gave the command for drivers to start their engines and made a ceremonial pace lap around Daytona International Speedway before rain washed out the race.
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“Praying for Ryan Newman, a great and brave @NASCAR driver! #PrayingForRyan,” Trump tweeted. Newman was one of several NASCAR drivers who attended a 2016 rally for Trump in Georgia when he was a presidential candidate.
Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports, acknowledged the excruciating delay for information on Newman.
“To hear some positive news tonight is a relief,” Rushbrook said. “He is so respected for being a great competitor by everyone in the sport.”
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NASCAR scrapped the traditional victory lane party for Hamlin's third Daytona 500 victory, rocked by Newman's accident 19 years after Dale Earnhardt was killed on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Earnhardt was the last driver killed in a NASCAR Cup Series race.
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Newman had surged into the lead on the final lap when Blaney’s bumper caught the back of his Ford and sent Newman hard right into the wall. His car flipped, rolled, was hit on the driver’s side by another car, and finally skidded across the finish line in flames.
It took several minutes for his car to be rolled back onto its wheels. Medical personnel used solid black barriers to block the view as the 2008 Daytona 500 winner was placed in a waiting ambulance and taken to a hospital. The damage to his Mustang was extensive — it appeared the entire roll cage designed to protect his head had caved — and officials would not allow his team near the accident site.
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Drivers were stricken with concern, including a rattled Corey LaJoie, the driver who hit Newman's car as it was flipping.
“Dang I hope Newman is ok,” he posted on Twitter. “That is worst case scenerio and I had nowhere to go but (into) smoke.”
Hamlin is the first driver since Sterling Marlin in 1995 to win consecutive Daytona 500's, but his celebration in victory lane was subdued.
Local product Chris Buescher finished third.
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Buescher, the Prosper native entering his fifth full-time Cup season, had a chance to take home the top spot beginning the race’s two overtime restarts in second and third place behind Hamlin. The 27-year-old driving for Roush Fenway Racing started the Daytona 500 on Sunday in 19th place.
Hamlin said he was unaware of Newman's situation when he initially began his celebration. It wasn't until Fox Sports told him it would not interview him on the frontstretch after his burnouts that Hamlin learned the accident was bad.
“It's a weird balance of excitement and happiness for yourself, but someone's health and their family is bigger than any win in any sport," he said. "We are just hoping for the best.”
Team owner Joe Gibbs apologized after the race for the winning team celebration.
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“We didn't know until victory lane,” Gibbs said. “I know that for a lot of us, participating in sports and being in things where there are some risks, in a way, that's what they get excited about. Racing, we know what can happen, we just dream it doesn't happen. We are all just praying now for the outcome on this.”
Runner-up Blaney said the way the final lap shook out, with Newman surging ahead of Hamlin, that Blaney got a push from Hamlin that locked him in behind Newman in a move of brand alliance for Ford.
“We pushed Newman there to the lead and then we got a push from the 11 ... I was committed to just pushing him to the win and having a Ford win it and got the bumpers hooked up wrong,” he said.
Hamlin had eight Ford drivers lined up behind him as the leader on the second overtime shootout without a single fellow Toyota driver in the vicinity to help him. It allowed Newman to get past him for the lead, but the bumping in the pack led to Newman's hard turn into the wall, followed by multiple rolls and a long skid across the finish line.
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Hamlin’s win last year was a 1-2-3 sweep for Joe Gibbs Racing and kicked off a yearlong company celebration in which Gibbs drivers won a record 19 races and the Cup championship. Now his third Daytona 500 win puts him alongside six Hall of Fame drivers as winners of three or more Daytona 500s. He tied Dale Jarrett — who gave JGR its first Daytona 500 win in 1993 — Jeff Gordon and Bobby Allison. Hamlin trails Cale Yarborough’s four wins and the record seven by Richard Petty.
This victory came after just the second rain postponement in 62 years, a visit from Trump, a pair of red flag stoppages and two overtimes. The 0.014 margin of victory was the second closest in race history, and Hamlin’s win over Martin Truex Jr. in 2016 was the closest finish in race history.
That margin of victory was 0.01 seconds. The win in “The Great American Race” is the third for Toyota, all won by Hamlin. Gibbs has four Daytona 500 victories as an owner.
“I just feel like I’m a student to the game. I never stop learning and trying to figure out where I need to put myself at the right time,” Hamlin said. “It doesn’t always work. We’ve defied odds here in the last eight years or so in the Daytona 500, but just trust my instincts, and so far they’ve been good for me.”


bonginoreport--2020-02-18--Ryan Newman Transported to Hospital After Hard Crash – Injuries “Not Life Threatening”

Ryan Newman 's car flipped and caught fire during a crash at the finish line of the Daytona 500 on Monday as he tried to hold on to the lead .
In a frightening scene , Newman was unresponsive on his radio as medics rushed onto the track .
He was removed from his mangled car and stretchered into an ambulance as race personnel held up large black screens to block the crowd 's view .
Newman was transported to the nearby Halifax Medical Center .
NASCAR in a statement announced that Newman is in serious condition but that his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The final lap of the Daytona 500 took place after several previous big crashes in the race forced stoppages .
Newman , Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney were packed together nearing the final stretch , with Newman slightly ahead .
Newman 's vehicle was turned into the outside wall , and as he flipped , Corey LaJoie was unable to avoid him while going at full speed .
Hamlin finished in first place and , unaware of the severity of the accident , celebrated the win in Victory Lane before issuing an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind him .
NASCAR drivers , Hamlin included , have offered their prayers and support to Newman en masse .
Newman , 42 , has been driving since 2000 .
His best season to date is the 2014 campaign , when he finished in second place in the championship chase .
This is a developing story that will be updated .

Ryan Newman's car flipped and caught fire during a crash at the finish line of the Daytona 500 on Monday as he tried to hold on to the lead.
In a frightening scene, Newman was unresponsive on his radio as medics rushed onto the track. He was removed from his mangled car and stretchered into an ambulance as race personnel held up large black screens to block the crowd's view. Newman was transported to the nearby Halifax Medical Center.
NASCAR in a statement announced that Newman is in serious condition but that his injuries are not expected to be life-threatening. He remained hospitalized Tuesday morning.
MORE: Latest updates on Ryan Newman's condition
Scary finish at #DAYTONA500 when leader Ryan Newman flipped right before the finish. Denny Hamlin wins but all thoughts on Newman right now. pic.twitter.com/Fltj5w5d2g — Troy Hirsch (@troyhirschfox5) February 18, 2020
A stretcher is next to Newman’s car. Crews are using black screens to keep fans from seeing. And media has just been told to leave the pits. #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/OFFIpTWcoz — Joe Kepner (@JKepnerWFTV) February 18, 2020
The final lap of the Daytona 500 took place after several previous big crashes in the race forced stoppages. Newman, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney were packed together nearing the final stretch, with Newman slightly ahead. Newman's vehicle was turned into the outside wall, and as he flipped, Corey LaJoie was unable to avoid him while going at full speed.
Hamlin finished in first place and, unaware of the severity of the accident, celebrated the win in Victory Lane before issuing an apology once he learned what had occurred behind him.
Hamlin says he was unaware of severity of Newman situation until Fox told him no frontstretch interview. — Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) February 18, 2020
#NASCAR ... Car owner Joe Gibbs apologizes in media center for team celebrating Daytona 500 win in light of Ryan Newman's crash.
Gibbs said team didn't know about severity of Newman's crash until being informed about it in victory lane. — Dustin Long (@dustinlong) February 18, 2020
First a foremost I want to give well wishes and prayers to @RyanJNewman. I had absolutely NO IDEA of the severity of the crash until I got to victory lane. There’s very little communication after the finish and i had already unhooked my radio. It’s not anyone’s fault. 🙏Rocket — Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) February 18, 2020
NASCAR drivers, Hamlin included, have offered their prayers and support to Newman en masse.
#NASCAR ... Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin in media center on Ryan Newman: "We"re just hoping for the best." — Dustin Long (@dustinlong) February 18, 2020
Big prayers for Newman — Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) February 18, 2020
Hope Ryan’s okay. 🙏🏻 — Jeb Burton (@JebBurtonRacing) February 18, 2020
This shit is real. We’re all on the road together doing what we love. Please let @RyanJNewman be ok here. 🙏 — Clint Bowyer (@ClintBowyer) February 18, 2020
Prayers for @RyanJNewman 🙏🏻
We all hope he’s ok — Alex Bowman (@AlexBowman88) February 18, 2020
Newman, 42, has been driving since 2000. His best season to date is the 2014 campaign, when he finished in second place in the championship chase.


bonginoreport--2020-02-18--Mike Bloomberg Would Be the First President to Openly Support Death Panels

Billionaire and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg said in a 2011 video that elderly cancer patients should be denied treatment in order to cut health care costs .
“ All of these costs keep going up , nobody wants to pay any more money , and at the rate we ’ re going , health care is going to bankrupt us , ” said Bloomberg , who was then New York City ’ s mayor .
“ We ’ ve got to sit here and say which things we ’ re going to do , and which things we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that .
Y ’ know , if you show up with prostate cancer , you ’ re 95 years old , we should say , ‘ Go and enjoy .
Have a nice [ inaudible ] .
Live a long life .
There ’ s no cure , and we can ’ t do anything.
’ If you ’ re a young person , we should do something about it , ” Bloomberg said in the video .
“ Society ’ s not ready to do that yet , ” he added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ grieving family whose brother had died after reportedly waiting 73 hours in an emergency room .
His presidential campaign didn ’ t return a request for comment .
The New York billionaire has faced increased scrutiny over past statements as he has continued to rise in Democratic primary polls .
( RELATED : Here ’ s How Short Michael Bloomberg Is ) Bloomberg ’ s fellow Democrats have criticized him for his past aggressive defense of stop-and-frisk policies in New York has led to criticism from fellow Democrats .
Bloomberg has also faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too many young black and Latino men “ don ’ t know how to behave in the workplace.
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Billionaire and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg said in a 2011 video that some elderly cancer patients should be denied treatment in order to cut health care costs. He drew on a hypothetical example of a “95-year old” with “prostate cancer” to signal an openness he would have to reform how Medicare provides treatment.
“All of these costs keep going up, nobody wants to pay any more money, and at the rate we’re going, health care is going to bankrupt us,” said Bloomberg, who was then New York City’s mayor.
“We’ve got to sit here and say which things we’re going to do, and which things we’re not, nobody wants to do that. Y’know, if you show up with prostate cancer, you’re 95 years old, we should say, ‘Go and enjoy. Have a nice [inaudible]. Live a long life. There’s no cure, and we can’t do anything.’ If you’re a young person, we should do something about it,” Bloomberg said in the video.
WATCH:
“Society’s not ready to do that yet,” he added.
Bloomberg made the comments while visiting a grieving family whose brother had died after reportedly waiting 73 hours in an emergency room.
His presidential campaign didn’t return a request for comment.
The New York billionaire has faced increased scrutiny over past statements as he has continued to rise in Democratic primary polls. (RELATED: Here’s How Short Michael Bloomberg Is)
Bloomberg’s fellow Democrats have criticized him for his past aggressive defense of stop-and-frisk policies in New York has led to criticism from fellow Democrats.
Bloomberg has also faced criticism for a 2011 video saying that too many young black and Latino men “don’t know how to behave in the workplace.”
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


bonginoreport--2020-02-18--Elizabeth Warren Plans on “Taking Down” Bloomberg in Nevada Debate

Sen. Elizabeth Warren tore into rival Mike Bloomberg on Tuesday , forecasting that his appearance on the Democratic debate stage in Las Vegas will allow his rivals to demonstrate their skills at taking on an `` egomaniac billionaire '' such as President Donald Trump .
`` It 's a shame Mike Bloomberg can buy his way into the debate , '' wrote Warren , D-Mass .
`` But at least now primary voters curious about how each candidate will take on Donald Trump can get a live demonstration of how we each take on an egomaniac billionaire . ''
Bloomberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him down on Wednesday after qualifying for his first debate since entering the 2020 race .
The business titan is estimated to be worth more than $ 60 billion .
Bloomberg , a former New York mayor , has rapidly ascended in the polls — he 's now in third place in national surveys — despite forgoing the first four nominating contests in order to devote resources to the more delegate-rich states that start voting in March .
Warren , for her part , is facing pressure to make a mark at Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following poor showings in Iowa and New Hampshire , the first states to host nominating contests .
Warren came in third in Iowa and fourth in New Hampshire .

Sen. Elizabeth Warren tore into rival Mike Bloomberg on Tuesday, forecasting that his appearance on the Democratic debate stage in Las Vegas will allow his rivals to demonstrate their skills at taking on an "egomaniac billionaire" such as President Donald Trump.
"It's a shame Mike Bloomberg can buy his way into the debate," wrote Warren, D-Mass. "But at least now primary voters curious about how each candidate will take on Donald Trump can get a live demonstration of how we each take on an egomaniac billionaire."
Bloomberg will face five Democrats eager to take him down on Wednesday after qualifying for his first debate since entering the 2020 race. The business titan is estimated to be worth more than $60 billion.
Warren tweet
Bloomberg, a former New York mayor, has rapidly ascended in the polls — he's now in third place in national surveys — despite forgoing the first four nominating contests in order to devote resources to the more delegate-rich states that start voting in March.
Warren, for her part, is facing pressure to make a mark at Wednesday's debate after sliding in the polls following poor showings in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first states to host nominating contests. Warren came in third in Iowa and fourth in New Hampshire.


bonginoreport--2020-02-18--Republicans and Democrats Don’t Even Agree on the Types of Communities They Prefer Living in

Republicans and Democrats express sharply different preferences about their ideal communities and house sizes .
And while large numbers of people in both parties say it is important to live in a community that is a good place to raise children , partisans diverge on whether it is important that a community is racially and ethnically diverse .
Nearly two-thirds of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents ( 65 % ) say they would prefer to live in a community where houses are larger and farther apart , but schools , stores and restaurants are several miles away .
By contrast , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 58 % ) would rather live in a community in which houses are smaller and closer to each other , but schools , stores and restaurants are in walking distance .
The ideological differences in community preferences are stark , according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in September among 9,895 U.S. adults .
Conservative Republicans are about twice as likely as liberal Democrats to prefer a community where the houses are larger and more widely spaced ( 71 % vs. 35 % ) .
These overall patterns of opinion are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did this This analysis updates findings from a question we first asked in our 2014 polarization report .
Since 2014 , we have documented even greater levels of polarization along partisan lines in political values , which issues should be prioritized and views of the economy ( to name just a few ) .
The fact that we see such a wide political divide on this question is indicative of how deep and enduring partisan divides in the country have become – spreading to even such seemingly nonpolitical realms as the kinds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live in .
In this post , we extend the analysis beyond what we had done previously to look at how these views differ by the kinds of communities in which people live .
These community descriptions come from respondents ’ self-reports ( for more on why we prefer this approach , see this report ) .
This analysis uses responses from a survey of U.S. adults who are members of Pew Research Center ’ s American Trends Panel ( ATP ) , an online panel that is recruited through national , random @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panelists by phone or mail ensures that nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection .
This gives us confidence that any sample can represent the whole population ( see our Methods 101 explainer on random sampling ) .
To further ensure that each survey reflects a balanced cross-section of the nation , the data is weighted to match the U.S. adult population by gender , race , ethnicity , partisan affiliation , education and other categories .
Here are the questions used for this report , along with responses , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents ( 69 % ) say they would rather live in a community with larger houses that are farther apart , while 60 % of urban residents prefer communities with small houses .
People who live in suburbs are more evenly divided .
The party gap in community preferences is evident even controlling for where people actually live .
Among urban , suburban and rural residents , Republicans are significantly more likely than Democrats to express a preference for larger houses in more widely spaced communities .
When asked about important factors for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree that it is important to live in a good place to raise children ( 90 % say this is very or somewhat important ) .
A majority ( 64 % ) also says that it is important to live in a place that is racially and ethnically diverse .
Smaller shares say that it is important to live in communities where most other people share their political ( 41 % ) or religious ( 33 % ) values .
There is bipartisan agreement on the importance of a community being a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Republicans and 87 % of Democrats say this is very or somewhat important .
But Democrats and Democratic leaners are nearly 30 percentage points more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to say it is important to live in a community that is racially and ethnically diverse ( 77 % vs. 48 % ) .
And while 42 % of Republicans say it is important to live in a community where most people share their religious views , fewer Democrats ( 25 % ) say the same .
Notably , there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the importance of living in a community where most people share their political views .
But in both parties , those with strong ideological views are more likely than others to value living in a community where people share their views about politics .
Nearly half of conservative Republicans ( 47 % ) say it is very or somewhat important to live in a community where most people share their political views ; only 27 % of moderate and liberal Republicans say the same .
Among Democrats , a higher share of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and moderates ( 37 % ) place importance on living in a community where most share their political views .
Note : Here are the questions used for this report , along with responses , and its methodology .

Republicans and Democrats express sharply different preferences about their ideal communities and house sizes. And while large numbers of people in both parties say it is important to live in a community that is a good place to raise children, partisans diverge on whether it is important that a community is racially and ethnically diverse.
Nearly two-thirds of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (65%) say they would prefer to live in a community where houses are larger and farther apart, but schools, stores and restaurants are several miles away.
By contrast, a majority of Democrats and Democratic leaners (58%) would rather live in a community in which houses are smaller and closer to each other, but schools, stores and restaurants are in walking distance.
The ideological differences in community preferences are stark, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in September among 9,895 U.S. adults. Conservative Republicans are about twice as likely as liberal Democrats to prefer a community where the houses are larger and more widely spaced (71% vs. 35%). These overall patterns of opinion are little changed from 2017.
How we did this This analysis updates findings from a question we first asked in our 2014 polarization report. Since 2014, we have documented even greater levels of polarization along partisan lines in political values, which issues should be prioritized and views of the economy (to name just a few). The fact that we see such a wide political divide on this question is indicative of how deep and enduring partisan divides in the country have become – spreading to even such seemingly nonpolitical realms as the kinds of communities people say they would prefer to live in. In this post, we extend the analysis beyond what we had done previously to look at how these views differ by the kinds of communities in which people live. These community descriptions come from respondents’ self-reports (for more on why we prefer this approach, see this report). This analysis uses responses from a survey of U.S. adults who are members of Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. Recruiting our panelists by phone or mail ensures that nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. This gives us confidence that any sample can represent the whole population (see our Methods 101 explainer on random sampling). To further ensure that each survey reflects a balanced cross-section of the nation, the data is weighted to match the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Here are the questions used for this report, along with responses, and its methodology.
A majority of rural residents (69%) say they would rather live in a community with larger houses that are farther apart, while 60% of urban residents prefer communities with small houses. People who live in suburbs are more evenly divided.
The party gap in community preferences is evident even controlling for where people actually live. Among urban, suburban and rural residents, Republicans are significantly more likely than Democrats to express a preference for larger houses in more widely spaced communities.
When asked about important factors for choosing a community, Americans almost universally agree that it is important to live in a good place to raise children (90% say this is very or somewhat important).
A majority (64%) also says that it is important to live in a place that is racially and ethnically diverse.
Smaller shares say that it is important to live in communities where most other people share their political (41%) or religious (33%) values.
There is bipartisan agreement on the importance of a community being a good place to raise children; 92% of Republicans and 87% of Democrats say this is very or somewhat important.
But Democrats and Democratic leaners are nearly 30 percentage points more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to say it is important to live in a community that is racially and ethnically diverse (77% vs. 48%). And while 42% of Republicans say it is important to live in a community where most people share their religious views, fewer Democrats (25%) say the same.
Notably, there are no significant differences between Republicans and Democrats on the importance of living in a community where most people share their political views. But in both parties, those with strong ideological views are more likely than others to value living in a community where people share their views about politics.
Nearly half of conservative Republicans (47%) say it is very or somewhat important to live in a community where most people share their political views; only 27% of moderate and liberal Republicans say the same. Among Democrats, a higher share of liberals (53%) than conservatives and moderates (37%) place importance on living in a community where most share their political views.
Note: Here are the questions used for this report, along with responses, and its methodology.


bonginoreport--2020-02-18--In Defense of South Park

In Defense of South Park

Last week , the long-running and iconoclastic cartoon South Park got dragged yet again , this time for allegedly teaching `` a generation of boys…that it was always cooler to be reactionary and contrarian , and anyone who criticizes anything is 'offended ' and that 's the *real* problem . ''
A Twitter thread started by novelist , podcaster , and TV writer Dana Schwartz caught enough buzz to get trending on the micro-blogging site .
It 's worth pausing over her critique , since it reflects past attacks and , more importantly , is fundamentally wrong in its substance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a shallow `` pox on both your houses '' mentality , South Park traffics in a smart skepticism toward power in all of its manifestations and provides over two decades worth of lessons on how to be a decent , tolerant , smart , and funny human being despite living in a world that is casually brutal , disgusting , and indifferent to suffering ( watch the 2001 episode `` Scott Tenorman Must Die , '' a version of Seneca 's horrific Thyestes if you have any doubt ) .
Schwartz argues that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or perhaps a form of ideological nihilism , because she believes its core message is `` the only correct thing is to do nothing . ''
In her tweets on the topic , she admits in passing that she has n't `` been watching the show in recent seasons , '' which helps to explain why her critique is so wide of the mark .
In the early days of the show , critics were already deriding the show as `` dangerous to democracy '' and `` vile trash '' that poisoned young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fagin wrote back in 2000 for Reason , the show was `` loaded with moral content '' and taught his then-10 and 12 years old kids valuable lessons , including `` it 's good to make fun of people who believe stupid things , '' `` it 's good to make fun of hypocrisy , '' and `` things that happen in cartoons are n't real . ''
That last point was particularly important in the 1990s , when both liberals and conservatives were desperately trying to control the information explosion that came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
By representing the need for critical consumption of both expertise and information , South Park , like other shows that helped define the '90s ( think The Simpsons , Beavis and Butt-Head , and Mystery Science Theater 3000 ) helped to develop media literacy in millions of viewers .
I 'd go further still and underscore that South Park teaches at least three basic lessons in virtually every episode .
The first is that people in authority need to earn our respect rather than assume it .
The second is that cultural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both the real state of nature and can only be sustained through honest and open discussion about our differences .
The third is that personal responsibility is the key to a flourishing society and the foundation of positive communal action .
These points are summarized in this brief video from 2013 : 3 Reasons All Kids Should be FORCED to Watch South Park !
So the 19th ( ! )
season of South Park kicked off on Wednesday .
The episode nudges into instant-classic territory , managing to satirize the Patriots ' QB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zero-tolerance-crazed school officials in a way that is both sacred and profane ( but mostly the latter , thank Zog ) .
And there 's quite possibly the greatest dream sequence in TV history since Newhart 's final episode in You can watch the full South Park episode , `` Stunning and Brave , '' online for free at Southpark.cc.com.A couple of years ago , Reason TV released `` 3 Reasons All Kids Should Be FORCED to Watch South Park . ''
Spoiler alert : We were being super-cereal about that .
Really.Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2013 video that Jim Epstein and Nick Gillespie put together.One of the longest lived and most controversial TV shows of all time – South Park – is kicking off its 17th season.Despite being a cartoon , South Park was the first weekly TV show to be given an MA rating , meaning it 's intended for mature audiences .
And it 's certainly packed with foul language , off-color humor , and adult situations.But it 's also truly educational , especially for children .
So here are three reasons why all parents should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disrespect My Authoritah !
Virtually every episode points out the difference between legitimate authority and the abuse of power and scare-mongering .
Whether it 's the show 's Jew-baiting jerk Eric Cartman going nuts as a traffic cop or former Vice President Al Gore trying to scare the boys into hysteria over ManBearPig , South Park always emphasizes thinking for yourself rather than blindly following what leaders say.2 .
Respect True Diversitah !
Today 's kids are constantly force-fed hosannas to tolerance and diversity that ring hollow and false .
But even when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , South Park actually fosters a true live-and-let-live ethos that 's sadly lacking in most K-12 curricula.3 .
It Emphasizes Personal ResponsibilityAmong South Park 's core values is taking responsibility for one 's actions .
In the episode where Stan 's father develops a drinking problem and seeks supernatural intervention for a cure , it 's the child who lays out the case for self-control and accountability.The most enduring lesson of South Park is n't found in any given episode but in the entire show 's run and the careers of its creators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The show grew out of early videos , including a 1995 one that pitted Santa vs. Jesus in a fight to the death over the true meaning in Christmas.Now , almost 20 years later , Parker and Stone have created one of the greatest TV shows of all time , along with unforgettable movies such as the all-puppet action thriller Team America and the Broadway smash The Book of Mormon.They 're no uncritical fans of Walt Disney but their careers are a testament to his belief that `` If you can dream it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a way that 's virtually unmatched , Parker and Stone teach all our children that creativity and hard work – and an ability to laugh at everything life throws at you - eally do pay off in the long run.About 3 minutes .
Written by Nick Gillespie , who narrates , and produced by Jim Epstein .
Scroll below for downloadable versions and subscribe to Reason.tv 's YouTube channel to receive automatic notifications when new videos go live .
More at https : //reason.com/blog/2015/09/18/south-parks-19th-season-debuted-on-wedne At one point in her tweetstorm about South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be clear , I do n't blame the show itself as much as I do the generation of boys who internalized it into their personalities .
Which maybe is n't the show 's fault ! ''
There 's no question audiences have a mind of their own and consumers of a given text routinely ( and legitimately ) interpret that text in ways that confound its creator 's intentions .
So it 's possible that rather than create an audience that is smarter and more skeptical of information and power , South Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ douchebros who act more like Cartman rather than Stan or Kyle .
But since South Park first aired back in 1997 , the country has become vastly more tolerant toward all sorts of marginalized people and causes and no view of the show could miss what side its creators are on when it comes to out-groups ranging from immigrants to trans people to Mormons .
We may indeed be more vulgar as a society , but we 're also generally more tolerant and engaged too ( the youth vote for the 2018 midterms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Park might not deserve much or even any of the credit , but it does n't deserve any of the blame either .
Related : Read the 2006 Reason interview Jesse Walker and I conducted with Matt Stone and Trey Parker .

Last week, the long-running and iconoclastic cartoon South Park got dragged yet again, this time for allegedly teaching "a generation of boys…that it was always cooler to be reactionary and contrarian, and anyone who criticizes anything is 'offended' and that's the *real* problem." A Twitter thread started by novelist, podcaster, and TV writer Dana Schwartz caught enough buzz to get trending on the micro-blogging site. It's worth pausing over her critique, since it reflects past attacks and, more importantly, is fundamentally wrong in its substance.
Far from inculcating moral nihilism and a shallow "pox on both your houses" mentality, South Park traffics in a smart skepticism toward power in all of its manifestations and provides over two decades worth of lessons on how to be a decent, tolerant, smart, and funny human being despite living in a world that is casually brutal, disgusting, and indifferent to suffering (watch the 2001 episode "Scott Tenorman Must Die," a version of Seneca's horrific Thyestes if you have any doubt).
In retrospect, it seems impossible to overstate the cultural damage done by SOUTH PARK, the show that portrayed earnestness as the only sin and taught that mockery is the ultimate inoculation against all criticism — Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) February 13, 2020
People saying "they make fun of everyone!!!" — that is my point. South Park IS a political show, but one whose message is: both sides are equally terrible so the only correct thing to do is nothing, while mocking it all from your position of intellectual superiority. — Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) February 14, 2020
Schwartz argues that South Park traffics in moral relativism, or perhaps a form of ideological nihilism, because she believes its core message is "the only correct thing is to do nothing." In her tweets on the topic, she admits in passing that she hasn't "been watching the show in recent seasons," which helps to explain why her critique is so wide of the mark.
In the early days of the show, critics were already deriding the show as "dangerous to democracy" and "vile trash" that poisoned young viewers' minds. But as Barry Fagin wrote back in 2000 for Reason, the show was "loaded with moral content" and taught his then-10 and 12 years old kids valuable lessons, including "it's good to make fun of people who believe stupid things," "it's good to make fun of hypocrisy," and "things that happen in cartoons aren't real."
That last point was particularly important in the 1990s, when both liberals and conservatives were desperately trying to control the information explosion that came along with cable television and the internet. By representing the need for critical consumption of both expertise and information, South Park, like other shows that helped define the '90s (think The Simpsons, Beavis and Butt-Head, and Mystery Science Theater 3000) helped to develop media literacy in millions of viewers.
I'd go further still and underscore that South Park teaches at least three basic lessons in virtually every episode. The first is that people in authority need to earn our respect rather than assume it. The second is that cultural, moral, and political diversity is both the real state of nature and can only be sustained through honest and open discussion about our differences. The third is that personal responsibility is the key to a flourishing society and the foundation of positive communal action. These points are summarized in this brief video from 2013:
3 Reasons All Kids Should be FORCED to Watch South Park! So the 19th (!) season of South Park kicked off on Wednesday. The episode nudges into instant-classic territory, managing to satirize the Patriots' QB Tom Brady, Caitlyn Jenner, and zero-tolerance-crazed school officials in a way that is both sacred and profane (but mostly the latter, thank Zog). And there's quite possibly the greatest dream sequence in TV history since Newhart's final episode in You can watch the full South Park episode, "Stunning and Brave," online for free at Southpark.cc.com.A couple of years ago, Reason TV released "3 Reasons All Kids Should Be FORCED to Watch South Park." Spoiler alert: We were being super-cereal about that. Really.Here's the text, which accompanied the 2013 video that Jim Epstein and Nick Gillespie put together.One of the longest lived and most controversial TV shows of all time – South Park – is kicking off its 17th season.Despite being a cartoon, South Park was the first weekly TV show to be given an MA rating, meaning it's intended for mature audiences. And it's certainly packed with foul language, off-color humor, and adult situations.But it's also truly educational, especially for children. So here are three reasons why all parents should make their kids watch South Park.1. Disrespect My Authoritah!Virtually every episode points out the difference between legitimate authority and the abuse of power and scare-mongering. Whether it's the show's Jew-baiting jerk Eric Cartman going nuts as a traffic cop or former Vice President Al Gore trying to scare the boys into hysteria over ManBearPig, South Park always emphasizes thinking for yourself rather than blindly following what leaders say.2. Respect True Diversitah!Today's kids are constantly force-fed hosannas to tolerance and diversity that ring hollow and false. But even when it's brutally satirizing something like Mormonism, South Park actually fosters a true live-and-let-live ethos that's sadly lacking in most K-12 curricula.3. It Emphasizes Personal ResponsibilityAmong South Park's core values is taking responsibility for one's actions. In the episode where Stan's father develops a drinking problem and seeks supernatural intervention for a cure, it's the child who lays out the case for self-control and accountability.The most enduring lesson of South Park isn't found in any given episode but in the entire show's run and the careers of its creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The show grew out of early videos, including a 1995 one that pitted Santa vs. Jesus in a fight to the death over the true meaning in Christmas.Now, almost 20 years later, Parker and Stone have created one of the greatest TV shows of all time, along with unforgettable movies such as the all-puppet action thriller Team America and the Broadway smash The Book of Mormon.They're no uncritical fans of Walt Disney but their careers are a testament to his belief that "If you can dream it, you can do it."In a way that's virtually unmatched, Parker and Stone teach all our children that creativity and hard work – and an ability to laugh at everything life throws at you - eally do pay off in the long run.About 3 minutes. Written by Nick Gillespie, who narrates, and produced by Jim Epstein. Scroll below for downloadable versions and subscribe to Reason.tv's YouTube channel to receive automatic notifications when new videos go live. More at https://reason.com/blog/2015/09/18/south-parks-19th-season-debuted-on-wedne Posted by Reason Magazine on Friday, September 18, 2015
At one point in her tweetstorm about South Park, Schwartz writes, "To be clear, I don't blame the show itself as much as I do the generation of boys who internalized it into their personalities. Which maybe isn't the show's fault!" There's no question audiences have a mind of their own and consumers of a given text routinely (and legitimately) interpret that text in ways that confound its creator's intentions. So it's possible that rather than create an audience that is smarter and more skeptical of information and power, South Park has instead simply created an army of douchebros who act more like Cartman rather than Stan or Kyle. But since South Park first aired back in 1997, the country has become vastly more tolerant toward all sorts of marginalized people and causes and no view of the show could miss what side its creators are on when it comes to out-groups ranging from immigrants to trans people to Mormons. We may indeed be more vulgar as a society, but we're also generally more tolerant and engaged too (the youth vote for the 2018 midterms was the highest in decades). South Park might not deserve much or even any of the credit, but it doesn't deserve any of the blame either.
Related: Read the 2006 Reason interview Jesse Walker and I conducted with Matt Stone and Trey Parker.


bonginoreport--2020-02-18--Not Rocket Science: Evidence Proves Amnesty Results in More Illegal Immigration

Once complete entirely , the wall will put a band aid on the problem by helping slow the flow of illegal immigrants into the country , but for those already here , some GOP senators are already waiving the white flag ( or simply don ’ t care ) .
According to Conservative Review ’ s Daniel Horowitz : Two GOP staffers have informed me that Sen. Thom Tillis , along with Sens .
James Lankford ( R-Okla. ) and Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) , began working this Wednesday on an effort to get Trump ’ s support for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House last year .
Rosemary Jenks , government relations director of Numbers USA , which is opposing the bill , confirmed to me that those are the three leaders of the potential bill in the Senate .
Conservative HQ , a publication run by legendary conservative Richard Viguerie , reports that Tillis is expected to be the lead Senate sponsor and that Vice President Pence ’ s PAC is rumored to be supporting this bill .
I ’ ve heard the same from my sources in the Senate as well .
Tillis has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to my sources , has met with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue , along with several other GOP senators , to plan support for the bill .
Notably , nobody from the DHS was present at the meeting to offer the border security perspective on the bill .
On December 11 , House Democrats passed the Orwellian-named Farm Workforce Modernization Act ( H.R .
5038 ) .
In plain English , it grants amnesty to every illegal alien in this country who claims to have worked at least part-time for agriculture and creates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the future to bring in millions of low-skilled workers .
As we know from history however , amnesty isn ’ t a permanent solution .
It ’ s a “ solution ” that only begets more illegal immigration , and eventually more amnesty .
We already know what amnesty will do to rates of illegal immigration because in 1986 Congress passed ( and Ronald Reagan signed ) so-called comprehensive immigration reform ( that couldn ’ t have been all that comprehensive because politicians are still calling for the “ comprehensive reform ” today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegal immigrants that had been in the U.S. prior to 1982 .
The newly legalized immigrants were at least prevented from receiving most types of federal welfare and were eligible for citizenship after five years of lawful permanent residency .
Resulting from the amnesty , 2.7 million illegal immigrants ( of 3.2 million total ) were given lawful permanent resident status .
The overall illegal immigrant population has since ballooned to an incredible 15+ million today , or nearly five times the 1986 peak , despite eventually legalizing 84 % of illegals that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a result of the amnesty .
If we were to legalize all current illegals , we ’ d be debating another amnesty in another couple of decades .
It ’ s truly a paradox created by the Left ( and in this case , aided by some Republicans ) that guarantees the problem will never be solved .
That ’ s even visible in the case of the 1986 amnesty before it could take effect , as apprehensions on the southern border ( a proxy for illegal crossings ) increased until hitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had only been eclipsed in one year since .
In other words , illegals began rushing the border ahead of the 1986 amnesty ’ s passage , even though it would only apply to illegals who entered the country prior to 1982 .
Even they were smart enough to know our government wasn ’ t capable of enforcing the criteria they created .
Beginning in 1993 , those illegals turned “ lawful residents ” could begin applying for citizenship .
The Clinton administration launched “ Citizenship USA ” in 1995 to speed up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for illegals , and a 2000 review by the Inspector General of the Department of Justice found the program “ rife with fraud.
” One sample of 7,000 applicants found evidence of fraud in 462 , or 6.6 % of applications .
To quote the report ; “ evidence of fraud was not adequately explored and , in some instances , was completely disregarded.
” The Immigration and Naturalization Service ( INS ) also failed to provide background checks for nearly a fifth of immigrants and didn ’ t enforce the English-language requirement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegals had good moral character lasted about five minutes per applicant .
So , that was a trainwreck , and that “ only ” applied to 2.7 million illegal immigrants .
Can you imagine the disaster if they tried with fifteen million ?
Hopefully we won ’ t have to .

President Donald Trump has been making progress on funding his desired border wall, with the most recent development being nearly $4 billion diverted from the Pentagon to fund the project. Trump also recently waived 10 federal laws to expedite the construction of 177 miles of border.
Once complete entirely, the wall will put a band aid on the problem by helping slow the flow of illegal immigrants into the country, but for those already here, some GOP senators are already waiving the white flag (or simply don’t care).
According to Conservative Review’s Daniel Horowitz: Two GOP staffers have informed me that Sen. Thom Tillis, along with Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), began working this Wednesday on an effort to get Trump’s support for a mass amnesty bill that passed the House last year. Rosemary Jenks, government relations director of Numbers USA, which is opposing the bill, confirmed to me that those are the three leaders of the potential bill in the Senate. Conservative HQ, a publication run by legendary conservative Richard Viguerie, reports that Tillis is expected to be the lead Senate sponsor and that Vice President Pence’s PAC is rumored to be supporting this bill. I’ve heard the same from my sources in the Senate as well.
Tillis has already publicly praised the bill, and according to my sources, has met with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, along with several other GOP senators, to plan support for the bill. Notably, nobody from the DHS was present at the meeting to offer the border security perspective on the bill.
On December 11, House Democrats passed the Orwellian-named Farm Workforce Modernization Act (H.R. 5038). In plain English, it grants amnesty to every illegal alien in this country who claims to have worked at least part-time for agriculture and creates an unlimited agriculture guest worker program for the future to bring in millions of low-skilled workers.
As we know from history however, amnesty isn’t a permanent solution. It’s a “solution” that only begets more illegal immigration, and eventually more amnesty.
We already know what amnesty will do to rates of illegal immigration because in 1986 Congress passed (and Ronald Reagan signed) so-called comprehensive immigration reform (that couldn’t have been all that comprehensive because politicians are still calling for the “comprehensive reform” today). That reform included legalizing most illegal immigrants that had been in the U.S. prior to 1982. The newly legalized immigrants were at least prevented from receiving most types of federal welfare and were eligible for citizenship after five years of lawful permanent residency.
Resulting from the amnesty, 2.7 million illegal immigrants (of 3.2 million total) were given lawful permanent resident status. The overall illegal immigrant population has since ballooned to an incredible 15+ million today, or nearly five times the 1986 peak, despite eventually legalizing 84% of illegals that were in the country at the time as a result of the amnesty. If we were to legalize all current illegals, we’d be debating another amnesty in another couple of decades. It’s truly a paradox created by the Left (and in this case, aided by some Republicans) that guarantees the problem will never be solved.
That’s even visible in the case of the 1986 amnesty before it could take effect, as apprehensions on the southern border (a proxy for illegal crossings) increased until hitting a record high in 1986, which had only been eclipsed in one year since. In other words, illegals began rushing the border ahead of the 1986 amnesty’s passage, even though it would only apply to illegals who entered the country prior to 1982. Even they were smart enough to know our government wasn’t capable of enforcing the criteria they created.
Beginning in 1993, those illegals turned “lawful residents” could begin applying for citizenship. The Clinton administration launched “Citizenship USA” in 1995 to speed up the processing of applications for legal status for illegals, and a 2000 review by the Inspector General of the Department of Justice found the program “rife with fraud.” One sample of 7,000 applicants found evidence of fraud in 462, or 6.6% of applications. To quote the report; “evidence of fraud was not adequately explored and, in some instances, was completely disregarded.”
The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) also failed to provide background checks for nearly a fifth of immigrants and didn’t enforce the English-language requirement for citizenship. Interviews to determine whether illegals had good moral character lasted about five minutes per applicant.
So, that was a trainwreck, and that “only” applied to 2.7 million illegal immigrants. Can you imagine the disaster if they tried with fifteen million?
Hopefully we won’t have to.


bonginoreport--2020-02-19--Rod Blagojevich Thanks President Trump – “I’m a Trumpocrat”

Former Democratic Illinois Gov .
Rod Blagojevich declared himself a “ Trumpocrat ” Tuesday night hours after the president commuted his federal prison sentence .
“ He ’ s got obviously a big fan in me , ” Blagojevich told reporters at Denver International Airport .
“ And if you ’ re asking me what my party affiliation is , I ’ m a Trumpocrat , ” according to NBC News .
Blagojevich was freed from a Colorado prison earlier Tuesday after serving eight years of a 14-year sentence stemming from his conviction on corruption charges .
He was convicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in exchange for financial benefits , including trying to solicit campaign money in return for an appointment to former President Obama ’ s vacant Senate seat .
Walking through the airport as a free man Tuesday night , Blagojevich said , “ President Trump is the one who did this , and I ’ m … profoundly grateful , ” NBC News reported .
“ He didn ’ t have to do this .
He ’ s a Republican president ; I was a Democratic governor , ” Blagojevich said .
“ My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to him .
… In fact , they ’ ve been very unkind to him.
” Blagojevich , a one-time contestant on Trump ’ s former reality TV show , “ Celebrity Apprentice , ” said he learned a lot from his time in prison .
He called the criminal justice system “ broken , ” “ unfair ” and “ racist.
” Blagojevich added that he intends to hold a press conference on Wednesday .
Trump addressed reporters earlier Tuesday about his decision to free Blagojevich , calling his sentence “ ridiculous.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to go back home with his family after serving eight years in jail , ” Trump told reporters .
“ That was a tremendously powerful , ridiculous sentence , in my opinion , and in the opinion of many others .
”

Former Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich declared himself a “Trumpocrat” Tuesday night hours after the president commuted his federal prison sentence.
“He’s got obviously a big fan in me,” Blagojevich told reporters at Denver International Airport. “And if you’re asking me what my party affiliation is, I’m a Trumpocrat,” he added, according to NBC News.
Blagojevich was freed from a Colorado prison earlier Tuesday after serving eight years of a 14-year sentence stemming from his conviction on corruption charges.
He was convicted in 2011 for dishing out political favors in exchange for financial benefits, including trying to solicit campaign money in return for an appointment to the US Senate seat that Barack Obama vacated when he won the presidency.
Walking through the airport as a free man Tuesday night, Blagojevich said, “President Trump is the one who did this, and I’m … profoundly grateful,” NBC News reported.
“He didn’t have to do this. He’s a Republican president; I was a Democratic governor,” Blagojevich said.
“My fellow Democrats have not been very kind to him. … In fact, they’ve been very unkind to him.”
Blagojevich, a one-time contestant on Trump’s former reality TV show “Celebrity Apprentice,” said he learned a lot from his time in prison.
He called the criminal justice system “broken,” “unfair” and “racist.”
Blagojevich added that he intends to hold a press conference Wednesday.
Trump addressed reporters earlier Tuesday about his decision to free Blagojevich, calling his sentence “ridiculous.”
“So he’ll be able to go back home with his family after serving eight years in jail,” Trump told reporters. “That was a tremendously powerful, ridiculous sentence, in my opinion, and in the opinion of many others.”


bonginoreport--2020-02-19--Boy Scouts of America Files for Bankruptcy Amidst Sexual Abuse Allegations

• The Boy Scouts filed for bankruptcy on Tuesday following a new wave of lawsuits alleging sexual abuse .
• Founded in 1910 , the Boy Scouts have played a fundamental role in many Americans ' childhood .
• But the organization has grappled with sexual-abuse allegations in its ranks for decades .
It internally documented thousands of men suspected or known to have preyed on Scouts .
• Lawyers around the country say they have gathered hundreds of new clients who say they were abused in the Scouts , many of them decades ago .
• But a bankruptcy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could set a time limit for victims to come forward to receive compensation .
Facing a wave of lawsuits and decades-old allegations of sexual abuse , the Boy Scouts of America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Tuesday , complicating the path to justice for the thousands of former Scouts who say they were abused during their time in the storied American institution .
The organization filed just after midnight in the US Bankruptcy Court in Delaware , ending months of speculation that it would take such an action .
The filing covers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ councils .
These entities operate troops and hold about 70 % of the organization 's wealth , a Wall Street Journal analysis found .
The Boy Scouts have experienced over a decade of tumult from declining membership , the dissolution of key partnerships , controversy over their decision to allow gay and female members , and scrutiny over the extent to which child predators operated within their ranks .
The latter is perhaps the most pressing issue for the Boy Scouts .
Over the past year , lawyers across the US gathered new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were sexually abused and filed lawsuits on their behalf .
At the same time , statute-of-limitations reforms in some states allowed accusers to bring cases that had been barred , opening a legal floodgate that posed a significant threat to the Scouts .
Past lawsuits brought by abuse survivors had cost the Scouts millions .
In 2010 , a Portland , Oregon , jury awarded $ 18.5 million in punitive damages to a former Boy Scout in a landmark case .
`` The fact is that predators harmed innocent children in Scouting programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sorry , '' Jim Turley , the national chair of the Boy Scouts of America , wrote in an open letter urging survivors to come forward with claims .
In a press release issued after the filing , the Boy Scouts said they were pursuing Chapter 11 bankruptcy to `` equitably compensate victims who were harmed during their time in Scouting and continue carrying out its mission for years to come . ''
The Boy Scouts also pledged to set up a `` Victims Compensation Trust '' for accusers .
Chapter 11 bankruptcies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institutions .
Though lawyers representing accusers did not believe bankruptcy spelled the end of the Boy Scouts , the organization could suffer reputational as well as financial consequences as a result of the filing .
`` The Boy Scouts have been a cornerstone of the American identity for decades , '' said Paul Mones , who has represented Boy Scouts accusers for years and says he has `` hundreds '' of clients .
`` The question , '' he added , was , `` Will it have the same meaning after the Boy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scouts said Scouting programs and troop activities would continue during the bankruptcy .
Bankruptcy will make it harder for abuse survivors to seek justice The Boy Scouts ' decision to file for bankruptcy both clarifies and complicates the path forward for people who say they were abused .
The filing will freeze any ongoing litigation against the Scouts and most likely create a `` bar date , '' or deadline by which abuse victims could come forward to claim compensation .
The Boy Scouts are facing nearly 300 sexual-abuse lawsuits , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one of the reasons I think our clients will be angry , because it takes away a degree of control , '' the Seattle-based attorney Michael Pfau , who says he represents 300 Boy Scout abuse survivors in 40 states , told Insider .
`` The most important legal tool that the abuse survivor has is the right to a jury trial in his or her home state .
Now , not having that and the right to tell their story , I think that 's why there will be some anger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bankruptcy process will create a system for survivors to come forward and claim some form of compensation , Pfau said .
On Tuesday night , the Boy Scouts pledged to create a Victims Compensation Trust as part of their bankruptcy process .
Such a process has been used when organizations like USA Gymnastics or various dioceses of the Catholic Church filed for bankruptcy after facing their own sexual-abuse scandals .
But that compensation would most likely be lower than what would be awarded in a jury trial , said Ken Rothweiler , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called Abused in Scouting that has gathered about 1,800 clients over the past year .
One of Rothweiler 's associates , the attorney Tim Kosnoff , said last year that his group would be open to working with the Boy Scouts during a bankruptcy proceeding .
But for some victims , compensation was secondary to their ultimate goal of speaking out : getting the Boy Scouts to acknowledge that children were harmed under their care and forcing them to do something about it .
David , a former Boy Scout who is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boy Scouts as one of four plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed in New Jersey in January .
David , who asked to be identified by only his first name , said he was assaulted by an assistant scoutmaster in the 1970s , beginning at age 12 or 13 , when he was a Scout in Amarillo , Texas .
David alleges that the assistant scoutmaster once fondled him during an overnight trip , sexually abused him and other boys , and frequently behaved inappropriately with other Scouts in the troop .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scouts , if they go bankrupt , '' David told Insider .
`` Whatever it takes to stop this from happening more . ''
`` To me , the Boy Scouts , they can come and go , I do n't give a damn , '' he said .
`` I do n't care about any of the money , I just want to make sure this stops . ''
The Boy Scouts ' problem with sexual abuse has been no secret — least of all to the organization itself .
Over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , along with investigations by news outlets like the Los Angeles Times , revealed thousands of the Boy Scouts ' internal documents known as the `` ineligible-volunteer files , '' which recorded the names of Boy Scout employees and volunteers who had been accused — and , sometimes , found guilty — of assaulting children .
Critics of the Boy Scouts , such as the lawyers with Abused in Scouting , argue those records are incomplete and that thousands more children were most likely assaulted than had previously been known .
The group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not listed in the publicly available ineligible-volunteer files .
An investigator hired by the Scouts revealed in January during sworn testimony in an unrelated case that her team had identified 12,254 victims and 7,819 perpetrators in internal documents from 1946 through 2016 .
Bankruptcy has the potential to bring even more cases to light if a `` bar date '' for survivors to come forward is set .
Abused in Scouting is preparing to receive even more clients , Rothweiler said .
`` I think the bankruptcy is going to unmask the sexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen before , because we 're going to see men from all over the country come forward , '' Mones said .
`` The question is going to be , '' he continued , `` when the sexual-abuse problem of the Boy Scouts is shown in the full sunlight , will moms and dads in small towns across America make the decision , ' I do n't want my son to join ' ? ''

The Boy Scouts filed for bankruptcy on Tuesday following a new wave of lawsuits alleging sexual abuse.
Founded in 1910, the Boy Scouts have played a fundamental role in many Americans' childhood.
But the organization has grappled with sexual-abuse allegations in its ranks for decades. It internally documented thousands of men suspected or known to have preyed on Scouts.
Lawyers around the country say they have gathered hundreds of new clients who say they were abused in the Scouts, many of them decades ago.
But a bankruptcy filing would freeze all existing litigation and could set a time limit for victims to come forward to receive compensation.
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Facing a wave of lawsuits and decades-old allegations of sexual abuse, the Boy Scouts of America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Tuesday, complicating the path to justice for the thousands of former Scouts who say they were abused during their time in the storied American institution.
The organization filed just after midnight in the US Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, ending months of speculation that it would take such an action. The filing covers the national organization but excludes its local councils. These entities operate troops and hold about 70% of the organization's wealth, a Wall Street Journal analysis found.
The Boy Scouts have experienced over a decade of tumult from declining membership, the dissolution of key partnerships, controversy over their decision to allow gay and female members, and scrutiny over the extent to which child predators operated within their ranks.
The latter is perhaps the most pressing issue for the Boy Scouts. Over the past year, lawyers across the US gathered new allegations by former Scouts who say they were sexually abused and filed lawsuits on their behalf.
At the same time, statute-of-limitations reforms in some states allowed accusers to bring cases that had been barred, opening a legal floodgate that posed a significant threat to the Scouts.
Past lawsuits brought by abuse survivors had cost the Scouts millions. In 2010, a Portland, Oregon, jury awarded $18.5 million in punitive damages to a former Boy Scout in a landmark case.
"The fact is that predators harmed innocent children in Scouting programs, and for this I am deeply sorry," Jim Turley, the national chair of the Boy Scouts of America, wrote in an open letter urging survivors to come forward with claims.
In a press release issued after the filing, the Boy Scouts said they were pursuing Chapter 11 bankruptcy to "equitably compensate victims who were harmed during their time in Scouting and continue carrying out its mission for years to come." The Boy Scouts also pledged to set up a "Victims Compensation Trust" for accusers.
Chapter 11 bankruptcies are typically used to reorganize businesses or institutions. Though lawyers representing accusers did not believe bankruptcy spelled the end of the Boy Scouts, the organization could suffer reputational as well as financial consequences as a result of the filing.
"The Boy Scouts have been a cornerstone of the American identity for decades," said Paul Mones, who has represented Boy Scouts accusers for years and says he has "hundreds" of clients. "The question," he added, was, "Will it have the same meaning after the Boy Scouts file bankruptcy?"
The Boy Scouts said Scouting programs and troop activities would continue during the bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy will make it harder for abuse survivors to seek justice
The Boy Scouts' decision to file for bankruptcy both clarifies and complicates the path forward for people who say they were abused.
The filing will freeze any ongoing litigation against the Scouts and most likely create a "bar date," or deadline by which abuse victims could come forward to claim compensation. The Boy Scouts are facing nearly 300 sexual-abuse lawsuits, according to The Wall Street Journal.
"That is one of the reasons I think our clients will be angry, because it takes away a degree of control," the Seattle-based attorney Michael Pfau, who says he represents 300 Boy Scout abuse survivors in 40 states, told Insider. "The most important legal tool that the abuse survivor has is the right to a jury trial in his or her home state. Now, not having that and the right to tell their story, I think that's why there will be some anger."
At the same time, the bankruptcy process will create a system for survivors to come forward and claim some form of compensation, Pfau said. On Tuesday night, the Boy Scouts pledged to create a Victims Compensation Trust as part of their bankruptcy process.
Such a process has been used when organizations like USA Gymnastics or various dioceses of the Catholic Church filed for bankruptcy after facing their own sexual-abuse scandals.
But that compensation would most likely be lower than what would be awarded in a jury trial, said Ken Rothweiler, an attorney with a group of lawyers called Abused in Scouting that has gathered about 1,800 clients over the past year. One of Rothweiler's associates, the attorney Tim Kosnoff, said last year that his group would be open to working with the Boy Scouts during a bankruptcy proceeding.
But for some victims, compensation was secondary to their ultimate goal of speaking out: getting the Boy Scouts to acknowledge that children were harmed under their care and forcing them to do something about it.
David, a former Boy Scout who is a client of Pfau's, sued the Boy Scouts as one of four plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed in New Jersey in January. David, who asked to be identified by only his first name, said he was assaulted by an assistant scoutmaster in the 1970s, beginning at age 12 or 13, when he was a Scout in Amarillo, Texas.
David alleges that the assistant scoutmaster once fondled him during an overnight trip, sexually abused him and other boys, and frequently behaved inappropriately with other Scouts in the troop.
"I don't really care about the Boy Scouts, if they go bankrupt," David told Insider. "Whatever it takes to stop this from happening more."
"To me, the Boy Scouts, they can come and go, I don't give a damn," he said. "I don't care about any of the money, I just want to make sure this stops."
A long history of abuse allegations
The Boy Scouts' problem with sexual abuse has been no secret — least of all to the organization itself. Over the past decade, lawsuits brought by victims, along with investigations by news outlets like the Los Angeles Times, revealed thousands of the Boy Scouts' internal documents known as the "ineligible-volunteer files," which recorded the names of Boy Scout employees and volunteers who had been accused — and, sometimes, found guilty — of assaulting children.
Critics of the Boy Scouts, such as the lawyers with Abused in Scouting, argue those records are incomplete and that thousands more children were most likely assaulted than had previously been known. The group has uncovered hundreds of suspects who were not listed in the publicly available ineligible-volunteer files.
An investigator hired by the Scouts revealed in January during sworn testimony in an unrelated case that her team had identified 12,254 victims and 7,819 perpetrators in internal documents from 1946 through 2016.
Bankruptcy has the potential to bring even more cases to light if a "bar date" for survivors to come forward is set. Abused in Scouting is preparing to receive even more clients, Rothweiler said.
"I think the bankruptcy is going to unmask the sexual abuse issue in ways we've never seen before, because we're going to see men from all over the country come forward," Mones said.
"The question is going to be," he continued, "when the sexual-abuse problem of the Boy Scouts is shown in the full sunlight, will moms and dads in small towns across America make the decision, 'I don't want my son to join'?"