As for politics, he said, “I would like to have a voice.”
March 21, 2013 8:33 AM Subscribe
This post was deleted for the following reason: Early electionfilter, "let's all hate on someone who might not even be a candidate" posts not really so great for MetaFilter. -- jessamyn
Got anything else on his positions? Anything substantive? This is just laurels and candy fluff at the NYT.
posted by carsonb at 8:40 AM on March 21, 2013
posted by carsonb at 8:40 AM on March 21, 2013
As with so many questions posed by headlines, the answer is, of course, "No."
Yes, a black neurosurgeon who was born into poverty is, potentially, a great asset to a political party that's has problems with blacks and a perception that it's hostile to the poor. If I was a GOP operator in Maryland I could see myself looking into him as a candidate for, say, state legislature, or as a serious challenge to a weak Democratic congressperson. But you just don't go straight to the White House; even Barack Obama worked his way up a ladder, albeit very rapidly, and made a ton of connections and built support along the way.
"This guy might have a future in the GOP" is a totally legitimate position to take. "This guy might be a 2016 Presidential candidate" is absolute absurd rubbish that should be beneath a serious newspaper's standards.
posted by Tomorrowful at 8:42 AM on March 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
Yes, a black neurosurgeon who was born into poverty is, potentially, a great asset to a political party that's has problems with blacks and a perception that it's hostile to the poor. If I was a GOP operator in Maryland I could see myself looking into him as a candidate for, say, state legislature, or as a serious challenge to a weak Democratic congressperson. But you just don't go straight to the White House; even Barack Obama worked his way up a ladder, albeit very rapidly, and made a ton of connections and built support along the way.
"This guy might have a future in the GOP" is a totally legitimate position to take. "This guy might be a 2016 Presidential candidate" is absolute absurd rubbish that should be beneath a serious newspaper's standards.
posted by Tomorrowful at 8:42 AM on March 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
I can't speak to his character or politics, but, having worked for the publisher, I can tell you his book is typical bullshit schlock.
posted by mean cheez at 8:42 AM on March 21, 2013
posted by mean cheez at 8:42 AM on March 21, 2013
Yes, GOP, the black doctor is the panacea for all of your failed policy initiatives.
posted by haley_joel_osteen at 8:43 AM on March 21, 2013
posted by haley_joel_osteen at 8:43 AM on March 21, 2013
Is Dr. Benjamin Carson, pediatric neurosurgeon, the GOP's new hope in retaking the White House?
Dr. Carson also advocates an alternative to the Affordable Care Act. Most people could pay most of their medical bills through health savings accounts, he said in his office. He would eliminate Medicaid and Medicare, and for the poor, government would make the contributions to their health accounts.
Please proceed, Doctor Carson.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 8:43 AM on March 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
Dr. Carson also advocates an alternative to the Affordable Care Act. Most people could pay most of their medical bills through health savings accounts, he said in his office. He would eliminate Medicaid and Medicare, and for the poor, government would make the contributions to their health accounts.
Please proceed, Doctor Carson.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 8:43 AM on March 21, 2013 [3 favorites]
Most people could pay most of their medical bills through health savings accounts, he said in his office.
This is a great big "I'm a shitbag who has no idea what things actually cost because I've forgotten about not being able to pay cash for everything" red flag. Health savings accounts are really nice for the small number of people who can actually pay cash for the ludicrously overpriced American healthcare services. They're completely worthless for the other 95+% of us.
posted by Pope Guilty at 8:44 AM on March 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
This is a great big "I'm a shitbag who has no idea what things actually cost because I've forgotten about not being able to pay cash for everything" red flag. Health savings accounts are really nice for the small number of people who can actually pay cash for the ludicrously overpriced American healthcare services. They're completely worthless for the other 95+% of us.
posted by Pope Guilty at 8:44 AM on March 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
“I think it speaks to the vacuum not just in the Republican Party but in politics,” Alex Castellanos, a Republican consultant, said of Dr. Carson’s appeal. “Anybody who is serious and thoughtful and an antipolitician is the opposite of the mess we’ve got now.
So is it just me or is it a little weird for a political consultant to cop to this in public? Especially about his own party?
posted by ook at 8:47 AM on March 21, 2013
So is it just me or is it a little weird for a political consultant to cop to this in public? Especially about his own party?
posted by ook at 8:47 AM on March 21, 2013
Whenever I see a black republican, I am reminded of Django's "house negro" speech.
posted by CautionToTheWind at 8:47 AM on March 21, 2013
posted by CautionToTheWind at 8:47 AM on March 21, 2013
His proposed Health Savings Account program should also come with one euthanasia voucher; useful for when you realize that you're totally and completely fucked!
posted by jph at 8:48 AM on March 21, 2013
posted by jph at 8:48 AM on March 21, 2013
Carson stated he doesn't believe in evolution: "I don't believe in evolution...evolution says that because there are these similarities, even though we can't specifically connect them, it proves that this is what happened."
facepalm.jpg
posted by wikipedia brown boy detective at 8:48 AM on March 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
facepalm.jpg
posted by wikipedia brown boy detective at 8:48 AM on March 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
I'm having trouble pinpointing which flavor of assholery of which he smells the most. From what I can see, you've got: rich physician who thinks the main trouble with the health care system is that more people don't pay cash; one percenter who favors a flat tax; African-American who started liberal but decided racism wasn't a problem once he was rich; terrible writer of schlock inspirational books; pompous twit who seems ready to run for president without so much as a term on the school board because he gave one speech that went over well.
That's a lot to choose from. Did I miss anything?
On preview: ah yes... evolution denier.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:52 AM on March 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
That's a lot to choose from. Did I miss anything?
On preview: ah yes... evolution denier.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:52 AM on March 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
Ben Carson CPAC Speech Leaves Door Open To Presidential Run
posted by zombieflanders at 8:53 AM on March 21, 2013
He said the Affordable Care Act should either be defunded or drastically changed. He also challenged the philosophy of social welfare in government, saying the rich have always been philanthropic and that people are not going hungry on the streets -- they're always taken care of, he said.He also apparently doesn't support gay marriage or evolution and likes Paul Ryan's budget. Which, as we all know, brought us President Romney.
posted by zombieflanders at 8:53 AM on March 21, 2013
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