Ben Carson: Bungling Surgeon

Sure, for every example of guns saving Jews, there are examples of people saving Jews without guns.

 

I'm not sure what arguments there are to top, as I've never heard Carson talk about economic or foreign policy issues in any real detail or manner that exhibits depth of understanding. And some of the shit he chooses to talk about instead is just completely off the wall. Everything I know about his positions can be summarized very briefly--gays bad, guns good, Obama bad, Jesus good--hard to counterargue a one word answer.

I get his superficial appeal based upon his backstory--poor black kid becomes acclaimed neurosurgeon is a compelling story--but, jeez, people, look beyond the superficial, there're virtually no similarities between the knowledge and skill set needed by a surgeon and president.

It's just dumbfounding that a year out from the election this guy and Trump remain the GOP frontrunners. Makes you wonder if today's Republican voters realize the best criteria for choosing the next president is not "which one would make the most entertaining reality show character..."

 

Do you have some examples of this Baron?

I know I can show you examples of Dems accusing Republicans of a lack of Patriotism. Let's see if you can back up your claim.

 

I know. He's outpolling both Bush and Rubio in their own home state. Not by much, but still...

The only answer for this is that a whole bunch of pollsters have him in some fantasy Republican primary game and they'll be darned if they're going to lose.

 

I believe under Saddam a large percentage of Iraqis possessed guns.

 

A whole list here:

Republican attacks on dissent since 9/11 - Brendan Nyhan

A recent example by Rudy Giuliani

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani questions President Barack Obama's patriotism

Zell Miller,"Our nation is being torn apart and made weaker."

Opposing Bush becomes unpatriotic.

The Brookings Institute certainly thought so:


Rally 'Round the Flag: Opinion in the United States before and after the Iraq War

And my personal favorite, Tom DeLay, who actually said, "yes, I am questioning their patriotism:


PrawfsBlawg: Questioning Their Patriotism

Is that good enough for you? And kindly note, that, except for the Guiliani one, the criticisms were during the the Bush administration. So I would expect that most of your examples will also be of that era.

 

This. I don't understand why he is considered brilliant, unlees he is brilliant at dumbing down stuff so it sounds enticing to potential voters.

I heard him interviewed on NPR's Marketplace and he kept saying fixing the government debt problem was easy. That he'd just have every department cut 3-4 percent and get rid of a whole lot of government workers.

When pressed, he just kep repeating there is a lot of fat.

If it was that easy, wouldn't some Republican, at least, have done that before?

Trump is the same way, BTW. Putin a problem? No worries, we'll get along, down a few vodka and he'll listen to me.

Crazy.

 

Political discourse does seem to have softened under Obama, Baron.

 

Both parties play the demonization over ideas card. The Democrats play it just as hard or harder than the Republicans.

Outrage is an epidemic these days.

 

It's still astonishing to me that NOBODY in the MSM has held Carson's feet to the fire over the virulent (and apocalyptic) anti-Catholic doctrine of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, of which Carson professes to be a 'devout' adherent -- because the instant they do, about 1/3 of the right-wing's nutbag base, i.e., hardcore righty Catholics -- instantly drops him like a scorching-hot potato.

Yet it seems to be a topic no one dares speak of.

 

There are plenty of "hard-core lefty" Catholics who vote for pro-abortion candidates. I think your analysis might be a little simplistic and ignorant, Starman. Religion and politics make strange bedfellows in the 21st century.

 

In this respect, Carson reminds me of a newspaper executive.