Ben Carson presidential campaign, 2016
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 Ben Carson |
Retired Pediatric Neurosurgeon |
 Republican candidate: |
2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
- See also: Ben Carson
Ben Carson was a Republican candidate for the office of President of the United States in 2016. He suspended his campaign on March 4, 2016.[2] Carson, a retired pediatric neurosurgeon, gained popularity with conservatives after his speech at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast, where he expressed his dissatisfaction with President Barack Obama's policies and the direction of the country.[3]
At age 33, Carson became the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University, making him the youngest major division director in the hospital's history.[4] He was also a professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery and pediatric medicine.[5]
On May 3, 2015, Carson announced his bid for the presidency, a day before his scheduled campaign kickoff in Detroit, Michigan. "I’m willing to be a part of the equation, and, therefore, I’m announcing my candidacy for president of the United States," Carson said in an interview with Sinclair Broadcasting.[6]
Carson announced that he had formed a presidential exploratory committee on March 3, 2015. He said, "I very much need and look forward to your feedback and help. All of us are frustrated with the way Washington has let us down. The career politicians simply don't understand the disappointment, anger and pain in real America. As they cater to the special interests first, they don't even seem to care about how failed policies actually affect us, the people of the United States. I think it's time for us to show them how much we do care about the job they are doing. ...If I believe that I have your support and your commitment to help, I will run for president to lead this great country to a brighter future."[7] Only three previous presidents had held no prior political office: Zachary Taylor, Ulysses S. Grant, and Dwight Eisenhower.[8]
On March 2, 2016, a day after Carson failed to win any states in the Super Tuesday Republican primary contests, his campaign released a statement saying it could "not see a political path forward in light of last evening's Super Tuesday primary results." Carson stated his intentions not to attend the eleventh Republican debate on March 3, 2016, and said he planned to make an announcement about his political future on March 4, 2016.[9] On March 4, 2016, he announced the suspension of his campaign. Carson stated, "Even though I might be leaving the campaign trail, you know there’s a lot of people who love me, they just won’t vote for me. But I will still continue to be heavily involved in trying to save our nation."[2][10]
In 2016 candidate rankings, Crowdpac ranked Carson as a 7.5C (C being conservative) on a scale ranging from 10L to 10C, which made him the fourth most conservative Republican presidential candidate.[11] Carson received a grade of a "B-/82" from the Leadership Project for America PAC.[12]
On the issues
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| Quick facts about Carson |
|---|
| Birthday: September 18, 1951 |
| Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan |
| Alma maters: Yale University
University of Michigan Medical School |
| Career: Pediatric neurosurgeon, Johns Hopkins Hospital (29 years) |
| Spouse: Candy Carson |
| Children: Murray, Benjamin Jr. and Rhoeyce |
| Religion: Seventh-day Adventist |
| Public policy in the 2016 election |
|---|
| Budgets and Taxes Education Common Core Student debt Energy Clean Power Plan Fracking Environment Climate change Healthcare Medicaid and Medicare Obamacare Redistricting Voting Rights Act Voter ID |
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| Hover over the words for information about the issue and links to related articles. |
Economic and fiscal
Taxes
- In an op-ed in the Detroit Free Press on February 20, 2016, Carson said one of his first acts as president would be to “enact a six-month tax hiatus whereby U.S. corporations with profits parked overseas would be given the opportunity to bring it back to the U.S. at no penalty.”[15]
- During the sixth Republican presidential primary debate, on January 14, 2016, Ben Carson touted his tax proposal. He said. “Well, I would suggest a fair tax system, and that's what we have proposed. A flat tax for everybody -- no exemptions, no deductions, no shelters, because some people have a better capability of taking advantage of those than others. You know, and then the other thing we have to do is stop spending so much money. You know, I -- my -- my mother taught me this. You know, she only had a third-grade education, but -- you know, she knew how to stretch a dollar. I mean, she would drive a car until it wouldn't make a sound, and then gather up all her coins and buy a new car. In fact, if my mother were secretary of treasury, we would not be in a deficit situation. But... you know, the -- the -- the fact of the matter is -- you know, if we fix the taxation system, make it absolutely fair, and get rid of the incredible regulations -- because every regulation is a tax, it's a -- on goods and services. And it's the most regressive tax there is. You know, when you go into the store and buy a box of laundry detergent, and the price has up -- you know, 50 cents because of regulations, a poor person notices that. A rich person does not. Middle class may notice it when they get to the cash register. And everything is costing more money, and we are killing our -- our -- our people like this. And Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton will say it's those evil rich people. It's not the evil rich people. It's the evil government that is -- that is putting all these regulations on us so that we can't survive.”[16]
- During an anti-poverty forum on January 9, 2016, Carson said he opposed the earned income tax credit, calling the tax break, designed to help the poor, a “manipulation of the tax system.” He said, “I think we need to make the income tax system very simple and extremely fair and stop having all these different variations, because what those things do is they create bureaucracies and the need for this agency and this agency, and it just feeds the system.”[17]
- Carson's flat-tax plan was designed to reduce federal revenue by $5.6 trillion over the next 10 years, assuming no economic growth and by $2.5 trillion under assumptions that factor in growth, according to an analysis released January 6, 2016, by the Tax Foundation, a group that supports lower tax rates. The analysis said that without accounting for economic growth, Carson's plan would have increased taxes on all income groups other than the top 10 percent. After accounting for economic growth, all taxpayers would have seen in an increase in their after-tax incomes in the long run, though higher-income taxpayers would have seen the greatest increase.[18] [19]
Banking policy
- When asked at the fourth Republican primary debate in November 2015 if he supported breaking up large banks to avoid a financial crash, Ben Carson responded, "I would have policies that wouldn't allow that to occur. I don't want to go in and tear anybody down. I mean, that doesn't help us. But what does help us is stop tinkering around the edges and fix the actual problems that exist that are creating the problem in the first place."[20]
- In an op-ed for The Washington Times in July 2015, Carson called the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau "the ultimate example of regulatory overreach, a nanny state mechanism asserting its control over everyday Americans that they did not want, did not ask for and do not need." He argued that "the cost of compliance with one-size-fits-all regulations from CFPB and other regulators is now the number one threat to community banks" and pledged to "rein in" the agency if elected president.[21]
- Carson said in January 2015 that the financial crisis in 2008 could be partially attributed to deregulation in the 1990s. He said in an interview published by Forbes, "For some reason, in the 1990s, our government decided that investment bankers and others like them were more saintly and could now be trusted. Therefore, they largely minimized the effect of Glass-Steagall type regulations. It took about 20 years for the greed to have a devastating impact on our society, but it certainly should not have been unexpected. We do need appropriate regulation but not knee-jerk overreaction as we have seen in recent years."[22]
- In October 2014, Carson said he was "pretty disgusted" with the behavior of corporate executives preceding the financial crisis in 2008. "The greed – I was shocked that this was unpursued by the attorney general. I don't have any problem with people having lots of money, but I think it needs to be made legitimately and not off the backs of good people. ... People would just sit around pushing papers around while the masses are struggling to put food on the table involved in the same organization, I just think that that's wrong," Carson said.[23]
- In his 2014 book, One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America's Future, Carson praised the Glass-Steagall Act. He wrote, "The stock market crash of 1929 exacted a severe toll on the people of our nation and our legislators realized, in hindsight, that some of our banking and investment policies had contributed to the crash. Several laws were crafted, including the Glass-Steagall Act, which separated commercial and investment banking activities. Sixty to seventy years later we forgot about many of the horrors of those difficult financial times as well as the reasons why we imposed appropriate regulation on speculative financial activity involving private resources."[24]
Government regulations
- During the ninth Republican presidential primary debate on February 13, 2016, Ben Carson voiced his concerns with government regulations: “We've got all these government regulators, and all they're doing is running around looking for people to fine. And, we've got 645 different federal agencies, and sub-agencies. Way, way too many, and they don't have anything else to do. I think what we really need to do is start trimming the regulatory agencies rather than going after the people who are trying to increase the viability, economic viability of our society. Now, that doesn't mean there aren't some people out there who are doing bad things. But, I'm not sure that the way to solve that problem is by increasing all the regulatory burden. You know, when you consider how much regulations cost us each year, you know? $2 trillion dollars per family, $24,000 per family, that happens to be the same level as the poverty level… For a family of four. If you want to get rid of poverty, get rid of all the regulations.”[25]
- Asked about prescription drug prices at the third Republican debate, held on October 28, 2015, Ben Carson said that the issue is one of intrusive government regulations. Carson said, "What we have to start thinking about, as leaders, particularly in government, is what can we do for the average American? And you think about the reasons that we're having such difficulty right now with our job market. Well, the average small manufacturer, whatever they're manufacturing, drugs or anything, if they have less than 50 employees, the average cost in terms of regulations is $34,000 per employee. Makes it a whole lot easier for them to want to go somewhere else. So what we're going to have to start doing instead of, you know, picking on this group or this group, is we're going to have to have a major reduction in the regulatory influence that is going on. The government is not supposed to be in every part of our lives, and that is what is causing the problem.[26]
- On July 28, 2015, Carson wrote an op-ed in The Washington Times contending the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is “the ultimate example of regulatory overreach, a nanny state mechanism asserting its control over everyday Americans that they did not want, did not ask for and do not need.” Carson suggested the CFPB has wasted money building an unnecessarily expensive headquarters and creating solutions to problems that do not exist, ultimately hurting consumer choice.[27]
- In an op-ed which appeared in The Washington Times on April 8, 2014, Carson wrote, "Currently, there are two major visions for America. Liberals envision an overarching central government that controls all the resources and ensures ‘equitable’ redistribution in a way that prevents anyone from suffering hardship, regardless of their lifestyle and life choices. The conservative vision emphasizes personal responsibility and a governmental role confined by the U.S. Constitution. This is the vision that was embraced by our Founders. ...By encircling businesses, educational institutions and health care enterprises with massive regulatory shackles, the government will eventually be able to shut down virtually any entity that refuses to cooperate with its mandates."[28]
- When writing about capitalism in 2014, Carson said, "As in any situation that involves human beings, there will be some abuses, but generally speaking, this kind of system works by incentivizing individuals to do the things necessary to enhance their value in the marketplace."[29]
Budgets
- Ben Carson discussed how he would reduce the federal budget while campaigning in Iowa on January 24, 2016. The Des Moines Register reported, “If elected, Carson said he would meet with the head of each government agency and tell them to cut their budget by two to three percent in a way the public would not feel a difference, or they would hand in a letter of resignation.”[30]
- Carson wrote an op-ed on January 3, 2016, for The Washington Times decrying the national debt as the most significant security threat facing the U.S. Carson wrote, “In the past, the debt ceiling drama in Washington has been a game, with the president demanding a hike in the debt ceiling and Congress demanding future spending cuts in return. Things will be different under a Carson administration. There will be no more business as usual in Washington. I will make clear that I will not raise the debt limit unless Congress commits to a viable legislative program with defined action items for budget reform that puts this country on a path of long-term fiscal discipline.”[31]
- In an October 27, 2015, interview with The Hill, Carson said he would not sign any budget deal that raised the debt ceiling if he was elected president. Carson expressed frustration that Congress was waiting until the debt limit approached to negotiate budget deals. “If I’m elected, in January of 2017, we will begin to address the budget immediately,” Carson said. “We’re not going to wait until October or November to do it, when we’re backed against the wall. And I will make it very, very clear that there will not be any budget signed that increases our debt ceiling. It will have to be done.”[32]
- Club for Growth, a conservative advocacy organization promoting free market principles, published a white paper on Carson on October 22, 2015. The organization stated that “the sum of Carson’s positions on matters of economic liberty raises considerable concern. At times, he seems to allow socialism and free market capitalism to stand on parallel planes. At other points he seems to show lack of understanding about how free markets operate. This philosophical fuzzy-mindedness becomes apparent in Carson’s own political preferences. As recently as last year, Carson said of himself: ‘I have been a Democrat, I mean quite a flaming liberal Democrat, and I have been a Republican, quite a very conservative Republican. And now I’m an Independent. I have voted for people in all different parties.’”[33]
Agricultural subsidies
- During the seventh Republican presidential primary debate on January 28, 2016, Ben Carson talked about the mandatory ethanol standard and the role of government: “Well, as anyone knows who's been listening to me, you know? I'm very much against the government being involved in every aspect of our lives, you know? We last year there was an additional 81,000 pages of government regulations. If you stack that up it would be a three-story building. This is absolutely absurd. And, they've insinuated themselves into everything. Now, as far as the renewable fuel standard is concerned, certain promises were made, certain government contracts were issued which extend all the way into the year 2022, and I believe that it's probably unfair to withdraw the rug because people have invested money. People have invested a lot of energy into that. But, you know, we are blessed with tremendous energy in this nation, and we need to be talking for new sources of energy. Seventy percent of our population lives bi-coastally [sic]. What about hydroelectric power? We can develop that, you know? We have so much natural gas now, and we can liquify it, and we can transfer it across the sea so we can make Europe dependent on us instead of Putin -- put him back in his little box where he belongs. And we can get a lot of them out if we get the government out of our lives.”[34]
- At the third Republican primary debate, on October 28, 2015, Carson said he changed his mind about ending oil subsidies and using that money to build new ethanol blending pumps. He said, "I was wrong about taking the oil subsidy. I have studied that issue in great detail and what I’ve concluded, the best policy is to get rid of all government subsidies and get the government out of our lives and let people rise and fall based on how good they are. And you know all of this 'too big to fail' stuff and picking and choosing winners and losers, this is a bunch of crap. And it is really causing a great deal of problems for our society right now.”[35]
- After speaking at the The Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 16, 2015, Carson said he would phase out agricultural subsidies in 10 years. He said that the decade was needed to make the transition. "Particularly when you're talking about renewable fuel standards and things, there are a lot of promises that have been made that really extend all the way out to 2022, and people have made plans based on those kind of things," Carson said. "You can't just pull out the rug out from under people."[36] [37]
- On May 5, 2015, The Des Moines Register reported that Carson said he wanted to end subsidies for oil companies and funnel that money to build new ethanol blending stations. He said "I would probably be in favor of taking that $4 billion a year we spend on oil subsidies and using that in new fueling stations" for 30 percent ethanol blends. He said the result would be access to fuel that is 50 to 80 cents a gallon cheaper than regular gasoline and better for the environment without an ongoing cost for taxpayers.[38]
Federal assistance programs
- Ben Carson released his healthcare reform policy on December 9, 2015. The core of Carson’s platform was the combination of tax-protected “health empowerment accounts” and high-deductible health insurance plans. Additionally, Carson’s plan supported transferable plans across state lines and family members, a fixed contribution for Medicare beneficiaries to select the insurance plan of their choice, and the gradual increase of the eligibility age for Medicare to 70. Carson's plan also called for overhauling Medicaid, the joint federal-state health program for the poor, giving users private insurance options, which would be funded through state-run Medicaid programs, and seed funds for their own health empowerment accounts.[39] [40]
- In an op-ed which appeared in The Washington Times on January 28, 2014, Carson wrote, "As a child, I was eyewitness to people who preferred a sedentary, nonproductive life as long as they could collect public assistance. Others, including my mother, from the exact same environment, worked incessantly to try to improve their own lives and those of their children. My mother worked as a domestic in the homes of wealthy people who were very generous to her since she was dependable, honest and hard-working. They also learned about my brother and me, since my mother would share our stellar report cards with them once we had conquered our academic doldrums. As a result, these very successful people would send us significant monetary incentives to keep up the good work."[29]
- During an interview with Politico in April 2014, Carson said, "We take the downtrodden in our society and we pat them on the head. We say 'There, there, you poor little thing. I’m gonna give you health care. I’m gonna give you housing subsidies, I’m gonna give you food stamps. You don’t have to worry about anything.' What that has done is create generation upon generation of people who just live that way, waiting for government handouts."[41]
- In April 2014 Carson said, "By turning over control of the most important thing you have, your health, to the government and to bureaucrats, you have fundamentally changed the power structure of this nation. If you just go back and read the neo-Marxists, you’ll see why getting control of health care was so important to them; it was the only way to make a population dependent."[41]
Labor and employment
- At the fourth Republican primary debate on November 10, 2015, Ben Carson said he opposed raising the minimum wage. He said, "Every time we raise the minimum wage, the number of jobless people increases. It's particularly a problem in the black community. Only 19.8 percent of black teenagers have a job, who are looking for one. You know, that -- and that's because of those high wages. If you lower those wages, that comes down. … I would not raise it [minimum wage]. I would not raise it, specifically because I'm interested in making sure that people are able to enter the job market and take advantage of opportunities."[42]
- In the September 2015 GOP debate, Carson suggested having two minimum wages, “a starter, and a sustaining because how are young people ever going to get a job if you have such a high minimum wage that it makes it impractical to hire them.”[43]
- In an op-ed which appeared in The Washington Times on January 28, 2014, Carson wrote, "Corporations and businesses need to concentrate on mutually beneficial apprenticeships and internships for potential workers in their cities. Courses in basic finance and work ethics should be offered in places where such knowledge would not be redundant."[29]
Foreign affairs
Iran nuclear deal
- On July 14, 2015, Ben Carson criticized the terms of the newly announced Iran nuclear deal. Carson said, "Without anywhere anytime surprise inspections, a full accounting of Iran’s past secret nuclear arms pursuits, elimination of Iran’s uranium stockpiles and the lifting of any sanctions only upon verification of Iranian compliance, this is not a good deal, but a recipe for disaster and the first fateful step toward a frenzied nuclear arms race in the Middle East."[44]
- On April 2, 2015, Carson posted the following statement on the Iran nuclear deal to his Facebook page: "After months of what President Obama deems 'tough, principled diplomacy', the United States has still solely achieved a 'framework for a deal' whose key details will be finalized over the next three months. Over the past few months of negotiations, it is the Iranian side which has achieved the most after all of the talks. Only a framework for a future potential deal has been achieved, while the Iranians have simultaneously increased their capability to enrich uranium. When negotiations resume, Iran will then insist on restarting the negotiations at a beginning stage with limited progress, if any. While Iran's installed centrifuges will be reduced from 19,000 to 6,000, it is unclear why certain provisions differ in terms of an expiration date, ranging from 10 years, 15 years, 25 years and 'indefinitely'. It is already clear that both sides differ in their interpretation of the 'framework for a deal'. Zarif has already stated that Fordow is not included in the framework. This is crucial, as Fordow maintains the best centrifuges. Sunset provisions on restrictions are misleading and are not indicative of a 'good deal', as coined by our leader. Let us hope that both Houses of Congress play a key role in the coming months regarding finalized decisions at the negotiating table. Reaching a deal that involves unfettered inspections, transparent communication, and safeguards the United States, Israel and the rest of our allies is absolutely critical. The main conclusion from these recent months of negotiations is that the Iranians are superior negotiators."[45]
Military preparedness and budget
- At the eighth Republican presidential primary debate on February 6, 2016, Ben Carson talked about veterans: "[There is a] 14 percent decrease in the number of people applying for voluntary military service, and I think part of it is because of the way that we treat our veterans. You know, we wouldn't be a free country if it wasn't for them, and we have 22 veterans per day committing suicide. So, I think what we should do is have an external support system for people once they volunteer and it should follow them throughout their career, should follow them for three years, five years afterwards, a year before they get out, should be working on integrating them back into society, so that they quit on Friday and they start their new job. They should have health empowerment accounts that are subsidized so they can go to any medical facility and be taken care of. They can go to a V.A. if they want to. But if we start taking care of our veterans the right way, we won't have to ever worry about a draft again."[46]
- Carson called for reform of the veterans healthcare system in an op-ed for USA Today on September 14, 2015. He recommended offering veterans more choice and portability through health savings accounts, improving response time, making specialized treatment accessible and providing better transition services for veterans returning to civilian life.[47]
- In an interview on The Dave Ramsey Show on August 26, 2015, Carson said the Department of Veterans Affairs should be integrated into the Department of Defense. He added, “When a person applies for the military, they should be in a support system immediately from day one. Particularly when they go through combat because that is when all the trauma is occurring. And we should have people in place a year before their time of discharge to be working on their integration back into society. There shouldn’t be a period of unemployment when they come out of the military. And they should have a health savings account which allows them to go to any medical facility in the country and we should be delighted to take care of them. And we should use our VA facilities for specialized care for traumatic brain injury, limb replacements, and research."[48]
- Carson explained that as a member of ROTC he "gained great respect for the military and its role in procuring and maintaining our freedom. I also gained great appreciation for firearms, as well as an understanding of how they can be used for great good or great harm."[49]
National security
- At the eighth Republican presidential primary debate on February 6, 2016, Ben Carson discussed his support for renewed airstrikes in Libya: "I would support the possibility of renewed airstrikes if in conjunction with our Joint Chiefs and our military people they felt that was an appropriate strategy. The fact of the matter is none of us up here is a military expert, and we sometimes act like we are, but we're not. And if we actually sit down and talk with them and get them to understand our plan and their impression of what needs to be done, I think we're going to make a lot more progress."[50]
- On January 25, 2016, Carson wrote an op-ed in The Des Moines Register outlining his philosophy on foreign policy and national security, which included building up the military; rebuilding existing alliances and forging new partnerships with countries committed to peace, stability and freedom; pursuing diplomacy through strength; and modernizing America’s national security establishment by streamlining agencies. He wrote that “we must identify the threat of radical Islam by name and declare war on the Islamic State, counter Russian aggression through sanctions and lethal assistance to Ukraine and oppose Chinese adventurism through regional economic and military cooperation. A Carson administration will employ armed diplomacy, not unilateral disarmament.”[51]
- Carson released his cybersecurity plan on January 25, 2016. A keystone of his plan was the creation of the National Cyber Security Administration (NCSA), “a consolidation and unification of the countless and often redundant programs, initiatives and offices which operate disjointedly throughout the government.”[52]
- On December 15, 2015, Carson called on the State Department to investigate the Council on American-Islamic Relations for possibly supporting terrorists. He wrote, “The Department of State should designate the Muslim Brotherhood and other organizations that propagate or support Islamic terrorism as terrorist organizations, and fully investigate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood and a supporter of terrorism.” The Washington Times reported on December 16, 2015, that "Mr. Carson and CAIR have had a tumultuous relationship in recent months. The advocacy group called Mr. Carson’s view on Muslims reprehensible after he said in an interview with NBC that a Muslim should not be president."[53]
International relations
- Ben Carson announced on December 7, 2015, that he would take a week-long trip to Nigeria, Kenya and Zambia at the end of December 2015. “I want to get an ideal from the people what the effects of Boko Haram are, what people are thinking, to see what the economic situation is there, and also there’s a medical school there named after me which I want to visit,” Carson said of his planned trip to Nigeria. He also said that he intends to visit Israel before the Iowa caucuses in February 2015.
- When asked about the “wet-foot, dry-foot policy” and Cuban Adjustment Act, which gives Cubans special immigration status, Carson said he was not familiar with either, in an interview with the Miami Herald on November 4, 2015. “I have to admit that I don’t know a great deal about that, and I don’t really like to comment until I’ve had a chance to study the issue from both sides,” he said.[54]
- In an interview with NPR on September 12, 2015, Carson emphasized the importance of using a sophisticated screening mechanism when accepting Syrian refugees. “We have to recognize that this is a splendid opportunity for the global jihadists to infiltrate those numbers with members of their own organization. So we would have to have in place a very excellent screening mechanism. Until we had such a mechanism in place, we should not be bringing anybody in,” said Carson.[55]
- Carson criticized Barack Obama’s foreign policy in a July 2014 op-ed. He wrote, "While Mr. Obama’s foreign-policy adventures have waxed and waned in the eyes of the American public, his indecisiveness in places such as Iraq and Syria has presented an image of weakness on the global stage."[56]
ISIS and terrorism
- Ben Carson wrote an op-ed for the Fox News.com website arguing that it was necessary for the U.S. to declare war on ISIS. He pointed to the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR) as an example of an organization using “social ‘lawfare’ tactics designed to silence criticism and advance the goal of imposing sharia” in the U.S[57]
- During the sixth Republican presidential primary debate, on January 14, 2016, Carson discussed his ideas for defeating Islamic State: “Well, there's no question that ISIS is a very serious problem, and I don't believe that this administration recognizes how serious it is. I think we need to do a lot more than we're doing. Recognize that the caliphate is what gives them the legitimacy to go out on a jihadist mission, so we need to take that away from them. The way to take that away from them is to talk to our military officials and ask them, "what do you need in order to accomplish this goal?" Our decision is, then, do we give them what we need. I say, yes, not only do we give them what they need, but we don't tie their hands behind their backs so that they can go ahead and get the job done. In addition to that... we go ahead and we take the oil from them, their source of revenue. You know, some of these -- these engagement rules that the administration has -- "we're not going to bomb a tanker that's coming out of there because there might be a person in it" -- give me a break. Just tell them that, you put people in there, we're going to bomb them. So don't put people in there if you don't want them bombed. You know, that's so simple. And then we need to shut down -- we need to shut down their mechanisms of funding and attack their command-and-control centers. Why should we let their people be sitting there smoking their cigars, sitting in their comfortable chairs in Raqqa? We know (ph) to go ahead and shut off the supply routes, and send in our special ops at 2:00 a.m. and attack them everywhere they go. They should be running all the time, then they won't have time to plan attacks against us.”[58]
- Carson released his seven-point plan to protect the U.S. from the Islamic State on December 28, 2015. Carson’s recommendations include declaring war on the Islamic State; establishing a military coalition that includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan; recruiting and training Sunni men from Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan; and forming an “emergency inter-agency task force” to evaluate visa and immigration policies. He also said that the U.S. should “fully investigate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood and a supporter of terrorism.”[59]
- Carson said that although he “doesn’t want to just bomb people” like fuel truck drivers indiscriminately in ISIS-controlled territory, he would not hesitate to use force. “I would just say, ‘Hey, guys, any truck coming out of there is getting bombed. So if you don’t want your people to die, don’t put them in the truck.’ You know, that makes a lot more sense to me,” Carson said.[60]
- At the fifth GOP primary debate on December 15, 2015, Carson discussed his strategy to defeat ISIS: “First of all, I've been talking about this for over a year. We have to destroy their caliphate because that gives them legitimacy to go ahead with the global Jihad. We have to take their energy because they are - ISIS is the richest terrorist organization there is. We have to take their oil, shut down all of the mechanisms whereby they can disperse money because they go after disaffected individuals from all over the place, and they're able to pay them. That makes a difference. As far as the command centers are concerned in Raqqa and to a lesser degree Mosul, cut those off. Do the same kind of thing that we did with Sinjar a few weeks ago, working with our embedded special forces with the Kurds, shut off the supply route, soften them up, then we go in with specials ops followed by our air force to take them over. Those are things that work. But also, you know, this whole concept of boots on the ground, you know, we've got a phobia about boots on the ground. If our military experts say, we need boots on the ground, we should put boots on the ground and recognize that there will be boots on the ground and they'll be over here, and they'll be their boots if we don't get out of there now.”[61]
Syrian refugees
- At the fifth GOP primary debate on December 15, 2015, Carson discussed a long-term solution to the Syrian refugee problem: “Well, it was very interesting having an opportunity to talk to the Syrians themselves. And I asked them: What do you want? What is your supreme desire? Their supreme desire was to be settled back in their own country. I said, ‘What can Americans and other countries do?’ They said, ‘Support the efforts of those who are trying to provide safety for us, including the Jordanians.’ Of course, they had a brand new hospital, for instance, that was unstaffed because there wasn't enough money to do it. But here's what's really neat. If you go into Hasakah province in northeast Syria, that's an area that's as big as Lebanon. It's controlled by the Kurds, the Christians and the moderate Sunnis. And there are airstrips and hotels. You could settle a lot of people there. All we would have to do is be willing to provide them with some weaponry, some defensive weaponry. And we seem to be afraid to give the Kurds weaponry. We like to send it for some strange reason through Baghdad, and then they only get a tenth of it. And if we would support them, we'd have a perfect ideal there. We don't need to set this up as we either take a bunch of refugees who will be infiltrated with terrorists, I guarantee you. For them not to be would be terrorist malpractice. And we need to - to choose the right choice, not these false choices.”[62]
- Carson argued December 8, 2015, that the narrative around settling Syrian refugees in the U.S. should be more nuanced. He said, “It's a false narrative that we only have two narratives: to bring in thousands of Syrian refugees or to turn our backs in cold-hearted indifference. We have another option and that is to support the safe havens that they have over there, you know, Jordan has plenty of space for them and all they need is more financial support.”[63]
- On December 4, 2015, Carson said the San Bernardino, Calif. mass shootings should end the debate on whether Syrian refugees can be properly screened. "If that vetting resulted in missing someone who could carry out such a horrendous crime, that should be the end of the argument right there. We shouldn’t even have to talk about this anymore," he said.[64]
- After visiting the Azraq refugee camp in Jordan, Carson wrote in a December 1, 2015, op-ed in The Hill, that the solution to the Syrian refugee crisis is to have Arab countries to take in refugees. He wrote, “The media has focused on Europe and the United States’s willingness or unwillingness to welcome these refugees. This focus is all wrong. The solution to the Syrian refugee crisis is with Syria’s neighbors. Syrian refugee resettlement should be concentrated in Arab countries, which are in the best position to help. The rich Persian Gulf states — Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates — have the resources to provide services that refugees require. With no language barrier and no religious or cultural gaps to overcome, refugees can find new and fulfilling lives with only enough support to make the transition. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other refugee aid organizations can best use their resources to train these Gulf states to provide housing and social services effectively.” He also wrote that other nations should provide support for the Arab countries that accept refugees.[65]
- Carson, who toured Jordan, said November 29, 2015, that the Syrian refugees he has spoken with during his tour have told him that “Their main desire is to be repatriated in their homeland.” He also said that the refugees want the United States to support the Jordanians. He explained, “The Jordanians have done a yeoman's job in terms of putting up these camps. But the reason that the camps are not full is because they are not supported by the international community. In terms of money, when I looked at the refugee camps in Jordan, there's about a three billion [dollar] shortfall annually. That's how much money we spent last year on Halloween candy.”[66]
Domestic
Federalism
Judiciary
- During an interview on WRNN radio on February 16, 2016, Ben Carson discussed the politics surrounding the process for nominating a Supreme Court justice to replace former Justice Antonin Scalia. Referring to the ninth Republican primary debate, Carson said, "Do you think the same six people on stage would say the same thing if there were a Republican president in the White House right now, for them to wait until the next president is selected? No, they wouldn't. But then again, recognize that the two picks that the president has selected are ideologues, so there's really no reason to believe that his next pick wouldn't be an ideologue also. … I think we need to relook at the whole Supreme Court issue because it has become something completely different than was intended.”[67]
- Carson said during the Republican presidential debate on February 13, 2016, that the continued lifetime appointment of Supreme Court justices "needs to be looked at pretty carefully at some point." He added that no nominee should be put forward by President Obama.[68]
- Earlier on February 13, 2016, Carson said of Antonin Scalia in a statement, "Time and again, he ruled based on where the black letter of the law led him, not according to the politics of the moment. For that reason, he has angered Americans on both the left and the right, but he has never wavered in his dedication to the Constitution." Carson also commented on the political ramifications of Scalia's death, saying, "It is imperative that the Senate not allow President Obama to diminish his legacy by trying to nominate an individual who would carry on his wishes to subvert the will of the People. Given the dire condition our democracy currently finds itself under Obama's ideological agenda, I call on the Senate to stop any attempts to fill this crucial seat until We The People elect a strong Constitutionalist this November."[69]
- Ben Carson said on December 2, 2015, that he would consider potential judicial nominees’ position on abortion when making an appointment. “As far as abortion is concerned, I would very much look at appointing judges who have a record of honoring life,” he said during a town hall in South Carolina.[70]
- During a July 2014 speech at the Western Conservative Summit, Carson said, "If we get another progressive president in place and they get a chance to appoint three more Supreme Court Justices that's the end of the United States as we know it."[71]
Government accountability
- In a May 2014 op-ed in The National Review Ben Carson wrote, "We also should be concerned about the attempt by some to ignore or downgrade the significance of the Internal Revenue Service scandal. The fact that something this contrary to the concept of freedom can happen in a country based on constitutional values and be characterized as a ‘phony scandal’ by people who supposedly have the best interests of this country at heart again points to the danger of placing partisan politics above truth and honesty."[72]
- In an op-ed which appeared in The Washington Times on April 8, 2014, Ben Carson wrote, "Putting the Internal Revenue Service in charge of enforcement of components of Obamacare establishes a situation where the most feared government agency is empowered to wreak havoc on the lives of citizens who express dissent."[28]
- In a February 2014 op-ed, Ben Carson wrote, "It is obvious that our God-given rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are jeopardized in today’s environment of overt deceit by high officials and blatant disregard of our Constitution. When those in power pick and choose the laws they wish to enforce and grant waivers and exemptions to their favored groups, it is clear we are moving away from the principles of fairness and equality that once characterized our nation. When the president can change laws with the stroke of his pen or a phone call and not be challenged by the other branches of government or by the media, we are in dire straits."[73]
- During a February 2014 interview with Newsmax, Carson explained that he, his family and his friends had been targeted by the Internal Revenue Service since his 2013 speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. He said, "We live in a Gestapo age, people don’t realize it. But what I say is the Congress has to, at some point, step up to the plate. The reason we have divided government is if one branch of the government gets out of control, starts thinking they’re too big for their britches, you need to be able to have control."[74]
First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- Ben Carson said on September 28, 2015, that NASCAR fans, who frequently fly the Confederate flag, should be allowed to do so “if it’s private property and that’s what they want to do.” He compared the Confederate flag to swastikas, describing them as a “symbol of hate for some people, too,” but noting “they still exist in museums and places like that.”[75]
- On September 20, 2015, Carson stated he did not believe Islam was “consistent with the Constitution.” He said, “I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that.” He noted, however, that Congress was a “different story” and he would consider voting for a Muslim legislator.[76]
- On September 22, 2015, Carson clarified his comments against a Muslim taking office as president. “I said I would support anyone regardless of their background if in fact they embrace American values and our Constitution and are willing to place that above their beliefs," Carson clarified. On Monday night he also posted on Facebook, “I could never support a candidate for president of the United States that was Muslim and had not renounced the central (tenet) of Islam: Sharia Law… I know that there are many peaceful Muslims who do not adhere to these beliefs. But until these tenets are fully renounced ... I cannot advocate any Muslim candidate for President." Carson maintained that his position was consistent throughout his comments on the issue.[77][78]
- On September 25, 2015, Carson said he never claimed it was illegal for a Muslim to be president. “Not advocating they run for president in no way precludes them from running. … Anybody from any faith, from any belief system, who comes to America, becomes an American citizen, embraces our American values and principles and is willing to subjugate their beliefs for our Constitution is somebody I have no problem with,” Carson said. He added that he hoped the media would “mature.”[79]
- Speaking of Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples because of her religious beliefs, Carson said in September 2015, “When she took the job, the Supreme Court hadn't made this ruling. If they had, she might not have taken this job. So, I think they have a responsibility to accommodate her.”[80]
Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)
- During a March 30 interview with Breitbart, Ben Carson commented on Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act. He said, "It is absolutely vital that we do all we can to allow Americans to practice their religious ways, while simultaneously ensuring that no one’s beliefs infringe upon those of others. We should also serve as champions of freedom of religion throughout the world. As Americans, we have an obligation to denounce these acts of persecution. For when we stand up to such intolerance, we are defending the root of our freedom, both at home and abroad."[81]
Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- When asked what he thought of President Obama’s plan to leave a seat empty for the victims of gun violence during his final State of the Union address, Ben Carson said on January 11, 2016, “I wonder if the American people are concerned about that kind of symbolism, or are they concerned about the safety of their family members when they sit around the table at nighttime to eat dinner?" He continued to say that the U.S. was too concerned with “fancy symbolisms” rather than the “the number of infiltrations particularly at our Southern border” by terrorist cells.[82]
- Carson took to Twitter on January 5, 2016, to criticize President Obama’s executive actions on gun control. He wrote, “The President's actions have everything to do with advancing his political agenda & little to do with actually protecting American citizens.”[83]
- On December 8, 2015, at the Cobb Energy Center in Atlanta, Carson discussed gun control, saying, “The concept of gun free zones is stupid.”[84]
- ABC’s George Stephanopoulos asked Carson on November 22, 2015, whether individuals named on the terror watch list should be barred from purchasing guns. He responded, “There are a lot of people on that watch list and they have no idea of why they're on that list, they have been trying to get their names off of it and no one will give them information. I am a big supporter of the Second Amendment and I don't want to deprive people unnecessarily of that. There needs to be better due process."[85]
Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- In July 2014, Ben Carson argued that health savings accounts uphold "privacy and freedom" because they allow individuals to make decisions with their healthcare providers without the "involvement of anyone else."[86]
Executive powers
- While campaigning in western Iowa in June 2015, Ben Carson suggested the president should only be allowed to serve one six-year term rather than the potential two four-year terms. Carson said, "Why should you have a president who's running for re-election the minute he gets elected? It makes no sense."[87]
- Carson argued that President Barack Obama has failed to respect the legislative branch in a July 3, 2014, op-ed in The Washington Times. He wrote, "In order for a divided government to work, each branch must respect the other two branches. There always have been and always will be squabbles between the branches, but the big problem now is that the executive branch has decided to ignore anyone with whom it disagrees, including Congress. Nowhere was this blatant disregard of Congress more clearly manifested than in President Obama’s inappropriate 'recess' appointments of three people to the National Labor Relations Board. He redefined the word 'recess' in order to appoint individuals who might have a difficult time obtaining congressional approval."[88]
Crime and justice
- During a discussion of Sandra Bland, a black woman who died in police custody, Ben Carson said on December 27, 2015, “I think we also have a tendency to inject race into everything anytime that there are people of different races involved in a conflict." He added, “Having said that, there's no question we need to be looking at some of the things going on in the justice department to make it more sensitive to people."[89]
- After meeting with religious leaders in Chicago on December 10, 2015, Carson declined to say if Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel should be forced to resign. He said, “I think that's a decision for the people here in Chicago. He is their mayor. I do not vote in Chicago, and therefore I'm not going to weigh in on that." He condemned, however, the Chicago Police Department for the shooting death of Laquan McDonald, saying, "I felt it was an abominable act. I think we have a very inappropriate action by a police officer, and it's despicable and it disturbs me that it was hidden for such a long period of time.”[90]
- Appearing at a forum on criminal justice and race on November 21, 2015, in Columbia, S.C., Carson said he did not believe there were a substantial number of incidents of racial bias by law enforcement. “I'm not aware of a lot of cases where a police officer just comes up to somebody like you and says, 'Hey, I don't like you. I'm going to shoot you. I'm still waiting for the evidence,” he said.[91]
- In a speech at the University of New Hampshire on September 30, 2015, Carson recounted stories from his youth where he taunted police officers. “That was back in the day before they would shoot you. I'm just kidding, you know they wouldn't do that,” he said before expressing his respect for police officers.[92]
Natural resources
Environmental Protection Agency
- In a statement to The Huffington Post on January 19, 2016, Ben Carson criticized the Environmental Protection Agency and local government for its actions handling the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. He said, “Unfortunately, the leaders of Flint have failed to place the well-being of their residents as a top priority. The people deserve better from their local elected officials, but the federal bureaucracy is not innocent in this as well. Reports show that the Environmental Protection Agency knew well-beforehand about the lack of corrosion controls in the city’s water supply, but was either unwilling or unable to address the issue."[93]
- After visiting the site of a toxic mine spill in Colorado on August 18, 2015, Carson said he would not be willing to drink water from the affected river as the state’s governor had. “I certainly wouldn’t tell anyone to drink it. We don’t understand the long-term environmental impacts,” Carson said.[94]
- In July 2015, Carson posted on his Facebook that he would change the way the EPA operates. Carson wrote, “My EPA would be much more like NASA and much less like the FBI. I believe we all understand that we want to leave our planet better than we found it. However, I believe the EPA should be a research and technology coordinator, not an armed police force. Find ways we can all pitch in and stop the regulatory mandates. Lead us, not leash us.”[95]
- In his op-ed in the Reno Gazette-Journal on March 29, 2014, Carson wrote, "Many advocates of common sense are also concerned about the environment, but are reasonable enough to realize that rather than using Environmental Protection Agency regulations to stifle abundant energy production, we can use the EPA in conjunction with the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship to produce and export a vast amount of clean energy. This could significantly improve our bargaining position throughout the world."[96]
Climate change
- In an interview with Sky News published on December 14, 2015, Ben Carson said climate change should be treated with “the significance it deserves” but not as “the overarching driver of [his] policies.” He added that he would have attended the U.N. Climate Change Conference if he were president, but rejected the idea that climate change was the “premier issue in the world, and the cause of terrorism and everything.”[97]
- On September 30, 2015, Ben Carson said climate change existed but disputed that it was a negative phenomenon. "Is there climate change? Of course there's climate change. Any point in time, temperatures are going up or temperatures are going down. Of course that's happening. When that stops happening, that's when we're in big trouble,” said Carson.[98]
- Carson discussed climate change in his op-ed in the Reno Gazette-Journal on March 29, 2014. He wrote, "Whether we are experiencing global warming or a coming ice age, which was predicted in the 1970s, we as responsible human beings must be concerned about our surroundings and what we will pass on to future generations. However, to use climate change as an excuse not to develop our God-given resources makes little sense. Expanding our wealth of energy resources, as well as encouraging the development of new renewable energy sources, would provide an enormous economic lift with obvious benefits, but it also would bolster our role as a formidable player in the struggle for world leadership."[96]
Healthcare
- At the tenth Republican debate in Houston, Texas, on February 25, 2016, Carson discussed the details of his healthcare plan, saying, “Well, first of all, healthcare is not a right. But I do believe it is a responsibility for a responsible society, and we are that. We spend almost twice as much per capita on healthcare as many other nations who have actually much better access than we do. I propose a system in which we use health empowerment accounts, which are like a health savings account with no bureaucrats. And we give it to everybody from birth until death. They can pass it on when they die. We pay for it with the same dollars that we pay for traditional healthcare with. We give people the ability to shift money within their health empowerment account within their family. So dad's $500 short, mom can give it to him or a cousin or uncle. And it makes every family their own insurance carrier with no middle man. It gives you enormous flexibility. And also, you know, if Uncle Joe is smoking like a chimney, everybody's going to hide his cigarettes because they're all interested in what's going on there. Also, the -- your catastrophic healthcare is going to cost a lot less money now because the only thing coming out of that is catastrophic healthcare. So, it's like a homeowners policy with a large deductible, versus a homeowners policy where you want every scratch covered. One costs $1,500 a year; one costs $10,000 a year. You can buy the $1,500 one. That will take care of 75 percent of the people. The people who are indigent, how do we take care of them now? Medicaid. What's the Medicaid budget? Almost $500 billion; almost 80 million people participate, which is way too many, and that will get a lot better when we fix the economy, which I hope we get a chance to talk about. But do the math. Over $5,000 for each man, woman and child, and all -- they will have a lot more flexibility. What could you buy with that? A concierge practice. And you could still have thousands of dollars left over. And let me just finish, because I don't get to talk that much. And, you know, let's... you can have the money that's left over to buy your catastrophic insurance. But most importantly, we give them a menu, just like we do in Medicare Part C, and they have the choices that will allow them not only to have catastrophic health care, but drug care and everything else. It will be such a good program that nobody will want Obamacare after that, and that's probably the best way do it, although if anybody still did, I would still de-fund it.”[99]
- At the eighth Republican presidential primary debate on February 6, 2016, Ben Carson talked about his opposition to Obamacare: "The reason that I dislike Obamacare is because the government comes in and tells the people -- which the nation is supposed to be centered on -- that we don't care what you think, this is what we're doing. And if you don't like it, too bad. That's a problem. And we can't afford to do that because that will fundamentally change America. I have proposed a health empowerment account system. Everybody gets a health empowerment account the day they are born, they keep it until they die. They can pass it on. We pay for it with the same dollars that we pay for traditional health care with, recognizing that we spend twice as much as many countries per capita and health care and don't have as such [sic] access. We give people the ability to shift money within their health empowerment account so that each family basically becomes its own insurance company without a middleman; that saves you a[n] awful lot of money."[100]
- Carson wrote an op-ed in The Boston Globe on December 15, 2015, to highlight his proposal to create “Health Empowerment Accounts” (HEAs). He wrote that they “will be available to anyone with a valid Social Security number. These accounts will be owned specifically by the individual and not by the government or large corporations. The accounts will also remain with the owner through job changes or state-to-state relocation. HEAs will be created for every child at birth and are freely transferable from one family member to another.”[101]
- Carson released his healthcare reform policy on December 9, 2015. At the core of Carson’s platform was the combination of tax-protected “health empowerment accounts” and high-deductible health insurance plans. Additionally, Carson’s plan supported transferable plans across state lines and family members, a fixed contribution for Medicare beneficiaries to select the insurance plan of their choice, and the gradual increase of the eligibility age for Medicare to 70. Carson's plan also called for overhauling Medicaid, the joint federal-state health program for the poor, giving users private insurance options, which would be funded through state-run Medicaid programs, and seed funds for their own health empowerment accounts.[102] [103]
Immigration
- On December 18, 2015, Ben Carson said that mass deportation “sounds really good and gets you a lot of votes, but it’s not going to happen.” He warned that the farming industry would “collapse” if such a policy were implemented. Instead, The Hill reported, “Carson said he supports allowing a six-month window for certain undocumented workers to apply for guest worker permits. The workers must already have a job and a clean police record, he said, and they would not be extended voting rights.”[104]
- During a campaign event in Georgia on December 8, 2015, Carson discussed foreign policy and said, “When it comes to bringing in immigrants into our country from other places we have always welcomed people regardless of race, creed, religion but we have welcomed them to become Americans, to accept our way of life, not another way of life.” Carson also urged citizens to vote, saying, “The election that is coming up next year is critical to our country. America as we know it is gone.”[105]
- Carson said he would secure the U.S.-Mexico border “in less than a year” during a telephone town hall on November 12, 2015.[106]
| "Rapid-Fire Yes or No Q&A With Ben Carson" |
- In an October 21, 2015, interview with Glenn Beck, Carson said he supported building a border fence; fining companies that hire undocumented workers; prosecute those who cross the border illegally, as opposed to catch and release; and making English the official language. Regarding those in the nation without documents, Carson said he would allow a grace period for them to register as guest workers if they meet certain criteria, or they would face deportation.
Education
- Ben Carson wrote an op-ed in The Washington Times on January 13, 2016, to discuss the importance of school choice, including voucher programs and charter schools, and local control of education.[107]
- In an interview with Glenn Beck on October 21, 2015, Carson said he would use the Department of Education “to monitor our institutions of higher education for extreme political bias and deny federal funding if it exists.”[108]
- In an interview with Breitbart on September 7, 2015, Carson advocated for school choice. He said, “As a country, we should be focused on promoting a quality education for everybody like we once did. We should focus on the things that work. We know that there are a lot of private schools and charter schools that work. We also know that a lot of our inner-city public schools do not work. We need to do everything we can to provide parents with choice.”[109]
- In a February 2015 op-ed, Carson discussed the connection between personal responsibility and higher education. He wrote, "There has been much talk recently about providing free community college education. First of all, it is only free if no one has to pay for it. It is not free if we rob Peter to pay Paul. Secondly, Pell grants already exist to pay for community college expenses for needy students. For those who are not needy, there is an old-fashioned remedy that is very effective called work. In fact work might even be beneficial for those who are needy. It certainly provided some very valuable experiences for me."[110]
Abortion
- During a September 2015 speech at the Heritage Action Presidential Forum in Greenville, S.C., Ben Carson argued that Congress should defund Planned Parenthood and force President Obama to veto the legislation. He said, "Congress needs to call his bluff on that. ...Congress has all sorts of tools for dealing with that. They can defund everything. They can defund his breakfast."[111]
- In August 2015, Carson’s campaign responded to criticism regarding his history of referring women carrying fetuses with genetic defects to abortionists. "He believes people ought to have all the facts available to them, but he is steadfastly opposed to abortion. Referring it on does not mean he is advocating it, he’s advocating they are getting qualified medical supervision. He has always believed that the battle over abortion had to be waged in the hearts and minds of Americans, that you cannot legislate morality. But he also believes we’re winning the debate," Carson’s communications director Doug Watts said.[112]
- Asked to comment on whether the use of fetal tissue should be banned in medical research in August 2015, Carson responded, "I don’t know that it needs to be banned, but it should be made very clear to people that the types of things we’re discovering by using fetal tissue can also be discovered by using non-fetal tissue. So it’s not like it is the only source as they try to make it sound."[113]
- Ben Carson asked, "How can a society that kills millions of innocent unborn babies and then labels anyone opposing the practice 'anti-woman' claim even a modicum of goodness?" in an April 2014 op-ed.[114]
Gay rights
- Barry Bennett, Ben Carson’s former campaign manager, continued to publicly discuss why he believed Carson’s campaign has stalled on January 20, 2016. “He's also a 64-year-old African-American male, who culturally is what he is right? He's not comfortable with homosexuality, right? And there was nothing we could do to make him talk about it in a lexicon that is much more modern,” Bennett said during an event at the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service.[115]
- Retired Major Gen. Robert Dees, Carson’s new campaign chairman, said on January 4, 2016, that the U.S. must reconsider “experiments” in the military with women in combat and openly LGBT service members. “There are just certain realities where men can do certain things better, women can do certain things better. We don't need to throw everybody into every position as an experiment just because we're trying to be appear [sic] to be fair to everyone,” Dees said. He also recommended that military experts’ positions on LGBT soldiers serving openly be considered, with “cohesion” being the focus of any such input. When asked if he agreed with Dees’ position, Carson said, “One of the things that I learned in a long medical career is that you make decisions based on evidence, and not on ideology. So yes, I would be willing to sit down with people from both sides and examine the evidence and make decisions based on what the evidence shows.”[116]
- At a town hall hosted by Concerned Veterans for America on December 5, 2015, Carson opposed transgender individuals openly serving in the military. “I do not appreciate using our military as a laboratory for a social experiment. … When our men and women are out there fighting the enemy, the last thing we need to be doing is saying what would it be like if we introduced several transgender people into this platoon. … Give me a break. Deal with the transgender thing somewhere else.” Carson added that he preferred the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.[117]
- In a November 5, 2015, interview with Fusion's Jorge Ramos, Carson suggested that transgender people get their own bathrooms. “How about we have a transgender bathroom?” Carson said. “It is not fair for them to make everybody else uncomfortable. It’s one of the things that I don’t particularly like about the [LGBT] movement. I think everybody has equal rights, but I’m not sure that anybody should have extra rights—extra rights when it comes to redefining everything for everybody else and imposing your view on everybody else.” In a country founded on “live and let live,” Carson said he believes LGBT Americans “can do anything they want.” Carson also maintained his support for marriage between a man and woman in the interview. His comments followed the defeat, on November 3, 2015, of a ballot initiative in Houston that would have enacted new LGBT protections, but the most contentious portion would allow the transgender community to use the bathroom of their choice.[118]
Civil liberties
Drugs
- Ben Carson said November 2, 2015, at an event in Tallahassee to promote his book that he does not support the legalization of marijuana for recreational use. He explained, “Many studies have demonstrated that persistent regular use of marijuana by the developing brain can result in significant decreases in IQ. We already have enough people with low IQs, we don’t need to be generating more.[119]
- Carson said he would ramp up the war on drugs if elected president. In an in interview with Glenn Beck, October 21, 2015, Carson said he would "intensify" the war on drives and believes marijuana is a "gateway drug."[120]
Race and ethnicity
- On October 21, 2015, Ben Carson said voter identification laws were not racist. “There’s not one single country anywhere -- first world, second world, it doesn’t matter -- that doesn’t have official requirements for voting. My question to those people who say we’re racist because we apply those standards: Are all the other countries of the world racist? I don’t think so. Voting is an important thing. Obviously, you want to make sure that it’s done by the appropriate people,” he said.[121]
- In an op-ed for USA Today on August 24, 2015, Carson argued the Black Lives Matter movement was wrong in its focus on Bernie Sanders. ”My mother knew what the problems were and she shielded me and my brother from them. I can tell you she wasn't worried about Socialist senators from tiny rural states. 'BlackLivesMatter' could learn from her to focus on the real sources of our hopelessness,” Carson wrote, before listing failing schools, violence in entertainment and federal assistance programs as the "real" problems.[122]
- During the first Republican debate on August 6, 2015, Carson said, "You know, we have the purveyors of hatred who take every single incident between people of two races and try to make a race war out of it, and drive wedges into people. And this does not need to be done. What we need to think about instead — you know, I was asked by an NPR reporter once, why don’t I talk about race that often. I said it’s because I’m a neurosurgeon. And she thought that was a strange response. And you say — I said, you see, when I take someone to the operating room, I’m actually operating on the thing that makes them who they are. The skin doesn’t make them who they are. The hair doesn’t make them who they are. And it’s time for us to move beyond that.”[123]
- In an August 2, 2015, interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Carson called the rhetoric around the “Black Lives Matter” movement “political correctness going amuck.” When host Chuck Todd suggested the movement springs from blacks being disproportionately targeted and abused by police, Caron said, “I think we need to look at the whole picture. One of the things that I always like to point out to people is how about we just remove the police for 24 hours. Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue? And the vast majority of police are very good people. Are there bad apples? Of course.”[124][125]
- On July 23, 2015, Carson wrote an op-ed in The Washington Times comparing busing programs to the Obama administration’s new initiative to promote more racially integrated neighborhoods through Department of Housing and Urban Development funding. Carson said, “These government-engineered attempts to legislate racial equality create consequences that often make matters worse. There are reasonable ways to use housing policy to enhance the opportunities available to lower-income citizens, but based on the history of failed socialist experiments in this country, entrusting the government to get it right can prove downright dangerous.”[126]
Urban policy
- In a statement to The Huffington Post on January 19, 2016, Ben Carson criticized the Environmental Protection Agency and local government for its actions handling the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. He said, “Unfortunately, the leaders of Flint have failed to place the well-being of their residents as a top priority. The people deserve better from their local elected officials, but the federal bureaucracy is not innocent in this as well. Reports show that the Environmental Protection Agency knew well-beforehand about the lack of corrosion controls in the city’s water supply, but was either unwilling or unable to address the issue."[127]
- In September 2015, Carson visited Ferguson, Missouri, where Michael Brown, a black teenager, was killed following an altercation with a white police officer. Speaking with the press after a tour of the city, Carson said that he would prefer the Black Lives Matter movement not use the word "black." He said, "I obviously prefer that we focus on everybody. At the same time, I recognize that they're trying to say that they feel that they've been treated unfairly — in many cases they have — I'm not going to take that away from them."[128]
- In an interview with Breitbart on September 7, 2015, Carson advocated for school choice for inner-city students. He said, “As a country, we should be focused on promoting a quality education for everybody like we once did. We should focus on the things that work. We know that there are a lot of private schools and charter schools that work. We also know that a lot of our inner-city public schools do not work. We need to do everything we can to provide parents with choice.”[129]
- Carson wrote an op-ed in USA Today on August 24, 2015, arguing that the Black Lives Matter movement was wrong to focus its attention on Bernie Sanders, rather than systemic issues within urban communities. "My mother knew what the problems were and she shielded me and my brother from them. I can tell you she wasn't worried about Socialist senators from tiny rural states. 'BlackLivesmatter' could learn from her to focus on the real sources of our hopelessness," Carson wrote. He recommended that activists instead confront the failures of the public education system, the celebration of violence and demeaning of women in the entertainment industry and the illegal drug trade.[130]
- In early August 2015, Carson described the rhetoric around the Black Lives Matter movement as "political correctness going amuck." Carson said that although police should be investigated where there is inappropriate conduct, to differentiate between "all lives" and "black lives" was "silly."[131][132]
- On July 23, 2015, Carson wrote an op-ed in The Washington Times comparing busing programs in the 1980s to the Obama administration’s new initiative to promote more racially integrated neighborhoods through Department of Housing and Urban Development funding. Carson said, “These government-engineered attempts to legislate racial equality create consequences that often make matters worse. There are reasonable ways to use housing policy to enhance the opportunities available to lower-income citizens, but based on the history of failed socialist experiments in this country, entrusting the government to get it right can prove downright dangerous.”[133]
- Discussing police brutality and race in August 2014 after the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Carson said, "I think the issues are really much bigger than what has been portrayed to be. And it can't be resolved in a short segment like this. But, you know, I've seen police excesses living in inner city Detroit and inner city Boston. But I've seen a lot more situations where the police saved the situation. And I'm not sure that this is a police versus black community issue."[134]
- In an op-ed which appeared in The Washington Times on January 28, 2014, Carson wrote, "Corporations and businesses need to concentrate on mutually beneficial apprenticeships and internships for potential workers in their cities. Courses in basic finance and work ethics should be offered in places where such knowledge would not be redundant."[29]
- During a March 2013 interview with Glenn Beck, Carson expressed support for employing different gun control regulations for rural and urban locations. He argued that "semi-automatic weapons" should only be allowed in rural, sparsely populated areas. He explained, "It depends on where you live. I think if you live in the midst of a lot of people and I’m afraid that that semi-automatic weapon might fall into the hands of a crazy person, I would rather you not have it. If you live out in the country somewhere by yourself, I have no problem."[135]
Rural policy
- Ben Carson said in October 2015 that he supported distributing federal funds to underserved schools in rural communities. "Education is the key to unlocking the enormous potential of our students. I support Title 1 funding to raise up poor inner-city and rural schools to a level where these children can get the education they deserve. My support has absolutely nothing to do with property tax payments used to fund our schools," Carson said.[136]
- In August 2015, Carson attended a town hall in Des Moines, Iowa, dedicated to issues impacting rural Americans. He offered the following proposals:[137]
- Carson said he would encourage young people to enter production farming by "changing the perception" people have of the industry and increasing regional access to high-speed internet. He later added that government support for broadband and cellular development in rural areas could be tied to the country's national security interests. He argued that rural communities could "be the recipients of us doing what we need to do in order to solidify our security."[137]
- When asked for his opinion on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and food labeling, Carson said, "I actually like for people to know what they're buying. I like for people to know what they're eating. And I think it's only fair for them to be able to see that, because people have different impressions about what they want to eat." He added that there was too much "hysteria" around GMOs.[137]
- Carson favored repealing the death tax, saying, "It makes absolutely no sense at all, and in many cases, you know, people have been working for generations to build their farm, and then, you know, it's worth a lot of money. But now they're going to have to sell it in order to be able to pay the taxes. I mean this is just so ridiculous."[137]
- Carson stated a general opposition to subsidies when asked about the Renewable Fuel Standard. He said, "I would get rid of virtually every subsidy in the country, over the course of time, and let the free market rise and fall, because that's the way our system is supposed to work, and that's what creates the strongest sources of everything. It eliminates the weakest sources."[137]
- To improve healthcare for rural Americans, Carson argued in favor of flexible health savings accounts that can be transferred between family members. He also emphasized the importance of preventive medicine.[137]
- Carson mentioned natural gas and hydroelectric power as possible solutions to provide rural areas with affordable energy.[137]
- On the issue of undocumented workers who support the agricultural industry, Carson said, "They have to register. They have to pay a back tax penalty and they have to pay taxes going forward. Does not give them citizenship. Does not give them voting rights. If they want those things, they get in the line just like everybody else. But that way, you don’t gut the workers for the farming industry, the hotel industry – there are a whole host of industries."[137]
- During a March 2013 interview with Glenn Beck, Carson expressed support for gun ownership rights. He argued, however, that "semi-automatic weapons" should only be allowed in rural, sparsely populated areas. He explained, "It depends on where you live. I think if you live in the midst of a lot of people and I’m afraid that that semi-automatic weapon might fall into the hands of a crazy person, I would rather you not have it. If you live out in the country somewhere by yourself, I have no problem."[138]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Ben + Carson + 2016
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ NBC News, "Ben Carson Suspends 2016 Campaign at CPAC," February 4, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 NBC News, "Ben Carson Suspends 2016 Campaign at CPAC," February 4, 2016
- ↑ Washington Times, "A ‘very upset’ W.H. told Dr. Carson to apologize for prayer breakfast speech," accessed February 4, 2015
- ↑ OCU, “Dr. Ben Carson - Youngest Major Division Director in Johns Hopkins History," accessed December 23, 2014
- ↑ Johns Hopkins, “A Healer Beyond the Operating Room," accessed December 23, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "Ben Carson says he will run for president," May 3, 2015
- ↑ YouTube.com, "Ben Carson Announces Exploratory Committee," accessed March 10, 2015
- ↑ International Business Times, "Herman Cain Candidacy: No Precedent for a President Without Political Experience," October 3, 2011
- ↑ Politico, "Carson says he sees no 'political path' to GOP nomination," March 2, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Ben Carson announces campaign is over," February 4, 2016
- ↑ Crowdpac, "2016 Presidential Election," accessed July 27, 2015
- ↑ Leadership Project for American PAC, "Candidate's Grades and Comparisons," accessed July 27, 2015
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Voter Identification Requirements|Voter ID Laws," March 9, 2023
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Do I need an ID to vote? A look at the laws in all 50 states," October 27, 2014
- ↑ Detroit Free Press, "Ben Carson: How to bring money to struggling cities," February 20, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "6th Republican debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and what it meant," January 14, 2016
- ↑ The Hill, "Carson slams earned income tax credit as ‘manipulation’," January 9, 2016
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Ben Carson Tax Plan Would Boost the Rich, Hurt the Poor — Report," January 6, 2016
- ↑ The Hill, "Carson’s tax plan would cost trillions, groups say," January 6, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Who said what and what it meant: The 4th GOP debate, annotated," November 10, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Times, "The perfect example of government overreach: the CFPB," July 28, 2015
- ↑ Forbes, "Potential Presidential Candidate, Dr. Ben Carson On Social Security, Glass-Steagall, And Taxes," January 29, 2015
- ↑ Bloomberg, "Ben Carson on Greed, Insurance Companies, RINOs, and Ebola," October 15, 2014
- ↑ Mother Jones, "With Liberal Views Like These, Ben Carson's Going to Have a Tough Time Winning the GOP Nomination," January 28, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "The CBS News Republican debate transcript, annotated," February 13, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "The third Republican debate transcript, annotated," October 28, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Times, "The perfect example of government overreach: the CFPB," July 28, 2015
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 The Washington Times, "Carson: Keeping conservatives focused on the big picture," accessed March 2, 2015 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "big" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 The Washington Times, “Carson: Obama is wrong that raising minimum wage will fix income inequality," January 28, 2014 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "inequality" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "inequality" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "inequality" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ The Des Moines Register, "Carson emphasizes he is 'not a politician'," January 24, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Times, "The No. 1 national security threat," January 3, 2016
- ↑ The Hill, "Carson: I won’t raise the debt ceiling as president," October 27, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Times, "Ben Carson gets mixed rating from Club for Growth," October 21, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "7th Republican debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and what it meant," January 28, 2016
- ↑ The Des Moines Register, "Carson shifts course on ethanol policy," October 28, 2015
- ↑ Washington Examiner, "In Iowa, Carson calls for phasing out agriculture subsidies in 10 years," August 16, 2015
- ↑ RFD-TV, "Dr. Carson On Ending Subsidies," August 24, 2015
- ↑ The Des Moines Register, "Carson: Use oil subsidies to build ethanol pumps," May 5, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Ben Carson pitches repealing Obamacare, raising Medicare eligibility age in health reform plan," December 9, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Everything You Need To Know About Ben Carson's Health Care Plan," December 9, 2015
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 Politico, "Who is Dr. Ben Carson," accessed March 2, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Who said what and what it meant: The 4th GOP debate, annotated," November 10, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "CNN REAGAN LIBRARY DEBATE: Later Debate Full Transcript," September 16, 2015
- ↑ Breitbart, "Dr. Ben Carson joins fellow GOP candidates in slamming Iran deal," July 14, 2015
- ↑ Facebook.com, "Ben Carson, April 2, 2015," accessed April 10, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Transcript of the New Hampshire GOP debate, annotated," February 6, 2016
- ↑ USA Today, "Ben Carson: Veterans health care needs bold reform - I know from inside," September 14, 2015
- ↑ The Daily Caller, "Ben Carson: ‘We Don’t Need A Department Of Veterans Affairs,’" August 26, 2015
- ↑ Washington Times, “CARSON: Why did the founders give us the Second Amendment?" December 10, 2014
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Transcript of the New Hampshire GOP debate, annotated," February 6, 2016
- ↑ The Des Moines Register, "Carson: A prescription for a stronger, safer America," January 25, 2016
- ↑ The Hill, "Carson proposes new federal agency to win 'cyberspace race,'" January 25, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Times, "Ben Carson calls CAIR ‘supporters of terrorism,’ demands investigation," December 16, 2015
- ↑ Miami Herald, "Cuba policy stumps Ben Carson in Florida," November 4, 2015
- ↑ NPR, "Ben Carson Says A Screening Mechanism Needed To Resettle Syrians," September 12, 2015
- ↑ Washington Times, “Rudderless U.S. foreign policy," July 29, 2014
- ↑ Fox News, "It's time to declare war on ISIS," February 15, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "6th Republican debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and what it meant," January 14, 2016
- ↑ Business Insider, "BEN CARSON: Here's my 7-part plan to defeat ISIS," December 28, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Ben Carson: I Wouldn't Bomb ISIS Oil Truck Drivers, I'd Just Warn Them They'll Die," December 22, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Rush Transcript second debate: CNN Facebook Republican Presidential Debate," December 15, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Rush Transcript second debate: CNN Facebook Republican Presidential Debate," December 15, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Times, "Carson: Syrian refugee crisis a 'false choice',' December 8, 2015
- ↑ Talking Points Meme, "Carson: CA Shootings ‘End Of The Argument’ For Admitting Refugees," December 5, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Refugee crisis can, and must, be solved by Syria’s neighbors," December 1, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Carson: Syrian refugees want to go home," November 29, 2015
- ↑ CBS News, "Ben Carson: A GOP president would get his or her SCOTUS nominee," February 16, 2016
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedWaPo - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedNBC - ↑ The Washington Times, "Ben Carson: I’d look at appointing judges who have record of ‘honoring life’," December 2, 2015
- ↑ CNS News, “Dr. Ben Carson On the Future of Supreme Court," July 21, 2014
- ↑ National Review, "Unfit for Office," accessed March 2, 2015
- ↑ Washington Times, “CARSON: The enduring spirit of the Tea Parties," February 4, 2014
- ↑ Newsmax, “Dr. Ben Carson Blasts 'Gestapo' IRS Tactics," February 10, 2014
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Ben Carson: NASCAR Fans Should Keep Flying The Confederate Flag On Private Property," September 28, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Ben Carson: U.S. shouldn't elect a Muslim president," September 21, 2015
- ↑ CNN Politics, "Ben Carson shifts position on Muslims in politics," September 22, 2015
- ↑ Wall Street Journal, "Ben Carson Defends Comments on Muslims," September 22, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "In wake of Muslim remarks, Ben Carson calls on media to 'mature'," September 26, 2015
- ↑ CBS 12 News, "Ben Carson: I Will Be President, 'If That's God's Will'," September 7, 2015
- ↑ Breitbart, "Exclusive: Dr. Ben Carson: 'Absolutely Vital' Americans Stand Up For Indiana's Religious Freedom Law," accessed April 16, 2015
- ↑ Business Insider, "Ben Carson warns about a lot of Syrians, Somalians 'infiltrating' the US when asked about Obama's latest gun-violence gesture," January 11, 2016
- ↑ USA Today, "Republican 2016 candidates bash Obama's gun plan," January 5, 2016
- ↑ CBS 46.com, "Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina talk guns, taxes, Trump in Atlanta," December 8, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Ben Carson Thinks Giving Up Certain Torture Techniques Would Be Too PC," November 22, 2015
- ↑ Washington Times, "CARSON: Health savings accounts far better than Obamacare," accessed March 2, 2015
- ↑ Radio Iowa, "Carson: change constitution, limit POTUS to one, six-year term," June 25, 2015
- ↑ Washington Times, "CARSON: The wisdom of divided government," accessed March 3, 2015
- ↑ CNN Politics, "Ben Carson: Don't 'inject race' into Sandra Bland death," December 27, 2015
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Ben Carson calls Laquan McDonald police shooting 'despicable'," December 11, 2015
- ↑ The Times-Picayune, "Ben Carson tells black leaders he's seen no racial bias by US police," November 21, 2015
- ↑ NBC News, "Ben Carson Jokes About Taunting Cops 'Back in the Day'," September 30, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Ben Carson Becomes First GOP Candidate To Weigh In On Flint Water Crisis," January 19, 2016
- ↑ The Durango Herald, "Dr. Ben Carson draws a big crowd in Durango," August 18, 2015
- ↑ Facebook, "Dr. Ben Carson," July 22, 2015
- ↑ 96.0 96.1 RGJ.com, “Ben Carson: Energy can play a role in path to peace," March 29, 2014
- ↑ Sky News, "Ben Carson Dismisses Importance Of Climate Deal," December 14, 2015
- ↑ New Republic, "Ben Carson on Climate Change: 'Gravity, Where Did it Come From,'" October 1, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "The CNN-Telemundo Republican debate transcript, annotated," February 25, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Transcript of the New Hampshire GOP debate, annotated," February 6, 2016
- ↑ The Boston Globe, "A prescription for health reform," December 15, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Ben Carson pitches repealing Obamacare, raising Medicare eligibility age in health reform plan," December 9, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Everything You Need To Know About Ben Carson's Health Care Plan," December 9, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Carson touts ‘humane and reasonable’ immigration plan," December 19, 2015
- ↑ WSB-TV2 Atlanta, "Ben Carson to supporters: 'America as we know it is gone'," December 8, 2015
- ↑ ABC News, "Ben Carson Says Border With Mexico Can Be Secure in 1 Year," November 12, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Times, "A prescription for achievement and empowerment," January 13, 2016
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Ben Carson Wants To Police Speech On College Campuses," October 21, 2015
- ↑ Breitbart, "Dr. Ben Carson: 'The ladders of opportunity are there'," September 7, 2015
- ↑ Washington Times, "The payoff of a good education," accessed March 3, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Carson to Congress: Call Obama's bluff on Planned Parenthood," accessed September 19, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Ben Carson’s perplexing stance on abortion," August 19, 2015
- ↑ MSNBC, "GOP candidates divided on fetal tissue research," August 5, 2015
- ↑ Townhall.com, “Recovering America's Exceptionalism," April 16, 2014
- ↑ CNN Politics, "Ex-Carson aide: 'He's not comfortable with homosexuality,'" January 20, 2016
- ↑ CNN Politics, "Ben Carson campaign Chairman Robert Dees decries 'social engineering' with gays, women in military," January 5, 2016
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Ben Carson Calls Transgender Military Members A Distraction," December 6, 2015
- ↑ Fusion, "Ben Carson proposes transgender bathrooms, says it’s not fair ‘to make everybody else uncomfortable,’" November 5, 2015
- ↑ CNS, "Ben Carson on Recreational Marijuana: ‘We Already Have Enough People With Low IQs’," November 3, 2015
- ↑ Reason, "Ben Carson Wants to "Intensify" the War on Drugs," October 22, 2015
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Ben Carson Doesn't Think Voter Suppression Laws Are Racist," October 21, 2015
- ↑ USA Today, "Ben Carson: #BlackLivesMatter misfire," August 24, 2015
- ↑ TIME, "Transcript: Read the Full Text of the Primetime Republican Debate," August 6, 2015
- ↑ MSNBC, "Ben Carson: ‘Of course all lives matter’," August 3, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Ben Carson Doesn't Understand Black Lives Matter," July 2, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Times, "Experimenting with failed socialism again," July 23, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Ben Carson Becomes First GOP Candidate To Weigh In On Flint Water Crisis," January 19, 2016
- ↑ FOX San Antonio, "Ben Carson: Nation should de-emphasize race," September 12, 2015
- ↑ Breitbart, "Dr. Ben Carson: 'The ladders of opportunity are there'," September 7, 2015
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedCarsonEd - ↑ MSNBC, "Ben Carson: ‘Of course all lives matter,’" August 3, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Ben Carson Doesn't Understand Black Lives Matter," August 2, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Times, "Experimenting with failed socialism again," July 23, 2015
- ↑ Newsmax, "Ben Carson Slams Jesse Jackson's Race Theory on Ferguson," August 24, 2014
- ↑ The Blaze, "Ben Carson Is Talking About Guns Again, and He’s Clarifying a Very Important Point for Second Amendment Advocates," July 21, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Ben Carson's surprising position on education funding," October 27, 2015
- ↑ 137.0 137.1 137.2 137.3 137.4 137.5 137.6 137.7 RFD-TV, "Complete Transcript: Rural Town Hall with Dr. Ben Carson," accessed January 17, 2016
- ↑ The Blaze, "Ben Carson Is Talking About Guns Again, and He’s Clarifying a Very Important Point for Second Amendment Advocates," July 21, 2015
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