Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Ben Carson Knows Nothing
His total lack of expertise about the issues HUD confronts was on full display at Thursday’s confirmation hearing.
Back in November, Ben Carson expressed reticence about serving in government under President-elect Donald Trump. “Dr. Carson feels he has no government experience, he’s never run a federal agency,” said business manager and close friend Armstrong Williams, speaking on behalf of the former presidential candidate. “The last thing he would want to do was take a position that could cripple the presidency.”
But then Trump nominated Carson to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and suddenly, Carson thought he was qualified to run a federal agency. “I know that I grew up in the inner city,” Carson said. “And have spent a lot of time there. And have dealt with a lot of patients from that area. And recognize that we cannot have a strong nation if we have weak inner cities. And we have to get beyond the promises and start really doing something.”
Carson still isn’t qualified. He has little to no experience with, or serious knowledge of, the issues HUD confronts, from home financing and affordable housing to efforts at racial and economic diversity in communities that receive federal funding. But his profound inexperience didn’t stop him from having a smooth confirmation hearing on Thursday, when he was questioned for several hours by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
“Questioned” is a little generous. For the Republican members of the committee, Carson’s confirmation was a given. Rather than challenge the former surgeon on his qualifications, they asked leading, highly ideological queries. And so, for example, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis asked Carson what government could do for people receiving assistance. Carson’s response? “Get them off of it.” Later, Tillis asked whether the government has “gone from providing housing to providing warehousing for an unacceptable number of people who are supported by the federal government.” Carson affirmed the premise: “The key to your question was the word ‘unacceptable,’ and yes, absolutely.”
But then Trump nominated Carson to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and suddenly, Carson thought he was qualified to run a federal agency. “I know that I grew up in the inner city,” Carson said. “And have spent a lot of time there. And have dealt with a lot of patients from that area. And recognize that we cannot have a strong nation if we have weak inner cities. And we have to get beyond the promises and start really doing something.”
Carson still isn’t qualified. He has little to no experience with, or serious knowledge of, the issues HUD confronts, from home financing and affordable housing to efforts at racial and economic diversity in communities that receive federal funding. But his profound inexperience didn’t stop him from having a smooth confirmation hearing on Thursday, when he was questioned for several hours by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
“Questioned” is a little generous. For the Republican members of the committee, Carson’s confirmation was a given. Rather than challenge the former surgeon on his qualifications, they asked leading, highly ideological queries. And so, for example, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis asked Carson what government could do for people receiving assistance. Carson’s response? “Get them off of it.” Later, Tillis asked whether the government has “gone from providing housing to providing warehousing for an unacceptable number of people who are supported by the federal government.” Carson affirmed the premise: “The key to your question was the word ‘unacceptable,’ and yes, absolutely.”
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/01/ben_carson_future_hud_secretary_knows_nothing_about_hud.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_top
6 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
