A look back...
Are you a Carsonian?
The philosophy is simple – public service is a responsibility that every citizen must be prepared to undertake, and common sense politics is the order of the day. Dr. Benjamin Carson Sr. has been for the last year trumpeting a return to the doctrine of the American founding fathers; small government, morality in government, and a recognition of the importance of an informed public.
Since his now famous Prayer Breakfast Speech went viral throughout the political blogosphere and the world over, Carson has been hailed as the new conservative savior on the American political scene. His religious background has secured him the support of the evangelical base as well as the influential conservative establishment - which includes numerous influential Media Houses and other conservative leaning entities like Fox News – not to mention the fact that he works as a contributor at the said Media establishment.
Nevertheless, Ben Carson’s record is unprecedented. As a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Dr. Carson could possibly be considered as one of the most qualified candidates to vie for political office. An acclaimed neurosurgeon, philanthropist and best-selling author he surely appears sufficiently accomplished. As a politician however, quite plainly he has no record. He has never held political office and formally belongs to no political party. He has stated of himself that “If I were part of one [a political party], it would be called the Logic party, and it would be dedicated to commonsense approaches we all should be able to see.”
Carson’s strong opinions on moral issues and his religious background have, realistically speaking, placed him on the conservative/republican side of the political spectrum. The fact that he is black and therefore surely has the capacity to reach African Americans in mass, who usually (at least over the past sixty years) vote Democratic, is an obvious consideration but surely not the sole reason for the obviously attractive prospect of him being a presidential candidate.
It could be legitimately argued that Carson’s appeal comes mainly from a kind of ‘average American’ simplicity - reminiscent of early American politics - the days before opinion polls and focus groups determined what came out of the mouths of potential political candidates.
His inexperience within the political arena could surely be seen as the chink in his armor, but on the other side, it could be a large plus for Carson to distance himself from the utter dysfunction that presently engulfs Capitol Hill and Washington in general.
So what does the good doctor offer the American people and potentially the world with his candidacy? For the American people he has offered ways to reduce the debt, improve health care, (without the political gimmickry of repealing ‘Obama Care’) and place a greater emphasis on education – an obvious passion of his. The only worry could be his apparent inexperience on the international front. The reality is that a large percent of Americans are grossly inept when it comes to international relations. Their opinions are usually ethnocentric and narrow. In all reality this has been one of Barack Obama’s strong points that he surely hasn’t been given enough credit for. His rhetoric and actions (for the most part) has proved him to be probably the most astute and ‘worldly’ American President since George H.W. Bush with regard to international affairs. This would surely be an obvious challenge for Carson if elected, but such a possibility is still a very far-fetched notion.
Carson still has many more hits to take, ‘scandals’ to be revealed and hurdles to cross before being considered as even a contender for the Republican nomination. And if successful within the Republican Party, there would still be the daunting prospect of a Hillary Clinton, or a Cory Booker to battle against come 2016.
Regardless, for all its worth, his very presence in the discussion is an achievement. A poor black boy from the slums of Detroit rising to become a world renowned neurosurgeon and potential Presidential candidate – he is the American dream. If anything, few could argue that this conservative savior is the true personification of the black experience in America. He espouses the virtues of individual responsibility and a strong faith in God. That’s his philosophy. That’s the Carsonian doctrine. Are you a Carsonian?
(25/10/2014)
Mikhail E.D. Byng
Are you a Carsonian?
The philosophy is simple – public service is a responsibility that every citizen must be prepared to undertake, and common sense politics is the order of the day. Dr. Benjamin Carson Sr. has been for the last year trumpeting a return to the doctrine of the American founding fathers; small government, morality in government, and a recognition of the importance of an informed public.
Since his now famous Prayer Breakfast Speech went viral throughout the political blogosphere and the world over, Carson has been hailed as the new conservative savior on the American political scene. His religious background has secured him the support of the evangelical base as well as the influential conservative establishment - which includes numerous influential Media Houses and other conservative leaning entities like Fox News – not to mention the fact that he works as a contributor at the said Media establishment.
Nevertheless, Ben Carson’s record is unprecedented. As a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Dr. Carson could possibly be considered as one of the most qualified candidates to vie for political office. An acclaimed neurosurgeon, philanthropist and best-selling author he surely appears sufficiently accomplished. As a politician however, quite plainly he has no record. He has never held political office and formally belongs to no political party. He has stated of himself that “If I were part of one [a political party], it would be called the Logic party, and it would be dedicated to commonsense approaches we all should be able to see.”
Carson’s strong opinions on moral issues and his religious background have, realistically speaking, placed him on the conservative/republican side of the political spectrum. The fact that he is black and therefore surely has the capacity to reach African Americans in mass, who usually (at least over the past sixty years) vote Democratic, is an obvious consideration but surely not the sole reason for the obviously attractive prospect of him being a presidential candidate.
It could be legitimately argued that Carson’s appeal comes mainly from a kind of ‘average American’ simplicity - reminiscent of early American politics - the days before opinion polls and focus groups determined what came out of the mouths of potential political candidates.
His inexperience within the political arena could surely be seen as the chink in his armor, but on the other side, it could be a large plus for Carson to distance himself from the utter dysfunction that presently engulfs Capitol Hill and Washington in general.
So what does the good doctor offer the American people and potentially the world with his candidacy? For the American people he has offered ways to reduce the debt, improve health care, (without the political gimmickry of repealing ‘Obama Care’) and place a greater emphasis on education – an obvious passion of his. The only worry could be his apparent inexperience on the international front. The reality is that a large percent of Americans are grossly inept when it comes to international relations. Their opinions are usually ethnocentric and narrow. In all reality this has been one of Barack Obama’s strong points that he surely hasn’t been given enough credit for. His rhetoric and actions (for the most part) has proved him to be probably the most astute and ‘worldly’ American President since George H.W. Bush with regard to international affairs. This would surely be an obvious challenge for Carson if elected, but such a possibility is still a very far-fetched notion.
Carson still has many more hits to take, ‘scandals’ to be revealed and hurdles to cross before being considered as even a contender for the Republican nomination. And if successful within the Republican Party, there would still be the daunting prospect of a Hillary Clinton, or a Cory Booker to battle against come 2016.
Regardless, for all its worth, his very presence in the discussion is an achievement. A poor black boy from the slums of Detroit rising to become a world renowned neurosurgeon and potential Presidential candidate – he is the American dream. If anything, few could argue that this conservative savior is the true personification of the black experience in America. He espouses the virtues of individual responsibility and a strong faith in God. That’s his philosophy. That’s the Carsonian doctrine. Are you a Carsonian?
(25/10/2014)
Mikhail E.D. Byng
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