In a real debate, once you resort to the Hitler/Nazi card (argumentum ad Hitlerum/nazium) you’ve probably lost the round. It’s not so true in politics - the living realm of ignorance, delusion, and cynicism. I wish we could believe that Carson only a cynic.
12
It is not a myth that the Holocaust could have been greatly diminished if the Jews were allowed to keep their guns. From the films and historical articles it appears that the Jews who were killed did not put up a fight when the were herded like lambs to slaughter. I never understood why even without their own weapons they did not resist. It always appear that the number of Nazi's that were guarding them were in relatively small numbers and could have been vunerable to attack by the Jews who greatly outnumbered them particularly if they knew they were going to die any way regardless of whether they put up a struggle or not.
8
Well, I did read that Carson said having Kanye West on his Board would be a good idea. Need one say more. Perhaps it is the new America.
4
Sorry, Pete, but your party happily encouraged this kind of lunacy for the past six years in its fervent hope of getting back Congress (successfully) and then the White House (unsuccessfully). Perhaps you should have been making your points about how inappropriate Nazi analogies are in American public discourse when they first started to surface from the GOP toward the end of the 2008 Presidential elections. But you were too busy being excited about how they ginned up the base to worry about when the base started to believe them, now were you?
36
For decades the GOP and the conservatives have claimed that the government is a part of the problem.
The unspoken portion of their agenda is that the dictators like Hitler are the part of the solution.
That’s why the GOP has been supportive of every dictator in the world, from general Franco in Spain, general Allende in Chile, general Reza Pahlavi in Iran, generals Mubarak and al-Sissi in Egypt, and every Central and South American junta...
Now we understand why the conservatives believe the smaller government, the better for them...
The unspoken portion of their agenda is that the dictators like Hitler are the part of the solution.
That’s why the GOP has been supportive of every dictator in the world, from general Franco in Spain, general Allende in Chile, general Reza Pahlavi in Iran, generals Mubarak and al-Sissi in Egypt, and every Central and South American junta...
Now we understand why the conservatives believe the smaller government, the better for them...
21
So, Stalinist Russia or Nazi Germany? Which is it, Dr. Carson? Obama's America cannot be both at the same time except in a twisted parallel universe where straight lines are circles and black is white. This is not simply the mind of an incoherent demagogue; he's polling at 23% of all Republicans.
As for the GOP, what used to pass for anti-intellectualism has now descended into outright lunacy under the veneer of a soft voice and an MD degree. Good Lord, Dr. Carson should be practicing neurosurgery upon himself before he's set loose on the American electorate.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
As for the GOP, what used to pass for anti-intellectualism has now descended into outright lunacy under the veneer of a soft voice and an MD degree. Good Lord, Dr. Carson should be practicing neurosurgery upon himself before he's set loose on the American electorate.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
35
These are Conservative words I can respect and that's big part of the problem with Dr Carson and those who want him to succeed. Mr. Obama was written off (by Conservatives) before he even took office. They have zero RESPECT for the office, if their guy isn't in it. He hadn't actually done anything as POTUS, yet as of 20 Jan 2009 he was all but a lame duck. From the previous administration, our financial/banking system was on fire and on the brink, thousands of Americans were dead and/or wounded from two ongoing wars, and he's steadily cleaned up that mess with zero help from Conservatives.
From minute one, Dr. Carson has shown ZERO respect for Mr Obama, his journey, or accomplishments. As a Black man myself, I would've expected better from him, but clearly he's a Conservative first.
In fact, I no longer refer to the Republican party as such, now it's the Conservative party. May Heaven help us all...
From minute one, Dr. Carson has shown ZERO respect for Mr Obama, his journey, or accomplishments. As a Black man myself, I would've expected better from him, but clearly he's a Conservative first.
In fact, I no longer refer to the Republican party as such, now it's the Conservative party. May Heaven help us all...
31
Carson has more problems than his inane political statements and hyperbole. His biggest issue is he is incompetent to hold public office at any level and is as boorish as Trump. But remember these two jokers are the best the Republicans have to offer based on their popularity. I say keep those mouths going and support your fellow democrat.
23
I recently watched a movie about Hitler's rise to power which was shown at the Nuremberg trials. It sent chills down my spine, because the way Mr Trump behaves at his rallies seems eerily similar to Hitler's ranting, as an adoring crowd of Germans rallied to his odious words.
As for Dr Carson's unseemly references to the Nazis, I recommend he view the film to realize how disgraceful his analogies are.
As for Dr Carson's unseemly references to the Nazis, I recommend he view the film to realize how disgraceful his analogies are.
31
Not once did Wehner said Carson was wrong. Not once, did Wehner point out that Carson wasn't just rhetorically inflammatory, reckless or crossing a line, but that he was actually factually wrong. Even now, is Wehner afraid to admit that President Obama or the democrats have done or said something right?
Conservative like Wehner have failed to see that their problem is not just unhinged rhetoric, but an inaccurate and faulty perception of reality. When what you see is wrong, nothing you say can come out correct. The Republicans leadership are being dishonest, manipulative and opportunistic. But more seriously they are totally delusional and disconnected from reality. The blind leading the blind is what it is.
Conservative like Wehner have failed to see that their problem is not just unhinged rhetoric, but an inaccurate and faulty perception of reality. When what you see is wrong, nothing you say can come out correct. The Republicans leadership are being dishonest, manipulative and opportunistic. But more seriously they are totally delusional and disconnected from reality. The blind leading the blind is what it is.
25
The irony of Mr. Carson's extreme outbursts comparing progressive ideas to Hitler's lies in the fact that Carson and others are using public frustration with declining economic status and social change just like Hitler did to advance an irrational agenda. So he may be right there is a parallel with the Nazis, but he is accusing the wrong side.
28
Ben Carson said that people, when confronted with a mass shooter situation, should rush the shooter in order to neutralize him, as the shooter can only shoot one person at a time, and that if one or more of those people gets shot, so be it -- their sacrifice would be worth it.
I'm guessing that he makes some assumptions in order to arrive at his conclusion, such as:
- The shooter has one gun
- The gun he has is a hand loaded musket or has a one bullet magazine capacity
For a guy who thinks that everyone should be armed all the time, everywhere, with no limit on type of gun or magazine capacity, he certainly must also have a victim-as-superhero fantasy as well. A guy with a fully automatic weapon who knows how to use it, could easily shoot all of the few people who try to rush him in a matter of seconds.
Which is it Ben -- allow automatic weapons, or have people rush the shooter?
I'm guessing that he makes some assumptions in order to arrive at his conclusion, such as:
- The shooter has one gun
- The gun he has is a hand loaded musket or has a one bullet magazine capacity
For a guy who thinks that everyone should be armed all the time, everywhere, with no limit on type of gun or magazine capacity, he certainly must also have a victim-as-superhero fantasy as well. A guy with a fully automatic weapon who knows how to use it, could easily shoot all of the few people who try to rush him in a matter of seconds.
Which is it Ben -- allow automatic weapons, or have people rush the shooter?
19
Ben Carson proves that just because he was a very good doctor it does not follow that he is great in other fields. Many athletes turned politician prove that. I recall a physicist named Shockley who decided he was an expert in human development some years ago.
9
Reasonable, centrist Republicans long ago decided to tolerate and encourage the extremists who ran under the GOP label. This is why I stopped reading apologists like David Brooks. If they truly believed in prudent conservativism as a functioning part of our constitutional democracy, they would have made it clear that the extremists would not play a role in their party. Instead, they welcomed them. You reap what you sow.
28
In a way that I'm sure was unintended, Mr. Carson is correct about our country becoming like Nazi Germany. Conservative leaders have seemed to morph into a particularly malevolent group of xenophobes, racists and, dare I say, lunatics. Influenced by said leaders, an increasing number of voters seem, as in Nazi Germany, to be more and more hysterical and antagonistic towards certain targeted groups and philosophies.
I believe that this nation is at a crossroads and is in danger of stampeding towards the wrong destination.
I believe that this nation is at a crossroads and is in danger of stampeding towards the wrong destination.
14
Carson is the antithesis of Trump: soft spoken with the suppressed demeanor of someone on powerful drugs. Yet they are both full of notions -- you can't call them ideas because they are too sketchy -- that appeal to people who believe there is a simple answer to every problem.
Of the two Carson is more sinister because it appears he truly believes what he is saying and I think he has even more sociopathic thoughts that even he feels he should not disclose at this time.
Trump is completely out front, but there is another Carson lurking in the room behind the public Carson we see, more calculating and manipulative than the foggy doctor doing the talking.
It's creepy.
Of the two Carson is more sinister because it appears he truly believes what he is saying and I think he has even more sociopathic thoughts that even he feels he should not disclose at this time.
Trump is completely out front, but there is another Carson lurking in the room behind the public Carson we see, more calculating and manipulative than the foggy doctor doing the talking.
It's creepy.
18
I'd describe myself as a fiscally conservative, socially moderate independent. My views align well with individuals like Romney and Rubio. I will say though, that if I had a choice between Trump/Carson types or progressives like Bernie Sanders, I'd pick Bernie. So there's that. What I strongly dislike about certain leaders (i.e. Hillary) or the media (i.e. MSNBC) is their attempt to paint conservatives as evil. Hillary often paints Rubio as being similar to Trump. Nonsense. The divisive nature by which she and the media are rallying their extremists turns me off from being a viewer or a supporter. Bernie might be a socialist, but he's also a pragmatist. Trump/Carson certainly aren't. And Hillary? She just does whatever it takes to win a race. No thanks.
14
I wanted to cheer as I read Mr. Wehner's column. The challenge needs to go out to the "Old School" Republican leaders -- just here my neck of the woods, Christine Todd Whitman, Dick Thornberg, Tom Ridge, even George Pataki -- to stand up to the crazies and establish a call to reason.
Where are the adults in the Republican party? They're my friends who are Republicans on issues of lower taxes for everyone and less (perceived) government regulation. But my friends who are Republicans aren't calling for a wall to keep Mexicans out or mandatory 24 hour waiting periods for abortions or shutting down the government to squabble over anything. They may not love Obama, but they don't foam at the mouth at the mention of his name. They don't want to reintroduce prayer in school or pretend there is no racism or classism in America. They want motion on political issues, not quagmires where nothing happens because the caucus in DC is holding their breath until the rest of us turn blue.
Come on, Republicans: take back your party.
Where are the adults in the Republican party? They're my friends who are Republicans on issues of lower taxes for everyone and less (perceived) government regulation. But my friends who are Republicans aren't calling for a wall to keep Mexicans out or mandatory 24 hour waiting periods for abortions or shutting down the government to squabble over anything. They may not love Obama, but they don't foam at the mouth at the mention of his name. They don't want to reintroduce prayer in school or pretend there is no racism or classism in America. They want motion on political issues, not quagmires where nothing happens because the caucus in DC is holding their breath until the rest of us turn blue.
Come on, Republicans: take back your party.
14
Anyone at all surprised at the ascendancy of the Trumps and the Carsons has somehow managed to be unfamiliar with the story of Frankenstein.
9
Aside from pediatric neurosurgery, is there anything Ben Carson doesn't have a "staggering ignorance" about?
13
As an American Jew whose family was nearly annihilated by Nazi Germany, I have no illusion that our society mirrors that of Germany in the 1920's and 30's. But at the same time, the main lesson of the Holocaust is that similar events could happen almost anywhere at almost any time. With a very vocal reactionary minority currently trying to pin blame for societal changes (real and perceived) on scapegoats who may look different, sound different, pray differently, wear different clothes and eat different foods than "us REAL Americans," perhaps Dr. Carson has a point. He's just focusing in the wrong direction.
27
Mr. Carson is one of the most delusional people in the world.
He thinks if only the German people had the guns they would have been able to stop Hitler...
The democratically elected government of Spain had a lot of guns and lot of international support but all of them failed to stop the fascists, the Nazi troops and the aircrafts attacking them...
He thinks if only the German people had the guns they would have been able to stop Hitler...
The democratically elected government of Spain had a lot of guns and lot of international support but all of them failed to stop the fascists, the Nazi troops and the aircrafts attacking them...
18
In an article in Commentary magazine "In Praise of Ted Cruz" published on Jan. 30th of this year, Mr. Wehner had this to say re Loetta Lynch's appointment: "What Senator Cruz did was to reveal Mr. Obama’s utter disdain for the Constitution and what a fundamentally lawless and capricious president he is." And now the purveyor of such vicious claptrap complains about Mr. Carson. What's the complaint: that Mr. Carson stole all of Mr. Wehner's thunder?
24
After seven years of throwing sand into the wheels of government Republicans feign shock and alarm and wail that we need an "outsider" to fix things in Washington. Enter the "imbecilic" "amateur", Ben Carson, whose appeal is soft-spoken ethereal declarations of how things should be (in his view) that, somehow, he's going to make a reality.
True, "experience, achievements, mastery of issues" are criteria we use to test a person's fitness for office but there's also judgement and, most important, actual positions on the issues. Carson (and Trump) fails these tests in every way: zero experience, zero accomplishment, uninformed, poor judgment and loony positions on issues. There is not room here for the solid evidence for each of these failures.
Ben Carson is a nice guy, witty and most competent in a surgical suite, but he would be an utter disaster as President of the United States. (Ditto for Trump, sans the medical expertise.)
True, "experience, achievements, mastery of issues" are criteria we use to test a person's fitness for office but there's also judgement and, most important, actual positions on the issues. Carson (and Trump) fails these tests in every way: zero experience, zero accomplishment, uninformed, poor judgment and loony positions on issues. There is not room here for the solid evidence for each of these failures.
Ben Carson is a nice guy, witty and most competent in a surgical suite, but he would be an utter disaster as President of the United States. (Ditto for Trump, sans the medical expertise.)
11
That Ben Carson and Donald Trump are leading the Republican race for the Presidential nomination leaves me breathless -- and also despairing about the critical facilities of the electorate.
Amazing that no one has stood up to invoke both Godwin's law and Poe's law to eliminate Dr. Carson's reckless, feckless, and incoherent discourse from the spotlight in this race to the bottom.
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Godwin's_Law
*Godwin's Law
Godwin’s Law (also argumentum ad Nazium, reductio ad Hitlerum,[1] or a Hitler Card) was formulated by the attorney Mike Godwin (former general counsel for the Wikimedia Foundation) in the 1990s and states:
“”As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches"
Traditionally in many Internet discussion forums, it is the rule that once such a comparison is made, the discussion is effectively finished and whoever mentioned Hitler or the Nazis has automatically lost the debate
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Poe%27s_Law
*Poe's Law :
“”Without a clear indication of the author's intent, it is difficult or impossible to tell the difference between an expression of sincere extremism and a parody of extremism."
Amazing that no one has stood up to invoke both Godwin's law and Poe's law to eliminate Dr. Carson's reckless, feckless, and incoherent discourse from the spotlight in this race to the bottom.
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Godwin's_Law
*Godwin's Law
Godwin’s Law (also argumentum ad Nazium, reductio ad Hitlerum,[1] or a Hitler Card) was formulated by the attorney Mike Godwin (former general counsel for the Wikimedia Foundation) in the 1990s and states:
“”As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches"
Traditionally in many Internet discussion forums, it is the rule that once such a comparison is made, the discussion is effectively finished and whoever mentioned Hitler or the Nazis has automatically lost the debate
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Poe%27s_Law
*Poe's Law :
“”Without a clear indication of the author's intent, it is difficult or impossible to tell the difference between an expression of sincere extremism and a parody of extremism."
11
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/20/us/politics/republican-freedom-caucuss...
Carson, like Trump and, to a degree, Sanders, is a product of populist media outlets that dominate in today's world, centrist, balanced (sorry, Fox) and serious reporting having taken a backseat to the kind of balderdash being disgorged by Glenn Beck. It's very difficult to get people, once they've been taken down this hallucinogenic highway, to turn back to what Ted Cruz calls the "mushy middle."
People scream at the comparison of Trump and Sanders. Of course, they're very different in most respects; but they both represent a feeling that the old ways of doing things are not going to produce the kind of emendation required to create a just society. The procession of irresponsible rhetoric is difficult to stop in part because it was not combated early enough. Someone declares Barack Obama a misguided president? Fine. But the next asserts he's a nincompoop, the next a communist (and there is no contestation or correction), the next a Muslim, and all of a sudden you've created a flagitious, fictitious monster and injected it into the minds of credulous and unlearned listeners.
Criticism is fine, but inflammatory rhetoric isn't. The distinction is impossible to make at this moment because the people who devour that rhetoric have been told that any such distinction is the handiwork of a malefic "liberal media." Don't expect Nazi analogies to go away soon.
Carson, like Trump and, to a degree, Sanders, is a product of populist media outlets that dominate in today's world, centrist, balanced (sorry, Fox) and serious reporting having taken a backseat to the kind of balderdash being disgorged by Glenn Beck. It's very difficult to get people, once they've been taken down this hallucinogenic highway, to turn back to what Ted Cruz calls the "mushy middle."
People scream at the comparison of Trump and Sanders. Of course, they're very different in most respects; but they both represent a feeling that the old ways of doing things are not going to produce the kind of emendation required to create a just society. The procession of irresponsible rhetoric is difficult to stop in part because it was not combated early enough. Someone declares Barack Obama a misguided president? Fine. But the next asserts he's a nincompoop, the next a communist (and there is no contestation or correction), the next a Muslim, and all of a sudden you've created a flagitious, fictitious monster and injected it into the minds of credulous and unlearned listeners.
Criticism is fine, but inflammatory rhetoric isn't. The distinction is impossible to make at this moment because the people who devour that rhetoric have been told that any such distinction is the handiwork of a malefic "liberal media." Don't expect Nazi analogies to go away soon.
6
Unwittingly Wehner is testimony to the seismic shift that is occurring in both political parties. It's no longer Democrats vs. Republicans but outsiders of whichever party against the political establishment regardless of political affiliation. In criticizing Carson and Trump Wehner represents the political center. In the past both parties have gravitated toward it, but now under pressure from the fringe on both sides the center is falling apart. As a result someone like Trump can actually criticize G. W. Bush and call Karl Rove a jerk and still lead the Republican field. So far, centrist Democrats have been able to hold out against Sanders because of Hillary's commanding lead, but even she has had to tilt left in order to maintain it. Centrist Republicans could wish they had someone like her to fall back on, but Jeb has proven less adept than she in holding the center together. For lack of their own centrist "Hillary," the Republican establishment would probably prefer her to either Carson or Trump if they had to. So Hillary alone emerges as the great centrist hope. It's up to the average voter to decide whether we will have more of the same or go off in a new direction.
1
Shouldn't Carson's main conversation be about gerrymandering? Could he
possibly be as stupid as he appears?
His blaming "the devil" for anything proves he ought to be in a straitjacket.
possibly be as stupid as he appears?
His blaming "the devil" for anything proves he ought to be in a straitjacket.
5
Peter Wehner sounds reasonable, intelligent. What is he doing in the GOP? We really need him and others of like mind, to come over to the Democratic party, leaving the right-wing nuts to implode. Moderate people staying with and voting for the GOP-- in any race--may just lead to the irrevocable implosion of our country, not just an extremist political party.
3
Why should he leave a party that even you call grand - twice?
1
Conservatives spend their lives being compared to Nazis by loud-mouthed, ignorant, liberals. A practice that continues in the comments to this very article. A little reciprocity never hurt anyone.
The only takeaway from this piece is a reminder that that the NYT will always manage to find room on its OP-ED page for a Republican attacking another Republican.
The only takeaway from this piece is a reminder that that the NYT will always manage to find room on its OP-ED page for a Republican attacking another Republican.
3
The rise of Mr. Trump and Mr. Carson can only come as a surprise to Americans who have lived a uniquely comfortable, peaceful political existence, where the party out of power politely takes the role of the loyal opposition. But for people who have experienced political life in other countries, fantastical and ignorant rhetoric, political violence, and demagouges in power are nothing new. Please look no further than Cuba, Venezuela, Jamaica, Haiti, and Central America, to see that the rational and polite political style to which we have become accustomed in America is not necesarily inevitable. Pre-WW II history has many other examples. Yes, it can happen here.
6
What really matters is how drawn to such intemperance - Trump, Carson, Cruz, and quite frankly all the rest of them - the Republican Party is. Having Crazy people who appeal to hate, ignorance, idiocy, and hypocrisy is nothing new in modern American Politics but to have so many drawn to them is very scary.
Then again the modern Republican Party from Goldwater, Nixon, and Reagan onward has been built on hate when you consider their "Southern Strategy".
Frankly, we are not seeing something new but rather the culmination of decades of pandering to the lunatics for the sake of power. It is very scary.
Then again the modern Republican Party from Goldwater, Nixon, and Reagan onward has been built on hate when you consider their "Southern Strategy".
Frankly, we are not seeing something new but rather the culmination of decades of pandering to the lunatics for the sake of power. It is very scary.
6
Nazi analogies regarding the U.S., almost by definition, trivialize the real horror and suffering of the nazis' victims. It also betrays an incredible ignorance of Hitler's rise and regime, and a misreading of the current U.S., despite it being easier than ever to get this information.
In general, Hitler was militaristic (uniforms)/pugilistic, nationalistic, bigoted (Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, non-aryans, communists/socialists), liked guns, RELAXED gun laws (1928 gun laws, before Hitler came to power in 1933) initially for everyone in 1938 (only later were Jews prohibited from having any weapons), the private sector thrived under the nazis (Hitler abandoned socialism in the 1920s, saying it was the Jews who were the problem, not capitalism), and Hitler came to power by appealing to people's anger and fear regarding "the others", those who weren't "really German". This sounds a lot more like today's U.S. conservatives than U.S. liberals, more like Sarah Palin than Barack Obama.
In general, Hitler was militaristic (uniforms)/pugilistic, nationalistic, bigoted (Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, non-aryans, communists/socialists), liked guns, RELAXED gun laws (1928 gun laws, before Hitler came to power in 1933) initially for everyone in 1938 (only later were Jews prohibited from having any weapons), the private sector thrived under the nazis (Hitler abandoned socialism in the 1920s, saying it was the Jews who were the problem, not capitalism), and Hitler came to power by appealing to people's anger and fear regarding "the others", those who weren't "really German". This sounds a lot more like today's U.S. conservatives than U.S. liberals, more like Sarah Palin than Barack Obama.
11
How any Republican can be surprised by the rise of Trump and Carson is beyond me. This is the party that embraced the segregationist wing of the Democrats after George Wallace ran for President. The party whose most beloved recent figure enunciated the myth that government can never play a positive role in society. The party that gave us Lee Atwater and Willie Horton. The party that promoted gay-rights referenda in 2004 in a cynical effort to drive religious conservatives to the polls and support Bush. To worry now as Wehner and Brooks do says to me either they were blind to the activities of the Republicans for over forty years, or that they saw these pernicious developments but chose to overlook them. I suspect the latter.
23
I find it quite ironic that in his histrionics about Nazi Germany, Mr. Carson is actually sounding very much like Adolph himself in his histrionics about the German State, its perceived submissive attitude towards the West, and how President Hindenburg was destroying the Reich. It's easy to shrug and let it slide except that over 40% of the electorate, much like the German public, are ignorant enough to actually pay attention.
9
Recall Bernie Sanders’ comment about the right criticizing him for being “extreme.” Bernie’s response seems even more relevant when considered in the context of true extremists like Carson. Some folks who believe that physicians are godlike in their intellects and vast knowledge should wake up to the actuality that MDs can be brilliant within the context of their specialty, while demonstrating a vast desert of stupidity in more-global matters. Carson’s a great example of an intellectually limited extremist
9
The most frightening revelation from the far right of the Republican party and the people who want to be president of the United States is that they don't want to govern. They want to rule.
25
Brain surgeon is just someone who makes cuts in the brain hopping to remove some tissue without killing the patient, and you bother to google it you will find brain surgeons have existed for thousands of years, much before we had any knowledge about neurons.
Making cuts in the brain does not mean the cutter knows how the brain works, but only that as it has been for thousands of years the cutter only has the assumptions of his day to go by, and the degree a person holds assumptions thinking their are truth is a sign of their dumbness not of high intelligence.
Making cuts in the brain does not mean the cutter knows how the brain works, but only that as it has been for thousands of years the cutter only has the assumptions of his day to go by, and the degree a person holds assumptions thinking their are truth is a sign of their dumbness not of high intelligence.
4
When my grandmother fearfully chose to enter a hospital rather than attempt an escape across a dangerous border with the rest of her family, she thought the Nazis would honor that safe haven. She forgot one thing though. She forgot to arm herself with a six-shooter just in case her assumptions were false. In 1981 I visited the mass grave in which she and over 30 other innocents were buried. If only they each had a 9 mil Glock in their bedside drawers...
In the case of Dr. Carson, it turns out that you don't have to be a rocket scientist to become a brain surgeon.
In the case of Dr. Carson, it turns out that you don't have to be a rocket scientist to become a brain surgeon.
6
I think Dr. Carson's popularity says a lot more about what is wrong with education in America. Anyone who actually understands the Constitution, the difference between the various "-isms" and "-cracies" used to describe government, and how our government works would not take this man seriously. He is a brilliant neurosurgeon, but he gets an F in Political Science 101.
My question to his supporters is would you entrust me, with the extent of my medical expertise being a nurse's daughter, operate on your precious child? Likewise, I would not trust Dr. Ben Carson with the leadership of my precious democracy.
My question to his supporters is would you entrust me, with the extent of my medical expertise being a nurse's daughter, operate on your precious child? Likewise, I would not trust Dr. Ben Carson with the leadership of my precious democracy.
7
I was 100% in with Wehner until he just couldn't help himself and decided to slip in the partisan remark about "unsustainable entitlements". That subject has no bearing whatsoever on his argument against demagogy. The implication is that Social Security is a freebie of government largesse, which could not be further from the truth. Social Security is an "entitlement" only insomuch as it has been fully funded by citizens contributions. Having contributed for over 40 years, you better believe when the time comes, I'll be entitled to my benefits!
10
Well, Mr. Wehner, this is the predictable destination of the Southern Strategy. But, as most before, American Conservatives are finding that is very difficult to fit the genie into the bottle again once it is out.
1
You can say whatever you want about Ben Carson but he is a brilliant man who puts most of the NYT readers to shame. He is being ridiculed unmercifully in this article and by many of the commentators because he is a conservative Republican. He is also a threat to the Democrats because he is polling so high in the ratings. I happen to think he is great as do many of my fellow Republicans and would not hesitate to give him my vote in 2016. Please Mr. Carson do not listen to these blowhards and continue on in the presidential race. Good luck and many of us are behind you.
To the degree Ben Carson is being ridiculed here, it is because he insists on saying things, often repeatedly, that are untrue, intemperate, and often just plain bizarre.
Hitler did not ban guns. German Jews could not have stopped the Nazi war machine with a couple of pistols (it took the combined forces of the USSR, Great Britain and the USA to do that). Health insurance is not like slavery. The professor and students at the community college in Oregon did not "just stand there" and let the gunman kill them. Ben Carson has no idea what he would do if confronted by a gunman. His "funny" story about redirecting an armed holdup away from himself and toward a cashier is not funny, is not flattering, and in all probability is not even true.
Hitler did not ban guns. German Jews could not have stopped the Nazi war machine with a couple of pistols (it took the combined forces of the USSR, Great Britain and the USA to do that). Health insurance is not like slavery. The professor and students at the community college in Oregon did not "just stand there" and let the gunman kill them. Ben Carson has no idea what he would do if confronted by a gunman. His "funny" story about redirecting an armed holdup away from himself and toward a cashier is not funny, is not flattering, and in all probability is not even true.
4
No, Carson is being ridiculed here because he makes ridiculous statements.
2
Peter is Milquetoast come back to life. He states "There are some places they shouldn’t go."
Actually they should go to anyplace they feel like and tell us what they really think versus telling us lies and spin from sunup to sundown or just insulting the opponent and calling them "stupid" or some other juvenile adjective. In the end the electorate can judge who they feel is the best candidate and squashing rhetoric is very un American.
Analogical arguments are also fine as they reveal what people think, which helps the electorate, and they also help us sift and winnow through opposing viewpoints and ideas.
For example the thesis that Carson posited which was Jews would have been able to mobilize themselves if they had guns has some merit. On the one hand many people trash that view as it appears they just want to kill the messenger but interestingly enough our foreign policy supports that view as we ship guns to every rebel group in the world that we agree with. So if our actions are grounded in our beliefs then we agree with Carson.
Our founding fathers engaged in some really dramatic arguments about the course of the US and had very different visions of how it should be setup. Insults were traded as well as labeling the opponent with bad intentions and trying to establish another Monarchy. So what we are experiencing today is not that bad. It's time to grow up and hear people out.
Actually they should go to anyplace they feel like and tell us what they really think versus telling us lies and spin from sunup to sundown or just insulting the opponent and calling them "stupid" or some other juvenile adjective. In the end the electorate can judge who they feel is the best candidate and squashing rhetoric is very un American.
Analogical arguments are also fine as they reveal what people think, which helps the electorate, and they also help us sift and winnow through opposing viewpoints and ideas.
For example the thesis that Carson posited which was Jews would have been able to mobilize themselves if they had guns has some merit. On the one hand many people trash that view as it appears they just want to kill the messenger but interestingly enough our foreign policy supports that view as we ship guns to every rebel group in the world that we agree with. So if our actions are grounded in our beliefs then we agree with Carson.
Our founding fathers engaged in some really dramatic arguments about the course of the US and had very different visions of how it should be setup. Insults were traded as well as labeling the opponent with bad intentions and trying to establish another Monarchy. So what we are experiencing today is not that bad. It's time to grow up and hear people out.
GOP Presidential candidates have been dog whistling nonsense for years, and now they've just come out in the open and declaring their nonsenses as truths. Their puerile and badly educated voters who've been fed a red meat diet of racism, bigotry and Ayn Rand-laced economic drivel want to hear this nonsense. Perhaps, after the current generation of GOP voters die out, we'll be finally rid of pandering to racist, outdated, bigoted views.
2
With Trump, you have to believe that most of what he spews is just for show. He's correctly figured out that outrageous buffoonery draws media attention in the same way that lights draw moths.
But with Carson, it's safe to conclude that he really believes the claptrap he mumbles. To me, he shares the lineage of Clarence Thomas, Herman Cain and Alan Keyes -- educated, successful African American males whose anger knows no bounds. What the anger is about, or directed towards, is unclear, but it has manifested itself in a deranged zeitgeist that makes sweeping generalizations about the world around them. They live in a world of paranoia, in which education and erudition have become twisted to the point of incoherence.
But with Carson, it's safe to conclude that he really believes the claptrap he mumbles. To me, he shares the lineage of Clarence Thomas, Herman Cain and Alan Keyes -- educated, successful African American males whose anger knows no bounds. What the anger is about, or directed towards, is unclear, but it has manifested itself in a deranged zeitgeist that makes sweeping generalizations about the world around them. They live in a world of paranoia, in which education and erudition have become twisted to the point of incoherence.
9
Actually I have noticed since the George W Bush years how closely the GOP leadership follows Hitler's prescriptions for gaining and keeping power -- constantly repeat the biggest lies and people will accept those statements as truth; demonize opponents; pillory outside groups (ie, gays and women); favor the rich, corporations and the military; shower the populace with goodies so they won't notice what the government is really doing (ie, lower taxes and seniors' prescription drug benefits); encourage religion. McCain in his acceptance speech at the 2008 Republican convention even kept declaring over and over again this was "my fight," a phrase that is so very close to the English translation of Mein Kampf (my battle). Although I think that McCain wasn't aware of this, but it does show how well the Republicans are absorbing these lessons from their leadership, doesn't it? If we Americans knew anything about the language and history of other peoples, we would be more aware of the fascist ways of a particular party's leaders.
6
Somewhere George Orwell is smiling.
As someone who has studied the political and social forces that gave rise to National Socialism in Germany, it is Ben Carson and the Republican party that bear the most striking resemblance.
1. Unite big business with religious institutions.
2. Dispense with science that is not in the service of political ends.
3. A big lie, told often enough and loud enough becomes truth.
4. Play off people's fear of the "other" and blame them for all problems.
5. Undermine the functioning of the government and then complain about government for it's dysfunction.
It is a frightening picture.
As someone who has studied the political and social forces that gave rise to National Socialism in Germany, it is Ben Carson and the Republican party that bear the most striking resemblance.
1. Unite big business with religious institutions.
2. Dispense with science that is not in the service of political ends.
3. A big lie, told often enough and loud enough becomes truth.
4. Play off people's fear of the "other" and blame them for all problems.
5. Undermine the functioning of the government and then complain about government for it's dysfunction.
It is a frightening picture.
25
the show goes on.
If this this the best the republicans can come up with for the next President then that party is in trouble.
We need a true leader not a entertainment factor with no knowledge base that is relevant.
Where is the gravitas, where is the dignity, do we now required to forgo those needed qualities in order to 'appear' like the average citizen?
The only point Clinton has above the rest is her experience and gender, and I do not vote for gender the same way I didn't vote because of race in 2008 & 2012
If this this the best the republicans can come up with for the next President then that party is in trouble.
We need a true leader not a entertainment factor with no knowledge base that is relevant.
Where is the gravitas, where is the dignity, do we now required to forgo those needed qualities in order to 'appear' like the average citizen?
The only point Clinton has above the rest is her experience and gender, and I do not vote for gender the same way I didn't vote because of race in 2008 & 2012
I am only going to say this once.
If Ben Carson, exactly as he is today would just put on an Obama t-shirt, he would be celebrated and adored.
The hypocrisy and ignorance of the media (and Obama supporters) toward Dr. Carson is jaw dropping.
If Ben Carson, exactly as he is today would just put on an Obama t-shirt, he would be celebrated and adored.
The hypocrisy and ignorance of the media (and Obama supporters) toward Dr. Carson is jaw dropping.
4
I appreciate that you recognize the propriety of not repeating your stupidity on this matter
6
So people who support Obama (which I do not, btw) but criticize Carson are hypocrites...why, exactly? What do the two men have in common that it would be hypocritical to support one and not the other? Ohhhhhh, I see your point now.
Saying that once was one time too many, IMHO. If that drops your jaw, perhaps it is a little too slack.
Saying that once was one time too many, IMHO. If that drops your jaw, perhaps it is a little too slack.
2
That's probably the most incorrect and illogical statement I've read all year. Nothing Carson says is even remotely appealing to Obama supporters (or anyone else with the common sense to see Carson's paranoia and hyperbole for what it is).
Obama worked for years to set up the Affordable Care Act. Carson not only wants to repeal it, he compares it to slavery. Imagine what he'd say about the progressives who want to the it further and go single payer.
Obama talks about common sense gun control measures (not takin yer guns) and Carson thinks we should be handing out Glocks to anyone with opposable thumbs.
Obama supporters are not going to buy into Carson's nonsense. I don't know what makes you think they would, regardless of his t-shirt.
Obama worked for years to set up the Affordable Care Act. Carson not only wants to repeal it, he compares it to slavery. Imagine what he'd say about the progressives who want to the it further and go single payer.
Obama talks about common sense gun control measures (not takin yer guns) and Carson thinks we should be handing out Glocks to anyone with opposable thumbs.
Obama supporters are not going to buy into Carson's nonsense. I don't know what makes you think they would, regardless of his t-shirt.
11
Well, how in the hell does progressivism have anything to do with fascism or even to go so far as to say nazism? And what's this about the Affordable Care Act being anything like "the worst thing that has happened in this nation since slavery"? Even comparing the Affordable Care act to slavery? Are you asking us, Mr. Carson, to be blind, deaf and dumb here? Well, we don't wanna be, sorry.
Oh, you Jerk! You're as worse (intentional grammatical error) as Donald Trump! Both of you are worse. Oh, I see. And now, Mr. Carson, you are supporting the John Birch Society. Lucky for you that a lot of people here don't even know what that is, huh!
Never mind the Muslims, that's a separate issue; you are just trying to get us off the track by mentioning them now. To make things even more interesting, I just read somewhere in something written by a Ms. Sarah Palin, that she considers President Obama to be the anti-christ - yes, that's right, "the anti-christ" -I don't know about you all, but I think she oughta be locked up for that. That goes way beyond freedom of speech and right into defamation of character. And furthermore, what does anybody mean these days by "citizens of a great republic"? What kind of great republic do you all see? I see one merely run by money and greed.
Oh, you Jerk! You're as worse (intentional grammatical error) as Donald Trump! Both of you are worse. Oh, I see. And now, Mr. Carson, you are supporting the John Birch Society. Lucky for you that a lot of people here don't even know what that is, huh!
Never mind the Muslims, that's a separate issue; you are just trying to get us off the track by mentioning them now. To make things even more interesting, I just read somewhere in something written by a Ms. Sarah Palin, that she considers President Obama to be the anti-christ - yes, that's right, "the anti-christ" -I don't know about you all, but I think she oughta be locked up for that. That goes way beyond freedom of speech and right into defamation of character. And furthermore, what does anybody mean these days by "citizens of a great republic"? What kind of great republic do you all see? I see one merely run by money and greed.
10
The profoundly unsettling implication of the popularity of Trump & Carson is that their supporters are bigots, or brain-damaged, or ignorant, or nihilist, or some toxic combination of those attributes. What percentage of the voting body politic do these folks constitute?
4
It is up to the media to tell the truth when the candidates don't. Lies and misinformation cannot be allowed to stand. That is what the media are there for, to be gatekeepers of the truth, keeping their own political leanings to themselves.
7
The US has become like Nazi Germany in the sense that there is no real dissent allowed, and the voice of the people can never be heard, let alone followed, if it happens to disagree with propaganda du jour. The first example is The New York Times coverage which regularly goes against the readerships views on many issues, immigration, here and in the EU, being just one example.
People are tired to be ignored and the strong language is just a measure of the dissatisfaction of most people with the mainstream media and politics.
So yes, Ben Carson's analogy matter, but not for the reasons pointed by this op-ed. Had the writer tried to challenge the status quo just a bit, instead of singing in tune, the op ed would have never been published.
We are tired to be told non stop what to think.
People are tired to be ignored and the strong language is just a measure of the dissatisfaction of most people with the mainstream media and politics.
So yes, Ben Carson's analogy matter, but not for the reasons pointed by this op-ed. Had the writer tried to challenge the status quo just a bit, instead of singing in tune, the op ed would have never been published.
We are tired to be told non stop what to think.
3
From Atlas Shrugs to Mein Kampf, whoa. Ben Carson is fomenting outrage that like Hitler's threatens to upend our civil society and supplant it with an angry, determined and very well armed authoritarian government of the worst kind. Under his leadership he would expose our society and our children to “Mein Kampf.” If my WWII-POW father were alive today he'd remind us that his generation put their lives on the line to stop men like Carson, who do not care that their ideas kill millions and condemns us to genocidal wars. Those that cheer him eagerly support policies touted by the John Birch Society and the KKK for decades. I wonder if he realizes the peril he's putting all of us in. Once we institutionalize hatred it will take the power of a great war to stop it. Telling us it's time to arm up is like lighting the fuse. It won't result in a constitutional convention, but in Americans fighting Americans. Carson should look closer at his reflection in the mirror. He doesn't seem to realize that one of the first victims who will feel the jackboot of his kind of political action will be the African American community. Wake up Dr. Carson. My people have been there - Hitler killed 6 million of them - not because they did not have guns, but because the average German citizen had been whipped up into consensus of hatred. No army can stop a determined citizenry if they have been pushed into a fear driven frenzy. Dr. Carson wants that kind of future for you and me . . .
5
"I get that it may be emotionally satisfying to ... imply that America under Barack Obama is like Germany under Adolf Hitler."
Really? Because I do not understand it at all. To me, it speaks of mind boggling ignorance and severe emotional immaturity. I cannot imagine ANY rational person equating our President to Hitler. I thought, and still believe, GWB was an ignorant, immature, narcissist with "daddy issues" but I NEVER thought he was the equivalent of Hitler. A war criminal? Probably. That whole Iraq "thing" did break lots of laws, after all. But a sociopath and a despot? No! Whatever dysfunctional family dynamics turned the Bush boys into what they are today, and I shudder to think of it, they are not, and never will be, Hitler. Perhaps, we could "fix" all the issues with the Republican Party by merely requiring each voter pass a quick test to determine their knowledge of history, economics, and science. I have yet to meet a conservative, let alone a Tea Party follower, that I am confident could pass all three subjects. If evolution and global warming do not trip them up, "trickle down" economics will.
Really? Because I do not understand it at all. To me, it speaks of mind boggling ignorance and severe emotional immaturity. I cannot imagine ANY rational person equating our President to Hitler. I thought, and still believe, GWB was an ignorant, immature, narcissist with "daddy issues" but I NEVER thought he was the equivalent of Hitler. A war criminal? Probably. That whole Iraq "thing" did break lots of laws, after all. But a sociopath and a despot? No! Whatever dysfunctional family dynamics turned the Bush boys into what they are today, and I shudder to think of it, they are not, and never will be, Hitler. Perhaps, we could "fix" all the issues with the Republican Party by merely requiring each voter pass a quick test to determine their knowledge of history, economics, and science. I have yet to meet a conservative, let alone a Tea Party follower, that I am confident could pass all three subjects. If evolution and global warming do not trip them up, "trickle down" economics will.
15
'Staggering ignorance...' is dead-on when it comes to describing Carson's flimsy grasp on history and the rise of Nazism.
Never winning a majority in the polls, the Nazis instead took power through two Patriot Act style pieces of legislation to designed to 'protect' the German homeland. One was called the Reichstag Fire Decree, which gave the government the power to suspend normal democratic laws if terrorism was suspected, and the other was the Enabling Act which allowed the chancellor to suspend laws in the case of a national emergency. Once positioned as chancellor Hitler acted within the law to establish a full dictatorship over a six month period.
So, as usual, Ben Carson appears clueless and fatuous in his remarks. The best analogy in the U.S. to the rise of Nazism was our passage of the Patriot Act followed by the contorted reasoning's of the Bush administration (John Yoo comes to mind) as to what was 'allowed' in response to threats of terrorism.
Carson represents the absolute worst of this mindless 21st Century jingoism and I shudder to think that anyone can take the man seriously. Outside of his profession he clearly has a severely stunted intellect.
Never winning a majority in the polls, the Nazis instead took power through two Patriot Act style pieces of legislation to designed to 'protect' the German homeland. One was called the Reichstag Fire Decree, which gave the government the power to suspend normal democratic laws if terrorism was suspected, and the other was the Enabling Act which allowed the chancellor to suspend laws in the case of a national emergency. Once positioned as chancellor Hitler acted within the law to establish a full dictatorship over a six month period.
So, as usual, Ben Carson appears clueless and fatuous in his remarks. The best analogy in the U.S. to the rise of Nazism was our passage of the Patriot Act followed by the contorted reasoning's of the Bush administration (John Yoo comes to mind) as to what was 'allowed' in response to threats of terrorism.
Carson represents the absolute worst of this mindless 21st Century jingoism and I shudder to think that anyone can take the man seriously. Outside of his profession he clearly has a severely stunted intellect.
12
I can think of no better candidate than Dr. Carson to address the "widening opportunity gap". He personally pulled himself out of the slums to become one of the most accomplished doctors in his field, as well as a bestselling author and now presidential candidate. This is the kind of person who is a role model for all of us...why wouldn't we want such a leader in this country? He has intelligence and character, and in my humble opinion, those are the two most important qualifications for president. For those saying he lacks experience, are you aware that he just wrote a book about the constitution? At one point in his career, he performed his first operation, led his first meeting, started a scholarship fund, etc. There is a first time for EVERYTHING, and I personally have much more confidence in him than in than in many of our career politicians. I am afraid many of them cannot be trusted, but can be bought out.
Sounds like you are looking for a father, not a president.
Tell us about the book. Do actual scholars in the field - of any political persuasion, consider an addition to scholarship or complete nonsense?
Tell us about the book. Do actual scholars in the field - of any political persuasion, consider an addition to scholarship or complete nonsense?
1
The right is infected with an unconscious righteousness that is expressed theatrically. Drama = Righteousness. Like blustery preachers, like hucksters, the Republicans are evoking the revivalists that have blown across this country for 200 years selling and hawking whatever would draw a crowd. Reality TV is rooted in the same soil. All of this is show biz folks. I advise reading Huck Finn, THE fundamental analysis of the Grandiose Ole Party.
1
He has implied that President Obama’s pledge to transform America was modeled after Cuba, Russia and other “places that have a Socialist/Communist base.”
Like the Shakers and Quakers, I guess.
Like the Shakers and Quakers, I guess.
2
Ben Carson's comments are hardly an indication that he has an "obsession" with Nazi Germany. I challenge journalists and writers to avoid exaggerations and hype, and try to stick to the facts. Can you say with certainty that what happened there could never happen here...especially when we are currently enduring one of the most power-grabbing administrations in U.S history? History has an unfortunate way of repeating itself, and I applaud Ben Carson for having the courage to remind Americans that if we do not stand up and continually fight for our liberties, it is possible that our ever-expanding government could get worse. Who would have thought we would see the day when a "Democratic" SOCIALIST could be a serious contender for president? You say "rhetorical recklessness damages our political culture", yet I still believe in the freedom of speech, and say we need to talk about difficult issues and not be quick to attack leaders who are willing to address them. I thought the left were the ones who champion tolerance and acceptance...in reality that is only if you subscribe to their political ideology. No Mr. Wehner, there are not "some places they shouldn't go", your reference to inhibiting what issues should and should not be brought before the public. Thank God for leaders who see our freedoms being eroded and threatened and are willing to go there. If you truly believe that candidates should be judged by experience and achievements, Dr. Carson should have your vote.
I think more education and less hysteria are in order.
3
Unfortunately the low-information and low-education base of our 'gentle' Republicans constantly asserts that the fascism of the Third Reich was an ultra left ideology, while it is the complete opposite. They base that belief on the little word 'sozialistische' in the Nazi Party's acronym NSDAP.
They also tend to forget that both Spain under Generalissimo Franco and Italy under Mussolini were fascist regimes as well, the latter being a member of the WW II Axis of Germany, Italy and Japan.
Any center right party leader of today that is at the helm of a government abroad, e.g. David Cameron and Angela Merkel would be considered being an outright socialist, if not even commie by that very base as well.
To paraphrase a former president, it is not the economy, stupid, it is the education, stupid.
And yes, Mr. Wehner, Ben Carson does - like others - have an odd obsession with Nazi Germany.
As a native of that country, if I were to explain that he and his brothers in arms are not utterly wrong about the history of Germany re guns, and the worst industrialized mass murder machine ever in the history of the world, I would not have enough space left to express my rage against our own fascists on these shores abusing the murder of 6 Million innocent people for political reasons.
They also tend to forget that both Spain under Generalissimo Franco and Italy under Mussolini were fascist regimes as well, the latter being a member of the WW II Axis of Germany, Italy and Japan.
Any center right party leader of today that is at the helm of a government abroad, e.g. David Cameron and Angela Merkel would be considered being an outright socialist, if not even commie by that very base as well.
To paraphrase a former president, it is not the economy, stupid, it is the education, stupid.
And yes, Mr. Wehner, Ben Carson does - like others - have an odd obsession with Nazi Germany.
As a native of that country, if I were to explain that he and his brothers in arms are not utterly wrong about the history of Germany re guns, and the worst industrialized mass murder machine ever in the history of the world, I would not have enough space left to express my rage against our own fascists on these shores abusing the murder of 6 Million innocent people for political reasons.
2
The only things in the US that even remotely resemble the National Socialists are a radical democratically elected minority, i.e. the Freedom Caucus, determined to impose its radical views on the majority, while willing to bring the nation down with them if they do not get their way; and the xenophobic and homophobic crowd driven by fundamentalism and radical (and racist) ideologies of a more primitive age. Both represent the base all Republican candidates pander to.
6
Mr. Wehner was deputy head speech writer for George W. Bush, so he's personally contributed his share of the demagoguery he claims to deplore in this article. He would have us believe that Trump, Carson, Cruz and the other crazies only represent Republican disappointment with the political process, while President Obama and the Democrats represent the true forces of political dysfunction.
But Trump et al. aren't just a few bad apples -- the entire Republican political machine is insane, and Trump is indicative of that insanity. If Mr. Wehner were truly concerned about the state of politics in this country, he'd be an Independent or a "none," not a Republican. By writing seemingly sane and sensible articles, he's merely trying to put a band-aid over the festering, stinking open sore that is today's GOP.
But Trump et al. aren't just a few bad apples -- the entire Republican political machine is insane, and Trump is indicative of that insanity. If Mr. Wehner were truly concerned about the state of politics in this country, he'd be an Independent or a "none," not a Republican. By writing seemingly sane and sensible articles, he's merely trying to put a band-aid over the festering, stinking open sore that is today's GOP.
8
Ben Carson is a very intelligent and erudite, medical professional, who has no sound grasp of history and the social sciences. What happened in Germany after World War I was unique to that time and place and while we have seen equivalent bad behaviors before in more brutal eras of human history it was thought impossible in the more civilized time that it seems to be. The Jewish people did not rise up nor flee the NAZI regime because they thought that they lived amongst civilized people who respected human life despite their bigotries, not because the were lacking firearms.
4
As a physician MD Carson would know much more about the consequences of the ACA than an editorial writer for the NYT.
1
Perhaps we should listen and analyze Carson's thoughts on this. Of course, unfortunately for him, the modern Republican Party with Trump, he and a cadre of others more closely resemble the extreme right-wing demagoguery that was the basis of Nazism. Playing on peoples fears of change and the power of minorities (Gypsies, Jews and disabled were convenient for Nazis, but Republicans are fine with immigrants, the tired old minority welfare queens, and gays/lesbians). If you look at what Hitler said, there are many more similarities to both the content and methods of the modern GOP: Tell a lie big enough and often enough and people begin to believe it.
Thus, there is a message when you give a megaphone to an intellectually limited and out-of-touch bigot: Bad things happen!
Thus, there is a message when you give a megaphone to an intellectually limited and out-of-touch bigot: Bad things happen!
1
Mr. Wehner, as a rule, if you want to be taken seriously, you should refrain from using the words "imbecilic" "staggering ignorance" and "unworthy" when describing someone with whom you disagree. When one is reduced to name calling, the reader is left to wonder whether we, as a nation, are to remain stuck in middle school or whether we have graduated a bit beyond this in our national discourse.
3
Both my maternal great grand fathers died while fighting against tha nazis in ww2 so I do find Carson's comments quite insulting . How can Americans be so simple minded so as to fail to connect the closest of dots. WW2 lasted from 1939 to 1945, close to 30 million allies died in the war. The Soviet Union was armed, the United States was armed, the British were armed, the French resistance was armed, countries had to ration and redirect supplies and manufacturing to the war effort. But hey if German Jews were allowed to have guns none of this would have happenned.
9
Please tell me why the media, pundits and deeper thinkers have never asked Ben Carson to explain what he did for the city of Baltimore and the State of Maryland, during his tenure as a surgeon at Johns Hopkins. I am betting that, other than the occasional free brain surgery for a poor kid, that Carson held himself aloof from the so-called rabble on North Avenue in Charm City. He lived on an 8-acre estate in Baltimore County, far away from the gritty downtown. He has kids (daughters, I believe) but never seems to reference them, or grandkids,m or his wife, in any of his statements. Carson retired from Hopkins and moved to Florida where he played golf until he decided to take up the political life. PLEASE: Will someone look into this man's lack of community service and lack of interest in the city where he made his living for years, and share with us what you find !!! (A Marylander)
5
A man who graduates from Yale with honors, holds a medical degree from the University of Michigan, and has been on the faculty of Johns Hopkins cannot accurately be described as an "autodidact." If we are going to confront the phenomenon represented by Ben Carson, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, we are going to have to name it (identify it) with some precision.
These men are not stupid; they are not uneducated. They are egomaniacs who use language, history, and their own personal stories to concentrate their power and dominate others.
They appeal to a largely uneducated, or at least ignorant, part of the voting public who are gullible enough to buy their nonsense and angry enough to enjoy the bullying of those weaker than themselves. These men are demagogues with the potential to be quite dangerous. Dismissing them as crude ignoramuses is a mistake.
These men are not stupid; they are not uneducated. They are egomaniacs who use language, history, and their own personal stories to concentrate their power and dominate others.
They appeal to a largely uneducated, or at least ignorant, part of the voting public who are gullible enough to buy their nonsense and angry enough to enjoy the bullying of those weaker than themselves. These men are demagogues with the potential to be quite dangerous. Dismissing them as crude ignoramuses is a mistake.
164
I actually have a couple neighbors who are seriously concerned that Sharia law is coming to the US. These people actually believe this. Really. I'm not joking.
Perhaps if Obama can't do it before he leaves the presidency (and if his plot to declare himself Emperor for Life fails), then maybe the next Democratic president and congress will bring it. Especially if he's a communist or a liberal Clinton.
I don't know if they got this idea from listening to Ben Carson, Fox 'news', or AM radio. I suspect it's a meme that's circulating in all the media outlets they consume. I try to convince them that it simply can't happen here (I try not to bring up fascism, however). But they just look at me like I'm some dumb "low information voter" that can't see the writing on the wall. Individually these kinds of people don't scare me. But when I see that Carson is a top tier Republican contender I start to really worry.
Perhaps if Obama can't do it before he leaves the presidency (and if his plot to declare himself Emperor for Life fails), then maybe the next Democratic president and congress will bring it. Especially if he's a communist or a liberal Clinton.
I don't know if they got this idea from listening to Ben Carson, Fox 'news', or AM radio. I suspect it's a meme that's circulating in all the media outlets they consume. I try to convince them that it simply can't happen here (I try not to bring up fascism, however). But they just look at me like I'm some dumb "low information voter" that can't see the writing on the wall. Individually these kinds of people don't scare me. But when I see that Carson is a top tier Republican contender I start to really worry.
10
The medical profession has taken a big PR hit with the examples the several Republican politician-MDs provide. Not to mention the military aviation community with pilots George W. Bush and Rick Perry.
3
"A philosophy that should be grounded in prudence, moderation and self-restraint" sounds almost like a reasonable political ethos, if only that credo had anything to do with any Republicans seeking office this time around.
But then when was the last time conservatives weren't 'spouting demagogy' & feeding the very income-gap you decry? Not in any recent decade.
Republicans have been making outrageous proclamations & unanimously 'pounding sand' since at least the Gingrich insurgency.
But then when was the last time conservatives weren't 'spouting demagogy' & feeding the very income-gap you decry? Not in any recent decade.
Republicans have been making outrageous proclamations & unanimously 'pounding sand' since at least the Gingrich insurgency.
5
The combination of arrogance and ignorance embraced by the Republican party for decades has evolved into an extreme form of weapoized stupid. Carson is a demagogue with a smile; Trump is a strutting buffoon of a bully. Together they represent the apotheosis of the conservative vision for America.
God help us.
God help us.
5
Reading this I have an eerie sense of deja vu. When I moved to San Francisco 30 years ago California was a thoroughly red state. Then the Republicans turned anti-immigrant, and fielded a cast of yet more conservative fringe candidates. Now you can't find a single statewide office holder from the Republican party, and the party itself polls in the 30% range. That bastion of Republicanism, Orange County, went bankrupt.
The rest of the country might want to pay attention to what is happening here. We have the strongest economy in the union. We lead all states in job creation, and they are just jobs flipping burgers, but high-paying jobs in industries of the future (many of which were nurtured right here). Our state government is running a substantial surplus, and is using the money not just to pay down debt but also to reinvest in infrastructure and education. My son is a student at Berkeley where he is receiving an education on par with Harvard or Stanford at less than half the cost. Sure, house prices are likely to burst, but if the period since WWII is any guide, they will come roaring back.
It's interesting, but there's not much around here named after Ronald Reagan. I guess you have to travel to states that still believe his thoroughly discredited economic theories.
The rest of the country might want to pay attention to what is happening here. We have the strongest economy in the union. We lead all states in job creation, and they are just jobs flipping burgers, but high-paying jobs in industries of the future (many of which were nurtured right here). Our state government is running a substantial surplus, and is using the money not just to pay down debt but also to reinvest in infrastructure and education. My son is a student at Berkeley where he is receiving an education on par with Harvard or Stanford at less than half the cost. Sure, house prices are likely to burst, but if the period since WWII is any guide, they will come roaring back.
It's interesting, but there's not much around here named after Ronald Reagan. I guess you have to travel to states that still believe his thoroughly discredited economic theories.
4
Ben Carson is certainly admirable for his accompishments, both rising above poverty. and his career as a fine neurosurgeon. But I don't think he is qualified to be POTUS. Furthermore, he is somewhat hypocritical: he derides social programs, but is a beneficiary of Affirmative Action; and many of his patients found it necessary to have Medicaid for their surgery and to pay his fees and hospital bills.
1
Well, the fact that, since Reagan, the Republican party has said ' government isn't the solution, its the problem' may be contributing to the anger on the right. Norquist said he wanted a government so small ' you could drown it in a barhtub'. These statements, when bought into, creates the atmosphere we are now witnessing. For the Republicans to be scratching their collective heads and wondering what went wrong is rather foolish. They have only themselves to blame.
78
Nothing Mr. Carson says should matter much to people of good will and common sense. What's alarming is that he has as much support as polls suggest he has. Mr. Wehner alludes to the problem here, but seem unwilling to make the logical jump -- that a good of the American electorate is now sadly out of touch with reality ... and that catharsis seems to be all the GOP has left.
2
You say we have an entitlement system that is unsustainable. Lift the cap on Social Security earnings so that all income is subject to FICA and it will be sustained. Expand medical coverage as a single payer system and it will be sustained, though rich insurance companies will be hit in the wallet. Pare back the DoD spending on weapons that are marginal and we can sustain the system and still have the strongest military on the planed by orders of magnitude. Exert the will to do these things and they can be done for the common good. Ask those of us with greater means to make a greater sacrifice and the common good will be served. Exert your will to make the wealthy all the more wealthy and we will fail as a nation. The choice is simple, it is the execution of that choice is the hard part.
6
C'mon, the dude's just selling books. He's not really a candidate, although he does say mean-spirited, dumb stuff.
3
How Dr. Carson described how he would rush a gun man was beyond incredulous. Who can take him seriously? I am seeing my seasoned journalists who are frustrated with this lack of facts and knowledge. Carson and his ilk are doing a grave disservice to the people of the U.S. and the world. A Carson presidency would be a disaster!
4
America gets accused of being like Nazi Germany and Obama gets accused of being like Hitler. But Carson and Trump and a few others make me concerned that Obama might be Hindenburg. Lets not let that happen.
1
You can understand a great deal about Ben Carson if you recall that he's a surgeon. You can understand a great deal more about Ben Carson if you recall that he's a neurosurgeon.
More than any other kind of medical practitioner, these guys are idolized by the public, enough so that they begin to believe it themselves. Since Carson is retired with time on his hands, and is restless, this candidacy was the result. Even Donald Trump would be a better President than Carson. Surgeons like to hold knives and operate, and I can't think of a bigger knife than the key to all the thermonuclear weapons this country possesses. Best not to let him get it by the handle.
More than any other kind of medical practitioner, these guys are idolized by the public, enough so that they begin to believe it themselves. Since Carson is retired with time on his hands, and is restless, this candidacy was the result. Even Donald Trump would be a better President than Carson. Surgeons like to hold knives and operate, and I can't think of a bigger knife than the key to all the thermonuclear weapons this country possesses. Best not to let him get it by the handle.
4
I was born in Germany and grew up in Germany. I live with one foot in Germany, the other in the U.S. I went to public school in Germany, and we studied Hitler and the Third Reich extensively. Having said this, the following is what I will NEVER EVER understand about those here in the U.S. who evoke visions of Hitler and the Third Reich:
Hitler and his party were about as extreme to the right as you can get. Just because his party was called the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (i.e., the National Socialist German Workers' Party) does NOT mean that it had anything to do with socialism. These were goons, hooligans who even in the early days of the party thought it was grande to rape Jewish and Communist women and beat to death Jews and Communists. They literally got away with murder. Did Hitler do something for the German worker? Sure, he had the government hire hundreds of thousands of people to build out the Autobahn and other infrastructure he needed later on for his wars.
If I look at the U.S. political landscape today, the party that most resembles Hitler's party is the Republican Tea Party. The hate speeches from back then are pretty much the same as the hate speeches we hear today from the likes of The Donald, Cruz, Perry, Christ, Walker, Huckabee, Carson, and Jindal. In other words, those who invoke the images of the holocaust and think they can smear the other party by doing so, are the ones who are most likely to give rise to it in the U.S.
Hitler and his party were about as extreme to the right as you can get. Just because his party was called the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (i.e., the National Socialist German Workers' Party) does NOT mean that it had anything to do with socialism. These were goons, hooligans who even in the early days of the party thought it was grande to rape Jewish and Communist women and beat to death Jews and Communists. They literally got away with murder. Did Hitler do something for the German worker? Sure, he had the government hire hundreds of thousands of people to build out the Autobahn and other infrastructure he needed later on for his wars.
If I look at the U.S. political landscape today, the party that most resembles Hitler's party is the Republican Tea Party. The hate speeches from back then are pretty much the same as the hate speeches we hear today from the likes of The Donald, Cruz, Perry, Christ, Walker, Huckabee, Carson, and Jindal. In other words, those who invoke the images of the holocaust and think they can smear the other party by doing so, are the ones who are most likely to give rise to it in the U.S.
253
Well said Phoebe. Regarding the way many Republicans and conservatives invoke the Nazi-Hitler analogy, I've always found this a fascinating yet disturbing "good news / bad news" paradox: it's good news that they consider Nazism a terrible and evil system, but bad news that they don't realize how much their rhetoric and views closely match the Nazis.
As far as their use of the term "socialism", I recall reading somewhere that the Nazis used that word as a verbal 'bait' to attract the general German populace and make the party seem benevolent, since the word/concept had a mostly positive connotation in that time and place. However, the real emphasis of the Nazi/Hitler views were based on the first word, National, as in "nationalist", a rather benign sounding word that really indicates a xenophobic and racial supremacist attitude.
As far as their use of the term "socialism", I recall reading somewhere that the Nazis used that word as a verbal 'bait' to attract the general German populace and make the party seem benevolent, since the word/concept had a mostly positive connotation in that time and place. However, the real emphasis of the Nazi/Hitler views were based on the first word, National, as in "nationalist", a rather benign sounding word that really indicates a xenophobic and racial supremacist attitude.
3
In a way, the good news is hardly anyone under 50 knows anything about Hitler and Nazi Germany and couldn't care less. Of course, that's also the bad news.
It's immaterial, anyway. Do you honestly think Mr. Carson has any chance of being the GOP's nominee??
It's immaterial, anyway. Do you honestly think Mr. Carson has any chance of being the GOP's nominee??
1
What's in a name? Carson, for example....
Ben Carson is kind of a sick reminder of Johnny Carson's "Carnac The Magnificent".... Watching Ben is like watching someone hold an envelop in front of his self-excised lobotomy and offering an answer without really knowing the question....(let alone understanding it).
What a caricature!
Ben Carson is kind of a sick reminder of Johnny Carson's "Carnac The Magnificent".... Watching Ben is like watching someone hold an envelop in front of his self-excised lobotomy and offering an answer without really knowing the question....(let alone understanding it).
What a caricature!
3
One should always remember that just because a person is knowledgeable and skillful in one field, it does not mean he or she has the slightest understanding or ability in another. Ben Carson appears to be an excellent example of that reality.
Think of celebrity endorsements. Quarterbacks selling you cars, razor blades, whatever. Attractive, scantily clad women selling tires. (OK, I'm dating myself with that one.) In the rational world, is there really any reason to think Tiger Woods knows more than you about anything other than golf?
Our culture, all contemporary cultures, market fame. It works largely because people feel better about themselves if they can associate with winners, even if the association is limited to buying a product identified with that "winner." That is why for a number of years you could wander anywhere in the country and see people who could not find New York City on a map wearing Yankee baseball caps. Then Red Sox. Remember the Air Jordan phenomenon?
Ben Carson is an example of that. He is marketed (apparently justifiably) as as an excellent, well-respected neurosurgeon. (And, of course, though never stated, as a Black achiever.) The reality is that such a background no more indicates he knows squat about politics, history, or human relations than you or I. Arguably, the time, energy, and focus it takes to accomplish what he has might indicate he has less than we do.
Think of celebrity endorsements. Quarterbacks selling you cars, razor blades, whatever. Attractive, scantily clad women selling tires. (OK, I'm dating myself with that one.) In the rational world, is there really any reason to think Tiger Woods knows more than you about anything other than golf?
Our culture, all contemporary cultures, market fame. It works largely because people feel better about themselves if they can associate with winners, even if the association is limited to buying a product identified with that "winner." That is why for a number of years you could wander anywhere in the country and see people who could not find New York City on a map wearing Yankee baseball caps. Then Red Sox. Remember the Air Jordan phenomenon?
Ben Carson is an example of that. He is marketed (apparently justifiably) as as an excellent, well-respected neurosurgeon. (And, of course, though never stated, as a Black achiever.) The reality is that such a background no more indicates he knows squat about politics, history, or human relations than you or I. Arguably, the time, energy, and focus it takes to accomplish what he has might indicate he has less than we do.
3
I agree there are frightening parallels between our current political situation and the rise of fascism in Germany, just not the ones Dr. Carson thinks. The Tea Party/Freedom Coalition branch of the Republicans are playing a very similar role to that played by the Nazis in the early '30s. There was never a coherent ideology to fascism--calling it a right wing movement is as wrong as calling our bunch conservatives. The unifying spirit of both movements is/was anger and despair with politics and government. The followers of both movements were/are by and large poorly educated, fact challenged, bigots looking for scapegoats rather than rational solutions. The Nazis never won a national election in Germany, but they were able to disrupt the government until President von Hindenburg was persuaded to name Hitler chancellor and democracy was over. I have already heard suggestions that the Freedom Coalition should be allowed to name the next Speaker in an effort to bring them on board with making the House work. I don't think anyone is suggesting that our bunch will resort to genocide, but mass deportations are on the agenda. I wonder how many of our bunch would go along with simply ignoring court orders. I've got one good example already from Kentucky. I am honestly scared.
6
Is this a new genre of Times thinkpiece? Conservatives bemoaning the state of the Republican Party that they, themselves, literally and intentionally caused? Wehner was a member of each of the last three Republican administrations, including the Reagan administration, which gave us "Government is not the solution to the problem: government is the problem." Now he's upset that his party is filled with crackpots and anarchists?
Ben Carson and Donald Trump are not saying anything new to your party, Wehner, they're just not in on the joke. Either Trump or Carson would be a catastrophe for the country, but I have difficulty believing they could be any more damaging than Reagan or W.
Ben Carson and Donald Trump are not saying anything new to your party, Wehner, they're just not in on the joke. Either Trump or Carson would be a catastrophe for the country, but I have difficulty believing they could be any more damaging than Reagan or W.
3
I continue to be simultaneously amazed, disturbed, and repulsed by Carson, and the fact that so many members of the Republican primary electorate favor him boggles my mind. I find his fascination with Nazi rhetoric entirely understandable, however, as the demagoguery he currently employs seems taken from Hitler's own playbook, albeit with less shouting. How much farther right can the GOP go without co-opting fascist ideals?
1
"...and an unsustainable entitlement system."
Speaking of hysterical. Peter seems to think that he is somehow different than Ben or the Donald. And Jeb! is somehow making sense?
Speaking of hysterical. Peter seems to think that he is somehow different than Ben or the Donald. And Jeb! is somehow making sense?
3
When a person starts speaking as carelessly as Carson, it reveals a lazy mind. It may seem strange to say that about a man who has demonstrated such acuity in science and medicine beginning in boyhood. He deserves much credit for that career. But he has come to politics relatively late in his life, and the acuity has, I think, not carried over into this very different realm. One of the problems is, as Mr. Wehner suggests, an abysmal ignorance of history and its lessons. But another is an inability to think with enough of what I would call humanistic precision, or rhetorical appropriateness, and with dexterity. That is, Carson may or may not actually believe the comparisons he makes, but most of his seriously absurd statements are off the cuff, in response to perhaps unanticipated questions. And he just isn't mentally ready for it. Rhetoric is the art of persuasion, and in order to persuade -- not excite, necessarily (although Antony's famous speech to the Romans did lead to action against Brutus and Cassius) -- one must make believable (as distinct from true) statements in the first place. Carson's mental inflexibility is, to my mind, the most troubling aspect of his candidacy. To compare the Affordable Care Act to slavery is so beyond the rational norm that it can only be literally a thoughtless statement. Thickheaded and crude and egomaniacal as he may be, Trump is actually more nimble and open, it appears.
3
Mr Wehner seems to fear that Carson and his like are damaging the brand. But a subtler process may be at work, which explains why they are tolerated in the party.
First of all, they play a vital role throughout the long-run up to campaign (the first official caucus is in Februrary!), by holding public and journalistic attention, displacing the congenitally more sober Democrats. It is presupposed that after the warm-up act is over, the rude mechanicals who provide it will shuffle off stage.
Difficulties in getting them to comply have led to the second, perhaps somewhat improvised strategy, which turns out to have a major virtue. By decrying the excesses of the current contenders -- "Reason has given way to demagogy" -- establishment figures like Wehner bring into existence the image of a Responsible Conservatism which is otherwise very difficult to discern in the actions of the actual conservatives who populate the various levels and branches of the government. By this twist, a purely verbal act of repudiation supplants the need for addressing reality, allows action and policy to proceed as before, and leaves us groundlings with nothing more tangible than the mouthful of vibrating air expended in declaring the noble goal of "liberty, opportunity, and a more decent and just society."
First of all, they play a vital role throughout the long-run up to campaign (the first official caucus is in Februrary!), by holding public and journalistic attention, displacing the congenitally more sober Democrats. It is presupposed that after the warm-up act is over, the rude mechanicals who provide it will shuffle off stage.
Difficulties in getting them to comply have led to the second, perhaps somewhat improvised strategy, which turns out to have a major virtue. By decrying the excesses of the current contenders -- "Reason has given way to demagogy" -- establishment figures like Wehner bring into existence the image of a Responsible Conservatism which is otherwise very difficult to discern in the actions of the actual conservatives who populate the various levels and branches of the government. By this twist, a purely verbal act of repudiation supplants the need for addressing reality, allows action and policy to proceed as before, and leaves us groundlings with nothing more tangible than the mouthful of vibrating air expended in declaring the noble goal of "liberty, opportunity, and a more decent and just society."
2
When a popular candidate's most important qualification is his ability to insult, the party is in trouble.
Why do some voters prize offensiveness, inability to work well with others and anti-intellectualism? These dont work in kindergarten, much less Congress.
Dr. Carson is an intelligent, highly-trained surgeon. But he must have spent his time studying chemistry and biology instead of history. Hitler and friends rose to power in a country in the throes an economic depression and in deep humiliation after the loss in WWI. They aligned with the military and the corporations and won over the people using fear and propaganda. They found scapegoats in Jews, Roma, Gays, And Communists and socialists. Didn't work out so well for any German that lived through that period.
Maybe Dr. Carson needs to take time off from his book tour and do some more reading.
Why do some voters prize offensiveness, inability to work well with others and anti-intellectualism? These dont work in kindergarten, much less Congress.
Dr. Carson is an intelligent, highly-trained surgeon. But he must have spent his time studying chemistry and biology instead of history. Hitler and friends rose to power in a country in the throes an economic depression and in deep humiliation after the loss in WWI. They aligned with the military and the corporations and won over the people using fear and propaganda. They found scapegoats in Jews, Roma, Gays, And Communists and socialists. Didn't work out so well for any German that lived through that period.
Maybe Dr. Carson needs to take time off from his book tour and do some more reading.
2
I can’t help but believe that the decline of public education and discourse in the United States is why we have so many voters cheering the likes Carson and Trump, and other vain, venal, and misguided demagogues . Ignorance doesn’t keep people from forming unshakeable opinions, particularly those provided to them by no less vain and misguided media motormouths such as Rush Limbaugh, Hannity and the Fox News team, and the other usual suspects.
I once thought H.L. Mencken was a misanthrope and an Eastern intellectual snob for writing what follows. After watching the American conservative movement sink deeper into delusion, denial, and plain dumbness, though, I have to sigh, because I now have the awful feeling that Mencken might be right on the money:
"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
I once thought H.L. Mencken was a misanthrope and an Eastern intellectual snob for writing what follows. After watching the American conservative movement sink deeper into delusion, denial, and plain dumbness, though, I have to sigh, because I now have the awful feeling that Mencken might be right on the money:
"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
3
Peter Wehner had me until ... he spouted, "unsustainable entitlement system." Peter is just another Reagan Republican trying to bring down fellow nut case, Ben Carson.
5
Another rino spouting nonsense...
1
Conservatives like Carson (and Glenn Beck) see a connection between the Progressives of the turn of the last century, and Nazism. I think it's because of the role the state plays in individuals' lives. But it's nonsense.
Instead, they should see the connection between arming citizens that have no faith in the rule of law; that follow a strong leader who simple "knows" the way the fix things; and that demonizes a minority. That's the real path to fascism.
Instead, they should see the connection between arming citizens that have no faith in the rule of law; that follow a strong leader who simple "knows" the way the fix things; and that demonizes a minority. That's the real path to fascism.
4
The United States' governments absurd and reprehensible blind and uncritical devotion to Israel ends up subsidizing the actions of the Israeli government under Likud and Shas - parties that would be described as "supremacist" and "right wing" if they weren't Israeli.
Frankly, this blind support for Likud amounts to supporting and providing diplomatic cover for a regime whose actions are literally Nazi-like - from its racialism and supremacist mythos to calls for ethnic cleansing.
Of course Carson won't say this just as the MSM wont say this. In fact, the MSM wont even cover the realities of the occupation lest Abe Foxman et al become upset at this impolite discussion of the truth.
The US murders civilians and supports terror, ethnic cleansing, racial discrimination, and ongoing violations of the Geneva Conventions and Symington Amendment.
Maybe the analogy is apt - just only hypocritically and selectively applied.
Frankly, this blind support for Likud amounts to supporting and providing diplomatic cover for a regime whose actions are literally Nazi-like - from its racialism and supremacist mythos to calls for ethnic cleansing.
Of course Carson won't say this just as the MSM wont say this. In fact, the MSM wont even cover the realities of the occupation lest Abe Foxman et al become upset at this impolite discussion of the truth.
The US murders civilians and supports terror, ethnic cleansing, racial discrimination, and ongoing violations of the Geneva Conventions and Symington Amendment.
Maybe the analogy is apt - just only hypocritically and selectively applied.
I find the column tainted and most of the commentary of the liberal progressive readership to be reinforcing their own liberal bias. Dr, Carson is a man of character, integrity, honesty, faith, intellect and courage. He has proven hie mettle in a field few seek to endeavor or even consider thinking about in terms of making a difference in peoples lives. In reading your generalizations, hatred and biased commentary directed at his honest political dialog, I am amazed at how simply you dismiss the use of divisive language by the president and other liberal democrats when used in the same context even when it is so obvious in it's intent. Does this sound familiar: "Oh all you republicans are simply racist in not supporting Obama". Your petty arguments are absurd and almost as irresponsible as is this petty article.
I wonder if Carson has done much reading on the topic. He seems to come from the "Hitler went to the bathroom" school of analogy. If we can say Hitler did, and you do it, then you're just like Hitler, no matter what "it" happens to be. Nazi Germany had traffic regulations. We're just like Nazi Germany! Nazi Germany hosted the Olympics. We're just like the Nazis! It doesn't give you the impression that the good doctor is very smart. (He may be, I wouldn't really know.)
Both Carson and Trump do represent the rise of demagoguery, but they also represent something even stranger: you now get to wear the mantle of a "tell it like it is" truth-teller by making stupid and demonstrably wrong statements as long as you do it like an a--, um, jerk.
This country is so weird right now.
Both Carson and Trump do represent the rise of demagoguery, but they also represent something even stranger: you now get to wear the mantle of a "tell it like it is" truth-teller by making stupid and demonstrably wrong statements as long as you do it like an a--, um, jerk.
This country is so weird right now.
91
For almost half a century, conservatives like Mr. Wehlner cultivated the paranoid and lunatic fringe of white society, nurturing it as a voting block and delighting as right wing media fed it a steady diet of lies and resentment - just so long as they consistently voted for Republicans but did not hold the reigns in the movement.
But now that the Republican tent has shrunk due to predictable demographics and the party has done literally nothing to consider conservative messages and policies that make sense in the 21st Century, that same faction of the party has become indispensable to them even as it has grown ever more paranoid and has raised two generations of elected Republicans whose ranks are increasingly uninterested in governing.
At any point, Mr. Wehner and his fellow travelers could have seen it coming and decided to continue riding the train of short term electoral advantage over the need of the country to have a conservative party interested in governing until we arrive here with a bombastic fraud and a bonafide whackadoodle with 50% of the Republican vote.
And what's worse is that the media is gushing over Senator Rubio as a "serious" thinker on the campaign trail with "new ideas" that are little more than warmed up Reagan leftovers.
If Mr. Wehner is interested in a serious conservative party, he should consider the Democrats whose front runner is a policy clone of Richard Nixon.
But now that the Republican tent has shrunk due to predictable demographics and the party has done literally nothing to consider conservative messages and policies that make sense in the 21st Century, that same faction of the party has become indispensable to them even as it has grown ever more paranoid and has raised two generations of elected Republicans whose ranks are increasingly uninterested in governing.
At any point, Mr. Wehner and his fellow travelers could have seen it coming and decided to continue riding the train of short term electoral advantage over the need of the country to have a conservative party interested in governing until we arrive here with a bombastic fraud and a bonafide whackadoodle with 50% of the Republican vote.
And what's worse is that the media is gushing over Senator Rubio as a "serious" thinker on the campaign trail with "new ideas" that are little more than warmed up Reagan leftovers.
If Mr. Wehner is interested in a serious conservative party, he should consider the Democrats whose front runner is a policy clone of Richard Nixon.
2
Wow Mr. Wehner discovers that Dr. Carson is a special kind of
ignoramus, one unfettered by facts or knowledge
Carson is the reap of what the GOP has sowed for decades.
He is the neurosurgeon who removed his own brain.
ignoramus, one unfettered by facts or knowledge
Carson is the reap of what the GOP has sowed for decades.
He is the neurosurgeon who removed his own brain.
6
We can read this very insightful editorial in many ways. But I choose to see it for what it is: this nation's 4th state, the media, for the past 15-20 years, either got bought lock stock and barrel or just decided not to do its work. Cranks, charlatans, carnival barkers have always existed and will always be around. Media venues cover them avidly, which is ok, but they fail miserably to hold their feet to the fire. You can say America is exceptional; in many ways it is. But America's media is exceptionally lazy, cynical and in bed with the powers that be. For such a blatantly liar like Dr Carson to go on national TV and not get half a decent follow-up question, or to not be asked to elaborate on his imbecilic ideas, to me, is reason for revolution alone. Journalists, do your job. Expose these people for what they are.
7
This is perhaps apropos to nothing but there is a reason that Congress and the White House have often been occupied by lawyers. Dr. Carson's scalpel skills are as useful to politics as Obama's law and politics chops are to neurosurgery. The rigors of an education in humanities do not accommodate kooky surgeons or the "ideas" of Ayn Rand because they do not stand up to critical thought.
9
Presidents need to build a consensus.
Surgeons are, by definition, dictators.
You never hear this in an operating theatre
" Show of hands, how many here think I should use the scalpel ?"
Why rightist doctors think they can lead a democracy s just another example of the idocy that infects the GOTP.
Surgeons are, by definition, dictators.
You never hear this in an operating theatre
" Show of hands, how many here think I should use the scalpel ?"
Why rightist doctors think they can lead a democracy s just another example of the idocy that infects the GOTP.
4
Ben Carson is incapable of connecting cause and consequence.
That’s not a problem. The problem is that he is a poster child of the conservative movement.
They don’t believe in the principles but in the things - the guns. They believe the guns make us better people, more rational, law obeying, peaceful and tolerant...
They don’t know that the great principles are learned in the schools.
Those guys don’t have real faith. The truly faithful people are not afraid of the guns but of the Almighty.
The right is so brainwashed and blinded by their bias that they cannot see the truth. Mr. Carson claimed if the Germans had the guns, they would have stopped Hitler and the Nazis.
Nothing could be more wrong. The problems were created AFTER the Nazis armed the German people (every member of the SS troops and Wehrmacht) with the guns, artillery, tanks and aircrafts...
The guns are completely irrelevant. The real fight is waged for the minds of people, not for their guns. Pay more attention to who is controlling of our free press, media and Hollywood.
Have you noticed that our problems increased dramatically after a foreigner created FOX TV station?
The rise of FOX has coincided with increased corruption of our government, the lobbyist influence, attack adds, colossal national debt, chronic budget deficits, export of our jobs overseas, dependence on the Chinese imports, and the endless foreign wars.
That’s not a problem. The problem is that he is a poster child of the conservative movement.
They don’t believe in the principles but in the things - the guns. They believe the guns make us better people, more rational, law obeying, peaceful and tolerant...
They don’t know that the great principles are learned in the schools.
Those guys don’t have real faith. The truly faithful people are not afraid of the guns but of the Almighty.
The right is so brainwashed and blinded by their bias that they cannot see the truth. Mr. Carson claimed if the Germans had the guns, they would have stopped Hitler and the Nazis.
Nothing could be more wrong. The problems were created AFTER the Nazis armed the German people (every member of the SS troops and Wehrmacht) with the guns, artillery, tanks and aircrafts...
The guns are completely irrelevant. The real fight is waged for the minds of people, not for their guns. Pay more attention to who is controlling of our free press, media and Hollywood.
Have you noticed that our problems increased dramatically after a foreigner created FOX TV station?
The rise of FOX has coincided with increased corruption of our government, the lobbyist influence, attack adds, colossal national debt, chronic budget deficits, export of our jobs overseas, dependence on the Chinese imports, and the endless foreign wars.
5
I've been watching the Canadian elections with interest this week. It's fascinating that while the liberals kicked the conservatives to the curb, they did it without gloating. The conservatives got kicked, but responded with grace. No doomsday predictions, name calling, Hitler references, or even rudeness from anyone involved. I long for the days of such civility from American politicians, and I hope a few of them are smart enough to see the lesson provided by our good neighbor to the north.
10
I think "we" - meaning Liberals, Progressives, Democrats etc. have to be careful about appearing elitist in our condemnations of the ignorance and stupidity of Trump/Carson and the GOP. On these pages of the NY Times we're mostly talking to ourselves, crediting ourselves with our deep insights and tsk-tsking over the ignorance of the other side. However on the other side, they see us as liars, manipulators, anti-American, anti-religion, anti-Capitalist, soft on illegal immigration, soft on Islamic extremism, taken in by every "looney" (in their eyes) trend and apologetic and weak on the world stage. If you want to make an impact, stop posting here and visit the GOP and Conservative sites and try to gently share information in the hopes that the more intelligent among them might moderate their views. Here we're just talking to ourselves, confirming our beliefs and in actuality, accomplishing nothing.
8
This discussion is certainly not useless, not if it alarms enough "Liberals, Progressives, Democrats, etc." to get out and vote, or else we might end up with an abysmally ignorant president like the candidates that the GOP is offering up.
2
If you're posting here that means you're engaged in the process which means you're probably a voter so again - we're just talking to people who already share our views. That's my only point...
Conservatives nurtured this rhetoric. It is now alive and looking to consume. In an ironic way this is exactly the kindling needed for a demagogue to rise to power.
2
The GOP's School for Scams is shutting down faster than Corinthian University. The chaired faculty members such as David Brooks, David Frum, Frank Luntz, and Pete Wehner sense that they've done all they could do, written all the hagiographies and propaganda they could write for fat contracts, and milked the cynical punditry for every dime it could yield.
Peter Wehner criticizing Ben Carson's rhetorical recklessness is rank hypocrisy. Carson is using the lessons Wehner and his destructive colleagues have taught them for years. Lie as the situation requires. Draw false comparisons. Induce fear, provoke anger, and insist that intentions outweigh results. Find memes and hammer them like the Two Minutes Hate.
Wehner didn’t just make Ben Carson. He made the people who believe Ben Carson. He made money making both. Wehner doesn’t have character enough to say that whatever “damage” Ben Carson is doing to “our political culture” started with people like Wehner, who might have set a better tone when they could, who might have made rigor and reason the backbone of Conservatism and chose instead to make anger and emotion its heartbeat.
Now Wehner and Brooks try to distance themselves from it--one last lie from the liars as all they created falls down.
Peter Wehner criticizing Ben Carson's rhetorical recklessness is rank hypocrisy. Carson is using the lessons Wehner and his destructive colleagues have taught them for years. Lie as the situation requires. Draw false comparisons. Induce fear, provoke anger, and insist that intentions outweigh results. Find memes and hammer them like the Two Minutes Hate.
Wehner didn’t just make Ben Carson. He made the people who believe Ben Carson. He made money making both. Wehner doesn’t have character enough to say that whatever “damage” Ben Carson is doing to “our political culture” started with people like Wehner, who might have set a better tone when they could, who might have made rigor and reason the backbone of Conservatism and chose instead to make anger and emotion its heartbeat.
Now Wehner and Brooks try to distance themselves from it--one last lie from the liars as all they created falls down.
13
People like Carson constitute a good argument for the value of obtaining more than a mere cursory acquaintance with accurate historical events. Individuals who are lacking in knowledge are more easily led around by the nose by outrageous claims from manipulative ideologues.
4
I think the strange candidates favored by Republican voters are the conservative citizen's way of getting back at their party for Iraq and the economic collapse.
Right Wingers are incapable of admitting this openly so they use undercover, unconscious ways of striking out at their masters. Like kids in elementary school who can't articulate their concerns, they start a food fight instead.
Right Wingers are incapable of admitting this openly so they use undercover, unconscious ways of striking out at their masters. Like kids in elementary school who can't articulate their concerns, they start a food fight instead.
4
With this level outrageous messages churning from republican line-up it is safe to say that GOP is ripe for split.
While it's facile to compare the Nazi party to democratic socialists, and more so to the current administration, it is equally facile to pretend that the Nazi ideology put forth by figures like Alfred Rosenberg had no historical precedent or external ideological basis. That it was too exceptional to provide lessons.
Social Darwinism, as espoused by Darwin himself (see BBC's 'In Our Time History' on Social Darwinism), held that stronger races would exterminate weaker ones, a claim embraced by Eugenicists, who forcibly sterilised 40,000 (mostly poor, non-white) women in the US, or by our imperialist allies, like Belgium--which is alleged to have exterminated half the population of the Congo during its colonial tenure there--and then taken up by fascists.
Re. socialism, reading the '25 Point Program' of the Nazi party, it's clear that, indeed, socialist/populist elements were combining with nationalist ones to create an aggressive ideological pathology. This isn't an indictment of socialism in particular, it's simply true. Recall that Hitler's idol, Benito Mussolini, got his start as an ardent socialist, even rising to the position of editor of the biggest socialist daily, Avanti, before breaking with the party over WWI (after opposing it initially.)
To understand history, one gives up on interrogating it for political aphorisms, as its real lessons are messy. It's more useful to think of it as an purveyor of caution, when we bother to really think of it at all...
Social Darwinism, as espoused by Darwin himself (see BBC's 'In Our Time History' on Social Darwinism), held that stronger races would exterminate weaker ones, a claim embraced by Eugenicists, who forcibly sterilised 40,000 (mostly poor, non-white) women in the US, or by our imperialist allies, like Belgium--which is alleged to have exterminated half the population of the Congo during its colonial tenure there--and then taken up by fascists.
Re. socialism, reading the '25 Point Program' of the Nazi party, it's clear that, indeed, socialist/populist elements were combining with nationalist ones to create an aggressive ideological pathology. This isn't an indictment of socialism in particular, it's simply true. Recall that Hitler's idol, Benito Mussolini, got his start as an ardent socialist, even rising to the position of editor of the biggest socialist daily, Avanti, before breaking with the party over WWI (after opposing it initially.)
To understand history, one gives up on interrogating it for political aphorisms, as its real lessons are messy. It's more useful to think of it as an purveyor of caution, when we bother to really think of it at all...
18
These candidates are taking on the personae of talk radio show hosts and Fox news anchors. Equating this mindset with qualification for public office is a dangerous trend. While it's attractive to a politically alienated constituency for a candidate to sound off on authority figures, when the rush of that passes, you're left with someone whose only demonstrated ability is to make the outrageous statement most likely to be broadcast multiple times in the media. Hopefully, the anger and frustration that is being exploited won't be inflamed to the point that incites riots or violent acts.
What Ben Carson needs is a suspended sentence that obliges him to watch The Sorrow and the Pity and report back as to what he has learned. Or perhaps he can join Herman Cain in the club of candidates who had their moment until the world woke up.
What Ben Carson needs is a suspended sentence that obliges him to watch The Sorrow and the Pity and report back as to what he has learned. Or perhaps he can join Herman Cain in the club of candidates who had their moment until the world woke up.
2
The analogies matter because the man is a presidential contender and it shows how stupid he can be, thereby allowing the electorate to better assess his intellectual acumen.
1
I contend that Dr. Carson is not the same person who had built a reputation as an extremely competent pediatric neuro- surgeon. He seem to be missing the focus and clear headed decision maker that it took to earn his reputation in the surgical field. He seems to be a very diminished person at this point. He lacks a quick mind and a clear sense of direction.
Today, I don’t believe he would make a competent surgeon or a President.
Today, I don’t believe he would make a competent surgeon or a President.
3
"Both Mr. Trump and Mr. Carson provide evidence that, for now at least, a large percentage of Republican voters are in a fiercely anti-political mood. "
"Anti-political" doesn't do the mood justice. The general attitude is at least a nonacknowledgement of facts and logic, if not a deficit in intelligence and education. And I for one am not willing to chalk this up to bad high school history teachers.
"Anti-political" doesn't do the mood justice. The general attitude is at least a nonacknowledgement of facts and logic, if not a deficit in intelligence and education. And I for one am not willing to chalk this up to bad high school history teachers.
3
Any person--a surgeon, no less--who thinks people can go into prison "straight" and come out "gay" has no business holding public office.
13
I have been a voter since the 1970's, and have never experienced such an absolutely terrifying candidate as Mr. Carson. There is no need for further comments on his absurd rhetoric, cloaked by a doctor's warm demeanor as it is. He makes Donald Trump look reasonable. But his "staggering ignorance" and outlandish ideas should give us all pause, because just as terrifying is the fact that at this point, 23% of Republican's polled support him. What does that say about our populace? This brings to mind the title of a 1963 film from my youth, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World." Indeed.
5
Santayana said, over 100 years ago, "“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Not only can Ben Carson not remember the past but he seems to have little regard for the truth of it.
Presidents of the United States need not be historical scholars, although such knowledge is certainly useful, but they also cannot be revisionists who twist history to suit their political ambitions.
Mr. Carson is now only one step removed from the legion of extremist radio talk show hosts claiming massive governmental conspiracies at every turn. Unfortunately, he appears headed in that direction. His calm manner and demeanor disguise a true demagogue - certainly not a man cut of Presidential cloth.
Presidents of the United States need not be historical scholars, although such knowledge is certainly useful, but they also cannot be revisionists who twist history to suit their political ambitions.
Mr. Carson is now only one step removed from the legion of extremist radio talk show hosts claiming massive governmental conspiracies at every turn. Unfortunately, he appears headed in that direction. His calm manner and demeanor disguise a true demagogue - certainly not a man cut of Presidential cloth.
3
FOX News and conservative pundits like Rush Limbaugh create an echo chamber for many Republicans which prevents them from having any perspective other than that fed to them. Rush became popular because he told his audience that it was OK to be greedy, and now the former failed baseball anouncer is an expert on foreign and domestic policies. When Tea Party types start complaining that Paul Ryan is not conservative enough we should realize that what the core wants is hyperbole rather than facts and plans. There is no one in the Republican party who can stand up to the Tea Party and their two anti-politician candidates, so they will keep up their ridiculous rhetoric.
7
The GOP has become a party of imbeciles attracting imbeciles. The great unwashed have found an agent to rally around; the GOP is their spokesman. The scary thing is that so many Americans are attracted to these exploiters, who know how to work them for votes.
3
Mr. Whener says that voters are in "a fiercely anti-political" mood. He deceives himself and us. Voters are in a fiercely anti-government mood, something else entirely. But that's bad news for liberal statists. Many voters see that gummint is not the unqualified blessing Mr. Wehner thinks it is.
1
Right right "government hands off my Medicare ".
Do you think a pill if taken regularly would bring these people enough in line with reality to be able to be citizens capable of voting?
Do you think a pill if taken regularly would bring these people enough in line with reality to be able to be citizens capable of voting?
1
Twenty three percent of hard core GOP crazies are not going to elect our next President. Carson, Trump, et al are not electable, not capable of winning, on a national stage. All the 'editorials' by GOP shills making a case for civility/sanity within the GOP are too little, too late and just indicate their panicked agreement with the first thing I said. Carson is hardly the first conservative to make reference to Nazi Germany and the same is true of most of his 'remarks' which come nearly verbatim from the GOP playbook of the last decade. Not a one of his thoughts appear to be either original or deviate much from GOP orthodoxy. I for one, cannot wait to see the GOP finally punished at the polls for all of it. And make no mistake, that is what is coming and the GOP 'establishment' knows it. Squirm worms, squirm.
5
Conservatives reply to Peter Wehner--he is a "RINO". That is becoming as disparaging to Tea Partiers as the term "liberal". Amusing at the insanity of their thinking or just down right scary? Take your pick
Ben Carson is shockingly, astoundingly ignorant about a wide range of subjects. To think that nearly a quarter of Republican voters supports Carson is even more appalling. Apparently these voters don't want a smart president, they want somebody who is too simple minded to realize how dumb he sounds, but not afraid to speak his mind.
5
Social Security is not an "entitlement". I loaned an extraordinary amount of money to the US Government while I was working. Considering my life expectancy I will get back less than I put it.
11
" unsustainable entitlement system"? That is also careless rhetoric, served up by plutocrats. Damaged an otherwise good op-ed.
5
Having been a physician for 40+ years I can safely say that an advanced degree and years of practicing a complex specialty as Dr. Carson has, is no guarantee of intelligence. In fact it is often the opposite. The time and effort needed to become a proficient neurosurgeon may stunt the intellectual curiosity for other fields.
Dr. Carson is well trained, not intelligent. A dancing bear in a tutu is not intelligent, just well trained.
It's not Carson's fault. It's the fault of those who have encouraged him to be something he is not.
Dr. Carson is well trained, not intelligent. A dancing bear in a tutu is not intelligent, just well trained.
It's not Carson's fault. It's the fault of those who have encouraged him to be something he is not.
8
Thank you for voicing, as a physician, what many of us believe. Given the choice at election time, were I a Republican, the bear would get my vote over Ben Carson, tutu and all.
1
I'm sure Peter Wehner's dismay at Dr Carson's astonishing ignorance is sincere; but I do wonder whether mainstream Republicans would be anything like as anxious about Carson or indeed Trump if they looked like winners, rather than surefire losers, in the general election,?
1
Mr. Carson's Nazi-analogies matter for several reasons, but Mr. Wehner only vaguely alludes to the most serious -- that Mr. Carson sounds as though he is copying parts of Hitler's playbook.
The "convey alarm and mobilize supporters" ... is exactly what Hitler's rhetoric did, by branding opposition as alien and evil, it "justified" terrible oppressions and a global war.
What is silly but telling is that Mr. Carson is now attempting to align Progressivism with Hitler's National-Socialism, rather than branding it as Communist and playing the McCarthy game. McCarthyism worked for the right-wing for at least 50 years, if it was played with some subtlety.
Bolshevik communism is dead now, there aren't any left even in Russia and China. So calling Democrats pinkos just doesn't work today. He needs another way to demonize the Democrats, so he pulls out the Hitler card.
I credit Mr. Wehner, a Republican, for acknowledging that Carson's behavior is "intellectually discrediting, politically self-defeating and unworthy of those who are citizens of a great republic" ... all true. But it is scarier than that, as is all of the right-wing hate amplification.
The "convey alarm and mobilize supporters" ... is exactly what Hitler's rhetoric did, by branding opposition as alien and evil, it "justified" terrible oppressions and a global war.
What is silly but telling is that Mr. Carson is now attempting to align Progressivism with Hitler's National-Socialism, rather than branding it as Communist and playing the McCarthy game. McCarthyism worked for the right-wing for at least 50 years, if it was played with some subtlety.
Bolshevik communism is dead now, there aren't any left even in Russia and China. So calling Democrats pinkos just doesn't work today. He needs another way to demonize the Democrats, so he pulls out the Hitler card.
I credit Mr. Wehner, a Republican, for acknowledging that Carson's behavior is "intellectually discrediting, politically self-defeating and unworthy of those who are citizens of a great republic" ... all true. But it is scarier than that, as is all of the right-wing hate amplification.
76
OK, I just want someone--anyone--to guess what happens to the Republic if one of these studies in unmitgated stupidity and bigotry (Trump/Carson) wins election to high office.
Ora pro nobis
Naf: very disgusted senior
Ora pro nobis
Naf: very disgusted senior
1
Bringing the word "Nazi" or Hitler into any discussion ends the reasonable conversation and starts an ego based conflict, so it should not be used by anyone not actually discussing what happened at a particular time and place in history. Ben Carson is contributing noise that confuses the issues of how a state becomes ruled by thugs dutifully followed by a nation with a long civilized tradition and the manner in which the second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution relates to the rights of people in this nation at this time. Condemning his comment without considering his poor understanding of history and law contributes to the noise. Carson is not a stupid man but he is an ignorant man who is not applying his intellectual skills developed as a physician to address issues like this one.
4
"...and to imply that America under Barack Obama is like Germany under Adolf Hitler. But it is also intellectually discrediting, politically self-defeating and unworthy of those who are citizens of a great republic."
These so called leaders in the TP/GOP don't imply this nonsense, they say it. They blatantly lie, and by doing so show their true colors.
The current incarnation of the TP/GOP does not like facts and reality, they pick and choose what they want, make up the rest, and then weave their tales around the agenda of falsehoods they wish to peddle.
Wehner, Brooks and other reasonable conservatives have simply waited too long to rein in the crazy aunts and uncles of the TP – to borrow a Ross Perot phrase – who have escaped the closet and have the microphone and control, and excel at appealing to the most base instincts and reactions of their constituents.
These so called leaders in the TP/GOP don't imply this nonsense, they say it. They blatantly lie, and by doing so show their true colors.
The current incarnation of the TP/GOP does not like facts and reality, they pick and choose what they want, make up the rest, and then weave their tales around the agenda of falsehoods they wish to peddle.
Wehner, Brooks and other reasonable conservatives have simply waited too long to rein in the crazy aunts and uncles of the TP – to borrow a Ross Perot phrase – who have escaped the closet and have the microphone and control, and excel at appealing to the most base instincts and reactions of their constituents.
5
The dark undercurrent that connects Trump to Carson and really the GOP field at large is fear. Fear of the immigrant. Fear of the "other". Fear of change. It's a natural play against a conservative base - and where have the party intellectuals gone to provide an alternative vision to 21st century conservatism? Gone in favor of media ratings that much prefer a political message that can fit on a bumber sticker or provide a piece of clickbait. That media engine has won the conservatives some elections, but at what cost?
2
As is all too common in the Republic party, Ben Carson attaches his political philosophies to an extreme, external source of guidance. Frequently, the outside source is some radical and distorted view of religious teachings, such as Ellen White of the Seventh Day Adventist church for Ben Carson, or other forms of Christianity that somehow stress intolerance and wealth over compassion and generosity, or outside forces such as the NRA (Wayne LaPierre) or Americans for Tax Reform (Grover Norquist). Others, such as Paul Ryan, pledge blind allegiance to the teachings of Ayn Rand. In the first debate, the candidates were all asked to sign a pledge to the Republican Party. Party pledges, NRA and tax pledges, and religious tests for candidates are not healthy for democracy. The true independence of Donald Trump is a bit refreshing from that perspective, but his snake oil salesmanship also has its downside, and apparently it is more effective for a large segment of the naive faithful of the Republican brand.
I recommend a thoughtful piece, written by Jon Ward at Yahoo news: "The political education of Ben Carson." https://www.yahoo.com/politics/the-political-education-of-ben-carson-090...
I recommend a thoughtful piece, written by Jon Ward at Yahoo news: "The political education of Ben Carson." https://www.yahoo.com/politics/the-political-education-of-ben-carson-090...
1
Looking from the sidelines here, if conservatism offered a philosophy that is “grounded in prudence, moderation and self-restraint” then they may be worth taking a look at, listening to their arguments.
But, given the way conservatives have shut down the government, blocked the passage of legislation, and given what conservative candidates are saying on the stump and the way that 50% of the Republican party are cheering for Trump and Carson, what decent, rational American would want to associate with Republicans, let alone vote for them?
But, given the way conservatives have shut down the government, blocked the passage of legislation, and given what conservative candidates are saying on the stump and the way that 50% of the Republican party are cheering for Trump and Carson, what decent, rational American would want to associate with Republicans, let alone vote for them?
3
That some members of the electorate believe what Carson says isn't just a problem with playing fast-and-loose with political ideology. I think it says something about education, and Americans need to look hard and long at how our system and culture discourages nuanced explanations. And reading. Many of my European friends have a grasp of history that is astonishing, which they received through their public schools. Here, we have states that have utterly gutted historical fact for political points.
So if we have a 'dumbing down' of the American mind, think how some folks react to Ben Carson's positioning of himself as an accomplished doctor. Being a doctor does not mean necessarily being an intellectual, but that difference likely does not matter when people are blinded by a credentials.
And a less-educated populace is more gullible, and more easily controlled -- a perfect environment for fascism. The Republicans have sown such seeds for years, and yet somehow, they get to turn and blame Democrats and liberals for being like Nazis? That's either genius, or blundering ignorance acting like genius. Either way, it's dangerous.
So if we have a 'dumbing down' of the American mind, think how some folks react to Ben Carson's positioning of himself as an accomplished doctor. Being a doctor does not mean necessarily being an intellectual, but that difference likely does not matter when people are blinded by a credentials.
And a less-educated populace is more gullible, and more easily controlled -- a perfect environment for fascism. The Republicans have sown such seeds for years, and yet somehow, they get to turn and blame Democrats and liberals for being like Nazis? That's either genius, or blundering ignorance acting like genius. Either way, it's dangerous.
5
Dr. Carson is an enigma. His rise from a single-parent family to head of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and School of Medicine is amazing. I can understand why he may feel that he is mostly responsible for his success and that it didn't depend on help from the government. He may also feel that such help weakens a person's willingness to work hard and overcome adversity.
But his views on the Jews and the Nazi regime are false and irrational, as was ably pointed out by Professor Steinweiss, an expert on the Holocaust, in a Times op-ed piece the other day. Likewise, his views guns, abortion, evolution and other social and scientific matters reflect a strict, Christian evangelical world view. Perhaps that world view enabled him to achieve his awe-inspiring career as a highly-skilled surgeon.
But his views on the Jews and the Nazi regime are false and irrational, as was ably pointed out by Professor Steinweiss, an expert on the Holocaust, in a Times op-ed piece the other day. Likewise, his views guns, abortion, evolution and other social and scientific matters reflect a strict, Christian evangelical world view. Perhaps that world view enabled him to achieve his awe-inspiring career as a highly-skilled surgeon.
2
Carson is warning us of our gradual loss of freedoms. Freedom of speech is all but gone in the halls of higher education in this country led by the PC police who will shout down and deny access to anyone uttering a conservative thought. The PC police in the media and entertainment do the same. Liberal dogma demands adherence to their beliefs weather its sexual politics or climate. The Orwellian "Right Talk" police will lock you up for the smallest infraction. Obama is establishing a Federalized Police Force. Now where has that happened before? As the Nazi's were supported by cronies like Krups, Braun, and Mercedes-Benz, Ford, GM, Chase Bank, MGM and a slew of others some of these same companies including Wall Street Hedge funds support Obama and the DNC. After the Nazi's, seized power they used German government gun licensing records to identify, disarm, and attack political opponents. Constitutional rights were suspended, and mass searches for and seizures of guns and dissident publications ensued. The ultimate goal of the Liberal Democrat party. They voted God out of their party during their last National Convention. Big Government is their new Deity. They worship at the alter of the State.... Whether communist, fascist, Nazi, socialist it is based on the government’s unlimited power, which means: it rules by brute force using executive fiat...again sound familiar?
2
Using the power of the government to attack political opponents makes me think of Trey Gowdy and the Benghazi Committee.
5
this is not meant as a personal attack but I sincerely believe you need help.
2
The paranoid style is alive and well. Forget about having a rational discussion when the government is out to get your guns. You forgot to mention that many of these same companies having given generously to the R's. In fact, they gave more to the R's than the Dems in the last election cycle. But never mind. It doesn't fit your worldview, I get it.
2
Any comparisons with Hitler can be seen by the obsessively egocentric cult of personality defined by Trump's candidacy. He claims he can make "America great again" (like Hitler promised the Germans). As though we're not great now. He's demonized immigrants or all non-North Americans (like Hitler did with all non-Germans). Normal right -thinking people fawn at his pronouncements without scraping the surface of his shallow policies for anything resembling common sense or even thoughtful analysis. His "just trust me and my people" (never named) is the biggest hoodwinking any political party has fallen for since Goldwater. It's not too late to call the emperor on his nakedness but really, are we that gullible to have let it get even this far?
4
it is appalling, shocking in fact, to see such an ignorant bombast play a leading role in American politics. He is a front-runner for the Republican Party, the other half of the two-party system. He is no better and perhaps even far worse in these regards than his current major competitor Trump, another ignorant hate-monger, for the lead in the GOP primary. What does this say about our political system, our population at large? Will he be elected? Almost certainly not. But his presence on the stage of national politics is extremely disturbing and we need to be asking not who, but why.
7
I hope Dr Carson knows more about medicine that he seems to know about most everything else.
2
FIRST, author is an establishment REPUBLICAN, a Republican in name only. Both parties have amalgamated in one "parti unique", evidenced by GOP reluctance to oppose Obama's policies, except in campaign speeches. SECOND, BC meant that fascism takes root when people lose faith in democracy, e.g. Weimar Republic. Why was there a Augusto Pinochet, the caudillo of CHILE? ALLENDE let himself be taken over by far left wing groups who ruined the country "Golpe de estado" in 1973 was not entirely result of "manigances" of HK and RN.What the author and other establishment types from both parties,indistinguishable from each other except in name, cannot forgive BC for is that he is an African American who won't toe the line, who thinks independently, which is intolerable for them. Re his criticism of German Jews for failing to fight back, BC is not the first one to say this Survivors from that era agree with him, Why is there is a state of Israel?To prove to the world that the Jewish people r as tough as the bark on a tree, and won't be pushed around. I speak as someone who sent his son to Ramaz in order that he would emerge speaking fluent HEBREW, imbued with an understanding of the culture of Jewish culture. "Bref," author smears BC because he is a black man who thinks on his own. Author also knows in his heart of hearts that Carson is right on both counts.BC is a role model for Afro American children including my 2 younger sons, ages 4 and 5.
1
NOW you're worried about Nazi references?! A very quick Google search might be in order here. Try "number of times the NYTimes or liberal politicians used Nazi references when writing or speaking about George Bush or Dick Cheney". Really, the Times editorial staff must have selective amnesia or just plain believe the American people are unremittingly stupid. The Times and other media outlets and people like Nancy Pelosi made schlepping out Nazi references fashionable.
2
"...it also appears to be based on the belief that progressive ideas share intellectual roots with fascism, with Nazism — the National Socialist German Workers’ Party — being an extreme version of progressivism..."
Fascism and socialism are pretty the same thing - tyranny. It isn't strange that both a socialist and a progressive are running for president in the Democrat party. They are perfectly compatible. In fact we have the perfect example of a liberal/progressive sitting in the White House who has already dabbled in tyranny.
Fascism and socialism are pretty the same thing - tyranny. It isn't strange that both a socialist and a progressive are running for president in the Democrat party. They are perfectly compatible. In fact we have the perfect example of a liberal/progressive sitting in the White House who has already dabbled in tyranny.
I wish I could sock Ben Carson in the jaw. Another utterly stupid thing that comes out of his mouth, to what end? For such a well regarded, highly respected neurosurgeon to believe he is qualified for the highest office in the land is pure nonsense. Has no one told him to end this joke? I'd be laughing if it weren't for the many people who actually believe what he says
2
If there is a Hitler in the American future it will likley be someone coming from the fringe right. They, after all, have the most nazi memorabilia and the hate groups which idolize Hitler all seem to be of the right-wing sort. Please also remember that it was the "socialist" Russia that defeated Nazisim....as for Carson, he always seems drugged up when he talks. His eyes droop, he speaks in a monotone...he is about as convincing as an avacado...and what comes out of his mouth, for the most part, is pure gibberish, except when he is criticizing the ideas of his fellow republican wing-nuts. Mainstream republicans have to swallow their medicine...Nixon fouled the conservative next and the stink has followed you down through the generations. Maybe it's time you got on the Hillary band-wagon...
1
Laughable -> "To declare the United States to be “very much like Nazi Germany” is a special kind of libel..."
Dr. Carson's analogies matter and your assertion of libel is laughable because, as the word analogy is defined, they contain a basis of "comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification" (OED) that are true.
Note bene Peter, a special kind of libel is the hypocrisy of claiming libel where none exists.
Dr. Carson's analogies matter and your assertion of libel is laughable because, as the word analogy is defined, they contain a basis of "comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification" (OED) that are true.
Note bene Peter, a special kind of libel is the hypocrisy of claiming libel where none exists.
The current insanity coming out of the GOP is the result of 3 major events/trends: 1) demography; 2) Iraq; and 3) the financial crisis. Each of these calls into question whether the GOP is really on the wrong side of history and strikes at the heart of what it is: a largely white, militarily hawkish, free marketer party.
3
If the Democrats could create high-paying jobs for average workers like Hitler did then we wouldn't have to read about Carson.
Let's all remember, Hitler was elected because people starving and without hope will vote for anyone. Anyone.
So, in November we shouldn't be amazed at what happens. Just look at the roofer, the garbage guy and the brick-layer and wonder why $10/hr wasn't enough.
Let's all remember, Hitler was elected because people starving and without hope will vote for anyone. Anyone.
So, in November we shouldn't be amazed at what happens. Just look at the roofer, the garbage guy and the brick-layer and wonder why $10/hr wasn't enough.
American anti-intellectualism has a long history, as long as the nation. I am surprised that Republican moderates still exist. And Carson´s Germany in the 1930´s references really speak to a mirror image of his own constituents - burning of books, sloganeering and fear-mongering vs. rational discourse. The decimation of public education for the benefit of the very wealthy has disastrous effects on democracy. I suggest Mr. Wehner that you reconsider your party affiliation, or at least consider with your colleagues forming a new party.
1
In tone and style, Mr. Carson comes across as calm, reasonable and agreeable.
The man is consumed with rage. If you want to see another Holocaust, elect Ben Carson.
The man is consumed with rage. If you want to see another Holocaust, elect Ben Carson.
3
Just imagine the cognitive dissonance in the lunatic fringe of the Republican Party - "Hey, look, someone with crazy ideas, just like ours! But... he's black!" His poll numbers reflect the the attraction of his ideas. His election results will reflect the inability of the extreme wing of the GOP to vote for a black man.
Carson is just a momentary oddity.
Carson is just a momentary oddity.
1
Carson is mezmorizing audiences with the cadence and tenor of his speech. That he is a physician somehow, inexplicably gives him credence with some people on issues far removed from his area of education and experience. His style of speaking, closing his eyes and looking heavenward, sucks people into thinking he is wise and has important knowledge to evoke. Carson is a fake. Moreover, he is dangerous in that he appeals to the worst instincts of people who can not or will not open their eyes and ears.
6
"Carson is mesmerizing audiences with the cadence and tenor of his speech." Hitler did the same. Amazing that he is accusing others of Nazism.
I wonder how far back in time the Republican Party wants to take us. At first I thought the 50's, then after a year of listening to them, I thought no...Gilded Age, then more time travel - geez! they are antebellum! But even that's not far enough back, now I suggest it's Medieval. Ted Cruz obviously wants to turn Texas into a feudal state and be the lord and Dr. Ben wants to stand above him as "the Church". Together they remind me of that scary old Vincent Price movie about the Inquisition.
2
Apparently Dr. Carson is not aware that the majority of Jews executed in the death camps were not German citizens. They were from countries farther east. Perhaps Dr. Carson could research gun laws in Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, etc., then report back as to whether armed resistance varied from country to country based on private gun ownership.
1
Picturing Ben Carson wielding a scalpel or an assault rifle is terrifying enough without thinking of him wielding the nuclear codes.
2
Hardly seems possible, but we're watching----and listening--to this nonsense. Where's the outrage from the Republican side? I don't understand how they can simply stand by and let these outrageous statements be unchallenged. This is one of those "have you no decency
at last?" moments.
at last?" moments.
92
It's easy for intelligent, rational people like the NY Times and all the commenters here to jump up and down, wave their arms and gnash their teeth about Dr. Carson. Must be a really feel good exercise. But, a few people are pointing to the fact that Carson and Trump have 47% percent of the voters(Republican) with them. One could extrapolate that to almost half of the American people, which, while mathematically not so accurate, is generally not so far off. Many commenters point to the multiplicity of Carson's inane comments. Well, that just shows that all these people have had plenty of opportunity to see Carson's gross incompetence yet 23% support him. So, what's up with America? All you brilliant commenters, all you great writers for the NYT (and I am sincere about the fine quality of the NYT) what's with America? Carson and Trump are just symptoms. What do you propose to do about the real problem?
i don't find carson's "nazi fetish" nearly as alarming as, for example, the conservative infatuation with "hate hillary" and the "sandy hook conspiracy."
we have the godwin rule because nazi or hitler comparisons are an easy reach, like impugning the birth or cranial matter of your adversary. i doubt we will ever be free of them.
the far right conspiracy theories are a different and far more sinister development, and mr. wehner should write an article about those: "they're coming for our guns," "obama is a muslim," etc.
there is a strong analogy between the failure of mainstream muslims to denounce, debunk and discredit the extremism in their far right populace, and the failure of mainstream conservatives to do the same to their extremist breathren.
conservatives need to wake up and deal out some unified and full throated discipline. the extremist right is out of control, and nazi metaphors are the least part of the problem.
we have the godwin rule because nazi or hitler comparisons are an easy reach, like impugning the birth or cranial matter of your adversary. i doubt we will ever be free of them.
the far right conspiracy theories are a different and far more sinister development, and mr. wehner should write an article about those: "they're coming for our guns," "obama is a muslim," etc.
there is a strong analogy between the failure of mainstream muslims to denounce, debunk and discredit the extremism in their far right populace, and the failure of mainstream conservatives to do the same to their extremist breathren.
conservatives need to wake up and deal out some unified and full throated discipline. the extremist right is out of control, and nazi metaphors are the least part of the problem.
2
Imagine Ben Carson hovering over you with a scalpel, just as you're going under from the anesthesia...
2
I have Republican and tea party family members. Their liking of men such as Trump, Carson and Cruz boggles my mind. So much of this partisanship seems, IMO, to stem from the 'you are either for us or against us' attitude that developed almost immediately after 9/11 disaster.
Carson's view on issues such as creationism, and the idea that America is becoming a dangerous place to be because the government is out to destroy conservatives and their values and cultural institutions, fits into their own belief system. When they agree with Carson and with Trump and Cruz, they are finding people that are educated, intelligent and wealthy who are listening to them. And because they think they are being listened to, those who are not as well educated, some not as intelligent, and almost none as wealthy gives them the allusion that they are all on an equal footing.
Carson's view on issues such as creationism, and the idea that America is becoming a dangerous place to be because the government is out to destroy conservatives and their values and cultural institutions, fits into their own belief system. When they agree with Carson and with Trump and Cruz, they are finding people that are educated, intelligent and wealthy who are listening to them. And because they think they are being listened to, those who are not as well educated, some not as intelligent, and almost none as wealthy gives them the allusion that they are all on an equal footing.
1
As a Republican I do not “get” Dr. Carson’s appeal to voters nor would I consider voting for him in a primary or the general election. That said I also believe that Dr. Carson’s rhetoric is, in many ways, a reflection of the rhetoric of the Democratic candidates. Mrs. Clinton, while trying move further to left of Bernie Sanders, is tone deaf when it comes to her personal ethics and trust let alone her proposed policies. The Democratic debate focused on open borders and more “free stuff” that the tax-payers cannot afford to support (we are $18T in debit) unless we morph the tax system into Finland where the working citizens net only 28% of their earnings. Perhaps a more centrist approach by the Democratic candidates would result in more centrist approach by the Republicans and that would be a healthy conversation for all.
1
@ MJS, putting aside the rambling incoherence of your comment, nothing you write shows how Carson's spewing ignorance is a "reflection of the rhetoric of the Democrat[ic] [sic] candidates." Your contention that the policies touted by the Democrat candidates somehow led to the the rhetoric of the the buffoons running for the Republican nominations is laughable. You wanted 'em, you got'em!
Republican supporters of Carson, Trump (and Huckabee, Cruz, Paul, ...) call themselves conservative. Today their views ARE conservative views, irrespective of Mr. Wehner's wishes. Even the candidates using less inflammatory rhetoric are spouting nonsense: Climate change is not a real problem: Supply side economics with tax cuts for the wealthy and deregulation of business will more than pay for lost revenue: Privatizing prisons, education and Social Security: Outlawing abortion even for rape and incest, and opposing birth control: Voter suppression, gay bashing, and anti immigrant, anti Muslim; Reflexively aggressive military interventions around the globe.
The primary problem with actual modern day conservative Republicans is not limited to Hitler and slavery imagery. Even the sober candidates' policies are dangerous.
The primary problem with actual modern day conservative Republicans is not limited to Hitler and slavery imagery. Even the sober candidates' policies are dangerous.
2
Mr. Carson should look in the mirror and listen to recordings of his wise musings.
He would be an innocuous fool were it not that so many think he actually makes sense. Who are those people and what did they actually learn in school?
He would be an innocuous fool were it not that so many think he actually makes sense. Who are those people and what did they actually learn in school?
1
You always know you're in Wonderland when loonies (like Carson) equate Fascism (the extreme of right wing ideology) with leftism. Flat-earth logic of convenience at its finest.
3
I'm not terribly offended by the comparisons to Nazi Germany. If anything, I think it's good to realize that we are never that far from a totalitarian breakdown. We shouldn't treat historical horror stories as if they took place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
What does irritate me is the standalone nature of the comments. It's as if all you have to do is say the words Nazi Germany, and your argument has reached its natural conclusion. Without a coherent analysis of the potential harms at play, these comparisons really are reckless, because they stir up a free-floating emotional response, without specific intellectual content to anchor it.
Also, we should not make the oversimplifying assumption that everything about Nazi Germany was equally bad, and distinct from all other countries in history. The worst harms came from the self-serving ideology of absolute human judgment and the associated national system of genocide and war.
Many other countries have had oppressive or chaotic governments throughout history, but only a few ever descend to that level of generalized murderous insanity. Unless you are arguing that the United States is perpetrating a Holocaust, then other, less extreme comparisons would suffice. Fascist Italy, Communist China, Putin's Russia or any number of others would be preferable.
What does irritate me is the standalone nature of the comments. It's as if all you have to do is say the words Nazi Germany, and your argument has reached its natural conclusion. Without a coherent analysis of the potential harms at play, these comparisons really are reckless, because they stir up a free-floating emotional response, without specific intellectual content to anchor it.
Also, we should not make the oversimplifying assumption that everything about Nazi Germany was equally bad, and distinct from all other countries in history. The worst harms came from the self-serving ideology of absolute human judgment and the associated national system of genocide and war.
Many other countries have had oppressive or chaotic governments throughout history, but only a few ever descend to that level of generalized murderous insanity. Unless you are arguing that the United States is perpetrating a Holocaust, then other, less extreme comparisons would suffice. Fascist Italy, Communist China, Putin's Russia or any number of others would be preferable.
1
For a political party that ever since Saint Ronnie has endeavored to convince its voters that government is the problem not the solution, that all their myriad of problems are not the result of corporations that pay no taxes flooding their jobs overseas in the ecstatic search for pennies on the dollar wages (and no employee benefits) but too stringent government regulations to now 'inspire' these same voters to understand the the grander purpose of politics is a stretch. The Republicans are reaping what they have sowed with Trump and Carson and a voter base who desires someone in the White House who is anti-politics, who 'tells it like it is' whatever that is supposed to mean. I guess people believe if George W. Bush could be President for eight years anybody can do it. But they forget the yuuuge mess we are in because of the Bush failures in Iraq, Afghanistan and on Wall Street Oh, and Katrina). Let's hope the Republican primaries bring some sense back into the process to select a qualified Republican candidate who can lose respectfully in November 2016 to a much more qualified Democratic candidate.
1
I just find much of this: "true conservative" protest, hollow and insincere. These conservative folks have risen and remain in a place of power by encouraging "wing-nuts" to play with matches ("somebody's going to take your guns away"; "Latinos are coming across the border to take your engineering and physicist jobs!"; " Men, take control of a woman's body; but deny them equal pay so that they can feed the children you demand that they have, the same children you care so little about after they are born"; "If we don't try every trick to deny Black people the right to vote; they will vote White people into slavery"!) And now you wonder why these right-wing-nuts want to set the entire house, with them and us in it, on fire.
1
Has anyone noticed that, maybe, the GOP is not in a good place?
1
Yes, Carson is a fool, but his remarks are well within the limits of current GOP rhetoric. His party not only trivializes history and politics but disgraces itself and the nation.
2
Ben Carson learned some right and many wrong lessons from life.
Everyone talks about Trump's narcissism but have missed Ben Carson's.
He is unique the way we all are but his case is terminal.
Thanks to his mother, he stayed focused on reading (one book a week to earn one hour of TV watching) and using his brain, becaming a brain surgeon. He missed out on the bad things street life brings to our youth but also missed having fun. For him, it's important to SHOW the world how he is the black child that chose the right path and contrast his life with those of millions of black youth that took the wrong turn, merrily following a "psychopathic" community organizer.
Rupert Murdoch made that distinction recently in his "real black president" remark.
Ben Carson seems deliberative as he delivers his words as if in a hypnotic state. To his followers, he must sound like a sage.
In reality, he is poorly informed in many fields and gets confused when questioned on unfamiliar topics.
Being a Seventh Day Adventist, Carson is a life-long vegetarian but unfortunately got cancer. Vegetarians getting cancer often wonder what they did to deserve it. They initially feel their body betrayed them. Some of them venture in to something to recapture control of their lives and their standing in the family and social circle.
Hillary and the like are not a surgeons and are not qualified to operate.
Ben Carson is no presidential material and shouldn't be allowed to run this or any country.
Everyone talks about Trump's narcissism but have missed Ben Carson's.
He is unique the way we all are but his case is terminal.
Thanks to his mother, he stayed focused on reading (one book a week to earn one hour of TV watching) and using his brain, becaming a brain surgeon. He missed out on the bad things street life brings to our youth but also missed having fun. For him, it's important to SHOW the world how he is the black child that chose the right path and contrast his life with those of millions of black youth that took the wrong turn, merrily following a "psychopathic" community organizer.
Rupert Murdoch made that distinction recently in his "real black president" remark.
Ben Carson seems deliberative as he delivers his words as if in a hypnotic state. To his followers, he must sound like a sage.
In reality, he is poorly informed in many fields and gets confused when questioned on unfamiliar topics.
Being a Seventh Day Adventist, Carson is a life-long vegetarian but unfortunately got cancer. Vegetarians getting cancer often wonder what they did to deserve it. They initially feel their body betrayed them. Some of them venture in to something to recapture control of their lives and their standing in the family and social circle.
Hillary and the like are not a surgeons and are not qualified to operate.
Ben Carson is no presidential material and shouldn't be allowed to run this or any country.
I can't even figure out the point of this op-ed.
An establishment GOP hack from the bygone Bush era, launching a sour grapes attack on Ben Carson over the words he chooses?
Let's start from the beginning. If poor analogies disqualify someone from holding elected office, Barack Obama would not be President of the United States. Go back and listen to Obama's verbal ridicule of God, the Bible and Christianity.
Dr. Carson is a pediatric neurosurgeon by trade. He has spent decades being forced to explain extremely complicated facts to laypersons. So Dr. Carson uses obvious rhetoric in an attempt to make analogies that are easily understood. I am a Black lawyer with a degree in American history. During a jury trial, am I going to use Robespierre to make an analogy? Or am I going to use Patrick Henry? Which one is most readily understood in America?
This nitpicking of the highest order is helping Dr. Carson because he is standing his ground and gaining supporters for it. Carson is winning the war on political correctness by a landslide.
Rhetorical analogies aside, what does Dr. Carson believe? What does he represent? What does he stand for? Those are the questions that need asking. Instead we are bogging ordinary Americans down in semantics and overexplaining word choices. That's no way to run a news media during an election cycle this consequential to our country.
An establishment GOP hack from the bygone Bush era, launching a sour grapes attack on Ben Carson over the words he chooses?
Let's start from the beginning. If poor analogies disqualify someone from holding elected office, Barack Obama would not be President of the United States. Go back and listen to Obama's verbal ridicule of God, the Bible and Christianity.
Dr. Carson is a pediatric neurosurgeon by trade. He has spent decades being forced to explain extremely complicated facts to laypersons. So Dr. Carson uses obvious rhetoric in an attempt to make analogies that are easily understood. I am a Black lawyer with a degree in American history. During a jury trial, am I going to use Robespierre to make an analogy? Or am I going to use Patrick Henry? Which one is most readily understood in America?
This nitpicking of the highest order is helping Dr. Carson because he is standing his ground and gaining supporters for it. Carson is winning the war on political correctness by a landslide.
Rhetorical analogies aside, what does Dr. Carson believe? What does he represent? What does he stand for? Those are the questions that need asking. Instead we are bogging ordinary Americans down in semantics and overexplaining word choices. That's no way to run a news media during an election cycle this consequential to our country.
2
Assuming it actually happened, why would ridiculing god, the bible, and Christianity disqualify one from being President of the US?
We have separation of church and state written into our Constitution. What Carson stands for is nothing less than a religious dictatorship. Thanks, but no thanks!
We have separation of church and state written into our Constitution. What Carson stands for is nothing less than a religious dictatorship. Thanks, but no thanks!
1
All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach.
-Adolf Hitler
-Adolf Hitler
2
@ DC - "I can't even figure out the point of this op-ed." No surprise there given the rest of your comment.
1
"I Have Given Up My Search For Truth...And I'm Looking For A Good
Fantasy". Ashleigh Brilliant ( Book Title) Thank You, Peter Wehner.
Fantasy". Ashleigh Brilliant ( Book Title) Thank You, Peter Wehner.
Jew blaming, blaming victims, coming from an African American is always something to be noted as power hungry, identifying with the dominant group and a willingness to turn against one's own group and other marginalized groups to become the dominant aggressor, powerful, wealthy, and superior.
In short it is a disgusting transformation of identity by a person who betrays all those who seek equality and real answers to a very unequal and exploitive world.
Ben Carson stating Jews are to blame for not owning guns allows him to surf to the top of being a transformed white supremacist in one swell foop.
Demagogues come in many colors. Yet they all share the tactic of divide conquer spread and use fear and hatred and stereotypes to make one group superior and others inferior. This is the true tool of Fascism. Not Obama excuse you Ben.
In short it is a disgusting transformation of identity by a person who betrays all those who seek equality and real answers to a very unequal and exploitive world.
Ben Carson stating Jews are to blame for not owning guns allows him to surf to the top of being a transformed white supremacist in one swell foop.
Demagogues come in many colors. Yet they all share the tactic of divide conquer spread and use fear and hatred and stereotypes to make one group superior and others inferior. This is the true tool of Fascism. Not Obama excuse you Ben.
For decades now, the Republican Party has engaged in an "anything goes" strategy. Say and do anything that will get you elected. Intellectual honesty, any kind of honesty matters not. The truth matters not. All that matters is getting elected. Vicious propaganda and a nonstop chorus of lies is all done under the banner of "free speech"
The Republicans have pushed the concept of free speech to the point that it makes speech ineffective for problem solving. They have even gone so far as to hijack journalism and proclaim that the concept of conservative journalism is needed and valid. Journalism is neither conservative or liberal. It is about telling the truth.
Enter Ben Carson. His party has fertilized the minds of millions with their hate and fear propaganda so that he can walk right in and rise to the top. The man is an ignorant fool who knows nothing about the world. He uses his MD as a license to speak the words of a fool and get away with it. He is a highly trained technician that knows his field and nothing else.
He is a disgrace and embarrassment to the field of medicine which demonstrates something is seriously lacking in their educational programs. This one fell through the cracks.
Nazi Germany was the most horrific and evil force the world has ever known. ISIS is not even in the same league. Carson's comparisons to the Nazi's is a supreme insult to everyone that fought to defeat them and suffered and died under their brutality.
The Republicans have pushed the concept of free speech to the point that it makes speech ineffective for problem solving. They have even gone so far as to hijack journalism and proclaim that the concept of conservative journalism is needed and valid. Journalism is neither conservative or liberal. It is about telling the truth.
Enter Ben Carson. His party has fertilized the minds of millions with their hate and fear propaganda so that he can walk right in and rise to the top. The man is an ignorant fool who knows nothing about the world. He uses his MD as a license to speak the words of a fool and get away with it. He is a highly trained technician that knows his field and nothing else.
He is a disgrace and embarrassment to the field of medicine which demonstrates something is seriously lacking in their educational programs. This one fell through the cracks.
Nazi Germany was the most horrific and evil force the world has ever known. ISIS is not even in the same league. Carson's comparisons to the Nazi's is a supreme insult to everyone that fought to defeat them and suffered and died under their brutality.
2
Mr Carson is an enigma. Somehow, while being of limited intellectual capacity, he managed to become a neurosurgeon. Good for him. Yet he continually proves that he is not "encumbered by the thought processes." Besides all of his dim statements quoted in this Opinion Page that Mr Carson has made in his America vs Nazi comparisons, he really does believe that the earth is 6000 years old and that the big bang never happened. He thinks he knows more than the world community of biologists, geologists, and astrophysicists. He would not recognize real evidence, or facts, if he fell over them. Maybe that really does make him qualified to be president. He has proven that you can be a dope and a neurosurgeon, why not a dope and a President?
It is not an enigma at all. Among physicians surgeons are the ones who require the less reasoning. And unfortunately most phycians are only technicians unwilling or incapable to criticize themselves and the profession that make them feel important.
1
I wish you guys would stop with this "unsustainable entitlement system" nonsense you keep trotting out ... I'm getting pretty sick of it.
2
The worst part of the rising fortunes of Carson and Trump is that it actually makes some of the other Republican candidates seem more reasonable. I'm not really seeing much differences, though. Are you? Mr. Wehner would like us to believe otherwise.
1
Great piece with one very major error. Conservatism is not about prudence and restraint. Today's conservatism is only about keeping what you have and denying the same opportunities to others. A philosophy dedicated to pulling the ladder to success up behind them.
3
While I have no plans to vote for Carson, this piece is as ridiculous as some of the things the good, misunderstood Doctor has said over the years. It is an attack that has less to do with Nazi anything and more to do with the author's disdain. It is labeling at its finest. Let's just call it what it is and not hide behind some ill attempt at skewered politically correct self righteousness.
1
I don't think the Republicans thought this through, entirely, when they started with the so-called "Southern strategy" of winning based on re-starting the Civil War: they gathered up all the Haters and thought they had a political party. Now some of them regret it. How unfortunate for them. And sadly, for the rest of us too, as they hold the country hostage.
As sad and misguided as this seems, it is even more shameful in light of the odd chance that the Republicans might win a presidential election. What manner of mindless rambling mean spirited foolishness could the country expect then? Could anything good possibly come of government by and for the truly misguided? I doubt it.
I thought we were done with abortion as an issue, done with stupid foreign wars, but apparently not. And if they undo the ACA, what do they propose to do for the hospitals and the sick? How do they propose to deal with the people who need health care and who are unemployed? Just let them die? Oh. So that's the answer then?
As sad and misguided as this seems, it is even more shameful in light of the odd chance that the Republicans might win a presidential election. What manner of mindless rambling mean spirited foolishness could the country expect then? Could anything good possibly come of government by and for the truly misguided? I doubt it.
I thought we were done with abortion as an issue, done with stupid foreign wars, but apparently not. And if they undo the ACA, what do they propose to do for the hospitals and the sick? How do they propose to deal with the people who need health care and who are unemployed? Just let them die? Oh. So that's the answer then?
The fascination with the Third Reich is because it was engineered by a fellow demagogue.
Name a doctor who turned out a great politician… Che Guevara (in Cuba) and Agostinho Neto (in Angola) were not very caring and visionary when in position o power.
Not a bad analysis for a guy who once worked for both both Bushes and Ronald Reagan? Speaking of the latter, what does Mr. Wehner have to say about the Nazi-like leaders (in Chile, Argentina, El Salvador, etc) that President Regan & Sidekick CIA Chief/Veep G.H.W. Bush supported? And all of these human rights fiasco foreign acts and excursions, more or less, put on Uncle Sam's Credit Card, thanks to people like Dick ("Deficts Don't Matter) Cheney. If Mr. Wehner doesn't like the current, lamentable shape, form and (lack of) substance of the GOP, perhaps he should look in the mirror?
1
Not that it excuses Carson, but I remember not too long ago when the adventures in preemptive war and torture in Iraq and the chill on free speech at home had many on the left making similar comparisons.
@ EBS - agree, however, they were right. if you disagreed with anything the Bush administration proposed, you were deemed unpatriotic. That is a far cry from where we are now.
We do need to turn down the rhetoric, on both sides. Mr. Carson is particularly out there, but, in all honesty, Bernie Sanders calling for a "political revolution" is perhaps of a piece with inflammatory speech-making that does nothing to advance issues. What kind of revolution, violent? nonviolent? How do you redistribute wealth in any meaningful way, with a similar Congress to the one we have today, without violence?
I can only hope that next year when people actually start voting the better angels of our American nature take over and the reality show indulgences will fade to seriousness and moderation.
I can only hope that next year when people actually start voting the better angels of our American nature take over and the reality show indulgences will fade to seriousness and moderation.
Totally false equivalency! Saying both sides do it, implying to the same degree, is not only totally false, but completely disingenuous. There is no comparison here.
"B-b-but Bush did it too...Bush used executive orders, Bush did troop surges, Bush had tax cuts for the wealthy and bailouts...why can't Obama?"
The Obama presidency has survived on false equivalency.
The Obama presidency has survived on false equivalency.
President Carson - think about it. Paranoia, ignorance of history, schizophrenia where the victim is disoriented from reality and lives in a world of his own making, come to mind. You can function if your occupation does not touch upon your sickness like a plumber or surgeon. Dr. Carson has moved out of his safety zone into politics. The “ideal” world, which he sees in his mind needs to become reality to save his country. From who? Hitler and the communists in the Democratic party who will turn the country over to terrorists, Muslims, slave holders and Nazis waiting their chance to make “Mein Kampf” come true. Belief is truth.
The GOP active base not withstanding, the American people are not total fools or living in the bubble of planet GOP and neither Carson or Trump will be the GOP nominee. Not because the GOP base is sane but because the big money donors are - mostly.
When I was a teenager in the late 40's I went with my dad to a pro wrestling match and sat at ringside. Once one wrestler had the advantage and was pounding the other guy some people in the audience were yelling kill’m, kill’m, kill’m, killlllll’m, their faces red. Some threw bottle caps into the ring. I asked by dad what was that about. He said they are pretending that the guy getting pounded was their boss or their wives or in-laws or someone they would like to kill but cannot. That is the shape of GOP politics and why they are cheering for Trump and Carson.
The GOP active base not withstanding, the American people are not total fools or living in the bubble of planet GOP and neither Carson or Trump will be the GOP nominee. Not because the GOP base is sane but because the big money donors are - mostly.
When I was a teenager in the late 40's I went with my dad to a pro wrestling match and sat at ringside. Once one wrestler had the advantage and was pounding the other guy some people in the audience were yelling kill’m, kill’m, kill’m, killlllll’m, their faces red. Some threw bottle caps into the ring. I asked by dad what was that about. He said they are pretending that the guy getting pounded was their boss or their wives or in-laws or someone they would like to kill but cannot. That is the shape of GOP politics and why they are cheering for Trump and Carson.
I used to think about 'displaced or projected violence' when I would go to hockey games in Vancouver B.C. I was shocked that 'nice' old grandmas with their 10 year old grandsons in tow were both shouting bloody-murder...but at the end of the game it was all smiles and "good game, eh?!". The guess I made was the same as your dad's - vicarious violence. Perhaps Canada is a more peaceful land because they get their stress out at hockey games. When new anti violence rules in hockey were introduced, I actually started worrying about the future 'peacefulness' of Canadians.
Not to tar all surgeons with the same brush, but as has often been observed, the behavior of some of them toward nurses, patients and non-surgeons in their profession suggests that they have a God complex. As a neurosurgeon specializing in pediatrics, Dr. Carson has worked extensively with young brains and is well aware of their malleability. I don't know whether or not he sees himself as godlike, but I'd be interested to know whether any of his former colleagues in medicine have that suspicion about him. The absolutism of his remarks suggests as much. It also reminds me of the old proverb "Physician, heal thyself!"
"But they should respect certain rhetorical boundaries. There are some places they shouldn’t go."
There's almost no place the GOP and its more rabid followers won't go. There was a time in my memory when conservatives tended to be people with more, not less, self-discipline and respect for a set of values that they thought everyone should live by; they themselves adhered to it as well. One could be less-than-enamored with their vision, but they weren't hypocrites.
Today, many self-identifying conservatives and especially their libertarian brothers believe in doing exactly as they please while imposing rules on everyone else. Trump can employ 'illegals' (thus being one of those responsible for their being here at all) while whipping up hatred against them for his own ends. Carson can escape poverty and rise to the top of his chosen career thanks to government handouts and social assistance, and then state that no one should have access to them. Jeb can ignore his brother's role in starting a pointless war for profit but harp on Benghazi.
They've become, among other unpleasant things, the party of hypocrisy.
There's almost no place the GOP and its more rabid followers won't go. There was a time in my memory when conservatives tended to be people with more, not less, self-discipline and respect for a set of values that they thought everyone should live by; they themselves adhered to it as well. One could be less-than-enamored with their vision, but they weren't hypocrites.
Today, many self-identifying conservatives and especially their libertarian brothers believe in doing exactly as they please while imposing rules on everyone else. Trump can employ 'illegals' (thus being one of those responsible for their being here at all) while whipping up hatred against them for his own ends. Carson can escape poverty and rise to the top of his chosen career thanks to government handouts and social assistance, and then state that no one should have access to them. Jeb can ignore his brother's role in starting a pointless war for profit but harp on Benghazi.
They've become, among other unpleasant things, the party of hypocrisy.
1
Mr. Weirra conservative summarizes what is wrong with his GOP what it wants and its current mood which is unreasoning anger and through that the destruction of our government. Mr. Carson has become a prime example of this and Republicans will attach themselves to anyone who expresses it.
Yesterday, the NYT attempted to tell us what Republicans want through the political lives of five on the Freedom Caucus. I went away frustrated because I really wanted to know what that desire was. There were a few comments about Planned Parenthood, social issues and the budget deficit, but nothing that seemed positive for the country in a larger sense such as infrastructure, tax reform, our military goals or even the safety net. It was all about this primal anger that seems to consume them. and how to direct that anger for political purposes. At first I thought it was the fault of the NYT writers, but now I understand that this anger is the Republican Party.
And the thought that this anger should actually be elected to POTUS is terrifying and destruction of the rights of us all would be inevitable. The Freedom Caucus is misnamed as it should be the fear caucus.
Yesterday, the NYT attempted to tell us what Republicans want through the political lives of five on the Freedom Caucus. I went away frustrated because I really wanted to know what that desire was. There were a few comments about Planned Parenthood, social issues and the budget deficit, but nothing that seemed positive for the country in a larger sense such as infrastructure, tax reform, our military goals or even the safety net. It was all about this primal anger that seems to consume them. and how to direct that anger for political purposes. At first I thought it was the fault of the NYT writers, but now I understand that this anger is the Republican Party.
And the thought that this anger should actually be elected to POTUS is terrifying and destruction of the rights of us all would be inevitable. The Freedom Caucus is misnamed as it should be the fear caucus.
1
The fact that Carson's rhetoric appeals to such a significant and activist part of the Republican base is the exact reason why people interested in promoting good government and a stronger, more united, America must vote for whoever the Democratic candidate is in every race being contested. Any vote, for any Republican, empowers the lunatics who have a stranglehold on that party. The irony of Carson's Nazi analogies is that they are the exact kind of extremist, ill informed, hate filled statement that propelled Hitler to power. Hitler didn't rise to power by promoting socialist ideology. He rose to power by spreading lies, trampling on the truth, blaming minorities, and appealing to the frustration, fear of the German people. Sound familiar Ben? Donald? Ted?
Everyday I hope the Republican Party will pull out of the nose dive it is in and the nose dive it threatens to send this great nation into. We need a real conservative party interested in governing, solving problems, working with the moderates within and without of its own party. We used to have that. Now we have a party that has sold its soul to extremists for control of Congress. Only Republican voters can return the party's balance, but that cant happen until they receive a strong message from the American electorate that we wont accept the kind of leadership represented by Carson, Trump, Cruz or the Freedom Caucus in Congress. The only way to send that message is to vote the wacko's out.
Everyday I hope the Republican Party will pull out of the nose dive it is in and the nose dive it threatens to send this great nation into. We need a real conservative party interested in governing, solving problems, working with the moderates within and without of its own party. We used to have that. Now we have a party that has sold its soul to extremists for control of Congress. Only Republican voters can return the party's balance, but that cant happen until they receive a strong message from the American electorate that we wont accept the kind of leadership represented by Carson, Trump, Cruz or the Freedom Caucus in Congress. The only way to send that message is to vote the wacko's out.
It is anger and hatred that led to Adolf Hitler's election in Germany. So perhaps Ben Carson should consider that as he spouts his rhetoric of ridiculousness. Also as my husband reminded me Jews in Warsaw fought back and died. Not in concentration camps but trapped in the ghetto. Jews died because of the collusion of the German people and others. Frankly based on my personal experience on 9/11 in NY when the wind shifted there is now way people near concentration camps could not have known. Perhaps he was a good surgeon but he is apparently badly educated in history.
1
All of the Republican candidates are autocratic, dogmatic and rigid in their refusal to work with consensus. In that regard they sometimes appear to be dictatorial, and in that regard fascism does not seem so far away if any of these men assume power. Whether it's the 40 members of the Freedom Caucus or Mr. Trump or the more subtle Mr. Carson, the prevailing philosophy among them appears to be my way or the highway or we will force it down your throat if you don't do what we say. One only needs to consider their willingness to shut down government, distort the views of more liberal Americans and feed into a paranoiac view where everyone needs a gun. I actually am worried that a milder version of Nazism could occur in this country if any of these people assume the Presidency. Laws would be changed just as the Republicans have relied on gerrymandering to achieve their majority. The removal of freedoms enjoyed by a minority - whether immigrants or others - would occur in the name of safety, just as the Patriot Act became law and just as our current President justified the extrajudicial murder of an American citizen and just as all of our communications can now be monitored by others. We are shifting way to the right in how our country is governed, and I think it is a dangerous time.
1
The "shining city on a hill" is now Berchtesgaden. Mr. Carson is warning us all that certain portions of this country are ripe for the plucking by a demagogue such as himself. At least he's upfront about it. He wants to be that guy.
"Mr. Carson has warned that a Hitler-like figure could rise in America."
The concern for the rest of us is that he and many of his fellow Republican candidates (Trump, Cruz) are most likely to fit into that mold.
The concern for the rest of us is that he and many of his fellow Republican candidates (Trump, Cruz) are most likely to fit into that mold.
4
Ugh, where to begin? First off, this is what you get when you refuse to pay taxes and starve your own government of the funds to properly educate its citizens. Second, this is what you can expect when you manipulate trusting supporters into voting against their own interests by baiting them with divisive but irrelevant issues (remember Lee Atwater and the "burning the flag" controversy?). Third, stop treating the rage expressed by Trump and Carson supporters as if its unreasonable, crazy and coming out of nowhere. Economic hardship is one thing; but the realization that you are losing ground economically; that there is no hope for you or for your children or for their children; that the game is rigged against you, and that the party you were loyal to for so long cares only for their financial backers - now that is a different kind of wrath altogether.
The blindly destructive rage you are seeing in your own party is emanating from a furious, powerless and poorly informed populace seeking answers to serious problems. Good grief! Could you be any more contemptuous??
The blindly destructive rage you are seeing in your own party is emanating from a furious, powerless and poorly informed populace seeking answers to serious problems. Good grief! Could you be any more contemptuous??
90
Well put.
If only we had an opposition party to clearly explain all this to disenchanted GOP voters.
Democrats still refuse to distinguish themselves in any meaningful way from mainstream Republicans.
If only we had an opposition party to clearly explain all this to disenchanted GOP voters.
Democrats still refuse to distinguish themselves in any meaningful way from mainstream Republicans.
Yet even when the game is clearly rigged against you, even when your own personal economic stagnation leaves you angry, no longer "middle class", living in states where your party has cut taxes to the point of decimating your schools, infrastructure, health care supports, and overall quality of life...you STILL vote Republican. Have you seen Kansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, etc. lately?
You are right on the money though, when you call much of the Republican voting populace poorly informed. When your eyes and ears are firmly affixed to Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, etc. it is almost impossible to separate fact from fiction.
You are right on the money though, when you call much of the Republican voting populace poorly informed. When your eyes and ears are firmly affixed to Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, etc. it is almost impossible to separate fact from fiction.
2
perhaps ben carson should read mein kampf more closely if he has read it, (and not a summary), at all.
in its pages he will find the seeds of "the final solution" and an explanation of "the big lie" method of inciting and persuading the masses to take action on any matter chosen by the "big liars" ...say demonizing a segment of the population.
in its pages he will find the seeds of "the final solution" and an explanation of "the big lie" method of inciting and persuading the masses to take action on any matter chosen by the "big liars" ...say demonizing a segment of the population.
The GOP has been sowing its fields with Carson's mentality for decades, beginning before Reagan. If there are any sensible Repubs left, to you I say time to switch parties.
1
America under Barack Obama is definitely not like Germany under Adolf Hitler. America under Barack Obama is like Weimar Republic Germany. In 1933 45% of Germans voted for the radical right and 15% for the radical left. Only 40% wanted a reasonable and decent government.
So, what do you call yourself when you are far right? When I was in school the far right was fascist and the far left was socialist. If Obama has to contend with being called communist I really don't understand why the far right is not called fascist. The fascinating part is when you get so far right you become left, like Texas and Alaska with their govt. support of people and industry in their respective states through the use of money coming via state resources.
"Reason has given way to demagogy."
“I agree to this Constitution with all its faults… because I think a general government necessary for us…; and I believe, further, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.” Benjamin Franklin, Constitutional Convention, Philadelphia, 1787.
228 years later, I think Benjamin Franklin got it right.
“I agree to this Constitution with all its faults… because I think a general government necessary for us…; and I believe, further, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.” Benjamin Franklin, Constitutional Convention, Philadelphia, 1787.
228 years later, I think Benjamin Franklin got it right.
1
This is the triumph of talk radio and all the other parts of the right-wing machine. Yes, propaganda works. Decades of Rush and his imitators spewing this poison have had their effect. Fear and hatred have taken hold, just as intended.
3
I don't know who's the sillier alarmist here, Dr. Carson or Mr. Wehner.
I'd be offended if not for the comic relief.
I'd be offended if not for the comic relief.
I'm pretty sure the real Republican nominee for president has not been seen on the debate stage yet. So far, this has been like a kiddie puppet show....an appetizer before the main course. I say this not as a Republican ( I am certainly not that!) but as an American who just cannot grok the idea that those clowns are the best the Republican party has to offer.
I have to believe that....or this country is doomed. The tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free......all the bits and pieces that once made this nation the "goldeneh medina," the Golden Land, will be nothing more than a memory. The US will become everything we were founded to avoid.
I just don't want to be that sad, yet.
http://wifelyperson.blogspot.com/
I have to believe that....or this country is doomed. The tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free......all the bits and pieces that once made this nation the "goldeneh medina," the Golden Land, will be nothing more than a memory. The US will become everything we were founded to avoid.
I just don't want to be that sad, yet.
http://wifelyperson.blogspot.com/
2
The trouble with the present coverage in the NY Times is that you are so steadfastly anti-Republican that you lose credibility with us independents. The people who are joining your condemnation of Carson would not vote Republican anyway, regardless of whom they nominate. So you are merely singing to the choir. Why not sing a tune which WE might like?
Maybe Carson's comments are foolish although it would depend on the circumstances whether it is rational to rush the gunman or not. But are they more foolish than Hillary Clinton saying that she was greeted in Yugoslavia by gunshots when she was actually greeted with flowers?
It is a terrible day when I find the Wall Street Journal less biased than the NYT. Their support of Netanyahu is ridiculous, but otherwise they seem to be rational.
And I speak as someone who believes that in 2016, even though I am a pro-lifer, and no fan of hers, Hillary may be our most rational choice.
I hope the NYT aspires to be great again and not merely partisan.
Maybe Carson's comments are foolish although it would depend on the circumstances whether it is rational to rush the gunman or not. But are they more foolish than Hillary Clinton saying that she was greeted in Yugoslavia by gunshots when she was actually greeted with flowers?
It is a terrible day when I find the Wall Street Journal less biased than the NYT. Their support of Netanyahu is ridiculous, but otherwise they seem to be rational.
And I speak as someone who believes that in 2016, even though I am a pro-lifer, and no fan of hers, Hillary may be our most rational choice.
I hope the NYT aspires to be great again and not merely partisan.
1
I heard Carson speaking to a group before he officially became a candidate. His vileness was appalling.
1
If there's an analogy to be made it is between the current anti-government rants in our country and the 1930's anti-Weimar in Germany. In the 30's the rant was aided and abetted by the conservative establishment thinking they could control the Nazis. Our anti-government rant was really started by Reagan, who couldn't find a government program that he approved of, except for military ones. Carson and Trump are more imbecilic than Hitler, but less dangerous; at least one can hope so.
2
Why stop with Carson? Why not set your sights on Cruz, whose provocative and over-the-top language is disturbing, unhealthy, ill-thought-out and debilitating toward our democracy. Like Carson, Cruz's inflammatory language has shown no bounds: Obama is the biggest terrorist, the US Army could well have planned to invade Texas, Democrats are not patriots, etc. HIs vilious venom is not even limited to Democrats, and his take-downs of Republican leaders are almost as destructive. This man needs to be reviled in the public square, seen honestly for what he is: A hypocrite and liar who has never held a private sector job, spent his entire career on the public dole and is so phony, he doesn't have any friends.
2
The Republican candidates reflect the Republican electorate. An electorate with a poor educational background that does not believe in evolution or Global warming. An electorate lead by leaders who have fostered the idea that Onama is a Muslim and who provide the theater of 50 votes against Obamacare.
3
Ben Carson is drawn like a moth to the flame in his passionate oration of the power and glory, the rise of the Third Reich, and the supremacy of a Nation who listened in awe and astonishment at the charismatic crowd-pleaser, Mr. Adolph. Energy, this mediocre merebody, a political anomaly, with his 'Tomorrow belongs to Us' was able to cause one of the greatest moral blights in contemporary history,
Perhaps he does not realize how much he admires this historical figure, nor is enlightened enough to figure out that he is paying the President a back-handed compliment when he called him a Nazi and Psychopath.
Listen up, Dr. Carson, in your capacity as a medical expert. When a young friend of mine, a lioness on Broadway, was dying of a rare form of leukemia that only affects a small minority of Hispanics and Blacks, her mother gave her the diaries of Anne Frank to read, which she liked. Liked because she also had a dream to entertain others and make them happy with her gift for acting.
'Mein Kampf', which has been circulating the web for a long time, a boring ramble from a dangerous crackpot, went into the bin when I read it at the same age as Anne Frank and my friend who died on all Souls Day.
Why not shore up on your history, Dr. Carson, instead of wasting and abusing the time of people of all ages and political parties who feel with some validity that you are missing some brain cells along with a soul.
Perhaps he does not realize how much he admires this historical figure, nor is enlightened enough to figure out that he is paying the President a back-handed compliment when he called him a Nazi and Psychopath.
Listen up, Dr. Carson, in your capacity as a medical expert. When a young friend of mine, a lioness on Broadway, was dying of a rare form of leukemia that only affects a small minority of Hispanics and Blacks, her mother gave her the diaries of Anne Frank to read, which she liked. Liked because she also had a dream to entertain others and make them happy with her gift for acting.
'Mein Kampf', which has been circulating the web for a long time, a boring ramble from a dangerous crackpot, went into the bin when I read it at the same age as Anne Frank and my friend who died on all Souls Day.
Why not shore up on your history, Dr. Carson, instead of wasting and abusing the time of people of all ages and political parties who feel with some validity that you are missing some brain cells along with a soul.
1
You so-called "sane conservatives" thought you could harness these extremists for your own purposes, which presumably involve increased oligarchical control over government and our lives. You created it, nurtured it, let it into your house, and now you act surprised when it acts like the undisciplined dangerous monster it is. You made it, it's up to you to either tame it or dismantle it.
4
Yeah, Mr Wehner, you know how much Dr Carson scares you? That's just how I feel about you and your Reagan-polishing compatriots.
2
Well, if Mr. Carson weren't an African American, he would have been gone long before now. Some people are fascinated by the idea that blacks can be right wingers.
I know this is a very unintellctual viewpoint...but when I listen to the speeches of those who want to be president...I am frightened out of my mind. is it possible that there are no longer any capable intelligent people in the republican party? All I hear are bigots and blowhards.
"In the case of Mr. Carson, it also appears to be based on the belief that progressive ideas share intellectual roots with fascism, with Nazism — the National Socialist German Workers’ Party — being an extreme version of progressivism."
Regardless what might be considered as his beliefs this, either misguided or more ominously misleading, sentence construction has no place in any commentary.
Beyond a veiled attempt to smear, there is not a single comparison no matter how labored, under any circumstance and even more so in this election cycle with a leading Democratic candidate who is closely associated with liberal (read, progressive) policies, that can be stretched between the NSDAP and any form of progressivism.
I don't consider myself thin skinned, but this sentence strikes me as a backhanded slap bordering on libelous propaganda that has no place in our political discourse. A retraction, apology and possible operation in the hands of a skilled brain surgeon are in order.
Regardless what might be considered as his beliefs this, either misguided or more ominously misleading, sentence construction has no place in any commentary.
Beyond a veiled attempt to smear, there is not a single comparison no matter how labored, under any circumstance and even more so in this election cycle with a leading Democratic candidate who is closely associated with liberal (read, progressive) policies, that can be stretched between the NSDAP and any form of progressivism.
I don't consider myself thin skinned, but this sentence strikes me as a backhanded slap bordering on libelous propaganda that has no place in our political discourse. A retraction, apology and possible operation in the hands of a skilled brain surgeon are in order.
While it might be encouraging that there are still some republicans out there who still have some working "little gray cells" I have yet to hear one come to grips with the causes of the hysteria that grips their party.
For several decades republicans have mastered the art of the message.
Government is the problem and never the solution.
The New Deal was some kind of pact with Joe Stalin.
Help with groceries, rent and healthcare will cause our citizens to become lazy and refuse to work.
Taxes are theft.
The oligarchs are job creators.
When 22 republican big shots met the night of Obama's inauguration to plot his destruction those republicans were committing treason. They were plotting against the general well fare of their countrymen, without even knowing what this new president was going to propose.
And when he proposed to meet them half way, sometimes even more than half, the opposition became even more entrenched.
That republicans are using the nazi brush to paint democrats and Obama it is because they have looked into the mirror and seen nazis.
For several decades republicans have mastered the art of the message.
Government is the problem and never the solution.
The New Deal was some kind of pact with Joe Stalin.
Help with groceries, rent and healthcare will cause our citizens to become lazy and refuse to work.
Taxes are theft.
The oligarchs are job creators.
When 22 republican big shots met the night of Obama's inauguration to plot his destruction those republicans were committing treason. They were plotting against the general well fare of their countrymen, without even knowing what this new president was going to propose.
And when he proposed to meet them half way, sometimes even more than half, the opposition became even more entrenched.
That republicans are using the nazi brush to paint democrats and Obama it is because they have looked into the mirror and seen nazis.
1
"For the Republican Party to overcome this will require its presidential candidates to inspire voters to believe in the large purposes of politics."
More precisely, it will require that they muzzle the Faux media that has whipped their collective id into this frenzy. Which is to say, they won't be overcoming their self-induced insanity anytime soon.
When shock-jock "news" and talk shows validate illogical, intemperate ideas by treating them as rational analysis, they allow angry and bitter people to think they are reasonable. Reasonable people do not want Carson or Trump to be President.
More precisely, it will require that they muzzle the Faux media that has whipped their collective id into this frenzy. Which is to say, they won't be overcoming their self-induced insanity anytime soon.
When shock-jock "news" and talk shows validate illogical, intemperate ideas by treating them as rational analysis, they allow angry and bitter people to think they are reasonable. Reasonable people do not want Carson or Trump to be President.
1
An interesting piece, but it seems to be part of a larger effort to delegitimize Trump and Carson that may have the opposite of its intended effects. Like it or not, these candidates speak for many people. The way to defeat them is to challenge their substantive ideas, not look for embarrassing things that they've said out of context. It's the liberal equivalent of the email scandal: it won't resolve things and it takes attention from things that could.
23
The one to watch is Ted Cruz. He is a Hitler in the making because he truly believes he is a "master of the universe" and owe allegiance to no one or no thing except his psychotic ego. He is the highest danger, even in the field of the other psychotic ego-centered "conservative" candidates. November 8, 2016 cannot come soon enough when we purge OUR governments at all levels of them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Cruz
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Cruz
Democrats have been calling Republicans Nazis for years.
Using an analogy, as opposed to a derogatory remark, seems innocuous when scrutinized from that viewpoint.
Using an analogy, as opposed to a derogatory remark, seems innocuous when scrutinized from that viewpoint.
14
What Democrats? Name one.
3
Considering that Nazis are right wingers and hate mongers, it is far more correct to call Republicans Nazis than Democrats. The biggest flaw of most Democrats is that they are simply too nice and don't want to hurt anybody's feelings.
To the extent that many Republicans appear to be comfortable with demonizing/scapegoating disfavored groups ("Mexican rapists") while yearning for a "strong leader" (viz., one such as Putin whom they praise for his forcefulness,) calling them Nazis, while an obvious exaggeration, at least makes a little sense. Republicans comfortable with authoritarian, patriarchal types such as Trump do seem likely more susceptible than others to being wooed by a modern day demagogue like a Hitler who, like Carson and Trump, was not particularly interested in facts and who was willing to "explain" economic hardship by scapegoating a minority population.
1
What's astonishing to me is that Hitler and the Nazi's took power do to a wave of populist ignorance, false exceptionalism and intolerance not dissimilar to what we see with Carson and Trump.
1
There was a well armed, organized, local, and military-savvy faction in Nazi Germany that was snuffed and crushed inside of 48 hours. It was the S.A., a.k.a. Brownshirts. When Adolf Hitler staged his ''Night of the Long Knives'' in 1934, everyone could witness just how effective small arms resistance was to the SS.
The N.R.A. and other false memory propagandists have been selling a myth that the Jews were somehow at fault and that 'taking away their guns' was the first step to the death camps. To any readers who believe such piffle may I strongly recommend they buy and read Nikolaus Wachsmann's ''KL.''
The Nazis rise to power used brute force, guns, and xenophobic bigotry to rise to power. The Weimar edict calling for gun control was in direct response to the Nazis and their street skirmishes with the Communists. The first target of Hitler's KL camps were the Communists and other 'political enemies of the state.' During the Nazis march across the borders of Europe from 1938 onward - guns and organized resistance hardly slowed them. Ben Carson is an ignorant fool who speaks as if he has suffered some latent degradation to his faculties. Perhaps, he retired from being a surgeon because he realized he lacks the command of his faculties he once had, and has turned to politics because he holds its regard for intellect in such low esteem. If he is using his immediate competition in the Republican Circus to make his judgement, this low estimate is understandable.
The N.R.A. and other false memory propagandists have been selling a myth that the Jews were somehow at fault and that 'taking away their guns' was the first step to the death camps. To any readers who believe such piffle may I strongly recommend they buy and read Nikolaus Wachsmann's ''KL.''
The Nazis rise to power used brute force, guns, and xenophobic bigotry to rise to power. The Weimar edict calling for gun control was in direct response to the Nazis and their street skirmishes with the Communists. The first target of Hitler's KL camps were the Communists and other 'political enemies of the state.' During the Nazis march across the borders of Europe from 1938 onward - guns and organized resistance hardly slowed them. Ben Carson is an ignorant fool who speaks as if he has suffered some latent degradation to his faculties. Perhaps, he retired from being a surgeon because he realized he lacks the command of his faculties he once had, and has turned to politics because he holds its regard for intellect in such low esteem. If he is using his immediate competition in the Republican Circus to make his judgement, this low estimate is understandable.
3
Good luck, Mr. Wehner, getting conservatism back. It's very nearly dead and you have a tremendous amount of work to do to wrest it back not only from Mr Carson, but from the Gang of 40, the Fox/Rush/Beck machine and most of the other clown bus candidates, not to mention the "base".
1
"Such rhetorical recklessness damages our political culture."
No offense but this article reads like nothing more than another leftist attack to suppress freedom of speech. While most conservatives argue that there is far too much political correctness nowadays, there is evidence that many progressives would actually agree. Enough with the political correctness already, it is a cancer to society.
No offense but this article reads like nothing more than another leftist attack to suppress freedom of speech. While most conservatives argue that there is far too much political correctness nowadays, there is evidence that many progressives would actually agree. Enough with the political correctness already, it is a cancer to society.
So you're saying it's reasonable to call someone a Nazi, the most incendiary term possible, when you disagree with policies? Really? Political correctness does have a place when comments are incendiary otherwise.
This may come as a surprise to you, but freedom of speech includes the freedom to offend people.
> leftist attack to suppress freedom of speech
Nothing in this can be construed as an effort to prevent Dr. Carson from speaking. It is a simple reminder to him and us that, when you speak, what you way will be analyzed and you will be judged based on the content.
In this case, Carson has, by his own ignorant and intolerant comments, opened himself to condign imprecations.
Nothing in this can be construed as an effort to prevent Dr. Carson from speaking. It is a simple reminder to him and us that, when you speak, what you way will be analyzed and you will be judged based on the content.
In this case, Carson has, by his own ignorant and intolerant comments, opened himself to condign imprecations.
And what, pray tell, is an "unsustainable entitlement system"? You can't mean Social Security, since removing the income limit for paying into the system will fix it nicely. (Certainly, I can tell that the writer served in the last three Republican administrations.)Also, I do think there's a difference between Trump and Carson and their whoppers. Trump, at least sometimes, talks about things that need badly to be talked about. For instance, W.'s culpability for 9/11, a subject that seems to be totally taboo in the media (where was that decided?) despite great evidence for its validity.
Surely you jest. The Republican Party has been developing this kind of message for years, decades really. You cater to your "base" and come out with the dumbest, anti-intellectual, racial, gender, and religious bigotry and you're surprised? Really? You call conservatism "a philosophy that should be grounded in prudence, moderation and self-restraint." Like Gandhi said, when asked what he thought of "Western Civilization:" "I think it would be a very good idea." Your party has not been "grounded in prudence, moderation and self-restraint" for quite some time now. You should know that. If you don't, it's really not worth my time reading what you say. Your party is damaging this country.
146
Well said.
Ignorance, pandering to fear, out-and-out lies, thinly veiled racism, distorted religion - are now the calling cards of the modern GOP and it's crop of presidential contenders.
As an older American, I never thought I'd see the day when Bernie Sander's views would be closer to Dwight Eisenhower's than any of the GOP possible nominee's.
As an older American, I never thought I'd see the day when Bernie Sander's views would be closer to Dwight Eisenhower's than any of the GOP possible nominee's.
3
Peter Wehner is correct about the danger in Ben Carson’s repeated and forced analogies to Nazism. Those foolish comparisons by Carson of American liberals to Hitler’s fascists harm not only responsible conservatism, but also the political fabric of our American system of conducting elections and governing.
Carson, temporarily, is being rewarded for his ignorance and excesses, a fact which Wehner realizes and bemoans. There is another factor which helps explain Carson. Anyone familiar with the traits of surgeons knows that too often the surgeon has technical skill which far outstrips his or her basic intelligence and learning.
Unlike the skilled internist whose diagnostic ability requires deductive reasoning from a wide range of possibilities, the surgeon can rise to the top of his profession on manual dexterity, good spatial perception and fast decision-making bolstered by self-confidence. The surgeon – by the needs of the specialty – is more likely to see things in sharp black-and-white contrast, rather than in gradations. Hence, a quick jump from considering progressive politics akin to fascism is unsurprising.
Neither Pete Wehner nor any of us should expect from Carson the nuanced conservatism of Edmund Burke. It is another reason why Dr. Carson is not fit to be president.
Carson, temporarily, is being rewarded for his ignorance and excesses, a fact which Wehner realizes and bemoans. There is another factor which helps explain Carson. Anyone familiar with the traits of surgeons knows that too often the surgeon has technical skill which far outstrips his or her basic intelligence and learning.
Unlike the skilled internist whose diagnostic ability requires deductive reasoning from a wide range of possibilities, the surgeon can rise to the top of his profession on manual dexterity, good spatial perception and fast decision-making bolstered by self-confidence. The surgeon – by the needs of the specialty – is more likely to see things in sharp black-and-white contrast, rather than in gradations. Hence, a quick jump from considering progressive politics akin to fascism is unsurprising.
Neither Pete Wehner nor any of us should expect from Carson the nuanced conservatism of Edmund Burke. It is another reason why Dr. Carson is not fit to be president.
Dr. Carson is not qualified to be POTUS. Anyone who has not studied the Constitution for a year and served in Congress or has been a governor of a state doesn't know how government works, and being POTUS is no time for on the job training.
1
Wehner acts surprised when he learns that fully 47% ( Where have we seen that number before?) of the Republican base are uninformed nihilistic rubes who support either Trump or Carson.
This is no surprise to those of us who have, for many decades, paid attention and are grounded in reality.
This is no surprise to those of us who have, for many decades, paid attention and are grounded in reality.
1
It is interesting to draw parallels between republican politics and the national socialism of the American republican party.
Begin with the influence of corporations in politics. The german industrialists financed Hitler. Now we have citizens united and the republicans and rich people owning congress.
Next we begin with the attacks on Jews and the misuse of history. The Jews were slaughtered in the Warsaw uprising fighting with small numbers of small arms. They were powerless against the German army yet none of these nitwits notes their herculean heroism.
Few gun toters in America volunteered to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The homophobia of the republican party mimics what Hitler did in sending homosexuals to concentration camps.
The attacks using "socialism and communism" are exactly what Hitler used to mobilize the Germans and to usurp extraordinary power.
The creation of a single "nazi national labor union" and the persecution of other labor leaders as communists. Republicans hate labor unions and love the industrial slavery of no minimum wage.
An aggressive foreign policy that advocated and prosecuted occupations of Austria and the Sudetenland and then starting WW2 against Poland based on a concocted story of Polish aggression. Review the war against Iraq. Concocted and failed intelligence.
The Germans turned women into baby factories and republicans also want to control women's bodies.
On and on. Sieg Heil Republicans.
Retired army officer
Begin with the influence of corporations in politics. The german industrialists financed Hitler. Now we have citizens united and the republicans and rich people owning congress.
Next we begin with the attacks on Jews and the misuse of history. The Jews were slaughtered in the Warsaw uprising fighting with small numbers of small arms. They were powerless against the German army yet none of these nitwits notes their herculean heroism.
Few gun toters in America volunteered to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The homophobia of the republican party mimics what Hitler did in sending homosexuals to concentration camps.
The attacks using "socialism and communism" are exactly what Hitler used to mobilize the Germans and to usurp extraordinary power.
The creation of a single "nazi national labor union" and the persecution of other labor leaders as communists. Republicans hate labor unions and love the industrial slavery of no minimum wage.
An aggressive foreign policy that advocated and prosecuted occupations of Austria and the Sudetenland and then starting WW2 against Poland based on a concocted story of Polish aggression. Review the war against Iraq. Concocted and failed intelligence.
The Germans turned women into baby factories and republicans also want to control women's bodies.
On and on. Sieg Heil Republicans.
Retired army officer
3
You missed Mr. Wehner' s point, didn't you?
You reap what you sow, Mr. Wehner
The language Carson is using actually attracts the sort of people he is railing against. The tragedy is that he probably is aware of that and doesn't care.
Ben Carson's rhetoric is absurd and extreme. As Mr. Wehner says, it speaks mainly to his ignorance of history, which is all the more disturbing given the extent to which he relies on it. And it is indeed scary that someone with such a twisted view of politics should be running neck and neck for the lead in Republican opinion polls with the only candidate more extreme than himself.
Perhaps the only thing more frightening is knowing that the rest of the Republican field is nearly as extreme. The third leading candidate, Carly Fiorina, is a conservative businesswoman with no political experience and a dubious record in her own field, while another, Rick Santorum, thinks that the President should ignore the decisions of the Supreme Court when he disagrees with them.
But back to Ben Carson's rhetoric. The analogy of liberalism or progressivism with the policies if Nazi Germany shouldn't pass muster in a high school civics class. If Mr. Carson hadn't slept through history, he'd know that the Nazi Party wasn't socialist at all, and didn't belong to the political left. Fascism is a doctrine of the far right, the extreme limit of conservatism, toward which he and the other Republican candidates inch ever closer with their talk of closing the borders, deporting immigrants, and dismantling the social safety net envisioned by the progressive movement in the days of Theodore Roosevelt, and championed by Franklin Roosevelt, who led our nation against the Fascists.
Perhaps the only thing more frightening is knowing that the rest of the Republican field is nearly as extreme. The third leading candidate, Carly Fiorina, is a conservative businesswoman with no political experience and a dubious record in her own field, while another, Rick Santorum, thinks that the President should ignore the decisions of the Supreme Court when he disagrees with them.
But back to Ben Carson's rhetoric. The analogy of liberalism or progressivism with the policies if Nazi Germany shouldn't pass muster in a high school civics class. If Mr. Carson hadn't slept through history, he'd know that the Nazi Party wasn't socialist at all, and didn't belong to the political left. Fascism is a doctrine of the far right, the extreme limit of conservatism, toward which he and the other Republican candidates inch ever closer with their talk of closing the borders, deporting immigrants, and dismantling the social safety net envisioned by the progressive movement in the days of Theodore Roosevelt, and championed by Franklin Roosevelt, who led our nation against the Fascists.
1
Carson merely states what so many of the author's "fellow Conservatives" believe to their core. What the author and his buddies enjoy talking about in board rooms and Con think tanks sounds so very awful when spoken in public. It stings a little and is shameful. This is why I fear the GOP more than the Taliban.
1
When you think about it, Republicans like Carson and Republicans in general never propose anything of value to the welfare of the people. They mistrust government and hate rules of any nature. Their patron saint, Ronnie, famously stated that government is the problem rather than the solution. Government is a necessary institution. It's all that separates us from the jungle and there's not much wiggle room left anymore.
1
If you think Carson is bad, read up on Cruz.
1
Dear Mr. Wehner,
You refer to Mr. Trump and Mr. Carson as "conservatives" as if such creatures actually exist in the current GOP/TP/KOCH AFFILIATE. The party has become merely a repository of the wealthy with whichever candidate responds the best to the string pullers will receive contributions from the likes of the Koch brothers, the NRA, etc., Mr. Trump appearing to be the exception; he has his own millions, after all.
In the final analysis, hysteria, sable rattling and vague racism (Mr. Carson, a black man, doesn't like Muslims? Only because saying such nonsense appeals to the Republican "base") is what they are peddling and with fewer and fewer Americans either unable to vote or too lazy to vote, the GOP/TP/K.A. sees an opportunity to put one of these card board cut outs in the Oval Office.
The party that gave us Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt is dead and gone. In the future, please do not compare this travesty that has replaced the Republican Party to true "conservatives" as they, apparently, do not exist.
Maybe a new term is needed; "Greedservatives" perhaps?
You refer to Mr. Trump and Mr. Carson as "conservatives" as if such creatures actually exist in the current GOP/TP/KOCH AFFILIATE. The party has become merely a repository of the wealthy with whichever candidate responds the best to the string pullers will receive contributions from the likes of the Koch brothers, the NRA, etc., Mr. Trump appearing to be the exception; he has his own millions, after all.
In the final analysis, hysteria, sable rattling and vague racism (Mr. Carson, a black man, doesn't like Muslims? Only because saying such nonsense appeals to the Republican "base") is what they are peddling and with fewer and fewer Americans either unable to vote or too lazy to vote, the GOP/TP/K.A. sees an opportunity to put one of these card board cut outs in the Oval Office.
The party that gave us Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt is dead and gone. In the future, please do not compare this travesty that has replaced the Republican Party to true "conservatives" as they, apparently, do not exist.
Maybe a new term is needed; "Greedservatives" perhaps?
2
I would love to see a moratorium on ALL comparisons of: Nazi Germany, Hitler, Holocaust, and Neville Chamberlain. They trivialize important issues.
Jerry
Jerry
78
Except that there are times when they are relevant and don't trivialize important issues.
1
Today's supposed "republican" party is no such thing. It is the result of a financial coup against America by BIG democracy-destroying money masters who do not want anyone who thinks as their operatives. They have been very successful with that. 68.5% of eligible Canadian voters showed up and sent their "conservative" financial coup boy - Harper - and his party packing yesterday. Americans must show up and rid OUR governments at all levels and society in general of their opeartives. The press has given outliers like DT and BC too much time and attention and they are not worthy of it.
7
I think that in terms of supporters of both Mr Trump and Mr Carson they probably share a group of people, as described in an article by Evan Osnos in the August 31, 2015 of the New Yorker. These supporters, at least the most vocal, are white suprematists, including institutions such as the National Policy Institute run by Rich Spencer who said in the article that he reflected "an unconscious vision that white people have-that their grandchildren might be a hated minority in their own country. . . . I think that, to a great degree, explains the Trump phenomenon. I think he is the one person who can tap into it." While these people might not support Mr Carson, others with wildly absurd and dangerous views might. Like Mr Trump and Mr Carson, as reflected in this article, supporters "will be left with the hardest core-the portion of the electorate that is drifting deeper into unreality, with no reconciliation in sight." Not sure how Mr Spencer might like the candidacy of Mr Carson, but others on the unreal right might like it.
Yet another party line old school bozo who isn't a member of the NRA. There is no "myth" that those who can defend themselves will.
One invariable I've learned over the years: the louder the right-wing chest-thumping, the less likely they've ever had to make good on their bragging.
Generally speaking, they're the least likely to have ever been in the military, and ALWAYS the first to bug out when there's trouble.
Generally speaking, they're the least likely to have ever been in the military, and ALWAYS the first to bug out when there's trouble.
"those who can defend themselves will."
Sure, but they won't know Why, Who From, nor What For and will fail, ignominiously, in a hail of bullets. Another life seduced by the illusion of Power through weaponry.
Sure, but they won't know Why, Who From, nor What For and will fail, ignominiously, in a hail of bullets. Another life seduced by the illusion of Power through weaponry.
Hitler's 'solution' to the 'Jewish Problem', the need to get those who weren't real Aryans out of Germany, began with deportation. He was going to deport all eight million of them.
Perhaps Ben Carson should consider who is planning to solve this nation's problems by mass deportation of those unwanted.
Perhaps he has considered it and is just drawing attention away from the more appropriate analogy.
Perhaps Ben Carson should consider who is planning to solve this nation's problems by mass deportation of those unwanted.
Perhaps he has considered it and is just drawing attention away from the more appropriate analogy.
2
Ben Carson is incapable of connecting cause and consequence.
That’s not a problem. The problem is that he is a poster child of the conservative movement.
They don’t believe in the principles but in the things - the guns. They believe the guns make us better people, more rational, law obeying, peaceful and tolerant...
They don’t know that the great principles are learned in the schools.
Those guys don’t have real faith. The truly faithful people are not afraid of the guns but of the Almighty.
The right is so brainwashed and blinded by their bias that they cannot see the truth. Mr. Carson claimed if the Germans had the guns, they would have stopped Hitler and the Nazis.
Nothing could be more wrong. The problems were created AFTER the Nazis armed the German people (every member of the SS troops and Wehrmacht) with the guns, artillery, tanks and aircrafts...
The guns are completely irrelevant. The real fight is waged for the minds of people, not for their guns. Pay more attention to who is controlling of our free press, media and Hollywood.
Have you noticed that our problems increased dramatically after a foreigner created FOX TV station?
The rise of FOX has coincided with increased corruption of our government, the lobbyist influence, attack adds, colossal national debt, chronic budget deficits, export of our jobs overseas, dependence on the Chinese imports, and the endless foreign wars...
That’s not a problem. The problem is that he is a poster child of the conservative movement.
They don’t believe in the principles but in the things - the guns. They believe the guns make us better people, more rational, law obeying, peaceful and tolerant...
They don’t know that the great principles are learned in the schools.
Those guys don’t have real faith. The truly faithful people are not afraid of the guns but of the Almighty.
The right is so brainwashed and blinded by their bias that they cannot see the truth. Mr. Carson claimed if the Germans had the guns, they would have stopped Hitler and the Nazis.
Nothing could be more wrong. The problems were created AFTER the Nazis armed the German people (every member of the SS troops and Wehrmacht) with the guns, artillery, tanks and aircrafts...
The guns are completely irrelevant. The real fight is waged for the minds of people, not for their guns. Pay more attention to who is controlling of our free press, media and Hollywood.
Have you noticed that our problems increased dramatically after a foreigner created FOX TV station?
The rise of FOX has coincided with increased corruption of our government, the lobbyist influence, attack adds, colossal national debt, chronic budget deficits, export of our jobs overseas, dependence on the Chinese imports, and the endless foreign wars...
1
The babble of a brilliant man turned fool.
6
I find it ironic that Carson uses techniques similar to what the Nazis used to rise to power. Blaming all bad things on the government and disparaging a minority - in this case Muslims, not Jews.
6
And don't forget, he is a neurosurgeon that doesn't believe in evolution and thinks the earth is 6k years old. If you ever needed proof that surgeons aren't scientists, there it is!
@otherminds
@otherminds
8
Carson is just another paid pitchman whose job it is is to blame the Democrats for the plight of a White America that cannot understand how they are losing economically and to a lesser degree. The Republicans who support Trump and Carson fail to understand who moved their jobs overseas and who failed to educate them for a 21st century, globalized economy. They know something is wrong and are very angry as their plight and position in society diminishes. It is sad when some angry white mobs spit on protestors unlike themselves but think it OK to scream at young women who dare to choose abortion and threaten their doctors. They somehow can't compete with uneducated Mexicans and South Americans with a language problem and believe they are the cause of the nations ills. This is so because they refuse to accept the fact that other White Republicans, the CEO's of America, outsourced their jobs and the tax base that built up their communities without having any private replacement of that economic revenue. They are uneducated to adapt to a changing world and are fed a litany of crazy ideas from hate radio and FOX that misinforms and misdirects them and blames Obama for their fall. They fail to understand the policies they effectively vote for ruins their very future. Only now, they are mad as hell and looking for answers, but they are starting to figure out that establishment Republicans like Bush are not the solution. This will continue until they learn and accept the truth.
1
It's tempting to sympathize with honest Republicans like Mr. Wehner - and I do appreciate his integrity in this essay. However, more generally speaking the GOP establishment is now reaping what it has sown. Over the last two decades, ever-increasing divisive rhetoric both by the party (presumably to gain electoral edges) and their conservative shock-talk radio mouthpieces have created a Golem known as the Tea Party. They should not now be surprised that this is the logical result - and likely, the endgame - for their political strategy.
The beast they created to eat Democrats and "liberals" has failed to do that, but it is doing a pretty good job at eating GOP elites. Too bad for them.
The beast they created to eat Democrats and "liberals" has failed to do that, but it is doing a pretty good job at eating GOP elites. Too bad for them.
3
Beyond frightening that Trump and Carson with their half-baked ideas and auto-didact conservative ethos are Number One and Number Two in the polls for the Republican POTUS nomination in 12 months. Fortunately there's still time for either or both of them to implode before their clown car, their kiddy-car, their dodgem car gets to the RNC Circus.
2
" ... a large percentage of Republican voters are in a fiercely anti-political mood."
No -- they are in a fiercely anti-rational, illogical, intemperate mood of rage and self-pity and scapegoating whipped up by Fox News and the Republican National Committee.
No -- they are in a fiercely anti-rational, illogical, intemperate mood of rage and self-pity and scapegoating whipped up by Fox News and the Republican National Committee.
3
The Republican Party owns Dr. Carson and the destructive Tea Party as well. You embraced these people because they served your purposes. FoxNews, in particular, makes it possible for Dr. Carson's hyperbole to find traction among your base.
As much as you may view Democrats complaining about this style of political discourse as so much whining from the losing side, what we have really been doing is warning you about where this would all inevitably lead.
Welcome to your future.
As much as you may view Democrats complaining about this style of political discourse as so much whining from the losing side, what we have really been doing is warning you about where this would all inevitably lead.
Welcome to your future.
3
You here it so often you would think that you could develop an immunity to it. But, portraying Fascism as a liberal or progressive movement always has and always will alert me to the fact that I am either listening to one of the world’s great fools or to someone so confident in their persuasiveness or in the gullibility of their audience that they will not be questioned no matter how ridiculous their assertion.
Fascism with all of its nationalism, all of its mythology, moral and political rigidity, all of its uniforms and spectacular rituals has all the characteristics of a right wing conservative ideology. Hitler’s hatred for Communists and intellectuals and his efforts to return Germany to some glorified mythological past are not things one would associate with a liberal or progressive ideology.
And yes, we all know that Hitler’s Party was known as the National Socialist German Workers' Party. But Socialism is typically equated to Communism creating a very difficult contradiction in that Hitler hated Communists and generally embraced German Capitalists. Gregor Strasser was murdered and his brother exiled because they advocated for a more Socialist and Anti-Capitalist Nazi Party. The name is obviously an artifact of some earlier time in the evolution of the party and had virtually nothing to do with Hitler’s or the party’s ideology.
Fascism with all of its nationalism, all of its mythology, moral and political rigidity, all of its uniforms and spectacular rituals has all the characteristics of a right wing conservative ideology. Hitler’s hatred for Communists and intellectuals and his efforts to return Germany to some glorified mythological past are not things one would associate with a liberal or progressive ideology.
And yes, we all know that Hitler’s Party was known as the National Socialist German Workers' Party. But Socialism is typically equated to Communism creating a very difficult contradiction in that Hitler hated Communists and generally embraced German Capitalists. Gregor Strasser was murdered and his brother exiled because they advocated for a more Socialist and Anti-Capitalist Nazi Party. The name is obviously an artifact of some earlier time in the evolution of the party and had virtually nothing to do with Hitler’s or the party’s ideology.
1
Ironic that Stalin came from a communist context but behaved much like Hitler. The common thread is that they were both willing to crush their citizens to establish their own personal view of how the world should work. Regardless of context and call it whatever you want but when government oppresses their people that is the same behavior as every other form of dictatorship and Fascism.
Also worth noting that the anti-communist paranoia was not only in Germany but all over the world and dominated American foreign policy both Democrat and Republican for most of the 20th century. Point is that is not unique to Hitler.
Also worth noting that the anti-communist paranoia was not only in Germany but all over the world and dominated American foreign policy both Democrat and Republican for most of the 20th century. Point is that is not unique to Hitler.
Let's see... the fascists traded in fear, smears, lies, propaganda, anti-intellectualism, bigotry, hyper nationalism, war mongering, close corporate-state relations, bulllying rhetoric...
So, judging from their actions, which party is more fascist-like?
So, judging from their actions, which party is more fascist-like?
7
It is not a myth that the Holocaust could have been greatly diminished if the Jews were allowed to keep their guns. From the films and historical articles it appears that the Jews who were killed did not put up a fight when they were herded like lambs to slaughter. I never understood why even without their own weapons they did not resist. It always appears that the number of Nazi's that were guarding them were in relatively small numbers and could have been vulnerable to attack by the Jews who greatly outnumbered them particularly if they knew they were going to die anyway regardless of whether they put up a struggle or not. Obviously I was not there, but do you think the Jews in Israel would passively submit to be herded into cattle cars and sent off to death camps to be gassed?
1
You're right in one respect: it's not a myth, it's counterfactual, that is, a complete speculation of how history might have been different 'if only...'. The fact is you don't know what if anything would have been different, nor do you know, based on "obviously I was not there", whether the situation was even remotely applicable to gun issues in the US today.
Self-professed 'Jews' made up about 1% of the German population in 1933, almost all living in cities. Imagine yourself as a 1% minority, putting up a shootng fight against...99% of the country?? It would, and should, be seen as suicidal. Hindsight is always perfect. Don't presume that 'Jews' could've 'done something' against a country they loved like you love yours. They were surprised, bewildered, and no amount of guns would've saved them.
Uh. if you actually READ the history, you will learn that what you propose IS a myth.
Mr. Carson is a moron, plain and simple. He may be a brain surgeon, but he is clearly an uneducated man with regard to just about everything else.
16
Dr. Carson's damage to the Conservative cause is very positive for the country.
8
I sincerely hope the Republican candidates REALLY do tell what's on their mind. To top the other they will have to be more vicious, as W said ..bring it on!
2
There is a reason that 99% of the American body politic are angry & disgusted with Washington which is something that Jeb Bush just doesn't get. Jeb seems to cling to the fantasy that his brother's id-ish policies in the Middle East were perfectly reasonable & that he "kept us safe". Most rational Americans can still clearly remember the frightened child like expression on Dubbya's face as he sat in an elementary school classroom when he learned about the news of 9/11. He looked like a monkey without a tail, rather than a leader with moral & spiritual courage.
Ben Carson's use of rhetorical red meat terminology is akin to the Roman emperor giving a thumbs down signal to the gladiators in the Coliseum & the crowd cheering maniacally while salivating over the witness of spilt blood. Ben Carson & Donald Trump have mastered the art of the emperor because they both know how to distract the uneducated with empty bloviated rhetoric & they keep the poor entertained as well as prevent revolts against the Republican party by blaming Obama & the "socialist" Democratic Party. Some may wonder how David Brat defeated Eric Cantor by being even more Conservative & right wing crazy than the establishment crazy right wing. Brat posits that if Christian people "had the guts to spread the word" the free market would thrive. Thus the danger to the Republican, confusing fanatical fundamentalist religion with rational & effective political reasoning in the Space Age.
Ben Carson's use of rhetorical red meat terminology is akin to the Roman emperor giving a thumbs down signal to the gladiators in the Coliseum & the crowd cheering maniacally while salivating over the witness of spilt blood. Ben Carson & Donald Trump have mastered the art of the emperor because they both know how to distract the uneducated with empty bloviated rhetoric & they keep the poor entertained as well as prevent revolts against the Republican party by blaming Obama & the "socialist" Democratic Party. Some may wonder how David Brat defeated Eric Cantor by being even more Conservative & right wing crazy than the establishment crazy right wing. Brat posits that if Christian people "had the guts to spread the word" the free market would thrive. Thus the danger to the Republican, confusing fanatical fundamentalist religion with rational & effective political reasoning in the Space Age.
5
How this sort of adjective-slinging, argument based on facial expressions, and yelling at the other guys differs from Trump, Carson et al, I couldn't say.
Ben Carson has convinced me that I've greatly over-estimated the complexity of brain surgery....
28
It's not rocket science.
1
It's time for honest "conservatives" to be honest with themselves. "Reactionaries" are not conservatives-- they aren't even similar; conservatives have a lot more in common with "progressives" than they do with reactionaries. America won't be healed until true conservatives stop aligning with reactionaries in hopes that an electoral plurality will enable some fantastical purist conservative agenda-- it won't; it will only lead to chaos, as we are seeing in Congress right now. The best way to achieve SOME conservative goals is to cross party lines and align with the Democratic Party centrists.
1
these low lives will do and say anything to get attention and votes, hopefully for american to be great again these types of politicians and their ignorant low iqed easily fooled and manipulated followers are a dying breed
Big great nothing piece, congrats.
Carson is nothing but a giant steaming pile of garbage that belches out noxious gas. The sooner the garbage collectors pick him up and throw him in the dump the better.
This is my take away from this nothing column. The self professed conservatives are literally powerless to do anything about the idiots in their own party. Rather than stand up and denounce stupidity, they sit around and shrug their shoulders trying to figure out what happened.
Here is what happened, stupidity knocked on your front doors, and you fell all over yourselves in providing them a comfortable home to destroy.
Carson is nothing but a giant steaming pile of garbage that belches out noxious gas. The sooner the garbage collectors pick him up and throw him in the dump the better.
This is my take away from this nothing column. The self professed conservatives are literally powerless to do anything about the idiots in their own party. Rather than stand up and denounce stupidity, they sit around and shrug their shoulders trying to figure out what happened.
Here is what happened, stupidity knocked on your front doors, and you fell all over yourselves in providing them a comfortable home to destroy.
"Peter Wehner, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, served in the last three Republican administrations and is a contributing opinion writer."
Forget Carson. Who can take Wehner seriously with so many contradictions in one sentence?
Forget Carson. Who can take Wehner seriously with so many contradictions in one sentence?
It certainly seems like a part of the Republican party is absolutely intolerant of the large number of Americans who do not share their ideology. How deep this intolerance goes is going to be terrifying to find out. Yikes!
2
In my opinion, there is more than one "Pied Piper" vying to lead us.
Unfortunately Mr Wehner's Conservative base doesn't read the New York Times, thus he is preaching to the choir. The revisionist history that makes up a good part of their understanding is not challenged by the majority of media outlets. And it seems like a good part of our educational system relies on partisan understanding rather than actual facts.
Are we doomed? The only way out of this morass seems to be to vote Democratic and to speak up and challenge those that make up history for their own benefit.
Are we doomed? The only way out of this morass seems to be to vote Democratic and to speak up and challenge those that make up history for their own benefit.
1
I don't disagree with anything here, but I think the author tip-toes around the crucial point. Democratic politics is a way of living together in the presence of diversity. To be anti-politics, then, is to wish away diversity: to imagine a world in which everyone is like us, so no compromise or modulation is necessary. This is the world the Tea Party desires, and the Tea Party, as recent events indicate, now controls the GOP.
The Nazi analogies don't just signal historical ignorance. They highlight how the Tea Party views its opposition--- namely, as ILLEGITIMATE. Democrats, liberals, progressives--- even mainstream Republicans--- aren't simply fellow citizens with different ideas about politics. They are unprincipled, unscrupulous thugs who have turned their backs on the "real" America and want to deliver the country to a socialist, secular-humanist cabal. They cannot be compromised with, any more than the Nazis could: they can only be controlled and suppressed. The vision that animates the Tea Party is a vision of white heterosexual male hegemony--- a legacy of its largely Southern roots, and of the fact that the South is now the electoral bulwark of the GOP. Like the South for most of its history, the Tea Party is more interested in uniformity than diversity, and prefers autocracy to democracy. This is the inexorable logic of its "anti-politics" politics.
The Nazi analogies don't just signal historical ignorance. They highlight how the Tea Party views its opposition--- namely, as ILLEGITIMATE. Democrats, liberals, progressives--- even mainstream Republicans--- aren't simply fellow citizens with different ideas about politics. They are unprincipled, unscrupulous thugs who have turned their backs on the "real" America and want to deliver the country to a socialist, secular-humanist cabal. They cannot be compromised with, any more than the Nazis could: they can only be controlled and suppressed. The vision that animates the Tea Party is a vision of white heterosexual male hegemony--- a legacy of its largely Southern roots, and of the fact that the South is now the electoral bulwark of the GOP. Like the South for most of its history, the Tea Party is more interested in uniformity than diversity, and prefers autocracy to democracy. This is the inexorable logic of its "anti-politics" politics.
2
The Republican Party started going downhill when they went after the white Southern vote.
Republican voters are too cognitively impaired to follow your advise. And they have been for decades.
2
It's attention grabbing hyperbole, carefully focused on crazy Republican talking points. Gun control, ACA, take your pick, it all reminds him of the Nazi era to give the point an ominous slant where it would otherwise be completely dismissed as plainly false. Fear sells, which paradoxically, was used very effectively by the Nazis.
2
I feel sort of sorry for conservatives. They seem like such a grumpy and unhappy bunch. They always have something to complain about. Trump and Carson are so glum, what with their dire predictions of future disaster. They need to turn those frowns upside down. And, by the way, their supporters might remember that a vote for either of them is a vote for the Democrats. Smile!
1
But conservatives control both houses of the U.S. Congress along with a majority of the justices on Supreme Court of the United States and a majority of state executive mansions and state legislatures. Why do you feel sorry for them? And why are you smiling?
1
As George W. Bush would say, that Trump and Carson are leading the Republican race is simply a matter of the cows coming home to roost.
3
I really had not paid any attention to Carson, thanks for this piece. I could certainly support him. Obviously if Jews had had guns there would have been no Holocaust. The writer's idiocy pushes me to Carson big time!
I think Carson is more dangerous than Trump. Trump is loud, boisterous and at some point will fade. Carson speaks softly, kindly and is polite so a listener can be lulled into listening but not hearing his words. That is the brilliance of the man - say hateful, ugly and untrue things in a way that gets into the listeners head before they quite realize what he's said.
134
The root cause of this kind of ignorance is that as children we are not taught to evaluate sources of information. I hear so many people say: "I saw it on the internet." Really? Does being on the internet somehow make it a factual statement? Does Mr. Carson believe what he says? I think so. To compare America to Nazi Germany is about as ignorant of a statement as an American citizen could make. President Obama is no Hitler. To compare our President or his beliefs and polices to Hitlers beliefs and policies is beyond ignorant. To demonize people who don't think like you is in fact a Nazi like behavior. To lie, to quote lies and half truths is a strategy straight from Hitler. We live in dangerous times. I think the world is descending into WWIII and the Republican Party's two leading candidates are Donald Trump and Ben Carson. If this isn't enough to make people go to the polls, then nothing is, and our poor country will pay a heavy price for our collective ignorance.
148
"There are some places they shouldn’t go." What a ridiculous statement. If there is some place a speaker shouldn't go, then what happens? Does the earth stop rotating? And what happens if he is just speaking something that many people believe? If he is showing unparalleled ignorance, won't that bring about his demise more quickly? The criticism should not be of Dr. Carson although he does have an incredibly lame mentality. The criticism should be directed at the people who buy into his rhetoric. 23%? Wow. 23% of the Republican voters support his rhetoric and you are criticizing him?
1
Godwin's law states that "As an online discussion grows longer (regardless of topic or scope), the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1 and that once such a comparison is made, the thread is finished and whoever mentioned the Nazis has automatically lost whatever debate was in progress. Mr. Wehner your party has lost all of its political arguments and has nothing left to resort to other than Hitler and Nazis.
1
Not once have any of these 40+ comments come close to the real reasons of concern - from both left AND right. These 40+ are nothing but babble. Four hundred years ago, Western European believers in the God of Abraham and His Son Jesus Christ were being gruesomely killed for that belief in Europe and the Middle East (and still are). Hence, the Mayflower landing and the "In God We Trust" pre-byte "log-on". Nothing has changed except the revisionist history. The danger IS the eradication of the Christian - and not the "progressive model". The danger IS the non-believing mortal man who hasn't a clue but talks of solutions. They are the REAL endangered species. Carson knows God - and Trump should be smart enough to know that.
1
And the alleged Christians were gleefully killing any Muslim they could lay hands on, and more than a few Christians who got in there way (Crusades).
And the history of England is replete with examples of alleged Christians using the power of church and government to oppress, torture, and kill each other not because the other sect worshipped the wrong God, but because each sect believed the other sect worshipped the same God (Jesus) incorrectly (Catholic - Protestant).
Please lay off the "Christian as victims" fantasy.
And the history of England is replete with examples of alleged Christians using the power of church and government to oppress, torture, and kill each other not because the other sect worshipped the wrong God, but because each sect believed the other sect worshipped the same God (Jesus) incorrectly (Catholic - Protestant).
Please lay off the "Christian as victims" fantasy.
1
The 2nd Amendment certainly didn't prevent the United States from interning 120,000 Japanese Americans during WW2...
4
As the daughter of Auschwitz survivors, and the granddaughter, niece and cousin of many more who did not survive the Holocaust I have the duty to say anyone who uses the term Nazi in any other context than the planned destruction of innocents degrades and trivializes the term. The guy who denies you soup may be nasty but he is not a Nazi unless he shoots your family as you wait in line. The member of Congress with whom you disagree may not be someone you would have dinner with but he is not a Nazi unless he starves your children. I realize candidates say provocative things to get air time, and Dr. Carson wants the public to know he was knowledge other than separating conjoined twins but his remarks only point out how ignorant he is.
21
Having recently returned from Eastern Europe, currently adrift with war refugees, and studded with Jewish cemetaries, concentration camps, and holocaust memorials, I find the Nazi attrocities on my mind.
Carson demeans of every one of the 6 million who were murdered by their neighbors. Dr Carson is unfit to be president. He demeans all of us.
Carson demeans of every one of the 6 million who were murdered by their neighbors. Dr Carson is unfit to be president. He demeans all of us.
12
I wish we all had an opportunity to 'stand outside of USA' and see how self-absorbed we can be. Your comment is exactly to the point.
Yes, Dr. Carson is astonishingly ignorant for an aspiring President, let alone an educated Physician. And yes, he plays to peoples’ worst instincts and most base levels of knowledge. But why do you suppose so many in your party, Mr. Wehner, were a ready-built audience for him and his fantastical thinking? The Carson phenomenon will pass, but the dynamics that launched him remain.
10
Sorry Peter Wehner, but don't come crying about Carson using ridiculous terminology as the main part of their campaign's sound bites. In reality, Carson, Trump, Bush, Fiorina, Rubio and all the rest are cut from the same cloth of the greed over morals and intelligence that is the hallmark of the GOP. The GOP created these extreme Frankenstein monsters and now they are turning on you. Keep courting the Kochs, the NRA and all the rest and don't be surprised when the voters turn on you in droves in 2016. In spite of the gerrymandering you have managed, if the voter turn out is very high, we will elect a Dem president and a Dem controlled Congress to tackle the major problems we are facing today- problems that we mush have cooperation between the White House and Congress to accomplish.
Mr. Wehner, you have served in three GOP administrations- perhaps you can list the accomplishments of the wasted Bush 8 years- other than getting us into 2 unfunded disastrous wars and an economic melt down. Can you name just one significant piece of legislation that was accomplished- just one? I cannot. Regardless of Ben Carson's silly remarks- he is just a symptom of a much larger problem this country has- namely the do nothing but tear down everything Republican party.
Mr. Wehner, you have served in three GOP administrations- perhaps you can list the accomplishments of the wasted Bush 8 years- other than getting us into 2 unfunded disastrous wars and an economic melt down. Can you name just one significant piece of legislation that was accomplished- just one? I cannot. Regardless of Ben Carson's silly remarks- he is just a symptom of a much larger problem this country has- namely the do nothing but tear down everything Republican party.
8
Herman Cain, Allen West, Ben Carson. All nut cases but, Ben is the nuttiest of them all. And far more dangerous.
9
Perhaps Mr. Carson's rhetoric is a bit more hyperbolic than some of his other compatriots, but how do his policy prescriptions differ from those of the rest of the field? I'm sorry Mr. Wehner, but this is the face of the republican party. The Republicans have been telling their supporters that govt. only destroys, does nothing positive, etc. Whole agencies can just be eliminated (education, EPA etc.) and we'll be better! This is the official position of your party. You have been incredibly successful politically; 25 states are governed exclusively by Republicans, you have the House, most of the State Legislatures, most of the Governorships. This is working for you. If you're a Republican Ben Carson's policies are what you want. Why do you have such a problem with the guy, just because he's a bit more blunt and hyperbolic? He's only different from the rest of the party on the edges.
I like colorful speech. I like blunt talk. I don't like Carson, because of what he stands for, but hey he's your guy. He'll do just what you want him to do if he attains high office.
What's your problem? It's workin. rock-n-roll!
I like colorful speech. I like blunt talk. I don't like Carson, because of what he stands for, but hey he's your guy. He'll do just what you want him to do if he attains high office.
What's your problem? It's workin. rock-n-roll!
12
But it's kind of the point or what the Republican Party has turned itself into: Governing doesn't matter to them. They want someone to shoot off his mouth, the louder and more obnoxiously, the better. Facts don't matter -- these are low information voters, badly educated and not paying attention to anything but Fox, and they wouldn't recognize reality if it bit them in the butt. They want disruption, because they're angry, But they're too dense to realize that what they're angry about is exactly what Fox and the Republicans have done to them.
11
Interesting perspective. In the same way, my friends on the left decry all Republicans as fascists.
Indeed, at the debate Mrs. Clinton put ISIS and Republicans in the same category in response to Mr. Cooper's question about enemies.
This is not a partisan issue. It's a pandering to an ignorant electorate issue.
Indeed, at the debate Mrs. Clinton put ISIS and Republicans in the same category in response to Mr. Cooper's question about enemies.
This is not a partisan issue. It's a pandering to an ignorant electorate issue.
2
I think that if one examines the record, one will find that the left leaning politicians and speakers are much more likely to use Nazi references than those on the right. How many times did I hear the police in Ferguson referred to as stormtroopers in the past year?
Robert -- could you at least get quotes half right?
Hillary said:
"In addition to the NRA, the health insurance companies, the drug companies, the Iranians, probably the Republicans."
Nothing about ISIS in there at all. Nor are either ISIS or "the Iranians" fascists (islamic religious dictatorships and terrorists, but not identifiably fascist) Further you fail at basic logic -- one can have multiple enemies, that does not mean those enemies are equal or identical.
And then "your friends on the left" are clearly not Hillary, and I find it hard to imagine you are friends with those who "decry all Republicans as fascists."
Could you bother to make some kind of sense? I'm afraid that I increasingly see almost all Republicans as bereft of the most basic skills, and ranting angry nonsense like this. Too much Brietbart ... not enough William Buckley.
Hillary said:
"In addition to the NRA, the health insurance companies, the drug companies, the Iranians, probably the Republicans."
Nothing about ISIS in there at all. Nor are either ISIS or "the Iranians" fascists (islamic religious dictatorships and terrorists, but not identifiably fascist) Further you fail at basic logic -- one can have multiple enemies, that does not mean those enemies are equal or identical.
And then "your friends on the left" are clearly not Hillary, and I find it hard to imagine you are friends with those who "decry all Republicans as fascists."
Could you bother to make some kind of sense? I'm afraid that I increasingly see almost all Republicans as bereft of the most basic skills, and ranting angry nonsense like this. Too much Brietbart ... not enough William Buckley.
Nazi Germany may indeed be the "default analogy" today, but the favorite of conservatives back in the day of the likes of Barry Goldwater was the ancient Roman Republic. The analogue target was the public dole of "panem et circsences" (bread and circuses) to keep the poor and mostly disenfranchised (the "Head Count") under control. In other words - in the then-GOP view: "The Welfare State"... an abomination in their view.
But that doesn't work anymore. With the recent publication of such magnificent epics as Colleen McCollough's "Masters of Rome" series and televised documentaries by HBA and Discovery, the American public has been made to realize that the ancient Roman republic was a plutocracy, pure and simple. I.e., one couldn't even enter the Senate unless he had very substantial land holdings... that is, he had to be rich, for only the rich knew what was best for the state.
So, in today's conservative search for historical "Doom Scenarios": down with Rome, up with Nazi Germany! An analogy where Caesar, Crassus and Pompey could be compared to the Koch brothers as the source of corruption bringing down the state, well... that wouldn't play well at all.
But that doesn't work anymore. With the recent publication of such magnificent epics as Colleen McCollough's "Masters of Rome" series and televised documentaries by HBA and Discovery, the American public has been made to realize that the ancient Roman republic was a plutocracy, pure and simple. I.e., one couldn't even enter the Senate unless he had very substantial land holdings... that is, he had to be rich, for only the rich knew what was best for the state.
So, in today's conservative search for historical "Doom Scenarios": down with Rome, up with Nazi Germany! An analogy where Caesar, Crassus and Pompey could be compared to the Koch brothers as the source of corruption bringing down the state, well... that wouldn't play well at all.
5
The Republicans take comfort, solace, even joy in having someone to lead their party from a deep well of intelligence, knowledge and experience. Having exhausted their store of war heroes after Ronald Reagan, veteran of motion pictures, and Clint Eastwood, veteran swimming instructor, they fell upon the simple notion that when you're looking for intelligence, the go-to profession would obviously be "Brain Surgeon." As Carson is failing to live up to the dream, expect the Republicans to next fall behind a "Rocket Scientist."
4
The horrifyingly strong support for this ignorant lunatic is perhaps the scariest aspect of this election saga thusfar, except, perhaps, for the rise of Trump. Previous comments correctly note that the Republicans have brought this on themselves. Others note that the media have not challenged Carson's idiotic statements. This man should be treated as a looming menace and marginalized as unelectable, which the media has been so good at doing for the eminently rational Bernie Sanders.
19
If Ben Carson and other Republicans believe that Jews could and should have fought back against the Nazis if only they had the guns to do so, then he ought to be arguing that Hispanics and Muslims in this country should be arming themselves to the teeth in order to fight the coming immigration war that the Republicans will soon perpetrate against them. After all, the Republicans want to see heavily armed police invading homes and removing and deporting Hispanic (and eventually) Muslim families. Go ahead Mr. Carson, in order to be consistent, stand at the podium and tell Hispanics they had better go and get their guns. That is the world you dream about.
18
The only effective catharsis for the Republican Party would be a resounding defeat at the poll, Canadian style.
8
Maybe a distinction between Carson and Trump on the one hand and 'establishment Republicans' on the other is not as large as Wehner and the MSM make it out to be. Without going back to early history, Reagan, Atwater, Cheney, Rove, Fox News worthies, Scalia, and a host of other 'establishment Republicans' do bear some blame for reckless rhetoric pervading the party. And, of course, the 'volcanic rage' that Cruz says pervades the Republican electorate, could that have something to do with an African American man in the White House? Or is that impolite to inquire into?
1
Ben Carson is a socioeconomic political educational historic white supremacist imbecile. Beyond his dusky hue neurosurgeon background and membership in the pseudo Christian bizarre 7th Day Adventist cult while Republican he would be dismissed and despised for his arrogant inhumane inhuman judgmental hateful banal hubris. Saying such idiotic things while black gives racial cover to those who harbor such ideas while white. Since our colored Republican candidate agrees with us how could we be prejudiced bigots?
Rising from the bottom of a Baltimore ghetto single mother home to renowned Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon has apparently burned and destroyed any empathy or humility or context or perspective from Ben Carson. One is left to wonder about the quality and content of Dr. Ben Carson the neurosurgeon. Was he great black doctor? Or was he a great doctor while black?
See "The Mis-Education of the Negro" by Carter G. Woodson.
Rising from the bottom of a Baltimore ghetto single mother home to renowned Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon has apparently burned and destroyed any empathy or humility or context or perspective from Ben Carson. One is left to wonder about the quality and content of Dr. Ben Carson the neurosurgeon. Was he great black doctor? Or was he a great doctor while black?
See "The Mis-Education of the Negro" by Carter G. Woodson.
2
Long before there was a Doctor Ben Carson fixated on Nazi propaganda and mythology while black, there was the very strange case of Lawrence Dennis.
See "The Color of Fascism: Lawrence Dennis, Racial Passing, and the Rise of Right- Wing Extremism in the United States" by Gerald Horne
See "The Color of Fascism: Lawrence Dennis, Racial Passing, and the Rise of Right- Wing Extremism in the United States" by Gerald Horne
1
Idiocy indeed. It is rather obvious that were a Hitler-esque figure to arise in the USA, he or she would obviously be Conservative, and likely a "good" Christian (which is different from a Christian, as most Christians know).
4
Small minds tend to express themselves in hyperbole and absolutes. Ben Carson is nothing much, but his rhetoric resonates with like-minded Americans.
Now, that's scary.
Now, that's scary.
3
Mr. Wehner, Dr. (his professional title but one of quite dubious repute) is an ignorant bigot. Your Republican party now wishes to apply the brakes on his candidacy that appears now to have gathered a momentum that forces a reasonable person to clap both hands over the mouth. Not-so-gentle Ben is transparently the love child of Republican complaisance and reckless arrogance. Whither the king-makers in the three administrations in which you lent your talents? Whither the caution against the tightening concentric circle of accumulated wealth and power, that great ripping of American life now being heard across the land? The great summation of the rise of the National Socialist Party in Germany was written by William Shirer (The Rise And Fall of the Third Reich). It should be, today, the textbook caution against extremists' appropriation of government in response to disaffection with one group to swell into a national caucus of murder and theft and state-rape. This doctor of yours, whom you, in this essay, wish to flee as from a putrid stench, is ideologically your own. You reap as you sew.
3
Why bother with this clown. In my opinion, what is worth investigating about him is why he was admitted to America's top colleges, medical schools and residencies and how did he actually perform. He seems to have slipped through the system somehow to me and avoided being educated and becoming experienced during his career...and is now saying gobbley-gook while staying at Four Seasons Hotels and flying first class on his donors dimes. Just another variation of Republicans getting duped by hucksters.
You have spent the past 35 years building this base and benefiting from its anger, xenophobia, and contempt for governance. Now that you can't lead it around by the nose any more, suddenly you're unhappy.
Sorry, Mr. Wehner: if your goals truly are "to improve the lives of our fellow citizens in concrete ways; to advance, even imperfectly, liberty, opportunity and a more decent and just society" it has long since become impossible to be a conservative in America.
The word no longer means what you think it does -- if it ever did in our lifetime. YOU may think Edmund Burke: your base thinks: Glenn Beck.
Sorry, Mr. Wehner: if your goals truly are "to improve the lives of our fellow citizens in concrete ways; to advance, even imperfectly, liberty, opportunity and a more decent and just society" it has long since become impossible to be a conservative in America.
The word no longer means what you think it does -- if it ever did in our lifetime. YOU may think Edmund Burke: your base thinks: Glenn Beck.
10
As nutty as Carson sounds, he's not too far off the mark when it comes to a strong man with great soaring rhetoric is able to take over a nation that is raptured with the cult of personality. I would guess that the people of Germany weren't worried about that type of figure coming to power. These things tend to happen in tough economic times and remember what Germany was going through and to think that those things can't happen here is just willful naivety, anything can happen and usually does. It may make some feel better but when it's happening you'll know it.
3
To say that life with a Democratic president would be similar to life under Hitler, I can only really say, in what possible regard? Concentration camps? Genocide? The Final Solution? The Master Race? Kristallnacht? No. "Hitler" is a rhetorical f-word used only by morons in the context of modern US politics, and this shock-jock tactic is cheered only by supporters whose heads are full of helium. Take a look at yesterday's Swiss election to see the obvious difference. Take a look at what the Swiss People's Party stands for: a "Rechtsrutsch" or "slide to the right." Anti-immigration in particular. Switzerland is armed to the teeth, with an automatic weapon in almost every home, and it doesn't seem to help. Nor did it prevent the Swiss cooperation during the Holocaust, for which Switzerland is currently paying reparations to my family.
1
To me Trump and Carson seem quite different. Trump is pandering to the extreme right wing. Based on prior statements and positions I don't think he means what he's saying. I guess you could say he's lying.
But Carson seems to be mentally unbalanced.
But Carson seems to be mentally unbalanced.
14
Absolutely right, bravo. All Trump knows how to do is pander; Carson is too barking mad to pander.
Mr. Carson's reckless statements display a disregard for scientific thinking and rational reflection. Was he so poorly educated as to really believe the things he says, or is he using this ranting as propaganda for his own political purposes?
I have not read anywhere in the media serious challenges to his positions. He needs to be confronted.
I have not read anywhere in the media serious challenges to his positions. He needs to be confronted.
4
I just find much of this: "true conservative" protest, hollow and insincere. These conservative folks have risen and remain in a place of power by encouraging "wing-nuts" to play with matches ("somebody's going to take your guns away"; "Latinos are coming across the border to take your engineering and physicist jobs!"; "Men, take control of a woman's body; but deny them equal pay so that they can feed the children you demand that they have; the same children you care so little about after they are born"; "If we don't try every trick to deny Black people the right to vote; they will vote White people into slavery"!) And now you wonder why they want to set the entire house,with them and us in it, on fire.
3
One wonders if Republican voters have been having lobotomies on the sly. The aggressive vitriol and total lack of compassion in today's Republican party is certainly echoed in all the candidates. But Dr. Carson's odd combination of total ignorance about world affairs and supreme arrogance is frightening indeed. While his frequent references to Hitler and the Nazi party is weird, what is perhaps most dissident is his comment that the ACA is comparable to slavery. What??? That there are Americans who support this candidate does make one wonder if their brains went under the knife.
10
In our democracy no one owns political interpretations of history. Peter Wehner may differ with Carson's interpretation of the Holocaust victims, or arming victims of government oppression. Retaliation however always scares bullies and oppressors, Israel's military might being a prime example of deterrence.
And Wehner may write as he does here that Carson "libels" the United States, which is an exercise in poetic license of the legal meaning of the word "libel." Otherwise, his op-ed could be described as a "libel" of Carson.
Carson, in fact, doesn't own an exclusive right to draw historical lessons from Nazi Germany or on the East European Holocaust anymore than Wehner on black slave revolts in the United States, such as Denmark Vesey's.
I disagree with Carson on his interpretation. Often, an existential submission, but one that is patient non-violent pressure against oppression, works, but not always. And the heroic European Jewish partisans who joined the Allies on both the Eastern and Western fronts to fight the Wehrmacht knew this better than either Carson or Wehner.
And Wehner may write as he does here that Carson "libels" the United States, which is an exercise in poetic license of the legal meaning of the word "libel." Otherwise, his op-ed could be described as a "libel" of Carson.
Carson, in fact, doesn't own an exclusive right to draw historical lessons from Nazi Germany or on the East European Holocaust anymore than Wehner on black slave revolts in the United States, such as Denmark Vesey's.
I disagree with Carson on his interpretation. Often, an existential submission, but one that is patient non-violent pressure against oppression, works, but not always. And the heroic European Jewish partisans who joined the Allies on both the Eastern and Western fronts to fight the Wehrmacht knew this better than either Carson or Wehner.
It's called pandering to your base. People are scared and angry, They know our country has been sold out by its economic and governmental leaders. Now they are constantly being told its someone else's fault , those darn progressive liberals. Peter, time to start a new Conservative party based on reality and reason.
2
When reading Mein Kampf, one detects many similarities to Karl Rove and his Fox News buddies. They use similar methods.
Hitler also appealed to socially conservative Lutherans and Catholics with a strong emphasis on over represented rural areas which benefited from dated census data.
Ben, look in the mirror.
Hitler also appealed to socially conservative Lutherans and Catholics with a strong emphasis on over represented rural areas which benefited from dated census data.
Ben, look in the mirror.
28
Mr. Wehner somehow confuses the Republican party with a political party that is based on conservative political ideology. Guess what, that party ceased to exist during the Pappy Bush administration. The big business section on the party, having given up on free market economics and come to rely on union busting/government entitlements/oligopolies to to deliver the profit margins it had promised its investors, could no longer deceive the working man/woman that what was good for GM was good for America and promptly lost to Bill Clinton.
The only way back to power was to start pounding sand, first literally in Iraq then figuratively with various conservative social issues.
Peter the reason Trump and Carson are pooling so high with "Republican" voters is that Trump and Carson are everything that the GOP has promised it's voters for the last 20 years that was needed to save the country. Now you are saying the GOP is in trouble because they believed them?
The only way back to power was to start pounding sand, first literally in Iraq then figuratively with various conservative social issues.
Peter the reason Trump and Carson are pooling so high with "Republican" voters is that Trump and Carson are everything that the GOP has promised it's voters for the last 20 years that was needed to save the country. Now you are saying the GOP is in trouble because they believed them?
8
Carson is the result of decades of reactionary rhetoric from the Right Wing hate machine. The Tea party, which rose to prominence in the months after Obama's election has nothing to offer except fear, polarization, and obstruction. It will be interesting to see what happens when the mainstream GOP dumps these losers (Carson, Trump, Cruz) after the primaries.
9
Ben Carson, Donald Trump and other radicals in the Republican field are merely giving voice to the same hostility and outright hatred that the Republican party has been peddling for almost 20 years. From the Clinton years through to Obama's two terms, elements of the GOP have avoided actual debate of issues and resorted to the lowest forms of insult and invective. They have themselves created the Tea Party, The Freedom Caucus and extreme Right Wing radio screamers that hurl the most abusive accusations at any member of their political opposition. They got together the night of Obama's inauguration and dedicated themselves to destroying his Presidency at a critical time when facing and dealing with the the challenges of the 2008 economic collapse should have been the main focus of any responsible political party. Facts are irrelevant in a Republican Party where only extreme ideology, power and money matter.
Now the bill for their irresponsibility is coming due. As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
Now the bill for their irresponsibility is coming due. As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
13
Ben Carson's mumblings typify the ignorance that fills the vacuum left when "conservatives" retreat from explaining a guiding philosophy. Greed is not philosophy. It's sweet of Wehner to refer to the higher purpose of politics, but his ilk don’t articulate any such purpose other than in kindergarten terms: freedom, exceptionalism, the American Dream, tax cuts…
I doubt his ilk ever did articulate anything resembling a detailed prescription applicable to a pre-existing society. It’s easy to imagine an ideal society when we might start with a tabula rasa. Edmund Burke is a respected conservative, but much of his writing was simply anti-French Revolution. Margaret Thatcher was an outcome of Burke-speak. Her philosophy (There's no such thing as society) would fill a slim volume. Her major snub to a French president whose politics she didn’t like shows her depth: she gave Mitterrand a copy of A Tale of Two Cities. Much like George Bush taking his climatology from a novel by Michael Crichton.
A real demonstration of conservatism was provided by the Irish Famine. There was an abundance of food in Ireland then. But it cost money, and most money was to be had in England. Irish food (beef, mutton, pork, grains etc.) was destined for English tables and for English army canteens. Most of the Irish were also well enough fed. What was lacking, other than the food of the poorest of the poor, was government will to help the starving. Thatcherism before its time.
I doubt his ilk ever did articulate anything resembling a detailed prescription applicable to a pre-existing society. It’s easy to imagine an ideal society when we might start with a tabula rasa. Edmund Burke is a respected conservative, but much of his writing was simply anti-French Revolution. Margaret Thatcher was an outcome of Burke-speak. Her philosophy (There's no such thing as society) would fill a slim volume. Her major snub to a French president whose politics she didn’t like shows her depth: she gave Mitterrand a copy of A Tale of Two Cities. Much like George Bush taking his climatology from a novel by Michael Crichton.
A real demonstration of conservatism was provided by the Irish Famine. There was an abundance of food in Ireland then. But it cost money, and most money was to be had in England. Irish food (beef, mutton, pork, grains etc.) was destined for English tables and for English army canteens. Most of the Irish were also well enough fed. What was lacking, other than the food of the poorest of the poor, was government will to help the starving. Thatcherism before its time.
8
Carson and Trump have tapped into a deep anger and frustration that many Americans have. Wages have been stagnant for nearly thirty years. The financial crises ruined retirement savings. States provide less support for education and tuition and school taxes go up. The middle class is holding on by a thread and are properly angry at Washington and everyone affiliated with Washington for their plight.
But therein lies the danger. These same people keep voting for politicians that cut taxes, but mostly for the wealthy. So when the revenue difference is made up at the local level with higher school taxes they can claim they had nothing to do with it. The same is true for trade policy, banking policy, corporate taxes and the list goes on. Each of these measures supports the economic elites, while the rhetoric is directed at the average worker.
Enter Carson and Trump. Each knows that many people vote on impressions, not facts and certainly not based on knowledge of policy. So Carson plays a cruel game, capitalizing on real sentiments and confusion of people who are willing to vote on the few social issues that for them are simple right/wrong choices, all the while being manipulated as most consumers are by slick advertising and dishonest reporting. Carson is a right wing ideologue but no one asks him hard questions, there's no follow up to his rants. So he gets away with lies that he then qualifies with free publicity interviews. It's past time the media put him to the test.
But therein lies the danger. These same people keep voting for politicians that cut taxes, but mostly for the wealthy. So when the revenue difference is made up at the local level with higher school taxes they can claim they had nothing to do with it. The same is true for trade policy, banking policy, corporate taxes and the list goes on. Each of these measures supports the economic elites, while the rhetoric is directed at the average worker.
Enter Carson and Trump. Each knows that many people vote on impressions, not facts and certainly not based on knowledge of policy. So Carson plays a cruel game, capitalizing on real sentiments and confusion of people who are willing to vote on the few social issues that for them are simple right/wrong choices, all the while being manipulated as most consumers are by slick advertising and dishonest reporting. Carson is a right wing ideologue but no one asks him hard questions, there's no follow up to his rants. So he gets away with lies that he then qualifies with free publicity interviews. It's past time the media put him to the test.
8
I suggest watching this interview with George Stephanopoulos concerning Carson's bizarre theories about how we should have dealt with Osama bin Laden after 9/11 and his confusion between the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Stephanopoulos certainly pushed Carson to explain himself and in so doing showed how completely ignorant Carson is when it comes to foreign policy. Of course few of his supporters probably watched that segment, and those that did probably thought the "liberal" Stephanopoulos and the media were just out to get their guy.
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/stephanopoulos-baffled-when-ben-carson-mixes-...
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/stephanopoulos-baffled-when-ben-carson-mixes-...
The Republican party has taken an alarming direction with Trump and Carson in the lead. This attempt at polarizing politics by posing the theory that all conservatives are good and all liberals are bad is not only a disservice to our country it's also dangerous to our free society.
Liberals want a reduction of the deficit and a strong defense also. In addition they want more jobs, less taxes and more freedom. So why all the rhetoric about us and them.
The problem with our economy was caused by capitalism not by social programs. Chasing cheap labor abroad caused the lack of jobs which resulted in more people using government benefits and not being able to afford medical care. Solve the job problem and many of the problems facing our nation now will take care of themselves.
We need a unified government. The Eisenhower and Reagan Republicans need to get together and fight the divisive Trumps and Carson of this world for the of the nation and just for the advantage of the party.
Liberals want a reduction of the deficit and a strong defense also. In addition they want more jobs, less taxes and more freedom. So why all the rhetoric about us and them.
The problem with our economy was caused by capitalism not by social programs. Chasing cheap labor abroad caused the lack of jobs which resulted in more people using government benefits and not being able to afford medical care. Solve the job problem and many of the problems facing our nation now will take care of themselves.
We need a unified government. The Eisenhower and Reagan Republicans need to get together and fight the divisive Trumps and Carson of this world for the of the nation and just for the advantage of the party.
3
How did these critters get into the GOP corral? Is the party that extremist? That thinking that government is not ours, but has been taken over by others? Did it begin w/Grover Norquist? Alan Greenspan and his adoration of Ayn Rand, and those followers like Paul Ryan et al? Those who rail against government and yet want to serve in it seem like strange birds of another planet, but these spoutings that reveal such vast ignorance of history and depth of understanding in the world and how we arrived where we stand today. We worship money so Trump could pass into the presidential debate; Carson has a story of success and an invaluable skill and achieved prowess in the medical field. Neither of them should be considered for the presidency. Why don't they start w/a more realistic position, like council-person, or representative, or...
5
"Why don't they start w/a more realistic position, like council-person, or representative, or...."
Why would you want them to start anywhere? Who needs their brand of ignorance and cupidity in our towns or states or.....?
Why would you want them to start anywhere? Who needs their brand of ignorance and cupidity in our towns or states or.....?
Prudence, moderation, restraint?
Those haven't been part of Republican politics since T. Roosevelt and D. Eisenhower.
Reagan bankrupted the US. (Star Wars + Supply Side)
We rebounded under Clinton.
Then, GW Bush bankrupted us beyond repair both financially and morally.
The GOP preaches prudence, moderation and restraint only for the middle class.
The GOP is the party of spending wildly to fill the coffers of large corporations through contracting and tax breaks.
Those haven't been part of Republican politics since T. Roosevelt and D. Eisenhower.
Reagan bankrupted the US. (Star Wars + Supply Side)
We rebounded under Clinton.
Then, GW Bush bankrupted us beyond repair both financially and morally.
The GOP preaches prudence, moderation and restraint only for the middle class.
The GOP is the party of spending wildly to fill the coffers of large corporations through contracting and tax breaks.
27
Let the Republican Party choose Dr. Carson for president. The stuff Carson says is muddled-headed, totally wrong, and dangerous--if you listen to the content of what he proclaims.
But I am convinced--partially by listening to our tea-party southern relatives--that today's rabid right wingers, who treat politics like a blood sport, do not really listen or process what their candidates like Carson, Huckabee, Cruz, Fiorina, etc. are saying.
Right-wing fans seem to respond emotionally instantaneously, but critically processing the content of what political candidates say shuts down quickly. It's the same when they listen to "liberals," which is an instant hatred and recoiling. I bet if you gave them a quiz on the content or likely outcomes of what Carson says--or the content and consequences of what Bernie Sanders proposes--they could not tell you.
These rabid right-wing voters seem to have the basic symptoms of attention-deficit disorder (inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity [http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-symptoms/]).
Sadly, the GOP presidential contenders today are not the principled conservatives that contribute to political democracy; these are the fire-and-brimstone demagogues that are the antithesis of democracy.
So let Carson be the GOP presidential candidate--nationally, he will do poorly and probably worse than right-winger Goldwater's loss in 1964, when Johnson won 61% of the vote & the biggest landslide in American history.
But I am convinced--partially by listening to our tea-party southern relatives--that today's rabid right wingers, who treat politics like a blood sport, do not really listen or process what their candidates like Carson, Huckabee, Cruz, Fiorina, etc. are saying.
Right-wing fans seem to respond emotionally instantaneously, but critically processing the content of what political candidates say shuts down quickly. It's the same when they listen to "liberals," which is an instant hatred and recoiling. I bet if you gave them a quiz on the content or likely outcomes of what Carson says--or the content and consequences of what Bernie Sanders proposes--they could not tell you.
These rabid right-wing voters seem to have the basic symptoms of attention-deficit disorder (inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity [http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-symptoms/]).
Sadly, the GOP presidential contenders today are not the principled conservatives that contribute to political democracy; these are the fire-and-brimstone demagogues that are the antithesis of democracy.
So let Carson be the GOP presidential candidate--nationally, he will do poorly and probably worse than right-winger Goldwater's loss in 1964, when Johnson won 61% of the vote & the biggest landslide in American history.
19
I read elsewhere in the news that the biggest fear of Americans is corrupt government followed by similar fears of government intrusion into personal information i.e. phone taping. So Carson and Trump play to that fear by offering hate targets in a way very much as Hitler did in the late 30's in Germany.
The frustration and despair Americans feel is being directed against our own government as if it is a cancer introduced by a foreign element. The witch hunt is on for the root cause external to us when in fact we are the problem and the enemy is us not our heads of state.
We have a democracy which is hamstrung by wealth and individual power of the rich. Our design for a government of the people, by the people and for the people no longer works toward those ends.
The truth cannot out if a suitable enemy within is available to take the heat. Tie that culprit to our enemies in foreign lands and the ultimate projection connection is made.
Many like myself are very concerned that that might happen again. We are in very dangerous times. I pray the center is held and we do not swing out of control where:
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
The frustration and despair Americans feel is being directed against our own government as if it is a cancer introduced by a foreign element. The witch hunt is on for the root cause external to us when in fact we are the problem and the enemy is us not our heads of state.
We have a democracy which is hamstrung by wealth and individual power of the rich. Our design for a government of the people, by the people and for the people no longer works toward those ends.
The truth cannot out if a suitable enemy within is available to take the heat. Tie that culprit to our enemies in foreign lands and the ultimate projection connection is made.
Many like myself are very concerned that that might happen again. We are in very dangerous times. I pray the center is held and we do not swing out of control where:
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
5
Poem quoted is by WE Yeats. The Second Coming written in the time of WWI.
Over the years I've met other Yale alumni who attended the school at roughly the same as Carson. To a person they have all been cultivated, sophisticated, thoughtful people. Carson's irresponsible and fantastical evocation of German history cannot be blamed on a deficient education. The man had access to some of the best teachers European history in the country, including Peter Gay who joined the faculty in the late 1960s.
No, Carson's aggressive misreading is a choice. He acts deliberately to manipulate and motivate his audience of largely ignorant listeners. A despicable man, he deserves much more than a highbrow slap on the wrist from think-tankers such as Wehner in this op-ed. Like Cruz (who also has no excuse), Carson's DNA is a God-complex run amok. Two exceptional children who grew up to star in their own personality cult.
No, Carson's aggressive misreading is a choice. He acts deliberately to manipulate and motivate his audience of largely ignorant listeners. A despicable man, he deserves much more than a highbrow slap on the wrist from think-tankers such as Wehner in this op-ed. Like Cruz (who also has no excuse), Carson's DNA is a God-complex run amok. Two exceptional children who grew up to star in their own personality cult.
27
Mr. Wehner, your civics lesson is well-intentioned but futile. Today's GOP represents a political race to the bottom, a symbiosis of defiant know-nothing voters and those who pander to them. Your primary voters are afraid of a world where demographics and cultural diversity threaten to overwhelm their way of life. Their fear is understandable, but Republican demagogues' exploitation of it is unforgivable. The real similarity to Hitler lies in those who foment ignorance, hatred and fear in their followers in order to obtain power for themselves.
32
So it has come down to this: the modern conservative Republican Party that was shaped by the oratorical skills of the fatuously smug and pompous William F. Buckley, Jr. is now officially wallowing in the gutter. This was inevitable. Buckley must have held his nose when the party starting pandering to hard hats, patriotic wackos and Southern bigots that gained momentum with Richard Nixon's come back. The Reagan Revolution created the illusion that Republicans could appeal to both the fat cats at the country clubs and the angry whites at the VFW halls. That illusion certainly has exploded. Buckley must be groaning in his grave: "My God. What have I done?"
18
Don't know about that. Despite the bow tie and elocution, Buckley was as much a bigot as any of them.
Re: Buckley and Nixon: let's hope there's cable news in hell.
No wonder Republicans are fed up. Given that they are as busy chasing a rapidly dimming American Dream like the rest of us, they rely on getting information explaining their difficulty from opinion sources that they agree with. That the facts don't match their reality is never discerned because the FCC's Fairness Doctrine of equal time for debate of the issues was gutted by President Reagan. Right wing media matchsticks stepped into the vacuum and lit up their fears instead of enlightening their minds because inflammatory rant requires much less effort than thinking. Their business model is to provide their adherents with a cheap but potent catharsis, however fleeting, in exchange for their little remaining wealth. Their followers will then unknowingly immolate themselves as hyperventilated kindle upon the pyre of insatiable profit and unlimited power so long as the myth of their psychological superiority is upheld.
12
Mr. Wehner says that conservatism should be grounded in prudence, moderation, and self-restraint (a judgment similar to that of David Brooks in a recent column). Such conservatism would tend to preserve a status quo with modest, incremental changes. Normally, that includes protecting and preserving the privileges of the few, since we have always lived in societies with significant social and economic inequality. There may be good arguments that some degree of inequality is necessary, inevitable, and even broadly beneficial to society, but these are not arguments likely to galvanize large sectors of the electorate. Therein lies the heart of the dilemma for traditional conservatives. In a democracy, large sectors of the population may not like the status quo and may be impatient with "conservative" change. The only way to mobilize such groups as conservative voters is either to sell them on ideologies of nostalgia and patriotism -- creating a meaningless "stake" in a status quo, or, as we are seeing now, to stir them up with rage over imagined threats that lead them to embrace the status quo out of fear of change. It might be race, or foreigners, or new and unfamiliar lifestyles, or enemies beyond our shores. One way or another, though, conservatives only win by persuading large constituencies that the status quo (disadvantageous though it is in many ways) is better than the changes that threaten them. So, what Mr. Wehner laments is just part of the game plan.
12
I don't think it's just Republicans who have become anti-politics. The Democrats are also expressing these views. It's because politics are failing the Country and people are mad about it. The difference is the Republicans are reactionary in that they wish for a return to the 1950's when whites held the power, social change was in check, and people were employed with a decent job. Harking back to the "good old times" is the very definition of reactionary. The Democrats, in contrast, are more embracing of change though not necessarily for a good reason. They are politicians after all and they see this road as a path to political power.
3
Suffice it to say that for some time it has been apparent that Republicans damage our political culture! It is of great concern to me that seemingly intelligent, fair-minded people can engage in the demagoguery, deception, and disinformation that GOPers and their Tea Party spin-offs employ to destroy honest political discussion about what could actually make things better. Even more frightening is the millions of seemingly intelligent, fair-minded people who have become lemmings that vote for them year after year without ever comparing reality with rhetoric.
23
Mr. Wehner's comments would hold more moral weight if they had been made when Glenn Beck, Ruch Limbaugh, or any number of the Fox News-inspired candidates were successfully using the "Nazi card" against Democrats, were in a sense winning elections using such rhetoric. That he only speaks out now that that rhetoric looks to be a liability for his party makes him difficult to take seriously.
So, too, does his assertion that "the goals of politics, which are to improve the lives of our fellow citizens in concrete ways; to advance, even imperfectly, liberty, opportunity and a more decent and just society." Those are worthy goals, and while there may be policy disagreements about how to achieve those goals, the Republican Party of my lifetime has decidedly NOT articulated or striven for those goals. Indeed, it has come to stand for sharing less with our fellow citizens, and to denigrate those fellow citizens who look to politics to improve their lives. And again, Mr. Wehner only seems to find that a problem now that that approach seems a liability.
So, too, does his assertion that "the goals of politics, which are to improve the lives of our fellow citizens in concrete ways; to advance, even imperfectly, liberty, opportunity and a more decent and just society." Those are worthy goals, and while there may be policy disagreements about how to achieve those goals, the Republican Party of my lifetime has decidedly NOT articulated or striven for those goals. Indeed, it has come to stand for sharing less with our fellow citizens, and to denigrate those fellow citizens who look to politics to improve their lives. And again, Mr. Wehner only seems to find that a problem now that that approach seems a liability.
171
The irony in Carson's Nazi-analogies and Nazi fear mongering is that so many of his and Trump's supporters would in fact be willing brownshirts -- feeling left out, xenophobic, in search of scapegoats, racist, full of their self-assigned "exceptionalism" and with an easy attitude toward violence.
29
Apparently, Mr Wehner has not been paying attention to his Republican party, a party in which half the active participants are so filled with hate that they take lies founded on that hate as truth. It's not the Republican politicians who are to blame. Blame your fellow Republican citizens.
12
Erik Larson's masterful work "The Garden of Beasts" refers to such hyperbolic rhetoric as the "language of hysteria" that legitimizes the demonization of opponents or of anyone perceived to be the source of one's problems. Still, Mr Wehner does fall into one rhetorical trap himself in labeling Social Security and Medicare "entitlements," a derogatory term meant to imply those using them are getting something for nothing, when in fact they are benefits earned from a lifetime of hard work and contributing to the prosperity of America. By doing so, he unwittingly shows how easy it is to use language to divide.
16
Ben Carson is less significant as a potential candidate than as an indication of the status of about 20% of the Republican base.
Taken with Cruz, Trump, and Fiorina supporters, the Republican base show themselves to be willfully ignorant to a surprising degree.
It's time for those who are not so willfully ignorant to either reclaim or abandon the party.
Taken with Cruz, Trump, and Fiorina supporters, the Republican base show themselves to be willfully ignorant to a surprising degree.
It's time for those who are not so willfully ignorant to either reclaim or abandon the party.
9
Demagogery, it's not a word we're seeing often enough in discussions about Donald Trump and Ben Carson. One side tries to be reasonable and politic, while the other side makes empty promises, brazenly lies, and incites the worst in its followers. What kind of analogies can one make about them if one wanted?
7
Why ask him to apologize if one already knows he will not be a sincere apology?
4
Taking note of Carson's affect as he is interviewed and questioned especially on this subject, I am reminded of the Katie Couric interview of Sarah Palin in 2008, and not just her non-answer to the question regarding her go-to print news sources, but her "deer caught in the headlights" expression coupled with her stubborn and adamant ignorance and belief that these are not the questions voters want answers to.
8
Still stuck at how a prominent surgeon does not believe in the theory of evolution!!!
It would be very curious thing to hear from his former colleagues at Hopkins.
****
Many Republicans want this country to be a theocracy.
WHY WHY WHY does MSM not challenge this at every opportunity???
The very basic nature of the Constitution is the separation between church and state.
It would be very curious thing to hear from his former colleagues at Hopkins.
****
Many Republicans want this country to be a theocracy.
WHY WHY WHY does MSM not challenge this at every opportunity???
The very basic nature of the Constitution is the separation between church and state.
20
Carson, Trump, Fiorina are intoxicated with themselves. They confuse vanity with purpose, notoriety with validation. Pandering to bigotry becomes truth-telling. Attention addicts need higher and higher levels to sustain their euphoria. So they up their dosage of provocation. Exaggeration becomes weak tea and morphs into demagoguery, and later, lunatic rants. Carson is a child who just discovered the power of uttering taboo words that shock parents and adults. He's now consequential. No longer invisible or anonymous. Carson can't resist freely distorting history because he imagines himself serving a heroic purpose. His defiant rhetorical terrorism inflames social media, and he leads the evening newscast. Also, he's no fool. He just learned that there's big box office in bombast that comforts his GOP/TP base. The more outrageous his pronouncements, the more millions
he collects. The surgeon just learned what gangs in the hood knew decades ago pushing drugs: desperate, hurting folks pay good money to escape responsibility and deny reality. And they keep coming back for more.
he collects. The surgeon just learned what gangs in the hood knew decades ago pushing drugs: desperate, hurting folks pay good money to escape responsibility and deny reality. And they keep coming back for more.
12
Oh, shucks, Ben Carson (and Donald Trump along with a lot of the other GOP presidential wannabes) "damages our political culture and the conservative cause". So sad.
Own up to it, Mr Wehner. This is just a re-hash of good old time GOP politics. Goldwater planted the seeds (perhaps were there even before him), you reap what you sow. From The Hill by Rick Manning - July 16, 2014, **Extremism in the defense of liberty is still no vice ** "The 50th anniversary of Barry Goldwater's clarion call for liberty acceptance speech for the Republican nomination passed this week. In a modern world where politicians talk, but their words are hollow, listening to Goldwater's message a half a century later is like a drink of fresh water.
But the words were no less scary to politicians less than a year from President Kennedy's assassination. The establishment Republicans, then known as Rockefeller Republicans, played the same cozy games with their Democratic masters as the establishment Republican class does today"
Extremism is a virtue. Gotta get the crazy on to keep America from becoming the new Nazi Germany. Make America Great (like, when exactly?) Again.
Bobby Jindal is right. The GOP needs to stop being the Party of Stupid. So do their apologists and pundits, but it wont happen anytime soon. Trump and Carson are doing very well in the polls. Stupid is as stupid does.
Own up to it, Mr Wehner. This is just a re-hash of good old time GOP politics. Goldwater planted the seeds (perhaps were there even before him), you reap what you sow. From The Hill by Rick Manning - July 16, 2014, **Extremism in the defense of liberty is still no vice ** "The 50th anniversary of Barry Goldwater's clarion call for liberty acceptance speech for the Republican nomination passed this week. In a modern world where politicians talk, but their words are hollow, listening to Goldwater's message a half a century later is like a drink of fresh water.
But the words were no less scary to politicians less than a year from President Kennedy's assassination. The establishment Republicans, then known as Rockefeller Republicans, played the same cozy games with their Democratic masters as the establishment Republican class does today"
Extremism is a virtue. Gotta get the crazy on to keep America from becoming the new Nazi Germany. Make America Great (like, when exactly?) Again.
Bobby Jindal is right. The GOP needs to stop being the Party of Stupid. So do their apologists and pundits, but it wont happen anytime soon. Trump and Carson are doing very well in the polls. Stupid is as stupid does.
16
Exactly. And when America was 'great', to these mindless daydreamers anyway, was during the Roosevelt I & II, Truman, and Eisenhower administrations, all of which were markedly progressive and areligious.
As with centrist progressives today, the Roosevelts and Truman were hated and despised by conservatives in the U.S., but of course today's conservatives neither read nor grasp historical facts.
As with centrist progressives today, the Roosevelts and Truman were hated and despised by conservatives in the U.S., but of course today's conservatives neither read nor grasp historical facts.
1
How can this be? How is it that a misinformed, xenophobic religious bigot such as the soft-spoken kindly Doctor Carson is embraced by the well-educated, cosmopolitan, compassionate Republican base?
I share your dismay, Peter. There is something indeed rotten in the state of Denmark or Kentucky where residents of one city want to fly a Confederate flag even though their forebears in that burg sided with the Union during the Civil War. There is something indeed rotten in the state of Alabama where new voting ID laws have become law only to be followed by the state legislature closing down DMVs in predominantly African-American communities. There is something indeed rotten in our Federal government that vacuums money from the pockets of Americans and then uses that money to conquer Afghanistan or placate Israel.
Red meat, Peter. Gay marriage. Healthcare for bums. Planned Parenthood. Benghazi. Hillary's emails.
Would you be so kind as to indicate where I might find your columns asking your fellow Republicans to back off nonsense issues and start acting like responsible citizens who have been elected in order to make pragmatic decisions? I will make room on my server for your voluminous response.
I would think that the only filmmaker who could do justice to the current Republican crisis would be Mel Brooks, who understood that tho releasing a Frankenstein monster into the world ensue in tragedy for some, it's a good laugh for everyone else.
Examine your conscience, Peter.
I share your dismay, Peter. There is something indeed rotten in the state of Denmark or Kentucky where residents of one city want to fly a Confederate flag even though their forebears in that burg sided with the Union during the Civil War. There is something indeed rotten in the state of Alabama where new voting ID laws have become law only to be followed by the state legislature closing down DMVs in predominantly African-American communities. There is something indeed rotten in our Federal government that vacuums money from the pockets of Americans and then uses that money to conquer Afghanistan or placate Israel.
Red meat, Peter. Gay marriage. Healthcare for bums. Planned Parenthood. Benghazi. Hillary's emails.
Would you be so kind as to indicate where I might find your columns asking your fellow Republicans to back off nonsense issues and start acting like responsible citizens who have been elected in order to make pragmatic decisions? I will make room on my server for your voluminous response.
I would think that the only filmmaker who could do justice to the current Republican crisis would be Mel Brooks, who understood that tho releasing a Frankenstein monster into the world ensue in tragedy for some, it's a good laugh for everyone else.
Examine your conscience, Peter.
31
If you are anywhere on the NYT web site you are more literate than 90% of the U.S. public. Even those that can read, don't. That filters into our politics, too.
6
Peter,
I was with you when you used"imbecilic" and "staggering ignorance" - apt descriptions of Carson and his fellow candidates.
But you lost me when you called Republicans "my fellow conservatives". There hasn't been a true conservative in the GOP since Teddy Roosevelt
I was with you when you used"imbecilic" and "staggering ignorance" - apt descriptions of Carson and his fellow candidates.
But you lost me when you called Republicans "my fellow conservatives". There hasn't been a true conservative in the GOP since Teddy Roosevelt
16
If you don't think rounding up an armed populace to trot them off to the death camps would be harder than an unarmed one, you are the idiot here.
You are delusional. The first act of the gun worshiping heroes in Texas when they believed that "military operations" were planned by the government was to "run and hide their guns" fearing that the oppressive government would take them away.
2
Uh-huh. If by "armed populace" you mean "despised minority that had been segregated into ghettos and oppressed for centuries by the majority population of every European country," against a military machine that claimed the lives of millions of armed soldiers, then it would be no contest.
You have clearly not thought this through. If the State is intent on eliminating a segment of society it will do so despite that segments best efforts. Remember (though I doubt you ever knew) that it is accomplish in steps: first, you turn the general population against them. Your next door neighbor is now your enemy reporting on your movements. Providing the State with all they know about you. You can no longer trust anyone. Next come the laws: make it illegal for you to own a shop, company, or pursue a trade. Now you have no money. Hope you stocked up on weapons and ammo because no one will sell you any. Finally they come for you and your family. They can get your kids at school. They can take you while shopping or driving down the road. They can take people one at a time, not in a single bid round up.
You are living in a fantasy world if you think citizens armed with guns can take on a modern state intent on killing them anyway!
You are living in a fantasy world if you think citizens armed with guns can take on a modern state intent on killing them anyway!
1
What has happened to the party of Eisenhower and Teddy Roosevelt? The leading candidates make Richard Nixon look very good. At least in our state we have far more reasonable Republicans such as Cory Gardiner.
49
For that matter, the leading candidates, indeed all the Republican candidates, make Mitt Romney look good.
Carson's hyperbole is clearly ridiculous. Still, there are a few disturbing parallels to the factors that helped the Nazi Party take over Germany.
--The nation is exhausted and demoralized from waging an unsustainable world war.
--An obsession with scapegoats. Instead of Jews and Communists, it's illegal immigrants, poor communities, and black Americans.
--A weak, hopelessly factionalized central government. We're not quite as bad as the Weimar Republic, but we're pretty pathetic sometimes.
--One of the most senior government officials has resigned due to inability to control unruly factions, with seemingly no one up for the job to replace him. Instead of Chancellor, here in USA it's Speaker of the House.
--The nation is exhausted and demoralized from waging an unsustainable world war.
--An obsession with scapegoats. Instead of Jews and Communists, it's illegal immigrants, poor communities, and black Americans.
--A weak, hopelessly factionalized central government. We're not quite as bad as the Weimar Republic, but we're pretty pathetic sometimes.
--One of the most senior government officials has resigned due to inability to control unruly factions, with seemingly no one up for the job to replace him. Instead of Chancellor, here in USA it's Speaker of the House.
229
Unlike the Holocaust, the American holocausts of enslavement and legalized Jim Crow discrimination and lynching against black African Americans along with the invasion, occupation and slaughter of brown Native Americans was perpetrated in American by Americans against other human being persons living in the United States of America.
How many museums, memorials and films are there acknowledging and honoring the American holocausts?
How many museums, memorials and films are there acknowledging and honoring the American holocausts?
1
Yes, isn't it ironic that Ben Carson, who is using Nazi party tactics, says he fears a Nazi-like takeover in the United States. He has met the enemy and it is himself. And by the way, having worked in biomedical research and helped to select and train physicians for decades, I can say unequivocally that there is no correlation with political wisdom and compassion and an MD degree. The AMA as a body for the most part has been reactionary. Another irony: two eye doctors- Carson and Paul- running for President, both blind to so much!
You might add to this the support the Nazi party garnered from wealthy industrialists. Koch, Adelson, et al - same deal.
"Mr. Carson has warned that a Hitler-like figure could rise in America."
I disagree with him on almost everything else, but that he is an autodidact with an obsession with Nazi Germany is not a reason.
Long before Hitler, the brilliant American novelist Jack London predicted the same thing could arise in America. He wrote a novel to explain it, The Iron Heel, by Jack London (1908).
Many at the time saw Huey Long as a very Hitler-like alternative to FDR during the Great Depression.
Carson isn't the only one to see these dangers, and over 100 years late to the concern.
Nazi Germany does present some of the key Big Questions about politics and democracy. Hitler did get elected. He got elected the same way many Republicans seek power today, with hate and fear and promises of total fantasy, supported by cynical big money donors to whom he told "the true story" to get their money and backing.
Of course the Nazi comparison has been overdone, just like the Fall of Rome comparison is so overdone nobody listens. But they do both in fact present the Big Questions.
When a guy running second in the Presidential race brings up some of these Big Questions, it needs to be answered, not just belittled.
Godwin may rule the comment boards, but when a major political figure raises these issues of national life, citing Godwin to shut it down is the wrong response.
I disagree with him on almost everything else, but that he is an autodidact with an obsession with Nazi Germany is not a reason.
Long before Hitler, the brilliant American novelist Jack London predicted the same thing could arise in America. He wrote a novel to explain it, The Iron Heel, by Jack London (1908).
Many at the time saw Huey Long as a very Hitler-like alternative to FDR during the Great Depression.
Carson isn't the only one to see these dangers, and over 100 years late to the concern.
Nazi Germany does present some of the key Big Questions about politics and democracy. Hitler did get elected. He got elected the same way many Republicans seek power today, with hate and fear and promises of total fantasy, supported by cynical big money donors to whom he told "the true story" to get their money and backing.
Of course the Nazi comparison has been overdone, just like the Fall of Rome comparison is so overdone nobody listens. But they do both in fact present the Big Questions.
When a guy running second in the Presidential race brings up some of these Big Questions, it needs to be answered, not just belittled.
Godwin may rule the comment boards, but when a major political figure raises these issues of national life, citing Godwin to shut it down is the wrong response.
20
Yes a Hitler like person could rise to power, but it would much more likely be a candidate of the right wing. Much of Trump's rhetoric, including "Make America Great Again" has been compared to Hitler's rise to power promising the same for a humbled Germany post WWI. His attacks on immigrants resemble Hitler's proclamations against the Jews. I think our system of government would curb the excesses to which Hitler was able to reach, however the fear and hate mongering especially from talk radio and extremes edges of the parties has made such a danger more credible.
5
You should note that running second early in the race for the Republican nomination is not the same as running second in the Presidential race.
I doubt that there are any democrat that would vote for Dr. Carson in a general election, let alone a good number of Republicans.
I doubt that there are any democrat that would vote for Dr. Carson in a general election, let alone a good number of Republicans.
Carson is not necessarily wrong about the possibility - but he should be looking at the gun extremists on the right wing, who align with Dixiecrats (Huey Longers) and John Birch Society (Ron Paulers) as the part of our politics where it could give rise, rather than the peacnik left.
And...?
3
Currently about 50% of likely Republican primary voters choose are Donald Trump and Ben Carson for president.
These men have gained their stature by appealing to the frustrations existing with the Republican Party where for decades Republican leaders have campaigned on social issues and lower taxes. For the wealthiest Americans Republican policy has been a slam dunk success. For the rest of the Republican voters, the ones who vote Republican because of their social conservatism the decades have seen little to their liking and a whole lot of change they find hard to accept and they are angry and eager to find someone who acknowledges their frustration.
Both Carson and Trump speak to their discontent in words that connect with their emotions.
These angry conservatives, have seen their middle class lives, families and communities lose economically with nothing to show for voting Republican. They paid an economic price for hitching their social dreams to a political party that promised social conservatism and delivered a wonderful tax system for the ultra wealthy while our schools, bridges, roads, and transportation ports have been neglected due to discounts on taxes.
These angry conservatives children must now mortgage their future for a college education unlike their parents generation.
They are mad and they feel duped. In fact,they were duped.
Republicans are a political party in decline, looking inward, counting voters from within with little chance of gaining converts
These men have gained their stature by appealing to the frustrations existing with the Republican Party where for decades Republican leaders have campaigned on social issues and lower taxes. For the wealthiest Americans Republican policy has been a slam dunk success. For the rest of the Republican voters, the ones who vote Republican because of their social conservatism the decades have seen little to their liking and a whole lot of change they find hard to accept and they are angry and eager to find someone who acknowledges their frustration.
Both Carson and Trump speak to their discontent in words that connect with their emotions.
These angry conservatives, have seen their middle class lives, families and communities lose economically with nothing to show for voting Republican. They paid an economic price for hitching their social dreams to a political party that promised social conservatism and delivered a wonderful tax system for the ultra wealthy while our schools, bridges, roads, and transportation ports have been neglected due to discounts on taxes.
These angry conservatives children must now mortgage their future for a college education unlike their parents generation.
They are mad and they feel duped. In fact,they were duped.
Republicans are a political party in decline, looking inward, counting voters from within with little chance of gaining converts
340
If they had only voted their interests instead of for details of social concern in religion, i.e. for Democrats, they might not be so frustrated today!
8
As a conservative who is registered Republican, I must disagree with many of your assumptions about my views. First of all, Ben Carson's appeal has nothing to do with discontent, as he is overall a very positive candidate who focuses on solutions. The reason I admire and respect him is because I view him as a man of integrity, faith, and immense problem-solving ability. That is the kind of president this country needs. I include faith not because the USA should be a theocracy - far from it. Faith is important in a leader because the principles of his faith are things like honesty, justice, fairness, equality, and the like. If the man is committed to his faith, he will be committed the principles that will allow him to govern with character. As for your economic comments, under the current administration, our economy has grown weaker. My own health insurance rates have doubled, while benefits have gone down, I believe thanks to King Obama's (he regularly picks and chooses which laws he will abide by or enforce) healthcare disaster. It is the Democratic party that tends to ruin the economy with their obsession with regulating everything and taxing everything excessively. I believe Dr. Carson wants to get us back to being governed by the constitution, and restore the balance of power to the people and not the government.
20
Frustration, yes. Coupled with ignorance of the constitution, undoubtedly. Trump can do all he says without reference to Congress?
7
Ben Carson epitomises every that is wrong within American politics and he'd have Martin Luther King spinning in his grave.
Where else can you find nobodies with no experience pontificating about global issues, international finance and find the donors to put these people into office?
Not only does America deserve better, but America's political decisions affect us all.
Where else can you find nobodies with no experience pontificating about global issues, international finance and find the donors to put these people into office?
Not only does America deserve better, but America's political decisions affect us all.
37
As a Black attorney in Washington DC, with a degree in American history, please allow me to correct you:
The Obama presidency has Martin Luther King spinning in his grave.
The cornerstone of Dr. King's legacy was an America that viewed each person and allows each person to rise and fall on his or her character, on personal merits and work ethic.
Barack Obama used the color of my skin to become President of the United States, a position he was neither qualified nor able to attain any other way. At every point where Mr. Obama has failed or his "successes" have been exposed as incompetent failure, race is used to shield Obama from accountability.
Nothing Mr. Obama has been criticized for since taking office has escaped the "race card". Apparently the only possible reason to disagree with Obama in America is because you are racist.
That is exactly what Dr. King never wanted. Race isn't a crutch. Race isn't a human shield from accountability. Race isn't a political tool. Yet Obama uses race all three ways.
Your comments shocked me, and I am sorry if I sound aggressive. But as a lawyer in the nation's capital, I see the consequences of the Obama presidency every day. And they're all bad.
The Obama presidency has Martin Luther King spinning in his grave.
The cornerstone of Dr. King's legacy was an America that viewed each person and allows each person to rise and fall on his or her character, on personal merits and work ethic.
Barack Obama used the color of my skin to become President of the United States, a position he was neither qualified nor able to attain any other way. At every point where Mr. Obama has failed or his "successes" have been exposed as incompetent failure, race is used to shield Obama from accountability.
Nothing Mr. Obama has been criticized for since taking office has escaped the "race card". Apparently the only possible reason to disagree with Obama in America is because you are racist.
That is exactly what Dr. King never wanted. Race isn't a crutch. Race isn't a human shield from accountability. Race isn't a political tool. Yet Obama uses race all three ways.
Your comments shocked me, and I am sorry if I sound aggressive. But as a lawyer in the nation's capital, I see the consequences of the Obama presidency every day. And they're all bad.
Ben Carson the Prez? Oh my gosh,
He wouldn't be good in that job,
And if he's elected,
the country will be in trouble,
Do you like this poem?
I hope so.
He wouldn't be good in that job,
And if he's elected,
the country will be in trouble,
Do you like this poem?
I hope so.
8
How many more election cycles can the Republican Party march historical illiterates like Ben Carson out on to the national stage as potential commanders in chief, and still be considered a viable national party?
Anyone who doubts that Dr. Carson is operating on a crayon-sketched versions of history and global politics (or that he might be better acquainted with more recent events) should review the discussion he had with a flummoxed George Stephanopolous on ABC's this week over the past weekend.
According to Carson, 9-11 could have been averted, if only America had issued convincing threats to "become petroleum independent," if the Arab states didn't turn over Bin Laden. When Stephanopolous pointed out that Bin Laden was in Afghanistan, Carson veered off into a semi-incoherent aside on Iraq. [http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/18/politics/ben-carson-osama-bin-laden-afghan... ]
Anyone who doubts that Dr. Carson is operating on a crayon-sketched versions of history and global politics (or that he might be better acquainted with more recent events) should review the discussion he had with a flummoxed George Stephanopolous on ABC's this week over the past weekend.
According to Carson, 9-11 could have been averted, if only America had issued convincing threats to "become petroleum independent," if the Arab states didn't turn over Bin Laden. When Stephanopolous pointed out that Bin Laden was in Afghanistan, Carson veered off into a semi-incoherent aside on Iraq. [http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/18/politics/ben-carson-osama-bin-laden-afghan... ]
26
Republican voters seem to confuse wealth with success or an MD with being particularly smart or insightful. The premises are simply not true. It is well documented that if Mr. Trump had just invested his inheritance (yes, he inherited the basis of his fortune) in the stock market, he would be much wealthier than Forbes Magazine estimates today. He is apparently a terrible business person. As for the good Dr. Carson, he appears to have developed a certain technical ability (this really should be further investigated) to the exclusion of all other learning. That is not all that uncommon.
27
Carson himself has commented that his superior eye-hand coordination was a key factor in his success as a neurosurgeon. Given his opinions about evolution, it's hard to see where science fit into his career.
If you want to see the basis for the Nazi Party's beliefs, check out:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Socialist_Program#The_25-point_Pr...
and see how close it comes to what the various administrations from FDR onward have delivered or tried to deliver.
If you want a good book to compare and contrast Nazi Germany and the United States, read "Ominous Parallels" by Leonard Peikoff. He delivers a valid analysis of the history of both countries and how they arrived where they are.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Socialist_Program#The_25-point_Pr...
and see how close it comes to what the various administrations from FDR onward have delivered or tried to deliver.
If you want a good book to compare and contrast Nazi Germany and the United States, read "Ominous Parallels" by Leonard Peikoff. He delivers a valid analysis of the history of both countries and how they arrived where they are.
2
What a refreshing change, KarlosTJ. Usually, FDR is labeled a communist; you have expanded his reach by tying him to the Nazis. You and the redbaiters seem to share one idea in common. Any political leader who argues that government can help cope with national social and economic problems must, in your view, advocate some form of totalitarian regime. The possibility that the electorate might intelligently support a mixed system, including both capitalist and socialist elements, never occurs to you.
2
I would point out that the economic program of the party platform was drafted before Hitler became the leader of the NSDAP, and that after the Putsch it was essentially a dead letter. The Nazis did not go after war profiteers, break up department stores, or favor small manufacturers, as their economic program dictated. It was "unalterable" because to admit otherwise was to concede that the Movement could err. It was never seriously acted upon, much to the frustration of Ernst Roehm and other Nazis who actually wanted to act on the socialist elements of the party. Roehm and his faction were violently purged in the Night of the Long Knives in 1934.
Leonard Peikoff is an Objectivist and Ayn Rand devotee, and hardly provides "valid analysis;" its ideological pseudohistory. Everything's statist tyranny to an anarcho-capitalist, so any "ominous parallels" should be taken with a shovel-full of salt.
Leonard Peikoff is an Objectivist and Ayn Rand devotee, and hardly provides "valid analysis;" its ideological pseudohistory. Everything's statist tyranny to an anarcho-capitalist, so any "ominous parallels" should be taken with a shovel-full of salt.
1
Karlos,
It would appear you only see what you wish to see. FDR was not, in any form, a "Socialist", regardless of efforts of those on the right to paint him as such.
It would appear you only see what you wish to see. FDR was not, in any form, a "Socialist", regardless of efforts of those on the right to paint him as such.
1
Who's Mr. Wehner trying to convince? It is very unlikely that followers of Trump or Carson read the Times.
12
He's trying to convince himself. Not doing a good job of it, evidently.
sure they read the 'times'. unfortunately it is the 'washington times'.
Considering history, the United States is not in the same economic, political, or sociological place as Germany in the 1930s. Thank goodness. If there is a comparison to be made to Adolf Hitler, I would venture it is the charismatic, loud Republican candidate who is stirring up hate and false visions of a pure America under his leadership. My expectation is that the two leading Republican candidates will ultimately not find fertile ground at the election and their egregious words will not take root.
17
Ben Carson, Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachman, and so many other far-right Republican mouthpieces continue to spew complete venomous fantasy as fact because their followers have been primed by Fox "news" and hate radio for decades.
The bumper sticker "you are entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts" does not apply on the right. We desperately need to move to teaching critical thinking at every level of schooling, as well as a media that calls blatant lies and distortions for what they are.
The bumper sticker "you are entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts" does not apply on the right. We desperately need to move to teaching critical thinking at every level of schooling, as well as a media that calls blatant lies and distortions for what they are.
157
Critical thinking is referred to as political correctness on the right.
Conservatism's greatest challenge is that it has run out of landing strip. Conservatives still invoke the memory of Ronald Reagan but much of Reaganism has come to pass and all that is left are the fringe arguments, the excesses of trying to take closed ended ideas past their end points. We can oppose amnesty for immigrants but meanwhile our immigration system is so dysfunctional it fails on most levels. We can oppose taxes but Reagan was dealing with surpluses and we have deficits and we need to pay the bills. We can deny science and evolution but nature won't wait for us to get our game on. The climate is changing. Conservatism a la Trump, Carson, and the others is a well gone dry.
57
Reagan was dealing with surpluses? In fact, the deficit nearly tripled under his supply-side voodoo conservative economics. Why else did Dick Cheney say that "Reagan proved that deficits don't matter."?
From Wikipedia: Reagan was inaugurated in January 1981, so the first fiscal year he budgeted was 1982 and the final year was 1989. According to the 2014 CBO historical budget tables:
The debt held by the public (a component of the national debt) rose from 25.2% GDP ($789 billion) in 1981 to 39.3% GDP ($2.190 trillion) in 1989.
The federal deficit as percentage of GDP rose from 2.5% of GDP in fiscal year 1981 to a peak of 5.9% of GDP in 1983, then fell to 2.7% GDP in 1989.
From Wikipedia: Reagan was inaugurated in January 1981, so the first fiscal year he budgeted was 1982 and the final year was 1989. According to the 2014 CBO historical budget tables:
The debt held by the public (a component of the national debt) rose from 25.2% GDP ($789 billion) in 1981 to 39.3% GDP ($2.190 trillion) in 1989.
The federal deficit as percentage of GDP rose from 2.5% of GDP in fiscal year 1981 to a peak of 5.9% of GDP in 1983, then fell to 2.7% GDP in 1989.
When Dr. Carson is stumped on political questions he often repeats that it's important to 'have a brain'.
To break that down: even though you've pointed out the factual error of his position, he is smart (and you're not). He also expresses the urgent need to 'get knowledge'...which he has, but often is reflected in ideological narrowness, distortions and faith-based beliefs.
In his conspiracy world, he is the voice of reality and that is unshakable. The earth is 5000 years old, evolution is false, climate change is a hoax, America is a Nazi-like state and he knows this to be true--hey, finally he can be himself, and horrifyingly many GOPers agree.
He is the yin to Trump's yang...different sides to the same coin.
To break that down: even though you've pointed out the factual error of his position, he is smart (and you're not). He also expresses the urgent need to 'get knowledge'...which he has, but often is reflected in ideological narrowness, distortions and faith-based beliefs.
In his conspiracy world, he is the voice of reality and that is unshakable. The earth is 5000 years old, evolution is false, climate change is a hoax, America is a Nazi-like state and he knows this to be true--hey, finally he can be himself, and horrifyingly many GOPers agree.
He is the yin to Trump's yang...different sides to the same coin.
67
“Don’t stop. Don’t give in to the left-wing media. Go ahead and be yourself and talk about what we the people want to hear about.”
Yes, talk about what we WANT to hear, not what we NEED to hear. Don't have ANY solutions. Don't put forth ANY viable alternatives.
Carson does realize that if the U.S. were like Nazi Germany that he would not be a doctor, doesn't he?
I am STILL waiting the Republican alternative to the ACA; the republican plan to stop Wall Street excess; the republican plan for our foreign policy; the republican plan to fix the nations infrastructure. Well, you get the picture.
Carson and his ilk like tearing down solutions and plans, and for the most part have none of their own. And the ones they do have are not viable and would not help alleviate the problem(s).
People like Carson would have fit perfectly in Nazi Germany - great followers to someone that tells them what they want to hear. Hmmmm, I think the republicans call them "sheeple."
Yes, talk about what we WANT to hear, not what we NEED to hear. Don't have ANY solutions. Don't put forth ANY viable alternatives.
Carson does realize that if the U.S. were like Nazi Germany that he would not be a doctor, doesn't he?
I am STILL waiting the Republican alternative to the ACA; the republican plan to stop Wall Street excess; the republican plan for our foreign policy; the republican plan to fix the nations infrastructure. Well, you get the picture.
Carson and his ilk like tearing down solutions and plans, and for the most part have none of their own. And the ones they do have are not viable and would not help alleviate the problem(s).
People like Carson would have fit perfectly in Nazi Germany - great followers to someone that tells them what they want to hear. Hmmmm, I think the republicans call them "sheeple."
67
If the US were like Nazi Germany, Ben Carson would be dead.
I lament it if I'd been giving Carson the benefit of the doubt because he's a member of an ethnic minority and had engaged in a demanding profession that obviously permitted little time for acquiring broader general knowledge outside his medical specialty. From the biopic "Gifted a Hands: The Ben Carson Story" I also inferred that he might have suffered from one or more learning disabilities during early childhood.
Were he a white man, however, I'd have long since summarily dismissed the majority of his statements as the rantings of a superstitious ignoramus.
Were he a white man, however, I'd have long since summarily dismissed the majority of his statements as the rantings of a superstitious ignoramus.
28
Carson sounds mentally ill. How ironic- the brain surgeon needs psychiatric medication to repair his brain. Paranoia? Dementia? Alzheimer's? Or is he simply just a Republican gone wild?
79
Ben Carson is an ignorant man with a mental health problem, who should seek psychiatric help, not the presidency of the United States. it's as if nature exhausted herself in bestowing upon him the single talent required for neurosurgery and gave up on everything else. That he is a presidential candidate anywhere, let alone in the most powerful country on earth, is an abomination.
87
No offense, Mr. Wehner, but middle-stream Republicanism and (Fox News) always used nut-case conservative extremism as votes (in the can) and never distanced themselves from that brand of evil. These nut-cases belong to middle-stream GOP because you've tolerated racism, anti-womanism and hate the immigrant sense forever. The three arms of Republicanism deserve each-other and you should sink together.
61
Totally agree with: "These nut-cases belong to middle-stream GOP because you've tolerated racism, anti-womanism and hate the immigrant sense forever." Carson is the Republican party.
"...conservatism, a philosophy that should be grounded in prudence, moderation and self-restraint." That means liberals are imprudent, immoderate, and reckless. That lends credence to the belief that the democrat candidates who started their debates last week are really right-wingers in disguise.
6
Part of the legacy of the Tea Party is the undying urge to do all the things the Yippies got to do in the 1960s. Like comparing the US to Nazi Germany. It doesn't make any sense, but at least they can say they did it.
10
We aren't like Nazi Germany, we are just like America. With the exception of a few decades where the country got it's act together after World War II and educated people, let them become eligible to own a home which leads to economic stability and not let their elderly eat cat food, we are exactly as American as we always were.
The Nazis targeted anyone they didn't like and thought were beneath them and inhibiting their own wealth. Sound familiar? To equate letting people see a doctor to putting them up for auction is just gross.
As far as the left wing media -- is now ridiculous. Thee is no such thing anymore. Murdoch, Disney, Amazon etc own all of our media much like having a national broadcast system a la North Korea, Cuba and Russsia. Can we at least start pointing out how idiotic people like Ben Carson and Donald Trump are?
The Nazis targeted anyone they didn't like and thought were beneath them and inhibiting their own wealth. Sound familiar? To equate letting people see a doctor to putting them up for auction is just gross.
As far as the left wing media -- is now ridiculous. Thee is no such thing anymore. Murdoch, Disney, Amazon etc own all of our media much like having a national broadcast system a la North Korea, Cuba and Russsia. Can we at least start pointing out how idiotic people like Ben Carson and Donald Trump are?
36
You are being charitable to the Carson supporters. They don't want to do the hard work of running a Democracy. They want to blame anyone but themsevles for their troubles. "Keep the government's hands off my Medicare" sort of sums it up. Takers, Muslims, immigrants, Unitarians, Obama, environmentalists, gun control advocates and abortionists are all at fault for what they perceive as Americas decline, and they love the rhetoric of rage. Fits their mood to a tee. Facts-schmacts!
47
Many of the right wing's "problems" are non-existent, but, as we have seen before, repeat a lie enough it becomes true. Living to shock and shouting everyone else out of the room is now the modus operandi of the Republican party.
>
Why Ben Carson’s Nazi Analogies "doesn't" Matter.
He'll never be elected POTUS.
Why Ben Carson’s Nazi Analogies "doesn't" Matter.
He'll never be elected POTUS.
13
Oh but it DOES matter! Because he is perpetuating the trivialization of Nazi Germany. Anyone you don't care for becomes a Nazi.
Just another useless Republican!
17
Conrad's "The Heart of Darkness" comes to mind when listening to Dr. Carson.
He needs to get out of the jungle.
He needs to get out of the jungle.
4
I see a lot of fainting couch here but no factual rebuttal.
"Staggering ignorance"? So prove it. Point by point.
It is INARGUABLE that a government that trusts its people with arms is disinclined to tyranny. Having to prove this is rather like having to prove water is wet. It should be so obvious it shouldn't require proof, but if proof is required, witness our 2nd amendment. There's a reason it's #2. It's to protect #1, from which all our other rights flow.
How do we know this? Well, again, at the risk of stating the obvious, no tyrant (like Hitler) ever came to power promising to march you to the gas chamber. Hitler was elected. He was elected during a time of great fiscal stress in Germany (sound familiar?) promising healthcare and education for all (sound familiar?) and his arguments for killing the Jews were rooted in "settled science" (sound familiar?) then called eugenics.
This isn't hard... if you're not afraid.
"Staggering ignorance"? So prove it. Point by point.
It is INARGUABLE that a government that trusts its people with arms is disinclined to tyranny. Having to prove this is rather like having to prove water is wet. It should be so obvious it shouldn't require proof, but if proof is required, witness our 2nd amendment. There's a reason it's #2. It's to protect #1, from which all our other rights flow.
How do we know this? Well, again, at the risk of stating the obvious, no tyrant (like Hitler) ever came to power promising to march you to the gas chamber. Hitler was elected. He was elected during a time of great fiscal stress in Germany (sound familiar?) promising healthcare and education for all (sound familiar?) and his arguments for killing the Jews were rooted in "settled science" (sound familiar?) then called eugenics.
This isn't hard... if you're not afraid.
2
The Second Amendment wasn't written to protect the First. This is just something else the gun lobby peddles in its never-ending quest to come up with some justification for the out-of-control gun ownership we have in America.
Cherry picking questionable "facts" doesn't prove anything unless you really, really think that promising healthcare and education inexorably leads to fascism.
But...Hitler had a dog. And...wait for it...Obama also has a dog! I guess we are doomed!
Cherry picking questionable "facts" doesn't prove anything unless you really, really think that promising healthcare and education inexorably leads to fascism.
But...Hitler had a dog. And...wait for it...Obama also has a dog! I guess we are doomed!
6
Actually, hitler was elected because, like Carson and those of his ilk, placed blame on a particular group. He was elected because he was charismatic and created a scapegoat.
What are Carson and Trump doing? Blaming Obama, immigrants, gun control advocates, etc. for your bad lot in life.
I prefer voting for people who do not throw blame, do not create frenzy and rabid hate, and who have actionable plans at the ready. you know, the ones who take ownership of problems and solutions.
What are Carson and Trump doing? Blaming Obama, immigrants, gun control advocates, etc. for your bad lot in life.
I prefer voting for people who do not throw blame, do not create frenzy and rabid hate, and who have actionable plans at the ready. you know, the ones who take ownership of problems and solutions.
6
You shout out your bias in your first 3 words. Nothing is inarguable in a democracy. Your circular logic resembles nothing so much as a self-licking ice cream cone. And your poorly-veiled attempt to compare the paths to power of Hitler and Obama almost rise to the level of pathetic.
6
I think many people, not just Republicans, find it refreshing to hear political candidates say what they really think, even if it is sometimes offensive or even stupid. It becomes tiresome to listen to candidates who are always changing their positions on issues based on what the current culture approves and stating those positions in carefully chosen politically correct words. I think even Archie Bunker would be a popular candidate now.
4
Yep, it's reality TV nation. We love to watch supposed grown ups making fools of themselves, saying whatever offensive and outrageous notion pops into their heads, and baring what is left of their private lives to the klieg light of public scrutiny. That's us in 2015. We have the dignity and discretion of a two-year old in the midst of a temper tantrum. It's a long way from the time when my WWII decorated veteran grandfather used to to say, "Loose lips sink ships."
Ben Carson resembles the characteristics of an "Idiot Savant". I don't mean that as as some cheap pejorative.I mean that as the most realistic description of his observed behavior.He is by all accounts a neurosurgical genius.The all consuming nature and duration of each procedure would leave Dr.Carson little time for anything else, let alone the kind of detailed study required to be a nuanced scholar of history or government. Carson's public statements have revealed his complete absence of Constitutional, political, or historical knowledge. His lack of basic knowledge and awareness on non -medical subjects has led to one gaff or factual error after another. I find those misstatements appalling.You can tell that he is used to repeating the same disingenuous monotonal shibboleths over and over without any evidence to back them up.He has obviously has not been challenged on their veracity until his campaign.It's only a matter of time before the accumulation of such statements destroys his candidacy.
20
The man has a degree from Yale. He has no excuse for such appalling ignorance and stupidity. While majoring in psychology, he would have been required to take courses in other subjects such as history - which would have stressed not only subject matter but critical thinking, logic, and reasoned and factual argumentation. He has chosen to twist history and to use Hitler to advance himself.
He isn't a idiot savant; he is a demagogue.
He isn't a idiot savant; he is a demagogue.
Perfect analysis...places his supposed medical achievements in context with his truly moronic world view.
Stacy, I really don't think he's cunning or malevolent enough to be a demagogue. I see Ted Cruz or Carly Fiorina as demagogues.
Americans have become hysterical. Hyperbole rules. Moderation appears to have little place in our culture's speech.
At it's most benign, when everything is "awesome!" the word "awesome" loses its meaning.
Our well-spoken, thoughtful and temperate president is criticized for being not macho enough.
Look no further than any comment section where those who would criticize Ben Carson's rhetoric routinely end their comments with some version of "America is doomed" or "We are no longer a democracy."
In this age of overstatement is it any wonder that many people don't recoil at Ben Carson's exaggerations or Donald Trump's empty yet emotionally-packed words?
We need to tone it down. Drop the amplifiers down from 11. Then Ben Carson's words will stand out for the nonsense they are. Until then, they fit right in.
At it's most benign, when everything is "awesome!" the word "awesome" loses its meaning.
Our well-spoken, thoughtful and temperate president is criticized for being not macho enough.
Look no further than any comment section where those who would criticize Ben Carson's rhetoric routinely end their comments with some version of "America is doomed" or "We are no longer a democracy."
In this age of overstatement is it any wonder that many people don't recoil at Ben Carson's exaggerations or Donald Trump's empty yet emotionally-packed words?
We need to tone it down. Drop the amplifiers down from 11. Then Ben Carson's words will stand out for the nonsense they are. Until then, they fit right in.
238
A good start would be emulating the 78 day campaigning period they have in Canada.
3
Carson would be better ssrved to recall that to the Nazis he would always be a racial inferior, fit only for slave labor or extermination.
28
I love it when the NYTs taps pseudo-conservatives like Wehner and Brooks to lecture conservatives on how to act. As if they have any credibility and intellectual gravitas. All they know is cronyism and "Democrat-lite" politics.
It's like Mitt Romney, the 2-time loser, lecturing GOP candidates on how to win.
It's like Mitt Romney, the 2-time loser, lecturing GOP candidates on how to win.
11
Just as Biden characterized Giuliani as "subject verb 9/11", so Carson should be "subject verb political correctness", practically a mantra for him, and for him a substitute for any intelligent, substantial commentary about the issues.
3
This is nothing new. This is republican business as usual. Senator Joe McCarthy rooting out Communism (like it ever had a chance against the industry bosses) or Dick Nixon's attempt to keep a lid on inner cities through chummy connections with the mob through boss Bebe Reboso or Reagan's contemplation of using nuclear warheads to annihilate adversaries at the expense of those who did not Just Say No while he watched his friends in Hollywood die from AIDS like they had it coming, Ben Carson's or Donald Trump's fundamentalist base politics of simplistic scare tactics are nothing new.
11
This is what a country gets when its ruling class focuses for generations on cultivating an ignorant, emotionally manipulable population.
33
People who want to impress with historical analogies are often mired in those analogies, and probably make poor crafters of policy for the present day. Often fixated on irrelevant details — like Confederate flag defenders who cite the differences between square and rectangular state versions as if such knowledge is a fetish that will protect them against the charge of racism — Caron's comparison of the United States to 1930s Germany and the rise of the Nazi party is describable as both specious and offensive without the need for fact-checking or worries about the minutiae of sports club gun ownership.
4
We should take serious heed that Ben Carson and Donald Trump are the leaders in the Republican race. Given their popularity when they are devastatingly ill-equipped for the most important job in the world, I can envision a much more diabolical but clever person capitalizing on the emotional, poorly informed, xenophobic and angry segments of our society to garner enough support to have an actual chance of prevailing in a national election. Yep, build a platform on that plus throw in a few red herring planks that appeal to moderate voters and BINGO. That scenario is enabled by the media’s treating idiotic falsehoods (such as the efficacy of a Jewish armed resistance in Hitler’s Germany) as legitimate opinion rather than an outrageous misconstruction of history to be challenged directly, not just on fact-check sites. Carson reads the right-wing blogs and believes them without intellectual criticism. Wait until a person with genuine malevolent intent comes along whose subtlety and psychological insight can use this lesson to cravenly mislead the majority in order to inflict more damage to our country than even an ignorant Ben Carson or Donald Trump could do.
338
Well said. The current crop of Republican crazies, with Trump and Carson leading the parade, doesn't scare me too much. We'll survive them just as we survived the 2012 nut jobs who rose and fell weekly the last time around.
The scenario put forth in Ms. Matos's post is much more worrisome. Another economic downturn could create fertile ground for true malevolence and political chaos. Those who conclude it might lead to a more progressive path should think twice about what risks they're willing to take. Action is needed now to stabilize our partial recovery, rebuild our infrastructure as a platform for economic growth, and put money in the hands of people who will spend it in the marketplace.
The scenario put forth in Ms. Matos's post is much more worrisome. Another economic downturn could create fertile ground for true malevolence and political chaos. Those who conclude it might lead to a more progressive path should think twice about what risks they're willing to take. Action is needed now to stabilize our partial recovery, rebuild our infrastructure as a platform for economic growth, and put money in the hands of people who will spend it in the marketplace.
2
The senator from Texas, Ted Curz comes to mind.
2
"Wait until a person with genuine malevolent intent comes along whose subtlety and psychological insight can use this lesson to cravenly mislead the majority in order to inflict more damage to our country than even an ignorant Ben Carson or Donald Trump could do."
We already had him.
His name is Dick Cheney.
A lot of people in this country are very slow learners.
We already had him.
His name is Dick Cheney.
A lot of people in this country are very slow learners.
3
Every 4 years this silly dog & pony show. The Times sniveling about what some jerk who will never be elected anything is saying.
2
In a column aptly entitled "Paranoia of the Plutocrats", Paul Krugman quoted a loony on the far right, Tom Perkins, who equated criticism of the 1% richest in the US to Kristallnacht and the nazi Holocaust. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/27/opinion/krugman-paranoia-of-the-plutoc...
Clearly some on the right are willing to sink to the lowest possible infamy, not just Carson who seems to have reached his Godwin point even before there was a debate.
Shameless & shameful but also a sign of the level of political debate.
Clearly some on the right are willing to sink to the lowest possible infamy, not just Carson who seems to have reached his Godwin point even before there was a debate.
Shameless & shameful but also a sign of the level of political debate.
7
Carson and the Republican Party of this day continue to exhibit the classic psychological trait of projection. What they object to, fear, and hate is exactly what they are doing. There is a militant faction of neo-nazis bent on an authoritarian take over of our democracy and it is called the Tea Party previously known as the Republican Party.
19
Wow. That's all I can say when I listen to Dr. Carson, with his odd tick of closing his eyes when he's about to say something outrageous.
I have such a hard time equating his medical degree and accomplishments with his base ignorance and rantings about history, as if Nazi buzzwords can convey his worldview. To call the Obama administration and progressives in general as socialists is his way of reaching a base comprised mainly of fifty, sixty, and seventy-something white men who recoil from the epithet "socialist" as if from a hot flame.
I like Mr. Wehner's use of the word "reckless." As I recall, Barry Goldwater was also reckless, but more on the policy side--certainly not in personal slander and perverted ideas of history.
I can't imagine this man on the world stage, or any stage, frankly. His meanderings remind me of the very demagogue he continually says could arise in the US. But the author certainly has it right when he writes, "People are looking for candidates not only to give voice to their anger but to amplify it."
If anyone is going to be a threat to the US during this hot-headed season of unrest, it will be some lone, outraged conservatives--or even a bunch of them-who could become violent should the Democrats recapture the White House. Think it can't happen? Listen to Dr. Carson and his subversive words and innuendo.
I have such a hard time equating his medical degree and accomplishments with his base ignorance and rantings about history, as if Nazi buzzwords can convey his worldview. To call the Obama administration and progressives in general as socialists is his way of reaching a base comprised mainly of fifty, sixty, and seventy-something white men who recoil from the epithet "socialist" as if from a hot flame.
I like Mr. Wehner's use of the word "reckless." As I recall, Barry Goldwater was also reckless, but more on the policy side--certainly not in personal slander and perverted ideas of history.
I can't imagine this man on the world stage, or any stage, frankly. His meanderings remind me of the very demagogue he continually says could arise in the US. But the author certainly has it right when he writes, "People are looking for candidates not only to give voice to their anger but to amplify it."
If anyone is going to be a threat to the US during this hot-headed season of unrest, it will be some lone, outraged conservatives--or even a bunch of them-who could become violent should the Democrats recapture the White House. Think it can't happen? Listen to Dr. Carson and his subversive words and innuendo.
523
Long before there was a Ben Carson there was the very strange case of Lawrence Dennis.
See "The Color of Fascism: Lawrence Dennis, Racial Passing, and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism in the United States" by Gerald Horne
See "The Color of Fascism: Lawrence Dennis, Racial Passing, and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism in the United States" by Gerald Horne
1
One thing you need to remember is that "success" in academic medicine starts with being good at what others think you should do. This starts in medical school where you learn to anticipate what your orders are going to be and do them before you are asked. As a resident you learn to do what your attending physicians want you to do even if what they want you to do isn't the right thing to do (many physicians in academic medicine spend way too much time in the lab or in administrative meetings to be up to date on clinical problems). Then once you get to be an attending physician you are primed to listen to your chairman who will tell you what you need to do to get tenure. The departmental administration will say what research projects to take up and to a certain extent what patients you will see. To a certain extent success in academic medicine is a measure of how well you do what you are told. You don't have to be a 'brain surgeon' to get ahead, just someone who has learned to anticipate what other people want you to do. That's how you can reconcile his 'accomplishments' with his ignorance.
2
@Christine
I think he closes his eyes when he's receiving a personal message from "God."
(sarcasm alert)
I think he closes his eyes when he's receiving a personal message from "God."
(sarcasm alert)
2
I listened to a Carson interview on TV yesterday. He was totally incoherent. Is it simply a lack of knowledge or is he simply really not that bright. Or, is it something more sinister? It is really scary that this man could even be elected as President.
467
He's very bright. It is something more sinister, much more. The face of evil assumes many forms.
1
Perhaps Carson is the next real star of "Being There" by Jerry Kosinski.
1
Surgeons are notoriously prone to coldness. I'm repulsed at the idea of cutting open a skull. He chose the path. Those skills hardly translate to politics.
4
Has any survey been made of levels of support for Ben Carson in subsets of selected ethnic or SES groups? In Ben Carson we have someone with appalling ignorance about the Nazis, a person ready to show his racism openly as concerns a religious group - all the world's muslims, and an unbelievable ignorance of the importance of scientific research.
So I pose an all too simple question. Some supporters of "Black lives matter" chose Bernie Sanders as their target. I have no idea at all if those supporters represent the majority view in those who support "Black lives". So to the question: What is the level of support in at least 3 SES levels of "blacks" and among "Black Lives" spokespersons for Ben Carson?
Once upon a time in my childhood we had In Charles Lindbergh, an American of Swedish descent, a supporter of Adolf Hitler at the "Goebbels level-see New Yorker) and now in my second childhood we have an American whose family tree goes back to slaves from West Africa speaking "Goebbeldygook" about the Nazis. Frightening.
I welcome all calm replies here or via Email.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Dual citizen-USA-SE
So I pose an all too simple question. Some supporters of "Black lives matter" chose Bernie Sanders as their target. I have no idea at all if those supporters represent the majority view in those who support "Black lives". So to the question: What is the level of support in at least 3 SES levels of "blacks" and among "Black Lives" spokespersons for Ben Carson?
Once upon a time in my childhood we had In Charles Lindbergh, an American of Swedish descent, a supporter of Adolf Hitler at the "Goebbels level-see New Yorker) and now in my second childhood we have an American whose family tree goes back to slaves from West Africa speaking "Goebbeldygook" about the Nazis. Frightening.
I welcome all calm replies here or via Email.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Dual citizen-USA-SE
8
Carson is symptomatic of what has happened to the Republican party...and downward trend that began over 20 years ago. Some might argue that this started with the Reagan conservatives--at least those who operated under his banner. Clearly, neither Carson, Trump, Fiorina---nor Rubio nor Jeb! have the remotest idea as to how to lead this nation as president. And as the GOP controlled House and Senate have demonstrated--they are completely incapable of leading a legislative body.
Control is one thing, governance is another.
Control is one thing, governance is another.
421
Once a party makes government 'the enemy', qualifications for governing become moot...thus the happy panoply of unqualified Republican candidates.
1
This essay embodies and elaborates on your comment. http://www.stonekettle.com/
once reps have power they work very well at destroying the country
It took awhile, but the Republicans finally found someone just as unfit for national office as Sarah Palin. I suppose that space constraints forced Mr Wehner to omit other signs of Carson's imbecility such as his belief that the Earth is only 6,000 years old and that the theory of evolution came straight from the devil. I am appalled and mystified at the fact that he has any support at all.
820
I am too! I know we really have an ignorant voter base in some parts of the country but this is really scary.
carson does the near impossible. He makes trump sound informed and thought out by comparison. Very few people who even talk about politics in a serious way are as grossly uninformed as carson. And we have never had anyone running for president who actually got out of single digit poling territory this dangerously ignorant. The fact that he and trump, who is only half a step less unhinged than carson, poll more than half of the potential republican primary vote should be epnough to scare every sane American out of their wits. There are actully a good 15-18% of the people in our country who actually think these fools are PRESIDENTIAL material.
However, the premise of the article is that carson in his clearly absurd utterances damages the Republican "cause." The more that this is true the better for our nation. Conservatism has been a corrosive force, a millstone, a massive thicket of thorns slowing the progress of the country. The more we can shatter it, the more of it hacked away by its own purveyors the better. Without the ridiculous level of gerrymandering we suffer the United States could potentially return the two elected branches of government back to responsible, serious Democratic leadership next year. The more carson and trump help facilitate that the better because the only way to defang the vipers of the tea party conservative snake pit is to vote them far into the minority.
However, the premise of the article is that carson in his clearly absurd utterances damages the Republican "cause." The more that this is true the better for our nation. Conservatism has been a corrosive force, a millstone, a massive thicket of thorns slowing the progress of the country. The more we can shatter it, the more of it hacked away by its own purveyors the better. Without the ridiculous level of gerrymandering we suffer the United States could potentially return the two elected branches of government back to responsible, serious Democratic leadership next year. The more carson and trump help facilitate that the better because the only way to defang the vipers of the tea party conservative snake pit is to vote them far into the minority.
18
The irony here is that Carson and Trump are using the same political game plan as certain unmentionable extremist politicians from the past.
67
Ben Carson's rhetorical use of analogies with Nazi Germany reflect his own fascination with the rise of a strong man who will cure the nation's ills. That is, it is not a condemnation but an aspiration. He sees himself as what scholars of Latin American politics refer to as "the man on horseback", the rise of strong leader who steps outside the conventions of politics to lead people on a renovation or restoration of political morality and a strong national vision. Such leaders do not feel bound by constraints such as constitutions but as having an obligation to vanquish the failures and weaknesses of the existing system. Too many "takers"? End the welfare state and force them to work! Too many of the "other"? Force them to embrace the preferred vision or leave! Apparent lack of patriotic virtue? Paint it large and enforce it! Of course Ben Carson does not come across as a fire-breathing super-patriot but that too is part of the persona. He can be serene, confident, and focused because he has unshakeable self-confidence in his vision, and his responsibility is to communicate and portray that version. The embrace of an armed populace is not to defend itself against the State but to challenge and overcome that State. After all, if the Nazis come for you it is not enough to give them a bloody nose but to defeat them. Ben Carson's armed, militant America has to have the power to defeat the State and impose its vision of rejuvenation and rebirth, repressing the decay of democracy.
41
WOW!!!
Interesting concept, Ben Carson as the next Adolph Hitler. I am not entirely sure I agree, but then again I am certainly not willing to dismiss the idea either.
Interesting concept, Ben Carson as the next Adolph Hitler. I am not entirely sure I agree, but then again I am certainly not willing to dismiss the idea either.
This party calls for an internal putsch, starting with the 2016 election, until it produces candidates who act like responsible adults again. I thought that's the lesson Republicans were trying to teach themselves in the wake of Mitt Romney's loss, but they haven't yet.
66
It should start with the selection of the House speaker, but that would take bravery and a willingness to work across the aisle. So we'll just have to wait until 2016.
Why isn't it more interesting to consider the reasons that Carson's statements resonate with so many people? What is it about him or Trump that appeals to anyone? What beliefs or fears do their supporters have? How did they get there? Or what will happen when or if their campaigns fizzle? We will get Cruz who is so much smarter and more malevolent than either Carson or Trump. Could it be that Cruz is the better comparison to Hiltler? That Cruz is the Christian Hitler?
55
In case you actually don't know, Hitler was the Christian Hitler.
Those in the Republican party who wish to overcome its present pathologies are RINOs, and should admit what they are by becoming conservative Democrats. That way they will be in a group that still believes in and practices politics. Only a Democratic supermajority will make the country again governable.
125
But if they became conservative Democrats, they would be DINOs and have no real influence on that party. I still remember the time when the pro-life Democratic governor of Pennsylvania was not allowed to speak at the Democratic convention.
Democrats are never going to allow that the fetus has more rights than a dog or a whale. It is too "inconvenient".
What is needed in America is a moderate party consisting of conservative Democrats and centrist Republicans. Such a party would actually represent the American people.
Neither of the current two parties actually represents the people. Each wants to put together groups which give them 51% of the vote, and then proceed to ignore the feelings and priorities of the other 49%. It is not representation, it is game theory.
Democrats are never going to allow that the fetus has more rights than a dog or a whale. It is too "inconvenient".
What is needed in America is a moderate party consisting of conservative Democrats and centrist Republicans. Such a party would actually represent the American people.
Neither of the current two parties actually represents the people. Each wants to put together groups which give them 51% of the vote, and then proceed to ignore the feelings and priorities of the other 49%. It is not representation, it is game theory.
1
A moderate party would waste resources as our health care system does. The midpoint between government's dealing with a problem and the private sector's making money from (dealing with) the problem is an underfunded program that wastes money on halfway measures, like providing education with out-of-date textbooks and overcrowded, un-air-conditioned classrooms in regions where all offices and stores are cooled.
He wasn't allowed to speak, not because of his pro-life position but because of his refusal to sign onto Clinton being the party's nominee.
> Yet for many of my fellow conservatives, raging against the system ... is just that.
Yeah... Let's see, yer boys have been at it for forty years now. Your behavior has been particularly egregious since 1994. You own this, pal. This is the chickens coming home to roost.
Yeah... Let's see, yer boys have been at it for forty years now. Your behavior has been particularly egregious since 1994. You own this, pal. This is the chickens coming home to roost.
294
I thought Mr Trump was a clown
But Ben Carson does make me frown,
Was a neurosurgeon?
Their ranks must need purgin'
Madness in a surgical gown!
And who are these folk who would vote
For one whose words weirdo denote,
Ill fares a poor Land
With such men at hand
Who'd sink our so unstable Boat.
But Ben Carson does make me frown,
Was a neurosurgeon?
Their ranks must need purgin'
Madness in a surgical gown!
And who are these folk who would vote
For one whose words weirdo denote,
Ill fares a poor Land
With such men at hand
Who'd sink our so unstable Boat.
196
Not the best, Larry. Take a break.
4
The reality to those in my town,
Shows a fear from liberal establishment clowns,
Who use rhetoric-in-cheek
To protect a POTUS who's weak
By trying to put Ben Carson down.
Shows a fear from liberal establishment clowns,
Who use rhetoric-in-cheek
To protect a POTUS who's weak
By trying to put Ben Carson down.
2
The source of our problem is a House of Representatives that is too small, following its limitation in the 20th century:
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/07/enlarging-the-house-of-repr...
The solution to our problem is returning to the Founders' Intent (so often vaunted) that could be no more clear than when George Washington held things up on the last day of the Constitutional Convention, insisting Ben Franklin enlarge the number of Representatives in the House to make sure voters would be adequately heard:
http://www.delanceyplace.com/view-archives.php?p=1671
Democracy can sometimes be messy and inconvenient, but there are fundamental reasons for enough representatives to allow full expression of views.
For a start, we should return to George Washington's expressed, unmistakable intent - it would at least be harder for such an enlarged body to be bought off by the current special interests.
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/07/enlarging-the-house-of-repr...
The solution to our problem is returning to the Founders' Intent (so often vaunted) that could be no more clear than when George Washington held things up on the last day of the Constitutional Convention, insisting Ben Franklin enlarge the number of Representatives in the House to make sure voters would be adequately heard:
http://www.delanceyplace.com/view-archives.php?p=1671
Democracy can sometimes be messy and inconvenient, but there are fundamental reasons for enough representatives to allow full expression of views.
For a start, we should return to George Washington's expressed, unmistakable intent - it would at least be harder for such an enlarged body to be bought off by the current special interests.
23
Here's my plan were I made King tomorrow: Double the size of the House of Representatives, give a seat (and equal vote) to the top TWO finishers in each district. Then, I might have a representative voice in my gerrymandered blood-red district. Also, the days of the unopposed election would disappear and (I would predict) voting would increase. Win-win-win.
1
Great way to really bankrupt the country. The current congressional make up is way too expensive. God forbid we have to support more of those "takers!"
susan - We don't have to support Congress at the same salary level, and they don't have to be housed in the Capitol building; we could rent out the Capitol to K Street lobbyists and (as needed) house Congress in industrial parks, hotel meeting rooms, or sports stadia - this was such an important issue to G. Washington that it is the only time he addressed the Constitutional Convention.
2
Peter Wehner has some good ideas, but in some ways he totally misses the boat. He forgets (or doesn't know) that Charles Lindbergh came very close to being a GOP candidate to run against FDR! There was and is a significant streak of Fascism in the American public.
While nobody has managed to come close to the 'efficiency' of the Nazis in performing genocide, it wasn't and isn't uniquely German. During these stressful economic times, evidence of Fascistic thinking are appearing almost everywhere.
A blessing on the Canadians who just expelled their horrible government to replace it with a new, more enlightened one.
While nobody has managed to come close to the 'efficiency' of the Nazis in performing genocide, it wasn't and isn't uniquely German. During these stressful economic times, evidence of Fascistic thinking are appearing almost everywhere.
A blessing on the Canadians who just expelled their horrible government to replace it with a new, more enlightened one.
355
"There was and is a significant streak of Fascism in the American public."
Thank you for stating this ominous truth.
Thank you for stating this ominous truth.
20
Someone has "come close to the efficiency of the Nazis in performing genocide."
The Nazis only killed 6 million.
Our country, under Democrats and Republicans alike, killed over 20 million Native Americans.
But both groups were dehumanized in the minds of their conquerors.
The Nazis only killed 6 million.
Our country, under Democrats and Republicans alike, killed over 20 million Native Americans.
But both groups were dehumanized in the minds of their conquerors.
1
“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." - variously attributed
"It's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them, or anti-immigrant sentiment, or anti-trade sentiment, as a way to explain their frustrations." - B. Obama, 2008
There we have concise descriptions of your contemporary GOP voter to whom the GOP panders. And it seems the owners of the GOP congresscritters like it that way.
"It's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them, or anti-immigrant sentiment, or anti-trade sentiment, as a way to explain their frustrations." - B. Obama, 2008
There we have concise descriptions of your contemporary GOP voter to whom the GOP panders. And it seems the owners of the GOP congresscritters like it that way.
2
Carson's analogies matter because they expose the malicious shallowness of a 3nd rate political mind.
If we elect him, then no one can claim he didn't know what resides in Carson's heart of darkness.
If we elect him, then no one can claim he didn't know what resides in Carson's heart of darkness.
230
My rescue dog would make a great President: he is very intelligent, caring, gentle, fierce when necessary, and highly intuitive.
True he can't read but with all the garbage being printed these days that might well be an advantage. Oh and he can't turn on the TV or the computer.. better yet.
True he can't read but with all the garbage being printed these days that might well be an advantage. Oh and he can't turn on the TV or the computer.. better yet.
Carson and his followers might be on that mythological list of people who shouldn't be able to purchase a gun. But then that would tread on their rights to waive steel while frothing at the mouth.
113
Carson's entire campaign is content-free, except where he has added a few Nazi and Communist references to draw attention. He has no foreign or domestic policy initiatives. He has no tax plan, to speak of, in any detail. He does not address income inequality, trade policy, immigration policy, or any of the major issues facing the country. He seems to know nothing about NATO, the Middle East, or the limits or application of military power. He has no experience in leadership of a group larger than some nurses, an anesthesiologist, and an unconscious patient. Wehner's observation that his rhetoric is intemperate is like pointing out that your drunken cab driver, careening down a highway at 100 miles an hour, has an expired license.
575
Peter Wehner is a study in self-deception. His efforts to elevate the bigotry, fascism and know nothing embrace of Carson and Trump followers with high-minded sophistry reveals his inability to face reality. American conservatism might exist in the minds of a few pundits, but the reality is raw and ugly lynch mob racism. And Carson is a psychopathic lunatic who is using his blackness to entice the mob.
3
Yep, he's a perfect candidate for a party increasingly populated by know-nothings.
5
Pretty much describes the whole Republican field.
3
Ben Carson epitomizes the Republican Party, which is intellectually and morally bankrupt, and has been so for the last two decades.
461
> Ben Carson epitomizes the Republican Party, which is intellectually and morally bankrupt, and has been so for the last two decades.
A quibble: More like four decades, not two.
A quibble: More like four decades, not two.
149
Correct- it really started with Reagan. Funny how we don't even mention Nixon and the cadre of thugs he had in his administration anymore.... the current crop of Republicans are so bad- they make Nixon look good.
13
Was just thinking of Nixon the other day, thinking about the harm he inflicted with his paranoia and distrust. It's a long sweep back, if you start with Nixon and go on to Reagan's Iran-Contra nastiness and arrive at the Bush/Chaney invasion of Iraq, to take in the Republican display of bad faith and crooked thinking, not to mention attacks on our democracy -- a long parade of warped, sly, crazy judgment.
3
THEY SURELY MATTER . . .
...in fact so much to me that I consider that I would never vote for someone with his interests and collection of Nazi analogies.
Period.
...in fact so much to me that I consider that I would never vote for someone with his interests and collection of Nazi analogies.
Period.
65
Carson's excesses, unfortunately, conform to a pattern that originated with independence. At times of crisis, American politicians tend to denounce their opponents as alien to the country's constitutional system, in large part because a deep reverence for that system forms the bedrock of our sense of community.
Early on, adversaries accused each other of being monarchists, adherents of the system that had become anathema to Patriots during the Revolution. After WWII, the Cold War stimulated conservatives to label their opponents as communists, the equivalent of monarchists in hostility to our political faith. The collapse of international marxism has inspired a shift to that other modern ideology that once posed a genuine threat to the American way of life.
In each case, the anxiety engendered by our diversity and looseness of sense of community convinced many American that those who championed reform wanted to overturn the entire system. Invariably, demagogues arose to exploit these fears as part of an electoral strategy. Mr. Carson, like his predecessors, threatens the democratic system because he replaces the real issues at stake in the election with a bogus claim that our way of life is under attack. Thus he seeks to transform his opponents into enemies who cannot legitimately seek election. Carson thereby feeds the conviction that any compromise with the Democrats will fatally harm the country. Not an attitude that fosters acceptance of electoral defeat.
Early on, adversaries accused each other of being monarchists, adherents of the system that had become anathema to Patriots during the Revolution. After WWII, the Cold War stimulated conservatives to label their opponents as communists, the equivalent of monarchists in hostility to our political faith. The collapse of international marxism has inspired a shift to that other modern ideology that once posed a genuine threat to the American way of life.
In each case, the anxiety engendered by our diversity and looseness of sense of community convinced many American that those who championed reform wanted to overturn the entire system. Invariably, demagogues arose to exploit these fears as part of an electoral strategy. Mr. Carson, like his predecessors, threatens the democratic system because he replaces the real issues at stake in the election with a bogus claim that our way of life is under attack. Thus he seeks to transform his opponents into enemies who cannot legitimately seek election. Carson thereby feeds the conviction that any compromise with the Democrats will fatally harm the country. Not an attitude that fosters acceptance of electoral defeat.
77
Neither Carson nor Trump scare me. But what does is the amount of support they have in RELATIVELY GOOD TIMES... !!!
Imagine if we we're in a deep recession, or experiencing some imminent, existential threat...
The voters are too dumb, paranoid, and hateful.... that's what scares me...
Imagine if we we're in a deep recession, or experiencing some imminent, existential threat...
The voters are too dumb, paranoid, and hateful.... that's what scares me...
633
"Imagine if we're in deep recession..."
For some, we are. Our productivity, wealth and security isn't spread across all places, all people. The heartland has been shutting down since agri-business bought up all the farmland in the 80s. Cities have been shutting down as we lose industry. For many places in the US, there isn't growth or prosperity and people are reacting as if their communities are in existential crisis.
If you have a strong sense of insecurity, the sense of scapegoating - it is immigrants, it is takers, it is Godlessness - grows. As the number of people and places who are not participating in the recovering economy grows, so does the need to blame. And the low information voter is born.
For some, we are. Our productivity, wealth and security isn't spread across all places, all people. The heartland has been shutting down since agri-business bought up all the farmland in the 80s. Cities have been shutting down as we lose industry. For many places in the US, there isn't growth or prosperity and people are reacting as if their communities are in existential crisis.
If you have a strong sense of insecurity, the sense of scapegoating - it is immigrants, it is takers, it is Godlessness - grows. As the number of people and places who are not participating in the recovering economy grows, so does the need to blame. And the low information voter is born.
5
The Times had a good article about five right wing districts a few days ago, interviewing one person who talked about listening to right wing talk radio all day long.
9
Add to that the unfortunate human tendency to see the world only in terms of black and white (and I'm not talking just talking about race). Given the exponential pace of technological change, the blurring of all kinds of boundaries (sex, gender, and yes, race), and the soporific entertainment that makes up so much of our popular culture, it is no surprise that so many people are circling the wagons. When a population is incapable of critical thought, they don't think with their brains, and our election process becomes a farce.
I wouldn't go back to the days of limited suffrage (like when the Constitution was written), but without an enlightened electorate, we can't have an enlightened democracy.
I wouldn't go back to the days of limited suffrage (like when the Constitution was written), but without an enlightened electorate, we can't have an enlightened democracy.
5
Sorry Peter. Restraint is not widespread in the Republican party now. When you have a plethora of presidential aspirants in your party the wannabee needs to sound over-the-top in order to be heard amid the hubbub.
Nor is it extreme comparisons or expressions. Nor is it confined to the declared presidential aspirants in the party. House leaders, notably, Jeb Hensarling and Paul Ryan are touting policies that are nothing more than a rehashing of the the Chicago school mantra of unfettered free enterprise. But after touting those concepts they press for quotas on sugar imports, tax breaks for oil drilling, tax cuts for the ultra-rich. My dad, a liberal Republican would not recognize the party now. Fortunately is six foot under and sleeps better.
Nor is it extreme comparisons or expressions. Nor is it confined to the declared presidential aspirants in the party. House leaders, notably, Jeb Hensarling and Paul Ryan are touting policies that are nothing more than a rehashing of the the Chicago school mantra of unfettered free enterprise. But after touting those concepts they press for quotas on sugar imports, tax breaks for oil drilling, tax cuts for the ultra-rich. My dad, a liberal Republican would not recognize the party now. Fortunately is six foot under and sleeps better.
104
I should think there are enough Democratic candidates to have the same effect, but it ISN'T.
The Democrats are performing splendidly.
The Democrats are performing splendidly.
22
From the rethoric in congress and the candidates for president it's clear that The GOP has lost its way. But they will win the election one day; maybe even 2016. When that happens, brace yourselves.
29
I'm moving to the Falkland Islands
4
If they do, it'll be because good people didn't care enough to get out and pull the lever for the alternative. Eternal vigilance, etc.
3
Imagine the refugee problem if that happened: Denmark, if they'd have me.
You just got to love all of the "grown up" GOPers that want to preach how Conservatives should act after inviting mostly bigots and crackpots into their party so they could steal elections. You broke it, you own it whether you want to or not. Such Schadenfreude for the slimy Conservatives crying "wolf" after years of feeding the beasts. But keep preaching to the stupids you created how they are supposed to behave, and be sure and glance over your shoulders at what just happened in Canada.
393
The current crop of Republicans have not accurately channeled Patrick Henry. It's more like "Give me liberty, or give them death," making every political disagreement an excuse not to cooperate but to eliminate.
There were honorable Republicans that spanned the distance between Lincoln and Eisenhower. These men would weep at the ignorance and the shameless pandering that passes for Republicanism today. What happened to the socially moderate fiscal conservatives who knew how to compromise and reach consensus with Democrats? When did theological certitude replace the imperfect human effort to find a balance between self-sufficiency and dependence?
Republicans of decades past worked with Democrats to realize the populist initiatives that modern-day Republicans are trying to dismantle. Today's ideologues are having trouble finding a Speaker of the House who will pledge never to compromise with Democrats. It's not that Republicans and Democrats must agree, but one half of the government must not refuse to enter into dialog with the other half.
Ben Carson is a particularly nasty example of one who uses hateful rhetoric to pander to the ignorant, conflating Nazism with attempts to restrain gun violence or provided affordable medical care.
Carson says that during a convenience store robbery he responded to the gunman's demand for money by redirecting him to the cashier, saying "It's not me. You want the other guy." I think that should be his campaign slogan.
There were honorable Republicans that spanned the distance between Lincoln and Eisenhower. These men would weep at the ignorance and the shameless pandering that passes for Republicanism today. What happened to the socially moderate fiscal conservatives who knew how to compromise and reach consensus with Democrats? When did theological certitude replace the imperfect human effort to find a balance between self-sufficiency and dependence?
Republicans of decades past worked with Democrats to realize the populist initiatives that modern-day Republicans are trying to dismantle. Today's ideologues are having trouble finding a Speaker of the House who will pledge never to compromise with Democrats. It's not that Republicans and Democrats must agree, but one half of the government must not refuse to enter into dialog with the other half.
Ben Carson is a particularly nasty example of one who uses hateful rhetoric to pander to the ignorant, conflating Nazism with attempts to restrain gun violence or provided affordable medical care.
Carson says that during a convenience store robbery he responded to the gunman's demand for money by redirecting him to the cashier, saying "It's not me. You want the other guy." I think that should be his campaign slogan.
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> There were honorable Republicans that spanned the distance between Lincoln and Eisenhower.
You realize that Eisenhower left office over 50 years ago, yes? That's not just before the internet and personal computers and the creation of interstate highway system and the moon landing and before Vietnam but before Civil Rights. That was a looooong time ago.
You realize that Eisenhower left office over 50 years ago, yes? That's not just before the internet and personal computers and the creation of interstate highway system and the moon landing and before Vietnam but before Civil Rights. That was a looooong time ago.
14
Carson is a truly vile, evil man, probably a sociopath of some kind.. Woe becomes us all if he gets anywhere near the anywhere near the White House.
11
I was aghast at that comment of Carson's about how he directed the gunman to go after "the other guy," a stark contrast to his earlier comment that had he been on the Oregon campus, he would have urged the victims to try to overpower that shooter. Not only is the guy heartless, he's a hypocrite to boot. His popularity baffles and appalls.
10
The Holocaust could not have "greatly diminished" by Jewish ownership of guns. But some Jews might have been better off with them. I have never owned a gun. But I am glad that Jews in Israel have them. At the right time, and in the right place, they are a necessity. I am grateful to Dr. Carson for reminding me of this.
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Correction:
The Holocaust could not have been "greatly diminished" by Jewish ownership of guns.
The Holocaust could not have been "greatly diminished" by Jewish ownership of guns.
8
Many people understood Dr. Carson's point. Others feel the need to twist his words and/or make mountains out of molehills.
8
The notion that private ownership of guns-- by Jews in Germany--could have prevented or diminished the Holocaust is absurd. Consider the fact that the Wehrmacht conquered virtually all of Europe and inflicted 22 million casualties (including 8 million killed) against a very highly trained and heavily armed Red Army--how much trouble would they have had in immediately overcoming domestic armed resistance?
18
The G.O.P. should disown Dr. Ben Carson. He is completely ignorant
of the Holocaust history. He has a right to his opinion but not as a
leader of the U.S. He is a disgrace to the G.O.P.
of the Holocaust history. He has a right to his opinion but not as a
leader of the U.S. He is a disgrace to the G.O.P.
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A disgrace to the GOP in 2015 is a REALLY tall order given the rest of that clan.
50
I don't watch television, so after reading about some of Mr. Carson's remarks I looked up some clips so I could get a sense of his demeanor & affect. I happened to see him being interviewed by 3 journalists on the CBS This Morning show. Mr. Carson was explaining that there could be no legal limits on the private ownership of assault weapons, or any kind of weapon, since Americans needed to be able to violently overthrow their government. Rather than asking any of the obvious questions--how exactly people with guns were going to challenge the most powerful, nuclear, military on the planet, or whether & why Mr. Carson thought we should do so, the three panelsits questioning him smiled & nodded, apparently concerned only to make him look reasonable or themselves look idiotic.
For 20 or 30 years this extremist rhetoric has been a central part of the conservative political voice, from Rush Limbaugh to Ann Coulter & hundreds of others. The fact that the Republican party has been happy to reap the political benefits of the fear & ignorance they sow, and the "mainstream" media has been deferential & "balanced" in treating their hysterics as rational opinion, evidences the moral bankruptcy of both.
For 20 or 30 years this extremist rhetoric has been a central part of the conservative political voice, from Rush Limbaugh to Ann Coulter & hundreds of others. The fact that the Republican party has been happy to reap the political benefits of the fear & ignorance they sow, and the "mainstream" media has been deferential & "balanced" in treating their hysterics as rational opinion, evidences the moral bankruptcy of both.
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"Smiling and nodding" is what our television "journalists" are paid many thousands of dollars a year to do. That, and hyperventilating about popular culture.
17
You can thank the worst president in U.S. History, Ronald Reagan, for all of the above.
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You are correct about the mainstream media but I don't consider the CBS Morning Show to be about serious journalism. If you want serious journalism try PBS news.
5
If Trump or another of the current GOP clowns ever wins the WH, the US might very well continue marching down a fascist road, though more like Mussolini than toward a 3rd Reich. More Patriot Acts, anyone? Increased surveillance? Less regulation of guns, financial markets? Increased regulation of women's bodies? Lower taxes for the 1%? Increased regressive sales taxes? So many GOP dreams …
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Watching Trump debating (Bush), his facial expression does remind me of old Benito, Mosulini that is.....
2
And then maybe there will be the violent overthrow of their government that Mr. Carson foresees! Perhaps a military coup?
That Carson is not fit to be President should be clear. But the argument that there are sacred cows of history that are not to be compared with anything else is ant-intellectual and advocates a refusal to learn from the past by comparing it with the present. Analogies to the Holocaust, to Stalin and to Hiroshima are allowed. In fact, they are welcome ethical tools that a fellow in ethics should be able to incorporate into an overall ethical construct.
6
You need to spend some time studying the Nazi's in their invasion of Poland. Then tell me you think that comparing anyone to the Nazis represent some rational kind of discussion about ethics. Analogies are allowed. The only constraint is some semblance of reality, reason, and factual analysis. And Carson loses on all three measures. Get real!
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You should read Davies on the Warsaw uprising. He makes it clear that Stalin and Hitler were comparably evil.. You need to study Stalin before you set the German invasion of Poland apart from everything else in history,
6
That may be OK in a campus panel discussion or a historical thesis, but these references are the rhetorical equivalent of nuclear weapons. When you invoke Hitler, you're pretty much comparing your opponent to the worst villain in history. Absent a proven track record of genocide and perversion, this amounts to an absurd level of hyperbole no matter what the issue. Rational discourse in the face of such tactics is impossible. It's like yelling "Fire!" in the theater and asking your opponent to respond while everyone is rushing for the exits.
7
Amen. I suspect, detect, Mr. Carson's peculiar calm rests on a caldron of volcanic magma. His intemperate remarks feel seismic to me.
70
I find his remarks more than intemperate. Appalling and ignorant beyond belief works better for me. He's taken the fringe crazoids of the John Birch Society and made them his platform. I'm appalled.
206
There also seems to be a level of defensiveness and anger in the doctor's persona. I think he might shed that really weird, calm demeanor and blow his top at any time now.
5
The Republican front runners are an embarrassment to our nation and have turned their nomination for POTUS into a "reality tv show". I am sick to death already of their fear mongering hyperbole….Please make it stop!
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The possibility that a man with such confidence in his own knowledge and judgement, while being shockingly ignorant in the face of clear facts, could end up wielding power at the highest levels on Earth is truly frightening.
Another one of Dr. Carson's favorite topics is "the lie of Darwinian evolution". How any medical doctor could flatly deny the fundamental evidence of biotic evolution is beyond me to comprehend. But in the context of the primary process, this can only help him. Which I also find frightening.
What I find most frightening is the level of support he seems to be sustaining among the electorate despite the scandalous things he utters!
Another one of Dr. Carson's favorite topics is "the lie of Darwinian evolution". How any medical doctor could flatly deny the fundamental evidence of biotic evolution is beyond me to comprehend. But in the context of the primary process, this can only help him. Which I also find frightening.
What I find most frightening is the level of support he seems to be sustaining among the electorate despite the scandalous things he utters!
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The man is simply just crazy. What bothers me most is the number of people that like him.
7
I find the fact that a person like him denies evolution quite easy to comprehend. Despite the view often argued for that religion and science are incompatible with each other, that is only true if one is trying to formulate a comprehensive, internally consistent philosophical world view.
For such people, understanding modern biology immediately makes clear that myths about Adam and Eve, etc., written by poets thousands of years ago cannot possibly be taken as factually true. But it is easy enough to compartmentalize one's mind in such a way that these and other myths are put into the emotional compartment, where they warm the cockles of one's heart, while putting technical skills such as surgery into another compartment.
Besides, looking at the absolutely amazing misstatements Carson has made about entropy, the Big Bang, etc., it is clear that he never really learned much about science in general, or has forgotten whatever his physics teachers were trying to teach him. He managed to become very skillful in his profession, apparently, while being totally clueless about the rest of science. And however strange his current mental state seems to a lot of us, he's obviously quite happy with it himself.
For such people, understanding modern biology immediately makes clear that myths about Adam and Eve, etc., written by poets thousands of years ago cannot possibly be taken as factually true. But it is easy enough to compartmentalize one's mind in such a way that these and other myths are put into the emotional compartment, where they warm the cockles of one's heart, while putting technical skills such as surgery into another compartment.
Besides, looking at the absolutely amazing misstatements Carson has made about entropy, the Big Bang, etc., it is clear that he never really learned much about science in general, or has forgotten whatever his physics teachers were trying to teach him. He managed to become very skillful in his profession, apparently, while being totally clueless about the rest of science. And however strange his current mental state seems to a lot of us, he's obviously quite happy with it himself.
10
The thing that scares me about Ben Carson isn't just the crazy stuff he says, it's the Iowa voter who responded to an interviewer asking why she supported Carson by saying that she "supported him because of his faith". The media now refers to "faith-based" voting groups. Look at what American has come to. People voting not on issues of immigration, our role in the Middle East, economic policies, tax reform, or minimum wage, etc., etc., but because they like a candidate's religious beliefs. They have the U.S. Constitution confused with their Bible. How sad for our nation's future. Dr. Carson is just a symptom.
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His faith is just as valid, if not more so, than basing judgments on one or two grand speeches. "Hope" was the theme of Obama's campaign.
2
True but what we really want is for Dr. Carson to base his judgement on maybe one or two FACTS. The "if I believe it's true then true" approach to discussing the issues is ridiculous unless Dr. Carson has a time machine and a real ability to re-write history.
Jesus said "though shalt not bear false witness" and ignoring the truth and speaking falsely is...well...I think you know what it is.
Jesus said "though shalt not bear false witness" and ignoring the truth and speaking falsely is...well...I think you know what it is.
14
These people ( the Christian Taliban) have no grasp of the issues or problems facing this country- all they know is to vote for the candidate their preacher tells them to vote for. The irony of this is that while they think they are patriotic, they are really going against the US Constitution with the concept of separation of church and state and would indeed be happier living in a Christian theocracy.
14