Source: Citizens Journal
The stars and stripes draped patriotically across the stage at a packed house in the Anaheim, CA Convention Center on Wednesday, where Dr. Ben Carson voiced his thoughts on the most prominent issues faced by the United States.
There were thousands there and a lot were probable Reagan fans and older Republicans filling the Anaheim Convention Center. This sent a message that this candidate is no Obama. The crowd (we heard an estimate of 8000_) was mostly white, in their 50’s-70’s and appeared very enthusiastic about the prospect of someone like Carson capturing the White House.
Here is the event video: http://www.c-span.org/video/?328019-1/dr-ben-carson-rally-anaheim
Carson opened his speech stating that “it’s not the government’s responsibility to take care of everybody else.” He stressed his outsider status, relevant board and NGO operations experience, “lack of elected political experience” and also remarked that “our country was designed for citizen-statesmen, not for the professional politician.”
He talked about his humble background and the central role of his mother in caring for him, teaching self-responsibility and a forced reading program. These became dual pillars of his strength which he gave her full credit for instilling in him.
When it comes to illegal immigration, most politicians jump around the subject or simply say what will make them look best.
However, Carson described the border as “ridiculous” with no border patrol on the actual border which he stated was only part of the problem. He did not mince words or speak “politically correct” language. The audience ate it up. He referred to “illegals” and “illegal aliens.” He said that the Border Patrol “has to keep arresting the same people… because ICE says they don’t have the proper documentation…. If they had the proper documentation, they wouldn’t be illegal aliens.” “We have the ability to shut the border …. It’s open for drug traffickers.” He says, “We have the abilities to shut those borders, not just our southern borders, but all of our borders. I am just as concerned about the global jihadists as I am about the drug dealers coming to destroy us.” But left unsaid on this day was what he would recommend doing about the millions of illegal immigrants now here.
Regarding said jihadists, he sounded hawkish. He understands peoples’ concerns about the costly, bloody wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but opined that those wars didn’t directly threaten our lives here, but global jihadism does.
Following securing the border, Carson moved onto the topic of the National Debt and the fiscal gap (deficit, unfunded liabilities).
“Politicians don’t talk about the fiscal gap because they want to be reelected. I’m not a politician, so I’m going to talk about it,” says Carson.
According to National Center for Policy Analysis, “The U.S. fiscal gap, based on the Congressional Budget Office’s long-term Alternative Fiscal Scenario, is nowhere close to the $18 trillion official (national) debt. Indeed, the U.S. fiscal gap of unfunded liabilities is $211 trillion — 15 times larger than the official debt.” Carson seems to be virtually the only candidate really talking about this situation, which has varying estimates, all of them frightening..
Carson says the first thing he would do under the “Carson Administration” would be to suspend initial taxes on corporate businesses (a “Tax Holiday”), to bring funds back to the United States which he says will repatriate over two-trillion dollars, costing the tax payer virtually nothing. He invoked Thomas Jefferson’s opinion that it was immoral to pass debt on to the next generation.
He would “require 10% of the money coming in from business to be used to create jobs for people who are unemployed and on welfare.”This is definitely a talking point unheard of in our current administration; getting people back to work rather than obtaining votes by keeping people on their couches with government cheese.
Carson says his plan “would be an enormous stimulus and it would reestablish business, industry, Wall Street, churches, community groups, it would reestablish what makes America great, people investing in people.”
He unabashedly talked about his faith in God and that The Lord underpins our national foundation, as well as his own. He derisively brushed off any thoughts expressed otherwise, quickly rattling off evidence such as references to God in the Declaration of Independence, Pledge of Allegiance, money, buildings and more.
In a Q&A session afterward, he appeared to be fielding questions directly from the audience, via assistants roaming around with microphones.
Dr. Carson said “one of the things we should do is distribute copies of the Constitution” (to wild applause).
When questioned by an attendee thusly: “speak softly and carry a big stick- wadd’ya gonna do?” … he responded “a lot of people express concern that I’m soft-spoken and appear to be mild-mannered. The less you have to say, very often you shout (he mentioned no names).. When you have plenty to say, you show that by what you DO.” To further project toughness, he alluded to the Jihadists who would destroy us. “Our job is to destroy them first. So you don’t expect that from a soft-spoken guy, huh?”
Carson opined on the Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis’ opposition to issuing “gay” marriage licenses and her subsequent jailing by Federal Judge Bunning. Carson maintained that “the Supreme Court overstepped its bounds, but not before Ms. Davis took the job.” He felt that jailing her was “inappropriate”.. that “we don’t get to pick and choose groups who get extra rights.” He said “Congress has a responsibility to stand up for the people,” and that there is a ” separation of powers so that other branches of the government can correct problems.” He implored Congress to “step up to the plate to protect religious rights …. or it will escalate beyond anything you are seeing now.”
There was so much more- watch the event video (linked above) to partake of all of it.
Carson has moved very rapidly since retiring, after a standout career as one of the world’s leading brain surgeons. At a national prayer breakfast in 2013, sharing a table with the Obama’s and Joe Biden, he made his famous landmark no holds-barred speech criticizing the Obama administration and some of the policies and accomplishments it is most proud of. Those included especially the Affordable Care Act, widely known as “Obamacare,” deficits, taxes and education. Since then, he has been urged by supporters to run, explored that option and has gone all in. ow he attacks the nearly virtually open borders policy, more and suggests solutions.
The most recent polls show him moving up to second or third place and opening up a lead against all rivals except real estate mogul and showman Donald Trump. Wednesday’s session gave us a look at why.