Posted on 12/05/2016 3:53:06 AM PST by usafa92
Dr. Ben Carson will be Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the president-elect’s transition team confirmed Monday morning.
“Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities,” Mr. Trump said in a statement released by his team.”We have talked at length about my urban renewal agenda and our message of economic revival, very much including our inner cities. Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a Presidency representing all Americans. He is a tough competitor and never gives up.”
Carson heavily hinted at the HUD position in a Facebook post days earlier, writing, “After serious discussions with the Trump transition team, I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly to making our inner cities great for everyone.”
“I am honored to accept the opportunity to serve our country in the Trump administration,” Carson was quoted as saying in the statement released Monday. “I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly by strengthening communities that are most in need. We have much work to do in enhancing every aspect of our nation and ensuring that our nation’s housing needs are met.”
Carson, who has never held elected office and failed earlier this year in a bid for the Republican presidential nomination, speculated to Fox News before Thanksgiving that Mr. Trump’s consideration for the HUD position was in part due to Carson’s upbringing.
“I grew up in the inner city and have spent a lot of time there, and have dealt with a lot of patients from that area and recognize that we cannot have a strong nation if we have weak inner cities,” he said Tuesday.
The 65-year-old has no previous policy experience in the field of urban development.
Carson, who was raised in an impoverished area of Detroit, later rose to prominence as a renowned neurosurgeon who drew national political attention this year when he ran in the Republican primary race earlier this year.
While his presidential campaign was short-lived, Carson has continued to make headlines with his early endorsement of Mr. Trump, and his advisory role with the president-elect.
In September, Mr. Trump toured Carson’s boyhood neighborhood in Detroit with the retired doctor by his side. During that trip, the then-GOP nominee pitched African Americans on his plans for inner cities and promised a “civil rights agenda for our time.”
Carson’s role in the coming administration was unclear as late as last week. Even the neurosurgeon’s longtime friend and adviser, Armstrong Williams, told The Hill that Carson wasn’t interested in running a government agency because he’d never served in a federal capacity.
“Dr. Carson feels he has no government experience, he’s never run a federal agency,” Armstrong said Tuesday. “The last thing he would want to do was take a position that could cripple the presidency.”
Reread his comment
Talk about an unnecessary role for government!
I will be the first to say Ben Carson will surprise everyone and do a superb job.
I heard him speak in Charlotte a year ago. I knew then he was not a dynamic enough personality to win the presidency, but his remarks on urban renewal were some of the best I’ve ever heard.
He will approach this job with outside the box logic, tenacity and much prayer.
I’m excited to see what he does. Trump saw his possibilities even before Carson did. It’s a brilliant choice!
HUD primarily manages an entitlement, so yes, it is largely in the role of psychologist/social worker.
Ben is a good man who can articulate the conservative vision well. He could very well be a very effective spokesman for a HUD that makes real changes to actually help those who are used to just getting handouts.
He should probably have a good lieutenant cleaning out the bureaucracy for him—and Trump’s team can likely locate such.
So much of government bureaucracy is basically: “This is what I’m going to do — because this is what we always do. Because this is just how it’s done. It never works, and I don’t know why it never works. But I’m going to do it. Because that’s what we always do.”
As outsiders like Carson come on board, there will be massive shake-up. Because the old ways are just indefensible.
Dr. Carson had the balls to criticize Barack Obama to his face at the National Prayer Breakfast at a time when NOBODY dared do that. So he may be ‘sweet’ but he isn’t timid.
And appointing someone to a position that has actual knowledge of the situation makes a lot more sense than someone who led an upper class existence their entire lives.
Swish!
HUD is unnecessary as well as surgeon general
Well said, Fai Mao.
People are fooled by Carson because of his calm demeanor. However, there’s an iron resolve inside the man.
And in terms of a fighter, I remember his ability to stand up to the media and tell them off.
Running for President also required excellent planning and management skills. And were it not for a man-of-century opponent like Trump, Carson had a real shot at getting the nomination because he and Trump were tied at one point.
I’m so pleased that this honorable, strong, and religious man is being nominated.
Especially considering that team Trump should well know the nuts and bolts guys to best serve efficiently running the agent under him.
Carson will be a very good leader and spokesperson for policy changes that make a real difference here.
I think you helped with his point that our government is FULL of people that have no experience with the positions they are picked for.
They will draw the big money and the real work and fixing the broken pieces they manage to break will go to the underlings like always.
There are also plenty of HUD homes on the block. Builders get them at auction and rehab them.
The object is to provide housing opportunities.
He has brains, he cares and he will put a kindly face and demeanor on Trump's agenda - so many here so tired of winning that they can't stop whining.
Right—but we have it with a mess of laws and long-term entitlements. There is no way it will be eliminated outright in the next four years.
But what better president to have good ideas about what to do with it as is?
I can sure agree with that....but there are tons of substandard hovels that HUD pays the rent on month after month to slumlords.............this is a huge mess.
The top level positions in such monstrous agencies are primarily political, requiring primarily political skill sets.
That’s just the way it is.
I’m not impressed with Carson for any position
Do you not think he is an effective spokesman for conservative principles and approaches? Coming across as both intelligent and caring?
To be eliminated? :o
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