Does Dr. Ben Carson’s lack of executive experience matter?

By Tiffinay Compiano

Benjamin Solomon Carson, despite the narrative lack of executive experience, is poised to be one of the best Presidents of the United States.

Dr. Carson is a brilliant surgeon. He is trained to be rational and to make decisions based on evidence as opposed to ideology.

Looking at the facts of a matter, processing them rationally, then executing a course of action are duties of the President of the United States.

An example of irrational processing can be seen in the way our current President has handled the ISIS crisis. The overwhelming evidence per the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Generals on the ground was to leave 5-10 thousand troops and personnel on the ground in Iraq. President Obama made an ideological decision to pull all troops, a pre-determined plank of his platform. Eighteen months later we witnessed the rise of ISIS, complete with beheadings, mass killings, and mass graves.

Dr. Carson holds more than 40 honorary doctorate degrees. He is a member of the American Academy of Achievement, the Horatio Alger Society of Distinguished Americans, and many other prestigious organizations.

He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award of the United States, as well as being the 91st recipient of the Spingarn Medal which is the highest honor bestowed by the National Association of Colored People.

In 2001 he was named by CNN and Time Magazine as one of the nation’s 20 foremost physicians and scientists. That same year, he was selected by the Library of Congress as one of 89 “Living Legends” on the occasion of its 200th anniversary.

“Sometimes I realize there are forces greater than me,” Carson said at the Polk County Republicans dinner. “I am an instrument that’s being used to help restore this country.”

In my opinion, this statement says it all. Dr. Ben Carson is a humble man of God; one who knows his place and that he is not ultimately in control. That is up to God. Our United States of America is in trouble and in need of healing.

As witnessed at the National Prayer Breakfast on February 7, 2013, Dr. Carson spoke without using notes. He allowed God to lead him and spoke what was in his heart. Consequently, Obamacare was criticized as was government intrusion in healthcare. President Obama sat one person away from the podium.

In an interview with Bill O’Reilly Dr. Carson makes this point,

“There is no question that I haven’t spent a lot of time in government. That doesn’t mean that you can’t make sure that you have people around you who have spent that time, I think the thing that is actually more important is wisdom and understanding and knowing how to use facts.”

“When I conducted some very complex operations, including things that hadn’t been done before, it required pulling people together, some of them knew a lot of things that I didn’t know about different areas. But being able to coordinate those things and merge them into something that is successful, that’s what we are going to need to do.”

He went on to say that he believes it will be very important to lean on his generals and others in his administration for information regarding foreign policy, and to rely on their specialized knowledge.

“If it is the will of the government you are trying to impose then yes you’d need people who have spent their lives in government.”

But, in his opinion, our founding fathers wrote the constitution with the will of the people in mind, and that is what we should be striving to honor.

Why is Ben Carson the most likely candidate to win in 2016? Dr. Carson has appeal across all lines: racial, ethnic, economic, age, and gender. He is a unifier. As a highly respected and liked member of the black community he appeals to voting bloc that typically votes Democrat. And, the secret is that if any Republican candidate wins just 17% of the black vote, no Democrat candidate for President, not even Hillary Clinton, can win.

In the final analysis Obama had two full years worth of experience in Congress as well as a constitutional law degree behind him. Lawyers are taught to win at all costs, not to unify Americans from both sides of the aisle. In this all too divisive time America needs a unifier who can heal our broken country.

Please sign the petition to draft Dr. Carson to run for POTUS.

Here’s an interesting take-away point: Our founding fathers were farmers, inventors, and doctors. Even more, five medical doctors signed the Declaration of Independence.

Perhaps the time has come to elect a doctor to heal the wounds inflicted on America by the current administration.

[Thanks to Tiffinay Compiano for submitting this guest column to Quiner’s Diner.]

13 Comments

  1. David Fischer on November 22, 2014 at 1:01 pm

    That’s like asking: How often do you beat your wife? That question assumes that you beat your wife but seeks to know how often. The operative word is ‘assumes’. If you ask: Does Dr. C’s lack of executive experience concern you, the question assumes Dr. C. lacks executive experience. Simple answer: He does NOT lack executive experience! He ran a large department with a huge budget in an internationally-recognized teaching hospital. He serves on multiple corporate boards. He heads at least two political action committees that I can think of. He heads Carson Scholars which reaches into every state in the nation. He’s written seven books. He is consulted all over the world.
    Helloooooooooooo !



    • quinersdiner on November 22, 2014 at 2:03 pm

      Quiner’s Diner wrote the headline, not the essayist, Tiffinay Compiano. So I’ll take the heat. David, you made some good points. Thanks for setting the record straight.



    • Tiffinay Compiano on November 22, 2014 at 11:14 pm

      The headline was simply put that way so as to compare Dr. Carson’s lack of time spent in government to Obama’s. And would a Carson presidency be as big an atrocity as Obama’s due to lack of time spent in government.
      So encouraged though. If we were going to get a derogative comment
      this is the one I’d like to get!



  2. lburleso on November 22, 2014 at 7:59 pm

    Very well written, Tiffany. I have been periferally interested in Dr. Carson as a political candidate but very impressed with his career to the present. Can’t wait to see what actually happens.

    Could be that he wisely waits to announce unlike Shillary.



    • quinersdiner on November 22, 2014 at 10:07 pm

      I just heard him speak tonight and was very impressed. I’ll write about it tomorrow.



    • Tiffinay Compiano on November 22, 2014 at 11:20 pm

      Thank you Lee. I’m on fire as you can see.I challenge you to read one of his books- I have some to loan. You’ll be amazed! Hello to Maria.



  3. oarubio on November 24, 2014 at 5:00 pm

    Fine article, Tom. I mentioned your blog and put a link to this article in one I posted on my blog moments ago.



    • quinersdiner on November 24, 2014 at 5:13 pm

      Thank-you! Actually, thank Tiffinay Compiano.



      • oarubio on November 24, 2014 at 10:20 pm

        I mentioned her as the author. 🙂



  4. Dr Doofenschmirtz on January 31, 2015 at 11:05 pm

    I would rather a member of Doctor Who run this country than a retired old republican doctor with no experience.
    DoctorWhoForPresident



    • quinersdiner on January 31, 2015 at 11:20 pm

      Do you actually think a community organizer, Barack Obama, actually had more experience than Dr. Ben Carson?