Ben Carson Doesn't Appear to Understand The Debt Ceiling

[amanuensis63]

Just heard a great interview on NPR Marketplace with Dr. Ben Carson. It's kinda scary because CLEARLY Ben has no real idea what things like the debt ceiling is!

The most troubling part is, everyone else in America got a crash course in what the debt ceiling is (debts already incurred) and it seems he missed it!

http://www.marketplace.org/topics/elections/big-book/dr-ben-carson-economy-taxes-and-debt

(the fun starts at about 3'55")

But the best part is that he doesn't seem to have any ability to discuss details about his own economic plan!

And he's within the top 3 of the GOP nominees!

Wow.

 

[trunks2k]

I don't feel like listening to the entire interview and I don't see a full transcript. What exactly did he say?

 

[amanuensis63]

I don't feel like listening to the entire interview and I don't see a full transcript. What exactly did he say?

Basically Ryssdal asked him if he would support letting the US default when the next Debt Ceiling comes up for raising in the first week of November. Carson replied by talking about the US budget and his plans for cutting spending and it was quite clear he had no idea what the debt ceiling was. Ryssdal had to clarify for him that it was debt already obligated. Carson still didn't seem to understand and kept on with his talking points about telling government departments to get down to work and do their job efficiently without waste.

It was kind of pathetic. Considering that everyone else in the US got a crash course in how the Debt Ceiling differed from debt in general.

In addition it appears that Carson's only definite plan to cut gov't spending is to go to every department head and commanding them to cut 3-4% in costs. His reasoning is nothing is perfectly efficient so he's taking the atomic bomb approach and just blasting everything.

But Ryssdal couldn't get him to commit to which services should be cut. Carson seems to think that just demanding cuts will make things better. He did invoke "Lean 6 Sigma" which was a pathetic sop to business savvy voters.

The problem with this approach is that, at its heart, it may be true that every dept can cut "fat", doing it by fiat all at once means it will be complete cluster. Anyone whose worked in industry knows that when the CEO announces a cut in workforce of X% EVERYONE starts to live in terror. It makes things much worse for a long, long time. And if you have an organization that is already "bloated" but has functioned in this way for a long period of time, changing things up REALLY QUICKLY might make things WORSE not better for a long while.

Carson is out of his depth in this area. It's kind of scary that he's #2 in many of the GOP polls.

 

[NightHawkeye]

Just heard a great interview on NPR Marketplace with Dr. Ben Carson. It's kinda scary because CLEARLY Ben has no real idea what things like the debt ceiling is!

Poppycock. Ben Carson never mentioned the debt ceiling, not once.

Instead, he focused on trimming the budget. Your reference provided a good summary account.

"It’s not that difficult," he said in an interview Monday. "If we simply refuse to extend the budget by one penny for three to four years, you’ve got a balanced budget — just like that."As president, Carson said he would shrink government through attrition, making cuts across the board, having every department head reduce their budget by 3 to 4 percent and implementing a 15 percent flat tax.​

It was the interviewer who kept trying to trap him into a "debt ceiling" argument. Carson did not fall for it. Carson repeatedly focused exclusively on balancing the budget.

In particular, Carson made clear he favored a balanced budget amendment.

 

[heatedmonk]

Just heard a great interview on NPR Marketplace with Dr. Ben Carson. It's kinda scary because CLEARLY Ben has no real idea what things like the debt ceiling is!

The most troubling part is, everyone else in America got a crash course in what the debt ceiling is (debts already incurred) and it seems he missed it!

http://www.marketplace.org/topics/elections/big-book/dr-ben-carson-economy-taxes-and-debt

(the fun starts at about 3'55")

But the best part is that he doesn't seem to have any ability to discuss details about his own economic plan!

And he's within the top 3 of the GOP nominees!

Wow.

That was one of the first questions put to Carson during the first debate. That he appeared not to understand how government works. This just compounds that lack of understanding. He's not really qualified for the office. I think maybe he's running because so many people expected him to. Or, it's the next black candidate thing that his supporters are exploiting.

It's a shame.

 

[Bible Page]

Carson's clueless. Does anyone know why he retired as a brain surgeon?
This was back in May. Ben Carson Says The President Doesn’t Have To Obey Supreme Court Ruling On Gay Marriage

"First of all, we have to understand how the Constitution works. The president is required to carry out the laws of the land, the laws of the land come from the legislative branch. So if the legislative branch creates a law or changes a law, the executive branch has a responsibly to carry it out. It doesn’t say they have the responsibility to carry out a judicial law."

 

[NightHawkeye]

That was one of the first questions put to Carson during the first debate. That he appeared not to understand how government works. This just compounds that lack of understanding. He's not really qualified for the office. I think maybe he's running because so many people expected him to. Or, it's the next black candidate thing that his supporters are exploiting.

It's a shame.

Noting that CNN today is quoting Ben Carson saying this from the interview:
Ben Carson struggles to explain debt limit stance | CNN

Asked several times if the ceiling should be raised, Carson said he would "not sign an increased budget."​

It seems that CNN and the OP are confused about the debt ceiling. Ben Carson is not. He refocused the question away from the debt ceiling and back where it needs to be ... on the budget.

Not that the distinction seems to matter in the least to those who mindlessly parrot the talking heads at CNN.

 

[DaisyDay]

Noting that CNN today is quoting Ben Carson saying this from the interview:
Ben Carson struggles to explain debt limit stance | CNN

Asked several times if the ceiling should be raised, Carson said he would "not sign an increased budget."​

It seems that CNN and the OP are confused about the debt ceiling. Ben Carson is not. He refocused the question away from the debt ceiling and back where it needs to be ... on the budget.

Not that the distinction seems to matter in the least to those who mindlessly parrot the talking heads at CNN.

He didn't seem to understand the question which was about money already spent or obligated and the debt ceiling (it was in current or previous budget, not upcoming budgets) which allows us to pay for it now.

 

[NightHawkeye]

He didn't seem to understand the question which was about money already spent or obligated and the debt ceiling (it was in current or previous budget, not upcoming budgets) which allows us to pay for it now.

LOL ... he understood the "gotcha" question completely.

He didn't play the game, and so now CNN is attempting the old poker "bluff" with an empty hand. They had their agenda set ... and they're stickin' to it.

 

[DaisyDay]

LOL ... he understood the "gotcha" question completely.

He didn't play the game, and so now CNN is attempting the old poker "bluff" with an empty hand. They had their agenda set ... and they're stickin' to it.

Where was the "gotcha"? And what evidence is there that he understood it?

That seems to be the excuse every time a candidate fumbles, LOL. I guess if "What do you read?" is a "gotcha" question, then anything could be.

 

[NightHawkeye]

Where was the "gotcha"? And what evidence is there that he understood it?

That seems to be the excuse every time a candidate fumbles, LOL. I guess if "What do you read?" is a "gotcha" question, then anything could be.

Doesn't really matter what you call it, DaisyDay.

He was asked about the debt ceiling. His answer was to control the budget ... an absolutely correct answer. He stated favoring a balanced budget amendment and reiterated multiple times that balancing the budget was key. Again, he was absolutely correct in his response.

 

[amanuensis63]

Poppycock. Ben Carson never mentioned the debt ceiling, not once.

Kai Ryssdal asked explicitly what Ben Carson would do in relation to the debt ceiling. Ben didn't appear to understand what the debt ceiling was.

 

[grasping the after wind]

Kai Ryssdal asked explicitly what Ben Carson would do in relation to the debt ceiling. Ben didn't appear to understand what the debt ceiling was.

If I tell you I will cut spending why would you mention the debt ceiling? How does the debt ceiling come into play if I have cut spending below the level where the debt ceiling kicks in? So tell me why was the debt ceiling mentioned at all? Why is the debt ceiling never mentioned by synchophantic liberal propagandists when speaking with liberal candidates that tell them how much more they want to spend but suddenly when a conservative tells them how much they want to cut, the debt ceiling is an issue? The debt ceiling is a fantasy campaign issue as it has never stopped and never will stop the government from spending as much as it pleases. The Democrats like it as it gives them a chance to paint the Republicans as stingy misers willing to shut down the government ,as if such a shutdown would even inconvenience anyone without the direct actions of a President that was determined that it did so rather than one that was interested in mitigating the circumstance by being reasonable. The Republicans like it as it gives them a chancre to pretend they have done something about curbing ridiculously profligate government spending when nothing has actually been done at all.

 

[DaisyDay]

Doesn't really matter what you call it, DaisyDay.

He was asked about the debt ceiling. His answer was to control the budget ... an absolutely correct answer. He stated favoring a balanced budget amendment and reiterated multiple times that balancing the budget was key. Again, he was absolutely correct in his response.

Oh.

It appears you also don't understand what the debt ceiling is in relation to money not only already budgeted but already spent. A future balanced budget has nothing whatsoever to do with bills currently due that we are about to default on. *SMH*

 

[grasping the after wind]

Oh.

It appears you also don't understand what the debt ceiling is in relation to money not only already budgeted but already spent. A future balanced budget has nothing whatsoever to do with bills currently due that we are about to default on. *SMH*

The bills that are due at the time of reaching a debt ceiling will not be defaulted on. They do not comprise enough to pass the ceiling. If they did, the past government shutdowns would have caused a default which they did not do. Default cannot occur unless the government refuses to pay the debts they have accrued and the ceiling is not the same as the sum total of the debts due but the total of the obligations, a large percentage of which are not due for some time after. Default has never and will never be a possibility. It is another fantasy issue.

 

[amanuensis63]

Asked several times if the ceiling should be raised, Carson said he would "not sign an increased budget."​

It seems that CNN and the OP are confused about the debt ceiling. Ben Carson is not.

No, he is asked a direct question about X and he answers it by talking about non-X. It is a clear indication he didn't even understand that the Debt Ceiling has nothing to do with debts in the future, but rather related to debts already incurred and obligated.

If I asked you what you were going to do about the overdraft charge in your checking account and you said you were going to write fewer checks next month, it would indicate you have no understanding that you still need to pay the overdraft charge from this month.

Anyone who can justify Ben's actions in this interview clearly is so partisan that Ben Carson could have answer with a statement about his favorite "cat names" and they'd find a way to spin it as a legitimate answer. LOL.

 

[amanuensis63]

LOL ... he understood the "gotcha" question completely.

It's not a "gotcha question" for the legislators facing it in just a few weeks. The last time this went to the limit it ended up costing the US a credit rating point or two. Thanks Tea Party.

He didn't play the game

You mean the game of telling us what he supports in terms of legislative policy? That "game"? Well, considering how much you seem to support Trump or Carson I'm guessing that IS considered a game to you.

The rest of us would use it as a chance to learn what we are voting for or against.

 

[amanuensis63]

Where was the "gotcha"? And what evidence is there that he understood it?

That seems to be the excuse every time a candidate fumbles, LOL. I guess if "What do you read?" is a "gotcha" question, then anything could be.

It certainly will be the standard response for people who support Trump or Carson. These are two gentlemen who are uniquely unqualified for the presidency, so any time it becomes clear they haven't a clue their supports will simply claim their answer was some "deeper wisdom" or the question was a bad question.

To be fair, anyone who supports these two candidates pretty much has to accept that they are backing the absolute worst candidates for the position and this will be their lot in life as a "defensor fides" for these guys until they ultimately lose.

 

[grasping the after wind]

No, he is asked a direct question about X and he answers it by talking about non-X. It is a clear indication he didn't even understand that the Debt Ceiling has nothing to do with debts in the future, but rather related to debts already incurred and obligated.

If I asked you what you were going to do about the overdraft charge in your checking account and you said you were going to write fewer checks next month, it would indicate you have no understanding that you still need to pay the overdraft charge from this month.

Anyone who can justify Ben's actions in this interview clearly is so partisan that Ben Carson could have answer with a statement about his favorite "cat names" and they'd find a way to spin it as a legitimate answer. LOL.

The only way to stay under the debt ceiling is to stop increasing the debt. How does one do that? By cutting deficit spending before one reaches it or doing so as one reaches it. If you reach the debt ceiling then you stop deficit spending and you will not go past it.
that does not mean you stop paying your debts that means you stop incurring any new debt. The debt will not rise past the ceiling unless more debt is incurred AFTER the ceiling has been reached. Therefore cutting future spending( that being any spending not already obligated to at the moment the debt ceiling has been reached) to the point at which no new debt will be incurred will effectively satisfy the requirements of the debt ceiling. Of course, Carson was IMO simply noting to the CNN propagandist that he would see to it that spending was reduced before the debt ceiling would be reached in the first place but the CNN propagandist wanted to pretend he was not understanding the question. Trying to imply that a man of Carson's well documented intellect was somehow too dense to understand the silliness that is called the debt ceiling is far fetched indeed. Meanwhile people of a different skin shade and gender are given a pass by the same propaganda outlets with comments so obtuse and clueless ( vast right wing conspiracy, What difference does it make, wiped? you mean with a cloth? ) that if I were incapable of being objective and seeing that it was actually political philosophy that was at work here, I would want to accuse them of being racist and sexist.

 

[DaisyDay]

The bills that are due at the time of reaching a budget ceiling will not be defaulted on.

Budget ceiling? We're talking about a debt ceiling which is the amount of money we can borrow to pay our debt. Budget and debt are two different, although related, things.

They do not comprise enough to pass the ceiling.

They do and have from time to time which is when Congress must raise the ceiling on the permissible amount the Treasury can borrow.

If they did, the past government shutdowns would have caused a default which they did not do.

The government shutdowns were to avoid defaults by not paying discretionary bills (federal salaries - workers were forced to go on unpaid furloughs, for example) until Congress allowed the Treasury to borrow the money to pay for what Congress' budget required it to spend. We came so close to a default that our credit rating was adversely affected which meant our rates automatically went up, which ironically also increased our debt for nothing.

Default cannot occur unless the government refuses to pay the debts they have accrued and the ceiling is not the same as the sum total of the debts due but the total of the obligations, a large percentage of which are not due for some time after.

When the ceiling is hit, the government cannot borrow any more money to pay its debts that are currently due. This should never happen, but Congress has started to use default as a negotiating tool by refusing to raise the ceiling when it is hit. They know that it will be hit and when because they make the budget which the President is obligated to follow.

Default has never and will never be a possibility. It is another fantasy issue.

Not if the certain Congressmen have their druthers.