This country doesn’t need another lawyer or political scientist as president. The only goal lawyers and political scientists have is to win — from winning a simple case for a client to helping win an election for themselves or a candidate.
Winning never guarantees the candidate knows how to solve the problems the nation faces. But when you vote for a professional problem-solver, you at least have a better chance. That’s why Benjamin Carson is the leader this country needs.
Carson is a world-renowned neurosurgeon. He was the first doctor to separate Siamese twins at the head and has performed other groundbreaking surgical procedures. He is a brilliant man.
One of the biggest concerns when choosing a candidate is how relatable the public finds them to be. Carson’s modest upbringing shows not only that he is relatable but also that success is possible for anyone.
Carson grew up in inner-city Detroit, the most impoverished city in the nation, according to Time magazine in 2014. His mother’s hard work and his own perseverance allowed him to graduate high school with honors. Carson went on to earn a degree in psychology from Yale University and his medical degree at the University of Michigan Medical School.
Carson’s inspiring story and beliefs make him one of my favorite candidates for the 2016 presidential election. His plans for economic, social and military reform would largely benefit the country.
During Fox News’ primary debate in August, Carson’s plan for tax reform caught my attention. The plan includes a 10 percent flat tax on all income and the removal of deductions and loopholes. The plan would simplify the tax code and shrink the IRS to a smaller organization.
Those in opposition to a flat tax voice concerns on the injustice of stopping those who make more from paying more. To me, the real injustice is the 43 percent of the country who did not pay income taxes in 2013, according to the Tax Policy Center.
The truth is, 10 percent across the board is fair for everyone. As the good doctor said in the debate, “You make $10 billion, you pay a billion. You make $10, you pay one. And everybody gets treated the same way.”
His beliefs of fairness and equality resounded later in the debate. Carson was asked how he would heal the racial divide in the country. Carson mentioned the “purveyors of hatred” turn every incident into a race war.
He went on to say our country’s strength is derived from our unity and those seeking to divide us should be stopped. In an interview with NPR, Carson was asked why he doesn’t talk about race.
Carson said, “Because I am a neurosurgeon. … You see, when I take someone to the operating room, I’m actually operating on the thing that makes them who they are. The skin doesn’t make them who they are. The hair doesn’t make them who they are. And it’s time for us to move beyond that.”
His beliefs on racial equality are exactly what this country needs to move forward into a better future. And this better future will only be sustainable if our military is able to defend us and our allies. Carson said our military state is weakened, and the U.S. turned its back on its allies.
When asked his opinion on waterboarding, Carson said, “We’ve gotten into this — this mindset of fighting politically correct wars. There is no such thing as a politically correct war.”
Carson supports not tying the military’s hands behind its back. In modern times, the enemy is often unseen and will use anything at its disposal to harm others. These enemies do not follow the international laws of war, so why should we?
Although Carson had questionable stances in the past, including the mandatory registration of all firearms, his current position is strongly supportive of the Second Amendment. As Carson develops his political career further, his knowledge on what works and what doesn’t expands.
Despite people’s concerns about his lack of political history, he knows the problems and how to fix them, and he wants a better country for everyone.
Garrett Marcel is a 21-year-old petroleum engineering senior from Houma, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Gret419.