In an era dominated by partisan politics and media narratives that often glorify grievance, Dr. Ben Carson stands out as a voice of reason, personal responsibility, and practical solutions. Much like Booker T. Washington in the early 20th century, Carson recognizes the perils of a political class that thrives on keeping marginalized communities dependent and divided.
Washington’s Warning Echoes Today
Booker T. Washington once wrote in 1911: “There is another class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs — partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs.”
More than a century later, Dr. Carson observes the same dynamic in American politics, particularly among Democratic leaders whose power, he says, “resides in poverty.”
The Politics of Poverty
Speaking on Breitbart News Daily, Carson reflected on his time as HUD Secretary under the Trump administration. His initial optimism, believing both sides could unite around solutions to lift people out of poverty, quickly gave way to frustration.
“Quite the opposite,” he said. “There are many people whose power base resides in poverty, and they don’t want people to get out. They want people to feel like they’re victims and everybody’s against them, except for them. They say, ‘I’m your savior.’ And unfortunately, there are a large number of people who fall for that.”
Carson’s insight mirrors Washington’s caution against those who profit from persistent grievance rather than genuine progress.
Solutions Through Education and Empowerment
Where Washington emphasized vocational training and self-reliance as paths out of poverty, Dr. Carson focuses on health, nutrition, and knowledge as tools for empowerment. In his current role as the Agriculture Department’s national adviser for nutrition, health, and housing, Carson advocates for policies that make nutritious, tasty foods accessible to participants in the SNAP program while limiting taxpayer funding for empty calories.
“There are environmental factors, like the way food is eaten and prepared, that have a profound effect upon us, and we can do something about it,” Carson explained. “If it were something that was inevitable, that’d be one thing, but this is a choice, and that choice is governed by knowledge, and we have to give that to people — not in a condescending way, in a loving way that helps people to understand that they have a choice in what happens to them.”
This focus on practical knowledge and personal responsibility is the hallmark of both Washington and Carson—solutions that empower rather than exploit.
Bottom Line: Rejecting Victimhood, Embracing Opportunity
Dr. Ben Carson’s philosophy is clear: progress comes not from perpetuating grievance, but from providing tools and education to help individuals take control of their lives. By advocating policies that promote health, independence, and opportunity, Carson embodies the principles Booker T. Washington championed more than a century ago.
In a political climate where some benefit from chronic victim narratives, Carson’s message is refreshingly direct: empowerment, education, and personal responsibility—not endless lamentation—are the paths to a better future.
We are so screwed.
— Steve
