Richard94611

What a sorry situation the Republicans are in if they believe Carson to be p**********l material. Here is a bit of enlightenment from another neurosurgeon:



(Richard94611 -- I have posted the below but did not write it.)


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Dr. Ben Carson is Not Smart

By neuroguy
Monday Nov 09, 2015 2:44 PM PST

I’ve followed the phenomenon of Ben Carson’s popularity among the GOP base with a mix of bemusement, irritation, and, like most of you, disbelief. What prompts me to submit my first blog entry is the pervasive misuse of the word “smart” by journalists of all stripes when describing Dr. Carson. We’ve all seen a variation of this point in almost every story: “He is obviously very smart because he is a neurosurgeon but…”. Even journalists I admire confess confusion at how he can be so smart yet harbor such outlandish ideas.

“Smart” is a multifaceted cognitive feature composed of excellent analytical sk**ls, possession of an extensive knowledge base that is easily and frequently augmented, possession of a good memory, and being readily curious about the world and willing, even eager, to reject previously accepted notions in the face of new data. Being smart includes having the ability to analyze new data for validity and, thinking creatively, draw new insights from existing common knowledge.

As a neurologist in practice for 20 years and one who has worked closely with many neurosurgeons I can assure you, Dr. Ben Carson does not meet the above criteria. Not even close. He is a painfully ignorant person. This is an easy point to defend. From his statements on the pyramids as grain silos, his rejection of extensive, confirmatory evidence of c*****e c****e, to his glaringly unworkable alternative to Medicare, most Americans out of the conservative media bubble are familiar with the litany of uninformed, intellectually shabby statements he has made over the last few months.

My point is that neurosurgeons are not automatically smart because they are neurosurgeons. To get through training and have any sort of practice they must be disciplined, have immense ego strength, a reasonably good memory, and have mental and physical stamina. However, like many other doctors, they are not always smart. Neurosurgeons, like other surgeons, can be outstanding technicians but that is different than being intellectually brilliant. A truly brilliant internal medicine specialist once told me that “you can train anyone to perform a procedure”. I’ve seen surgical assistants perform technically difficult procedures with stunning alacrity. It’s the old rule: do something enough times and you will get damn good at it.

One feature shared by neurosurgeons far out of proportion to other doctors is a large ego. All doctors can be accused of having big egos but more than other specialists, neurosurgeons- Ben Carson is exhibit 1 in this regard-have pathologically large egos. You know, the kind of ego that requires not one large self-portrait prominently displayed in an ostentatious mansion but a second of Mr. Ego sitting with Jesus; at the right hand of Jesus.

So, professional journalists, bloggers, and all those who post comments at Daily Kos and elsewhere, please stop using the word smart to describe Dr. Carson in the first clause of your sentence. Leave that one out and stay with the subsequent clauses detailing his ignorant beliefs and intellectually sloppy policy proposals.

If there is any interest in this essay I will be happy to explain, from the perspective of a practitioner, why his proposals for health-care are stunningly unworkable and, well, dumb.

JMHO Loc: Utah

We're not even close to being in the sorry state you moron Democrats are in, pal. Any one, ANY ONE, of the Republican candidates would do a far job as president than your corrupt lying socialist candidates would...it's not even close. Now, go bow down to your idol Hillary and kiss her feet...libtard.

Richard94611

Right away, Massa

plainlogic

There will never come a day when anyone can sway the progressive socialists from their ideologue stance. First you have to know where they are coming from. More often than not, they are the product of our education systems teachings. Anyway, this is where they're at.

http://www.diffen.com/difference/C*******m_vs_Socialism

This is their ideology, it's where they think this Nation should be and why they're following Obama, and this Nation into the abyss.

Richard94611

The more rapidly we can fall into that abyss, the better.

Docadhoc Loc: Elsewhere

Is it possible that you can explain why?

Richard94611

I assume that by "falling into the abyss" you mean that we would have achieved many or most of the progressive stances current potential Democratic candidates for the presidency subscribe to. I approve of most of these political positions. One, however, that comes immediately to mind that I disagree with is Hillary's comment that a minimum wage of $15/hour is too high. In this respect, she's wrong. Her relationship with Wall Street and the banks is a little too close for comfort, in my opinion. I would like to see single-payer, universal health care. I approve of raising taxes on the top 1%. I would like to see the Post Office take on some of the functions of banks. I would like to see social security benefits raised. Etc, etc, etc. You know very well what we progressives favor, so I don't need to spend the next hour listing them.

plainlogic

Of course, a true socialist believes that. The sad thing is, if they get what they want, they will be the first to complain and cry, that, that's not what they wanted.

Docadhoc Loc: Elsewhere

I didn't mean anything regarding "falling into the abyss" because I didn't say it. I asked you why it sounds like you think that would a good thing. You read that comment from another poster.

I will say that I agree with some of the left's goals. Not there tactics nor how they plan to achieve some of thod e goals. For one, there isn't enough money to achieve raising soc sec et al, while at the same time continue to support 11 million people who are in our country against our laws. Our people should come before the illegal ones. If that sounds cruel or not humanitarian, tell that to a family living here in poverty legally. To not care for our own, in favor of those here against our laws,......THAT to me is inhumane..

plainlogic

We see where the socialists and the GOP rinos have taken this Nation. They cause the problems, then try and fix the problem they started. They're so far in the rabbit hole by then, they totally have no clue how they did it. Time and time again, same thing. Then you come along and say, I would like to see the Post Office take on some of the functions of banks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/05/business/in-internet-age-postal-service-struggles-to-stay-solvent-and-relevant.html?_r=0

That my friend, with one foot in the door for C*******m, is what you and the rest of the Socialist ilk want..

Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do.

Richard94611

I hardly want the post office to be "involved with the banks." To clarify, I would like the post office to take on many functions of the banks, competing with them.

Many of the problems in this country have been caused by the faulty view of economics that conservatives subscribe to. "Trickle down economics" doesn't work. It is a disaster. Yet conservatives seem unable to understand this, and have been pushing it and practicing it for years, to the detriment of this country.

plainlogic

You clarified alright. " I would like the post office to take on many functions of the banks ". You did see where the Postal Dept is in debt and about to fail because of the ineptness.

You want these same people involved with " many functions of the banks. " This is exactly what government has done with the mortgage debacle. You certainly want the amoral people continue on in their positions. You don't see it, you are a Socialist and myopic. You need to think outside the box.

By what you say of "Trickle Down Economics" yeah it failed. There have been many forms of it, it doesn't work.This administration hasn't done a good job from lookng at history, of what does or doesn't work. The only thing this administration has accomplished is raising the debt by 8 trillion +; and a million a minute. http://usadebtclock.com/
Socialism really works if your using other peoples money.

JMHO Loc: Utah

Yeah, you're just not satisfied with the current stagnant economy, you want to destroy it completely! And, your socialist ideas will do exactly that, pal. Hell, I'll go one up on you, confiscate all, that's right, all of the money from anyone making over $100,000...take it all. And, guess what, you wouldn't have enough to run the government for six months! Socialism, and all of their failed ideas haven't worked anywhere it has been tried, so why do you think it will work here? One thing about you socialists, that support a single-payer government run healthcare system, that blows my mind, is that you are willing to trust a government who can't run the VA or Post Office, to take care of your healthcare needs!!! Stupid!!!!!!!!!!

JMHO Loc: Utah

You trust the absolutely incompetent inefficient Post Office to get involved with the banks???!!!!! Man, you are absolutely delusional, and not the brightest bulb in the room.

Kazudy

Richard,you be the dumb one. I'm willing to bet that Dr.Carson's I.Q. is higher then yours,but all you Kool-Aid drinking liberals are so scared that Carson (and rightly so) will beat HiLIARy all you can do is attempt to make him look dumb,but keep it up,his popularity and his donations keep going up,so thank you AND keep it up.