Paul / Carson 2016 ? Carson speaks about Rand

[jmdrake]

If he doesn't support legalization/de-criminalization, he supports the drug war. There is no gray area.

Ben Carson on drugs:

http://www.ontheissues.org/Ben_Carson.htm#Drugs

Marijuana for medical use, but not for recreational use. (Jan 2014)
Marijuana for medical use ok, but not recreational use. (Jan 2014)
Religion kept me away from 1960s sex and drugs. (Jan 2012)
Reducing blood alcohol limit to .02 reduces drunk driving. (Jan 2012)

Rand Paul on drugs:

Click here for 6 full quotes on Drugs OR other candidates on Drugs OR background on Drugs.

Don't promote marijuana but don't jail non-violent criminals. (Mar 2013)
Tackle drug problem; no one cares where funding comes from. (Oct 2010)
Community treatment instead of federal anti-drug programs. (Aug 2010)
Drug abuse isn't a pressing issue; 10-20 years is too harsh. (Aug 2010)
Favors legalizing medical marijuana. (May 2010)
Exclude industrial hemp from definition of marijuana. (Aug 2012)

Both favor legalizing medical marijuana. Neither has come out for full decriminalization of marijuana. Now if only a hardcore anti drug war candidate is good enough, maybe you can get Tom Tancredo to run again.

 

[jmdrake]

How does a social conservative like Carson help Rand in a general election? Rand is already cautiously catering to the religious right for the nomination.

Ben Carson is also antiwar, he's generally liked by most Americans, he would probably help some with minority voters, the fact that he grew up poor and has spent much of his life working at a hospital that helps poor people undermines the whole "Republicans don't care about the poor" rhetoric.



Also many blacks are religious social conservatives but vote democrat for various other reasons. (Mainly left over love from JFK signing the CRA and Lyndon Johnson pushing the great society. Richard Nixon instituting affirmative action got lost in the shuffle for some reason.)

That said, neither he nor Rand have much foreign policy experience. But considering how much our foreign policy has been undermining our own interests that might not be a bad thing. Still it's too early to talk VPs. It's not too early to talk allies. Ben Carson might not even run. If he doesn't, wouldn't we want his endorsement?

 

[Vanguard101]

Carson says stupid things like Allen West. He won't be liked by blacks. Tim Scott is much more appealing in terms of his rhetoric towards minorities. If we could have the person carson and the rhetoric of Scott, it would be a solid VP ticket.