A lot of questions about Dr. Ben's solutions. CW interrupted quite a bit but I really liked what Dr. Ben had to say and how he said it.
BTW, he has tabled his previous plan and laid out a new one. CW tried going "Ah ha!" but Dr. Ben simply said, in essence, "With new information and interaction with smart people with good ideas, I evolve my thinking. Don't you?"
Transcript:
http://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2015/10/25/dr-ben-carson-talks-surge-in-polls-fundraising-rep-jim-jordan-on-status/ Let's start with those new numbers out of Iowa, a Des Moines Register poll shows you leading Trump 28 percent to 19 percent, a swing of 14 points in your favor since August. A Quinnipiac poll has you leading from 28 percent to 20 percent. And in that poll, an astronomical 84 percent of Iowans have a favorable opinion of you, only 10 percent unfavorable.
Dr. Carson, what's going on?
CARSON: Well, I think people are actually having an opportunity to listen to me. It really shows the power of social media and of word of mouth because as you know, you know, a lot of the media has it in for me. But, you know, if people listen to them, you know, I would be polling at less than zero.
But the fact of the matter is, you know, this is a very serious time in our nation. And it's a time when people have to make a clear decision of which direction do we want to go in? Is truth and integrity something important? Are traditional American values something important? Or are we ready to turn over everything and get rid of all of our values for the sake of political correctness?
This is a very crucial election.
WALLACE: This is also one of the first times, one of the few times that Donald Trump has trailed in the polls. Here was his reaction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, R-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have a breaking story: Donald Trump has fallen to second place behind Ben Carson. We informed Ben, but he was sleeping.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Now, he went after you as even more low energy than Jeb Bush. He said you're very weak on immigration. He even questioned your faith as a Seventh Day Adventist.
Dr. Carson, what do you make of that?
CARSON: Well, it's kind of interesting because the conflict that we had a couple of months ago is he thought I was questioning his faith and he went ballistic on that. So, it seems a little interesting that he would now be doing that.
You know, I really refuse to really get into the mud pit. You know, Hillary actually was right when she said, you know, that the Republicans are there trying to destroy each other. I really think that was a huge mistake in the last cycle, and I’m certainly not going to get into that no matter what anybody says.
WALLACE: Do you think it shows something about Trump? Says something about his character?
CARSON: Well, he is who he is. I don't think that's going to change. And I am who I am. That's not going to change either.
So, you know, neither one of us probably is going to be somebody who is going to be managed by handlers, because that's not who we are. And the way I kind of look at it, if people resonate what I’m talking about, they will know it's the truth and what I truly believe. And if they like that, and it works with them and they feel I’m the good representative for them, that's great. I would love to have their vote.
And if they don't want me, that's fine, too. Because I would never lie just to get an office. I wouldn't be happy and the people wouldn't be happy.
WALLACE: You have also started a $500,000 ad buy in the four early voting states, with the tag line "heal, inspire, revive". Here's a clip.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CAMPAIGN AD)
CARSON: Washington is broken. The political class broke it. Together, we can drain the swamp and protect our children's future.
I’m Ben Carson, and I approve this message.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Doctor, you're doing well with social conservative, but what's your pitch to Republicans across the political spectrum?
CARSON: Well, basically, the pitch is America right now is in terrible trouble. I mean, we have to stop all the divisiveness, recognize we're Americans first, not Republicans or Democrats. We have to begin to take care of those who are coming behind us.
Our children are precious. The fact that we could be spending up their future and some people don't even think it's a problem, we have to become fiscally responsible. And it's absolutely crucial that we deal with the global jihadist movement and with Putin's ambitions, and with all of the things that are going on that are because we have not taken a leadership position in the world.
WALLACE: Well, let me pick up on that, because, obviously, as you rise in the polls, your policies, you plans attract new attention, especially your plan to end Medicare, which serves 49 million senior citizens, and Medicaid, which serves 72 million low-income Americans.
Before we get into your plan, let me make sure I’ve got this right. Dr. Carson, you would end Medicare?
CARSON: No, that's completely false. And that's a narrative that somebody's putting out there to scare people.
What the program that I have outlined using health savings accounts starting from the time you are born until the time you die, largely eliminates the need for people to be dependent on government programs like that. But I would never get rid of the programs. I would provide people with an alternative. I think they will see that the alternative that we're going to outline is so much better than anything else that they will flock to it.
WALLACE: Well, I -- let me make sure I got this right, because this seems to me to be a bit of a change.
So, you’re saying that you would have a choice. You could either do health savings accounts or you could have the traditional Medicare?
CARSON: Oh, yes, I do not believe in imposing things upon people. I believe in presenting things that are so attractive that people will very quickly migrate to them.
WALLACE: But here's the concern a lot of people have about this plan. You would give the same $2,000 a year to every individual whether it's a low-income --
CARSON: No.
WALLACE: -- sick person.
CARSON: No.
WALLACE: Well, that's what you were saying, sir.
CARSON: No, that -- that's the old plan. That's been gone for several months now. The plan now for funding health savings accounts is using the same dollars that we use for traditional health care. We already spend twice as much per capita on health care as many other countries in the world. Utilizing that money, the place where the government would come in is with the indigent because that's where Medicaid comes in. The Medicaid budget is $400 billion to $500 billion a year and we have 80 million people who participate, which is way too many and we can fix that by fixing the economy.
(CROSSTALK)
WALLACE: So, how does the health savings account work if there's no government subsidy?
CARSON: Well, let me just tell you. I’m telling you right now, with the indigent people, 80 million into $400 billion goes 5,000 times -- $5,000 each man, woman and child. What could you buy with that? A concierge practice generally costs $2,000 to $3,000 a year. And you still have a couple thousand dollars left over for catastrophic insurance, which is much cheaper now because the only thing coming out of it is catastrophic insurance.
WALLACE: So, what about --
CARSON: Everything else is going to come out of your health savings account. So --
WALLACE: How do you get the money for your health savings account? I’m not talking about Medicaid, I’m talking about Medicare, because you used to say you were going to end Medicare and have a $2,000 government fee to every individual, man, woman and child.
CARSON: That's gone. That is off the table. We're not having the government do that. I don't want a big government program.
You know, I’ve -- the one thing about me, I'll tell you something. I’m not a politician. So I don't say that because I thought this a while ago before I had an opportunity to talk to a lot of economists and various people and cost it out that I can't change my mind.
One of the things that's very important about our country, we have a lot of incredibly smart people with a lot of experience doing things. I listen to that. When I’m out on the road, I listen to people have to say --
WALLACE: But, sir, I’m a little --
CARSON: -- because how can you have a representative government --
WALLACE: Let me -- don't mean to interrupt, but I’m a little bit confused. So, if I’m a regular person, I’m not indigent and I -- you're going to give me a health savings account, but you're not going to give me any money, why wouldn't I want Medicare? What's the advantage of the health savings account?
CARSON: Well, remember, you already if you're a regular person have a job. And they're already giving you some health benefits. So, instead of that money going into the inefficient system that it goes in now, it gets divided and divvied up into your family's health savings account over which you now have control and to which you can contribute anything you want. That's the difference.
WALLACE: But isn't that the --
(CROSSTALK)
CARSON: That money -- that money is already there.
WALLACE: Doesn't that mean there's going to be government money going into my health savings account?
CARSON: If there's already government money going into it, it certainly could, absolutely.
WALLACE: And would that be $2,000?
CARSON: But not -- but not new government money. No, the same -- listen carefully, because this is the concept that sometimes can be confusing.
WALLACE: OK.
CARSON: The amount of money that we are already spending for health care in this country is astronomical. And it's almost twice as much as many other countries in the world. And yet, we have terrible problems with access.
If we take those same dollars and divert them into a system that gives you control over your home health care, you and your health care provider cut out the middle man, the bureaucracy. Those dollars go much further. We won't have to use a many of them. The dollars are already there, Chris.
WALLACE: I understand, but they're in a government system.
Last question, I want to understand -- all right. Let's say I’ve retired, OK? I had a job, I had health insurance, now I’ve retired and I need government help for my health care. Where's that money coming from?
CARSON: The same place -- the same dollars that would be going to you through Medicare would go into your health savings account. You continue to use it just like you have been using. However --
WALLACE: So, in other words, does the government (INAUDIBLE) as a senior citizen?
(CROSSTALK)
CARSON: Right. If you decide you don't like that system and you prefer just to keep the system like it is, I’m not going to deny you the privilege of doing that.
