The Curious Case of Ben Carson

From the moment Ben Carson entered the world of politics, he was seen as an enigmatic figure. After running a surprisingly successful Presidential Campaign in 2016, Carson kept in close contact with Donald Trump, serving as an advisor, and eventually becoming his pick for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Once Carson was confirmed by the Senate, he kept relatively quiet, but made headlines nearly every time he spoke. On his first day as Secretary of HUD, Carson made a puzzling statement comparing slaves to voluntary immigrants, which caused outrage from numerous organizations, including the NAACP. A few weeks later, Carson made an appearance to show support for a HUD program that the President announced he was cutting just days earlier. Carson, who grew up in public housing, was heavily criticized for being unqualified to serve as Secretary of HUD. Despite this criticism, the Senate voted in favor of Carson 58-41, and he quietly became the face of government housing in America.
Although the former neurosurgeon’s tenure as Secretary of HUD has been controversial, it has not been entirely negative. Two months before Carson’s confirmation, the HUD’s Office of the Inspector General ordered an audit on the department’s spending during 2015 and 2016. Once he was confirmed, Carson requested that the audit would be continued. Once completed, a staggering 520 billion dollars in accounting errors was discovered. While not all of this money can be reinvested into HUD programs, it suggests that the department was not using its resources effectively under the Obama administration. Furthermore, it gives President Trump’s plan to “do more with less” in terms of federal spending some validity.
While the discovery of these accounting errors might suggest a bright future for HUD, that outcome can only be retained if Carson’s leadership can help the department spend effectively and efficiently. As recently as April 18th, middle schoolers living in government housing in Cairo, Illinois wrote Carson, begging him to improve their living spaces. The housing complexes the students live in has reportedly been overrun with rodents and cockroaches, making it a health risk for all residents. Hopefully stories like this can inspire Carson to take action, and use his role to positively affect the circumstances of those currently living in housing provided by HUD. There’s countless housing complexes in similar conditions to the complexes seen in Cairo, and there’s no doubt that the money Carson has recovered could be used to change those conditions. As Carson continues his tenure as Secretary of HUD, it will be important for him to remember that the money he saves is only as good as the change he can make with said money.