One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America's Future

by Ben Carson, Candy Carson

Dear Reader,

In February 2013 I gave a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. Standing a few feet from President Obama, I warned my fellow citizens of the dangers facing our country and called for a return to the principles that made America great.

Many Americans heard and responded, but our nation’s decline has continued. Today the danger is greater than ever before, and I have never shared a more urgent message than I do now. Our growing debt and deteriorating morals have driven us far from the founders’ intent. We’ve made very little progress in basic education. Obamacare threatens our health, liberty, and financial future. Media elitism and political correctness are out of control. Worst of all, we seem to have lost our ability to discuss important issues calmly and respectfully regardless of party affiliation or other differences. As a doctor rather than a politician, I care about what works, not whether someone has an (R) or a (D) after his or her name. We have to come together to solve our problems.
Knowing that the future of my grandchildren is in jeopardy because of reckless spending, godless government, and mean-spirited attempts to silence critics left me no choice but to write this book. I have endeavored to propose a road out of our decline, appealing to every American’s decency and common sense. If each of us sits back and expects someone else to take action, it will soon be too late. But with your help, I firmly believe that America may once again be “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Sincerely,

Ben Carson

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Biography, History, Self Help, Political Science, Memoir

256 pages, Hardcover

First published May 20, 2014

About the author

Benjamin Solomon "Ben" Carson, Sr., M.D. is an American neurosurgeon and the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States by President George W. Bush in 2008.

Reviews

[Alexander Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the fairest political books I've read. Ben Carson, along with his wife, have a knack for direct, insightful, but fair observations on the landscape surrounding them. While Mr. Carson undoubtedly falls on the more Conservative side of the spectrum he still criticizes the GOP frequently. He does his best to state his opponents views with an air of respect, and then politely describe why he disagreed. His analysis of different issues is engaging and illuminating, but what makes the book truly valuable is Mr. Carson's demonstrations of respectful debate, which he believes could unite this country. A must-read for anyone who cares about the United States' future.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book. At least some of this book. Carson is brilliant, with such a sensible and reasoned approach to the difficulties our fractured nation is facing today. With malice toward none and encouragement for all. Such good stuff.

[Lillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit I am a big fan of Dr. Ben Carson and have read and liked several of his books. So I was predisposed to like this book, and I did.

Although I agree with most of what he says, I like that he encourages readers to think for themselves. He wants people to form their own educated opinions, based on knowledge and wisdom. He is a big supporter of education and created and operates a nonprofit to encourage and help good students. putting his beliefs into action, unlike many who want other people to pay for programs they believe in.

Each chapter of the book begins with a quote from Proverbs and ends with action steps for readers to educate themselves and engage in conversations about important issues.

Dr. Carson encourages everyone to become involved in the political process to turn our country around. Too many politicians are more interested in their own re-election than in the good of the country, and too many people listen to what politicians say but don't really know what they do (or don't do). We the people have to take our country back and turn it around--back to the Constitution and the limited government the founders envisioned. To do this, we have to quit demonizing people with whom we disagree and recognize that good people can have different opinions. Respect and honest debate are more effective than name-calling. I highly recommend this book for anyone who cares about our country and wants to see it return to traditional values and the Constitution.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't think it was very good. In fact, I didn't even finish the book. He's' very arrogant and his writing is the same! I think he isn't aware of a lot of things or at least doesn't approach the reality of what he writes.

Kudos to him for having a high IQ and making it into Medical School and becoming the Dr. who developed a way to save babies. He assumes that anyone can do the same. Work hard, go to college. I don't disagree with what he is saying but for much of the population he is talking about it's just not very realistic.

I just didn't like the flag waving, full of himself, arrogance at a time when this country is facing a horrible future! Would love for Amazon to start buying back e-books! I'd gladly give this one back.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admire Dr. Ben Carson greatly. He has a phenomenal understanding of politics and many of the most pressing issues affecting the United States. He does not demean those who disagree with him, but rather presents his ideas of what he believes and how we as a nation can work together to make changes.

He was poor as a child and his mother had only a third-grade education, but she was wise. She taught him and his brother not to use their disadvantages as excuses but rather to think and work their way up in the world. She taught them to think for themselves and to live within their means and Dr. Carson encourages his readers to do the same and to work for the same in society.

Dr. Carson encourages readers to examine their own beliefs and to form educated opinions. He stresses the value of education over and over again. And he puts his money where his mouth is. He and his wife created and operate a nonprofit to encourage and help motivated but economically disadvantaged students.

Each chapter of the book ends with action steps for readers to educate themselves and engage in conversations about important issues. In "One Nation," Dr. Carson doesn't denigrate everything and everyone who thinks differently, but rather encourages us to work together to find areas of agreement and creative solutions. This book distinguishes itself with its strong structure of common sense, basic morality, and a willingness to compromise and listen to opposing views.

Dr. Carson advocates that we as a nation reject political correctness which stifles open and honest debate. He encourages everyone to become involved in the political process to turn our country around. He bemoans the fact that many people don't bother to vote or don't take the time to thoroughly research the issues and the background of the candidates before voting. Dr. Ben Carson's ideas of tax, welfare and health care reform have a lot of merit and I'm sure though not perfect, would work much better than what we have now

[Tony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short on policy specifics with plenty of red meat for social conservatives. Not a single footnote anywhere in the book. No nuance, hardly any balance at ALL, with oversimplified answers to complex issues.

[Tim Chavel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Ben Carson is running for President! I am so happy we have someone running with his principles, character, and wisdom. This book explains his vision for our nation. He believes our nation was founded on Godly principles but we have strayed from them. He explains how we might be able to turn our nation around. I know the biggest knock on him running for president is his inexperience, but I think it is time to elect a Statesman instead of a politician. Our nation is in trouble and if we Americans continue to keep our heads buried in the sand we will continue to be part of the problem. Let's rally around a man that believes in the founders vision for our nation and start turning this nation back to its founding principles. Here are just a few quotes from his book. The Scripture verses are the quote at the beginning of each chapter and are appropriate for the contents of the chapter.

The Preface begins with an explanation of The 2013 Nation Prayer Breakfast speech that Dr. Carson gave. The Preface also contains the three quotes below.

FIVE doctors signed the Declaration of Independence

We need doctors, we need scientists, engineers. We need all those people involved in government, not just lawyers.

What will maintain our position in the world? The ability to shoot a 25-foot jump shot or the ability to solve a quadratic equation? We need to put things into proper perspective.

Chapter Title: Saving Our Future
Godliness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. Proverbs 14:34

Chapter Title: Political Correctness
Those who love to talk will experience the consequences, for the tongue can kill or nourish life. Proverbs 18:21

Chapter Title: Elitism
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

Chapter Title: Ignorance and Forgetfulness
Throw out the mocker, and fighting, quarrels, and insults will disappear. Anyone who loves a pure heart and gracious speech is the king's friend. The Lord preserves knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the deceitful. Proverbs 22:10-12

Chapter Title: Bigotry
It is sin to despise one's neighbors; blessed are those who help the poor. Proverbs 14:21

Chapter Title: No Winners In Political Fighting
A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. Proverbs 16:28

Chapter Title: Enslaving Our Children - Don't Sell The Future
Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner's wealth passes to the godly. Proverbs 13:22

Chapter Title: Pushing Back
If you fail under pressure your strength is not very great. Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don't stand back and let them die. Don't try to avoid responsibility by saying you didn't know about it. For God knows all hearts, and He sees you. He keeps watch over your soul, and He knows you knew! And He will judge all people according to what they have done. Proverbs 24:10-12

Chapter Title: Respectful Disagreement
So discuss the matter with them [your neighbors] privately. Don't tell anyone else, or others may accuse you of gossip. Then you will never regain your good reputation. Proverbs 25:9-10

Chapter Title: The Art Of Compromise
Without wise leadership, a nation falls; with many counselors, there is safety. Proverbs 11:14

Chapter Title: Becoming Informed
Only simpletons believe everything they are told! The prudent carefully consider their steps. Proverbs 14:15

Chapter Title: Wisdom and Knowledge
How much better to get wisdom than gold, and understanding than silver! Proverbs 16:16

Chapter Title: My Brother's Keeper
Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who help the poor honor Him. Proverbs 14:31

Chapter Title: Without A Vision
When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is happy. Proverbs 29:18

Chapter Title: Role Models
Do not carouse with drunkards and gluttons, for they are on their way to poverty. Too much sleep clothes a person with rags. Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don't despise your mother's experience when she is old. Proverbs 23:20-22

Chapter Title: The Origin Of Morality
Those who follow the right path fear the Lord; those who take the wrong path despise Him.

Chapter Title: Take Courage
Those who fear the Lord are secure; He will be a place of refuge for their children. Proverbs 14:26

Please consider voting for Dr. Carson!

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I began reading this book because I had heard Dr. Ben Carson was considering running for President of the United States. Having seen the movie, "Gifted Hands," I was familiar somewhat with his story and was impressed with him both as a person and as a world-renowned neurosurgeon. However, I was a bit skeptical of a potential bid for the presidency. After all, he has absolutely no political experience, legislative or executive. How could he possibly fill the office of chief executive without any prior experience?
When I mentioned on Facebook that I had started reading his book, a cousin (who didn't know much more about Dr. Carson than I did) commented that he thought Dr. Carson reminded him of Abraham Lincoln, "a good thinker." As I am a big Lincoln fan, I thought that was a pretty bold comparison. I also happened to be reading the Speeches and Letters of Abraham Lincoln at the time, so I read "One Nation" simultaneously with that sampling of Lincoln's "thinking."
While I can certainly report that there are some obvious differences between them, there are some core similarities that get me excited about a potential Carson run for the Presidency in 2016. For example, they both have a very magnanimous personality. While I don't know that very many public figures who can match my estimation of Lincoln on this point, Carson is sincerely striving for the same civility and respect that Lincoln modeled, even amidst differences of opinion, and that our country needs. They also both strongly believe in the hand of God in the formation and preservation of this nation. They both strongly believe in the importance of hard work and self-reliance as opposed to government care and systemic dependence on welfare. Also critical for what I believe our nation needs right now is the desire both men had for honest, sincere dialogue, free from the constraints of "political correctness." While Lincoln never used that term, he was very concerned about the same problem when Stephen Douglas would call people political heretics or disloyal if they disagreed with the Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision. Where would the United States be right now if Lincoln had decided to be "politically correct" and not speak out against what he felt was an unjust and incorrect decision from the highest court in the land? Oh, and by the way, Lincoln had never held an executive office of any kind before he became the chief executive for the country either!
One of my concerns in the early part of the book was that Dr. Carson didn't seem to have any concrete plans for what he would do to change the policies and practices of the government. The book lays a very philosophical foundation in the beginning. But he eventually came around to that in the book, and I can at least agree with Dr. Carson in principle on his ideas for fiscal reform, healthcare reform, tort reform, tax reform, energy independence, etc., even if details will have to be ironed out along the way during a Carson administration in the Oval Office-as with all past and future administrations.
Even if Dr. Carson doesn't become the Republican candidate for President and doesn't run for office, reading this book will help you be a better American and a better person. But if you are tired of politics-and politicians!-as usual running this country, I would invite you to seriously consider supporting Dr. Ben Carson in 2016! (runbenrun.org)

[Fred Kohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this well written, easy to read book. One Nation stands out as a jewel in the vast wasteland of the books produced by the religious right, and I really wished I could give it more than three stars. Despite my left-leaning outlook, I found myself agreeing with at least 2/3 of this book. (I was going to say 3/4 until I hit the anti-evolution rant. I know, I know, it was only a few pages, but it seemed much longer.) Ben Carson sets out to find common ground with his political opponents and, I think, for the most part he succeeds. While there is the usual right wing complaint about declining moral values, neglect of the poor is given great prominence over the tiring harping about abortion and homosexuality. The latter two are discussed, of course, but not in an offensive way, I thought. There are three points that are constantly hammered that I am in total agreement with: the uselessness of rancorous name-calling and the need for respectful dialogue, the lack of appreciation nowadays people generally have for the need of self-sacrifice, and the need to become educated on issues and make your own decision instead of letting pundits decide for you. I could have stood up and cheered when he recommended dropping the (R) and (D) beside candidate's names on the ballots so that voters could no longer rely on mindless party sorting to make their decisions. Each chapter ends with four questions to provoke thought and, for the most part, they succeed in doing so.

My main beef with the book was the constant harping on the "intellectual elites." Maybe such people have their problems, but they are much to be preferred to unintellectual elites such as Donald Trump and Rush Limbaugh who think they must be wise because either they have a lot of money or a lot of people listen to them. Despite claiming respect for economists and their complicated theories, Dr. Carson either shows no respect for these theories or no deep understanding of them (I suspect the latter.) The book is riddled with misinformation, mostly of an economic nature. It is hard to trust anybody who thinks that 35 billion dollars is 0.02% of 17 trillion dollars. (OK maybe that was a cheap shot. Maybe it was a misprint. But who the heck was fact checking this book, anyway?) Like anybody, I would like to think that running the federal budget should be as simple as adjusting a few simple parameters like spending and taxing, but it just doesn't work that way. That is why economists distinguish between microeconomics and macroeconomics. Macroeconomics is a hugely complex subject, and one shouldn't feign knowing anything about it because they can successfully balance the family budget.

I had to chuckle a bit at the suggestion that we read Saul Alinsky in order to better understand "radical progressives." Despite what Dr. Carson seems to think, we liberals aren't any more likely to have a copy of Rules for Radicals on our shelves next to Origin of Species that conservatives are to have David Duke's books next to their copy of Atlas Shrugged.

So sure, at the end of the day Dr. Carson and I have a lot of disagreements. But I was happy to find a hard core conservative that I can respect.

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome. I've had tremendous respect for other presidential candidates in the past. I am now age 35 and Ben Carson is the first 'potential' candidate that I've been actually excited about. This book may have lacked in some literary areas but all I could focus on was the content of the message and Ben's common sense, tolerance, and yet principled views laced with logic and compassion really touched me. I don't agree with all of his political views, but as he says, its better to have a leader you agree with 90% than 100%, because you can actually trust you know where they truly stand. I consider myself a moderate libertarian, fiscally conservative, socially liberal, and a geopolitical realist. I hope that many who consider themselves moderate and liberal will also take the time to read this book and or get to know Mr. Carson through other media. His ideas are worth understanding for all Americans and you don't need to get hung up on labels like 'conservative' or stances on specific issues.

[Michael Charton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always admired Dr. Carson, from his work as head of Pediatric Surgery at Johns Hopkins University to his overcoming a poverty stricken Detroit upbringing.

One Nation seems to have come out of his speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2013. It is his philosophy of the direction, we as Americans should take.

Many will not like the religiousness, but that's who he is. As Americans, he is also calling on us to get involved. There are action plans at the end of each chapter.

Many of the ideas are common sense. Don't take my word for it. Read it and make up your own mind.

[Ray Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Carson has the answers to the current problems facing our nation. Refute political correctness. Relearn the art of compromise. Be respectful to one another. Become informed, use common sense, logic and reasoning. Work together to balance the budget and lessen the national debt.

Although not an official candidate, Ben Carson is running for President. He should be elected in 2016 and reelected again in 2020. I know of no other person who possesses the wisdom, understanding, knowledge, truth, and peace that Dr. Carson does. It also helps that he is a genius.

[Eric Fritz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished it very quickly. While I don't agree with all of his political beliefs (he has a subtle conservative bias that was easy to recognize) he has great input into how we've fallen off as a country and how we must change for the better.

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Carson, in his book "One Nation", did an excellent job presenting common sense principles that grounded our country at its foundation. He opened each chapter with a verse from the book of Proverbs and then illustrated its principle. The book is not meant to be a highly academic reference, but rather a well written reminder of what the Bible has to say about government and the principles our country was founded upon. He is especially severe on this sense of political correctness that American citizens have been bullied into.

The prologue to the book is the transcript of Carson's speech at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast (which I highly recommend watching on youtube). My favorite part of the speech was when Carson indicated that there is now a fourth branch of government - special interest groups. I also really liked his statement about solutions, " . . . if you you don't accept excuses, pretty soon people stop giving them, and they start looking for solutions."

The following quotes/common sense principles were my favorite:

"People have been lead to become so sensitive that fault can be found in almost anything anyone says because somewhere, somehow, someone will be offended by it." - p. 13

"The best way not to be easily injured by others' speech is to step out of the center of the circle so everything is not about you." - p. 16

" . . . true compassion warrants the investment of intellectual capital into finding ways that people can be elevated and imbued with the can-do-attitude." - p. 29

"It is hoped and anticipated by the current administration, as well as previous administrations, that the majority of American citizens will be much more interested in what their professional sports teams are doing than they will be in holding leaders accountable." - p. 88

"Inaction by the grieved parties will only guarantee continuance of grievance." - p. 90

"Instead of succumbing to bullies, Americans need to grow backbones, examine their understanding of an issue, and push back if they are sure they are right. Being temporarily unpopular for your view is a small price to pay for moving our nation back from the brink of disaster." - p. 93

"Cultivating wide-ranging curiosity and careful study will provide the background we need to correctly analyze the words uttered by politicians and people in the media." - p. 128

" . . . the wise use of knowledge is more important than knowledge itself." - p. 141

"Instead of caring for the disabled and elderly, many Americans expect the government to care for them, resulting in a lowered standard of care and a ballooning national debt." - p. 153

"The only reason I can imagine that it would be a good idea for government to foster dependency in large groups of citizens is to cultivate a dependable voting bloc that will guarantee continued power as long as the entitlements are proved. The problem of course is that such a government will eventually 'run out of other people's money,' as Margaret Thatcher once famously said." - p. 158

"The Constitution was written primarily to protect the rights of the people and not the rights of the government to rule the people. It restrains the natural tendencies of government to expand while disregarding the rights of its constituents." - p. 172

" . . . many people who disagree with your beliefs find it more convenient to distort them than to refute them, so they can proclaim you to be an idiot." - p. 196

[Krisette Spangler · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! Mr. Carson is so wise and gentle in his approach to how to fix what's wrong with our nation. He tackles everything from the national debt to political correctness and gives his readers practical ways they can make a difference in our nation. I really hope he decides to step into the political arena. We could really use his integrity and knowledge in Washington. Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

"Never fall into the trap of engaging in personal attacks while letting the topic of conversation slip into the background."

"It is eminently possible to have substantial disagreements with others and remain friendly and cooperative."

"I do not believe the government has any obligation to take care of able-bodied citizens who are capable of providing for themselves. Private citizens, on the other hand, should be encouraged but not coerced to provide as much aid and opportunities to their neighbors as they are capable of."

"Traditionally, once a nation starts down the path of lack of identity and vision for the future, it is destroyed, or deteriorates from within, losing most or all of its relevance to the world."

[Bonnie Plante · Rating 5 out of 5]

This man, Dr. Ben Carson, makes more sense that anyone speaking out loud these days. A noted pediatric neurologist, Dr. Carson is smart & well spoken yet he possesses the every day common sense that is found lacking in many highly educated people. This book explores the problems found in America today and sensible ways to solve them. For someone with no political background, Dr. Carson is amazingly well versed in the inner workings of our system and is quick to point out its successes as well as its failures. It is voices like his that give hope to our future. Regardless of political party affiliation, anyone who has any interest at all in finding solutions to the problems that plague our country should read this book. WE are our future. WE can find the solutions. WE are ONE NATION!

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled to review this one. On the one hand Dr. Carson brings up many excellent points and offers some much needed common sense to the political debate. His forcible rejection of the PC Police, the call to greater freedom of speech in an honest and frank debate is a breath of fresh air as is his common sense discussion of healthcare and the broken system of DC politicking. He brings an intelligent and unapologetic voice of opposition to the undeniably broken status quo.

On the other hand: some of his ideas are frankly far to naive to be plausible, much less workable in the real world. Furthermore, his, quite honestly absurd, beliefs about evolution detract from an otherwise common sense monograph. It would seem Dr. Carson has succeeded in proving with absolute certainty that common sense can only take one so far. While an undeniably brilliant man and an incredible and quite well deservedly world renowned physician Dr. Carson knows shockingly little about the natural sciences. His ardent belief that the world is a mere six thousand years old and that animals today were created in their present forms with little to no alteration is a heartbreaking disappointment. His further claim that a moral sense can only be explained and trusted by reference to creator is a further blow. Although careful not to call atheists inherently immoral Dr. Carson clearly states his belief that morality can be derived only through religious belief and adherence.

While there is nothing inherently illogical about religious belief, the blind adherence to a scriptural timeline based solely on the use of genealogies in the ancient Hebrew text (which many Bible believing Christian Biblical scholars consider to be symbolic anyway, since the number of generations between each major even in Isreali history conveniently consists of exactly 40 generations, a mystic number to the ancient Jews) is a major blow to his credentials. To deny that natural selection is capable of giving rise to the amazing human mind and body without the aid of a creator's hand is one thing; to dismiss out of hand the universal agreement of all of the evidence that has been collected by tens of thousands of scientists which demonstrates that the earth is many hundreds of millions of years old and that animals have adapted to their environments over the years, is hopelessly mislead and misleading.

The description he offers of evolution is not only a straw man, it is a particularly poor one. Dr. Carson is either shockingly ill informed on the actual theory and practice of evolutionary science; or else willfully misleading as to its tenets, evidences, and incredible predictive power. Either possibility is wholly unacceptable in a man with so large an audience. Evolution on massive scales can even by produced quite conclusively and in fact quite easily in laboratory environments. To deny the truth of natural selection is to invite the complete mishandling of "super bugs" such as MRSA and other rising health threats which have come about as the direct result of the evolution of pathogens to human antibacterial warfare.

I began this book with high hopes after reading his speech at the national prayer breakfast, I finished it with great disappointment. While I hope Dr. Carson continues to speak his mind on politics and the state of our union I sincerely hope he never runs for office. While intelligent, knowledgeable, and capable in a wide swath of disciplines Dr. Carson is clearly unfit for the presidential role many are calling on him to seek. A difference of opinion is welcome, especially from someone as willing as Dr. Carson to consider the arguments of his political opponents. The complete dismissal of the overwhelming force of scientific fact when it does not suit his religious proclivities on the other hand, is most certainly not. A man who remains, quite clearly, blind to realities by intentional admission ought not to sit in the highest office of the land.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book. I'd vote for this guy.

[Travis Bow · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read that makes me feel like I know Ben Carson and his stance a lot better.

A brief outline of the points he makes (going from memory because I listened to the audiobook):

Political Correctness is not just annoying, but dangerous. At first I thought this was a little overstated - people always complain about political correctness, usually when they want to say something offensive - but he kind of won me over. There are some ways in which political correctness can discourage us from speaking our minds or engaging in conversation, pushing us farther toward the "vote for whoever has better brand recognition" and "stay in your beliefs because you never talk to anybody that might challenge them" pitfalls. One of the action steps - speak up on an issue you disagree with someone about - was surprisingly simple and valuable, I thought.

Partisan fighting, refusal to compromise, and working against one another instead of toward the common goal, is lame. Probably everyone would agree with this. He also gave some specific examples, like proposing a compromise on gay marriage (granting gay couples civil unions but not changing the traditional meaning of the word "marriage").

Balancing the debt is very important. Talked a lot about the dangers of having such a large national debt and continuing to print money to cover it. Used Greece as an example of borrowing from other nations, refusing to cut back on entitlements, losing credibility, and eventually not being able to borrow any more. Proposed more aggressive cutbacks, but not a drastic complete defunding of everything. Criticized partisan fights and playing chicken over who will capitulate before the next "government shutdown". Also criticized trying to scare the public by cutting back on services that aren't big waste areas but hurt the public and give the "ah, we can't cut back!" gut reaction. Apparently White House tours were shut down as part of a cutback, and even when private parties offered to fund them for school kids, they were refused.

Tax should be proportional. Argued that everyone having to pay the same low percentage is more fair, more likely to cause economic growth (because people don't want to work harder only to lose more of their money), and that he'd gotten the idea from tithing in the Bible. Addressed the argument that proportional tax doesn't hurt the rich as much as the poor by saying, "why does it have to hurt people?".

Promoting government programs that increase government dependency and discourage independence and self-sufficiency - is actually damaging and insulting to the poor, not helpful. Gave some thought experiments (if you had the choice between working a minimum wage job or making more money staying home unemployed, what would you do, especially if you had kids?) to show that people using entitlements aren't dumb or evil. Also accused politicians of using entitlements as ways to win voting blocks.

Freedom and security are often tradeoffs. The constitution writers were smart, and tried to set up a system to protect individual freedom and limit government power. We should get back to the constitution. Pretty standard conservative line here, but one I agree with. Interestingly, also brought up an "IRS" scandal I hadn't heard about (government officials ordering IRS to harass "Tea Party" supporters). I need to look up the facts on this; sounds pretty shady.

America is great, and if we can stop being complacent, we can still turn things around. Good encouragement to get involved, take an interest, and care.

Overall, the book had the tone of a strong Christian conservative trying to be as evenhanded and fair as he could manage. There was a lot of criticism of the left and "secular progressives", but also some criticism of the right. When pointing out common political practices (using PC as a weapon, demonizing opponents, etc.), he usually pointed out that some people from both sides engage in these practices, and shouldn't. There were a lot of anecdotes and illustrations to illustrate points, and a few times where I got a little lost (a long bit toward the end talked a lot about the existence of our consciences pointing towards a God and not evolution (a point a lot of people have argued effectively), but then botched it with examples that would be easy to explain with evolution... and failed to say what this whole section really had to do with what he was talking about). There was also some not-so-subtle self promotion. On the good side, there were "to do" or "action step" lists that would be pretty valuable to use in trying to get more involved in your country.

It was a good book to get to know Ben Carson. He seems like a guy with pretty standard conservative beliefs, but with some refreshing optimism about America and desire to compromise to get things done.

[Brendan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Every year I come back to my mom's house for the holidays. The room I stay in is a guest room, and as such it has a bunch of books that nobody in the family claims as their own. Most were gifts, and most have never been read by any members of my family. I've taken to picking one at random when I'm home, and if it seems like I can read all of it in a few days I dive in and go for it.

This year, I happened to pick out and read Ben Carson's One Nation.

What. An. Asshole.

Through a veil of religiousness Carson shrouds himself as a holier-than-thou know-it-all preacher. He pretends to be pointing out the flaws on both sides, but anyone reading can immediately tell that he espouses a mostly Republican world view.

I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but right off the bat he's denigrating the poor and anyone that doesn't fit into his ideal version of the nuclear family. Because he was once poor and is now a millionaire he expects everyone to follow suit. Rather than appreciating how lucky he is and trying to help others he wants to tear down any support structures that exist.

He uses Bible verses to back up his claims, but any passages about Good Samaritans, camels going through the eye of a needle, or the blessed poor are notably absent. Like many others he his picking and choosing small clips that sound best, and ignoring the rest.

Specifically, he thinks that a progressive tax system is inherently unfair. At one point he says that a poor person being taxed $1 out of $10 hurts them exactly the same as a billionaire being taxed $1B out of $10B. He then goes to the extreme of suggesting that poor people shouldn't even be allowed to vote! It's like he doesn't remember what it's actually like to be poor.

Surprisingly, given his occupation as a doctor, this view of the poor extends into healthcare. He actually says that elderly people who can't afford treatment should die in order to relieve the rest of us of the burden of caring for them. He goes on to say that his ideal situation would be HSAs paid into from the moment of birth. That works fine if you're rich, but a baby born to poor parents would not be able to afford treatment for anything. It's not like people start immediately generating cash the moment they're born. If something tragic had happened to him as a child then under his own proposed system he might not be around today writing these books.

Carson continually decries the moral decline of America, but what does that mean to him? He laments that we're too politically correct now, and thus have to be careful about what we say. One of his examples is when he was ostracized for lumping gay people in with pedophiles and bestiality.

Seriously: asshole.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always admired Dr. Carson, but reading this book helped me realize what a sensible, down-to-earth man he really is. He doesn't try to make himself seem smarter by using big words and over-complicating each topic. Instead, he dives into the subject at hand by using common sense approaches that have worked since elementary school: will my/these decisions hurt or help others? What am I willing to compromise (without compromising my personal values) to meet the ultimate goal?

Dr. Carson ends each chapter by challenging the reader to simple, realistic goals that can help us grow in knowledge and in character. It's not that hard to do a little at a time, if you use your noodle.

From budgeting, to health care, to saying what needs to be said without being confrontational, this book is a must read for anyone who is concerned about the direction of the United States. Each of us have a responsibility, on some level, to make our nation a better place for the next generation. Are we making it stronger or weaker by what we do (or don't do) on a daily basis? Pay attention to those who are supposed to be leading us from their public office - what is their real agenda? Pay attention to their voting records...do they stand for the same values as you? These things seem small, but are vitally important to all of us. What do you stand for?

[Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have very little patience for people who claim to be unbiased or who appeal to moderation that clearly heap far more criticism on one side than the other. You can be partisan, but don't do it while claiming some holier-than-thou peacemaking mantle of 'compromise' that is anything other than a well-disguised chastisement of people who disagree with you or your side.

And it is pretty well disguised. Full of conservative dog-whistles and horrific misrepresentation of progressive or scientific viewpoints (most notably a VERY tired appeal to the well-debunked irreducible complexity argument when addressing what 'evolutionists' think).

This author is dangerous. He knows just well enough how to speak as a mediator, how to sound like he is genuinely interested in compromise or freedom for all, while looking down his nose at anyone who feels differently. He's also a fantastic token feather in a conservative cap.

If you are progressively oriented, this book may be valuable to read to gain insight into some of the more eloquent charlatans of the conservative movement. If you're conservatively oriented, you'll likely read very little in this book that upsets you. Only a few light criticisms of the right to add to a veneer of 'moderation.'

[Pegg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book. I decided to read it based on interviews I'd read and heard from Dr. Carson. Every time the man opens his mouth, common sense falls out. I wanted to know more.

The book is a collection of Dr. Carson's thoughts on today's hot-button issues. He pulls no punches and takes no prisoners, discussing everything from political correctness to Washington in-fighting and everything in between. He offers practical - common sense - ways to look at the issues and suggests strategies - common sense - to deal with them.

This isn't a bash-and-dash-to-the-polls type of book. It's a thoughtful look at what it's going to take to move past the morass that is our current political system. Dr. Carson offers hope. It's a refreshing read for that alone.

I'm tickled pink and every other color I can think of to know that Dr. Carson is considering a run for the White House. We need common sense in Washington again. It's been a long, long time.

[Shirleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book so I could get to know more about this presidential candidate. I loved what I learned about him. He is the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the country. He and his wife founded the Carson Scholars Fund, which gives scholarships to students for their academic achievements. He, along with Billy Graham, are the only two people who have been honored to be chosen to give the National Prayer Breakfast twice. I love his Christian beliefs, his integrity and courage and wisdom and tolerance and non-judgment of others. Though he is a Republican, seeks to be fair to both sides in politics. He comes from a very humble background, yet has overcome many hurdles. His mother did not know how to read, but was a very wise woman and a role model in many ways. I loved his chapter on role models. Our world needs more people like Ben Carson.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a political/current affairs type book it gets 5 stars. But that's because he agrees with me. The further left, progressive, or socialist (pick your descriptor) you lean, the faster the stars fall off. Not a biography but he does draw on his life for some examples. Some good, some not so good.

Especially like his respect for his mother, a third-grade educated housekeeper raising two boys on her own. Seeing her sons not doing well in school, she severely restricted their TV viewing time and required two books and book reports per week. You don't have to be educated to be wise.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome! Best book on how to help our great country that I've encountered. You've got my vote Ben!

[Terry Cornell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another quick read. Similar to D'Souza's 'America' book, but without the scholarly footnotes. This is the calm, adult voice of Ben Carson what we can use as Americans to make our country the best that it can be. Ironic that the calm voice of politics main point is that Americans have to stop being PC. Much of the book is Carson's common sense approach to dealing with issues in our country. My favorite chapter is titled 'The Origin of Morality' and covers his views on evolution, abortion, and homosexuality. One thing he could have done without is, at the end of each chapter, a set of action steps for the reader to take that goes along with that particular chapter. I encourage people from both major parties to read the book. You may disagree with him on many points, but he encourages civil dialogue.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Dedicated to the millions of Americans who fought, sacrificed and died to provide freedom and prosperity for us and our progeny.”

The Preface starts with Dr. Carson’s keynote address at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast. Absolutely beautiful. This was his 2nd keynote invitation. His first invite was in 1997 by President Clinton. His speech was well received.

Dr. Carson starts each chapter with an excerpt from Proverbs. He said he reads Solomon’s words every morning and evening.

What warmed my heart about this book was his personal stories. Little bits and pieces of what he went through growing up: bullies; low-level jobs he held which benefited him throughout his life; stabbing a classmate - who survived (actually this was not warming, but shocking); his Mother’s wisdom toward education for her kids! So many excellent points regarding the importance of education!

“Our founders saw themselves as free people who could pursue whatever dreams inspired them. However, success is never achieved by people who only dream and do not act. My wife and I have some close friends who are examples of this truth. The husband was an attorney and the wife was an elementary school teacher. She was constantly talking about her dream of becoming a lawyer but she never really pursued that dream. I remember saying to her one day, ‘Just do it and stop dreaming’. I reminded her that it only takes three years to complete law school and that three years goes by quite rapidly. She has been a successful attorney for many years and has established quite a reputation.”

“The Constitution was written primarily to protect the rights of the people and not the rights of the government to rule the people. It restrains the natural tendencies of government to expand while disregarding the rights of its constituents. Our freedoms are safe as long as we abide by its principles.”

“When the vision of the US government included guarding the rights of people but staying out of their way, America was an economic engine more powerful than anything the world had ever witnessed. That engine is still in place, and if the original vision can be restored that engine could restart and quickly obliterate our national debt while helping our nation reclaim its rightful position of leadership and respect throughout the world.” So true.

“If we are not an exceptional nation, we can quietly continue our slide into insignificance, but if this is the America of Washington, Franklin, Lincoln, Kennedy, Edison, Ford, King, and the millions who gave their lives for our freedom, then we must shake off the indifference that has gradually stolen our pride and our freedom and threatens The future of our children. We must exercise our duty as responsible and inform citizens and actively shape the nation we desire by investing time, resources, and energy into choosing appropriate leaders who share our vision in some cases, we may even need to offer ourselves as candidates for public office.”

Absolutely enjoyed this read! Not a wasted word within these 225 pages. Not a one!

Recommend this read for All!

[Allen Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explains what is wrong with our country and presents no-nonsense ways to fix the problem. On education, the deficit reduction, & the health care system. He also talks at length about political correctness and how as Christians and Americans we should not be bullied. An excellent book, well though out and well written.

[Joseph · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ben Carson has worked as a lab assistant, payroll office clerk, bank teller, mailroom clerk, assembly line worker, X-ray technician, crane operator, school bus driver, and neurosurgeon, among other things.

His book, One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America's Future was published in 2014.

Carson defines knowledge as "familiarity with facts." (139) "The acquisition of knowledge is relatively straightforward, but wisdom has to be sought prayerfully from many sources." (150)

"Wisdom is essentially the same thing as common sense, the slight difference is that common sense provides the ability to react appropriately, while wisdom is frequently more proactive and additionally encourages the shaping of the environment." (139)

Carson defines the American Dream as "If you prepare yourself academically and experientially through various work situations, you can become whatever you dream." (43)

Mr. Carson comes across as a man who is nicer than O.J. Simpson, but I respectfully disagree with several of his viewpoints outlined in this book, especially because he is far too reliant on Bible scripture and Christian ideology. His action steps at the end of chapters are often good ideas, but many of them are connected to or driven by Bible scripture. Carson firmly believes that "marriage is between a man and a woman." (116) I respectfully disagree.

Carson grew up in Detroit and Boston, and decided to be a Tigers fan. I respectfully disagree with this choice.

He offers praise for the Clinton administration and describes Bill as, "pragmatic." (78)

Growing up, Ben Carson tried stabbing someone and killed a bird with a BB gun.

"I had a large camping knife in my hand and without thinking, I lunged at him, plunging the knife into his abdomen." (107) "Since the day that I tried to stab another teenager, I have started and ended each day reading from the Book of Proverbs, which was instrumental on that particular day in helping me realize how foolishly I had been acting." (140) Is it possible that he forgot to even just one single day?

I wish Carson offered further explanations of tithe economics and what exactly tort reform is. The largest word he uses is probably, "vociferous." (129). Carson also has a section about Miley Cyrus being a poor role model, but offers only one sentence on the exact subject matter.

The absolute worst quote in this entire book is: "Social media provides one very effective way to gain allies against the media bullies." (87)

Thank God Ben Carson keeps a photo of his "mangled car" on his phone from a traffic accident in which he was saved by deployed airbags.