Dr. Ben Carson—the former surgeon who now spends his time
wailing about the evils of President Obama, the
perils of marriage equality, and
how America has become "very much like Nazi Germany"—has become such a hero on the right
that:
The National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee has raised $2.4 million over the last three months—more than similar groups supporting potential candidates like Hillary Clinton, Sen. Rand Paul, and Sen. Marco Rubio.
That alone is enough evidence to demonstrate the mind-numbing stupidity of political donors on the far right, but just in case you aren't convinced, it's
even dumber than it first looks:
Though the Draft Ben Carson committee has raised $3.9 million since it was set up last year, it has spent money just as steadily. At the end of March, the committee had $228,000 in the bank and carried $515,000 in debt, according to a filing with the Federal Election Commission.
So a committee set up to raise money for somebody who says he isn't going to run for president (despite
placing third in CPAC's 2016 straw poll) has not only raised $3.9 million, but it has spent $4.4 million, leaving it a half million in debt. And how did they manage to spend so much money?
Much of that money has gone to direct-mailing and fundraising groups, including one affiliated with the group's treasurer. The committee has also paid for ads on conservative radio shows and a website, www.runbenrun.org.
So a guy who owes his political stardom to right-wing media has inspired a PAC raising millions of dollars which it turns around and spends on a direct mail operation that conveniently happens to line the pockets of the PAC's treasurer and also funnels cash to the right-wing media, which will of course continue to give him a platform, which will allow the PAC to continue to raise money for a campaign that's never going to happen, which is probably good for the scammers, because in all likelihood, the dream of a Ben Carson presidential campaign is a far easier sell than the reality.