Democrats Face Backlash After Approving Ben Carson For Cabinet Role

Senate Democrats continue to face a backlash from their base after the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs unanimously approved Ben Carson to serve as secretary of housing and urban development.

On Tuesday night, the 11 Democrats on the committee voted with the Republicans to approve Carson, meaning Carson will be put up for a vote in front of the entire Senate to be confirmed. With only 51 votes needed to place him in the Cabinet, Carson's confirmation is essentially a foregone conclusion at this point.

But Carson could have gotten there without a single Democratic vote, which left many liberal activists asking: Why offer him any support?

Here are just some of the reactions people have sent out:

As a former neurosurgeon, Carson lacks requisite experience to manage a department focused on urban policy, the critics argue. Another sore spot is his campaign during the Republican primaries, when he made incendiary remarks about gay people and Muslims; he previously compared Obamacare to slavery.

Others are simply angry that Democrats would capitulate to any nominees put forward by Trump.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren took to Facebook to defend her position. While acknowledging that she has "deep, profound concerns about Dr. Carson’s inexperience to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development" and many disagreements with him, she argued that it was better to vote for him than not, even though he isn't the nominee she would have chosen.

She noted that he has promised to protect anti-homelessness programs and enforce fair housing laws — and that if he were voted down, another nominee might not make these same promises.

In a statement, Carson also pledged to defend access to housing programs for gay and lesbian applicants.

Read Warren's full statement:

Jeff Stein at Vox points out that Democrats may also believe that if they vote for Carson, they will have more influence with him while he holds the Cabinet position. Stein also cites Democrats who argue that, unlike Rick Perry, who was chosen to head the Department of Energy that he once said he wanted abolished, Carson at least respects the existence of the agency he'll run.

But many liberal critics still disagree with these arguments, demanding full-throated opposition:

Photo credit: Tim Pierce