Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson has a way with words - the pediatric neurosurgeon-turned politician, no stranger to stirring up controversy with his comments, called poverty a "state of mind" in a just-released radio interview.
Carson made the comment during an interview that was taped Tuesday but will be aired Wednesday night on SiriusXM radio.
“You take somebody that has the right mindset, you take everything from them and put them on the street and I guarantee in a little while they’ll be right back up there,” he said. “And you take somebody with the wrong mindset, you can give them everything in the world, they’ll work their way right back down to the bottom.”
Carson’s comments seemed likely to draw heat. He said he believes the government can provide a helping hand to people looking to climb out of poverty but cautioned that such programs could also enable people.
His remarks come the same week the Trump administration released its 2018 budget blueprint that cuts $3.6 trillion from benefit programs. It also sharply slashes money for food stamps, Medicaid and student loan subsidies.
Carson has made eyebrow raising comments in the past.
In his first speech as HUD secretary, he likened slaves forced to come to America to immigrants seeking a better life.
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