Dr. Ben Carson Has Some Advice for Conservatives: 'We Can Be Purists and Never Get Into Office, or We Can Be Pragmatic

Dr. Benjamin Carson's appearance on "The View" on Tuesday earned him praise by many on both sides of the aisle. On Wednesday, the world-renowned neurosurgeon appeared on Glenn Beck's radio program to speak about the subjects he discussed in greater detail. The two agreed on almost everything when it came to re-starting the economy and reforming the welfare state, but there was some debate when it came to the importance of pragmatism in politics.

"It's going to be a lot easier to bring someone along who agrees with you 90% of the time, than somebody who opposes you 100% of the time," Carson said. "So one of the things that conservatives have to understand is there is a pragmatic approach. ... If the ship is going off of Niagara Falls, the barnacles-- we can get them off later. Let's turn the ship around."

 Glenn Beck speaks with Dr. Benjamin Carson on his radio program May 21, 2014. (Photo: TheBlaze TV)

But Beck questioned whether conservatives have been asked to compromise too much. He spoke about abortion in particular, saying if you truly believe "abortion is murder," but still stand with someone who is pro-choice, is there any compromise you will not make?

"In my lifetime, it seems like we're always the ones going, 'Okay, well, we'll do that ... but you're gonna help with us this, right?'" Beck said. "And they never reach back across. It's always moving the ship in the other direction."

"There's no line of compromise in your belief," Carson clarified. "We can be purists and never get into office, or we can be pragmatic, get into office, and then bring about the change that we want."

"I believe that abortion is the slavery of our day," Beck said. "And so you are less in line with John Adams or Ben Franklin, and more in line with people who are now being called nothing but slave owners, like Thomas Jefferson."

"I'm more in line with what Ronald Reagan said," Carson responded. "Ronald Reagan said sometimes we have to hold our nose and do something that isn't completely in line with our value system, recognizing that it will provide us with the opportunity to bring about the change, rather than always sitting on the sidelines and complaining."

Beck said he understands Carson's position, and wholeheartedly agrees with him on many subjects, like the value of health savings accounts.

"I hope this is not a hostile interview for you," Beck remarked. "I just, on that particular issue, I believe it is murder."

"I totally believe that it's murder," Carson agreed. "There's no question about that. But it will still be murder whether I compromise or not, unless I can get a critical group of people in place so that I can do things that it doesn't occur again."

Beck agreed, and noted that during the slavery era Republicans did something similar by coming to the three-fifths compromise.

"It wasn't about making slaves three-fifths a man because they were less a man," Beck said. "It was because they didn't want to give any more power to the south ... They made the compromise, or we wouldn't have a republic."

Beck suggested his audience read Carson's latest book, "One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America's Future," before Carson concluded with a final thought.

"The one thing I do know, is that I think God still loves our country," Carson said. "We still acknowledge him, a large number of us -- some of us are a little bit timid about it -- but I don't think he's going to forsake us, and I think he's going to give us what we need."

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