Rand Paul 2016 Presidential Campaign: Government Must 'Get Out of Marriage Licensing Business'
Republican presidential hopeful Rand Paul broke his silence on the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on same-sex marriage on Monday, suggesting that the easiest way to end the debate on the issue would be for the federal government to no longer recognize any kind of marriage, Politico reported.
"Since government has been involved in marriage, they have done what they always do -- taxed it, regulated it, and now redefined it," the Kentucky senator wrote in an op-ed for Time magazine. "It is hard to argue that government's involvement in marriage has made it better, a fact also not surprising to those who believe government does little right."
With reference to the four Alabama counties that, according to AL.com, stopped giving out licenses following the Supreme Court's Obergefell vs. Hodges ruling -- which on Friday legalized same-sex marriage nationwide -- the libertarian praised the Cotton State for its decision to "to get out of the marriage licensing business altogether."
On a personal level, however, Paul made clear that believes that only one man and one woman can enter into a "marriage," Politico noted. "I disagree with Supreme Court's redefinition of marriage," he wrote. "(But) I believe that all Americans have the right to contract."
That puts the senator in line with all other big-name contenders for the Republican nomination in the 2016 White House race, PBS noted.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former HP chief executive Carly Fiorina, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker all have affirmed their support for what they call "traditional" marriage.
Like Paul, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry suggested that the federal government should not play an active role when it comes to recognizing marriage, the public television network detailed. "These decisions need to be made in the states," Perry said.
As an example, the former governor pointed out that Colorado decided to legalize recreational marijuana in defiance of federal drug law. "I defend the right of Colorado to be wrong on that issue," Perry noted.
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