Dr. Ben Carson may well be a brilliant brain surgeon, however it appears that he may not have been listening very closely to what was taught in his civics classes. In an interview on Newsmax, Mr. Carson states that the President is required to enforce laws passed by Congress, but not judicial rulings. He called them "judicial laws," so he may be playing a word game with us. Nevertheless, if the SCOTUS rules in favor of marriage equality, it will be based on a judicial interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution. It will not be a "judicial law," as Carson would call it. Mr. Carson also stated that he would support term limits for federal judges. A segment of the interview follows, compliments of Right Wing Watch:
From Right Wing Watch:
Yesterday on Newsmax TV, Ben Carson said that the federal government does not need to recognize a Supreme Court decision on gay marriage because the president is only obligated to recognize laws passed by Congress, not judicial rulings.
“First of all, we have to understand how the Constitution works, the president is required to carry out the laws of the land, the laws of the land come from the legislative branch,” Carson said. “So if the legislative branch creates a law or changes a law, the executive branch has a responsibly to carry it out. It doesn’t say they have the responsibility to carry out a judicial law.”
Carson has also stated that
he would be in favor of impeaching judges who rule in favor of marriage equality.
From The New Civil Rights Movement:
Take his interview yesterday with the right wing news site Newsmax. In response to a question about Republican candidates who don't focus on social issues, Carson insisted that a person's religious beliefs make up who they are.
Carson suggested that people of faith think about other people "in a compassionate way," while others do "whatever" they feel.
But Carson then insisted the Constitution "doesn't say the president has a responsibility to carry out a judicial law."
Perhaps Dr. Carson should read the Constitutionally-created presidential oath of office.
In Article Two, Section One, Clause Eight, the Constitution states:
Before he enter[s] on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:— “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”