This is getting a lot of play among conservatives who seem pretty ticked at Carly Fiorina but I’m not sure I’m totally seeing it.
Presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina has impressed me so far in her encounters with the media. I don’t really know all that much but she seems to be a pretty tough lady and strong on many issues important to me. On the Hugh Hewitt show yesterday, Fiorina said that while religious liberty must be defended she believes it’s inappropriate for a county clerk to refuse to issue same-sex marriage licenses against a court order.
Hmmm. This isn’t your typical religious liberty case. This isn’t a case of a baker or a pharmacist. This is a government job. And part of the job description is issuing the licenses that the state says you have to issue. That’s the job. If you don’t do the job you’re going to have to find another job.
Would pro-lifers want pro-abortion health inspectors ignoring violations at abortion clinics because they don’t agree with the law? No. (Of course I use that example because that’s exactly what goes on all the time but we know it’s not right.)
I think the part where Fiorina gets into a little trouble here is that she seems to say that it’s inappropriate for the clerk to practice civil disobedience as a government employee. Now, this clerk has every right to refuse. God bless her. But the state should also have the right to fire her for not doing the job as they see it.
If I’m the clerk I go to the mattresses on this issue and make them fire me. I don’t quit. They have to fire me.
So I don’t think Fiorina hit the right mark on this but it’s not like she’s punting on religious liberty. So, in short, I don’t think it’s a big deal. But who knows maybe I’ll wake up tomorrow and think otherwise. Sometimes I get a little forgivey when I’m tired. When I wake up I’m usually good and ornery.
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