The Hillary Hypocrisy over Religious Freedom

hillaryclinton
AP Photo

Former Florida Governor and potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush has rightfully come out in support of Indiana Governor Mike Pence (R) over his defense of his state’s controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act that many on the far left have described as anti-gay and anti-lesbian.

A few days ago, Bush told radio show host Hugh Hewitt that Florida had a similar religious freedom law in place:

Florida has a law like this. Bill Clinton signed a law like this at the federal level. This is simply allowing people of faith space to be able to express their beliefs, to be able to be people of conscience. I just think once the facts are established, people aren’t going to see this as discriminatory at all.

But does Florida have a similar law on the books?

Yes. Well, sort of.

According to those Wizards of Smart over at Politifact, Bush is “half true” with his assertion.

Politifact finds that “Indiana’s law says government doesn’t have to be a party to the case, and it extends protections to corporations, and that’s different from Florida’s law.”

But only a couple days removed from making this statement in support of the Indiana law, has Jeb Bush changed his tone in regards to this law?

The New York Times has reported that Bush told a group of potential supporters in California that a more “consensus-oriented” approach of wording the law should have first been implemented.

It is really funny to hear prolific emailer and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denounce Indiana’s religious freedom law, a law that is eerily similar to the one her cigar aficionado husband, President Bill Clinton, fully supported and signed into law back in 1993.

HC  goes on to double-down on her opposition to the Indiana law by tearing into a similar Arkansas religious freedom law.

She just needs to go away.

So what are Jeb Bush’s potential opponents in the 2016 Republican presidential primary saying about the Indiana law?

Sen. Marco Rubio said:

The issue we’re talking about here is should someone who provides a professional service be punished by the law because they refused to provide that professional service to a ceremony that they believe is in violation of their faith? … “I think people have a right to live out their religious faith in their own lives.

Sen. Ted Cruz stated:

I want to commend Governor Mike Pence for his support of religious freedom, especially in the face of fierce opposition. There was a time, not too long ago, when defending religious liberty enjoyed strong bipartisan support. Alas, today we are facing a concerted assault on the First Amendment, on the right of every American to seek out and worship God according to the dictates of his or her conscience”… Governor Pence is holding the line to protect religious liberty in the Hoosier State. Indiana is giving voice to millions of courageous conservatives across this country who are deeply concerned about the ongoing attacks upon our personal liberties. I’m proud to stand with Mike, and I urge Americans to do the same.

Gov. Bobby Jindal chimed in, saying, “I support the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act because I support religious liberty as granted to us in our Constitution.”

“It is absolutely vital that we do all we can to allow Americans to practice their religious ways, while simultaneously ensuring that no one’s beliefs infringe upon those of others,” asserted Dr. Ben Carson. “We should also serve as champions of freedom of religion throughout the world.”

While we won’t post all the quotes from the 2016 field of potential Republican presidential candidates, rest assured that Gov. Scott Walker, former Sen. Rick Santorum, former Gov. Mike Huckabee, and others all support the Indiana law.

Regardless of who your “dog in the race” is in the 2016 GOP presidential primary, you can at least rest assured that he or she supports the protection of this country’s religious freedoms.

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