'I wish the government would read the Constitution'

GOP presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson on Wednesday told a South Carolina town-hall audience that he wishes government officials would read the Constitution.

Or, he suggested, maybe they have, and they just didn't understand.

The Preamble to the Constitution, he said, states that the government's job is to promote the "general welfare" of the country.

"They maybe thought that meant putting everybody on welfare," he said. "I don't think it means that at all."

TRENDING: 'Situation is completely unstable:' Crenshaw tours border, exposes how bad it really is

He was responding to a question about what should be done about the needy.

Carson noted that communities used to take care of their own members, but over the course of the 20th century, the government took over that role, culminating with President Johnson's plan in the 1960s to eliminate poverty.

Now, with a $19 trillion debt, the problem remains, he said.

When it comes to goofy gaffes and dimwitted declarations, nobody does it better than America’s most beloved uncle figure, smilin' Joe Biden. "Biden Time: Crazy Uncle Joe In His Own Words" chronicles his most memorably moronic or misfired quotes over the last 40-plus years

He was taking part in Wednesday night's CNN town hall with Anderson Cooper. The event featured Carson and Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas. CNN will hold another town hall, Thursday, with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Donald Trump.

What do YOU think? Who scored most points in latest GOP townhall faceoffs? Sound  off in today's WND poll

Carson said he probably would nominate a candidate for a Supreme Court vacancy if he was a president with only months left in his term, but that wouldn't mean the candidate would be approved or acted on.

Asked if he would have a litmus tests for nominees, he said he would focus on their life record.

"The Bible, Matthew 7:20, says by their fruit you will know them."

The Wednesday and Thursday events were billed as one last time for GOP candidates to make their case before South Carolina voters before the Saturday primary.

He said the Supreme Court needs jurists who love America, who fully understand the Constitution and are there "to make sure America preserves its constitutional traditions."

"It is not supposed to be a partisan group. It has become very partisan."

Regarding his own qualifications, he said the American experiment is designed to have citizen statesmen, "those people who have had real life experiences."

"We really need people who know how to solve problems, not people who know how to talk."

'His ideas don't work'

Rubio said those who question his experience – he's a first-term senator just like Barack Obama was when he was elected president – should feel reassured.

"The reason why [Obama's] failed as a president is because his ideas don't work. I have 15 years of experience of turning conservative ideas into conservative action."

He cited his eight-plus years in the Florida legislature and his time in the Senate. His accomplishments, he said, include reducing taxes in Florida, adding job certification programs for welding, plumbing and more to high schools, and imposing sanctions on Hezbollah.

"I haven't lived as long as some," he said. But no one "running for president has more experience on national security or foreign policy."

He addressed briefly the charges of "lies" that are being passed back and forth.

"If someone says something that's not true and I don't clear it up, people may think that it's true," he said.

On immigration, he said Obama's "unconstitutional" executive orders have aggravated the problem. He said the border needs to be secured first.

"No progress will be made on immigration until we prove to the American people … not just pass a law but prove to them" that the border is secure.

He blasted Obama's move to normalize relations with Cuba, since the Castros are still in charge of the communist nation.

On the economy, he said the Federal Reserve is like a Magic 8-Ball, a child's toy that randomly gives answers.

"The first thing is we have to make ourselves a friendlier place in a globally competitive economy," he said.

His plans include lowering business taxes, attracting American investments back to the U.S. and lowering the national debt.

He said it stands at nearly $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities.

"That's unacceptable," he said.

On the Supreme Court vacancy created by the death of Antonin Scalia, he said he expects Obama to make a nomination.

However, there is nothing in the Constitution that says the Senate must immediately confirm a nominee, he said.

"There will be someone filling that vacancy and I think it should be a new president. It may not be a Republican. I think it's going to be a Republican. That's what I want it to be. It's going to be an issue in this campaign."

Trump letter 'pressed the bounds of most frivolous'

Cruz talked right away about his most recent confrontation with GOP rival Donald Trump.

Cruz received a cease-and-desist letter from Trump regarding one of Cruz's ads, which features old video of Trump talking about his support for abortion.

Trump says he's changed his position.

"I don't think anyone is surprised Donald is threatening to sue people. He's done it most of his adult life," Cruz said.

"This letter really pressed the bounds of the most frivolous and ridiculous letters I've seen."

Cruz said truth is a defense in any defamation case, and the words declaring support for abortion were Trump's own.

Cruz also pointed out Trump has financially contributed to a number of pro-abortion Democrats.

The Texas senator said he could not imagine the circumstances in which he would make those contributions.

"There is no universe in which I could write a check to Chuck Schumer … Joe Biden," he said.

On terrorism, he said, Obama "engages in the politically correct denial where he and Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders ... won't even say the words radical Islamic terrorist."

He also said he wants to rebuild the military.

Obama administration failures, he said, "led to tragedy of Benghazi."

"Rather than engaging in trying to topple governments in the Middle East and nation build. ... I think the focus of the military needs to be defending this country, protecting our national security."

He decried the social experimentation mandated by Obama for the military.

"If I am elected we will not be drafting our daughters for combat," he said.

On fundamental religion freedoms, he said, "We need a presidential who will stand up unambiguously and protect those values."