Cain: Tennessee town can ban new mosque

Republican presidential contender Herman Cain defended a group in Murfreesboro, Tenn., that is opposing the construction of a mosque in its town.

“They are objecting to the fact that Islam is both religion and of set of laws, Sharia law,” said Cain in defense of the mosque’s opponents on Fox News Sunday.

{mosads}“Our Constitution guarantees separation of church and state. Islam
combines church and state.” Cain argued that the proponents of the mosque “are using the church part of our First
Amendment to infuse their mosque in that community, and the people in the
community do not like it.”

When asked by host Chris Wallace if any town could “then say we don’t
want a mosque in our community?” Cain responded, “They could say that.”

Cain also dismissed White House claims that the U.S. must raise its debt limit to avoid a default after Aug 2.

“This whole thing is a charade,” Cain said. “It’s all political posturing. They do not need to raise the debt ceiling … Pay the interest on the debt. Take care of the military families, and the Social Security checks. That will work.”

He placed blame for the lack of a deal to reduce the deficit on Democrats, claiming they were unwilling to make serious cuts to government spending.

“What the president and the Democrats don’t want to do is to then make the cuts,” he said.

On Saturday, lawmakers missed President Obama’s deadline for presenting a debt-ceiling deal that could pass both chambers. There were no announced meetings on Sunday but White House budget director Jacob Lew said he saw progress in the negotiations.

Cain also promoted his own economic plan that calls for fewer federal regulations and lower tax rates.

“We are never going to grow until we lower those tax rates, remove that capital gains barrier and suspend taxes on repatriated profits. This is why this economy is stuck and stalled,” Cain said.

Cain’s plan would eliminate taxes on capital gains. He argued that small businesses would benefit most from the move.

“Remember, small-business people have organized subchapter S corporations. There are more of them than there are Warren Buffetts. I don’t care about Warren Buffett’s tax rate, and the American people don’t care about Warren Buffett’s tax rate,” he said.

Cain also discussed rival presidential contender Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) rise in Iowa’s polls.

Many political watchers believe Bachmann and Cain are battling for the same set of Tea Party-affiliated voters.

“We’re close on the issues. We’re different on the fact that I have more direct hands-on problem-solving experience,” said Cain.

“The difference is, my entire career as a problem solver, business executive at Pillsbury, Burger King, Godfather, National Restaurant Association, the problem-solving approach is where I have stronger credentials.”