Rand Paul: Give LGBT Americans a flat tax instead of marriage rights

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) on Sunday suggested that implementing a flat tax could assuage gay and lesbian Americans who want equal marriage rights because straight marriages would not get a tax break.

During an interview on Fox News, host Chris Wallace pointed out that the Supreme Court would be hearing arguments this week on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prevents the federal government from recognizing same sex marriages even in states where those unions are legal.

"Would you strike down that as federal interference in a state matter," Wallace asked the libertarian senator.

"You know, I think it's a really complicated issue," Paul asserted. "I've always said the states have the right to decide. I do believe in traditional marriage. Kentucky's decided it, and I don't think the federal government should tell us otherwise. There are states that have decided in the opposite direction, and I don't think the federal government should tell anybody or any state government how they should decide this."

"I think there is a chance that the court could strike down the federalization part [of DOMA]," he continued. "If they do, I think the way to fix it is maybe to try to make all of our laws more neutral towards the issue. And I don't want the government promoting something I don't believe in, but I also don't mind if the government tries to be neutral on the issue."

"You know the tax code -- I'm for a flat income tax, and we wouldn't have marriage as part of the tax code."

Watch this video from Fox News' Fox News Sunday, broadcast March 24, 2013.