Since no one else has posted in this marvelous forum yet, let me pose the first question. Can anyone foresee how to implement nullification, the decision of a state government to render one or more federal laws null and void in that state’s borders, and not trigger a) a laughingstock, or b) another war of secetion? I have seen a couple suggestions in other fora including the rejection of homeland security checks in airports, but I think this particular forum should provide some particularly intriguing ideas. I just hope Thomas Woods is watching! [I]
California has done it with marijuana laws, by simply ignoring the unconstitutional federal laws. Tennessee and Montana are among some states that have chosen to ignore federal firearms laws with regard to any arms that are manufactured and sold within the state borders. I think it’s just a matter of electing state legislators who believe in the national Constitution (or in the case of California, elect a bunch of pot-heads). The problem is finding legislators who know anything about the Constitution.
I often fantasize about going to trial for not paying taxes at some point, lol… seems nullification would my only hope! that or the jury members realizing there is no federal law requiring payment of federal income taxes.
As you know Tom Woods has written a book entitled nullification. I expect that the Tea Party and the libertarian and conservative cultures will spread the concept. That means actually discussing it among ones friends and neighbors. The idea has be widely held among the electorate before it will be an issue in elections. Once “we” elect enough (three percent) of any legislative body who advocate for nullification by the States of any Federal Law which is believed to be beyond the Constitutional bounds then and only then is it going to work.
I asked the five men who were seeking to become the challenger of a sitting Congressman if they could explain nullification. Two were lawyers, one in real estate, and none of them knew what even we know about it. They were truly clueless. I was asked to explain what it meant at a forum and talked about the Kentucky and Resolves by Jefferson and Madison in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts and mentioned the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and its nullification by some Northern states.
Tom Woods has interviews at his website and youtube on the subject as well.
Turns out that the ultimate sovereigns are individual people and with the help of the internet to spread ideas these days it is conceivable that the numbers of advocates of individual freedom will grow exponentially. Are you aware of the Young Americans For Liberty www.YALiberty.com and the Campaign For LIberty www.campaignforliberty.com? The population isn’t static and young people will hear a different dialog from now on not just in election debates.
In the meantime convert some of your savings from dollar denominated paper to silver and gold.