At a September 4 “John Dennis for Congress” rally in San Francisco, Texas Congressman Ron Paul addressed the growing popularity of the state nullification movement. Dennis, a Republican, hopes to win the seat now held by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
State nullification is based on the principle that states can ignore or refuse to comply with federal laws deemed unconstitutional or beyond the boundaries of the federal government’s delegated authority. Proponents of state nullification, such as Professor Thomas E. Woods and Judge Andrew Napolitano, assert that it is the most appropriate measure to take against federal government overreach like ObamaCare and cap and trade.
At the rally, Ron Paul noted that the federal government has moved away from its original role as designed by the Founding Fathers, which was ultimately “to protect liberty.” He notes, “The Constitution has nothing to do with restraining peaceful activity of individuals. It is essentially a document written for the purposes of limiting the government.”
Unfortunately, according to Paul, the federal government has morphed into a Leviathan hungry for power. “We have government getting bigger in Washington and [it] is intrusive throughout the country.”
On the other hand, while the nature of the federal government has changed from the original intent of the Founding Fathers, “the revolutionary spirit we have today” mirrors that of the Founding Fathers. For Paul, a prime example of that revolutionary spirit is the growing call for state nullification of unconstitutional federal laws.
You can listen to Paul’s remarks on nullification here:
Groups promoting the use of state nullification as a defense mechanism against the federal government’s unconstitutional overreach include the The John Birch Society, Tenth Amendment Center, and WeRefuse.com. The growing popularity of state nullification has prompted these and many other organizations to sponsor a speaking tour called Nullify Now!, which touts the benefits of state nullification as a viable solution to America’s problems.
While the Left has dubbed nullification a “right-wing” example of treason or secession, Paul asserts, “It is possible to have nullification without undermining our whole system. It’s the idea that if we’re mistreated and overtaxed and overregulated, that we have that option to put brakes on the federal government.”
Thumbnail photo: Ron Paul
