Nullification

There seems to be a reshaping of our republic going on lately with citizens of many states showing themselves as uncomfortable with the size and scope of government. 

Now I know just using the phrase “size and scope” of government seems like John Birch Society bunker dwelling language but in the modern age of government creep, the idea is reaching across the left/right political spectrum.

Sure 20 states have given the go ahead to sue the federal government on the basis that elements of Obamacare is not constitutional.  What would you expect from a bunch of right-wing nutjobs anyway, right? 

But now California has put on the ballot an initiative to legalize marijuana.  Now forget about the compassion argument of allowing California’s sick and infirmed access to the weed, we’re talking about full-on legalization.  Just putting this on the ballot is giving the citizens the choice of whether they want to abide by a federal law or not.  This sort of democracy is not exactly the sort of right of center thinking you’d expect from those openly questioning the “size and scope” of government.  President Obama’s administration has stated in a preemptive strike that they will “aggressively” enforce the Federal Controlled Substance laws no matter how California may decide to vote.

Thomas Woods wrote what I consider to be the best modern day discussion of Nullification and discusses it here in this video Interview with a Zombie.  Woods breaks through the popular notions that nullification is just a veiled term used to give cause for bigots to deny rights to some vulnerable minority.

Our federal government has over reached into our lives to such idiotic proportions that they’ve made enemies on both the left and the right.  And while that’s not necessarily surprising, it is however very surprising that those on the left and right are actually doing something about it.