BIG VICTORIES UNDER THE RADAR TUESDAY NIGHT
by Jon Rappoport
November 8, 2012
Okay, so we saw Obama and Romney go head to head and grab the headlines Tuesday night. Clown puppet A beat clown puppet B. The real winner was big federal government, and that was a foregone conclusion before a single vote had been cast or rigged.
Big gov was going to come out on top either way. We knew that.
But at the state level, six things happened that are cause for celebration. Six states told the federal government to take a long walk on a short pier. They passed ballot measures which directly contradict federal law and, in three cases, the US Supreme Court.
The egg is slowly cracking.
It’s called Nullification. If the central government passes a law that exceeds its ceiling of power as described in the Constitution, the individual states have a right to refuse to obey it.
Wyoming, Montana, and Alabama did just that. They passed ballot measures essentially stating that the federal government can’t force their citizens to purchase mandated health insurance (Obamacare).
Colorado and Washington passed measures decriminalizing marijuana, and Massachusetts passed a referendum legalizing medical marijuana.
Pot is still against federal law.
A trend is slowly building. States are deciding to slough off federal control.
Political forces that abhor nullification make a bogus historical argument: states rights were once used to prolong slavery and then, later, segregation. Yes, but this is now. No state intends to bring back segregation.
The nullification movement is now about decentralization of power.
In various states, it grows along different issues and moves along different fault lines.
Further, we shouldn’t assume these ballot measures are simply weak expressions of opinion that will be crushed by the federal government. Pressure from the feds, for example, to shut down medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles has failed to bring about the desired result.
What will the feds do in Montana, Wyoming, and Montana when they decide it’s time to enforce Obamacare on these rebels? Will they stage a massive show of force? That would play, in the international press, about as well as Ruby Ridge or Waco.
Will they fine a few select citizens of those states for failing to enroll in Obamacare? If so, and the citizens refuse to pay up, what then? How will an escalation be managed, and with what consequences? Does Obama really want a showdown that could awaken a sleeping giant he successfully put to bed Tuesday night?
Overplaying that hand could be disastrous.
At the birth of the Republic, it was well understood that nullification by the individual states was a viable option. It was an ace in the hole. It was a major reason the states ceded certain powers to the new central government in the first place.
It’s still a live option.
Jefferson wrote in the 1798 Kentucky Resolution, “When powers are assumed which have not been delegated, a nullification of the act is the rightful remedy.”
Today’s scholars prefer to argue that the only limiter on federal power is the US Supreme Court. This is about as useful as putting monkeys at typewriters and hoping to get Shakespeare. Supreme Court justices are in love with the idea of “updating” the Constitution to suit their personal whims.
State legislatures originally ratified the Constitution. That was how the central government was created. The states can now dismantle, piece by piece, the undelegated powers of that government, to bring it back toward the intent of the Founders.
Of course, most people in America today don’t have a clue about any of these issues. That’s because the education system is devoted to teaching how to step on an aluminum can before dropping it in a plastic barrel.
But it’s never too late to learn.
Jon Rappoport
The author of an explosive collection, THE MATRIX REVEALED, Jon was a candidate for a US Congressional seat in the 29th District of California. Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, he has worked as an investigative reporter for 30 years, writing articles on politics, medicine, and health for CBS Healthwatch, LA Weekly, Spin Magazine, Stern, and other newspapers and magazines in the US and Europe. Jon has delivered lectures and seminars on global politics, health, logic, and creative power to audiences around the world. You can sign up for his free emails at www.nomorefakenews.com
encouraging
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The sovereignty of states.
This is true. Anyone remember back in the ’80’s when the federal government enacted a national speed limit of 55mph? Then Governor of Arizona Evan Mecham told the feds to take a hike and refused to lower the speed limits in Arizona, including the interstate highways. The feds came back and threatened to take away federal funding for Arizona’s highways. “Go ahead” retorted Mecham, “we don’t need your funds”. The speed limit was never lowered in Arizona. I love it!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Maximum_Speed_Law
There is still “HOPE”. Don’t lose Heart!
Maybe Montanta and Washington will have an influx of medical freeloader and will see thier hospitals fail under the pressure of unpaid bills.
This is the first hopeful thing I’ve read in several days. Thank you.
More power to ’em, the States that is! Excellent post! If I’m not mistaken, Juries may also nullify.
Thanks for keeping the light on prop 37, by getting on your site, reading your articles and checking out blackboxvoting.org its obvious the US voting system is fowled up with corruption.
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The food-producing states need to forma unified collective, even a sucession, and strike a bargain whereby they bring the coastal areas into a reality-based agreement along the lines of: “We will trade food for freedom from your insane policies.”
These “unruly children” will be brought quickly into line, without a whisper of conflict – martial conflict, that is. the federal government still has a very big stick called a printing press, whether it be greenbacks or treasuries. most every state is running significant deficits but without the global “currency” of a California or New York, Uncle Sam can simply threaten to turnoff federal funding in any number of areas if these states want to play hardball. Push may come to shove but the Feds have missiles and states pea shooters by comparison. The only risk for Uncle Sam is if this small gathering becomes a crowd which is why I suspect you’ll see this trend go into reverse in the next few months or simply be the equivalent of wolves baying at the moon. With the election over, and a second term president focused on his legacy, the hammer will come down, but no blood will be lost.
Let’s see..we invade other countries to free them from oppressive governments and install “democracy”. Hmmm..makes one think doesn’t it?
State legislatures did not ratify the Constitution, it was ratified by conventions of the citizens. Otherwise, fine article.
There is hope!
States’ rights, as defined by the U.S. Constitution, are the only defense against centralized government encroachments. By refusing to obey arbitrary federal edicts, individual states have the power to nullify many
capricious federal government mandates. Arise, patriots, and retake America!
States’ rights, as defined in the U.S. Constitution,
States’ rights, as defined in the U.S. Constitution, empower states, through the nullification process to refuse to enforce the edicts or mandates of the federal government that run counter to the interests of their citizens.
So, Maybe it’s not “Game, Set, Match” after all???
Thank you for this information! This lifts my spirits . People should read and understand the Constitution. Remember the price of freedom , constant alertness ,constant willingness to fight back , there is no other price.
The darkness before the dawn, yes… There is “hope”, but not as it has been defined for us the last 4 years.
By God’s grace, the patriots who love their nation will reclaim America. You can bet on it!
If we go back and follow our constitution as it reads there would be big change in our government… What I see is that everyone who lives here plays on the same playing field.
Starting with Our government officials from the president down. they have a non paying job and there benefits are the same as the rest of the working people.. Only then will we see the changes that we need to regain our country. They can’t increase or change their benefits, without the peoples vote.
Stop the hand outs get our jobs back in our country, get people off welfare. On welfare sort term only, learn a trade and get a job
Stop letting others come into our country and telling us what we can and can’t do; we speak & read ENLISH, and if we choose to say the pledge of legions & or pray in our schools then that is our choice as parents.
If you want to live in this great nation then you do as I do or go back from where you came. I don’t know about the rest of you but I take offense when asked in my country to pick a language, mine is English and I shouldn’t have to choose!
OUR FORFATHERS HAD TO LEARN so can they.
In God we trust without that we will fail.
Nicely done! -very uplifting piece!
Jon, you just described why any devolution of the federal government must begin with repeal of the 17th Amendment.
“the states ceded certain powers”
Please show me the legal audit trail proving that the states “ceded” anything. Even the Constitution uses the word “delegated”. That which has been delegated can be un-delegated.