A State Senator from Oklahoma has filed legislation that seeks to amend the state’s constitution. If passed by the legislature and the voters, Nathan Dahm’s bill could block the enforcement of nearly all federal laws and policies within the state.
Senate Joint Resolution 2 reads:
“The Secretary of State shall refer to the people for their approval or rejection, as and in the manner provided by law, the following proposed amendment to Section 1 of Article I of the Oklahoma Constitution to read as follows: Section 1. The State of Oklahoma is an inseparable a sovereign state, a part of the Federal Union known as the United States of America, and the Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land and any laws to the contrary are null, void, and of no effect in this state.” (underlined words indicate additions that the amendment would make to the Oklahoma Constitution.)
The legislation requires a simple majority in the State Senate and a simple majority in the State House to pass. Once passed, the Secretary of State would be required to place the question on the ballot for the voters in the next general election. A simple majority of the voters would be enough to ratify the amendment and alter the state constitution.
While this legislation does not amend the constitution in a way that would declare full independence from the union, it does make a few critical changes.
First, it seeks to cross out the word ‘inseparable’, clarifying that Oklahoma does have a right to leave the union should its citizens find no other recourse for retaining its natural rights.
Second, the amendment would assert that all federal laws that violate the US Constitution would be unenforceable within the state. This could mean that all laws relating to firearms, nearly all economic regulations, and nearly all surveillance would cease to exist within Oklahoma. It would also likely nullify all federal laws and regulations relating to healthcare, drugs, education, and many other areas that the federal government has declared to be within its jurisdiction over the past few decades.
Nullification of certain federal laws is not totally unprecedented. Many states already nullify federal laws relating to cannabis, firearms, and immigration enforcement. However, the more expansive the nullification, the higher the risk of the DC politicians withholding federal tax dollars from the disobedient state. Once the federal government stops sending money back to a state, the taxpayers and elected officials in that state are likely to respond by refusing to send tax dollars to DC in the first place. At this point, there would almost be de facto secession, as the state would neither pay federal taxes nor obey federal laws. This means that nullification could very well be the first step toward full independence from the DC Empire, which many people already support for a multitude of reasons. Increasingly, citizens are discovering that separation from the union is likely to improve their quality of life as well as their overall liberty. A serious independence campaign in Oklahoma would join the ranks of Texas, New Hampshire, and California, all of which already have strong secession movements.
This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Liberty Block or any of its members. We welcome all forms of serious feedback and debate.
