By Gary Howard
According to a Rasmussen poll, 59% of likely voters favor allowing states to opt out of federal programs they disagree with.
Voters strongly believe that a state should have the right to avoid federal programs it doesn’t like, but they draw the line at states seceding from the union.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of likely voters say states should have the right to opt out of federal government programs they don’t agree with. Just 25% disagree, while another 15% are not sure. Read more…
The growing popularity of ideas like state nullification (i.e. opting out) is a good thing. However, some folks aren’t ready to make the next leap.
From the same poll:
But despite the rise of so-called “Tea Party” anti-federal government sentiment around the country, there’s no second Civil War at hand. Only 14% of voters think individual states have the right to leave the United States and form an independent country. Seventy-two percent (72%) do not believe states have this right, and 13% more are undecided.
One can probably attribute this anti-secession sentiment to inferior public education, and the lack of serious civic and constitutional study that entails.
Whatever the case, lets hope more people come over to the side of freedom, and more state legislatures start exercising their power against the feds.