[DoodleDawg]

I don't think anyone disputes that states have the right to nullify illegal supreme court decisions, or illegal acts of any branch of the federal government, but I had not heard that federal inferior courts could overrule the supreme court.

LOL! The idea that states can nullify federal actions much less Supreme Court decisions died with South Carolina in 1832.

How, exactly does that work? Is that where the president suspends habeas corpus and then orders the inferior courts to overrule supreme court decisions that the president finds objectionable?

Far easier than that. Pass legislation, fight it out in lower courts, win in the Supreme Court. All nice and legal under the Constitution.

[jeffersondem]

“The idea that states can nullify federal actions much less Supreme Court decisions died with South Carolina in 1832.”

The idea that individual states, or regions, can use natural law and the US constitution to prevent federal government overreach suffered a major setback because of the disaster at Appomattox.

However, the idea that progressives - individuals and states - can ignore federal law to promote unwholesomeness is very much alive. See California's successful defiance of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. See California's successful defiance of federal immigration law. See California's successful defiance of federal marijuana law.

And it is not just California.

[jeffersondem]

“Pass legislation, fight it out in lower courts, win in the Supreme Court.”

The Dred Scott decision was 7-2. The court majority wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Unless Lincoln planned to have them arrested. I guess that was a real possibility.

To change the equilibrium of the country, what Lincoln needed was a war.

But first, he needed the pretext for a war.