by Jon Styf
Along with the seven bills that passed Tennessee’s Legislature during its recent COVID-19 related special session, a joint resolution also passed both chambers of the legislature and sits on Gov. Bill Lee’s desk.
While the bills become law if Lee signs them, “resolutions differ from bills in that they do not become law but simply serve to express the views of the majority of one or both houses of the Legislature.”
The resolution, SJR 9005, serves to say that Tennessee’s leadership has the right to “enact such legislation as it deems necessary to nullify actions taken by the federal government regarding COVID-19 when those actions violate the United States Constitution.”
By nullification, it refers to not following federal laws and instead following state guidance.
The resolution passed the House 64-17 with three representatives abstaining while it passed the Senate 24-6.
In discussion of the resolution, sponsor John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, spoke about both COVID-19 vaccinations and South Carolina’s history of nullification. Ragan explained that the main purpose is to fight any federal mandates to force vaccines on citizens.
“A vaccine that does not reliably give all of its recipients’ immunity, does not prevent the spread of disease, is not something that should be forced on anyone,” Ragan said. “Nonetheless, the non-critically thinking automatons thoughtlessly accept whatever factually vacant, woke virtual signaling is fashionable among those who feel rather than think.”
State Rep. Sabi “Doc” Kumar, R-Springfield, said that he agreed that citizens should be able to choose for themselves but wanted to clarify facts about the vaccine.
“There is an impression being created that vaccines do not prevent COVID,” Kumar said. “While they don’t prevent it 100%, but they do prevent to the tune of 80% against symptomatic or asymptomatic infection and they prevent up to 90% of hospitalizations and up to 95 or 96% against death. They do have a preventive role, no doubt.”
While introducing the resolution, Ragan spoke of South Carolina’s attempt at nullification.
“We are here today creating history,” Ragan said. “The nullification theory was first broached in 1832 when Tennessee’s own Andrew Jackson was president. The state of South Carolina began it. Jackson threatened to invade with federal troops to settle the issue.
“However, the federal government ultimately backed down and the crisis was averted. That theory is still alive and well.”
Rep. Michael Curcio, R-Dickson, disputed Ragan’s take on South Carolina and did not vote on the measure when the vote was called.
“I want to make sure this is clear, the federal government did not back down. South Carolina quit,” Curcio said. “And, unfortunately, South Carolina never really recovered from that wound. They couldn’t get any other southern states to join them in nullification and ultimately rescinded their nullification ordinance on March 15, 1833, but they continued in their behavior until, unfortunately, Fort Sumter was fired on, creating a tragedy for this country. I just want to remind everybody of that, that emulating such behavior is very, very serious and I think we need to be careful about that.”
Rep. John Mark Windle, D-Livingston, said that as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, he had to abstain from voting on the measure.
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Jon Styf is an award-winning editor and reporter who has worked in Illinois, Texas, Wisconsin, Florida and Michigan in local newsrooms over the past 20 years, working for Shaw Media, Hearst and several other companies. Styf is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Bill Lee” by Bill Lee.
And if the elected leaders in Nashville/Davidson County decide to “nullify” the actions of the General Assembly, isn’t that action just as valid?
The limp wristed bunch of legislators did not have the guts to pass a bill to counteract the massive overreach of the federal government. A resolution is worthless. The big bill they passed has enough holes that it will never hold water. Shame on them – especially Sexton and McNally. They should be booted out.
In fact, the legislature did not even reign in the governor’s excessive use of emergency powers. Why have a legislature if they are impotent?
Useless
Ragan “A vaccine that does not reliably give all of its recipients’ immunity, does not prevent the spread of disease, is not something that should be forced on anyone”
Glad they passed this resolution but STILL our legislators do not understand that this isn’t a vaccine. It is a flu shot. That’s it; nothing more! This flu shot doesn’t prevent anyone from getting the virus. This shot helps the body fight the virus. For those of us with compromised immune systems, it is a lifesaver. For everyone else, it is unnecessary.
No wonder the people are so paranoid. The language used to push this flu shot on everyone has been twisted and words re-defined to mean different things, depending on which way the political winds blow.
It is not even a flu shot…it is an experimental gene therapy that has NOT been approved for use except in emergency – which is complete nonsense. WE ARE NOT in an emergency when the virus has a death rate of less than one HALF of a percent.
The so-called ‘vaccine’ has killed many people, and maimed many, many more. LOOK it up in VAERS.
In the history of tracking vaccine -caused illness and deaths, there has NEVER been one this dramatically BAD. PLEASE, look up the VAERS data.
EVERY human being should have the God-given right to CHOOSE what goes into their bodies.
Good, I hope the donks really get upset about this. If you want to get the jab or wear a mask that should be a personal choice. The problem with democrats is that they believe they are smarter than the rest of use and therefor they are entitled to make decisions for us.
One of their biggest problems is they are afflicted with herd mentality, and lack critical thinking skills. they accept the party line as gospel and, as Lenin referred to their kind, are useful idiots.
By now you would have to be living under a rock to not be aware of the serious threats to your health if you get the jab. The MSM is doing all they can to hide the truth from the public.
resolutions are useless. where are the laws banning them?
why are we less conservative than florida?
The fact of the matter is nutrition and good hygiene, including running water, etc. as well as the use of antibiotics has allowed us to prosper in the fashion that we have become accustom. Fast food and Coca-Cola killing America, not a cold virus. One simply need to walk in the old Graves around these parts and see that we were all lucky to have children live past seven years old before the use of antibiotics.
I have always said that the South need not raise again, only remain standing while the rest of the union falls. The central bank and it’s associated corporations have gotten out of control. Thomas Jefferson warned of this.