As a "friend" of Lincoln, the Republicans for the National Interest Chairman Michael Erickson retains a certain reserve towards recent efforts within several of our States to declare their sovereignty or to nullify federal laws. Indeed, active opposition to “state nullification” of federal laws is a greatly cherished hallmark of first the American Whig, and then the Republican, Parties and one with which we have had to contend already in the cauldron of our Civil War. Still, there is merit to be found in this growing sentiment, if properly focused.