The constitution is just a piece of paper. It only has force so long as people allow it to. And local and federal laws can violate the constitution up until they are overturned by the courts (potentially a lengthy process).
It took nearly a century for the 14th Amendment to achieve the full force of law everywhere in the US.
We should not be the least bit blase about allowing unconstitutional laws to be passed, as though they would be null and void upon passing.
