In our blog, read about the political and cultural issues affecting Tennesseans written from a conservative perspective. Commentaries are typically written by David Fowler, an attorney who served in the Tennessee state Senate for 12 years before joining FACT as President.
Is Opposition to the Respect for Marriage Act Pharisaical?
Sep 16, 2022 by David Fowler
I got a call this week from the U.S.A. Today network wanting my take on the appropriate content for family life (sex education) curriculum and a different media call wanting comment on a drag queen show at a museum in Memphis. I am also getting email...
A “Threat to Democracy”? Isn’t that a Good Thing?
Sep 9, 2022 by David Fowler
Recently President Biden has come under attack by conservatives for speaking about Trump supporters, MAGA adherents, and even a solitary heckler at one of his speeches as a “threat to democracy.” But isn’t that a good thing?
...
Is “Statesman” an Extinct Category in Our Day?
Sep 1, 2022 by David Fowler
Can you think of a person over the last 30 years you would consider a statesman? I would like to think I was one during my 12 years in the Tennessee Senate, but alas, something I read the other day made me realize I did not come close. See if you wou...
Is the Indictment of Glen Casada a ‘Severe Mercy’?
Aug 26, 2022 by David Fowler
The indictment of former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada is painful to me because he has been a friend for two decades and was a legislative colleague. Were Glen not a public figure, I might say nothing, but he is not. For the following reasons, ...
Is Evangelicalism Afflicted with Its Own Form of Trump Derangement Syndrome?
Aug 19, 2022 by David Fowler
Even before Liz Cheney’s drubbing this week, former president Donald Trump’s continuing influence in the Republican party was clear. I have given much thought to why Trump seems to be such a clear dividing line in politics generally and e...
Will Christians Acquiesce to Heresy and Teach It to their Children?
Aug 11, 2022 by David Fowler
This week a prominent private school in Nashville for girls grades 5 through 12 announced a new gender policy: “Any student who identifies as a girl may apply to our school.” Given the prestige of the school, no one should treat ligh...
What to Make of Winning Candidates Who Have Lied and the PAC’s That Support Them
Aug 5, 2022 by David Fowler
Political campaigns have always been marked by what I will call “sharp practices,” but over the last four years, the degree of maliciousness and amount of flat out lying by people I once respected seems to have reached a new level. In rec...
What Bad Politicking Tells Us About the Politicians We Need
Jul 29, 2022 by David Fowler
I believe one state legislative primary is a microcosm of the dilemma voters face during Republican primaries and provides insight into what is most needed among those we elect. The one I have in mind is that between Senator Jack Johnson and Gary Hum...
Evaluating Candidates For The Most Influential Office In State Government
Jul 22, 2022 by David Fowler
The next attorney general for our state will soon be selected by the justices on the Tennessee Supreme Court. I would submit that it is the most influential position in state government. And only one person whose name is being bandied about that I th...
How to Evaluate ‘Insider’ vs. ‘Outsider’ Legislative Candidates
Jul 15, 2022 by David Fowler
Early voting for state legislative primaries (and county general elections) starts today. There are some Republican primaries in which the incumbent faces a challenger. Having been the out-of-nowhere challenger to a 26-year incumbent Repub...
Commentary