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.
Will Ballot Issues Make Tennessee’s Constitution Meaningless?
Jul 30, 2020 by David Fowler
This week, Tennessee’s Supreme Court heard oral arguments in regard to a lawsuit in which a handful of Tennesseans alleged that Tennessee’s absentee ballot statutes violate their right to vote. As I read some of the questions the ...
Federal Court’ Opinion on Tennessee Abortion Law Painful to Read
Jul 30, 2020 by David Fowler
Everybody knew the federal district court would prevent the state from enforcing the abortion law that the legislature passed on the last day of the legislative session. District courts adhere closely to U.S. Supreme Court precedent. However, it seem...
Tennessee Physician Comes Clean on What Abortion Really Means
Jul 24, 2020 by David Fowler
The Tennessean just completed a fascinating series of guest editorials on abortion. The argument of the physician in support of legal abortion was so transparent that I was astounded to find it in print. What he admitted in regard to abortion was not...
Growing Threats to Civil Liberty Have a Silver Lining
Jul 17, 2020 by David Fowler
I think I’ve found a silver lining for those who are frustrated with the governor’s Executive Orders on COVID and the two most recent court defeats on abortion—the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Louisiana’s abortion la...
What SCOTUS Abortion Ruling Means for TN’s New Abortion Law
Jul 3, 2020 by David Fowler
On Monday, the United States Supreme Court issued its latest travesty, this time a judgment holding unconstitutional an abortion-related law in Louisiana. But no one should be surprised that the Court failed to use the case to overrule Roe v. Wade. E...
Abortion Legislation Has Exposed What I Most Treasure
May 29, 2020 by David Fowler
Wednesday was one of my most unpleasant legislative experiences in 25 years, because I was compelled to speak critically of a pro-life bill proposed, sponsored, and supported by people I like and respect and whose pro-life convictions I would never q...
Test the Limits or Pull the Trigger—Two Approaches to Abortion
Mar 6, 2020 by David Fowler
Governor Lee’s abortion legislation (SB 2196/HB 2263) sailed out of the state Senate’s Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. This coming Tuesday, both the governor’s proposal and the Rule of Law Life Act (SB 1780/HB 1962) will be on the c...
The Pro-Life Issue That Stopped Me in My Tracks
Feb 28, 2020 by David Fowler
Next week we will see the details of Governor Lee’s proposed legislation on abortion. In anticipation of that, a friend suggested to me last week that I pull together in one article a summary of the key points I’ve made over recent months...
Is Pro-life Despair Concerning Roe v. Wade’s Reversal Justified?
Feb 21, 2020 by David Fowler
Last week I spoke with a legislator who gave voice to what a number of legislators believe: The U.S. Supreme Court is not ready to reverse Roe v. Wade, so enacting any legislation—even that proposed by the governor—thinking it might lead ...
Good and Bad Pro-Life Incremental Legislation
Feb 7, 2020 by David Fowler
Most likely the Tennessee Legislature will approve some pro-life legislation this session. For the Christian, the issue underlying every proposal will be whether incrementalism—not enacting legislation that directly attacks Roe v. Wade and Case...
Commentary