That’s all Chattanooga needs — more ‘overarching leadership’

A helicopter refurbished by a veterans group is hauled toward its park pole in Soddy-Daisy on Feb. 28, 2014. The private sector pulls the public; it’s not the other way around. (Photo David Tulis) [O]ur biggest obstacle to achieving a larger civic vision is the sad lack of over-arching governmental leadership, vision and collaboration among […]

Chains of paper, or chains of iron; will Knowles defy gay opinion, if it comes?

Bill Knowles is Hamilton County clerk, and dispenses marriage licenses for state government. He and his wife, Marelene, are parents of grown children. (Photo electknowles.com) By David Tulis Will Bill Knowles, the Hamilton County clerk, buckle? Will this Christian man and well-known local political figure agree to issue a marriage license if two homosexual men […]

How spoils system would make city, county more responsive to voters

In the spoils system, the arrival of Hamilton County mayor Jim Coppinger, center, to office would have involved the ouster of most of the county’s employees and installation of his own people. In 2013, county staff numbered 1,762. (Photo wrcbtv.com) By David Tulis Why do you vote? Is it possible that when you vote you […]

Local economy theory so sweet that Obama borrows it in chat

President Obama works on his state of the union address with speech draftsman Cody Keenan on Jan. 22. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) By David Tulis My wife, Jeannette, looks at me and rolls her eyes when she considers I quit a part-time wage-earning job as a newspaper editor to take up the […]

Local economy avoids brittleness, interlocking credit monoliths in national sector

A confidence crisis in the bar, left, caused the 2008 meltdown. What about the bar at right? What’s that? (Graphic DanielAmerman.com) By David Tulis If you are like me, you value small steps toward greater financial independence. You are progressing in plans to start a small home-based business. You are less intimidated by shaky prospects […]

If stealing country were a tort, getting it back might be ‘action in replevin’

Wendell O’Reilly, Chattanooga attorney The difficulty in strengthening local economy comes from the economic and political interests whose success is crowned by centralization. The government school. Federal welfare. Total surveillance. The usual suspects. By David Tuls Thanks to Uncle’s control of entire marketplaces it sometimes is inconceivable that Chattanoogans will ever be their own masters. […]

From hands of few into hands of many; free market aids Chattanooga

Public schools, like this one in Bradley County, Tenn., are a legacy system being supplanted by the free market and the World Wide Web. (Photo Bradley County schools website) The prospect for liberty in my hometown, Chattanooga, and yours is brighter. This assertion rings true despite almost daily reports about the rising police state. A […]

Governments keep 2 sets of books; expert says wealth at F$110 trillion

Walter Burien explains how composite or commercial government keeps two sets of books, the budget and the comprehensive annual financial report, or CAFR. This two-hour talk’s first 10 minutes will open this remarkable subject. Mr. Burien is my guest by phone on Nooganomics.com on Independence Day.  By David Tulis A little known public report is […]

Localism undoes ‘E pluribus unum,’ giving federal eagle gentle heave-ho

The imperial eagle’s scroll says “E pluribus unum,” or “From many, one.” By David Tulis On the back of the F$1 bill is an engraving of an eagle, a busy bird. On one claw is a clutch of arrows, representing war. In the other, olive branches (for military stasis). In his beak is a ribbon […]

Uncle faces demand: Did you raid Gibson because owner conservative?

Henry Juszkiewicz speaks at a rally of supporters after Uncle Sam hit his Nashville guitar company with a military-grade raid in 2011. (Photo Chris Butler) From Chris Butler | Tennessee Watchdog Henry Juszkiewicz and Christian Martin run competing guitar-manufacturing companies, but their politics have nothing in common. Juszkiewicz, CEO of the Nashville-based Gibson Guitar, is […]