Noose continues to tighten, but no government or empire lasts forever
People drop mail off at the Hixson branch of the U.S. Postal Service, a legal monopoly that in September hit its F$15 billion borrowing limit from Uncle’s treasury department. To argue against such coercive state monopolies is to enter into the perspective of ”voluntaryism,” a helpful framework for viewing liberty. By Carl Watner, Voluntaryist.com Voluntaryists have […]
Centralization reaches peak, faces irreversible breakup
“Centralization induces apoplexy at the center and paralysis at the extremities.” — Lamenais By Gary North Teapartyeconomist The present political system is clearly insane. It suffers from schizophrenia. Around the world, almost no one trusts the politicians, yet almost everyone votes for incumbent politicians who promise to reform the government. Voters now suspect (correctly) that […]
Transcript: State senate candidate Gardenhire says he’s free marketer
Todd Gardenhire, right, a GOP state senate candidate, answers questions from newspaper reporter Chris Carroll, left. Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey listens. State senate candidate Todd Gardenhire suggests the difference between himself and his rival may be more in the direction of their diverse birthdates than their ideas. Mr. Gardenhire is in his 60s. His rival, […]
Econ lesson No. 2: Centralization destroys opportunity, prosperity, risk
The eye at the top of the pyramid tells of Uncle; in his world, relationships are vertical and most of us are at the bottom. In a decentralized society under God’s blessing, horizontal relationships among equals (more or less) are more common. By David Tulis A handy way to perceive the free market and local […]
Christians feel besieged as school system secularization whines ahead
News coverage over the past two months has focused much on Christian prayers at public events. By David Tulis The South’s strong cultural Christianity comes from its Protestant heritage and the influence of reformed theology, particularly the many Scottish Presbyterians who fled religious persecution. This theological heritage explains the region’s resistance to federal armies in […]
Nehemiah, a model official, relies on local economy, refuses to tax
By David Tulis A favorite character in the scriptures is Nehemiah, the Israelite who was cupbearer to an alien king, Artaxerxes, and sent back to his home country to look after Jerusalem and the deplorable state of those of his fellows left behind. As our family has read about Nehemiah at family worship, I have […]
As Gibson lowers lips to kiss hoof, Uncle, in show of grace, lifts it
These instruments are made by Gibson Guitars in Nashville, a private company that recently opened a plant in Memphis. (Gibson.com) By David Tulis I snapped up the CD edition of Gulliver’s Travels after my 9-year-old had enjoyed it and have been howling at the satire so acidly penned by Jonathan Swift, whose look at 18th […]
Free market Sherman tanks will outflank clumsy Tigers of Gig city
A wrecked Sherman tank, left, sits next to a knocked out Tiger tank south of Florence, Italy, in 1944. The Tiger was much more powerful than the American Sherman, but the Germans didn’t make enough of them. By Richard Franklin In grade school we were taught that the “New Deal” and the public works programs […]
City enforces Bible law vs. theft, but will abolish office as antiquated
A scale at Bi-Lo lets shoppers estimate prices on produce before they are weighed on the cash register scale. By David Tulis For probably more than 100 years Chattanooga city government has had an office called sealer, whose duty is to enforce honest weights and measures. “The table of weights and measures provided by law […]
ISP defies government-backed players, seeks to serve small outfits
EPB trucks install fiber-optic cable in the Chattanooga area as the government utility installs a taxpayer-subsidized high-speed Internet system for which little demand is expected. Government is thinking always of the consumer. How can our services be expanded to benefit members of the public? Is there any dysfunction in the marketplace that we can step […]