Christianity envisions radical political, economic decentralization

If God blesses the trend toward radical decentralization, Chattanooga city hall will become increasingly important, Nashville and Washington, D.C., less. (Photo David Tulis) The basic premise of localism—and therefore, the basic premise of what I call “County Rights”—is that civil government power should be as decentralized as possible. This is the heart of the program. […]

Does church favoring privatized Christianity get its key essential wrong, too?

The Tennessee supreme court in Nashville is the judicial wing of state government. Neither it nor the federal supreme court “make” law, but the Obergefell gay opinion pretends to have leveled state laws on marriage. Does the gospel speak about limits on state authority? Without reformation, Chattanooga should not expect a better local economy and […]

How national economy wrung from us old, local economy mores, ways

Wendell Berry is a defender of local economy as a cultural artifact. What we lost when national economy consumed local economy, according to Wendell Berry. A soliloquy quoting Mr. Berry in his book, What are People For. Also, Tennessee sues to defend itself as a “sovereign entity” vis a vis a Yankee refugee program. (Courtesy […]

Gardenhire seeks to restrain TN’s highway robbery program

Civil asset forfeiture lets Tennessee run official highwayman program, but Sen. Todd Gardenhire seeks revisions. In 2016 the state had 7,616 forfeiture cases, stole F$17 million in cash and confiscated more than 10 cars and trucks a day. The total for 2009 to 2014 was F$85.9 million and F$26 million more  from the U.S. justice department. […]

City rejects localist Crockett for slick national economy-oriented Berke

Dave Crockett was the local economy candidate for mayor of Chattanooga. His bid was overwhelmed by Web-savvy professional marketing by the incumbent, Andy Berke, standing just behind him in this M.K. King Boulevard march. (Photo Crockett campaign) Dave Crockett speaks to supporter Marty Von Schaaf at an election night dinner Tuesday with supporters. Former Times […]

Crockett pulls 32x less cash than Berke, says gift is making ‘pie in sky’ ideas real

Dave Crockett talks with Mike Steele of NoogaRadio 1240 AM in Chattanooga. (Photo David Tulis) Dave Crockett held a press conference Wednesday at the convention and trade center downtown to release a late fund-raising report and to declare himself a head taller than a lanky Andy Berke. He reports just under F$13,000 in campaign contributions. Mr. Crockett says […]

If localism shares religious ideals of economic nationalism, it is a dead-end

New apartments go up on the North Shore as long rise in credit spawns building boom in Chattanooga before a coming bust. (Photo David Tulis) A locally owned shop in Soddy-Daisy, the Green Pond grocery, sells fuel and snacks. (Photo David Tulis) Localism and lococentrism stray if they share the error of the builders of […]

Whence the payday loan industry? Christian employers who reject daily-pay rule

Employers who are professing Christians should pay their workers daily in honor of the biblical rules requiring the poor man be paid at the end of the day. Software could help. Christians who neglect the Word of God are directly responsible for the payday loan industry that many excoriate. (Courtesy NoogaRadio) Tweet Pin It