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.
Amendment 4—What is the Relationship Between Ministers and the State Legislature
Oct 13, 2022 by David Fowler
Amendment 4 on the ballot this November would remove from Tennessee’s Constitution the prohibition on any “minister of the Gospel or priest of any denomination . . . serving in either House of the Legislature.” It may seem like voti...
Amendment 1—Marxist Ideology Pointing to the Church’s Failure?
Oct 7, 2022 by David Fowler
The provocative heading about Amendment 1 to the Tennessee Constitution, the so-called “right to work” amendment, is not intended to indict anyone, but to provoke deeper reflection among those willing to consider a perspective not advance...
Why We Really Should ‘Blame’ God for the Mess We Are In
Nov 11, 2021 by David Fowler
When you add the news this week that you and I have taken a 6.2% pay cut due to inflation to the ongoing news that supply chains problems are making normal consumer purchases more difficult, labor shortages abound, people are being fired for not gett...
Virginia’s Election and the TN Legislature’s COVID Special Session
Nov 5, 2021 by David Fowler
The results of the Virginia gubernatorial election should be a wake-up call for Republican elected officials in Tennessee. They ought not kid themselves that Youngkin’s victory was a ringing endorsement of the Republican Party. Just as certain ...
Needed: A COVID “Special Session From Hell”
Oct 21, 2021 by David Fowler
This week, enough Republican members of the state Senate joined the Republican members of the state House to call for a special legislative session on issues surrounding COVID. For reasons I will explain, I think we need the kind of special session t...
How to Tell the Federal Government ‘No’ on COVID ‘Vaccination’ Mandates.
Oct 21, 2021 by David Fowler
The COVID special session is put up or shut up time for our state politicians. I know from experience that they are in a tough spot. As a state Senator, I sponsored and passed legislation demanded by the federal government under the expressed threat ...
Will the COVID-19 Special Session Be Special Enough?
Oct 14, 2021 by David Fowler
For all its deleterious effects on individuals’ lives, COVID-19 has had one potential salutary effect: It has prompted citizens to put a much-needed focus on the abuse of powers by our state and federal governments. As a result, a special sessi...
Parental Rights and School Mask Mandates: It Is Worse Than You Think
Aug 26, 2021 by David Fowler
This is my last commentary on COVID-related issues, at least for a while, and parents who are frustrated with public K-12 schools and mask mandates do not really know how bad things are regarding parental rights. For the following reasons you have no...
My Open Letter to the Governor and General Assembly on COVID
Aug 20, 2021 by David Fowler
When in a state of crisis, one must be able to retreat to and reflect on fundamental principles to develop workable solutions. I believe Governor Lee’s Executive Order 83 and his more recent one about mask mandates in schools have given us an e...
Vaccine Mandates and Religious Liberty
Aug 12, 2021 by David Fowler
With a flap last week over vaccine mandates being imposed on employees of certain state and local government agencies here in Tennessee and perhaps a nationwide mandate on all persons, I couldn’t help but think of what President Obama’s C...
Commentary