More than 58,000 Tennessee businesses received franchise tax breaks

 By Kim Jarrett, The Center Square, Jun 2, 2025 - More than 58,000 businesses received a new corporate franchise tax break, according to a list from the Tennessee Department of Revenue.

The information released Saturday by the department does not say how much of a break each business received. The department's list also shows 15,868 received a tax break of more than $10,000; 33,376 businesses received between $751 to $10,000; and 9,240 businesses received $750 or less.

The General Assembly passed a corporate franchise tax cut in 2024 that was initially estimated to cost the state $1.6 billion. The list does not give a total amount for the tax breaks issued. 

April corporate tax collections were $153.2 million below estimates, a 13.2% drop, according to figures released by the department earlier this month, due in part to the cut.

"Corporate tax payments were notably lower this year due to tax policy changes that reduced taxpayers' franchise tax liabilities," said Gina L. Long, director of communications for the department, in an email to The Center Square. "Additionally, many corporate taxpayers are utilizing carryforward tax credits from prior years, and several large, nonrecurring payments were included in last year's collections."

House Majority Leader William Lamberth sponsored the bill signed by Gov. Bill Lee in May 2024. 

“It’s simply a policy debate on whether or not we should cut the franchise taxes going forward, making us more competitive to other states to be able to attract businesses and retain businesses,” Lamberth said when presenting it to the House.

Nashville Sen. Heidi Campbell, D-Nashville, and other Democrats called the tax break a "billion dollar refund scheme."

"Now, we’re staring down the largest budget deficit of the year – a direct result of these reckless tax breaks. Corporate tax collections have cratered, and Tennessee families are still paying sky-high grocery taxes, while our schools, roads and healthcare remain among the worst-funded in the nation," Campbell said. "This is the real cost of trickle-down economics: corporate handouts while working families get left behind.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, said families will "pay the price" for Lee and Republicans' "fiscal recklessness."

“Our budget has doubled since Republicans took control in 2011, yet are roads are in worse shape, our public schools are still underfunded, access to health care and child care has decreased, and costs of living have only gone up," Clemmons said.

The list will remain on the Department of Revenue's website until June 30.

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Court rules Metro Nashville Council must reduce its size

By Kim Jarrett, The Center Square, June 4, 2025 - A ruling by the Tennessee Court of Appeals could force the Metro Nashville Council to reduce its size from 40 to 20 members.

Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill in 2023 that limited metropolitan councils to 20 members. The Metro Nashville Council challenged the law, saying the Home Rule Amendment of the Tennessee Constitution gives Nashville voters the decision on its size.

A chancery court sided with Metro Nashville in 2024 and ruled the law was unconstitutional. The state appealed the ruling and the decision was handed down Tuesday.

"To the contrary, there is ample authority for the proposition that when the Legislature acts through general legislation, the Legislature retains power over a county, despite the county’s home rule status, and this is true even with respect to functions that are governmental or political in nature," Judges J. Steven Stafford wrote in the majority opinion shared by Judge Carma Dennis McGee.

Judge Kenny Armstrong dissented.

Vice Mayor Angie Henderson said the Metro Council will discuss its next steps with the Department of Law.

"The Home Rule Amendment of the Tennessee Constitution, in part, stands for the proposition that the size of the Metro Council is a decision for the voters of Metro Nashville," Henderson said in a statement. "The General Assembly’s 2023 Small Government Efficiency Act was advanced purportedly to address the 'efficiency & effectiveness;' of Nashville’s legislative branch. For the last 60 years, this 40-member Council has capably and effectively served the interests of our constituents, who today number some 715,000."

If the ruling stands, the law would take effect in 2027.

Rod's Comment: For those who may not know the background, there has been tension between Metro Nashville and the State for some time. Much of it is the old urban-rural divide and some of it stems from the fact that Davidson County is an overwhelmingly Democratic stronghold in an overwhelmingly Republican state. This divide, however, has not kept the State and Metro from working closely together to promote economic development. 

In August of 2022, the divide became much worse when the Nashville Metro Council voted against pursuing bringing the 2024 Republican National Convention to Nashville. The State very much wanted Tennessee to host the convention. To get a major party's conventions is about like getting the Olympics or the Superbowl for your city; it is a really big deal. It is an economic boost and puts the city in the spotlight on the national stage. Nashville was a contender and would have likely won the competition for hosting the convention should Nashville have pursued it. 

The reason members of the Council offered for not wanted to host the convention was security concerns, fear that there might be rioting in the streets. It is hard to know how much of that was a legitimate concern and how much of it was simply a way to show their obvious disdain for Donald Trump. In retaliation for Nashville's decision to not pursue hosting the convention, the state tried to punish Nashville in several ways, such as taking over the Metro Sports Authority, the Metro Airport Authority and reducing the size of the Metro Council, and few other measures.  

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Elon Musk Calls Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful’ Spending Bill a ‘Disgusting Abomination’

by Rod Williams, June 3, 2025- I keep waiting for Trump world to splinter. Several cracks are starting to appear. It almost seemed inevitable that fissures would develop. After all, many of those in Trump world were long-time conservatives before they jumped on the Trump bandwagon. Many still believe in things like free trade, an originalist approach to the constitution, due process, smaller government, a strong national defense, America's leadership role in the world, and the rule of law. 

When Trump does things like attack the Federalist Society and disavow the advice that led to an originalist majority on the Supreme Court, some conservatives must be disappointed. When Trump abandons 75 years of conservative orthodoxy supporting freer trade among nations, surely some are uncomfortable. Seemingly siding with Russia in its aggression toward Ukraine and appearing ready to abandon NATO has got to give long-standing defense hawks pause. Now, it seems like the bromance between Elon Musk and Donald Trump may be on rocky ground. Will this give a backbone to some budget hawks? 

Musk's taking a chain saw approach to government was an absolute failure. Many of his cuts were reinstated by the courts. He wanted to treat government like a private business that he owns and that just doesn't work. The constitution says the Congress has the power of the purse. A president cannot just refuse to spend money appropriated by Congress and the president cannot abolish departments created by Congress.

I favor cutting the size of the federal government, but the Musk approach was not the way to go about it. Considerable savings were realized during the Reagan years with the Grace Commission and under President Clinton, with Newt Gingrich as speaker of the house, major welfare reform and savings were realized. These efforts were not as dramatic as the Musk approach, but they led to real government savings. These two efforts were careful thoughtful approaches and did not happen within mere weeks. During these government reforms, no one went home on a Friday, got an email over the weekend telling them their services were no longer needed and were locked out of their office on Monday. 

Not only was the Musk approach cruel and chaotic, on several occasions people who had been rapidly fired had to be reinstated when it was discovered that their jobs were crucial to things like nuclear safety. Elon Musk's DOGE has saved little money. By his own accounting, DOGE only saved about a quarter of what Musk thought it would save and the Courts or the next Congress may whittle that down. In any event, Musk tired, a foolish approach for sure, but he thought he could cut government. Now Congress is on the verge of passing a bill that increases government spending and increases the deficit. Trump is twisting arms to get the Big Beautiful Bill passed; Elong Musk has called the bill a "disgusting abomination." Could Musk's outspoken criticism of the bill give budget hawks a backbone?

I do not see how this difference of opinion between Musk and Trump can be papered over. I suspect, most Trumpinistas will still blindly follow Trump no matter where he leads them. However, enough little cracks and the dam may break. 

For more on this, see the following:

 Elon Musk Calls Trump's 'Big, Beautiful' Spending Bill a 'Disgusting Abomination'

By Brittany Bernstein, National Review, June 3, 2025- ... “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,” he said in a post on X.

“Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it,” he added.

Musk’s comments on Tuesday represent an even harsher reaction to the bill than his previous criticisms. Last month, he said he was “disappointed” by the House passage of the bill because it undermines the work he has done as the head of DOGE.

“The president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday. “It doesn’t change the president’s opinion.” ... 

While the bill aims to cut $1.5 trillion in government spending, it also increases the debt limit by $4 trillion. The U.S. government is more than $36 trillion in debt.

... some lawmakers agreed with Musk’s criticism on Tuesday.

“The Senate must make this bill better,” Senator Mike Lee (R., Utah) replied to Musk’s post.

“He’s right,” Representative Thomas Massie (R., Ky.) said of Musk. Massie was one of two Republicans to oppose the bill in the House.

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Metro Councilmember David Benton under fire for Rep. Ogles press conference, responds to calls for resignation

by Rod Williams, June 2, 2025- I have been very critical of the Trump administration's handling of illegal immigration for its cruelty, but primarily for the denial of due process. If an illegal immigrant can be picked up off the street and disappeared into a foreign prison without conviction of a crime, then it could happen to a citizen. We should all be concerned about denial of due process. The right to due process is a right of all persons in America.

As regards the ICE raid in Nashville, I have been critical and you can read my post, Reflections on the Recent ICE Raids in Nashville for my views. I also think that designating Nashville a sanctuary city is concerning, when apparently all it takes to be classified as a sanctuary city is to have a difference of opinion of immigration enforcement than that of the Trump administration. I have addressed that issue in my post, Homeland Security identifies Nashville as sanctuary city.

Despite my views expressed above, my sympathies are with David Benton in this effort to remove him from office. If I were one of his constituents and one of these people circulating a petition to recall him came to my door asking me to sign the recall petition, I would not do it. If they should be successful in getting a recall referendum on the ballot, I would vote against it.

David Benton has done nothing so outrageous as to be removed from office. Just as the designation of Nashville as a sanctuary city and the threat of a Congressional investigation of Mayor O'Connell is simply bullying due to a difference of opinion, so is the effort to recall David Benton. We should tolerate a considerable amount of difference of opinion in American politics. Removal from office should be reserved for serious offences and really outrageous behavior.  In any event, the recall effort will almost assuredly fail. It is very difficult to remove a council member from office.

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U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn Wins GOP Nashville Straw Poll

Davidson County Republican Party Press Release, May 31, 2025 — The Davidson County Republican Party congratulates U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn on winning the straw poll conducted at Centennial Park for our annual Summer Picnic.

The 2025 GOP Nashville Summer Picnic had more than 600 attendees, with 541 votes cast. The results were as follows: 

• U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn: 345 votes (63.7%) 
• U.S. Congressman John Rose: 195 votes (36.0%) 
• U.S. Congressman Tim Burchett: 1 vote 

These results reflect the preferences of GOP Nashville members and attendees, providing valuable insight into the sentiments of local Republican voters as the 2026 gubernatorial race approaches.

"We are grateful to all who participated in our straw poll," said Jason Weakley, Chairman of the Davidson County Republican Party. "The strong turnout and engagement demonstrate the enthusiasm and commitment of our community to the values and leadership that will guide Tennessee's future."

The GOP Nashville board would like to thank all the elected officials who were in attendance or spoke including U.S. Congressman Andy Ogles, TN Senators Mark Pody and Jack Johnson, and TN House Representatives Scott Cepicky and Johnny Garrett.

For more information about the Davidson County Republican Party and upcoming events, please visit https://www.gopnashville.org

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Nashville Mayor O'Connell under federal probe following actions during ICE crackdown

by Karen Aguilar, Fox 17, June 1 — A federal investigation is underway into Nashville's mayor for his actions during ICE's crackdown in the Mid-State.

Mayor Freddie O'Connell is accused of putting federal agents at risk with his directive to report ICE communications and using taxpayer money to help illegal immigrants. ... Mayor O'Connell said that is not true and will turn over any information needed. ... Congressman Andy Ogles has been the leading voice to get the investigation going. "Enough is enough, and we're going to hold you (Mayor O'Connell) accountable," said Congressman Ogles. 

The fact-finding mission is looking into several issues. The allegation is that he is helping illegal immigrants with taxpayer money through the Belonging Fund. The fund was created at the start of the ICE-THP crackdown earlier this month.

Mayor O'Connell wanted to clarify things. "There is no public funding that is a part of the Belonging Fund," he said. ....

The probe also looks into the Mayor's Office posting the names of federal immigration officials. The Mayor's Office initially told us it was for transparency, then said it was a mistake, which led to the names being removed.

"It was never the intent of the executive order for those names to be posted," he said. "We're working on new safeguards and procedures to avoid it happening again."

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Trump Turns on the Federalist Society. He Didn't Want Originalist he Wanted Loyalist.

by Rod Williams, May 31, 2025- One of the things that compelled me to vote for Trump in 2020 was his record of appointing originalist jurist to the Courts. He appointed Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, all of whom were recommendations of the Federalist Society. I was thrilled by those appointments. In addition to the Supreme Court appointees, Trump was able to fill a lot of lower court vacancies, mostly also made up of Federalist Society nominees.

I have been pleased with the rulings of the Supreme Court on overturning Roe v Wade and other ruling. I have been especially pleased to see the lower courts stand up to Trump on issues like due process and the rule of law.

Trump is not pleased with the courts. President Trump has been lambasting judges, including many he appointed, as "activist judges." He has also lambasted the Federalist Society for the recommendations they made. When the various cases working their way through the courts reach the Supreme Court, I fully expect the Supreme Court to uphold the Constitution and vote against Trump on several issues. I don't doubt the Supreme Court will uphold the Constitution.

Recently, Trump took to social media to lambast the courts. His post tells a lot about the way he thinks. Recently Trump got an adverse ruling from the U. S. Court of International Trade. Instead of seeing it as a loss for his administration, he sees the court as ruling against the United States of America. He says they are doing damage to the country. This is the way a king thinks, when they refer to "the crown," and see themselves as the embodiment of the nation. Trump thinks of himself that way.

Also, he cannot see that a ruling against his administration is a ruling based on interpreting the law and upholding the Constitution. A ruling against his position is because the justices simply hate him. "What other reason could there be?" he asks. It is all personal with Trump. 

His post also says a lot about his contempt for the legislative process, seeing it as, "hundreds of politicians setting around for weeks." The Constitutions says it is Congress's job to levy taxes, but that is too time consuming and cumbersome and is an impediment to Trump doing what he things he needs to do. To hell with what the Constitution says and to hell with Congress, they are impediments to getting the job done. That is the way kings and other dictators think. 

Also, from his recent Truth Social post he refers to "radical left judges." Now, these are judges many of whom were recommended by the Federalist Society and appointed by Republican presidents. Some were Trump appointees and some Bush and Reagan appointees. I am not sure Trump knows his left from his right. In Trump's view and Trump world, a leftist is anyone who does not kowtow to the dear leader.

Writing in The Dispatch, Nick Catoggio had this to say about Trump's attack on Leonard Leo.  

Leo spent many years as the Federalist Society’s sherpa on judicial nominees, advising Republican presidents on whom to appoint and helping to shepherd candidates through the confirmation process. With the exception of Mitch McConnell, no one has done more this century to build a federal bench of originalist judges. But Trump didn’t want originalists—he wanted flunkies—and so Leo’s influence, and the influence of the organization he serves, have gone up in smoke. ....

Conservatives got the judiciary they wanted in exchange for supporting a man who radiates contempt for the constitutional order. In doing so, they empowered a postliberal movement that despises judges who do their jobs conscientiously instead of dutifully midwifing a Trumpist autocracy. As the Republican Party proceeds further down the path to fascism that those conservatives enabled, eventually the federal judiciary will consist entirely of believers in the “living Constitution,” half authoritarian and half progressive. In the long run, as Reaganites age out and are replaced by younger Trumpists, conservative judges as we’ve known them will go mostly extinct.  

Catoggio says conservatives, in order to get a conservative judiciary made a deal with the devil and now the Devil has come to collect.  

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The Davidson County GOP Picnic is this Saturday. I Think I will Skip it.

July 2010 Davidson County GOP Picnic

by Rod Williams, May 27, 2025- The Davidson County Republican Party Picnic will be this Saturday, at Centennial Park for those who are interested. 

I think I will skip it.

I have always enjoyed attending the GOP summer picnic. I think I have attended every one of them since becoming active in the local Party sometime along about 2008. Not all years did the Party have one, and some were better than others. One year instead of a picnic, the party just had watermelon and ice cream. Some of the picnics were poorly attended and didn't amount to much but some years the picnics were lively and featured live music, big crowds, awards presentations, speeches by the governor or our US Senator, speeches by candidates,  lots of signs and booths by candidates or booth promoting causes, a dunking booth, games, and red, white, and blue bunting and they were really rousing fun affairs. As is to be expected, years in which there were elections were better than years in which there were not elections. For a little of the flavor of previous picnics follow this link and this one and this one. 

The picnics have always been an opportunity to connect with people with whom I have worked with on behalf of conservative causes, electing candidates, and the Party. I have attended rallies, protest, worked the polls, attended award dinners, fundraising cocktail parties, barbeques, fish fries, the convention and caucus, and worked the phone banks with other Republicans and the picnic was a time to socialize with them. Plus, a summer picnic is just fun. 

I hate to miss it, and I have sort of been planning on attending, but just decided, or mostly decided, I will not be attending. 

One reason, I think I will skip the picnic, is because I want to avoid confrontation and having been an outspoken critic of Trump, some people may seek a confrontation with me. I have been called a RINO, a NeoCon, a Libtard, a liberal, a progressive, a Democrat, and worst online. Actually, I have no fear of a physical confrontation and little concern about a verbal attack. Actually, most people are much more civil in person than they are online. Also, the worst of the Trumpinista are not part of the Party. Party activist are a better grade of people than the typical non-Party-affiliated Trumpinista. At least that is my impression. So, while a confrontation is possible, it probably wouldn't happen, but I would probably get the cold shoulder. 

Another reason, I most likely will not be attending is that I would be uncomfortable being in the company of people who gush praise for Trump and wear his image on their clothes and the MAGA hat. I would have that whore-in-church feeling.

Another reason, and maybe the most important reason, is that I no longer share the same values of today's typical Republican. Not sharing their values, I have less desire to socialize with them. I still believe in limited government. I believe in America's leadership role in the world, in peace through strength, and strong alliances with other nations. Instead of increasing the deficit and national debt, I think we should be balancing the budget and reducing the debt. I believe in the rule of law, separation of powers, federalism, and revere the Constitution. I believe in capitalism, free markets and free trade. I believe in ordered liberty, norms, law and order, reasoning with those with whom you disagree, accepting the outcome when you lose, and treating others with dignity and respect and avoiding cruelty and chaos. I don't think I have changed but the Party has and has left me behind.

I know a few other never-Trump Republicans and if they are going, I may go yet. If I go and it disgust me too much, I can always eat and leave. If you go, enjoy yourself. I am kind of praying for rain on Saturday. 

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The Last of the in-person Housing & Infrastructure Workshops is Tomorrow, Sat. May 31.

by Rod Williams, May 30, 2025- Big changes are being proposed for Nashville's zoning ordinance which would result in greater housing density and more flexibility in where housing can be build. A couple years ago, some members of the Metro Council introduced several ordinances that would have increased housing density. There was an outpouring of public opposition, and those measures were put on hold. 

Since that time, the Metro Planning Commission has been studying the issue and has developed a plan for changing Metro's zoning to achieve the result of greater housing density. The Planning Commission has produced its report and has been hosting public meetings where the housing study is explained and where Planning Commission staff are available to answer questions. I have been intending to attend one of those workshops, but being somewhat a procrastinator, I have done so yet. Tomorrow is the last of the workshops and I plan on attending.  

The workshop is Saturday, May 31 from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. at the Sonny West Conference Center on the Fulton Campus, 700 2nd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37210.

For those unable to attend but would like more information about the study, follow this link. 

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Homeland Security identifies Nashville as sanctuary city

by Rod Williams, May 30, 2025- The Department of Homeland Security has named Nashville a sanctuary City. This is new. Other cities that are considered sanctuary cities have designated themselves as such. While there are no legal criteria that makes a city a sanctuary city, in general a sanctuary city is one that limits local cooperation with immigration officials. The policies of a sanctuary city include prohibiting police or city employees from questioning people about their immigration status and refusing requests by national immigration authorities to detain people beyond their release date, if they were jailed for breaking local law. 

Tennessee state law prohibits a jurisdiction in Tennessee from being a sanctuary city and requires local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE officers and requests to hold non-citizen inmates for deportation. This law was passed in 2017. In February of this year, a law went into effect that creates criminal penalties for officials who adopt sanctuary policies and requires their removal from office upon conviction. The law makes it a Class E felony, resulting in a potential prison sentence of between one to six years, for "each official who, in their capacity as a member of the governing body of a local government, votes to adopt a sanctuary policy."  Of course, Nashville has not voted for any such policies and the law would apply to members of the Metro Council in the case of Nashville. 

Our Sheriff cooperates with ICE. The Sheriff has said his department does not engage in immigration enforcement but, of course, Nashville's Sheriff's office is not a law enforcement agency.  The Sheriff has said he follows the law and notifies ICE when an undocumented alien is booked and gives ICE 48 hours to respond. 

It is obvious that Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell has annoyed the Trump administration by letting his displeasure with the ICE raids in Nashville be known and by helping to create a private fund to help those families left behind when a family member is deported. Representative Andy Ogles has said Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees are launching an investigation into the mayor's ‘conduct’ during ICE operations. The investigation is also looking to see if any federal funds were being used for ‘criminal enterprise.’

This is going to get tricky. It looks like the mayor has done nothing illegal and has simply spoken out and expressed his outrage or grandstanded, depending on how you see it. Obviously, Nashville Metro Council has not passed any policies that would violate State law. We may be doing the minimum to cooperate with ICE or simply not obstructing ICE, and the mayor's rhetoric is anti-ICE, but we have not crossed any line that would make us a sanctuary city under State law. 

The problem is that the Trumpinista dominated legislature, and State government will want to show their fealty to Trump by agreeing that Nashville is a sanctuary city and punishing Nashville. How do they agree with the Trump regime that Nashville is a sanctuary city, when the federal government has no definition of what a sanctuary city is, and when Metro has not violated the State law that defines a Sanctuary city?  When law is simply whatever those in power say it is, and there is no hard definition of what is and what is not against the law, it makes it difficult to point to what law was violated. Surely, the law has to be more than the mood of Donald Trump or the opinion of the head of Homeland Security.  

For more on this issue see link, link. For my views on the Nashville ICE raid see, Reflections on the Recent ICE Raids in Nashville.

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Surprise, Surprise! Trump delays 50% EU tariffs

by Rod Williams, May 37, 2025- Who would have guessed it? President Trump on Friday of last week, in a Truth Social post, announced 50% tariffs on imports from EU nations starting June 1. He said the EU was had been slow to offer trade concessions during a 90-day window to reach a deal that satisfies the administration, and he was fed up. For some reason, the stock market hardly budged on the news. Could it be, that no one believes Trump's bark anymore? Could it be that everyone knows anything he says is subject to change and should be taken with a grain of salt? Not that he will not do terrible things and foolish things, but he is just as likely to not follow through as to follow through. 

 On Sunday Trump said that he would delay imposing the 50 percent tariffs on all imports from the European Union until July 9 to allow more time for trade negotiations.

I am not going to be surprised if July 9th rolls around and Trumps delays them again. June 1st was an impossible deadline. There are 27 nations in the EU and the EU cannot make an agreement on tariffs without consultation with the member states. June 1 and July 9 are both impossible timelines to meet. So, when July 9 rolls around, I expect one of three things to happen: one, Trumps says he is making progress and delays the tariffs again; two, the EU passes some insignificant resolution on trade, Trump declares victory and does not impose the tariffs; or three, Trump imposes the Tariffs, the stock market reacts negatively, and after one, two, or three days, Trump lifts the tariffs.  We'll see.

Here is what I wrote last week.

A Timeline of Trumps Tariffs and another Three-year-old's Temper Tantrum

by Rod Williams, May 24, 2025- Yesterday President Trump announced he was imposing tariffs of 50% on imports from the EU. It is almost ho-hum, here we go again. Tariffs have been on again-off again so often it is hard to keep up. I am not going to be surprised when he drops them back down. 

I don't doubt that Trump is sincerely ignorant of economics and lacks an understanding of tariffs and really believes high tariffs are a good thing, and he may be so ignorant that he really believes that when he imposes tariffs on the EU it is EU countries or exporters that pay the tariffs, but I also have a suspicion that there may be a little market manipulation going on.  He is by far the most corrupt person to ever serve as president, so I am not going to be surprised if there is not a little insider trading to time the on and off to benefit his friends and family and his blind trust. 

Trump supporters do not get whiplash trying to follow Trumps tariffs and tariffs threats. They do not see a changing of his mind about a tariff as a backing down. They do not say Trump blinked. They say he is right when he is announcing a tariff and say how brilliant he is when he takes off a tariff. To his supporters he is exercising the art of the deal and playing three-dimensional chess and the rest of us are just too dumb to recognize his brilliance.  

When I look at Trump's tariff policy, I do not see a brilliant strategist playing three-dimensional chess; I see a three-year-old throwing a temper tantrum. 

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To Watch the Loss of Your Nation’s Honor is Embarrassing and Painful.

by Rod Williams, May 2, 2025 - President Trump is taking America to a place we may have never been before, or so it seems. Maybe Andrew Jackson was as bad, or worse, but we don't know yet because Trump's still has three more years and nine months do whatever it is he is going to do. It appears that we are heading toward a shredding of the Constitution and the norms that have preserved our democracy. It feels to me like we are going down the path of a previous Argentina, or today's Hungary or any other number of countries that traded prosperity and democracy for autocracy and authoritarianism. 

The hardcore MAGA are of course happy with the direction we are headed and celebrate the cruelty, chaos, indecency, and the strong man rule unrestrained by concepts like the co-equal branches of government and the rule of law.  To those of us who have not joined the Trump cult, we are alarmed as we daily watch our democracy slip away. 

Both liberals and traditional conservatives are appalled and alarmed by Trump's rise to power, the violation of norms and constitutional restraints. While both liberals and traditional conservatives are appalled at what is happening, I think the conservatives feel something the liberals do not. The traditional conservatives feel betrayed.

A lot of liberals, I think, view Trump as a culmination of something they have been opposing all of their lives. When you always viewed Republicans as evil, then Trump is just eviler. Recently, I shared a Facebook meme that said something to the effect, "I did not know I would be spending my advanced years fighting fascism." Admittedly, "fascism," is an ill-defined term and I am not sure it actually applies. "Fascism" has become a meaningless pejorative. Maybe I should not have shared the meme. Nevertheless, I think the concept of the meme reflects what many of us feel. What we are experiencing is much different than anything experienced before in our lifetime. If it is not fascism, it is something close to it. A close acquaintance of mine replied to my sharing of the meme by saying something like, "I have been fighting fascism my whole life." 

When you also thought Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, John McCain and Mit Romney were evil or "fascist," then Trump is just more of the same but more so. When you revered Ronald Reagan and worked to elect people like George Bush and John McCain and Mitt Romney, and worked to advance a set of conservative ideas, Donald Trump feels like a betrayal of everything you ever believe in.

Thankfully there are still some faithful conservatives, people like George Will and Bill Crystal and David Brooks and the people who work for some of the conservative journals and think tanks who are remaining true to their conservative principle. Unfortunately, there are far too few of them.  Many people who still think of themselves as conservative have either embraced Trumpism or are too timid to oppose it. 

David Brooks writing in the most recent issue of The Atlantic expresses what I feel more than anything I have read. Below is an excerpt.

David Brooks

Charles de Gaulle began his war memoirs with this sentence: “All my life I have had a certain idea about France.” Well, all my life I have had a certain idea about America. I have thought of America as a deeply flawed nation that is nonetheless a force for tremendous good in the world. From Abraham Lincoln to Franklin D. Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan and beyond, Americans fought for freedom and human dignity and against tyranny; we promoted democracy, funded the Marshall Plan, and saved millions of people across Africa from HIV and AIDS. When we caused harm—Vietnam, Iraq—it was because of our overconfidence and naivete, not evil intentions.

Until January 20, 2025, I didn’t realize how much of my very identity was built on this faith in my country’s goodness—on the idea that we Americans are partners in a grand and heroic enterprise, that our daily lives are ennobled by service to that cause. Since January 20, as I have watched America behave vilely—toward our friends in Canada and Mexico, toward our friends in Europe, toward the heroes in Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office—I’ve had trouble describing the anguish I’ve experienced. Grief? Shock? Like I’m living through some sort of hallucination? Maybe the best description for what I’m feeling is moral shame: To watch the loss of your nation’s honor is embarrassing and painful.

To read the full article, follow this link.  

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