Lightbulb Graphic Credit: Public Domain
By Brandon Lewis [Founder of the Tennessee Conservative] –
Maw Maw was a very slender woman – as was Paw Paw. They looked like stick-people with clothes on.
For years, she wore the standard “Alabama Perm” you saw in ladies of that generation. Later, she would start combing it straight.
I can remember her sitting at that aluminum dinner table at the end of the small, galley-style kitchen brushing it. The brush was brown and translucent – the mirror a gold oval. She liked to get ready in there. Maybe it was the lighting.
She loved order and hated clutter. She wouldn’t even let the sink stay wet. Instead, she would methodically wipe it bone-dry after each use. Ring the rag dry and neatly hang it over the sink.
Maw Maw was a radio addict. As she did her chores, it was on. When she woke up, it was on. It was only turned off toward the end of the evening right before bedtime.
On this radio, played old, southern gospel like The Inspirations, Dixie Hummingbirds, JD Sumner & The Stamps, Happy Goodmans and even local singing celebrities. It also carried classic country from the 30’s to the 80’s.
That music mesmerized me. When I hear music, I feel alive. To me, it is far more than a sound. It is a formative piece of who I am and one of God’s gifts I’m very thankful for.
How could I know, through both nature and nurture, that Maw Maw was turning me into a radio addict too. She was also planting the seeds of faith.
For a decade or so, I did not have a TV. I still prefer not to have one. However, I have long since been outvoted on that note at Casa De Lewis.
However, when I have the house to myself, which is rare, my favorite thing to do is listen to old albums and tinker around the place. Exploring digital discographies of the world’s greatest talents.
What’s usually on the menu? Jazz, Old/Outlaw Country, Motown, Gospel, Rock and Americana are a few on my mainstays.
So, if I interview a Classic Country act from time to time, I hope you can forgive me breaking from the norm of politics. You can blame it all on Maw Maw’s radio.
Death of the Protestant Work Ethic
It seems to happen all too frequently. Able-bodied men swiping food-stamp cards in front of me at the store.
Nicely dressed, intelligent, agile and… young. I mean, prime of their life.
There has been a cultural shift away from valuing work.
I have heard it said that “self-esteem comes from doing estimable-things.”
America has lost her self-esteem in many sectors of our populace.
Nothing has made that more apparent, nor expedited it more forcefully, than the luxurious government handouts made these past few years.
I am a creature of habit. Many mornings, though I shouldn’t, I pick up a breakfast sandwich at the exact same Burger King. They know me there. I know them. Like, their names and things about them.
Two ladies have kept that place afloat the last two years.
Working themselves to death. Long hours. Little gratitude. No help.
Meanwhile, on the street outside, able-bodied men panhandle – likely earning more than the ladies who are working. And they do it without shame.
And people encourage it. It’s somehow considered morally virtuous these days for perfectly healthy people to be dependent on the government.
Okay, okay. I know what you’re thinking. This guy doesn’t have a heart.
I do. Widows, orphans, the young, elderly and the mentally ill NEED help. Let’s get it to them in a way that seeks to make them independent if it’s possible – and meet their needs if they are not. In strict moderation, and not at the expense or in place of private charity (which is far more effective and overall less corrupt.)
However, there is a dark side to charity – especially if it comes from the government for the singular purpose of engendering dependence and fealty. I’ve lived in it and have watched it inoculate many of my own family members from success. Idleness leads to depression, drug addiction and depravity.
This isn’t my theory. This is my first-hand, lived observation.
The Protest Work Ethic, and I do not mean that as religiously as I mean culturally, is what built this nation.
It is on life support. And liberals cannot wait to pull the plug. We must make sure the Republicans aren’t helping them. Because it isn’t helpful – it’s harmful.
The Swamp In Nashville
It’s awful up there.
Government agencies lobbying against your interest with your tax dollars.
Republicans, unwilling to stop it. Can’t even get the votes to put it in front of a committee!
However, there was some noise made about it this week by Rep. Jerry Sexton and Sen. Kerry Roberts. They were not happy and took them to task LIVE during a committee meeting. A rare occurrence. Let’s hope it becomes more common and that the walk follows the talk.
We’ll be bringing you that story next week and see where we are getting with the letter written to Attorney General Slatery about the constitutionality of these Swamp Creatures getting paid on your dime – to fight against your interest.
We have Republican representatives like Patsy Hazelwood, Kent Calfee, Eddie Manis and Curtis Johnson who think it’s OK, and maybe even advisable, for you to have to get vaccinated just to listen to music at a tax-payer funded facility!
As if that’s a normal ask of a human being. With Republicans like this, who needs Democrats!
A good school choice bill failed in committee this week too. It simply said parents could use THEIR OWN TAX DOLLARS to seek educational alternatives if their school was failing. Not just failing a little, the bottom 10%. More or less academic hellscapes for children.
You know, give kids some hope and some options.
Nah. Screw that. Let’s vote against it!
Reps Kirk Haston, John Ragan and Chris Hurt voted it down without even working on amendments to get it passed if they disagreed with certain portions.
Why? I don’t know, call and ask them. I assume the normal reasons…
Teachers unions. Government paid-lobbyists. The usual groups that get more help than kids in failing schools.
We Have Some Fighters
This week, we are seeing hope for the Social Media Censorship Bill carried by Sen. Bo Watson and Rep. Dennis Powers. In fact, we’ll have a good interview with Powers next week. Don’t miss it.
There are some good bills making it out of the legislature. Some helpful, others simply symbolic distractions from the real problem.
We are set to explode our spending this year – increasing our annual state government budget by a whopping 20%!
That seems wildly irresponsible given our inflationary and unstable economy.
Today, I’ve had conversations with some “Freedom Caucus” members who are looking to sound the alarm. I have no idea if it will work. I hope so.
We may be able to get some of this CRT and DEI out of our tax-payer funded universities. We can thank Speaker Cameron Sexton and Senator Mike Bell for taking on that challenge.
The higher-ed Swamp Rats will be lobbying hard against that one… They’ve had a good thing these past few years using Conservative Money in Tennessee to create Liberal Voters. And the GOP has allowed it.
Let’s hope they’ve wised up to the ruse.
Why We Get Beat
Today, I talked to a discouraged Conservative organizational leader. She was passionate about making a difference, but was discovering that it is a STRUGGLE. If you’ve become politically engaged recently, you likely know how she feels.
You know something’s wrong, you know you need to do something about it.
But what do you do and how do you do it?
Citizens in a just government should not have to become activists.
YET. HERE. WE. ARE.
Each of us must do our part. Not just to rail on social media, but to do the things that make a real DIFFERENCE…
– Run for office – and prepare in advance
– Pick a state/local candidate you believe in and knock on doors, write letters, call through a list or volunteer to work and event.
– Call your state legislators, email them and most of all WRITE THEM IN THE MAIL when there is a bill coming up you care about.
– Show up up in Nashville and LOBBY your legislature just like the SWAMP does.
– Find an organization you believe in and help support them financially.
These are the practical things that make a difference. Boring, mundane though they are.
As Conservatives, we get beat when we educate ourselves past the point of diminishing returns. When we think and talk too much – but do too little.
The left is all doing – and little thinking. This is catching up with us politically as we sit idle.
I know. There’s no money in defending freedom.
Lots of money in stealing it from others. But this remains our fight if we are to preserve our precious Republic!
“The Wiggler” And the Weekend Report
I made the mistake of sleeping with my youngest last night – “The Wiggler.”
She asked. I said sure, “These are precious moments.” And they were.
But in between those precious moments there were longer moments, minutes and hours really, where she snored, shoved, elbowed, slapped and even laughed maniacally in a dream.
Maybe she was dreaming of beating someone up and thought it was funny.
Well, I feel beat up today. So, I’m going to sign off.
The weekend plans are yet unknown. There will be a fire in the fireplace.
Church service and Lord of the Rings, Part 2. And a trip to the gym.
Sadly, probably a half-day of work on Saturday.
So, for once in a long while, blissfully boring.
I hope yours is boring too. Or exciting, whatever you prefer.
In love and FREEDOM,
Brandon Lewis
The Tennessee Conservative
