Local Politics

The renaissance of Knoxville’s Market Square and downtown  Downtown Knoxville was for years the equivalent of a literary dark and stormy night. Not necessarily stormy, but certainly dark. In 1987, the first time I saw downtown’s Market…
Read More...

The results of the election has this writer curious about the future of the Democratic Party in the Volunteer State With a new-but-old presidential administration taking office, and Tennessee election winners beginning their new terms…
Read More...

The Supreme Court's Chevron ruling is a landmark shift in regulatory power from agencies to Congress and courts. Chevron has been much in the news since June 28, 2024 – but not for selling gasoline. Instead, a Supreme Court decision has…
Read More...

While not a glamorous debate, local forums serve a purpose Compared to the white-hot spotlight of presidential debates, for most voters, local election candidate debates and forums are as dim as dying flashlight bulbs. For first-time…
Read More...

Politics around puzzling planning projects and the apathy of voters When I was Knoxville’s public affairs director, I had to attend only one Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission meeting: after 30 minutes, I concluded that mayors…
Read More...

The fundamental strategies of a municipal face-off I don’t play chess, but I’ve played a real-life political version in contests involving many millions of dollars—or a politician’s future. In politics, even what seems the right move…
Read More...

How voters will navigate an artificial intelligence-laden election cycle. Anyone who believes the intelligence of politicians is artificial will have more reason than ever to think that is the case during the 2024 election cycle.…
Read More...

A new election law is in effect—but will it stay? The question of “Who’s in charge around here?" in city elections—either the Knoxville city charter or Tennessee state legislature—has been settled by the latter. Unless things change.…
Read More...

Pay your debt and keep your home. Simple, right? It’s possible for a Tennessean’s house to be sold out from under them – even if they’re paying their mortgage. The reason: property taxes, or rather, property tax non-payment. On one…
Read More...

Voices build momentum after Tennessee’s mature minor law gets a clarification from the governor The extent of the state’s ability to decide that minors of a certain age can make their own medical decisions while keeping their parents in…
Read More...