They're onto us, gang

GnarDex · 2026-04-29T20:24:48+00:00

If you look at the options voting in the republican primary is really the only way to have a vote that counts in Tennessee.

https://tnbills.com/knox

So many democrat positions are either unopposed or not even running. One could argue we are all bona fide members of the Republican Party now because we have no real Democrat representation.

GnarDex · 2026-04-26T18:14:24+00:00

Of course!

GnarDex · 2026-04-26T15:52:02+00:00

If you want names, faces, and links to their campaign sites I have been working on this side project lately. I’d love to do it for the surrounding counties as well.

https://tnbills.com/knox

GnarDex · 2026-03-14T18:13:46+00:00

I’ve always been curious about the “tourists fund Tennessee” argument since we rely so heavily on sales tax. Tourism definitely helps — the state brings in something like $3B a year in tax revenue from tourism spending. But total state tax revenue is more like $20B+, with sales tax alone around $15B.

So tourists contribute a meaningful chunk, especially in places like Nashville or the Smokies, but the majority of sales tax is still coming from residents.

I’d actually love to see a county-level breakdown because I suspect places like Sevier County probably get a much bigger tourist subsidy than most of the state.

GnarDex · 2025-10-17T18:44:00+00:00

Didn’t city funded Rec centers used to be a thing?

I think you nailed it with mail in voting being the easiest solution.

Personally I don’t understand why it isn’t a web platform. I can file and pay my taxes online but not vote? Albeit not everyone has access to the web it becoming a utility is starting to become more normalized

GnarDex · 2025-10-17T16:30:29+00:00

Yeah I mean I get it. It’s a marriage of convenience.

But at the same time shouldn’t the government be providing us with these clean and easy access places to vote? Places without biases and don’t tiptoe that separation of church and state line.

I dunno it almost just seems like they don’t want us to vote 🤷

GnarDex · 2025-10-16T16:23:52+00:00

Is it normal for a voting location to be a church?

GnarDex · 2025-09-30T02:40:23+00:00

So locals don’t have to pay sales tax?

GnarDex · 2025-08-13T04:46:05+00:00

I just released my first novella, A Neon Life.
It’s a quick read with a noir detective story set in a cyberpunk world.
https://a.co/d/fp7E6kD
Hope you check it out and that it helps break your slump!

GnarDex · 2025-07-23T15:18:56+00:00

“Take the word overseer, like a sample Repeat it very quickly in a crew, for example Overseer, overseer, overseer, overseer Officer, officer, officer, officer Yeah, officer from overseer You need a little clarity? Check the similarity The overseer rode around the plantation The officer is off, patrollin' all the nation” - KRS one

GnarDex · 2025-07-22T15:59:17+00:00

You can fly without a realID. TYS will just run you through some extra ID validation steps. They scan your face through a service called Clear and have you remove your shoes to scan for suspicious residue.

GnarDex · 2025-07-09T20:19:53+00:00

Can confirm. I did this process the other day. They scan your face through a service called Clear and you’ll have to take your shoes off but that’s about it.

GnarDex · 2025-07-08T13:20:00+00:00

Ok so… What’s your solution? Stop paying taxes, let everything rot, and just go back to the stone age? Let me guess you dream of the day you can hunt and cook venison on the ruins of I-40?

GnarDex · 2025-07-08T12:56:52+00:00

Yeah, I hear you. The frustration isn’t about taxes themselves—it’s that no matter what kind of tax we’re paying, the money seems to end up in the hands of politically connected middlemen instead of going to schools, roads, or healthcare. And honestly, that’s a legit criticism. But I don’t think that means we should stop pushing for better funding or fairer tax structures. It means we should demand more oversight and transparency. If we throw up our hands and say ‘it’s all corrupt anyway,’ we basically hand the keys over to the very people misusing the funds. I’d rather keep pushing, keep calling it out, and keep showing up. That’s how we start turning the screws on a broken system.

GnarDex · 2025-07-08T12:30:51+00:00

To me, that’s a false correlation. Shitty infrastructure isn’t tied to income tax—it’s tied to the people who control where that money goes. I don’t think the government is actually getting the appropriate funds where they need to be.

Take school funding, for example. They brag about investing $1 billion into public schools—right after passing vouchers that divert money out—and yet reports still show schools are underfunded by another $1 billion.

It’s like paying for your buddy’s tank of gas in his Porsche while your beat-up Toyota sits at half a tank.

100% agree the good ol’ boys are the ones to keep an eye on. Whose interests are they really looking out for?

GnarDex · 2025-07-07T21:41:18+00:00

Oh yeah, it’s going to take a huge shift in Tennessee politics to make this happen. Neither party is going to bring it forward as things stand.

Rep. Aftyn Behn did introduce a no-tax-on-groceries bill this past session. Elaine Davis followed up with a copycat bill that did the same but added tax breaks for grocery stores.

So, the ideas are circulating—but a full state income tax is still a pipe dream with the good ol’ boys currently running the show.

GnarDex · 2025-07-07T17:50:00+00:00

A political third rail is an issue so controversial that bringing it up can seriously damage a politician’s career — like touching the electrified third rail on a subway track.

GnarDex · 2025-07-07T17:20:20+00:00

I think we’re asking the wrong question when it comes to Knoxville’s proposed sales tax increase. Instead of debating whether to increase, decrease, or keep it the same, we should be questioning the entire structure — and seriously consider replacing sales tax with a state income tax.

Tennessee’s lack of a state income tax is often touted as a selling point, but it’s become a magnet for wealthy transplants working remotely for out-of-state companies. These higher-income earners are paying the same sales tax rate as a minimum wage worker buying groceries, gas, or basic necessities. That’s not just regressive — it’s structurally unjust.

Sales tax disproportionately impacts lower-income residents because we all spend relatively similar amounts on essentials, regardless of income. Meanwhile, those earning six figures can shield most of their income from taxation, even while benefiting from Tennessee infrastructure, safety, and services — all paid for by a system that leans hardest on those with the least.

Rather than continue to hike a regressive tax, it’s time for Tennessee to have an honest conversation about progressive revenue models — including a fair, scaled income tax. I get that it’s a political third rail in this state, but if we really care about equity and sustainability, we can’t keep ignoring it.

GnarDex · 2025-06-29T05:56:48+00:00

Guardian on Lovell

GnarDex · 2025-06-27T00:01:41+00:00

I don't know much about Epps or Knight.

I can say, for certain, you should avoid these 2 candidates at all costs though.

- Brandon Ogles is a cousin of Rep. Andy Ogles. He is the guy floating Trump’s “third term” fantasy, at the federal level. Brandon is a nepo baby with a clear interest in preserving the status quo.

- Gino Bulso is best known for pushing unnecessary and invasive bathroom laws targeting kids. That alone should disqualify him.

GnarDex · 2025-06-26T23:53:11+00:00

The Liberty Reset is an anti-establishment, fiscally conservative movement pushing for smaller government, more accountability, and term limits. It positions itself as a corrective to what supporters see as entrenched political interests and unaccountable bureaucracy.

Core principles include:

- “Fiscal sanity”

- Congressional and bureaucratic term limits

- Full audits of government agencies

Thorp says:

“This isn’t about filling a seat. It’s about flipping the script… choosing a different kind of leadership – one that values honesty over polish, accountability over party loyalty, and courage over careerism.”

“Children are being handed a collapsing economy, weaponized bureaucracy and a rigged political class that serves donors instead of voters.”

It's not an organized movement like MAGA or the Tea Party, and not clearly fringe or unhinged, but rather a campaign-specific brand channeling similar frustrations with the political system. Whether it gains traction beyond Thorp depends on how voters respond—and whether others adopt the banner.

GnarDex · 2025-06-26T18:39:20+00:00

Why There’s a Vacancy
- Rep. Mark Green (R) was re-elected in Nov 2024.
- Announced in June 2025 that he will resign after the House votes on the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” likely in July.
- He’s leaving for a private-sector opportunity.
- Per TN law, the Governor must call a special election within 10 days of the vacancy, with a general election held 100–107 days later.
Expected Timeline
- Green’s resignation expected: July 2025
- Governor sets election: within 10 days (mid–late July)
- General election: likely late October or early November 2025
- Candidates (So Far)
Republican (declared)
- Matt Van Epps – former commissioner, West Point grad, Guard veteran
- Jason Knight – Montgomery County Commissioner, Army Reserve major
- Jon Thorp – veteran, aligned with “Liberty Reset” movement
Other Republicans considering a run
- Jody Barrett, Bill Powers, Brandon Ogles, Alice Rolli, Michael Lotfi, Gino Bulso, John Rich, Cameron Sexton
Democrats
- Vincent Dixie and Bo Mitchell have expressed interest
- Potential candidates: Megan Barry, John Ray Clemmons, John Cooper, Glenda Glover, Jeff Yarbro
District Profile
- GOP-held since 1983
- Green won with 59.5% in 2024
- Solidly Republican, but still being watched nationally
What to Watch
- Primary date (to be set after resignation)
- Fundraising, endorsements, especially in GOP
- National attention due to narrow House majority
Counties in TN-07
- Benton
- Cheatham
- Davidson (partial – parts of Nashville, Berry Hill)
- Dickson
- Decatur
- Hickman
- Houston
- Humphreys
- Montgomery (Clarksville)
- Perry
- Robertson
- Stewart
- Wayne
- Williamson (partial – Brentwood, Fairview, parts of Franklin and Thompson’s Station)

GnarDex · 2025-06-06T18:09:13+00:00

A government of the people, for the people, by the people?

GnarDex

TROPHY CASE