The Pew

Thirteen Minus 250 Years

Thirteen Minus 250 Years: The Good, the Bad, and the Possibilities Which president did General George Washington actually report to? In this D‑Minus Diaries episode, I walk the road from the Continental Congress to Washington’s presidency, from Kings Mountain and Yorktown to the Treaty of Paris, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Then I connect that history to today: what government was supposed to do, what it was never meant to control, and how debt, contracts, and comfort are slowly training us to outsource our own freedom. As America marks 250 years, I ask a simple question: if it took about thirteen years to go from king to president, how many years of trading responsibility for promises would it take to drift back toward being ruled? Let’s explore the price of freedom at the beginning, and what we are paying now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dminusdiaries.substack.com [https://dminusdiaries.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Who Gets Remembered

A Memorial Day reflection on who our wars really claim: service members, civil servants, contractors, and the families who live with the knock at the door. A day off is a gift of their sacrifice. This piece explores the cost and the people we too easily forget. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dminusdiaries.substack.com [https://dminusdiaries.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Chaos

This is what my friends call a "Jones Story". What starts as pulling weeds can quickly turn into a full-scale war against chaos. In this episode of D-Minus Diaries, I explore how thermodynamics, homeownership, faith, and one very expensive tractor all reveal the same truth: left alone, everything falls apart. From clogged gutters to personal discipline, “Mechanical Things Don’t Fix Themselves” is a humorous but practical look at entropy, self-reliance, and why preserving order in life always requires sweat, effort, and purpose. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dminusdiaries.substack.com [https://dminusdiaries.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Taxation Without Explanation

A little 888‑square‑foot starter home in Elizabethton just got treated like a mini McMansion by Tennessee’s new CAMA/IMPACT tax software. In this D‑Minus Diaries, I walk through how a $120,000 house becomes a $180,000 “asset” on a screen, why that means a 50% jump in your property tax bill, and how city and county budgets quietly ride those numbers. More importantly, I show you how to appeal your own assessment, what questions to ask about the software, and what reforms we should be demanding before rising valuations tax us right out of our homes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dminusdiaries.substack.com [https://dminusdiaries.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Great Migration

D-Minus Diaries Episode 25: The Great Migration dives into why so many Americans are packing up and heading to Tennessee in search of lower taxes, greater freedom, and a different way of life. From Tennessee’s frontier roots and fierce independence to modern migration, politics, culture shock, and the growing tension between preserving tradition and managing explosive growth, this piece explores what happens when people flee one system only to risk rebuilding it somewhere new. If you’ve ever wondered why Tennessee is booming, and what newcomers should understand before arriving, this one’s for you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dminusdiaries.substack.com [https://dminusdiaries.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]