By Matthew Hayward  In the wake of a rare tragedy, it is not uncommon for policymakers to propose public policies with far-reaching implications for the general public. The goal is often to protect a small number of people from harm, whether from themselves, a criminal, or a crazed individual. However, the metrics and methodology used to justify such policies are often flawed, leading to unintended consequences and a loss of personal liberties. One of the main issues with using rare tragedies to justify public policy is that they are statistically insignificant. For example, in the United States, mass shootings make up a tiny fraction of all gun deaths. Yet, they receive disproportionate attention in the media and from policymakers. This leads to a skewed perception of the danger posed by guns and a rush to pass laws that may not be effective in addressing the underlying issues. Furthermore, even when rare tragedies occur, it is often difficult to determine the root cause of the pr...

By Matthew Hayward In a free society, there is no need for "distracted driving" laws. No law should exist that attempts to socially engineer society; we do not need laws that attempt to prevent crimes from happening, and we do not need pre-crime laws. We need to enforce rational laws and punish real crimes. In today's Tri-City Herald article  Put the phone down and pay attention, or get a ticket , we learn that the Washington State Legislature has again passed another emotionally driven bill that violates our basic human rights. First, they tell us we are not allowed to make phone calls while holding the phone to our ear, and then they tell us we cannot text; now, this most recent "distracted driving bill,"  Senate Bill 5289 , prohibits us from holding various electronic devices.  We don't need more complex laws; common-sense laws should suffice. We don't need a law that addresses playing musical instruments while driving or reading a ...

By Matthew Hayward In WA. State legislators are seriously considering rasing the minimum age for tobacco purchases to 21 years old. The bill in question just passed, "The House Health Care & Wellness Committee," if you ask, that sounds like a committee that should not exist. ( Link )  " A poll found that 65 percent of voters are for of raising the smoking and vaping age from 18 to 21." Do any of these people polled think kids wait until they are 18 to start smoking? This poll proves two things; People are stupid. Society believes responsibility is not a personal matter but a public one.  This kind of protectionism is the opposite of a free society. I have a better solution. End age limits and regulation of controlled substances and let people be free to make bad decisions, and when they do, let's let them suffer the consequences of those decisions. It's time to depend on parenting and common sense. And not to worry, if a child doesn'...