By Matthew Hayward In a world increasingly dominated by emotionalist socialism, the recent uproar over unused gift cards in Washington State serves as a prime example of the dangerous erosion of personal responsibility and the fundamental principles of capitalism. The push for legislation to protect consumers from their own choices under the guise of corporate accountability is a misguided venture that undermines the very essence of a free market economy. At the heart of the matter is the assertion that large companies, like Starbucks, are exploiting consumers by retaining unspent funds on gift cards. The proposed solution? Forcing these companies to surrender these funds to the Department of Revenue as unclaimed property. This move is heralded as a victory for consumer rights, but in reality, it is a dangerous precedent that infringes upon the sanctity of voluntary exchange and contract freedom. The notion that consumers are somehow entitled to protection from their own decision...

By Matthew Hayward Now here is some political analytical truth. Two factions of the Republican Party, the ‘Christian conservatives’ and the Libertarians, have been working together in different capacities around the nation to restore integrity, first the GOP and second the Constitution. To one degree or another, the Tea Party is essentially made up of these two factions;. However, there are stark differences; we all agree that the party has moved so far to the left that it no longer represents people who believe in less government. So where do the Libertarian wing and the ‘Christian conservatives’ part ways? Libertarian-leaning Republicans have some things in common with the mainstream or moderate Republicans. Where moderates and ‘Christian conservatives often differ the most on social issues, the Libertarian wing falls closer to the ‘moderates.’   In fact, it could be argued that the   Libertarian wing is the real moderate wing of the Party,   and everyone agrees tha...

School and Philosophy by Matthew Edward Hayward on Saturday, June 19, 2010 What if libertarianism was taught in schools? While I oppose indoctrination and centralized government attempting to save us from ourselves, I would like to pose a hypothetical. We accept that a large portion of society is being brought up without parenting and moral guidance. We acknowledge that the void is being filled via, television, movies, and the school system. Could the solution be teaching the philosophy of freedom and personal responsibility in schools? (Has anyone ever considered that possibly our government education system might teach a bias that promotes public education and a curriculum that promotes government, etc? If there is anything I have learned in this life it is that government is good at one thing, justifying its own existence and expansion.) Added 2012-12-10 I would love to know what people think of this proposal and what the outcome might look like. "Freedom makes a huge req...