Taxes & Economy

Stimulus Follies

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 1, 2008

OpenMarket.org has a good post on the failure of “stimulus” packages (i.e. government spending) to improve the overall economy.

Media

Read More: Stimulus Follies

Taxes & Economy

County Commissioner: “Listen to the Commonwealth Foundation”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 1, 2008

“The governor and legislators should seriously consider the reports from the Commonwealth Foundation which provided information on how Harrisburg could address the state’s financial situation” That quote comes from Fayette…

Media

Read More: County Commissioner: “Listen to the Commonwealth Foundation”

Taxes & Economy

What happened to the Great Depression II?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 1, 2008

Carpe Diem points out that holiday retail sales were up over the weekend from last year. Yet the CNN Money article with the same chart contains more of…

Media

Read More: What happened to the Great Depression II?

Regulation

Pennsylvania Pension Now Faces Billions in Losses

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 1, 2008

The Wall Street Journal has an article on Pennsylvania’s state employee’s pension fund, and its market losses. Noting that “Pennsylvania invested more in hedge funds than any other state…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Pension Now Faces Billions in Losses

Regulation

Spreading wealth to Hollywood

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 28, 2008

Cross Posted at Capitol Domes Giving handouts to Hollywood has become an en vogue method for state governments to stimulate economic growth. According to the Heartland…

Media

Read More: Spreading wealth to Hollywood

Regulation

Renewing the Call for Pension Refom

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 26, 2008

Deb Erdley has a story in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on pension funds for public school employees and state workers, in light of a PSBA plan for reform, recent losses…

Media

Read More: Renewing the Call for Pension Refom

Public Union Democracy

PA Congressional Delegation Ratings on Worker Freedom

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 26, 2008

The Alliance for Worker Freedom has their new scorecard on the 2nd session of the 110th Congress. Key votes include a number of expansion of Davis-Bacon prevailing wage laws…

Media

Read More: PA Congressional Delegation Ratings on Worker Freedom

Regulation

The Corporate Welfare Mentality

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 26, 2008

Team 4 Pittsburgh has a well-done, but disturbing, story and video on why government bureaucrats hand out “economic development” grants to companies. Usually, government officials claim that taxpayer “investments”…

Media

Read More: The Corporate Welfare Mentality

Taxes & Economy

Bailouts cost more than WWII, 10 times cost of New Deal

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 25, 2008

A friend passed along this blog post looking at the cost of recent bailouts compared to the inflation-adjusted cost of other major government expenditures: If we add in…

Media

Read More: Bailouts cost more than WWII, 10 times cost of New Deal