Many Pennsylvanians face chronic unemployment, welfare dependency, and the cycle of poverty. This happens because labor incentives have been overridden by bad policies that keep millions out of the workforce and enact excessive red tape. We can reverse this trend by ending the practice of waiving work requirements on able-bodied Pennsylvanians with no dependents, removing barriers to employment for those seeking a fresh start, and creating a healthcare system without burdensome regulations.

Health Care

Obamacare and Deficits

  • March 10, 2010

In campaign-mode fashion, President Obama held a rally at Arcadia University on Monday to sell his plan for health care reform. Filled with the usual rhetoric and emotional, Obama made…

Media

Read More: Obamacare and Deficits

Health Care

Buying Insurance Across State Lines

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 8, 2010

John Goodman summarizes the issue of interestate competition for health insurance: Every state has mandated health insurance benefits. These are laws requiring insurers to cover services ranging from…

Media

Read More: Buying Insurance Across State Lines

Health Care

HSAs: Efficient Heath Care and Savings for State Taxpayers

  • March 4, 2010

A recent op-ed by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels in the Wall Street Journal highlights the benefits his state has seen since implementing an optional Health Savings Account (HSA) for…

Media

Read More: HSAs: Efficient Heath Care and Savings for State Taxpayers

Health Care

The President’s Empty Health Care Promises

  • March 1, 2010

The White House has on its website an article titled, “The President’s Proposal puts American families and small business owners in control of their own health care.” According to…

Media

Read More: The President’s Empty Health Care Promises

Criminal Justice Reform

New PA Task Force on Prison Spending

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 19, 2010

Following testimony that inmates might riot if the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections didn’t a funding increase, the state House Appropriations Committee decided to create a task force to…

Media

Read More: New PA Task Force on Prison Spending

Health Care

Virginia Passes Health Care Freedom Act

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 16, 2010

The Virginia House of Representatives passed SB 417, sending it on to Gov. McDonnell, who is expected to sign it.  The legislation would state, in defiance of health…

Media

Read More: Virginia Passes Health Care Freedom Act

Criminal Justice Reform

Instituting Meaningful Corrections Reform

  • February 11, 2010

Eric Boehm has a good article on the opportunity to help balance the state budget by reforming prison and probation. The inmate population in Pennsylvania’s prisons is growing at…

Media

Read More: Instituting Meaningful Corrections Reform

Taxes & Economy

Perpetuating Fraud And Mismanagement

  • February 9, 2010

The Department of Public Welfare will receive additional federal funding to support its Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This amount will be used to increase grants by…

Media

Read More: Perpetuating Fraud And Mismanagement

State Budget

Medicaid Errors in PA Cost Upwards of $320 Million

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 2, 2010

In a news release, PA Auditor General Jack Wagner estimates that – using the Pennsylvania Department of Welfare’s (DPW) estimated error rate – improper Medicaid payments cost Pennsylvania taxpayers…

Media

Read More: Medicaid Errors in PA Cost Upwards of $320 Million

Government Accountability

CF Challenges Gov. Rendell to Explain What’s In the Bill

  • January 21, 2010

Harrisburg, PA – Yesterday, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell told Fox News that voters oppose the current health care reform proposal because “the administration and its supporters, myself included, haven’t…

Press Release

Read More: CF Challenges Gov. Rendell to Explain What’s In the Bill

Health Care

What Happened in Massachusetts

  • January 20, 2010

The Cato Institute released a policy report today examining the effect of Massachusetts’ health care reform – whose individual mandate and subsidies for insurance are seen as a model…

Media

Read More: What Happened in Massachusetts

Health Care

Why Health Care Costs are Skyrocketing

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 18, 2010

A nifty chart put together by the Mercatus Center helps explain why health care cost continue to skyrocket – a growing role for third-party payers and of government subsidies.

Media

Read More: Why Health Care Costs are Skyrocketing

Health Care

Cynics on Why to Support the Health Care Bill

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 30, 2009

Quiet Declarations has a good blog post on why to support the Senate health care bill, basically outlining three rationales. One, if you want to pass any bill to…

Media

Read More: Cynics on Why to Support the Health Care Bill

Health Care

Challenging the Constitutionality of Health Care Legislation

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 29, 2009

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett is joining with a number of other state AG‘s (latest count is 10 attorneys general) to challenge the “Nebraska Compromise” in the latest…

Media

Read More: Challenging the Constitutionality of Health Care Legislation

Health Care

States Push Back Against National Healthcare

  • December 17, 2009

With the health care debate still brewing on the floor of the US Senate, states are pushing back against the prospect of a government-run healthcare system. The American Legislative…

Media

Read More: States Push Back Against National Healthcare

Energy

Five Threats to Pennsylvania’s Prosperity

  • December 16, 2009

Pennsylvania has long been one of the most economically stagnant states in the nation. For the period 1991-2008, the Commonwealth ranked 45th in job growth, 46th in personal income growth,…

Commentary

Read More: Five Threats to Pennsylvania’s Prosperity

Health Care

The Forgotten Health Care Tax

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • December 16, 2009

The Tax Foundation highlights a disturbing trend among states – new taxes on health care providers. Significant taxes on health providers and hospital taxes are on the books in…

Media

Read More: The Forgotten Health Care Tax

Health Care

National Health Care Could Bankrupt Pennsylvania

  • December 15, 2009

The US Senate health care bill includes a mandate to increase the cut off level for Medicaid eligibility. This increased cut off for Medicaid will increase costs for Pennsylvania and…

Media

Read More: National Health Care Could Bankrupt Pennsylvania

Health Care

US Senate’s Turkey of a Health Care Bill

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 23, 2009

The Association of Physician and Surgeons has a one-page handout on some number and facts about the latest Senate health care bill.

Media

Read More: US Senate’s Turkey of a Health Care Bill