Every family, business owner, and taxpayer in Pennsylvania should be able to increase their financial security without undue interference from our state government. Free-market policies that limit taxes, allow entrepreneurs to innovate and create jobs, and offer stability to families will put our state on track to become a national leader. Policies that enact spending limits, cut taxes, and reduce regulations will help Pennsylvania avoid debt and restore sound fiscal planning that will benefit citizens in the years to come.

Taxes & Economy

Five Alternatives to Tolling I-80

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 26, 2010

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) continues its push for federal approval to toll Interstate-80, claiming that without it bridges will collapse, highways will crumble, and dogs and cats will start…

Commentary

Read More: Five Alternatives to Tolling I-80

Taxes & Economy

Stimulus: The Sequel

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 26, 2010

The Center for Freedom and Prosperity has a great new video, analyzing 1)Whether the 2009 stimulus created jobs, and 2) Why politicians are craving another stimulus. My only…

Media

Read More: Stimulus: The Sequel

Regulation

“Net Neutrality” Threatens Internet Innovation

  • January 25, 2010

Recently, The Commonwealth Foundation joined the Internet Freedom Coalition, a coalition of organizations standing against “network neutrality” initiatives. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a new plan that…

Media

Read More: “Net Neutrality” Threatens Internet Innovation

Regulation

Pennsylvanians Heavy Laden With State Debt

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 25, 2010

A recent report from Forbes finds that Pennsylvania faces a serious challenge with state government debt. Pennsylvania ranked 35 among all states in the Forbes debt rating. According to…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvanians Heavy Laden With State Debt

Government Accountability

More on Corporations and Free Speech

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 24, 2010

Following the Supreme Court ruling that our First Amendment right to free speech applied to corporations’ speech regarding candidates for federal office – a ruling started when the FEC…

Media

Read More: More on Corporations and Free Speech

Taxes & Economy

“Fewer Jobs Lost” is Not a Positive Trend

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 22, 2010

The Post-Gazette has a story on Pennsylvania’s economy in which both Mark Price of Keystone Research Center and the reporter both repeat the illogical idea that we are losing…

Media

Read More: “Fewer Jobs Lost” is Not a Positive Trend

Taxes & Economy

Is Casey Pandering?

  • January 22, 2010

I attended a recent gathering at the Keystone Research Center, where Senator Bob Casey spoke of the wonders of the stimulus. He emphasized that only the stimulus could have saved…

Media

Read More: Is Casey Pandering?

State Budget

Pennsylvania Unemployment Fund is $2 Billion in the Hole

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 22, 2010

Propublica.org has a great, and terrifying, tracker of states’ unemployment insurance funds.  Pennsylvania fund is in woeful shape, with $125 million balance, and owing $2.05 billion in money borrowed…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Unemployment Fund is $2 Billion in the Hole

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

Taxes & Economy

Brief History of the Great Depression

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 21, 2010

Investor’s Business Daily has an excerpt from Thomas Sowell’s new book Intellectuals and Society, which outlines the policies which cause the great depression. For instance, Sowell notes that…

Media

Read More: Brief History of the Great Depression

Taxes & Economy

Another Year, Same Old Story: Pennsylvanians Vote with Their Feet

  • January 20, 2010

The latest United Van Lines Migration study found, once again, that Pennsylvania is losing residents to other states, on the whole, ranking 5th highest among “outbound states.” Pennsylvania has…

Media

Read More: Another Year, Same Old Story: Pennsylvanians Vote with Their Feet

State Budget

Example of Why There’s No Money to Fix Bridges

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 20, 2010

As I pointed out in a recent post, much of Pennsylvania’s transportation funding goes not to fix decaying infrastructure, but to beautification and other…

Media

Read More: Example of Why There’s No Money to Fix Bridges

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

Taxes & Economy

PA Mayors Facing Budget Crunch – Whose Fault Is It?

  • January 20, 2010

Pennsylvania mayors have voiced their frustrations with public sector unions forcing counties to pay higher wages even as they face budget constraints. Inevitably, that has led to higher taxes,…

Media

Read More: PA Mayors Facing Budget Crunch – Whose Fault Is It?

Education

Mann-Made Global Warming?

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • January 19, 2010

Climategate was born in late November 2009 with the release of more than a thousand emails and other documents from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia…

Commentary

Read More: Mann-Made Global Warming?

Public Union Democracy

Five Alternatives to Tolling I-80

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 19, 2010

A recent Pocono Record article calls the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s proposal to toll I-80 “a riddle with no easy answers” (HT GrassrootsPA). However, there are alternatives to that…

Media

Read More: Five Alternatives to Tolling I-80

Government Accountability

Book Review: Money, Greed, and God

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 19, 2010

Jay Richards’ book Money, Greed, and God offers a defense of capitalism from a Christian perspective. Richards goes further, noting that capitalism depends on a virtuous society. A…

Media

Read More: Book Review: Money, Greed, and God

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

Taxes & Economy

How Government Hinders Job Creation

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 18, 2010

Economist Mark Hendrickson has a good piece for The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College explaining why federal policies aimed at “creating jobs” or even helping workers…

Media

Read More: How Government Hinders Job Creation

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Natural Gas Tax Resurrected

  • January 15, 2010

Governor Rendell has, once again, changed his mind deciding that taxing Pennsylvania’s emerging natural gas industry is a good idea. What changed the Governor’s mind? Recently, five companies…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Natural Gas Tax Resurrected

Regulation

Two Thumbs Down for Film Tax Credits

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 15, 2010

The Tax Foundation released a report on movie production incentives (MPIs), such as film tax tax credits and film grants (full report here). Forty-four states offer some sort…

Media

Read More: Two Thumbs Down for Film Tax Credits