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

Conservative Movement, RIP … or Not

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 23, 2008

Dan Flynn writes that the “Conservative Movement” is dead: Eurocommunism is gone and party conservatives now openly question the utility of even limited government rhetoric in 21st-century America.

Media

Read More: Conservative Movement, RIP … or Not

Taxes & Economy

Scarnati’s Transportation Plan

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 22, 2008

Senate Pro Tem Joe Scarnati has announced his own transportation funding plan – which he promised to do in January, including a “hybrid” Turnpike lease plan (he backtracked…

Media

Read More: Scarnati’s Transportation Plan

State Budget

How Bad is the Farm Bill

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 22, 2008

In light of today’s front page commentary on the federal Farm Bill Fiasco, here are some more links describing how awful this legislation is. Citizen’s Against Government Waste…

Media

Read More: How Bad is the Farm Bill

Taxes & Economy

Cappy & Castille Confuse Courage & Cowardice

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 22, 2008

Tim Potts of Democracy Rising PA offers a commentary on the League of Women Voters lawsuit against former justice Ralph Cappy and Chief Justice Castille’s threats against…

Media

Read More: Cappy & Castille Confuse Courage & Cowardice

Health Care

The New Big Dig

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 21, 2008

Wall Street Journal on the pitfalls of RomneyCare.

Media

Read More: The New Big Dig

Taxes & Economy

Money discriminates against blind people

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 20, 2008

A federal court ruled that paper money discriminates against blind people, since they can’t tell how much the money is worth. Note to Paulistas: This is because the blind…

Media

Read More: Money discriminates against blind people

Regulation

No Extra Money in the Fund

  • Richard Dreyfuss
  • May 20, 2008

"There is no extra money in the fund" for a pension Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA). That’s the analysis from the State Employees' Retirement System (SERS), not the Commonwealth Foundation…

Commentary

Read More: No Extra Money in the Fund

Taxes & Economy

Freedom from Government Day

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 19, 2008

The American Institute for Economic Research has calculated that today, May 19, is the date at which Americans have earned enough income to pay for all governing spending. They…

Media

Read More: Freedom from Government Day

Government Accountability

Pa. lawmakers fill up at your expense

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 19, 2008

Philadelphia Inquirer article covers the price of lawmakers buying gas at taxpayer expense. There is also a list of who drives taxpayer subsidized, non-hybrid SUVs (i.e. gas guzzlers).

Media

Read More: Pa. lawmakers fill up at your expense

Regulation

More Outrage at Pension COLA

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 15, 2008

Tony Phyrillas has added to the number of voices noting that the proposed Pension COLA means higher property taxes.

Media

Read More: More Outrage at Pension COLA

Taxes & Economy

Politicians and Economics

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 15, 2008

While a number of people say that many economic policy issues are “too complex” for the general public Thomas Sowell argues that for the most part these concepts –…

Media

Read More: Politicians and Economics

Regulation

Big Business Loves Big Government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 14, 2008

Michael G. Franc in NRO Online analyzes a seemingly suprising fundraising advantage by Democratic candidates among corporate CEOs – surprising given that Democrats continue to call for higher taxes,…

Media

Read More: Big Business Loves Big Government

Regulation

Gaming Control Board screw-ups continue

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 13, 2008

A number of PA House Republicans are calling for PA AG Tom Corbett to investigate the Gaming Control Board (as if he didn’t already have enough government officials…

Media

Read More: Gaming Control Board screw-ups continue

Taxes & Economy

Who Gets Federal Energy Subsidies?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 12, 2008

The Wall Street Journal has an article on who gets federal energy subsidies, based on a EIA report. The WSJ focuses most of the attention on electricity subsidies;…

Media

Read More: Who Gets Federal Energy Subsidies?

Taxes & Economy

The Wall Street Bailout Enhancement Act

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 12, 2008

The Heritage Foundation’s Foundry blog summarizes the flaws of the federal mortgage bailout bill. The CNNMoney article linked to also provides a good synopsis of what the bill…

Media

Read More: The Wall Street Bailout Enhancement Act

Health Care

PA liability for state retiree health: $8.8 billion

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 12, 2008

The PA Office of the Budget released their actuarial report on retiree health care liabilities, revealing that the estimated unfunded liablity as of July 1, 2008 is $8.8 billion…

Media

Read More: PA liability for state retiree health: $8.8 billion

Health Care

Address the Cost of Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 11, 2008

Here is a letter to the editor I sent to the York Daily Record on health care reform: I am responding to a May 4 op-ed by Rep. Eugene…

Media

Read More: Address the Cost of Health Care

Taxes & Economy

State Income Taxes and Economic Growth

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 10, 2008

The Cato Journal has an article looking at the effects of state taxes and economic growth. Their finding, which should not surprise our readers, is that high marginal…

Media

Read More: State Income Taxes and Economic Growth

Regulation

Smoke, Lies, and the Nanny State

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 10, 2008

Here is an interesting read on the science of smoking and smoking bans, with plenty of additional resources listed in the end, written by Joe Jackson (yes, that…

Media

Read More: Smoke, Lies, and the Nanny State

State Budget

A Closer Look at Stadium Subsidies

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 9, 2008

The American magazine has an exposé on sport stadium subsidies, by Dennis Coates, reaching the conclusion that they do not result in broad economic growth: My own research,…

Media

Read More: A Closer Look at Stadium Subsidies