Prosperity
New Year, New Taxes in Pennsylvania
Originally published at RealClearPennsylvania The new year is always a great opportunity to shed vices like smoking and binge eating. For state and local lawmakers, their guilty pleasure tends…
Read More: New Year, New Taxes in PennsylvaniaHigh taxes make for a slow-growing economy. And communities feel the pinch of high taxes as more and more native Pennsylvanians leave the Keystone State to prosper elsewhere. To remain economically competitive, Pennsylvania must lower state taxes and ensure businesses have the opportunity to succeed. Lower taxes will incentivize more individuals to call Pennsylvania their home, ultimately spurring our statewide economy forward.
Taxes & Economy
Who Gets Federal Energy Subsidies?
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
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 ActHealth Care
PA liability for state retiree health: $8.8 billion
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 billionHealth Care
Address the Cost of Health Care
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 CareTaxes & Economy
State Income Taxes and Economic Growth
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 GrowthState Budget
A Closer Look at Stadium Subsidies
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 SubsidiesTaxes & Economy
Rendell: “Let me spend your money, or face ‘total meltdown'”
Ed Rendell is up to his old demogoguery on his energy proposal. This time he claims he will reduce everyone’s energy costs, and there will be a or ‘total…
Media
Read More: Rendell: “Let me spend your money, or face ‘total meltdown'”Health Care
Medicaid Reform: Mending the Holes in Pennsylvanias Health Care Safety Net
Politicians and school officials frequently point to student performance on state tests as a primary measure of the quality of public education. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the…
Report
Read More: Medicaid Reform: Mending the Holes in Pennsylvanias Health Care Safety NetHealth Care
Health Care Reform (the right kind) in the states
Georgia enacted a few of the health care reforms we have been touting. From the SPN Blog: Georgia eliminates a major tax inequity by allowing individuals to…
Media
Read More: Health Care Reform (the right kind) in the statesPublic Union Democracy
In Defense of RINO Hunting
Pat Toomey lowers the hammer in the Wall Street Journal on the Republican establishment-types, who just want to win elections, regardless of policy, vision, or principles (note: this is…
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Read More: In Defense of RINO HuntingTaxes & Economy
Watch Our Award Winning Video
The Commonwealth Foundation’s video Frontlines of Liberty won a 2008 Telly Award. GK Visual gets the credit for producing the video (along with all our videos) but…
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Read More: Watch Our Award Winning VideoTaxes & Economy
South Carolina vs. PA
The Club For Growth has been keeping track of news on potential VP candidates, and this post on SC Mark Sanford stood out. Again, not because John McCain won’t…
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Read More: South Carolina vs. PATaxes & Economy
Big Farm whips Big Oil
Great editorial on how “Big Farm” companies dominate “Big Oil” as a special interest, having both “record profits” and government subsidies for ethanol in the wake of a global…
Media
Read More: Big Farm whips Big OilTaxes & Economy
Does Marriage Matter?
As the PA Senate is expected to vote on the Marriage Protection Amendment today, I’d thought I’d remind readers that we discussed this proposal with both supporters and opponents…
Media
Read More: Does Marriage Matter?Health Care
Savings from McCain’s Health Care Tax Credit
With the re-release of John McCain’s health care plan came a lot of criticism (along with praise) over who benefits from his tax credit. McCain would offer…
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Read More: Savings from McCain’s Health Care Tax CreditTaxes & Economy
Is the US in a recession?
Tony Phyrillas writes that the U.S. is not in a recession. John Micek jokes about Phyrillas swallowing Bush’s rhetoric. Of course Tony has the evidence, whereas John is,…
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Read More: Is the US in a recession?Health Care
High Risk Pools
One of the key recommendations from Rick Dreyfuss’s health care testimony last week which received a number of questions was creating a state high risk pool. CAHI has…
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Read More: High Risk PoolsTaxes & Economy
Judicial Merit Selection?
“Robin Hood” writes on the Keystone Politics Blog against the idea of judicial merit selection. In a pre-rebuttal, JudgesonMerit offers an analysis of what critics of merit selection…
Media
Read More: Judicial Merit Selection?Taxes & Economy
The Proposed Mortage Bailout
Here are a few resources on the proposed federal mortgage bailout. FreedomWorks has a new site on this issue called AngryRenter.com Heritage Foundation’s research on the “Mortgage…
Media
Read More: The Proposed Mortage BailoutPublic Union Democracy
Right-to-Work leads to Economic Growth
The Mackinac Center has a brief analysis the economic climate of Right to Work states and Forced Unionism states. Mark Perry sums it up nicely: What are…
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Read More: Right-to-Work leads to Economic GrowthHealth Care
Healthcare Affordability
Healthcare Reform Principles Every reform action should be tested against two criteria: • Does it take costs out of the system?• Does it price insurance in proportion to expected…
Testimony
Read More: Healthcare Affordability