State Budget
Pennsylvanians Are in Dire Need of Tax Reform
Originally published by RealClearPennsylvania. Today is Tax Day. Each year, April 15th reminds us of the costliness of government spending – and why lawmakers must reduce this financial burden on…
Read More: Pennsylvanians Are in Dire Need of Tax ReformHigh 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.
Health Care
When is a college basketball game “over”?
If you like sports and you like math then Bill James’s calculator to determine when a college basketball game is out of reach should be interesting (if not, then…
Media
Read More: When is a college basketball game “over”?Taxes & Economy
Eminent Domain post-Kelo
The Cato Daily Podcast for today covers state eminent domain reform reforms since Kelo. For more visit the Castle Coalition, and their report on state eminent domain…
Media
Read More: Eminent Domain post-KeloTaxes & Economy
Congressional Ratings from National Taxpayers Union
The National Taxpayers Union has released their 2007 Congressional Rankings. As for the PA Delegation: Pitts A 87% (“Taxpayers’ Friend”)Shuster B 74% (“Good”)Peterson C+ 62% (“Satisfactory”)…
Media
Read More: Congressional Ratings from National Taxpayers UnionTaxes & Economy
“No Cardboard Checks”
One of my favorite sources for the inside scoop from the Capitol is Senator Eichelberger’s blog. In his latest post, he describes his refusal to participate in handing out…
Media
Read More: “No Cardboard Checks”Taxes & Economy
Global temperatures ‘to decrease’
BBC report on a decade of “global cooling”.
Media
Read More: Global temperatures ‘to decrease’Taxes & Economy
Big Oil vs. Big Ethanol
Everyone in Pennsylvania (save the Amish, who are also unlikely to be reading this blog) must have heard or seen the Barack Obama, anti-“Big Oil” ad dozens of…
Media
Read More: Big Oil vs. Big EthanolState Budget
The Merits of Pork Barrel spending
Tom Barnes of the Post-Gazette has a story on the state capital budget, covering some of the projects in the Pittsburgh area. The Rendell administration tries to take…
Media
Read More: The Merits of Pork Barrel spendingHealth Care
Why McCain has the best health-care plan
Fortune Magazine article on the health care proposals of the presidential candidates, along with the overarching question of whether we should move to government-run insurance or offer consumers greater…
Media
Read More: Why McCain has the best health-care planTaxes & Economy
Electricity deregulation a success in Texas
Dallas Morning News story on a report showing how competition flourished and prices declined once Texas Electrity Deregulation took effect in January of last year. The full report…
Media
Read More: Electricity deregulation a success in TexasGovernment Accountability
Why the capital budget process needs to be reformed
Here is a response I posted on GrassrootsPA to the defenders of the $13 billion in capital budget projects who state essentially “It isn’t that bad, because not all…
Media
Read More: Why the capital budget process needs to be reformedTaxes & Economy
Hoover’s Heirs
Wall Street Journal editorial on what not to do facing a possible recession, i.e. follow the lead of Herbert Hoover: In 1930, he signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act,…
Media
Read More: Hoover’s HeirsState Budget
$13 Billion capital budget flies under radar
The $12.7 billion in borrowing for the state Capital Budget has become a hot topic on GrassrootsPA. Otherwise, it has merited a blurb in the Patriot News, and…
Media
Read More: $13 Billion capital budget flies under radarTaxes & Economy
Is the GOP Still the Party of Economic Growth?
John Tamny has a scathing RealClearMarkets column on the national economic policy of the last 7 years, implying that, had you been stuck on an island with Jack, Sawyer,…
Media
Read More: Is the GOP Still the Party of Economic Growth?Taxes & Economy
The Clean Energy Scam
Time Magazine blasts the ethanol craze that has politicians (including Governor Rendell) demanding more subsidies and mandates for biofuels than they already get (HT: Carpe Diem):…
Media
Read More: The Clean Energy ScamHealth Care
MCare: End it, Don’t Extend It
Governor Rendell and House Democrats have refused to extend the MCare abatements unless it is tied to their Cover All Pennsylvania’s/PA ABC plan (read my commentary…
Media
Read More: MCare: End it, Don’t Extend ItHealth Care
Give Consumers Choices in Health Care
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recently passed a modified version of Governor Rendell’s "Cover All Pennsylvanians"—renaming it PA ABC (Access to Basic Care). Despite the clever acronym, the program…
Commentary
Read More: Give Consumers Choices in Health CareTaxes & Economy
NTU: Return Legislative Surplus to Taxpayers
The National Taxpayers Union sent an open letter to Pennsylvania legislators urging them to return the estimated $240 million surplus in legislative leadership accounts in the form of tax…
Media
Read More: NTU: Return Legislative Surplus to TaxpayersTaxes & Economy
Those wacky truckers
As anyone in the Harrisburg area would have noticed this morning, the Truck Drivers are coming into town to protest high diesel prices. Without even addressing their proposal (a…
Media
Read More: Those wacky truckersTaxes & Economy
What’s a Charity?
A recent blog post on the Tax Foundation blog points to an analysis they did on the tax treatment of charities, which I found to be quite intriguing.
Media
Read More: What’s a Charity?Health Care
Affordable Health Care Agenda
The Commonwealth Foundation has joined with over two dozen organizations to form the Health Care Freedom Coalition. Below is a Statement of Principles. We, the Health Care Freedom Coalition, believe…
Commentary
Read More: Affordable Health Care AgendaHealth Care
RendellCare lobbyists push socialist pricing
The lobbyists charged with pushing RendellCare InsurePANow has fired off another missive advocating more of Rendell’s health care agenda. They tout a bill that they proclaim will “make insurance…
Media
Read More: RendellCare lobbyists push socialist pricing