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.
Health Care
Cover A Few Pennsylvanians update
A few weeks ago, we put out some quick facts about the few Pennsylvanians that would be covered by “Cover All Pennsylvanians.” Based on the new Governor’s budget, we…
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Read More: Cover A Few Pennsylvanians updateGovernment Accountability
Liberty Index released and GrassrootsPA relaunched
The Liberty Index, now produced by the Conservative Reform PAC was released today, rating all state legislators and Governor Rendell on legislation through the end 2007. Hat Tip…
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Read More: Liberty Index released and GrassrootsPA relaunchedTaxes & Economy
Grow the Economy, Not Government
Rendell misplaces his faith in government to stimulate the economy HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation expressed disappointment in Gov. Ed Rendell’s FY 2008-09 budget proposal that would…
Press Release
Read More: Grow the Economy, Not GovernmentHealth Care
Rendell still pushing RendellCare
Within the last few weeks, three state health care proposals fundamentally similar to Governor Rendell’s “Cover All Pennsylvanians” added to my “bad ideas pile” California legislators overwhelming rejected…
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Read More: Rendell still pushing RendellCareRegulation
Rendell’s Stimulus
Yesterday, Gov. Rendell announced his wealth redistribution scheme, which he calls “economic stimulus”. His plan includes Cash welfare payments: Rendell is proposing spending $130 million (borrowing it from the…
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Read More: Rendell’s StimulusEducation
Budget Preview
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story previews Rendell’s budget proposal, including “Rebuilding Pennsylvania”, involving a three-year, $860 million ($287/year average) in new spending on infrastructure, mostly through new borrowing. He also promises…
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Read More: Budget PreviewHealth Care
Equity and Health Care
Wall Street Journal editorial looks at reforming health care through the tax code. That is, giving individuals the same tax benefits in buying health insurance as employers, along with…
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Read More: Equity and Health CareTaxes & Economy
Climate Debate Daily
New website, Climate Debate Daily, features the latest updates on the debate over global warming – what is occuring, why it is occuring, and what to do about it…
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Read More: Climate Debate DailyTaxes & Economy
Understanding the Laffer Curve
Center for Freedom and Propserity provides this video on the Laffer Curve. The key points are that 1)Most tax cuts spur economic growth and provide “feedback” tax revenue. 2)…
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Read More: Understanding the Laffer CurveRegulation
$47 million for Soccer?
Lowman Henry writes on the Lincoln Blog that $47 million for a soccer stadium doesn’t seem like a good use of tax dollars, and responds to some email comments…
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Read More: $47 million for Soccer?Taxes & Economy
Government on a Diet – ABC 27 coverage
ABC 27 Video on our report Government on a Diet: Spending Tips 2008 Please make sure your flash player is up to date. Click here…
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Read More: Government on a Diet – ABC 27 coverageTaxes & Economy
Groundhog Duel – Taxpayer Funded Website
The Pennsylvania Tourism Office has a new website: Groundhog Duel. The website features a video about two 6’2″ men wearing groundhog costumes collecting bling-bling and hooking up with gorgeous…
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Read More: Groundhog Duel – Taxpayer Funded WebsiteHealth Care
Maine’s Failed Health Reforms
Greg Scandlen weighs in on the failure of Maine’s Dirigo Care program: 1. After 20 months of operation only 11,000 were enrolled in DirigoChoice (out of a total…
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Read More: Maine’s Failed Health ReformsState Budget
Put Government on a Spending Diet
Commonwealth Foundation analysis finds $6.7 billion in “unhealthy“ state spending HARRISBURG, PA — Today, in anticipation of Governor Rendell’s 2008-09 budget proposal, the Commonwealth Foundation released Government on a Diet:…
Press Release
Read More: Put Government on a Spending DietTaxes & Economy
Rendell’s Extreme Makeover
Jerry Bowyer’s op/ed on Governor Rendell’s extreme makeover – from a Philadelphia mayor who was: a leading “new Democrat” who had outsourced over 40 government functions, stared down…
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Read More: Rendell’s Extreme MakeoverTaxes & Economy
Bush Revises Stimulus Deal to ‘Rebate All of It’
Great fake news from ScrappleFace “It just makes sense,â€? said White House spokesman Dana Perino, “that if $800 per person would stimulate the economy, then giving back…
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Read More: Bush Revises Stimulus Deal to ‘Rebate All of It’Taxes & Economy
How important are elections?
Here are a couple of good commentaries on the importance of politics and elections. Though they draw the opposite conclusion, they follow a similar theme, and I find myself agreeing…
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Read More: How important are elections?Taxes & Economy
Economic Freedom and Prosperity
The Heritage Foundation, in conjuction with the Wall Street Journal, released the Index of Economic Freedom 2008. The rankings have not change dramatically from past years, but what I…
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Read More: Economic Freedom and ProsperityTaxes & Economy
Reagan’s Economy
Spokesman for the Clinton campaign, one-time economist, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman attempts to denounce Barack Obama for even mentioning Ronald Reagan without espousing anger and hatred towards…
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Read More: Reagan’s EconomyTaxes & Economy
U.S. Map of Religions
This map of most common religious denomination by county from Mark Perry’s blog is fascinating. Only a smattering of counties have a majority of one religion/denomination (with clushers…
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Read More: U.S. Map of ReligionsTaxes & Economy
Gas Taxes Are High Enough
US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters in the WSJ on how the gas tax is high enough, and how public-private partnerships can be a solution to transportation funding needs.
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Read More: Gas Taxes Are High Enough