Media

Welfare

Welfare Without Work Fails

• Elizabeth Stelle
• August 15, 2012

The Obama administration recently relaxed welfare to work requirements, arguing it will help the truly needy. In contrast, Pennsylvania lawmakers took an opposite step by including new welfare work requirements…

Media

Public Union Democracy

Union Allowed to Stalk in Pennsylvania

• Nathan Benefield
• August 13, 2012

A new report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce highlights special state laws governing labor unions. For example, four states, including Pennsylvania, have anti-stalking laws, but exempt labor unions…

Media

Health Care

ACA a Boon to Special Interests

• Nathan Benefield
• August 13, 2012

Tim Carney continues to highlight the role special interests— including the largest players in the health care industry—played in crafting the socalled Affordable Care Act, dispelling the myth that…

Media

Health Care

Pizza, Burgers and Health Care Reform

• Elizabeth Stelle
• August 10, 2012

The devastating side effects of the Affordable Care Act are multiplying every day. It’s not uncommon to hear that premiums are rising, about 7 percent next year, according to the…

Media

Government Accountability

Czars of Zinfandel Pour More Down Drain

• August 10, 2012

Need some Zeppelin with your zinfandel, Coldplay with your chardonnay or Seger with your Seagrams?  Well, wait no more music and driving fans, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has a…

Media

State pension reforms to get first vetting Tuesday

• August 10, 2012

Media Hit

Weis buys Farm Show hall naming rights

• August 10, 2012

Media Hit

Regulation

No More Solyndras in Pa.’s Future?

• Nathan Benefield
• August 9, 2012

Pennsylvania Independent’s Melissa Daniels writes that corporate welfare programs to benefit solar companies are on their way out in Pennsylvania, saving consumers more than $100 million.  Two major state…

Media

Public Union Democracy

Taxpayer Tornado Sweeps Through Kansas, Union Party Swept Away

• Charles Mitchell
• August 8, 2012

What’s one of the few things stranger than a CF staffer reading the Huffington Post? Easy.  A CF staffer reading on the Huffington Post about a great victory for the…

Media

Government Accountability

Reverse Robin Hoods Charged at DPW

• August 8, 2012

Earlier this year when CF took on welfare fraud and abuse within the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, angry e-mails, phone calls and adverse editorial rhetoric came pouring in, calling…

Media

Health Care

State Officials Give Medicaid Expansion a Thumbs Down

• Elizabeth Stelle
• August 7, 2012

Is expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act a good idea for states? According to state budget directors across the country, the answer is a resounding no.  A recent survey conducted by…

Media

Regulation

Liquor Lies Dropping Like Flies

• August 6, 2012

State-run liquor store advocates are watching as their most commonly trumpeted arguments drop like flies in recent weeks. First there’s the debunking of the erroneous claim that government-run liquor…

Media

Education

PSEA Blows Smoke Over Political Spending

• Priya Brannick
• August 6, 2012

School board members at the West Chester Area School District are negotiating a new contract with teachers, and rightly questioning why the district deducts union dues from teachers’ paychecks, when…

Media

Looking for new lifeline: Elimination of state assistance program has some scrambling

• August 6, 2012

Media Hit

Pa. group takes cues from Club

• August 5, 2012

Media Hit

Welfare

Attorney General Chases More Welfare Thieves

• Nathan Benefield
• August 3, 2012

In another example of those employed in the welfare system (allegedly) getting rich off the poor through fraud, Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly has charged two Delaware County DPW employees, Cynthia Lewis and Ivan…

Media

Education

Opportunity Scholarships Now Open for Business in Pennsylvania

• Nathan Benefield
• August 2, 2012

The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development issued new guidelines regarding the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) program. Businesses can begin applying for tax credits on August 8.

Media

Taxes & Economy

Welfare Anti-Fraud Measures Earn Gold Medal

• Nathan Benefield
• August 1, 2012

The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare received an award for its recent efforts to curb waste and fraud.  The Council of State Governments gave DPW a 2012 Innovations Award…

Media

Regulation

Ready for Higher Liquor Prices?

• July 31, 2012

The floodgates have opened on the Lords of Liquor’s most infamous (and erroneous) claim that government-run liquor stores bring in lots of cash for the state. In reality, the PLCB…

Media

Education

Superintendent Shocked Students Splitting Skidding Schools

• July 31, 2012

Across Pennsylvania, newspapers are telling the celebratory story of parents and students formerly stuck in failing and violent public schools who are taking immediate advantage of new opportunity scholarships that…

Media

Regulation

Calling Shenanigans on Liquor Union Bosses

• July 30, 2012

Pennsylvania’s liquor store union bosses have been called out by Dr. Antony Davies, an associate professor at Duquesne University, and James Harrigan, a fellow of the Institute of…

Media