Media

Health Care

What Happened in Massachusetts

• January 20, 2010

The Cato Institute released a policy report today examining the effect of Massachusetts’ health care reform – whose individual mandate and subsidies for insurance are seen as a model…

Media

Taxes & Economy

PA Mayors Facing Budget Crunch – Whose Fault Is It?

• January 20, 2010

Pennsylvania mayors have voiced their frustrations with public sector unions forcing counties to pay higher wages even as they face budget constraints. Inevitably, that has led to higher taxes,…

Media

HEALTH CARE: Reform will hit Pa. taxpayers hard

• January 19, 2010

Media Hit

Public Union Democracy

Five Alternatives to Tolling I-80

• Nathan Benefield
• January 19, 2010

A recent Pocono Record article calls the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s proposal to toll I-80 “a riddle with no easy answers” (HT GrassrootsPA). However, there are alternatives to that…

Media

Group calls for Mann’s external investigation

• January 19, 2010

Media Hit

Government Accountability

Book Review: Money, Greed, and God

• Nathan Benefield
• January 19, 2010

Jay Richards’ book Money, Greed, and God offers a defense of capitalism from a Christian perspective. Richards goes further, noting that capitalism depends on a virtuous society. A…

Media

Government Accountability

Bonusgate Makes National Headlines

• Nathan Benefield
• January 18, 2010

Though it wasn’t one of their top 10 scandals of 2009, Time Magazine has a story today on “bonusgate”, and the subsequent corruption investigation, and its implications on Pennsylvania…

Media

Health Care

Why Health Care Costs are Skyrocketing

• Nathan Benefield
• January 18, 2010

A nifty chart put together by the Mercatus Center helps explain why health care cost continue to skyrocket – a growing role for third-party payers and of government subsidies.

Media

Taxes & Economy

How Government Hinders Job Creation

• Nathan Benefield
• January 18, 2010

Economist Mark Hendrickson has a good piece for The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College explaining why federal policies aimed at “creating jobs” or even helping workers…

Media

Days of Capitol calendars are behind us

• January 18, 2010

Media Hit

A look at the track records of local legislators

• January 17, 2010

Media Hit

PA’s Disgraceful Liquor Laws

• January 15, 2010

Media Hit

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Natural Gas Tax Resurrected

• January 15, 2010

Governor Rendell has, once again, changed his mind deciding that taxing Pennsylvania’s emerging natural gas industry is a good idea. What changed the Governor’s mind? Recently, five companies…

Media

Regulation

Two Thumbs Down for Film Tax Credits

• Nathan Benefield
• January 15, 2010

The Tax Foundation released a report on movie production incentives (MPIs), such as film tax tax credits and film grants (full report here). Forty-four states offer some sort…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Government Spending Doesn’t Stimulate Economic Growth

• Nathan Benefield
• January 14, 2010

Brian Riedl of the Heritage Foundation has a good Backgrounder on why government spending is no economic stimulus, including answering some of the points that neo-Keynesians make. (Click…

Media

Weekly Blog Roundup

• January 14, 2010

The CF call for an independent investigation into a Penn State professor caught in climatology scandal caught many bloggers’ attention this week. GrassrootsPA,…

Media

Lawmakers asked to probe prof’s research

• January 14, 2010

Media Hit

Taxes & Economy

Rendell on HB 80: Now it’s war!

• Elizabeth Stelle
• January 14, 2010

Yesterday, Governor Rendell had some harsh albeit entertaining words for opponents of HB 80, which would increase the state’s mandated alternative energy requirements. According to Rendell “Powerful special interests…

Media

State Budget

What is Rendell Cutting in Pennsylvania Budget?

• Nathan Benefield
• January 14, 2010

In his mid-year budget address, Governor Rendell outlined a plan to cut spending by $170 million in the Pennsylvania state budget.  This week, he identified $161 specific cuts (see…

Media

Education

New Head Start Study Shows No Long-Term Effects of Preschool

• Nathan Benefield
• January 14, 2010

A study on students in Head Start released yesterday by the US Department of Health and Human Services shows no long-term academic improvement from the program.  In fact, the…

Media

Regulation

Tax Breaks for Select Few Companies Not Creating Jobs

• January 13, 2010

A study by Good Jobs First indicates that Pennsylvania’s tax incentives for high-tech companies has not been able to attract investment from other states. A net 43 high-tech companies…

Media