Media

State Budget

States Have Only Themselves to Blame for Fiscal Mess

• Nathan Benefield
• August 4, 2009

Steve Chapman writes on Reason.com that there’s nothing surprising about the crises in state budgets though it apparently caught many governors and legislators by surprise. States dramatically increased spending…

Media

State Budget

If Only Congress Passed an “Economics for Dummies” Program

• August 4, 2009

It always amuses me to see “cash for clunkers” ads on TV these days. This government subsidized program, like hundreds of others, has been a tremendous failure. The transportation…

Media

State Budget

What the #$#! is Going on with Pennsylvania Budget?

• Nathan Benefield
• August 3, 2009

If you are following any of the proceedings on the Pennsylvania budget – such as #pabudget on Twitter – you will find a lot has changed with nothing really…

Media

Health Care

The Two Big Lies of Health Care “Reform”

• Nathan Benefield
• August 3, 2009

Here are a couple of good readings on health care policy: The Hoover Institution has a “second opinion” with ten reasons why health care in the U.S. is…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Where Were These Guys a Few Months Ago?

• Nathan Benefield
• August 3, 2009

At a recent town-hall meeting, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said he had to ‘hold my nose’ over bailouts. I wish he had expressed some of those misgivings when…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Energy Conservation Myth is a Vicious Cycle

• Elizabeth Stelle
• August 3, 2009

Studies from the McKinsey group and National Research Council released this week claim that we can substantially reduce the country’s energy usage (15-32% by 2020) by replacing inefficient appliances…

Media

Blame budget impasse on governor

• August 3, 2009

Media Hit

Health Care

Reasons ObamaCare Is Wrong for America

• Nathan Benefield
• July 31, 2009

The Heritage Foundation has, on their new health care website, the Top 10 Reasons Obamacare Is Wrong for America, starting with the fact that individuals would lose their current…

Media

Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Pulls the Shade on Sunshine

• July 31, 2009

Commonwealth Foundation president and CEO Matthew J. Brouillette issued the following statement today in response to closed-door budget negotiations between Gov. Rendell and selected legislative leaders: “A mere…

Press Release

Education

How States Can “Race to the Top” on Education Performance

• Nathan Benefield
• July 31, 2009

The Wall Street Journal has an excellent editorial on education funding and performance, as well as the unions’ take on the “race to the top” initiative: All…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Federal Spending by the Numbers

• Nathan Benefield
• July 31, 2009

The Heritage Foundation has a new report on federal spending. The short document includes lots of good tables and charts showing the effects of Bush-Obama spending increases.

Media

Regulation

Rendell, Harley Davidson, and Lando

• Nathan Benefield
• July 30, 2009

In Empire Strikes Back, Lando Calrissian tells his old friend Han Solo that “I’ve just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of here forever” before leading…

Media

Education

Achievement and Education Spending

• Nathan Benefield
• July 30, 2009

Jake Haulk of the Allegheny Institute offers some commentary on the much celebrated improvement in Pennsylvania test scores: It is also quite interesting to note the year…

Media

Blogging About CF

• Nathan Benefield
• July 30, 2009

Here are some recent coverage of the Commonwealth Foundation from blogs: Gunservatively looks at the five-year record of legalized gambling in Pennsylvania. PA Family Institute links to the…

Media

Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Has 6th Best Stimulus Website

• Nathan Benefield
• July 30, 2009

Good Jobs First has released state stimulus website rankings for all states. Unlike other state rankings, Pennsylvania does well, relative to its peers. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania gets 50…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Penn State Study Reveals Devastating Effects of Gas Severance Tax

• July 29, 2009

A recent study conducted by researchers at Penn State revealed the negative effects of Gov. Rendell’s proposed severance tax on natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania. The northern tier of…

Media

Government Accountability

Victory for Transparency in State Government

• July 29, 2009

HARRISBURG, PA — Commonwealth Foundation president and CEO Matt Brouillette issued the following statement today in response to the General Assembly’s decision to make Conference Committee meetings on the state…

Press Release

Regulation

States Face $558 Billion in Unfunded Retiree Health Care Liabilities

• Nathan Benefield
• July 29, 2009

Reason’s Out of Control blog notes a new report detailing that states cumulatively face $558 billion in unfunded retiree health care benefits.  Pennsylvania doesn’t seem to be in…

Media

State Budget

PA Senate Democrats Still Playing Games

• Nathan Benefield
• July 29, 2009

Yesterday, the Senate rejected a bill to fund the University of Pittsburgh by a 30-20 vote.  (It was actually 30 ‘yes’ votes, but the bill needed 2/3 majority to pass. …

Media

State Budget

Post-Gazette’s Nonsense on Pennsylvania Budget

• Nathan Benefield
• July 28, 2009

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette editorial board cribs Gov. Rendell’s talking points on the state budget, and pastes it into an editorial.  They state that lawmakers should not “balance…

Media

CF Statement on “Stop-Gap” Budget

• July 28, 2009

“The Commonwealth Foundation supports the idea of a stop-gap budget to ensure that state workers get paid, electricity in state building remains on, and Medicaid bills get paid. Unfortunately, Gov.

Press Release