Media

State Budget

Video: “Driving” Federal Debt

• Nathan Benefield
• May 18, 2009

Here is a great video explaining the growth in federal debt in an easy to understand metaphor – i.e. how fast presidents are driving. George W. Bush “drove” faster…

Media

Taxes & Economy

High Costs of State Regulated Electricity

• May 15, 2009

Like many states, Montana experimented with restructured electricity markets. However, at the bidding of Public Service Commissioner Ken Toole, the state re-regulated the industry. Now, the Commission is expected to…

Media

Education

Does Universal Preschool Improve Learning?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 15, 2009

The Heritage Foundation has a new backgrounder asking, “Does Universal Preschool Improve Learning?”   The short answer is NO.  For the long answer, they examine universal preschool programs…

Media

Regulation

Harley Davidson and the Problem with Corporate Welfare

• Nathan Benefield
• May 14, 2009

Harley Davidson’s announcement that they may shut down their plant in York illustrates the problem with taxpayer funded corporate welfare. For starters, Harley Davidson has received $4.3 million…

Media

Taxes & Economy

PUC Commissioners Oppose Cap and Trade

• Nathan Benefield
• May 13, 2009

The Vice Chairman and two other Commissioners of the Pennsylvania Utility Commission sent a letter to the PA Congressional Delegation in opposition to proposed cap and trade legislation.  …

Media

Taxes & Economy

Those Corporate Tax “Loopholes”

• Nathan Benefield
• May 13, 2009

Robert Samuelson has an outstanding piece in the Washington Post, exposing many of the myths exposed by Obama’s plan to crack down on “corporate loopholes”.

Media

The Worst Bailout in the World?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 13, 2009

Ultra left-wing demagogue Keith Olbermann has a segment in which he calls out the “Worst Person in the World” – usually anyone speaking out rationally against Olbermann’s views will win…

Media

Government Accountability

Paying for Criminals’ Pensions

• Elizabeth Stelle
• May 12, 2009

Yesterday, the PA House passed an amendment making it illegal for public employees to request lump-sum pension payments after they have been convicted of a crime related to their…

Media

Taxes & Economy

U.S. Government: Forcing Behavioral Changes through Excise Taxes Since 1791

• May 12, 2009

Even though President Obama previously promised not to raise taxes on the majority of Americans, he supported the federal tax hike on cigarettes, and now, the Senate is pushing…

Media

Education

PA School Districts to Get 12% Increase in Support

• Nathan Benefield
• May 12, 2009

Despite all the whining about budget cuts from the Rendell Administration (even though Rendell demanded there be “no whining”), Pennsylvania school districts are set to get substantially more…

Media

Health Care

Obama’s Health Care Quackery

• Nathan Benefield
• May 12, 2009

Shikha Dalmia has a piece on Reason.com  discussing the falacy that “universal health care.”  The Obama plan would in fact, move the US closer to European countries, Canada, and…

Media

State Budget

Pennsylvania Budget by Department Under Rendell

• Nathan Benefield
• May 11, 2009

Critics (mainly, recipients of taxpayer funds) of the budget passed by the Pennsylvania Senate last week decry it for cutting spending, claiming it is “jeopardizing access to hospital care…

Media

Regulation

Trying to Fight Unfunded Mandates? Go Directly to Jail.

• Nathan Benefield
• May 11, 2009

Township Supervisors in Cromwell Township (Huntington County) are fighting a mandate from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to install a public sewer system.  The supervisors claim such a system…

Media

Regulation

What Cap and Trade Will Cost

• Nathan Benefield
• May 11, 2009

A Heritage Foundation analysis finds that proposed “Cap and Trade” legislation will cost the average American family $3,900 per year. The chart to the left compares the cost…

Media

Health Care

Satisfaction with Health Care: U.S. v Canada

• Nathan Benefield
• May 8, 2009

John Lott has some interesting research on the satisfaction of U.S. and Canadians on their health care.  The primary finding of his study (downloadable here), is that Canadians…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Remembering 9/11 Through Coercion

• Elizabeth Stelle
• May 8, 2009

Cato has a post on eminent domain abuse in rural Pennsylvania and the flight 93 9/11 memorial. The contention centers on 7 owners and their 500 acres of the…

Media

Taxes & Economy

What Are They Drinking in DC?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 8, 2009

Ok, this is getting pathetic. I was going to ridicule Obama’s proposal to cut $17 billion from the federal budget, just as I ridiculed his previous proposal to cut…

Media

Regulation

Will Pennsylvanians Starve Without Farm Subsidies?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 8, 2009

Some early criticism coming from the Rendell administration about the Senate budget is that cuts to the Department of Agriculture will result in less farming and possibly event mass…

Media

Public Union Democracy

McGovern on Card Check

• Nathan Benefield
• May 7, 2009

Former Senator and Presidential nominee George McGovern – and though I hate the cheap labels used by the media, they would probably call him an “ultra-liberal” – writes in…

Media

Constitutionality of Property Tax Assessment Questioned

• May 7, 2009

Last week, the State Supreme Court ordered Allegheny County to perform property reassessments due to a lack of uniformity as guaranteed by the State constitution. Most states use the…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Specter on Curing Cancer

• Nathan Benefield
• May 6, 2009

The Wall Street Journal takes Sen. Arlen Specter to task for claiming Jack Kemp would still be alive if only taxpayers spent more on cancer research.  Not only for…

Media