Media

Taxes & Economy

Stimulus Follies

• Nathan Benefield
• December 1, 2008

OpenMarket.org has a good post on the failure of “stimulus” packages (i.e. government spending) to improve the overall economy.

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Taxes & Economy

County Commissioner: “Listen to the Commonwealth Foundation”

• Nathan Benefield
• December 1, 2008

“The governor and legislators should seriously consider the reports from the Commonwealth Foundation which provided information on how Harrisburg could address the state’s financial situation” That quote comes from Fayette…

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Taxes & Economy

What happened to the Great Depression II?

• Nathan Benefield
• December 1, 2008

Carpe Diem points out that holiday retail sales were up over the weekend from last year. Yet the CNN Money article with the same chart contains more of…

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Regulation

Pennsylvania Pension Now Faces Billions in Losses

• Nathan Benefield
• December 1, 2008

The Wall Street Journal has an article on Pennsylvania’s state employee’s pension fund, and its market losses. Noting that “Pennsylvania invested more in hedge funds than any other state…

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Regulation

Spreading wealth to Hollywood

• Nathan Benefield
• November 28, 2008

Cross Posted at Capitol Domes   Giving handouts to Hollywood has become an en vogue method for state governments to stimulate economic growth. According to the Heartland…

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Regulation

Renewing the Call for Pension Refom

• Nathan Benefield
• November 26, 2008

Deb Erdley has a story in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on pension funds for public school employees and state workers, in light of a PSBA plan for reform, recent losses…

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Public Union Democracy

PA Congressional Delegation Ratings on Worker Freedom

• Nathan Benefield
• November 26, 2008

The Alliance for Worker Freedom has their new scorecard on the 2nd session of the 110th Congress.  Key votes include a number of expansion of Davis-Bacon prevailing wage laws…

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Regulation

The Corporate Welfare Mentality

• Nathan Benefield
• November 26, 2008

Team 4 Pittsburgh has a well-done, but disturbing, story and video on why government bureaucrats hand out “economic development” grants to companies. Usually, government officials claim that taxpayer “investments”…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Bailouts cost more than WWII, 10 times cost of New Deal

• Nathan Benefield
• November 25, 2008

A friend passed along this blog post looking at the cost of recent bailouts compared to the inflation-adjusted cost of other major government expenditures: If we add in…

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Education

Compulsory unionism doesn’t benefit teachers, students, or taxpayers

• Nathan Benefield
• November 25, 2008

PSEA Head honcho James Testerman has a response to a Tribune-Review editorial which called for making PA a right to work state – citing our report on…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Why Permanent Tax Cuts Are the Best Stimulus

• Nathan Benefield
• November 25, 2008

John B. Taylor has an article in today’s Wall Street Journal concluding that – and this will shock Governor Rendell and the state treasurer – government spending is…

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Regulation

Why government spending is no economic stimulus

• Nathan Benefield
• November 24, 2008

In my commentary today, I tackle the idea of “economic development” spending as a stimulus for economic growth, and contrast that with lower taxes. More detailed analysis of…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Don’t know much about history? (or economics)?

• Nathan Benefield
• November 24, 2008

The Intercollegiate Studies Institute released their latest report on Americans’ civic literacy (HT to Center for College Affordability). The results are not good. Click here to take…

Media

Government Accountability

Cut Legislature First

• Nathan Benefield
• November 24, 2008

The Philadelphia Inquirer editorializes that the first item to be cut from the budget should be the legislature’s budget, noting this is the source of funding for bonuses, no-work…

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Taxes & Economy

Small Businesses in the Pennsylvania Economy

• Nathan Benefield
• November 21, 2008

The Small Business Administration has published their latest profiles of small businesses in the US and each of the 50 states. Some of the data is a bid old…

Media

Education

We’re Number One! In Teacher Strikes…still

• November 21, 2008

The Allegheny Institute, one of our sister think tanks, posted a brief about teacher strikes. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania maintains its reputation of being the “teacher strike capital” of the world.

Media

Regulation

The Boscov’s Bailout

• Nathan Benefield
• November 21, 2008

I am quoted in Brad Vasoli’s Evening Bulletin article on the Boscov’s Bailout (related stories in the Times-Tribune and the Citizen’s Voice). Let me expound upon my…

Media

State Budget

Budget shortfall, but money (and giant checks) for pork is plentiful

• Nathan Benefield
• November 20, 2008

Even though Pennsylvania is facing a massive budget shortfall, don’t expect Governor Rendell to stop touring the state handing out taxpayer funds. Yesterday, he announced $44 million in “investments”…

Media

Pennsylvania’s economic climate gets another bleak ranking

• Nathan Benefield
• November 20, 2008

The Beacon Hill Institute has issued a new report on state economic competitiveness.  Not surprising, Pennsylvania ranks poorly – 39th out of the fifty states.  You can find the…

Media

Government Accountability

PA Lawmakers, Executives, Judges Get Pay Raise

• Nathan Benefield
• November 20, 2008

Patriot News story on the 2.8% cost of living increase that Pennsylvania lawmakers will get beginning Dec. 1, and state judges and executive branch officials will get the raise…

Media

Public Union Democracy

Ending secret ballot elections: Change you can believe in?

• Nathan Benefield
• November 20, 2008

Rick Berman of the Center for Union Facts writes in the DC Examiner that the first priority of the Obama Administration may well be outlawing secret ballots…

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