Taxes & Economy

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac must go

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 10, 2008

Good article in the Christian Science Monitor on the need to privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  The Heritage Foundation blog also discusses how Fannie Mae and Freddie…

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Taxes & Economy

Re-regulating Electricity

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • October 10, 2008

The Tribune-Review has an article breaking down the latest energy bill (HB2200). The bill seeks to regulate the “deregulation” process by: Mandating the installation of smart meters over a…

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Education

Video: Flunked Panel Discussion

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 9, 2008

Video of our panel discussion following the film Flunked, co-hosted by the REACH Foundation.  Discussants include Adam Schaeffer of the Cato Institute; school choice parents…

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Government Accountability

More on ACORN and Voter Fraud

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 9, 2008

As a followup to Jessica’s post on ACORN and Voter Fraud, here are some recent updates: The Tribune Review notes that investigations of ACORN could be coming to…

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Read More: More on ACORN and Voter Fraud

Regulation

Leasing Toll Roads, Airports, and Parking

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 9, 2008

There are several stories on privatization in the news lately on a number of fronts. First up is in the real value of toll roads – which should be read…

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Education

Video: Leaving Children Behind: Teacher Unions vs. School Choice

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 8, 2008

Video from yesterday’s Policies and Principles luncheon (co-hosted by the REACH Foundation) on school choice and the teachers’ unions is now available on our YouTube Channel. …

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Taxes & Economy

Rate Mitigation Debate Far From Over

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • October 8, 2008

In the past few weeks legislators have been negotiating to mitigate future electricity rate increases once rate caps expire. Here’s the details: The Governor and assembly leaders…

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Public Union Democracy

Talking Teacher Strikes and the Bailout

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 8, 2008

Audio from yesterday’s Pittsburgh Renaissance Radio show hosted by Matt Brouillette is available for download. For individual segments: Matt talks with Simon Campbell of Stop Teacher Strikes…

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Government Accountability

Ghost voting still taking place in Pennsylvania House

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 8, 2008

Both Grassroots PA and Capitol Ideas have made note of yesterday’s PA House vote in which Republican leader Sam Smith noted some lawmakers were “voting” while they weren’t…

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Health Care

Debate Watching Tips

  • October 7, 2008

While the talking heads may analyze how many points McCain and Obama score with witty jabs, there might also be some policy issues discussed in tonight’s presidential debate. Check…

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Taxes & Economy

“Deregulation” and a “Great Depression”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 7, 2008

While you listen to Matt Brouillette ( to chat with Matt and listeners on TalkShoe click here) discuss the bailout and the causes of the financial “crisis”, here…

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Taxes & Economy

Throwing more gasoline on the economic fire

  • October 7, 2008

Just in case you missed it yesterday, the Patriot-News ran Matt Brouillette’s commentary on the federal bailout under the headline “Throwing more gasoline on the economic fire” If you…

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Taxes & Economy

Tax Increase Coming to Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 7, 2008

State Senators Gib Armstrong and Vince Fumo are both projecting a massive budget deficit ($2.5 billion according to Fumo) and believe that the only way to pay for it is with…

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Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania’s Business Tax Climate below average

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 7, 2008

The Tax Foundation has released its latest State Business Tax Climate Index. Pennsylvania ranks a middling 28th on the index, which takes into account five factors (listed in order…

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Government Accountability

Voter Beware

  • October 6, 2008

ACORN, a “community organizing” grassroots group, has been raising a few eyebrows lately. The group engages in activism, lobbying, get-out-the-vote drives, and voter registration. The organization’s activities almost always help…

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State Budget

How much of a budget deficit is Pennsylvania facing?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 6, 2008

Capitolwire.com is reporting that there is a top-secret memo from one of the four legislative caucuses estimating that Pennsylvania is facing a potential $2.5 billion budget deficit going into…

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Taxes & Economy

A Replay Of 1929? Don’t Count On It

  • October 6, 2008

Investor’s Business Daily editorial helps make the point that the panicked actions of President Bush and Congress to thwart another Great Depression were/are unsubstantiated, something Matt Brouillette also stated…

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Read More: A Replay Of 1929? Don’t Count On It

Health Care

McCain’s Health Care Tax Credit

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 5, 2008

Following Joe Biden’s claim that McCain’s health care plan will result in millions of workers being dropped from employers’ health care plans a number of free-market thinkers have rebutted. …

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Government Accountability

Down with the Senate?

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • October 4, 2008

Rep. Rich Grucela introduced a measure to eliminate the Pennsylvania Senate. Pennsylvania has functioned under a bi-cameral legislature since 1790, but Rep. Grucela is frustrated with…

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Government Accountability

Update: State Spending Transparency

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • October 3, 2008

A reader emailed to ask if there are examples of states with online spending databases. Indeed states across the country are adopting transparency legislation while state officials and think tanks…

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Read More: Update: State Spending Transparency