Media

Government Accountability

Legal reform aids Ohio’s economy

• Elizabeth Stelle
• August 6, 2008

Pennsylvania and Ohio share more than a border. Both states spend a ton of money on “economic development” while consistently failing to attract new jobs. No wonder elected…

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Taxes & Economy

Turnpike Commission will cost Taxpayers $37 Billion

• Nathan Benefield
• August 5, 2008

Critics of a Turnpike lease—including Rep. Joe Markosek—have offered the claim that Act 44, even without tolling of I-80, represents more revenue to taxpayers of the state than a…

Media

Government Accountability

Bonusgate, corruption, and reform news

• Nathan Benefield
• August 5, 2008

There are plenty of stories on corruption and reform in today’s papers: DeWeese under fire: State Rep. Josh Shapiro calls on House Majority Leader Bill Deweese to stop down…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Rate Caps: Extend or End?

• Elizabeth Stelle
• August 5, 2008

At a recent meeting of the House Republican Policy Committee legislators heard testimony concerning the expiration of electric rate caps. The original Electric Generation Choice and Competition Act…

Media

Regulation

Gov. Rendell to play rich uncle to Valley

• August 5, 2008

Nice headline for the Morning Call story about Gov. Rendell’s “Card Board Check Tour”. Unfortunately for Pennsylvanians, though, the rich uncle Rendell is pretending to be isn’t reaching into…

Media

“We really don’t have any reaction”

• August 5, 2008

That was the response from the Turnpike Commission’s spokesman to our billboards directing drivers on the Turnpike and into downtown Harrisburg to learn about the “power, patronage and politics…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Ranking the Roads

• Nathan Benefield
• August 4, 2008

Reason Foundation has released their annual ranking on the peformance of state highway systems. Pennsylvania ranks middle to low on most performance measures, but – this may suprise many who listen to Governor…

Media

State Budget

Is the “far right” a losing proposition?

• Nathan Benefield
• August 4, 2008

Michael Smerconish – who gets mis-identified as a conservative due to his shaved head and glasses – calls for the GOP to act more “moderate” in order to win…

Media

Education

Public Education vs. Public Schooling

• Nathan Benefield
• August 3, 2008

Neal McCluskey on the difference between “public education” and monopoly of government-run schools: Fortunately, there is a term that does strongly imply a system in which government provides…

Media

Regulation

Why you can’t use cell phones on planes

• Nathan Benefield
• August 3, 2008

Anyone who has flown before is quite familiar with the message from flight crews to turn off your cell phones. But did you ever wonder why that is required? Security…

Media

Education

Should have studied Chemical Engineering at Dartmouth

• Nathan Benefield
• August 3, 2008

WSJ.com has some interactive data on salaries of graduates by college, as well as by major. I was suprised that the median mid-career salary for my alma…

Media

The “fairness” of tolling I-80

• Nathan Benefield
• August 1, 2008

Here is my letter to the editor in the Intelligencer Journal Your July 28 editorial, “No free way,” implies that tolling I-80 is somehow more “fair” than a…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Give Exxon a break

• Nathan Benefield
• August 1, 2008

The Los Angeles Times editorializes about why Exxon is getting a bad rap for “record profits“. Although crude oil is selling for almost twice as much a…

Media

Government Accountability

Absurd statement of the day

• Nathan Benefield
• August 1, 2008

The attorney for Sean Ramaley – who was indicted in the bonusgate scandal (accused of taking a no-work job to campaign for the House, and dropped his bid for…

Media

Government Accountability

Too little… too late

• Nathan Benefield
• July 31, 2008

Lowman Henry weighs in on the House State Government Committee’s upcoming hearing on reducing the size of the legislature. He doesn’t say much on the merits of the proposal…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Comments on the Milton Friedman Institute Protest letter

• Nathan Benefield
• July 31, 2008

A U of Chicago faculty member responds to the absurd protest objecting to a Milton Friedman Institute, pointing out not only the blatant hypocrisy and misguided economic assumptions,…

Media

Education

Less than 60% of black males graduate in PA

• Nathan Benefield
• July 31, 2008

The Schott Foundation has a new report out on black male graduation rates – in public schools – and the gap between black and white performance. In PA,…

Media

Government Accountability

How Many Wives Is Too Many?

• Nathan Benefield
• July 30, 2008

John Stossel has a Townhall Commentary, likely to be controversial among the Townhall readers, about polygamy. He quotes one polygamist activist (not sure if there is more than one):…

Media

Government Accountability

Legal fees double taxpayers’ cost in bonus scandal

• Nathan Benefield
• July 30, 2008

Tribune Review story highlights the millions of taxpayer dollars spent on legal fees – the bulk by House Democrats – in response to the bonusgate investigation. Taxpayers picked…

Media

Education

Georgia Charter School Success

• July 29, 2008

Our sister think tank, Georgia Public Policy Foundation, highlights the success that charter schools are enjoying in the state. 85% of the state’s 71 charter schools met Adequate…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Even heroes can misspend other people’s money

• Nathan Benefield
• July 29, 2008

Two separate letters to the editor in the Patriot News denounce the Commonwealth Foundation for commenting on Colonel Miller’s flights to other states. Here is Matt Brouillette’s quote in…

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