Media

Audit: Management of Pa. business grants was lax

• Nathan Benefield
• October 31, 2007

More criticism of the lack of monitoring, accountability, and compliance with laws in the state’s corporate welfare programs, this time from the Auditor’s office. Click here for the AP…

Media

Open Records Bills Updates

• Nathan Benefield
• October 31, 2007

Jamie Blaine at PassOpenRecords.org on the House and Senate open records bills. UPDATE: Details of the Pennsylvania Freedom of Information Coalition (PaFOIC) and PA Newspaper Association Forum…

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Government Health Insurance Kills

• Nathan Benefield
• October 31, 2007

Somebody needs to fact check FactCheck, like me. The group FactCheck.org issued a “fact check” on an ad by Rudy Giuliani comparing health care in the UK and…

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Great Milton Friedman Video

• Nathan Benefield
• October 30, 2007

In 2 minutes, Milton Friedman explains the errors of socialism, the benefits of free markets, and public choice theory, all while making Donahue look silly. HT: The…

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Pension Resources

• Nathan Benefield
• October 30, 2007

As you may have heard, Rep Scott Boyd introduced a pension reform bill (News Release) – based on some of our recommendations and research. More information and resources: Rep…

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Regulation

Public Pension Reform Introduced

• October 30, 2007

Commonwealth Foundation applauds legislation to enroll new public employees in more predictable, affordable “Defined-Contribution” pension plan HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation joined Rep. Scott Boyd (R-Lampeter), Sen. Pat Browne…

Press Release

Which schools are “Dropout Factories”?

• Nathan Benefield
• October 30, 2007

ABC 27 Harrisburg, ABC 6 Philadelphia, Carlisle Sentinel, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Philadelphia Daily News and others have all had stories about “Dropout Factories” – i.e. schools…

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Critics say open records bill not open enough

• Nathan Benefield
• October 30, 2007

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on the Senate open records bill and its many weaknesses, in light of improvements we support: Common Cause/Pennsylvania Executive Director Barry Kauffman called the…

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No I-80 Tolls = Less money for SEPTA

• Nathan Benefield
• October 29, 2007

The Turnpike Commission posted a summary of Lease and Funding agreement for tolling I-80. Not too much new here except for one major inconsistency … $300 million shall be…

Media

Big Government draws Lobbyist Gifts

• Nathan Benefield
• October 29, 2007

In another exposé of how Harrisburg works, Peter Jackson of the AP looks at the lobbyist spending and gift-giving. Why all the money ? Health care lobbyists want to…

Media

What do Liberals and Conservatives like?

• Nathan Benefield
• October 29, 2007

Patrick Ruffini’s blog does an analysis of Facebook data to determine what conservatives, liberals, and moderates enjoy: Radiohead Republicans … There just aren’t that many of them…

Media

AP: Corporate Welfare Doesn’t Work

• Nathan Benefield
• October 29, 2007

Marc Levy of the AP with analysis of taxpayer subsidized businesses and job growth in Pennsylvania: To date, the Rendell administration has offered $1.7 billion in aid through…

Media

Government Accountability

Senate Open Records Reform: Good, But Can Be Better

• October 28, 2007

State government watchdogs provide input on proposed SB 1 changes HARRISBURG – The effort to overhaul Pennsylvania’s Open Records law will take center stage at the rescheduled Senate State Government…

Press Release

Imbeciles against WAMs

• Nathan Benefield
• October 28, 2007

Yet another article on corporate welfare programs, by Rick Fellinger in Chambersburg Public Opinion, this one focusing on WAMs. In spite of Johnna Pro’s claim “there’s no such…

Media

Political hacks give bad policy advice

• Nathan Benefield
• October 27, 2007

Dick Morris offers the opinion that President Bush should sign the SCHIP expansion. Why? Because is a smaller version of socialized medicine than “Hillary Care” and will “take the…

Media

Politicians fight against openness

• Nathan Benefield
• October 27, 2007

Times-Tribune editorial on why the PA House gutted the Open Records bill, effectively undermining the effort to make state government somewhat open. In related news, Governor Rendell has decided…

Media

Biofuels Report: “No more Subsidies!”

• Nathan Benefield
• October 26, 2007

Earth Track has released a report titled Biofuels – At What Cost? Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in the United States: 2007 Update. The…

Media

Did Governor Rendell fix Medical Malpractice?

• Nathan Benefield
• October 26, 2007

Not to impugn John Graham’s post on StateHouseCall, saying “Gov. Rendell Has One Health Reform Half Right,” but we think Pennsylvania gets less than a thumbs up on…

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PA Conceals List of Polling Places

• Nathan Benefield
• October 26, 2007

In an odd move, in the wake of open records reform, the state has decided to conceal its list of polling places. They cite fear of terrorists getting…

Media

Did Thornburgh really call for “moderation”?

• Nathan Benefield
• October 26, 2007

The most recent Madonna and Young Political Uncorrected commentary claims that former Gov. Dick Thornburgh’s congressional testimony wasn’t about defending his client Cyril Wecht, who is under indictment…

Media

Educators urge Legislature to fix system (i.e. spend more)

• Nathan Benefield
• October 25, 2007

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on the latest call for increased state spending on education from the Education Policy and Leadership Center. Their drumbeat is that the state’s share is only 38%…

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