Media

State Budget

A Diet Plan for an Obese State Government

• May 30, 2007

Commonwealth Foundation launches campaign to “Put Pennsylvania on a Spending Diet” HARRISBURG, PA — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation announced the launch of a media campaign to educate Pennsylvanians about the…

Press Release

Rendell as Aragorn

• Nathan Benefield
• May 25, 2007

Philadelphia Daily News compares Rendell to Aragorn (of the Lord of the Rings), in his speech to the SEPTA board: A day may come when the courage…

Media

Are raising prices a crime?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 25, 2007

Wall Street Journal on the absurdity of legislation on “price gouging”. Not only have previous investigations over the pase few decades turned up few cases of price gouging, but…

Media

Make Your Own ‘Star Wars’

• Nathan Benefield
• May 25, 2007

The greatest instance of using technology to give power to the masses since Guttenberg invented the printing press, George Lucas announced that clips from all the Star Wars movies…

Media

“We’re Not the Commonwealth Foundation”

• Nathan Benefield
• May 24, 2007

A report from the union-backed, socialist leaning (see note) Pennsylvania Budget & Policy Center calls for enacting the Governor’s Proposed Oil Profits Tax, saying it is a good tax…

Media

Jesus would back my plan, Rendell says

• Nathan Benefield
• May 24, 2007

Ed Rendell cites the Holy Bible to support his government-run health care plan, reported in the Patriot News. He is referring to Matthew 22: 37-39 – Jesus replied:…

Media

Government Accountability

Empowering Citizens through Legislative Redistricting & Initiative & Referendum

• Matthew Brouillette
• May 24, 2007

Thank you Chairman Piccola and members of the Senate State Government Committee for the opportunity to share with you the position and opinions of the Commonwealth Foundation on Senate Bills…

Testimony

Cato Report on Federal Aid to State

• Nathan Benefield
• May 23, 2007

New report from Cato traces the growth of federal aid programs to state. That seems to contradict Governor Rendell’s statements on the budget about how we need higher…

Media

The Poor Get Richer

• Nathan Benefield
• May 23, 2007

Wall Street Journal on the growth in earnings and income of low-income families with children from 1991-2005. The CBO report identifies a few reasons for this, including: job…

Media

Perzel Turned Away From Budget Meeting

• Nathan Benefield
• May 23, 2007

Capitolwire story on John Perzel’s quest to be included in the budget negotiations, see summary on GrassrootsPA.com. Three things about are troubling: 1) That John Perzel is trying to…

Media

Cost control is true tax reform

• Nathan Benefield
• May 22, 2007

A very strong Press Enterprise editorial on real school tax reform – i.e. controlling costs: Enact a Taxpayer Protection Act that would limit increases in state spending to…

Media

More of the same from Brookings

• Nathan Benefield
• May 22, 2007

A new report from the Brookings Institution Restoring Prosperity: The State Role in Revitalizing America’s Older Industrial Cities repeats many of the same recommendations from multiple earlier reports (including…

Media

Who Killed Health Care?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 22, 2007

American Spectator review of Regina Herzlinger’s book, Who Killed Health Care?: America’s $2 Trillion Medical Problem — and the Consumer-Driven Cure. Herzlinger concludes her book by outlining a…

Media

Response to Congressional Bogeymen on Turnpike

• Nathan Benefield
• May 22, 2007

Reason Foundation responds to a letter from two Congressmen advising states against toll road leases and promising to “”work to undo” any contract.

Media

PSBA Property Tax Reform Blueprint

• Nathan Benefield
• May 21, 2007

The PSBA unveiled its Blueprint for Comprehensive Local Tax Reform, which has some good ideas, some misguided notions, and some bad ideas. The Good:1. Create a state funding…

Media

Turnpike Lease best option financially

• Nathan Benefield
• May 21, 2007

Morgan Stanley’s preliminary report indicates that a private lease – depending on the conditions of the agreement – would fetch Pennsylvania a greater sum of money for transportation needs…

Media

Medicaid Reform in Texas

• Nathan Benefield
• May 21, 2007

NCPA analysis of the Medicaid reform proposal in Texas – mostly good ideas, but lacking some key components of free-market reform.

Media

Term Limits Op-Ed

• Nathan Benefield
• May 17, 2007

Rep. Daylin Leach with an editorial on why term limits are a bad idea in the Patriot News. Leach resorts to the standard three part argument – term limits…

Media

Is Health Spending Out of Control?

• Nathan Benefield
• May 17, 2007

NCPA Analysis of government health spending. Their conclusion is that health care expenditures have risen so dramatically because they are on auto-pilot – i.e. lawmakers don’t need to pass…

Media

Congressmen warn Governor about Turnpike lease

• Nathan Benefield
• May 16, 2007

From Capitolwire.com. Having criticized the Governor in my previous post, I will give him praise for dismissing the anti-market rhetoric of two Democratic Congressmen. HARRISBURG (May 16) –…

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Stupid Voters!

• Nathan Benefield
• May 16, 2007

After defeat of the Act 1 tax shift almost universally (the Patriot News identified only two districts that approved the shift, and one of those by a very tentative…

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