Media

Taxes & Economy

Debunking Pessimistic Claims about Wages, Profits, and Wealth

• Nathan Benefield
• October 16, 2006

Heritage Foundation report examines claims that recent economic growth isn’t benefitting workers – i.e. “the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer”. The study finds, instead,…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Business Climate Attitudes Remain Low

• Nathan Benefield
• October 16, 2006

The Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research released its Fall 2006 Business Climate Survey, a survey of business owners and managers. Overall, attitudes about the PA business climate remain…

Media

Government Accountability

A Tale of Two GOPs

• Nathan Benefield
• October 16, 2006

Wall Street Journal editorial points out that Republicans are in strong shape in places where they stuck to the conservative principles they campaigned on (Florida) and are in deep…

Media

Taxes & Economy

EDITORIAL | Begging the question

• October 14, 2006

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorializes on the need to pursue REAL solutions to the transportation crisis. Unfortunately, “The Transportation Funding and Reform Commission should be named “The Beggar’s Opera” with…

Media

State Budget

Analysis: With election nearing, Rendell spreads state cash around

• October 14, 2006

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette highlights the amount of taxpayer cash Rendell is spreading around Allegheny County for “Political Development” under the guise of “economic development.”…

Media

Regulation

A $2-Trillion Fiscal Hole

• Nathan Benefield
• October 12, 2006

Wall Street Journal article estimates the unfunded liabilities of state and local government’s retiree health care plans to be $1.4 trillion, about double the unfunded pension liabilities of $700…

Media

Health Care

Poor prescription for health care in Pennsylvania

• Nathan Benefield
• October 12, 2006

Lancaster Intelligencer Journal article on “Cover All Kids.”…

Media

Health Care

Health plan targets children

• October 12, 2006

Lancaster Democrat Mike Sturla is pushing HillaryCareLite (“Cover All Kids”) in his district. Unfortunately, his Republican challenger doesn’t fully get it either. He said: “You are talking about pure…

Media

Health Care

Is ‘All Kids’ Health Coverage Going To Pass?

• Nathan Benefield
• October 11, 2006

Coverage of yesterday’s Policy and Principles lunch and discussion on “Cover all Kids” in The Evening Bulletin.

Media

Regulation

Taxpayers burdened by legislative greed in pension decisions

• Nathan Benefield
• October 11, 2006

Daily Review Editorial on the Looming Crisis in state pension plans.

Media

Public Union Democracy

Teacher strikes: Unions mask cowardice with bully tactics

• Nathan Benefield
• October 11, 2006

Simon Campbell, of Stop Teacher Strikes, Inc. editorial in the Bucks County Courier Times…

Media

Taxes & Economy

The Myth of Ethanol

• Nathan Benefield
• October 11, 2006

Consumer Reports’ article finds that government mandates to use ethanol and new E85 cars – intended to create “energy independence” – has instead increased consumption of gasoline. The main…

Media

Why Are Health Costs Rising?

• Nathan Benefield
• October 11, 2006

NCPA Analysis on why health care cost have been escalating. The primary conclusion – third party payers drive up cost. However, when consumers of health care pay the bills…

Media

Health Care

Public Health Insurance in Canada Financially Unsustainable

• Nathan Benefield
• October 11, 2006

Canada’s model of government paid health care is unstainable, according to a Fraser Institute Report.

Media

Taxes & Economy

Swann Tax Cuts

• Nathan Benefield
• October 10, 2006

A report from the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center on the revenue losses from Lynn Swann’s proposed tax cuts would seem to cast doubt on our projections. There…

Media

Regulation

Hershey changes pensions to cut costs

• October 10, 2006

While the Hershey Company continues to make defined-benefit pension reforms to remain competitive, we’ve got a union-backed group in Harrisburg lobbying for HIGHER defined-benefit pension costs on taxapyers.

Media

Regulation

EDITORIAL | Taxpayers lose in Pa. pension gamble

• October 10, 2006

We hate to have to say “We told you so.” So we won’t. But we’ll let the Chambersburg Public Opinion do it. 🙂 “The stock market was strong back…

Media

Regulation

Getting mileage out of perks

• Nathan Benefield
• October 10, 2006

Brad Bumsted and Debra Erdley in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on the excesses in PA House perks. Turns out that Mike Veon, Democratic Whip from Beaver Falls, collects more in…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Anti-pollution measures in for legislative battle

• Nathan Benefield
• October 7, 2006

Alison Hawkes article on the battle over mercury and auto emissions standards. DEP plans to set higher standards than the federal requirement. While many legislators have objected, DEP’s decision…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Tax Cuts Helped the Poor

• Nathan Benefield
• October 6, 2006

Waterbury Connecticut Republican-American editorial on the benefits of federal tax cuts on all income levels. It’s a point worth repeating, since those tax rates will go up if not…

Media

Taxes & Economy

Tax Tidal Wave

• Nathan Benefield
• October 6, 2006

Wall Street Journal article on how increased federal tax revenue-the largest two year increase in history (stemming from economic growth following tax cuts)-are reducing the federal deficit. Of course,…

Media