Erik Telford
Senior Vice President of Public Affairs
Erik Telford is the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at the Commonwealth Foundation.
Erik is a senior public affairs and communications executive with more than 15 years of diverse experience across public policy, advocacy, and public affairs institutions. Before joining the Commonwealth Foundation, Erik served as the senior vice president at Stand Together Communications, the Koch network’s marketing and communications capability. Erik has also served as the president of the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity, a state-based watchdog journalism organization. And at Americans for Prosperity, he was the executive director of RightOnline (an initiative he founded) and the director of membership and online strategy. He is currently on the board of the American Commitment Foundation.
In 2013, Campaigns & Elections Magazine honored Erik as an “Advocacy Innovator” and in 2011 as a “Rising Star in American Politics.” Politics Online named him one of the “Top 10 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics.”
Energy
We Need More Three Mile Islands
Originally published at Reason Jane Fonda isn’t a nuclear expert, but she played one on TV. In the 1979 film The China Syndrome, Fonda portrayed Kimberly Wells, a vivacious news…
Media Hit
Read More: We Need More Three Mile IslandsState Budget
Pennsylvania’s Uncompetitive Economy Continues to Drive Away Residents
Harrisburg, PA, December 20, 2024 — New data from the United States Census Bureau shows Pennsylvania lost a net 11,500 residents to other states in domestic migration between July 2023 and July…
Press Release
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Uncompetitive Economy Continues to Drive Away ResidentsPublic Union Democracy
Unpacking Union Power: Trade-Offs and Impacts on Jobs with Liya Palagashvili
In this episode, Liya Palagashvili, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, joins host David R. Osborne to discuss her forthcoming research on the costs and benefits of powerful…
Podcast
Read More: Unpacking Union Power: Trade-Offs and Impacts on Jobs with Liya PalagashviliRegulation
Josh Shapiro must stand with Pa. workers and support Nippon deal
Originally published at The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Despite the blistering cold conditions and national opposition, hundreds of Pittsburgh steelworkers gathered last Thursday to support a multimillion-dollar deal to save their…
Media Hit
Read More: Josh Shapiro must stand with Pa. workers and support Nippon dealEnergy
To Achieve American Energy Dominance, Trump Must Avoid ‘All-of-the-Above’ Rhetoric
Originally published at RealClearEnergy A four-word phrase has become the latest trend in conservative energy policy: “all of the above” (AOTA). This approach claims to…
Media Hit
Read More: To Achieve American Energy Dominance, Trump Must Avoid ‘All-of-the-Above’ RhetoricGovernment Accountability
Give Shapiro the Election Reform He Wants and PA Needs
Originally published at RealClearPennsylvania The 2024 election is finally over. On December 4th, the Pennsylvania Department of State certified the results – almost one month after Election Day. And…
Media Hit
Read More: Give Shapiro the Election Reform He Wants and PA NeedsPublic Union Democracy
A Monopoly Is Coming—Steel Yourself for It
Originally published at The Wall Street Journal On U.S. Steel’s proposed merger with Nippon Steel, President Biden and President-elect Trump have listened to national union executives, not local union…
Media Hit
Read More: A Monopoly Is Coming—Steel Yourself for ItRegulation
Corporate welfare doesn’t work. Cutting red tape does.
Originally published at Broad + Liberty In 2021, Pennsylvania lawmakers created the Local Resource Manufacturing (LRM) tax credit to attract businesses to the Keystone State. Shortly after, Nacero, a…
Media Hit
Read More: Corporate welfare doesn’t work. Cutting red tape does.Public Union Democracy
Will Lori Chavez-DeRemer Respect State Labor Reforms?
Originally published at Delaware Valley Journal Federalism is back. However, with the recent nomination of Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer as labor secretary, Congress must stay true to the federal government’s…
Media Hit
Read More: Will Lori Chavez-DeRemer Respect State Labor Reforms?Public Union Democracy
How Government Unions Won in Wisconsin by Stacking Judicial Deck
Originally published at The Daily Signal Remember when impassioned protesters stormed a Capitol building and disrupted the democratic process?No, not the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan.
Media Hit
Read More: How Government Unions Won in Wisconsin by Stacking Judicial DeckEnergy
State of RGGI: Past, Present, and Future
Key Points The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a multi-state cap-and-trade program that imposes a carbon tax on power generators, resulting in a new, economy-wide energy tax. Pennsylvania entered…
Backgrounder
Read More: State of RGGI: Past, Present, and FutureEducation
S2: E10 Featuring Marc Magee CEO and Founder of 50CAN
In this episode of the School Choice Report, guest host Rachel Langan, Senior Policy Analyst at the Commonwealth Foundation, is joined by Marc Magee, CEO and Founder of 50CAN. Together,…
Podcast
Read More: S2: E10 Featuring Marc Magee CEO and Founder of 50CAN
Commonwealth Foundation Welcomes Megan Martin as Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel
Harrisburg, PA, December 3, 2024 — The Commonwealth Foundation is proud to announce Megan Martin as its new Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel effective December 2, 2024. In this new…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Welcomes Megan Martin as Chief Operating Officer, General CounselEnergy
America needs Trump to unleash natural gas
Originally published at The Washington Examiner What should President-elect Donald Trump do on Day One? The answer is clear for Pennsylvania, where the president-elect …
Media Hit
Read More: America needs Trump to unleash natural gasPublic Union Democracy
Trump Can’t Fight Big Labor Alone. States Must Also Help
Originally published at National Review President-elect Donald Trump is planning a new course for federal policy — regarding everything from foreign conflicts to environmental regulations — and he’s quickly forming…
Media Hit
Read More: Trump Can’t Fight Big Labor Alone. States Must Also HelpRegulation
Time for Shapiro to Ditch Corporate Welfare and Cut Red Tape
Originally published at The Philadelphia Citizen For two years, Gov. Josh Shapiro has talked about the need for government to “move at the speed of business.” Though…
Media Hit
Read More: Time for Shapiro to Ditch Corporate Welfare and Cut Red TapeGovernment Accountability
Election Reform in Pennsylvania
Summary Ahead of the 2020 election, Pennsylvania allowed no-excuse mail-in voting for the first time. Officials overwhelmed with millions of ballot requests, last-minute state guidance, and litigation resulted in delayed…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Election Reform in PennsylvaniaPublic Union Democracy
Governor Shapiro’s SEPTA Bailout is Another Failure of Leadership
Harrisburg, PA, November 22, 2024 — Gov. Josh Shapiro today announced a plan to divert federal funds to bail out the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). At a press conference in Philadelphia,…
Press Release
Read More: Governor Shapiro’s SEPTA Bailout is Another Failure of LeadershipEnergy
Sr. Manager of Energy Policy André Béliveau joins the Dawn Stensland Show November 20, 2024
André Béliveau, Commonwealth Foundation Senior Manager of Energy Policy, joins the Dawn Stensland Show to discuss Pennsylvania’s energy future as well as how energy policies tie into the possibility of…
Media Hit
Read More: Sr. Manager of Energy Policy André Béliveau joins the Dawn Stensland Show November 20, 2024Education
Pennsylvania is Now the Bellwether on Democrats’ Future
Originally published at RealClearPennsylvania The Keystone State was expected to be the bellwether on November 5th, and it didn’t disappoint. Not only did Donald Trump carry Pennsylvania …
Media Hit
Read More: Pennsylvania is Now the Bellwether on Democrats’ FutureEducation
Pennsylvania Democrats have no mandate—except to compromise
Originally published at The Patriot-News Pennsylvania Democrats took a bigger shellacking than most people realize. By now, everyone knows that Republicans cleaned up in federal races. Donald…
Media Hit
Read More: Pennsylvania Democrats have no mandate—except to compromise