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.”
Taxes & Economy
When has an “economic stimulus” ever worked?
The Club for Growth recently put out a statement opposing a federal “economic stimulus” plan, like that currently being pushed by the incoming administration (and lobbied for by…
Media
Read More: When has an “economic stimulus” ever worked?Government Accountability
Transparency and the Bailout
Transparency is a popular buzzword these days, but does the rhetoric reflect reality? John Stossel investigates the lack of transparency surrounding the bailout. Topics on this…
Media
Read More: Transparency and the BailoutTaxes & Economy
Residents Still “Movin Out” of Pennsylvania
The Census Bureau released the latest annual population estimates. The trends for Pennsylvania remain much the same: Pennsylvania grew by 0.2% between July 2007 and July 2008 – ranking…
Media
Read More: Residents Still “Movin Out” of PennsylvaniaGovernment Accountability
Taxpayer Funded Lobbying and the Growth of Government
Americans for Prosperity has a new analysis of taxpayer-funded lobbying of the federal government. I don’t want to point out the obvious, but this taxpayer-funded lobbying is almost all…
Media
Read More: Taxpayer Funded Lobbying and the Growth of GovernmentEducation
Why Pennsylvania leads the nation in teacher walkouts
The Wall Street Journal features an article on teacher strikes in Pennsylvania, noting that the Keystone State leads the nation in school employees strikes. The piece cites a…
Media
Read More: Why Pennsylvania leads the nation in teacher walkoutsRegulation
Taxpayers helping millionaires
Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed celebrates the end of a long-standing tradition of sending taxpayers money to sports stadiums in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia – or rather, the extension of that tradition…
Media
Read More: Taxpayers helping millionairesRegulation
Ed Rendell and Rosie O’Donnell
Q: What do Governor Ed Rendell and Rosie O’Donnell have in common (hint: it has nothing to do with food)? A: They have both gotten on Donald Trump’s bad side.
Media
Read More: Ed Rendell and Rosie O’DonnellRegulation
Government Knows Best: New Mandates in Philly
Philadelphia passed a new law (HT:Grassroots) mandating Carbon Monoxide detectors in every newly constructed home. The story reminded me of…
Media
Read More: Government Knows Best: New Mandates in PhillyTaxes & Economy
Corporatism vs. Socialism vs. Free Markets
As President Bush announces a revised bailout for automakers, David Boaz examines the policies of Bush and proposals of Obama and concludes neither is a “socialist”, but neither…
Media
Read More: Corporatism vs. Socialism vs. Free MarketsRegulation
Lemieux: “Pennsylvania Taxpayers are Suckers”
This is somewhat old news, but its new to me: Mario Lemieux admitted in August that he never thought of moving the Pittsburgh Penguins, but was still able to…
Media
Read More: Lemieux: “Pennsylvania Taxpayers are Suckers”State Budget
Return of Pennsylvania Legislature’s Reserves?
An audit of the General Assembly found there is $200 million in legislative surplus, and called for most of it to be returned to the taxpayers who paid for…
Media
Read More: Return of Pennsylvania Legislature’s Reserves?Public Union Democracy
Taxes, Union Bailouts, and “Crybabies”
Every other Tuesday, Matt Brouillette hosts The Politics of Business on Pittsburgh Renaissance Radio on WMNY 1360 AM from 2-6pm. This week he tackled a variety of issues that rankled at…
Media
Read More: Taxes, Union Bailouts, and “Crybabies”Education
School Choice Benefits Students and Taxpayers
Bob Maranto is featured in the Inquirer today writing on why Philadelphia needs charter schools: The academic data provided by No Child Left Behind…
Media
Read More: School Choice Benefits Students and TaxpayersRegulation
Smoking ban is bad for business, say casinos
Pennsylvania’s slots casinos are complaining that the recently enacted state smoking ban is hurting their revenues (we told you so) and are asking that their exemption be increased…
Media
Read More: Smoking ban is bad for business, say casinosTaxes & Economy
Big Government Leads to Corrupt Government
John Stossel has a good article on Townhall today on Blagoevich, the bailout, and public choice theory The Public Choice economists remind us that contrary to what…
Media
Read More: Big Government Leads to Corrupt GovernmentTaxes & Economy
Buchanan: GOP should embrace xenophobia, not economics
Pat Buchanan on Townhall.com calls for an automakers bailout based on xenophobia and on repeating the mistakes of the past, rather than sound economic policy. Is…
Media
Read More: Buchanan: GOP should embrace xenophobia, not economicsPublic Union Democracy
PSEA: Sampling the Best of PA on Your Tab
The Department of Labor recently added 2008 Union LM2 records to its website. A perusal of PSEA’s LM2 (file number: 512989) reveals that the state’s largest teacher union continues…
Media
Read More: PSEA: Sampling the Best of PA on Your TabTaxes & Economy
State College Debates a Drink Tax
The Tax Foundation exposes the poor logic behind a proposed drink tax targeted at “freeloading” PSU students. Local officials in State College would be wise to consider the fall…
Media
Read More: State College Debates a Drink TaxTaxes & Economy
Ten Problems with a Federal Bailout of the States
Chris Edwards has an article in National Review Online on why a bailout of the states is bad policy. Here are his top ten reasons. 1. The federal government…
Media
Read More: Ten Problems with a Federal Bailout of the StatesTaxes & Economy
Bigger Government is no Stimulus
Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute has a great video on why government spending has, and will, fail to “stimulate” the economy. The evidence detailed by Mitchell…
Media
Read More: Bigger Government is no StimulusTaxes & Economy
Happy Bill of Rights Day
Today is the 318th anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights Institute has some resources, as does The Examiner. Topics…
Media
Read More: Happy Bill of Rights Day