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.”
State Budget
Earmark searches made easy
The Seattle Times has a great tool for searching earmarks. Not only can you find defense earmarks for each member of Congress, but they also report campaign contributions from…
Media
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Hugo Chavez: Bush is sociailist “comrade”
Cato-at-liberty notes that Venezuelan would-be-dictator Hugo Chavez has welcomed President Bush into the socialist movement: Socialist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez mocked George W. Bush as a “comrade” on…
Media
Read More: Hugo Chavez: Bush is sociailist “comrade”Health Care
Health Care Reform
Reform in health care should follow a few key principles: Give individuals and employers more choices in health care. Give them more freedom in choosing health care options.
Fact Sheet
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The Great Health Care Debate
Bob Moffit of Heritage writes that we are at a crossroads in health care in term of the difference between McCain and Obama’s proposals. The Commonwealth Foundation has said…
Media
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“The Great Depression II”
As most movie sequels are dwarfed by the original, so too does the rhetoric about the US sitting on the precipice of “another Great Depression” over-hype the current situation, and…
Media
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Capitol Domes: Fiscal Cliff Ahead
The Central Penn Business Journal launched Capitol Domes today (subscribe to the feed here), a new blog featuring Matt Brouillette and Rock the Capital’s Eric Epstein. Brouillette’s…
Media
Read More: Capitol Domes: Fiscal Cliff AheadGovernment Accountability
Heritage on ACORN
The Heritage Foundation has a post today giving an informative primer on ACORN and how it gets it money.
Media
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The Vatican Denies Collective Bargaining for Catholic Teachers
When the Bishop Joseph F. Martino refused to recognize the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers as a collective bargaining unit the union took it’s…
Media
Read More: The Vatican Denies Collective Bargaining for Catholic TeachersTaxes & Economy
The Case for Corporate Tax Cuts
The NCPA has a short primer on why the US (and Pennsylvania) should cut corporate tax rates. The US has the 2nd highest (to Japan) combined corporate tax rate. …
Media
Read More: The Case for Corporate Tax CutsGovernment Accountability
Buckeye Institute files Rico suit against ACORN
Our sister think tank in Ohio has filed a RICO suit (i.e. for organized crime) against ACORN for voter fraud. The full complaint is here. Since stories…
Media
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Anatomy of a Train Wreck
The Independent Institute has a new report on the causes of the mortgage meltdown: This report concludes that, in an attempt to increase home ownership, particularly by…
Media
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Business Owners: Economy and elected officials are bad, drilling and nuclear power needed
The Lincoln Institute has release their Fall 2008 Keystone Business Climate Survey covering a range of business and political issues. Some of the more interesting findings: Almost…
Media
Read More: Business Owners: Economy and elected officials are bad, drilling and nuclear power neededGovernment Accountability
Why Americans love term limits
Howard Rich, head of the pro-term limit group U.S. Term Limits, has an op-ed in the USA TODAY on why term limits are popular, except among legislators. Topics…
Media
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Where will Canadians go for health care?
A Canadian commented on a previous post that – even though he had to come to the US to receive health care – the Canadian system is better because…
Media
Read More: Where will Canadians go for health care?Taxes & Economy
Make the bailout “investments” voluntary
Letter I sent to the President and my representatives in Congress: The recent bailout plan approved by Congress authorized the Dept. of the Treasury to purchase mortgages securities at above-market…
Media
Read More: Make the bailout “investments” voluntaryState Budget
Stay (Just A Little Bit Longer)
Recently, state Senators Gibson Armstrong (R, Lancaster) and Vince Fumo (D, Philadelphia) sounded the alarm that Pennsylvania will be facing a massive budget deficit by the end of the…
Commentary
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Is choosing your health care plan dangerous?
Michael Cannon’s latest commentary on health care reform is a must read: What I saw next was even scarier: The presidential debate, where Barack Obama told me how…
Media
Read More: Is choosing your health care plan dangerous?Taxes & Economy
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac must go
Good article in the Christian Science Monitor on the need to privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Heritage Foundation blog also discusses how Fannie Mae and Freddie…
Media
Read More: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac must goTaxes & Economy
Re-regulating Electricity
The Tribune-Review has an article breaking down the latest energy bill (HB2200). The bill seeks to regulate the “deregulation” process by: Mandating the installation of smart meters over a…
Media
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Video: Flunked Panel Discussion
Video of our panel discussion following the film Flunked, co-hosted by the REACH Foundation. Discussants include Adam Schaeffer of the Cato Institute; school choice parents…
Media
Read More: Video: Flunked Panel DiscussionGovernment Accountability
More on ACORN and Voter Fraud
As a followup to Jessica’s post on ACORN and Voter Fraud, here are some recent updates: The Tribune Review notes that investigations of ACORN could be coming to…
Media
Read More: More on ACORN and Voter Fraud