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.”
Regulation
Leasing Toll Roads, Airports, and Parking
There are several stories on privatization in the news lately on a number of fronts. First up is in the real value of toll roads – which should be read…
Media
Read More: Leasing Toll Roads, Airports, and ParkingEducation
Video: Leaving Children Behind: Teacher Unions vs. School Choice
Video from yesterday’s Policies and Principles luncheon (co-hosted by the REACH Foundation) on school choice and the teachers’ unions is now available on our YouTube Channel. …
Media
Read More: Video: Leaving Children Behind: Teacher Unions vs. School ChoiceTaxes & Economy
Rate Mitigation Debate Far From Over
In the past few weeks legislators have been negotiating to mitigate future electricity rate increases once rate caps expire. Here’s the details: The Governor and assembly leaders…
Media
Read More: Rate Mitigation Debate Far From OverPublic Union Democracy
Talking Teacher Strikes and the Bailout
Audio from yesterday’s Pittsburgh Renaissance Radio show hosted by Matt Brouillette is available for download. For individual segments: Matt talks with Simon Campbell of Stop Teacher Strikes…
Media
Read More: Talking Teacher Strikes and the BailoutGovernment Accountability
Ghost voting still taking place in Pennsylvania House
Both Grassroots PA and Capitol Ideas have made note of yesterday’s PA House vote in which Republican leader Sam Smith noted some lawmakers were “voting” while they weren’t…
Media
Read More: Ghost voting still taking place in Pennsylvania HouseHealth Care
Debate Watching Tips
While the talking heads may analyze how many points McCain and Obama score with witty jabs, there might also be some policy issues discussed in tonight’s presidential debate. Check…
Media
Read More: Debate Watching TipsTaxes & Economy
“Deregulation” and a “Great Depression”
While you listen to Matt Brouillette ( to chat with Matt and listeners on TalkShoe click here) discuss the bailout and the causes of the financial “crisis”, here…
Media
Read More: “Deregulation” and a “Great Depression”Taxes & Economy
Throwing more gasoline on the economic fire
Just in case you missed it yesterday, the Patriot-News ran Matt Brouillette’s commentary on the federal bailout under the headline “Throwing more gasoline on the economic fire” If you…
Media
Read More: Throwing more gasoline on the economic fireTaxes & Economy
Tax Increase Coming to Pennsylvania
State Senators Gib Armstrong and Vince Fumo are both projecting a massive budget deficit ($2.5 billion according to Fumo) and believe that the only way to pay for it is with…
Media
Read More: Tax Increase Coming to PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania’s Business Tax Climate below average
The Tax Foundation has released its latest State Business Tax Climate Index. Pennsylvania ranks a middling 28th on the index, which takes into account five factors (listed in order…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Business Tax Climate below averageGovernment Accountability
Voter Beware
ACORN, a “community organizing” grassroots group, has been raising a few eyebrows lately. The group engages in activism, lobbying, get-out-the-vote drives, and voter registration. The organization’s activities almost always help…
Media
Read More: Voter BewareState Budget
How much of a budget deficit is Pennsylvania facing?
Capitolwire.com is reporting that there is a top-secret memo from one of the four legislative caucuses estimating that Pennsylvania is facing a potential $2.5 billion budget deficit going into…
Media
Read More: How much of a budget deficit is Pennsylvania facing?Taxes & Economy
A Replay Of 1929? Don’t Count On It
Investor’s Business Daily editorial helps make the point that the panicked actions of President Bush and Congress to thwart another Great Depression were/are unsubstantiated, something Matt Brouillette also stated…
Media
Read More: A Replay Of 1929? Don’t Count On ItTaxes & Economy
Marx was Right (Groucho, that is)
Washington’s response to the current financial trouble has affirmed Groucho Marx’s definition of “Politics”: “The art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong…
Commentary
Read More: Marx was Right (Groucho, that is)Health Care
McCain’s Health Care Tax Credit
Following Joe Biden’s claim that McCain’s health care plan will result in millions of workers being dropped from employers’ health care plans a number of free-market thinkers have rebutted. …
Media
Read More: McCain’s Health Care Tax CreditGovernment Accountability
Down with the Senate?
Rep. Rich Grucela introduced a measure to eliminate the Pennsylvania Senate. Pennsylvania has functioned under a bi-cameral legislature since 1790, but Rep. Grucela is frustrated with…
Media
Read More: Down with the Senate?Taxes & Economy
Bailout Passes, Stock Market Drops (and other myths debunked)
Remember how earlier today I said that those who point to the stock market as an indicator that the bailout needs to pass are being silly? The proponents of…
Media
Read More: Bailout Passes, Stock Market Drops (and other myths debunked)Government Accountability
Update: State Spending Transparency
A reader emailed to ask if there are examples of states with online spending databases. Indeed states across the country are adopting transparency legislation while state officials and think tanks…
Media
Read More: Update: State Spending TransparencyTaxes & Economy
Are bailout proponents con artists?
In addition to the rhetoric that we need a bailout now, or we will face a great depression (which has been debunked), bailout proponents are selling the idea…
Media
Read More: Are bailout proponents con artists?Health Care
Health care in US and Canada compared
I doubt this will surprise regular readers of this blog, but Canada’s single payer health system isn’t all that Michael Moore makes it out to be. From a new…
Media
Read More: Health care in US and Canada comparedTaxes & Economy
How Government Stoked the Mania
Great read in the Wall Street Journal on How Government Stoked the Mania, starting with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and later how the Community Reinvestment Act, and the…
Media
Read More: How Government Stoked the Mania