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
John Baer: Nutter & Obama are awesome
When Saturday Night Live made a mockery of the media’s gushing over Barack Obama, I was surprised at how quickly media-types responded by leveling some criticism and by starting some…
Media
Read More: John Baer: Nutter & Obama are awesomeHealth Care
Competition Solves Health Care
Tom Coburn op-ed in The New York Sun on why free markets are the solution to health care, and government programs are the problem. While government’s role in…
Media
Read More: Competition Solves Health CareGovernment Accountability
Merit Selection of Judges Blog
Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts has a new blog focusing on merit selection of judges at judgesonmerit.org. Personally I’m not yet persuaded by the merit selection arguments (see previous posts…
Media
Read More: Merit Selection of Judges BlogHealth Care
Stateline: Socialized Medicine = Fiscally Conservative
Stateline.org has an interesting article on health care funding in the states. The headline reads “On health care, govs are tightening belts.” Here are some examples of “belt-tightening”:…
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Read More: Stateline: Socialized Medicine = Fiscally ConservativeTaxes & Economy
PA Ranks 45th in Tort Liability
Pacific Research Institute has published their State Tort Liability Rankings for 2008. Pennsylvania ranks a lowly 45th, but is very close to 44th – we have your number, Rhode…
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Read More: PA Ranks 45th in Tort LiabilityRegulation
PUC goes after Amish transport
The Pennsylvania Utility Commission is cracking down on individuals giving rides to the Amish, read the Lancaster Online story and the WGAL story. The Post-Gazette also covered…
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Read More: PUC goes after Amish transportGovernment Accountability
Capitol staffers get their own pay raise
Jan Murphy in the Patriot has a look at big pay increases, and big salaries for some legislative staffers following the end of bonuses. While Eric Epstein points…
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Read More: Capitol staffers get their own pay raiseTaxes & Economy
Defending Free Trade
The Economist has an editorial defending NAFTA – and the need for the US (and presidential candidates) to drop NAFTA bashing. (HT: The Foundry). On a related front,…
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Read More: Defending Free TradeHealth Care
Why aren’t you dead?
John Goodman’s Health Policy Blog wonders why more people are being poisoned by restaurants – noting how inept public health inspectors are: What keeps you alive is the…
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Read More: Why aren’t you dead?Taxes & Economy
Litigating for Liberty
Reason Magazine has a great interview with Chip Mellor, co-founder of the Institute for Justice, on why he believes is “litigating for liberty” – defending parents’ rights to…
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Read More: Litigating for LibertyState Budget
Pigfoot Evicted from Jack Murtha Fundraiser
Video of CAGW’s Pig being tossed from Congressman Jack Murtha’s fundraiser while trying to present him with the prestigious “Porker of the Year” award. Topics on this page…
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Read More: Pigfoot Evicted from Jack Murtha FundraiserState Budget
Porkers win the day, again
A few days ago, I remarked that the DeMint-McCain earmark moratorium was likely to pass the Senate, as both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton had signed on.
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Read More: Porkers win the day, againRegulation
Economic Impacts of the Climate Change Bill
A new study by the Science Applications International Corporation and sponsored by the National Association of Manufacturers and the American Council for Capital Formation looks at the economic impacts…
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Read More: Economic Impacts of the Climate Change BillRegulation
Smoking Bans Redux
Brad Vasoli in the Evening Bulletin has an article on the proposed state smoking ban, featuring comments from yours truly (a non-smoker). Here is more information on smoking bans…
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Read More: Smoking Bans ReduxGovernment Accountability
A Conservative Approach To Universal Health Care
Forbes article on the NFIB’s proposed health care agenda which includes allowing individuals to purchase health insurance coverage over state lines, tax deductions for individually purchased insurance, tort…
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Read More: A Conservative Approach To Universal Health CareHealth Care
PA House Rejects Real Health Care Reform
The Pennsylvania House passed an amendment (and is expected to pass the bill) that would enact the House Democrats’ “Pennsylvania ABC,” or as I call it, RendellCare 2.0,…
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Read More: PA House Rejects Real Health Care ReformGovernment Accountability
Opportunities with the Commonwealth Foundation
The Commonwealth Foundation is looking for a Research Associate, a Communications Associate, and a Development/Marketing Associate through the 2008-09 Koch Associate Program! If you’re interested, in working the the Commonwealth…
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Read More: Opportunities with the Commonwealth FoundationState Budget
Video: Jim DeMint on Earmark Moratorium
Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina gives a masterful speech on the need for earmark reform in Washington (the same could be applied to handouts in Harrisburg). Topics…
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Read More: Video: Jim DeMint on Earmark MoratoriumGovernment Accountability
Twenty-two disgraced governors
Stateline.org has the complete list of governors to leave office (resigned or impeached) because of scandal or legal problems. Topics on this page Stateline.org…
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Read More: Twenty-two disgraced governorsGovernment Accountability
State paid law firms $111 million for advice
Tom Barnes of the Post-Gazette reports that Pennsylvania taxpayers have paid law firms $111 million for legal advice to state government under the Rendell administration (note: I believe this…
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Read More: State paid law firms $111 million for adviceGovernment Accountability
Fumo to retire
Senator Vince Fumo, the subject of many PolicyBlog stories will reportedly be retiring; read the Pennsyltucky Politics blurb. Topics on this page Vince Fumo…
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Read More: Fumo to retire