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.”
Transit Funding Report
The PA Transportation Funding and Reform Commission released their final report today: among their recommendations are: $1.7 Billion Annually in New Funding ($900 million for state highways and bridges,…
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Centralized Cappuccino
“Imagine what would happen if coffee shops were run like schools.” Hmm … Andrew Coulson of the Cato Institute ponders this question in the American Spectator. Topics on…
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General Assembly Leadership Elections
Even though John Perzel thinks the public should “keep out of something you don’t belong in” – as in leadership elections, here is some of the lastest info anyway.
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Read More: General Assembly Leadership ElectionsGovernment Accountability
The Elections Big Winner: Reform
Did voters reject Republicans and embrace Democrats in the 2006 elections? Of course; the gains in seats held by Democrats (both nationally and statewide) suggest they did. But the reasons…
Commentary
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This one’s for you, Mike Veon
Eric Heyl column in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review “thanking” Mr. Veon for his service. Topics on this page Pittsburgh Tribune-Review…
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Harrisburg GOP must elect new leaders, return to path
Lowman Henry in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Topics on this page HarrisburgLowman Henry…
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Club For Growth Survey of Voter Attitudes
This is a must read survey of likely voters by The Club For Growth – particularly for those who think Republicans like Lincoln Chafee and Mike Dewine lost because…
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Veon’s defeat shocks Democratic leaders
Post-Gazette Article on Mike Veon’s loss: “When you wanted money, you went to Mike, no matter what county you were from,” Beaver County Commissioners’ Chairman Dan Donatella said. But…
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General Assembly Leadership Elections
The first vote for 55 new state legislators will be for their caucus leadership. Check out this Patriot News Article on what is shaping up to be quite a…
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The Rendell Agenda
Patriot News article on Rendell’s outline of his second term agenda.
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The election was a referendum on GOP failure
Wall Street Journal editorial analyzing the election results as well as the Democratic agenda – given that most of the freshmen are more moderate to conservative Democrats, whereas the…
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Specter urges GOP to re-evaluate priorities after election losses
Centre Daily article on Arlen Specter’s take on the election – I expected this assessment from TV analysts and Democratic critics, but not from a current GOP Senator. Then…
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Read More: Specter urges GOP to re-evaluate priorities after election lossesTaxes & Economy
For Sale: Harrisburg Senators (No, Not Those Senators)
In Pennsylvania and across the United States, taxpayers don’t need to look very hard to find examples of wasteful, unconstitutional, or just plain wrongheaded government spending decisions. One of the…
Commentary
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Congress and the Stock Market
A few financial analysts have attributed stock market gains of the past two days as speculation over the winners of today’s election. However, this study is worth a…
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BREAKING NEWS
The first breaking news alert on this election day: Britney Spears files for divorce. I’m not even going to bother with the requisite joke. Topics on this page…
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Late-night laws still mar process
Letter to the editor on the unorthodox legislative processes in today’s Patriot News. Topics on this page The Patriot-News…
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Remove the stain
Post-Gazette Editorial calling for a special session on government reform.
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Republicans, Not Conservatives
Cal Thomas notes that “Republicans may have controlled all three branches of government, but conservatives haven’t.”…
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Who “gets stuck in Iraq”?
Even though I may be the only person in America who believe John Kerry was attempting to call President Bush uneducated and stupid, not our troups (not that calling the…
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The Acorn Indictments
Say it isn’t so, a union-backed organization involved in election fraud? Wow, I thought unions were only concerned about the working man, not politics.
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Read More: The Acorn IndictmentsTaxes & Economy
Governor Rendell, Fiscal Conservative
Commonwealth Foundation applauds veto of HB 1813 Harrisburg, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives applauded Governor Rendell’s decision to veto HB 1813, despite overwhelming support for…
Press Release
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