Nathan Benefield
Chief Policy Officer
An Ohio native, Nate holds an undergraduate degree in political science and economics and a master’s degree in public service management from DePaul University in Chicago. He also completed his doctoral studies (ABD) in political science at Loyola University, also in Chicago.
Nate joined the Commonwealth Foundation in 2005. Now as Chief Policy Officer , he provides strategic leadership as well as operational oversight spanning policy analysis, government relations, marketing, and communications.
Nate has researched and written extensively on public policy issues including the state budget, public sector labor reform, government spending and taxes, liquor privatization, education, and economic development. Under Nate’s policy leadership, the Commonwealth Foundation’s work on public sector pension law helped drive the bipartisan pension reform of 2017, heralded by the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post as an example for other states to follow.
Nate has testified numerous times before state legislative committees and is often called upon by legislators and members of the media to provide expertise. He is a frequent commentator on both television and radio, and his writings have appeared across the state and nationally in outlets including the Philadelphia Inquirer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Patriot-News, and Weekly Standard.
Nate’s favorite rock song and personal motto are both “Don’t Stop Believin.”
Education
Mapping Graduation Rates
Education Week has an interactive tool to map the graduation rates of states and school districts (based on the recent analysis by America’s Promise Alliance). Here is the…
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When is a college basketball game “over”?
If you like sports and you like math then Bill James’s calculator to determine when a college basketball game is out of reach should be interesting (if not, then…
Media
Read More: When is a college basketball game “over”?Taxes & Economy
Eminent Domain post-Kelo
The Cato Daily Podcast for today covers state eminent domain reform reforms since Kelo. For more visit the Castle Coalition, and their report on state eminent domain…
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Read More: Eminent Domain post-KeloTaxes & Economy
Congressional Ratings from National Taxpayers Union
The National Taxpayers Union has released their 2007 Congressional Rankings. As for the PA Delegation: Pitts A 87% (“Taxpayers’ Friend”)Shuster B 74% (“Good”)Peterson C+ 62% (“Satisfactory”)…
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Read More: Congressional Ratings from National Taxpayers UnionTaxes & Economy
“No Cardboard Checks”
One of my favorite sources for the inside scoop from the Capitol is Senator Eichelberger’s blog. In his latest post, he describes his refusal to participate in handing out…
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Read More: “No Cardboard Checks”Taxes & Economy
Global temperatures ‘to decrease’
BBC report on a decade of “global cooling”.
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Read More: Global temperatures ‘to decrease’Education
The Real Cost of Public Schools
Andrew Coulson has an article in the Washington Post and a more detailed version on the Cato-at-liberty blog contrasting public school spending ($24,000 per pupil) and private school…
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Read More: The Real Cost of Public SchoolsTaxes & Economy
Big Oil vs. Big Ethanol
Everyone in Pennsylvania (save the Amish, who are also unlikely to be reading this blog) must have heard or seen the Barack Obama, anti-“Big Oil” ad dozens of…
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Read More: Big Oil vs. Big EthanolState Budget
The Merits of Pork Barrel spending
Tom Barnes of the Post-Gazette has a story on the state capital budget, covering some of the projects in the Pittsburgh area. The Rendell administration tries to take…
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Read More: The Merits of Pork Barrel spendingHealth Care
Why McCain has the best health-care plan
Fortune Magazine article on the health care proposals of the presidential candidates, along with the overarching question of whether we should move to government-run insurance or offer consumers greater…
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Read More: Why McCain has the best health-care planGovernment Accountability
Brouillette to moderate forum on P3s in transportation
Matthew J. Brouillette, president of the Commonwealth Foundation will moderate a forum on public-private partnerships and the potential role they can play in helping Pennsylvania meet its transportation…
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Electricity deregulation a success in Texas
Dallas Morning News story on a report showing how competition flourished and prices declined once Texas Electrity Deregulation took effect in January of last year. The full report…
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Read More: Electricity deregulation a success in TexasGovernment Accountability
Join us on Facebook
The Commonwealth Foundation has a New Page on Facebook. If you are a Facebook user (or want to sign up to see what all the kids are…
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Read More: Join us on FacebookGovernment Accountability
Why the capital budget process needs to be reformed
Here is a response I posted on GrassrootsPA to the defenders of the $13 billion in capital budget projects who state essentially “It isn’t that bad, because not all…
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Hoover’s Heirs
Wall Street Journal editorial on what not to do facing a possible recession, i.e. follow the lead of Herbert Hoover: In 1930, he signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act,…
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Read More: Hoover’s HeirsState Budget
$13 Billion capital budget flies under radar
The $12.7 billion in borrowing for the state Capital Budget has become a hot topic on GrassrootsPA. Otherwise, it has merited a blurb in the Patriot News, and…
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Read More: $13 Billion capital budget flies under radarTaxes & Economy
Is the GOP Still the Party of Economic Growth?
John Tamny has a scathing RealClearMarkets column on the national economic policy of the last 7 years, implying that, had you been stuck on an island with Jack, Sawyer,…
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Read More: Is the GOP Still the Party of Economic Growth?Government Accountability
Philadelphia Parking Authority to face scrutiny
One the most wasteful, patronage-ridden, and shady government entities – the Philadelphia Parking Authority – will face investigation into its practices, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Like many other agencies…
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Read More: Philadelphia Parking Authority to face scrutinyState Budget
CAGW releases Congressional Pig Book
Citizens Against Government Waste released their annual Congressional Pig Book, highlighting $17.2 billion in pork projects (11,610 projects). Pennsylvania ranks 31st in pork per capita (though sixth in…
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The Clean Energy Scam
Time Magazine blasts the ethanol craze that has politicians (including Governor Rendell) demanding more subsidies and mandates for biofuels than they already get (HT: Carpe Diem):…
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Read More: The Clean Energy ScamEducation
Report: Philly graduation rate 33% lower than suburbs
A new report on graduation rates in the largest US cities has troubling news for Philadelphia (and most urban districts). The Philadelphia City School District ranks 34th among the…
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Read More: Report: Philly graduation rate 33% lower than suburbs