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.”
Thursday at 9 PM – Speaker Franklin Awards Dinner on PCN
PCN will air the Speaker Franklin Awards dinner – including speakers John Stossel, Ed Feulner, and Award recipient Richard Mellon Scaife – Thursday night at 9 pm. Future airings are…
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Pa. House Dems force out 7 top aides
The Bonus-Gate investigation has apparently claimed the jobs of several Pa. House Democratic staffers. Bill DeWeese isn’t saying much, other than in his press release: “As Majority…
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Don’t Look to Government to Cool Down the Planet
If you can’t make it to our dinner tonight in Pittsburgh, here is just a taste of what you are missing – John Stossel’s latest column on TownHall.com.
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Recipients of Corporate Welfare like Corporate Welfare
Shocking news release from the Governor’s Office: Businesses that Governor Rendell wants to give taxpayer grants to support Governor Rendell’s plan to give them taxpayer grants.
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States’ “Universal” Health Care plans not delivering
Mandates and government-run health insurance programs have failed to provide “universal health care” in Maine: Maine’s uninsured rate did not improve significantly between 2003 and 2006 despite…
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Cyber 101 Day
From the Reach Foundation: Cyber 101 day will be held next Tuesday in the Capitol. Lawmakers looking at proposals to limit funding for cyber shools (which represent less…
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America is still the land of Opportunity
A number of pundits on the left cite rising “income inequality” as a cause for alarm (and justification of new government programs). A new treasury department study reveals these claims…
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PA’s Debt: $110 Billion
In response to a question from one of our readers, here is a analysis of Pennsylvania state and local government outstanding debt (the latest data for local governments from the…
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A Conversation with Milton Friedman
Dallas Fed posts previously unreleased Conversation with Milton Friedman. Both audio and video available.
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Ethanol Backlash
Wall Street Journal article on how Congress is rethinking the negative effects of subsidizing and mandating use of ethanol. I don’t usually call on the PA General Assembly to…
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Republicans Radical on Health Care?
Ramesh Ponnuru writes in Time Magazine that Republicans running for president have proposed more radical reforms in health care–seeking to tranform the system, rather than just preserve and extend…
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Picking how to pick judges
Brett Lieberman on the state party chairs now calling for “merit selection” of judges. Several points of irony: “Just a few years ago, Rooney, a former state representative from…
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Another Election, Another Victory for Citizens
Democracy Rising Pennsylvania on why Tuesday election was a victory for citizens: Voters had access to more and better information about judicial candidates than at any time in…
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The Strangest Use of Tax Dollars
Below is a bizzare video, paid for with Pennsylvania taxpayer dollars. Hat tip to The Club For Growth who report it cost $4,197. And over at NTU, they compute…
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More Reform Obituaries
Reformers’ next task: how to remain relevant – Morning CallTurn-’em-out drive failed – or did it? – Philadelphia InquirerA Rebuff to Reformers – Patriot News…
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A Voucher Defeat in Utah
Adam Schaeffer in the Wall Street Journal on why tax credits are a better tool for providing school choice than vouchers.
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More than 250 tell officials why they oppose I-80 tolls
Post Gazette story on the opposition to I-80 tolls at the Turnpike Commission’s post facto hearings.
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Response to Reform is Not Dead!
There are two types of halftime speeches – the rousing “win one for the Gipper” speech and the in-your-face, “you are playing like a bunch of [explicatives]”. I tried to…
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Poll: I-80 toll less popular than leasing the Pa. Turnpike
The Quinnipiac (I spelled it right on the first try) poll reveals that tolling I-80 is less popular than a Turnpike lease read the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review story or click…
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Reform is Not Dead! (yet)
John Micek already posed the question: Bad night all around for the Clean Sweepers. All the under-ticket state judges appear poised to hold onto their jobs as well.
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Election News Roundup
Patriot News on Judicial Retentions and on Supreme Court Elections Inquirer on races in the Southeast and on the less competitive Philadelphia Mayor’s race. Post-Gazette on…
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