Nathan Benefield

Nathan Benefield

Senior Vice President

Nathan (Nate) Benefield is the Senior Vice President at the Commonwealth Foundation.

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 senior vice president, 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.”

PA’s Debt: $110 Billion

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 13, 2007

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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Read More: PA’s Debt: $110 Billion

A Conversation with Milton Friedman

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 12, 2007

Dallas Fed posts previously unreleased Conversation with Milton Friedman. Both audio and video available.

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Read More: A Conversation with Milton Friedman

Ethanol Backlash

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 12, 2007

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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Read More: Ethanol Backlash

Republicans Radical on Health Care?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 9, 2007

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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Read More: Republicans Radical on Health Care?

Picking how to pick judges

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 9, 2007

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

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 9, 2007

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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Read More: Another Election, Another Victory for Citizens

The Strangest Use of Tax Dollars

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 8, 2007

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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Read More: The Strangest Use of Tax Dollars

More Reform Obituaries

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 8, 2007

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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Read More: More Reform Obituaries

A Voucher Defeat in Utah

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 8, 2007

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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Response to Reform is Not Dead!

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 8, 2007

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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Read More: Response to Reform is Not Dead!

Poll: I-80 toll less popular than leasing the Pa. Turnpike

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 7, 2007

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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Read More: Poll: I-80 toll less popular than leasing the Pa. Turnpike

Reform is Not Dead! (yet)

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 7, 2007

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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Read More: Reform is Not Dead! (yet)

Election News Roundup

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 7, 2007

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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Read More: Election News Roundup

Election Day Updates

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 6, 2007

GrassrootsPA is keeping running updates of elections news and reports from the polls, so that we don’t have to. John Micek is live blogging over at Capitol Ideas.

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Justifying Pork

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 6, 2007

Andrew Roth takes on the leading excuses for earmarks by Congress. These same excusses are used to defend WAMs and other corporate welfare in Pennsylvania (see here and…

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Consumer Driven Health Plans: Working as Intended

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 5, 2007

New report from Consumers for Health Care Choices on the effect of Consumer Driven Health Plans: When these programs were being considered, proponents said they would have several…

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A chance to end farm subsidies

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 5, 2007

Los Angeles Times editorial on the corporate welfare for rich farmers (including those in Manhattan). IDB has an op-ed of its own on the upcoming vote. Also…

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Read More: A chance to end farm subsidies

$2 million spent by PHEAA on giveaways

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 5, 2007

Jan Murphy of the Patriot News exposes more PHEAA expenses – including “giveaways” such as golf balls, LL Bean Jackets, and T-Shirts bearing the PHEAA logo, I-Pods and DVD…

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Read More: $2 million spent by PHEAA on giveaways

Convert state pensions to defined contribution

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 4, 2007

Senator Pat Browne has an op-ed in The Morning Call on the need to reform our public pension systems and the legislation he will be sponsoring in the…

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Beyond Those Health Care Numbers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 4, 2007

Greg Mankiw in the New York Times on the misuse of health care statistics – life expectancy, “47 million uninsured,” and costs of health care.

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Read More: Beyond Those Health Care Numbers