Nathan Benefield
Senior Vice President
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.”
Very, Very Big Corn
Wall Street Journal article on the mistakes of more ethanol subsidies by federal and state government.
Media
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Union Membership Declines Again
BLS Annual Report on Union Membership finds that union membership in PA and in the US declined again last year. Whatever will Bill George do?…
Media
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Liquor board did high-end traveling
Philadelphia Inquirer story on the luxury of being a public servant.
Media
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Dissecting Rendell’s ‘Eddycare’
Jim Panyard Editorial in The Evening Bulletin.
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Ethanol-based fuel skewed by subsidies
Former CF Intern Stephen Albert in today’s Patriot News.
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Governor Rendell’s Healthcare Misdiagnosis
As healthcare costs continue to rise faster than consumers’ ability to pay, it is clear that we need to alter how we pay for healthcare. Recently, Governor Rendell unveiled a…
Commentary
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Cost of Rendell Care
Following, yesterday’s defense of RendellCare (and attack on the Commonwealth Foundation) from the Democratic Party, I though it appropriate to examine the cost of RendellCare. As you know Rendell’s…
Media
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Turnpike Commission may be nearing end of road
State Senator Jane Orie is calling for Pennsylvania to eliminate the Turpike Commission, whether or not the state engages in a lease of the turnpike, as it has been…
Media
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Health and Taxes
Commentary on Bush’s health care proposal from the Wall Street Journal; from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review; and from the Heritage Foundation.
Media
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Bush’s Split Personality
Last night’s State of the Union Address showed the two faces of President Bush. On the one hand, his health care proposal, which includes tax benefits for individual…
Media
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Bush’s healthcare plan
Overview of President Bush’s healthcare proposals to be unveiled in the State of the Union address tonight.
Media
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Illegal Health Care
Wall Street Journal article points out that employer health insurance mandates (which would include Governor Rendell’s proposal) are illegal under federal law. But we shouldn’t let something like the…
Media
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Cutting the Legislature
Brian O’Neill of the Post-Gazette attempts to make the case that Pennsylvania should reduce the number of state legislators. His reasoning – we should be like the other big…
Media
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Talk of Universal Health Care Grows
Washington Post on Pennsylvania and other states’ plans for universal health insurance. Twice the article compares health insurance mandates to auto insurance: Some plans mandate that every individual…
Media
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How Pennsylvania keeps health care costs high
Wal-Mart has rolled out a program to sell prescription drugs for $4; however Pennsylvania won’t allow this. Instead, the states requires Wal-Mart to charge a minimum of $9…
Media
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Ode to RendellCare
Philadelphia Inquirer story on Rendell’s health care plan, it is a pretty gushy story, with the Commonwealth Foundation providing the lone voice of reason. Pat Toomey’s editorial in…
Media
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New Pa. House members get free cars
Nearly half of the new state legislators are taking taxpayer-funded cars, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports (see list of lawmakers, vehicles, and price tag here). The quandry some have…
Media
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Public Health Insurance is Not Sustainable
Fraser Institute study reports that “health insurance costs are growing faster than our ability to pay.” While this may sound like a report that would support Governor Rendell’s “…
Media
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Making the same mistakes?
John Fund in today’s Wall Street Journal on the mistakes of Gov. Schwarzenegger’s health care plan — all of the points could equally apply to Gov. Rendell’s proposal. For…
Media
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RendellCare!
AP story on Rendell’s health care proposals, including universal health care (“Cover All Pennsylvanians”). For more details, go to the Governor’s Health Care Reform site. FYI, several months…
Media
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Pork Lovers in Academe on a Diet
Chronicle of Higher Ed article (subscription) on how universities are coping without pork projects for the rest of the fiscal year. For anyone who shed tears over Harry Reid’s…
Media
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