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.”
Government Accountability
Scare Tactics in the Budget
John Baer writes – albeit a bit late – on how politicians use scare tactics, i.e. the “Washington Monument Ploy” to…
Media
Read More: Scare Tactics in the BudgetHealth Care
Not-True Statements about Health Insurers
I’ve already picked on the left-wing Keystone Progress this week for absurd statements, but I got another missive from them on…
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Read More: Not-True Statements about Health InsurersHealth Care
When a Tax Isn’t a Tax
In a post this morning, I criticized PA Senate Republicans for their loose definition of “broad-based taxes” with an emphasis on “broad…
Media
Read More: When a Tax Isn’t a TaxTaxes & Economy
When Did you Stop Beating Your Wife?
In a vote last week, the Pennsylvania House voted to increase the marriage license fee from $3 to $28 – only the increase was to be used for “domestic…
Media
Read More: When Did you Stop Beating Your Wife?State Budget
What the Heck is a “Broad-Based Tax”?
Last week Matt Brouillette called out Senate Republicans for moving toward a budget deal with higher taxes, backing off their line in the…
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Read More: What the Heck is a “Broad-Based Tax”?Government Accountability
Blog Roundup
The Commonwealth Foundation has made it around the blogs this weekend; here are some recent citations: Tony Phyrillas, PA Water Cooler, and Pennsylvania Guardian give us some…
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Read More: Blog RoundupState Budget
Taxes and Revenue in Pennsylvania Budget Deal
Gov. Rendell and legislative leaders from three caucuses (House Republicans were not involved) announced a deal on the Pennsylvania state budget. Via PLS and Capitolwire (subscription), here…
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Read More: Taxes and Revenue in Pennsylvania Budget DealHealth Care
Evaluating the Baucus Health Care Proposal
The latest “leading” national health care reform proposal is a bill Sen. Baucus (already being panned by the left for getting rid of the “public option” and replacing it with…
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Read More: Evaluating the Baucus Health Care ProposalRegulation
PA Senate Votes to Raise Taxes Now and In the Future
The Pennsylvania Senate this afternoon gave their approval to the municipal pension “reform” bill, even after the House stripped out almost all of the weak reforms. The legislation was…
Media
Read More: PA Senate Votes to Raise Taxes Now and In the FutureTaxes & Economy
Stimulus Didn’t Stimulate
Interesting piece in the Wall Street Journal by three economists on the effects of the federal “stimulus” to date. The authors find, not suprisingly, that the stimulus has not…
Media
Read More: Stimulus Didn’t StimulateState Budget
ACORN Got $200,000 from PA Taxpayers
Given all the recent scandals surrounding ACORN, the vote to defund them in the US Senate, and the Census severing ties with ACORN, it raises an interesting…
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Read More: ACORN Got $200,000 from PA TaxpayersPublic Union Democracy
Is “Card Check” Racist?
A new study on the Employee Free Choice Act finds that the ill-named legislation would deliberately harm minorities (HT: The Union Label) This proposal would likely expand labor hierarchy, labor market…
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Read More: Is “Card Check” Racist?State Budget
Braveheart and the PA State Budget
I’ve compared Pennsylvania policy-making to Braveheart before, but the move from a public conference committee to secret,…
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Read More: Braveheart and the PA State BudgetHealth Care
Ten More “You Lie” Opportunities
John Hawkins has a list of 10 more lies, mistruths, or inaccurate claims put out by President Obama on health care: The President is working with Republicans. Republicans haven’t…
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Read More: Ten More “You Lie” OpportunitiesTaxes & Economy
Are Tea Party Protesters Nut Jobs?
Reason TV interviews a number of attendees of the 9/12 Tea Party in DC in a new video asking whether they are “small group of radical freakazoids or a…
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Read More: Are Tea Party Protesters Nut Jobs?Education
State-Run Preschool Doesn’t Make the Grade
Cato has a new policy report, as well as a recent blog post which sums up the arguments, on why large-scale government preschool programs are not what…
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Read More: State-Run Preschool Doesn’t Make the GradeState Budget
Bad Budget for Business
Lowman Henry calls out the PA Senate GOP for its budget deal, from many of the same reasons we did – it…
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Read More: Bad Budget for BusinessRegulation
If You Don’t Like Pork, Don’t Vote for It
State Rep. James Casorio issued a news release today criticizing a taxpayer-funded loan to what he terms a “puppy mill”. The loan came from the Renewable Energy Program of…
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Read More: If You Don’t Like Pork, Don’t Vote for ItTaxes & Economy
Saving is Good for the Economy
The Freeman, the monthly publication of the Foundation for Economic Education, has a good article on the ridiculous economic argument that savings is bad for the economy. This…
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Read More: Saving is Good for the EconomyRegulation
Constitutionality of PA Dog Law Upheld
A federal court ruled last week that Pennsylvania’s new “dog law”, enacted last year does not violated Constitutional protections against unwarranted search and seizure: U.S. District Judge Sylvia…
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Read More: Constitutionality of PA Dog Law UpheldGovernment Accountability
Recaps of 9/12 March on DC
Here is some coverage of 9/12 protest in Washington DC from Pennsylvania (and some national) bloggers and attendeed: PA WaterCooler has a photo essay from John Lewandowski, who went…
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Read More: Recaps of 9/12 March on DC