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.”
Health Care
ObamaCare Is Bad Medicine for Pennsylvania
America faces divergent prescriptions for health care reform—one calling for more government control, the other for patient empowerment. Unfortunately President Obama, Governor Rendell, and Democrats in Congress and…
Commentary
Read More: ObamaCare Is Bad Medicine for PennsylvaniaTaxes & Economy
Pennsylvania Sales Tax Exemptions
There has been some discussion lately about filling the Pennsylvania budget hole with additional revenue by expanding the state sales tax to include currently exempt goods, services, or categories.
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Sales Tax ExemptionsRegulation
What Happens When There is No Funding for Corporate Welfare?
Gov. Rendell has noted on many occasions that without large state “economic development” grant programs, Pennsylvania’s economy would tank. He has argued that the Senate budget, which would eliminate many…
Media
Read More: What Happens When There is No Funding for Corporate Welfare?Health Care
Explaining the Town-Hall Protests
John Goodman – the health care policy guru, not the star of Arachnophobia – has an editorial in Friday’s Wall Street Journal on those protesting Obama’s version of health…
Media
Read More: Explaining the Town-Hall ProtestsState Budget
Is Cash for Clunkers the Dumbest Government Program Ever?
Chris Edwards of Cato suggests “Cash for Clunkers” is the dumbest government program of all time: A few billion dollars worth of wealth was destroyed. About 750,000…
Media
Read More: Is Cash for Clunkers the Dumbest Government Program Ever?Public Union Democracy
Address the Spending Side on Road Funding First
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation issued a statement responding to our blog post that explains state transportation spending has increased 121% since 1995, more than triple the rate…
Media
Read More: Address the Spending Side on Road Funding FirstHealth Care
Post-Gazette Combats Health Care “Lies” With Actual Lies
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Sally Kalson has a ridiculous piece on health care reform (HT PA Watercooler), in which she admittedly fabricates a number of proposals she “imagines” Republicans would…
Media
Read More: Post-Gazette Combats Health Care “Lies” With Actual LiesTaxes & Economy
Auditor General Finds More Waste and Fraud in Pennsylvania Welfare
A new report from Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner finds that the Special Allowances program in the Department of Public Welfare is “rife with mismanagement and potential for fraud.” …
Media
Read More: Auditor General Finds More Waste and Fraud in Pennsylvania Welfare
Who is Blogging about CF?
Lots of love from the Blogosphere about Commonwealth Foundation studies, events, are blog posts this week: Tony Phyrillas writes about the high level of debt in Pennsylvania state…
Media
Read More: Who is Blogging about CF?Education
Fact-Checking Gov. Rendell and Bill Cosby
This afternoon. Gov. Ed Rendell, school superintendents, and Bill Cosby held a press conference on improvement in Pennsylvania test scores, and calling for funding increases. Unfortunately, they got a number…
Media
Read More: Fact-Checking Gov. Rendell and Bill Cosby
Buses from Pennsylvania for 9/12 March on Washington
Here is some info of buses being coordinate from various parts of Pennsylvania for the 9/12 March on Washington: The 9/12 Project PA has lists of a…
Media
Read More: Buses from Pennsylvania for 9/12 March on Washington
RIP Rose Friedman
Here is a statement from our friends at the REACH Foundation on the passing of Rose Friedman yesterday: Rose Director Friedman passed away today, Tuesday, August 18, 2009,…
Media
Read More: RIP Rose FriedmanHealth Care
Lots More Reasons why ObamaCare isn’t Popular
Pete DeCoursey has an interesting column on Capitowire (subscription) about why people oppose ObamaCare. He hits the main point correct — most people are satisfied with their coverage (…
Media
Read More: Lots More Reasons why ObamaCare isn’t PopularEducation
Won’t Somebody Think of the Children!?
Jim Roxbury brought to my attention a quote by Governor Rendell that “the one group that has no lobbyist here in Pennsylvania is our children” as well as too…
Media
Read More: Won’t Somebody Think of the Children!?Health Care
Scrutinize the Health Care Bill
We’ve gotten a few calls over the last few days asking where to get and read the 1,200 page health care bill being debated in Congress. Here are some resources:…
Media
Read More: Scrutinize the Health Care BillEducation
Dramatic Government Spending Increases are Never Enough
The Patriot News has an AP story by Marc Levy, highlighting recipients of taxpayer funding that want more taxpayer funding. It seems these groups are living in another world. …
Media
Read More: Dramatic Government Spending Increases are Never EnoughEducation
Who’s the Teacher?
If you thought the Eagles bringing in Michael Vick was a bad idea, wait until you hear this – the Philadelphia Public Schools might bring in Tony…
Media
Read More: Who’s the Teacher?Health Care
RightOnline Health Care Panel
Right Online held a panel on health care reform today, which I had the honor of speaking at, along with Amy Menefee of Americans for Prosperity and the…
Media
Read More: RightOnline Health Care PanelTaxes & Economy
Is the Stimulus Working?
Over at Cato, Chris Edwards asks Is the Stimulus Working?, taking a look at the components of GDP. As Edwards notes, “Government expansions usually cause private sector contractions” and…
Media
Read More: Is the Stimulus Working?Health Care
Government Managed Health Care isn’t the “Reform” We Need
The Independence Institute has another great video on the problems when government makes health care decisions – this time use Oregon as an example, and how they prioritize Medicaid…
Media
Read More: Government Managed Health Care isn’t the “Reform” We NeedEducation
Is the PSSA Too Easy?
The Allegheny Institute takes issue with the latest round of Pennsylvania test results – specifically the 8th grade reading PSSA. They note that not only does the 8th grade…
Media
Read More: Is the PSSA Too Easy?