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.”

Health Care

Residents: RomneyCare a Failure

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 29, 2009

Rasmussen polling finds that only 26% of Massachusetts residents think the health care reform in that state was a “success”, compared with 37% calling in a failure. The…

Media

Read More: Residents: RomneyCare a Failure

State Budget

Rebutting Rendell’s Rhetoric

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 25, 2009

Rendell’s propaganda campaign continues today, with another press conference (his sixty-first, in support of legislation that does not yet exist) with tax eaters asking for more tax dollars. Rendell latest…

Media

Read More: Rebutting Rendell’s Rhetoric

Taxes & Economy

Taxpayers Guide to the Stimulus

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 25, 2009

Reason Foundation put a new “Taxpayers Guide to the Stimulus” last week that is informative, and an easy-to-digest guide to where all the stimulus money is going.  They also…

Media

Read More: Taxpayers Guide to the Stimulus

Health Care

Helping the Uninsured

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 25, 2009

I had a brief debate via Twitter (I guess it is impossible to have anything but a brief debate on Twitter) with a staffer for the Pennsylvania House…

Media

Read More: Helping the Uninsured

Health Care

Free Market Alternatives to the ObamaCare Informercial

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 24, 2009

If you are looking for some alternative programming to the Obamacare propaganda scheduled to air tonight, or just want a different point of view (which ABC has refused to…

Media

Read More: Free Market Alternatives to the ObamaCare Informercial

State Budget

Tax Everyone But the Guy Behind the Tree

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 24, 2009

Gov. Rendell’s hypocrisy on tax policy is on full display this budget season. While Rendell is demanding higher taxes on individuals and most businesses, he is also working to preserve…

Commentary

Read More: Tax Everyone But the Guy Behind the Tree

State Budget

Why Don’t Men Like to Wear Condoms?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 23, 2009

No, we haven’t been spammed. But if the question of ‘Why men don’t like to wear condoms?’ doesn’t seem an apt topic for PolicyBlog, does it seem an appropriate subject…

Media

Read More: Why Don’t Men Like to Wear Condoms?

State Budget

Lawmakers Working Hard on the PA Budget?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 23, 2009

If fundraising for the next campaign is considered working out the details of the state budget, Pennsylvania lawmakers are hard at it.  John Micek points out no fewer than…

Media

Read More: Lawmakers Working Hard on the PA Budget?

State Budget

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Who Signed No Taxes Pledge

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 22, 2009

Twenty-nine Pennsylvania Legislators have signed American for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge, including six Democrats.  Click here to see exactly what they pledged not to do.  Assuming politicians…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Lawmakers Who Signed No Taxes Pledge

Health Care

Get Informed and Active on Health Care Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 22, 2009

On multiple occasions, we have suggested, or passed along the advice of others saying the same, that Republicans, conservatives, libertarians, and free market advocates need to get serious…

Media

Read More: Get Informed and Active on Health Care Reform

Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Still Using Tax Dollars to Buy Votes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 22, 2009

Mark Levy of the AP has a hard hitting story of Pennsylvania lawmakers use of WAMs – i.e. “Walking Around Money” made available to us at the discretion of legislative…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Lawmakers Still Using Tax Dollars to Buy Votes

Regulation

Thumbs Down on Film Tax Credit

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 19, 2009

The Patriot News has a scathing editorial against Pennsylvania’s Film Tax Credit.  Here is the deathblow: A closer look at the “motion picture industry” employment statistics(cited in…

Media

Read More: Thumbs Down on Film Tax Credit

Government Accountability

State Spending Transparency Hearing

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 19, 2009

FYI by PLS has a brief summary of a hearing yesterday on proposals to create a state spending transparency for Pennsylvania, with particular attention paid to HB 1460…

Media

Read More: State Spending Transparency Hearing

Taxes & Economy

Axe Taxes Not Jobs

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 19, 2009

Here is a pretty cool site, with info based on your location, primarily on alcohol and liquor taxes.

Media

Read More: Axe Taxes Not Jobs

State Budget

Cash for Rich People Who Drive Hummers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 19, 2009

It is pretty clear that the Cash for Clunkers proposal is a dumb idea to intervene government in the economy and distort the market (or as Charlie Dent…

Media

Read More: Cash for Rich People Who Drive Hummers

Taxes & Economy

Liberals Who OpposeTax Hikes During Recession

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 18, 2009

Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell renewed his call for higher taxes today, claiming it was ludicrous to think higher taxes would cost jobs. Who would argue with that? Well certainly…

Media

Read More: Liberals Who OpposeTax Hikes During Recession

Regulation

Another $1.3 Billion In Cuts for Governor Rendell

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 18, 2009

At the cabinet meeting yesterday (which the Commonwealth Foundation was escorted out of by security, being told it was a “closed meeting”, while media and staff for the PA…

Media

Read More: Another $1.3 Billion In Cuts for Governor Rendell

Taxes & Economy

Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest Winners

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 17, 2009

First Place: $2,500“Taxesâ€? by Colin Jones, Bethel Park PA (watch for a cameo from “Governor Rendell”) Second Place: $1,000“Where’d My Paycheck Go?â€? by Robert Madeley, Mohnton PA…

Media

Read More: Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest Winners