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
Residents: RomneyCare a Failure
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 FailureState Budget
Will Pennsylvania Budget Lead to Dogs and Cats Living Together?
After weeks of new releases, press conferences, and taxpayer-funded bus tours about the horrors that will ensue if the Pennsylvania state budget is $27.3 billion instead of…
Media
Read More: Will Pennsylvania Budget Lead to Dogs and Cats Living Together?Taxes & Economy
Cap and Trade Will Squeeze State Budgets, Raise Energy Prices, and Cost Jobs
The Heritage Foundation has a number of new facts on the impact of Cap and Trade, which the US House is supposed to vote on today. Under Cap and…
Media
Read More: Cap and Trade Will Squeeze State Budgets, Raise Energy Prices, and Cost JobsState Budget
Rebutting Rendell’s Rhetoric
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 RhetoricTaxes & Economy
Taxpayers Guide to the Stimulus
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 StimulusHealth Care
Helping the Uninsured
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 UninsuredHealth Care
Free Market Alternatives to the ObamaCare Informercial
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 InformercialState Budget
Tax Everyone But the Guy Behind the Tree
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 TreeHealth Care
Democrats’ Health Care Plan: Tax the Middle Class, Loophole for Unions
We mentioned last week that a tax on employer-provided health care benefits would likely be part of ObamaCare. This despite the fact that Obama’s campaign criticized McCain for proposing…
Media
Read More: Democrats’ Health Care Plan: Tax the Middle Class, Loophole for UnionsState Budget
Why Don’t Men Like to Wear Condoms?
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?
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
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 PledgeHealth Care
Get Informed and Active on Health Care Reform
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 ReformGovernment Accountability
Pennsylvania Lawmakers Still Using Tax Dollars to Buy Votes
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 VotesRegulation
Thumbs Down on Film Tax Credit
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 CreditGovernment Accountability
State Spending Transparency Hearing
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 HearingTaxes & Economy
Axe Taxes Not Jobs
Here is a pretty cool site, with info based on your location, primarily on alcohol and liquor taxes.
Media
Read More: Axe Taxes Not JobsState Budget
Cash for Rich People Who Drive Hummers
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 HummersTaxes & Economy
Liberals Who OpposeTax Hikes During Recession
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 RecessionRegulation
Another $1.3 Billion In Cuts for Governor Rendell
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 RendellTaxes & Economy
Please, No More Taxes! Video Contest Winners
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