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.”

Regulation

Downsize the Federal Government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 2, 2009

Cato Institute video on “Downsizing the Federal Government” starting with the US Department of Agriculture. If, like me, you thought that the Dept. of Agriculture was a relatively small…

Media

Read More: Downsize the Federal Government

Government Accountability

Commonwealth Foundation (and more) on Twitter

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 30, 2008

The Commonwealth Foundation is now on Twitter, you can follow our user name: @liberty4PA.  You can also follow Commonwealth Foundation staff: @MattBrouillette, @NathanBenefield If you are new…

Media

Read More: Commonwealth Foundation (and more) on Twitter

Taxes & Economy

Is Christmas bad for the Economy?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 29, 2008

Readers who are spending this week returning gifts they don’t really want – or those who think Wal-Mart playing Jingle…

Media

Read More: Is Christmas bad for the Economy?

Regulation

Snyder County refuses Boscov’s Bailout

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 29, 2008

Officials in Snyder County are refusing to back a loan as part of the Boscov’s Bailout – even though Pennsylvania officials are pressuring them to do so, arguing…

Media

Read More: Snyder County refuses Boscov’s Bailout

Regulation

The Year in Bans

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 29, 2008

Reason TV video looks at the latest examples of the Nanny State Mentality, highlighting some of the many things banned in 2008.

Media

Read More: The Year in Bans

Taxes & Economy

When has an “economic stimulus” ever worked?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 23, 2008

The Club for Growth recently put out a statement opposing a federal “economic stimulus” plan, like that currently being pushed by the incoming administration (and lobbied for by…

Media

Read More: When has an “economic stimulus” ever worked?

Taxes & Economy

Residents Still “Movin Out” of Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 23, 2008

The Census Bureau released the latest annual population estimates.  The trends for Pennsylvania remain much the same: Pennsylvania grew by 0.2% between July 2007 and July 2008 – ranking…

Media

Read More: Residents Still “Movin Out” of Pennsylvania

Government Accountability

Taxpayer Funded Lobbying and the Growth of Government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 22, 2008

Americans for Prosperity has a new analysis of taxpayer-funded lobbying of the federal government.  I don’t want to point out the obvious, but this taxpayer-funded lobbying is almost all…

Media

Read More: Taxpayer Funded Lobbying and the Growth of Government

Education

Why Pennsylvania leads the nation in teacher walkouts

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 22, 2008

The Wall Street Journal features an article on teacher strikes in Pennsylvania, noting that the Keystone State leads the nation in school employees strikes. The piece cites a…

Media

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Regulation

Taxpayers helping millionaires

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 22, 2008

Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed celebrates the end of a long-standing tradition of sending taxpayers money to sports stadiums in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia – or rather, the extension of that tradition…

Media

Read More: Taxpayers helping millionaires

Regulation

Ed Rendell and Rosie O’Donnell

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 19, 2008

Q: What do Governor Ed Rendell and Rosie O’Donnell have in common (hint: it has nothing to do with food)? A: They have both gotten on Donald Trump’s bad side.

Media

Read More: Ed Rendell and Rosie O’Donnell

Taxes & Economy

Corporatism vs. Socialism vs. Free Markets

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 19, 2008

As President Bush announces a revised bailout for automakers, David Boaz examines the policies of Bush and proposals of Obama and concludes neither is a “socialist”, but neither…

Media

Read More: Corporatism vs. Socialism vs. Free Markets

Regulation

Lemieux: “Pennsylvania Taxpayers are Suckers”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 18, 2008

This is somewhat old news, but its new to me: Mario Lemieux admitted in August that he never thought of moving the Pittsburgh Penguins, but was still able to…

Media

Read More: Lemieux: “Pennsylvania Taxpayers are Suckers”

State Budget

Return of Pennsylvania Legislature’s Reserves?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 18, 2008

An audit of the General Assembly found there is $200 million in legislative surplus, and called for most of it to be returned to the taxpayers who paid for…

Media

Read More: Return of Pennsylvania Legislature’s Reserves?

Public Union Democracy

Taxes, Union Bailouts, and “Crybabies”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 17, 2008

Every other Tuesday, Matt Brouillette hosts The Politics of Business on Pittsburgh Renaissance Radio on WMNY 1360 AM from 2-6pm. This week he tackled a variety of issues that rankled at…

Media

Read More: Taxes, Union Bailouts, and “Crybabies”

Education

School Choice Benefits Students and Taxpayers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 17, 2008

Bob Maranto is featured in the Inquirer today writing on why Philadelphia needs charter schools: The academic data provided by No Child Left Behind…

Media

Read More: School Choice Benefits Students and Taxpayers

Regulation

Smoking ban is bad for business, say casinos

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 17, 2008

Pennsylvania’s slots casinos are complaining that the recently enacted state smoking ban is hurting their revenues (we told you so) and are asking that their exemption be increased…

Media

Read More: Smoking ban is bad for business, say casinos

Taxes & Economy

Big Government Leads to Corrupt Government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 17, 2008

John Stossel has a good article on Townhall today on Blagoevich, the bailout, and public choice theory The Public Choice economists remind us that contrary to what…

Media

Read More: Big Government Leads to Corrupt Government

Taxes & Economy

Buchanan: GOP should embrace xenophobia, not economics

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 16, 2008

Pat Buchanan on Townhall.com calls for an automakers bailout based on xenophobia and on repeating the mistakes of the past, rather than sound economic policy. Is…

Media

Read More: Buchanan: GOP should embrace xenophobia, not economics

Taxes & Economy

Ten Problems with a Federal Bailout of the States

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 15, 2008

Chris Edwards has an article in National Review Online on why a bailout of the states is bad policy.  Here are his top ten reasons. 1. The federal government…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Bigger Government is no Stimulus

  • Nathan Benefield
  • December 15, 2008

Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute has a great video on why government spending has, and will, fail to “stimulate” the economy. The evidence detailed by Mitchell…

Media

Read More: Bigger Government is no Stimulus