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.”
Taxes & Economy
The Fallacy That Government Creates Jobs
Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute has an excellent piece on the economic benefit of so-called fiscal “stimulus” In part, this is a debate about Keynesian economics, which is…
Media
Read More: The Fallacy That Government Creates JobsGovernment Accountability
78-Group Coalition Demands Greater Bailout Transparency
The Commonwealth Foundation has joined 77 other organizations in calling for greater transparency for taxpayers in the numerous bailouts being handed out with little oversight. From the news release:…
Media
Read More: 78-Group Coalition Demands Greater Bailout TransparencyHealth Care
The Trouble with Canadian Healthcare
Brett Skinner has an article in The American magazine on why “a single-payer system is probably the least effective way to achieve universal health insurance coverage.”…
Media
Read More: The Trouble with Canadian HealthcareGovernment Accountability
Open government should save taxpayers, not cost them
The Tribune Review has a scathing editorial about Governor Rendell’s decision to charge citizens for the cost of retrieving open records about the government. In contrast, consider Texas,…
Media
Read More: Open government should save taxpayers, not cost themRegulation
Rocky Balboa and the trouble with occupational licensing
The Moving Pictures Institute has put together the clip from Rocky Balboa in which Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) fights the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission for his right to box.
Media
Read More: Rocky Balboa and the trouble with occupational licensingRegulation
Cigarette Taxes Encourage Smuggling
A new report from the Mackinac Center (full 99 page report here) estimates the effect of cigarette taxes on smuggling of cigarettes (both “commercial” and “casual” – i.e.
Media
Read More: Cigarette Taxes Encourage SmugglingState Budget
How far will freezing pay go in solving Pennsylvania’s budget crisis?
Governor Rendell’s recent pronouncement that he will freeze the pay of 13,600 Pennsylvania state workers (this doesn’t apply to 62,000 unionize employees) is estimate to save about $14…
Media
Read More: How far will freezing pay go in solving Pennsylvania’s budget crisis?Taxes & Economy
Deficit spending, taxes, and economic stimulus
The latest Heritage Foundation WebMemo looks takes on the idea that “deficit spending” is a good stimulus for the economy, given the upcoming federal deficit is going to the…
Media
Read More: Deficit spending, taxes, and economic stimulusTaxes & Economy
Governors Against State Bailouts
While Governor Rendell and others state executives are asking for taxpayers to bail them out (see related article in The Bulletin) but want to pass the buck…
Media
Read More: Governors Against State BailoutsState Budget
Pennsylvania budget shortfall grows to $658 million
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue has released the November Revenue Collections, showing the state General Fund collections now $658 million below estimate.
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania budget shortfall grows to $658 millionTaxes & Economy
Is Greenspan to blame for the financial crisis?
Over at the Cato Institute, there seems to be some disagreement over to what extent Alan Greenspan and the Federal Reserve contributed to the present financial “crisis”. Some…
Media
Read More: Is Greenspan to blame for the financial crisis?Taxes & Economy
Stimulus Follies
OpenMarket.org has a good post on the failure of “stimulus” packages (i.e. government spending) to improve the overall economy.
Media
Read More: Stimulus FolliesTaxes & Economy
County Commissioner: “Listen to the Commonwealth Foundation”
“The governor and legislators should seriously consider the reports from the Commonwealth Foundation which provided information on how Harrisburg could address the state’s financial situation” That quote comes from Fayette…
Media
Read More: County Commissioner: “Listen to the Commonwealth Foundation”Taxes & Economy
What happened to the Great Depression II?
Carpe Diem points out that holiday retail sales were up over the weekend from last year. Yet the CNN Money article with the same chart contains more of…
Media
Read More: What happened to the Great Depression II?Regulation
Pennsylvania Pension Now Faces Billions in Losses
The Wall Street Journal has an article on Pennsylvania’s state employee’s pension fund, and its market losses. Noting that “Pennsylvania invested more in hedge funds than any other state…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Pension Now Faces Billions in LossesRegulation
Spreading wealth to Hollywood
Cross Posted at Capitol Domes Giving handouts to Hollywood has become an en vogue method for state governments to stimulate economic growth. According to the Heartland…
Media
Read More: Spreading wealth to HollywoodRegulation
Renewing the Call for Pension Refom
Deb Erdley has a story in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on pension funds for public school employees and state workers, in light of a PSBA plan for reform, recent losses…
Media
Read More: Renewing the Call for Pension RefomPublic Union Democracy
PA Congressional Delegation Ratings on Worker Freedom
The Alliance for Worker Freedom has their new scorecard on the 2nd session of the 110th Congress. Key votes include a number of expansion of Davis-Bacon prevailing wage laws…
Media
Read More: PA Congressional Delegation Ratings on Worker FreedomRegulation
The Corporate Welfare Mentality
Team 4 Pittsburgh has a well-done, but disturbing, story and video on why government bureaucrats hand out “economic development” grants to companies. Usually, government officials claim that taxpayer “investments”…
Media
Read More: The Corporate Welfare MentalityTaxes & Economy
Bailouts cost more than WWII, 10 times cost of New Deal
A friend passed along this blog post looking at the cost of recent bailouts compared to the inflation-adjusted cost of other major government expenditures: If we add in…
Media
Read More: Bailouts cost more than WWII, 10 times cost of New DealEducation
Compulsory unionism doesn’t benefit teachers, students, or taxpayers
PSEA Head honcho James Testerman has a response to a Tribune-Review editorial which called for making PA a right to work state – citing our report on…
Media
Read More: Compulsory unionism doesn’t benefit teachers, students, or taxpayers