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.”
Government Accountability
Speaker Franklin Award Dinner Video
Coverage of our Speaker Franklin Awards Dinner will air on PCN at 4:10 today. The video is also available on our YouTube Channel and below. Gov.
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Where will Obama go on health care?
In our commentary today, Matt Brouillette and I argue that President Obama will pursue a somewhat tempered course – we will get the Obama of the general election campaign…
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Read More: Where will Obama go on health care?Taxes & Economy
Bailout execs get bonus billions
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a story on how executives of firms getting money from the financial bailout are also getting large bonuses (more at Beyond Bailouts). Personally, I…
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Read More: Bailout execs get bonus billionsGovernment Accountability
RIP, Catherine Baker Knoll
As many readers are aware, Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Catherine Baker Knoll passed away last night. Here is the Patriot News Story. John Micek has posted reactions from…
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Read More: RIP, Catherine Baker KnollHealth Care
Medicaid reform: For the poor and the poor taxpayer
Cross-Posted at Capital Domes The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review recently looked at the looming budget shortfall and its potential impact on Medicaid spending. The legislature couldn’t simply…
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Read More: Medicaid reform: For the poor and the poor taxpayerTaxes & Economy
Free markets are under attack again
Matt Welch has an excellent article on Reason Magazine on the financial bailout and the debate over the role of government and the free market: President George…
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Government Health Care Kills
Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell is calling on the Pennsylvania Senate leadership to break their pledge not to hold a lame duck session. Among Rendell’s rhetorical arguments is that “nearly…
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Read More: Government Health Care KillsEducation
National Campaign for School Choice Launched
Our friends at the Alliance for School Choice have launched a new campaign – Let Parents Choose – aimed at recruiting 10,000 activists and supporters of school choice.
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Read More: National Campaign for School Choice LaunchedGovernment Accountability
Book Review: The Best-Laid Plans
Fans of The Road to Serfdom will recognize the dangers of government planning. Unfortunately, government planning has become even more prevalent in the US since Hayek’s warning. Randal O’Toole’s book…
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Read More: Book Review: The Best-Laid PlansEducation
School Choice Improves Student Learning
While evidence on school choice programs in the US indicates both benefits for student recipients and competitive benefits for public schools (not to mention greater parental satisfaction…
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Read More: School Choice Improves Student LearningTaxes & Economy
Detroit Auto Makers Need More Than a Bailout
A mostly on-target piece in the Wall Street Journal explains why a blank check to the Detroit automakers won’t solve their problems: In return for any direct…
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Read More: Detroit Auto Makers Need More Than a BailoutGovernment Accountability
Book Review: Income and Wealth
Alan Reynold’s Income and Wealth offers a primer on data on income, taxes, and the economy, and counters some of the most popular myths, usually circulated by left-wing groups…
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Read More: Book Review: Income and WealthState Budget
Taxpayers still buying promotional calendars for lawmakers
Dennis Owens of ABC 27 has a story that the latest Capitol Calendars (“courtesy” of your legislator) are now available. Owens recalled our breakdown of the cost of…
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Read More: Taxpayers still buying promotional calendars for lawmakersHealth Care
Taxes, Health Care, and GOP Strategists
Fox News has an article about the future of the GOP, and its search for rising starts. It is a pretty good piece, except for comments by Republican strategist…
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Read More: Taxes, Health Care, and GOP StrategistsPublic Union Democracy
Voters still like limited government, lower taxes
A poll from the Club For Growth surveyed voters in 12 competitive Congressional districts; eleven of the 12 switched hands from Republican to Democrat following Tuesday’s elections. The results…
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The end of Big Government Conservatism?
Following John McCain’s loss, conservatives and pundits will start looking to offer an explanation. To keep it simple, let me say this: The financial bailout killed whatever chance McCain’s had.
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Read More: The end of Big Government Conservatism?Government Accountability
Turnout in Pennsylvania Declines
HT to Grassroots PA for this story – Turnout in Pennsylvania not only didn’t break records, it declined (both as a percentage of registered voters and in total…
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Remember Remember the Fifth of November
In honor of Guy Fawkes day, here are some clips for V for Vendetta because ideas, not politicians offer real hope and change “We are told to remember…
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Capitalism and the Financial Crisis
Walter Williams has a great column on the mortgage meltdown and the free market You can decide whether we have in an unregulated laissez-faire economy. There are 15…
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Pennsylvania House and Senate Results
Based on elections results from the Pennsylvania Department of State and the Tribune Review: Republicans pick up one seat in the PA Senate. Their current majority will be 29-20, with…
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Read More: Pennsylvania House and Senate Results