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
Voter Fraud and Intimidation in Philadelphia and elsewhere
A couple of good resources exposing (and seeking citizen journalists) on voter fraud and intimidation are Voter Fraud Squad and Election Journal. The latter has video of two…
Media
Read More: Voter Fraud and Intimidation in Philadelphia and elsewhereTaxes & Economy
Rendell lies on Social Security
A few days ago, Governor Rendell complained that the McCain campaign was “deplorable” and “despicable” for trying to scare voters by painting an inaccurate portrait of “spreading the wealth”…
Media
Read More: Rendell lies on Social SecurityTaxes & Economy
Election Day Reading – Taxes, Great Depression, and Policy
Here are some of the best articles of the day: Lawrence Kudlow is stunned by a poll showing voters think Obama is the real taxpayer. He also exposes an…
Media
Read More: Election Day Reading – Taxes, Great Depression, and PolicyEducation
Education Spending: Grass vs. Artificial Turf Football Fields
To demonstrate how school spending has grown so dramatically, the York Dispatch has a story on the great debate raging on how much to spend on the turf for…
Media
Read More: Education Spending: Grass vs. Artificial Turf Football FieldsTaxes & Economy
Higher taxes won’t help Pennsylvania economy
The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (PBPC) issued a news release, gleefully welcoming the looming state budget deficit and tax increase. Their exuberance is due to the fact…
Media
Read More: Higher taxes won’t help Pennsylvania economyRegulation
Taxpayers to give additional $3M to Lancaster convention center
Retiring Sen. Gib Armstrong – mostly in the news these days for noting how large Pennsylvania’s growing budget shortfall is – has promised to deliver $3 million in…
Media
Read More: Taxpayers to give additional $3M to Lancaster convention centerTaxes & Economy
Real Hope and Change Comes From Ideas Not Politics
In 1993, I officially launched my campaign for President of the United States. Granted, I was only 17 years old, hadn’t graduated high school yet, and wasn’t a member of…
Commentary
Read More: Real Hope and Change Comes From Ideas Not PoliticsHealth Care
Is health care freedom in jeopardy?
The Wall Street Journal makes note of a ballot measure in Arizona which reads: “no law shall be passed that restricts a person’s freedom of…
Media
Read More: Is health care freedom in jeopardy?Taxes & Economy
Blame greed: Has America Been Punked?
South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford mocks the notion that “greed” caused the financial crisis (that might have caused trouble had he been named McCain’s VP choice) and places the…
Media
Read More: Blame greed: Has America Been Punked?Taxes & Economy
PA October tax collections $280 M short
The Pennsylvania Revenue Department released the October revenue collections showing state collections were $280 Million below estimate for the month, and now $560 Million short for the fiscal year…
Media
Read More: PA October tax collections $280 M shortRegulation
Personal Accounts for Social Security: Still the Best Deal
Michael Tanner has a post on Cato-at-liberty noting that personal accounts for Social Security would still be good, even considering recent stock market losses. That is, stock market gains…
Media
Read More: Personal Accounts for Social Security: Still the Best DealTaxes & Economy
Why The Mortgage Crisis Happened
Here is a rather lengthy and detailed history of how government involvement in the mortgage and financial industries in the United States created…
Media
Read More: Why The Mortgage Crisis HappenedRegulation
Government Spending Doesn’t Create Jobs
The Heritage Foundation blog exposes one of the great myths of Washington (and Harrisburg) – that more government spending on transportation infrastructure (or economic development, or corporate welfare,…
Media
Read More: Government Spending Doesn’t Create JobsRegulation
Did Pennsylvania taxpayers “pay” to make a porno?
Insider Online raises an interesting question (the continuation of a dialogue between Americans for Tax Reform and the Tax Foundation): Are targeted tax breaks the…
Media
Read More: Did Pennsylvania taxpayers “pay” to make a porno?Taxes & Economy
Lancaster County Home Rule Charter Vote
Here is some information I have compiled on the Lancaster County home rule ballot measure (per a request from a Lancaster County Resident). Currently six counties in Pennsylvania have…
Media
Read More: Lancaster County Home Rule Charter VoteRegulation
Did over-regulation cause the financial crisis?
A new AEI publication addresses the myth that deregulation cause the financial crisis, but also notes that additional regulations by central planners did contribute to the crisis:…
Media
Read More: Did over-regulation cause the financial crisis?Taxes & Economy
Sanford: “Don’t Bail Us Out”
Yesterday, the US House of Representatives invited a number of governors and mayors to parade through the halls of Congress and beg for more taxpayer money from Washington. And then…
Media
Read More: Sanford: “Don’t Bail Us Out”Public Union Democracy
PSEA uses union dues to support Obama
Even though 60% of teachers’ union members consider themselves conservative, the PSEA – the union for most Pennsylvania school districts – is using union dues to support the Obama-Biden…
Media
Read More: PSEA uses union dues to support ObamaTaxes & Economy
Please don’t vote
John Stossel’s latest column encourages uninformed people to practice their civic duty not to vote. At a HeadCount concert, “20/20” asked some future voters, “How…
Media
Read More: Please don’t voteGovernment Accountability
Presidential (Economic) Issues Guide
While not getting the publicity of the Water and Sewer bond ballot measure, there is also a presidential election going on. As I have gotten a request for “voters…
Media
Read More: Presidential (Economic) Issues GuideEducation
Vouching for Obama
Andrew Coulson has a good read on National Review Online on Obama’s “open mind” (apparently now closed) on school choice, noting that Obama is instead using the old…
Media
Read More: Vouching for Obama