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.”

Government Accountability

Voter Fraud and Intimidation in Philadelphia and elsewhere

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 4, 2008

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 elsewhere

Taxes & Economy

Rendell lies on Social Security

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 4, 2008

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 Security

Taxes & Economy

Higher taxes won’t help Pennsylvania economy

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 3, 2008

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 economy

Taxes & Economy

Real Hope and Change Comes From Ideas Not Politics

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 3, 2008

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 Politics

Health Care

Is health care freedom in jeopardy?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 2, 2008

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?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 1, 2008

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

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 31, 2008

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 short

Regulation

Personal Accounts for Social Security: Still the Best Deal

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 31, 2008

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 Deal

Taxes & Economy

Why The Mortgage Crisis Happened

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 31, 2008

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 Happened

Regulation

Government Spending Doesn’t Create Jobs

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 31, 2008

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 Jobs

Regulation

Did Pennsylvania taxpayers “pay” to make a porno?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 30, 2008

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

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 30, 2008

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 Vote

Regulation

Did over-regulation cause the financial crisis?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 30, 2008

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”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 30, 2008

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

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 29, 2008

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 Obama

Taxes & Economy

Please don’t vote

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 29, 2008

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 vote

Government Accountability

Presidential (Economic) Issues Guide

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 28, 2008

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 Guide

Education

Vouching for Obama

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 28, 2008

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