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
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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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:…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Read More: Vouching for ObamaGovernment Accountability
Report Voter Fraud, Win Money
The Sam Adams Alliance is holding a video contest to raise public awareness in election fraud and prevent it from occurring. Click here for details. While…
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Read More: Report Voter Fraud, Win MoneyRegulation
Should PA taxpayers be subsidizing Hollywood?
Lowman Henry weighs in on the $5.7 million tax credit awarded by Pennsylvania taxpayers to the raunchy comedy, Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Henry thinks…
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Read More: Should PA taxpayers be subsidizing Hollywood?Taxes & Economy
The Age of Prosperity Is Over
Art Laffer in today’s Wall Street Journal on how the bailout mentality is bad news for our economy: Whenever the government bails someone out of trouble, they always…
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Read More: The Age of Prosperity Is OverGovernment Accountability
Pennsylvania Is Driving Its Doctors Away
Frederic Jarrett – a Pittsburgh doctor – editorializes in the Wall Street Journal as to how Governor Rendell is pushing doctors out a Pennsylvania by holding MCare abatement (a…
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Read More: Pennsylvania Is Driving Its Doctors AwayTaxes & Economy
Where has all the money for bridges gone?
A Heritage Foundation analysis finds that the federal government has given more money to state for bridge repair than states are actually using, with a special mention of Pennsylvania:…
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Read More: Where has all the money for bridges gone?Education
Will Pa. graduation exams improve public education?
Cross-posted at Capitol Domes Gov. Rendell has been pushing the idea of a statewide graduation requirement that all students pass a test (his latest gives one of…
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Read More: Will Pa. graduation exams improve public education?Taxes & Economy
Beyond the Bailout
The National Taxpayers Union (NTU) and Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) have a new website: BeyondBailouts.org. The site is dedicated to exposing the government’s role in creating…
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Read More: Beyond the BailoutGovernment Accountability
One rotten Acorn?
GrassrootsPA has a roundup of stories on the Philadelphia man, working with ACORN, who was charged with 108 counts related to forgery and fraud in voter registration. In the…
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Read More: One rotten Acorn?Regulation
No Smoking Sign Mandate
Little noticed in the debate over Pennsylvania’s new smoking ban was that it also included a smoking sign mandate. The Commonwealth Foundation got our notice (along with a…
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Read More: No Smoking Sign MandateTaxes & Economy
Cutting corporate taxes
When critics of the US (and Pennsylvania’s) corporate tax structure – like the NCPA, Tax Foundation, and Commonwealth Foundation – point out that the US (and Pennsylvania)…
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Read More: Cutting corporate taxesEducation
Forced Unionism and Teacher Strikes
Video from the National Right to Work Foundation featuring Simon Campbell of Stop Teacher Strikes…
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