Robert O’Donnell
Education Senior Fellow
The Honorable Robert W. O’Donnell is an Education Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation.
Bob is a Philadelphia-based attorney and a former Democratic Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. As a member of the House for 19 years, Bob rose through the ranks of leadership, serving as caucus chairman, majority whip, majority leader, and Speaker of the House. While in public service, he developed a reputation as a thoughtful, dynamic, and intellectually honest member of the House. He has been a consistent advocate for equality of opportunity including supporting school choice throughout his tenure in the legislature.
Bob has served as a member of Public Employees Retirement Study Commission, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, the Board of Trustees of the University of Pittsburgh, the Mayor’s Tax Budget and Advisory Committee (Philadelphia), the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the General State Authority, the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Task Force (Philadelphia), the Millrite Council, and the Philadelphia Port Corporation Board of Directors.
He is a graduate of Temple University and its law school and attended The Hague Academy of International Law. Arcadia College and Philadelphia University awarded Bod honorary degrees, and he has received several public awards including citations from the Pennsylvania League of Cities Service and Common Cause.
Bob resides in Chestnut Hill with his wife, Dr. Donna Gentile O’Donnell.
Taxes & Economy
Is the Stimulus Working?
Over at Cato, Chris Edwards asks Is the Stimulus Working?, taking a look at the components of GDP. As Edwards notes, “Government expansions usually cause private sector contractions” and…
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Government Managed Health Care isn’t the “Reform” We Need
The Independence Institute has another great video on the problems when government makes health care decisions – this time use Oregon as an example, and how they prioritize Medicaid…
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Pa. Senate Holds First Hearing for Phila. Budget Concerns
Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
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Is the PSSA Too Easy?
The Allegheny Institute takes issue with the latest round of Pennsylvania test results – specifically the 8th grade reading PSSA. They note that not only does the 8th grade…
Media
Read More: Is the PSSA Too Easy?Regulation
Philadelphia Pension “Reform” is Generational Theft
CF testifies to PA Senate on HB 1828 HARRISBURG, PA — Commonwealth Foundation senior fellow Rick Dreyfuss testified today before the Pennsylvania Senate Finance Committee that changes in the…
Press Release
Read More: Philadelphia Pension “Reform” is Generational TheftRegulation
Cost of Government Represents 61% of U.S. Income – Higher for Pennsylvania
Americans for Tax Reform has a new report on the Cost of Government, finding that Aug. 12 – day 224 of 2009 – is how long it takes Americans…
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Blog Roundup
Here are some recent citations, links, or mentions of the Commonwealth Foundation from Pennsylvania bloggers: PA WaterCooler notes the odds of getting laid off in the public vs. private…
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Sen. Pileggi finds himself in middle of Philly debate
Topics on this page Philadelphia…
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Lebanon Health Care Town Hall Anything but Un-American
I attended the Patient’s First rally in conjunction to with Arlen Specter’s today’s town hall rally at Harrisburg Area Community College in Lebanon today. The vast majority of the crowd (inside…
Media
Read More: Lebanon Health Care Town Hall Anything but Un-AmericanState Budget
How Do Pennsylvania Taxes Stack Up?
Since 1990, Pennsylvania has gone from 24th in state and local tax burden to 11th. Yet Gov. Rendell has proposed another round of tax hikes—including raising the state…
Fact Sheet
Read More: How Do Pennsylvania Taxes Stack Up?State Budget
Putting Rendell’s Layoffs in Perspective
Yesterday, Gov. Rendell announced layoffs for 255 state workers at a press conference, and said more might be coming if lawmakers don’t pass a budget to Rendell’s liking. But…
Media
Read More: Putting Rendell’s Layoffs in PerspectiveHealth Care
Effect of ObamaCare on Pennsylvania
The Heritage Foundation has a new analysis from the Lewin Group on the impact in Pennsylvania on private health care coverage, the uninsured, and physicians and hospitals of the…
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Cut corporate taxes to keep Harley here
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Rendell Declares Autism Mandate a Failure
In 2008, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed, and Gov. Rendell signed, a new mandate that private insurers would have to cover autism services. At the time, we said the new…
Media
Read More: Rendell Declares Autism Mandate a FailureEducation
School District Consolidation Shows Few Benefits
Last week, the Senate Education Committee held a hearing on proposed school district consolidation. The Allegheny Institute testified, noting that there is little evidence to suggest that consolidation (as…
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Read More: School District Consolidation Shows Few BenefitsState Budget
Cash for Clunkers Falls Prey to Laws of Economics
Congress’s ill-named “cash for clunkers” program has, like so many programs before it, failed to defy the laws of economics. As typically happens when government subsidizes something – the…
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Read More: Cash for Clunkers Falls Prey to Laws of EconomicsHealth Care
Join the “Mob”
You might find it interesting that the special interests who denounce individuals voicing opposition to ObamaCare as “astroturf,” a “mob,” and part of a vast right-wing conspiracy (and occasionally…
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Read More: Join the “Mob”Government Accountability
Expose Media Bias, Make Money
Tired of media bias, factual errors, and false assumptions? The National Review Institute is offering compensation for anyone who submits “short posts identifying the factual errors, lazy clichés, loaded terms,…
Media
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Pennsylvania Governor Rendell doles out $361 million in borrowed money
Topics on this page Ed RendellPennsylvania…
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Ideology, election stall deal on Pennsylvania budget, analysts say
Topics on this page Pennsylvania…
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