Public Union Democracy

PSEA Admits Using Dues for Politics

• Nathan Benefield
• December 29, 2014

The Pennsylvania State Education Association admitted using union members’ dues, via a “SuperPAC,” to fund an election mailer supporting Governor-Elect Wolf, following a public apology last month for the mailer’s…

Media

Public Union Democracy

Why we Need Paycheck Protection Now

• Nathan Benefield
• November 19, 2014

Today, Commonwealth Foundation released a new summary of election-related spending by Pennsylvania’s government unions. In 2014, the seven largest government unions in the state gave $7.3 million directly to…

Media

One Unwelcome Election Result: Union Used My Name to Endorse Candidate Without Permission

• November 14, 2014

I was the first person in my immediate family to complete a college degree, when I graduated from a small community college. I worked in industry for a few…

Media

Public Union Democracy

Mailbag: How will SuperPACs Affect Pennsylvania?

• Nathan Benefield
• June 20, 2014

A PolicyBlog reader asked if we could explain a recent “SuperPAC” ruling we covered in an op-ed back in April, along with its implications for state and national elections.

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Public Union Democracy

Super PACs Supersize Union Political Spending

• Nathan Benefield
• April 8, 2014

Super PACs are elbowing into state elections, promising to supersize the already dominating role unions play in electoral politics. Effectively, Super PACs can collect and spend an unlimited amount of…

Commentary

Public Union Democracy

Big Labor’s Billions Targeting PA

• Nathan Benefield
• February 20, 2014

Unions are spending millions on politics, and drumming up issues like a minimum wage increase, solely to win some elections, the New York Times reports today. Union leaders are…

Media

Education

PSEA Blows Smoke Over Political Spending

• Priya Brannick
• August 6, 2012

School board members at the West Chester Area School District are negotiating a new contract with teachers, and rightly questioning why the district deducts union dues from teachers’ paychecks, when…

Media

Taxes & Economy

So Long, Specter

• December 23, 2010

The Washington Examiner‘s Tim Carney today reviews Democrat Sen. Arlen Specter’s farewell speech to the U.S. Senate, and characterizes it as “20 minutes of self-serving gripes, empty name-calling,…

Media

Government Accountability

Hyperbole and Hypocrisy on Campaign Finance Ruling

• Nathan Benefield
• February 3, 2010

A must read article about the Citizen’s United case and the supposed destruction of democracy. Many states, including Illinois and Maryland, allow corporate contributions to state candidates. As…

Media