State Budget

Do Government Programs Grow the Economy?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 29, 2012

While decades of increased government spending have resulted in economic stagnation, many advocates of increasing government spending claim that their favored program will “grow the economy.” They argue that…

Media

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Health Care

Whoops, We Were Wrong…

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 9, 2009

One of our goals at the Commonwealth Foundation is to predict the effect of proposed public policies.  Most of the time, we are proven correct, and humbly announce, "We told…

Commentary

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Taxes & Economy

On Specter’s Economic Remarks

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 9, 2009

Roxbury News has posted video of Arlen Specter’s remarks yesterday (part II here) at the State Capitol.  Three things really bother me regarding his defense of his vote…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Libertarian ideas to stimulate economy

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 7, 2009

Jeffrey A. Miron has a list of libertarian proposals to stimulate the economy (I would expect most self-described “conservatives” would agree with 8 of the 9 proposals): Repeal the…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Bailouts cost more than WWII, 10 times cost of New Deal

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 25, 2008

A friend passed along this blog post looking at the cost of recent bailouts compared to the inflation-adjusted cost of other major government expenditures: If we add in…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

The case Barlett hasn’t made

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 27, 2008

Bruce Bartlett attempts to justify the bailout (“The case Bush hasn’t made”) by explaining that the financial sector is different than other sectors, that a collapse in the financial…

Media

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State Budget

Is the “far right” a losing proposition?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 4, 2008

Michael Smerconish – who gets mis-identified as a conservative due to his shaved head and glasses – calls for the GOP to act more “moderate” in order to win…

Media

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Government Accountability

Are Pennsylvania and Iraq going in opposite directions?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 14, 2008

Jonathan Jenkins, a Pennsylvania resident serving in Iraq, ask “Are Pennsylvania and Iraq going in opposite directions?” He offers the perspective the Iraq is improving, while Pennsylvania is declining,…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Conservative Movement, RIP … or Not

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 23, 2008

Dan Flynn writes that the “Conservative Movement” is dead: Eurocommunism is gone and party conservatives now openly question the utility of even limited government rhetoric in 21st-century America.

Media

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