Government Accountability

Please Spare us from a “Professional” Legislature

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 21, 2008

John LaPlante editorializes that states (Minnesota) should avoid the “professional legislature” model (e.g. Pennsylvania): The personal dynamics in professional legislatures also favor increased spending. Professional legislatures offer…

Media

Read More: Please Spare us from a “Professional” Legislature

Health Care

State Budget Crises?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 25, 2008

Cato’s Chris Edwards blasts the Wall Street Journal (and other media outlets) for their uncritical coverage of state budget “shortfalls.” The Times “treats any needed spending restraint as a…

Media

Read More: State Budget Crises?

Education

PA 12th in ranking of charter school laws

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 25, 2008

The Center for Education Reform issued a ranking of charter school laws by state. Pennsylvania earns a respectable 12th, earning a ‘B’, but has room for improvement.

Media

Read More: PA 12th in ranking of charter school laws

State Budget

Did Pork cause bridge collapse?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 2, 2008

Yahoo! News has a story about McCain “backing off” an earlier statement that pork barrel projects caused the Minnesota bridge collapse. However, while earmarks didn’t cause the bridge to…

Media

Read More: Did Pork cause bridge collapse?

Health Care

Affordable Health Care Agenda

  • March 28, 2008

The Commonwealth Foundation has joined with over two dozen organizations to form the Health Care Freedom Coalition. Below is a Statement of Principles. We, the Health Care Freedom Coalition, believe…

Commentary

Read More: Affordable Health Care Agenda

State Budget

Porkers win the day, again

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 14, 2008

A few days ago, I remarked that the DeMint-McCain earmark moratorium was likely to pass the Senate, as both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton had signed on.

Media

Read More: Porkers win the day, again

Dunk’s Commentaries

  • August 21, 2007

Bill Dunkelberg–who is a Commonwealth Foundation Board Member, Temple economics professor, and chief economist for the NFIB–provides these regular commentaries on today’s issues. Here’s his latest installment… With…

Media

Read More: Dunk’s Commentaries

Real Consideration of Turnpike Lease?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 20, 2007

Pete DeCoursey at Capitolwire is reporting that not only is Governor Rendell continuing to press for a Turnpike Lease, but that he has several supporters, including Sen. Jake…

Media

Read More: Real Consideration of Turnpike Lease?