Government Accountability

Term Limits Needed in Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 17, 2009

John Baer writes that the recent Vince Fumo conviction – the latest in a long history of corruption by long-time Pennsylvania lawmakers – is another reason why Pennsylvania…

Media

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Health Care

Free Markets: An Unknown Ideal

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 17, 2009

President Obama, Governor Rendell, and many in the media have been echoing a similar refrain recently, "Conservatives had their chance. We tried free markets, and they failed." When exactly they…

Commentary

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Regulation

Representatives Propose Putting State Government on a Diet

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 17, 2009

State Representatives Mike Turzai and Tom Quigley unveiled a plan to cut about $170 million wasteful spending from the Pennsylvania state budget ($130 million relative to Gov. Rendell’s proposed…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

AFL-CIO Pledges Votes for Specter in Quid Pro Quo

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 17, 2009

Our good friend Bill George, head of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, has promised to help out Sen. Arlen Specter, if and only if he votes for “card check”, the…

Media

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Education

Pennsylvania’s Charter School Law

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 16, 2009

Testimony of Nathan A. Benefield to the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee, March 12, 2009 Good afternoon. I am Nathan Benefield, Director of Policy Research for the Commonwealth Foundation. We…

Testimony

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Regulation

State Employees Take Taxpayer-Funded Trips

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 13, 2009

Team 4 has an amazing exposé of taxpayer-funded travel by Pennsylvania state employees, in particular the gaming control board–after a travel ban was implement. Here are some of the…

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Scotland Students Need More Educational Choices

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • March 13, 2009

To plug a $2.3 billion deficit caused by overspending, Gov. Rendell has proposed closing the Scotland School for Veterans' Children. Although the $13 million in state funds the school received…

Commentary

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Public Union Democracy

Quick Trivia Question

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 12, 2009

From Mark Perry – what do the 8 states states with the lowest January unemployment rates have in common? Answer – the are all Right to Work states.

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State Budget

Sanford to Refuse Stimulus Funds – Example for Rendell

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 11, 2009

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford has announced he will reject much of the federal stimulus dollars coming to his state. Like Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, he recognizes that…

Media

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