Government Accountability

Talking Free Markets with Karl Rove

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 26, 2008

I had the chance to hear Karl Rove speak at a conference hosted by Hillsdale College on “Economics and the 2008 Election.”  Rove had some interesting things to say:…

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Taxes & Economy

Did Dwight Schrute write Paulson’s speech before Congress?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 23, 2008

Was Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson’s speech before Congress plagiarized?  It sounds a lot like this clip from The Office. Here is Dwight’s presentation, with Paulson’s edits: This…

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State Budget

Most Pennsylvania Congressmen fail rating of pork votes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 28, 2008

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste released their 2007 Congressional ratings, ranking members on their votes on pork-barrel spending. Among the Pennsylvania delegation, only Joe Pitts scores above…

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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…

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Regulation

Why you can’t use cell phones on planes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 3, 2008

Anyone who has flown before is quite familiar with the message from flight crews to turn off your cell phones. But did you ever wonder why that is required? Security…

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State Budget

What Congress is up to

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 24, 2008

While the Pennsylvania General Assembly is on vacation, Congress is not – and they are up to no good. 1) The House passed the housing bailout bill, which backs…

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State Budget

Congress’s Edifice Complex

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 21, 2008

John Fund borrows the epithet Edifice Complex to describe Congressman’s (along with Governor’s) penchant for using taxpayer funds to construct projects named for themselves – e.g. Paul…

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Taxes & Economy

What to do with Fannie and Freddie

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 18, 2008

While President Bush and Congress are debating a bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (properly the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, which…

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