Government Accountability

Free Political Speech and Paycheck Protection

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 21, 2010

The US Supreme Court today upheld that the First Amendment protects speech around elections from corporations and unions. The case concerns Citizens United, which produced a film Hillary: The Movie,…

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State Budget

The Best And Worst Ways To Eliminate A Budget Deficit

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • October 5, 2009

John Nothdurft of The Heartland Institute wrote this last February… Anybody listening in Harrisburg? Legislatures in at least 39 states will have to take steps by the end of…

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Public Union Democracy

PSEA: Sampling the Best of PA on Your Tab

  • December 16, 2008

The Department of Labor recently added 2008 Union LM2 records to its website. A perusal of PSEA’s LM2 (file number: 512989) reveals that the state’s largest teacher union continues…

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Education

The Harriet Tubman of School Choice

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 11, 2008

I’m in Phoenix for a conference of state think tanks and (with panels on education reform today), so I won’t be blogging much over the next few days. I will…

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Education

For Autism, Try Vouchers, Not Mandates

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 11, 2008

John LaPlante points out on SPN Blog that instead of health care mandates, autism advocates should be pointing to tax credits or scholarships for autistic children. As opposed to…

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Education

The teachers’ union still hates school choice

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 22, 2008

The head of the PSEA, the largest teacher union in the state, takes me to task for in a letter to the editor for proposing “private school vouchers” as…

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Education

The School Choice Gold Standard

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 15, 2008

The Friedman Foundation has a new report grading the various scholarship, voucher, and tax credit programs across the US on three categories – student restrictions (how many students can…

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Taxes & Economy

U.S. Map of Religions

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 19, 2008

This map of most common religious denomination by county from Mark Perry’s blog is fascinating. Only a smattering of counties have a majority of one religion/denomination (with clushers…

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