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MARCH 30, 2010 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD
Who the Health Cares About the Constitution?
Constitutional questions have dogged the health care bill since its introduction. But rather than address these issues head on, supporters of the legislation have shrugged them off. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, when asked where the Constitution grants the power to impose an individual mandate to buy insurance, famously replied, "Are you serious?"
This is the same tactic being used by defenders of the federal takeover of health care in response to the lawsuit against the new law. Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett, after announcing that he would join twelve other state attorneys general in a class action suit challenging the constitutionality of the law, has been attacked by Gov. Ed Rendell, state House and Senate Democrats, and newspapers across Pennsylvania.
JANUARY 21, 2010 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
CF Challenges Gov. Rendell to Explain What's In the Bill
Yesterday, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell told Fox News that voters oppose the current health care reform proposal because "the administration and its supporters, myself included, haven't done a good enough job explaining to people what's in this bill." The Commonwealth Foundation formally welcomes Gov. Rendell to join their efforts to educate the public on the latest health care bills.
DECEMBER 16, 2009 | Commentary by KATRINA CURRIE
Five Threats to Pennsylvania's Prosperity
Pennsylvania has long been one of the most economically stagnant states in the nation. For the period 1991-2008, the Commonwealth ranked 45th in job growth, 46th in personal income growth, and 47th in population growth. Pennsylvania has also faired poorly in independent evaluations of states' business climates, in large part because of having the 11th highest state and local tax burden. Not surprisingly, the state also ranks low in interstate migration, having lost 56,000 net residents to other states from 2000 to 2008.
NOVEMBER 12, 2009 | Commentary by T. PATRICK BURKE
Notes on Health Care Reform
Two slightly important questions are being neglected regarding the Health Care Reform bills in Congress: their constitutionality and their morality. Are the bill just passed in the House and that to be discussed in the Senate in accord with the Constitution, and are they in agreement with the fundamental principles of justice? I would like to ask these questions initially about one particular provision in the proposed legislation, the individual insurance mandate.
OCTOBER 20, 2009 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Guide to National Health Care Reform Proposals
President Obama has pushed national health care reform, making it a priority. While there is no official "Obama plan," and several different proposal in Congress, the leading proposals have several common themes. Unfortunately, instead of learning from the mistakes of state-based health care reform, these proposals repeat them.
SEPTEMBER 9, 2009 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD
Whoops, We Were Wrong...
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 you so!"
But sometimes, our predictions miss the mark. Case in point: in a November 2008 commentary, we predicted "Obama's presidency will likely be less radical than his primary campaign proposals and more like the moderated views he unveiled after winning his party's nomination ... He will avoid controversy and not make [Bill] Clinton's mistake of immediately pushing the most controversial, liberal parts of his agenda." Whoops!
AUGUST 25, 2009 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD
ObamaCare Is Bad Medicine for Pennsylvania
America faces divergent prescriptions for health care reform—one calling for more government control, the other for patient empowerment. Unfortunately President Obama, Governor Rendell, and Democrats in Congress and the state House continue to pursue the former remedy.
AUGUST 19, 2009 | Policy Report by ARTHUR LAFFER, DONNA ARDUIN, WAYNE WINEGARDEN
The Prognosis for National Health Insurance: A Pennsylvania Perspective
In 1960, the private sector funded over three quarters of the nation’s health care expenditures. Individuals paid nearly one-half of the total national health care expenditures through out of pocket expenditures. Beginning in 1967 the way health care is purchased in the U.S. began to completely reverse itself.
AUGUST 19, 2009 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Report: National Healthcare Would Harm PA
National health care would harm state’s economy and add $4,400 in costs for every man, woman, and child in Pennsylvania—without significantly reducing the number of uninsured!
MARCH 17, 2009 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD
Free Markets: An Unknown Ideal
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 think citizens enjoyed free markets is unclear, but it certainly did not occur under the presidency of George W. Bush or under Gov. Rendell.
