Many Pennsylvanians face chronic unemployment, welfare dependency, and the cycle of poverty. This happens because labor incentives have been overridden by bad policies that keep millions out of the workforce and enact excessive red tape. We can reverse this trend by ending the practice of waiving work requirements on able-bodied Pennsylvanians with no dependents, removing barriers to employment for those seeking a fresh start, and creating a healthcare system without burdensome regulations.

Health Care

Whoops, We Were Wrong…

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 9, 2009

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…

Commentary

Read More: Whoops, We Were Wrong…

Health Care

Is Individual Mandate Worse than “Public Option”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 1, 2009

Cato’s Michael Cannon has a commentary on the effects of an individual mandate to buy health insurance. His poster child is chief spokesman critic of Obama’s health care proposals,…

Media

Read More: Is Individual Mandate Worse than “Public Option”?

Health Care

What’s Wrong with Medicare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 31, 2009

Defenders of national health care proposals try to make the claim – in response to critics – that government-run health care is pretty good, citing Medicare (and Medicaid).  So what’s…

Media

Read More: What’s Wrong with Medicare

Health Care

Medicare’s Administrative Costs vs. Private Insurance

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 27, 2009

One of the myths is that Medicare has lower administrative costs than private insurance, and thus is the model for efficient health coverage. (This was an argument made by a…

Media

Read More: Medicare’s Administrative Costs vs. Private Insurance

Health Care

The Success of Consumer-Driven Health Care

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 26, 2009

In the midst of debates over the right kind of health care reform, consumer-driven plans continue to attract consumers while keeping costs in check. Greg Scandlen of Consumers of…

Media

Read More: The Success of Consumer-Driven Health Care

Health Care

ObamaCare Is Bad Medicine for Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 25, 2009

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…

Commentary

Read More: ObamaCare Is Bad Medicine for Pennsylvania

Health Care

Explaining the Town-Hall Protests

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 24, 2009

John Goodman – the health care policy guru, not the star of Arachnophobia – has an editorial in Friday’s Wall Street Journal on those protesting Obama’s version of health…

Media

Read More: Explaining the Town-Hall Protests

Health Care

Post-Gazette Combats Health Care “Lies” With Actual Lies

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 21, 2009

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Sally Kalson has a ridiculous piece on health care reform (HT PA Watercooler), in which she admittedly fabricates a number of proposals she “imagines” Republicans would…

Media

Read More: Post-Gazette Combats Health Care “Lies” With Actual Lies

Taxes & Economy

Auditor General Finds More Waste and Fraud in Pennsylvania Welfare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 20, 2009

A new report from Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner finds that the Special Allowances program in the Department of Public Welfare is “rife with mismanagement and potential for fraud.” …

Media

Read More: Auditor General Finds More Waste and Fraud in Pennsylvania Welfare

Health Care

Obama’s “Co-operative” Trojan Horse

  • August 20, 2009

With the public voicing overwhelming concern over the potential effects Obama’s “public option” could have on America’s healthcare industry, the White House now has its back against the wall. Progressives…

Media

Read More: Obama’s “Co-operative” Trojan Horse

Health Care

Report: National Healthcare Would Harm PA

  • August 19, 2009

HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation released a report today showing that President Obama’s proposed takeover of health care by the federal government would have dramatically negative effects on Pennsylvanians.

Press Release

Read More: Report: National Healthcare Would Harm PA

Health Care

Lots More Reasons why ObamaCare isn’t Popular

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 18, 2009

Pete DeCoursey has an interesting column on Capitowire (subscription) about why people oppose ObamaCare. He hits the main point correct — most people are satisfied with their coverage (…

Media

Read More: Lots More Reasons why ObamaCare isn’t Popular

Health Care

Scrutinize the Health Care Bill

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 17, 2009

We’ve gotten a few calls over the last few days asking where to get and read the 1,200 page health care bill being debated in Congress.  Here are some resources:…

Media

Read More: Scrutinize the Health Care Bill

Health Care

RightOnline Health Care Panel

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 14, 2009

Right Online held a panel on health care reform today, which I had the honor of speaking at, along with Amy Menefee of Americans for Prosperity and the…

Media

Read More: RightOnline Health Care Panel

Health Care

Universal Health Care is for Primitive Societies

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 14, 2009

The Wynnewood Institute has a great article on government run health care by Thomas Patrick Burke. It argues that since civilizations value freedom over coercion universal health care…

Media

Read More: Universal Health Care is for Primitive Societies

Health Care

Government Managed Health Care isn’t the “Reform” We Need

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 13, 2009

The Independence Institute has another great video on the problems when government makes health care decisions – this time use Oregon as an example, and how they prioritize Medicaid…

Media

Read More: Government Managed Health Care isn’t the “Reform” We Need

Health Care

Lebanon Health Care Town Hall Anything but Un-American

  • August 11, 2009

I attended the Patient’s First rally in conjunction to with Arlen Specter’s today’s town hall rally at Harrisburg Area Community College in Lebanon today.  The vast majority of the crowd  (inside…

Media

Read More: Lebanon Health Care Town Hall Anything but Un-American

Health Care

Effect of ObamaCare on Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 11, 2009

The Heritage Foundation has a new analysis from the Lewin Group on the impact in Pennsylvania on private health care coverage, the uninsured, and physicians and hospitals of the…

Media

Read More: Effect of ObamaCare on Pennsylvania

Health Care

Rendell Declares Autism Mandate a Failure

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 10, 2009

In 2008, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed, and Gov. Rendell signed, a new mandate that private insurers would have to cover autism services. At the time, we said the new…

Media

Read More: Rendell Declares Autism Mandate a Failure