Brews & Views

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Tom Wolf assured Pennsylvanians his decisions would be driven by data and science. But as “flatten the curve” slowly turned into “flatten the economy,” it became clear Gov. Wolf’s science of choice was political. Now, however, political science has given way to “affective science,” as Wolf’s rhetoric has shifted toward whether everyone should “feel” comfortable. Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette recently addressed the shift in an op-ed. This is an audio version of that piece.

Public sector unions are supposed to represent their workers, but where can workers go when they’ve been mistreated by union officials? In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Nathan McGrath, president and general counsel of The Fairness Center, explains how this non-profit public interest law firm helps workers who often have nowhere else to turn. Nathan also gives the latest update on where Pennsylvania labor law stands as we near the two-year anniversary of the landmark Janus v. AFSCME U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Among the many things Pennsylvanians saw throughout Gov. Tom Wolf’s shutdown of the economy during COVID, the disaster of the state-run liquor system ranks among the more frustrating. From closed stores to an attempt at online selling that launched with abysmal failure, government-run booze underwhelmed, to say the least. In this episode, Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette talks with state Rep. Tim O'Neal on his renewed push to get government out of the booze business in Pennsylvania.

One topic that’s been front and center during the COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania is the state’s response to helping residents and staff of long-term care facilities. Zach Shamberg, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA), shares a first-hand view of how PHCA, as a private membership organization, acted early to equip providers and facilities statewide and discusses some of the criticisms that have been aimed at the state’s official response to these facilities.

PA Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed creating a “Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps” to combat COVID-19 and help put unemployed Pennsylvanians back to work—working for the government, that is.

Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs Board Member David Hogg, an entrepreneur who is the founder and CEO of a hospitality development and management company, recently explained in an op-ed how Wolf’s proposal fails to solve a problem of the governor’s own making. This is an audio version of that piece!

In light of PA Gov. Tom Wolf's threats to retaliate against counties and businesses that re-open without his permission, Rep. Seth Grove addresses what powers the governor does and does not have and discusses the growing frustration over Wolf's refusal to listen to Pennsylvanians who are hurting.

With much focus in Pennsylvania on the state's response to COVID-19, how are county leaders responding? In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette, Dauphin County Commissioner Mike Pries details his county's response, along with what communication the governor's administration has--or has not--had with county leaders.

With traditional public schools shuttered for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year, are kids being shortchanged amid COVID-19? In this audio version of an op-ed by Matt Brouillette--a former high school and middle school teacher and current president and CEO of Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs--you'll hear how the education establishment in Pennsylvania has shown itself more interested in protecting its own interests during the COVID crisis than in serving students.

Buying liquor in Pennsylvania in normal times is bad enough, given the state's government-run liquor monopoly. But trying to buy liquor through the government-run system during a pandemic is downright maddening (and slightly hilarious). David La Torre shares his experience trying, trying, trying, and finally succeeding in buying some booze!

As weeks of Gov. Wolf’s shutdown order drag on, we’re told to rely on the data, trust the science, and believe the experts. But what is the data? What is the science? Who are the experts? As Wolf repeatedly refuses to answer such questions, it seems more likely his decisions are being driven by political science more than actual science.