Brews & Views

From skewing the news to fit a narrative, to spewing flat-out falsehoods, media headlines too often paint a one-sided picture. This episode looks at some headline hit jobs while setting the record straight on the real stories. This episode is an audio version of an op-ed that originally appeared at Broad & Liberty (www.broadandliberty.com).

What happens when a Philadelphia Democrat lawmaker dares to defy the teachers' unions by voting to help kids escape failing schools? Let's just say the unions don't take it lightly. Listen to this episode to hear how Rep. Amen Brown faced backlash after voting in favor of Lifeline Scholarships.

Elon Musk's recent move to buy Twitter has caused both elation and panic, depending on whom you ask. But at its root, Musk's move shows the power of entrepreneurship to shape American culture. This episode is an audio version of an op-ed on the topic by Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs President and CEO Matt Brouillette.

From defending Gov. Wolf's business shutdowns to backing PA's entrance into the job-destroying Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Democrat Attorney General Josh Shapiro has some baggage when it comes to running for governor this November. But even before he gets there, Shapiro may have another problem in the May primary election: state Rep. and Lt. Gov. candidate Brian Sims. This episode is an audio version of an op-ed on the topic by Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette.

As Democrat attorney general and gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro makes TikTok videos, Philadelphia hit record high homicides last year. If Shapiro wants to convince Pennsylvanian's he's standing up for them, he should be prioritizing the things that matter most. This episode is an audio version of an op-ed that originally appeared at Broad + Liberty.

Do you feel that America is losing sight of the values that make her unique? Abhi Samuel, Director of Entrepreneur Engagement at Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs, knows what it's like to grow up in a socialist nation. He recently outlined three opportunities we have to show courage and reclaim American values. This episode is an audio version of an op-ed that Abhi wrote on the topic. The piece originally appeared at Broad + Liberty.

As Vladimir Putin continues his brutal attacks on Ukraine, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf persists in his anti-energy policy that's helping keep the world dependent on Russian gas. Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette recently explained in an op-ed how Wolf's green agenda is fueling Putin's war. This episode is an audio version of that op-ed.

In this episode, we take a look at former Pennsylvania state lawmakers who ran afoul of the law, but are still getting taxpayer-backed pension payments for life. This episode is an audio version of an op-ed that originally appeared at Broad + Liberty.

When it comes to transparency, what's unsaid is often more important than what's said. This episode is an audio version of an op-ed in which we dive into Covid hospitalization data that Gov. Wolf's administration says it doesn't have, as well as the context that's missing when we talk about overwhelmed hospitals.

After the latest U.S. census, Pennsylvania is losing yet another congressional seat. Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette recently wrote an op-ed looking at how Gov. Tom Wolf's policies are driving families, business, and jobs out of Pennsylvania and how this November, voters will have the opportunity to chart a new course. This episode is an audio version of that op-ed.

Recently, New York and New Jersey released data on how many patients were hospitalized “with” Covid vs. “for” Covid. But to date, Pennsylvania has not disclosed similar data. Instead, the PA Department of Health continues to release numbers without context. This episode is an audio version of an op-ed on this lack of context from Gov. Tom Wolf's administration.

Disney World is fun, but Pennsylvania has its own fantasy world in the form of Democrat Attorney General Josh Shapiro's campaign for governor. Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs' political director, Jeremy Baker, recently had an op-ed in Broad + Liberty diving into Josh's Wonderland and explaining why it's one fantasy we should all hope never become reality. This episode is an audio version of that commentary.

Between “Stop the Steal” activists and “Big Lie” critics, it's become difficult to have a civil conversation over election reform. But, it turns out that calls for many reforms have been both longstanding and bipartisan. Commonwealth Partners Board Member and entrepreneur Rob Shearer explained in an op-ed what a Democrat-led audit of Pennsylvania's voter registry found, and how a Republican-led election reform package is the solution. This episode is an audio version of that op-ed.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro likes to present himself as the champion of the little guy. But thanks to Shapiro, thousands of Pennsylvania landowners lost out on tens of millions of dollars in royalty payments from one of the nation's largest natural gas companies. In this episode, we take a look at how Shapiro's determination to target natural gas companies translated into a big loss for thousands of Pennsylvanians. This episode is an audio version of a commentary that originally appeared in Broad + Liberty.

This November, Pennsylvania voters will elect four judges to our three statewide appellate courts. In this episode, we break down the difference between our state's appellate courts, the types of cases each hears, and how these courts can impact our lives. This episode is an audio version of a commentary that originally appeared at www.broadandliberty.com.

Since taking office as PA Attorney General, Josh Shapiro has issued more than 990 press releases—or one every 1.67 days. But while he says a lot, many questions remain unanswered. As Shapiro has set his sights on becoming Pennsylvania's next governor, here are some of the many questions Pennsylvanians deserve to have answered. This episode is an audio version of a commentary on this topic.

What happens when judges who are supposed to be fair and impartial instead consistently issue rulings that align with the special interests that elected them? Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette recently authored an op-ed looking at partisan rulings by Pennsylvania's state Supreme Court – and noting what voters can do to protect the impartiality of our judiciary. This episode is an audio version of that op-ed.

Pa. State Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York County) joins Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about the recently enacted state budget and the state's chronic overspending problem.

A lie repeated often enough can begin to sound credible, In this episode, we look at some of the hottest lies emanating from Harrisburg today. This episode is an audio version of an op-ed by Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette.

With calls coming from both sides of the aisle for changes to Pennsylvania's election laws, House State Government Committee Chair Seth Grove dives into the latest on his committee's work on comprehensive election reform. What's been reviewed? What problems have been discovered? And what's ahead when it comes to improving our election processes?

Are Pennsylvania’s public schools underfunded? Commonwealth Foundation Senior Policy Analyst Colleen Hroncich joins Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette to take a hard look at several myths surrounding public school funding and to set the record straight.

The National Democratic Redistricting Committee, founded by former President Barack Obama and his former Attorney General Eric Holder, claims to want fair congressional maps. But that claim is far from accurate. Here’s the story of how this committee is working not for fairness but for pure Democrat control—and how they’re willing to use even the most undemocratic means to get there.

Tune in as Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs Political Director Jeremy Baker outlines our endorsements in the Pennsylvania judicial primary elections and why we are recommending "YES" votes on two proposed constitutional amendments to restore a legislative check and balance on a governor's emergency powers.

In late April, 2021, Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf abruptly withdrew all his pending nominations to lead key state agencies. In a recent op-ed, Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette explored the implications of Wolf’s move, which canceled Senate confirmation hearings, shielding his appointees from public questioning. This episode is an audio version of that op-ed.

CHANNELLOCK® President and CEO Jon DeArment, who is also on our board of Trustees at Commonwealth Partners, recently wrote an op-ed on how Gov. Wolf shutdown his business last year and why he’s urging Pennsylvanians to vote yes on two proposed constitutional amendments so no one’s livelihood is again deemed non-essential. This episode is an audio version of that op-ed.

If you work with hand tools, you probably have a pair of CHANNELLOCK® pliers. CHANNELLOCK® President and CEO Jon DeArment joins Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette to discuss how Gov. Wolf shut down his business last year and to encourage Pennsylvanians to vote yes on two proposed constitutional amendments that would protect businesses against future shutdowns by restoring a legislative check and balance on a governor’s emergency powers.

In the past three years, a left-wing group called Pennsylvania Fund for Change has raised $9.8 million and spent nearly all of it trying to defeat state legislative Republicans. They're particularly fond of targeting Republicans who side with government unions. This is ironic, given where Fund for Change gets its money; namely, from government unions and trial lawyers. We take a look at how politicians are betrayed by their union "friends."

Ep92: Judge Kevin Brobson, candidate for PA Supreme Court by Commonwealth Partners

As the COVID pandemic emerged last year, Gov. Wolf promised his decisions would be “data-driven”. But his Department of Health recently revealed that Wolf’s travel restrictions were unsupported by any data. This episode is an audio version of an op-ed by Commonwealth Partners Public Affairs Director Gina Diorio detailing this latest revelation.

From Gov. Tom Wolf's administration's policy requiring nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients, to Pennsylvanians' inability to reach the Department of Labor for months on end, state Rep. Natalie Mihalek has been asking public officials the hard questions. Are they giving her good answers? Listen to find out.

Sen. Kim Ward made history by becoming the first female majority leader in the history of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. She sat down with Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about her path into politics, Gov. Wolf's latest tax hike plan, and the proposed constitutional amendments voters will soon vote on.

Recently, PA Gov. Tom Wolf has upped his push to legalize recreational marijuana. And it’s actually politically savvy! After all, Wolf's policies throughout COVID have been such a disaster that he’d hardly want to talk about them. This episode is an audio version of a commentary by Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette on this very topic.

Education in the age of COVID has left students and parents frustrated to say the least. PA Senate Education Committee Chair Senator Scott Martin joins Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette to share how the Senate is taking bold action to deliver better educational opportunity to kids and families across Pennsylvania. (Check out Episode 34 to hear more about Sen. Martin's background and path to the state Legislature.)

In his 2021 budget address, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf asked for more than $1 billion in additional funding for public schools—even schools that are physically closed. In this episode, Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette says it’s time to do right by our kids by empowering parents to exercise control in sending their children to the school that’s best for them. This episode is an audio version of a commentary authored by Matt Brouillette and published in multiple media outlets across Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania's Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf just proposed a $3 billion tax hike on working families, but he's calling it a...wait for it...tax cut? The Commonwealth Foundation's Nathan Benefield breaks down the spin and tells just how much more a family of four would pay under Wolf's plan.

Lawmakers are advancing several proposed amendments to the Pennsylvania constitution, including one providing that the Legislature must approve the extension of a disaster declaration after the initial 21 days and one establishing judicial districts for electing judges to statewide appellate courts. Rep. Seth Grove joins Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette to take a deeper look at both these proposed amendments and more.

PA State Rep. Greg Rothman, who also chairs the state's House Republican Campaign Committee, reflects on the GOP's legislative wins in 2020 and looks ahead to the topic that will be front-and-center in 2021: redistricting.

Incoming state Senator Devlin Robinson defeated incumbent Democrat Sen. Pam Iovino in Nov. 2020, flipping the 37th Senate seat in Allegheny and Washington counties from blue to red. Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette speaks with Devlin about his background as a Marine Corps veteran who served three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, his path to becoming a small businessman, and his priorities in the state Senate.

For those of us who grew up in the United States, it can be easy to take for granted the freedoms we enjoy. But when we experience these freedoms through the eyes of someone who knows what it's like not to have them, our perspective can change. Abhi Samuel, who serves as Director of Entrepreneur Engagement for Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs, has such a story of growing up under socialism. He shares it in this episode.

In perhaps the biggest upset of the 2020 elections in Pennsylvania, Republican Carrie DelRosso defeated Democrat House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, who had been in office for nearly 30 years. Shortly after the election, Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette spoke with Carrie about her motivation for running and her priorities as an incoming lawmaker.

Lenny McAllister is a name well known in Pennsylvania and beyond. As the new CEO of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, Lenny joins Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about his passion for expanding educational opportunity for children across Pennsylvania and how his organization is doing just that.

From fighting overseas as a Captain in the United States Army to fighting in Harrisburg so kids can get a better education, Pennsylvania State Senator Ryan Aument traveled a unique path to the Legislature. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette, Sen. Aument shares how he became interested in public service and how he’s currently working to expand educational opportunity in Pennsylvania.

As the economy slowly reopens, businesses small and large are under significant threat of COVID related lawsuits, even when they do everything right. Curt Schroder, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform, talks with Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette about how lawmakers can protect businesses that are acting responsibly and following health and safety guidelines against potential ruin at the hands of trial attorneys looking to take advantage of the COVID crisis.

Pennsylvania has not had a Republican Auditor General in decades. Tim DeFoor wants to change that. With 25 years of experience in fraud investigations and auditing, Tim is passionate about bringing transparency to government. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette, Tim talks about how he chose his career path and what he would do as Pennsylvania's next Auditor General.

PA GOP Chair and election attorney Lawrence Tabas joins Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about mail-in voting in this key swing state, and why election results may not be known even far after Election Day.

Capitalism has been accused of many ills over the years, but is it guilty as charged? In this episode, Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs President and CEO Matt Brouillette talks about lessons learned from the Jamestown settlement's economic experience. He shares how capitalism has proven to be the best antidote to poverty and explains why capitalism works--and capit'O'lism doesn't.

Have we forgotten the true purpose of public education? As the COVID-19 pandemic has upended the educational landscape, more and more parents are considering options other than traditional brick-and-mortar public schools for their children. Now more than ever, we should revisit the original purpose of public education—and reclaim our education system for that purpose. In this episode, Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette, a former middle school and high school history teacher, shares an audio version of a piece he wrote several years ago called "Reclaiming Public Education."

It’s not every lawmaker who can say his district includes the Grand Canyon—Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon, that is. But Rep. Clint Owlett (Tioga, Bradford, & Potter counties) can make that claim. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Rep. Owlett shares why he considers himself an entrepreneur at heart and discusses his proposed “Back on Track” legislation, which would use a portion of Pennsylvania’s federal CARES Act Funding to create education scholarship accounts for students whose education was disrupted by the COVID pandemic.

In late June, 2020, PA Attorney General Josh Shapiro issued a scathing Grand Jury report taking aim at Pennsylvania's natural gas industry. But the report was more anti-natural gas politics than fact. Marcellus Shale Coalition President Dave Spigelmyer joins Commonwealth Partners President & CEO Matt Brouillette to set the record straight and correct some of the more egregious falsities in the report.

Pennsylvania's newly elected House Speaker Bryan Cutler discusses his path from Majority Whip to Majority Leader to Speaker of the House. He also shares his thoughts on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the state Legislature’s priorities and why some of those who supported him for Speaker actually wanted him to remain Majority Leader. For a more personal conversation in which Speaker Cutler describes his background and how he persevered after tragically losing both his parents at a young age, listen to Brews & Views Episode 7.

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.