Tag Archives: Politics

MBTA considering halting weekend service

I urge people from MA to sign the following petition. Halting weekend commuter rail service would be a detriment to the city, state and the environment.

Visit the site to see the wording of the petition.

Subject: Save Jobs, Environment & Accessibility

Hi,
In an effort to reduce the deficit of Massachusetts’ public transit system (the MBTA), one of the proposals under consideration is cancellation of commuter rail service on Saturdays and Sundays. These environmentally friendly trains connect Boston with cities and towns in a 60-mile radius allowing access to jobs, loved ones, culture, recreation and the list goes on and on.
That’s why I signed a petition to Richard A. Davey, MassDOT Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan R. Davis, Acting General Manager Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and Governor Deval Patrick.
Will you sign this petition? Click here:
http://signon.org/sign/save-jobs-environment?source=s.em.cp&r_by=1994032
Thanks!

Randy Ellis

Which US Presidents Grew the Public Debt Fastest?

US Public Debt Fiscal Years 1960-2011

This figure, based on US treasury numbers, is in nominal dollars. Each president is credited with the debt created in the year after leaving office since budgets are largely set the year before.

Democratic presidents were in office for $4.6 trillion in debt since 1960, Republican presidents for $9.9 trillion.

The rate of increase in the US public debt grew under Reagan and Bush Jr, and slowed down under Clinton and Obama.

Brocolli and Insurance Mandate

This is an excellent short NEJM article summarizing why the federal government does have the authority to mandate that people buy health insurance.   Written by a Harvard Law School professor.

The Irrelevance of the Broccoli Argument against the Insurance Mandate

Einer Elhauge, J.D.

N Engl J Med 2012; 366:e1January 5, 2012

Favorite passage:

"Others argue that the Constitution's framers could not possibly have envisioned a congressional power to force purchases. However, in 1790, the first Congress, which was packed with framers, required all ship owners to provide medical insurance for seamen; in 1798, Congress also required seamen to buy hospital insurance for themselves. In 1792, Congress enacted a law mandating that all able-bodied citizens obtain a firearm. This history negates any claim that forcing the purchase of insurance or other products is unprecedented or contrary to any possible intention of the framers."