Week of October 7, 2013 Economics stories

We will complete Chapter 8 this week, be ready for a quiz on Friday.

Identify and explain the reasons why some Microsoft shareholders want Bill Gates to step down.
http://www.marketplace.org/topics/tech/some-microsofts-top-investors-want-bill-gates-step-down-chairman 

Identify and explain the 7 lessons the US government could learn about their finances.
You can bullet the major points of each of the lessons.
http://www.marketplace.org/topics/your-money/7-lessons-us-government-could-learn-marketplace-money

Week of September 8, 2013

How Economists Think annotation is due Wednesday.
Underline facts, box in reactions and write in the margins.
Come to class with  three questions and answers from the text or three issues/areas you want clarified.  This will be a quiz grade.

Assign groups.

Economics final project

Final paper

http://budgethero.publicradio.org/widget/widget.php?refid=MKP#

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/

http://www.nathannewman.org/nbs/

Use the links to the US debt clock, the St.Louis Fred, the national budget simulation, and the budget hero to identify problems and possible solutions to the fiscal problems of the US. Make sure to include current numbers from the Fed when you identify the national goals.

Part I
What is the current state of the US economy? Identify the four US national goals and what the US budget should be to maintain these goals.
Why does the US have a debt of over $16 trillion?
What was the US debt in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012? What was the GDP during those years? What percent was the debt to the GDP in those years? Identify the trend.
Can the current annual deficits be continued indefinately into the future? How long can this trend continue according to the budget hero?
Identify three ways to balance the budget? How much revenue was lost with the Bush tax cuts. Should those tax cuts be allowed to lapse this summer? Why or why not?

Part II
Complete the budget hero, print out your budget.
Explain if you took a liberal, conservative or independent perspective in trying to balance the budget.
Explain what your goals are and how you met or did not meet them in the simulation.
Was your simulation politically feasible in today's climate? Could you be elected? Explain

Part III
Explain how you were or were not able balance the budget.
What if anything will you have to do to make your solution politically feasible?
If the US is to get the future budget under control, how will we do it?

Part IV
Opinion: are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of dealing with the deficit and the US national goals? Explain your answer.



Paper length: 3-5 pages, excluding budget hero.
Due date: on or before May 22, 2013

Week of April 1, 2013

Presentations on Hedrick Smith's
Rethinking America and Who Stole the American Dream?

Quiz Friday on the material covered this week.
Also part of the quiz will be a unit 3 test.  Make sure vocab from chapter 8 + 9  is completed before the quiz

Week of February 24, 2013

We will wrap up the presentations this week. 

Chapter 7 test on Thursday
Wall Street Journals due on Friday

Week of February 4, 2013

The Preamble to the US Constitution states

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The Six roles of the US Government:

1.  Maintaining Legal and Social Framework
2.  Providing Public Goods and Services
3.  Maintaining Competition. 
4.  Redistributing Income
5. Correcting for Externalities
6. Stabilizing the Economy (Fiscal and Monetary Policy)

1. Match the headlines with each of the roles of the Federal Government (Activity 1+2)
2. Read What  role should the government play in the economy? (Activity 3)
             Bullet the Conservative View and the Liberal View.  List 4 facts from each.

Research component:
  Write a 1-2 page postition paper along with a short powerpoint
Choose one of the following

  1. Analyze one antitrust case brought by the the Justice Department or the FTC
   identify the reasons the antitrust litigation was brought forward.
   explain the outcome of the case including any unanticipated consequences.

or

2. go to USA.gov  A-Z Index of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies
Identify the role of one Federal Regulatory Agency. Explain when it was created, which administration, what role of government it is trying to rectify.
Explain the causes and outcome of at least one case it has dealt with.

Due date next Wednesday.

Week of November 26, 2012

Ray Kroc reading is due on Wednesday.

Wall Street Journal outline due next Wednesday.

Quiz on 4+5 on Friday.