 The unemplyment rate, which is a narrowly defined measure, inched downwards this month from 8.3% to 8.1%. While at first glance this may seem to be a good thing, this WSJ article points out why it may not. Do you think that this unemployment problem is worse for any certain group (income class, race, gender)?
Potential essay question: What do you think a surplus of workers will do to the wage paid to newly employed people? If you think future wages will adjust downward, how far down can they go? Will this surplus of workers ever cease to exist? Tonight President Obama addressed congress with a new proposal to aid in the economic recovery. Although this is a macroeconomic topic, I'd like you to read this WSJ post that collects some thoughts from prominent economists. For our current events quiz I'll only hold you accountable for the first four "reactions". Feel free to read on though if you're interested!
I hope that you are all having a great Labor Day weekend. A recent jobs report noted that zero, yes zero, 0, zilch, nada, jobs were created over the past month. This article gives a good look at why that might be happening. We will go into this in much more detail after we've learned how to use supply and demand analysis, but for now try answering this question.
You've been given the chance to work for the weekend and earn $1000, but you've also won a paid trip to Dallas and box seats at the Cowboy's opening game (a prize worth $750) the same weekend. If all you cared about is money which would you choose? Now what if there was a chance that you had to pay a 35% tax on the income you made from working. What would you choose then, the certain $750 dollar value of seeing the Cowboys or potentially only making $650 because a tax is suddenly imposed on your weekend job? |
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