2. Who makes all the important decisions in a command economy? the government, or Kojak

3. Who makes all the decisions in a free market economy? Who is the father of this type of economics? individuals, Adam Smeeeth

4. What is the driving motivating factor in a market economy? self interest, actors respond to incentives

5. Give three examples of nations with capitalist economies. United States, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, Mexico

6. Identify three of the key rights that individuals have in the United States economy. private property, enter contracts, economic competition, act on self interest, limited government involvement

7. What are 4 of the main economic goals of the United States? Which of these is most difficult to achieve? freedom, efficiency, equity, security, stability, and growth; equity is most difficult to achieve

8. What are the two main measures of economic stability? price stability & full employment

9. What is used to measure the total productivity (all goods and services) of an economy? Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

10. What is Real GDP? Per capita GDP? GDP adjusted for inflation; GDP divided by population

11. What are the four components of the business cycle? expansion, peak, contraction, trough

12. What does a leading indicator tell economists. The direction the economy is headed in the future

13. What are two key leading indicators? housing starts, orders for durable goods, investment in capital

14. In a laissez faire system, what determines the price of a given product? Interaction of supply and demand

15. What almost always happens to quantity demanded as price drops? it goes up

16. If demand for a product increases, what happens to the demand curve? It shifts to the right, showing a higher quantity demanded at every price

17. What impact does increasing income have on demand? it increases purchasing power which increases demand

18. What are two other factors that greatly impact overall demand? market size (population), tastes and preferences, prices of related goods, consumer expectations

19. What is the substitution effect? consumers will purchase a lower priced substitute if it’s effective

20. What is the name for reduced satisfaction achieved from continued consumption of a particular good? diminishing marginal return

21. What does elasticity of demand measure? the impact on demand of a price change in a particular good

22. If demand for a good changes little with changes in price then demand is elastic or inelastic? inelastic

23. What are three key factors that affect elasticity? availability of substitutes, relative importance, need or want, how quickly price changes over time

24. What does a demand or supply schedule measure? the amount demanded or supplied at a given price

25. If producers are willing to produce a much larger quantity with a small increase in price supply is considered elastic or inelastic? elastic

26. What are two factors that cause shifts in supply? price of resources, technology, competition, price of related goods, government activity

27. What will suppliers do when there is excess demand? Excess supply? Raise their price to match equilibrium Lower their price to match equilibrium

28. What is the amount of additional cost required to produce one more unit? marginal cost

29. Where is market equilibrium? where the demand curve hits the supply curve

30. What is a shortage? a surplus? a shortfall in the amount supplied, an excess of the amount supplied

31. What are the two ways of making money on a share of stock? Dividends (share of the profit) and appreciation (capital gain)

32. What does a “future” represent? the right to buy a commodity (oil, pork bellies, corn, etc.) in the future at a set price

33. What are the two main types of bonds? Are they generally more or less risky than stocks? government and corporate, less

34. What are low risk ways to invest money? Money market account, CD’s, savings bonds, savings accounts

35. What is a “blue chip” stock? An established company with a proven earnings record (profits/dividends) and steady price appreciation

36. What is the strategy that spreads out investments to reduce risk? Diversification (investing in a variety of different things)

37. What do mutual funds do? Pool the savings of many individuals and invests money in a variety of stocks

38. What are the contracts that give investors the choice to buy or sell stock at a set price in the future? Options

39. What is a publicly held company? What are these companies required to do with their key financial information? A company who’s stock is traded on a public exchange (e.g. NYSE), must make it available to the public

40. What is the primary reason a corporation sells stock? Gives them easy access to additional capital to expand/grow their business

41. What is insider trading? Why is it illegal? Making a stock sale based on information that has not been made public; unfair to rest of market

42. In what two key ways was Enron deceiving its investors? Using questionable accounting practices to hide losses and moving bad debts to shell companies to make Enron look healthier

43. Why did Enron pursue increasing risky trading strategies in the early 2000’s? What was the most infamous example of this? Enron needed larger payouts to cover all its bad investments/trades, their manipulation of the CA electricity markets (rolling blackouts)

44. What is the primary influence the FED has over the economy? They can regulate the money supply by setting key interests rates, buying/selling securities, and setting reserve requirements

45. Who prepares the initial budget proposed to Congress? The President

46. Which office manages development of this budget and negotiates between the President and the various agencies? Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

47. Name two entitlements. What portion of the federal budget do they represent? Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security; more than half

48. What funds are supposed to pay for all current Social Security and Medicare benefits? Social Security and Medicare taxes paid by current workers

49. What does Congress’ concurrent budget resolution do? Sets forth the spending and tax plan for the upcoming fiscal year

50. What is happening when House and Senate budget committees fit the concurrent budget resolutions to the specific needs of agencies and programs? budget reconciliation

51. What is the final step in the budgeting process after reconciliation? The House must issue an appropriations bill approving the money to fund the budget

52. What government agency is charged with maintaining high standards for worker health and workplace safety? Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

53. What government agency has primary responsibility for overseeing investments and financial markets? Securities Exchange Commission (SEC)

54. What is the FTC responsible for? Maintaining the needed conditions for fair trade, enforcing anti-trust laws

55. When gov’t revenues exceed expenditures it’s called a ____. When expenditures exceed revenue it’s a ______. Surplus; Deficit

56. What does the FDA do? Responsible for maintaining and enforcing government standards for the purity and safety of food and drugs

57. What agency insures bank deposits up to $250,000? FDIC

58. Which agency works to ensure fairness in employment and hiring practices? Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

59. Which agency controls everything from broadcast spectrum to standards for broadcast content?\ Federal Communications Commission (FCC)