MEASURING GDP AND ECONOMIC GROWTH1. Stanford Economics Professor Ronald McKinnon suggested the following strategies for reducing the large current account deficit in the United States:“..the first order of business in correcting the trade deficit is to reduce the structural fiscal deficit of the U.S. and possibly run with surpluses.The second order of business is to provide incentives possiblytax incentives forAmerican households to increase their saving.”[1]The “structural fiscal deficit” refers to the government budget deficit. So Professor McKinnon is saying we should reduce the government budget deficit, andincrease household saving as well. Use the identity derived in the “Funds that Finance Investment” section of the chapter 24 (p. 570) to explain how thesepolicies would reduce the current account deficit.2. In January, 2007, the New York Times reported that the latest data available indicates that “the economy is expanding at a slower pace, but one that has sofar defied predictions of a sharper slowdown.”[2]. The article mentions several reasons for the growth in GDP. For each of the contributing factors cited below,indicate which component of GDP (consumption, investment, government expenditure, or net exports) was affected and in which direction:a. “Consumers are spending more at their local shopping malls”b. “A sampling of confidence among home builders rose in December.”c. “Less oil will be purchased from abroad.”3. The discussion of real GDP in the chapter points out that inflation distorts our perception of how the cost of living changes over time. As a measure of cost,the number of hours of work required to buy an item is a much more meaningful yardstick than the money price. The table below gives the money prices ofpopular snacks in 1964, 1974, 1984, and 1997. Go to the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallashttp://www.dallasfed.org/assets/documents/fed/annual/1999/ar97.pdf(pg. 15) and use the information in “Exhibit 7: Food on the Go” to fill in the rows labeled “Cost in minutes of work”. (Cox, Michael W. and Alm, Richard. “TimeWell Spent: The Declining Real Cost of Living in America.” Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas 1997 Annual Report )Snacks 1964 1974 1984 1997Soft Drink $0.16 $0.22 $0.28 $0.33Cost in minutes of work2/17/2016 National Paralegal College ViewAssignments NationalParalegal Collegehttp://nationalparalegal.edu/Students/ViewAssignment.aspx?intAssignmentID=2190 2/4Candy Bar $0.05 $0.10 $0.30 $0.45Cost in minutes of workGum $0.05 $0.11 $0.18 $0.25Cost in minutes of workChips $0.15 $0.25 $0.35 $0.50Cost in minutes of work[1] “The Worth of the Dollar,” by Ronald McKinnon, Wall Street Journal. (Eastern edition). New York. N.Y.: Dec. 13, 2006, pg. A. 18[2] “Some Signs of Economic Resilience Seen,” by Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times, January 18, 2007.Connect With UsNPC Faculty Legal AnalysisOf The News2/17/2016 National Paralegal College ViewAssignments NationalParalegal Collegehttp://nationalparalegal.edu/Students/ViewAssignment.aspx?intAssignmentID=2190 3/4Learn More© 20032016,National Paralegal College717 E Maryland Ave, Phoenix AZ 850141561Contact UsHelpPrivacy Policy2/17/2016 National Paralegal College ViewAssignments NationalParalegal Collegehttp://nationalparalegal.edu/Students/ViewAssignment.aspx?intAssignmentID=2190 4/4TermsSite Map