Samantha Blackman

The brief will discuss economic shrinkage that has occurred throughout 2022. Various issues such as a drop in exports, decreases in government spending, and changes to interest rates will be covered. The relevance, history, and policy responses regarding this issue will be outlined alongside certain policy suggestions to revert this economic shrinkage.

The following brief covers the pros and cons of tariffs. From a political point of view, tariffs are an appealing policy if policymakers wish to preserve domestic industry from foreign competition. However, from an economic perspective, we must always consider: what are the opportunity costs behind such a policy, and are the trade-offs a worthy sacrifice of potential benefits?

The Social Security program is best known for its retirement benefits and is primarily funded (89.6 percent) by payroll taxes. The longevity of Social Security has been put under question as of late and this brief will attempt to address the conflict regarding Social Security (with a focus on its funding) as well as a recommendation for how it should be approached.

In November of 2021, the Federal Reserve began to taper which translates to gradual reduction in asset purchases in order to maintain economic stimulus at a more sustainable pace. It is a question as to if the Fed should taper, contract, or engage in different practices.

The federal minimum wage serves as the baseline for how much workers will receive as compensation. Recently, many Americans have advocated that the federal government ought to increase the minimum wage $7.25 to $15 per hour.