Consider the following situations. How much control do you believe the president and Congress should have over the economic trends described in each situation? Give each one a ranking of "a lot," "some," or "none." Explain your reasons.

• You want to buy your first car. To do so, you will need a loan. When your older sister bought her car, she received an interest rate of 5 percent. Today, the best interest rate you can get is 9 percent.
• You are looking for a part-time job after school. You apply to more than 20 stores and restaurants, but no one is hiring.
• You want to go on vacation to a city about 200 miles away. This summer, gas costs 50 percent more than it did last spring. You are not sure you can afford the higher cost.
• A carton of milk and a dozen eggs used to cost $4 at your neighborhood store. Now the same products cost $5.

What types of things do you think lawmakers could do to affect these activities? Make a list, and then compare your list to another student's.

What do the executive and legislative branches hope to accomplish by implementing fiscal and monetary policy?

What causes inflation?