2-19 In 2009, the government bailed out several large banks and automotive and insurance firms in an effort to thwart a huge financial crisis. Were the government’s actions successful?

2-20 Minimum-wage laws were introduced in the 1930s to protect workers after the Great Depression. Whether to increase the minimum wage continues to be an animated topic of discussion. What impact does increasing the minimum wage have on small business owners? Does increasing the minimum wage benefit the worker, or does it ultimately result in higher unemployment?

2-21 Taxation and tax cuts are fodder for volatile debate among political leaders. Many of them claim that tax cuts help strengthen the economy by freeing up money to increase spending. Others claim that past tax cuts have not had a positive effect on the economy, have caused greater stress on the government’s budget, and have reduced the government’s ability to spend on important public needs. Do tax cuts benefit the economy?