student experts

What did the student experts explain about economic connectedness?

Friendships between lower-income and higher-income people can improve economic mobility by providing opportunities, information, and connections.

What is economic mobility?

The ability to move up or down the income ladder over time.

What did the Harvard economic connectedness map show?

Counties with more friendships across income groups tend to have greater upward economic mobility.

What was King County's approximate economic connectedness figure discussed in class?

About 53%.

What were tariffs traditionally used for?

Economic tools used by governments during trade disputes with other countries.

How did the student expert describe Trump's unusual use of tariffs?

He used tariffs to pressure countries over immigration, border security, and drugs, not just trade disputes.

Why did unpredictable tariffs create problems for businesses?

Companies could not reliably predict costs or make long-term investment decisions.

Which two countries did the student expert connect to tariffs over border security and drugs?

Mexico and Canada.

How many training hours did Washington barbers need according to the student experts?

Approximately 1,000 hours.

How many training hours did Washington EMTs need according to the student experts?

Approximately 178 hours.

Why did the professor find the barber-versus-EMT comparison surprising?

Barbers required substantially more training hours even though EMTs respond to medical emergencies.

What is the Cadillac effect in occupational licensing?

Regulations can force consumers to pay for a higher level of quality than they need, increasing costs.

What are two possible reasons for strict occupational licensing?

Protect consumer safety and quality; also potentially restrict competition and protect existing workers.

Who wrote The Jungle?

Upton Sinclair.

What industry did Upton Sinclair investigate?

Chicago's meatpacking industry.

What two federal laws were associated with the public reaction to The Jungle?

The Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906.

What did The Jungle example demonstrate?

Public concern over unsafe business practices can lead to government regulation.

Which two transportation industries did the student experts discuss deregulating?

Airlines and trucking.

Which president led the major airline and trucking deregulation efforts?

Jimmy Carter, with bipartisan support.

What happened to many airline ticket prices after deregulation?

Increased competition lowered many fares.

What was one possible downside of airline deregulation?

Smaller or less profitable communities could lose service.

What is the FTC's role in misleading scientific advertising?

Investigate and challenge deceptive or unsupported advertising claims.

Why are dietary supplements difficult to regulate?

They generally do not require FDA preapproval like drugs, and vague health claims can be difficult to challenge.

What was the Airborne example about?

Health claims suggesting the product prevented illness were challenged as misleading.

What was the main lesson from the fake-science presentation?

Consumers may struggle to identify unsupported health claims, so advertising oversight and accurate information matter.

What is impoundment?

When the president withholds or refuses to spend money appropriated by Congress.

Which president's actions helped lead to the Impoundment Control Act?

Richard Nixon.

What is the basic purpose of the Impoundment Control Act?

Restrict the president's ability to withhold congressionally approved funds without following legal procedures.

Why was impoundment discussed during the Trump administration?

Disputes over withholding approved government funding raised questions about presidential authority.

What is binding arbitration?

A private dispute-resolution process where an arbitrator makes a decision instead of a court.

Why can mandatory arbitration be controversial in sexual harassment cases?

It can prevent employees from taking disputes to court and may keep proceedings private.

What important federal change occurred in 2022 regarding sexual harassment arbitration?

A federal law gave people bringing certain sexual assault or harassment claims the option to avoid predispute mandatory arbitration.

What was affirmative action originally intended to address?

Disadvantages experienced by groups subjected to historical discrimination.

What was the professor's running-race analogy for affirmative action?

One group began the race later; making the rules equal midway did not eliminate the earlier disadvantage.

Did the professor say affirmative action required hiring unqualified applicants?

No. He emphasized preferences among qualified applicants.

What was a plus factor in affirmative action?

Additional consideration given to a qualified applicant from a historically disadvantaged group.

What does DEI stand for?

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

What event in 2020 encouraged many companies to expand DEI programs?

The murder of George Floyd and the resulting public response.

How did the professor describe the change in DEI policies after January 2025?

The Trump administration challenged race-conscious DEI policies, prompting many businesses to reduce or revise programs.

Which retailer did the professor identify as maintaining a strong commitment to inclusion?

Costco.