1. What is economic policy? What are some examples of economic policy that you know about? Try to use these examples to describe the various ways that the government tries to manage the economy.

2. What is Hiltonsmith’s argument about the cause of the rising cost of education? How convincing do you find it? What other alternative explanations might there be?

3. What do you think is the source of the ever-rising cost of a college education? Have you personally noticed any areas where college spending might be constrained?

4. What is the logic behind having student loans being a type of loan that cannot be discharged in bankruptcy? How convincing do you find that logic?

5. What is Burke’s argument about PAYE and the cause of the rising cost of education? How convincing do you find it? What other alternative explanations might there be?

6. One of the arguments for the federal government’s relatively low level of support for college education is that young people are one of the groups in society less likely to vote. How convincing do you find that argument? What alternatives are there be to that view?

7. What policies can the Federal Reserve use to manage the economy? What are the risks of each of these approaches?

8. Do you find the use of an unelected body, the Federal Reserve, to manage the economy problematic? Why or why not? Would be preferable for it to be more independent? More representative?

9. What is fiscal policy and why is it important? How can fiscal policy be used to manage the economy?

10. What is monetary policy and why is it important? How can monetary policy be used to manage the economy?

11. What do you think is the future of higher education? Can the costs continue to rise or will it eventually becoming unsustainable for a significant number of people? How can the costs be controlled?