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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Explore Government agencies
Understanding the federal budget can be
complex, but the Office of
Management and Budget web site can help you
out. Here visitors can learn about the president's most recent budget (both as
an overview and by particular issues). The site also has substantial data on
the history of government revenues and outlays. For more information on how the
federal budget affects your state, look at the budget map on the White House's
News and Policies
site. (See Exercises.) The Department
of Commerce's web site contains the latest news
out of the Commerce Department as well as up-to-date information about various
economic indicators. Visitors can also find a large amount of information on
issues including the budget and free trade. The web site of the Federal Reserve
Board has current information on monetary policy, an enormous
amount of economic research and data, and a link to a publication explaining
the importance of the Federal Reserve Board, to name just a few things. Economic indicators
Want to know how many houses were sold last
quarter? How about the latest data on personal income? Or, maybe you want the
most recent GDP numbers? If so, then Economics and Statistics Administration's Economic Indicators web site is for you. This site contains up-to-date
statistics on all of the major economic indicators. (See Exercises.) Interested in comparing the GDP of the
United States to that of other countries? Looking for a great deal of
additional information about other countries, including geography, government
structure, and much, much more? Then visit the CIA's World Factbook. (See Exercises.) The budget
The Center
on Budget and Policy Priorities is dedicated to
studying how fiscal policy affects low- and moderate-income families and
individuals. This site is particularly useful because it contains substantial
research on a variety on issues, including the budget, Social Security, and
welfare. Tax policy
Have a question about the U.S. tax code?
Then visit the U.S.
Tax Code On-line. Beware! This site will show
you just how unwieldy the tax code actually is. The Howard
Jarvis Taxpayers Association is one of the
largest organizations pushing for reform of the tax code. Visitors to this web
site can learn about recent initiatives the organization has sponsored and
other efforts to reform the tax code, as well as read op-ed pieces written by
Jon Coupal, the current president of the association. Trade policy
The web site for the World Trade Organization (WTO) has a plethora of information, including an overview of the
organization, recent publications on trade policy, and trade data. Visitors
looking for balanced coverage between free trade and protectionism will not
find it here, however, as the WTO is unabashedly pro–free trade. |
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