"X" Macro

~ Microeconomics ~

I. "Well Begun Is Half Done."

* READ: "Economics & Economic Systems"
                               H & L: Chap. 1 & 2

* READ:
"Three Great Economists", Heilbroner & Thurow, "Economics Explained".
"The Social Contract", Laurence S. Seidman, "Economic Parables & Policies".
"How Low-Wage Jobs Damage Us All", Beth Shulman, "The Betrayal Of Work".
"The Real Cost of That $8.63 Polo Shirt", Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times.
"U.S. Should Form a Marshall Plan for Latin America", Andrew Reding,Los Angeles Times.

* VIEW:
"Modern Times", Charlie Chaplan, "Modern Times".
"Model of Capital Accumulation", F. Green & B. Sutcliff, "The Profit System".
"The Mercantilist Policy System", Salvatore Schiavo-Campo, "International Economics".

* VISIT:
"Opportunity Cost of War", costofwar.com.
"Our Unlimitted Pie",Orley Amos, "A Pedestrian's Guide to the Economy".
"About Economics", economicsabout.com.
"Essential Principle of Economics", William King Website.
"http://hallxtra.swlearning.com/econ3e/index.html", Hall & Lieberman Website

Optional Reading & Viewing,...........
"Alternative Economic Philosophies", Carson, Thomas and Hecht, "Economic Issues Today".
"What Economic Price This War?", James K. Galbraith, "Boston Globe".
"College Costs", PBS NewsHour 'Video'.
"The Three Efficiencies", Robert Kuttner, "Everything For Sale".
"A Table of Political Economy", Abelda, Gunn, Waller, "Alternative to Economic Orthodoxy".
"Socialism as it was Always Meant to Be", Michael Albert & Robin Hahnel, "The Participatory Economics Project".
"The Unbearable Costs of Empire", James K. Galbraith, "The American Prospect".

II. "The Invisible Hand"

* READ: "The Market: Supply & Demand"
                                    H & L: Chap. 3 & 4
* READ:
"Global Shifts Raising Issues of Income Equality", Robert Gavin, Boston Globe.
"A Gas Tax Now Could Save Us in the Future", Kenneth Swift, Los Angeles Times.
"What Kind of Productivity Do We Need?", Kumar Venkat, GreenBiz.com.

* VIEW:
"Paying The Price", PBS NewsHour 'Video'.
"Job Threat", PBS NewsHour 'Video'.

* VISIT:
"GreenBiz", Greenbiz.com.
"Inflation Calculator", Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"Several Factors Blamed for Soaring Gas Prices", Los Angeles Times.
"Crude Oil Prices", Energy Information Administration.
"World Oil Prices Hit New Hights", BBC News.
"Images of Oil", BBC News.
"Images of Oil 2", BBC News.
"Images of Oil 3", BBC News.
"Images of Oil 4", BBC News.
"Images of Oil 5", BBC News.
"Images of Oil 6", BBC News.

Optional Reading,...........
"Markets: Guided by an Invisivible Hand or Foot?",
Robin Hahnel, "The ABCs of Political Economy: A Modern Approach".
"China Barrels Ahead in Oil Market", "Los Angeles Times".

III. "Consumer Sovereignty"

* READ: "The Demand Side"
                        H & L: Chap. 5
* READ:
"A Paradox of Progress: Stepped-Up Stress", Gregg Easterbrook, Los Angeles Times.
"The Middle-Class Housing Squeeze", Allison B. Cohen,Los Angeles Times.

* VIEW:
"Luxury Fever", PBS NewsHour 'Video'.

* VISIT:
"Our Subjective Values", Orley Amos, "A Pedestrian's Guide to the Economy".

Optional Reading,...........
"The 90s: Private Boom Stingy on Public Good", Peter Gosselin, Los Angels Times.

IV. "Producer Sovereignty"

* READ: "Supply" & "Profit"
                                    H & L: Chap. 6 & 7

* READ:
"A Perfect Picture of Profit",Orley Amos, "A Pedestrian's Guide to the Economy".
"For Many Firms, Jobless Recovery Is a Good Thing", David Streitfeld, Los Angeles Times.
"High Ideals Didn't Save Anti-Sweatshop Garment Factory", CommonDreams.org.

* VIEW:
"Profits and Principles", PBS NewsHour 'Video'.
"Turning Around", PBS NewsHour 'Video'.
"The Supply Side", St.Louis Federal Reserve, "Economic Review".

* VISIT:
" Corporate Ethics", PBS NewsHour 'Reports'.
"Historical Economic Data" & "Current Business News", "EconLinks".
"Co-op America", "coopamerica.org".

Optional Reading,..............
"Super-Size Deception From Fast-Food Giants", Eric Schlosser, Los Angeles Times
"A Town's Future Is Leaving the Country", David Streitfield, Los Angeles Times.
"Paying Price of Growth in Inland Empire", Scott Gold, Los Angeles Times
"The Role of Profit In The Leading Indicator System", Norman Frumkin, "Tracking America's Economy".
"A Model of Profit", Papadimitriou and Wray, "What to Do with the Surplus:...".

---{ 1st Exam Material 'Above' }---

V. "The 'World of Adam Smith' & Beyond"

* READ: "The Goods & Services Markets"
                              H & L: Chap. 8, 9 &10

* READ:
"Costco Sees Value in Higher Pay", James Flanigan, Los Angeles.
"Wal-Mart Nation: The Race to the Bottom", Floyd J. McKay, Seattle Times.
"Subway: Junk Food, Junk Economy", R. Mokhiber & R. Weissman, CommonDreams.org.

* VIEW:
"Wal-Mart The Global Giant", PBS NewsHour 'Video'.
"Wal-Mart: The Impact of a Retail Giant", PBS NewsHour 'Special Report & Audio Essay'.
"Is Wal-Mart Good for America?", KPBS, "Frontline".

* VISIT:
"Multinational Monitor"      &     "Corporate Crime Reporter"      &     "The Future 500"

Optional Reading,..............
"Classical Liberalism", E. K. Hunt, "Property and Prophets".
"The Wal-Mart Effect", Los Angeles Times.
"Wal-Mart Effect Moves Into the Grocery Aisle.", "Los Angeles Times".

VI. "Labor: A 'Very Special' Commodity"

* READ: "The Resource Markets"
                                    H & L: Chap. 11, 12 & 13

* READ:
"Ergonomics a Women's Issue?", Lisa Girion, Los Angeles Times
"Minimum Wages and the Human Commodity", John Buell, CommonDreams.org.
"Living Wage", Robert Pollin & Stephanie Luce, "The Living Wage".
"Social-Economic Justice", J. Wilson in Ekins & Max-Ned,"Real-Life Economics".

* VIEW:
"Disappearing Dropouts" PBS "NewsHour".
"A Days Work" PBS "NewsHour"
"Health Care Cuts" PBS "NewsHour".

* VISIT:
"Wal-Martization" and the "New Economy", "The Great Divide", p.162-168.
"Making A Living in San Diego", KPBS "Full Focus".
"The San Diego Living Wage Campaign", sdlivingwage.org
"A Real Minimum Wage Raise or...?", aflcio.org
"Chamber Opposes Minimum Wage Proposal", uschamber.com
"Broken Ladder", inequality.org
"Wealth and Income Inequality in the USA", Multinational Monitor

Optional Reading,..............
"Dangerous Metaphor:..", James K. Galbraith ,"Public Policy Brief, # 36A."
"Who Pays For The Minimum Wage", Nathannewman.org.
"Comment on Marx's Theory of Money and Alienation", Economics.about.com.
"What Studs Terkel's 'Working' Says..", A. Cohen, NY Times.
"Who Built the Pyramids", Studs Terkel, "Working".
"Always on the Job, Employess Pay With Health", John Schwartz, "NY Times".
"Hidden Horrors", R.M. Arrieta, "Dollars & Sense".
"Geese, Golden Eggs, and Traps", Chris Tilly, "Dollars & Sense".

VII. "The Handshake"

* READ: A "Mixed & Global" Economy
                             H & L: Chap. 14 & 15

* READ:
"The Incredible Shrinking Middle Class",John Balzar, "Los Angeles Times".
"Nearly 36 Million Americans Living in Poverty", "Reuters".
"Boom Time for Billionaires", "CommonDreams.org".
"Divided Decade:...", Collins, Hartman, Sklar,, United for a Fair Economy.

* VIEW:
"Wealth and Democracy", PBS NewsHour'Video'.
"Payday Lending", PBS NewsHour'Video'.
"Jobs & Votes", PBS NewsHour'Video'.
"Falling Dollar", PBS NewsHour'Video'.
"Tough Job", PBS NewsHour'Video'.
"Coming Up Short", PBS NewsHour'Video'.

* VISIT:
"Exchange Rates", x-rates.com
"Federal Budget Simulaton", "Center for Community Economic Research".
"A Citizen's Guide to the Federal Budget", 'OMB'.
"The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve", The Federal Reserve.
"The Twelve Federal Reserve Districts", The Federal Reserve.
"FOMC ALERT", Financial Markets Center.

Optional Reading,..............
"Green Economics", Paul Ekins, "The Atlas of Green Economics".
"If America is Richer, Why Are its Families So Much Less Secure?", "Los Angeles Times".
"The Poor Have More Things Today- Including Wild Income Swings", "Los Angeles Times".
"Workers' Saftey Net Is Full of Loopholes", Steve Lopez, "Los Angeles Times".
"Standing Up For Moral Value of Economic Justice", "Baltimore Sun".
"Wall Street Moves Main Street", Burton G.Malkiel, "Wall Street Journal".
"War in Iraq Aims a Bullet at the Heart of the Economy", James K. Galbraith, "Los Angeles Times".
"Where do U.S. Dollars Go When The U.S. Runs a Trade Deficit?", "Dollars & Sense".
"The Well's Running Dry for Colleges",Steve Lopez, "Los Angeles Times".
"Will The End of Oil Mean the End of America", Robert Freeman, "CommonDreams.org".
"Dollar's Decline Will Reverberate", "Los Angeles Times".
"U.S. Is More Customer Than Big Global Debtor", "LA Times".
"Disorganized Labor", "Los Angeles Times".

~{Exam:Tues.,Dec.21,8-10 A.M.}~