Suppose that Kenji, an economist from an AM talk radio program, and Lucia, an economist from a university in Massachusetts, are arguing over budget deficits.

The following dialogue shows an excerpt from their debate:

Lucia: Most people recognize that the budget deficit has been rising considerably over the last century. We need to find the best course of action to remedy this situation.

Kenji: I believe that a cut in income tax rates would boost economic growth and raise tax revenue enough to reduce budget deficits.

Lucia: I actually feel that raising the top income tax rate would reduce the budget deficit more effectively.

1. The disagreement between these economists is most likely due to

A. Difference in Perception V. Reality
B. Difference in Values
C. Difference in Scientific Judgements

2. Despite their differences, with which proposition are two economists chosen at random most likely to agree?

A. Central banks should focus more on maintaining low unemployment than on maintaining low inflation.
B. Business managers can raise profit more easily by reducing costs than by raising revenue.
C. Employers should not be restricted from outsourcing work to foreign nations.

As economists, Kenji and Lucia have different scientific (or technical) points of view and they suggest different solutions for the same problem. They both agree about what the problem is, but as economists they believe that different roads will lead us to a better solution.

One of the very few things that most (if not all) economists agree upon are that high inflation rate is bad, but high employment is the worst possible thing that can happen to an economy.