ECON Ch. 30 True/False – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
Expansionary fiscal policy is so-named because it involves an expansion of the nation's money supply
answer
False
question
Fiscal policy is complicated by political considerations and political motivations.
answer
True
question
As measured by the standardized budget, the U.S. government engaged in a contractionary fiscal policy in 2002 and 2003.
answer
True
question
Built-in stability is synonymous with discretionary fiscal policy
answer
False
question
An increase in the cyclical deficits will automatically increase the standardized budget deficit
answer
False
question
The additional taxes needed to pay the interest on the public debt reduce incentives to work, save, invest, and bear risks
answer
True
question
A decrease in government spending is one of the options that can be used to pursue a contractionary fiscal policy
answer
True
question
The crowding-out effect occurs when an expansionary fiscal policy increases the interest rate, decreases investment spending, and weakens fiscal policy
answer
True
question
A contractionary fiscal policy shifts the aggregate demand curve leftward
answer
True
question
Fiscal policy is mainly undertaken by the Federal Reserve
answer
False
question
The payment of interest on the public debt probably decreases income inequality
answer
False
question
Financing wartime expenditures by increasing internally held public debt permits a nation to defer a part of the economic cost of war
answer
False
question
Tax increases and government spending cuts by state governments during recessions often reduce the expansionary impact of fiscal policy by the Federal government
answer
True
question
Tax revenues automatically increase during economic expansions and decrease during recessions
answer
True
question
Permanent tax reductions are more likely to be expansionary than temporary tax reductions
answer
True
question
Expansionary fiscal policy during a recession means cutting taxes, increasing government spending, or taking both actions
answer
True
question
Between 1994 and 2000, annual budget deficits gave way to annual budget surpluses
answer
True
question
Demand-pull inflation can be restrained by increasing government spending and reducing taxes
answer
False
question
If taxation becomes more progressive, the built-in stability in the economy will increase
answer
True
question
The concept of a "political business cycle" suggests that a possible cause of macroeconomic instability is due to the use of fiscal policy for political purposes
answer
True
question
The crowding-out effect of the public debt may be dampened if the investment-demand curve is shifting to the right
answer
True
question
The per capita public debt doubled between 1990 and 2000
answer
False
question
The public debt is the accumulation of all deficits and surpluses that have occurred through time
answer
True
question
The public debt is held as Treasury bills, Treasury notes, Treasury bonds, and U.S. savings bonds
answer
True
question
The actual and standardized budgets will be equal when the economy is at full employment
answer
True
question
The crowding-out effect refers to the possibility that deficit spending may motivate people to increase their saving in anticipation of higher future taxes
answer
False
question
If the MPC in the economy is .75, government could shift the aggregate demand curve rightward by $30 billion by cutting taxes by $10 billion
answer
True
question
Half of the public debt is owned by foreign individuals and institutions
answer
False
question
The public debt as a percent of GDP is lower in the United States than in many other industrial nations
answer
True
question
If government spending that gives rise to a budget deficit is for public investment projects, such as highways, then this spending can increase the economy's future production capacity
answer
True
question
A decrease in government spending and taxes would be an example of fiscal policies that reinforce each other
answer
False
question
An increase in taxes would be an expansionary fiscal policy
answer
False
question
The financing of the public debt can increase interest rates and reduce private investment spending
answer
True
question
Built-in stability refers to the fact that net tax revenues vary inversely with the level of GDP
answer
False
question
The Council of Economic Advisors was established to give economic advice and assistance to the U.S. President
answer
True
question
If there is a Federal budget surplus, then government revenues are greater than its expenditures
answer
True
question
A large public debt will not bankrupt the Federal government because it can refinance the debt or increase taxes to pay it
answer
True
question
State and local governments' fiscal policies typically reinforce the fiscal policy of the Federal government to counter recession and inflation
answer
False
question
Discretionary fiscal policy is independent of Congress and based on the progressivity of the tax system
answer
False
question
It is more meaningful economically to measure the public debt relative to the GDP than to measure it in absolute terms
answer
True
question
The operational lag of fiscal policy refers to the time that elapses between the beginning of a recession or inflation and the certain awareness that it is actually happening
answer
False
question
An increase in taxes and a decrease in government spending would be characteristic of a contractionary fiscal policy
answer
True
question
Most of the public debt can be considered a public credit
answer
True
question
The standardized budget measures what the Federal budget deficit or surplus would be at full employment output with existing tax and spending decisions
answer
True