Economics: a social science concerned chiefly with description and analysis of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services (courtesy of merriam-webster.com).

Mind you, this is a class of extremely capable students. These are students who have chosen the AP label, and thus are asking to be mentally tortured. How then is it acceptable that in such an economic downturn students are clueless about the single most crucial problem prevalent in the U.S. today?

Many of us will reach voting age within the next few years. And if you are electing a president without any knowledge of the economy, our nation is heading for utter chaos.

So here is your little (yet extremely important) lesson for today: the U.S. government is in the middle of a major economic crisis that has resulted in the loss of over 14 million jobs and the downgrade of the nation’s treasured AAA credit rating. As of now there is no recovery in sight.

It is your responsibility as students and citizens to learn the rest.