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Background and Context
These resources will help students develop a thorough understanding of Economic Issue topics and make connections between historical events, current conversations, and current policy proposals surrounding the issues. This section includes all of the context and content previously included in Close Up’s public policy chapters.
Available for Middle & High School
Current Issue Debates
Current Economic Issue Debates are framed by a central question and followed by historical context, an overview of both sides of the topic, and discussion questions to facilitate deliberation in the classroom.
Available for Middle & High School
Available for Middle & High School
Available for Middle & High School
Available for Middle & High School
Available for Middle & High School
Videos from Policy Makers
Brought to you by ASP HOMEROOM, through a collaboration between Close Up Foundation and A Starting Point, these supplemental videos are an introduction to policy areas that provide an opportunity for students to hear different perspectives directly from lawmakers.
Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) & Andy Levin (D-Mich.) May 26, 2021
Congressman Mark Takano (D-CA) & Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R-CA) May 14, 2021
Congressmen Don Beyer (D-VA) & Blake Moore (R-UT) April 15, 2021
These ready-to-use lesson plans can be utilized in conjunction with any of our resources to enhance the quality of student discourse in the classroom. Our supplemental Civic Readiness Guide provides a recommended lesson plan sequence for using our Current Issues resources.
Videos | June 11, 2020
During this seminar, available on-demand, Close Up’s, Joe Geraghty discusses ‘Opening the Economy during COVID-19′ with Michael Carney, Senior Vice President, Emerging Issues with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Michael shares how the pandemic has impacted business and education and the logistical challenges communities face associated with the new regulations.
Post | May 12, 2020
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is stressing our healthcare system, our economy, and parents trying to teach their children at home. It is also highlighting significant COVID-19 racial disparities in access to quality health care. According to an April survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, Black, and Hispanic people are more likely than white people […]
Videos | May 7, 2020
During this seminar, available on-demand, Close Up’s, Joe Geraghty discusses the impact of ‘COVID-19 on the Economy’ with Arlington County Board Member, Christian Dorsey. Christian discuss the role of local and federal government in helping people and businesses affected by the pandemic and social distancing policies.
Post | April 28, 2020
As COVID-19 has spread across the country and the globe, most U.S. states have taken to issuing shelter-in-place orders to help “flatten the curve.” As of April 20, 42 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico had asked residents to stay at home. However, over the past two weeks, there has been an increase […]
Post | April 23, 2020
Inequality has been a central issue of the 2020 presidential campaign, with many of the candidates including economic and income equity as major elements of their message.1 The COVID-19 outbreak has also placed economic inequality in the spotlight. While many professionals and white-collar workers are able to work from home, employees in the service industry […]
Post | March 26, 2020
The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is affecting every American and people all over the world, but it does not affect everyone equally. The more than 500,000 Americans who are homeless are especially vulnerable—due to age, lack of access to health care, underlying medical conditions, and lack of access to information and news—and also pose a risk […]
Post | March 4, 2020
Public health officials first encountered COVID-19, popularly called the coronavirus, in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Thus far, the virus has infected over 89,000 people, killing more than 3,000.1 In the United States, there have been more than 100 cases in 15 states; at least six people have died, all of them in Washington state.2 […]
Post | February 28, 2020
On November 6, 2017, businessman Andrew Yang began a presidential campaign centered on a signature policy, Universal Basic Income (UBI).1 If put in place, this UBI or “Freedom Dividend” would give every adult American $1,000 a month, no questions asked.2 The idea captured some voters’ imaginations; although Yang ultimately suspended his campaign after a poor […]